𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

file 008 | the cloudy hattori heiji

episodes 48—49 — diplomat murder case

Suzume frowned as she sat in Professor Agasa's home, having just filled him in on her current situation with the threat of the mysterious men in black hanging over them. She wasn't entirely too happy with what he had just suggested to her.

"Keep it a secret from them?" she repeated quietly. "Wouldn't it be better for them to be aware of the oncoming threat?"

Agasa sighed, shaking his head worriedly. "I don't believe so. Have you seen how high-strung you've been lately? You're worrying yourself sick! Do you really want to do that to your friends?"

Suzume thought it over before sighing, hanging her head as she saw where he was coming from. "Yeah, point taken and received," she said, looking out the window. "What should I do then?"

"Keep your investigations about these men in black quiet," he advised. "Talk to me if it gets too crowded in your head, like you always do. Act like everything is completely normal."

"Easier said than done," she told him as she pulled out her phone, frowning at the email she was sent. She got to her feet. "I told Ran I was going to hang out with her."

"Have fun!" he called out to her as she left. "And get better!"

~ — — — ~

Suzume stifled a sneeze as she spoke on the phone with Ran. "I'm gonna be a little later than I said I was gonna be," she told her, sounding nasally. "Mom called to check on me and the conversation went a little longer than I wanted it to."

"Ah, no worries, Suzume," Ran told her before pausing. "Oh, a client. It looks like a client is here, so I'll talk to you when you get here."

"Yep," Suzume said before hanging up, glancing at her watch.

Kogoro-san didn't mention any appointments...

Wonder who it is...

~ — — — ~

"No point in lying, Missy, I know she's here!" the boy insisted. "Where's Kudo Suzume?"

Ran smiled somewhat sheepishly. "She'll be here sometime later," she told him. "She's running a little late and has a bit of a cold right now."

The boy tilted his head. "A cold, huh?"

She sighed, putting her hands on her hips, and looked irritated. "Ah, I tell her not to overwork herself," she complained. "But she does it anyway and she gets sick all the time because of it! I don't know what to do with her!"

He sweatdropped, finding her rantings awfully familiar. "...sorry to hear that."

"By the way, who are you?" Kogoro interrupted, looking at the boy with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, right. I forgot," he said, smirking. He took off his hat. "My name is Hattori Heiji. A high school detective, just like Kudo."

"High school..."

"...detective?!" Kogoro put a hand to his chin. "Come to think of it, I have heard of a skilled detective in Kansai..."

"Yep. They call us Hattori of the West and Kudo of the East," Heiji said. "Kudo's been a little quieter lately, though. I got curious about why."

"Well, the east also has Mouri Kogoro—"

"What do you want with Suzume?" Ran interrupted her father, narrowing her eyes at Heiji.