The Black Cat [Detective Conan]

- Chapter 13 : Detective Boys -

The children kept at him right up until the end of lessons. Hachirō couldn't take it any more, between the times when they talked loudly and drew attention to themselves or the times when they got a little too close ... And then those incessant sidelong glances from little Conan, he still shudders ...

In short, he's really not at ease with these children and only wants to go home to Saeko. But these children, who have given themselves a group name, the Detective Boys, intend to take him with them to show him one of the mysteries they have found to solve. He has tried to refuse, but apparently has no say in the matter.

Which is why he now finds himself standing in front of this dilapidated, abandoned building. The sun has already disappeared behind the buildings, and it's already completely dark. Hachirō lets out a slight sigh; he didn't sign up to be here. It's cold, dark and the presence of his children is more than a little uncomfortable. What's more, he'd really like not to be hanging around outside, as being here is already a considerable effort for him. He had somehow managed to convince himself that with children he wasn't risking much ...

- Itadori-kun told me that it's bright in here sometimes, and he's seen shadows pass in front of it! Nobody in the neighbourhood believed him, and yet he's certain he saw it clearly!" says Ayumi.

Hachirō shivered, not from fear, but from the bitter cold that seeped through his jacket, which was too thin for his liking.

- Itadori-kun must have seen wrong. A child can imagine all sorts of fantasies when there's a bit of darkness and a slightly scary atmosphere ... grumbles Conan.

The green-eyed boy turns his head towards him, a little surprised that he doesn't show the slightest hint of fear. The largest of the five children puts his hands on his pelvis, his legs slightly apart and frowns. In the moonlight, his face shows a half annoyed, half angry pout.

- You always ruin moments like this Conan ! If Itadori says he saw the light, it's true! He never lies !

Ayumi and Mitsuhiko nod vigorously in support of their comrade's words. Conan lets out a desperate pout, shrugs his shoulders and lets out a simple :

- Hai ... Hai ... If you say so ...

As for Hachirō, still silent, he keeps his thoughts to himself. On the one hand, Conan's logic seems more likely, but on the other, his childhood does not spare him the idea that this Itadori-kun could really have seen this light. Just because you're a child doesn't mean you hallucinate when you see unusual things.

Conan cut short his thoughts by speaking impatiently :

- Are we going or not ? What are we waiting for ?

He seems in a real hurry to get home, and this adventure is just a waste of time for him. Hachirō understands this, and if he could have, he would have done the same after school, and simply gone back to Saeko's house.

But he has no choice and can't turn back. So he simply followed the little group and entered the building ahead of them. The children, equipped as they had known they were going to be the day before, took out pocket lamps from their respective satchels. Hachirō, who didn't know they were going, finds himself without a torch and so is given the task of carrying all the stuff, since he's no good to anyone else without a light.

Conan looks as excited as he is to be here. Hachirō notes that Conan doesn't seem frightened by the darkness and the creaky building. As for the green-eyed boy, he still feels out of place. But in addition to this feeling of discomfort, he now has a certain apprehension. This atmosphere reminds him all too well of the times he spent with his parents.

Lost in his thoughts, he took small steps forward, his arms still full. With the light gradually fading and his hood pulled down over his head, the rejuvenated schoolboy could see very little as he progressed. He scratched his hand as he passed too close to a wall.

He immediately stopped, a shiver running down his spine.

"Tch ! You idiot ! Don't leave your blood here! The Organisation's modus operandi is quite clear, we don't leave any clues !"

He shakes his head, this really isn't the time to be thinking about such things, from now on he is Akiyama Hachirō and is determined to do everything in his power to destroy these criminals who have stolen so many lives and his own childhood.

- Hachirō-kun, don't delay !

He hurried to join the group. He catches his feet in an electric cable on the ground and sprawls out. Hearing the sound of his fall, the children suddenly turn round. They rush to Hachirō's side, and he leaps to his feet to prevent them getting too close.

- Are you all right ? worries Mitsuhiko.

Hachirō nods vigorously, embarrassed that attention is being drawn to him again. He scratches the back of his head in embarrassment and looks away to avoid the children's stares. Conan is crouched on the ground, holding the cable that tripped the boy.

- Mmh ...

Hachirō frowns, it's strange that this cable is here. For an abandoned place, this cable looks pretty new.

- Perhaps Itadori-kun wasn't dreaming, then? says the bespectacled boy as he straightens up.

- What if we followed this cable to see where it leads ? suggests Genta.

- Let's go ! exclaimed Ayumi without waiting for the others to agree.

Hachirō disagrees with Genta. What if these cables are there because people come here to meet up and do things they can't do during the day? And first of all, they have no right to enter this building, knowing that they don't own it. Since he still has no choice, he puts the schoolbags in a corner and continues on his way.

- What a strange contraption,  says Genta as he approaches a machine carefully placed in a corner.

He knocks it off the table it's on and Hachirō goes over to put it back exactly where it belongs. His heart misses a beat as his fingers brush against the machine discovered by the healthy boy. He hurries to put it back, his hands trembling.

The rest of the group remain calm and continue their exploration:

- Oh ! exclaims Mitsuhiko as she discovers a new room, come and see!

But Hachirō isn't there to see the new room. He has already turned around to leave this oppressive place as quickly as possible, abandoning his companions inside.

Counterfeiters. They had just stumbled upon the hideout of counterfeiters ...