A / N: Written for my friend's request. The prompt: All Conan's family murdered, he can't turn into Shinichi Kudo again, and leaving Takagi adopted Conan as his own son. For now, I want to make this one shot only, but I'll see if I want to continue this story later.
Hope you will enjoy!
He had lost everything.
His mother. His father. Professor Agasa. Ai Haibara. Uncle Mouri. And the woman he loves. Ran Mouri.
He can't become Shinichi Kudo anymore. Because only Ai who can make the APTX 4869 antidote. But now.. Ai was gone. Along with his family. Along with Uncle Mouri and Ran. Along with Professor Hagasa. Along with his house.
It all started from a night that should have been happy but turned into a fateful night. They were about to celebrate his mother's birthday, Yukiko Kudo, at the Kudo's house. Everyone laughed happily. Everyone sings happy birthday. Then suddenly, a bomb explosion occurred. Kill everyone who was still in the house. Crushed the luxurious Kudo family house into one with the ground.
If his mother hadn't told him to go to the nearest supermarket to buy a few more bottles, then Shinichi Kudo would become the bomb explosion victim as well.
But it was the same. Although he didn't become the bomb explosion victim. No more Shinichi Kudo. There was only Conan Edogawa, as 7-years-old bespectacled boy who had lost everything. Losing the people he loves. Losing all of his treasures. And lost his identity.
He was hospitalized for couple of weeks because he suffered from a long term shock. What everyone knows, Mr. and Mrs. Edogawa also become the bomb explosion victim. The hospital visitors, nurses, and doctors relentlessly stared at the bespectacled boy who lying on the hospital bed, refusing to eat or speak a word. They can understand it. His parents, the Mouri family, the family who take care of him, his schoolmate, his neighbor, and his distant relatives, the Kudos, all were killed. He had no one anymore.
If he could choose destiny, he prefer to blown up with the bomb. Rather than must separate with the people he loves.
Meanwhile, in the police department's office.
A police detective sat at his desk with frowning. He stroked his chin with his hands repeatedly. Apparently he was thinking hard about something. So hard, until he did not realize that it was time for lunch and his lover, Sato Miwako, walked up to him.
"Takagi-kun!" Sato exclaimed as she patted his back loudly. "Don't always daydreaming like that! It's time for lunch!"
"You go first, Sato. I'm not in the mood for lunch."
"Hmm? You look very serious, like you're thinking about something, Takagi-kun. Don't tell me you're thinking of other women?" Sato put her hands on her hips in front of him.
"Not! Not at all, Sato-san!" Takagi waved impatiently. "I'm thinking about Conan!"
"Conan? What's wrong with Conan?"
"Well.. You know, his whole family was killed in that bomb explosion... And for weeks, I try to find his relative, another Edogawa..." Takagi sighed shortly. "And to no avail. He has no other relatives. The kid was completely alone now."
"Yeah... Poor boy... I can't imagine that boy's fate later..." Sato took a short breath.
"Therefore, I was thinking. Thinking of adopting Conan as my son."
Both Sato, as well as other polices who were still in the office, turned their head to Takagi with simultaneously and shouted, "WHAT?"
"Hey, what's up with that look?! I really seriously want to adopt Conan! And raise him like my own son! I will be the greatest father ever!"
Sato pinched Takagi's cheeks.
"Are you ready to be a father? In performing your duties, you are careless sometimes, how could you think to adopt Conan?!"
"I'm sure what I'm doing is right, Sato-san! The boy has no one. Do you want it, if Conan is abandoned and becomes a street beggar? And homeless?"
Sato fell silent. Inevitably, she admits that what Takagi said was true. But, if Takagi adopts Conan, then if she and Takagi get marry later, that means... She will be the mother of Conan Edogawa? What parents who wouldn't proud if they have a genius child like Conan? Maybe this is not a bad idea.
"So, how, Sato-san? Do you agree if I adopt Conan?"
Sato nodded softly. "And you have to promise, you'll be a good father for the boy, and after we're married, we'll raise Conan together!"
Takagi sighed with relief. Indeed, his intention was insane. He doesn't know anything about parenting and fatherhood. But he can't let the genius boy get stranded on the streets! After all, with him adopting Conan, and raising Conan, it would have been much easier to ask the child for help in the investigation, would not it? About parenting and fatherhood things, he can learn from anywhere.
He was ready to be the best father figure, and healed the boy's deep grief.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in." Conan said limply without taking his eyes off the hospital ceiling. Dr. Araide stepped inside.
"Conan, you have a visitor today."
"Who?"
"Come in, Takagi-keiji." Said Dr. Araide while turning his head toward the door.
Takagi and Sato stepped inside. Slowly, they approached Conan's bed.
"Hi, Conan," Takagi gently greeted as he placed some of the presents he bought with Sato on the way to the hospital to the table next to Conan's bed.
"Hey, Takagi-keiji." Conan answers without looking at Takagi at all.
"How are you, Conan?" Sato whispered. Conan just shrugged his shoulders indifferently.
"Well, Conan, me and Sato-keiji go to here not only to see you, but also there are something very important that we have to talk about. Can you turn your back and look us in the face?"
Conan turned slowly, his gaze blank.
"Okay, Conan, I will go straight to the point. I and Sato-keiji have been looking for your living relatives for weeks. And we didn't find any. You are the last living Edogawa." Takagi cleared his throat softly. "So we have to talk about your future."
The bespectacled boy just stared at him with flat face.
"Conan, I intend to invite you to stay with me. I'm going to adopt you as my son. Formally."
Conan's tiny eyes flickered softly, suggesting surprise and confusion. What on earth Takagi-keiji thinks?! Adopt me formally?! I became the legitimate son of Takagi-keiji? Seriously?! Has he gone crazy?!
"Sorry, Takagi-keiji. But I don't want to."
"Are you sure, Conan? You're really alone now, you can't stay in the hospital for the rest of your life, right? With you staying with me, you will be much easier to assist in the police investigation," said Takagi while looking at Conan deeply. "I will not force you if you don't want to. As long as you know you will go where after leaving this hospital."
Right. He has nowhere else to live.. Everything was gone in that bomb explosion... He has no one anymore. And now, the police officer who closest to him, invited him to stay with him. The idea he became the legitimate son of Takagi-keiji was stupid and silly in his mind. But, if he refused, he himself didn't know what path he would take. Where he will live? With whom? Continue to dissolve in loneliness and solitude? If he lives with Takagi-keiji, he will investigate many cases like when he lived with Uncle Mouri and Ran. And maybe, he can find the Black Organization and find a way out to return to Shinichi Kudo again, even though Ai is dead.
Although it was hard for him, finally Conan replied, "Okay, I want to stay with you, Takagi-keiji."
The following days, while waiting Dr. Araide allowed Conan to leave the hospital, was spent by Takagi with taking care of all the conditions to adopt Conan. Assisted by Sato, he also prepared a bedroom for Conan. He felt of mix feelings. Soon, he will officially become a father of Conan Edogawa, a 7-years-old genius boy.
Two weeks later, the affairs of the adoption document were completed and he was declared to adopt Conan legally. He is the legal father of Conan now, and Conan is his legal son. Now Conan's name is not Conan Edogawa anymore, but Conan Takagi. Son of Wataru Takagi, the police detective officer. It was like a dream for Takagi.
Three days later, he took Conan home. The boy still looked moody. He did not speak at all on the way home. Takagi can understand it. Of course, the bomb explosion that takes place in front of a child's eyes will leave a deep trauma.
"Well, Conan, welcome to your home!" said Takagi when they arrived. Conan got out of the car slowly, and looked around. Takagi-Keiji house isn't as big as house, but the house was very clean, everything seems very organized, and seemed to be a comfortable place to live.
"And this is your room, Conan!" Takagi opens the door of Conan's room and brings the boy inside. Conan gawked. The bedroom that Takagi-keiji had prepared for him was truly amazing. The bed, pillows, bolsters, even the walls are filled with pictures of Sherlock Holmes. Even there was a cabinet containing action figures of all Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel characters. Conan refrained himself from embracing Takagi as tightly as he could.
"How, Conan? Do you like your bedroom's decoration?"
"Very, Takagi-keiji! This is really great, thank you very much!"
"I'm glad you like it," said Takagi as he patting Conan's head gently. "Um, one more thing, Conan, because you're my legal son now, and I'm your legal father, ummm..." Takagi scratched his forehead in dismay. "Wouldn't it strange if you still call me with Takagi-keiji?"
Conan folded his hands. "You want me to call you with Otou-san, right, Takagi-keiji?"
"Well, um.. n-n... uh, I mean ... Yeah." Saw Conan's facial expression, Takagi hurriedly continued, "But it doesn't have to now, Conan. Just when you're ready." He chuckled awkwardly.
"Okay, then I'll try, Takagi-keiji."
Although initially felt awkward with his new status as a father, but as the time goes by, Takagi become used to and very enjoying it. Moreover Conan isn't a difficult child and didn't bother him at all, except with involved himself in danger's hobby.
If Takagi can quickly adapt to his new status as a father, in contrast to Conan. He still can't accept his status as the lawful son of Takagi, and that he has the same last name as Takagi now. He still felt that he was just staying for a few days at Takagi-keiji's house. He still can't accept Takagi as his new father.
The first week living in Takagi's house was a difficult time for Conan. He eats only a little, though Takagi's cuisine was delicious enough, but can't match the delicacy of Ran's cuisine. Every time he ate, he always thought of Ran. And, one day, he only ate two spoons from various foods that Takagi had cooked for him, making his new father feeding him by force.
When night comes, Conan will look at Ran, Uncle Mouri, Ai, Professor Agasa, and his parents photograph secretly, then cry silently. Takagi didn't know about this at all. And Conan doesn't want Takagi catch him crying.
Takagi really tries hard to be a good father figure for Conan. He strives to give everything to Conan: attention, affection, nice toys, and so on. He tried to read a fairy tale before going to bed for Conan every night, though his adopted son always refused with snorting and rolling his eyes. He always tried to stroke Conan's hair, or kiss his cheek, though Conan always pushed his hand away or wiped his cheek with annoyance. In the past, when payday come, he will spoil himself by shopping for various famous branded suits and shoes, now, every time payday come, he always bought various toys for Conan, such as robots, puzzles, legos, trains, although only occasionally the toy was touched by Conan. He also attempts to help Conan while doing homework at night, though Conan always refuses and responds disgustedly that he can do his own homework and doesn't need his help.
The kid really something. Prepare everything well, independently, and organized. Sometimes Takagi feels that if he doesn't adopt Conan, the boy seems to be able to take care of himself. Because all his sorts of attention always rejected by Conan, Takagi sometimes also feel the child doesn't need him. Though he wants Conan to stop calling him Takagi-keiji and start calling him as Otto-san. Maybe he was stupid, could think Conan would accept him as his father.
One night, the side effects of APTX 4869 attacked Conan again. The tiny boy shivered under his blanket. His body's temperature rose drastically. Cold sweat soaked all over his body. Takagi hasn't come home from work yet. Slowly, his consciousness was gone. When Takagi comes home, he finds Conan delirious and seizing on his bed, and the boy's eyes spun upward.
Never before in his life, Takagi felt frightened and horrified like that. He pressed his adopted son's forehead with the palm of his hand. Too hot. Hastily, he took the thermometer from his room and measured the temperature of Conan's body. 108?! Without thinking again, he held Conan's tiny body into his car and took his adopted son to the hospital.
At the hospital, he holds Conan like a man who was chased by demons toward the Emergency Unit while shouting, "Doctor! Doctor! Please, my son is dying, his temperature is so high! Please handle my son as fast as possible!"
A female doctor approached him, then took Conan to the Emergency Unit to be examined. When Takagi was about to go inside to see Conan's condition, a nurse holds him.
"Sorry, sir, you can wait here."
"But he's my son!"
"Yes, I know. But you shouldn't violate hospital regulations. You have to wait here, and calm down."
Takagi almost strangled the nurse's neck when he whispered, "My son has high fever, seizures, and you tell me to calm down?!"
The nurse squeezed his shoulders tightly and told him to sit by force. Takagi took a deep breath, waited tensely. Most of his life, he spent with looking at blood and corpses. But, he had never been frightened like this before. Okay, maybe he's a bit of an exaggeration, but isn't it common for a father to get panicked when his son gets sick?
Fortunately, shortly afterwards, the doctor who examining Conan come out from the Emergency Unit and told him that his little boy was just exhausted and had a bad immune system.
At first, Takagi didn't understand at all what the doctor meant, but after the doctor explained a bit, he finally understood that Conan is a weak child. According to the doctor's examination, Conan's body was very weak, and he was easy to contract an illness. Actually, it isn't caused by Conan's weak immune system, but caused by the side effects of APTX 4869 and the antidote that he often drinks in the past.
"You really have to keep an eye on and take care of your son as well as possible, Takagi-san. He may not exhaust even a bit, he may not move too much, or play a dangerous game."
Takagi nodded steadily. Had he known from the beginning that Conan was susceptible to illness, he would be more careful in taking care of the boy. Why Mouri-san never told him anything about this before?
Since Conan has a high fever and he hears everything the doctor says, Takagi becomes extremely overprotective towards Conan. Because what the doctor says was true. Conan's endurance was really weak. If the weather turns into a bit cold, the boy immediately nosebleed and had fever. He hates to see his adopted son go limp, lost his appetite, and his body temperature rises. He tried everything to prevent Conan falls ill. He always insisted on dropping in and picking up Conan at school every day, even though his house and Conan's school were close and only spent 20 minutes on foot. He forbade Conan to eat in the school cafeteria, on the grounds that 'outside food isn't hygiene.' Every day, he always prepared a food box for Conan eat at school, told Conan to sleep at 9, even install a tracking application in Conan's cellphone so he will always know where Conan go. He even forbade Conan to play soccer again, because he doesn't want the boy become tired and get sick. He also locked Conan's ball in his closet.
Though grateful and touched by Takagi's attention, Conan still feel annoyed. He can't feel the freedom anymore. He gets more freedom while living in Mouri's family house. Now, since Takagi's adopted him, he can't even play with Detective Boys until the afternoon.
Sometimes, Takagi also feels that his overprotective behavior and attention to Conan is a bit excessive. Sato, Inspector Shiratori, and Inspector Megure also reminded him many times. But let it be, he feels what he did was right, because, however, it's all for Conan's own sake. He just doing his duties as a father, takes care, and watching his son's health well.
"Conan, let's play the ball today!" Invites Genta when he, Conan, Ayumi, and Mitsuhi walking on their way home from school.
"I can't. You know, Takagi-keiji forbade me to play ball. Even If I play the ball quietly, surely he will know. He installed a tracking app on my phone, so surely he would know if I went to the soccer field. He also locked my ball in the closet," replied Conan as he adjusted his bag.
"Why would Takagi-keiji do that? Why since he adopted you, he became evil and forbade you to do anything?" said Ayumi with astonishment.
"He's just trying to be a good father, I think. But well ... Although the way shouldn't like that. He seems trying too hard." Mitsuhiko added.
Suddenly they heard the sound of crying. The four of them turned around. A little girl, about 4 years old, was crying under a tree. The little detectives then approached her.
"Hello, little sister, why are you crying?" Conan asked kindly.
The girl raised her head. "My cat, Takumi is trapped in a tree. I can't climb a tree and bring him down. Takumi was bought by my father. If I go home without Takumi, I will be scolded by Father. I'm afraid to get scolded. I can't go home."
"Don't worry," Conan said as he tapped the little girl's shoulder gently. "I will save Takumi. He'll go home with you to your house."
"Really?" The girl's eyes widened with joy. "Thank you, Onee-chan! What is Onee-chan name?"
"I'm Conan. Conan Edogawa..." Conan paused. He forgot that he was named Conan Takagi now, not Conan Edogawa anymore. But let it be, the girl does not need to know. "And you, little sister?"
"I'm Susato."
"All right, Susato, you wait here while Onee-chan saves Takumi, okay?"
Susato nodded slowly, and stopped crying in an instant.
"Conan, are you sure? If Takagi-keiji knows, how? He will be angry with you!" Mitsuhiko whispered.
"Take it easy, I'll turn off my phone so the app installed by Takagi-keiji won't work." Conan smiles slightly. "You wait here."
Conan began to climb the tree slowly. Because want to give Takumi back to Susato hastily, he forgot to turn off his cell phone and didn't realize the tracking app was still working.
Takagi, who was lazing on his desk, jumped when he saw the red light on his cell phone blinked. He unlocks his phone, and the app shows that Conan is in a tree.
Conan climbs a tree?! What if he falls, sores, and bleeds? If he fell from a tree, if his back hit a rock... His spine could break, and the boy could be paralyzed for the rest of his life!
Takagi rose from his chair, then tidied up his briefcase.
"Takagi, where are you going? You seems in a rush?" asked Chiba.
"I want to go home. Conan climbed the tree. Though I had forbidden him to climb anything, but he did not listen. After all, today I have nothing to do. See you later, Chiba," Takagi said as he buttoned his briefcase hurriedly and walked out of the police department's office.
"You know, Inspector Shiratori?" Chiba said as he turned his head to Shiratori. "I'll bet, Takagi will soon tie Conan in a bed so the boy can't go anywhere."
"Yeah, it looks like that, Chiba."
After about 15 minutes climbed the tree, Conan manages to reach the top of the tree. He held Takumi carefully, then lifted the cat so Susato could see from below.
"Well, you see, Takumi is fine! You don't have to worry!"
"Yeah, he's fine! Thank you very much, Onee-chan! Takumi, let's go home!"
"Wait Susato, I'll go down first."
But just now Conan is getting ready to down of the tree..
"CONAN-KUN! Stay in there!"
Susato, Genta, Ayumi, and Mitsuhiko turned around in surprise. Takagi rushed out of his car, and looked a bit angry.
"Takagi-keiji!" Conan exclaimed with annoyance. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be the one who asked, what are you doing up there? I had forbid you to climb trees, buildings, or climb anything!" shouted Takagi. "Stay in there! I'll take you down! Do not move a bit!"
Takagi then climbs up the tree with quite fast. Conan and his friends watched in amazement. He then carries Conan like carrying a baby, and held Takumi. When they got to the bottom, Takagi squeezed Conan's shoulder with a bit harsh.
"Why don't you obey me, Conan?! What if you fell out of that tree?! You can get hurt badly, your head can get knocked, your hands and feet can broke, and you can be disabled for the rest of your life! Is that what you want?!"
"You don't have to exaggerating like that, Takagi-keiji!" Conan shouted as loudly as possible, his patience was completely gone now. "I just want to help Susato, her cat trapped in that tree, if she didn't come home with Takumi, her father will scold him!"
"You can call me and ask me to take the cat, Conan! Come on, let's go home now. We continue our conversation at home." Takagi took Conan's hand. But Conan withdrew his hand furiously.
"I just climbed a tree, not climbing a statue of Liberty or Eiffel Tower, Takagi-keiji!"
"I'm just worried about your safety, Conan! The doctor says your immune system is so weak, I just don't want you to get sick, it's my duty as your legal father to keep an eye on you and take care of you well...!"
"AND STOP WITH ALL THIS NONSENSE! I'M SICK, TAKAGI-KEIJI! I'M SICK WITH YOU! YOU ALWAYS FORBID ME TO DOING ANYTHING! YOU'RE NOT MY DAD, TAKAGI-KEIJI! AND I AM NOT YOUR SON! AND NEVER WILL BE! STOP ACTED LIKE YOU'RE MY BIOLOGICAL FATHER! BECAUSE I WILL NEVER, EVER BE A CONAN TAKAGI!" Conan shouted again. His face turned bright red due to his angriness.
Takagi froze in his place. His heart felt like sliced by the swords after hearing Conan's words. Mitsuhiko, Genta, Ayumi, and Susato also fell silent, confused what to say. For a few seconds, there was only an awkward silence, until Conan ran to Takagi's house.
"Conan-kun! WAIT!"
Takagi hurried into his car and chased after Conan.
At Takagi's house, Conan walks into his room, picks up one of his biggest bags, then begins to unpack the contents of his closet. He puts his clothes and personal belongings carelessly. He can't take it anymore. He has to get out of here. He did not want to be treated like a bird locked in a cage.
As he had just closed his bag's zipper, Takagi stepped inside, then grabbed Conan's bag.
"You're not going anywhere, Conan-kun."
"What's your right to rule my life, Takagi-keiji?! Let me out of here!"
"It's rainy outside. Weather forecast says today rain will fall swiftly with lightning. If you want to leave this house, just hold it up until tomorrow." Takagi stepped outside and closed Conan's bedroom door. "Enjoy your rest time, Conan-kun."
Aftar Takagi go, Conan lie on his back on his bed. He admitted, his words were very harsh and definitely hurt Takagi-keiji's feelings. However, Takagi-keiji is his guardian now. But, anyone wouldn't like it if someone who don't have any blood relation with them, set up their life constantly, right?
Slowly Conan closed his eyes and fell asleep.
He was in a park. A very beautiful park. But he did not care about the park's beauty. He looked around. There was no one. He sat on the park bench, pulled out Sherlock Holmes's book from his trouser pocket, then began to read. While being engrossed in reading, someone poked his back.
Feeling annoyed and a bit disturbed, he reluctantly looked back. His annoyance suddenly turned into a tremendous joy. His father, his mother, Uncle Mouri, Ai, Ran, and Professor Agasa stood up, all smiling at him. He couldn't help but cry. He hugged all of them one by one. He really miss all of them.
"Shin-chan, wipe away your tears. I don't remember having such a crybaby son!" He heard his father speak.
"It turns out Kudo-kun, the famous high school detective, is whiny like this? What do people say if they know?" Ai replied as she folding her arms.
"He is not just crybaby and fragile, Ai. He is also ungrateful!" exclaimed Ran.
"Ungrateful? Me? What do you mean?"
"When there is someone who loves and cares about you sincerely, you paid by spit out harsh words and yelling at him." Professor Agasa whispered.
"You mean Takagi-keiji? He does not love me, he tortures me! He forbid me to do anything, his overprotectiveness toward me really annoying, you know!"
"Torture?" Yukiko chuckled. "If he's always worried about you for almost twenty-four hours, just because he's afraid you get sick, trying to read you a story before going to sleep, trying to kiss your cheek, escorting and picking you up from school every day, spending his salary just to buy you an expensive toys, you call it as a torture, I wonder, what would you call a parent who likes to beat their children? To be honest, I'm disappointed with you, Shin-chan."
"But Takagi-keiji is not my father, Ka-san! And never will be! He does not even have blood relation with me at all!"
"Maybe you haven't understood if it wasn't the blood that formed a family, little brat. But love." Kogoro mumbled while sucking on his cigarette.
"But I can't ever love Takagi-keiji like I love you all!"
"Although he was so fond of you as if you're his own son like I used to see? I did not expect you to be ungrateful like this, Shin-chan! Come on, all, we leave him alone. He is selfish and prefers solitude and loneliness. He doesn't need people who loves him. Come on," said Yusaku.
All of them turned their bodies together, ignoring Conan's shouts of telling them to come back. Then, fire slowly burning all their bodies…
"NO! OTOU-SAN! KA-SAN! RAN! AI! OJI-SAN! PROFESSOR HAGASA! BACK! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!"
He tried to chase after them, but a fireball appeared and slammed him again and again.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"Conan-kun, calm down! Calm down! Everything is alright. You're safe."
Conan blinked several times and his hands groped for his glasses. Someone then put on his glasses. He looked around, and he was in... The hospital?
He saw Takagi-keiji sitting beside his bed. His face looked exhausted, eye bags popping out from under his eyelids. His shirt's sleeves were rolled up, he didn't wear his jacket, making him look messy. He then stroked Conan's hair and buried Conan's head against his shoulder.
Unable to bear, Conan finally cried on Takagi's shoulder. Although a bit surprised, because this is the first time Conan cried after almost a year living with him, but Takagi continues to stroke Conan's hair and patted his back gently.
"It's all right, Conan-kun. Just a nightmare, okay? I am here. Ssssh... Sssh... Shhhh."
Somehow, this time, Takagi's hug feels so warm and comfortable. Whereas before, he was disgusted if Takagi wanted to hug him.
"T-takagi k-keiji, I'm sorry, I'm so mean and rude to you."
"Alright, it's all right, Conan-kun. How do you feel?"
"A little dizzy," Conan said softly. "Takagi-keiji, why I'm in the hospital? What is wrong with me?"
"You have a very severe high fever and your temperature is constantly going up, Conan. You're unconscious for two weeks." Sato suddenly appeared.
"Two weeks, Sato-keiji?!"
"Yes, young man," said Dr. Araide as he stepped inside. "You really make everyone worry. Especially Takagi-keiji. He even gave up his salary getting cut in order to take leave so he can take care of you all day long in here. He barely slept and only left your bedside when he went to the bathroom. But thank goodness you're awake now."
"Your salary getting cut?" Conan was stunned. He felt very guilty. "Takagi-keiji ... Why would you do that far for me?"
"Because he is a good father and loves you very much, Conan-kun." Sato smiled.
Takagi laughed uneasily. "It's all right, Conan-kun. The important thing is that you're healthy."
Conan feels like being slapped. Even Takagi-keiji doesn't have a grudge against him although he had hurt his heart with his harsh words…. He still takes care and worries about him. He was very embarrassed.
"Takagi-keiji, forgive me for my rude words. I... I'm really sorry. I'm not sick of you at all. I'm…. I'm not worthy of being looked after and guarded by you."
"Forget it, okay? I understand if you're angry then. I feel proud and lucky to adopt you as my son, Conan-kun."
"And I'm also very lucky... Have…. A great dad likes you..." Conan swallowed. "O-Otou-san."
In an instant the room was fell silent. Takagi buried Conan in his embrace again, then whispered, "I love you, Conan, my young son."
"O-otou s-s-an," It still felt awkward for Conan to call Takagi as such. But he had to get used to, however. "You promised that you won't leave me like my parents, Oji-san, Ran nee-chan, Ai, and Professor Agasa?"
Takagi smiled a little, then raised one of his hand. "Don't worry. I promise to you, my little boss."
"May the angels take care of you." Conan whispered while laying flowers to each Ran, Kogoro, Ai and Professor Agasa's tomb.
"Hey, my genius son," Takagi said while leaning on one of the tomb's headstones. "Actually, I'm willing to be here all day long, but it's time to lunch, and my belly had protested to be filled by foods."
"Alright, alright, Otou-san. I'm hungry as well." Conan said as he approached Takagi. "Otto-san, what we're going to eat?"
"How about ramen? And also ice cream? After eating, we play swing in the park? How it sounds?!"
"I want! I'd love to, Otou-san!"
"Let's race to the car!" Said Takagi.
"Challenged accepted! Definitely, I will win! Okay, 1... 2... 3 ... begin!"
The adopted father and son then ran towards the car while laughing happily. Conan is the first arrived to the car.
"What did I say! I win!"
"Ha haha ha, oh, how embarrassing, I was defeated by my own son!" Takagi then raised Conan and sat him in the car. "Now, it's time to eat! Ramen noodles and ice-cream, brace yourself, The Takagi's coming!"
It's true of what Oji-san said in his dream. It wasn't a blood that established a family. But love. Some time ago, he had lost everything. Family. Love. And treasures. But Takagi Wataru makes him get back everything he had lost. He will never forget the memories with his parents and Mouri family. But he had to move on from his past. Life must keep going, no matter what. The important thing is, memories won't lost from his heart.
He was grateful to be a Shinichi Kudo. He also was grateful to be a Conan Edogawa. And now, he also grateful with his new life and identity as Conan Takagi.
He felt he's the luckiest boy in the world.
End