145: Chapter 145: You Wouldn't Want to Be Found by the Organization, Would You?

"Thank you so much, Detective Fujino."

At the entrance of the Beika City Hotel, Niina Kaori, tears glistening in her eyes, bowed deeply to Fujino. "Thanks to you, my father's last wish could be fulfilled... and you helped me see him one last time."

Fujino waved his hand dismissively, saying calmly, "You're welcome. You are my client. Helping clients resolve their difficulties is what a professional, full-time detective like me should do."

Saying this, Fujino glanced at the departing ambulance, sighing softly, "It's a pity I couldn't give you two more time together."

Perhaps if Niina Kaori had come earlier, he could have bought some time... allowed her to get to know Niina Jintarou better, expand his network, things like that.

But even with Fujino's healing enhancements, it would have merely delayed Niina Jintarou's death at best.

Cancer, in this era, was still an incurable disease.

It could be said that Niina Jintarou's death was only a matter of time.

As for curing it... unthinkable.

If cancer could be cured, he would have become Black Jack long ago.

"Detective Fujino, you've already done more than enough."

A faint smile appeared on Niina Kaori's sorrowful face. "Being able to see my father one last time, and witness him leave without regrets, is enough for me."

From their conversation just now, Niina Kaori had understood something.

She conjectured: Fujino must have deduced the truth of the case early on, knowing her father didn't have long... The reason he didn't involve the police and rushed her here was to let her spend the last moments with her father...

Thinking this, her respect for Fujino deepened.

"It's nothing,"

Fujino chuckled lightly. "Just a detective's duty."

All he could do now was fulfill a dying old man's wish, help a girl see her dying father one last time, and collect a relatively easy commission fee...

Speaking of the commission fee.

Given the current situation, it was indeed difficult for him to bring it up.

Asking for the fee right after her father died was something truly beastly he couldn't bring himself to do.

Fujino liked money, but he wasn't a beast.

"A detective's duty..."

Niina Kaori paused, lost in thought.

"By the way, Ms. Niina,"

After a moment of silence, Fujino looked at Niina Kaori and asked curiously, "I think I heard you discussing the Samonji series with Mr. Niina just now. Will the Detective Samonji series continue?"

He had originally planned to check out the Detective Samonji series.

If it ended prematurely, his interest would likely diminish significantly.

Although he vaguely remembered Niina Kaori would continue writing, these events might change things...

"Of course, it will."

Niina Kaori snapped back to reality, nodding seriously. "I will inherit my father's mantle and continue writing the Samonji series... living up to the name of Niina Jintarou."

"That's good."

Fujino breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the person involved said so, Detective Samonji likely wouldn't be left unfinished.

He could read it with peace of mind.

Niina Kaori was still young, only twenty-two.

If she kept writing, Detective Samonji would likely never conclude within his lifetime.

Suddenly, Fujino recalled an online novel from his past life that he followed from elementary school to graduation...

But speaking of which, 'living up to the name of something'... why did that phrase sound so familiar?

Night fell.

It was already very late.

Niina Kaori was busy handling her father's funeral arrangements. After all, Niina Jintarou was a best-selling novelist; Mrs. Niina couldn't manage everything alone...

As for Fujino, after gaining an extra fifty detective reputation points, he drove the Ford Taurus, carrying Ai Haibara and Miyano Akemi, back home.

He wasn't worried about the commission fee, only about the amount.

Besides, to him, Niina Kaori's connections were far more valuable.

Being a detective wasn't just about fighting; it was about connections and relationships.

This unpaid commission fee served as a crucial link. With Niina Kaori's circle of contacts, there was a chance of getting commissions from people in that circle in the future.

In the car.

Ai Haibara, sitting in the back seat, observed Fujino in the driver's seat with a puzzled expression.

She had been observing Fujino since earlier.

She noticed that from accepting the case to solving it, Fujino hadn't even taken six hours.

"Solving this case in such a short time."

Ai Haibara pondered inwardly.

"That unhesitating manner, it was as if he knew the truth from the very beginning..."

Even faintly... she felt that the deciphering of the code just now was deliberately left open for her by him.

"Could it be?"

Ai Haibara shook her head slightly, her brown hair swaying gently, dismissing the unrealistic thought.

But the doubt lingered.

She was very curious.

But she couldn't directly ask Fujino.

After all, her current hidden identity was just an elementary school student.

Hmm, since she was an elementary school student...

"Fujino, you're really amazing!"

Ai Haibara put on her little girl persona again, looking up at Fujino with admiration, then asked Miyano Akemi, "Akemi-nee, are detectives normally like this?"

"Probably not..."

Miyano Akemi thought for a moment, also looking puzzled, and asked Fujino,

"Speaking of which, Fujino-kun, how did you figure out Mr. Niina wasn't kidnapped?"

"Would you believe me if I said I could predict the future?"

"Eh?!"

Fujino was just making a truthful joke, but Miyano Akemi actually believed it.

"Fujino-kun, can you really predict the future?"

"..."

Both Ai Haibara and Fujino looked speechlessly at Miyano ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Akemi.

"Just kidding,"

After a moment, Fujino chuckled lightly, glanced at Ai Haibara in the rearview mirror, thinking: Using the 'pretending to be a child' tactic again?

Averting his gaze, he continued, "Not predicting the future, but a detective's intuition."

"A detective's intuition?"

"Intuition is hard to explain. It's like a natural perception. Most of the time, following my intuition leads me to the truth."

Pausing, Fujino chuckled again: "If I could predict the future, I would have played the lottery long ago. Doesn't that pay better than being a detective?"

'Intuition... hmm?'

Ai Haibara lowered her head, choosing to believe the explanation about intuition.

"Although intuition is also quite absurd, compared to predicting the future, intuition seems much more reasonable."

Soon, the group returned to Fujino's home in 5-chome.

Since it was late, Ai Haibara temporarily stayed at Fujino's house.

With Miyano Akemi and Ai Haibara hitting it off, Ai Haibara ended up staying in the third-floor bedroom.

The next morning was a school day.

Normally, Fujino would wash up and head to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠school.

But this morning, he didn't.

Fujino deliberately took a day off from Hiratsuka Shizuka, taking Miyano Akemi and Ai Haibara to Dr. Agasa's house.

The purpose was concerning Ai Haibara's situation.

Upon arriving at Dr. Agasa's house, before Fujino could say much, Miyano Akemi started laying into him:

"You guardians are simply too irresponsible! How could you let a little girl run out alone in the middle of the night and freeze?! It was the same before, collapsing unconscious in the heavy rain! Luckily, we found her. What if some bad person had kidnapped her?!"

At this moment, Miyano Akemi was exceptionally assertive.

Like an older sister coming to demand justice after her younger sister was bullied.

Fujino watched, stunned.

Ai Haibara was also momentarily stunned, an invisible smile touching her lips.

Unlike her usual icy smiles,

this one seemed to come genuinely from the heart.

Dr. Agasa, however, was completely bewildered.

This fierce onslaught left him speechless.

He thought he hadn't done anything wrong, yet he was getting thoroughly chewed out.

As Dr. Agasa wondered, Ai Haibara suddenly ran over.

Leaning close to him, she whispered calmly,

"If I just wander the streets like this, it's highly likely I'll be discovered by the Organization... If the shrunken me is found by the Organization, your situation will probably be discovered soon too, right?"

Saying this, a faint smirk appeared on Ai Haibara's cool face: "At that time, I'm afraid both you and Kudo Shinichi will find it hard to escape. You wouldn't want to be found by the Organization and then executed, would you?"

Hearing Ai Haibara's blatant threat, Dr. Agasa swallowed hard.

Clearly, Ai Haibara's threat hit him where it hurt.

But just then, the cold expression on Ai Haibara's face gradually faded: "Actually, I don't want to do this either... I'm just forced to. I have nowhere else to go now... By the way, I told them my parents are dead, and you are my only relative in this world... Of course, even if you refuse to help, I won't blame you... And don't worry about me exposing you. Before the Organization finds me, I'll just disappear."

Ai Haibara had a relatively good impression of Dr. Agasa.

Although he hadn't taken much care of her, he had temporarily let her stay after learning her identity and even helped choose the name 'Ai Haibara'.

If Kudo Shinichi hadn't said those words that night...

Maybe she would have stayed there.

Her initial thought was to just fade away.

But now, inexplicably, she seemed to have formed a connection.

"I understand."

Dr. Agasa sighed, seemingly understanding Ai Haibara's actions.

He stood up, honestly admitted the mistakes Miyano Akemi had accused him of, and smoothly added, "I'm truly sorry, I didn't look after this child properly... After all, her parents just passed away a few days ago. I'm her only relative in this world."

Saying this, Dr. Agasa scratched his balding head: "As you can see, I'm already old... old. Taking care of a little girl like Ai is really beyond my capabilities. If possible, could I trouble you to help look after this child?"

"After all, based on the past few days, you seem to be very caring people, and this child seems to really enjoy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spending time with you."

Dr. Agasa turned his head towards Ai Haibara nearby: "Isn't that right? Ai-chan?"