Dispelling The Worries

Kourin went to the kitchen where the light was turned on by someone. She sneaked in there and she saw Professor Agasa having a midnight snack... or maybe an early breakfast.

"Hakase, why are you down here this early?" Kourin asked the professor as she went towards the refrigerator and opened it to look for food that Ryoma could eat.

"What are you looking for?"

"I'm going to find food for Ryoma-niichan to eat. He just woke up and he said he's hungry," she said without looking at the professor.

"Eh? He's awake?" She shushed him when his voice rose because he was surprised. "So? How is he?" he whispered.

"Well, he found out that he couldn't move his feet temporarily and I said it's because of the chemicals but I managed to explain it to him." She took a bag of ham and two eggs there and she closed the refrigerator by leaning her back against its door. "Hakase, can you help me cook his food?"

Professor Agasa smiled and then stood up from his seat.

Both Kourin and the professor cooked the food. And when they were done, they took the tray of food cooked for Ryoma to the room.

But while they were trailing the stairs, Kourin became quiet that made the professor worry.

"What's wrong, Rin-kun?"

Kourin slightly shook his head. "It's nothing. But you see, I can't help thinking if we should call Ryoma-niichan's parents just to assure them he's all right."

"Well, it's actually up to him to do that. Right now, all that we can do is to help him and we need you and Shinichi to solve the case."

Kourin sighed. "I guess you're right." And then she remembered something. "Oh, right! Hakase, did Miyuzaki-sensei call about the results of the test?"

"Aah! Now that you mentioned it, she did call yesterday afternoon."

"And how did it go?" she asked quietly, but somehow, her heart began to beat fast.

"Well, she said that those were the same chemicals found in your parents and your brother's wounds during the autopsy. So it only concludes that—" he abruptly stopped talking when he realized what he was saying. "I'm sorry. I said too much."

"It's okay, hakase. I also thought of the same thing. But I'm wondering why and what are they after Ryoma-niichan to let him have the same predicament I'm facing."

This time, the professor sighed. "Whatever the case, we need to look out for him and protect him. I'm quite sure he had been through a lot. And it's obvious to know that it's not easy for him."

"You're right, hakase..."

XXXXXX

Ryoma still tried to move his feet but to no luck. He doesn't want to show that he was confused about what's happening but it seems that this was the consequence of avoiding those guys that had put him in this predicament.

'Okaa-san... Oyaji... Nanako-san... I wonder how you're all doing without me...' And he looked out the side window.

That was when he heard the door open and Kourin entered with a small tray along with a fat man who carried a bigger tray. 'This man must be Agasa-hakase which she mentioned earlier.'

The two placed the trays on the side table. And then Kourin faced him.

"Oh, by the way, this is Agasa Hiroshi-hakase. He's the owner of this house."

Ryoma slightly smiled at the professor. "Nice to meet you. And... thank you... for taking care of me."

Professor Agasa laughed softly. "You shouldn't thank me. Rin-kun here was the one you're supposed to thank. She's the one who found you and took care of you when you were having a high fever 3 days ago."

"I-Is that so?" Ryoma looked at Kourin and he saw her fixing the food from the tray. "T-thank you, Shinomiya-san..."

She smiled. "Rin-chan would be fine."

"Are you sure?" Kourin nodded. And then she placed a bed table in front of him and placed all the food. "You said you're hungry so you should eat now. You haven't eaten for a week and the dextrose was the only thing that's feeding you during those times."

"B-but... it seemed to be too many," Ryoma answered as he avoided the girl's stare.

Kourin found it amusing. "Don't worry. Hakase and I decided that we will join you so that you could eat a lot. You need the energy to restore your strength so you could help yourself to walk again."

And that early breakfast was a lot of fun for Ryoma and Kourin. Professor Agasa talked a lot about his inventions that mostly failed or malfunctioned. They couldn't help but laugh.

The room was soundproofed, anyway, so they wouldn't disturb Haibara and Conan from their sleep.

But all of this laughter faded when Professor Agasa noticed Ryoma's sad face which made both the professor and Kourin worry.

"You're worried about your family and friends, huh?"

Ryoma heard that concerned voice of the little girl. When he glanced at her, she stood up and took something from the drawer of the study table. And when she walked toward him, she handed him a cell phone.

"Just give them a call. At least, they should know that you're still alive."

He was still doubtful if he was going to call his family. He then saw the professor slightly nod and he took a deep breath. And then he took the cellphone from Kourin's hand.

'I don't know how to thank you, Rin-chan...' Ryoma thought as he started punching the buttons on the cell phone.

XXXXXX

At the Echizen residence, 5:30 in the morning ...

A week later after the incident on the night of the storm...

Rinko stared outside the window of the bedroom... Ryoma's bedroom. She became quiet and sad ever since Ryoma hasn't returned. Even though Nanjiroh and Nanako tried to cheer her up, it was useless.

It seemed that Ryoma's disappearance had made a huge impact on her. And not just to her.

Even Nanjiroh and Nanako suffered, as well.

For the past week, Rinko stayed in Ryoma's room and waited for her son's return. While Nanako and (maybe not obviously) Nanjiroh patiently waited at the door and on the phone. They were hoping that Ryoma would at least inform them of his whereabouts.

Nanako was in the kitchen and Nanjiroh was nowhere to be seen when the phone rang. She immediately placed the plates on the table and ran toward the phone. And she was both surprised and happy when she heard the voice on the other line.

"Hello?" the voice asked in a slightly hesitant and trembling tone, as if afraid of what she would say.

"Ryoma-san? Is that you?" Nanako asked to make sure.

"Yeah... it is me." Ryoma sighed when she heard her voice. "How are things going on there?"

"Your parents were worried. Where are you, anyway? Wait! I'll call Oba-sama to know you're calling. Just wait there! Don't hang up the phone." And she placed the phone on the table and ran upstairs to call Rinko. She was catching her breath when she reached the room.

"Nanako, why are you running? Did something happen?" Rinko asked.

"Ryoma-san... is on the phone. You need to talk to him."

As soon as Rinko heard Ryoma's name, she ran downstairs and reached the table where the phone was placed. "Ryoma..." she immediately cried when she said her son's name.

"Okaa-san... I'm sorry..." Ryoma could only say.

"Where are you? You haven't returned home for a week now. We were worried sick about you. What happened?"

Ryoma only sighed when he heard Rinko's worried voice. "Okaa-san... I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to make you worry like this but... I have to do this."

Rinko frowned. "Do what?"

"I have to keep you out of danger. Don't worry. I'm safe. Somebody's taking care of me."

She was surprised when she heard Ryoma say the word 'danger'. "What do you mean you have to keep us out of danger? Ryoma, what's going on?"

Ryoma paused for a little while. "I'll tell you soon. It's not yet time. Anyway, I need to hang up the phone. I'll call you soon and I'll explain everything that's going on."

Rinko silently cried. "Ryoma..."

"I'll be fine, Okaa-san. Don't worry. Please take care of yourselves. I'll be back as soon as I can. Just stay safe until that time. Bye, Okaa-san." And with that, Ryoma cut the phone call that left Rinko stunned and worried. Nanako could only approach her and calm her down as she cried silently.

'Ryoma... what's going on? Are you in danger?'

And Rinko remembered her son's words.

'Just stay safe... huh? Was Ryoma became involved in my husband's previous predicament? Oh please, help my son survive this!'

XXXXXX

Professor Agasa's house...

As soon as he cut the phone call, Ryoma handed the cellphone back to Kourin. "Thank you."

"How did it go?" Kourin simply asked as she fixed the tray and the plates.

Ryoma shrugged and sighed. "Well, she cried. Even though it was faint, I could hear her cry. And Nanako-san looked even more worried than my mom."

"Well, that's how mothers are. You just have to deal with it." And then Kourin carried the tray but Professor Agasa took it from her. "Hakase...?"

The professor smiled. "I'll be the one to bring this to the kitchen. You should accompany Ryoma-kun here. I bet Shinichi and Ai-kun are awake now." And like that he left them.

"Sorry about the trouble." She heard him say it sadly which made her face the freshman.

She shook her head and sat on the bed. "You don't have to apologize. I bet you're having a hard time dealing with something. Anyway, Miyuzaki-sensei and Yanai-sensei will be helping you walk again. She said your case will only be temporary so you don't have to worry."

And then all of a sudden, the Himalayan cat meowed and she touched its fur. She smiled when doing this. "I wonder what's your name, little guy."

Ryoma couldn't help but smile at this. "His name is Karupin."

"I think it's a cute name." While she was touching the cat's fur, she remembered something. "Ah, by the way, I met Momoshiro-san and Fuji-san the day after we found you on the river."

Ryoma was stunned by what she said. "You've met Momo-senpai and Fuji-senpai?" She nodded and noticed his stunned face. That was why she smiled faintly. "If you're worried about that, I didn't tell them where you are. Based on the gunshot wounds that you had, I couldn't help concluding that you were in danger the night you fell on the river. So..."

He didn't say anything about it. Kourin played with the cat.

'It seems to me that this kid... Rin-chan... It looks like she could feel all of my worries and fears as if we were facing the same predicament. He looked at Kourin's eyes. It's as if... she's living in the same dangerous world as I am now,' he noted as he continued looking at the girl's sad eyes.

She seemed to have noticed his stare, that was why she looked at him. He avoided it just in time.

"Ryoma-niichan... are you okay?" Kourin asked.

He looked at the girl again. "Yeah. Why?"

She shook her head. "I just wanted to ask what happened that night..." she paused and looked at the cat. "...that night when you faced that danger. And who are those involved in it."

Ryoma couldn't open his mouth. He was not sure if he was going to tell the little girl about the danger he had that night. It took him a while before he came up with a decision.

He was about to speak when the door suddenly opened. He looked at the door and he saw a boy with huge glasses enter, along with a sandy-brown-haired girl. Those two kids were younger than Kourin.

Kourin sighed and approached the two kids. "You should've at least knocked, Conan-kun."

"Well, we just heard from Hakase that Ryoma-niichan was awake already. So I thought we could ask him about—"

"Don't even think about it," Haibara said in a bland tone. "He just woke up from his week-long slumber and yet you're going to disturb him by raining your questions."

Conan glowered at Haibara. "Haibara..."

"Ai-chan has a point," Kourin stated, glancing at Ryoma. And then she approached him. "Ryoma-niichan, will it be okay if I leave you here for a while? I have to discuss something with Conan-kun and Ai-chan if you don't mind."

"I don't mind, but..." he stopped talking as if thinking of what to say.

"It's okay if you can't tell it for now. It might be hard for you. So I'm sorry if I forced you to answer it."

Ryoma shook his head. "You don't have to apologize. By the way, if ever you meet them again, will you not tell them about—"

"I understand. You have to keep them out of danger, right?" He nodded. And Kourin smiled as she approached the cat. "Karupin, take care of your master for a while, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can," she said quietly to the cat as she stroked his fur. And like that, Conan, Haibara, and Rin left that room.

Ryoma looked outside the window and he saw the sunrise.

'I have to keep them out of danger. And of course, I want to know something about Rin-chan and those men who are chasing me a week ago. There's something... hidden about that girl. But how will I do that?'