I'll leave my window open
'cause I'm too tired at night for all these games
just know I'm right here hoping
that you'll come in with the rain
-Taylor Swift (Come In With The Rain)
It had been an accident that she found out at all.
She had only come over to help Chikage-san with the cleaning - she hadn't meant to end up in Kaito's room. She hadn't meant to catch her foot on a pile of books and trip; she hadn't meant to fall against the painting. She hadn't meant to discover the forbidden.
It had been an accident. Just a stupid accident, but now she was the one left feeling stupid.
She wondered how long had it been. How long had he been laughing at her behind that stupid poker face? He still thought she couldn't tell when he faked a smile to put her at ease. As if she didn't know when he was pretending. Didn't he trust her at all?
It had surprised her, at first. That she wasn't angry with him. She had been, for that first terrible night, but then she had woken up and everything was. . . just. . .
. . .
She would have to face him tomorrow. The weekend had given her time to get over the worst of that earth-shattering discovery, but her brief respite was over. Unless she called in sick tomorrow. . . but no, that would be running away. Even if she wanted nothing more than to shut herself in her room and cry until she forgot, she couldn't hide forever. She had to face him. But what could she say when he had left her trust utterly broken? Should she confront him? Ask him why he did what he did? Should she scream at him for lying to her, for making a fool of her father, for breaking the law? For being Kid?
. . . Should she say anything at all?
Kaito. . . .
He was supposed to be her annoying best friend, the one who flipped her skirt and pranked everyone and went bouncing off walls in the middle of class. She was supposed to be the one who kept him (more) in line and chased him with a mop and yelled at him when he was being an idiot.
He wasn't supposed to be the thief who stole her father.
She wasn't supposed to be the one who faked her smiles.
Stupid Kaito.
Stupid Aoko.
She buried her face in her pillow and cried.
.
. . . . . . .
.
School was so hard now. Kaito had noticed right away that something was wrong with her, and of course he tried to cheer her up or distract her. She honestly wasn't sure which. Before, she would have happily taken the bait and chased the idiot around the room, but now she could barely manage a wan smile and a "not today."
His concerned glances followed her the rest of the week.
She must have changed her mind a million times. Should she confront him, or leave things as they were? She desperately wanted to know why, but at the same time, some part of her that still trusted him was hoping he would tell her himself. After all, weren't they friends? She knew he cared about her.
Didn't he?
No, he did. She knew he did. If nothing else, she refused to doubt that. If she did, she'd have nothing left to hold on to. She breathed deeply and let the air rush out in a sigh.
She would wait. She wouldn't confront him outright, but she wouldn't leave things like this, either. Decision made, she smiled - her first real smile in days.
.
. . . . . . .
.
The next morning, she started her plan. After reassuring her friends that she really was fine now, she went back to her normal behavior, albeit with one big exception: she stopped talking about Kid. She didn't insult him, didn't tear up the newspapers with his picture, didn't make a big deal when yet another jewel was stolen. Even when Kaito pulled his stupid (narcissistic?) fanboy routine, she didn't say one word against the flashy thief. She made sure he knew that although she still didn't like the kaitou, she didn't hate him anymore.
She began to leave her window open at night.
She didn't know if he would notice or care, didn't know if he would see it as the invitation it was. She kept on doing it, even as the weeks passed. She never saw so much as a shadow.
She stopped going to Kid heists. Sometimes she brought things to her father, but she tried to come early and leave as soon as possible. Even so, she caught a glimpse once of a white cape and mocking grin - she hadn't realized how much it would hurt to see him like that. She practically ran from the museum and didn't notice the way the kaitou paused, staring after her.
She stayed up late that night, huddled in her blanket and watching the window.
He didn't come.
.
. . . . . . .
.
Fall moved on toward winter, and it began to get colder.
She left the window open.
.
. . . . . . .
.
Today, Hakuba-kun was trying once again to make Kaito admit his identity. It was funny; she'd never believed him before. She still wouldn't, if it hadn't been for the Accident. Now she had all the proof he tried so fervently to gather. Not that she would ever give it to him.
Still, she didn't defend Kaito as she used to - how could she? She saw him looking at her, something uncertain lingering in his eyes even as the detective made some remark about Kid's lack of morals.
She shocked them all when she defended the thief.
She couldn't help it; she knew Kaito. She knew he wasn't doing it just for laughs - knew he had to have a reason. He was her best friend, the one who'd always been there for her, and he wouldn't hurt her like that. Not if it was just a game. So it had to be important. Kid - Kaito - had to have a reason. Otherwise, why give everything back? Why go so far to make sure no one got hurt?
So she looked him in the eye and told the entire class that Kaitou Kid was definitely not a bad person, even if he was a criminal. Hakuba retreated to his seat in confusion, and Kaito watched her from the corner of his eye until school ended and it was time to leave.
.
. . . . . . .
.
That night, a pure white rose appeared on her windowsill, gleaming in the moonlight.
.
. . . . . . .
.
It was full on winter now, and her window was still open.
She was starting to get pretty frustrated with a certain baka-kaitou. . . besides, it was cold! Why couldn't he hurry up and trust her already? Hadn't she dropped enough hints? She had thought, when the rose appeared, that she had finally gotten through to him. But here she was, staring at an open window when it was almost 30 degrees outside.
Waiting.
She sighed, wrapping her blanket around her and flicking off the lights. Maybe. . . she should just give up. Maybe he didn't want to let her in. She shivered. Maybe. . . .
Unwillingly, she fell asleep.
.
. . . . . . .
.
She wasn't sure what woke her, but she opened her eyes to a room painted in white shadows. Moonlight was streaming through the window, except for where it was blocked by what looked like. . . like. . . . Her eyes widened.
Kaitou Kid.
He was here, standing just inside the window. All she could see from this angle was the back of his head and that long cape, flickering just a little bit in the breeze.
"You shouldn't leave your window open, ojou-san. It would be a shame if you caught a cold."
His voice sent shivers down her spine. It was suave, arrogant, powerful - but somehow, so very familiar. She slipped out of bed, taking the blanket with her. After all, she was still cold. "I can't close it yet," she told him, the tremor in her voice barely noticeable.
"It would be better if you did."
"I'm not going to. I'm still waiting."
He shifted, the white top hat casting shadows over what she could see of his face. "And what are you waiting for, ojou-san?"
She drew a deep breath. This was her chance. If she blew it, she knew she wouldn't get another. "My friend. My best friend - I've known him since we were little kids. He's always there for me. He acts happy no matter what, and he thinks I can't tell when he's faking it."
The Kid twitched.
"He does crazy things just to make people laugh. He flips my skirt and lets me chase him with a mop. He pranks everyone, even my father and the police. He's cold, but also sweet."
Sometime during her speech, he had turned to face her, eyes wide with surprise. She smiled a little and kept going.
"He's an idiot, but he always knows how to cheer me up. He's the best magician I've ever seen. He makes me so mad sometimes, but he also makes me smile. He. . . he's a liar. And a thief. And," she looked up to stare unflinchingly into those so-familiar eyes, "I forgive him."
She watched as whatever mask he had been hiding behind shattered into a thousand pieces.
"Aoko. . . ."
Her name was a whisper on his lips. She smiled and lifted the top hat from his unruly hair. Without it, the monocle did little to hide his face.
"Caught you, Kaito."
He blinked, then smiled back at her. "I guess you did. So what will you do now?" His smile became a full-blown smirk. "Nakamori-keibu?"
She tossed his hat onto the bed, where it landed with a light thump.
"Isn't it obvious, baka? I'll close my window."
"But then how will I get in?"
"Use the door like a normal person, Bakaito."