Accomplice__ Kudo Shinichi x Kaitou Kid, Kaito Kid x Kudo Shinichi

Side story 1: Daddy

(Five Years Later)

"Shinichi, how many times do I have to tell you? Why didn't you pick up Momoe again?" Mouri Ran's voice boomed through the phone, sharp and brimming with frustration. She was packing up her desk while balancing her phone between her ear and shoulder. "The kindergarten teacher called me! You've been late for two weeks straight. The place closes at six, and you don't show up until nine-thirty. Momoe has no choice but to wait at the afterschool program next door, and it's the kindergarten teacher who buys her dinner! Kudo Shinichi! You better go apologize properly and—fix this! For good!"

"Ah... sorry, sorry. Things have been crazy on my end. I just couldn't get away." Kudo Shinichi glanced at his wristwatch, wondering how late he'd be working tonight. Chief Inspector Megure had dumped a major case on his plate. A month had passed, and progress remained sluggish. In desperation, they had cleared a desk that had belonged to an officer on long-term medical leave, all to bring in the one and only famous detective—Kudo Shinichi.

Ran's voice sharpened, veins nearly popping in frustration. "Shinichi! How old is Momoe now? Three years old! And you leave her stranded like that? Let me guess—you're not going to pick her up again today, are you?"

"Sonoko took such good care of her last month," Ran continued, "but the moment she comes back to you, it's like she's been abandoned. Whatever, Aoko and Nakamura will grab her on their way home. Shinichi, she's your goddaughter! Could you at least try to care? Taking care of Momoe isn't just my responsibility! Where's Kuroba kun?"

"He's... not in Tokyo. He left for Hakone this morning for a marathon. No idea where he's wandered off to now."

"Two irresponsible men!" Ran growled, hanging up without another word.

Shinichi stared at the call log, letting out a weary sigh. After a moment's thought, he typed out a message to Ran: When is your husband coming back from Berlin?

"I don't know ." The reply was short and cold. Kudo Shinichi could feel Ran's frustration seep through the screen. He silently wished good luck to Takahashi-san, Ran's husband, who wasn't faring much better.

Constant business trips and overtime kept him away more than he was at home, leaving Ran used to managing things alone. Momoe, in time, even started calling Shinichi "Dad."

Ran had tried correcting her many times, but the habit stuck. Takahashi didn't seem to mind—he was easygoing, having grown up in a large, open family with "multiple parents". And thus, in a way, Kudo Shinichi became Momoe's "godfather."

It was a running joke for Kuroba Kaito.

"So, Meitantei, you want kids that badly, huh? Why don't you just adopt one instead of stealing from Mouri san and Takahashi san?"

"Adopt?!" Kudo Shinichi stared in disbelief. "You realize if I actually did that, the child services would be on us in no time. And with how busy we both are—how would that even work?"

Kuroba burst into laughter. "Haha! That's true, Meitantei. You used to leave Ran behind all the time—imagine forgetting a kid too. No, wait—this isn't funny at all."

"Kudo Shinichi," Kuroba said, with mock seriousness, "leaving a kid alone is illegal, you know? And besides, kids are exhausting. I can barely manage myself—how could I take care of someone who actually needs love and attention? ...And, well, we're not married. I doubt anyone would trust us with a kid."

Despite his words, Kuroba was usually the one playing with Momoe when she stayed over at Kudo's place. After all, Kuroba was basically a child himself.

Somehow, Kuroba always found time to visit Agasa and work on bizarre magic gadgets. Once, when Kudo Shinichi dropped by Agasa's house for dinner, he was stunned to find Momoe stuck inside a teleportation box.