"Dressed, so formal......"

Kudo Shinichi, who was bored and turned his glass, looked up inadvertently, and saw Mao Lilan, who was wearing a slim dress, walking under the guidance of the waiter, stunned for a moment, and cleared his throat uncomfortably.

It goes without saying that Maolilan is pretty, but when she is really dressed up, her skirt swaying, and she is staring straight at you......

"It's not because you chose this place." Mao Lilan looked at him with a dodgy look in his eyes, and he didn't feel comfortable, "I inquired with the garden and found out that this seems to be a very high-end restaurant, and the consumption is very high." ”

She complained on her lips, but her heart was just as subtly flustered.

Talking about her best friend's instructions, well, the garden did tell her to dress up well, although she could explain her clothes, but she knew it very well.

- She was there to see him, to hear what he wanted to say to herself when he had come to such a solemn occasion.

"Don't worry, I brought my dad's credit card." Half joking, half to deflect strange shyness, Shinichi Kudo pulled a credit card from the pocket of his casual suit, clamped it between his fingertips and waved it twice.

…… Well, don't talk about Xiaolan, he himself is not the same, standing in front of the mirror for a long time, and deliberately chose such a suit that is not too serious and can support his figure.

Asking her to eat at this monumental restaurant, his purpose is very clear, and it is difficult to deceive himself.

A subtle atmosphere spreads between the two people.

Mao Lilan couldn't help but dodge the other party's gaze, and changed the topic and complained: "Take Uncle Yusaku's card and come out to ask girls for dinner?" Such a loser, it sounds like a gentleman at all. ”

"Parents who leave their sons alone in Japan and spend all day abroad on their own are more losers." Kudo Shinichi thought of his parents, whose whereabouts were unknown, and his hand that grabbed the credit card didn't tremble.

Well, he deliberately chose this restaurant to imitate a wave of parents, and he doesn't seem qualified to say that they are wasting money for romance......

"Well, Uncle Yusaku, they don't come back very often. Like Conan, his parents also live and work abroad, so they entrust him to us. Maolilan shrugged his shoulders slightly, "That's interesting." I once thought that Conan and you were the same person. ”

"Really?" Kudo Shinichi shrunk his neck in a heartless manner, "That's incredible." ”

"Who knows? There are even strange thieves who can make criminals repent with just their names, and there are so many incredible things in this world. Mao Lilan picked up the lemonade on the table and sighed, "You will always get yourself into all kinds of trouble. What if you provoke a terrible enemy and have to find a way to become a child to avoid the limelight? ”

"How can there be a ...... of this way to avoid the limelight?" Shinichi Kudo, who was said to be the most successful situation, shook his head, "It's easier to run away than to become a child, right?" ”

"That's right. This is not a superhero comic, and the hero will not show his true identity until necessary...... Speaking of which, I thought it might be that the doctor developed a new strange drug that helped you become a child or something. Kind of silly, huh? Bringing the glass to her lips, Maolilan laughed twice and slowly took a sip of cool water.

She wore a natural light makeup today, and the bean paste-colored lipstick was very colorful, but Kudo Shinichi looked at the red lip lines she left on the rim of the cup and secretly swallowed saliva.

Compared to the color of red beans, I always feel more like something, dried blood......

It's not good.

"It's strange that Conan has suddenly become a lot quieter in the past few days since you came back. With that child's personality, after suddenly not liking to talk, it was like a different person. Moriran put down his glass and said casually, "I hope his voice is sooner." ”

Every sentence is unintentional, but it seems to be intentional.

I can't hear Maoliran's temptation anymore, and Kudo Shinichi shouldn't be a detective.

"Ah, I couldn't help but say something about what I didn't have. By the way, what are you talking to me about today? Moriran stopped talking and looked at Kudo Shinichi with a little seriousness.

The dining table, with only two seats, has no cliché white candle in the middle, replaced by a scented candle that burns slowly in a hazy glass container.

It's not rich, it's not choking, the faint fragrance is warmly spread out in the edification of the candle flame, and the atmosphere is just right.

Being chosen as the place to propose by the Kudo couple, who have always valued a sense of ceremony and romance, the atmosphere of this lookout restaurant is sure to be top-notch.

The boys and girls who fell into a brief silence in the candlelight were wrapped in this ambiguous atmosphere that seemed very private, and the silence between the two was not so awkward.

This is undoubtedly a good occasion for a convenient conversation, whether it is to talk to each other or to confess one's heart, it seems that it will be softened by the scene at the moment, and it will not seem so intense or dazzling.

Kudo Shin kept his cheeks on his cheeks, silently looking at his Mao Lilan's face that was warmly reflected by the candlelight, and secretly plucked up his courage.

"Well, I do have something to talk to you about. Actually......"

"Ahh

The inopportune, or rather particularly opportune scream, sounded at the moment before his words landed.

Kudo Shinichi was stunned for a moment, then instinctively turned his head to follow the scream and looked in the direction where the sound was coming from.

Generally speaking, when such a decibel scream of horror is heard, it means that some case has arisen around him again.

The nature of the detective made him want to stand up, rush in the direction of the sound, and get the information on the scene as quickly as possible.

But looking at the slightly stunned girl on the other side of the table, Kudo Shinichi only briefly lost his attention after his thoughts drifted for a few seconds.

I decided to explain what I want to explain today, so many arrangements, so many troublesome friends, in order to be honest with each other at this moment.

He had to say what he had to say.

"Xiaolan, what I want to tell you is...... It's ......"

Noticing the shape of his mouth, Maolilan, who had been waiting for him to speak, trembled his fingertips twice and gently retracted the edge of the glass.

"Alright, don't pretend to be a detective." Don't start, she took the initiative to interrupt Kudo Shinichi's words, "Isn't it okay not to take a look?" ”

"Huh? But ......"

"I heard them say that someone died in the elevator. If you don't take a look, you'll be upset, right? Rest assured, I won't be like someone who suddenly says goodbye without saying goodbye. Stirring the lemon slices twice with a spoon, she said softly.

"Xiaolan." The unpretentious relaxed smile on the girl's face was in full view, and Kudo Shinichi took a deep breath and stood up, "Sorry, I'll be back soon!" ”

"I wish you all the best, Mr. Detective." Maolilan smiled and beckoned at him, watching his running figure disappear around the corner.

The waiter's cart arrives late, and the aromatic steaks are served on a delicate silver plate.

"Do you need to wait a moment before opening it?" Noticing the empty seat on the opposite side, the waiter who served the food asked thoughtfully, "Removing the lid now may affect the taste of eating for a while." ”

"Well, wait a minute, thank you." Nodding politely at the other in thanks, Mao Lilan lowered his gaze.

The rounded, arched lid of the plate encloses the hot dishes, and the Maorilan uses its curvature to meet the slightly distorted self in the reflection.

"This is the last time I'll wait for you, Shinichi."

Muttering to herself, she suddenly remembered the conversation she had with Tang Ze two nights ago.

————

"Have you ever heard of undercover, Lan-san?"

"Undercover? Who, like in TV and movies, is it someone who infiltrates a criminal organization? Chewing on the unfamiliar word, Maolilan frowned, rubbing the red mark that he had leaned against the table and pressed out of his sleep, thinking that he might not be fully awake.

Why, does Tang Ze want to use something, undercover, secret missions and the like to make her give up exploring?

But when she chose to go downstairs and sit here waiting for Tang Ze, who had not returned late at night, she had already made up her mind.

"It's cunning to answer questions with questions, Donze. I just want an answer, is it so difficult? Maorilan pursed her lips, her hands intertwined vigorously on the edge of the table.

So many questions, so many trepidation because of doubt......

A high school student has become a child of seven or eight years old, and she is so whimsical and ridiculous that she can't even open her mouth to mention it.

As for the emotions that come with it......

Confusion and fear of the unknown, anger and helplessness over possible deception, sometimes feeling that their guesses have been confirmed, and sometimes feeling that their conjectures are too exaggerated......

These messy questions were held in her arms, and she didn't even know where to throw them out.

Even if it's a lie for her, a more sophisticated lie.

A lie that doesn't allow herself to see the flaws, so that she can be an ignorant girl with peace of mind, a girl who is dissatisfied but still hopes for her sweetheart to come back.

Waiting for an answer feels like waiting for a hopeless verdict, and every second is torment.

Discerning her violently fluctuating emotions at this time, Tang Ze closed his eyes.

"You've heard of undercover." Without looking at Mao Lilan's expression, Tang Ze calmly stated, "Even through a superficial understanding of TV and movies, you should know that there is a price to be paid for becoming an undercover agent." Completely cut from the past life, erase all traces of the past, and sink deep into the mud and sand. It's sacrificial work. ”

Knowing that Tang Ze might be suspected of changing the topic, listening to his plain and eloquent tone, Mao Lilan, who has strong empathy ability, still can't help but follow his description and imagine the life of this kind of person.

Then she frowned slightly: "This is too cruel for a person." If a police officer becomes an undercover agent in order to investigate a criminal, doesn't that mean that he will also become a criminal? ”

Going against one's own heart and dying in a dark and dirty color is such a distant and heavy topic for a 17-year-old high school student.

If it were her, it would have been difficult to do it.

Tang Ze hooked the corners of his mouth: "Yes, it is indeed a cruel thing." Makeover, incognito, never see the light of day for a lifetime, and even if he finally wins, he can only leave a wordless and empty monument. ”

It was the first time that Maorilan, who had only some vague ideas about this, had heard such a clear description: "Isn't it even allowed to mourn?" ”

"The power of darkness is so huge, they will never give up the opportunity to fight back, and the real name of the undercover agent is known, which may bring serious consequences." Tang Ze shook his head slowly.

Even if he knew that Tang Ze was describing a specific person, but thinking that at this moment in the world, there was really one, or many, such workers were walking on the road full of thorns, Mao Lilan was a little unbearable.

At the same time, she also understood a little bit what Tang Ze wanted to say.

It's just to enlighten her a few words, Shinichi must have a hard time doing this, keeping it a secret for a greater goal, for true happiness and the future......

However, Shinichi is indeed a smart detective, but he, like himself, is just an ordinary high school student, does this kind of thing really need to be discussed on them?

“…… Does it have to be him? A pun intended, Maorilan asked.

"It's not him, it's someone else, and it's all the same in the end." Tang Ze closed his eyes again, and his voice changed, "However, undercover agents also have their own lives, relatives and friends." For the sake of safety, in the pursuit of ultimate victory, they may well not know anything. They may lose all news of him without knowing it. Even, lose him forever. ”

Yes, to lose this person forever, even himself, can never find himself again.

Tang Ze spread out his hands and lowered his gaze, staring at his slender hand.

These hands belong to an 18-year-old young man, with delicate palm lines, and he has not done any heavy work at first glance, because the time of school is short, and there are many others, and even the calluses that hold the pen are very slight.

Staring at these intact palms, Tang Ze seemed to see some other traces.

It used not to be like this, it used to be full of holes.

The nerves of the human hand are very abundant, and damage to the small blood vessels in the hand may eventually affect the delicate operation.

Tang Ze is good at using his hands, and it should be said that the identity he uses to get close to those people is related to his own hands. His new identity is that of a madman who started with pickpocketing, worked his way up the ladder, and eventually could easily break any neck and get out of the slums.

He likes to show that he cherishes his hands, because that is what gives him another life, the basis on which he lives.

So, his dexterous hands were the first line of defense they were trying to destroy.

Thin needles, knife edges, tongs, taper ......

Silently closing his five fingers, Tang Ze calmed down his emotions for a while, and then said: "If you were an undercover relative, would you resent him?" Resent him for not saying goodbye, resentful that he didn't even leave a word of goodbye, resentful of the blank space he left in your life......"

A few familiar faces crossed in front of him, and Tang Ze couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the still lit signboard of Polo Cafe.

In order to collect information about Zhu Fu Jingguang, he looked directly at the entire life trajectory of an undercover agent so deeply, watched him walk into the darkness, and watched him fall into a long sleep......

Well, I have to admit that Tang Ze reminded him of some of the past, and he was a little unnecessarily sentimental.

“…… Or take pity on his loneliness and pain, withdraw his hand in silence, and leave everything again for the dawn? ”

Raising his head, Tang Ze and Mao Lilan looked at each other with tearful eyes.

His meaning couldn't be more obvious.

The girl, who is delicate and sensitive in terms of emotions, easily felt the meaning of Tang Ze's words.

With some pessimism, with some sadness, but also full of comfort and hope......

A thousand words, can only be summed up in a helpless sentence -

"He didn't want to, but he had to." Maolilan's eyes shimmered with small pieces of starlight, and she couldn't tell if it was because of the night, or because of the tears in her eyes.

She understood.

Sitting in the dark night of the past, Tang Ze gently hooked the corners of his mouth.

It's good to understand.

【rank up！ Rank 2】

……

————

"This is the last time I'll wait for you, Shinichi."

With two crisp reverberations from his fingertips on the shiny silver lid in front of him, Maoriran smiled at her shadow.

"Next time, I'll catch up on my own."

(End of chapter)