Just Trying to Remember You
In the beginning, it was the end
This was it; that was his last bit of pocket change, there would be no second chances. No that it mattered, after this the day would be over and he'd be gone. He took in a deep breath, folding his glasses and setting them on top of the payphone. He knew that he wouldn't need them anymore, not that they were ever real or ever actually needed them.
The phone rang, and all he could do was pray that it wouldn't connect. Pray that Kaito was busy, that he'd forgotten to charge his phone or just simply wouldn't answer a number he didn't recognize. Anything would do, as long as he didn't have to say goodbye. He knew Kaito would blame himself in the morning, Kaito would believe that he had failed him when he needed him most.
But this wasn't Kaito's fault, this was his own choice and every moment was worth this so long a Kaito would be the one still breathing when the sun came up.
"Hello," Kaito's cheery voice called out, it felt as if the ground had shattered beneath his feet as the shock settled in.
"Hello," he called again when he hadn't received an answer, his tone much more serious, causing Shinichi to recollect himself.
"Hey, Kaito," he spoke slowly, doing his best to keep his voice from cracking. He knew this was going to hurt in the morning.
"Oh, hey Conan, you we're starting to freak me out when you didn't answer," he could almost see how Kaito's face lit up when he answered the warmth in his eyes; as if he was here, right in front of him instead of across town.
It was almost enough to make him smile, "No." He replied softly, my name's not Conan, you were right when you asked if I were Shinichi."
Kaito was lounging lazily on his bed, staring at this foreign contact in his cell phone. Though glaring would be a much more accurate term, but this was an enigma, he had every right to glare and loath at a few simple letters when they could cause this much of a headache.
It read as Shin-chan, nothing more. He had tried it once; he called it a thousand times to no answer. No, that wasn't true; he had gotten an answer, but not one he particularly liked. Every time he dialed the number he had gotten that little mechanical voice telling him that the number didn't exist and that he should try again with a new one.
But that only aggravated him further, stoking the flames to his obsession of calling this number that didn't exist belonging to a person he didn't know. He heard once, that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over expecting a deferent result. If that were true, which he firmly believed otherwise, then he needed a straight jacket and professional help immediately.
Who was this Shin-chan; that was the burning question here, not the stability of his mental health. Sure, he could delete the contact, freeing himself from this torture, then that was like admitting defeat. Kuroba Kaito was no quitter, but he wasn't above asking for help.
He had asked his mother once, but that quickly proved to be a dead end. He remembered the look on her face; she was just as confused by the question as he was when he first discovered the strange contact. But he also remembered what she said too, and that was far more frightening.
"Shin-chan, hmm? Maybe it's someone you knew before you woke up?"
If that were true, what else could he have forgotten? This Shin-chan could be someone important to him; this unidentified person could be that someone he wanted to wake up for. But, not only that, if this Shin-chan was important in any way and he had forgotten them, what else could he have forgotten?
~:~
Song of inspiration: Payphon by Marron 5
Chapter Lyrics: I'm at payphone trying to call home/ all of my change spent on you/