Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan or any of its characters.
"I'm going out for a bit Dad!"
A mass of chocolate brown hair swiftly coursed through the door before it closed and a tall young woman emerged from the stairwell of Mouri Detective Agency. Her glossy hair bobbed up and down as she dashed to catch the almost leaving bus. She imploriously waved her hand, hoping the bus driver would take notice of her and luckily he saw her flapping long arm from his side mirror. She jumped to the bus' landing and thanked the driver for waiting.
She found herself a seat, positioned her sling bag on her lap when something fell from the slight opening of her bag. It was Conan's cellphone.
The school bell rang.
Students immediately flooded the corridors with noise and endless chatters. Amidst them were Ran and Ran's bestfriend Sonoko. Sonoko unrelentingly pestered her about the incident in London when Shinichi spontaneously confessed to Ran, leaving her flustered and shy.
On the way out they spotted Conan and his gang. Genta comically playing storyteller as the others listened except one – he was busy playing with his soccerball.
"Conan what are you guys doing here?" Ran inquired as they went near them.
"Ran-neesan I came to tell you I'm going home late."
Genta excitedly opened his mouth to share a new case they were working on when Conan hurriedly covered his mouth and dragged him away. "See you later, Ran-neesan." Conan waved from the distance.
"What the heck was that?" Ran looked at their retreating backs.
"Kids." Sonoko dismissed.
Ran caught something gleaming from the ground. She picked it up.
Conan's telephone.
I'll just return it to him tonight, she thought.
She planned to return it to him last night but she forgot. Deciding to return it to Conan, she stood up and climbed down the bus. Good thing the bus stopped for a full minute before it left for the next stop.
So much for not being late.
Her mother had arranged for them a full day of mother-daughter bonding. She would just call her Mom and inform her she'll be a bit late.
She was on her way to Doctor Agasa's house where she knew Conan was hanging out for the moment. Sometimes she wonders why he keeps hanging out with Doctor Agasa when he has the liberty of mingling with people more his age, with more appropriate company. Kids these days.
That just sounded disrespectful on Dr. Agasa's part. Sorry Dr Agasa, she chastised.
She did not bother knock when she saw the front door was open. She came in and closed the door behind her. After all she and Shinichi always used to be around him when they were young, making him almost like a family.
She took off her shoes and replaced them with sleepers.
Being too familiar with the house's layout, she located them in no time. She saw them talking albeit seriously. With creased brows she silently went near the door and was about to greet both of them and excuse herself from the sudden interruption and from barging in the house unannounced when he heard Dr. Agasa call Conan Shinichi.
"Shinichi your dad is saying that the feds are almost close to uncovering the Black Organization's secrets and Haibara, who is now working closely with the US lab, and her team is almost close to perfecting the antidote. Your dad is advising you to fly to the US and work together with secret agency…" Dr. Agasa squeezed his shoulders. "It's almost over Shinichi…"
Conan nodded his head. It still felt surreal and utterly unbelievable that they were this close to solving the case. Finally after a few years of catch and chase, it was almost over. He could finally return to his normal self… and size. After all this is done then only one problem remains. He frowned, the last problem might be harder to crack than the black organization. As much as he was afraid of not being able to return to his normal form and living his life as Kudo Shinichi, there was another matter much terrifying than that… Ran's fury.
Ran had heard enough. Had understood enough. She was right in the gut when she thought that Conan was Shinichi because he really was… The signs had always been there but she was just stupid enough to not piece it together… No it wasn't stupidity, it was the fear… the fear of acknowledging the fact that he did not trust her enough to keep his secret… that he did not care for her enough to tell her the truth… that all those times when she was lonely and suffering from not seeing him, not knowing where he was, how he is… he was just there close to her, disregarding her pain.
She was shaking from anger, from confusion, and pain.
Why Shinichi, why?
With tears streaming down her eyes, she silently left the house.
000000
That night, she locked herself in her room. Mouri Kogoro left that same afternoon for a three day conference. With no sleeping Kogoro popping out for the past eight months which she had a peculiar feeling that Shinichi was somehow involved, her dad has carried himself well enough, finally achieving the title of Awaked Kogoro. A hilarious title indeed and she also had her fair share of laughter when he was given such a bragging name. Title aside, he has actually become a pretty good detective himself, still not as great as the most renowned young detective she thought bitterly, but a good detective nonetheless. They were even moving to a larger office and a new house a week from now. Now that's saying something from what her dad has recently accomplished and what he would continuously accomplish in the future.
Her heart painfully constricted when she heard the front door open.
"Ran-neesan." He knocked.
With heavy feet, she turned the knob.
"I just came to get my things Ran-neesan. I'm going back to America tomorrow… I know it's sudden but my parents want me there as soon as possible and I…" he hurriedly explained but stopped when Ran only stared blankly at him, her eyes void of emotions.
"Let me help you pack then." She strode out of her room to his father's to get his stuff.
After packing she gave him his cellphone which she did not get the chance to give and instead learned of a well kept secret.
Conan took the phone from her, visibly worried.
"Don't worry I did not try to open it." She said flatly.
Surprised with her tone lacking concern, he studied her.
"Is something wrong Ran-neesan?"
Do you even have to ask Shinichi? A voice in her head wanted her to say.
She tried to keep herself composed even though her insides were melting.
"No."
Not the least bit satisfied with her answer, he probed by tilting his head to the side, trying to be cute. Conan knew for a fact that adults especially girls go gaga for a cute child. "Are you sure, ran-neesan?"
Completely unaffected, came her monosyllabic response again. "Yes"
Just go already…
Resigned, he just nodded and turned to exit the door.
"Why?" came the strangled voice of Ran from his back.
Why? Conan confusedly repeated in his mind. He looked at his cellphone and something clicked. His fast brain has added two and two together.
He kept his back on her. "Were you in Dr. Agasa's house this morning to give me this?"
She nodded as though he could see her.
So she heard everything…
"Why?" Ran repeated again.
Conan sighed. "Because I care for you."
"That's bullshit! If you cared for me enough then you would have told me! Not to allow me to wallow in my pain day after day, losing my mind just thinking of your whereabouts and why you have to suddenly disappear." She raged.
Still keeping his back to her, he stressed. "I cared for you enough to keep you away from danger."
She laughed hysterically. "You cared... for me… why do I find that funny."
Angered he stepped at the nearby table so that they were somehow leveled. One of the down lows of being Conan.
He gently shook her. "Are you even hearing yourself? If I did not care for you then why would I have stayed here in Japan if I could have just gone to America. I have a better chance of closing down the black org if I was there."
"That's what I keep asking myself Con- Shinichi." She corrected bitterly. "If you cared for me enough then you could have just told me the truth face flat then went to America. I would have still worried, yes, but I wouldn't have been as hurt and as worthless as I'm feeling now…"
The tears she kept in check now flowed freely from her lifeless blue orbs. "How could you Shinichi… how could you? How can you trust me so less and them more?"
Totally losing his cool, he shouted at her. " It's because I love you alright! I just can't risk it… I just can't risk you… I can't lose you."
The words somehow soothed her tattered heart but it was not enough to mold it back together. It wasn't even enough the stop the hammering pain she felt in her chest. "And you think you're not losing me now…"
His eyes filled with fear but he knew that at this moment no words could reach her.
Damn it.
He could plead but there's no use in it now. He could grovel but it's not yet the right time for that.
He took something from his jean pocket and clamped it on her neck. The silver chain surrounded her neck and at the center was the engagement ring Shinichi was supposed to give her when he told her the truth that night at the hotel.
Ran just looked at the necklace dangling on her neck.
"I was about to give you that that night… I was supposed to tell you the truth and eventually propose but then…"
"Duty called." Ran added. "That has always been between us Shinichi. Your work."
"That's unfair Ran."
With a heavy heart she formed the words she thought she'd never say, not to him at least, "I don't know what's fair anymore Shinichi… I think it's best for you to go…"
Defeated, Conan jumped down the table and looked one last time at Ran.
"I love you Ran Mouri… I always had and I always will. I'll come back when all this is over and put some sense in that pretty little head of yours."
When he left, she allowed herself to crumble to the ground and cried and cried until her eyes hurt and swelled.
It was getting harder and harder for her to breath at the place where she and him had shared wonderful memories together. It started to suffocate her. She lifted her feet from where she was slumped and scurried out of the agency. She welcomed the heavy downpour of rain and walked with no particular direction in mind.
She was near the alley when she heard heavy footsteps closing in, she turned around and saw herself being surrounded by men in black suit, three to be exact. Two men held each of her arms as the man with long silver hair pointed a gun at her.
"I think Kudo Shinichi would get the message once we send him your head as a landing gift at the airport."
Her eyes grew wide at the mention of his name. Then it clicked so this was the group he was hiding his identity from.
Her pent up anger fueled her rage. She bent down before the bullet sliced through her head and kicked the silver man holding the gun, the gun flew to the sky and he fell to the ground. She concentrated her strength to both her arms and pulled the two men closer so their heads collided with each other and kicked them hard on the chest then on their head, twisting their necks. They lay motionless on the wet ground.
With her swift karate move, she caught the gun in the air and pointed it to the silver-haired man.
"If it was this easy killing you guys then I could have done so myself but Shinichi was just too stubborn to realize that I could take care of myself."
Feeling rejuvenated instead of terrified, he laughed hard. "Interesting. I thought I didn't need to bring back up… I think I may have another plan for you.
He stood up.
She was primed to shoot. She pulled the trigger.
The roar of the gunshot joined in with the sound of rain.
And it was only the night that lay witness to Ran unconscious and in the arms of Silver.
To be continued.
A/N: Well how was it for my first attempt to RanxShinichi pairing? I hope it turned out to your likings. As to the update I can't promise a fast update but will try to update as soon as I can especially if this fic would earn a great following. Thanks for reading!