[ Discontinued ] Crossroad 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 17 - Hospital

   "Yoko" was waiting, like her friends, for Conan's operation to end. She had warned Jinpei, briefly explaining the situation. So the policeman knew he was going to have to look for her.

   The former high school girl bent her knees close to her chest, waiting for the time to pass. The silence in the room was complete, everyone hoping the boy was okay.
   Two other people joined the children. They seemed to know each other. The girl had never seen them. And she didn't pay any more attention to them, sinking into her silence.

   After what seemed like long hours, the operation was over. The doctors therefore took Conan out of the room to take him to a room. The injured man wore a mask over his face, and the operation seemed to have gone rather well. Now he had to wake up.
   The two people unknown to "Yoko" went directly to the surgeon, to ask how it happened. The children wanted to follow their friend but they were stopped by Agasa.
   - Now that the operation is over, I'd better walk you home.
   -But... Conan-kun... Started Ayumi, remaining worried.
   - We will come back to see him tomorrow! Mitsuhiko reassured in an optimistic tone.
   Her friend nodded with a little nod. She wanted to stay but she couldn't.

   The girl with the glasses grabbed her phone and texted Matsuda, telling him he could pick her up. She would have liked to be able to go home alone but she didn't really know the way and it was getting quite late. Night had already fallen when they left the cave.

   -Are you coming Yoko-chan? Agasa-hakase will bring us back... Called the girl in the headband.
   -Eh ? Hey... I'm coming...
   She followed her classmate out of the building.

   As always, the night air was pleasant, whether or not it was cold. The girl with glasses always liked to breathe this air at night. It allowed her to feel good, or to dive into her thoughts.

   She watched her friends approach Agasa's yellow vehicle and begin to open the doors.
   - I... Uh... I'm going to stay here! They'll come get me... Finally announces "Yoko".
   - You don't want me to come with you? Agasa assured himself.
   -No... We... I... I told who's keeping me that I was here... He shouldn't be long... Don't worry...
   Her friends looked at each other before greeting her, leaving her alone. She watched the yellow car drive away before settling on the ground, against the wall of the building, her knees close to her chest as often.

   She was relieved. Relieved that the police intervened in time. Relieved that Conan survived. She was afraid all along that it would end badly. Those men scared her, but at least it wasn't those two mens in black. Besides, three criminals found in the caves got arrested... Not like them.
   Maybe she should have called the police at that time too? Maybe she could have avoided losing Akihiko,  Yosuke and her adoptive parents? Maybe she would have saved them? Maybe like the long-haired man had, she was the only one to blame?

   A tear, then two, then three... And the number could not be counted. The little girl knew that she had to move on. But it was still too hard. She didn't know how to manage to adapt properly, even though it's been over a month. She wanted to move on, turn the page. But she didn't know how...
   ...Or at least it is. To be with Akihiko. Being with her best friend. But he wasn't there. He was no longer there! And this group of children was not like him! He couldn't be...

   After a while, the former high school girl dried her tears. She have to stop thinking so much. She shook her head to drive away the rest of her negative thoughts. She shouldn't think about that anymore. She have nothing to do with it. It wasn't her fault she got in the wrong place at the wrong time.

   Jinpei just arrived in front of the Beika Central Hospital, where the little girl he was babysitting was. He stared at the building for a long moment. There it was, standing in front of it, with various people in it.

   He looked for "Yoko" while driving slowly in front of the establishment and it was her who spotted him, or rather, spotted his car. She approached, opened the door and got into the front of the vehicle where she felt a slightly different atmosphere than usual. Was it due to the day she had spent? She had no idea.
   -... Thank you for coming to pick me up!...
   No answer. She couldn't help lowering her head, feeling that she should have kept quiet. The policeman looked lost in thought. In distant memories that he hadn't managed to get rid of.
   -...Matsuda...-keiji...? She called softly after a hesitation, with a worried look.
   He didn't answer and started to drive the car.

   The drive was silent. And this silence lasted once returned. It was as if Jinpei remembered a bad thing.
   The little girl went to shower while the policeman sat at the window to smoke. Before entering the bathroom, she stared at him for a moment.
   Come to think of it, she didn't know him. All she knew was that he was a policeman named Matsuda Jinpei, and that was it. She hadn't tried to get to know him either, to ask him questions about who he was.
   On the one part, she didn't dare ask him. Surely she was already encroaching on his personal space, trying to get to know him would be even worse.

   The former high school student did not know what to do. She just sighed and headed into the bathroom where she pulled the elastic in her hair. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a long moment before turning away to undress and go shower.