𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

file 021 | kisaki eri is on the case

episodes 199—200 — mouri kogoro, suspect

Kogoro let out a scream as Ran turned the volume of his music up all the way, assaulting his eardrums. His daughter hadn't been impressed by him talking about the various women hanging out at the hotel pool and decided to take drastic action.

Kogoro ripped out his earbuds, shaking his head before glaring at his daughter. "What did you do that for?!" he screeched at her.

She gave him an unimpressed look, leaning forward. "You suggested we spend a night at a hotel since we were coming to Karuizawa to get away from the heat in the city," she grumbled at him. "How come you're the only one who brought swimming trunks?!"

Suzume sighed but wasn't that surprised. So his goal was the hotel's pool...

The two girls started to walk away.

"Hey, come back, I'm not through listening..." Kogoro complained.

Ran stuck her tongue out at him. "Too bad! I'm not lending this to any dirty old man," she said, unimpressed. "Besides, Mom bought this for me."

"Hey, wait! Wait up!" Kogoro chased after them as they left the pool area and got dressed in his clothes. "You can't blame me. I've been so busy working lately, the stress has been building up."

Suzume rolled her eyes, taking Ran's hand and intertwining their fingers.

"Don't you think you're being unfair to Mom?" Ran asked her father.

Kogoro shrugged. "You can't tell what she's doing about now either," he said. "She could be going after some young guy..." He bumped into Ran when she suddenly stopped and all three of them looked inside the shop, where Eri was with a young guy...

"Mom!" Ran called out.

Eri was shocked. "I don't believe it. What are you doing here?" the lawyer asked.

~ — — — ~

At a nearby cafe, Suzume wished she was back in the hotel room with her book. Kogoro and Ran were both staring at Eri with unimpressed looks.

"I just told you," the woman sighed. "I came to Karuizawa with a lawyer colleague to do some sightseeing, that's all."

"Then what about that necktie you were buying just now?" Kogoro grumbled.

Eri jolted back. "That... A friend asked me to buy one and I asked him to help me choose one, isn't that right?" She turned to the young man next to her.

"Really? I didn't know that," Saku Norifumi said. "I thought you were buying it for me."

Suzume tried not to choke on her drink at that.

"This is no joking matter, Saku!" Eri hissed, an embarrassed blush on her face as he chuckled.

Kogoro leaned back in his seat. "You're not a little kid, can't you choose one on your own?"

Eri glared at him. "Well, excuse me."

Ran and Suzume shared sighs of annoyance at the usual bickering.

"Very interesting," a young woman spoke, walking over to their table.

"Ritsuko," Eri greeted, surprised.

"The great Queen herself is reduced to a mere commoner when it comes to her husband," Usui Ritsuko teased.

"Queen?" Ran murmured.

"Didn't you know? She reigns so mightily in court, no one dares approach," Ritsuko said. "She's such an eloquent speaker, even judges are left in awe. That's why she's been nicknamed Queen of the Courtroom."