Conan: I'm just an ordinary novelist

Chapter 20 Does a hero need a reason to save others?

"So? After you heard the doctor tell you about my shrinking, you planned such a nasty prank?"

"We are just testing your detective abilities."

Kudo Yusaku praised generously,

"As it turned out, you, such an outstanding kid, followed the clues we left all the way here. Everything was as we expected before I opened fire."

After listening to the whole process, Conan looked at the three people in front of him who were smiling brightly in silence, and was obviously still a little angry:

"I almost thought I was going to be killed! So you guys were responsible for the Xianhe family? Where are the others?"

Kudo Yusaku paused slightly and looked back at Yukiko.

"What's wrong? Is there going to be a sequel to this prank of yours?"

"Shinichi, Xianzuru-kun... almost died."

"Hey, hey, you still want to lie to me after all this? Do you know how I felt when I found bloodstains in his house? This is too much!"

"Shinichi!"

Kudo Yusaku half-knelt down and reached out to straighten Conan's body, forcing him to turn his head and look at him.

"I'm not kidding. This was an unexpected part of our plan, and it almost went wrong."

"What's the meaning,"

"That child really considers Shinichi a friend."

Yukiko, who was standing by, took out a laptop from somewhere, and on it was the whole process of Yun Xianhe holding him from the moment he climbed over the wall to the moment he almost committed suicide.

Originally, the Kudo couple wanted to add this part to show Shinichi to the other party after they caught him.

But they were afraid that would be too much of a shock to Conan, so they put it here.

Conan watched as the other person nonchalantly put the knife to his neck and looked at the glaring red.

"This guy told others that he won't die?! What is he doing?!"

"It's great that you're okay..."

The boy's voice coming from the notebook was a little distorted.

Conan clenched his hands tightly at his sides and turned his head away in embarrassment:

"That guy is stupid."

"Shinichi, the reason we show you this is because we hope you won't be so impulsive in the future. You have to know that you are not alone. All the people close to you may encounter such a scene in the future..."

Yusaku Kudo patiently guided Conan.

He knew that Shinichi had always been a smart kid and had the qualities that a detective should have.

But if you act too rashly...

I hope the other party can remember this.

"Well, now it's time to talk about our problem."

"Ok?"

"Do you want to leave this dangerous country and live abroad with your parents? I have friends there."

"No! This is my own business, I want to solve it by myself! I don't want you to interfere!"

Seeing Conan reject the proposal so decisively, the Kudo couple couldn't help but laugh.

In fact, they had already expected this result, and this feeling was even stronger after seeing Yun Xianhe.

"Forget it, let's just follow his wishes for now. But..."

The two sides looked at each other, and Kudo Yusaku earnestly warned:

"But listen carefully, if you are in danger I will take you away immediately."

"Ah."

"Okay, it's almost time, the people should be here soon."

"Anyone else?"

knock knock

"coming--"

Conan turned around due to the force of Kudo Yusaku and saw Yun Xianhe standing at the door.

"Good afternoon - are you scared?"

"Xianhe,?"

The other person was wearing a high-necked sweater, and Conan could only see a little bit of the edge of the gauze.

Yun Xianhe seemed not to notice Conan's distraction. He walked up to him and rubbed his head as usual.

"Mr. Xianhe."

"Mr. Yusaku, would you like to have a quick meal together tonight?"

"No, Yukiko and I have some things to deal with back home, so I'll leave the child to you, Xianhe-kun."

"No problem, but he would probably prefer to live at Mr. Maori's house, right? After all, he can be in contact with cases more often."

Looking at Conan who suddenly blushed a lot, Kudo Yusaku smiled without saying anything.

"Then let's go together."

As the group went downstairs to the parking lot, Conan and Yun Xianhe walked at the end.

The young detective looked at the thin boy beside him, hesitated for a while and finally asked:

"Hey, Xianhe, have you known for a long time that I'm Kudo Shinichi?"

"Well, I knew it the first time I met you. After all, Conan, you look basically the same as you did back then."

"Why are you……"

"Ok?"

The steps down the stairs paused.

Yun Xianhe turned around and looked at Conan, who was almost shrouded in darkness, and waited quietly for his next words.

Conan looked down at the young man with clear eyes standing in the light, and always felt that the other person was so clean that he seemed like he should not belong to this world.

After a long silence, Conan took a deep breath as the other party's resolute eyes flashed through his mind:

"Why? Why would Xianhe do that?"

It doesn't matter whether you sacrifice your life to buy time or rush forward to save him without hesitation.

They had clearly only interacted with each other a few times before, so why?

"Does a hero need a reason to save others?"

"...?"

Looking at Conan's obviously stunned expression, Yun Xianhe couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Sorry, sorry,"

Seeing the other person's face getting darker and darker, Yun Xianhe coughed twice and straightened his expression:

"Because when we first met, you showed me your concern even though we were strangers."

Yun Xianhe recalled that not-so-distant memory, as if he could still see the other person's bright eyes filled with worry at that time.

“…Just because of this?”

"Yes, to me at that time, Conan's behavior was like a savior."

"what……"

Conan, who always felt that he was being fooled, looked at the happily smiling boy with his half-moon eyes, and quickly passed him with a bit of anger.

Looking at the little detective walking away angrily, Yun Xianhe quickened his pace a little and caught up with him.

The two walked side by side for a while, and Yun Xianhe suddenly spoke:

"Hey, Conan, are we friends?"

"Huh? What's the question? Of course it is!"

"Then, Master Magician, would you like to join me in the fight against darkness?"

"Good good."

Seeing Yun Xianhe who seemed to be in a playful mood, Conan responded perfunctorily.

After a moment, he suddenly asked curiously:

"Wait a minute, why am I a magician? I should be a hero, right?"

"Because a man turns into a magician when he's thirty."

I always feel that according to the timeline of this world, the other person will look like this after thirty years.

"Huh? What are you talking about!"

"And I have always been a hero."

Yun Xianhe said casually, looking up at the light at the parking lot exit:

"A brave man is always a brave man."

No matter where he is, he will just be himself.

“…Yes, yes, my lord.”

Conan is completely speechless about this "brave man" beside him who is sometimes serious and sometimes crazy (?).

Really, he was just thinking that it would be much more convenient to have someone as reliable as Yun Xianhe around him in the future.

Thinking of this, he tilted his head and glanced at the people around him.

After a while, Conan sighed slightly and comforted himself in his heart:

However, it's not bad to have someone to help him keep the secret.

"Xianhe-kun—Xiaoxin—it's time to get in the car and go!"

"coming!"

"What?! You're going to leave your son here?!"

"Pfft, sorry..."

Yun Xianhe, standing at the door, looked at Conan's hopeless look and Maori Kogoro's disgusted expression. He thought about all the sad things before he could hold back his laughter.

'He is really disliked by Mr. Maori.'

[Hmm... maybe this is why the father-in-law becomes more and more dissatisfied with his son-in-law?]

'Father-in-law? Who? Mr. Maori?'

Xiao Tiandao was speechless about Yun Xianhe's fluctuating IQ.

Yun Xianhe, who didn't get a reply, rested his chin with his hands and looked at the four people who were discussing something over there. After a long time, he narrowed his eyes.

"Conan likes Xiaolan? Does Xiaolan know?"

[Mr. Yun, it is Shinichi who likes Xiaolan, they are childhood sweethearts.]

'What's the difference? ’

[......]

The heroes who have always traveled through time and space to see the male protagonist saving the world or the villain destroying the world don’t understand this at all.

His "factory settings" are very sensitive to emotions, but...

I don't understand love at all.

To use Yun Xianhe's previous words -

We are all good brothers!

Sharp review from the former "guide" of the team: a sharp yet slow-witted hero.

Xiao Tiandao, who was supporting the couple alone, cursed in his heart and exited the chat box.

Yun Xianhe was not annoyed because he didn't get an explanation. At worst, he could just go and ask Conan himself later.

perfect.

"What's the matter with Yunjun coming here today?"

Xiaolan's voice interrupted Yun Xianhe's wandering thoughts.

"It's like this. To thank you for taking care of me in the past few times, I want to treat you to a meal."

"Have a meal?!"