Ai Haibara: I Really Came to See the Little Animals

"This time I think Edogawa was right, it really is meaningless."

Ai Haibara said calmly, "This kind of romantic game where you give chocolates to your crush on this day is probably only found in Japan."

"Actually, the origin of Valentine's Day is a sad holiday related to a priest named Valentine who was severely tortured and eventually executed..."

She crossed her arms and continued, "It's probably because those chocolate companies are doing this for promotional purposes, just like diamond rings. They're flashy but impractical, but because they've been given additional meaning, they're sold at very high prices."

"Really?!"

Mitsuhiko and Genta had strange expressions.

The child's innocent fantasies were ruthlessly shattered!

"But my mother told me that."

At this moment, Ayumi spoke up, "On Valentine's Day, girls use chocolate to muster up courage and create important memories, which is why chocolate tastes both bitter and sweet."

"Pretty much, it's really important to leave behind memories."

Fujino sat in the driver's seat and drove. "But it's not necessarily chocolate that gives you courage. There are other things too... China also has a Valentine's Day. The Qixi Festival is a bit better than Valentine's Day, but it still represents parting. However, there will always be a day to meet again after parting."

"Qixi Festival?"

The three real children in the back seat looked puzzled.

Let's talk about the story of the Magpie Bridge Weaver Girl.

The fake child, Ai Haibara, pondered for a moment, "Legend has it that in Chinese legends, there was a mortal and a deity who fell in love. Because they violated the heavenly rules, they could not meet. One was in the heavenly realm, and the other was on earth. Every year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, countless magpies would use their bodies to form a bridge so that the two could meet."

"So that's how it is..."

"We can only meet once a year, how pitiful."

"Love is always a bittersweet thing."

Fujino looked at the various little creatures and chuckled, "Love is mixed with the sadness of parting, and parting is mixed with complicated emotions. Valentine's Day is pretty much like that. I don't really like this complicated feeling... But Ayumi is right, Valentine's Day still has its meaning. At least on this day, we can indeed leave behind precious memories."

"Precious memories..."

Ai Haibara blinked, glanced at the chocolate shop on the street, and fell into deep thought.

"Speaking of Ayumi."

Mitsuhiko asked Ayumi curiously, "Have you bought your chocolate yet?"

"No."

Ayumi shook her head slightly. "My mother also said that I am still very young, so I can't just give her chocolates or anything like that."

"It is indeed too small."

A thoughtful look flashed in Fujino's eyes. "If such a young age leaves behind any precious memories, they might turn into sad ones later, haunting me at night and keeping me awake at night..."

"..."

Conan glanced at Fujino and fell silent.

I've known about this for a long time, but it feels like this guy has a story to tell.

He's like an old man who was heartbroken in the past.

Can't read...

The next day.

A black car was traveling on a snow-covered mountain road.

Ran Sonoko, Sonoko, Conan sat in the back, Ai Haibara sat in the passenger seat, Fujino once again acted as the driver.

"Thank you so much, Fujino- Senior."

Ran, sitting in the back, gave an awkward laugh, "My dad is drunk, and he needs you to bring us all here."

As she spoke, she daydreamed a bit more. "But I heard from Sonoko that there seem to be lots of small animals in that mountain!"

"Small animals..."

Ai Haibara glanced out the car window, a strange sense of anticipation creeping in.

"Actually, there are no animals in that mountain..."

Sonoko smiled sheepishly and explained, "Actually, we're going to the Fukutō Sansō Villa- so to make chocolate."

"Well?!"

Ran exclaimed in surprise, looking at Sonoko with bewildered eyes. "Didn't you say you were going to see all sorts of small animals in the mountains?"

Fujino: "..."

You actually believed that!

Sonoko too, Ran even fooled Ran...

Go buy some small animals for Ran!

Haven't you heard of it?

Sonoko whispered to Ran, "The reason why Fukutō Sansō Villa is so famous is because the chocolates they make there can guarantee a smooth and successful love story!"

"So that's how it is..."

Ran was surprised when she heard this. She clenched her chin like Great Detective, and then her expression changed from innocent and confused to a gentle, doting smile.

Fujino: "..."

You actually believe this kind of legend?

He was a little confused about who the real naive girl was.

"And there's no limit on the number of people there."

Sonoko changed the subject, looking at Ai Haibara: "Ai seems to really want to come along, she must have heard that rumor too!"

Ai Haibara: "..."

I really came here to see the small animals.

Fukutō Sansō Villa.

Although it's called a mountain resort, it's actually just a two-story villa deep in the mountains.

Fujino parked the car in the open-air parking garage next to him.

Greeting the crowd was an old Asakasen Chiyoko.

This old woman is the owner of this resort.

After getting off the car, the group greeted the other party.

After a brief conversation, Asakasen Chiyoko said mysteriously, "However, I still have to remind you that if you don't want to receive gifts from the ghosts in this mountain, don't go out alone on a snowy day."

"A strange gift?"

"Ghost?"

Ran and Sonoko both froze.

One is interested in the strange gift, the other is interested in the ghost.

"Ghosts? How could they possibly exist?"

Conan glanced at the two terrified people and muttered a sarcastic remark.

"That's hard to say."

Ai Haibara glanced at Conan and whispered, "With you, the Grim Reaper, around, you can create ghosts even if there aren't any. I hope this doesn't turn into a bloody Valentine's Day."

"What the hell!"

Conan was speechless for a moment, revealing a dead fish-like expression.

What is Death?

What do you mean by turning Valentine's Day into a bloody one just because he was there?

"The terrain here is very complicated, and people often get lost and die. Also, every year around this time, chocolates suddenly appear on the snow, especially next to bodies that have been found."

A man in a blue windbreaker came out of the villa and explained, "The locals believe that this is the ghost of a girl who accidentally got lost and died on her way here, and she is haunting the place with resentment. Some people also believe that this is the work of the Snow Woman."

"Snow, Snow Woman?!"

It would have been better if they hadn't explained; the explanation only made the two best friends more frightened.

"..."

Fujino, however, didn't quite understand what made the Snow Woman so terrifying.

Compared to monsters like the kappa, the Snow Woman is just too cute, isn't she?

There's the mature, older sister-type Snow Woman; the young, teenage Snow Woman; and who knows, there might even be the rare, loli-type Snow Woman...

After thinking for a moment, Fujino glanced at the little girl next to him.

It would be great if Ai cosplayed as Snow Woman- onna.

"??!!"

Ai Haibara suddenly shuddered, feeling a chill run down her spine, and vaguely sensed that someone was thinking something bad.