Transport Into Detective Conan (OC Reader Insert)

Chapter 42 - A Dangerous Chess Game

Kaiya POV

"Well, how does she look?" Yukiko beamed, nudging me into the study. Yusaku glanced up from his newspaper, and Shuichi was just ending a phone call.

"What's the occasion?" Yusaku asked.

I smoothed down my skirt, trying to sound nonchalant. "Well, um...Saguru invited me over for some afternoon tea."

Yukiko clapped her hands together. "So I had to make Kaiya look extra pretty for her date!"

"It's not a date!" I exclaimed, feeling my cheeks heat up.

Shuichi set his phone down, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Saguru's place, huh?

I narrowed my eyes at him "Don't even think about tailing me. I know how you operate."

He crossed his arms "Only if you don't do anything reckless."

"Reckless? Me? Never" I said with a smirk.

Suddenly, Shuichi's expression grew a bit more serious. "By the way, Conan's been asking about my father's disappearance."

My smile faded "But weren't he and the Detective Boys headed to a chess tournament with Kobayashi-sensei and Inspector Shiratori?"

"They did. But Superintendent Kuroda showed up. Apparently, he had a private conversation with Conan and some new clues regarding Amanda Hughes and Kohji Haneda came up."

"Kuroda's connected..." I mumbled.

Shuichi nodded slowly "And that Rumi Wakasa was Amanda Hughes' bodyguard. The pieces are aligning... too neatly."

"Well I-I'm not sure if this would help but... I've been keeping notes" I pulled out my sketchbook.

I handed him my sketchbook. Shuichi took it, flipping through the pages "Kanenori Wakita, his alias" Shuichi read aloud. "It's not just a strange name. It's an anagram."

"If you rearrange it, it spells Toki wa kane nari... Time is money" Yusaku stated.

"Rum's English catchphrase," I finished. I looked at my watch "Oh Baaya's here to pick me up!"

"Have fun, dear!" Yukiko chirped, practically pushing me out the door again.

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I stepped out of the car and stared in awe.

"This... is Saguru's house?!" I gasped, eyes wide as I took in the grand, Western-style mansion. The wrought-iron gates, pristine garden, and ivy-draped stonework looked like something straight out of a novel.

Baaya opened the door for me. I stepped out cautiously, unsure whether to admire the view or bow to the architecture.

A maid greeted me at the entrance. "May I take your coat, miss?"

"Oh, um... if it's not too much trouble," I replied, slipping it off awkwardly "Thank you."

The maid nodded and whisked it away with the kind of elegance that made me feel even more underdressed, despite Yukiko's efforts.

Before I could fumble further, Saguru appeared at the door, hands in his pockets, smiling warmly. "Hey, I see you made it."

"Are you secretly a prince or something?" I asked, gesturing at the mansion behind him.

He chuckled. "No crown yet, but I'm flattered. Come on in"

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We entered a high-ceilinged room that smelled faintly of Earl Grey and old books. As we approached the sitting area, I heard the sound of chess pieces clacking and quiet conversation.