Chapter 1: The Bus / Introductions

The clear sky and pleasant weather were refreshing. I thought I could fall asleep.

My peace and tranquility were suddenly interrupted.

- Don't you think you should give up your seat?

For a moment, I opened my eyes that were about to close.

As I looked up, I saw an elderly woman standing unsteadily while an office worker tried to find her a seat.

Ranpo quickly stood up and offered his seat to the elderly lady without hesitation.

Ranpo: "Don't worry, ma'am. I'm perfectly fine standing for a while."

The elderly woman was surprised to be treated with some kindness and apologized many times. "No, don't worry. The world is for the young, so please, take a seat."

Ranpo smiled and gently guided her to sit. "It's alright, rest for a moment. When you're ready, you can continue your journey."

The entire bus was surprised by this completely selfless act of kindness.

Koenji: "Haha, you're an interesting one, Closed-Eyes Guy."

Ranpo: "Oh... thank you very much." *Ranpo smiles* "But my name is not 'Closed-Eyes Guy.' My name is Ranpo Edogawa, the greatest detective in the world." *Ranpo extends his hand towards the person, clearly mocking the situation but with good intentions.*

Koenji: "Haha, Detective Boy is a better nickname, don't you think?" *He continued laughing while tousling his hair.*

Ranpo: "No! You must not call me that! My name is Ranpo Edogawa, and you can't keep calling me Closed-Eyes Guy or Detective Boy. My name is not a game." *Ranpo gets a bit annoyed but conceals it with a good sense of humor.*

*I simply got angry and moved to another part of the bus until a girl tapped me on the shoulder.*

Ranpo: "Hey, what do you need?" Ranpo responds friendly.

"Oh, I just wanted to thank you for helping that elderly lady. My name is Kushida Kikyo." The friendly girl who tapped his shoulder seemed to have no malice. At first glance, Ranpo didn't think twice, but an idea crossed his mind.

*Ranpo casually talks with Kushida about trivial things for a while until the bus comes to a stop, and as everyone is getting off, Ranpo and Kushida stay behind.*

Ranpo: "Before we part ways, let me ask you something... Why are you acting? Or better yet, let me guess... You're seeking recognition from others, aren't you?"

*Kushida stays silent for a moment, with a smile on her face. Then, she responds.*

Kushida: "How did you know?"

*She leans forward, with a curious look to the common eye, but Ranpo clearly sees the anger in hers.*

*Ranpo always finds people hiding something interesting, but this woman who approached him catches his attention. So, he doesn't mind her asking and answers honestly.*

Ranpo: "Because your eyes give you away. You have an angry look that you can only hide for a few seconds. So why don't you spill the beans... What are you hiding?"

*Kushida's darkness deepens as she listens to Ranpo, unable to hide a smile at the accuracy of his words.*

Kushida: "You're the first person to notice that. It's quite impressive of you, Edogawa."

*She then grabs Ranpo's hand and places it on her chest.*

"If you say a word, I'll tell them you tried to assault me, alright?"

*Is this blackmail?* *Ranpo feels surprised, although he doesn't show it. Instead, he smiles faintly and lets the girl hold onto him. How should he respond to this? What should he do? What does she want from him? Ranpo wonders if he should continue this game or take things more seriously.*

Ranpo: "O... kay. I won't say a word, and if you want me to be a person of my word, you have to talk. Who are you, Kushida? I have to know." *Ranpo's tone is full of curiosity; he's trying to keep his word but also wants to learn more about Kushida.*

*He puts a hand over his own mouth to show he won't speak, but with his left hand, he makes gestures implying that Kushida should talk.* "Please." *Ranpo says kindly.*

Kushida: "Let's talk another day and in another place." ***Kushida smiles falsely and lets go of his hand.***

Ranpo: "Sure, that's perfect..." *Ranpo regains his friendly attitude.*

"See you later!" *Ranpo waves energetically with his hand toward Kushida.*

*He waits a few seconds so he doesn't have to walk alongside her and exits.*

*Upon leaving, the first thing he notices is an argument unfolding nearby.*

- "Not getting involved in trouble? Don't compare yourself to me. I didn't give up my seat because I didn't feel any significance in giving it to an elderly lady."

- "Isn't it worse not to get involved in trouble?"

- "I don't know. I'm just acting according to my own beliefs. It's different from people who avoid troublesome things like you or that guy on the bus."

Ranpo: "Hey, me *pointing comically*"

- "Since you got involved in our conversation, let me ask you, why did you give up your seat to that elderly lady?"

Ranpo: "It's just something you do as a human. It doesn't matter if it's a stranger; you should always treat others properly. I think that lady was tired, so I wanted her to be able to sit. I'm sorry if it's weird to you; I can't expect you to understand it the same way. But it's just something that should be done." *Ranpo smiles kindly at the end.*

- "Hmm, that's a respectable reason... but you." *looking like this 😐* "I don't want to spend time with people like you."

- "I feel the same 😐."

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Upon arriving at the ceremony, I tried to pay attention, but after 5 minutes of complete boredom (actually less than 30 seconds), I simply lay down in a corner to sleep.

Surprisingly, Rampo decided to sleep in the corner closest to a magenta-haired boy who looked irritated.

Once the ceremony was over, I woke up immediately and walked to the hall as if the entire school hadn't seen me sleeping.

*Ranpo enters the classroom calmly and stands in the middle, looking for his seat, taking a deep breath.*

Ranpo: "Hello, good afternoon!" *Ranpo extends his hand to greet his classmates,* "My name is Ranpo Edogawa! The world's greatest detective. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!" *He smiles amiably at each of them and walks calmly to his seat under the astonished gaze of everyone and to the misfortune of the next person who enters.*

Just a few seconds later, the 😐

-faced guy enters while the entire class stares at him, completely ruining all his hopes of making friends.

He walks slowly and sits right behind me, somehow creating a pessimistic aura around him while watching everyone make friends.

- "Aren't you ashamed to introduce yourself like that?" *the black-haired girl said, looking interested but masking her interest with an annoyed expression.*

Ranpo: *He chuckles a bit but tries not to let others ruin his good humor.* "Ashamed? Why should I be? It's always good to meet new people, and it doesn't matter if you're a complete stranger. If I make a good impression with you from the start, I'm sure we'll get along well during the school year!" *He gives himself a light pat on the shoulder at the end.* "Now, would you like to introduce yourselves too?" *he says, now speaking to the whole class.*

-"That's an excellent idea; I'll start... ahem, My name is Hirata Yousuke. Since in middle school, I was often called by my given name, Yousuke, feel free to use it. Although I like all sports, I'm particularly fond of soccer, and I also plan to play soccer at this school. Nice to meet you."

*He waits for a few seconds while most of the girls look at him with hearts in their eyes.* "So, can we start the introductions from the beginning?"

*The nervous girl stood up completely nervous.*

- M-my name is Inogashira K-ko-

As she tried to introduce herself, her words wouldn't come out. Her face turned pale with embarrassment. It's rare to see someone get so nervous.

- Do your best.

- It's okay if you don't rush.

Ranpo: "Hey, Inogashira-Chan *makes a gesture of taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly* no one's judging you; just do your best!!"

*Inogashira imitates Ranpo shakily.*

"M-my name is, Inogashira... Kokoro. My hobby is sewing, and I'm good at knitting. I'll be in your care."

Inogashira's introduction ended without any problems.

Other introductions followed.

- "I'm Yamauchi Haruki. In elementary school, I played national-level table tennis, then I was the ace of the baseball club in high school. I wore the number 4 uniform. But since I recently got injured during the Inter High, I'm currently in rehabilitation. Nice to meet you."

Ranpo: "Isn't the Inter High a sports tournament for high schools???... I think you can't compete as a middle school student... I'm confused."

Yamagod: "Uhm, I was just joking, haha."

-"So, am I next, right?" *The two-faced girl stood up.* "My name is Kushida Kikyou, and since none of my friends from middle school came to this school, I want to get to know-" *From that point onwards, Rampo simply stopped listening.*

*I returned to reality when Yosuke looked at me.*

Hirata: "Edogawa-Kun, can you introduce yourself again for the people who didn't hear you?"

Ranpo: *Ranpo stands up and walks to the front calmly. He looks a bit tired, but he doesn't mention it.*

"Of course. My name is Ranpo Edogawa. I'm a detective from the agency." *He extends his hand.* "I haven't been the most social person, but I hope to change that this year. I hope to make good friends."

"He's so cute!! He looks like a little raccoon!" A girl whispers to her friend.

*Just after Ranpo finishes introducing himself, the door opens, and a mature woman enters, the first thing she sees is Ranpo in a dramatic pose, dressed strangely with a detective's hat and a brown cape over his uniform.*

[Question: Who deserves the privilege of being with Ranpo Edogawa? ]