The Observation Restaurant

Volume One, Chapter 18: The Observation Restaurant

Holding the bottle of liquor, Kudo Shinichi hesitated for a moment, then took a small sip. It was a little spicy and burned his throat. It tasted awful. But when he thought of how it could turn him back to normal, he hesitated briefly, then started gulping it down.

As soon as the liquor reached his stomach, it felt as though a fire had ignited inside him, and he grew incredibly hot. He downed the rest in one go. His face turned red, and warmth spread through his body. Before long, Kudo Shinichi felt dizzy, and his body began to stop obeying him. The burning in his stomach grew even worse. The pain was intense, and he passed out before long.

He had no idea how much time had passed before Kudo Shinichi finally came to. He looked outside. It was already dark, so quite a while must have gone by. Feeling his body, now restored to normal, he could hardly believe it. He really had changed back. But when he remembered that this body wouldn't last long, Kudo Shinichi hurriedly grabbed the phone.

He found Ran's number and called her.

"Hello, is that you, Shinichi? Where have you been all this time? I haven't been able to find you." Ran Mouri's excited voice came from the other end of the line.

"Yeah, it's me, Ran. I've been away working on a case. I managed to come back for a little while." Hearing Ran's voice filled Kudo Shinichi with a sense of calm.

"Come back for a little while? What do you mean? Are you going to leave again?" Kudo Shinichi's words made Ran Mouri react strongly. They hadn't seen each other in ages. Was he going to leave again so soon?

Hearing how upset Ran sounded, Kudo Shinichi hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Ran. It's hard to explain right now. Let's meet at the observation restaurant in the Beika Center Building in a little while. I'll explain everything then, okay?"

"Okay!" Hearing they could meet soon, Ran happily hung up.

Around eight that evening, Kudo Shinichi and Ran Mouri sat facing each other at the observation restaurant in the Beika Center Building.

Ran Mouri asked softly, "Is it okay to come here? It's really expensive."

"Heh, don't worry. I brought my mom's gold card." Kudo Shinichi grinned and took out the card.

"You're such a spendthrift." Ran Mouri smiled at the gold card he had taken out.

Kudo Shinichi took offense at Ran Mouri's words. "What are you talking about? Parents who abandon their own son and go live it up overseas are the real spendthrifts."

"Hahahaha." Ran Mouri laughed. "You really are a lot like Conan."

"Hm?" Kudo Shinichi was startled. Had she figured something out?

"His parents went overseas, too. And, honestly, lately I've kept thinking that Conan was you."

"Heh... heh..." Kudo Shinichi managed a strained smile.

"I thought you must have gotten caught up in some huge case, one so dangerous that you had to hide your identity. So you asked Professor Agasa to make some kind of drug that shrank you. Hahaha, I know, it's a crazy idea." By the end of her explanation, Ran Mouri was laughing herself. After all, how could a drug like that possibly exist?

Crazy idea? You've practically guessed the whole truth. If I stayed by your side as Conan, who knows when you'd figure it out.

"But his mother already came and took him away. I wonder how he's doing now. Come to think of it, I kind of miss him." Ran Mouri's mood dipped as she talked about Conan. They hadn't been apart for long, but she still missed him.

I'm doing great, actually—and I'm even having dinner with you right now. Kudo Shinichi thought that to himself, but said comfortingly, "Don't worry, Ran. He's with his parents now, so he must be doing fine. You can call him whenever you miss him."

"Okay!" Ran Mouri replied, then asked curiously, "Shinichi, what case did you get caught up in this time? It's taken so long. You used to solve any case in no time. Can you tell me about it?"

"Uh..." Kudo Shinichi froze for a moment. What case? How was he supposed to explain? He couldn't tell her the truth outright, so he could only make something up. "This case is really complicated. I just managed to come back for a little while, and I'll have to leave again soon. We hardly ever get to see each other, so let's not talk about it now. I'll tell you everything once I've finished the case, okay?"

"Okay, but, Shinichi, how long can you stay this time?" Hearing he would have to leave again soon, Ran Mouri asked in a subdued voice.

"There's nothing I can do about it, but I promise I'll finish the case as quickly as I can and come back soon." Knowing he couldn't stay in this body for long, Kudo Shinichi could only promise to return as soon as possible.

"Okay." Ran Mouri's spirits lifted.

Looking at Ran Mouri's happy expression, Kudo Shinichi thought, Ran, for your sake, I'll find that organization and catch the mastermind as soon as I can. Once I find the antidote, I'll come back right away. I promise it won't be long.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the restaurant.

After Kisaki Eri handed the menu to the waiter, she said to Lin Maoxian, who was sitting across from her, "Lin, why did you invite me to dinner here today? It feels so formal."

"Eri, my biggest stroke of luck on this trip to Japan was meeting you. We've known each other only a few days, but your intelligence, grace, and composure have captivated me. I wanted to ask if I could spend the days ahead with you." Lin Maoxian looked at the lovely woman before him with deep affection and laid his feelings bare.

"Th-this..." Lin Maoxian's sudden confession caught Kisaki Eri completely off guard. She did think he was brave, clever, and capable, and she liked him, too. But they had known each other for only a few days. Wasn't it too soon to make their relationship official? If she agreed now, would he think she was an easy woman?

"Eri, you know who I am. I have things to take care of over the next few days, and I won't have time to spend with you. Once I've finished, I'll have to return home right away and report in. If I don't say this now, I don't know if I'll ever get another chance." Seeing Kisaki Eri's expression, Lin Maoxian knew this was sudden. But he had no choice. He only had a few days left in this world, and he still had things to do. If he didn't say this now, he didn't know whether he'd ever return to this world—or whether he'd die somewhere along the way. He had truly fallen for her.

"Lin, could you give me some more time to think about it? I do like you, but this is all happening too fast. I think we should spend a little more time together first. Then I'm sure I'll say yes." Kisaki Eri thought it over and told him honestly how she felt. She was attracted to him, but she didn't want to make a hasty decision. She had already made that mistake once.

Though he hadn't gotten the answer he wanted, Lin Maoxian was still happy. Kisaki Eri liked him; they had simply known each other too briefly, and she hadn't made up her mind about being with him yet. As long as she liked him, that was enough. Once he returned to that other space, he would find a way to come back here again.

As he thought about it, Lin Maoxian took a piece of jade from his pocket and rubbed it a few times. He handed it to her. "Eri, I don't know when I'll be back in Japan after I return home, so I'd like you to keep this jade as a memento. I've worn it often. I hope you'll wear it while I'm away. When you see it, you'll think of me and won't forget me." He had originally sold the jade, but later used a few tricks to get it back. Though he wanted to return, he still didn't know what that other space was like. He had no idea whether he'd be able to come back. Perhaps by the time he did, far too much time would have passed.

Kisaki Eri took the jade and stroked it a few times. She might never see its owner again—or perhaps not until many years had passed. She didn't know whether this relationship would ever have a future. Her spirits sank a little, but she still smiled and said, "Lin, I'll wear it always, and I'll wait for you. I only hope you'll come back to Japan to see me soon. Could you put it on for me?"

"Okay!" Lin Maoxian stood up and went to Kisaki Eri's side. He picked up the jade and carefully fastened it around her neck. Looking at the beautiful woman before him and thinking that they might never meet again, Lin Maoxian couldn't help kissing her forehead.

Kisaki Eri said nothing about the kiss, though she was mostly just embarrassed. To ease the awkwardness, she asked Lin Maoxian, who had returned to his seat, "Lin, what exactly is it you have to do this time? I'd like to know, in case there's some way I can help."

Lin Maoxian was just about to say that the matter was dangerous and that he didn't want to involve her in case she got hurt when a woman's scream caught his attention.

He called over a waiter and asked whether something had happened.

The waiter answered in a terrified voice, "Someone's dead. There's been a murder. A person was shot in the elevator area."

Hearing the waiter's answer, Lin Maoxian remembered the reward he'd received for the previous side quest. There had been no danger then, either. He turned to Kisaki Eri and said, "Eri, why don't we go take a look together? Maybe we can help the police solve the case faster."

When Kisaki Eri agreed, Lin Maoxian went with her to the crime scene.