"Thank you, Sister Ran."
Kaedehara stepped back, looking at Dr. Agasa. "But I'd rather stay with Grandpa Agasa. His inventions… they're super interesting."
Ran, rejected, blinked in surprise. Edogawa Conan was equally caught off guard. He'd thought his other self, like him, couldn't resist Ran. Could his subconscious really feel differently about her…?
No way. Absolutely not.
Still, this worked out nicely, heh.
Conan's thoughts wandered, while Dr. Agasa hurriedly smoothed things over.
Though he couldn't double his joy, bringing home one super-cute, elementary-school version of Shinichi eased Ran's earlier worries considerably.
And so, Kaedehara settled into Dr. Agasa's house.
Dr. Agasa's place was spacious but, thanks to the messy habits of a single, aging scientist, barely livable.
Invention materials and equipment were piled everywhere, takeout containers littered about. Aside from the guest-ready living room, it was hard to find a spot to step.
This was surely why Dr. Agasa didn't want Shinichi staying here.
Kaedehara glanced back at Dr. Agasa, who was sheepishly scratching his head.
Well, that explained the baldness.
"Ahem… Kaedehara."
"Just call me Sora, Doc."
"…Alright, Little Sora it is," Dr. Agasa said.
Truthfully, Dr. Agasa thought this pint-sized Shinichi didn't act much like Shinichi—different personality. But if even the brilliant Shinichi didn't object, he'd go along with it.
Subconscious, huh… Had the old Shinichi been secretly schizophrenic?
Dr. Agasa scratched his head again, then started tidying up with Kaedehara.
For now, they just cleared enough space to sleep.
A thorough cleanup would be a massive project, the kind that'd take a professional team days.
After checking a few rooms, Kaedehara decided to bunk on a floor mat in Dr. Agasa's bedroom.
Then, sleep.
The rain had stopped at some point, leaving the outside quiet.
This silence made Dr. Agasa's snoring even louder. Kaedehara, unable to sleep, lay on the mat, thinking.
He'd crossed over.
After a chaotic night, only now settling down, he couldn't help but dwell on it. He didn't recall how he crossed over, but here he was.
And living in Dr. Agasa's house.
It wasn't that he had to stay here. His comment about inventions being interesting was true but mostly an excuse. He just didn't want to live at Ran's.
Watching Shinichi get jealous of himself was amusing, but Kaedehara felt a bit awkward about it.
The extra memories were just that—memories. They hadn't deeply affected him or made him inherit Shinichi's feelings for Ran.
Plus… he knew Shinichi didn't fully trust him.
More importantly, there were the memories.
Shinichi's complete memories weren't just for bluffing Shinichi.
In fact, they were a treasure trove, especially the part where Shinichi trained with Yusaku Kudo in Hawaii.
Those memories included learning to drive, read music, and more. What fascinated Kaedehara most was the training in firearms and operating vehicles like tanks and planes.
Come to think of it, he'd never even driven a car before. What a disgrace for a transmigrator.
With that, Kaedehara mentally "bookmarked" the driving lessons, planning to study them later. For now, sleep.
This was, after all, his first night in this world.
…
"I solved a case yesterday," Conan said.
When he'd gone home with Ran to the Mouri house, it was empty. Thinking her dad had gone off carousing, Ran called a taxi and phoned around to track him down.
That's how Conan got his first case as a kid.
"Congrats," Kaedehara replied absently, mentally practicing helicopter piloting.
Conan shot him a suspicious look. "Hey, why aren't you curious?"
"Why should I be?" Kaedehara asked, pausing his study.
"Shinichi Kudo was born for cases. How could you not care, unless…"
"Then… tell me the case from the start?"
"That's so half-hearted."
"Let's see if this subconscious can out-deduce your conscious mind."
A deduction contest to prove himself? Fair enough.
Conan, intrigued, recounted the case in detail. For fairness, he inserted clues as he'd found them.
Moments later.
Conan looked like his world had collapsed.
"…Why is my subconscious faster at solving cases?!"
Sorry, I remember this episode.
Kaedehara decided to console him. "Maybe you haven't tapped your true potential yet."
"Heh." Conan gave a deadpan stare, then changed the subject. "Where's the Doc?"
"Making me earplugs to block snoring," Kaedehara said, just as an explosion echoed from the lab.
"Haha, success!" Dr. Agasa emerged, soot-covered in his white lab coat.
"I added a button to toggle between total soundproofing and just blocking snoring. Here, Little Sora."
"Thanks, Doc." Kaedehara took the earplugs, examining them curiously.
They looked almost like regular earplugs, except for a slightly awkward button.
He wondered if he'd accidentally press it while sleeping.
(End of Chapter)
Translator's Note: (so you don't have to search, if needed so...)
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech and behavior, and flat or inappropriate affect. Symptoms develop gradually and typically begin during young adulthood and rarely resolve. —Wikipedia