Shinde Hospital.
"Mr. Mouri Kogoro!"
The Mouri family of three, waiting in the lobby, was called into the room by a nurse.
Dr. Shinde Yoshitsugu, over fifty, bespectacled, with meticulously combed hair, held a medical report, his expression grave.
"Mr. Mouri."
"Six months left."
"What?!" The three faces paled in unison.
Only six months?!
Dr. Shinde continued, "I understand your reluctance, but it can only last six months…"
Before he could finish, tears welled in Uncle Mouri's eyes. He lunged forward, voice trembling with emotion. "That's too much!"
"Telling me I've only got six months left?"
"If I've got a terminal illness, you should break it gently!"
"But you just blurt it out like that? What kind of doctor are you?!"
Uncle Mouri was genuinely breaking down, tears real, barely holding back a wail.
He'd been told to bring his family.
Why not tell them first?
Were they supposed to carry him straight home?
"Er, terminal illness…" Dr. Shinde looked taken aback, explaining, "I meant you have six months to cut back on drinking."
"Drinking?" Uncle Mouri froze.
"Yes, your report shows alcohol-related liver dysfunction, but it's mild," Dr. Shinde nodded.
Uncle Mouri exhaled, collapsing back into his seat as if he'd reclaimed his life.
Ran's face bloomed with relief.
No big deal—thank goodness.
Conan, meanwhile, was speechless.
As expected, too much booze.
"Dr. Shinde, you sure know how to scare people. No need to drag the family along for this!" Uncle Mouri laughed, as if he hadn't just been crying and berating the doctor.
"For someone like you who loves drinking, cutting back needs family support," Dr. Shinde said, reviewing the report. "Reduce your intake a little each day…"
"Don't worry, I'll make sure he never touches alcohol again!" Ran promised with a smile.
"…" Uncle Mouri glanced at his daughter, feeling, for a moment, like life had lost all color.
As they spoke, a wooden door leading to the Shinde family's private residence opened.
A middle-aged woman with short hair stepped in.
She was between forty and fifty, but her poise and figure outshone most her age.
"Honey, Miss Shige called. She wants you to visit her."
"Ugh, again?"
"What a troublesome patient. It's just a stomach ulcer, making a fuss over nothing," Dr. Shinde said, standing. Despite his grumbling, his face betrayed an irrepressible smile.
"Patient?"
"Call it what it is—mistress," Mrs. Shinde snapped, glaring at her husband's grinning face, her irritation palpable.
Realizing the three others were watching, she quickly smiled. "Sorry, my husband will finish his call soon. Please wait a moment."
At that moment, a knock came from the office door.
"Is Dr. Shinde in?"
The three turned toward the familiar voice.
"Here." Mrs. Shinde opened the door.
A tardy repairman flashed an apologetic grin. "Sorry, traffic was bad. I'm a bit late for our appointment."
Mrs. Shinde paused, then softened inexplicably. "You are?"
"Dr. Shinde called about a small issue with the hospital's bathroom, urgent repair needed," Tsuneo said, pulling a business card from his pocket and handing it over.
Shinde Hospital.
He hadn't expected this job…
Judging by the family's expressions, today was the day for trouble, wasn't it?
"Oh?"
"I'll show you the way," Mrs. Shinde said with a warm smile, turning to the Mouri family. "Please wait a bit longer."
Conan watched the two leave, muttering inwardly:
A guy skilled at swaying hearts!
Just moments ago, Mrs. Shinde was glaring daggers at her husband. What emotional rollercoaster had she ridden in those few seconds to do a complete 180?
Ran gave a helpless smile. She'd planned to borrow the private residence's bathroom, but with no one to guide her, she'd have to wait until Tsuneo finished.
Uncle Mouri was still sulking over his fading alcohol privileges, face glum.
…
During the repair, Tsuneo worked while Mrs. Shinde lingered, chatting.
Their conversation stayed tame.
Clearly, she just found the young repairman handsome and charming, so she kept talking.
Even so, her family drama was a headache to hear.
"Fixed!"
Tsuneo stood, relieved to escape Mrs. Shinde's chatter about her kids.
This was no place to linger!
Time to settle the bill and go!
With that, Tsuneo smiled politely and headed to Dr. Shinde's office.
As he and Mrs. Shinde reached the door, the Mouri family was about to leave.
Ran, spotting Tsuneo, hurried toward the bathroom without a greeting, clearly desperate.
"What!"
"You're the detective, Mouri Kogoro?!" Dr. Shinde's voice rang out in surprise.
He'd thought it was just a namesake, not the real deal!
Tsuneo stood by the door, unsure whether to congratulate the doctor's excitement.
"Detective?"
Mrs. Shinde looked surprised, then glanced at the repairman. "Now that you mention it, I've heard the name Tsuneo recently."
"That kid's something of a detective himself!" Uncle Mouri slung an arm around Tsuneo's shoulders, grinning wider.
Being recognized by a fan felt amazing!
Come on!
Let Uncle share the spotlight!
Dr. Shinde's eyes lit up. "That's right! Several news reports mentioned that name, helping the police crack multiple cases!"
Tsuneo shot a sidelong glance at a certain detective pretending nothing happened, saying flatly, "Yeah, that's me."
(End of Chapter)
------------------------------
🌟 Hi everyone! 🌟
If you love my work and want to support me on this creative journey, you can support me here: [patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ] 💖
By joining, you will get access to exclusive content, behind-the-scenes updates, and some special perks that I have prepared just for you. Every support really means a lot and helps me strive every day! 🙏✨