Winning is everything: Conan

After learning about Kumiko's methods, Ai had no interest in following the progress of the lawsuit.

She slowly got up, left the gallery, and walked toward the door of the arbitration room.

Feeling a little thirsty, she headed to a vending machine at the end of the hallway.

She pulled a five-hundred-yuan coin from her pocket and inserted it.

Although she worked for Keisuke for free, Ai had a deep feeling that this guy was a major capitalist scumbag. But at least this boss still had some humanity and gave her some pocket money every month to buy snacks and things like that.

She pressed the button, and with a ding-dong, a can of coffee dropped from the machine.

Coffee had been Ai's most common drink in the past. Since she often had to stay up late to do research, coffee became her only companion at night. Over time, it became almost like nicotine—something she couldn't live without.

Ai held the coffee in her hand and was about to open it.

At that moment, she heard a soft sound of footsteps—one she was very familiar with from the past.

Xiao Ai didn't even turn her head and lightly said, "Stop hiding there, come out."

Conan stepped out from the corner.

With his hands in his pockets, he looked in Ai's direction.

"Haibara, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

Ai looked at him and gently shook her head. "Kudo, tell me your purpose. You didn't come here just to say hello."

"You're as cold as ever."

Conan then nodded without saying anything more.

"APTX, the antidote for 4869. You should have the formula."

"I see." Ai raised an eyebrow, her eyes understanding. "Let me guess—is it because Ran is about to find out your identity, so you have to grow back temporarily to hide it from her?"

"As well as being cold, you're still as smart as ever." Conan nodded in acknowledgment.

"You know, Kudo," Ai said lightly, "people can't go against the flow of time. If they try to force change, in the long run, they will be punished."

"For example, with death?" Conan asked hesitantly.

Ai said nothing, but her expression said it all.

Conan was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't care about that. I just don't want Ran to find out, and I don't want her to get involved in troublesome events because of me."

"Oh, really?" Ai smiled faintly. "Then you should leave instead of sticking to her like a piece of gum."

"…"

Those familiar sharp words left Conan speechless for a moment.

After a while, he lifted his head.

"Give it to me, Haibara—the formula and the data. I'll contact my parents and ask them to find someone to help with the research."

"Heh, what a selfish man," Ai said lightly.

"In the basement of the professor's house, in drawer number three, there's a USB drive containing some of the research data I restored."

"Really? Thanks."

Conan stuffed his hands into his pockets and turned to leave.

After hesitating for a moment, he stopped again.

"Haibara, can't you really come back?" He looked into Ai's eyes. "I'm willing to apologize for what I said in the past. I admit I was a bit impulsive and spoke without considering your feelings."

Ai looked at him and smiled slightly.

"My name is Kumiko, not Haibara."

"Is that so?"

Conan gazed deeply at Ai.

"If the antidote is successfully developed, I'll give you a copy."

After saying that, he hurried off, probably rushing back to work on the antidote.

Ai stood there in silence, holding the can of coffee in her hand.

"Come out, you've been listening for a while now."

Across the hallway, Keisuke Kumiko stepped out of the shadows.

"I heard something incredible," Keisuke said, smiling and clapping.

"So, since he begged you like that, why don't you go back with him?" He tilted his head, looking very curious.

Ai didn't answer but instead asked, "What about your lawsuit? It ended so soon?"

"Of course not, because there was a problem with Reiko Kujo. When the judge questioned her, she hesitated and spoke incoherently, so the court had to suspend the session for 30 minutes. She's like that—very easy to deal with."

Keisuke shrugged and looked at Ai with a smile.

"Alright, don't change the subject. Answer my question now."

Ai still didn't answer, but the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

"Take a guess."

"Because that boy's pursuit of the truth makes you feel fear deep in your heart." Keisuke looked into her eyes. "And in the legal world, the truth isn't the only thing that matters."

Ai said nothing and silently looked at him.

After a long moment, she let out a deep sigh. "If you were my opponent, you'd probably be the hardest one to deal with."

"Oh, but on the other hand, if I were your teammate, I'd also let you slack off. Is that what you mean?" Keisuke Kumiko said with a grin.

"You really are that kind of person…"

Ai shook her head softly.

After a pause, her expression returned to calm.

"I'll leave tonight and won't cause you any trouble," she said.

"What trouble? What are you talking about?"

Kumimon put on a surprised expression.

He crouched down and gently patted her head.

"Stop joking. Where else could I find a worker as easy to use as you, who doesn't even need to be paid? You're not allowed to leave. You have to stay and work for me for free for the rest of your life. Your name is Kumiko Ai, and you must keep calling yourself Kumiko forever."

Keisuke reached out, took the can of coffee from Ai's hand, and replaced it with a can of pure milk.

"Besides, kids aren't allowed to drink coffee—just stick to milk."

After saying that, Keisuke Kumiko smiled slightly, stood up, and walked out of the hallway.

Ai stood there, dumbfounded, staring at Keisuke Kumiko's back.

She lowered her head and looked at the milk in her hand.

After a long time, the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

"Interesting. Then, I'll do as you wish… I'd like to see just how far someone as gray as you can go, Keisuke Kumiko."

…

Keisuke Kumiko walked down the hallway, comfortably drinking the coffee in his hand.

"A can of coffee costs 250 yen, and a can of milk only 150 yen. I'm making a huge profit!"

He smiled triumphantly to himself.

"What I just said must have been very good for her. This way, I can dump all the work on her in the future, and she'll be willing to work overtime. I don't have to pay her extra, and I can even deduct a little from her pocket money…"

Keisuke calculated in his mind and sighed in satisfaction.

As expected of himself—truly intelligent.

After resting in the hallway for a while and checking the time on his phone, Kumimon returned to the arbitration room to prepare for the rest of the trial.

He was humming a tune, looking relaxed.

Because, for him, this process wasn't difficult at all.

After analyzing every aspect of the case, he realized it was full of loopholes.

Even without using any underhanded means, fighting fairly, he would definitely win.

(End of this chapter)