Late
1. If he knew, would he have turned around without a doubt?
"According to the news, the organisation that the FBI, CIA and the Japanese police are taking down is an enormous organisation of criminals that had targeted people worldwide."
"According to the FBI, even though that many had been injured, but every member of the Black Organisation had been cleared out."
"The high school detectives Kudou Shinichi and Hattori Heiji had been an important part of the investigation."
…
The bright sunlight waked up every corner of the city, the frozen traffic had started moving again, and as the beeping sound of the car horns announced the beginning of a new day, the city of Beika was filled up with life again.
On the busy street, people rushed to their destinations, whether it's work or school. Once in a while, someone would stop and have a look at the news on the big screen on the side of the road, and whisper to the ones next to them, but only for a few minutes at most.
For people that are living their comfortable little lives, they just choose to ignore the danger lurking in the dark.
Even when they're really close.
And of course, they wouldn't notice the boy, who is standing silently in front of the glass window.
Edogawa Conan stood quietly next to the huge, clear glass window, with the large, black glasses covering his eyes, sunlight closed around him, bit by bit, when it shone on him, it looks like as if he doesn't exist in this world.
He shouldn't exist, Conan thought, hardened his grip on his fist.
He faced the TV screen, the reporter's emotionless voice disrupted his mind again and again. Every word, every phrase, are sharp blades, stabbing into his heart.
He brought down the Black Organisation, he's not in danger every second anymore, but, he'll never be able to change back ever again.
The information about APTX 4869 had been destroyed, what that means, Haibara Ai knows, Hattori Heiji knows, Edogawa Conan knows, too.
Kudou Shinichi, had already died in the last fight. The only person that's left, is Edogawa Conan, a 7-year-old child.
He can never forget, how he felt, when he was told of that. He wasn't surprised, he wasn't furious, didn't say "I can't believe it!", the only thing that came out, was "Ah, okay, I know."
Just that.
When he finished speaking, he felt that an invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He looked up, smiled, and said, "I'm fine."
He can almost see his reflection in his eyes, he knows, he scared Hattori.
The television repeated the news again and again, it's pretty much the same thing, either describing the bravery of the police officers, or how tense the battle with the Black Organisation was.
He suddenly feels like laughing, when he brought down the organisation, it was hard, his life was on the line. But what he didn't realise was that everything else he had was on the line, too, and it's not something he could express through words.
He took a deep breath, took his school bag, slowly, he turned around, and left.
It was already the peak hour in the morning, the street was packed with people, noisy, but flourishing. Under the sunshine, Conan's black glasses reflected the light. He walked in the crowd, passing by many people, that moment, he, a seven-year-old, looked tiny, weary, and, worthless.
He remembered, once, Haibara asked him, how could he be so calm?
He said, I don't know.
I don't know, what a ridiculous word for a detective to say.
And, when he said those three words, he hid a tint of laughter, half because how ridiculous he sounded, half out of annoyance, and how hopeless he felt.
Maybe, it's just that no matter what I do and what I say, I can't actually change anything, so, it's better if I just don't try do anything at all.
He finished that sentence while smiling.
Haibara stared at him for a long time, so long that his smile had already froze by the time she moved her eyes away from him.
She took a sip from her sup of coffee, and said, "Stop with that creepy smile of yours, it looks disgusting."
Even now, on the streets, every time he thought of her words, he still cannot help but trace down his face with his fingers.
Really, he doesn't think that his smile looked bad back then.
Because, he doesn't have any other choices besides accepting the truth, does he?
"You can still choose," Haibara said with her emotionless voice, "between to tell her the truth and deny forever."
He stopped, and when he looked up, he saw, Teitan High School.
To tell her the truth, or deny forever.
Ran…Ran…
Conan's lips moved, muttering the word over and over again, with a voice full of longing, desire, and lots of mixed emotions.
He doesn't know why he is doing this, why his feet carried him here, he only knows, that he just had to see her right now, even it's just a glance from somewhere far, far away, as if that once she's in his sight, all mysteries will be resolved, everything will be all right, and he, will be able to plan out his next move.
He walked passed the buildings, passed the cafeteria, passed his classroom, step by step, he walked passed all his memories, everything seemed like it only happened yesterday, he was still arguing with Ran, so familiar, yet so far away.
As the sound of a soccer game going on on the soccer field, he stopped, but then continued to walk again, until, everything he heard came into his sight.