**Chapter 146: You Don't Want to Be Discovered by the Organization, Right? [3k Chapter]**

"Thank you so much, Detective Fujino."

At the entrance of Beika City Hotel, a tearful Kaori Ninomiya deeply bowed to Fujino. "Thanks to you, my father's last wish was fulfilled... and I got to see him one last time."

Fujino waved his hand dismissively, saying, "No need to thank me. You are my client. Solving my client's problems is what a professional full-time detective like me is supposed to do."

He glanced at the departing ambulance and sighed, "It's a pity I couldn't give you more time with your father."

Perhaps if Kaori had come sooner, he could have arranged more time for her... time to get to know Rentaro Ninomiya and perhaps expand his network.

But even with Fujino's abilities, at best, he could only have delayed Rentaro Ninomiya's death.

Cancer, in this era, remains an incurable disease.

One could say that Rentaro Ninomiya's death was merely a matter of time.

As for curing it... that was beyond imagination.

If cancer could be cured, he would have already become the legendary Dr. Black Jack.

"Detective Fujino, you have already done more than enough."

Kaori Ninomiya's sorrowful face broke into a small smile. "Seeing my father one last time and knowing he passed without regrets is enough for me."

From the conversation earlier, Kaori had pieced together an understanding: Fujino must have deduced the truth behind the case and knew her father didn't have long to live... and the reason he rushed her here without involving the police was to allow her to spend the last moments with her father...

This thought made her look at Fujino with even greater respect.

"It was nothing," Fujino chuckled lightly. "Just a detective's duty."

All he could do now was fulfill a dying old man's wish, help the girl see her dying father one last time, and earn an easy commission...

As for the commission, given the current circumstances, it wasn't appropriate to bring it up.

Asking for payment right after someone's father had just died was something even he couldn't do.

He liked money, but he wasn't heartless.

"A detective's duty, huh..."

Kaori fell into contemplation.

"By the way, Miss Ninomiya."

After a moment of silence, Fujino looked at Kaori curiously. "I overheard you mentioning something about the Zomonji series with Mr. Ninomiya. Will the detective Zomonji series continue?"

He had been planning to read the Zomonji detective series himself.

If it were to be discontinued, he would lose a significant amount of interest.

Though he vaguely remembered Kaori would continue writing, the recent events might change things...

"Of course, it will."

Kaori snapped back to reality and nodded earnestly. "I will inherit my father's legacy and continue the Zomonji series... honoring Rentaro Ninomiya's name."

"That's good to hear."

Fujino sighed in relief.

Since the person involved said so, the Zomonji detective series would likely not be discontinued.

He could continue to enjoy reading it.

Kaori Ninomiya was still very young, only twenty-two.

If she continued writing, the detective Zomonji series probably wouldn't end in his lifetime.

Suddenly, Fujino remembered a web novel he had read from elementary school to graduation...

But speaking of which, the phrase "honoring someone's name" sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before?

Night fell.

It was already very late.

Kaori Ninomiya was busy handling her father's affairs. After all, Rentaro Ninomiya was a bestselling author, and there were things her mother couldn't manage alone...

As for Fujino, after gaining an additional fifty detective reputation points, he drove his Ford Taurus, carrying Ai Haibara and Akemi Miyano, heading home.

He wasn't worried about the commission, just the amount.

Besides, for him, Kaori Ninomiya's connections were more valuable.

Being a detective isn't about fighting but about understanding social interactions.

This unpaid commission was an important link to maintaining relationships. With Kaori's connections, there was a higher probability of getting commissions from her circle in the future.

In the car, Ai Haibara, sitting in the back seat, was curiously observing Fujino.

Since earlier, she had been watching him.

She noticed that Fujino solved the case from the start to the end without taking more than six hours.

"Solving a case in such a short time..."

Ai Haibara pondered, "It was as if he knew the truth from the beginning..."

She even vaguely felt that the code-breaking earlier was a loophole deliberately left for her by Fujino.

"Could it be?"

Ai Haibara shook her head, dismissing the unrealistic thought.

But the curiosity remained.

She was very curious.

However, she couldn't ask Fujino directly.

After all, she was still hiding her identity as an elementary school student.

Hmm, since she's a child...

"Fujino, you are amazing!"

Ai Haibara resumed her childish demeanor, admiringly looking at Fujino, then turned to Akemi Miyano and asked, "Akemi, is the detective always like this?"

"Probably not..."

Akemi Miyano thought for a moment, then curiously asked Fujino, "By the way, Fujino, how did you discover Mr. Ninomiya wasn't kidnapped?"

"What if I told you I could predict the future?"

"Eh?!"

Fujino was joking, but Akemi Miyano took it seriously. "Can you really predict the future, Fujino?"

"..."

Both Ai Haibara and Fujino were speechless, looking at Akemi Miyano.

"Just kidding."

After a while, Fujino chuckled, glanced at Ai Haibara in the rearview mirror, thinking: Is she pretending to be a child again?

He looked away and continued, "Not predicting the future, just a detective's intuition."

"Detective's intuition?"

"Intuition is hard to explain. It's like a natural sense. Most of the time, following my intuition, I can find the truth."

Fujino paused and laughed again, "If I could predict the future, I'd have won the lottery by now. That makes more money than being a detective, right?"

'Intuition, huh?'

Ai Haibara lowered her head, choosing to believe in intuition.

"Although intuition is far-fetched, it's more reasonable than predicting the future."

...

Soon, they returned to Fujino's home in Beika.

Since it was late, Ai Haibara temporarily stayed at Fujino's place.

With the mutual fondness between Akemi Miyano and Ai Haibara, Ai Haibara stayed in the third-floor bedroom.

The next morning was a school day.

Normally, Fujino would wash up and go to school.

But this morning, he didn't.

Fujino had deliberately taken a day off from Shizuka Hiratsuka to take Akemi Miyano and Ai Haibara to Dr. Agasa's house.

For Ai Haibara's situation.

Upon arriving at Dr. Agasa's house, before Fujino could say much, Akemi Miyano started reprimanding:

"You irresponsible adults, how could you let a little girl wander alone at night? Last time, too, she was lying unconscious in the rain. If we hadn't found her, what if she had been kidnapped by bad people?"

Akemi Miyano was unusually assertive.

She looked like an older sister standing up for her bullied younger sister.

Fujino was dumbfounded.

Ai Haibara was also surprised, a faint genuine smile appearing on her face.

Unlike her usual cold smile, this one seemed heartfelt.

Dr. Agasa was bewildered.

The strong reprimand made him bow his head in shame.

He thought he hadn't done anything wrong, so why was he getting scolded?

Amid Dr. Agasa's confusion, Ai Haibara suddenly approached him.

She quietly said, "If I keep wandering the streets, the organization might find me... If they discover my transformation, your secrets will be exposed, too. You don't want that, do you?"

Ai Haibara's threat made Dr. Agasa swallow nervously.

Her threat hit him where it hurt.

But then, her cold expression softened, "I don't want it either... I'm just desperate. I have nowhere to go now... By the way, I told them my parents died recently, and you're my only relative... Even if you refuse, I won't blame you... And don't worry, I won't expose you. I'll disappear before the organization finds me."

Ai Haibara had a relatively good impression of Dr. Agasa.

Even though he hadn't taken much care of her, upon learning her identity, he let her stay and even helped her choose the name "Ai Haibara."

If Shinichi Kudo hadn't said what he did that night...

Maybe she would have stayed.

Initially, she planned to disappear.

But now, she seemed to have found a new attachment.

"I understand."

Dr. Agasa sighed, seemingly comprehending Ai Haibara's actions.

He stood up and sincerely apologized to Akemi Miyano, "I'm sorry for not taking good care of this child... Her parents recently passed away, and I'm her only relative."

Scratching his bald head, he added, "As you can see, I'm getting old. I can't take care of a little girl like her properly. Could I trouble you to look after her?"

"From what I've seen, you are very kind-hearted, and she seems to enjoy your company."

Dr. Agasa turned to Ai Haibara, "Isn't that right, Ai?"

(End of chapter)