Conan: I'm Really Not Tokyo Ghost Story

Page 190

Chapter 209, Part 208: A warm welcome to Kogoro Mouri as he enters the psychiatric ward!

...Although the occasion for this reunion seems a bit inappropriate.

Sano still remembers the surprise, embarrassment, and hesitation in Asai Narumi's eyes when he saw him.

...In fact, when Asai Narumi received the CT report and saw the patient's name on it, he wondered if the patient might be the high school detective he had met once before on Tsukikage Island.

But later, Asai Narumi thought that a famous detective who was only a high school student shouldn't be in a psychiatric ward, so he didn't pay much attention. But he didn't expect... that it was actually true.

That's why Asai Narumi was surprised.

The awkwardness lies in the fact that the two sides actually met again in such a setting.

What they wanted to say but couldn't was that the two had met once before, and although the interval between the two meetings was not long, their situations had changed drastically.

Pretending to keep quiet doesn't seem like a good idea.

If I were to offer words of comfort... after all, I've only met the other person once, so what right do I have to point fingers at them?

Doing so might make others feel that you are pitying the other person, as if you are putting yourself in a superior position.

Therefore, in the end, Asai Narumi could only remain silent.

As for Amuro Tooru, although he wasn't there to work but to volunteer, Sano felt there wasn't much difference in essence.

Anyway, it's just... because I'm bored.

They spend all their time running around instead of carrying out the organization's tasks, claiming it's all for intelligence gathering.

They don't have to do anything "bad" and can openly raise funds through expense reimbursement.

Kill two birds with one stone.

Sano never expected that Amuro Tooru would happen to be so free that he would come to Beika General Hospital, run into Asai Narumi, and then, coincidentally... run into himself.

Therefore, if we're talking about surprises, the most surprised of the three present was undoubtedly Amuro Tooru.

Amuro Tooru still hasn't forgotten how, when he pushed the stroller and followed Asai Narumi into the psychiatric ward, he stared wide-eyed at Sano with a look of utter astonishment, scrutinizing the other man's hospital gown over and over again, and finally, still not believing it, confirmed the ward location.

...It is definitely a psychiatric department.

What the hell is Sano doing here?!

Amuro Tooru was completely bewildered as he listened to Asai Narumi and Sano explain his CT scan results.

Then Amuro Tooru was even more shocked.

What the hell is this?

How come your own employee has developed a mental illness after only a short period of absence?

Shocked, Amuro Tooru didn't even greet Sano. When he came to his senses, Sano had already fallen silent, so Amuro could only remain silent as well.

"Oh, Master, relax. We're all the same. There's nothing to worry about."

Sano glanced at Ito Taka, who was patting his shoulder. Although Ito Taka's words sounded like he was trying to comfort him, he felt like he was seeing those stupid classmates from his past life who had been scolded by their homeroom teacher for not doing their homework, and then turned around to find that they hadn't done their homework either.

"bother?"

Under Amuro Tooru's subtly worried gaze, Sano chuckled, rolled up the film in his hand, and threw it into the trash can.

"I won't let this little thing make me feel hopeless about the future. Life is short, so I should enjoy it while I can. I don't have time to waste on such trivial matters."

Seeing Sano's seemingly genuine nonchalance, Ito Taka couldn't help but be surprised: "Seriously, Master? Such a big matter, and you're not even taking it seriously?"

Why take life so seriously?

Sano glances at Ito Taka: "Living too seriously is exhausting. It's like if you start thinking about your breathing right now, you'll find that your breathing has gone from automatic to manual, which is extremely uncomfortable."

Listening to Sano's languid words, not only Ito Taka, but also Asai Narumi and Amuro Tooru, who were standing next to him, subconsciously began to pay attention to their breathing.

then……

"Holy crap, Master, it really does become manual now!"

Ito Taka stared wide-eyed, inhaling and exhaling through his nose, his face full of astonishment.

Sano glanced at Amuro Tooru and Asai Narumi, whose expressions were also somewhat strange, chuckled, waved his hand, and left: "You two have fun."

"Hey, no, Master, wait a minute! I don't know how to breathe! Can you help me get back on track?"

Ito Taka quickly caught up.

"Oh, why don't you go do something else and you'll be fine in a while? People's memories are very short..."

Amuro Tooru watched Sano and Ito Taka disappear into the group of mental patients playing video games. He tilted his head and frowned slightly.

Why does it seem like Sano is... quite adapted to this place?

Or rather, it's more like...

Enjoying oneself?

So, should I do anything for the other person?

...Although I don't know exactly what I can do.

After sighing, Amuro Tooru and Asai Narumi turned and left.

Sano peeked out from the crowd at almost the same time, staring at the two figures' backs for a while until they were completely out of sight, before calling out to the nurse outside the iron gate.

"Excuse me, nurse, I want to file a complaint!"

"That doctor... never mind, forget about the doctor, just complain about that volunteer, yes, it's that dark-skinned guy again, his attitude was extremely bad!"

Ok?

Why did I say "again"?

Watching the nurse jotting down notes in her notebook, Sano shook his head. Oh well, it doesn't matter.

"Let's play cards!"

Ito Taka, standing to the side, looked at Sano with a cryptic expression.

As patients, even those with mental illnesses, they certainly have the right and the right to complain to doctors or nurses in hospitals.

But just now, it seems that the doctor didn't offend Sano, even though he didn't say later that there was no need to complain... but the volunteer seems to be more innocent.

...Volunteers are also subject to a complaint mechanism. Although it is unreasonable to be complained about for giving without receiving anything in return, this is the reality.

If you are complained about, you will lose even the opportunity to make selfless contributions.

Could it be that Sano didn't want that dark-skinned guy to do good deeds, which is why he filed a complaint?

Noticing Ito Taka's thoughtful gaze, Sano turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ito Taka snapped out of his thoughts and chose to ask directly, "Master, why did you complain about that volunteer just now?"

"There's no reason why. If he's unhappy, I'm happy."

Sano said casually.

Ito Taka: "..."

Okay, here's the reason why Hao Shengcao (好生草) is good.

If I were that volunteer, I'd probably be furious.

For the first time, Ito Taka felt that he couldn't understand other people's thinking, even though the other person was mentally ill and had a peculiar way of thinking, and even though he himself was mentally ill.

Maybe the other person is sicker than I am, haha.

……

Sano is in the psychiatric ward for the fourth day.

"You said the police came last night?"

When Sano woke up, he heard some gossip from Ito Taka.

"Yeah, I heard it's a famous detective named Kogoro. He keeps calling the police in the middle of the night saying he saw someone committing murder, but when the police come, they find nothing at all. It's happened three times already, I think. If this keeps up, he'll probably have to come and join us."

Ito Taka's expression seemed somewhat gloating.

Sano, meanwhile, stroked his chin thoughtfully. He certainly didn't think that the matter was as simple as Kogoro Mouri hallucinating.

There's a hint of a case lurking behind it all.

But then again, having Kogoro Mouri come in and sit down, play some games and cards with me, seems... not bad at all?

Should I prepare a banner in advance?

Write something like, "A warm welcome to the world's greatest detective, Kogoro Mouri, to the psychiatric ward?"

Yes, it will definitely make this uncle so happy he'll be overjoyed.

"But speaking of which, Master, it's been so noisy every night these past few days. Except for a few who couldn't get out, everyone's been running out to gossip. How could you not know about this?"

Sano paused as he reached for his cigarette, an image of himself curled up in bed flashing through his mind.

Chapter 210, Page 209: A Promising Talent for the Intelligence Team

...With my sleeping habits of either sleeping until I naturally wake up or refusing to open my eyes unless forced to turn on the computer, how could I possibly notice such a small noise?

Sano glanced at Ito Taka, whose face was full of curiosity, and suddenly asked, "You seem to have a lot of free time. What, have you remembered how to breathe by now?"

"what?"

Ito Taka was taken aback at first, but after realizing what was happening, he slowly widened his eyes and said resentfully, "Master, what are you doing? Now I have to breathe manually again!"

"Oh."

As the sun gradually shifted, until sunset, Conan and Ran Mouri, as usual, came to visit Kogoro Mouri and, incidentally, arranged for Sano to bring "smuggled goods."

...In order not to arouse suspicion, Ran and Conan came up with a variety of diversionary schemes, changing them every day.

Therefore, even though Sano doesn't actually lack stock, he still comes to collect the goods every day, just to watch a childish performance.

Watching Ran Mouri giggle and leave with the nurse, Sano turned his gaze to Conan, who immediately pulled open his "chubby" little belly.

After taking the pile of goods, Sano continued to look at Conan.

"What's up? Is there anything else you need?"

Conan took a step back, slightly wary.