The Lookout Restaurant

Kudo Shinichi held the bottle in his hand, hesitating for a moment before taking a shallow sip. It was a bit spicy, stinging his throat—truly unpleasant. However, the thought of returning to his original form spurred him on, and after a brief pause, he gulped it down.

As the liquid hit his stomach, it felt as if he had swallowed fire; a searing heat spread through him. He downed the rest in one breath, his face flushing red as his entire body grew warm. Before long, Kudo Shinichi felt dizzy and lightheaded, his body refusing to obey his commands, while the burning in his stomach intensified. The pain became unbearable, and before long, he lost consciousness.

He did not know how much time had passed before Kudo Shinichi finally came to. Looking outside, he saw that the sky had already darkened; quite a while must have elapsed. He touched his restored body, feeling a sense of disbelief—he had truly changed back. However, knowing this form would not last long, he hurriedly grabbed the phone.

He found Ran's number and dialed.

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

"Yeah, it's me, Ran. I've been away handling a case, and I'm just taking this opportunity to come back for a visit." Hearing her voice, Kudo Shinichi felt a sense of peace wash over him.

"Taking an opportunity to come back? What do you mean by that? Are you going to leave again?" Kudo Shinichi's words triggered a sharp reaction from Ran. They hadn't seen each other in so long—was he really going to leave again so soon?

Hearing her agitated tone, Kudo Shinichi quickly said, "Don't worry, Ran. It's hard to explain over the phone. Let's meet at the Beika Center Building's observation restaurant in a little while, and I'll tell you everything then, okay?"

"Okay!" Hearing that they would meet soon, Ran happily hung up the phone.

Around 8:00 PM, at the Beika Center Building's observation restaurant, Kudo Shinichi and Ran Mouri sat across from each other.

Ran asked in a low voice, "Is it really okay to come here? It's so expensive."

"Heh, don't you worry about that. I brought my mom's gold card." Kudo Shinichi chuckled as he produced the card.

"You really are a spendthrift." Looking at the gold card, Ran said with a smile.

Kudo Shinichi felt indignant at her remark. "What do you mean? The parents who abandon their son and run off to enjoy themselves abroad are the real spendthrifts."

"Hehehe." Ran laughed. "You really are a lot like Conan."

"Huh?" Kudo Shinichi was startled. Had she discovered something?

"His parents went abroad, too. And honestly, I've been thinking lately that Conan might actually be you."

"Ha... ha..." Kudo Shinichi offered a forced laugh.

"I thought you must have gotten involved in some major case that forced you to hide your identity. So, you went to Professor Agasa to have him concoct some medicine to shrink your body. Hehehe, I'm being pretty whimsical, aren't I?" Ran laughed at her own suggestion; after all, how could such a medicine exist in the real world?

You're not being whimsical at all, Kudo Shinichi thought. You've guessed almost everything correctly. If I keep staying by your side as Conan, who knows when you might figure it out.

"But he's already been picked up by his mother. I wonder how he's doing now? Thinking about it, I actually miss him a little." Ran's mood dimmed as she spoke of Conan. Even though it hadn't been long since they parted, she found herself missing him.

I'm doing just fine, and I'm even eating dinner with you right now, Kudo Shinichi thought, though he comforted her aloud, "Ran, don't worry. He's with his parents now, so he must be doing well. You can always call him when you miss him."

"Yeah!" Ran replied, then asked curiously, "Shinichi, what kind of case are you involved in this time? It's taking so long. You used to solve every case so quickly. Can you tell me about it?"

"Uh..." Kudo Shinichi froze. What case? How could he explain it to her? He couldn't tell her the truth. He had to improvise: "This case... well, it's extremely complicated. I'm just back for a short visit, and I have to leave again soon. It's rare for us to see each other, so let's not talk about that. I'll tell you all the details once I've finished the case, alright?"

"Okay. But Shinichi, how long can you stay this time?" Ran asked, her mood sinking at the news that he would be leaving again soon.

"It can't be helped, but I promise you, I will finish this case as quickly as possible and come back soon." Thinking about how little time he had left in his original body, Kudo Shinichi could only promise to return quickly.

"Okay." Ran's mood brightened.

Watching her happy expression, Kudo Shinichi thought: Ran, for your sake, I will find that organization and catch the mastermind. Once I find the antidote, I will return immediately. I promise it won't be long.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the restaurant.

After handing the menu to the waiter, Kisaki Eri turned to Lin Maoxian, who sat across from her. "Lin, why did you invite me here for dinner today? It feels so formal."

"Eri, the greatest gain from my trip to Japan has been meeting you; I feel very lucky. Although we've only known each other for a few short days, your intelligence, elegance, and composure have deeply captivated me. I want to ask, can I spend the rest of my days with you?" Lin Maoxian looked at the beautiful woman before him, his expression filled with sincerity as he bared his heart.

"This... this..." Lin Maoxian's sudden confession caught Kisaki Eri off guard. While she felt this man was brave, intelligent, and capable, and she was indeed fond of him, they had only known each other for a few days. Was it too soon to confirm a relationship? If she agreed now, would he think she was a loose woman?

"Eri, you know my situation. I have things to attend to over the next few days and won't have time to accompany you. And once I finish my business, I have to return home immediately. If I don't say these things now, I don't know if I'll ever have the chance again." Seeing her expression, Lin Maoxian knew this was too sudden. But he had no choice; he only had a few days left in this world, and he still had tasks to complete. If he didn't say it now, he didn't know if he would ever return to this world or where he might end up. He had truly fallen for this woman.

"Lin, can you give me some time to think? Although I am very fond of you, it's all happening too fast. I think we should spend more time together, and then I will surely give you an answer." Kisaki Eri thought for a moment before speaking her true feelings. She had feelings for him, but she didn't want to make a rash decision; she had already made one mistake in the past.

Although he didn't get the answer he wanted, Lin Maoxian was still happy. Kisaki Eri liked him; it was just that they hadn't known each other long enough for her to commit. As long as she liked him, that was enough. Once he returned to that space, he would have to find a way to come back here.

With these thoughts, Lin Maoxian took a piece of jade from his pocket and rubbed it for a moment before handing it over. "Eri, I don't know when I'll be able to return to Japan after I go home. I want to leave this jade with you as a memento. I've worn it for a long time. I hope that when I'm not around, you'll wear it often. When you see it, you'll think of me and not forget me." He had originally sold this jade, but had used certain means to get it back. Even though he wanted to return, he didn't understand the nature of that space. He didn't know if he could come back, or if too much time would have passed by then.

Kisaki Eri took the jade and stroked it gently. She might never see its owner again, or perhaps it would be many years before they met. She didn't know if this relationship would ever have a future. Feeling a bit down, she smiled and said, "Lin, I will wear it forever. I will wait for you, and I only hope you can come to Japan to find me soon. Will you help me put it on?"

"Yes!" Lin Maoxian stood up, walked over to her, took the jade, and carefully fastened it around her neck. Looking at the beautiful woman before him, and thinking that they might never meet again, he couldn't help but kiss her on the forehead.

Kisaki Eri didn't say anything about the kiss, though she was mostly overcome with shyness. To ease the tension, she asked Lin Maoxian as he sat back down, "Lin, what exactly is this business you have to attend to? I'd like to know, in case there's any way I can help you."

Lin Maoxian was about to say that the matter was dangerous and he didn't want to involve her, fearing for her safety, when a woman's scream caught his attention.

He called the waiter over and asked if something had happened.

The waiter replied in terror, "Someone is dead. There's been a murder; someone was shot by the elevators."

Hearing the waiter's response and recalling the rewards from his previous side quest—and noting there was no immediate danger—he turned to Kisaki Eri. "Eri, why don't we go take a look? Perhaps we can help the police solve the case quickly."

Seeing that Kisaki Eri agreed, Lin Maoxian walked with her toward the crime scene.