Notes: Hello everyone and welcome to my first ever Detective Conan Story titled "Deduction of Love"
This is a Shinichi/Sonoko what if story where instead of Shinichi growing up and becoming infatuated with Ran, it's instead Sonoko. This isn't a role reversal or anything where Ran is suddenly rich and Sonoko is now Mouri's daughter or anything like that. This is simply what if some events changed early in Shinichi's life to where he loved Sonoko instead of Ran, everyone is still in character(With some tweaks of course) and for the most part nothing has been drastically changed yet.
I hope for this story to be quite long, telling a nice and complete What If story, so of course Conan will eventually be introduced, but since I'm not going with a pre-established relationship and coming up with a fairy rare one, the first 10-15 chapters will be focused on showing off Shinichi's and Sonoko's relationship, case in point, this first chapter is about how the two of them got together(One of the few big changes is that I'm going to have them actually together as I feel it can create a bigger emotional bond.)
Finally I want to say each chapter will be about 4000-8000 words long, and if it's ever shorter or longer, I'll try to make up for it with a new regular chapter quickly out soon after. Also I am fairly new to Fanfiction, so I'm always looking for advice on how to improve. I hope everyone enjoys this introductory chapter and will look forward to the next one!
November 12, 2007
As the gray sky hid the ground below it, the wind gently blew as the leaves, now cloaked in an orange texture, fell from their branches and onto the ground, only to be squished by the constant high schoolers as they treked along the path to Teitan High School.
Among the students walking to the school were two girls, both dressed in the Teitan High School uniform. One of the girls was named Ran Mouri, daughter of private detective Kogoro Mouri...The other girl was a bit more famous, her name was Sonoko Suzuki, daughter of Shiro Suzuki, the chairman of the Suzuki Financial Group.
"I'm telling you Ran! You have to put yourself out there more! You're never going to get a cute boy if you stay old school with your clothes, show some more skin, make sure to show off your curves!" Sonoko was going on her usual speech to Ran about how she could get any boy she wanted, as long as Ran followed Sonoko's advice.
Ran just gave a nervous laugh and a nod to each of Sonoko's claims, always dreading when this subject came up because she knew how Sonoko got when it came to romance, or just boys in general. "Well...I'm not really looking for anyone right now...I mean, I help take care of dad right now and…"
"Oh forget about him Ran! He can do the chores around the house and let you have some fun and live your life! Your only young once after all, you shouldn't let this opportunity go to waste!" Sonoko then continued on with her dating advice to Ran, as they got closer and closer to the cherry blossom tree they always waited at each morning.
"W-Well, maybe if I got some time but I really don't have time right now."
"Ran you say that everyday…" Sonoko narrowed her gaze at Ran, which just made Ran give another awkward laugh and nod to her, hoping that agreeing with her would get her to change subjects.
"W-Well...Is that how you and Shinichi-kun got together?" Ran used a teasing tone to get right back at Sonoko who turned red before looking away as she mumbled.
"Well, not really...But…" Ran gave a small laugh as Sonoko quieted down as she looked at the passing students. It wasn't a secret that Shinichi Kudo, a high school detective who is often called a modern day Sherlock Holmes, and Sonoko were in a relationship. After all, the two had been best friends since childhood, and though they often fought with each other over minor things, there wasn't a doubt in anyone's minds that the two of them were closer than a knitted sweater.
"By the way...You never told me how you and Shinichi-kun got together."
"Eh? I-I didn't?"
Ran shook her head before continuing "No...I just remember you texting me that you had big news and when I called you to ask what it was, you were going a mile a second, I'm surprised I even made out that you two were together."
"O-Oh I see…" Sonoko got even redder for a moment as she shook her head "W-Well I guess I can tell you...You remember last year when my family had that big company party at my house?"
"Yeah I remember, you complained all week about how it would only have a bunch of old guys and no cute boys."
"Yeah, and I was right too! There was nothing but a bunch of old guys!...Well anyway...Shinichi's family was over as well since our moms are best friends. I was walking around outside to get away from having to shake more hands when…
Flashback: Suzuki House Party
"Ugh...If I have to shake one more hand, I think my hands going to fall off…" As Sonoko walked through her family's garden as the moonlight shown down on her, she felt like she was about to pass out asleep.
She had spent all day getting prepared for this party, one she didn't have any expectations for, which was only made worse as she began to hope that maybe some cute guys would be present...Only for that to be dashed as gray hair after gray hair walked in, making her tired before it even began.
Once the party did begin, it was nothing but people shaking hands and drinking...That was it, nothing more, nothing less...It made her question why she even had to attend.
Giving a sigh as stopped at the bench in the garden, she plopped down and looked up at the sky "Umu...I wonder if I'll be lucky enough to have Kid-Sama come down and steal my heart…?"
Sonoko eyes sparkled as thoughts of the mysterious Phantom Thief, Kaitou Kid, entered her mind...But that was dashed as another voice spoke up behind her. "Well I'm the opposite of a thief, but I hope you don't mind."
Sonoko plopped out from her fantasies as she looked behind her and saw her childhood friend, Shinichi Kudo, standing behind her dressed in a black tux with a rose pinned on his right breast "Oh Shinichi...What are you doing out here?"
"I could be asking the same of you...This is your party isn't it?" Sonoko scoffed as she turned back around and waved her hand.
"More like it's more papa's party, I was forced to attend...Unlike you...That's actually the better question, why are you here? Only your parents were invited…"
"Oh are you saying you don't want me here?" Shinichi gave a small laugh as he walked up to the bench, and while Sonoko didn't say anything or turn around, she could feel her face heat up a bit. "Well, sorry for coming uninvited."
Shinichi walked from around the bench and to the front as he sat down beside Sonoko, the two of them were quiet as they looked up at the night sky "...What are you sorry for? You come here uninvited all the time anyway, don't you?"
"Hehe, I suppose that's true...You don't mind, do you?"
"Stupid, If I did, I would have said something already."
"Hehe, well I'm glad that you enjoy my company." Shinichi gave a small laugh as Sonoko looked away and mumbled.
"I-It isn't like that…" Shinichi's small laughter quietly ended as the two of them sat in silence once more, the area around them illuminated by the moonlight.
"...You said you weren't excited for this party because no cute guys would be attending, right?"
"H-Huh? Yeah that's right...Just a bunch of old guys and their wives. I mean a few of them have offered for me to date their sons, but most of their sons are old enough to be my dad, so no thanks to that."
"I see...Do you want to play a game?"
"Huh? A game?"
"Yeah! A deduction game. If you can deduce what I'm trying to say from my words, you get a present. If you can't, then you owe me lunch for one week."
"O-One week!? T-Thats not fair! I don't even know what my present is!"
"Hehe, it's whatever you want it to be, no restrictions."
"Anything…? So...You'll give me lunch for the rest of my life?"
"If that's what you want." Shinichi gave a smile towards Sonoko who pondered his game request for a moment before shrugging and turning to face him fully.
"Fine, but don't come complaining to me when thirty years from now, I'm having you buy me a five star meal!"
"No complaining I swear! Now the game is very simple, I'm going to say five phrases, if you can guess the meaning behind every phrase, then you win...But if you fail just one, then I win...Fair enough?"
"Hmph! You may be a great detective, but I'm the Deduction Queen!"
"Hm...Didn't you earn that nickname by just relaying the case details that I told you over the phone?"
"E-Eh well...A-Anyway, hurry up with the first phrase!"
"Hehe, alright alright…" Shinichi cleared his throat as he crossed his arms and looked Sonoko dead in the eyes. "The first phrase... 'I have to live with the green-eyed monster, but I don't have to let anyone know.'...Now, your turn."
"Huh? What kind of phrase is that? I can't figure that out!"
"Oh, so the Deduction Queen is already conceding a weeks worth of lunch to me?" Sonoko bit down on her lip as she began to think.
"Green-eyed monster...Money?...Maybe...But no you're not rich...Jewelry?...Maybe you really like green rings...Thats kinda like a green eye...But no that wouldn't make sense either...Hm….Oh!" Sonoko clapped her hands as she gave a smug look to Shinichi "We read about this in class the other day! It's referencing Shakespeare isn't it? He uses Green-Eyed Monster to describe Jealousy!...Wait, you're living with Jealousy?"
Shinichi nodded as he smiled "Correct! The first phrase means to live with Jealousy while not letting anyone know that you are Jealous!"
"Hm? What are you jealous about?"
"Hehe, part of the game is figuring out what all the phrases mean put together! So I can't exactly tell you the answer...Now, are you ready for the second Phrase?"
"Hmph...Fine then, I'll figure it out at the end anyway...Now give me the second Phrase already!"
"Very well then, the second phrase…'Laugh and the world laughs with you...Weep...And you weep alone.'...That is the second phrase."
"Hm...I think I've heard that before...Oh yeah, we also heard this in class the other day...It's a poem called Solitude, and it basically says that when your happy and having a good time, everyone is there for you...But when your sad and down and you need them the most...They aren't there...Right…" Shinichi again nodded as he kept his confidant smile.
"Correct, that is indeed what it means."
"Um...Is everything alright Shinichi? If this game is just to let me know your having a tough time, you can talk to-"
"Now onto the third phrase!"
"H-Huh?"
"The third phrase out of five...Are you ready?" Sonoko was quiet for a moment before she nodded.
"Hehe, good! Now for the third phrase…'I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti'...That is the third phrase…"
"What the? Now really...What kind of phrase is that?"
"It's the third phrase hehe, can you get it?"
"I thought you were going through some serious stuff with those first two quotes, and then you say something like that?"
"...Does that mean you give up?" Sonoko went to speak but went quiet again as she crossed her arms and closed her eyes as she began to think.
"Hm...Maybe you had some really bad beans?...Well no, where does the liver come into play…? Maybe you had liver as in meat?...But you said 'his' as if you're talking about a person...I doubt your talking about a cannibal...Wait...Cannibal...Liver is a type of ham...Combine the two you get...Hannibal...Hannibal Lecter!...Liver can also be eaten from other animals such as...Lambs...Oh! Silence of the Lambs! You're talking about the American Movie!"
"Hehe, well that was an interesting way to get to it...That was actually a quote from the movie, so if you had actually watched it then you would have known right away...But even with getting the movie, you have yet to finish the phrase."
"H-Huh? Thats not it?"
"Oh it's apart of the answer...But the phrase doesn't directly mean a movie. Try to think about the first two answers and go from there."
'The first two answers...The first one was about Jealousy...The second one was about Loneliness...The movie is popular so maybe about fame?...Well no it's not popular today...Money again? Well no…...Wait a minute...Silence of the Lambs...Silence...Silent! It's about silence! As in...Um...Oh! Staying quiet, even when you don't want to or...You have to stay quiet?"
"Yeah thats what it means…" Shinichi's smile vanished for just a moment before he resumed it, but Sonoko was able to catch the quick change.
"Hey...Are you sure you're okay…? I can tell Papa that you're not feeling well and need to lie down, and we can talk about it in my room where no one will disturb us, especially if it's serious…"
"Heh...I'm fine, just getting nervous."
"About what?"
"Heh, well about having to buy you lunch for the rest of your life of course!"
"Huh!? Is that why your seriously mopping? You shouldn't have issued the challenge in the first place if you're that worried!"
"Hehe, well anyway...Time for the fourth phrase…'Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.'...This one should be easier than the last one."
"Hm...Well...You play soccer, so this could mean that whenever you have a game the next day, you look forward to either winning or losing it, and you don't worry about the days of practice it took to get to that point...But it seems like everything so far has been a theme so...Maybe to look ahead? See greener pastures...Or...To move forward?"
"Hehe, yeah to move forward, told you that would be easier...After all, that was said by an American President and not by an American Movie."
"But what are you moving forward from? Or...Are you always prepared to move forward, but for the time being you cling to the past or...The present?"
"Heh, something like that...Now for the final phrase...Ready for the make or break question?"
"Hmph, I've gotten this far haven't I? No question you give me is going to stop me now!"
"Hehe, glad to hear...Now then...The final phrase…'If only she could be so oblivious again, to feel such love without knowing it, mistaking it for laughter.'...Now for your final answer."
"Well...oblivious about love and laughter...A mother? Mama never seems to care about the company and leaves all that for papa, so maybe she's oblivious...But she doesn't really love or laugh about it either...Hm...If Only...So she's not oblivious anymore...Why is she not?"
"Here's a hint, she's not oblivious anymore because the answer has just been spelt out."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Think about it...All the answers so far can be attached to a certain type of person...If you think about them in a certain way that is...As for what way to think about, just use a word from the final phrase."
"Word from the final phrase huh? Well, I don't think it's laughter, as that doesn't really go with the sad theme so far...I guess it could be love...But in what context? Or rather what type of person can that all apply to? A depressed husband who just lost his wife maybe?"
"Try going through them one by one, and you may get the answer then."
"One by one...Hm...The first was Jealousy...Jealousy and love...Well that's easy enough, whenever you see your lover talking to someone else, your bound to get jealous...Or well whenever someone you like in general is talking to someone else, your bound to get jealous...It's human nature."
"Very true...And the next one?"
"The second phrase meant being lonely...Love and Loneliness can also go together...After all, if the person you like isn't with you or they chose someone else over you, you're going to be lonely...It actually fits the phrase well, because if you lonely because you lost your true love, then yeah, the world isn't going to be with you to comfort you."
"Very true, it's a very fitting quote...The third one?"
"The third phrase was about Silence...Silence and Love...Oh! You love someone but you can't tell them! Maybe you're scared, or they already have a partner, or something like that...Whatever the case may be, you have to stay silent about your feelings for them...Right?"
"Correct again, you almost have the answer." Swallowing a bit before continuing, Shinichi kept his smile, though beads of sweat were starting to form "The fourth phrase now…"
"The fourth phrase was about moving forward, or atleast being prepared to move forward. If related to love, this most likely means that you love someone and don't want to let them go just yet...But you're prepared to do so if needed, correct?"
"Right again, you're a worthy challenger!"
"Hm...I don't know how connecting love to all of those gives me the answer for the final phrase though…"
"Well...Maybe think about it as a man talking to a woman…"
"Hm? A man talking to a woman…?"
"While also applying love and the four terms to their conversation."
"Well...Maybe it's like this...This man is lonely when he's not with her, so thats why the world laughs with him, because when he's laughing, he's around her, but when he's weeping, he's not with her, so the world isn't weeping with him. He's also jealous because this woman is most likely popular, or has quite a few suitors beside just him, so he's jealous of the others vying for her attention. He's silent around her when it comes to love, because he can't confess, maybe because of their families, or because of some other reason...Add all of this up, and he's ready to move forward, move on from her...But he can't, so for the time being, he stays with her...Right?"
"That was perfect, you got it all right."
"Hm...But I don't know how that gives me the answer for the final phrase, especially the oblivious part...The only hint you gave me was she wasn't oblivious anymore because the answer was spelt o-" Sonoko's words caught in her throat as she stopped talking, causing a deafening silence to come in between them.
She tried to continue but couldn't, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind as her face began to heat up as her eyes slowly moved towards Shinchi, who no longer had his confidant smile, as it was replaced by just a straight face as it looked out to the distance, with beads of sweat rolling down his face.
She kept her eyes trained on him, expecting some sort of answer or question, anything really to break the silence...But she got nothing, no words or movement, he was as still as a rock...Because he was waiting for her to finish answering the question.
Sonoko swallowed as she tried to regain her words, trying to figure out what this all meant as she tried to continue on "T-The answer...W-Was spelt out...B-Because...She's not o-oblivious...Anymore…"
"..."
"...I mean...She's not oblivious anymore...Because he finally told her...And he wished he didn't, because...He's afraid she's going to lose that laughter they shared before...Right…?"
Sonoko's voice cracked with each word as she kept her eyes on Shinchi who barely moved...However, after she had finished, he just gave a small smile "Well, not quite but...It's good enough...You figured out the answer and thats good enough for me…"
"S-Shinchi…"
"...Sorry for making you do all that work, I didn't really know how to say it so...I decided to make it into a puzzle...W-Well at least you get free lunch for life from me, hehe...Hehe…"
Shinchi eyes looked downwards as he bit his lip, refusing to meet her eye to eye. "W-What if I…"
"Didn't get it? Then I would have done as the fourth phrase instructed and moved on...I mean I spelt it out pretty clearly...I'm jealous because you're always going on and on about cute guys in front of me, and describing what an idea guy is like...I'm lonely because I have the most fun when I'm with you, and when I'm on a case, and not by your side, it feels wrong...Like yes I love being a detective, and I never want to stop but...I just feel...Kinda lonely...But even still I stay silent, because I don't want to ruin our friendship...Because if you rejected me, I would have to move on to the fourth phrase and move on...And I don't want that…"
"...But...What about the fifth phrase?"
"Well that technically comes before the fourth, as you wouldn't be oblivious anymore, obviously...I wanted them to be in order, but...The only way to get the answer to you was do it a bit out of order."
"..."
"Well, now you know...And now that the first three phrases have been found out, along with the fifth...I guess it's time I move onto the fourth phrase…" Shinchi pushed himself up as he kept his poker face, yet Sonoko could see it was wavering ever so slightly. "Well...Hope the party gets better for you…"
Shinchi began to walk off, but before he could take more than a step, Sonoko reached up and grabbed his arm "..."
"S-Sonoko?" She didn't say anything as she got up herself, still holding onto him. "Y-Yes…?"
"...My present…"
"H-Huh?"
"You said...If I win...I get a present…"
"H-Huh? Oh yeah...I-I guess I did...Um...So free lunch forever? I may have to take on a few more cases to cover that ehehe…" Shinchi gave a small laugh but stopped as Sonoko looked down and took a breath before looking back up in his eyes as tears started to form in hers.
"I-I don't want lunch from you for the rest of my life!"
"o-Oh? T-Then how about…B-Breakfast?"
"Stupid! I don't want any kind of food from you! If anything, I-I should be making your lunch!" Sonoko's face became even redder as even Shinichi's had a tint of red appear on his face from her line.
"W-What do you mean…?"
"I-I Mean...I mean…" Sonoko closed her eyes as tears ran down from her eyes as she gave a determined look to Shinchi "I mean I want you for the rest of my life!"
"W-What…?" Shinichi's red tint became ever redder as he swallowed, now trying to make his own words out.
"I mean...How could you not see it? You say I'm oblivious? Did you never see what I did for you!?"
"I…"
"...I wore clothes everyday that are supposed to attract guys because I wanted you to look at me...Whenever I talked about my dream guy, I always mentioned things that applied to you...I made you lunch and treats whenever I could...Yet you never caught on...You tormented not only yourself, but me as well…"
"S-Sonoko...I-I'm sorry...I-I'm…" Shinchi tried to make the words out but once he figured he couldn't, he placed his hands on Sonoko's shoulders as she looked at him with her wet eyes "Sonoko...I promise...If you give me the chance, I'll do everything you want. I know you read a ton of romance novels, so I'll be just like the guys in those! I swear…"
"Stupid...I just...Want you to be like yourself…" Sonoko gave a small smile as she collapsed into Shinichi's arms and cried...But not a sad cry...A happy cry...A cry that signaled the next chapter in her life...A cry that was muffled as Shinichi held her close to his chest, under the light of the moon.