Summary: Their meetings were never purposely planned. The moment when a pair of blue caught sight of blue instead of purple, and blue met another blue instead of indigo, someone wondered if a lost love had finally come home.

Disclaimer: They're not mind, obviously.

Chapter 1

(Tic Toc)

(00.05.27)

She scribbled down her notes. Her books opened and sprayed across her desk

(Tic Toc)

(00.03.50)

Aoko put down her pen and glanced over the clock. She couldn't concentrate on her studying

(The clock hand stroke twelve in the morning)

Her phone buzzed off. She took it and stared at the screen. A note reminder she put on Kaito's birthday popped up.

A soft smile formed instantly at seeing this but was quickly replaced as she remembered another thing.

(Tic Toc)

(00.03.00)

It was Kid's heist tonight. Stupid thief running a heist on his birthday.

(Tic Toc)

(00.02.12)

Aoko took a deep breath and touched her phone, preparing to make a call. Her eyes settled on a blue rose he gave her this evening after she scolded him for dying Hakuba's hair green again.

Waiting for the line to connect, she wondered if Kaito had found the cake and the gift she put on his dining table. Her line went dead and she blinked confusedly at the screen. She called him again, but it never reached his phone.

Urgh he must have gone to the heist and cheered for him!

(Tic Toc)

(00.01.16)

Aoko typed down a message and decided to go off to bed, determined to scold her best friend tomorrow.

(Tic Toc)

(00.00.00)

'Happy birthday, Kaito!'

The blast sound at the Kid's heist never reached her ears

- O -

Shinichi would've never imagined tonight would turn out this way.

He was on his way back to his apartment after a meeting in the headquarter. His colleague offered to drive him home because his car's still being repaired after crashing in the last case.

He was tired and almost dropped off to sleep when suddenly there was a loud bang sound and his partner immediately stepped on the brake, almost sending his head to hit against the dashboard.

"What-"

"Kudo, look!"

All of his systems were alert. Something-or rather-a man wearing black mantel whom Takuma had accidentally hit before had already stood up and ran away. People started to gather around scene, but Shinichi noticed a lady stood far away from their spot shouting and waving her hands. He rolled down the glass.

"Help!"

"Look after the victim! I'll go after him," he abruptly shouted to his partner. He got out from the car, head off to ran after the dark figure of the thief. His heartbeat quickened as he saw the man slipped into a narrow space between two shops. He followed him, where there was a large fence and Shinichi thought that it was a dead end for the man. Otherwise, he successfully managed to climb it. Behind those rails was a main street full of people and if the robber succeeded to get out of here, he could easily blend into those people wandering around.

Shinichi almost wished that he had his soccer ball with him so he could make the man stopped in the track. He almost thought he had lose him until a writhed sound can be heard not far for him. The sound led him to a deserted street. He wasn't sure what he found when he saw the culprit sputtered on the ground and struggling on a woman's clutch who held both of his hands on his back, attempting to handcuff him.

"I'm sorry-I'm sorry I didn't mean to-I haven't eaten since yesterday please let me go-"

"Quiet, Sir!" the woman shouted back. "Thieving is thieving, no matter what the reason is." He couldn't make out her figure, but there was something uncanny at how she said those words.

Shinichi slowly walked to them while showing his officer badge. "Miss, I'm an officer-"

"Hang on, I can manage." She replied back while still trying to put the other handcuff to the man, thus made him wondered why her voice also showed no uneasy feeling. It looked like she had handled a situation like this before.

"Miss, it's dangerous-" She didn't bother to look up. The handcuff finally circled around the man's wrists with a click. A hand touched his shoulder and Shinichi found Takuma standing there trying to catch his breath. There was another officer beside him as well. "The lady's safe. I brought the third division officer with me."

Their attention was snapped back to the woman in front of them. She's still holding the man's arms behind his back. "There you go. Now there's a real officer waiting for you."

When she turned around to face them, Shinichi almost could not believe his eyes.

He stood still. An arm that had been holding his badge and handcuff was lowered slowly and hanging into his side. The third division officer took the initiative to take the man and brought him away after saying his thanks to them, but Shinichi couldn't care any of it. A strong feeling of emotions suddenly filled him up and in the next second he had already stepped closer to the woman and shook her with all his might.

"Why did you do that?!"

Takuma had never seen Shinichi snapped before so he was taken aback by his partner's action. "K-Kudo-"

Raw feelings of emotions- Angry. Worried. Hurt.

(Scared)

He didn't know why, but this time he felt that it hurt so much. He found it really hard to breathe like there was a string that clutched his heart and tightened it strong. He looked at the woman in front of him, tightening his grip on her arms although it must be hurt for her as well, but he didn't care. All he could think about was how he felt like he's going to explode.

"Why couldn't you just walk away and trust this kind of business to the police? Why did you put yourself in danger?!"

"I-"

"What if the man brings a knife or-or a gun? What if he's part of some organization-"

"Kudo!"

He got back his sense when Takuma pulled him away from the woman, strong enough to send him backwards.

"He's probably just some random thief who needs money to eat. What happens to you? You frightened her."

He looked back at the woman who's standing behind his colleague. She was definitely taken aback. His blue eyes' piercing right through hers intently that almost made Takuma shuddered.

Reality struck back to him. It was reflected when his eyes grew bigger and he could finally see the way all of the lady's figure was shaking. Her lips were shaking and her eyes clearly held several tears in them.

No... No. Her eyes are different. She's-she's not Ran

Takuma once again brought him to reality, touching his shoulder. "Kudo, are you alright?"

He took a deep breath before nodding to his friend. "I-I'm alright."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

After Takuma had convinced that his partner was alright, he turned to the woman behind him and apologized to her. This moment when he's finally calm down, Shinichi could see clearly the woman in front of him. She really looked like Ran... But her face's not sharp enough. Her eyes were blue, deep blue that Shinichi might tell it's a little darker than the shade of his own eyes. Her hair was a bit messier and fell just below her shoulder. That fact alone seemed like become a click in his head.

Ran's was violet…

Ran always kept her hair long…

Ran's already dead

Takuma's voice filled his ears this time. "I'm terribly sorry, Nakamori-san. Are you sure you'll be okay going home on your own?" The woman nodded to Takuma and gave a weak smile. She sent a look to him, one he couldn't understand what that meant. She was staring at him intently, looking very determined as if she was searching for something in his face. Was she mad at him? Because had given her an unpleasant memory for their first meeting. Shinichi only responded to her by bowing his head and said his apology, although his face might not show a genuine emotion at all. He still didn't know what he's supposed to do at the moment.

Later that night, he came home and crashed into his bed, losing his appetite for a late dinner. He was so tired and all of his energy was drained out of him. The image of one certain lady he met for this evening was still glued to his mind, reminding him of someone who held his heart until he fell asleep, dreaming about some old memories.

- O -

The next three weeks were really busy for him. The event of seeing a certain woman who's similar to Ran was erased in his mind until one evening, Professor Agasa asked him a favor to bring Ayumi her textbook she left behind on the last visit.

After giving back her book, Ayumi insisted for him to join the dinner she and her mother had prepared. He managed a smile and only agreed after seeing her pleaded with her eyes so big and full of hope.

When he entered the place to change his shoes, Shinichi saw a pair of woman's shoes that was put in the middle of the floor, which probably meant there was also a guest.

"Ayumi-chan, is it alright if I join tonight? It seems you have other guest." He asked the teen in front of him as he pointed at the woman's shoes. "Oh, it's alright, Shinichi nii-san. It's my math teacher from learning center. She also helps me with my music test tomorrow. Nii-san can wait in the dining room, my teacher is already there," Ayumi excused herself to help her mother.

Shinichi gave an affirmation as he headed to the room. Of course, he remembered where it was. He came here often as Conan, as well as with Ran once or twice after he came back. He stopped in the entrance when suddenly a dangerous thought came to his mind. If Ran's still alive, Ayumi would probably asked her help in music test...

Deciding that he had enough, Shinichi shook his head, wondering if his mind could be any messier than it already had.

He got his answer right then and there though.

Taking a step and entered the room, he saw a woman sitting on the piano chair across him. Her dark hair passed a little below her shoulder with her back facing at him. She was playing some melodic tunes that he couldn't guess to any song he knew.

The sound of his steps finally gained her attention that she just realized there was another presence in the room. She turned around to face him, thinking it was her student. "Ayumi-"

Ah… When would fate stop torturing him?

She was the woman whom he met at the evening some weeks before. Someone who looked a lot like Ran and almost sending him off the edge for all the time he's been trying to put up without her by his side.

It seemed that he could hear the very sound of his own heartbeat as he closed his eyes. Sweat started forming in his hands even though he suddenly felt so cold at the moment. Did he miss Ran too much for him to lose his mind and start hallucinating? He could only hope it would be gone.

Please it hurt too much. She's gone, it wasn't real-

"-to?"

Huh?

"K-Kaito?"

When he opened his eyes, he thought his heart would explode from seeing the image in front of him. His emotions were controlling him that he wasn't aware of the words she uttered to him. He felt his heart clenched, unconsciously holding his breath the entire time. He needed to brace himself. She wasn't Ran. No one should be able to do this to him beside Ran. His sight was getting a little blurry but he tried to focus himself.

When he finally looked at her, he just realized that she was now standing in front of him just an arm length, eyes uncertain. Her hand was half a way reaching out to him as if she tried to pull him to her.

"Kaito-". Her hands touched his arm and he jerked away from the touch. She quickly retracted it again like she was so sure he had shattered down like a form of glass.

Shinichi noticed her quivering lips. He could see the tears also forming in the corner of her eyes, but why? Why did she look very startled and... sad?

In a moment, she took a step back away from him. Ayumi chose this moment to enter the room to set the table. The girl seemed so oblivious to the quiet air between the two and encouraged them to take a seat after introducing them to each other.

"Shinichi nii-san, here is Nakamori Aoko sensei, my math teacher in learning center, and Aoko sensei, it's Kudo Shinichi nii-san, he is a great detective and an inspector at division one at the police department," Ayumi said proudly.

Nakamori… Aoko?

He stared at her for a while. He was not acknowledged her name on their first meeting before. For the formality, he offered her his hand. "Kudo Shinichi. Nice to meet you... Nakamori-san."

The name was a stranger in his tongue, but her family name seemed unfamiliar to him.

Instead of welcoming the gesture, she eyed him hesitantly. "… Kudo Shinichi?"

"Yes. I believe we haven't introduced ourselves properly… last time."

After a while, she took his hand in hers. He felt it so cold at the moment.

"It's nice to meet you, too… Kudo-kun."

The dinner was nice. Ayumi told them a lot of school stuff she learned. She entered the same junior high school with Haibara, Mitsuhiko, and Genta. He listened to it, trying to catch up with the kids because the last time he met them was about three years ago in Ran's funeral. And Haibara... The last time he talked to her was a year after the incident. Shinichi had decided to leave his house and rented his own apartment, feeling uncomfortable for finding his home filled so much with her memories. In the end, he really was happy to hear that they were all alright. He wondered though, why Ayumi didn't ask him how he was after the incident. Professor must be telling the children already not to mention it in front of him.

Ayumi's mother asked him of his work in the office and how he had been doing. He managed a small smile, "It's like the usual, although it's been a little busy."

"You work with the police?"

It was a sudden question he was not anticipated from the woman in front of him.

"Ah I know it!" Ayumi suddenly exclaimed. "Have Shinichi nii-san and Aoko sensei met before? Aoko sensei previously worked in division two before, isn't that right, Sensei?" Ayumi suddenly asked.

Ah that's where he heard the name before. Inspector Nakamori.

The girl in question instinctively put down her utensils. "Yes, but it's didn't last long, Ayumi-chan."

He raised his head and met her blue eyes. "Then could it be that you are the former Inspector Nakamori's daughter?"

She paused for a moment before nodded at him. "Yes, I am."

When an image of Ran flashed by again suddenly, he quickly changed his gaze to the other side.

- O -

The dinner mostly filled up with Ayumi sharing her stories, which brought a light atmosphere around them. One thing that puzzled him was how Nakamori-san seemed to stare at him the entire time. He tried to be oblivious, but her stare was so intense.

"Shinichi nii-san, you eat the fish!" Ayumi burst out after seeing Shinichi picked one of the salmon on the table. He raised his eyebrows. "Why shouldn't I?"

The girl giggled. "You once said you were afraid of fish. Don't you remember?"

Somehow, the one who should be startled was not him, but the lady in front of him who unintentionally dropped her fork on the floor, making a cling sound on the process.

Nakamori-san quickly kneeled down to pick it up, "I'm sorry-"

"Oh dear," Ayumi's mother started. "Don't mind it. I'll take a new one for you."

He wondered about the commotion, but suddenly his phone rang. He excused himself to the others and picked up the call. It was Superintendent Megure, telling him to go back to the office because they found another lead. After he entered the room again, he apologized that he must leave earlier.

He gathered his things just as Ayumi insisted to send him away until the front door. She went earlier to take his coat. His eyes met Nakamori-san's, but he only gave her a small nod. As he was about to leave the room, she abruptly called his name.

"Kudo-kun-"

He turned back at her and waited for what she needed to say. "Yes?"

"Are you-Are you really afraid of fish?"

Huh?

He shook his head. "I actually find no need to be afraid of it, Nakamori-san."

She stared down at her lap. "I see."

Although her question pondered him for a while, the image of her face couldn't leave him as he left the building and headed to his car. She looked kind of sad after he answered her. But why?

The daughter of Inspector Nakamori, who looked so much like Ran nevertheless. He hadn't seen that sad face of Ran ever since he came back. Therefore... when he saw it this time, he felt his heart hurt as well.

He didn't understand.

- O -

What Shinichi did not expect was a text he received from her a couple days later, asking him to meet her in front of the old clock tower. In the middle of the night too for God's sake. He had just finished his work and wanted to go straight at home when he read her email.

'I'll be waiting for you in front of the clock tower. Nakamori Aoko.'

There were many things in his head now. How did she get his number? She barely knew him at all and vice versa, why did she want to see him? Why did she choose a place like this? It was in the other side of the city and it took him almost thirty minutes driving.

The ground was covered with snow. The winter breeze chilled him out as he walked around the building, searching for Nakamori-san's figure among other people. There were not many people here. It was freezing outside and other people probably much prefer to just warm their selves at home.

He checked his watch and sighed

21.35

Looking at the scenery in front of him, his mind brought him back to the memory when he first encountered with that thief. Shinichi closed his eyes. Remembering how awful the last night of Kaitou Kid's heist went.

"Kudo-kun?"

He opened his eyes and met a pair of blue eyes again. Nakamori-san stood before him. This time, he decided not to beat around the bush and just asked her straight to the point. "Why do you ask to meet me, Nakamori-san?"

Instead of answering, she took a step closer to him. Her eyes become more focus as she stared at his face. He remained rooted to the ground, waiting for her.

"Do you find this place anything familiar?"

"What do you mean?"

"Familiar... like a certain place where you have met someone. You've been here before, right?"

There was something in her voice that he could not grasp what it was. Her eyes softened with each second past between them.

"I've been here once."

It seemed his answer lightened some hope in her eyes as she set her eyes to him and only him. "Do you remember any of it?"

Meanwhile, all he could think was the Kid's heist again and he unconsciously stepped away from her. "Listen, Nakamori-san. We've only met once. Twice, technically. What makes you think I'll share anything about my memories?" He obviously startled her by his reply. He tried to steer clear of her, wishing this moment would end in reason that seeing her breathing and very much living in front him just reminded him of how unbreathing Ran was.

She didn't back off despite him giving her the cold shoulder. She continued by asking him such a random question that did not make any sense to him. "If you are not afraid of fish, then why did Ayumi-chan said so?"

He raised his eyebrow. "I find the topic isn't related to me or you at all, Nakamori-san." He scoffed at her. "Really. Do you actually want to see me just for asking that?"

"Answer me." Her face was unreadable that he could not find anything. What she was thinking, what she wanted from him, he did not understand. "I don't even know how Ayumi-chan come into that conclusion."

"Kaito."

"What?"

"Kaito's afraid of fish."

When he thought about it, she also called him that when they met again in Ayumi's house.

"Kaito's afraid of fish," she continued, "and so do you as Ayumi-chan has said."

"Nakamori-san, I don't understand what you are talking about. "

A gust of wind flew by as she closed the gap between them. He became aware of a fair scent of alcohol from her. "Do you not remember anything at all?"

"Nakamori-san, you're drunk-"

She abruptly held on his coat and he could see her fingers trembling. At this rate, Shinichi realized of the tears that escaped from the corner of her eyes. "Do you not remember me at all, Kuroba Kaito?!"

His eyes widened as the woman in front of him was suddenly shaking him with all her might. He spontaneously took a grip on her shoulder, trying to let go of her grasp. That was the moment when he realized how drenched her coat was. Why did not he realize it sooner? How long was she actually standing out here waiting for hi-

He realized one more thing.

Kuroba Kaito? Did she mistake him for someone? A second later, Shinichi finally understood the situation. "Wait, Nakamori-san-"

"Nakamori-san, Nakamori-san, Nakamori-san, I'm sick of it!"

She lowered her face and hid it on his coat. "You left me for six years only to come back by the name of another person. You left me without any trace to find you. You left me with no clue if you're alive or not!"

She paused and sobbed. "Everyone left me, Kaito. Your mother, Jii-chan. They told me to give you up and left. All had gone as if you were just my imagination."

Shinichi honestly didn't know what to do. He did nothing to calm her, let alone telling her that he was not the one she thought he was. She was crying before him, asking him where Kaito had been all this time. Her voice was painful to hear. Her secrets she told was not meant anything for him at all. She looked like a lost child, grasping his coat tightly as if her life depended on it.

Her voice was croaked as she whispered to him. "The last rose you gave me had wilted, Kaito. Why didn't you give me a new one?"

When she stared up at him again, he could clearly see the shade of blue in her eyes. She gave him a weak smile. One of her hand raised slowly to touch his face.

"I miss you."

The next thing he knew, she suddenly fainted in his arms.

- O –

He knew he should not bring her to his place, but it was late and her phone was locked with password, so he had no idea whom he should contact. Right now, after he took care of her, she slept soundly in his room. He sat on a chair beside her, staring at her face as he thought back about the words she said before.

Kuroba Kaito. Where had he heard the name before?

There was something in his head literally shouting that he knew the name, yet he could not crack it open to reach it. Who is it?

His eyes fell upon a picture on his bedside table. Shinichi picked up the frame and touched it softly. His gaze once again couldn't help but staring at Nakamori-san's face.

Shinichi wiped his face as he realized the irony. She reminded him of Ran, while he himself also reminded her of someone precious to her. That was the least he was certain of.

Deciding that it was enough, he hid the picture on his drawer before looked down to her white coat that was drenched from the snow. How long had she been standing there until he came?

How many times has she stood there waiting for Kuroba Kaito to come?

He sighed and decided to leave the room to rest his back on the couch, burying his head on his folding hand. Shinichi was tired and he hoped he would be able to get some sleep before sunrise.

- O -