Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
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21:59.
Ritsu stepped into the research institute in Nishitama City just before the last minute ticked over. In his hand was an extra case he hadn't had when he left earlier, inside it was the AWP sniper rifle the organization had issued to him.
He returned straight to his dorm room, hid the case under his bed, then changed into his lab coat and grabbed his ID card before heading toward Laboratory No. 5. Just as he was about to swipe his card, the door opened from the inside.
Shiho walked out, yawning, clearly exhausted. The moment she saw Ritsu, she said, "I finally get to see my sister!"
She rarely showed her emotions so openly; even her usually cold, stiff tone was noticeably lighter, filled with joy.
Snapping back to his senses, Ritsu asked, "Really? Congratulations."
His mood was still complicated. Even though he had fired from 300 yards away, he could still smell a faint metallic scent, as if he hadn't yet recovered from killing someone for the first time.
"You don't look very happy. Did something happen?"
"No. My expression has always been like this."
Shiho rolled her eyes and said nothing, stuffing her hands into her pockets. "I'm going to buy coffee. Want one?"
"Yeah, grab me a can. I'll head into the lab first."
At the corner, Shiho glanced back at Nanase, who absentmindedly entered the wrong passcode twice. Did he really think she was that clueless…?
As she got closer earlier, she had clearly smelled gunpowder residue on him, and it was concentrated higher up. That meant it was around his upper arms and shoulders… something caused by a sniper rifle or a long gun.
So his sudden disappearance lately… had the organization reassigned him to the operations team? Combining that with the gunpowder traces and his obvious unease, Shiho didn't dare think further.
She pressed the button for two canned coffees, crouched in front of the vending machine to retrieve them, then steadied her emotions. Acting as if she knew nothing, she calmly entered the lab and placed the coffee on Nanase's desk.
"You're almost out of money for buying me drinks… Also, hasn't your salary come in yet? You promised to buy me a bag."
It sounded like casual, everyday banter, Shiho simply hoped to lift his spirits a little.
"Maybe it's not paid monthly. I have cash on me." Ritsu pulled out his wallet, took out all the bills inside, and slid them across the table. "Use this. It should cover drinks for a while. As for the bag, I'll order it online and have it delivered to the lab."
"Should I say thank you?"
Ritsu paused mid-keystroke, then looked at her with interest. Had she noticed something? That wasn't something she'd normally say.
"Do we really need to be so formal with each other?"
"Gin told me… the person taking me out of the lab tomorrow to see my sister…"
Shiho dropped her teasing expression and returned to her usual cold demeanor. Her icy blue eyes fixed directly on him, the man clearly hiding something.
"It's you."
"…"
So that's how it is.
Ritsu knew he couldn't hide it anymore. Leaning back in his chair, he asked curiously, "When did you figure out I joined the operations team?"
"From the gunpowder residue on you. If you were only doing basic firearms training for self-defense, you'd only use a handgun. The residue would be concentrated on your hands and forearms."
Shiho raised a finger and pointed at his shoulder. "But yours is concentrated around your shoulders, which means you used a sniper rifle. That kind of training is only for assassinations in the operations team. And then there's Gin assigning you to take me out, research staff aren't allowed to leave without a handler. That alone is suspicious."
"Being friends with someone smart really is exhausting," Ritsu sighed. "I wanted to hide it from you… I was worried you'd hate me."
"I wouldn't. I know you're different from people like Gin."
'There's warmth about you.'
'Even after joining the operations team, your gaze is still clear.'
Ritsu was surprised by her evaluation. He stood up, picked up the unopened can of coffee, and said, "Thanks. Get some rest. Gin will probably notify me tomorrow. I still have training in the morning."
"Oh? Not going to keep it from me anymore?"
"Lying to a genius girl takes too much brainpower. Right now, all my focus is on APTX4869. I'm not wasting brain cells figuring out how to fool you."
"Fine. Then you can clean the lab."
"…?"
Watching Shiho leave the lab at top speed, Ritsu couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. That damn shorty slipped away like that.
Doing experiments was just as troublesome as cooking… he really didn't know how Hiro managed to put up with it.
Ritsu paused mid-motion as he put on his rubber gloves. Coming back to himself, he lowered his head and gave a bitter smile.
"Honestly… no matter what I do, I end up thinking of it."
He wondered how they had been lately. Messages had become rare, probably busy with their own lives.
Would they… eventually forget about him?
Looking at the lab, there was still plenty left to clean. Wanting to return to his room as soon as possible, Ritsu sped up. This wasn't the time to dwell on sentimental thoughts.
Right now, no matter what he did, he had to be extremely careful. One wrong step… and it would be irreversible.
After half an hour, the lab was finally spotless. Ritsu removed his gloves and repeatedly disinfected his hands with alcohol. Returning to his room, he took off his lab coat and tossed it into the washing machine in the bathroom, setting a quick 15-minute wash while he showered.
He squeezed mint-scented shampoo into his palm and worked it into his already wet hair. But the moment he closed his eyes, the image of Sekimizu Ayano clutching her throat in agony flashed through his mind. He abruptly opened his eyes, and for a moment, the white foam dripping onto the tiled floor seemed to turn red—
He quickly rinsed off the shampoo, leaving the shower far sooner than usual. By the time he wrapped a towel around himself, the washing machine was still spinning.
"…"
'I'm sick.'
Irritated, Ritsu dried himself off, picked up the hairdryer, and dried his damp hair. By the time he finished, the laundry was done.
He took out clean clothes and hung them on the drying rack across from the bed. He'd have to take them out to dry tomorrow, there was no window or balcony in the room.
After finishing everything, he habitually picked up his phone, only to find that the "Girl's Diary" email he received every day hadn't come today… of all days.
His face darkened as he set his phone to silent, didn't bother setting an alarm, and tossed it onto the bedside table before collapsing onto the bed.
On the day he needed "strength" the most, he received nothing.