GBP Chapter 264 [You'll definitely find a way to save me, right, Sherry?]
Chapter 264 [You'll definitely find a way to save me, right, Sherry?]
When Amuro Tooru arrived at the petting zoo, the parents were still having their final discussion and debriefing. Apart from the birds startled in the branches, no one noticed his movements.
The door uses a very common padlock, which can be easily pried open with a wire or hairpin.
Click.
The cabin was built to cultivate children's awareness of caring for life, and the animals kept there were rabbits, which are the least harmful to children.
In the corner of the cabin, a reddish-brown rabbit and a black rabbit huddled together, shivering.
Amuro Tooru carefully walked around them, looking up at the ceiling of the small house.
Animal enclosures are prone to accumulating foul odors, so the school regularly conducts thorough cleaning of the enclosures to ensure hygiene and safety.
Obviously, the ground is not a good place to hide things.
Sure enough, after comparing and investigating several places, Amuro Tooru found a metal box in the second-floor mezzanine of the wooden ceiling structure.
Over the years, a thin layer of lint has settled on the surface of the tin box. On the note pasted on the lid, a string of neat, childlike handwriting serves as a reminder:
[This is a time capsule belonging to the 19th graduating class. Please give it to the teacher if you find it.]
Just by looking at these strokes, Amuro Tooru can feel the vitality and warmth within them.
He smiled slightly: "It seems you're doing well after you moved out. That's wonderful..."
My childhood memories of Akemi Miyano are far less vivid than those of Dr. Elena.
But Amuro Tooru still remembers that every time he got injured in a fight, Akemi would take over his mother's treatment, her gentle instructions like the soft rustling of sparkling water, wrapping the bandages around and around with patience.
Like her mother, she was an angel.
"What will you remember from your elementary school days?"
With anticipation for the unknown, Amuro Tooru put on gloves and carefully opened the box.
The premature sunset cast its last rays, fragmented by the iron fence, splattering blood-red spots across the scene. The rabbit's single, dark eyes reflected the red light.
Squeak—
A soft creak echoed from the rusted joints. Pandora's box opened its doors, stretching infinitely through the dim shadows, plummeting straight into the deepest recesses of hell.
Murata, Ichihashi, Miyano...Found it! Akemi Miyano's message letter!
The letter contained very little, only three photos.
The first photo is a graduation photo of all the students in Class 6-A; the second is a group photo of Shiho and her sisters, and the person in the photo looks exactly like Ai Haibara now; and the third is a group photo of several doctors in white coats...
His purplish-gray pupils trembled.
An incredible cognitive shock came over me, making it hard to believe.
"Hey, wait, that can't be..."
An unprecedented surge of awe and excitement, stemming from the unknown, coursed through Amuro Tooru's chest. His eyes widened, and his gloved fingertips trembled: "Why is this person here?"
……
After the parent-teacher meeting, Haruya Kuromon received a call from Conan.
"Hey, Shinichi? I just finished a meeting."
"What?! Ai's aphasia is cured?!"
"Okay. Since she wants to see me, I'll be right there."
After hanging up the phone, Heimen Yaoye hurried towards the cabin, his expression as clear as a mirror, reflecting a calm indifference.
Akemi Miyano's Time Capsule is the content of chapters 1-3 of volume 101 of the original manga, which takes place far too early for the present.
Why the sudden change? Is it due to the butterfly effect, or... is someone interfering?
Haruya Kuromon clearly remembers that in the original story, Akemi Miyano left behind only her longing and blessings for her sister, as well as the metaphor of the silver bullet.
If Shiho Miyano felt the love of her family after a long time, and thus resolved her inner conflict, then that would be reasonable.
"It's a real shame, though. In my opinion, Sherry is cuter when she's trembling and can't even speak properly."
Conan, who was waiting in front of the cabin, had already come into view. Kuromon Haruya walked through the flower bed, the flickering light and shadows removing his cold demeanor and putting on a mask to paralyze his prey.
"Conan, I'm here! Where's Ai? Is she alright?"
Conan's hands, clasped tightly on his shoulders, trembled slightly. He looked up at Haruya Kuromon and couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for his voice, hoarse with worry.
Kuromon is always so gentle, but is being too considerate to his former organization members really a good thing?
Nevertheless, all he could do for now was to reassure her: "Don't worry, Kuromon-kun. Haibara is fine; she's waiting for you over there."
Extending from the direction her fingertips were pointing, inside the animal shed, Ai Haibara stood upright in the corner. She rarely removed her hood, staring intently at the object in her hand, her emotions unreadable.
"Okay, then I'll go find her first." Kuromon Haruya nodded, lowered his eyes, and couldn't hide his worry.
He slowly approached Ai Haibara, his throat tightening, and forced a smile as he said, "Ai, what happened that you wanted to see me? I heard from Conan that you can talk again, that's great!"
"Ah."
The response drifted away in the rustling of the wind through the leaves.
Her brown-red hair swayed gently in the evening breeze. As dusk fell, Ai Haibara gathered her hair and slowly turned around.
The moment he saw her expression, Yoruichi Kuromon knew that some fundamental and irreversible change had occurred.
Her icy blue eyes softened into a pool of water, and in the shimmering light of her gaze, a tenderness unlike anything she had ever shown before flickered.
The initial resistance vanished abruptly, replaced by an acceptance and recognition that nearly made Kuromon Yoya nauseous. The more meaningful her expression became, revealing a familiar, sweet joy, the stronger the murderous intent in Kuromon Yoya's heart grew.
"...Ai?"
"Good afternoon, Kuromon-nii." Ai Haibara described his nervous expression and added shyly, "Or rather, brother."
She leaned forward eagerly, pulled down his collar, and handed him the envelope she had carefully put away: "This is my sister Akemi Miyano's time capsule, mainly containing words left for me, but I think you are also entitled to see it."
What does it mean to say, 'I am also qualified to take a look'?
Upon opening the envelope, the class photo didn't contain anything particularly noteworthy.
Behind the photos of the Miyano sisters, peeling back the sticker reveals a message:
[To my sister, Shiho:]
With your high IQ, you've been sent abroad to study. Based on the talent you've shown, I think you'll likely inherit your father and mother's research in the future.
But there's one thing you must remember: even if we can't see each other, your mom, dad, and I will still love you the most!
My mother once said that silver bullets are bullets of justice.
Therefore, Shiho should be like that bullet, always flying straight forward, pursuing what she firmly believes in.
The comment was indifferent and no different from the original content, except that it mentioned "silver bullets".
If that's the case, why would Sherry make the same expression as Elena...?
Kuromon Haruya rubbed his fingers together and noticed that the thickness of the envelope was unusual: "Hmm? There's another one."
"Uh-huh!"
Under Sherry's expectant gaze, Yoruichi Kuromon reluctantly took out the third photo.
The photo was taken around late autumn, with the stark silhouette of the snow-capped mountains stretching across the horizon, and at their foot, lush and dense wheat fields undulating in the air, forming a golden sea.
Three figures stood directly in front of the field, their pure white research lab coats billowing slightly in the wind, exuding freedom and ease.
On the left is a square-faced man with a simple and honest smile, his cuffs stained with unknown reagents.
The black-haired woman in the middle deftly took their arms, as if bound by a soul connection. Her short, jet-black hair made her skin appear as white as fresh snow, her obsidian-like eyes were strikingly bright, and the corners of her lips curved into a vibrant, cheerful smile.
The blonde, blue-eyed mixed-race woman on the right blushed slightly, looking a little shy, and stood close to the black-haired woman, giving a gentle peace sign to the camera.
From left to right, the names of the characters are labeled below them: Atsushi Miyano, Miwa Kuromon, and Elena Miyano.
"..."
If it weren't for this photo, Haruya Kuromon would have almost completely forgotten about working with him back then.
The same handwriting remains on the back of the photo:
[Dear Shiho,]
While organizing my photo albums to create a time capsule, I stumbled upon this well-preserved photo that had been left behind.
You are still young. I have told you stories about your parents before, but I haven't had a chance to introduce the lady in the middle yet.
Her name is Kuromon Miwa, her original surname is Miyano Miwa, and she is Dad's younger sister, which means she is our aunt!
(However, she usually prefers to be called Meiwa-neechan (Miwa-chan), and if someone calls her auntie, she makes a really scary face.)
Aunt Mei always seemed so vibrant and enthusiastic, just as I remember her.
When I first saw this photo, I could vaguely recall her playful smile, and I almost forgot that she had perished in the fire along with her parents...
Every word is filled with memories from seventeen years ago.
Memories filled with warmth, lightheartedness, shared ideals, and teamwork.
A memory stained with blood, filled with endless arguments, shattered ideals, filled with grief and indignation, a resolute collapse, and finally, betrayal.
Just recalling that time makes Haruya Kuromon feel as if her heart is being blocked.
“Brother.” Shirley’s soft, expectant voice called him back.
"Um..."
With a sore throat, his eyes reddened. Kuromon Haruya responded in a muffled voice, knelt down on one knee, and carefully held Haibara Ai in his arms.
In a veil of pity and mercy, the demon, basking in the shadows of pleasure, curled his lips in disdain, utterly unimpressed.
'Oh, so that's what my past was all about.'