Conan: No, why aren't you following the script?

Looking at the pale-faced little girl in front of him, whose face practically screamed fear, Kitagawa Isao felt a pang of heartache.

However, in order to achieve his goal, he continued speaking according to the original script:

"Actually, it's not necessary to go to the hospital. It depends on whether your condition can be controlled. I just gave you fever-reducing medicine. I think you should rest well tonight and be fine by tomorrow morning."

"But, but I..."

Shiho Miyano was still a little hesitant, but her body told her that listening to the man in front of her and getting some rest here for the night was the best option.

However, she was also worried that staying here might lead to unforeseen problems, since finding Shinichi Kudo, her only kindred spirit, was one of her few remaining obsessions.

Thinking of this, Shiho Miyano's gaze became even more determined.

She bit her lip, but finally insisted on speaking: "But my family might worry about me, so... please, I'll provide my home address..."

At this point, a hint of sadness and loneliness flashed in Shiho Miyano's eyes.

Although she quickly concealed her emotions, Kitagawa Isao still kept them firmly in mind.

What a pitiful little girl...

With a silent sigh, Kitagawa Isao reached out and ruffled her hair.

"No need to use honorifics with me. My name is Kitagawa Isao, and I'm currently unemployed. You just said you could provide your family's address? Is that true?"

"certainly,"

Shiho Miyano nodded vigorously. "Mr. Kitagawa? My home is at the Kudo residence, 2-21 Beikacho, Beika City, Tokyo. If you could take me there..."

"Wait, what did you just say?"

Before Shiho Miyano could finish speaking, Isao Kitagawa interrupted, "Kudo Residence in Beika-cho 2-chome, are you sure your house is there?"

"What's wrong with this...?"

Shiho Miyano was a little confused. Logically speaking, she shouldn't have misremembered Shinichi Kudo's address. She had secretly been to that address more than once, so there shouldn't be any mistake... right?

“Of course there’s a problem,” Kitagawa Isao said sternly, his face hardening.

"The Kudo residence in Beikacho 2-chome. I know that place very well. It's the home of high school detective Shinichi Kudo. Although Yusaku Kudo and his wife used to live there, as far as I know, they've immigrated to the United States. So now only Shinichi Kudo lives there. The family you're looking for, could it be Shinichi Kudo?"

"Yes, yes..."

Although she couldn't figure out Kitagawa Isao's purpose, Miyano Shiho nodded timidly.

The person she's looking for is indeed Shinichi Kudo, so she shouldn't be considered to be deceiving him, right?

However, as soon as she finished speaking, Kitagawa Isao sighed and looked at her with a regretful expression:

"Sigh, although I don't know where you're from, Shinichi Kudo has been missing for a long time now. I'm a mystery enthusiast myself, and I wanted to visit him, but after going a few times, I learned of this terrible news. So... even if you went, you probably wouldn't be able to get into his house, and besides..."

"Besides what?" Shiho Miyano asked weakly.

"Besides, I could tell at a glance that you actually have nothing to do with Shinichi Kudo, right?"

Kitagawa Isao suddenly changed the subject, leaning forward and staring directly into Miyano Shiho's eyes, "You were running in the rain wearing ill-fitting clothes, and you kept saying that Kudo Shinichi was your family, but as far as I know, Kudo Yusaku and his wife only have one child, Kudo Shinichi..."

“I am not the child of the Kudo couple… I, my name is Ai Haibara, I am the child of their relative.”

Pressed relentlessly by Kitagawa Isao, Miyano Shiho almost instinctively came up with a fake name in her mind, attempting to deceive him by claiming to be a relative.

However, her answer was exactly what Kitagawa Isao had expected.

A few days is enough time for Kitagawa Isao to think of all the possible answers Haibara Ai might give, so now he faces this little girl who is hastily trying to find an excuse to brush him off.

Kitagawa Isao remained completely unmoved, and even felt a slight urge to laugh.

"Ai Haibara? That's a nice name... But how do you explain the panicked look on your face when you woke up just now? Plus, it's raining so hard outside. What kind of parents would let a little kid like you go to visit relatives alone so late at night? Ai, lying is not something a good child should do."

"No, things aren't as you think..."

As Kitagawa Isao's guesses became increasingly close to the truth, Ai Haibara started to get really anxious.

If this guy accidentally guesses the organization's and his true identity, then everything will be over...

As Gin's狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous) face gradually appeared in her mind, Ai Haibara, in a moment of panic, almost got up to try and gag Kitagawa Isao.

However, her weakened and ill body clearly did not support her in performing such strenuous activities.

While hesitating, Kitagawa Isao had already voiced his 'guess'.

"There's only one truth... Ai, I bet you're a lost child who just escaped from kidnappers, right?"

huh?

What a bizarre association!

Ai Haibara blinked, feeling a little confused for a moment.

Meanwhile, seemingly seeing through the confusion in the little girl's eyes, Kitagawa Isao began to explain smugly:

"When you arrived, you were wearing a white coat, which is what doctors often wear in hospitals. Considering the resistance you showed when I mentioned taking you to the hospital, I suspect the kidnapping group is using the hospital and doctor identities as a cover; they are actually a group of ruthless criminals."

"As for Shinichi Kudo... I think you probably saw it in the newspaper by chance and learned that there was such a famous high school detective in Tokyo, so you lied and claimed to be his family member, hoping to seek Shinichi Kudo's protection and use that as a way to find your own family, right?"

"It's just a pity, Ai. Shinichi Kudo has been missing for a long time now. Even the police can't find him. How can a child like you possibly find him?"

"So you should stay here with me for now. Once you've recovered, I'll take you to the Metropolitan Police Department and ask the police officers to help you find your family. What do you think?"

Now that things have come to this point, what can Ai Haibara do?

Kitagawa Isao had almost completely blocked all her excuses. In order not to arouse the other party's suspicion, she could only nod helplessly and barely accept her identity as a 'kidnapped child'.

However, let's think about it from a different perspective...

If this identity can deceive the pursuers in the organization, then it might not necessarily be a bad thing for her.