Disclaimer: I do not own the 'Detective Conan' series.

The Reason Why

Chapter One

"Come on, Ran! We're going to be late for school if you don't hurry!" Sonoko screamed from outside of the detective agency, calling for Ran.

This was their morning routine for the past few years. Walking to school together somehow, became their tradition.

A few seconds after Sonoko's scream, Ran could be seen dashing down the steps from the detective agency that was also her living quarter, together with her father, and so-called 'little brother'.

"Sorry, Sonoko. I lose track of time when I was preparing Conan's breakfast," Ran said when she reached where Sonoko was standing.

"It's because of that brat again? Seriously, can't he just prepare his own breakfast?" Sonoko said as they started walking.

"He can prepare it himself, but I insist on preparing it for him," Ran replied her question.

"Why would you insist on making his breakfast if he can do it by himself?" Sonoko shot another question at her.

"It's the least I can do as his older sister. I mean, who knows if his parents will take him away again, right? So, I want to be the best older sister he could ever have."

"But you're his only 'older sister'. Of course you'd be the best, Ran."

"That's not true. He also has other older sisters."

"Who are those others?" Sonoko asked with a bored tone.

"Well, aren't you one of them?"

"Me? Be his older sister? No chance in hell, Ran. There's no way I could have a brat like that as a younger brother," Sonoko replied.

"But, I think he consider you as one, though. Just like Kazuha, too."

"Hm? Really now? Whatever. Just let him think whatever he wants. What about you?"

"What about me?" Ran asked Sonoko again, confused by her question.

"Yeah, you. You look a lot happier than any other days. Did something happen?" Sonoko asked, now interested in a whole new topic.

"Nothing happened," she answered with a blush on her cheeks.

"You're totally lying, Ran. I can see your cheeks burning up. Come on, just share it with me. Did someone asked you out? Did someone send you a present?" Sonoko asked while nudging her ribs.

"Well, actually Shinichi called me last night, and we talked for a while."

The statement somehow made Sonoko feel annoyed.

"Hmm..? He called again, huh? So, when did he say he was coming to visit you, this time?"

Ran shook her head. "He didn't say. Maybe because I didn't asked him about it? I don't want to be a bother for him when he's working on a case you know?" Ran replied her.

Sonoko closed her eyes and frowned. She opens them again and glared at Ran.

"If you actually want him to be your man, you should be a little harder with him. You're way too soft to him, you know? I wouldn't be surprised if he returns with another woman clinging on him."

"Sonoko!" Ran raised her voice a little.

"What? You can act hard with me but not with him?"

Ran felt bad and dropped her gaze upon the ground.

"It's not like me and him have some kind of 'thing', okay?" Ran said as she lifts her face again and looking at Sonoko.

Sonoko let out a sigh. She felt bad because she literally just lashed out on her best friend.

"Look, I'm sorry I yelled just now, but you have to understand that I'm only doing this to look out for you, okay?" Sonoko said to Ran.

"I know that Sonoko. That's why you're my best friend," Ran replied giving Sonoko a huge smile of appreciation. Sonoko replied with a smile of her own.

"Good to know that you understand my intentions, Ran. Come on, let's pick up the pace or we'll definitely be late," Sonoko said with a cheerful voice, once again.

"I'll race you to school then," Ran said before speeding off towards the school leaving Sonoko behind who had a tough time trying to catch up with her.

The time they took to reach school was cut short because of the fact that they raced to it. Even though Ran was actually capable to run faster than the speed she just displayed, she did not like the idea of leaving her best friend behind.

"Talking about Shinichi for a moment and racing towards school the next. Really mature, Ran," Sonoko said to Ran who was now walking beside her.

"I never thought of bringing him up as a topic for our conversation actually. You're the one who made me to have to bring it up," Ran replied.

"Whatever, Ran. I can't believe I'm still annoyed every time you say his name," Sonoko said again.

"I'm wondering as well," Ran replied her again.

"What do you mean?" Sonoko asked confused.

"Well, I remember that you used to like hanging around him before. Once, it actually looked like you two were practically best friends," Ran stated.

"You're kidding, right?" Sonoko asked slightly feeling annoyed with Ran's statement.

"No. I actually remember you used to talk to him a lot when he was still here," Ran added her statement.

"No way! That's impossible! Why would I have friends like him? He's boring and dull. That's already enough for me to not even approach him," Sonoko replied with annoyance in her tone and she was not even trying to hide it.

Ran only gave out a small laugh after Sonoko voiced out her annoyance. She found that their class was not far from her current position and decided to pick up her pace.

"I'll see you in class," she said before running off, once again leaving Sonoko to herself. Because their class was not far she decided to do the opposite of what Ran did and took her time. However, her mind wandered off to one of Ran's earlier statement about her relationship with the boy whose name provides her with annoyance.

"Ran probably hit her head or something. Why else would she think that me and that detective freak are best friends? You're silly Ran," she thought in her head.

But even after saying that to her mind, she still can not accept the fact that 'they' were 'practically' best friends. As she moves her body into their class, her eyes landed on the girl who she walked with just now. She was chatting happily with their other classmates. She could not hear what it was about though.

"I wonder what Ran would thought of me if I tell her what happen back then," her trains of thoughts started again. "Probably not the best idea I've ever came up with. Wait, what if he already told her what happened? But, that's impossible. I don't think he's that much of an idiot."

She realized she was still standing on the entrance of the class while thinking all that stuff. She also noticed that her eyes were on to Ran's direction. She then quickly moved herself towards her desk.

"I hope nobody saw that. They would think that I'm weird," she thought again as she placed her bag on her chair.

She sat on her chair then rested her elbows on the table. She continued with resting her chin on her spread hands, using them to cup her cheeks on either side.

"Well, I just hope that he isn't that much of an idiot," again she said to herself while thinking of a certain detective who used to be in her class.

XXXXX

It was a sunny day. It was not a hot day but rather a warm one. The feeling was enjoyable. That was how she felt. She enjoyed the condition of the day. She truly did. But, she was irritated. She was annoyed. It was all because of the boy in front of her. Who was sitting under the tree, and it looked like he could fall asleep anytime.

"But why wouldn't you go?" Sonoko asked because she was unsatisfied with his answer.

"Look, Sonoko. I told you that I don't want to go. That's simply it," the boy spoke up.

He looked up and saw Sonoko closing the distance between them as she stood a few feet away from where he sat.

"You can't say no without any reason. So if you can't give me any reason why you don't want to go then you'll have to go," Sonoko stated, emphasizing her statement with her body language.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be stuck with a banshee all night," the boy thought.

"I think I'm going to be busy that night. With studying and other stuffs," he voiced out, deciding not to go with his earlier reason.

"You're lying. Ran told me that you hardly study at home. So, don't claim that you'll be studying, Shinichi!" Sonoko replied.

"Man, out of all things, you just have to tell that to her, huh Ran?" Shinichi mentally said again.

"I still to do the other stuffs you know," he shrugged before saying those lines.

"What exactly are these 'other' stuffs you are planning to do?"

He stood up, now gaining some height advantage over her. He looked at her face for a second and knew there were different emotions in her mind. Once again he shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Maybe I'll find out on that night," he replied before starting to walk away from the tree.

"This conversation isn't over, Shinichi! Where do you think you're going?" she yelled at him.

"I have soccer practice. Later, Sonoko," he replied her without even looking back.

A tick mark showed up on her forehead at his reply.

Shinichi on the other hand just walked away from the scene and made his way to his class to get his bag. He thought that today would have been a good day. Especially with the sun which came out perfectly for that day. But it all had to end earlier.

When he was relaxing, Sonoko came out of nowhere and asked him to attend a certain party with her. It was not weird for Sonoko to ask him because they did have a healthy relationship with each other. He would have said yes to her request but getting the images of being stuck together with the person who he considers as one of the annoying people in his life, made him change his answer.

It was not because he did not like her or anything like that, it was just he think that it would be impossible for him to be stuck with her for a whole night.

Shinichi let out a sigh. He entered his class and got his bag. As he was about to leave, someone else entered the class. He looked at the entrance and saw his childhood friend walked in.

"You're still here?" Ran asked him when she saw him.

"Yeah, just getting my bag," he replied.

Ran took her bag from her seat and motioned for him to walk with her.

"You don't sound happy. Did something happen?" she asked.

"No, it's just I have soccer practice after this," he replied her trying to make his voice a little bit more enthusiastic.

"Don't you enjoy practice?"

"I do. But sometimes I just want to have an afternoon for me to read some of my novels," he replied.

"At least practice can give you better exercise. You don't have to stay inside your room all the time you know?" she said it making it sound like it was more of a statement than a suggestion.

"Yeah, I know, mom," he playfully replied her which she replied with one of her glare.

Soon, they reached the entrance of the building.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, Ran. The coach would probably be mad if I'm late," he said, running off towards the field.

Ran watched him disappear from her sight before continuing her walk home. When she made it to the front gate, she saw Sonoko leaning against the gate's wall.

"Sonoko! Have you been waiting long?" she asked as she walked towards her.

"Eh? Oh, Ran. No, I just got here," she replied.

"That's good then. Come on, let's go home," Ran said.

"What about Shinichi?" Sonoko asked realizing the absence of their male friend.

"He has soccer practice today. He said it was okay for us to go home without him," Ran replied.

"So he does have a soccer practice… I thought he was lying just to get away from me," Sonoko mentally said.

Ran noticed Sonoko sudden silence and it looked like she was thinking about something.

"Sonoko, is there something wrong?" Ran asked, afraid something might have happened between her two friends.

Sonoko's thought was cut short when she heard Ran said her name.

"Nothing, Ran. Nothing happened. I was just thinking about something," she replied while vigorously flailing her arms towards Ran.

"What were you thinking about?" Ran asked her again.

"You know, the usual. I was just wondering how hot the guys will look like when they're all sweaty," she said giving out a weak laugh at the end.

Sonoko then moved towards Ran, turned her body around so Ran's back was facing her. She placed her hands on Ran's shoulder and started pushing her forward.

"Come on, Ran. Let's go home," she said as she kept a constant force on Ran's shoulder.

After some time, Sonoko stopped pushing Ran and started walking beside her. The two started talking about their class and the homework that were given, which Sonoko was not happy about. They reached an intersection, which made Sonoko to think.

"That intersection leads to Shinichi's house, right Ran?" Sonoko asked, pointing at the direction.

"Yeah, it does. Why?"

"Nothing, I was just curious. That's all," she replied with a weak smile to Ran.

"Oh, okay. Sonoko, I need to hurry home, or my dad won't have lunch. I guess, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Ran said before started running off.

After Ran disappeared from her view, Sonoko let out a sighed. She straightened her body and glanced at the intersection that she mentioned earlier.

"It's the only way," she said in her mind.

XXXXX

A/N: Hello, once again folks. This is a new project I'm working on, but I'm not sure if this will gain any fans or not. I was supposed to update Baka & Test: The Third Year like two weeks ago, but I'm in a writer's block. But, I'll try to update as soon as possible, don't worry. Anyway, this is my second Detective Conan FanFiction on this site (the first one was Detective Conan: A New Start). As you can see, this will be a multi-chapter FanFiction, but will probably lasts for only a few chapters. I'm estimating around three to four chapters. I actually planned this as an oneshot, but I just can't for some reason.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it. So, favorite it if you like and leave out some reviews. Until next time!

-Read & Review-

~JMe SeKaiiCHi