In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.
Morning dawned, vibrant and full of life, cherry blossoms drifting down as if spring had arrived.
Fujino got up, made breakfast, fed the two freeloading sisters, then went into the bathroom to wash up.
Coming out of the bathroom, he checked his phone – it was a school day.
Confirming he needed to attend school, he changed into his uniform and hurried Ai Haibara, who was still brushing her teeth.
Once Ai Haibara had also finished washing up, he drove the Ford Taurus, taking Ai Haibara to Teitan Elementary School.
Dr. Agasa had already handled Ai Haibara's transfer procedures.
Although he didn't know how the school registrations for these two unregistered individuals, Ai Haibara and Conan, were managed, they were somehow done.
As for textbooks and such, Ai Haibara should receive them today, her first day of school.
After all, the school had been notified several days in advance.
At the gate of Teitan Elementary School.
Ai Haibara, wearing a white tracksuit and sitting in the back seat, pushed open the car door, slung the red bulletproof backpack from beside her onto her back, and strode towards the school gate.
Before entering, she glanced back at Fujino.
Stare—
Fujino simply pushed up his glasses, offering a faint smile.
Seeing this, Ai Haibara nodded slightly, the short hair at her temples dancing lightly, then turned and walked through the school gate.
Fujino watched the small figure walk into the school, stroking his chin.
Hmm, felt like an old father sending his daughter off to school.
He then turned and drove towards Teitan High School.
Teitan Elementary School.
Led by Kobayashi Sumiko, Ai Haibara entered the classroom of Class 1-B.
"So cute!"
"Is she mixed-race?!"
As soon as she entered the classroom, her appearance caused a commotion among the elementary school students.
A group of sheltered children were instantly captivated.
"This is Haibara Ai, who is transferring here starting today."
Kobayashi Sumiko stood at the podium. "Everyone, please get along well!"
After introducing Ai Haibara, Kobayashi Sumiko scanned the classroom: "Haibara-san, please sit..."
Before Kobayashi Sumiko could finish, the elementary students near an empty seat below the podium started getting restless.
Ai Haibara simply glanced around, then walked towards a seat by the window.
"Elementary school life, huh?"
Sitting down, she tilted her head slightly, gazing out the window at a 45-degree angle.
Meanwhile, Conan, sitting nearby, looked towards Ai Haibara's seat, his brow furrowed.
That girl, why did she transfer here?
What exactly is going on?
Because Dr. Agasa hadn't mentioned that Ai Haibara was now staying at Fujino's house, and Ai Haibara rarely went out while there,
Conan currently didn't know that she was living right across from him.
Around 2 PM, Ai Haibara's first day of school ended.
She walked down a corner hallway, dodging running elementary students, moving forward silently.
Elementary school life might seem childish and mundane to a high school student.
But for her, technically a university student, it was just right.
She enjoyed this sense of peace.
"Haibara-san!"
Just then, a tender girl's voice called from behind.
Ai Haibara turned with a cold expression and saw Yoshida Ayumi, wearing a pink dress, waving at her. "Haibara-san, want to walk home together?"
Ai Haibara: "..."
Cold face, turned away.
"Eh?"
Yoshida Ayumi looked surprised by Ai Haibara's icy attitude.
"Just ignore her! She's even more stuck-up than Conan!"
Genta, following behind Ayumi with his hands behind his head, looked impatient.
He said this because Ai Haibara had snubbed him earlier in the day.
He had been one of the students inviting Ai Haibara to sit next to him.
Conan, however, watched Ai Haibara, his brow furrowed, the confusion still unresolved.
Logically, after he kicked her out that night, she should have had nowhere to go.
But looking at her now, she seemed to be doing quite well?
And she even ended up in his class...
Could it be she went back to those Black Organization people?!
Thinking this, Conan became even more cautious.
"By the way, Haibara-san, where do you live?"
"Don't be shy, it's okay if we walk you home."
Mitsuhiko and Ayumi approached her, speaking enthusiastically.
Ai Haibara glanced at the two, thought for a moment, then said calmly, "Beika Town, 5-chome, Number 40. I live there now."
"5-chome?"
Ayumi thought for a moment, then suddenly said, "Isn't that near Conan's house?!"
Conan, however, fell into deep thought upon hearing this.
Number 40... He remembered Ran's house was Number 39. Number 40 would be...
That's Fujino's house!
Wait, why would she give that address?!
Conan swallowed hard.
"Hey, Haibara, come with me for a second."
Conan suddenly walked up, grabbed Ai Haibara's hand, intending to pull her aside.
He planned to question her thoroughly about what secrets she and Fujino shared that he didn't know.
Seeing this, Ai Haibara frowned slightly.
Suddenly, she recalled a move Fujino had taught her before.
Her cool expression shifted slightly, and after a moment, she suddenly let out a loud, little-girl-like scream: "Ah! Pervert!"
Conan: "?"
"Conan, what are you doing?!"
Mitsuhiko reacted first, stepping protectively in front of Ai Haibara.
Conan: "..."
"Conan! How could you bully a girl!"
Ayumi also stood protectively before Ai Haibara, saying resentfully,
"You're really too much!"
"..."
"So, basically..."
Conan's mouth twitched. He wanted to explain, but couldn't get the words out clearly.
"Hmph."
Nearby, Ai Haibara, hiding behind the two children, revealed a playful smile.
Conan, being lectured by the two elementary students until he couldn't lift his head, looked at Ai Haibara with resentment.
Damn it... she definitely did that on purpose!
Speaking of which, why did this feeling seem so familiar?
Meanwhile, a strangely familiar scene played out at Teitan High School.
"A bit bored..."
Fujino, sitting by the window, closed his book and gazed out at the cherry blossoms at a 45-degree angle. As he watched, his vision gradually blurred.
"Ring ring ring!"
Just as he was drifting off, about to fall asleep, his phone suddenly rang.
Fujino pulled out his phone and glanced at the caller ID: Ai Haibara.
He checked the time: 1:30 PM.
Teitan Elementary should have finished classes.
"Fujino!"
Just then, a slightly angry female voice suddenly reached his ear, striking his soul.
Fujino froze, looked up, and saw Hiratsuka Shizuka standing at the podium, looking slightly annoyed.
She glanced at Fujino, took a deep breath, then said calmly, "I believe I've mentioned before, phones should be on silent during class..."
"Ah... sorry."
Fujino stood up.
He almost forgot; when exchanging numbers earlier, he had marked both Ai Haibara and Miyano Akemi as important contacts, rendering silent mode ineffective.
Suppressing the soul pressure from the Iron Fist Saintess, he chuckled lightly and explained,
"Actually, it's my relative's little sister who's temporarily staying with me. Today is her first day of school, and she probably just finished classes... so she gave me a call."
"Relative's little sister?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka paused, surprised.
Finishing school at this time, she must be an elementary student?
Wasn't this guy an orphan?
How did he have relatives?
She was somewhat puzzled.
However, with a reasonable explanation, her anger subsided considerably.
"In that case, go take the call in the hallway... Remember to turn on silent mode next time."
"Understood."
Fujino nodded, then immediately stepped out into the hallway.
Answering the phone, Fujino asked calmly into the receiver:
"Ai-chan, what's up?"
"I'm going to play with classmates today. I might be back late."
The voice on the other end was still calm, very brief.
"Classmates?"
Fujino stroked his chin, already understanding the situation.
Looks like Ai Haibara joined the Detective Boys after all.
"Okay, go play with your classmates then. Remember to be home before dinner."
Pausing, Fujino added, his tone slightly serious, "If you run into any trouble, remember to call me."
"Understood."
With that, Ai Haibara hung up.
Just as the call ended, a system notification suddenly echoed in Fujino's ear:
"New Detective Profession Bounty Mission Detected. Please check!"
"Detective Profession Bounty Mission?!"
Instantly, Fujino was wide awake.
He yawned, then opened the profession task interface. The details of this bounty mission appeared before him:
[Detective Profession Bounty Mission: Silver Fox]
[Objective: Arrest the wanted counterfeiter, Silver Fox]
[Location: Marked on your HUD]
[Reward: 3,000,000 Yen, +200 Detective Reputation]
[Time Limit: 1 Day]
"The counterfeiter Silver Fox?"
Fujino looked at the system task, murmuring inwardly.
Silver Fox... that should be the female counterfeiter whom Conan mistook for a Black Organization member, right?
But three million yen...
That woman nicknamed Sil...
Nicknamed Silver Fox is quite valuable.
It would be wrong not to extort her a couple more times; it wouldn't do justice to the three million yen price tag.
Since Ai Haibara had just appeared around the time of that plotline, he remembered it particularly clearly.
It went something like: Ai Haibara's first day of school, gets dragged into the Beika Death Squad, accepts a commission to find a missing brother, then coincidentally runs into the counterfeiting gang and gets captured.
For this bounty, the woman named Silver Fox seemed to have a gun.
Unfortunately, it was useless.
The gun was picked up by Ai Haibara, who even fired a shot.
Silver Fox was completely scared stiff.
Speaking of guns...
Hmm.
If things proceeded normally, he could probably see Ai Haibara's fake crying and pouting act today.