Detective Conan: I'm a Boy, But They Treat Me Like a Big Sister — Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Human Safe

Sonoko dragged Tōhō Getsukai and Ran through the glittering expanse of the banquet hall, the three of them chatting noisily over the swell of classical music until they finally reached the far end of the corridor.

A heavy, velvet-lined soundproof door blocked the way.

Two broad-shouldered security guards stood at attention by the entrance. The moment they spotted the Suzuki heiress, they bowed at a crisp angle.

“Miss Sonoko, the Madam is inside.”

“Got it.”

Sonoko pushed the heavy doors open and strutted in.

The top-floor VIP lounge was a world away from the chaotic revelry outside. The thick carpet swallowed their footsteps, and the air smelled faintly of expensive cedar and citrus. Spread across a long mahogany table were the cruise ship’s architectural blueprints, security patrol routes, and a heavily annotated guest list.

Tomoko Suzuki stood beside the table, gently swirling a half-filled glass of red wine.

She wore a sleek, tailored black evening gown that clung perfectly to her figure. Her short hair was immaculately groomed, and the signature tear mole beneath her left eye stood out sharply against her pale skin. She radiated an aura of elegant, absolute authority—a woman completely in control of her domain.

The moment Getsukai stepped into the room, her sharp gaze shifted toward him, instantly melting into the warm, approving smile of a high-society matriarch.

“Getsukai is here.”

“Good evening, Aunt Tomoko,” Getsukai greeted, his voice carrying that flawless, gentle cadence.

“Still as beautiful as ever.”

Tomoko took two measured steps closer, her eyes sweeping over his exquisite features and elegant attire. The smile on her lips deepened into something distinctly wistful.

“What a pity.”

Sonoko’s head snapped up, her radar instantly pinging. “Mom, are you going to say it again?”

“If only Getsukai were my daughter.”

“You really said it again!” Sonoko broke down on the spot, throwing her hands in the air. “I’m your real daughter, right?! Biological! Flesh and blood!”

Tomoko took a slow, deliberate sip of her red wine, her eyes sliding over to her frantic daughter with leisurely disdain.

“That is exactly why I am regretful.”

Getsukai pressed his lips together, swallowing the laugh bubbling in his throat.

This was far from his first encounter with Aunt Tomoko; Sonoko had dragged him over to the sprawling Suzuki estate on multiple occasions. Tomoko was a notoriously busy woman, managing a corporate empire, yet whenever she crossed paths with him in the halls, she always paused to chat.

The wealthy hostess possessed a surprising amount of patience for youths who were beautiful, composed, and entirely immune to stage fright.

Especially someone like Getsukai.

He was excessively gorgeous, his manners were utterly beyond reproach, and he could effortlessly pivot from discussing haute couture and culinary techniques to dissecting the subtle power plays of business banquets. He possessed all of Ayako’s soothing gentleness, yet harbored a decisive, sharp edge that the eldest Suzuki daughter lacked.

Naturally, Tomoko’s affection for him only grew with every visit.

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.” Tomoko set her wine glass down on a silver coaster and turned back to the mahogany table. “You arrived just in time. I was just about to show you a little arrangement I put together.”

Her manicured fingers reached out, unlatching a wide, velvet-lined jewelry box resting over the blueprints.

Inside, nestled in neat, uniform rows, sat over a dozen black pearl brooches. Every single one was virtually identical in size, luster, and silver setting.

Ran blinked, overwhelmed by the sudden display of wealth. “So many? Are they all imitations?”

She leaned in, picking one up and lightly tapping the smooth surface of the dark pearl with her fingertip.

“Every important female guest will wear one tonight,” Tomoko said, a confident smirk playing on her lips. “If Kaitou Kid wants to find the real one at this banquet, let him search for it slowly.”

She reached out, preparing to pop open the second velvet box.

Before her fingers could touch the latch, Getsukai reached across the table. His hand gently pressed down over hers, stopping her movement entirely.

“Sister Tōhō?” Ran looked at him, confused.

Getsukai stood perfectly still beneath the warm overhead lights, the glow catching the silver strands of his hair and softening his features. His voice remained as gentle as ever, yet it carried a weight that commanded the room.

“Aunt Tomoko, the plan is exquisite.” He paused, his eyes meeting the older woman’s. “But the Shiro Suzuki you just saw outside was disguised by Kaitou Kid.”

Clatter…

The small designer clutch in Sonoko’s hand slipped from her grip, hitting the thick carpet with a dull thud.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait!” Sonoko waved her arms frantically. “Sister Tōhō, what did you just say?! My dad was disguised by Kaitou Kid?! Then where is my real dad?! Where is my sister?!”

Ran hurriedly grabbed her shoulders, trying to hold her in place. “Sonoko, don’t panic yet!”

“How can I not panic?! Ran!”

Getsukai stepped closer, raising a hand to gently pat the top of Sonoko’s head. The soothing motion worked almost instantly.

“Shiro Suzuki and Ayako likely haven’t even boarded the ship yet,” Getsukai said, his tone steady and reassuring. “Kaitou Kid won’t hurt anyone. He is a thief, not a killer. He is likely just deceiving them on land to stall for time.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?!” Sonoko whined, though her trembling had stopped. “Why does that sound even more infuriating! That detestable Kaitou Kid!”

Tomoko did not immediately demand an explanation.

She simply stared at Getsukai for a long moment, then turned and picked up the internal communicator resting on the table. Her thumb hovered over the transmit button. She paused, glancing back over her shoulder.

“Getsukai, are you absolutely sure?”

“I am sure.”

He didn’t bother explaining the minute details of how he had seen through the disguise, and Ran didn’t question him for a second. She knew better than anyone that her ‘Sister Tōhō’ would never joke about something this serious, especially in the middle of a high-stakes heist.

Tomoko didn’t doubt him either. Her mind rapidly rewound through the evening’s events.

After that ‘Shiro Suzuki’ had boarded the ship, he had only made a brief, fleeting appearance. There were no glaring flaws in his speech, and his posture matched her husband’s perfectly. But he had deliberately lingered in the most crowded areas of the hall, surrounded by guests, and hadn’t spoken a single word to her in private.

Looking back, it was obvious. He was terrified that a private conversation with the man’s wife would instantly expose him.

He had already swapped places with Shiro before they even reached the docks.

“I see.”

Tomoko’s eyes narrowed. She walked around the table, approaching a large, classic oil painting mounted on the far wall. Her fingers slid along the ornate wooden frame, pressing a hidden latch concealed in the carving.

With a soft mechanical click, a narrow section of the wall popped outward.

Sonoko’s jaw dropped. “Mom, there’s a safe hidden here too?!”

“There are many things about this family you don’t know.”

“Am I even part of this family?!”

Ignoring her daughter’s theatrical despair, Tomoko rapidly punched a code into the keypad and pulled open the heavy steel compartment.

There were no laser grids or exaggerated traps inside—just a small, unassuming black velvet box.

She opened it. Inside, resting quietly against the fabric, was a single black pearl.

Unlike the high-quality imitations scattered on the table, this pearl’s darkness was not flat. As the ambient light of the room struck its surface, a faint, captivating layer of gentle, iridescent green shimmered from within.

This was the pride of the Suzuki family. The authentic Black Star.

Tomoko picked up the heirloom and walked straight toward Getsukai.

“Getsukai, take off the one you have on.”

Getsukai glanced down at his chest, where the imitation pearl Sonoko had forced upon him earlier rested against his lapel.

“Is Aunt Tomoko giving the Black Star to me?”

“Yes. Consider it helping your aunt look after it for the evening, alright?”

“Aunt Tomoko, wouldn’t that be far too dangerous?” Ran stepped forward, her brow furrowed in deep worry.

“Mom! Sister Tōhō is here to have fun, not to be a decoy!” Sonoko protested, her anxiety flaring up again. “How can you just turn him into your human safe?!”

“That’s fine.” Getsukai’s expression remained perfectly placid. Since Aunt Tomoko had personally asked for the favor, acting as a temporary display stand was hardly an inconvenience.

“Sister!” Ran immediately grabbed his sleeve, her knuckles turning white.

“It’s alright.”

Getsukai gently squeezed her fingers, his thumb brushing over her knuckles with practiced, comforting ease. “Kaitou Kid is targeting the gem, not me.”

Sonoko muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. “But you are much more conspicuous than the gem.”

Tomoko stepped into his personal space, her deft fingers unpinning the fake pearl from his chest and replacing it with the real Black Star.

The dark, iridescent pearl rested against his light-colored evening gown, its subtle emerald sheen perfectly complementing the cascading silver of his hair. It looked exceptionally clear, as if it had been forged specifically for him to wear.

Tomoko stepped back half a pace, her eyes sweeping over the final result.

“Thank you, Getsukai.” She offered a slight, satisfied nod. “Kaitou Kid might be clever enough to outsmart the police and impersonate my husband.”

Her lips curled into a sharp, predatory smile.

“But he would never guess that the real Black Star is resting on the chest of my daughter’s most beautiful best friend.”

“…Mom, Sister Tōhō is a boy.”

“Shut up! I know!”

Tomoko spun around and slammed her finger down on the communicator button.

“Security. Please invite ‘Mr. Shiro Suzuki’ to the VIP lounge immediately. Do not cause a scene and do not disturb the guests., notify Superintendent Nakamori to sweep the deck and the lifeboats. Tell his men to keep a very close eye on any male guests wearing white suits.”

The radio crackled, and a crisp voice replied instantly. “Yes, Madam.”

Sonoko rubbed her arms, feeling a sudden chill run down her spine. “Mom, are you just starting your counterattack right now? Just like that?”

“To have a thief attempt to steal from our very doorstep, and still pretend to be generous hosts? That would be an embarrassment to the Suzuki name.”

Tomoko released the button and turned back to Getsukai, the icy authority vanishing from her voice, replaced once again by gentle warmth.

“Getsukai, after the banquet ends, come to the Suzuki residence for dinner, alright?”

“Alright.” Getsukai nodded politely. He listened to Aunt Tomoko’s swift orders, though internally, he highly doubted Kaitou Kid would be caught by such straightforward tactics.

The phantom thief hadn’t located the real gem yet. He wouldn’t act rashly, nor would he abandon the ship so easily.

Not that Getsukai cared. He had zero interest in getting tangled up in a game of cops and robbers; he was just here to enjoy the food and the atmosphere.

“Also, if Sonoko gets too noisy, you have my full permission to scold her directly.” Tomoko added. “By the way, Ran, you come along for dinner too.”

Ran nodded obediently, offering a sweet smile. “Thank you, Aunt Tomoko.”

Getsukai took Ran’s hand and casually grabbed the wrist of the still-shell-shocked Sonoko, pulling her toward the door.

“Let’s go, Sonoko. Let’s head outside first.”

Sonoko allowed herself to be dragged out of the lounge, her eyes glued to the pearl on his chest as she muttered deliriously. “My god, Sister Tōhō has really become a human safe…”

The heavy soundproof doors swung open, and the vibrant, sweeping orchestral music from the banquet hall instantly flooded over them.

The three of them handled through the opulent corridors, finally pushing through the glass double doors leading out to the ship’s deck. The cool, salty sea breeze immediately rushed up to greet them, tossing their hair.

The luxury cruise ship had already departed the harbor and was cutting smoothly through the dark ocean waters. In the distance, the sprawling, glittering lights of Yokohama Port painted a beautiful, sprawling mix across the horizon.

Sonoko walked a few steps along the wooden deck, the sea breeze clearing her head. She replayed the conversation from the VIP lounge in her mind, and suddenly, her footsteps ground to a halt.

She slowly turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she stared intently at Getsukai’s excessively exquisite, flawless profile illuminated by the moonlight.

She pointed a trembling finger at him and blurted out.

“Wait a minute… are you really my Sister Tōhō?”

She took a cautious step back.

“Could you actually be a disguise by that pervert Kaitou Kid?!”