Conan: The Man Behind the Romance

Chapter 394: Hotaru and Kisaki Eri's first date

TEA HOUSE Minami-Aoyama main store.

Kisaki Eri had been here before, but this time when she pushed open the wooden door of the cafe, her heart beat slightly faster.

The air is filled with a faint aroma of coffee, and a hint of warm bitterness awakens familiar memories.

Let her relax a little.

What she was about to do might be considered a little out of line for Mrs. Maori.

But for her as an independent person, it is just normal.

Just meeting a friend.

Kisaki Eri stepped into the store, and the scene before her was somewhat different from before.

Although this cafe is known for its quiet environment, the greenery in the past is still concentrated on the walls and ceiling on both sides, and the rows of seats inside are generally visible.

At this time, there are fewer tables and chairs, replaced by bamboo fences as partitions, with layers of green leaves growing around them, gently embracing the entire space.

Among these well-arranged green plants, a silver-gray light quietly extends from the entrance.

They were bunches of Ecuadorian Moonlit Silver Frost roses lined up in a row. The cold silver-gray petals glowed faintly under the soft light, making them look particularly dazzling.

The mood that had just calmed down was slightly disturbed again. Kisaki Eri stood there for a few seconds, even expecting the clerk to come and serve her.

But the clerk didn't come after all.

In fact, she hadn't seen a single person since entering the store, which had little in the way of modern decor.

There was silence all around, as if it was another world.

The hustle and bustle of the outside world had long been isolated behind the wooden door and layers of bamboo fences.

Eri Kisaki likes gray, thinking it is the color of mice and can make people feel the warmth of life.

Although the color tone was slightly different, as Kisaki Eri followed the thin silver-gray line forward, her mood was still unconsciously affected, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

She was 100% sure that this was a trick played by someone.

But not offensive.

In other words, this long-lost... no, this experience that she had never had even since her school days when she was dating Kogoro Mori, made her feel quite novel.

A vibrant sense of anticipation emerged from the bottom of her heart, as if she was walking in the past long ago, and what was waiting for her was some unknown encounter.

Finally, she reached the end.

The background of the wooden fence is green vines, with soft branches winding and intertwining into a natural circle.

The silver frost on the moonlit night ends at the edge of the ring. After crossing the simple green inside the ring, the silver-gray line starts from another quadrant point and extends to the bamboo fence on the other side.

Next to the ring is a small square table with a deliberately aged brass frame and a glass top.

A young man was sitting at the table.

The profile of her face is clearly defined, like a crystal sculpture yet exceptionally gentle. A few strands of slightly long black hair hang lightly in front of her forehead, making her complexion appear clear and transparent.

He was wearing an off-white linen shirt, which was light in texture, with the cuffs slightly rolled up, revealing a slender wrist.

He wore a pair of light-colored jeans and white canvas shoes, which gave off a casual vibe.

Kisaki Eri's gaze stayed on him, and she couldn't help holding her breath, her heartbeat echoing in the quiet air.

She hesitated again.

Not only because she knew the person in front of her, but also because of that clear and flawless youthfulness, that natural and gentle vitality like the breeze.

She herself has experienced too much.

Is your heart still light?

Yingsheng tilted his head slightly, looked at her with his clear eyes, and raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a smile.

"What a coincidence, I didn't expect to meet you here, Miss Liu Feng."

There was a hint of playfulness and intimacy in the gentle voice, just like meeting long-lost friends again, everything seemed so natural.

The tension in Kisaragi's heart instantly dissipated, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of her lips as she walked towards him.

"What a coincidence indeed. I didn't expect to meet you here, Mr. Danqing."

The sunlight shines through the gaps between the vine leaves.

Mottled shadows danced on her light blue sweater. Her light-colored jeans were clean and neat, with the cuffs slightly rolled up, revealing her slender white ankles. Her white canvas shoes stepped on the wooden floor with light steps.

Today, Hibiki Eri didn't have her hair tied up, and her long brown, slightly curly hair swayed gently on her shoulders.

He was also not wearing glasses. His blue pupils shone with a clear light, and his delicate facial features appeared particularly gentle in the light and shadow.

Kisaki Eri placed her brown handbag on the table and sat down opposite Hotaru. The waiter who had disappeared before suddenly reappeared from behind a bamboo fence and came forward to ask them what they would like to drink.

Kisaki Eri ordered a matcha latte.

Yingsheng ordered a Sakura latte.

After the clerk left, Hibiki Eri said in a helpless tone: "I actually thought of this possibility before, but I was still a little surprised to find out that it was really you."

"I was a little confused. I didn't expect that the question I asked you before would actually apply to you." Yingsheng chuckled, "When we first met at the law firm, you probably got suspicious. I thought at the time that you just didn't want to ignore me as a client."

"It's true that there is that aspect, but aren't you usually very talkative? Why were you so perfunctory at that time?"

"I can't tell you the main reason now. On the other hand, I think you probably prefer quietness."

"It's true most of the time, but no one can be alone all the time, and I occasionally want to communicate with others." Kisaki Eri clasped her hands and supported her chin, looking into Hotaru's eyes, "Why can't I tell you? Is Ms. Aida your girlfriend?"

"Probably. You should know that I'm quite notorious and the best at deceiving women," Yingsheng said.

"Hmm... is it an illusion? Why isn't what I see like this?" Kisaki Eri didn't look away.

"It's 100% an illusion. To be honest, I'm a little distressed now." Yingsheng held his chin with one hand and looked at Yue Ye Yin Shuang beside Fei Yingli. "You are more beautiful than I imagined Miss Liu Feng, but for one reason, I..."

"The Mr. Danqing I know, would you actually say something like that?" Hibiki lifted up her long hair that was hanging down beside her ear. "I hope it's not my current image that has caused you to misunderstand. I am like this in my daily life."

"I'm sorry, I'm such a narcissist that I ruined the fun." Yingsheng opened his left hand, propped up his face, and sat up straight. "Have you thought about the thing that has been bothering you for a long time?"

"Okay, I admit that I also find it strange that you ask me this question now." The coffee was served, and Hibiki Eri gently stirred it with a small silver spoon. "When did you realize it? Don't say it was this morning."

"When I sent you the photo of rowing on the sea, you said that you sometimes look forward to a short trip," Yingsheng said.

"so what?"

Hibiki Eri paused for a moment, somewhat unsure, yet with a vague expectation in her heart.

"The night before that, you told me that you saw a shooting star, and I replied, 'Unfortunately, I have temporarily lost the right to look up at the stars.'" Yingsheng paused, "Come to think of it, were you more certain of my identity at that time?"

"Because I said, 'When you make the wrong choice, you must bear the consequences'?" Hibiki smiled softly, "A little bit, because at that time I had something related to the contract that I wanted to ask you, but your phone was turned off."

"I later contacted Ms. Aida and found out that my client was in a mental hospital."

Yingsheng sighed, "This incident seemed to have caused quite a stir at the time. Those police officers really don't know what it means to protect privacy."

"I was so busy with your commission that I didn't pay attention to the outside news. Later, the Metropolitan Police Department had an incident of superpowers going out of control, which probably suppressed your popularity." Kisaki Eri took a sip of coffee. "But you kept chatting with me, and I felt that it might not be you anymore."

"It's mainly because my illness isn't too serious, and the management in the mental hospital isn't that strict." Yingsheng smiled, "Anyway, I hope I'm not overthinking, but your sentence was in English, and combined with what you said about Lila before, I quickly thought of a drama."

Lila, the heroine of the Neapolitan Quartet.

The content is briefly mentioned, but it basically tells the story of Lila's perseverance and eventual escape from the suffocating marriage and family environment.

Of course, Kisaki Eri would not take the initiative to talk about these things with Hotaru. It was Hotaru who sent her several messages one night when he was looking up at the dim crescent moon and waiting for the "border" to arrive, because of a feeling of detachment.

——"I feel something."

——"An invisible and yet very concrete presence that surrounds everyone and everything."

——"It's always been there, but now it's clearer."

——"It's breaking down everyone and everything around it, showing them for what they really are."

There is no purpose behind the content posted by Yingsheng. It is just a late-night emo way of finding someone to complain about in a childish way.

It was 4:30 in the morning at that time, and he couldn't possibly call to disturb other people, so Miss Liu Feng, who had been in contact with him through text, naturally became the first choice.

At night, the Do Not Disturb function should be turned on across the street.

Even if not, the message alert sound is not loud enough to disturb other people's sweet dreams.

Anyway, Yingsheng just wanted to talk, and didn't expect an immediate reply, or it didn't matter whether the other party replied or not. So he sent it.

But to his surprise, the other side responded quickly.

—“Just like Lila?”

In the book, adolescent Lila often has a feeling that in less than a second, a person, an object, a number or a syllable will break its original boundaries, change shape, and show its terrible nature, which makes her very uneasy.

Yingsheng doesn't think he has any so-called "uneasiness", he just feels...

I feel like I don't fit in with the whole world.

And that feeling quickly faded after Miss Liu Feng replied to him. It's no secret that he was quite surprised at that time.

Apologize first, then chat.

Before I knew it, the sky had turned pale.

As one of the parties involved, Kisaki Eri of course knew about this. Her movements had already completely stopped at this point, and there was even a hint of nervousness in her clear blue eyes.

"What play?" she asked.

"Ibsen, A Doll's House," Yingsheng said.

It is difficult to describe the ripples that arose in my heart at this moment. It suddenly seemed like a kind of...

A hazy but real dream.

Eri Kisaki can say with certainty that there has never been anyone in this world, including her parents, her husband, daughter, and friends, who can understand her like this and understand every detail about her.

The man in front of me...

unique.

After a while, Kisaragi's smile gradually spread out, and her eyes became more relaxed and gentle.

"As expected, Mr. Liuying," she said.

"Well, it's true. I'm an experienced scumbag." Yingsheng took a sip of coffee and smiled. "In A Doll's House, Nora finally started her journey. She said that she no longer believed in miracles in the world."

"Lawyer Fei, what about you?"

"You should call me Liu Feng, otherwise it will be even more weird." Hibiki held the coffee cup in one hand and stirred it with the other. "Nara's last words to her husband were, 'Change until we live together like a real couple.'"

"Um……"

Yingsheng said: "When Nora was about to leave, Helmer still wanted to help her. As far as the role of a husband is concerned..."

"I am more successful than Kogoro in my career, there is no comparison in this regard." Kisaki Eri interrupted.

“It’s a responsibility.”

"Oh? This is also a form of male chauvinism."

"Okay, I'm narrow-minded." Yingsheng took a sip of coffee as punishment. "So what you mean is that you still expect Mr. Maori to change?"

"I guess it's a little bit. Although I'm not satisfied with his current appearance and even thought about divorce, after all, we've been through this for so many years." Hibiki Eri paused, "Even if we want to talk about this, can you first eliminate the unnecessary knowledge?"

"Of course, if I heard this before we met, I would first think that you are still a little weak, and then I would think about how to help you." Yingsheng pondered for a moment, "But I don't think I can do anything. After all, I am just an outsider."

"In fact, Kogoro and I have been separated for ten years. We have had no contact for a long time. It seems that it doesn't matter whether we get divorced or not." Kisaki Eri sighed, "What happened this morning was an exception."

"Please eliminate unnecessary information." Yingsheng said.

"…I'm sorry, once you know it, it's impossible to rule it out." Hibari's cheeks suddenly turned slightly red. "When you found out that the person was me, you felt a little distressed. Was it because of this kind of thing?"

"That's about it. I don't know how to chat with you from now on." Yingsheng continued drinking coffee.

"Looking at it this way, it's true. I shouldn't have invited you out to meet. It's obviously impossible..." Hibiki shook her head and her face returned to normal. "Let's talk about cooperation. I can now explain to you various business dispute cases in detail."

"...No, I don't want this one."

"But……"

"Although I'm more embarrassed than you, I can't accept that Miss Liu Feng suddenly equates herself with Lawyer Fei." Yingsheng rubbed his temple, "It's the same for you, right? If Dan Qingsheng is equated with Shuiyue Yingsheng from now on..."

"I guess there won't be any new messages from each other in our Skype anymore."

"Just like you said just now, no matter how much a person likes to be alone, there will be times when they want to communicate with others."

"After you leave, should I look for someone else?"

Kisaki Eri pursed her lips and said, "You shouldn't worry about things like communicating with people."

"To be honest, I do have a girlfriend, and I love her very much, but, but..." Yingsheng hesitated for a while, "To a certain extent, I actually treat you, a stranger, as a tree hole. You and she have different ecological niches."

"…Is this the reason why you are so unfaithful?"

"…Isn't it wrong for you to ask this question? Don't lead the topic in a dangerous direction."

"........."

"........."

Kisaki Eri and Hotaru's eyes met, and they both turned away silently and drank their coffee.

"Can we pretend that what happened today never happened?" After a moment's silence, Hibiki Eri asked.

"Unless we can delete our own memories." Yingsheng thought this was a good idea, but unfortunately Junerick's medicine had not been developed yet.

"Now what?"

"What should I do... Um... Come to think of it, what image did you originally envision me to have?"

"Because I've guessed about you before, this is roughly your image: a rich second-generation, entrepreneur, or something like that, around 25 years old." Hibiki Eri said, "What about you?"

"A lawyer or prosecutor who is married but has been away on business for a long time or is separated from her husband and has a bad relationship with him. She is around 30 years old," Yingsheng said.

"We were only half right."

What Kisaki Eri was talking about was naturally age.

"I don't think so." Yingsheng opened the age camera on his phone and pointed the front camera at Hibiki Eri. "I guess it shows no more than 26 years old."

"You guessed right, but that doesn't mean anything." Hibiki Eri tapped the screen, flipped to the external camera, and took a picture of Yingsheng. "It says here that you are 17 years old."

"Doesn't this just prove that its calculations are very accurate? Miss Liu Feng, you might have elven blood."

"...I can no longer say such chuuni lines. I am indeed an old lady." Hibiki sighed, "Although we both changed clothes according to our preconceived images of each other, the inner differences can no longer be concealed."

"…It seems I should wear that white training suit and go to the park to practice Tai Chi before coming back."

Hibiki Eri chuckled, "Then you won't have time to decorate this place, and you won't be able to calm down at that time."

"Well... because you were a little nervous before?"

"…Let's change the subject."

"The next topic...ah, I feel like I'm being awkward. Never mind. It's too nasty to just sit here. Let's go out for a walk." Yingsheng stood up and extended his hand to Kisaki Eri.

"I am a big scumbag after all. From this moment on, I will only treat you as yourself."

Hotaru has already decided to use [Illusion] on Kisaki Eri and also on himself.

Hibiki Eri looked into Hotaru's eyes for two seconds, smiled slightly, raised her hand and held Hotaru's hand, "As for moral condemnation, as a wife, am I not more so?"

"No, it's definitely worse on my end."

Hotaru held Kisaki Eri's hand and walked out, feeling that he was definitely going to hell.

The two walked out of the cafe and still didn't see anyone, including the previous clerk.

With the free decoration upgrades provided by Yingsheng, they are very happy to cooperate with everything Yingsheng does.

"Is there any place you want to go?" Yingsheng asked.

"I don't have much experience in this area, but now it's probably time for dinner," said Kisaki Eri.

"After dinner?"

"Think about it while you eat."

"How about going to see a musical?"

"Hmm... sounds good."

(End of this chapter)