"Ran!"
Conan didn't know what to say.
Seeing Ran like this made Conan anxious. If she didn't revert back to her usual self soon, he felt as if he might really lose her.
Damn it!
"Talk about yourself!"
Ran, however, didn't notice Conan's expression at all.
Instead, she turned toward Sonoko with curiosity.
"How are things going between you and Makoto?"
Ran was aware that her best friend recently got a boyfriend, and that boyfriend was Makoto, known as the karate king for winning 400 consecutive matches.
"If it's Makoto, it's fine!"
When Sonoko spoke about Kyogoku, her expression faltered a bit.
Ran caught on right away.
"What happened?"
"..."
In front of others, Sonoko usually wouldn't divulge much. But Ran was her closest friend, and they had shared everything since they were kids. After hesitating for a moment, Sonoko sighed and spoke up.
"Makoto has been acting a little weird lately. He barely even looks at me anymore!"
Although Sonoko might seem a bit naive, she wasn't entirely clueless.
"Isn't that kind of expected?"
Before Ran could react, Conan, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but interject.
"What did you say, you little brat?!"
Sonoko's eyes narrowed, glaring at Conan with irritation.
Conan, still frustrated by what happened earlier, seized this opportunity to let out all his pent-up feelings.
"For someone like Makoto, who's won 400 karate matches, it's only natural for other women to notice him. You're not exactly stunning, so you don't really think he's with you just for your looks, do you?"
Sonoko, with her headband and average looks, clenched her fists.
"You...!"
Unable to retort, she pointed at Conan, fuming with frustration.
"Hit a nerve, didn't I?"
Conan smirked. It felt good to see her unsettled, especially after how she'd embarrassed him in front of Ran before.
"No comeback? Looks like you already know the truth, huh?"
"..."
Sonoko fell silent.
Even if she hadn't fully acknowledged it before, she wasn't entirely oblivious.
"Enough, Conan!"
Noticing Sonoko's disheartened expression, Ran quickly scolded Conan.
"Tsk!" Though annoyed, Conan respected Ran enough to stop talking. He crossed his arms and walked off to the side, grumbling internally.
Ran let out a small sigh and patted Sonoko's shoulder gently.
"I believe Makoto really cares about you. Don't overthink it!"
"Oh, by the way, didn't you mention seeing that sorcerer on the live broadcast? Can you tell me more about it?"
Ran wanted to change the subject quickly.
Though still feeling down, Sonoko nodded and recounted what she'd seen about Ryuji.
It wasn't until the evening that the shopping trip ended.
"I'll head back first."
Ran waved as Sonoko's ride pulled up, taking Conan with her.
After getting home, Sonoko saw her father, Suzuki Shiro, sitting in the living room with Makoto Kyogoku. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation.
"Makoto?"
Sonoko was taken aback. In the past, Makoto had always declined her invitations to visit, citing his intense karate training. Why was he here now?
"Sonoko~"
Makoto stood up with a smile when he saw her.
"I came to discuss some matters with your dad."
"Is that so?"
So he came to see her father? Sonoko forced a smile as she looked at her father.
"Well, you two carry on. I'm heading to my room."
"Huh?"
Makoto was surprised by Sonoko's reaction. Normally, she would rush to his side the moment she saw him.
"By the way, Sonoko, I have some free time tomorrow. How about we go out together?"
"No, I'm a bit tired after today's shopping with Ran. I'd like to rest."
For some reason, Conan's words echoed in her mind when she looked at Makoto. Was she so plain that someone as exceptional as him would only be interested in her because of the Suzuki family's wealth?
When someone who's never experienced love questions their worth, there's always that sting of realization.
"I... I see. Then take care and get some rest."
Rejected? This was completely unexpected for Makoto. Normally, Sonoko would be overjoyed at such an invitation. She would cover all their expenses and even give him a lavish gift by the end of the day.
Was she losing interest? Were wealthy girls always so impulsive in their affections?
Makoto said nothing more but couldn't shake off the unease.
Sonoko, oblivious to Makoto's thoughts, went back to her room. It wasn't until the maid knocked that she emerged again. By then, Makoto had already left, leaving only her father in the room.
"Makoto's gone?"
"Yeah." Suzuki Shiro sipped his tea, noticing the change in his daughter's behavior with surprise.
Not long ago, Sonoko was so infatuated she'd do anything for Makoto. Today, though, she was different.
Honestly, whether Makoto had hidden motives or not, Shiro didn't care too much. The Suzuki family's wealth was vast, more than enough for generations.
Still, seeing his daughter mature made him pleased.
Casually, he mentioned, "Makoto suggested that the Suzuki family sponsor a karate competition, inviting more participants."
"A karate competition?"
A way to show off his prowess? But in this era of sorcerers, no matter how skilled someone was in karate, it didn't mean much.
"So, we're footing the bill?"
Sonoko, who'd never questioned such things before, now asked.
"..." Shiro was surprised again but stayed silent, acknowledging her shift.
"I haven't given him an answer yet."
Shiro was only interested in his daughter's happiness. He waited to see what she'd say.
"Forget it."
Sonoko paused before replying.
"No matter how skilled someone is in karate, they can't fight against a cursed spirit. Let him deal with it himself."
If it had no value, why go through with it?
"..."
Shiro was stunned but satisfied. He didn't mind if his daughter dated someone flashy, as long as she wasn't being taken advantage of. This newfound independence was promising.
"Then I'll let him know later."
Whether Makoto would be upset or not was not Suzuki Shiro's concern.
"Oh, one more thing."
He hadn't thought it necessary to mention before, but now he felt she should know.
"I heard from the staff that when Miss Mei Mei visited us, Makoto approached her, asking to be taught how to exorcise curses."
Needless to say, he was turned down.
"..."
But this only confirmed that Makoto had ulterior motives.
Sonoko's hands balled into fists.
"I understand."
That was enough for Shiro. He was content with her reaction.
"Is this Miss Mei Mei ?"
Mei Mei, looking irritated, picked up her phone and spoke coldly.
"If you call me again, I'll kill you."
With that, she hung up and tossed her phone aside.
"Another admirer?"
In the room, Ryuji held Mei Mei close, his eyes amused.
"No."
Leaning against him, she smiled warmly.
"Just someone desperate for power. His name's Makoto Kyogoku. I met him when visiting the Suzuki family. He must've gotten my number through them."
Mei Mei never gave her contact information to Makoto.
But she didn't care.
"Makoto Kyogoku?"
Ryuji, who had watched several episodes of Detective Conan, recognized the name.
Longing for power? In this era, who didn't crave it?
"With his skills, he might have some potential as a sorcerer."
After all, dodging bullets and punching through walls were feats unheard of for a regular person. In Conan's world, he was a monster; in this world, he could very well be a sorcerer with considerable talent.
"And?"
Mei Mei was aware of this but shrugged dismissively.
"I'm not interested in teaching beginners."
There were plenty of people with sorcerer potential out there. Why waste time on Makoto? She'd much rather spend her time with Ryuji.
"Hahaha."
Ryuji chuckled but didn't add anything.
Cursed energy was born from negative emotions. If Makoto really did possess potential and hadn't learned to harness it properly, it would inevitably affect his mind. This conversation was proof enough.
It seemed Makoto was ambitious, but that didn't matter. If he ever crossed a line, Ryuji could easily put him in his place.
"Have you rested enough?" Ryuji asked, shifting his gaze to Mei Mei.
"Of course!"
Mei Mei, realizing what he meant, smiled and nodded without hesitation.
The tension began to build.
Crack!
Makoto wasn't feeling as composed. His phone shattered in his grip.
"Hah..."
It took considerable effort to steady his nerves.
"Damn it!"
First, Suzuki Shiro called and implied that the karate competition would only happen if Makoto paid for it himself. And now this? Everything was slipping out of his control.
If Sonoko were still head over heels, she'd never have allowed this. Something had changed.
So Makoto turned his focus to Mei Mei.
A true sorcerer. If he could gain her guidance, he wouldn't need the Suzuki family's wealth.
But reality hit hard.
Rejected by both Sonoko and Mei Mei—it was a complete defeat.
Makoto's eyes showed a flicker of doubt and indecision. After standing in silence for a while, he finally reached into his pocket and took out a new phone. With a sigh, he dialed a number.
"You mentioned before that you'd be willing to teach me to become a sorcerer, right?"
"Oh! So, you've made up your mind?"
***
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