Chapter 376: Ayumi likes Brother Akaso

The restaurant was already filled with many people, and upon seeing Akaso Kaze, they stood up one after another to greet him.

Hiroshige Kusaka and Minako Akiyoshi looked at him in surprise, only then realizing his identity, and their expressions turned a bit ugly.

After sitting down, Hiroshige Kusaka said seemingly casually: "Actually, I am currently writing a drama project set on a luxury cruise ship. I only met Minako because of an interview. Lord Akaso must have been invited by someone to come, right? Or is it..."

Hiroshige Kusaka’s eyes were full of interest as he said: "Or is it that you are here to investigate some case?"

Akaso Kaze smiled without saying a word.

Sonoko, next to him, said: "Actually, I begged Akaso-san to come. My parents didn't have time, so I came in their place. It's more fun with more people, so I just brought everyone along."

"Oh, so it was an invitation from the Suzuki family." Hiroshige Kusaka seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Conan suddenly ran to Akaso Kaze’s side and asked seriously, "Brother Akaso, have you noticed anything? The accidental death of Hayato Yashiro..."

"The accident was taken over by the Nishitama City police. Officer Sato and Chiba have already gone to investigate."

"In other words, Officer Sato discovered some problem."

Conan’s gaze was thoughtful. If there were no problems, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters generally wouldn't casually intervene in cases already determined by local police stations.

"Could it have something to do with this ship?"

Akaso Kaze looked at him and said in a low voice: "What, you want to solve a case again? A serial murder case is going to happen on this ship."

"What?" Conan’s eyes widened.

There was no fear in his eyes, only excitement.

"Um, Brother Akaso, could you let me try to deduce it first, and then you can intervene?"

Akaso Kaze looked at Conan’s pleading expression and nodded in agreement.

"You, you better not deduce it wrong."

Akaso Kaze’s smile was very strange.

"How could that be!" Conan patted his small chest and said: "I will absolutely not be wrong."

Akaso Kaze smiled without a word.

Akaso Kaze’s room was on the sixth floor; this entire floor was made up of luxury suites.

Just as he was walking in the corridor, a beautiful waitress with a ponytail happened to come by. Seeing Akaso Kaze, her eyes lit up instantly, and she smiled sweetly, "You are Lord Akaso, right? Could I please have your autograph?"

Akaso Kaze took a look and recognized the waitress as the young girl who had been following President Yashiro and his daughter earlier; it seemed she held a position like a personal nanny.

"Of course."

The girl excitedly took out a pen and notebook, and only after Akaso Kaze finished signing did she happily say goodbye and leave, knocking on room 604.

"President Yashiro, Madam President, regarding tomorrow's itinerary..."

Akaso Kaze watched the girl enter room 604 and turned to leave.

At night, there was a sudden knock on the door.

Akaso Kaze opened the door, puzzled.

"Huh? Ayumi? Why are you here?"

Akaso Kaze bent down, and little Ayumi immediately threw herself into Akaso Kaze’s arms.

"Brother Akaso, I can't sleep. Could you tell me a story?"

"Alright."

Akaso Kaze closed the door and lay on the bed, holding Ayumi.

Just as he was about to tell the story, Ayumi shifted and lay on Akaso Kaze’s stomach.

"What are you doing?"

Akaso Kaze asked curiously.

"I saw Sister Haibara likes to lie like this, so I wanted to try it too."

Akaso Kaze had a black line of frustration on his forehead.

"Ai is different from you," Akaso Kaze said.

"How is it different? We are about the same." Little Ayumi looked at Akaso Kaze, and tears began to well up.

"Wuu wuu, Brother Akaso likes Sister Haibara and doesn't like me."

Akaso Kaze hurriedly patted little Ayumi and coaxed her: "That's not it, I like little Ayumi just the same. You can do whatever you want, just stop crying, okay?"

Ayumi immediately broke into a smile through her tears.

She lay on Akaso Kaze and said: "I want to hear a story now."

"Alright. Once upon a time..."

Akaso Kaze began to tell little Ayumi a story.

After telling it for a while, Akaso Kaze fell asleep first.

Ayumi blinked her big eyes and looked at his face.

Sister Haibara isn't here today; this is really a good opportunity.

She snuck up and placed her little face against Akaso Kaze’s big face.

"Brother Akaso, I like you so much."

Ayumi pouted her little lips and said.

The next day at morning tea time, it was still sunny and bright. The big ship sailed across the blue sea like a fortress, its momentum quite spectacular.

However, the atmosphere on the deck was quite peaceful.

Many people were on the deck enjoying morning tea while admiring the rare sea view, as if their whole beings had been purified.

Comfortable and quiet.

Ran stretched comfortably against the sea breeze, and Sonoko next to her also lazily sipped some black tea.

"It feels really nice to be able to drink morning tea while blowing in the sea breeze," Sonoko said with a blush on her face, "I feel like a noble lady."

Akaso Kaze looked at them both with a smile.

Little Ayumi sat on his lap, eating a small snack while stealing glances at Akaso Kaze’s lips.

Conan, meanwhile, was lost in thought.

There was still no new news from Officer Sato; he didn't know how the Hayato Yashiro case was progressing.

But if there really were no problems, they should have notified him; after all, he had left the phone number for the room on the ship. No news was actually good news.

"What should we do later? Swimming doesn't seem very good, and it's a bit cold," Ran said.

"I want to play hide-and-seek!" Ayumi imagined the excitement of playing hide-and-seek on a luxury cruise ship and said expectantly, "How about playing hide-and-seek?"

"Hide-and-seek, how nostalgic."

Ran smiled gently and didn't refuse: "We used to play it a lot when we were kids."

"Then, let's decide on the rules first."

On the stern deck, the group participating in the game gathered together.

"The time is 30 minutes, and also, you can't hide in the restrooms or the observation baths. Is that okay?" Ran said.

"Agreed!"

"Then let's start with rock-paper-scissors."

Sonoko rolled up her sleeves with a confident smile on her face. She couldn't beat Ran or Akaso Kaze at hide-and-seek, but dealing with a bunch of brats was a piece of cake; she guaranteed these little ones wouldn't be able to find her.

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

Paper!

Sonoko gathered her spirits and spread her palm with full concentration.

"Alright," Ran smiled and looked at Sonoko, who was the only one who threw paper, "then Sonoko is 'it'."

In a dark corner behind the boat dock stairs.

Akaso Kaze was hiding here.

Just as he was hiding, Mouri Ran ran over.

Seeing Akaso Kaze, her eyes lit up instantly, and she squeezed in, saying: "Akaso-san, let me hide for a bit, Sonoko is right behind."

This place had plenty of space; hiding two people wasn't a problem.

Mouri Ran was leaning against the wall with her back to Akaso Kaze, carefully peeking out, when she suddenly felt Akaso Kaze lean in behind her.

Mouri Ran was instantly startled and wanted to move away, but Akaso Kaze reached out and wrapped his arms around her slender waist.

"Akaso-san, what, what are you doing?"

Mouri Ran was leaning against the wall, her whole body trembling.

"Ran, why are you so scared?" Akaso Kaze whispered gently in her ear.

"Akaso-san, don't be like this, someone will come."

Mouri Ran held the hand inside her clothes, "Listen, there are footsteps coming."

"It's fine, it's just Sonoko." Akaso Kaze had no intention of letting Ran go at all.

"Ah? Sonoko? Quick, let me go..."

Mouri Ran’s voice seemed a bit loud.