[ HIATUS ] Crossroad 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 67 - Busy Mind

   -What made you two late? Asked Kobayashi.
   Yoko and Conan had arrived in class, but obviously not on time. This was not surprising for them, unlike their teacher. The latter was trying to look a little stern.

   The young girl didn't know what to answer. Saying that she had held Conan up to talk to him was not a valid excuse. So she looked for a lie, even though it was the worst thing she could do. If she lied, Kobayashi would notice...
   -I helped Yoko-chan look for something she'd lost. It was more complicated than I expected... explained the boy with the glasses.
   -Really?
   Having no other choice, the young girl nodded, glancing at her comrade. At least it was helping her. It helped them both.

   -Right, back to your seats quickly, okay? Try to mind your own things next time, Tomura-san. Kobayashi ordered gently.
   -Yes... Sorry about that...
   With her head bowed and a quick step, the former high school student made her way to her seat, while Conan took a more leisurely pace.

   The lesson could begin, or at least continue. Luckily the latecomers hadn't missed much.

   Conan rested his head on his hand, sighing. He hadn't expected things to turn out this way... He couldn't help making an annoyed face. He'd had more urgency lately, it hadn't been easy and it had even been tiring.
   Letting out another sigh, Ai turned to him.
   -How did it go with Tomura-san? she asked.
   The young detective didn't look at his interlocutor, staring at the board, still looking bored.
   -I had no choice but to say no... I'm just surprised she forced me to answer so much...

   Ai was a little surprised. Was it Yoko who had held back the kid with glasses? It was astonishing...
   Although, come to think of it, it wasn't unusual given the determination with which she'd gone to see him.
   -With what happened this weekend, I didn't think about it at all... But at least now she knows it's a no and knows why... All we have to do now is keep her away to protect her, because at any moment the Organisation will find her and kill her...
   With these last words, he turned his gaze towards the girl concerned, who seemed to be staring off into the distance.

   The Organisation... At any moment, they could find her. Vermouth knew about her identity, but she must also have known that she was living with Jinpei...
   And anyone could be a member... The proof was in the TV presenter he met over the weekend, whom he would never have suspected of being one of them. It was because of this that he had forgotten about Yoko.

   The most important thing at the moment was that she understood and didn't put herself in danger of her own free will. The boy's refusal had really disappointed her, but there was nothing else he could do.
   He just hoped she wasn't angry with him. She didn't hold a grudge. At least, she didn't seem to be.

   Ai, in her turn, directed her gaze towards her comrade, without saying anything more.

   The end of the day arrived and Yoko went home straight away, saying a simple "see you tomorrow" to her classmates. Genta, Ayumi and Mitsuhiko were disappointed that she hadn't come to play with them, but invited her to play at baseball at the weekend, even though they weren't sure she'd been listening.
  She was listening, but apparently gave the impression that she wasn't. Perhaps because of the lost look on her face. Maybe it was the way she looked lost in the void.

   Conan had disappointed her. Very disappointed. She hoped he would agree to share his information. There was nothing dangerous about that, was there? She had promised Jinpei not to put herself in danger after all, so getting information was the perfect role.
   But the boy with the glasses didn't want to, and she didn't know what else to do. The policeman would certainly find a solution, but was it going to be simple?

   At the moment, there was no point in thinking too much. She would have to wait for her guardian to return.

   The young girl finished setting the table, as the policeman had just returned. He was helping out a bit, noticing that his flatmate wasn't in the mood.
   -Either you didn't manage to talk to the kid, or he said no to you, am I right? Ve sighed.
   The girl concerned sighed in turn.
   -He doesn't want to because it's too dangerous... I couldn't say anything back to try and convince him... We were already late for class... she resumed.

   Jinpei took her place, the young girl bringing back the meal before sitting down in turn.
   -He says he doesn't want to involve me any more because he doesn't want to be in danger, but... On the one hand, I don't know if it'll make any difference, given that...
   She let out another sigh.
   -He said he'd protect me but...
   -We'll do without him then.

   Yoko didn't bother to look at her tutor, simply resting her elbow on the table, her head on her hand, still looking thoughtful.
   -Oe... Stop thinking too much, you're not going to get stuck for this. You got an honest answer, that's good enough.
   -But it would have been easier if he'd given us some information...
   -We're capable of getting information... We just won't have to give it to him if he doesn't know it, as that might make him understand...

   Put like that, it was tempting. To get information that Conan wouldn't have and not tell him. However, the idea that this could put him or Ai in danger was suddenly less pleasant. She didn't want to cause them any harm.
   In any case, she had no information at the moment and the little that the young detective had given her... There wasn't much they could do with it at the moment either.

   They would see what to do in due course.