### Chapter 63: It Suddenly Feels Different

Noon.

In the disheveled and spacious room, the phone on the bedside buzzed insistently.

Fujino, who had been sleeping, was abruptly awakened by the noise.

He sat up quickly, his gaze wandering around the unfamiliar room, his expression dazed.

"Dark streets, red neon lights… Is it another dream?"

This wasn't the first time he'd had nightmares about that cursed dump truck. Every night, the image of that truck would haunt him, a constant reminder that he had died once before. It was a relentless torment, like phantom pain.

Feeling his heart pounding, Fujino took out a cigarette from his pocket and took a deep drag. In his previous life, he did smoke, but since coming to this world, he had rarely done so. The calming effect of the cigarette helped to steady his nerves.

For Fujino, this cigarette wasn't just a smoke—it was more like a powerful, side-effect-free sedative that also enhanced his reflexes.

Once he had calmed down, he remembered the scene of the dump truck speeding through the red light in the city, which still made him shiver. Honestly, if he could avoid experiencing such a thing again in his lifetime, he would be more than happy.

Regaining his composure, Fujino groped for the phone he had placed on the bedside the night before. The phone was vibrating incessantly, with the caller ID showing: Suzuki Sonoko.

"Hello! Fujino-senpai!" Sonoko's excited voice came through the line.

That youthful exuberance was something only a vibrant young girl like her could have.

"Sonoko, why are you calling me so early?"

"What early morning?" Sonoko asked in surprise. "It's already noon. Didn't you forget that we planned to go to the Teitan University school festival together?"

"Noon?" Fujino looked out the window.

Through the partially drawn curtain, the sunlight streamed in, making his black eyes squint.

"Ahem."

Fujino cleared his throat. "I stayed up a bit late last night. By the way, when are we heading out?"

"Right now!"

"Got it. I'm on my way…"

After hanging up, Fujino took a deep breath. He then noticed that the bed sheets were damp. 

So was the shirt sticking to his back.

It was cold sweat.

"Maybe I should get a driver's license, too?" Sonoko mused after hanging up.

She then imagined herself driving a sports car with Fujino on a seaside cruise.

"Hehe."

Lost in this thought, she let out a silly laugh and had a dreamy expression on her face.

"What's got you smiling so happily?" Ayako, who had just come downstairs, interrupted Sonoko's reverie.

"Nothing!" Sonoko shook her head, trying to dismiss her endless fantasies.

She then turned to Ayako and suggested, "Sis, why don't you come with us to the Teitan University festival?"

"Teitan University's school festival?" Ayako's eyes narrowed. "Aren't you going with Fujino-kun and Ran?"

"Yes," Sonoko nodded. "They should be arriving soon."

Ayako furrowed her brows, concerned. "If I go, won't it be a bother?"

"Not at all!" Sonoko waved her hand, smiling. "It's a rare chance to get out and have some fun."

Since the incident at the villa in the forest, Ayako had been reluctant to leave the house. This might be a good opportunity to let her relax.

Sonoko thought to herself.

---

In the underground parking lot.

After freshening up and changing into casual clothes, Fujino arrived at the parking garage of the small building on the fourth floor.

The garage was about a hundred square meters, filled with various tools and several parking spaces.

One of the parking spots, directly facing the garage door, housed his beloved Ford Taurus.

With its black body and simple design, it might seem a bit ordinary, but it was far from it.

If Fujino remembered correctly, this car had appeared in a movie he watched in his previous life.

Now, it had become his car in this world.

---

In front of the Mouri residence.

"Ran, isn't that little brat coming today?" Fujino asked as he observed Ran standing outside the car window.

Ran was dressed in a yellow turtleneck sweater, a light green blazer, and a pink skirt, with her slender legs covered in white stockings. 

Though it might seem a bit old-fashioned by today's standards, it was quite trendy back then.

Unlike usual, the little "grim reaper" was not beside her today.

"That kid went out to play with other kids," Mouri Kogoro said as he approached.

As they say, "familiarity breeds contempt," especially when two rival detectives live across from each other. Fujino had established a good friendship with Mouri Kogoro since his arrival. Thanks to his past experience in China, they had become close, even referring to each other as brothers.

Nothing a bottle of 10,000 yen liquor couldn't solve—except maybe with a poster of Junko Akiyoshi.

---

In silence, they all arrived at the Suzuki residence.

"Fujino-senpai!"

From afar, Fujino saw Sonoko waiting eagerly at the front door.

Sonoko was wearing a dark blue long-sleeve sweater and a white skirt, looking youthful and cute.

If she could just remove her hairband, she would be the epitome of a teenage beauty—according to Fujino.

But as he got closer, he noticed another figure beside her.

It was Ayako Suzuki.

Ayako's outfit contrasted sharply with Sonoko's.

She was dressed in a pink dress, her hair tied in a single ponytail with a ribbon, looking particularly gentle.

If Sonoko represented liveliness, Ayako was the embodiment of grace—much like Ran, but without the astonishing combat prowess.

Sonoko then began explaining to Fujino that her older sister would also be joining them at the festival.

"Thank you so much, Fujino-kun," Ayako said with a sweet smile and a slight bow.

Her smile was so charming that it was hard to refuse.

Ayako joining the festival was unexpected for Fujino. However, since the Ford Taurus was a "family" car, accommodating three young girls in the back seat was somewhat spacious.

As for Mouri Kogoro, he was in the passenger seat. There was no way he was going to squeeze with the young girls—Fujino could handle it, but not Kogoro!

The Ford Taurus, once again filled to capacity, had Fujino glancing at the back seat through the rearview mirror, taking in the three girls and Kogoro, who was scanning around in the passenger seat.

Fujino couldn't help but furrow his brow.

Great, now he was the driver!

Originally, taking two high school girls out for a day of fun was supposed to be pleasant. But now, it felt different—like he was being burdened!

Was this what it felt like to be taken advantage of just because he was an orphan?

**(End of Chapter)**