[Detective Conan] Mr. Kurosawa Next Door Might Be a Good Person

Aihara Reiko is a student at Teitan High School. An inconspicuous bookworm at school, she's introverted and suffers from mild self-blame delusions. Apart from her excellent grades, she has no particular hobbies or talents. After her parents die in a car accident, she works temporary jobs while continuing her studies to make ends meet. Unable to afford her old rent and too young to stay at a hotel alone, the good student has no choice but to move into the red-light district. Miss Aihara says: There's a lot of hoodlums around, the hotel owner is a bit of a crook, the crime rate is a little high, and it's a bit unsafe... but otherwise, it's pretty nice? All things considered, her neighbor, Mr. Kurosawa, is actually quite decent... apart from his bad temper, scary eyes, and antisocial personality. He doesn't look like a good person, though... does he? Gin says: I rented a room at a hotel in the red-light district for a temporary assignment and ran into a troublesome kid who claims she "wants to get along with her neighbors." I really want to shoot her. But it'd be a shame to waste a plaything, so I'll kill her later. Note: Mr. Kurosawa has no interest in being redeemed. Miss Aihara just wants to be an ordinary high school student and has no desire to join either the Black or Red factions. So the heroine won't join the Organization, get involved in its main plotlines, or learn that it exists. She'll run into cases in her daily life wherever Conan happens to be, but she won't be with Gin. An ordinary high school girl wants an ordinary romance. It'd be even better if the other person were a little more ordinary. Summary: Short story! Sweet fluff! Happy ending! (The red-light district setting here doesn't reflect reality and is specific to the Detective Conan universe.) (PS: I originally wanted to draw Gin on the cover too, but the height difference meant there wasn't enough room. Also, I'm a chronic procrastinator, so this will have to do for now.) * The main story of my new work, "[Detective Conan] [Jinpei Matsuda] Fireworks Superfan," is complete! A naturally dark, compulsive young woman x a sharp-tongued police officer. Another opposites-attract couple, in a sweet, healing short story! Theme: A naturally airheaded girl with self-blame delusions and a cold-blooded killer