Author's Notes: Hi guys! :) I am back with a new one-shot for you. This is written in British English because this story is set in the United Kingdom. I apologise in advance for any inaccurate descriptions, and it would be nice if you would point it out! Okay, hope you'll enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan. Aoyama Gosho does, though.
Dyes, of violet tints and shades, overshadowed the golden horizons, and were splashed onto the fine, silky threads of cottony spectres that roamed the sky. The dark silhouette of the buzzing metropolis contrasted with the pale, ivory gown that enveloped his goddess' body. His gaze lingered on her alabaster throat fiercely, later snapping back to the woman in question, as she cleared her throat.
"What do you say?"
"No," Kudo Shinichi drawled. "Ran won't be happy. You know her – she gets jealous whenever we are together. I don't want her to get weird ideas again."
But it was true. Ran did have a good reason to feel insecure – his attraction to Miyano Shiho was undeniable. His eyes were always searching for her ruffled, sweet-smelling strawberry blonde hair in their combined Chemistry class; his body always heading towards the secluded laboratory, where the dispassionate scientist was sure to be; his heart pounding loudly whenever she fired a sarcastic remark back on their way back to the dormitory.
"I have no one else to go with me," Shiho said. She tilted her head slightly and folded her arms, the cool breeze caressing her soft, baby-like hair. Shinichi made no reply though, staring at her pensively, as if trying to solve a puzzle.
It all started after they started attending Cambridge University. Shinichi, having regained his adult body, enrolled into the law faculty with a happy marriage to expect in three years, while Shiho enrolled into the faculty of Advanced Chemistry without any knowledge of what future awaited her. His heart soaked with love for Ran, Shinichi took no notice of Shiho until their first class together.
He clicked his tongue. "You know that I hate social gatherings."
"I do."
"And yet you invited me to your Graduation Ceremony."
Shinichi had never been more surprised to hear a bag plopping down a chair and an all-too-familiar face acknowledging his presence. What further shocked him was how beautiful Shiho looked – her loose-fitting shirt hiding her curves, her knee-length skirt emphasising her long, shapely legs – Shinichi was mind-blown.
"You are drooling," she had said. She had not lost her touch either.
The evening wind continued blowing.
"I'm desperate," Shiho answered simply, in response to Shinichi's statement. Shinichi arched an eyebrow, holding his chin as he analysed the woman before him. She could not find a date?
What a joke. He was certain that many guys pined for her. What they would not give to go on a date with the infamous snow queen…
He bit back a laugh. Right, he was going to get married soon, and yet he still had his eye on other women – not just any woman, mind you – a woman that was notorious for turning guys down and burning their flowers.
He had to forget her.
Closing his eyes with a loud sigh, Shinichi said, "I heard Hakuba Saguru is free tonight. Go ask him." He felt a sharp pang in his chest, but ignored it, focusing on the twilit roses. It must be late now, Shinichi realised, as the lamps lit up, casting a faint glow on Shiho's already white skin. Centuries-old trees surrounded them like strong, brown pillars, and Shinichi briefly wondered how Shiho managed to find him in the Garden of Eden. It was the only place where he could truly feel free – he could feel as if the whole world was within his grasp as he looked down.
It was a beautiful place.
Shiho must have noticed the lateness too, for her usually composed face suddenly showed signs of fear.
"Please, Shinichi…" she pleaded softly, biting her scarlet lips. "Please." Her turquoise eyes bore into his soul and tugged painfully at his heartstrings, until he could not even breathe. It was just too painful to know that after that one night, Shiho would leave him in search of a better future, while he would live his last college days unfeelingly, following which he would marry a person whom he had no affection for.
It was too heartbreaking.
"Please…?"
That was his undoing. Without hearing himself, Shinichi gave in to his desires and spoke, "You win."
The first two hours were agonisingly boring. The Headmaster gave his last long lecture to his departing students – one that had its usual solemnness and abstractness. Following that, the valedictorian gave his speech, and sauntered down the steps to his seat. Many clapped, but not all.
Shinichi chanced a glance at the lady beside him. She was smiling gently, her hands neatly folded on her lap, nodding attentively as she tried to remember the last day at the prestigious university – a place where memories of the Black Organisation would not haunt her.
However, as the speeches dragged on, Shinichi felt his breathing more and more laboured. It took all of his willpower not to touch Shiho's long and slender fingers – just a bit more, Shinichi told himself, and Shiho would be all his. It puzzled and hurt Shinichi to know that Shiho was not in the least affected by his presence.
What did he lack? Charm, charisma, intelligence, wealth, or looks? Why couldn't she love him back? These questions burnt his mind, body and soul, but they kept swirling, until Shinichi could not contain his frustration.
"I'll be right back," he said to Shiho, voice strangely constricted, as he removed his jacket and left for the washroom, unaware of the pair of eyes that followed his figure until it disappeared into the darkness of the corridors.
"I'll miss you, Shiho-san," mumbled a few girls as they engulfed Shiho in a tight hug.
"I'll miss you too, Arisu-san, Shizuka-san," she said, smiling bitterly as she patted them on the shoulders. They were the very first female friends she had. Without them, her life in Cambridge would not be as fulfilling as it had been. It was with them that she had experienced a typical girl's life, gone on blind dates with random guys, and had her first hangover.
She felt the faintest trace of tears in her eyes. "Thanks for everything," she breathed, not letting go. She did not want to let go – she did not want to lose those precious to her again.
Like how she lost a certain Kudo Shinichi.
Her best days were spent debating on sensitive issues with him, secretly passing notes in their combined Chemistry class, and taking long, leisurely walks to the Garden of Eden…
Shiho's breath hitched in her throat. That was their little secret. No one knew that place. That was where they shared their deepest and darkest secrets, and offered each other solace. That was where she shed all her tears, which were wiped away by Shinichi gently, as she gave her soul to him, spilling everything about her. Shinichi had always smiled, his eyes twinkling, full of sympathy and understanding, as he reached out his big hands to stroke her back.
No one knew her better than him.
However, as the graduation day grew nearer and nearer, Shiho found Shinichi slowly drifting away from her. It was impossible to take the seat next to him, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to catch him after class.
There were no more debates, passing of notes, and walks. It was as if he had suddenly disappeared from her life. She saw no more of him after their last combined Chemistry class, and it was just pure luck that she met him in the library a few days later.
Unable to control herself, she threw her arms around his toned body and began sobbing. Surprised, Shinichi had dropped his books while steadying Shiho awkwardly. Feeling his big and comforting hands holding her waist, she cried even more loudly, feeling the nostalgic calmness squeeze her throat so hard that she could not breathe. Frantically, she pulled Shinichi closer to her body until there was no space between their chests.
"Shinichi…"
Pushing her away roughly, Shinichi said with rugged breaths, "Don't touch me. I'm engaged to Ran."
And he left, never looking back, and it hurt Shiho more than anything.
"Are you okay, Shiho-san?" a female voice brought Shiho back to the present. "You are crying."
"Yes, I am fine!" she spluttered, "I'm just a bit sad that I'm going to leave you guys…" She forced a smile on her face unconvincingly.
Maybe it was stupid and naïve of her to invite Shinichi to her Graduation Ceremony, and to actually believe that it would change anything. Scoffing, Shiho thought about how bored Shinichi looked just now during the speeches – as if he didn't care that it was her last day as a college student. It was just the same when she approached him in the Garden of Eden. His nonchalant attitude and multiple rejections of her invitation indicated nothing but apathy towards her.
Stupid girl.
Shinichi had been observing her for the past thirty minutes. He watched, mesmerised, as Shiho licked her dry lips subconsciously. She held a glass of champagne in her left hand, her dominant hand covering her mouth as she laughed heartily at a joke that the valedictorian, Hakuba Saguru, told her.
It did not escape his notice that Hakuba had inched closer towards Shiho. To be fair, Hakuba did look dashing in his white suit, but that did not give him the rights to touch his woman. With a murderous glint in his eyes, Shinichi gulped down his vodka in one go, wiping his mouth with his sleeve savagely, his eyes trained determinedly on the giggling couple.
"Why, Miyano-san, you look beautiful in that silky dress."
Shinichi clenched his fist.
"Don't try to flatter me, Hakuba-kun. This dress is anything but silky."
"Oh, really? Well, I'm sure your skin is…" Hakuba whispered, reaching out his hands to touch Shiho's smooth skin.
Shinichi could take it no more. He slammed his hands down on the makeshift bar counter, stood up abruptly, and marched towards them.
"Hands off, Hakuba."
Shiho looked at him, surprised, while Hakuba just snorted.
"Who are you, her boyfriend?" Shinichi narrowed his eyes as Hakuba continued, "Don't forget, Kudo Shinichi, you are engaged." With a smirk, he grabbed Shiho's head and kissed her cheek.
"And I can do things that you can't."
Growling, Shinichi shoved Hakuba out of the way, and roughly grabbed his collar. "Listen," he hissed, "I'm cancelling the engagement. I don't care what happens. I don't care who opposes. All I know is, you have no – " crack, "fucking – " crack, "rights – " crack, "to touch Miyano Shiho."
Looking at his bloodied masterpiece with a sneer, Shinichi grabbed Shiho with a vice-like grip, and dragged her out of the hall without saying a word. Bewildered, Shiho cried out, "Where are we going?"
Not answering her question, Shinichi only increased his grip on her wrist, and increased their pace. "Let go of me, you idiot! You are hurting me." In the gloomy corridors, the silence was broken by Shiho's gasps and Shinichi's loud footsteps, and Shiho was becoming more and more perturbed.
"Stop it, Shinichi! This isn't like you at all," whispered Shiho, trembling slightly as she realised the wrongness of the situation. Before she knew what was happening, Shinichi pushed her roughly against the wall, and claimed her lips in a hot, searing kiss. It happened so quickly that Shiho could not grasp the situation. She whimpered softly, but Shinichi only kissed her more passionately. He bit her lips hard, and forced his body onto hers.
It was a sin, she knew, to kiss a man that was not meant to be hers, but it felt so good that she allowed herself to forget – just for a while. Shinichi kissed her hungrily, assuaging his anger, as he tasted her sweet lips, and felt the playful swirl of her tongue.
Finally, they pulled apart to breathe. Shiho's lips were swollen, her body flushed against Shinichi's. Slightly breathless, she muttered, "Why, Shinichi…?"
Shinichi had to restrain himself from kissing her again. "You never knew, did you?" he touched her lips, smirking, "You were the smartest, most beautiful woman I had ever known…you enraptured my mind. I think about you every day. I am always looking for signs of you. I always find ways to talk to you, to be with you…damn, you never knew, did you? But I guess you don't return my feelings, huh."
Shinichi smiled bitterly, looking forlorn yet devilishly handsome in his blue suit. It was almost like he was expecting a rejection.
"Don't be silly! How could I not return – gosh, you are everything to me, Shinichi! You were always there with me to share my joy and pain, and encourage me to do my best. Not to mention, you were the one that helped bring down the Black Organisation…I could never thank you enough."
Shiho looked at her feet and blushed, noticing their close proximity. "I love you, Shinichi."
It was all that Shinichi needed to hear. Without hesitation, he kissed Shiho again, this time slowly and endearingly. A beam of silvery moonlight filtered through the window, showering the loving coupe with luck and well wishes. Content smiles laced their lips, but a sudden question came to Shiho's mind.
"What about Ran?" she asked, furrowing her brows slightly.
"Ran?" Shinichi smiled. "I'll explain to her and cancel our engagement. She will understand. A loveless marriage is a dead marriage, or so they say. I have already decided that I will take good care of you and love you forever."
"So will you, Miyano Shiho, marry me?"
Author's Notes: So, do you like it? :) I'm thinking of posting an epilogue but I'm not sure. :/ Please review and tell me what you think! ^^ Also, please check out Blue Moon, my multi-chaptered fic. It would mean the world to me if you guys would review that story as well!
Last but not least, constructive criticism is always welcome. :D Tell me if my characters are too OOC, or if there are any loopholes in the plot, or just...anything. XD Thank you for taking the time to read this!