notes: been a while since I've written for detective conan, but surprise!

extra notes: inspired by chapter 939

When Ayumi's eyes widen, Haibara can't help but turn her head to look up at what Ayumi is staring up at with such awe – a large advertisement stuck onto the glass wall of a beauty parlor.

"Wow, she's so pretty!" Ayumi gasps, pointing up at the model.

Haibara stops running, thinking Ayumi would quickly be separated from the rest of the Detective Boys if she doesn't stay behind with Ayumi. She looks ahead to see where Kudo is headed – seeing the other elementary school kids follow behind him, weaving through the busy mall – before she returns her gaze to the beauty ad.

The younger girl is still entranced by the woman in the advertisement, who is winking and showcasing her perfectly winged and apparently long-lasting and waterproof eyeliner.

After another moment of staring, Ayumi asks Haibara, "Does Ai-chan think that Ayumi will be as pretty as the model when Ayumi grows up?"

Haibara doesn't hesitate when she answers. "Of course," Haibara warmly assures Ayumi. "And you probably won't even need the eyeliner that she's wearing to look pretty."

"Really?" Ayumi exclaims, her hands clasping together and a large grin stretching over her lips. "You really think so?"

Haibara returns a soft smile. "Absolutely."

"But Ayumi still wants to hurry and grow up so that Ayumi can wear make-up!" she continues, before putting her finger over her lips and looking up to ponder. "But eyeliner looks very hard to put on, right?"

Haibara watches Ayumi attempt to act out putting on eyeliner, squinting and coloring over her eye, before laughing softly. She places her hand on Ayumi's shoulder.

"When we get old enough to wear make-up, I'll help you put your eyeliner on, okay?"

Ayumi looks surprised. "Ai-chan already knows how to use eyeliner?"

"Well, with practice and plenty of time, it's not too difficult," Haibara explains, being careful not to mention that 'plenty of time' meant a good number of years for her.

"Wow, you're so mature, Haibara-san!" Ayumi exclaims, throwing her hands up. "You're so cool! You're like a real older sister!"

Haibara simply smiles.

"Come on," she says, gently taking Ayumi's hand. "Let's go catch up with the others."

.

.

When Kudo asks Haibara to meet him in the hallway for a moment in the middle of her second eighth birthday celebration, Haibara can't help but raise her eyebrow in suspicion at what the self-proclaimed detective has to offer her.

"Happy birthday, Haibara," he says, passing her a small wrapped box.

She blinks, twice because she expected bad news about the Black Organization rather than a gift.

Wordlessly, she takes the ribbon-tied box and opens it, lifting the edge of the wrapping paper to get a glimpse of what was inside.

"Eyeliner?" she asks.

He grins.

She narrows her eyes suspiciously. "Which birthday are you celebrating – my eighth or my nineteenth?"

"Well…"

"And are you trying to suggest something by giving me make-up?" she continues. "That maybe I need the make-up?"

"Ah, oh, no, no, no, I swear!" Kudo laughs nervously. "It was just that I noticed you and Ayame looking up at the advertisement for this one in the mall last week and I thought you might like this."

Haibara looks back at the eyeliner. Indeed, it's the same brand of eyeliner in the ad.

"I see," she says.

"I-It's just for you to have," Kudo quickly explains. "I mean, you look fine without it anyway."

"Huh," Haibara simply replies, before pivoting on her heel to head back to the living room, where Professor Agasa and the rest of the Detective Boys are celebrating.

But just before stepping past the door, she realizes she was extremely impolite for not saying anything upon receiving Kudo's gift and so turns back around.

"Thanks," she says, hiding her stutter as best she can. "For the eyeliner."

With this, she walks off again, but then stops once more when she remembers to thank him for yet another thing—

"A-And the compliment too."

thir13enth