Conan: I'm really not the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 21 Exchange Student Kudo Shinichi
Saturday afternoon, Miwa Town.

In front of the largest bookstore in Mihua, young boys and girls were either holding books or chatting with friends. Under the guidance of security guards and bookstore staff, they lined up in an orderly manner in the shadow cast by the building.

There was a big banner hanging above the bookstore: "Detective Today's Son" book signing.

Three middle school students came from the station. The leading girl had short, flush hair and a headband on her head.

She walked excitedly to the door of the bookstore, and when she saw the team, her expression suddenly froze.

"Why are there so many people?!" she shouted.

"Who asked you to come so late? You were half an hour late."

The boy who was traveling with him put his hands in his pockets and rolled his half-moon eyes in dissatisfaction.

"I came to accompany you two out of kindness, and I obviously misremembered the time..."

Another girl with long hair and slightly raised bangs quickly walked between them to smooth things over: "Okay, Sonoko, Shinichi, let's go queue up quickly, otherwise the queue will be even longer."

The two of them stopped and walked to the end of the line to line up.The long-haired girl who was trying to smooth things over pulled the bag she was carrying in front of her, took out two books, and handed one of them to the boy: "Here."

Seeing this scene, the girl with the hairband who was unhappy just now showed a teasing smile: "The relationship is so good, do you have to leave these things to your wife for safekeeping~?"

The boy's cheeks turned red, and the long-haired girl next to him waved her hand.

"No, Mr. Yusaku and Mrs. Yukiko have been preparing their luggage for the past two days. His house was noisy, so he temporarily left the books here with me..."

……

Three middle school students - Kudo Shinichi, Mao Lilan, and Suzuki Sonoko - are friends who grew up together.

For Kudo Shinichi, one was his childhood sweetheart, and the other... was actually considered his childhood sweetheart. After all, the three of them were in the same school from kindergarten to middle school now.

Just because of his personality, there is no ambiguous feeling between him and the carefree Suzuki Sonoko.

And Mao Lilan and Suzuki Sonoko are very good friends. Suzuki Sonoko doesn't have any airs of being a lady - just like this time, she left the air conditioner at home turned off and came to accompany Mao Lilan to a book signing in the bright sun.

"Xiaolan, have you prepared your pen? Don't forget it."

"Ready." Mao Lilan saw beads of sweat on her friend's forehead, took out a tissue and handed it to her, then took out a small fan from her bag, "Here."

"Thank you."

Suzuki Sonoko took it unceremoniously and fanned herself.She looked forward for a moment, then looked down at her watch: "I don't know when it will start... By the way, Xiaolan, after the autograph session is over, shall we just have dinner here?"

"Yes, yes, but my dad..." Mao Lilan hesitated.

Mouri Kogoro doesn't know how to cook, so even though Maori Lan is only 14 years old, she is responsible for the cooking at home.

"It doesn't matter, just ask him to go downstairs and have a meal." As a best friend, Suzuki Sonoko knows exactly what restaurants and shops are near Mouri's house. "Where are you, Shinichi?"

"I do not mind."

Kudo Shinichi replied that yesterday his parents officially left for Los Angeles, leaving him alone in Japan.

Because she had to live alone in such a big house, Kudo Yukiko was worried that he could not take care of herself. Dr. Agasa next door was also not the type to take care of others, so she hired a nanny to come regularly to clean and cook.

Hearing what he said, Suzuki Sonoko quickly thought about his parents: "Your parents have gone to the United States?"

"Yes." Kudo Shinichi replied, there was nothing to hide, "The flight yesterday afternoon." "Then you will live alone from now on..." Suzuki Sonoko held her chin, "Strange, why didn't they take you with them? Go? Just leave you in Japan like this?"

It seems strange no matter how you look at it, a couple settles overseas and leaves their underage only son alone in China.

Hearing this question, Mao Lilan also looked over with curious eyes.

Being looked at by the two people, especially Mao Lilan, Kudo Shinichi felt a little embarrassed. He looked away and said: "I am not a child who needs to be taken care of anymore. Why should I go with them? My mother said that I would go with them every day. world, I have fulfilled them."

When saying this, Kudo Shinichi felt a little guilty.

It wasn't that his parents didn't want to take him, especially Kudo Yukiko, but he desperately rejected them and insisted on staying in Japan.

Thinking of this, he secretly glanced at Mao Lilan.

In fact, she was the real reason why he didn't want to leave.

However, he couldn't say it outright, otherwise this girl who loves to cry and think too much would feel stressed and guilty.

"They have such a good relationship..."

Mao Lilan didn't notice that he was looking at him, and his eyes showed envy of this loving couple.

Her parents had been separated since she was seven years old.After the separation, her mother flew to the United States to further her legal studies. After she came back, she opened a law firm elsewhere and would return to Mihua to visit her every once in a while.

Kudo Shinichi also thought of this, because Xiaolan's mother had been away from Mihua for a long time, and she would leave after seeing her daughter every time, which made him almost forget what she looked like.

Seeing Mao Lilan's sad expression, Suzuki Sonoko glanced at Kudo Shinichi and quickly changed the subject: "Don't talk about your parents, how are you preparing for your own affairs?"

"Eh?" Kudo Shinichi was stunned.

"You were selected for the school's exchange program before the summer vacation, and you will go to Minato Middle School for one semester." Suzuki Sonoko looked at him suspiciously, "You won't forget it, right?"

"I didn't forget, I'm getting ready."

When mentioning this matter, Kudo Shinichi looked embarrassed.

This was a complete accident. At that time, he and Mao Lilan quarreled over a trivial matter, and she said she didn't want to see him again. The teacher happened to mention this project in the afternoon class, and he signed up in anger, and was selected.

Minato City is adjacent to Mikka Town, and the Toto Metro Line is at the junction of the two places. It only takes 15 minutes by bus, so even if he regretted being hot-headed, he did not apply for cancellation.

Seeing his uncomfortable expression, Suzuki Sonoko comforted him with rare compassion.

"Actually, that school is pretty good. The admission rate to prestigious high schools is very high. There is also a large international department that recruits foreign students. Every year they go on study trips to Russia or Australia...and it's not far from Mihua. You don't have to rent a house to study there. You can go home directly.”

Kudo Shinichi smiled and said nothing.

After comforting Fa Xiao, Suzuki Sonoko turned to Mao Lilan: "Xiao Lan, what do you think we should eat later? I remember a good sushi restaurant nearby..."

Listening to the two of them discussing dinner, Kudo Shinichi did not intervene and began to observe the people around him.

Most of the people who came to line up were young people, and he lost interest after taking a few glances.He was about to look away when he suddenly noticed something.

Kudo Shinichi turned to look at the street opposite. There was a shopping mall there. Compared to the bookstore that was lined with people at the entrance, the entrance there seemed much deserted.

He saw a thin young man carrying a crossbody bag walking into the mall.

(End of this chapter)