T.A series Volume 7: Feathers of Fury

Chapter 51 - Damning Words

Ran's heart sank. She must have gotten something wrong. She tried again, carefully typing in the birth date.

Still, the password was rejected.

Frustration gnawed at her. She couldn't afford to get this wrong. Ran took a deep breath, determined to figure it out. As she thought back to the hint, a realization dawned on her. Maybe Mamiko had been more discreet about her crush.

This revelation made her utterly defeated.

If one were to say Mamiko had boys crushing onto her throughout the entire school of Teitan Elementary, Ran would say there were plentiful. But to say who she had a crush on is another, Ranran always spoke in a cold tone about how Mamiko was a narcissist, she wasn't capable of loving anyone but herself.

The puzzle seemed impossible. Ran felt like she was running in circles, hitting dead ends at every turn.

She took a moment to gather her thoughts. If it wasn't a classmate, then who could it be?

Then, something surfaced in Ran's memory:

"Also, you mentioned that it was thanks to 'that video', that you were hated by the entire school for being an evil villainess who attempted to discourage his dream to marry you." Another girl commented, "I may not have known Mamiko well enough since I never met her, but judging what you had to share about her...I suspected the reason Mamiko filmed that video with your best friend....was to make that video into blackmail material."

"Eh!?"

"I think Mamiko had feelings for your crush, which is why she did that. If your best friend and you tried to stop her, this video would've been enough to get your crush not to trust you both anymore, no? Exposing her would do favours for you."

That is right.

When Ran was attending her therapy session at that time, one of the children there suggested that Mamiko's motive for doing all of this was to have Shinichi to himself.

With him not living up to his potential as a Tantei, Shinichi would not only be devastated, but he would also be susceptible to whatever lies Mamiko has for him. After all, Mamiko was the one who suggested misusing Ranran's name as 'The Fox' to get Shinichi to quit, since Mamiko knew of Ranran's bad blood with Shinichi at that time. Sonoko did it in a joking matter, not realizing this was aggravating Shinichi's anger over how the dynamics of their friendship between him, Ran and Sonoko had been playing out since they started Teitan Elementary School.

But since Mamiko had no clue that Ranran as 'The Fox' was the real deal...that meant it backfired on her.

So if what those children say about Mamiko filming that video to harm Ran and Sonoko's credibility was true all along....does this mean...Shinichi's birthday date is her password?

Ran's heart raced as she considered the possibility. It seemed like a long shot, but it was worth trying. She quickly typed in Shinichi's birth date, hoping for a breakthrough.

To her astonishment, the laptop screen blinked, and then the desktop appeared. Ran couldn't believe her luck. It worked.

A surge of triumph washed over her. She had cracked the code, quite literally.

At the same time, however, Mouri Ran felt sick.

Ishibashi Mamiko had feelings for Mouri Ran's crush, for her to use his birth date as a password...let alone, manipulate so many kids: Sonoko, Ran and even Shinichi through the expense of Ranran's name...

Honestly, Ran is glad she didn't have her breakfast, or else she is tempted to empty out her stomach to the bin.

As she sat there, staring at the desktop, Ran's mind raced. She knew she needed to focus on the task at hand, on finding the evidence that would expose Mamiko. But the weight of the situation threatened to overwhelm her.