"What?" Ersan's eyes widened in disbelief. "It clearly says 'Black Cat Detective Agency' outside!"
"It's named after Kotaro!" Yoruichi Toyama couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing. "What Japanese person has the surname Black Cat?!"
"Then, isn't it possible that it's from Nebula M78? Aren't you called Kotaro? Isn't that Ultraman Taro?"
"My name isn't Kotaro, my cat is!" Yoruichi Toyama covered her face, on the verge of collapse, laughing so hard she was about to cry.
I was reminded again of the fear of being dominated by elementary school students when I was on duty in the community.
Finally, with Kindaichi and Miyuki, along with Akemi and Ai, testifying together, Nimi barely believed that the person in front of her was the detective she had heard about, but that he was neither named Kuroneko nor Kotaro, nor was he the Warrior of Light from Nebula M78.
The topic finally returned to the question that Yoruichi Toyama had asked earlier.
"Because I'm an elite member of the school's mystery research club!" Ersan said, proudly patting his little chest.
"I heard that a new transfer student has arrived, that black... well, anyway, the famous detective's sister, so I want to recruit her into our club."
“The method was to send different people to follow me on my way home from school every day,” Ai continued, her expression calm and revealing no emotion. “It made me think I had run into some delinquents.”
"No wonder you were out of breath when you came home from school the other day," Mingmei said suddenly. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Ai couldn't help but roll her eyes at her sister.
I'm 18 years old, why would I be afraid of a few elementary school kids? I can't afford to lose face like that, okay?
"Yes, I can handle it myself."
"Ai made all three groups I sent out get lost. They couldn't get home after dark and were crying their eyes out!" Ersan said quite smugly, as if she were the one who had bullied them.
"So I formally invited Ai to join the company."
"They brought two female seniors and one male senior, all third-year students, and waited for me at the door of my classroom. They told me that I had to join the graduate school recommendation club, or they wouldn't let me off the hook," Ai translated calmly.
"I truly appreciate your kindness, senior."
Yoruichi Toyama was completely bewildered by what she heard and couldn't help but glance at Kindaichi.
Is your younger sister always this eccentric?
Kindaichi opened his hands knowingly, even forgetting his gloating.
Yeah, I can't control her, you'd better pray for yourself.
Ersan laughed awkwardly amidst the silence of the crowd, trying to save face.
"Hehe, hehe, that's not what I actually said, is it?"
"I mean, Ai-kun, you have such amazing older brothers and sisters, you can't fall behind! If you don't aspire to be a famous detective, I won't let you go!"
"Um, Akemi-neechan and Yoruichi-nii-nii, don't you think so?"
So you know my name?
Amidst her busy schedule, Yoruichi Toyama muttered a complaint to herself before looking at Akemi.
Although Ai and Akemi now live together, and are nominally siblings, Ai is now living with him.
But this young lady was probably wary of Gao Yuan because of his affair.
As for these kinds of things in her life, Yoruichi Toyama didn't want to interfere too much.
Akemi understood and took Ai and Nimi's hands, sitting down with them at the table, and brought over some iced lemonade.
"Ai, if you're interested, just say yes. It's a good way to make more friends."
He first offered a word of advice to Ai, then turned to the two or three people beside him.
"Don't worry, she's not rejecting it, she's just not used to it."
"After all, Ai has never been to school before."
"Huh?" Ersan's eyes widened. "But wasn't she a first-year student? Before..."
“Uh, I mean, I didn’t even go to kindergarten.” Mingmei paused for a moment, then quickly added to the story.
Ai, who was described by her sister as being illiterate, sat there, her expression unchanged.
The second and third looked at her with even greater surprise.
"But now all the classmates are saying that Haibara, a first-grader, is really amazing, she can even do fifth-grade math problems!"
"That was just a coincidence."
Ai, who was described by Ni and San as a child prodigy, calmly answered.
"I was just guessing, but who knew everyone would believe me?"
Feeling that it shouldn't be like that, but lacking evidence, Ersan could only pout and admit it.
Observing the elementary school students' behavior, Kindaichi, who couldn't get a word in edgewise, became thoughtful.
"Hey, Yuanshan, your little sister...she's so cool!"
"She's just like that girl I met when I was working part-time before..."
Recalling the icy yet knowledgeable and perceptive Shiho Miyano, Kindaichi felt more and more that something was amiss.
"Ah, I remember now, her hair is also this milk tea color, it's exactly the same!"
He certainly meant no harm, but Yoruichi Toyama, Akemi, and Ai herself all had a fleeting look in their eyes.
This is indeed a flaw.
In Japan, apart from young people who dye their hair, most people still have ordinary black hair, like Akemi.
Because of this, Akemi didn't even need to disguise herself; she simply changed her hairstyle and deliberately dressed differently from before, making it difficult for her to attract the attention of people who knew her or "Hirota Masami".
But Ai is still a primary school student...
"Someone you know," Ai spoke up before her two protectors could think of a suitable answer, looking calmly at Kindaichi, "is she a high school student like you?"
Goodness, that look in his eyes!
Kindaichi felt uneasy under her gaze, and suddenly recalled the fear of being dominated by Shiho Miyano.
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