𝐈 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃

iv | rerum cognoscere causas

translation — "to learn the causes of things"
song recommendation — 'tis the damn season by taylor swift

" sleep in half the day just for old times' sake

i won't ask you to wait if you don't ask me to stay

so i'll go back to l.a. and the so-called friends

who'll write books about me if i ever make it "

present time, 2023
beika city

"Why are you so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?" Tamaki asked bluntly, earning a choked laugh from Takagi Wataru, an amused smile from Shiratori Ninzaburo, and a deadpan from Miwako.

"Can I not be happy to see my friend?" the other woman almost whined, slumping into Tamaki's side.

Tamaki just rolled her eyes goodnaturedly. "I think we're a little more than friends, Miwako. Don't you?"

Miwako blushed and looked away from the smug blonde.

"Ah, Tamaki-san," Takagi sighed with an awkward chuckle. "Is this really the place to talk about this?"

In the two to three years of knowing Takagi Wataru, everyone in the department knew he got flustered whenever he was involved in talks about soulmates. It wasn't a negative reaction towards the topic, he just got embarrassed so easily about it. Everyone knew about it, but only a certain few—Takagi's friends—took advantage of it. The only reason he didn't take it as an issue was because he knew they were just joking around.

"Wow. We didn't have to say the word 'soulmate' for Takagi-kun to get worked up," Ninzaburo said, letting out an impressed whistle. "I think you just set a new record, Tamaki."

"I aim to please," she deadpanned, earning a chuckle from him.

"Changing topics!" Takagi nearly shouted, face red and flustered. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "How is Tatsuya-kun doing at school?"

"Oh, he's doing great, actually." Tamaki beamed and the others found themselves relaxing. "He's already got a group of friends, though they look like they're gonna be trouble makers."

"How so?" Miwako asked, resting her chin on Tamaki's shoulder.

"He got inducted into the Detective Boys," the blonde said simply and everyone knew what she meant. She took a sip of her coffee with a chuckle. "Something tells me I'm going to have to keep an extra eye on that boy."

~ — — — ~

"This school is cursed?"

The Detective Boys were in class and they were supposed to be reading their books.

"Yeah! It's really for reals!" Genta whispered to Conan and Tatsuya, who were curious and slightly disbelieving.

"The whole school's talking about it!" Mitsuhiko added.

"I bet it's just another of those 'Seven Mysteries' every school has," Conan told them dismissively, Tatsuya nodding in agreement. "Like pianos that play on their own, or stairs that increase in number."