**Mission Reward:** 1.5 million yen + 300 Detective Reputation Points
**Mission Location:** Shinide Hospital
This case was one Fujino still vaguely remembered. The victim was probably Shinide Tomoaki's dad. Long story short, it was about a second wife who, to avenge her former sister, poisoned a cheating, sleazy old guy in his fifties. 😬
Since the system mission popped up, Fujino didn't mind swinging by to snag an easy 1.5 million yen. I mean, whether Uncle Mouri gets a needle in the neck to crack the case or Fujino solves it himself, it's all the same in the end, right? No biggie.
…
Fast forward to the next day.
The sky was all gloomy, and big, fluffy snowflakes were drifting down like goose feathers, turning the streets and nearby buildings into a snowy wonderland. ❄️
"…"
Fujino stood on the balcony, staring out at the falling snow, feeling a little speechless.
He pulled out his phone and glanced at the date.
**[December 3rd]**
"…"
Okay, now he was *really* speechless.
He could've sworn they just celebrated New Year's a few days ago. And now, bam, the year's almost over again…
Fujino let out a little sigh, then turned back inside. He plopped down by the coffee table, grabbed today's newspaper, and started skimming it.
The news was pretty much the usual—murders, bank robberies, and some "minor incidents," whatever that means.
But one headline caught his eye: **[Explosion at a Bar]**.
"Looks like the Zoo's finally making moves…"
Fujino stared at the article, a sly smirk tugging at his lips.
He actually remembered that bar. If his memory was right, back when he was interrogating Pisco, he'd squeezed out some info about it. That bar was an outer hub for the Organization—no codenamed members ever showed up there, just a spot for peripheral grunts to hang out and handle business.
And now it'd been blown up…
Fujino thought it over. It'd been two days since he wrapped up his plan. In that time, the Zoo must've sniffed out something about the Organization.
That bar? Probably got torched either by the Zoo—or the Organization itself after realizing the spot was compromised.
…
**Fujino's Underground Garage**
"Heading out in this snowy mess?"
Haihara Ai came down from upstairs and leaned toward the car window, handing Fujino a scarf through it.
"Yeah," Fujino said, taking the scarf and wrapping it around his neck. "Uncle Mouri needs to pick up his checkup report, so he asked me to drive him."
"Be careful out there," Haihara warned. "Take it slow, okay?"
"Got it," Fujino replied with a nod.
He pulled his Ford Taurus out of the garage, swung by the Mouri place to pick up Uncle Mouri, Ran, and Conan, then headed off to Shinide Hospital.
*(End of Chapter)*
---
**Chapter 244: Fujino, My Man, I'm Leaving Ran in Your Hands**
…
"Brother Mouri, this is the way to Shinide Hospital, right?" Fujino asked, steering the car while glancing at Mouri Kogoro beside him.
"Yup, you're on the right track," Mouri said, gazing out the window.
Outside was a sea of white—snow everywhere. But right now, his mood was hitting rock bottom. 😞
"Seriously, Dad," Ran piped up from the backseat, her tone a little pouty. "It's just picking up a checkup report. Did you really have to drag Fujino-senpai out in this blizzard to drive us all there?"
Before she could finish, Mouri cut in. "Actually, the doctor called me earlier and told me to bring the family along…"
"Huh?!" Ran and Conan both froze.
Snapping out of it, Conan glanced at Fujino curiously. "So Fujino-nii…"
"He already knew about it last night," Mouri said with a sigh. "I asked him to give me a ride."
The closer they got to the hospital, the weaker Mouri felt—like he was inching closer to the grave.
Ran and Conan blinked, stunned again.
Fujino almost misheard it as something else entirely. With Mouri looking this rough, it *did* kinda feel like he was one step from the afterlife. He nearly thought Mouri meant "drive me to my final resting place" instead of just "give me a ride." 😂
…
**Shinide Hospital – Consultation Room**
"Mr. Mouri, you've got about six months."
Dr. Shinide Yoshiki sat behind the desk, frameless glasses perched on his nose, white coat on, holding a report with a dead-serious look. "I get how you must feel, but based on this report, six months is what you're looking at."
"Six months?!" Mouri shot up, his mind blanking out.
He'd braced himself for a terminal diagnosis, but hearing it straight from the doctor's mouth? Way too much. His blood pressure spiked, and dizziness hit hard.
Luckily, Fujino noticed and grabbed his arm, keeping him from stumbling.
"Fujino, my man…" Mouri felt a wave of gratitude.
Then he glanced back at Ran, who was frozen in shock, and Conan, who was… well, who knows what that kid was thinking.
Bringing Fujino along was definitely the right call. Compared to his scatterbrained daughter and that little brat, Fujino was a rock—reliable as heck.
Tears welled up as he patted Fujino's shoulder, voice heavy. "Fujino, my man, when I'm gone, I'm counting on you to look after Ran."
"Uh… what?" Fujino blinked, totally thrown off.
A last will already?
"Dad! What are you saying?!" Ran's face fell, her voice trembling. "Don't talk like that…"
"Hold on, Brother Mouri," Fujino said, trying to calm him down. "The doctor just said 'six months.' He didn't say that's all you've got left to live…"
Turning to Dr. Shinide, he asked, "So, what's this 'six months' about for Brother Mouri?"
"Er…" Dr. Shinide paused, realizing he might've oversold the suspense.
He'd almost scared the patient to death with that cliffhanger. 😅 Clearing his throat, he explained, "When I said six months, I didn't mean that's all the time you have left. I meant, Mr. Mouri, for the next six months, you need to cut back on the booze."
Glancing at the report, he added, "The results show you've got early-stage alcoholic liver dysfunction. It's mild now, but if you keep going like this, it could get a lot worse in six months."
"Alcoholic liver dysfunction?" Mouri let out a relieved breath. "So it's not terminal? Phew…"
He gave Fujino an awkward grin. "Uh, Fujino, my man, guess I won't need you to look after Ran just yet. Looks like I've still got some years left in me!"
"No worries," Fujino said with a calm nod.
"Seriously, Dad!" Ran's pale cheeks flushed red, her tone dripping with frustration. "Why'd you just casually hand me off to Fujino-senpai like that?!"
"Ahem…" Mouri coughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "I just figured, compared to some unreliable punks, Fujino's a solid guy. You're the one thing in this world I worry about most, you goofy daughter of mine…"
Quickly changing the subject, he pointed at Dr. Shinide. "Anyway, Doc, this is your fault! Telling me to bring the family and dropping that 'six months' line—I totally misunderstood!"
*"So that 'unreliable punk' is probably me, huh…"* Conan thought, deadpan, his lip twitching.
"It couldn't be helped," Dr. Shinide said with a chuckle. "For someone who drinks like you do, without family keeping an eye on you, there's no reining it in…"
"Your symptoms are still light. Cut back a little each day, and it'll improve."
"Oh, I see…" Ran nodded, clasping her hands behind her back with a sweet smile. "I'll make sure he never touches a drop again."
As her words landed, the room's temperature seemed to drop a few degrees.
*Ran's Intimidation.jpg*
"Terrifying…" Fujino shivered, suddenly finding Ran downright scary—no trace of her usual gentle vibe.
If Mouri dared touch alcohol again, that "final request" might just come true. Conan, meanwhile, felt a chill down his spine, silently broadcasting his fear to the room. 😱
"Honey, you've got a call."
---
At that moment, a woman with short, center-parted hair swung open the office door, cutting through the weird vibe in the room. She waved at Yoshiki Shinshutsu and said, "Miss Sugita wants you to come consult with her."
"Ugh, here we go again…" Yoshiki Shinshutsu muttered.
He stood up, pretending to grumble as he headed out the door. "She's such a headache of a patient. It's just a stomach ulcer, nothing crazy!"
"Patient?"
The door clicked shut behind him. The short-haired woman clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath, "Yeah, right. Calling her a patient sounds so noble when she's really just his little mistress…"
"Huh?"
Her words caught everyone's attention, and all eyes turned to her.
"Oh, oops! My bad!"
The woman spun around, noticing the stares, and flashed a grin. "My husband will be back soon, so just hang tight for a bit, okay?" 😅
---
"Man, I'm so sorry about that, Fujino-senpai."
In the hallway of the Shinshutsu house, Ran trailed behind Fujino, her cheeks still a little flushed. "I can't believe my dad just blurted that out. I hope it didn't cause you any trouble…"
"No biggie! Your old man just panicked for a sec," Fujino said with a light chuckle. "Besides, I take it as a compliment—like Mouri trusts me or something." 😊
"As long as you're not mad, that's what matters…"
Ran smiled, finally letting out a relieved sigh.
Meanwhile, Conan trudged behind them, glaring at Fujino with his signature dead-fish eyes.
*Seriously?!*
Why did it feel like that long-lost green glow was shimmering above his head again?
*Damn it, Fujino, you jerk…*
The thought alone was enough to make Conan's blood pressure spike. 😤
---
The group reached a hallway intersection.
Ran paused, glancing left and right. As someone with zero sense of direction, she was already dizzy. "Dr. Shinshutsu's house is *huge*. Where's the bathroom even at?"
"His wife mentioned it's next to the emergency room," Fujino said, thinking it over. "I think it's straight from the consultation room, then left, then a right…"
He started heading right.
As Fujino rounded the corner, a shadowy figure suddenly darted out in front of him.
Fujino didn't budge. The other guy did.
Totally their fault.
*Thud!*
A muffled crash, and papers went flying everywhere.
Fujino glanced down and saw Tomoaki Shinshutsu sprawled on the floor. Green sweater, white lab coat, glasses… and a cracked right lens.
"Whoa, my bad!" Tomoaki scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off. When he looked up and saw Fujino's face, he blinked in surprise. "Fujino?"
Ran tilted her head, confused. She glanced between Fujino and Tomoaki. "Fujino-senpai, you two know each other?"
"Not really," Fujino said, giving Tomoaki a quick look before turning to Ran. "He's a school doctor now, I think? And he coaches the basketball team too. I've seen him once at the infirmary…"
He paused, then glanced back at Tomoaki. "Wait, what's your name again?"
Tomoaki gave a wry smile, a little exasperated. "Geez, Fujino, you really forget the important stuff, huh? I'm Tomoaki Shinshutsu—the doctor's son here. I'm just helping my dad out with some work for now."
He crouched down to gather the scattered papers, standing back up as he continued, "Like Fujino said, I coach basketball at Teitan High in my spare time and double as the school doctor. But next month, I'm off to work at a hospital in Aomori."
He hesitated, his eyes flickering toward Fujino with a hint of… fear? Something like that. "I know *you* pretty well, though, Fujino. Ms. Hiratsuka's always… bringing you up." 😬
"Your glasses are cracked," Fujino pointed out, staring at him.
Tomoaki froze. "…"
The silence was deafening. His cracked glasses? Uh, obvious much?
But thinking of that overprotective "Iron Fist Saint" teacher, Tomoaki forced a smile. "Oh, uh… I tripped down the stairs a couple days ago. No big deal."
"You should watch your step then," Fujino said with a knowing nod.
Tomoaki: "…"
"Basketball coach??"
Conan's face darkened nearby.
*Wait a sec…* Was that why Ran had been going to karate training so much lately? To see *this* guy?!
No way… 😡
*Thump!*
A loud noise came from behind them.
Fujino turned and saw a short-haired girl in an apron holding flowers. She'd just accidentally knocked a flowerpot onto the floor.
"Oh, come on!"
Yoshiki Shinshutsu stormed over, fuming at the girl. "How many things are you gonna break before you're done?! You *begged* to work here, didn't you? Or are you just here to mess everything up?!"
"I'm so sorry!" The girl bowed her head in a慌张 apology.
But that didn't calm Yoshiki down. "If you break one more thing, you're out of here!"
"Alright, Dad, chill!" Tomoaki stepped in, trying to smooth things over. "Everyone messes up sometimes…"
From Tomoaki, Fujino and the others learned that the girl who'd smashed the vase was Mitsu Hoshimoto, one of Tomoaki's former patients. She'd heard they were hiring help and volunteered to stay on.
After Uncle Mouri finished his appointment, the group planned to head out.
But just as they were leaving, Yoshiki casually asked if Kogoro Mouri was *the* famous detective Kogoro Mouri.
When he found out that, yes, it was *that* Kogoro Mouri—and that Fujino, tagging along, was the famous detective Fujino—Yoshiki insisted they stay.
---
Fast forward to evening, with the sun dipping below the horizon.
Kogoro Mouri sat at the dinner table, marveling. "So, Tomoaki, you graduated top of your class from Tokyo University's medical school? That's impressive!"
"Seriously, so cool!" Ran chimed in, her eyes lingering on Tomoaki.
Tomoaki, meanwhile, kept sneaking glances at Fujino.
"Hey, Fujino," Tomoaki said suddenly, his tone heavy, almost pleading. "I'm leaving soon. This month… could you maybe take fewer days off?"
"Days off?" Fujino rubbed his chin, thinking.
Come to think of it, every time he took a day off, that "Iron Fist Saint" teacher probably dragged Tomoaki into a life lecture…
That cracked lens? Yeah, probably her handiwork.
Fujino grinned. "I'll try, but if a case comes up, I can't exactly say no."
"…"
*So that's a no, huh?*
Tomoaki quietly lowered his head, sulking as he shoveled rice into his mouth.
Conan, off to the side, was laser-focused on this Tokyo U grad with the pretty-boy face.
Since dinner started, he'd noticed Ran's eyes drifting toward Tomoaki way too often.
*No way…*
The thought hit Conan like a truck. He called out, testing the waters. "Ran-neechan!"
No response. He tried again. Nothing.
Conan's heart sank.
*It's official!*
Ran coming home late every day? It *had* to be for this guy!
Fujino was bad enough, and now *this*?!
Conan swore he could see that green glow flickering above his head like a busted neon sign. 😖
Fujino caught Conan's weird expression but brushed it off.
This time, though, Conan had it wrong.
Ran wasn't staring at Tomoaki for *him*. She was just eyeing that green sweater he was wearing.
Even without spoilers, Fujino could tell from where her gaze landed.
*(End of Chapter)*
---
**Chapter 245 - Megure Juuzou: Yup, Suicide. Case Closed!**
"What's up?"
Ran didn't answer, but Fujino noticed Conan sulking.
"Ahaha…" Conan forced a laugh, bitterness bubbling inside. "Just worried about my homework, that's all."
Fujino shrugged. "Want me to walk you home later?"
"No way!" Conan waved him off, slipping into his cutesy kid act. "I just remembered—tomorrow's Sunday! No rush on homework, hehe!" 😅
Conan mulled it over.
If Uncle Mouri stayed the night, Ran would probably stay too…
He glanced at Pretty-Boy Tomoaki, then at Fujino.
If he wasn't around, it might not be a big deal.
But if *Fujino* wasn't here either? Disaster waiting to happen!
Sure, Fujino could be a bit of a jerk.
But he was decent at heart.
That smirky little pretty-boy, though?
Conan wasn't so sure. 😒
"Uh…"