86: Chapter 86: Go! Pika-Ran!

After looking Fujino over, Matsumoto Sayuri sighed softly and remarked,

"You've really changed, though. It's only been a few years, but you've matured so much. I almost didn't recognize you."

"Well, reality ages people,"

Fujino replied with a light chuckle.

"Not everyone can stay as beautiful as you, Ms. Matsumoto, even after several years."

"Oh my,"

Matsumoto Sayuri looked surprised.

"Douji-kun, you've certainly become more cheerful over the years."

"Er..."

Fujino's face twitched almost imperceptibly.

Awakened! Moment of Terror Domination!

Okay, logically, Matsumoto Sayuri should call him Douji.

Ran, Sonoko, and others should too.

But due to his own preference, most people he met after transmigrating called him Fujino, not the more intimate Douji.

The strange expression didn't last long. Fujino quickly changed the subject.

"But Ms. Matsumoto, you're not very kind, are you? Getting married is such a big deal, yet you didn't even send me an invitation. I saw quite a few of our old classmates here just now."

"Actually, I did intend to invite you,"

sensing the slight resentment in Fujino's tone, Matsumoto Sayuri admitted, scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

After a moment, she explained,

"But you moved, and the address the school had was no longer valid. I asked around but couldn't find your contact information... So, in the end, I had to give up."

"Is that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so?"

Fujino nodded, his slight annoyance dissipating.

It was true, he had moved after his parents died. The original villa was repossessed, and his landline number changed.

Not being able to invite him because she couldn't find his address made sense.

After all, in the Conan world of that time, things like cell phones weren't ubiquitous yet.

"Here! Look this way!"

While Fujino was reminiscing, Ran beside him pulled out a camcorder and aimed it at Matsumoto Sayuri.

"We'll be your videographers for today!"

Sonoko chimed in,

"Make sure you practice your kissing pose with the groom later, Sensei!"

"Leave it to me!"

Matsumoto Sayuri put her hands on her hips, looking surprisingly bold.

For a fleeting moment, Fujino was reminded of a certain iron-fisted saint.

"Sayuri! I bought the lemon tea you wanted!"

Just then, the preparation room door opened again.

Fujino turned to see a woman about the same age as Sayuri enter.

She wore a black dress that revealed the upper part of her chest and a waist-length dark purple short blazer. In her hand, she carried a bag containing several drink cans.

Sayuri quickly went over, took a yellow-packaged can from the bag, and started to pull the tab.

"Wait, doing that will smudge your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lipstick."

The woman stopped Sayuri, took the lemon tea from her, inserted a straw, and added,

"I'd advise against drinking too much. If you need the restroom later, that dress will be a real hassle."

Then, she handed the lemon tea back.

"Thanks, Kazumi."

"Don't mention it. After all, I cause you plenty of trouble too."

After taking a few sips of the lemon tea, Matsumoto Sayuri's expression suddenly turned melancholic. She murmured quietly to the woman named Kazumi,

"About Toshihiko... I'm so sorry..."

"What's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the point of saying that now!"

The woman named Kazumi forced a smile, seemingly masking her own sadness, and playfully smacked Sayuri's behind.

"I won't let you off easy, you know! I'm going to announce loudly to all the guests at the wedding that the groom is actually my ex-boyfriend!"

"Kazumi~~"

Sayuri groaned, exasperated.

"Just kidding!"

Then, the woman named Kazumi left.

"Who was that?"

Watching the woman leave, both Ran and Sonoko looked curious.

"That's my best friend from college, Takenaka Kazumi,"

Matsumoto Sayuri explained while rummaging through the bag Kazumi had brought.

"She's still the same... Did she even bring drinks for the makeup artist?"

She held out the bag towards Fujino and the others.

"Anyway, the makeup artist already left, so why don't you guys finish these off?"

Sonoko: "I want lemon tea too!"

Ran: "I'll have coffee."

Conan: "I want oolong tea..."

Fujino: "Kids should drink fewer sugary drinks. It's not good for you."

And just like that, Fujino snatched the oolong tea from Conan's hand.

"Damn it!"

Conan grumbled, glaring resentfully at Fujino, who was already halfway through the oolong tea.

Why is Fujino always messing with me?

Stealing even a can of oolong tea from a 108-month-and-7-day-old kid... He's the worst!

"Click."

Just then, the door opened again.

Entering was a man in a black suit, with a long beard and a prominent scar on his face, looking stern and imposing.

Ran and Sonoko turned, immediately sensing trouble.

Is he from some yakuza group?

Thinking this, they quickly moved protectively in front of Matsumoto Sayuri.

"What do you want, barging in like that?"

Ran braced herself, ready to defend Sayuri, karate stance primed.

Sonoko stood beside her, striking a pose and pointing at the man.

"Go, Ran! Use Karate Chop! Teach this gorilla a lesson!"

"Chief Matsumoto?"

"Fujino-kun?"

However, before any action could be taken, Fujino stepped forward, greeting the man familiarly.

That's right. The imposing man was none other than Matsumoto Sayuri's father, Matsumoto Kiyonaga.

He was also one of the Superintendents of the MPD's First Investigation Division.

"Fujino-senpai, you know him?"

Ran and Sonoko looked utterly astonished, as did Conan.

"Of course, I know him,"

Fujino replied, turning back to them, equally puzzled.

"Didn't you know? Ms. Matsumoto's father is a Superintendent in the MPD's First Division."

"Eh?!"

The others stared, faces filled with disbelief.

A gorilla... and Sayuri...

Are they really related?

"I didn't expect you'd come to my daughter's wedding too, Fujino-kun..."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga scratched the back of his head.

"Things have been so busy lately, I completely forgot to send you an invitation."

"It's fine,"

Fujino waved dismissively.

"Ms. Matsumoto was my music teacher in junior high. How could I possibly miss her wedding?"

"Sayuri was your junior high teacher?"

Matsumoto Kiyonaga looked surprised as well.

"What a coincidence."

"Indeed,"

Fujino nodded.