"Heh, Kimie, you're truly too naive. That's because in your heart, you only treat Elder Mikoto as your grandmother, which is why you don't believe in her power."
Upon hearing the teasing voice, Kimie Shimabukuro turned around to find her childhood friend, Toshimi Ebihara, speaking.
"Elder Mikoto has eaten mermaid flesh! She definitely has!" Toshimi Ebihara confidently asserted with a smile. "After all, three years ago, didn't we discover the mermaid's body?"
"A... mermaid's body...!?"
As soon as this statement was made, even Conan and Heiji were no longer composed. Only Senichi, standing by the side, seemed oblivious, occasionally admiring the unique style of the shrine here.
With the explanation from "Encyclopedia of Everything" Ran, everyone recalled the shocking news from three years ago.
Indeed, Ran could fully bear the title of "Encyclopedia of Everything." Whether it was perennial news or events, when Kogoro Mouri and Conan were puzzled, they could always find answers from Ran.
With her information-gathering ability and memory, coupled with a wide range of contacts, from national affairs to celebrity gossip, as long as it appeared in newspapers and on television, it fell within Ran's knowledge scope. She was undoubtedly an expert in gathering information.
From this perspective, Ran's position was like that of Watson to Holmes. Although she might not excel in deduction, she could always offer assistance in various ways. Sometimes, her inadvertent actions could even become the key to solving cases.
Accompanied by Ran's explanation, everyone also came to understand the news that was reported by the television station three years ago.
Three years ago, a fire broke out in a warehouse on the island. After the fire was extinguished, a strange charred corpse was discovered among the debris.
"That was purely the result of the television station exaggerating in order to capture the audience's attention..."
Seeing everyone's serious expressions, Kimie Shimabukuro forced a smile and spoke.
"Don't deceive yourself. Weren't you also present at the scene at that time?" Toshimi Ebihara's expression suddenly became fervent as she continued, "That mysterious corpse and the oddly shaped bones that were shattered..."
Looking at Toshimi Ebihara's fervent expression, Senichi felt like he was facing a fanatic.
"Alright, enough, Toshimi."
At this moment, a young man placed his hand on Toshimi Ebihara's shoulder, stopping her from continuing, "They're not from our island. Sharing this with them won't make them believe it."
"Rokuro..."
"Rokuro, why are you here too?" Kimie Shimabukuro looked at him with some curiosity. "Don't you need to help out at home?"
"I'm done with that side. I heard that detectives from Tokyo came to you, so I came to see what's going on."
After Rokuro answered Kimie's question, he turned to the group and said, "If you want to find Saori, coming here is a waste of time. It's better to go directly to the Saori residence. Of course, that's assuming Saori's drunken father doesn't kick you out..."
With that, Rokuro left with Toshimi Ebihara, and Heiji Hattori, standing by, mumbled as he watched them walk away, "Are you really childhood friends? Saori has disappeared, and yet each of you didn't seem so anxious?"
"Well... maybe everyone is used to it," Kimie Shimabukuro chuckled helplessly. "You just heard that Saori's father is a heavy drinker. right? The two of them don't get along. When they fight, Saori often chooses to run away from home."
"Miss Shimabukuro, would it be possible for you to take us to visit the Saori residence?" Kogoro Mouri timely spoke up, making a request.
"No problem!" Kimie Shimabukuro readily agreed to Kogoro Mouri's request. "But you'll have to wait a bit. Let me finish up with the festival..."
"Is it the annual festival where "Dugong Arrow" is drawn?" Kazuha asked with a brightening gaze.
"Yes, that's the one. Though rather than calling it a festival, it feels more like a raffle event, like those numbered tickets in a shopping mall.
If the number you hold matches the one announced during the festival, you'll get an arrow. It's just that instead of lottery tickets, they use wooden plates you buy."
After explaining, Kimie Shimabukuro seemed to remember something, then she took out two wooden plates from her shrine maiden's robe and said with a smile,
"I happen to have a pair of number plates that an elderly couple decided to return after canceling their lottery entry this morning. Why don't you try your luck?"
"Ah?"
"While the divination shouldn't be taken too seriously, rumor has it that it grants eternal youth and beauty~"
The two exchanged a glance, both showing some interest, but there were only two number plates while they had three girls. For a moment, they hesitated, unsure whether to accept them.
"Just take them, I don't need one." At this moment, Ayako noticed their hesitation and naturally understood their concerns.
She held onto Senichi's arm and smiled somewhat sheepishly, "All I want is to grow old together hand in hand."
As she said this, Senichi reached out and interlocked his fingers with hers, a subtle and affectionate look appearing between them. This left Ran and Kazuha envious of the couple's interaction.
Feeling a bit sour!
After all, the original intention behind hoping for the "Dugong Arrow" was to gain the favor of their crush.
Being able to grow old together with one's crush while holding hands was indeed a romantic scenario that could instantly melt a girl's heart.
Thinking about this, Kazuha couldn't help but recall the somewhat clueless words Hattori Heiji had said earlier, leading to a sense of resentment.
Meanwhile, Ran thought about the confession Shinichi Kudo had made to her earlier, and how he had fled immediately afterward without meeting her. She couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment deep within her.
Especially when she saw the "dog food" being thrown by Sister Ayako, amidst her envy, Ran's heart was also tinged with some bitterness.
She really wanted to spend more time with Shinichi Kudo, just like how Ayako and Senichi were doing – holding hands, embracing, going on trips together – instead of being left with mere words and then disappearing...
"Heiji, Shinichi, you idiots!!"
Almost in unison, the two infatuated girls voiced their grievances about their crushes, turning their inner thoughts into spoken words.
Upon locking eyes, Ran and Kazuha couldn't help but exchange a knowing smile, instantly lifting their moods.
This left Heiji Hattori wearing a baffled expression and Conan looking utterly confused.
"What's going on? What did I do now?"
"I don't know either, and it's one thing for you to be scolded, but I'm not even here now. Why am I getting scolded too?"
What did I do to deserve this!?
The two steel straight guys exchanged a glance, sharing a mutually confused expression in their eye.
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