The skateboard wheels rolled quietly over the pre-dawn asphalt. The scent of the tide was already far behind them. Now, the cold air of morning dew and earth filled their lungs. Haibara didn't move, her forehead still pressed against Conan's back. Only the trembling of her fingertips, clutching his clothes, betrayed that she was still conscious. Next to the Kudou residence, the entrance light of the Agasa home glowed solitary in the dark. Conan stopped the skateboard and let out a deep breath. "[gentle]We're here." "[whispers]…I know." She answered, but still didn't pull away from his back. A few seconds of silence. Just as Conan was about to speak again— *Click.* The front door swung open with force. Out came Agasa Hiroshi, wearing nothing but pajamas with a cardigan thrown over them. His white hair was a mess, his round glasses sliding down his nose. The traces of an all-nighter were painfully obvious. The professor looked at the two of them and took off his glasses. He pressed his sleeve to his eyes, his shoulders trembling. "[crying]Oh… oh, Ai-kun…!" His voice shook. A grown man, unable to hold back tears in front of two elementary schoolers. Haibara quietly stepped off the skateboard. "[gentle]…I'm home, Professor. To make up for causing a fuss, I'll do the shopping for you next time." Her usual sarcastic tone. But the slight tremor in her voice—surely, it wasn't just the pre-dawn cold. The professor put his glasses back on and sniffled. "[serious]…What happened?" Conan started to open his mouth. "Professor, actually—" "I'm not asking." Short, but firm. He cut him off. The professor crouched down in front of the entrance and gently placed a hand on Haibara's shoulder. Her dirtied uniform. The scrapes on her arm. He took it all in, and his face showed he understood something. But he didn't put it into words. "[gentle]You must be cold. And hungry, I imagine. Your injuries… just a few scrapes. Come inside. I'll make breakfast." Saying only that, the professor turned his back to them. As he headed toward the kitchen, his back looked just a little smaller than usual. Haibara murmured quietly toward his retreating figure. "[whispers]…Thank you, Professor." Her voice probably didn't reach him. But that was fine. A faint smile touched the corners of Haibara's mouth. --- The sound of eggs frying and the aroma of miso soup began to drift through the living room. The comforting, familiar scent of an ordinary morning. Conan flopped down onto the sofa and pulled out his phone. He turned on the screen. Call history. Mouri Ran. Three missed calls, quietly stacked on the display. Without a word, Conan placed the phone face-up on the table. The screen's light reflected pale blue in the dim living room. On the sofa across from him, Haibara picked up the tea set. With practiced hands, she placed tea leaves into the pot and poured hot water from the kettle. The rising fragrance of Earl Grey mingled with the smell of the omelet. Cradling her cup in both hands, she cast a single glance down at the phone on the table. She definitely saw the name etched there. But she said nothing. A heavy silence fell between them. From the kitchen came the sound of the professor humming to himself. That carefree noise only made the atmosphere in this room more complicated. "[serious]…I have to contact her." Conan muttered under his breath. "[cold]I won't stop you." Haibara took a sip of her tea and slowly set the cup down. Conan couldn't pick up the phone. His fingertips trembled, just slightly. He lifted his head and looked straight at Haibara. "[serious]I'll be honest with you." A preface. "[serious]The guilt I feel toward Ran… it won't disappear. And I don't think I want it to." His grip tightened on the phone. "[serious]Even so, I—I want to stay by your side. I know it's a contradiction. I know it's the worst. But that's how it is." Haibara caught her breath for a moment, then let the tension drain from her cheeks. "[laughing]…I know. What are you, an idiot?" It wasn't the fake smile she'd shown in the science lab. It was a genuine smile, with all the stiffness gone from her shoulders. "[angry]What the hell…" His voice came out louder than he intended, and he hurriedly covered his mouth. From the kitchen, still, the sizzle of frying eggs and the professor's humming. For a moment, an indescribably awkward atmosphere hung between them. Haibara let out a soft laugh, then slowly lowered her eyes. And when she raised her head again, her gaze was dead serious. "[serious]Don't worry about it." Her voice was quiet. "[serious]No matter who you have feelings for, I'll always be by your side. Even after this poison fades—always." Conan's breath caught in his throat. "[gentle]…And you're okay with that? Doesn't it hurt?" "[serious]Of course it hurts. What do you think?" An immediate answer. Haibara gazed at the remaining tea at the bottom of her cup and continued. "[serious]But, Kudou-kun… you're all I have. That hasn't changed from the very beginning. That's all there is to it." Her voice held none of the desperate, tearful edge it once had. It was calm and steady, filled with resolve. Conan felt he had to say something. Thank you? I'm sorry? Neither felt right, but unable to find the words, he just stared intently into Haibara's eyes. As if accepting his silence as affirmation, Haibara gave a small nod. "[sarcastic]That's fine." "Hey, the omelet's ready!" A goofy voice called out from the kitchen. Just before that— Haibara stood up smoothly and sat back down right next to Conan. She placed a hand on his shoulder and brought her face close to his ear. Close enough that her breath tickled his skin. "[whispers]Until this poison fades—no, even after it does, I'll be by your side. Kudou-kun." A whisper, but a voice with steel at its core. Something leaped in the depths of Conan's chest. A sensation like his blood boiling, then instantly freezing over. "[scared]H-hey… the professor's right there…!" His voice cracked. His heart was pounding too loud. Haibara stood up with a perfectly composed face and started walking toward the kitchen. Conan scrambled to his feet, as if chasing after her. In that moment— The phone on the table automatically entered sleep mode. The three characters that had glowed pale blue—"Mouri Ran"—silently vanished into darkness. --- Morning light streamed through the living room window. A soft, orange glow stretched long and thin between the two of them. Without a word, Conan gently took Haibara's hand. Haibara's feet, which had been carrying her toward the kitchen, stopped dead. She didn't turn around. But softly, those slender fingers squeezed his hand back. Warm. The guilt. His feelings for Ran. The suffocating weight of this forbidden relationship—none of it would disappear. Even so, this warmth touching in the morning light was the only certain truth. Hand in hand, the two of them walked toward the kitchen. The sweet scent of the professor's omelet filled the entire living room. A forbidden love, carrying all its guilt with it, continues on. Inside this poison-like happiness that only the two of them can understand.