¨Dear Ran,

I realize you must know now who I am. He told you and it was only fair of him to do so. But know this, whether or not my name is Ai Haibara, that time, on the beach, when I reached out to you, when I asked for your friendship, I meant it.

The very moment you´re reading this letter I will probably be standing in the ´Check in´ department of the Tokyo airport, waiting to leave Japan for good. I needed to tell you, because we were friends and because it is only fair.

And it is only fair that with my departure from Japan, I also leave my last secret on these lands of the rising sun. He loves you. I never understood why. You´re not particularly smart, nor are you particularly wise. You´re naive, headstrong, lack anything partly close to sofistication, and yet he loves you.

´Courage has something to do with justice.´ and I need to be just. You´re a truly beautiful person, that´s what drew him to you, that´s what made me come to you and that´s what will keep you happy and pure...

I´m smiling now, know that, because I know the difference now. Why he never would have chosen me. You see... I need him, but you want him. I cannot and am not able to choose another, but you, having the freedom of choice, chose just him.

All my best wishes to you, my dear friend

Sayonara¨

Tears were streaming down her face, crystal clear. Pain wreaked havoc upon her chest, her breaths muffled, screams dying on her parted lips. And yet, she knew there was no other way. Looking out the window, for a moment seeing the reflection of her kneeling self, she whispered softly...

¨Goodbye Ai, Shiho, my dear friend.¨