Moriyama Teiji: Choking

"Ran, are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" Glancing down at the time, Sonoko Suzuki straightened her coat, unable to hide her concern.

"What could possibly happen to me?" Ran Mouri withdrew her gaze from the movie poster and waved with a smile. "At worst, Shinichi will skip out again."

Sonoko Suzuki followed her gaze to the poster she had been staring at.

Advertisements for the newly released movie had been bought all over the shopping district. On the building across two streets from them, the large words "The Legend of the Red Thread" were printed in one corner of a massive billboard.

Even if that deduction maniac made it, he'd probably ruin the mood anyway...

Muttering to herself, Sonoko Suzuki looked Ran Mouri over. Seeing how dressed up she was, another concern arose. "If he really doesn't show up this late at night, won't that be dangerous? It's a midnight screening. It'll be really late by the time it ends..."

"It's okay. I'm not a child anymore." Ran Mouri tilted her head and smiled. "Don't worry, Sonoko."

"All right, but remember to report the battle results to me tomorrow!" Sonoko Suzuki checked the time again. As she headed toward the subway station through the bustling, brightly lit intersection, she reminded her, "If anything urgent happens, contact me anytime."

"Thank you for staying with me all day, Sonoko."

"What are you thanking me for? Just take him down already! Go for it, Ran!"

"Sonoko..."

Watching her best friend's retreating back helplessly, Ran Mouri took out her phone and opened the inbox, which was still completely empty.

"I hope it's not what I think it is." Touching the gift bag hooked over her arm, she murmured to herself as she headed toward the focus of today's outing.

The movie theater