Hello! This story is a favorite, so I hope you like it too! I think everyone's OOC in this story, but it fits well... for the story to work.
English is not my first language so bear with me ^^
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Detective Conan.
-Marshmallow and star-
"Yehey!" Ayumi cheered
"Ayumi-chan" Conan said looking at the little girl with a smile on her face.
"Yeah, today's the day!" Misuhiko said, with a determined look on his face.
"I'll bet a whole bowl of eel if I can't do it" Genta added.
"What's with you guys?" Conan asked.
The three looked at Conan, "don't you know?" they asked
Conan shook his head, they left the boy for a second, "how about you Ai-chan?" Ayumi asked
"Well, if this detective beside me is clueless, I guess today's the day the new marshmallow company will give away free boxes of 'mallows for elementary schools" she said
"Right!" the three said smiling at her, "and the school decided to give two plastic of marshmallows for every student!" Genta added.
Conan groaned, "oh, marshmallows..."
"Don't you like marshmallows, Conan-kun?" Ayumi asked
"Ah... no, I like marshmallows... very... much" he said the last few words while lowering his voice.
"Great! Then let's have a marshmallow party at Hakase's house tonight" Mitsuhiko suggested
"Yeah, we could roast marshmallows" Genta said
"Sorry guys, but I need to do something tonight" Conan said
"What" the three said, "Conan-kun, come with us, this'll be fun!" Ayumi said.
Conan, looking at their pleading eyes sighed. "Fine"
The kids cheered and continued to walk to their room.
"Now, I will give the marshmallows" the teacher announced, all the students cheered, "I'll call each of you"
The teacher started to call the students, while Conan was saying something.
"What was that?" Haibara asked looking at the boy.
"I said, what should I do with the 'mallows, I don't like eating sweet and fluffy things, they stick on my teeth" he said
"Aw, poor little tantei-san, forced to do something he don't want to do" Haibara teased, but Conan smiled at her comment.
"Aren't you forced to join that marshmallow toasting thing?" Conan said
"Do you think they can force me to join?" she said with a smirk on her lips, "Ayumi-chan just told me to join the 'exchanging gifts' part"
"What! We need to exchange gifts?" he whispered
Haibara nodded and then she stood up when she heard the teacher call her.
"Genta-kun! That's mine!" Mitsuhiko said trying to grab the plastic of marshmallows Genta snatched from him.
Ayumi was giggling while watching him bounce off his fat friend.
Haibara and Conan, as usual, were walking behind the group. Conan was muttering something, or more like planning something.
"Kudo-kun, planning to get rid of the 'mallows?" she asked, Conan looked at her.
"How'd you know?" He asked, she just smirked, "never mind" he added, knowing her, she won't answer straight.
They walked a few minutes, silence.
"Hey Haibara," Conan started, "do you have a gift for tonight?"
Haibara looked at him, "nothing yet"
"Um... do you want to go with me...? I mean... I need to buy a gift too, and it would be better if... we go together" he said looking at the concrete sidewalk.
Haibara looked at him, then at the sky. "Okay" she said
Conan looked at her, a smile making way to his face "really?" he asked not believing his ears.
"No"
"Aw... you just said it" he said
"Why, can't buy a present alone?" she teased
"No," he said, now looking at her, "I just want to know... what present will you buy"
Haibara looked at him, "fine"
Conan smiled.
Haibara entered Hakase's house and was surprised to see Conan behind her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked
Conan looked up, "eh?" he said, he looked left and right, "ah... hehe, sorry, I was thinking what present I should buy"
Haibara looked at him, "they're just kids, they'll be happy whatever you'll give them" she said
"What if you get my gift?" he asked
Haibara raised her eyebrow, and Conan clamped his mouth with his hand.
"So you're assuming that I'll get your present" she said while crossing her arms.
"Ah... no" he said, "I was just... thinking"
Haibara took a fast look at him and slammed the door. Conan sighed and walked back to the agency.
Haibara was waiting in front of the mall, tapping her foot on the ground.
"Haibara!" Conan called, waving at her.
"Kudo, you're late" she said
"Sorry, I helped Ran clean the mess Kogoro made" he said scratching the back of his head.
"You're lucky, he didn't hit you accidentally on the head with a can of beer"
"He was snoring on the couch" he said, "let's hurry, we only have three hours to pick a present"
After choosing a gift for almost two hours, Conan and Haibara met at the door of the mall.
Conan looked at the wrapped up present Haibara was carrying.
"That's large" he said
"So as yours" she said looking at him. They were hugging the huge presents, almost blocking their view.
*That night*
"Okay, let's open our marshmallow and roast it on the fire" Ayumi said, leading the 'mallow ceremony.
Genta have four 'mallows on his stick, while Conan, Ayumi and Mitsuhiko only have one. Haibara was sitting not far from them.
"Yum!" Ayumi said, muffled sound followed after that, the marshmallow was sticking her lips together.
Conan was looking at the roasted 'mallow on his stick, he ate it and swallowed it.
"Ah... that was close, almost sticking to my teeth" then he looked at Haibara who was looking at Ayumi intently.
He stood up and walked to her, "why are you looking at Ayumi like that?" he asked
Haibara looked at him, "why? Is it bad to stare at her?"
"No" he sat beside her, he looked at her again, she wasn't looking at Ayumi, she was looking at the... marshmallows.
Conan looked at the 'mallow again, he looked at her with a smile, "you want one, right?"
Haibara looked at him, "why would I want one?" she asked
"I don't know. But you wouldn't stare at it like that if you don't want one" he said putting a 'mallow on his stick.
Haibara looked at him and back at the three kids, "I haven't tasted one" she said
Conan looked at her, "really? Then why didn't you join?"
"Because I wanted you to suffer alone" she smirked at him
"Oi, oi," he sweat dropped.
Conan gave her a stick with a roasted 'mallow on it, "try one"
Haibara looked at the stick and back to him, she took the stick.
"Try it, I don't know if you like marshmallows sticking on your teeth" he said looking at the 'mallow on his stick.
"I'll try if you eat yours first" she said
Conan looked at her, "no way" he said
"Then, I won't eat this" she said handing him back what he offered.
"Alright" he ate the marshmallow and looked at her.
She ate the roasted 'mallow, Conan watched her, a small smile making way to her face.
Conan chewed the marshmallow without him knowing, "aw, I chewed it" he said.
Haibara finished eating the marshmallow and looked at him, "so that's what it taste like" she said, "thanks" then she smiled.
Conan smiled too, but Haibara laughed silently after he showed his teeth.
"The marshmallow's sticking on your teeth" she said, then continued to laugh silently.
He turned around to put off the 'mallows. 'wrong timing' he thought
"Now let's exchange gifts" Mitsuhiko said, "each of us will pick a name in this fish bowl" he raised a bowl with paper in it.
While Genta and Ayumi fetched their gifts inside the house Conan and Haibara had a small talk.
"What are the things that you hate most?" Conan suddenly asked
Haibara looked at him, "you" she said and Conan eyes widened.
"Just kidding" she said, and Conan sighed.
"The stars" she said, looking up into the dark sky, "I hate the stars, I hate them because they're always floating up there"
"There are falling stars too" Conan said
"I know, but they're rocks, meteors, not actually stars" she explained
"Ah... but they're called like that so let it be" he said
Haibara looked at him, "but they're all friends, right?"
Conan looked at her, he nodded.
She looked back at the sky, "why don't they help their friend who's falling? The stars just want to show off their light, and forget about their friend who's losing his light, let them fall and break in our atmosphere" she said, "that's why I hate them."
Conan looked at her, "but some of them tried to, the falling star is just stubborn and it ignored all the things they did to help him, he wanted to sacrifice himself... to save the others". Haibara looked at him and their gaze met.
"Okay, we're back!" Ayumi said breaking their eye contact, they looked at them.
"Haibara-san, Conan-kun pick one" Mitsuhiko said giving them the bowl.
"We'll open it together, one, two... Three!" they opened the paper.
"I got Genta-kun" Ayumi said, "Here" she handed him the gift.
"I got Ayumi-chan" Mitsuhiko said, he handed her the gift.
"I got... Mitsuhiko" Genta said, the three looked at Conan and Haibara.
They flashed the papers to them, the paper written 'Haibara' was held by Conan, and the paper written 'Conan' was held by Haibara.
"Wow..." Genta said.
"L... let's open the gifts when we get home okay, and we'll tell what we think about it tomorrow at school" Mitsuhiko said.
Conan walked back to the agency, Ran was not around because she was invited by Sonoko for a party.
He walked past by Kogoro who was still sleeping on the couch. He went into his room.
He sat his bed staring at the gift held on his hands.
"I wonder what gift she put in here?" he pushed a finger to feel if it is soft or hard, "soft" he whispered. Thinking about Haibara she would put childish things in this or another... marshmallow.
"I really hate marshmallow" he whispered
He slowly ripped the wrapping, his eyes widened for a moment then he smiled.
The gift was a large... marshmallow... pillow. He lifted the pillow and hugged it. It was soft and fluffy.
'I guess I'll change my mind about marshmallows... just this time' he thought smiling while lying on his bed, hugging the pillow tightly against him.
Haibara was getting ready to sleep, she looked at the gift sitting on her table.
"Kudo-kun's probably followed my advice to put childish stuff in there" she said sitting on her bed. But looking again, she's also curious what things he put in. She picked the gift and sat on her bed again.
"Soft" she said feeling the present under the wrappings, she opened the gift and smiled.
'That's why he asked me' she thought, 'great guess'
The gift was a large... star... pillow. She looked at the pillow and smiled.
She turned the pillow to inspect it, she saw a small message near the bottom.
It reads:
To remind you that you're not alone, I sent this star to you to help you remember that I'm not forgetting you in any way... there are lots of people, who are there for you.
She smiled at the pillow, "so he's really expecting me to get his present". She hugged the pillow and went to sleep.
**NEXT DAY**
"Ayumi-chan, the gift was awesome!" Genta said
"I really picked it for everyone" she said smiling, Ayumi looked at mitsuhiko, "the gift was great, Mitsuhiko-kun" she said with a faint blush on her cheeks.
"It... It's nothing" he looked at Genta, "Thanks, Genta-kun" he said
"No prob" Genta answered.
The three looked at Conan and Haibara.
"What gift did you get, Ai-chan?" Ayumi asked
At the same time Mitsuhiko and Genta dragged Conan to the side.
"What was her gift, Conan-kun?" Mitsuhiko asked.
"Her gift was a..." Conan said
"His gift was a..." Haibara said
Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko held their breath.
"Marshmallow"
"Star"
Ayumi looked at her, "a star?"
Haibara nodded, "what gift did you get?"
Ayumi smiled, "a teddy bear" she said, "with a heart"
Haibara smiled softly.
"I told mine, what gift did you get guys?" Conan asked
"I got a new game, it's not just an ordinary game, it's a cooking game!" he said with a large grin on his face
Conan and Mitsuhiko smiled, he won't change.
"I got a new book, a cook book" he said, "you know Genta-kun..."
Conan smiled, "hehe"
Just then the teacher entered the room they all took their seats.
While the teacher was writing their notes on the board Conan talked to Haibara.
"Thanks for the gift" he whispered.
"I thought you don't like marshmallows" she whispered without looking at him.
"I changed my mind, marshmallows are nice,"
"What was that?" Haibara asked.
"Ah... nothing" he said, "so do you like the star?"
"I hate stars, but I'll make an exception" she said
Conan looked at her, smile spreading on his face.
"Class, now I'll let you draw the very important thing you have now, and explain" the teacher said
The class started to draw, let's see what Conan drew.
Conan drew a... medicine and a marshmallow, 'the most important thing I have now is the medicine and a marshmallow, I still have the medicine and if I lose it, I'll also lose the person who gave me the marshmallow, she showed me the things I hate and made me love them, the marshmallow is the first gift she gave me, I hate marshmallows but this one is an exception.'
Meanwhile, Haibara drew a... medicine and a star, 'the most important thing I have now is the medicine and the star, the medicine is still with me and if I try to get rid of it, I'll miss the person who gave me the star, he gave me hope and strength to live another day, he showed me the things I missed and showed me how to be happy, even though I refuse to show him, the star is the gift he gave me to remind me I'm not alone and there are people caring for me.'
Conan looked at Haibara, she looked back, they smiled at each other.
"Hey, you're cute after all" Conan said
m~~^^~~mm```**```m
Finished! This story is inspired by 'Light and Fluffy' song from K-on. Oh well, I just got the marshmallow idea from the song, the star was from another tv series. And I like marshmallow and stars too! Thanks for reading, hope you like it. Please review^^