"No, otou-san, I already told you, I'm not HUNGRY," She shouted as she slammed the door shut behind her. She paused a moment as she heard her father from the hallway entrance. She mouthed in unison to his hollering, "You're never hungry! Heard you the first hundred times, Inspector.." The girl grumbled as she dropped her items beside her bedroom door. Her navy blue school blazer slid from her sagging shoulders as she loosened her tie with a sigh.
Ever since Kaito's disappearance, she had slowly been losing her appetite and interest in her studies. Her father had gone back to working homicide cases at his precinct, and had become much more irritable than he had been when fighting against the Phantom Thief. And since he had gone back to his old gig, he had even less time to spend with his only daughter. He hadn't even noticed she wore a yellow ribbon in her hair, or her mother's old locket around her neck when she waltzed in the front door, after school. She kicked off her shoes and without changing out of her mandatory uniform, Aoko fell onto her bed, arms sprawled, eyes shut. She was so tired.
As soon as her head hit the pillows, her eyes opened. Her room was dark—much darker than it had been a second ago. But that concern didn't seem as important as it should've been. Suddenly, she felt a pressure on the lower half of her body as a strange sensation swept across her, starting from the pit of her stomach and ending as an almost inaudible sigh, escaping her parted lips. A cool touch, that she recognized to be a hand against her considerably warmer flesh, sent shivers up her spine. The second hand gripped her opposite hip as she felt the soft lips above her belly button. Goosebumps erupted along her silky skin as her lids slid to a shut, exhaling sharply as the pressure disappeared. Once more, her eyes fluttered open. She smiled meekly at the figure hovering above her, "Where have you been?"
She turned her head to the side, biting down on her bottom lip and grasping at his shoulders, "K-Kaito.." She breathed, never having felt such a wonderfully strange experience before in her life. His hands were like magic, and he was going to show her how good of a magician he really was. She glanced down at her exposed torso and spied his hand finding its way back under her skirt. As his fingers nimbly worked on the girl, she clutched to his body, hot breath hitting his earlobe in heavy puffs, "W-why are wearing that stupid monocle?" She managed inbetween groans of bliss.
The chuckle didn't phase her as she continued enjoying the special attention she was receiving. But still.. despite the wonders of his digits and the soft caress of his lips against her neck and the depth of his soothing voice, she couldn't help but feel an underlying perplexion. She noticed the monocle, the white tuxedo.. the top hat resting on the pillow beside her head, the glove of the free hand, fondling her breast through the fabric of her bra. She turned back to gazing through heavy lids at the ceiling.
Kaito slid into her visage and the corners of her mouth curled into a satisfied smile, "How do you feel now?" Her fingers tangled themselves within his dark tresses as she pulled him down for a kiss.
Just as their lips were about to touch, her eyes flew open. Once again, her room was dark. But no Kaito lingered over her. Her clothes were undisturbed, her room was perfectly still. The girl sat up, breathing evenly through parted lips. She could still feel his cool hand on her warm side, that tingling sensation and the fluttering in her stomach as he touched her. She sighed. But it was just a dream.. Aoko moved to the end of her bed and let her feet dangle from the edge. A heavy hand lifted and sifted through her touseled brown hair, "Oh.. where are you?" The tired girl sighed into her hands. Her brows furrowed in confusion. A shadow was casted along the length of her room. Had she drawn the curtains? She noticed the draft. Had she left it open? As she lowered her hands, her eyes widened.
It was the Kid! Why was he in her bedroom in the middle of the night? She had nothing of value for him to steal. Did he know she was Inspector Nakamori's daughter? "You want my dad, don't you?" She whispered, not moving from her bed.
"No. I want you." It came as such a shock to the girl. What did he want with her? What could he possibly want from her?
"Me? Why?" She became fixated on the glare of his monocle, almost enchanted by it. It was so familiar.. Images of her dream flashed into the girl's mind. A tinge of pink kissed her cheeks at the memories of her dream.
For the longest moment, the thief remained silent. His stare was so intense: he wanted the visual of the girl to remained etched into his memory's eye forever. He never wanted to forget her messy tresses, her supple tiers, her flawless complexion, her soft curves, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, "I needed to see you.."
"I don't understand." She blurted out, eyebrows knitted in confusion. Aoko rose from her previous position, taking a step away to strengthen the distance.
"I don't have a lot of time.. do you trust me?" The Kid asked, pleaded, reaching a hand out for her.
"I.. I.." Aoko noticed the quiet desperation in his voice. She was befuddled by this bizarre turn of events. Oh, she never would have expected to find the phantom thief, Kaitou Kid, sneaking into her bedroom in the middle of night, seeking her presence. Despite the Kid's mile-long wrap sheet, Aoko acted fervidly. She inched toward him and slid her hand into his. Her mind raced as his hand closed around hers.
What was she doing? She hated Kaitou Kid! She wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. Aoko was probably the only girl alive who hadn't been swayed by his suave complex or swooned after him. She wasn't part of his fan club, she didn't care for him because of the humiliation he put her father through.
But the Kid laughed in relief as he tugged at her, pulling her body into him. And she let him. Aoko felt his arms enveloping her in a tight embrace, felt the fabric of his glove massaging her scalp, felt the hot puffs of breath on her earlobe, followed by the cold tip of his nose nuzzling into the nape of her neck. Goosebumps erupted along her pale flesh.
All of these sensations overwhelmed her. She felt compelled to feel something other than bewilderment. Aoko felt as though she was closer to the Kid than she was with anybody else. A second thought of hesitation didn't even cross her mind as she snaked her arms around his neck, squeezing him, pressing herself into him. He tightened his grip on her.
"I thought you wouldn't recognize me.." He whispered into her ear, "I was so sure you would make me go." Aoko exhaled sharply.
The truth was, she still didn't know who he was. But that didn't stop her from feeling the need to be close to him, or satisfying his desire to be close to her. There was a nagging voice in the back of her mind, telling her to remember who he was. Because she must've known him if he would risk breaking into the room of a well-respected Inspector's daughter.
But she knew she knew him. He felt familiar to her. She trusted him, in spite of everything he was responsible for, everything she was taught to stay away from.
"I've missed you so much." Suddenly, the girl's eyes widened as she gasped.
"Kaito?" She pulled away from him, mouth agape. She couldn't believe it. After all this time.. it was him. Kaito was the Kid.. the same man her father had become obsessed with finding. The same man she had been vying with for the attention of her father. The same man she was in love with.
"I.." The Kid fumbled with his words. He opened his mouth to try to form a sentence, but Aoko pressed a finger against his lips.
"I knew it.. all this time, it was you. You did the same stupid, irritable things as the Kid that I recognized from you, Kaito. And.. you always seemed to give me subtle clues.. as if you wanted me to find out." Aoko reached a hand up to remove the monocle, "My magician, the criminal.. where have you been?"
"Caught up in some ugly business.. I risked a lot coming to see you—but I didn't think I could make it another night without you."
"I'm glad you're here."
"I can't stay long.." Aoko shook her head, the tears swelled in her eyes. She stood on the tips of her toes, catching Kaito by surprise with a heart-felt kiss. The magician responded to her advances with urgency. It was almost as though he would never be able to feel her lips again, taste them, cherish them. He acted as though he would never see her again.
Finally, Aoko broke away. Kaito gazed down at her tear-stricken face. He never wanted to leave her, but he had overstayed his welcome. He acted irrationally when he snuck into the Nakamori residence and didn't do an upstanding job making sure he wasn't being tracked. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to Aoko because of his stupidity and carelessness. Her safety was more important to him than his longing for her.
"I have to go.." He whispered.
"No, please, stay." Aoko begged, throwing her arms around his neck, clinging to him, "Don't leave me again."
"Aoko, I have to.. I'm putting you in danger by staying here—"
"I don't care! I don't care, just don't leave me!"
"Please.. this is hard enough as it is, beautiful.." She shook her head frantically, sobbing into his chest. His heart shattered into a million pieces at the sounds of her whimpers.
"I-if you can't stay here, take me with you!" Aoko exclaimed, desperately, clutched to his frame, never wanting to let go.
"Aoko, my love, I can't.. you can't come with me.." He muttered into the crown of her head gently, planting loving kisses all over her hair, "I don't want anything to happen to you—"
"But why?" The girl demanded, angry tears in her eyes, " What ugly business have you been caught up in? What's happening?" She grasped his chin in her hands, gently stroking the side of his face, "Why do I get the feeling I may never see you again?" She asked in a whisper.
"Aoko-chan.." He choked up, reaching a hand to place over hers, "I have to disappear.."
"But what about me? What am I supposed to do without you, Kaito!" She demanded through clenched teeth, the tears streaming down her cheeks, "What about your mum? What about school? What about the dance? You were supposed to take me! We were supposed to have fun, like normal teenagers!" Aoko balled a hand into a fist and hastily wiped her tears away, "What have you gotten yourself into! Why are you dressed up as the Kid? What else are you lying to me about?"
Kaito's face fell. She looked so hurt.. but he never meant to lie to her. Picking up the persona of Kaitou Kid initially started out as a way to figure out his father's murders, but the heists with the Inspector and the adoration of the fans.. that got him sidetracked. When he finally realized the importance of being the Kid, and the endless possibilities that came along with it, it was too late.
Although he didn't want to tear his gaze away from Aoko, he had to glance at the clock—he was already running late.
"Listen to me, Aoko.. I'm sorry for not telling you about being the Kid before. I may have done some very stupid and reckless things as the Kid, but I had a ton of fun with your dad and his subordinates and nobody got hurt," He explained softly, cupping her chin, watching the anger dissolve from her eyes, "My father was the original Kaitou Kid. I accidentally found his lair.. his servant, Jii, posed as the Kid eight years after my father's death. Once he filled me in on my father's second life, I picked up where he left off."
Aoko's eyes widened in surprise. His father? Kuroba Touichi? The world-renowed magician? HE was the original Kaitou Kid? "B-but.." Kaito shook his head to silence her.
"We thought my father's dead was a tragic accident, but Jii and I have reason to believe he was murdered."
MURDERED? Kuroba-san was murdered? But who would ever want to kill such a kind man? I remember him, he was a delight! And he always performed magic tricks whenever I would come over to play with Kaito-kun..
Aoko stared at her magician. "I trust you with every fiber of my being.." Her brows furrowed in confusion. What was he trying to get at? "And that's why I'm telling you this. You, of all people, deserve to know."
"To know what?"
"Please.." Kaito sighed, "Please understand me when I say I have to go away.."
"Kaito.. I don't like where this is going.."
"Kaito has to disappear for awhile.."
"W-what do you mean?"
"What I mean is.. starting from tomorrow at 13:45, Kuroba Kaito is going to be dead."
"What? Are you crazy—"
"AOKO," the boy grasped her shoulders, firmly, "Listen to me! As long as Kaito is around, you're not safe! Do you have any idea how out of my mind with I am with worry? I'm so afraid for your safety! I don't know what I'd do if anything were to happen to you!"
"K-Kaito.." She sniffed, her bottom lip quivering, "I thought you were trying to avoid me.. after.." Her voice trailed off.
"Of course not.." He murmured, "I'm not trying to run away from you.. although, admittedly.. your confession didn't come as much of a shock." Kaito chuckled, happy to see the faintest sign of a smile on his girl's beautiful face, "I am quite charming."
"Don't be arrogant.." Aoko's ghost of a smile faded, "I meant it, you know.."
"I know."
"Please, remember it."
"It's the only thing that's kept me going since I've been away from you."
"Promise me you'll be safe."
"I promise to try."
"Don't forget about me."
"Forget about you? Impossible.. you're the thorn in my side," He flashed her a rueful smile, "The splinter I can't seem to get rid of.. and I.." He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He spent so many hours in the past month he had been slipping out of his normal teenage life, thinking of the perfect moment to tell her. But every moment with her was perfect.. and what if he never got the opportunity to tell her again? He couldn't risk jumping out her window without her hearing the words.. "I love you."
He had never seen a more beautiful smile in all of his life, "I love you too, Kaito-kun.." She pulled him into another kiss. It was too short-lived for the magician, but he had to leave.
"My heart will always belong to you, Aoko.." He whispered into her ear as he embraced her, "I will want nothing else to see me through, if I could spend my lifetime loving you.." Aoko's eyes brimmed with tears as her magician detached himself from the girl and moved in front of the window. She clenched her jaw, as he turned his back to her, "There was something different about your hair today.. I noticed it immediately. It was the bow.. I gave that to you when we were in junior high.. It came on the bear I won for you at the carnival." He chuckled, "See you."
"Wait!" Aoko stepped forward, hand out-stretched to stop him. He was gone in a cloud of smoke. On the window sill was a single rose with a little card attached:
Never forget your poke face.
with much love,
the devilishly handsome Kaito~
A/N: I'm not going to elaborate on what happened to Kaito or whether or not Aoko ever saw him again. This isn't going to blossom into a series. It was just something I started, I'm not exactly sure where the angst came from, haha. But if there had to be a tearful goodbye between Kaito and Aoko, I guess this is how I would imagine it happening. Or not, I don't know.
Also, I may have borrowed some lyrics from the Tina Arena/Marc Anthony song I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You. This has become my absolute favorite song and I can't get over how beautiful it is. It definitely reminds me of Kaito/Aoko and Ran/Shinichi.
Anyways, I don't see the Kaito/Aoko relationship as tragic as Ran/Shinichi so this was a different experience, writing this piece, but.. I think it came out okay.
Actually, I really want to know what YOU think. C: