Saying they were "waiting for him" was really just polite talk.
When Shimizu Koji arrived at Professor Agasa's house with Ayumi, he found it unexpectedly lively.
Besides Conan, whom Koji already knew, there were two other boys.
The three of them were sitting at the dining table, each with a steak on their plate. Conan and the slimmer boy were whispering animatedly to each other, while the chubby boy—who looked like a miniature Professor Agasa—was focused entirely on eating, occasionally glancing at the other two.
"Haha, Koji, you're here! Sit down, sit down. Yours will be ready in just a moment," Professor Agasa called out cheerfully.
The layout of Agasa's house was unlike that of an ordinary villa. In the center of the living room was an open, bar-style kitchen, where Professor Agasa—dressed in a chef's outfit—was standing behind the counter, frying steaks for everyone.
As soon as Ayumi came in, she hurried over to the counter. After greeting Koji, Professor Agasa leaned down, whispered a few words to her with a smile, and patted her head.
Blushing slightly, Ayumi nodded happily, picked up her plate of steak, and went to sit beside the three boys.
Conan glanced back at Koji and greeted him with a quick "Brother Koji," clearly preoccupied. He was studying a small slip of paper with a serious expression, barely touching his food.
The other two boys were more polite. When Koji approached, they greeted him first and introduced themselves.
"Brother Koji, my name is Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko. I'm currently in Class 1-B at Teitan Elementary School. It's nice to meet you," said one.
"I—I'm Kojima Genta. Nice to meet you too, Brother Koji," the other added.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Shimizu Koji. I'm staying next door for the time being," Koji replied.
As Genta spoke, he wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. His personality and behavior fit his build perfectly.
As for Ayumi, Koji had already met her before they came in.
Koji took a seat at the counter, a short distance away from the elementary schoolers, though he could still hear their noisy chatter.
"Treasure map," "Conan, can you figure it out?"—things like that.
"They're all Conan's classmates. Ever since they met, they've been coming over often to hang out with him," Professor Agasa explained softly, smiling as he looked at the four children.
"They really are full of energy. And I didn't realize Conan actually had friends his own age," Koji remarked casually.
Professor Agasa paused for a moment, seemingly puzzled by Koji's comment—or perhaps surprised that Koji was being so talkative.
The next second, however, white smoke suddenly billowed up from the frying pan. After a flurry of panicked movements, a steak with a slightly charred corner was produced.
"Uh, sorry about that, Koji. You might have to wait a bit longer," Professor Agasa said awkwardly, planning to set the undercooked steak aside for himself.
Koji shook his head silently and reached behind the counter to take the plate himself.
"No need. This is fine. I actually like it a bit crispy."
Professor Agasa blinked, then smiled and nodded. "Alright, then." He turned back to prepare the final steak for himself.
"Conan's really just a bit smarter than most. He actually gets along quite well with those kids," Professor Agasa added, picking up the earlier thread of conversation.
Koji nodded slightly as he ate, offering no comment.
Less than two minutes later, Conan suddenly wolfed down a steak nearly the size of his face in just a few bites, then hopped straight off his chair.
The other three kids moved in perfect sync with him.
"Alright, let's continue our mission!"
"The Junior Detective League!"
"Move out!"
Although Conan didn't shout the slogan as enthusiastically as the others, his eyes were bright, clearly full of excitement.
"Hey, hey, wait a minute! Ayumi hasn't finished eating yet!" Professor Agasa hurriedly called out.
Koji watched with amusement as the group immediately deflated.
"The Junior Detective League?" Koji asked.
"Yes! That's the name of our newly formed team!" Mitsuhiko replied with a grin.
Genta chuckled proudly, clearly pleased with himself. Conan looked slightly helpless but didn't bother to argue. Ayumi obediently sat back down to continue eating.
Koji's gaze swept over the group, and he smiled faintly.
"I see. Mitsuhiko is the 'boy,' Conan with the glasses is the 'detective,' and Genta, who looks a bit like a rice ball, must be the 'league.' So… what does that make Ayumi?"
"Pfft—haha! R-rice ball!" Mitsuhiko burst out laughing.
"Huh?!" Conan exclaimed in surprise, then couldn't help laughing as well.
"That's not true! I'm not a rice ball!" Genta shouted, jumping to his feet and glaring fiercely at the laughing Mitsuhiko and Conan.
Ayumi couldn't help giggling too, but soon her expression shifted to curiosity and confusion.
That's right—Mitsuhiko was the boy, Conan the detective, and Genta really did seem to fit the "league." So… what was she?
Professor Agasa stared in astonishment. He hadn't expected Koji to suddenly drop what could only be described as a dry joke. But children didn't hold grudges.
Watching the lively scene unfold among the kids, then glancing at the faint smile on Koji's face, Agasa's thoughts began to race.
From across the room, he exchanged a knowing look with Conan, who seemed to have reached a similar conclusion. Both of them smiled in relief.
It seemed their "treatment" was working. They had only just begun, and already they were seeing such promising results!
Feeling rather pleased with himself, Professor Agasa's thoughts drifted away—until the steak he was frying began to hiss and smoke violently once again.
As everyone knows, once people start imagining things, it's hard for them to stop without outside intervention.
"A treasure map?" Koji asked.
"Yeah, this one," Conan said, handing him the slip of paper.
Drawn on it were several unusual geometric symbols, with the word oro written at the end.
Pointing to it, Conan explained quietly, "In Italian, this word means 'gold.'"
Koji gave him a strange look and handed the map back. "You really do know a lot."
"Oh, it's nothing. I just looked it up in a book," Conan replied modestly.
Koji didn't take the so-called treasure map seriously. Who would make a map like this? Still, seeing how excited the children were, he had no intention of dampening their spirits.
"Have fun," he said.
"Thank you, Brother Koji!"
Aside from Genta, who was still a little disgruntled and grumbling under his breath, Ayumi, Mitsuhiko, and Conan cheerfully waved goodbye to Koji and Professor Agasa before rushing out together.
Professor Agasa had actually considered suggesting that Koji go along with them—using the excuse of helping look after the kids. But perhaps he felt that would be a bit childish, so he ultimately said nothing.
"Thank you for the meal, Professor Agasa. I have some things to take care of this afternoon, so I'll be heading out," Koji said.
Not long after Conan and the others left, Koji finished his steak, chatted briefly with Professor Agasa, and then took his leave.