"It's like this—I've never even dated anyone before, and just because someone has a crush on me, my boss, who I see as a father figure, calls me over to give me a warning. How do you think that feels?"

Ren could understand Miwako's frustration. After all, no one wants someone they respect like a father to sit them down and remind them to be mindful of their professional conduct just because of someone else's feelings.

No woman would be happy in that situation.

"Yeah, I get it. That's rough."

There was a hint of dissatisfaction still lingering in Miwako's eyes.

"So, you really do think of Inspector Juzo as your father?"

There was a scene like that in the original storyline, but Ren couldn't recall exactly when it happened. He just remembered that Miwako seemed to respect Inspector Juzo a lot.

"Yeah. Eighteen years ago, after my father died in the line of duty, our family lost our main source of income. There was a pension, sure, but we couldn't live off that forever. Things were tight, so my mother had to pinch every yen."

"But when Inspector Juzo found out, he gave my mom some money every month. He said it was for my education and told her to treat it like a loan that I could repay once I grew up."

"He kept doing that every month until I graduated from university and joined the police force."

No wonder… Once Ren heard the full story, he completely understood why Miwako saw Inspector Juzo as a father figure.

Supporting a ten-year-old girl until she graduated college and entered the force—if that wasn't the definition of responsibility, what was?

This wasn't just admiration. It was gratitude on a deeper level.

Now Ren also understood more clearly why Miwako had zero patience for Takagi. Her dissatisfaction wasn't something that could just be brushed away.

Come to think of it, Takagi really did enter the force fairly late.

Ren remembered the first time Takagi showed up in the storyline—it was that case on the plane to New York. That must've been a few months before Edogawa Conan appeared.

If he recalled correctly, Inspector Juzo had taken Takagi with him on that business trip. Maybe something had gone wrong on that trip? Ren couldn't help but wonder.

He subconsciously pulled out the Maple Leaf Gold Coin, gave it a flick, and caught it in his palm. The coin landed face-up.

Seriously… Ren shook his head in disbelief.

Thinking back, from the moment Takagi first appeared, he had stood out from the other detectives as inexperienced. Maybe it wasn't because of some comedic "fool aura" but simply because he was still adapting to the job.

Maybe it wasn't staged amateurism, but genuine inexperience.

Looking at the bigger picture now, Takagi was portrayed as a rookie transferred from the Traffic Division to the Criminal Investigations Division.

With Miwako's added context, it was clear: Takagi was a greenhorn who dared to fall for a policewoman, hadn't yet built up his capabilities, and even got her scolded by someone she saw as a father.

Ren sighed. Was this one of those moments where fiction bled into reality?

"Want to go say hi?"

Miwako glanced over at Shiratori and Chiba, then shook her head.

"Better not. Officers off-duty shouldn't get involved in active patrol operations. If something comes up, it could get complicated."

Ren nodded slightly.

He didn't think Shiratori or Chiba were on some special assignment, but he understood the sentiment.

Some boundaries were necessary. Things like that probably had happened before.

"Sir, your items are all wrapped."

The clerk returned, handing over a paper bag with the carefully wrapped gifts inside.

Ren glanced at the packaging. It was neatly and beautifully done, perfect for gift-giving.

"Thanks."

He accepted the bag and looked at Miwako.

"Okay, lunch is your treat, Miwako."

"Oh, I know a great yakiniku spot around here. I went once with Yumi. The food's good and it's a nice place to talk."

Ren didn't object to the obvious lead-in. For Miwako, her father's death was still an unresolved knot—one she clearly needed to untangle.

"Let's go."

The two left the store together and headed toward the tall municipal building near where Shiratori and Chiba were still standing watch.

On the 7th floor of the building, there was a yakiniku restaurant tucked off to the side, its name was Ninku.

Inside, there were a row of private dining rooms and a larger public dining area.

Unfortunately, the public area was already packed.

Miwako walked directly to the counter.

"Hi, I'm Sato. I made a reservation."

"Ah, Miss Sato."

The cashier glanced at her and quickly responded. He pulled out the reservation log, where her name was clearly written.

"Your private room is ready. You may head in now."

He then handed over a key card.

"Thanks."

Miwako turned to Ren. "Follow me."

She led him to the reserved private room.

The room door opened with the key card. Miwako entered first.

The charcoal grill inside was already burning red-hot, and there was an assortment of meats on the table—clearly prepared in advance.

A built-in vent over the grill would handle the smoke and carbon, so there was no concern about air quality inside the room.

Floor-to-ceiling windows lined one wall, offering a great view of the city below. The room was stylishly decorated, and a shelf in the corner was stocked with wine and beverages.

It really was a great place.

From the look of it, the reservation probably wasn't cheap. But Ren didn't ask about the cost. Since it had been booked in advance, Miwako clearly didn't plan to let him pay.

(To be continued.)