Game Night

[Mouri Ran]

With the recent events, Ran was stuck at home with Conan under the watchful eye of her father. From time to time, her mother would come and visit to make sure she and Conan weren't stressing themselves or were at least healing according to schedule. Of course for the nth time she had mentioned that she wasn't terrible injured, not even a little bit. Her arm was simply bruised and sore from a hit on solid concrete, which happens to anyone; but it was nothing that a good karate master can't handle though. Her parents were just so convinced otherwise.

And that was why she had decided to spend her day, or at least the better half of it, cleaning her father's trashed agency instead of doing the groceries. With cans of beer, crumpled pieces of paper, and cigarette butts everywhere, not to mention the building dust bunnies on the furniture, Ran was sure that it would take her maybe two hours to finish the job.

An hour and a half later, she was ready to throw away the trash she accumulated when the phone rang. "Mouri Detective Agency," she answered automatically.

[Kuroba Kaito]

The female's voice came through the receiver and he couldn't help his grin stretch sharp-- standing by the window just outside of the kitchen with his phone to his ear. He would catch up with Hakuba and Hattori later, should they choose to leave his sight.

Thumb loosely slung in his pocket, Kaito watched the rain angrily pour down, streaks dropping down the window glass.

"Hello, Ran-san~!" Kaito almost singsang. Actually, screw almost.

"It's Kaito. We're having a game night over at our house, and I was wondering if you could all join in?" Kudo Shinichi's home, actually, but he'd been here so long that it already felt like a second home. More like a home actually, with his mom around and boisterous shenagians to be had around each corner. If he could just somehow wedge in his father's secret room in here somewhere....

Hahaaaa, nah. Not that comfortable yet.

"We'd be serving dinner~!"

... Right? Well, if not, they could always order something.

[Mouri Ran]

The sing-song voice at the end of the line made Ran smile. "Ah, Kaito-kun," she greeted.

As he delivered his invitation across, Ran stared out the open window and watched the rain. It had been going on for a while now, and heading out in it would surely give a few stains on your clothes.

"A game night?" And she continuously stared out in the rain. They would have to go out now, assuming that she'd have someone to go with. Conan-kun of course. He'll probably want to go anyway. "I'll ask everyone, but I'm sure Conan-kun would want to go. I guess we'll be there in a while. Arigatou, Kaito-kun."

When she heard Kaito say his goodbyes, she gently placed the phone back on its place and whirled around to see their house guest, Chris Vineyard, seated on the couch. "Chris-san," she called for her attention. "Kaito-kun called and invited us over for a game night. Would you like to go with us?"

Then there was a rapping on the door followed by Sonoko's loud voice asking if she was there. Ran hurriedly moved towards the door before her friend could destroy it or wail any louder.

"Sonoko," when the door already opened slightly to reveal a peeking girl, hence she opened the door entirely.

[Vermouth]

It couldn't be helped, Chris thought irritably as Angel took care of the chores with no assistance from Detective Mouri. Chris had absolutely no respect for the ingrate and couldn't blame the wife for leaving him. For that reason alone Chris had offered to help where she could.

Unlike the others involved in the rescue mission, the actress had refused medical attention and if she was forced into the hospital she checked out the next day just to appease others. Admittedly, the actress was already contemplating on leaving the agency and calling her fabricated case closed in spite of what was stolen from her. But she worried primarily for Angel as everyone healed their injuries and decided to extend it until things settled down.

It wasn't until Chris heard Angel's question that she raised her head from what she was looking at—a magazine. Of course Chris gave off the pretense that she couldn't read Japanese and was merely looking at photographs. The actress pretended to be unfluent in Japanese as Chris Vineyard.

"A game night?" She repeated in Japanese. Although she would have avoided confrontation with Yukiko, Yuusaku already was aware of her presence within the Mouri household and so was the Mother Dove. She was normally uninterested in games, but those who would have likely been involved intrigued the actress. She was more so interested in a battle of wits against Yuusaku.

Cheating was predicted.

Chris's eyes were immediately drawn to the door when she heard a knock before she could answer, albeit surprised. She knew that the Mouris weren't expecting company, so when it was revealed to be Angel's boisterous friend at the door, Chris Vineyard stood up from the couch undisguised. There was no time for retreating in order to put on the teenage girl Irene disguise that Angel's friend would have known her as.

This was inevitable.

[Suzuki Sonoko]

"Ran!" Good, she was home. It would have been really embarrassing if she'd called through the door to find she was out, or had the glasses-brat answer instead. With the door open, she was able to peek over Ran's shoulder and into the tiny apartment. She'd always liked their place -- it was small and cozy and there was no way you could get lost in it, unlike her manor. Everyone had to sit near each other, and no one needed to shout to be heard. Although, oji-san was in the habit of shouting regardless of now near someone was.

Still, it felt nice.

Oh, but... it looked like she had company. Blinking, Sonoko eyed the woman with obvious confusion and interest.

"Hey, who's the lady? She's kind of pretty, so she can't be here to see your dad. She a new client?"

[Mouri Ran]

There weren't any messages or calls from Sonoko today that mentioned she was going to visit. Not that it wasn't usual for her to simply drop by anytime. But lately the agency had been a little strict with visits since someone was staying with them. Her father, for instance, was given the suggestion that the customers be met at another place, usually the café under their office, for meetings and inquiries.

And yet here was her best friend in front of her standing in the doorway, probably seeing the whole room by now and its occupants. How could she have forgotten that Chris was seated just on the couch?

"Ahh," Ran staggered while trying to answer Sonoko's question. She didn't know what to tell her. Looking back into the room to see their house guest standing and facing them, Ran debated whether she should tell the truth or make up some other name and simply agree with Sonoko's guess that she was nothing but another client.

"T-this is... You see..." Ran looked at Chris once again, silently asking for help and checking for signs when she indicated whether it was all right to say anything to Sonoko about her real identity. "Sonoko, this is Chris-san. She's a guest."

Short. And Ran really didn't say anything else, not even the surname. At least she told the truth. A part of it.

[Vermouth]

Chris chuckled as she heard Angel's friend's comments and read the signs that Angel gave. So she didn't know who she was.

"It's alright," Chris said coolly. "I'm just a friend of the family visiting. Just call me Chris. I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention I was here." She felt it unnecessary to provide a surname. But given the current situation, Chris wondered if it was the wisest choice to be in attendance to the invitation sent.

"Ran-san," Chris gazed towards Angel calmly. "I'll have to decline your friend's offer, perhaps invite her instead? If you girls need a ride I'll drop you off."

[Mouri Ran]

"Eh, would you be all right in here?" Ran worried.

If Chris wouldn't come then that would leave her all alone at home since her father went out with friends to play mahjong. "You're free to join us, Chris-san. I believe the invitation was open to everyone." Of course, she felt bad leaving the actress in there all alone. There would be nothing to do, not to mention that she hadn't left anything to eat. Chris would have to prepare the meal on her own, and as much as possible Ran didn't want their guest to lift a finger. But she appreciated her generous help from time to time. But if she insisted on staying then Ran wouldn't at least trouble her with the driving if it wasn't for the rain.

Ran nodded her head, "Yes, please. Sonoko and I would usually just walk since it's not that far to Shinichi's house. Sorry for the trouble, Chris-san."

"Could you wait here, Sonoko? I just have to take care of the thrash I made and then change my clothes upstairs. Oh, and Conan-kun. I'll have to ask him, too." She picked up the bin she was carrying earlier and then walked out the door, leaving the two ladies alone for a while.

In the matter of ten minutes, Ran was already rushing back down the stairs and into the office. "Gomen'nasai, Chris-san, Sonoko, I'm ready now. Conan-kun won't be joining us. He's got a lot of homework to do so if you don't mind, Chris-san, I'll be leaving him in your care for now, if it's not too much trouble for you."

[Suzuki Sonoko]

Still appearing a little confused, Sonoko gave Chris a small nod and blinked. It was a wordless promise that she would keep the pretty blonde's presence a secret -- for now. She was bound to slip up at some point, since she had a nasty and unbreakable habit of gossiping with the kids at school whenever Ran wasn't there to give her warning looks.

"Huh? Oh, uh... Yeah, sure. I can wait." Watching her best friend leave the room, she felt a rare moment of awkwardness when left with the pretty woman. Standing by the door and adjusting her bag, she gave Chris a smile she hoped seemed friendly enough. "I like your hair."

If Ran hadn't shown up again when she did, Sonoko might have gone on about how the name reminded her of someone. She wasn't sure who, but it wasn't a common name when it came to woman like her. Could it have been an author? No, she didn't read that often -- too boring. A singer? An actress? Augh, she didn't remember!

"Wait, what are you talking about? What were you invited to that I wasn't?"

[Vermouth]

"I'll be fine," Chris reassured Angel. Besides, she wasn't about to have her cover blown by this girl in front of Yukiko if she could help it. Yuusaku was already aware of her presence, but she trusted him enough to keep secrets from his wife and others. She wasn't exactly certain on this girl.

She sat back down on the couch as they waited. Given how close Angel was to this girl, Chris was unconcerned of what she did around the office. There was a scrunchie attached to her wrist which she used to put her hair up in a bun.
 
Chris merely chuckled when she heard Angel's friend's remark about her hair. It was the girl's question that made her arch a brow.

"We were just informed of it; moments before you were allowed in, Ran-san was on the phone talking with Kuroba Kaito." She said with an unamused shrug. The actress's Japanese sounded broken. "All I know is that there's a game night being held at the Kudos."

When Angel reentered the office, she stood up. "I don't mind watching him." She said simply, although in reality, it was the other way around: she was trespassing in Silver Bullet-kun's place of refuge. She grabbed her car keys that were sitting atop of Detective Mouri's desk.

"Well then, let's head out to my car." She gestured towards the door and lead the way out to her rental black Lexus, her sunglasses on despite the rainy weather in order to conceal her identity.