Encouraged by the reviews of my first story, here it is! A brand new one. I plan to continue with at least two more chapters, but we will see what happens.

All comments and critique are highly appreciated.

Enjoy

-.-.-

A PASTRY TO REMEMBER

Oh yes. There he was again.

Always rushing. Always up and about. Ah, the youngsters.

Old lady Yukio had been selling pastries near Teitan High School forever. Well to be more precise, her little stand was located at the street that had at its end two turns – one to Teitan High, another to Teitan Elementary. The one leading to Teitan Elementary was also a road to Kudo Shinichi's house.

Oh yes, Kudo Shinichi loved her pastries with all his heart.

Since he was a little child, Kudo Shinichi had a knack of ending up in interesting places. Later, she got to know his little cute sidekick, the Ran girl. Well, at least she pretended to be cute. Yukio would never forget the time she caught a thief trying to steal her old purse with the daily takings. A well-aimed kick in the face was all it took. That was painful to even watch. That Kudo rascal went an interesting shade of white during that time.

Ah, that's right. Kudo Shinichi running around. But never in circles.

She smiled when she remembered the first time she met a young boy, and later a high school detective famous for solving complicated crimes.

-.-.-.-.-

Yukio wiped her forehead. She was sweating heavily. This summer was particularly hot and as an old person, she was not very fond of heat. When she was young she used to love summers and springs, but hated winters with passion. But it was lonely after the death of her husband and going every day to sell pastries in her little stand at least gave her something to do, even if not many people were willing to chat with her, always rushing and never looking twice at her.

She must have dozed off for a bit, because the sun was a little lower than she remembered. And something was touching her leg.

Huh.

No, something was touching and…purring? Prepared to move the annoying animal offender (it was probably Mrs Touyama's cat again! She hated that mean being) she glared down and lowered her hand, only to look at the pair of wide blue eyes and a mop of black hair.

It was a little boy, about four or five years of age. He was crouching at her right leg, frozen for a moment, something clutched in his hand. After a few seconds of both parties being startled, a wide grin with some tooth missing appeared on the face of the child.

"Hello! Hehe."

Yukio, amused, raised an eyebrow. "And hello to you too, little cat. What are you doing here, hmm? "

"I'm not a cat!", an agitated voice of the boy ringed loudly, "I'm not!"

She smiled. "Then who are you?"

"I'm a detective cat!"

Yukio made a sound that was a mix of a snort and choking. Well, that was an answer she wasn't expecting at all.

"I see. And may I know the detective cat's name?", she asked gently.

Silence. Blue eyes regarded her closely, watching, judging.

"Well?", She snapped impatiently.

"I think… I think you can be trusted. It's Shinichi."

"Trusted, Shinichi-kun? Why someone can't be trusted with your name?", she asked curiously, her mirth brightening her face instantly. It was going to be a good day, after all.

"I am working undercover."

This time a small smile tugged at her lips. "And do you even know what it means, child?"

To her utter delight, Shinichi kun blushed. "Well, first I didn't and mum laughed when I was investigating the case of the spilled juice in the kitchen with a duvet on my head. But she promised not to tell dad, so I guess it's okay. 'Cause that would certainly be embarrassing."

Ah, hero worship. "So you want to impress your dad, right?"

"Hai! With my debugtive skills!"

The image was just too hilarious, Yukio let out a small laugh, but fortunately the boy didn't mind, still engrossed with his tale of his dad, a famous writer of "Night Baron"(whatever it was) series and his mother, an actress.

"And where are your parents, Shinichi-kun?"

"Mum is watching me."

Yukio looked around. "Well, she certainly isn't right now".

The little boy made a painful face. "Yeah, she met some friend, and they stated to talk about different shades of grey on their handbags. It was boring and completely uninformative ".

"Informative? Well, then is our conversation informative? Because I think you should also be informative and inform your mother before leaving her".

Kudo Shinichi sighed and made a sad face. Pouting, he looked even smaller.

"SHIN-CHAN! SHIN-CHAN! Where are you, sweetheart? Shinichi!"

Yukio smiled as the boy's shoulder slumped. Well, about time the irresponsible mother realized her son was missing.

"Seems like you have to go, boy".

"But I still haven't discovered who stole your strawberry pastry!"

Wait, what?

"Silly child, no one stole my pastries. See, they are right…here", and then she saw an empty space where should be no empty place on her stand, only crumbs left as a reminder of the crime.

"See, see! I told ya! I told'a something's missing. I have to find him, he has white hair, the evidence says it, we have to find him!"

"Fine, I will find him, but go to your mother. See, she is coming", indeed a gray – yellow silhouette was running in the distance, sometimes stopping and looking around in panic. "Go on, I will find him for you. I am also a very good detective", she added with a sly smile.

Shinichi looked at her with doubt. "Are you really?"

"Oh yes. And if you come here again, I will tell you all about it, hmm?"

"…Okay. Bye!"

And the little blue and red blur ran down the street to meet a yellow-gray one.

Yukio smiled. That was entertaining. It was good she came here today. What a nice encounter. She hoped she could meet the boy again. She looked around, watching for another potentional clients, when her eye caught something interesting.

Mrs Touyama's white fat cat was sitting on a nigh fence on her left, a strawberry pastry in his muzzle.