Conan: The Man Behind the Romance

Chapter 273 The shackles of Hibiki Eri’s marriage are finally broken!
Today's game hasn't started yet, but there's constant noise in the stands.

Kogoro Mouri sat in a corner beside the railing, his right leg wrapped in a thick plaster cast, his hands tightly gripping the armrests of the wheelchair, his knuckles slightly white.

Normally, he would not be so nervous just meeting his estranged wife.

But when he saw Kisaki Eri walking towards him in the aisle with a calm expression and a steady pace, he inexplicably felt a sense of uneasiness.

It seems like something is about to happen.

Purple women's suit, half-frame glasses... No, no, no, Kogoro Mouri didn't actually notice these at all. He just felt more clearly some other more abstract things, such as momentum and vitality.

He had indeed not seen her for a long time. The clearest impression of her in his mind was definitely ten years ago when they lived together.

Compared to that time, no matter how you look at it, Kisaki Eri has become much more dazzling.

The passage of time has not slowly washed away her luster, but instead has brewed a unique charm.

Kogoro Mori vaguely recalled that it was this charm that deeply attracted the young him when he was a student, and made him determined to spend his life with her.

And later...

Why did it change suddenly?
Now this charm reappears in Kisaki Eri, in his wife, and becomes even more vibrant and more radiant.

He should be happy.

but……

"Kogoro, long time no see, we should have a good talk."

When Kisaki Eri finally walked up to him, nodded to him calmly, and said these words, Kogoro Mori's heart suddenly sank to the bottom!
For a moment, it looked like he was about to roar.

What to talk about?
What's there to talk about?

Did he do anything wrong?
Didn't you leave home without permission?
However, the experiences of these days left a deep impression on his mind. Under the calm gaze of Kisaragi, the anger that suddenly rose in his heart due to the frustration of his self-esteem was quickly extinguished by a basin of ice water.

If a man has fallen into such a state that even his wife and daughter are extremely disappointed in him, and even his friends feel heartbroken for him and don't know how to save him.

Even if he was a stubborn and stubborn scoundrel, it was impossible for him not to be touched at all.

Countless fragments flashed through Kogoro Mori's mind. The ones ten years ago were still relatively clear, but the past ten years seemed muddled and passed by in a flash.

The laughter and heartbeats of the past, the confusion and chaos of ten years, and the self-blame and helplessness of now.

Various complex emotions intertwined together, his Adam's apple rolled up and down, and he finally whispered a sentence:

"sorry."

In the noisy arena, the voice was faint and powerless.

Kogoro Mouri hung his head dejectedly. Looking at him like this, Kisaki Eri's calm eyes trembled slightly.

How could she not be feeling complicated now?

But thinking about my life so far, the changes in my daughter, and the encouragement from others...

Kisaki Eri's right hand, which was holding the phone, clenched slightly, and her eyes returned to calm.

She sat in the seat next to Kogoro Mori and looked at the game.

There, today's contestants were entering one by one, organized into square formations based on their schools. However, most of them were just there for the atmosphere. After greeting each other, they left in order. Only eight people remained where they were, like reefs washed by the waves, without moving a muscle.

The venue gradually fell silent.

But in just a moment, even louder cheers surged up like a tsunami.

"Xiaolan! We will win!!!"

This sound is the loudest.

"Yona! Come on!!!"

This is the second largest.

On the field, Xiaolan was standing on the far right of the first row. Kissing Eri saw her, and she also noticed Kissing Eri's gaze. She looked up slightly, nodded with a smile, then turned back to her seat and listened quietly to the speech of the organizing committee on the podium.

Kiyori smiled softly: "You saw it."

Maori Kogoro felt his throat was a little dry, and he spoke after a while: "I see, Xiaolan has grown up."

"This is a good thing, isn't it? We don't have to worry about her future anymore." Hibiki waited for a few seconds, but didn't hear a response, so she sighed softly, "But unfortunately, her growth is not because of you and me, but because of other people.

As parents, we are both unqualified. "

Maori Kogoro was speechless. An invisible pressure gradually enveloped him. He could only force himself to find words, like a drowning man grasping at the last straw, and suddenly said: "Xiaolan's boyfriend is called..."

"do not tell me."

Hibiki Eri interrupted, "Ran no longer needs our supervision and care. If she wants, she will tell me in person." She paused, "Let's talk about the two of us, our relationship problems. That's why Ran kept asking me to come here, and that's why I came here."

Maori Kogoro's heart trembled violently, and he said hurriedly: "I have never forgotten you, Eri, I have always been thinking about you, and I love you! Always!"

He turned his head and looked at Kisaki Eri anxiously.

Kisaki Eri's expression remained calm. After a moment of silence, she chuckled softly.

This chuckle made Maori Kogoro's heart burst with joy. For a long time, Kisaki Eri had always been rude to him. Now she smiled. Could it be that she saw his change and recognized his feelings? !
Thinking of this, Kogoro Mori was about to speak again and persuade Eri Kisaki to go home.

But he had just opened his mouth when he heard:
"Do you remember your wedding vows, Kogoro?"

Wow——! ! !
Suddenly, Kogoro Mori felt as if he was thrown into an icy lake, and even his soul was frozen.

After a long, long time, he raised his head from the lake with difficulty, and saw a snow wolf with snow-white fur, noble and elegant as in a dream, looking down at him with an indifferent look.

"!!!!!!"

In an instant, Kogoro Mori was shocked all over. He jumped up almost regardless of his injured leg and almost screamed.

Fortunately, he gathered his scattered mind and vision in time and noticed that he was not on an icy lake, but on a karate competition scene with cheers and excitement; the one looking at him was not a ferocious beast, but his wife, Eri Kisaki, who should have been the closest to him.

But this discovery did not prevent him from losing his composure, but instead made his body even colder.

It was because he still saw the fleeting emotion in Kisaki Eri's eyes.

It's disappointing.

"I remember!"

Kogoro Mori almost shouted this sentence, but thanks to the noise in the stadium which was louder than his shout, his voice did not travel too far. It only attracted the attention of a few people nearby, who took a look and then paid no more attention.

"is it?"

Hibiki Eri asked back calmly.

"That's right!" Maori Kogoro gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling slightly: "From today on, no matter good times or bad, no matter poor or rich, no matter healthy or sick, I am willing to love you, respect you, cherish you, and protect you until death separates us."

His voice was strong at the beginning, but as he spoke further, it gradually began to tremble.

When he said the last line "Till death do us part", the tears welling up in his eyes were already dripping down along with the beads of sweat on his cheeks.

pat-

pat-

The mixed water droplets dripped onto the plaster of his right leg, adding a hint of darkness to the pure white color.

Until death do us part...

That’s the promise, but what’s the result?
To this day, this once loving couple has been separated for ten years!

And the ones mentioned above, love you, respect you, cherish you, protect you...

Which one of these did he, Kogoro Mori, this incompetent husband, do?

"From today."

Kisaki Eri spoke softly.

Maori Kogoro looked away blankly, and then heard:

"We promise each other that no matter how the future changes, we will love each other, support each other and trust each other. We will face all challenges in life together and share every happy moment in life together."

This was the vow they made together in the church.

The memories of the past echoed in her mind. After years of polishing, they became so brilliant and shining. The blue eyes of Kisaragi were also trembling slightly, as if they were gently blown by the little angel that descended from the sky.

A glimmer of hope suddenly arose in Kogoro Maori's heart!

But in the end, Kisaki Eri just let out a light breath, her eyes returned to calm, and she smiled at Mouri Kogoro who was standing there in a daze.

"The past is not your fault alone. I am also responsible. There is no need to mention it again."

What gentle words.

However, snap!
Why was there a sound of something breaking?
In a trance, Kogoro Mori suddenly saw that something seemed to be broken on the cross wrapped with flowers and vines behind their swearing-in platform.

He couldn't see it clearly, but he had an inexplicable feeling that it seemed to be some kind of agreement, or even more, some kind of shackles.

The shackles of marriage that bind people’s true nature!

Kogoro Mouri's body trembled again, and he even couldn't help but raise his hands to cover his ears, fearing that he would hear the news he had always feared the most in the next second.

His wife wants to divorce him!

The little bit of shame he had left prevented him from doing so, and he knew that if that thing really happened, he would definitely not be able to avoid it.

Ten years of separation is enough to prove that the relationship between the couple has broken down. Kisaki Eri is also a great lawyer, and she can unilaterally agree on a divorce at any time as long as she is willing.

An indescribable feeling of fear and shame slowly emerged from nowhere and spread throughout my body and mind.

Kogoro Mouri felt as if he had been stripped of all his clothes and was lying naked on the chopping board, like a fish at the mercy of others.

It turns out that his current relationship with Eri Kisaki is based on each other's kindness?
He actually did nothing.

Fortunately, what made Kogoro Mori feel relieved was that Eri Kisaki did not directly file for divorce, but talked about some small things and the future.

"Let's discuss what life would be like if I went back."

This is what Hibari said.

go back?

go back!!!

At this moment, Kogoro Mouri was almost showing his joy. Eri must still love him!
Hahaha, he said he is not that annoying and there are always people who appreciate him!

After all, Kogoro Mouri was not a complete fool. He at least knew that he would be disliked if he showed pride at this moment, so he tried hard to conceal it and nodded seriously.

"Eri, you say."

However, such a clumsy performance was so ridiculous in the eyes of top lawyers who had seen countless people.

If we say that Kisaki Eri had only let go of some things before and began to feel indifferent towards Mouri Kogoro, she was able to look at him with an objective eye without any emotional filter.

Just now, at least for a moment, I felt a strong sense of disgust.

Why did she like this kind of person before?
She suppressed the disgust in an instant, but it had already taken root deep in her heart like a seed.

Kisaki Eri turned her head to watch the game that had finally started, no longer looking at Maori Kogoro, and said calmly: "I chose to leave for many reasons. The fact that you shot me and then said that my cooking was terrible were just triggers. I..."

Maori Kogoro hurriedly said: "Eri, please listen to my explanation. That day I..."

"You don't have to tell me, I know."

Hibiki Eri also interrupted: "You were trying to save me. Not only do I know this, Xiaolan knows it too. She even knows that the trigger point was later, because of your 'inconsiderateness'."

Hibiki Eri chuckled softly: "Ran's boyfriend must be a very smart guy. Although from our situation, he must care about Ran very much, but I can't help but think that Ran is so naive, she won't suffer any loss."

Maori Kogoro was silent for a few breaths: "Since you know what happened that day, you should understand..."

"Aren't you worried about Xiaolan?" Kisaki Eri interrupted again.

"what?"

Maori Kogoro was slightly stunned: "Didn't you say before that we don't need to worry about her anymore? And aren't we talking about you going home now?"

"That's it..."

Kisaki Eri murmured these words for a long time, and when she spoke again, there was an inexplicable sense of relief in her tone.

"I can understand your thoughts, but why can I understand your actions? The person I am with is you, your appearance, not the part you don't say. Besides, words have no effect at all, don't you think? Just like our marriage vows."

When Kisaki Eri said the first two sentences, Mori Kogoro still wanted to refute.

Since you already know everything, then why should I say anything? You still get angry with me and finally run away from home. Isn't that just being unreasonable?

But after hearing the last two sentences, he became dejected again.

Indeed, even if we take a step back, his behavior does not seem to be worthy of the words he has not spoken.

This Tuesday afternoon, he was anesthetized on the sickbed and forced to accept the condemnation of his wife and daughter, as well as the teachings of Aida Masayo. Although he was very annoyed, he also realized some of his own problems.

Seeing that he did not refute, Kisaki Eri continued.

(End of this chapter)