T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 24 - Honest Feelings

6-year-old Kudo Ranran didn't know what to make of it when she sees 9-year-old Rokuro looking rather depressed as they shared the cab which is currently pursuing the Jaguar car where the recently abducted Shinichi was.

As the taxi continued to speed through the streets of the city, Ranran stole occasional glances at Rokuro. His usually confident demeanour seemed to have crumbled, replaced by a palpable sense of regret and sadness. Ranran couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy. She might have had her differences with Rokuro, but seeing him like this made her realize that he, too, was caught up in a situation that had spiralled out of control.

Ranran cleared her throat, breaking the silence between them. "Hey, Rokuro."

He looked at her, his eyes still carrying a weight of guilt. "Yeah?"

"Just out of curiosity, I heard that you and Mouri Ran used to be neighbours before her family moved to Beikai District. What do you like about her that you ended up having a crush on?"

Rokuro's brows furrowed at the unexpected question, his expression a mix of surprise and confusion. Ranran's straightforwardness caught him off guard, and he hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Well, it's not like there was anything particularly special about her. We just lived in the same neighbourhood, and we used to play together when we were younger. I guess I thought she was nice and fun to be around," he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of nostalgia.

"Don't get me wrong, but you probably have met other prettier girls your age compared to Mouri Ran, right? I mean, you are 9 and she is 6 like me." Ranran commented as she then adds, "What is so nice about that hot-tempered girl to like about?"

Rokuro chuckled softly at Ranran's blunt question. It was clear that her straightforwardness was a stark contrast to the complicated emotions he had been wrestling with.

"You're not wrong," he admitted, a small smile playing on his lips. "But it wasn't just about looks. To me....she is kind, a bit hot fuse as you had mentioned, and also thoughtful when it came to the people around her. But above all of that, she is the type who will go all out for her friends, even though it often put her in troublesome situations, she will have no remorse about it." He looked out of the window for a moment, lost in thought. "I guess I admired that about her. She wasn't afraid to be herself, and she had this energy that drew people in."

Ranran listened attentively, processing his words. It seemed like Rokuro's feelings for Ran were tied to the qualities he saw in her personality rather than just superficial aspects.

"But over time," Rokuro continued, his smile fading, "Things changed when she came over to tell me she met Shinichi when they were in kindergarten 2 years ago. Always talking about how amazing he is. Especially his talented observation skills. I felt very sideline, since I am older than her by 3 years, it wouldn't be possible to spend time with her like we used to."

The founder of Tantei Association then tilted her head slightly, her eyes curious. "Then how is it fair that Shinichi has to be the one to end up getting blamed for this? Since it is clearly Ran's fault for not managing her time well with her other friends."

"I can't help it, cause I felt like if I didn't, then I would be forced to accept the truth that Mouri Ran no longer wanted to see me anymore," Rokuro hesitated for a moment before answering. "You are right, he didn't do anything to me directly, let alone, indirectly. But seeing how close he was to Mouri Ran, and how she seemed to admire him so much, not to mention, he get to see her everyday sitting next to her in class, sharing the same lessons, eating together during recess, it just...triggered something in me. I felt like I was being replaced like I didn't matter anymore by Mouri."