"I don't look fat?"

  Kave his daughter a strange look. "You're just growing up. How could that be sidered fat?"

  From his perspective, Ran wasn't fat at all. Her body had simply matured earlier than most girls her age, simir to what happened with her mother.

  "I remember Eri was the same way," he recalled. "Her sed growth spurt happened when she was ihird year of high school. It drove all the guys around her crazy with envy."

  Thinking back, Kogoro felt a bit proud. He and Eri had started dating before they even graduated and had met each other's parents right after. Even now, he could vividly remember the jealous looks on his friends' faces.

  Click!

  "Ahaha~ So Dad is really proud of Mom."

  The sound of a camera shutter pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned his head just in time to see Ran pointing her pho him, a sly smile on her face.

  "If you don't want me showing Mom what you just said, you better get her a gift for Valentine's Day."

  "You…"

  Kogoro looked at his daughter, feeling like he was staring at a mischievous little devil dang in front of him.

  He was done for. This was going to cost him.

  He hadn't even noticed how much of a schemer his daughter had bee since moving out. Before, she had been his precious little girl, but now it felt like his "little cotton-padded jacket" was full of holes.

  Still, sidering all the men h arouely, it robably best to py it safe. He'd lose his mind if Ran's warning actually came true.

  Click!

  Just as Ran was feeling triumphant, the sound of the door opening behind her made her turn.

  Standing there was a small boy with a schoolbag, a red bow tie, and bck-framed gsses.

  Ran's smile immediately disappeared.

  "Dad, I'm going to the kit."

  Without another word, she turned a.

  Kogoro sighed, rubbing his temples before looking at the boy at the door.

  "Kid, this isn't your fault. It's your brother's."

  He knew was unlucky. The problem was that he looked exactly like Shinichi did when he was a child.

  "It's only been a few days. She won't be able to accept it easily."

  "…I know, Uncle."

  wasn't surprised. If Ran could accept him so easily, she wouldn't have moved out in the first pce.

  If he were just Edogawa , he might have felt a bit wronged.

  But he wasn't. He was also Kudo Shinichi.

  Ran's biggest problem with him was that he reminded her too much of her childhood friend.

  After all, they were the same person. Unless he got pstic surgery, there was no way to ge that.

  For now, all he could do was wait and hope Ran would move past it soon.

  "How are you adjusting to school?"

  "I'm still not used to it," admitted.

  He might look like a kid, but mentally, he was still a high school student. Trying to fit in with a bunch of childish elementary schoolers wasn't easy.

  "It'll get better. You just came back from abroad, so it makes sehat you're not used to things yet. Besides, your dad said you've been through a lot, so you're more mature than most kids ye."

  Kogoro didn't treat like a typical child. The kid was obviously sharp more mature and intelligent than most.

  Not to mention, he was exactly like Shinichi.

  Kogoro had to admit, this kid had a sharp eye and a good head on his shoulders. Thanks to him, they had solved a few cases together.

  Still, he now uood why Kudo Yusaku and Yukiko had dumped the kid on him.

  He had a habit of running straight into danger just like Shinichi.

  This boy needed some discipline, or at the very least, a sense of self-preservation.

  "I don't want to make a big deal out of it, but listen up. Your parents left you with me to take care of you, and I don't want you ending up like Kudo. Got it?"

  "…I got it, Uncle."

  nodded, but whether he actually listened was another matter.

  Kogoro didn't press the issue. ging someone's habits wasn't something that happened ht.

  Over time, he'd make sure this kid uood just how dangerous detective work could be. A real detective didn't just chase after cases blindly.

  "By the way, Uncle… why did Sister Ran e home today?"

  "What else? To give me advi how to live my life."

  Figures.

  Thinking about the state of Mouri Kogoro's apartment, wasn't surprised that Ran came back to che him. If she didn't e home often, the pce would probably turn into a garbage dump.

  "And also… something about Valentine's Day."

  Kogoro muttered, "Seems like she's pnning to make chocotes for someone."

  froze.

  His entire body te those words.

  He kly what it meant firl to give chocotes on Valentine's Day.

  …No way.

  Ran had just learned about his death. She was still grieving.

  There was no way she had moved on so quickly.

  Taking a deep breath, forced himself to calm down.

  Logically speaking, Ran robably just giving chocotes as a friendly gesture.

  Still… he couldn't help but be curious.

  Who was she pnning to give them to?

  Unfortunately, with Ran avoiding him so much tely, gathering information had bee difficult.

  To make matters worse, his real identity as Kudo Shinichi was officially dead.

  In order to keep his transformation into a child a secret, he had erased all traces of his old self.

  Which meant…

  There was no way to just call her and ask.

  After all, what kind of dead person could pick up the phone and ask his childhood sweetheart who she was making chocotes for?