She was an elegant lady.
She wore a well-tailored, cream-colored trench coat, a black bucket hat, and a silk scarf with a golden ginkgo leaf pattern around her neck.
Her short golden hair, peeking out from under the brim of her hat, shimmered under the light.
She tilted her head slightly, gazing intently at the ginkgo tree in front of her, as if waiting for something.
Dr. Agasa's steps suddenly halted about ten meters from the ginkgo tree.
He gasped for breath, looking at the figure that had appeared countless times in his dreams, his eyes instantly welling up.
Forty years... a full forty years... Fusae was still so beautiful; time seemed to be exceptionally kind to her. In her fifties, she looked like she was in her early thirties.
As for him, his temples were already gray, and he had become a balding, middle-aged man.
Dr. Agasa was about to call out her name when he suddenly saw a foreign man next to her, walking towards a car nearby. He was handsome and looked very compatible with Fusae.
Fusae, under the tree, heard footsteps and slowly turned her head.
When she saw the panting, thinning-haired, yet still familiar figure, her eyes widened, and a shy, surprised smile, like a young girl's, appeared on her lips.
But soon, she saw the Detective Boys behind Dr. Agasa, and her gaze quickly dimmed.
Dr. Agasa and Fusae both felt a tremendous sense of loss.
'Sure enough... how could someone as outstanding as Fusae remain single? That gentleman must be her husband. He looks so excellent...'
His heart sank to the bottom, and the smile on his face became incredibly forced and awkward.
Fusae's gaze swept over the adorable children of the Detective Boys, and the curve of her lips, which she had tried to maintain, became incredibly bitter.
'Agasa-kun... he really has his own family now, and his grandchildren are already so big... That's good...'
Dr. Agasa, Fusae, After nearly half a century of waiting, did they miss their chance after all?
An awkward silence began to spread between the two.
Joy was dispersed by misunderstanding, leaving only polite distance and suppressed heartache.
Finally, Dr. Agasa awkwardly broke the deadlock. He scratched his head, not daring to look at her face or the ginkgo leaves scattered on the ground.
"Are... are you also here to admire the ginkgo?" His voice was dry, and his greeting was a bit stiff.
Fusae took a deep breath and forced a polite smile: "Yes... the ginkgo here has always been beautiful."
Her gaze did not meet his, as if she were talking to the air.
She turned slightly, seemingly preparing to leave, "Excuse me, my husband is still waiting for me in the car. I'll take my leave now."
She deliberately emphasized the word "husband," even though the foreign man was actually just her assistant.
Her purpose in saying this was to relieve Dr. Agasa of any psychological burden, if they both had families, then neither owed the other anything.
From beginning to end, neither of them called the other's name, nor did they mention any childhood promises.
Just as Fusae turned and was about to take a step—
"Please wait! Fusae-san!"
Rin strode forward, directly blocking Fusae's path.
Fusae was forced to stop, her back to Dr. Agasa.
At that moment, Rin clearly saw that this lady, who had just been so elegant and composed, had trembling shoulders, and crystal tears, like broken pearls, continuously streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the silk scarf with the ginkgo leaves.
All her strength and pretense collapsed the moment she turned around.
Rin's last trace of hesitation vanished.
She ignored Dr. Agasa's anxious dissuasion from behind, "Rin, don't do this! She's already married, you'll make it difficult for her! Some things are better left unsaid..."
"Doctor, shut up!"
Rin stopped his consideration, then looked directly at the tear-streaked Fusae, and spoke bluntly.
"Fusae-san, there's a huge misunderstanding between you and the Doctor!
Dr. Agasa, he is still unmarried! The person he loves in his heart has always been only you!
He has been waiting for you for more than forty years!"
Fusae's body trembled violently, and she looked at Rin in disbelief, tears still gushing out.
Dr. Agasa was also stunned. "Rin, you..."
Fusae's "husband" was still watching nearby.
Wouldn't being so direct cause trouble for Fusae? He didn't want to disturb someone else's happy family.
Rin gave no one a chance to interrupt, speaking rapidly.
"And! These children,"
She pointed to the Detective Boys,
"They are just the children of the Doctor's friends, who often come to his house to play! They are not the Doctor's grandchildren at all! The Doctor, he has always been a lonely bachelor!"
"Is... is this true?" Fusae's voice trembled as she turned to look at Dr. Agasa.
Dr. Agasa was caught off guard by Rin's words, his face reddened.
Looking at Fusae's expectant eyes, he subconsciously nodded.
Rin continued to press, pointing to the scarf around Fusae's neck.
"And Fusae-san, if I'm not mistaken, the internationally renowned luxury brand you founded, its logo is a golden ginkgo leaf, correct?"
Fusae subconsciously nodded.
"And the inspiration for this logo," Rin said with certainty, "was Dr. Agasa's compliment to your golden hair back then: 'As beautiful as a ginkgo leaf.' You've never forgotten it, have you?"
Fusae's tears flowed even more fiercely, but she did not deny it.
Rin finally pointed to the conspicuous pile of opened bread wrappers next to the driver's seat of the car:
"The most important thing is this! I heard Ayumi say that she saw this car parked here this morning. What do these bread bags indicate?
They indicate that ,Fusae-san, you have been waiting here since morning, not moving an inch!
You were afraid of missing the Doctor, so you only dared to eat some bread in the car! You waited all day!
You waited forty years! If this isn't love, then what it is?!"
Rin's words were like a barrage, completely tearing apart all misunderstandings.
Fusae's assistant, the foreign gentleman, also got out of the car at this point, and he explained with an accent:
"I apologize, it seems there's been a misunderstanding. I am not Ms. Fusae husband, but her assistant. Ms. Fusae has indeed been single, and for today's appointment, she flew back from abroad last night."
The truth was revealed!
Fusae could no longer hold back, covering her face with her hands, tears pouring out from between her fingers, but unlike before, the tears she shed now were tears of joy.
Dr. Agasa was also already shedding tears of old age.
He looked at Fusae, who was crying like a little girl in front of him, and all his concerns were cast aside.
He stumbled forward a step, like a young boy, wiping his tears haphazardly with his sleeve, his voice choked with emotion:
"Fusae! I'm sorry! I... made you wait so long! I... I was too stupid, I could never solve that cipher... But! But my feelings have never changed!"
He raised his head, his gaze burning as he looked directly into Fusae's eyes, and with all his strength, he shouted the confession that was nearly half a century late.
"I still like ginkgo leaves! I've always, always liked ginkgo leaves! It has never changed!!!"
As the Doctor's words fell, golden ginkgo leaves fluttered down above their heads, like a rain of blessings.
The three real children of the Detective Boys excitedly hugged each other and cheered.
Fusae, whose tears Dr. Agasa had wiped away, looked at Ling and asked curiously.
"Thank you. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have had to wait another ten years. Your observation is so keen, are you a detective?"
Rin shook her head, imitating Conan's concluding gesture, and pushed up her non-existent glasses.
"Atashi wa Rin, Tada no heibon na Bideoten no Tenshu yo. (I'am Rin, Just an ordinary video store owner.)"
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T/N: That japanese line is something i add myself, hehe~ >w<, how is it?