Conan: I don't do anything? If I really do it, you won't be happy.

Chapter 103 The Ancient Ritual: Making a Pinky Promise

Ran then decided to go to a private room at the Queen Hotel in Izu for a long-awaited family reunion. Of course, besides the Mori family, there was only Ai Haibara. Conan had already been taken away by Sonoko at Ran's request.

For Ai's sake, Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kisaki didn't argue during the family gathering, and the gathering finally came to a satisfactory end.

However, when it came time to pay the bill, Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kisaki argued with each other, and eventually went to the front desk together.

Seeing this, Ran said to Teruyuki and Ai, "Teruyuki, wait here for a moment, I'll go check it out and be right back."

Having said that, he followed after them with some worry.

Watching Ran's figure gradually disappear, Teruyuki turned around and put his arm around Ai beside him, asking, "How was it? How did it feel to be taken care of? They were unusually harmonious in front of you! You know, I've hardly ever enjoyed this kind of treatment!"

Ai stared intently at the doorway, lost in thought. After hearing Keisuke's words, she met his gaze for a moment, then smiled and said, "What's wrong? Are you jealous? Are you envious of how my aunt and uncle treat me?"

"How could that be? We're family. Rounding it up, I get to enjoy it too, don't I?" Huijie chuckled as he hugged Ai, preparing to place her on his lap.

Ai slapped Keisuke's hand away in annoyance. Looking at the increasingly demanding Keisuke, she raised her little face arrogantly and snorted, saying, "Who said we're family?"

"What? We're not family after all!" Huijie looked shocked, then gave Ai a fierce kiss on the cheek and said to her, "Then you'd better return the kindness my parents just showed you."

"So as long as I treat you the same way, we'll be even after I pay it back?" Ai's eyes suddenly turned dangerous.

Hui Jie nodded decisively, then looked at Ai slyly and said, "I'm talking about giving me back the exact same attitude my parents have towards your daughter-in-law!"

"Well, it's not too difficult, is it?"

Ai was speechless when she heard what Keisuke said. The exact same attitude. Did he want her to treat her daughter-in-law the same way so that he could settle the score?

Seeing that Huijie was obviously being unreasonable, Ai was amused and annoyed at the same time. But after thinking about it, she actually laughed out loud. Then, Ai held up her little finger and said to Huijie as if she were joking, "Then, let's make a pinky promise. Until I pay back my money, we'll be family."

When he saw Ai extend her little finger, Keisuke was stunned. He could feel the seriousness mixed in with Ai's joke, so he stopped his playful attitude and solemnly extended his little finger.

"Then it's a deal!" With the two of them pressing their thumbs together, the ancient ceremony was finally completed.

"Ai..." Looking at Ai's smiling face, Keisuke slowly turned his gaze to Ai's pink lips, softly calling her name, and slowly moved closer to Ai's face, giving Ai enough time to react.

As Ai watched Keisuke's face draw ever closer, she slowly closed her eyes. A mix of nervousness and anticipation filled her heart. Unlike the last time on the Ferris wheel, she wouldn't run away this time!

"Kiji!"

"Small……"

Suddenly, Xiaolan's voice came from outside the door, but it stopped abruptly the moment the door opened.

Ran looked at Keisuke and Ai, who were clearly about to kiss, but was forced to stop because of her. Knowing that she had ruined Keisuke's plans, she smiled awkwardly under Keisuke's gaze, slowly closed the door and left.

Hui Jie watched Ran's retreating figure expressionlessly, feeling no surprise whatsoever. Being interrupted during a confession was perfectly normal in this world. Of course, Hui Jie himself wouldn't take it to heart; he just wondered how Ai would react. Thinking of this, Hui Jie turned to look at Ai.

Just as he turned his head, before he could see anything clearly, he felt a warm touch on his lips and his eyes widened in surprise.

Ai Haibara has never been someone who only runs away. She may be indecisive and want to run away when she is not prepared, but when she is mentally prepared, she is more decisive than anyone else.

So the moment Kisuke stopped moving, Ai didn't look at Ran at all, but was watching Kisuke's reaction. She knew that Kisuke didn't care about other people's opinions, so there was only one reason why he stopped: he was considering his own thoughts.

While feeling a warmth in her heart, Ai was also filled with determination. Since Keisuke had stopped because of her feelings, she would show him with her actions what her choice was!
……

Outside the door, Xiaolan carefully pressed her ear against it, trying to get a sense of what was happening inside.

Unfortunately, there was no sound coming from inside, so she heard nothing.

"Ran, what are you doing? Where's that kid, Keisuke?" Kogoro Mouri's carefree voice came from behind Ran.

"Dad!" Ran deliberately raised her voice, hoping to remind Keisuke inside the house, then asked Kogoro Mouri, "Speaking of which, where did Mom go?"

"Seriously, why are you shouting so loudly!" Startled by Ran, Kogoro Mouri picked at his ear in exasperation, then snapped his fingers and said impatiently, "That woman just went to the restroom!"

Just then, Eri Kisaki arrived at the door and asked the two of them, "What are you doing here?"

Hearing Eri's words, Ran looked around the private room with some difficulty, took a deep breath, and decided to buy some more time for her younger brother. So she said to the two of them:
"Oh, right, Sonoko met a new guy and asked me to go over and give her some advice. I'm going to the hotel with Keisuke and the others later."

"You two should stay at the hotel together tonight, and make sure you get along well!"

As soon as Ran finished speaking, Keisuke and Ai came out hand in hand, only to find the atmosphere at the doorway particularly somber.

Seeing Keisuke and Ai leave, Ran breathed a sigh of relief. When Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kisaki saw Ai, their previous verbal sparring subsided, and they unanimously left each other with their own words.

"Hmph, who wants to live with this useless detective!"

"Hmph, who wants to live with this brutal lawyer!"

Looking at the two parents acting like children, Teruyuki was speechless. He took Ai's hand and said, "We can't do this again!"

Ai covered her forehead as she watched the farce unfolding at the Mori family's residence.

Actually, Ai only intended to give him a kiss, but Keisuke told her that the world was not very friendly to confessions, and that if nothing unexpected happened, someone else would definitely come to bother her in a short time. So, she foolishly got kissed twice more.

It wasn't until she stepped out the door that she realized Ran had left with Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kisaki. If Ran was back, the other two couldn't be far behind.

But thinking that Ran meant well by revealing her plan to stall Kogoro Mouri and Eri Kisaki, thus buying time for herself and Keisuke, Ai thought for a moment and whispered something in Ran's ear.

(End of this chapter)