Shirakawa’s body stiffened abruptly.
It instantly triggered the terrifying memory of being forcibly ‘locked down’ by Kogoro last time.
Instinctively, his body leaned towards Ran Mouri beside him, seeking a safe haven.
But the moment he moved, a pair of soft arms encircled him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Shirakawa’s face plunged, caught completely off guard, into an astonishing softness and warmth.
Even through the thin pajamas, the breathtaking sensation was unmistakably clear, and the girl’s unique, slightly sweet fragrance aggressively filled his nostrils.
Shirakawa’s mind went completely blank, his heart pounding uncontrollably.
“Dad!”
Ran Mouri’s warning, tinged with a tipsy coquettishness, sounded in his ear.
“Don’t bully Shirakawa-kun like last time!”
She even reached out and gently patted Shirakawa’s head, as if soothing a frightened animal.
“Shirakawa-kun, don’t be afraid.
I’ll protect you.”
Thrown off balance by this sudden intimacy, Shirakawa felt the temperature in his cheeks skyrocketing.
Yet he dared not linger, fearing Ran would hold him accountable for her drunken indiscretion once she sobered up.
Shirakawa immediately struggled within Ran’s embrace, trying to escape this gentle trap.
Having barely created a sliver of distance, before he could even catch his breath, his back collided with a broad, solid chest.
Kogoro, thoroughly drunk, grabbed Shirakawa’s arm from behind with astonishing strength.
“Don’t go!
Let’s keep drinking!”
Kogoro let out a drunken belch, slurring his words mockingly.
“Ran, your tolerance is pathetic.
If you’re drunk, go sleep in your room.
Don’t cause trouble here!”
Watching Shirakawa actively wriggle free from her arms, a flicker of imperceptible disappointment passed through Ran’s eyes.
She pouted slightly, looking wronged, and with unsteady steps, turned and headed towards her room.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
Shirakawa felt as if caught in iron pincers, utterly unable to break free from Kogoro’s grip.
As Kogoro’s stubbly face loomed closer and closer, the fear of being dominated from last time surged back.
To preserve his innocence, Shirakawa cried for help.
“M-Miss Ran, save me…”
“Huh?”
“Save you from what?
I just want to drink with you.
What’s the danger?”
That’s what he said, but Kogoro’s mouth, reeking of alcohol, showed no sign of stopping, stubbornly advancing towards Shirakawa’s face.
Shirakawa raised his voice, calling out again.
“Miss Ran!”
Ran, who had reached her bedroom door, halted, spun around sharply, and staggered back.
Seeing her father still gripping Shirakawa tightly, Ran frowned and grabbed Shirakawa’s other arm.
“Dad!
Let him go!”
“No!” Kogoro, drunk and headstrong, was utterly unyielding.
“I’m drinking with Shirakawa today, and no one’s stopping me!”
Holding Shirakawa’s arm, his overwhelming possessiveness turned the scene into a tug of war.
Ran watched her father’s obstinate behavior, her frown deepening.
Then came a swift, precise chop to the back of Kogoro’s neck.
With a dull *thud*, Kogoro’s eyes rolled back, and he slumped limply.
However, Ran herself was unsteady on her feet from the alcohol.
While taking down her father, she pulled hard on Shirakawa’s arm, lost her balance, and fell backward, dragging Shirakawa with her.
They both tumbled onto the living room floor.
Shirakawa became the cushion, his back meeting the cold floorboards solidly, while Ran landed fully on top of him.
The girl’s unique fragrance became clearer, more intoxicating.
Shirakawa’s hands, moving of their own accord, instinctively wrapped around Ran’s soft waist.
He even began to wonder if Ran truly had feelings for him, to reveal such bold sincerity while drunk.
As his thoughts Ran wild, Ran suddenly stirred.
She raised a hand, gently stroking Shirakawa’s head, her voice soft as a feather brushing his heart:
“Shirakawa-kun…
don’t be afraid.
Mommy…
will protect you…”
Mommy?
Shirakawa’s mind buzzed, instantly clearing up considerably.
He abruptly recalled that Ran’s university major was child-rearing related; she aspired to be an excellent kindergarten teacher.
So…
she was treating him like a child in need of care and affection?
He had actually taken advantage of her vulnerable state, even harboring those unrealistic, impure thoughts.
Remembering how pure and kind Ran had always been in front of him before…
Shirakawa became acutely aware once more: Ran was simply drunk, her maternal instincts overflowing, latching onto whoever was nearby.
It had nothing to do with romantic feelings for him.
He had overthought it.
The Ran in his arms, perhaps due to the rising intoxication, gradually began breathing steadily and deeply, slowly falling asleep.
The arms holding Shirakawa also loosened their grip.
Shirakawa carefully extricated himself.
Looking at the father-daughter pair sprawled across the living room, he sighed helplessly.
First, he laboriously dragged the dead-drunk Kogoro back to the bedroom and dumped him on the bed.
Then he returned, picked up the sleeping Ran in a standard princess carry, gently returned her to her room, and tucked her in.
After finishing all this, Shirakawa went back to the living room, skillfully cleared the dishes from the table, and washed them in the kitchen.
Finally, he entered the bathroom to wash away the smell of alcohol and fatigue.
The next morning, the atmosphere at the breakfast table was somewhat delicate.
Kogoro Mouri, as usual, hadn’t fully recovered from his hangover.
Only Shirakawa, Ran Mouri, and Conan Edogawa were having breakfast.
Ran’s pretty face held a hint of unnatural blush.
Her gaze kept flitting about, avoiding direct eye contact with Shirakawa, yet she couldn’t help stealing quick, furtive glances at him before looking away like a startled fawn.
All of this was keenly observed by the sharp eyed Conan.
Conan’s heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over him.
He had returned very late to the Mouri Detective Agency last night after going to Dr.
Agasa’s house to discuss future plans, finding everyone already asleep.
Something definitely happened between those two!
________________________________________
Hello guys the translator here ,
Just wanna say the mass release is ending soon and from tmr there would would be chapters at a regular interval
Maybe 2-4 chapter daily
Pls show support
________________________________________
I made some goals for you guys
(p.s the reward is extra chapters)
1.