Chapter 177
At the ski resort, everyone wears a lot of layers to keep warm, as accidents are more likely to happen, and many people also wear various protective gear.
Everyone was bundled up tightly, with hats and goggles covering their faces, which meant that often you could only recognize people by the color of their clothes.
Especially Usui Saiki, who not only wore a hat to keep his head warm, but his ski suit also had a built-in hood, fully armed. Walking into the crowd, even Kenji Hagiwara couldn't find him without looking at the pattern of his clothes.
This state, arguably, minimizes the effect of the "halo effect," because the "halo effect" works by making people fill in the blanks with their imagination. But in this state, he blends into the crowd and doesn't attract much attention. If people don't notice him, they naturally won't fill in the blanks with their imagination...
However, they are all adults, and Kenji Hagiwara is not a teacher from the neighboring school who is leading the group. He is not worried about his friend getting lost at all. Even if he does get lost, the person who should be worried is the guy who runs into him.
Furthermore, skiing is not a sport like three-legged race or seesaw, so there's really no need for two people to team up. People with different speeds and preferences for different skiing locations can go their separate ways and just contact each other by phone if needed.
So the two started discussing what time to meet for lunch and how to avoid peak hours.
As they walked out of the changing area, chatting, they almost bumped into someone.
The other person, carrying a bag, hadn't changed into their ski gear yet. Slightly startled, they adjusted their glasses and politely stepped aside.
Kenji Hagiwara paused for a moment, then greeted him, "Mr. Kudo, you're here skiing too?"
It wasn't until he heard Kenji Hagiwara's voice that Yusaku Kudo realized who the two people he had almost bumped into were: "Hagiwara-kun? And this is Samikawa-kun?"
"Haha, yes." Kenji Hagiwara took off the goggles he had put on beforehand. "Didn't recognize me, did you?"
Yusaku Kudo wanted to complain about why people wear goggles indoors, but he was still happy to see familiar faces: "Yeah, I didn't expect you two to be here too. Are you on vacation?"
"Yes, relax a bit." Kenji Hagiwara smiled and stepped aside, not in a hurry to leave, chatting as they waited for Yusaku Kudo to put on his protective gear. "Mr. Kudo, are you coming by yourself?"
Usakabe suddenly interjected, "Are there any of Mr. Kudo's children in the junior high schools of those two schools outside?"
Yusaku Kudo coughed and said, "My wife and I came together... She said she wanted to see what Shinichi does with his classmates... so Shinichi doesn't know we're here yet."
“Understood.” Kenji Hagiwara nodded. “We won’t let it slip… but we didn’t really know him anyway.”
Yusaku Kudo laughed: "Well, once you see him, you should be able to recognize him. He looks quite like me, and his goal is to become a detective. He always rushes forward when he encounters a case. Maybe when he grows up, you'll be able to meet him often."
After chatting for a while in the locker room, the three of them went their separate ways after leaving the room.
Usoppei played around in a random spot for a while, but because he felt that using Hanukawa Shinryu's body control was too easy, he quietly switched back to his original form, wanting to return to his normal level of play.
Anyway, with his hat and other accessories covering his hair and eyes, he wouldn't be noticed even if he stood in the middle of the road switching identities. Usuke Saiki changed his identity nonchalantly and continued skiing with great enthusiasm.
Usaka Saiki's main body hadn't skied for a while, so he skied for a bit to get a feel for it. When he stopped to adjust, a figure suddenly turned and braked in front of him, and then asked with concern in an Osaka accent.
"Are you alright? Your movements seem different than before."
The ability to accurately spot someone skiing differently than before in a vast crowd is enough to demonstrate his exceptional observational skills.
Usakabe paused for a moment: "...I'm fine, I was just thinking about how it felt when I first learned to ski."
That person also fell silent: "…………"
Bo Yezhai: "…………"
"Why aren't you saying anything! You clearly recognized me, didn't you?!" The man's tone suddenly turned irritable. He swiftly raised his goggles, revealing a pair of eyes filled with a mixture of joy and resentment, and shouted sarcastically, "The famous detective!"
Usaku Saiki coughed: "I just didn't expect such a coincidence. It's been a long time, Heiji-kun."
"That's certainly a long time."
Hattori Heiji complained, "It's been over two years since we last met, hasn't it? You haven't been to Osaka in all this time?! I can't get through to you on the phone all day, and you often take days to reply to my emails. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a fugitive! It's so hard to see you!"
That being said, Hattori Heiji actually suspected that this guy thought he was a child and didn't want to play detective games with him.
But there was nothing he could do. Back then, he was still in elementary school. This guy had to squat down to look him in the eye when he talked to him. It was inevitable that he was treated like an ignorant child. He only started to grow taller after he entered junior high school.
Fortunately, aside from being slow to reply and never accepting his invitations, always saying "next time, for sure," this mysterious older brother was actually quite nice to him. Whenever Hattori Heiji asked him to discuss a case, as long as it was interesting, the other party would be willing to chat. Over the years, Hattori Heiji felt that the two of them should actually be considered friends.
Even though he still didn't know the other person's name.
When I was in elementary school, it was fine to call someone "big brother," but now that I'm Hattori Heiji, I can't bring myself to say it. I don't want to use that obvious pseudonym, so I just call them "famous detective" or "hey." That's what this cowardly guy deserves!
Usaku Saiki, facing Hattori Heiji who was constantly being promised "I'll definitely see you next time," felt no guilt whatsoever: "But we've met, haven't we?"
"Why are you making it sound like you came here just to see me... It's clearly a coincidence!"
Usoppei coughed. "Alright, aren't you going to ski anymore?"
"So you're planning to get rid of me like this?" Hattori Heiji asked suspiciously. "You're not actually up to something, are you?"
Bo Yezhai: "Guess."
Hattori Heiji: "..."
"Hey, Heiji!" A man who looked like his classmate passed by and shouted at him, "Toyama-kun is injured!"
"What?" Hattori Heiji exclaimed anxiously, "Where is it?"
A classmate shouted, "You'll see it if you walk back!"
Hattori Heiji didn't bother with his verbal sparring with Usui Saiki anymore. He quickly said goodbye and headed back.
After thinking about it, since he had nothing else to do, he simply followed along.
Sure enough, they soon saw Yuanshan and Ye surrounded by several classmates.
"Heiji!" Kazuha Toyama was quite happy that Heiji Hattori had come back to find her.
Hattori Heiji frowned and squatted down to try to check, but Toyama Kazuha was dressed too thickly, and he didn't know where to start.
“I’ll do it.” Usaku Saiki patted Hattori Heiji on the shoulder.
Kazuha Toyama had been paying close attention to matters related to Heiji Hattori. She had just seen the two of them walking over together and was curious about who this unfamiliar person was. She couldn't help but ask, "Who are you...?"
Hattori Heiji introduced, "You forgot? This is the guy who likes to wear a haori."
Kazuha Toyama had only met Usakuya Saiki once, so her impression of him wasn't very deep. However, Heiji Hattori kept bringing it up, complaining all the time that he treated him like a child, so she immediately recognized him: "Eh? It's that big brother..."
"It's me, my apologies." Usui Saiki reached out and pinched Toyama Kazuha's ankle through her pants. "Does it hurt like this? How about here?"
Soon, Bo Yezaki confirmed: "It's a sprain, but the bone is fine. It will heal with rest."
The system gave a somber evaluation: "You're quite skilled..."
This is common sense.
System: [...] Do you think I believe you?
Upon hearing Usui Saiki's diagnosis, Hattori Heiji had no doubts and immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good." Then he asked Toyama Kazuha, "Do you want to go back to the inn?"
Kazuha Toyama's expression immediately fell: "No way! We finally got to go out and have fun, and we're going back so soon? It's like we never even came!"
The final decision was to take Toyama Kazuha to the rest area below so she could sit and rest properly, otherwise it wouldn't be good if she got bumped into by someone on the ski slope.
The distance wasn't far anymore, so Hattori Heiji simply carried Toyama Kazuha on his back.
"Hmm..." Usui Saiki, who thought she was going to lend a hand, stroked her chin. "So self-assured, is this what boyfriend power is?"
Kazuha Toyama and Heiji Hattori both blushed at the same time.
"W-What kind of boyfriend strength?!"
"I'm just used to it! This guy is clumsy!"
"Huh? I'm not clumsy at all, I'm just not very good at skiing!"
"If you insist on coming to the advanced class, go to the beginner class. The ground there is flatter, so you won't twist your ankle, right?"
The two started arguing for no apparent reason.
Bo Yezaki paused for a moment, then said, "Well, since you guys can handle it, I'll take my leave now. You guys keep chatting."
"What?" Hattori Heiji suddenly realized. "Wait, don't run away..."
Before Hattori Heiji could finish speaking, Usaku Saiki used his ski poles to propel himself forward and slid off.
I can't stand it anymore. They're already like that and they're still not boyfriend and girlfriend... It's driving me crazy. He should just leave already.
Hattori Heiji was heartbroken: "How could he have gotten away!"
He had so much left to say... Damn it, who knows when we'll see each other again?
Will he ever learn the other person's name in his lifetime?!
He really couldn't bring himself to say Conan's name!
--------------------
I overslept today... I feel like all my efforts to adjust my sleep schedule have been for nothing.
.
Heiji Hattori: I feel like it might be another two years before we meet again.
Then they met again immediately (...), which made him suspicious.
.
A few years later—
Ran: His name is Conan Edogawa.
Heiji: Oh, Ke, Ke... (He inexplicably felt like he'd lose if he called out to him)
Conan: ? ? ? Is this name too hot to handle?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
