124: Chapter 124 Eri Kisaki's Comfort

The morning sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hall, casting large golden spots of light on the floor.

Mouri Ran stood in front of the window, holding a coffee cup, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold glass.

The lake outside shimmered with ripples, and the sea of flowers in the distance swayed gently in the morning breeze. Pink, yellow, and purple—it looked like an overturned palette, so gorgeous that one couldn't tear their eyes away.

However, her gaze was unfocused, and Sonoko's words from last night kept echoing in her heart: "It's time to look forward."

Can she really?

She sighed softly and took a sip of coffee. The bitter taste spread across her tongue, very much like how she felt the day she learned of Shinichi's "death."

Back then, she felt like the sky had collapsed. She cried for three whole days and couldn't even eat. It was Sonoko who stayed with her every day, and Mouri Kogoro who clumsily told bad jokes, that helped her slowly get through it.

But even after so long, whenever she thought of that figure in the blue and white school uniform, her heart would still ache.

"What are you thinking about?"

A gentle voice sounded from behind. Mouri Ran turned around and saw Kisaki Eri standing not far away, holding a coffee cup. The morning light outlined her elegant silhouette, and the stray hair at her temples fluttered slightly in the breeze.

"Mom."

Mouri Ran smiled and stepped aside to let her come closer. "Nothing, I just think the scenery here is really nice."

Kisaki Eri walked to the window, looked at the sea of flowers in the distance following her gaze, and gave a soft "Hmm": "Mr. Lin Long certainly knows how to enjoy life."

She paused, turned to look at Mouri Ran, her eyes showing a hint of understanding. "Since yesterday, your mood has been a bit off. Is something on your mind?"

Mouri Ran hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

In front of her mother, she always seemed able to let down all her defenses.

"Mom, I... I want to forget Shinichi, but it seems I can't."

Her voice choked with emotion. "Sonoko said I should look forward, and I want to, but as soon as I close my eyes, I think of him..."

Kisaki Eri listened quietly without interrupting. Only after Mouri Ran finished did she sigh softly, walk over to the European-style sofa, sit down, and pat the spot beside her. "Sit down and let's talk."

Mouri Ran walked over and sat down, her hand still tightly gripping the coffee cup. The warmth of the cup seeped through her palm, but it couldn't warm the chill in her heart.

"Ran, the four words 'childhood sweetheart' sound very beautiful, don't they?"

Kisaki Eri's voice was light, carrying a hint of melancholic reminiscence. "I used to think so too. Your father and I grew up together. Back then, I always thought we would be like the stories, always together, arguing and bickering, but never able to be separated."

She instinctively raised her hand and touched the inconspicuous ring on her ring finger—it was her wedding ring from Mouri Kogoro. Even after being separated for so many years, she still wore it.

"But later I discovered that reality is not a story."

Kisaki Eri's eyes dimmed. "The bond of childhood sweethearts is sometimes even more fragile. When you are too familiar, it's easy to ignore the other person's feelings; when you are too fixated on 'how things should be,' you forget to ask yourself 'what you really want.' That's how your father and I ended up."

Mouri Ran listened quietly. This was the first time her mother had talked to her about these things.

She used to think her parents separated because of incompatible personalities, but she never thought there were so many complex emotions behind it.

"So, Ran," Kisaki Eri turned to look at her with a serious expression, "I understand how you feel now. You grew up with Shinichi, and his shadow has long been carved into your life. How could you just forget him like that?"

She paused, her tone becoming gentle. "But you must understand that 'not being able to forget' and 'not being able to let go' are two different things. The departed are gone; you cannot let yourself be trapped in memories and stagnate."

"But Mom, I really..." Mouri Ran wanted to say she had tried, but she just couldn't do it.

"I know," Kisaki Eri interrupted her. "Actually, your father and I never really favored that boy, Kudo Shinichi."

"Huh?" Mouri Ran was stunned, looking at her mother in surprise. "Why? Shinichi is very outstanding, he..."

"He is outstanding—smart, has a sense of justice, and is sincere to his friends."

Kisaki Eri nodded, but her tone carried a hint of worry. "But these virtues, when applied to love and marriage, can sometimes become hurtful weapons."

She picked up her coffee cup, took a sip, and continued: "That boy, Shinichi, is too obsessed with his 'justice.' Just think, how many times has he put himself in danger to investigate cases? And how many times has he ignored your feelings? During the last school trip, he finally had a chance to come back to see you, but because of a case, he didn't even have time to have a proper conversation with you."

Mouri Ran's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't that she hadn't noticed what her mother was saying; she just kept telling herself that Shinichi had his reasons and that he was doing it to protect everyone.

"Mom isn't saying having a sense of justice is bad," Kisaki Eri said, reading her mind and explaining softly. "It's just that society is too complex; it's not just black and white. Sometimes, knowing how to compromise and protect yourself is more important than blindly rushing forward."

"Mr. Lin Long said something to me yesterday that I think makes a lot of sense: 'This world cannot be changed by passion alone; those who don't know how to adapt will sooner or later be consumed by reality.'"

She looked at Mouri Ran with a hint of pity in her eyes: "Shinichi's 'death' is perhaps due to this very reason. He was too obsessed with uncovering the truth, forgetting that some darkness cannot be easily touched. It wasn't his fault, but it became his ending."

Mouri Ran's eyes turned red. Her mother's words were like a gentle knife, softly slicing open the reality she had never dared to face.

That's right, Shinichi was always like that—he could disregard everything for the sake of investigating a case. She had worried, but had never truly stopped him, always feeling that he could handle everything.

"The reason you can't forget him," Kisaki Eri's voice softened even more, "in my opinion, is partly because of your feelings, and partly because of 'sunk costs.' You've invested too much time and effort in him. From childhood sweethearts to mutual crushes, you feel you 'should' be with him, just like in a gambling game; you're afraid to admit that you've lost."

She held Mouri Ran's hand, her palm warm and firm: "But Ran, you need to think clearly. Is your feeling for him love, or habit? Is it really that it has to be him, or is it because of those four words 'childhood sweetheart' that make you feel you 'must' do this?"

Mouri Ran opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but found she couldn't say a word.

Her mother's words were like a mirror, reflecting those corners deep within her heart she dared not ponder—she was used to the days with Shinichi by her side, used to worrying about him, waiting for him, and even used to his neglect.

Are these habits really love?

"Mom isn't asking you to forget him immediately," Kisaki Eri gently patted the back of her hand. "I just hope you can try to let go of your obsession. Look at the people and things around you, and think about what you really want. You are still young, and there is a long road ahead in life. You cannot let memories trap your footsteps."

The sunlight outside the window grew warmer, shining on her and dispelling some of the chill.

Mouri Ran looked at her mother's gentle gaze, and that corner of her heart that had been tense for so long seemed to slowly loosen.

That's right, she was only eighteen; her life shouldn't be just about memories and waiting.

"I understand, Mom."

Mouri Ran sniffled and showed a somewhat shy smile. "Thank you for telling me all this."

Kisaki Eri smiled and raised her hand to ruffle her hair, just like when she was a child: "Silly child, why be so polite with Mom?" She stood up. "Let's go, they are probably all awake by now, it's time for breakfast."

Mouri Ran nodded and followed her mother toward the dining room. When passing by the floor-to-ceiling window, she instinctively turned her head to look back—

The sea of flowers was still gorgeous, and the lake was still clear, but at this moment in her eyes, the scenery seemed to have taken on a different meaning.

Perhaps, it really was time to look forward.

She took a deep breath and quickened her pace to catch up with her mother.

The sunlight cast a long shadow behind her, as if bidding farewell to the past and welcoming a new beginning.