29: Chapter 29: The Rich Girl Sisters

The next morning... actually, closer to noon.

Fujino was deep asleep when his phone rudely dragged him back to consciousness.

"Ugh, who is it..." he groaned, fumbling for the phone and answering.

"Fujino-senpai! Ready to go to the Medieval Museum?"

Sonoko's cheerful voice chirped from the other end.

"Didn't we solve that yesterday...?"

"Solve what?" Sonoko sounded confused.

"Didn't we agree yesterday, since it's a holiday today, we'd go check out the walking armor at the museum?"

Fujino's brain slowly rebooted.

"Oh, right. That."

"Don't tell me you forgot, Senpai?" Sonoko asked suspiciously.

"Of course not!" Fujino bolted upright in bed, clearing his throat.

"Actually, I was just about to head out! Ran lives right across the street... Want me to swing by and pick you up too?"

"Senpai, you already have your driver's license?!"

"Obviously!" Fujino replied, slightly exasperated.

"Have you forgotten? I drive to school sometimes." In Japan, you could get a car license at eighteen, though the testing was notoriously strict... Fortunately, the original Fujino was apparently a decent driver, getting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his car license right after turning eighteen, and even a motorcycle license at sixteen.

"Awesome!" Sonoko sounded genuinely impressed.

"Okay, then I'll tell my driver not to come today..."

"Driver..." Fujino's eyes glazed over slightly. Of course. She's the Suzuki heiress...

After hanging up, Fujino quickly washed up.

Enduring Conan's resentful glare, he picked up Ran, then drove towards Sonoko Suzuki's residence.

"Rich people really live differently..." Fujino muttered, pulling up to an imposing, high-end mansion. The sheer scale of the Suzuki estate was staggering.

"Fujino-senpai! Over here!" Sonoko, dressed in casual clothes, burst out of the front gate, waving enthusiastically.

Is this really a pampered rich girl? Fujino frowned slightly at her boisterous energy.

"Sonoko, remember your manners!" Another female voice called from inside the mansion gate. A second young woman emerged, walking gracefully towards them.

She wore an elegant long dress, her eyes slightly narrowed, exuding an air of mature composure – a stark contrast to Sonoko. It was none other than Suzuki Ayako, Sonoko's older sister.

Fujino stared. These two are really sisters? The difference was night and day.

"I know, I know, Sis!" Sonoko called back cheerfully, having already reached Fujino's car. She grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of her head.

"This is..."

"Oh, right, Fujino-senpai, you haven't met..." Sonoko realized, making the introductions.

"This is my older sister, Ayako!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. Thank you for looking after my sister."

Ayako approached Fujino's car window and gave a polite, slight bow.

"Sis, what are you saying? He's my classmate! Okay, he's a year older, but still a high school student," Sonoko corrected her.

"Is that so?" Ayako covered her mouth, surprised, then offered an apologetic smile.

"Oh, I do apologize... I assumed..."

"It's alright," Fujino shook his head.

"Many people make the same mistake when they first meet me..."

He introduced himself politely.

"My name is Fujino Douji. I'm a detective, currently in the same class as Sonoko-san."

"Well then, I'll leave Sonoko in your care, Fujino-kun," Ayako nodded with a gentle smile.

"Hehe." Sonoko suddenly got a mischievous glint in her eye.

After sliding into the back seat next to Ran, she leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially to Fujino,

"My sister is twenty-four, studying for her master's degree... and F.Y.I., she's single!"

"Sonoko!" Ayako blushed furiously, shooting her sister an exasperated look.

"Fujino-senpai, drive!" Sonoko urged quickly.

Medieval Museum, Sky Gallery.

"Wow! These paintings are beautiful!" Ran exclaimed, admiring the oil paintings lining the walls.

"I think that one's a Picasso..." Sonoko commented casually, glancing at a painting.

Though not particularly interested in art history, she added,

"Not one of his famous ones, though."

"You have a good eye, young lady!" An elderly voice spoke up from behind them.

They turned to see a stooped old man approaching.

"This painting is called 'Angel at Leisure'. As the young lady said, it's not particularly well-known," the old man, Director Ochiai, explained, stopping beside the painting.

"But even so, I'm quite fond of its warm brushstrokes and the sense of transparency it conveys."

"You certainly know your art, sir!" Sonoko remarked, impressed.

"Are you an art critic?"

"Not a critic, my dear," Ochiai chuckled, his eyes crinkling.

"I'm the director of this museum. My name is Ochiai."

"Oh, the director! No wonder you know so much," Sonoko said, enlightened.

"Place is empty as usual, huh?" A gruff, unpleasant voice interrupted from nearby.

They turned to see a portly man in a white suit swaggering towards them, surveying the gallery dismissively.

"What is all this junk? Looks like worthless trash!"

"Manaka! What are you doing here?!" Director Ochiai stiffened, his voice sharp.

"This museum will be mine in ten days anyway. What's it to you?" the man, Manaka, retorted rudely.

His unpleasant commentary continued as he barked at a younger man beside him,

"Designer! Get the blueprints out!"

Director Ochiai's entire demeanor darkened, a murderous glint appearing in his eyes as he glared at the portly man.

Seeing the situation escalating, Fujino frowned and stepped forward, placing a calming hand on Ochiai's shoulder.

Ochiai took a deep breath, visibly calming himself, then nodded slightly at Fujino. He addressed Manaka firmly.

"Manaka-san, I believe our contract clearly stated that the museum cannot be repurposed for other uses!"

"Heh," Manaka sneered.

"It'll be mine soon enough. So what if I break the contract? I'll just pay the penalty fee!"

"If that's your stance, then I cannot simply hand the museum over to you!"

The elderly Director's voice hardened.

"Manaka-san, since you intend to breach the contract, we'll settle this in court. I've already prepared to file a lawsuit!"

"Sue me then! Go ahead!" Manaka snapped back, perhaps trying to cover his own unease by raising his voice.

"Without my acquisition, this dump would go bankrupt anyway!"

"You needn't worry about that, Manaka-san!" Though elderly, Director Ochiai's eyes flashed with fierce determination.

Watching the exchange, Fujino was momentarily impressed.

This old man managed to keep a museum like this afloat and attract investors... And even now, he clearly still has some fight left in him.

He must have been quite formidable in his youth.

After the unpleasant Manaka had left, Ran, having overheard the conversation, turned curiously to Director Ochiai. "Is this museum really closing soon?"

"Yes..." Ochiai nodded sadly.

"With the recent economic downturn, the company that funded us went under... Later, Manaka-san offered to buy the museum..."

"He promised he would keep it running as a museum, but as soon as the acquisition contract was finalized, he changed his tune, saying he wants to tear it down and build a grand hotel."

"That man is horrible!" Ran exclaimed indignantly.

Sonoko also glared after Manaka's retreating back.

"I can't stand arrogant, pushy businessmen like him!"

"There's nothing I can do..." Ochiai sighed heavily.

"The contract is signed... I can't back out now... I'm trying to find a reliable lawyer to sue him, but I haven't found one yet."

"Wait," Sonoko suddenly piped up.

"Ran's mom is a lawyer, right?"