A Dream
A/N: I dun own Detective Conan. This is my first DC fic so bear with me and PLEASE R and R!! thanks!! Ai X Conan or more likely, Shiho X Shinichi
The static of the TV channel made the three kids groan with disappointment.
"What the heck was that? We were this close to the last and most important part!" Genta, the overweight member of the so-called "Detective Boys" said while peeking through a small space created by his index and thumb. "Yeah and look what-what happened!" Mitsuhiko, the skinny member, stammered. "I was really hoping that we could be able to finish the episode!" Ayumi added.
Conan sighed. Kids… he thought as he overhears their conversations. "Hey guys," he called out to the three. "Why don't we just go out and play…soccer?" he asked. He hoped that this would turn out successful.
"Yeah! Conan's right! It's quite a good day to have some sun!" Mitsuhiko said. Ayumi and Genta also agreed to Conan's suggestion.
And yes, Conan did win. Unexpectedly.
"What about you, Haibara-san?" Ayumi asked. The silent girl just closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. "I'm busy with the professor. Go play with your own." She said nonchalantly as she walked to the bookstand not far. "Huh? A work with the professor again?" Mitsuhiko asked curiously. "Yeah. I promised him that I would help." She said as she tried to reach a certain book. Too bad she wasn't that tall.
Dammit! If I was just not in this situation! I need this book for the research.
She heard a soft creaking sound. "Here, use this." Conan's voice rang. There he stood with a stool beside him. A smile was on his face. "It'll be a lot easier for you to reach that book if you'll use this." He added. She stared at the stool for a moment. This jerk…what is he thinking? That I could not reach it coz I'm this small? That I can't reach it anymore so I have to use some aid? That I'll be stuck forever to this body so I have to get used to using stools for hard-to-reach areas?
She ignored him and began to reach the book again. It was totally out of reach and Conan's pretty right. Really right. It was about five inches away from the longest finger. She tried to tiptoe but that only made things worse because her balance doesn't get along with her. As she jumped, the vase at the top of the bookcase would vibrate. If she does continue, lo, heaven knows what disaster that would be. "Nee, Haibara-san, Conan-kun's right. You better use the stool." Ayumi said but she won't listen to them. She wants to prove them wrong. They're wrong about her.
"Ai-kun! Watch out!" Professor's voice rang.
THUD! Then a CRASH!
She fell on her knees and her vision began to get blurry. She felt a warm drop on the back of her palms. Blood. Deep red in color.
"Haibara-san!" she heard them scream. Dummies! I can do it myself…I don't need your help! I can…I can…do…it…
Then everything was black.
She was awakened by the soft murmurs and the blinding sunlight hitting her eyes. "Ah! Haibara-san's awake!" Ayumi cried in glee. She tried to sit up but that made her head bang with pain. When she held her hand upon it, she felt bandage. "What…" she muttered.
"Are you alright? The vase had fallen on your head. We heard the loud 'thud' so that made us very nervous." Mitsuhiko explained. Yes, now she remembers. She too had heard and felt that 'thud'. "And then we saw blood dripping out of your head. Good thing Professor Agasa came!" Genta added. Then her eyes widen in an instant. She gave a quick scan on the surroundings. "For how many hours have I been asleep?" she asked as if she's on hurry. "Uh…about thirty minutes only. Why?" Ayumi asked. "Did you took me to the hospital?" she asked again.
There was a pause.
Ai felt nervous. Did they? Damn! They shouldn't. If I were taken to the hospital…then my identity would be…
"No, Haibara-san. The professor said that he could handle everything." Mitsuhiko answered.
Phew. That was close.
"Why, Haibara-san? Are you afraid of the doctor or the hospital?" Ayumi asked. Idiot!
"No. It's just…it's a secret." She answered nonchalantly. Then the professor came in with a tray of cookies and a jar of juice with five glasses. "Good thing you're awake, Ai-kun. How are you doing?" he asked as he placed the tray at the side table of Ai's bed. "Fine." She shortly answered. "Just a bit dizzy." She added.
"Hey!" Conan suddenly burst out. "I can ask Ran nee-chan to drop by some medicine for dizziness. That works really great especially when Mori-san is drunk!" he said. Of course, the three kids cheered.
"In the first place," Ai responded. "I'm not drunk. Second, Ran's house is about a fifteen-minute walk. Too far." She continued. Conan looked down. "I see. I was just…concerned but I guess you're fine right now." He said lowly.
"Conan-kun…" Ayumi muttered. "You should be at least thankful, Haibara Ai!" Ayumi suddenly shouted. The rest of them were agape with the sudden outburst of Ayumi.
"Ayumi-chan?" Mitsuhiko asked. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Hey, what's the matter with you, Ayumi?" the professor asked. "Haibara…I thought you knew it well. I thought you were a smart kid but I think I got myself wrong! I got myself all wrong about you!" she added as small amount of tears appeared on her eyes. "Ayumi? What's happening to you?" Mitsuhiko asked again.
"This…this Haibara Ai! She…she doesn't deserve our care. She doesn't deserve our concern. None of us should have done that cause she's 'all well' and 'too grown up'. She's smart and quite independent so all our care and concern are all in vain." She reasoned out.
"What the heck are you talking about?" Genta asked. "Conan and the rest of us are all concerned about her but look! Did she even give the slightest acknowledgement? No! But instead, she even put down every thing we did to please her to help her in this moment. It would be okay even if you didn't have to thank or acknowledge us but the latter made me step up for the rest. I couldn't stand here wasting my time!" Ayumi said then banged the door as she went out. Then the room became quiet.
"Ayumi…" Conan said softly. Then, he looked back to the rest and to Ai. There, she just stared at the wall before her. It's as if she hadn't heard or seen anything.
"Uh, I think we better follow Ayumi so we're going now, professor. Thanks for the time." Mitsuhiko said as he and Genta made their way. "Thanks again and Haibara-san, get well soon. We'll just…see you in school." Genta said and the two boys went away. Again, silence came.
"Uh, so I think I'll just leave the two of you here. I still have a few things to attend to." The professor said as he went out. Now, only Conan and Ai were left inside. Conan just stood by the bed and Ai staring at the blank wall before her.
"Ai…"
"I think you should go too. You heard her. And I know that you know that she's right. She's all right, isn't it?" she softly said.
"Are you mad? Are you mad at me?" he asked. Ai kept silent. "Honestly, at times, I don't understand your moods but I just keep telling myself that you're adjusting to this environment. You're not used to mingle around that many people everyday but these days, you seem quite moodier. I don't really understand." He said.
"I'm not mad at anyone. I just need time and space, that's all. I try to adapt to your environment but I still need to fix things before having my own time. I still need to fix my life…and yours. I am the reason behind the sudden disappearances of Kudo Shinichi and the sudden appearance of Edogawa Conan. I am the reason for all these complicated situations you're into. And I am responsible. I am responsible for all of this." She said.
"Ai, listen, I understand your feelings but you don't have to push yourself so hard." Conan replied. A soft smile appeared on Ai's lips. "Don't worry, Kudo-kun. I won't be doing it again. You don't have to worry." she softly said.
At last, she got it.
Conan smiled at her and went to the door. "If that's the case then, I'll be leaving you now. Go take a good rest! Tomorrow's a big day." He said then left.
"I'm coming in, Ai-kun!" the professor's voice rang. The door opened and the professor's face became pale.
"AI-KUN!!"
Conan rushed upstairs upon the ring of the professor's voice. "Professor! What happened?" he asked in a panting manner. He saw the professor pointing inside the room so he gave a look. What met his eyes surprised him.
The room is empty. Clean and neat. It's as if no one stayed in. He went inside and checked all the drawers and cabinets. The clothes were all gone. Even her belongings.
"Ai…" he muttered. Suddenly, he heard the professor calling his name. When he looked back, he saw him with a piece of small brown glass bottle with capsules in it and a small note on his other hand. "I saw it by her bed. There's a note for you." He said. Conan walked up and read the paper.
Kudo-kun,
See, I told you I wouldn't be able to push myself harder to find the antidote. I made it the other night. That's my farewell gift to you for being a nice companion. Now, you'll be able to return to your old life. You'll be able to return to her. Your life has been fixed. My faults have been paid. There's a copy of the formula of the poison and the antidote at the professor's computer. I know you could use it in a better way than the way I did.
I'm sorry I wasn't able to say goodbye to all of you in a better way, especially to Takada-san. I know you could explain it to them.
Goodbye.
Sherry
The note slipped out of his hand. "No…it can't be…" he muttered. The professor picked up the paper and read the contents. "Ai-kun…" he said.
Conan closed his fist then ran out of the room. He heard the professor calling him back. "Ai!" he shouted as he ran out the street. "Ai! Where are you! Ai!" she shouted. Then a blinding light burst out before him. He covered his eyes…
"Shinichi! Wake up! Shinichi!"
He fluttered his eyes and he saw a familiar girl in front of him. "Ran?" he asked. "Shinichi, would you mind getting up now? We'll be late for school." She said. He got up and looked at his hands. They were all in their normal appearance and he was called by his name by Ran.
Then his eyes widen. "Haibara!" he shouted. "Eh? Haibara? Who's that?" Ran asked. He looked up at her. "It's Haibara Ai, the young girl with…"
Wait. How come Ran doesn't know her?
He looked around him. He was searching. "Shinichi, what are you looking for?" Ran asked.
No, he can't find it. He can't find the bottle. Was it all a dream? Ran doesn't remember her and he couldn't find a reason why.
The sky was a bit cloudy. The sidewalks are a bit crowdy. It's a typical day.
"Hey, are you all right? You seem to be absent-minded today. Is something bothering you?" Ran asked as they walked. Shinichi shook his head and smiled. "I'm fine. Thanks." He replied.
Then an image appeared at the corner of his eyes. His eyes widen. "Haibara…" He ran across the street, not minding the passing of the cars. He grabbed her arms. The girl was shocked.
"I knew it! Haibara, you're still here!" he said with a smile. The girl smiled at him. "Excuse me, but I'm afraid we haven't met yet. You must have mistaken me for someone else." She softly replied. Shinichi was agape. "Huh? But…you should be her. You look…"
"Eh? Yoriko?" a man's voice came from behind. The girl's face lightened. She ran to him and cuddled his arm. "Yukito, I thought you were lost again!" she said. The man smiled then looked at Shinichi. "Yoriko, do you know him?" he asked. The girl shook her head. "No. I think the kid mistook me for someone else. So, shall we?" she asked. The man agreed and the two of them left. Then, Ran's arm got hold of his. "Shinichi…" she softly said. He looked up for a moment and looked back at her with a smile. "So, I think we still have some errands to attend to. Shall we go now?" he asked. Though confused, Ran smiled and agreed.
Haibara,
My life has been fixed. Thanks for everything. Even if you didn't really exist, of which I'm not that sure, I won't forget you. Thanks. I owe something to you. I owe you this new life.
Conan