A Wish Upon A Star
"Hey look! Another shooting star!" Ayumi exclaimed, pointing. The five of them were sitting on the roof of Agasa Hakase's house, staring up at the sky, where shooting stars streaked across the sky one after another.
"Make a wish, everyone!" the professor hollered from a floor below.
Ayumi, with a glance at Conan, prayed silently that a certain someone would go to the school dance with her next week. Mitsuhiko was also thinking of the dance, staring rather hopefully at Ai; while Genta was wishing to get down to the newly opened restaurant down the street.
"I wish there would be another case already." Conan muttered under his breath. There had not been a case in the detective agency for months.
"Oh, so you wish for someone to be murdered?" Ai said, smirking. Conan ignored her. Looking up once more, Ai whispered softly, "I wish I can go back to a world where Neechan is still here."
"Agasa Hakase?" Sitting up in her bed, Ai saw the professor snoring in a chair next to her. Odd. Weren't they up on the roof just now? Why is she suddenly lying on her bed? She looked around, confused.
At the sound of her voice, Hakase woke with a start. "H-How the heck did you know my name?" He asked, looking totally freaked, as if he had just seen a ghost. Ai rolled her eyes. I've been living here for the past year, why wouldn't I know your name? She thought. "Stop joking around, Hakase, what happened?"
But the professor had run out of the room. "Shinichi! That girl you found just woke!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
The girl he found? Does that mean me? Ai thought. If this is a dream, it certainly is a weird one.
Just then, Hakase walked back into the room, followed closely by Shinichi.
"I'm Kudo Shinichi, nice to meet you."
"Edogawa?" Ai asked, puzzled, what the hell happened to his glasses? "What trick are you and Hakase playing now?" she accused, thinking that maybe it's April Fool's and she had failed to notice.
"Edogawa? Who's that?" The boy in front of her asked, frowning. Somehow, the bewildered look in his eyes is genuine.
"Drop the act; I'm not falling for it." Ai said, getting seriously annoyed. "And what happened to your glasses?"
"Glasses? Why would I need those? I have 20/20 vision." He said, grinning, rather proudly, Ai noted. "And my name is Shin-i-chi." He pronounced every syllable of his name separately, as if he thought she didn't here him clearly the first time. "You're probably still a bit dizzy since you've just passed out. Get some rest, we can talk tomorrow."
He pulled the blankets over her, and with a last grin at her, turned to leave.
If you make a wish as a shooting star soar through the sky, the fairies riding it will hear and make it come true. Akemi's voice, faintly remembered from a story told to Shiho as a little girl, rang through her mind. Ai shivered, it can't be…
"Wait!" she called after him. "…What year is it?"
Shinichi laughed, and for a moment Ai thought he was about to admit he'd been joking, but then he said, "Have you forgotten that too? It's 1998."
"Oi, are you okay?" Shinichi asked, peering at the strawberry blonde's face, worried, as the world seemed to spin in front of her. Ai's blood ran cold. Her wish had come true. She had traveled back ten years, to a time before her sister was killed! These things don't happen except in movies, don't they?
"Ahh, it's dangerous, get away from the kitchen!"
"No, Ai-chan, I'll do the cooking!"
Finally, Ai resigned herself to Agasa Hakase's attempts to make her stay out of the kitchen, and sat poking at the plate of so called scrambled eggs in front of her.
Days passed. Shinichi dropped in constantly each day, and when questioned why with an annoyed look from Ai, he looked surprised. "I'm the one that found you unconscious outside, I have to take care of you!" He declared, as if explaining the obvious, the seriousness of his voice almost made Ai laugh, and she was forced to remind herself that the boy in front of her was actually a seven year old.
And now she is bored out of her mind. Nothing but news and shopping channels on.
"Ahhhhh!" Hakase's yells could be heard in the living room as he tried to avoid the oil splattering from the pan. It was obvious he had forgotten to wait for the pan to dry.
Ai ran to his rescue.
"Ai-chan, what are you doing, it's dangerous here!" Hakase yelled while hiding under the sink. "Dinner will be ready soon!"
"Yes, dangerous if you're the one cooking maybe." Ai thought to herself, rolling her eyes. She's had to stand his cooking for three days in a row now, and SHE"S HAD ENOUGH!
Nimbly sidestepping the professor, she caught hold of the pan, and deftly dumped its contents in the trash without hesitation. Whatever it is, the ingredients are indistinguishable from one another, and are giving of a scent of burnt plastic.
"Ahh, what are you doing?" the professor wailed as he watched his efforts thrown mercilessly away.
Ai laughed to herself. "I'm surprised you're not in a hospital right now, having cooked for yourself all these years." She said, exasperated.
Hakase gave an embarrassed smile. "I eat take out sometimes too. Are you saying I don't cook well?"
"No, I'm saying you cook horribly."
"I'll order pizza." Hakase agreed, decidedly trying to stop giving people food poisoning.
"No need. I'll do the cooking from now on." Ai said, and the professor watched with opened mouth, awed, as the small strawberry blonde started dicing the vegetables with the expertise of a restaurant chef.
"If you don't mind, could you wait in the living room? You're blocking the way to the freezer." Ai told him, as Agasa Hakase tried to find words. Where in the world did a little girl of seven learned to cook like that?
"Right, careful of the oil." He reminded warily before stepping out of the kitchen. Ai rolled her eyes.
"Wow! What's that smell?" Shinichi poked his head through the front door as the last dish was served. "Looks delicious, Hakase!" Grabbing the chopsticks in the professor's hand, he took a plate and helped himself to the food. "Mmm, this is good, which place did you order it from?"
"Ai-chan made it." Hakase announced as he eyed the piece of roast pork he had his eye on in Shinichi's plate sourly.
Shinichi choked on the food. "Ai-chan, really?" he asked, coughing, eyes wide with amazement.
"Why, is there a problem, Tantei-san?" Ai asked, setting the last plate down.
"Tantei-san?" His brow furrowed. "How did you know I want to be a detective when I grow up?"
Oops, she'd forgotten she wasn't supposed to know that yet. "Lucky guess?" she said, flustered.
Shinichi, looked at her curiously, then shrugged and turned his mind to the feast on the table.
"Shouldn't you be home for dinner now?" the professor asked testily, staring jealously at the roast pork.
"Go home? Why force myself to eat my mom's broccoli when I can come here?" Shinichi asked with a mischievous grin. "I'm coming over for dinner every day!" he announced, and his grin only widened as Hakase groaned.
"Noooo! Eat your own food!" the professor wailed. Ai laughed as she watched the two argue like children. "You were a pretty cute kid, Kudo-kun." She thought to herself, smiling.
"Fine." Hakase grumbled as they finally sat down to eat. "By the way, Ai-kun, I've signed you up for the school's entry exam. It's tomorrow morning."
"Really, so I can go to school with Ai-chan?" Shinichi asked eagerly, expression reminding Ai of Mitsuhiko and Genta.
"Yeah." Hakase answered.
"Yay!" the little detective cheered, face flushed.
"Why so happy?" Hakase asked, bewildered.
"We could be… what is that phrase my mom's always saying…right, 'childhood friends'!" Shinichi said happily.
"What ever happened to Mouri Ran?" Ai asked softly, her gaze glued to the floor.
"Mouri Ran… who's that?"
Ai looked up in surprise. Had her arrival somehow changed history? "You…you don't know her?" she stammered.
Shinichi thought for a moment. "I know the family that moved across the street's last name is Mouri, but I've never met them before."
Ai let out a relieved sigh. So history hadn't been changed, he just hadn't met her yet. So the two of them probably met at the beginning of elementary school. She mused.
Wait. Change history?
The sudden thought gripped Ai's mind. It's ten years ago. She should be growing up somewhere in America, and Neechan is just starting junior high. APTX4869 wasn't invented, and Kudo and herself weren't wanted by the organization. If, and only if, she could somehow give the organization's information to the police and destroy them, then Neechan wouldn't be killed, and she and Kudo would never had turned into kids! Everything would be put right!
"Ai-chan? What's wrong?" Shinichi asked, staring curiously at her.
Trying to steady her own heartbeat, Ai sat down, distracted, and picked up her chopsticks.
Is it possible for her to change history?
(Entry exam for Teitan Elementary)
Ai sighed as she looked down at the questions in front of her.
(1) 5 8?...
…Right down to…
(58)How many eggs are in a dozen?
So on and so forth. Resigned, Ai picked her pencil up to write. She had planned to purposely get some wrong, as not to draw attention to herself, but… to lower herself to this level is something she just couldn't bring herself to do.
Finishing the paper with 40 minutes to spare, Ai stared up at the ceiling, waiting desperately for the bell to ring. I am soooo bored! She had not realized how much she missed Kudo, the one from ten years later that is. At least when he's around, in a situation like this, there'd be someone to complain to, to exchange glances at how ridiculously easy the test is.
"Ai-chan, how'd you do?" Shinichi asked expectantly the moment the bell rang.
Ai shuddered at the memory of the exam. "Okay, I guess." She said, turning away.
"Hold on, I have something to tell you!" Shinichi said, blocking her path.
"What?"
"Didn't you say you want to meet Mouri Ran the other day? I saw her in another classroom! I"ll bring you there!" he said eagerly, pulling her arm.
"Me? Want to meet her?" Ai asked pointing to herself. Did she say that? Why would she want to meet Kudo's future girlfriend?
"You don't? But you looked so nervous when you mentioned her the other day, so I thought I'd try to find her for you."
"So you went to check where her classroom is?" Ai asked, smiling at his thoughtfulness. He hadn't changed all that much in the ten years after all.
"It's nothing much, I'd only looked through the seating chart. So you really don't want to meet her? We'll go home, then." As much as he tried to hide it, Ai could see he was disappointed.
"No, of course I want to meet her!" Ai said hastily. Shinichi's expression brightened. Grinning, he took her hand and ran towards the other classroom, the last few rays of sunlight stretching their shadows across the ground.
Neechan should be under surveillance, and I can't let anyone know my identity, but how is a little girl going to bring the organization down without help? Ai thought as she and Shinichi walked home together. Conan's confident smile flashed past her mind.
"If only that baka's here…" she murmured.
"Who?" the childish voice made Ai jump.
"Shinichi?"
Shinichi's face was inches from hers as he demanded, "Who are you talking about? If only who's here?"
"Er…" Ai shook her head. She couldn't exactly say that it's him, ten years later, could she?
"What are you doing here?" Ai asked shrilly when she opened her eyes to find Shinichi's bright eyes staring into hers.
"Waking you up to go to school together!"
Ai checked her watch. It was only six in the morning. "This early?"
"I want to eat breakfast here!" Shinichi explained matter-of-factly, pulling her hand. "Wake—up!"
Moments later, Shinichi was thrown out of the door as it slammed shut, leaving Ai to change into her school clothes.
"I'm so sorry to bother you with all the cooking, Ai-kun." The professor said 'sincerely' as he shoved food down his throat.
"Oh? Then I won't bother in the future." Ai said sweetly, smirking.
"No!" Shinichi and Hakase protested at the same time."
Ai laughed. "I'm kidding."
"Whoever marries you will be a very lucky guy, Ai-kun." Hakase said between bites.
"Huh?" Shinichi glared at the professor. "What are you talking about? What will we eat if Ai-chan gets married?"
The professor scratched his head thoughtfully. He is certainly not going back to gruel and takeout. "Hmm… you're right. But Shinichi, Ai-kun's too cute not to get married."
"Then I'll marry her!" Shinichi declared, gulping down the glass of orange juice in front of him.
"Yeah, that's it! Good idea, Shinichi!" Hakase said happily, patting Shinichi's head. Now he could eat Ai-kun cooking for as long as he lives!
"Oi, you two!" Ai said, finally unable to stand their conversation. Breathing deeply, she reminded herself yet again that he's really a kid as she tried to control her temper.
"You're not supposed to marry someone for food, you know." Even though she didn't take his words seriously, Ai still felt compelled to fix Shinichi's sadly misguided views on love. "You marry someone because you really, really like her, baka."
"But I really like you, Ai-chan!" Shinichi said solemnly, his blue eyes wide.
"Sure… the one you like should be your childhood friend Mouri-san, not me." Ai muttered after moments of shock.
"Mouri? What are you talking about? My childhood friend is you!"
Ai sweat dropped. Unknown to her, the past is changing, bit by bit.
What if, because of her being here, Shinichi ended up to be someone like Genta, who only cares about food? Ai shuddered at the thought.
"Hakase?" Breathing out deeply, Ai checked her watch impatiently. It's been fifteen minutes already. "Hakase!"
In order to access the organization's mainframe, she needed to borrow Agasa Hakase's computer, to avoid giving him heart attack after seeing so many information on drugs and stuff, she decided to tell him everything. She had expected shock, but standing there open mouthed for fifteen minutes is a bit much.
"Hakase!" she yelled, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Snap out of it!"
"...You say you're from the future?" Finally coming back down to earth, the professor asked weakly.
Ai nodded.
"Ten years later, an organization will use a drug to turn you and Shinichi into kids?"
"That's right."
"And you want to change the past to mend the future."
"Yep."
Hakase sighed, holding a hand over Ai's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm perfectly okay, Hakase. Really."
"…." Once again speechless, the professor just gaped at her.
"You don't believe me, do you?"
"Of course I do! It's just…" By now, the professor is wondering if there's a good physiatrist around he could take the little girl to.
"Fine, I'll prove it." Switching on the computer, Ai opened a new file and quickly typed in everything she remembered about APTX4869. "Could a seven year old girl really manage all this?"
"!"
Ai folded her arms and patiently waited for the professor to come to sense.
"So…what you said is really true?" he stammered at last.
"Yes."
"You're from ten years later?"
"And Shinichi's going to turn small? And you need to use my computer to see if you can somehow destroy the organization that did it?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you!"
"But Ai-kun, despite who you really are, you still look like a little girl, how are you going to destroy a whole organization?"
Ai smiled lightly. "Then you'd better be thankful that this is the past. The password is still an old one, so I could get a hold of their plans before they're actually carried out. It shouldn't take more than two, three years before it's all finished."
Agasa Hakase stared at the screen thoughtfully. "So the organization won't be there anymore? And there'd be no APTX thingamajigs? You and Shinichi would never turn into kids?
Ai nodded, confirming all this.
"But…" the professor's tone suddenly turned grave. "Don't you know what the consequences will be?"
"Wha—what do you mean?" Everything would be fixed, wouldn't it? Kudo would grow up to be a famous detective, without having to share the credit with that drunken Kogoro, he could always be with Mouri-san, what could happen?
"But you've changed the past." Hakase said. "You would never have made APTX, never turn into Haibara Ai, which means you never would have made that wish, which means—." Clearing his throat, he continued. "You'll disappear!"
Silence seemed to stretch into hours, days.
"…Well, that's what'll have to happen then." Ai said finally. "There's always a price to pay for meddling with fate."
"But Ai-kun…" the professor began, eyes watering. He didn't want the little girl to disappear!
"You'll help me, won't you?" Ai demanded. "Promise you'll help."
"I can't let you go like that…" Hakase said uncertainly. "You're like my daughter now…"
Ai smiled, trying to reassure him. "Don't be like that. I won't be dead, I'll just, live another life. It's all for the best." It is, isn't it? Neechan wouldn't be killed, and she could have a normal life without all the pain and sorrow. Isn't that what she's always wished for? Then why is there a hollow ache in her heart that wouldn't go away?
"But…but…you won't know us anymore, me or Shinichi." The professor said tearfully.
"Hakase…" Forgetting them is something she would never want to do, but if it meant stopping the organization, then… "Promise." She said, ignoring the tears that found their way down her cheek.
"…" The professor saw the determination in Ai's eyes, and knew that nothing would be able to change her mind. Finally, he nodded.
"What are you guys doing?" The sudden voice made both of them jump. Shinichi stood in the doorway, eyes wide with curiosity. Ai quickly wiped the edge of her eyes with a sleeve. Had he heard anything?
"Nothing, just— just chatting with Hakase, that's all." Ai gave a warning look to the professor. After all, Shinichi was only a little kid, and he shouldn't be involved, burdened with a secret like that, even if he is going to grow up to be a famous detective.
Shinichi stared suspiciously at the professor's red eyes, raising an eyebrow.
"Ah, I… was watching a sitcom on TV, and the main character just died of cancer…" Hakase amended hastily.
"Really?"The TV wasn't on.
Ai almost fainted at the lame excuse. Is that all he could come up with? The professor looked apologetic. Anyway it's too late for another explanation now.
"Yeah, that's all." She said, smiling reassuringly. "Why are you here?"
"To remind Ai-chan I'm coming over tomorrow for breakfast!"
"Oh…" Can the kid think of anything else? "Okay."
"Thanks! Oh, and we both got full marks for the exam, and we're in the same class! We can walk to school together, in case you couldn't find the classroom.
Ai bit back a sarcastic remark, and nodded.
Shinichi grinned. "See you tomorrow then!" He ran out the door.
"Bye…"
Once out the door, Shinichi's footsteps halted. What did Ai mean, saying she came from the future? Why did Hakase say Ai-chan would disappear? And what the heck is the organization?
The little detective sighed. Oh well, he'll ask Hakase about it some other time.
The important thing is, Ai-chan's in his class!
The bell rang, and gradually, students began to make their way out of the school building. They walked in groups, joking with each other, laughing, and deciding with each other where they would go after school.
One lone figure walked among the crowd, her raven black hair fanning out behind her as she walked. She hugged her school bag close to herself, averting the gazes of everyone around her. Her name was Akemi Miyano.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the black car, following her, watching. She dared not make contact with her classmates, in fear of endangering anyone.
But around the corner, someone else was watching her, a small strawberry blonde girl, a cap pulled low over her face.
Ai's thoughts were on her sister all night, tossing and turning in her sleep. She longed to see her again, but she knew that she couldn't allow herself to be recognized.
But still, without realizing at first, she left as soon as the last class was dismissed, ignoring Shinichi's voice calling for her to wait for him, and the next thing she knew, she was standing in front of her sister's school.
Once she realized where she was, it was impossible for her to turn back. I won't let Neechan see me, Ai told herself, trying to put conviction into her own thoughts.
But Akemi noticed. She felt someone's gaze, someone other that the organization's spies. Looking into direction of the gaze, her mouth dropped open in surprise. "Shiho?" she breathed. It couldn't be, her little sister is in America, taken away by the organization. But still she made her way to the little girl, pretending to be interested in the shop next to the strawberry blonde.
Ai's heart was seized with panic as she realized her sister had recognized her, but she couldn't bring herself to walk away, she wanted to talk to Neechan again, to act like a little girl, ignorant of all troubles, to forget everything, and simply feel safe in her sister's arms.
"Shiho?" Akemi's voice was hesitant. She hoped with all her heart that it's really her, and this is not simply a hallucination because she missed her sister so much. They hadn't been able to talk, really talk since she'd been away, with the organization monitoring their calls, but she can tell that Shiho's a little sadder, weaker each time they called each other, and she wished she could be there to take care of her.
Ai was on the brink of answering when someone grabbed her arm. "Ai-chan, what are you doing?" Shinichi had evidently been following her.
"Shinichi? What are you doing here?" Ai asked sharply, whirling around.
"You disappeared after school, so I…" Shinichi mumbled guiltily, taken aback at the furious look in her eyes.
Akemi drew back a step, but her eyes are still filled with hope. "Shiho, is it you?"
"Her name is Haibara Ai, neechan." Shinichi pointed out in a polite voice before Ai could speak.
But it seems like Akemi didn't hear him. She was waiting for Ai's reply.
Forcing herself to break eye contact, Ai lowered her head. "Sorry. You've mistaken me for someone else." She said in a low voice, desperately trying to keep her tears from streaming out. "Let's go, Kudo."
You wouldn't let me run away, no matter what time we're in, would you, Kudo? Ai thought bitterly, keeping her gaze on the ground. She could just feel Akemi's disappointment, as her own words crushed her. She didn't turn back, knowing the hurt in her sister's eyes will make her crumble.
Shinichi followed her in silence, realizing she's mad at him, but not knowing why.
"…Ai-chan, who was that?" he asked tentatively. "Who did she think you were?"
Can't he see she's not in the mood to talk? Ai didn't reply, only quickened her footsteps.
Shinichi ran to keep up with her. "…Ai-chan?" He reached to take her hand as he always does, but she pulled away from him.
"…Ai?"
"Just leave me alone, Kudo." She said coldly before running down the street. She didn't stop until she reached the professor's house, ignoring his questioning look, and slamming the door shut in her own room. Breathing heavily in the silence, Ai threw herself onto her bed and broke down into tears.
Back on the street, a group of curious (and nosy) old ladies shopping nearby gawked at Shinichi sympathetically. "Aww, what a cute little couple…what'd you think he's done…the little girl was crying!" They murmured none too quietly.
"…" What had he done to make her mad like that? Ignoring them, Shinichi trudged dully back to the professor's
Shinichi raced over to Ai's room. He would have knocked, except Hakase grabbed him around the collar and pulled him back. "Give her some time alone, Shinichi." Although he didn't know what happened, the professor knew she wouldn't want to be disturbed.
Sighing, Shinichi hung his head.
Ai came out of the room to make dinner soon afterward. Shinichi went over to talk to her, only to shrink back when he saw the cold look in her eyes.
Dinner was finished in silence, with Hakase's gaze traveling between them, trying to ease the tension in the air.
"…I'm sorry…" Shinichi said at last, in a small voice.
Ai glanced at him, but didn't reply.
"…If you're mad at me for following you, I'm really sorry… it's just… if you got into any danger, I wanted to be there to protect you…"
Ai froze at the words, only to familiar, in the exact same tone as he had said it in the future.
But she wouldn't hear the words in the future anymore, not if everything worked out. There'd only be two people with no connection whatsoever, Kudo Shinichi and Shiho Miyano.
"Idiot, I could take care of myself. That girl just… she just looked like someone I knew once… it's not your fault." Ai said finally, smiling at relief in Shinichi's bright eyes. "I guess I just needed to blame someone…" She can't exactly blame him for stopping her, when he had no idea what's happened. Besides, Akemi was never supposed to see her in the first place.
Shinichi nodded. "So you're coming to Tropical Land with me this Saturday? My mom said I could invite someone." He asked eagerly, the afternoon's events completely forgotten
"It's fine, you look adorable!" Yukiko said for the umpteenth time, smiling down at Ai, and apparently unaware of the strawberry blonde's icy glare. She had, after meeting her with many exclamations of 'kawaii!', insisted on buying new clothes for her. Ai is now grimacing at her own reflection, and fidgeting in a pink sundress she just knows Ayumi would love.
"It's very nice of you, but I really don't need—." But Ai never got to finish her sentence, as Yukiko promptly pushed her out of the room.
Great, she could just hear the snickering and sarcastic comments from Kudo. Ai thought dryly.
And so it came as a surprise when Shinichi said in a shy voice, "Wow, you look nice, Ai-chan."
Undoubtedly, Kudo was a much nicer person than Conan was.
That is proved wrong when Shinichi dragged her over to a roller coaster ride the moment the car stopped. Not just any roller coaster, it plunged about fifty feet right into the water below, and just the look of it made her stomach turn. Of course, Ai refused flat out.
"I don't think so."
"It won't be any fun if I go alone!" the little detective whined. "Pleeeeease?"
"Not in my lifetime."
"But Ai-chan…"
"You really don't understand the meaning of the word 'no', do you?"
And apparently he doesn't, since Shinichi didn't stop pestering her. "Come on, Ai-chan! ...Unless you're scared?" Shinichi challenged.
Ai rolled her eyes. It was clear she would never get any peace before she gives in. "Am not!" she said, knowing that it's the reply he had expected.
"Prove it, then."
Humoring the little detective, Ai argued with him for awhile before finally giving in. "Fine, I'll go."
"Yay!" the little detective cheered triumphantly.
But he sure isn't celebrating as, ten minutes later; they got off the ride, looking quite green in the face, and wishing dearly for a barf bag.
"Ai-chan, look!" Shinichi said the next day, hand extended.
It was a photo of her, probably taken by Yukiko yesterday. Ai's gaze only left her magazine enough to glance at it. "Yeah, so?" she reached to take the photo from him. "Give it, it's mine."
Shinichi stuck out his tongue at her. "I'm in it too."
Sure, if you count in the back of his head at the edge.
The professor cleared his throat. "Shinichi, give the photo to Ai-kun." If Ai disappears, the photo would turn blank and give everything away.
"Nope." Shinichi said, laughing.
Ai laid her magazine to the side with an exasperated sigh. "Shinichi!"
But there's no persuading him. Shinichi just laughed and ran around the room, waving the photo in the air as the professor chased him around.
"You're even more impossible than Conan!" Ai exclaimed at last, frustrated.
At that, Shinichi's attitude changed abruptly. Ai found herself nose-to-nose with him as he asked. "Conan? Who's Conan?"
Even though she refused to tell him anything about her past, it was clear that her past seven years wasn't exactly blank. Shinichi thought to himself. First that 'Edogawa' she mentioned, then there was that time when she muttered 'if only that baka is here', and now this person called Conan. Sheesh, there's so many people he has to watch out for!
Ai tried hard not to laugh when she realized that he's jealous. Fighting fits of silent laughter, she decided to turn this to her advantage. For a second she even wished the high school Shinichi was here, so she could laugh at him.
"Conan-kun never tries to annoy me!" Ai yelled.
"I didn't—"
"You know I wanted my photo back!" Ai said in a very convincing tone of a little girl about to burst into tears. Agasa Hakase almost clapped at the brilliant acting.
"…" Shinichi looked completely taken aback, and after a silence, he handed the photo over to Ai reluctantly, and she almost felt guilty, seeing the look on his face.
"…I just, wanted to be able to see you, even if you're not here…" he said sulkily, before running out the room.
Ai and the professor exchanged startled looks. Shinichi voice was… a little too serious.
It was Ai who broke the silence. "He's only a kid, he can't possibly know." She said, sounding more confident then she felt.
"…but, Ai-kun…Shinichi is smarter than most kids his age… he has an IQ of 186…"
They heard the front door open with a creak. "Ai-chan? Don't forget I'm still coming over for dinner!"
The professor met Ai's eyes, and they both burst out laughing. Nah, it can't be.
From the kitchen, Ai could hear the front door open, knowing that Shinichi's here to walk to school with her. But today something's different.
"Morning, Shinichi!" Ran said brightly, as Shinichi closed the door behind him. She had only met him once, and she didn't know why the professor and Ai assured her that it's fine to call him by his first name.
"Eh? What are you doing here?" Shinichi asked, bewildered.
"Haibara-san asked if I want to walk to school with you two." She answers simply.
"Oh…" Shinichi can't help but feel annoyed. It had always been just the two of them, what was Ai thinking, inviting someone else along?
"Is something wrong?" Ran asked timidly. "I could leave."
"No, it's okay." Shinichi said quickly, feeling guilty. "Of course you're welcome, Mouri—er, I meant, Ran."
She grinned, and Shinichi managed a feeble smile in return.
Ai watched the two of them chatting, or rather, Shinichi telling Ran about Sherlock Holmes, from the kitchen with a small smile. There, that's how things were supposed to be. Now she's fixed everything, after the organization is taken down, there'd be no APTX4869, just a happy couple, Shinichi and Ran. It wouldn't matter if she's gone now…
But still, sadness overpowered her, and in spite of herself, tears welled up.
"Ai-kun…" the professor put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine, Hakase." She said dismissively, turning away. Doing so, she knocked into the cabinet next to her, and a plate tottered at the edge before crashing into pieces on the ground.
Shinichi and Ran both came running at the sound.
A shard of the broken china cut deeply into her forefinger. Ai inhaled sharply, biting back a cry. Only when Shinichi and the professor saw a splatter of deep red blood, a sharp contrast against the white china, did they realize that she's hurt.
Under Hakase's directions, Ran went to find bandages, while Shinichi grabbed Ai's hand in a forceful manner, pressing on her finger to stop the blood.
"Honestly, it's only a cut. I'm fine." She said, trying to pull away.
"I've got it!" Ran yelled, running back towards them.
Shinichi wrapped the bandages around the cut with utmost care. "Don't touch water for a week." He told her bossily.
"But I have to wash my face." She said, gesturing at the bathroom.
"Use your other hand."
"But… dinner…"
"How could we possibly ask you to make dinner like this?" Shinichi demanded.
Agasa Hakase opened his mouth to protest, and was silenced by a glare from Shinichi. "Uh… takeout, I get it."
Hastily finishing breakfast, the three of them set out for school. Shinichi took her hand as usual, but Ai, with a glance at Ran, pulled away.
"My hand hurts." She said, a ready made excuse answering Shinichi's questioning look.
"Oh." He let go, only to hold her other hand.
"You— never mind."
"Hurry up! School starts in ten minutes!" Hakase called from the house.
With a sideway glance at Ran, Shinichi yelled, "Hurry, run!" and before either girl could figure out what's happening, he ran towards the school, pulling Ai along.
"Wait for me!" Ran yelled moments later, trying to catch up to them.
The actions against the syndicates are going well. So far, with the professor's help, Ai had been able to stop some of their plans before they were carried out. But at the same time, they are starting to get suspicious.
'ACCESS DENIED' the screen now read. The password had been changed for the third time this week, and Ai knew that if she got it wrong for another time, the organization would be alerted.
"Ai-kun, you need rest." The clock hanging in the living room read three thirty. Agasa Hakase had woken up to go to the bathroom, finding the lights still on, and Ai sitting in front of the computer, pondering what to do. "It's three in the morning."
"Oh." Ai answered, but she didn't move.
"Ai-kun!"
Rubbing her eyes, Ai turned to face the professor. "I can't guarantee they won't find out about me, so I have to get as much done as possible. The sooner it's all finished, the more lives can be saved."
"But…" He began, worried. She looked tired, face pale from not getting enough sleep.
"I'm okay." She said with a reassuring smile.
Hakase sighed and plopped down in a chair next to her, thinking if she refuses to rest, she could at least do with the company.
Struck by a thought, Ai logged into her own email account, or rather, Miyano Shiho's. Sure enough, there was a message from them, a short message that would normally have been treated as spam mail.
She highlighted the message, and at the bottom, written in white, is the new password.
The professor watched her work in silence, appalled once more, of the many crimes the organization have committed.
"…Ai-kun… Shinichi's been spending a lot of time with Ran…" He said after awhile, clearing his throat.
"Good." Ai tried hard to concentrate on the computer screen, ignoring the sudden, painful stab inside. She had made sure of this, hadn't she? Why is feeling like this?
"Have you…been… avoiding him?" Hakase asked, choosing his words carefully.
"No." Just giving him and Ran some alone time.
"Ai-kun… you'll hurt his feelings… you know how he is…"
"Oh?" Ai tried to sound unconcerned. The best she could do for him is to stay away, make it easier to forget her once she's gone.
"Ai-kun…" Hakase was going to keep arguing, but Ai interrupted him. "I'm going to bed. Good night, Hakase." She said, switching off the computer.
He saw the pained expression on her face, and decided not to press the matter further. "Good night, Ai-kun."
Lying in her bed, Ai tried to sleep, punching her pillow in a more comfortable shape; she glanced over to her bedside table, expecting the photo taken of the Detective Boys at a camping trip, only to remember that it's not there.
With a sigh, she wondered how one could possibly feel homesick in one's own room.
"Ai-chan, Hakase, Ran and I brought cookies!" Shinichi opened the front door of Agasa Hakase's house, followed closely by Ran who is laughing at something he just said. Both of them are holding a plate of chocolate chip cookies. "Ran made them just now!"
Ai barely glanced up from her work, and said nothing.
"…Ai-chan?" Shinichi waved a hand in front of her face, only to have his hand brushed aside with impatience.
"I'm not hungry." She said shortly.
"Come on Ai-chan, they're pretty good. We found the recipe in the school library." Shinichi said with a grin.
Somehow, Shinichi saying 'we' gave Ai another stab in the heart.
Shinichi's smile faded at the coldness in her eyes. "Ai-chan… are you mad at me?"
Ignoring the question, Ai fixed her gaze at the computer screen.
Ran stood behind them, uncertain of what to do. Thankfully the professor came to her rescue.
"Ah, Ran-chan, these look delicious, why don't you help me put them away?" He said kindly, steering the young girl away from the soon to be explosion.
"You can leave, if there's nothing else you have to do here." Ai said, being the first to break the silence.
"There is something! Why have you been ignoring me?"
"Have I?" Ai felt guilty seeing him so worried. "I've been busy, that's all."
"But Ai-chan, you…"
"Besides, it seems you're having a great time with Ran-san." Ai interrupted. "Why not stay at the detective agency instead of coming over every day?"
Shinichi frowned in confusion. "Ran's dad is a policeman, what are you talking about?" he asked, momentarily forgetting the point of this conversation.
"…Never mind."
Something seemed to dawn on Shinichi as he suddenly gave a short laugh and said, "Is that why you're mad? Because I've been hanging out with Ran?" then his voice turned accusing. "But Ai-chan, you can't blame me for that; you're the one who started ignoring me in the first place. Plus you're the one that invited her."
"What?" what the hell is he talking about?
"Is that what it is?" he asked with a cheeky grin. "Is it?"
Ai said nothing, just kept her eyes on the computer.
"Well, is it?"
The kid thinks she's jealous of Mouri? Feeling very annoyed, Ai whirled around to face him, and with more force in her voice then she intended, yelled, "For your information, I invited Ran over so you would stop annoying me all the time!"
Ai regretted her words as soon as they came out. Shinichi's smile vanished as he stared at her with hurt eyes.
"Do you really mean that?"
"No, I…" But Shinichi had already run out of the house.
"Shinichi? What's wrong?" Ran went out after him. "Shinichi!"
Ai was left alone in the living room, staring at the ground.
"Did you really have to do that?" the professor asked, half stern, half sympathetic.
"…"
"He thought you were mad at him for ignoring Ran when you first invited her over, so he wanted to make up for that."
"…"
"He was really just trying to make you happy."
"…"
"And you said so yourself, you won't die when you disappear. If Shinichi really couldn't get over you, then he could always find you in America."
"Drop it, Hakase." Ai said softly. "Even so, I don't want to think about the look on his face when he realized I don't remember him."
"Still…"
"Just drop it, Hakase. Please."
Professor Agasa bit his lip, and fell silent.
Ai stared out the window, biting her bottom lip. Briefly she wondered if she should go make sure Shinichi is alright. Had they been in the future, he would know her well enough to understand and think nothing of it, but right now, he's only a kid, and Ai knew she had been too harsh.
"Maybe he's forgotten it all by now." Agasa Hakase said hopefully, without much conviction.
Ai turned to face him. "Yeah, maybe." The professor is carrying a cardboard box that held old research papers dog-eared books, with small holes made by bookworms. Cobwebs and dust clung to his lab coat, which he shook off hastily. "You look like a mess. Need help clearing out the attic?"
Hakase smiled, relieved. "Would you, Ai-kun? I really don't know how I let things pile up like that." He said gratefully.
"You'll find it a mess again before long, and it'll probably be worse than this." Ai muttered under her breath, but she made her way up the attic anyways.
"Dinner, Hakase!" Ai called, setting the plates down with unnecessary force. She had kept herself busy all day, trying unsuccessfully to keep her mind off the detective.
It is clear that Shinichi definitely haven't forgotten this morning's argument. He did not come over for dinner. And that, everyone knew, is really serious.
They both neglected to mention the fact. Ai tried to appear indifferent, but her gaze kept traveling to the empty place setting next to her.
The professor racked his brain for something to say as he watched her prod at her food absentmindedly with her chopsticks.
"I'm not hungry." Ai said at last, standing. "I'm going out for a walk."
"Oh, be careful then." Hakase answered, spared of starting a conversation.
Ai pulled her jacket on and left. She hesitated as she passed Shinichi's house, her fingers hovering inches from the doorbell. Should she go in? But then her nerves failed her and she lowered her arm again. She wouldn't know what to say anyways. Growing up in the organization, there was a lot of swearing, yelling and snapping at people, and sarcastic remarks, but she was never good at apologizing. Ai hated the syndicates so much that even if she did make a mistake (which is a rare thing), she would just glare.
Not really minding where she is going, Ai wandered along the streets, both familiar and strange to her at the same time.
The next moment Ai found herself thrown to the ground. Eyes watering in pain, she looked up to glare at the person who had knocked into her.
It was a man dressed entirely in black, with a heavy looking face that seemed to have a permanent scowl etched on it.
A sudden, shivering feeling, as if she was being drowned in icy water, overcame her and she knew in an instant that he was one of them.
"Watch where you're going, brat!" He sneered, walking away.
Swearing under her breath, Ai scrambled up from the ground and stared at the building where the syndicate member had came out. What are they doing in a place like this? Then, recognizing the place, she froze.
This is her sister's apartment.
Taking care not to be seen, Ai crept toward the window, pulling the hood of her jacket over her face. Akemi is curled up in a chair, talking on the phone. Through the open window, Ai could hear the conversation quite clearly.
"I don't get why you couldn't do those research here!" Akemi is saying, frustrated.
She's talking to me. Ai realized.
"Mom and dad wanted you to have your education here, Shiho-chan! …No, I don't care what Gin said, I'm not calling you Sherry!"
"… You're only seven, no matter how brilliant you are, and you need to be around kids your age!" Akemi sighed. "… I miss you too, Shiho-chan… you know, I saw a girl the other day, and she resembles you so much that I thought…"
"Oi, kid, what are you doing!" A rough voice behind her barked. The syndicate member had turned around. Akemi looked up at his voice, surprised.
Within seconds Ai found herself lifted off the ground by her collar. She struggled and tried to kick her captor, but he wasn't even slightly bothered by it.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Calvados?" Akemi demanded, she had hung up the phone and is now running out of the house to help Ai.
He's Calvados? So that's why he seemed familiar…
"The brat here was spying." Calvados answered, giving Ai a rough shake. At this, her hood slipped off, and he gasped, recognizing her. His grip on her loosened in surprise, and Ai fell to the ground. Akemi pulled Ai behind her before he could catch her again.
Calvados turned to Akemi. "And may I ask how you managed to get your sister away from our watch?" He asked, although Akemi look just as surprised as he.
Quickly regaining her composure, Akemi glared and said, "If you had enough brains to remember that I was just talking to my sister on the phone, you'd see that this girl isn't Shiho. 'He' won't be pleased to hear that you're scaring random kids on the streets, I presume. Suppose her parents call the police?"
Calvados shrugged. "The police are useless." He was still peering at Ai suspiciously. Ai clutched the back of her sister's coat tightly.
"Fine, call Gin, then. You'll see that Shiho is still working in that foul lab of yours. Unless you think she could be in two places at once?"
Behind her, Ai stared uncomfortably at the ground. Calvados still squinted at them, as if deciding whether to believe them or not.
"Very well." He growled at last. "You'd better make sure the brat doesn't talk, Miyano."
Akemi's glare followed him until he is out of sight, then, when they're alone, she turned to Ai.
"I'm so sorry about that, are you hurt?"
Ai shook her head, unable to say anything.
"You're that girl I saw last time, right?" Akemi asked. "Your name is Ai, am I right?"
Ai smiled. "Yeah."
"Listen, you mustn't tell anyone what happened here, okay? And you better not hang around here. You do look a lot like my little sister." Akemi sighed, running a hand softly through Ai's hair. "I do wish she's here."
Ai looked up to meet her eyes. "It's okay, everything will be alright." Ai whispered solemnly, a blazing look in her eyes. "Everything will be okay, I promise." With that, she turned and left, Akemi's perplexed gaze following her.
Her thoughts on her sister, Ai looked up at the night sky, half expecting to see shooting stars soaring past again, but the night was a still one.
She searched her pockets for keys as she neared the house, and nearly tripped over someone sitting in the dark.
Shinichi leaned against the door. He showed no sign of wanting to go inside, and is just sitting there, sulking.
"Hi," Ai said tentatively after her surprise wore off.
He chose to ignore her.
"Have you had dinner yet?"
"You said you don't want me bothering you, so why are you talking to me?" he asked grumpily.
"I couldn't get in, you're blocking the door." Ai pointed out.
Shinichi glared at her before shifting to the side. "There, happy?"
Normally, as bad as she felt, she would have still opened the door and leave. That was simply the way she was. But Ai found herself sitting next to him.
Silence.
She didn't know what to say, and Shinichi only glanced her way for a moment before continuing her deadpan stare at the house across from the professor's.
Funny, usually it was for Ai to sulk in a corner, while Conan tried to find something, anything, to say.
The silence seemed to solidify in the air, before she decided that she had to be the one to break it.
"About what I said earlier… I didn't mean it…" she said. Shinichi turned to face her.
Ai took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
A ghost of a smile appeared on Shinichi's face. "You'll stop avoiding me?"
Ai nodded.
"We're friends again?"
"Yeah."
"You'll still marry me when we grow up?" he asked with a cheeky grin.
"I—What? I never said…" Ai sputtered, but Shinichi was laughing, and she found herself smiling as well.
Then the rumbling of a certain detective's stomach, protesting the lack of dinner, interrupted. "Ai-chan? I'm hungry."
"Come on then, we've laid out a plate for you." Ai said. Shinichi stood up eagerly, and took Ai's hand to help her up. He took it as a very good sign that she didn't pull away.
Watching Shinichi and the professor fighting over the remains of dinner, Ai smiled to herself. She would stop trying to push him away. She would worry about the future when time comes. Hopefully by then, everything would manage to work out okay
Happy times, among all others, always pass too quickly for anyone's liking. The days under Agasa Hakase's care definitely qualify as happy, and so three years quickly crept past under everyone's notice.
It was a lot like hanging around the Detective Boys again, only the three kids obviously weren't there. The professor took them on camping trips, amusement parks, that sort of thing. Occasionally Ran joins them. So far no one has died in any of those occasions; Ai took that to be a big improvement.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.
"Ai-kun, come see, is this her?" Agasa Hakase called, and Ai rushed over to the living room, where he is pointing at the TV, now broadcasting the news.
"American actress Chris Vineyard was suspected of being part of a plan to assassinate the former senator…" The reporter is saying. "…The FBI are now involved in the case. It is assumed that Chris Vineyard is not acting alone. The FBI has tracked down a few others…"
"Is it, Ai-kun, is it them?"
Ai nodded.
She had done it. The black syndicate's existence is known, but there is no happiness inside her. Sure, she's glad that Vermouth was caught, but their downfall would mean… she looked around, wondering how much time she would have as Haibara Ai.
"Hakase… why am I still here?"
"Well…" the professor considered the question. "The organization would have to be destroyed to a point where Sherry could no longer work on APTX4869, and they've found those in Japan, so…"
Agasa Hakase was asked to assist the FBI and the police since he had provided information for them. He would be going to America for little more than a week.
"…So I would probably be gone soon, when you get back." Ai concluded. Her voice was steady, even if she felt anything but.
They both agreed that from now on, Ai shouldn't go to school anymore. There were too many risks of her suddenly disappearing.
"What will you tell Shinichi-kun?"
Ai strived to find an answer, and failed. "I don't know."
For three years, every morning began the same way.
No matter how early Ai wakes up, somehow Shinichi would always be standing by her bedside. Unknowingly to Shinichi, Ai would feign sleep, opening her eyes by a millimeter, watching him. He always had a look in his eyes that she couldn't define; it seemed sad and happy all at the same time. But when she opened her eyes, deciding to get up, there would be a grin on his face, followed by, "Morning, Ai-chan! When's breakfast?"
Ai never knew what to make of this.
Both Ai and Agasa Hakase tried to keep their spirits up, and to any other, it would seem like any other morning. But Shinichi noticed things. He is going to become a famous detective, after all, and he saw that the other two's smiles didn't reach their eyes. But he didn't say anything.
"The game is in two days." He said suddenly, looking up from the book he was reading. If you're good enough, they let you play on the middle school soccer team, Shinichi happened to be their best player.
"So?" Ai asked, stirring milk into her coffee.
"You'll both go, right? You and Hakase?"
Ai exchanged glances with the professor. "I—"
"Sorry, Shinichi-kun, I'm leaving for America tonight, work, you know… But of course Ai-kun would be there!" Agasa Hakase interrupted.
Shinichi grinned. Then, after wolfing down his plate of pancakes, announced that he has soccer practice and left.
Ai turned to the professor, stunned. "Are you sure about this? What if I…"
"It's a twenty hour plane flight, Ai-kun. It's just one day, you can afford to leave the house." Hakase smiled. "And you'd want to be there to see Shinichi-kun score the winning goal, don't you?"
Agasa Hakase came downstairs, carrying a green suitcase and a shoulder bag.
Ai stood, rummaging through her purse. "Here. I've found your passport, and here's your plane ticket…"
"Thanks, Ai-kun." They stared at each other for almost a full minute, not knowing what to say. They both know that, when the professor returned from America, Ai wouldn't be there.
"Hakase… thanks, for everything, I really…" Ai's voice faltered. Hakase had trusted her from the beginning, believed in her. He was the closest she ever had to having a parent. To have someone to take care of her, to remind her to bring an extra jacket, to nag all the time about her not getting enough rest, to feel at home. She couldn't find words enough to let him know how much it all means to her.
"I know." There's no need for words. Hakase could tell how much she cared.
"Watch your cholesterol, and blood pressure, okay? And no fast food…" she said, fighting to keep her voice calm.
"Ai-kun…" Agasa Hakase sobbed pulling her into a hug. He knew that she's afraid of disappearing, and that she's trying not to let him worry about her.
"We've always known this would happen. We promised not to cry, remember?" Ai said lightly, patting the professor's back even as her own eyes watered.
Time flew pass before they had the time to cherish it. It seemed to be just yesterday when Ai first came to live here, when she told him of her past (or future) and explained what she must do, what must happen.
It's too fast; he wasn't prepared to lose his almost adoptive daughter, can't even picture life going on after she's gone.
"I'll still have Neechan, I'll be okay…" Ai said reassuringly.
Someone knocked. "Agasa-san?" It was the FBI agents accompanying Hakase to the airport.
"Well, I have to go." The professor said, wiping his eyes.
Ai nodded, a sad smile on her face. "Bye."
She watched the car drive away; standing there even after it was out of sight. It was then when her mask slipped and she allowed herself to cry.
"Ai-chan, over here!" Ran called, jumping up and down in her seat, waving to the strawberry blonde. Ai nodded and made her way over to the bleachers. The two girls watched the coach round the team up for a pre-game peptalk. Ai caught a words along the lines of 'no 'i' in team'.
"There you are, Ai-chan!" Ai turned to see her sister holding three ice cream cones in her hands, looking much more cheerful than usual. She hands an ice cream to Ai and Ran each, and sat down next to them. Ai noticed that for once, no one is following Akemi, and smiled.
"Guess what?" Akemi said, lowering her voice slightly. "They're found out by the FBI. So I guess Shiho-chan can come home soon! Wait 'till you meet her!"
Ai nodded, biting her lip. "That's great.
The referee's whistle blew, signaling the start of the game.
"Hi you guys!" Shinichi yelled, waving at them, and is hit in the head by the coach.
"Concentrate, Kudo!"
Shinichi grinned and turned just in time to see someone pass the ball to him.
The crowd stands on their feet, cheering loudly. Ran gripped Ai's arm so hard that her nails lost color of blood, but Ai barely felt a thing.
"The score is even, 2-2, with Beika in control of the ball..." The loud, annoying voice of the announcer is saying. "... Look at Kudo go, folks! He's dribbling down center line, towards the goal, the central defender tries to block him, he has to do better than that, because Kudo sidestepped him with ease! But look at this now!"
Shinichi saw the goal ahead, and out of the corner of his eyes saw the freckles-covererd face of the huge, why-is-he-playing-soccer-and-not-training-for-sumo-wrestling member of the other team thrusting an elbow at his face. He fakes left, and dodged the blow easily, hearing the crowd hiss at the attempted foul.
"Man oh man! Kudo is now within scoring area, the goalie is out, and...GOAL! The referee signaled the end, it's over! Beika won against Haido, 3 to 2, everyone!"
It was like something exploded in the crowd. Everyone jumped up, cheering at the top of their lungs.
"They won, Ai-chan! They won!" Ran yelled shaking Ai by the arm. And Ai found herself cheering and clapping as hard as everyone around her.
Ai sat on the roof, shivering slightly in the cold. It was two in the morning, and she couldn't sleep.
Big surprises there.
She kept contemplating, much as she tried not to think about it, how it would happen. Would she just fade away slowly, or simply vanish, being here one second and gone by the next?
Ai hated how she feels so scared. How she is afraid even to close her eyes.
"How long were you planning to stand there?" she asks lightly, after awhile.
Behind her, Shinichi stepped out of the shadows, looking sheepish. He could never manage to sneak up on her somehow.
"You breathe too loud." Ai said, answering his unspoken question.
"Oh." Shinichi sat down next to her, handing her his jacket. "Here, it's cold."
"What are you doing here? It's two in the morning."
"Snuck out." Shinichi said with a grin. "Mom would kill me when she finds out."
"Why would you do that?"
Shinichi looked at her for a long time before her shrugged. "I figured you're probably still up, and you might like some company with Hakase not being here and all."
"…" Ai was annoyed at herself for being glad that he's here, when really she should be telling him to leave.
There sat there, side by side, like a scene in a movie. It always happens like that, the roof, the star filled sky, the couple holding hands, falling in love, living happily ever after. Except here, the skies were clouded, and Ai doubted very much that her story would have a happy ending.
"Ai-chan?"
"Hmm?"
"Is it true that you're not coming to school anymore?"
Silence. Then, a nod. She knew that he would ask why, and tried to come up with a plausible answer. But he fell silent, and his next word weren't what she expected.
"Ai-chan…what do you think the future would be like?"
Ai turned to stare at him. His remark was carefully composed, and she couldn't tell if it was just a casual, truth-or-dare-ish question, or if there's something behind it. She studied his face carefully. But nothing seems different...
Deciding to avoid the question, she shrugged. "I don't know. What do you think?"
"No fair. I asked first."
Ai exhaled sharply. "Okay. In the future, Kudo Shinichi would become a famous detective."
"Would you like that? Me being a detective." Shinichi asked seriously, and Ai can't help but smile.
"Of course."
"And then?"
"You'll be in the same class as Ran-san, grow up with her, be there when she wins the karate tournament...and be happy."
"What about you?"
"Me? I..." Ai smiled thinly. I'll be Miyano Shiho... someone with nothing to do with you...
She fell silent, staring at the ground before her. "I..."
Then she felt him take her hand gently. Ai looked up questioningly to find him looking at her solemnly.
"…Let's go downstairs."
Ai nodded, and let him lead her down the stairs.
"Bye, Ai-chan. See you tomorrow."
Ai closed the door, then slumped onto the couch, staring into space. Was she imagining things, or did the way he said 'See you tomorrow' seem like a question?
"Come on already..." Ai muttered, clicking the mouse impatiently. She was trying to read her mail, to see how Hakase was doing with the FBI, but it seems that the computer wasn't in the mood to cooperate today.
Swearing darkly under her breath, Ai fought the urge to hammer the computer and switched it off altogether.
Behind her, the door opened. "Hey, Ai-chan."
"I thought I told you not to come over anymore." Ai said lightly, not able to make her words sound serious enough for him to actually listen.
Shinichi only grinned at her.
"Why are there leaves in your hair?" she asked instead, leaning over to pick them out.
"I climbed out a window." Shinichi explained sheepishly, smoothing down his hair. "Mom caught me yesterday, and I'm grounded."
Checking her watch, Ai stood. "I have dinner to make."
"Can I help?" Shinichi asked eagerly.
"No." Ai knew from past experiences that letting Shinichi in the kitchen meant certain disaster.
Another thing that she's certain of though, is that Shinichi is unlikely going to listen to her. And so...
"What are you doing? That's sugar, the salt is over there!"...
"Put that knife down!"...
"You can't put that in yet, the water hasn't boiled!"
And half an hour later, Ai dragged Shinichi out of the kitchen, saying that if he wanted to see anything edible on the talble tonight, he would do well to stop 'helping'.
"Fine, fine... Gee Ai-chan, I was just trying to help..." Shinichi complained.
"..."
"You didn't have to be mean about it..."
Still no reply.
"Ai-chan?"
Silence.
A sense of dread bubbled up in his stomach, Shinichi turned on the spot to see Ai standing there, eyes wide, staring at her own hands, now translucent, fading slowly but surely before her.
"Ai!" He ran over to her and threw his arms around the her. There was no surprise on his face, just the determination of making her stay. It was then when Ai finally realized what the look on his face when he woke her up everyday was.
It was relief, and worry. Relief that she still slept safely under the covers, and worry that she would disappear from his life.
He knew... all long... and he never told her, never asked for an explaination, but instead tried to protect her in his own way. Ai smiled. So that's why he insists on walking her home everyday, even if he had soccer practice, why he always had to follow her around, why...
Ai felt tears in her eyes. "Baka..." she whispered.
"Don't go, Ai-chan!" Shinichi said, obvoius panic in his voice. He pulled her closer, but it was no use. Ai could feel her strength leaving her; she could barely feel him.
So this is it. Hakase must be successful in defeating them. They'll all be safe now, no organization, no APTX, and everything the way it should have been...
Her vision blurred. Ai closed her eyes.
"Bye... Shinichi..."
Miyano Shiho tried to stay as unnoticeable as possible, but attention is all she got. Mostly this is because she is incredibly beautiful, and she had the intelligence to match it. Notes and flowers from secret admirers found their way to her desk, much to her annoyance. All her teachers loved her, saying that they had never taught someone so talented, and even the news wanted an interview from her when she attended Harvard Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the age of only sixteen.
She hated all the attention, and prefers to stay in the lab, working on her researches. She didn't mind the solitude, as she is pretty much used to being by herself, and she could concentrate better when she's alone anyways.
So that's where she is now, just a month before her graduation, waiting for the results of the experiment she's working on. Beside her research files, sat a cup of black coffee that had already been refilled several times. The words on the paper she's reading blurred, becoming completely indistinguishable from one another. She felt her eyelids droop, and...
"Ai-chan?"
And all of a sudden she's here again. The amusement park. Tropical Land.
"Ai-chan!" The voice called out again clearly, as if the person calling is right next to her.
Somehow she knew the voice was calling her, even if she didn't recognize the name. Ai... Somehow she knew it's important. To find out who this person is.
Shiho spun around and around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but all around her, people only continued with their conversations, acting as if they couldn't hear a thing.
"Where are you?" She called, frustrated, as the voice turned fainter. "Don't go!"
"Shiho?"
Shiho mumbled something incoherent.
"Wake up."
She became vaguely aware of someone shaking her gently. Where was she again? Right, the lab, the experiment...
The experiment! She opened her eyes, and found her college professor, Professor Williams, looking at her with concern.
"Damn! I fell asleep, did the results...?"
Professor Williams, a man in his sixties with graying hair and a twinkle in his eyes, put a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. I took care of it. Didn't I tell you to stop working late?" he said, raising his eyebrows at the empty cup of coffee. "Fifth or sixth refill?"
"Fifth." Shiho admitted with reluctance.
Professor Williams started telling her off about how the caffeine is bad for her, especially since she hadn't even ate dinner. But she wasn't really listening, as she is still distracted by her dream.
Tropical Land. She had never been there in her life, but ever since she was ten, it had been appearing in her dreams, along with the boy's voice, and that name... Ai... It seems so strange and familiar all at once, like the name of a long ago classmate whom you've only spoken to a few times.
She just has to know what the dreams meant, and the voice, it's somewhere deep down in her mind, she's sure of it, but she just couldn't remember where she had heard it before.
Akemi visits her often, after the syndicates fell. And when Shiho told her about the dreams, it seems like Akemi knew something she didn't as well. She looked surprised when the name 'Ai' is mentioned, and confusion passed her eyes before she sat up with a mysterious smile. "Tropical Land... it's in Tokyo. Maybe you'll find the answer in Japan, Shiho-chan."
"Shiho, are you listening?" Professor Williams waved a hand in front of her face.
"So, have you decided?"
"What?"
"My offer, I told you last week. You're graduating in a month. I was wondering if my best student would like to stay and be my assistant? Before you find another job of course, though that probably wouldn't take very long."
"Oh that." Shiho smiled apologetically. "I've decided to go back to Japan."
The professor nodded.
"I might come back, though."
"Well then, I look forward to working with you again someday." Professor Williams said, smiling warmly.
"We have landed in Tokyo, Japan. We hope your flight was enjoyable. Thank you for putting your trust in Japan Airlines."
Shiho sighed, feeling exhausted from the twenty hour flight. She could never sleep on a plane, which means she had just watched five boring movies in a row.
She stood by the luggage carousel, waiting for her suitcases.
"Excuse me?" a voice beside her said. She didn't respond, figuring whoever it is probably isn't calling her.
"Excuse me?"
Okay, guess she was wrong. Shiho turned, and found herself staring into a pair of warm blue eyes. Her eyes widened.
Before her, Shinichi grinned.
"Remember me, Ai-chan?"
A/N: I copied this story from A Wish Upon A Star, I really love this story and I didn't want that story to finish in this point so I am going to complete it . aquagirl520 if you don't want to its okay I can delete it=D