Always and Forever
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own Detective Conan; all characters belong to Gosho Aoyama.
Conan sighed for the tenth time that night. Ran looked at the young boy curiously. Conan was awfully quiet today. Silently, she walked up behind the boy and got ready to scare him.
"BOOO!!!!!"
"Ahh!" Conan whirled around. He had on the look of an innocent young boy again. "Ran-neechan! You scared me!"
"Sorry, but you were so quiet. I wanted to see if something was really wrong."
"Oh, nah. It's just that the teacher taught something hard and I was thinking about it. It was confusing." He grinned innocently. "It's division."
Liar.
"Ran-neechan, I'm going to my room. I have homework to do. Okay?"
Liar. You never have homework. But Ran didn't say that. "Sure, but don't take too long. I'm going to go buy ice cream later. What kind do you want?"
"Strawberry."
Shinichi likes strawberry.
A smile lit up on the boys face and ran up the stairs quickly. As Conan walked into the room he shared with Ran's father, Kogoro, he sighed again. This is NEVER going to get better. I've been stuck like this for almost a year now and it's like hopeless.
Conan sighed but got out his homework that he had finished in class to make it look like he had worked on it. He walked over to his jacket hanging on the chair and fished out his cell. Looking at the screen, he typed in an all too familiar number. The telephone downstairs rang.
Ran hurried from the kitchen and caught the phone on its last ring.
"Hello, this is Mouri's Detective Agency."
"Ran."
"Shinichi?" Tears welled up in Ran's eyes. That idiot.
"Ran, are you crying?"
"No, of course not. Why would I be crying?"
"Oh, but..." Shinichi began, but decided to let matters drop. "So, met any real interesting cases lately?"
"Shinichi?"
"Yeah?"
"How come you never ask me how I am? Do you even care about me anymore??"
"Uhh, well because I can hear it in your voice!" Shinichi could tell Ran didn't buy it, but...
"Oh."
There was pause. "Ran?"
"Hmm?"
"I want to tell you that...that...no matter where I am, how far away I am, alive or dead, I'll always be by your side." Shinichi pinched himself. "Always and forever. And I promise you my life on that."
"Shinichi, thank you. I thought you didn't want to see me."
"Ran, I'm sorry but I have to go now. Bye!"
"Wait!" Ran tried, but all she heard was the beep of the disconnected call. Shinichi...
The next day, Ran called Sonoko to go shopping. She wanted to get her mind off of Shinichi.
"Sonoko, how are you doing with Makoto?"
"Oh, it's good. He's calling and he says he'll be back by today. He wouldn't tell me where or when so I can't pick him up." Sonoko clasped her hands together and said dreamily, "Oh, I can't wait to see him. It's been a month!"
Ran stared at her friend. Sonoko's so lucky. Makoto is actually here. Whereas me, I have no idea where he is... Ran shook her head. I came here to forget about him, not to remind myself of him. Ran plastered a fake smile and her face and talked cheerfully with Sonoko.
When Ran got home later that evening with her arms full of shopping bags, she found her father drunk on the sofa, as usual, but also found a note addressed to her. It said:
Ran, I know I just called you last night, but I have something to say. I guess it would be good news to you, but you have to understand that it makes me happy too, but then it's also...dangerous and I don't want to put you in danger. I would never put you or your family in danger if it was the last thing I had to do. I want to see you, before I go off on another case again. I know you're very upset at me for running off without notice, but please understand that these cases are dangerous and many hurt innocent people around me, like you. I can't say anything more and I hope you'll realize how much I care for you...Please meet me at 7 tonight at the Beika Park. After you read this note, please destroy it in any way. I trust you with all my heart. I'll see you later.
Kudo Shinichi
Ran smiled. She took the note and destroyed it as Shinichi had told her too. She looked at her watch. It was ten minutes to 7. Ran left a brief note for her father and Conan telling them that she'd be out for a while and to microwave dinner on their own, even when she doubted that they would read it, and hurried from the room.
She arrived at the park with one minute to spare. I finally get to meet Shinichi after such a long time!! I'm so happy. Ran's smile faded as she remembered the words of his note. 'these cases are dangerous' I wonder what he means. Ran looked around for Shinichi and spotted him by the lamppost. She ran over and smiled. Shinichi just looked at her with the saddest smile she'd ever seen.
"What's wrong, Shinichi?" she whispered.
"Thank you, Ran, for showing up. I thought that you wouldn't want to meet me after making you wait for so long. Even now, I can't come home yet," he whispered back.
"Shinichi, I read your note and destroyed it. I don't know what kind of case involves secrets, but I trust you, because I......"
"I love you."
Ran gasped as she stared at Shinichi's sad face. He finally brought his gaze up to her. "I love you and I mean it."
Ran's eyes started watering. "I called you out because I know you can't wait for me forever, but I wanted you know what I really feel for you before you decide to choose another guy."
"Shinichi, you baka. I love you too and I would never choose another guy unless it would help you. I'll wait for you, for as long as I need too," Ran flung her arms around Shinichi's neck and hugged him tightly, "after all, you are the one I love truly."
Shinichi blinked as he held onto his childhood friend. He pulled her head back a bit and kissed her on the lips. He could feel Ran's surprised look as he pulled her back into hug. She smiled again as she leaned against his chest.
"I won't hold you any longer, Ran, since I know that Conan-kun and your father would be very mad at me if you didn't get home to make their dinner," Shinichi said as the couple released their tight hold on each other.
"Thanks, Shinichi, for telling me."
"Good night."
"Good night."
Shinichi stood in the light of the lamppost for a while until Ran disappeared from sight and ran back to Hagase's to turn back into Conan. He smiled all the way. At least Ran understands now. That's all I ask for.
Twenty minutes later, he arrived at Mouri's Detective Agency as innocent Conan. He slipped soundlessly back into Kogoro's room and sat down on his mat. He stuffed his homework back into his backpack messily, just to make his childish act even better. He then lay down to rest.
Ran came in five minutes later, her smile brighter than it had ever been.
"I bought some ice cream. You want some?"
Conan smiled. "Sure."
THE END
This is just short one-shot fic that I wanted to write for some time now. I hope the formatting works and if it doesn't, please tell me. I hope you all enjoyed it and please review. About Shinichi changing back so fast, let's just say he drank some of the wine again, but even if he's immune to it already, just bear with me. Thanks!
~mysteriousangelgirl~