impossibility | discontinued

[6.2]

Edogawa Akechi struggled not to make a disgruntled groan under his breath in the middle of mathematics class. His mind would drift off to thoughts on what Shinobu was doing, how she was doing in class, or if someone had the gal to give her a letter. He wouldn't be able to rip those off with him being in a fourth-grade class! For heaven's sake, he could die in boredom.

"Oi, Edogawa," his seatmate called yet the former ginger head ignored him. "It's break time. Aren't you gonna eat?" Akechi shrugged his shoulders and resumed reading his book. His seatmate probably gave him an exasperated look but did he care? No, he only really cared about what's happening with Shinobu at the moment and, in extension, Conan.

He might drop by his class later to pick him up to keep up with the ruse of being cousins. Even for the short while he'd been a grade school student again, he had a reputation of being weird and cool and tall. Especially tall. He looked like a bean sprout, to be honest.

It was a little weird for him though, when he stands next to Shinobu. He had been so used to looking down at her at an angle where he could perfectly see the entirety of her face. A Goddess, he always called her, because she was. Many might say that she wasn't the prettiest girl there is but in his eyes, she's the most exotic girl.

Akechi loved her the moment he laid his eyes on her and told himself he'll stand by her side for the rest of his life. She was the only one who caught his attention, no one else, and for that, he treasured every little moments they have.

But for that affection to extend to her brother, Akechi would have to take a step back and think. Conan didn't really like him, for one reason or another, and they always butted heads in the oddest of ways. Yet Akechi found himself strolling down the hallway after class, seeing Conan surrounded by three kids.

Maybe he had grown soft after being around Shinobu. Maybe he had been this way before. He just couldn't remember. Akechi just knows that he was a despicable person who'd do anything to stay by Shinobu's side; no matter what it takes.

"Co-chan," he called out and he couldn't tell if the fake smile on his face was really fake. Conan and his friends stopped walking ahead of him to turn around. His 'cousin's' face grew sour at the sight of him, making Akechi inwardly snicker in amusement. "You look like you're heading somewhere."

An identical expression lit up on Conan's face, the fake smile looking awkward at most. "C-Chi-nii—" Akechi's eye twitched at the god awful  nickname Conan 'bestowed' upon him. "— we're, uh, I was invited to explore a haunted house..?" Akechi blinked before bursting into laughter.

The plump brat amongst the group of four suddenly piped up with an angry expression. "What's so funny, huh?! W-What's someone like you doing here anyway?!" Akechi simply smiled in response, looking down at him— rather, he was leering down at him menacingly. "I'm Edogawa Akechi. I'm just visiting Co-chan."

And somehow, Akechi got roped into going to the haunted house with a bunch of brats. Conan gave him a somewhat sympathetic smile before snickering behind his hand, obviously amused by this turn of events. As they stood in front of the haunted house, Genta faced them while propping his baseball bat on his shoulder.

"Okay, everyone, let me see what you brought!"

Akechi's annoyed look turned into one of confusion as he and Conan shared a puzzled look.

"I brought snacks!"

"I brought flashlight for everyone... and a compass so we wouldn't get lost."

The trio of brats looked at the cousins rather expectantly. "... we didn't bring anything." Akechi laughed behind his hand at Conan's attempt of disuading the awkward atmosphere but his nonchalance just made Genta mad. "We could die in there!" He claimed.

Akechi would rather be at home, with Shinobu, than to hang out with these annoying brats. But how could he when the woman he loved asked him to look out for Conan and the brats who roped them into it? He couldn't just say no.

That would be a grave mistake he could ever make in his life.

So here he was, going along with their childishness.

For some reason though, Genta lead them to an inconspicuous place where a wooden makeshift door was etched into the brick wall. The wood used for the door was surprisingly used and clean, though, rather rough around the edges.

Still, after being best friends with Shinobu for who knows how long, the uncannily placed wooden door set off the alarm bells ringing inside his head.

The inside wasn't any better.

The door wasn't locked when they entered and Ayumi was startled by a statue. Other than that, the fact that the water system in this old house was still running caught his attention. He felt a nudge beside him and so, he glanced at Conan.

'It's odd', his eyes conveyed. 'The water should have been cut off.'

Conan moved on, as if he hadn't given a message to the only person who noticed the same thing. "Ayu-chan, c'mon. We're heading in further." The little girl immediately caught up, making sure to stay behind him. Akechi let her be, he didn't really mind as long as she doesn't get all touchy-feely with him.

The door ahead of them suddenly creaked open, causing Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Genta to jump back. Both boys instantly hid behind him and Conan. "What happened to being a villager..?" he heardnhis cousin mutter under his breath.

When they checked out the room, Akechi let out a breathy laugh. "It's just the window. The force of the wind probably opened that door." He saw them beam at his words, fear trickling out of their system. "You sound like a detective, Akechi-nii!" Ayumi exclaimed.

Akechi chuckled, his mind wandering to Shinobu, before another nudge caught his attention. It was Conan again.

(in the background, Mitsuhiko excused himself to go to the bathroom.)

"I think we should leave as soon as possible." Conan whispered so that only he could hear. Akechi agreed, something about this place seemed sketchy to him. Not long after those words left Conan, Mitsuhiko's screams echoed in the night.

Inwardly, Edogawa Akechi wondered if he became a trouble magnet himself since he spent so much time around Shinobu and Conan.

Things just keeps getting weirder for him.

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this follows the manga, by the way! tho, I skipped a few things— rather a lot— but DC's mostly filled with filler chapters at the start.

bigger cases, of course, will have longer chapters and more of it, too!

— author