Izu, Queen Hotel.
Fujino stood on the beach, holding a glass of watermelon juice, wearing sunglasses, silently gazing at the distant white line where the sea met the sky.
The beach was sun-drenched, a calm sea breeze blew, and the ocean glittered.
Beach, sea, beautiful women, bikinis – a scene like Hawaii, immersing one in a relaxed and leisurely atmosphere.
Perfect, as long as no murder cases occur.
"Speaking of which, Fujino-kun."
Nearby, Mouri Kogoro, lounging on a chair and eyeing the beauties on the beach, retracted his gaze and asked Fujino puzzledly, "Why did you suddenly decide to come here for vacation?"
"Akemi-nee won some vouchers for this hotel a few days ago."
Fujino took a sip of watermelon juice. "We took the opportunity of the weekend holiday to come for a vacation."
"Vouchers? You're really lucky."
Mouri Kogoro sighed softly. "I don't know what that kid Ran was thinking, insisting on coming here for a trip this weekend... Said she made plans with some friend. This trip is going to cost quite a bit again."
"Friend?"
Fujino felt somewhat puzzled. "Did she say which friend?"
Logically, the only friend who could arrange to meet Ran here should be her best friend Sonoko.
But Sonoko didn't come...
"She didn't tell me. I thought it might have been you."
Mouri Kogoro looked up, clenching his fist. "She even booked two rooms! If the friend she's meeting turns out to be a guy, I'm definitely going to teach that kid a lesson!"
"Fujino-kun!"
Saying this, Mouri Kogoro stood up and patted Fujino's shoulder. "You have to help me then!"
"Alright, alright..."
Fujino smiled helplessly.
His reasoning skills weren't quite at the level of a great detective yet, but based on memory and Ran's habits,
he had a pretty good idea who the friend she was meeting this time was.
"Fujino-kun."
Miyano Akemi walked over, carrying two drinks.
Beside her was Ran, followed by Ai Haibara and Conan.
Miyano Akemi wore a white cover-up over her upper body. Her ample chest was wrapped in a black bikini, while her hips and thighs were covered by an asymmetrical black long skirt.
Nothing inappropriate was revealed, giving off a mature and composed feeling.
Ai Haibara chewed on a straw, holding a glass of blue juice, likely blueberry flavored.
She wore a slightly small, light blue one-piece swimsuit. It looked more like a dress than a swimsuit, with a pleated hem that swayed gently. The printed fabric was conventional, very cute.
Ran wore a floral swimsuit. Although only sixteen or seventeen, her figure was truly commendable, easily surpassing her peers, exuding a youthful and vibrant feeling.
As for Conan...
At this moment, he looked like a major third wheel, shirtless, skinny like a stray dog, whispering to Ai Haibara beside him, "So, how come you guys came here for vacation too?"
"You're allowed to come on vacation with her, so why can't I?"
Ai Haibara took a sip of her juice, glancing sideways at Conan.
Conan gave a deadpan look.
"Eri?!"
Just as Fujino was watching the group, he was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice from afar.
Hearing it, he turned his head.
He saw Mouri-san staring in astonishment at a graceful woman beside him.
The woman wore a mature-style blue one-piece swimsuit, had wavy brown hair, and wore black-framed glasses.
Age-wise, perhaps thirty-something?
Honestly, Eri Kisaki looked exceptionally well-maintained.
If one didn't know it was Eri Kisaki, already married with a child, Fujino would definitely have mistakenly guessed her age to be in her twenties.
"You two are really in sync!"
Ran walked over, looking surprised, and said to the two who had just met and hadn't recovered yet, "I didn't expect you both to have the same idea for a weekend getaway. Truly a pair of devoted lovebirds."
"Ran..."
Mouri Kogoro turned his head resentfully.
"This isn't your doing again, is it?"
"Saying I should come for a beach trip and all."
Eri Kisaki crossed her arms.
"Thinking about it, that must be it, right?"
"Eh?"
The smile on Ran's face gradually stiffened.
Playing innocent mode activated.
Conan, hearing this, also looked up.
The moment he saw Eri Kisaki, he gave up thinking.
Mhm, no need to think anymore. The person has appeared.
Speaking of which, wasn't it like this last time too...
"It really is her."
The moment Eri Kisaki appeared, Fujino's thoughts were confirmed.
Yes, the person Ran came here to meet this time was none other than Eri Kisaki.
This was all part of Ran the master planner's scheme to get her parents back together.
But the result?
Obviously, the plan was exposed again this time.
"See, Ran, this trip really wasn't worth it."
Mouri Kogoro, with ulterior motives, looked at Eri Kisaki, saying provocatively, "Spending a fortune to come enjoy the beach vacation atmosphere, only to have it ruined by some middle-aged woman trying too hard in a flashy swimsuit?"
"Oh please, as if I wanted to come if Ran hadn't invited me."
Eri Kisaki snorted coldly, retorting, "Seeing this 'middle-aged woman', yet still putting on a lecherous expression and even hitting on me with a vulgar, tasteless voice – I wonder what kind of bum you are."
"What did you say?"
The two were already sparking with hostility just moments after meeting.
Fujino stood aside, smiling awkwardly.
These two really started arguing the moment they saw each other.
"Fujino-senpai, I'm sorry you had to see that."
Ran also smiled awkwardly, then played peacemaker, forcibly dragging the two, thick with animosity, back to the hotel.
"That lady just now..."
Miyano Akemi watched the backs of the two arguing figures as they left, asking curiously.
"That's Ran's mother, Eri Kisaki."
Fujino explained. "Also Mouri-san's wife, though they're currently separated and in a cold war."
"Eh? She's actually Ran's mother?"
Miyano Akemi nodded. "No wonder I never saw Mrs. Mouri. So they separated."
As the two talked, Ai Haibara, having noticed something earlier, silently walked over to a nearby beach chair.
She bent down slightly, reached under the chair, and felt something hard.
Picking it up, she found a ring.
She then turned around and handed the ring to Fujino. "That auntie seemed to have dropped something just now."
"A ring?"
Fujino took the ring, looking puzzledly at Ai Haibara. "Ai-chan, where did you find this ring?"
"Right there on that beach chair."
Ai Haibara pointed to the beach chair Mouri-san had been sitting on moments ago, a slight curl at the corner of her lips. "This must be the so-called test between lovers. Too bad that clueless uncle didn't notice at all."
"Looks like they still have feelings for each other."
Miyano Akemi also glanced at the ring.
Smiling, she asked Ai Haibara curiously, "But speaking of which, Ai-chan, where did you hear about these 'tests between lovers'?"
"Mmm..."
Ai Haibara paused, silent for a few seconds. "I heard it from a classmate."
After the Mouri family left, Fujino's group began to enjoy their beach vacation.
Miyano Akemi stood in the shallow water by the shore, the seawater soaking her swimsuit cover-up.
She stood up and waved towards Fujino. "Fujino-kun, aren't you coming into the sea?"
"I think I'll stay out."
Fujino, on the beach, waved his hand, glancing down at his white shirt. "Getting the shirt wet is troublesome."
Going 'into the sea' sounded a bit strange.
Of course, that wasn't the main reason he didn't want to go in.
Alright, the main reason was that he couldn't swim.
In his past life, he grew up inland, never went to the beach, nor a swimming pool.
In this life, he had no memories of swimming either.
So, swimming... he really couldn't do it.
"But Akemi-nee is also wearing a shirt."
Ai Haibara, paddling in the water, turned to look at Fujino. "Don't tell me you can't swim?"
"How could that be?"
His thoughts exposed, Fujino cleared his throat lightly. "Swimming... As a detective, of course I can swim."
At the same time, he couldn't help but marvel internally at how sharp Ai Haibara's perception of words and emotions was.
Seems like last time she spotted him observing from kilometers away too.
Truly living up to the name 'Organization's Mobile Human Radar'.
Well, no choice but to go into the sea now.
Fujino walked slowly towards the seaside.
Might as well take this opportunity to learn how to swim.
Fujino went into the sea.
Fujino flailed a couple of times.
Fujino learned how to swim.
"Swimming isn't that hard after all."
Fujino walked ashore from the shallow area, muttering to himself.
Enhanced by the system, his body coordination was now far superior to ordinary people.
Coupled with the learning ability provided by the Student profession's [The Times are Calling].
Even though he couldn't swim before, within minutes of entering the sea, he had basically adapted to the water.
In about ten minutes, he had completely learned basic swimming.
"Hey handsome, got time to join us for lunch?"
Just then, a female voice interrupted Fujino's thoughts.
Fujino looked up and saw two graceful older women blocking his path.
This was...
Were they hitting on him?
Good grief, could this kind of thing—mature older women hitting on a high school boy—actually happen?
What kind of doujinshi plot was this?
Puzzled, Fujino followed the fiery gazes of the two mature women down to himself.
Instantly, he understood.
At this moment, the white shirt draped over him was soaked through, revealing the faint outline of his abdominal muscles.
Ah, his physique was exposed. No wonder they were hitting on him.
His looks weren't devastatingly handsome, but definitely dashing.
A physique of a tough guy hunk, combined with strong features, plus the system's 5% affinity bonus – being hit on was actually quite normal.