I love Detective Conan! I'm addicted…to… Shinichi and Ran!! Ha, ha! Well, I decided to try my hand at this anime… so, I hope you like this story.
Note: The story's title, Longer, is based on the lyrics for the song Longer at the very beginning of each chapter in bold italics. This is a relatively short song. So, there is a perfectly sane reason for the very short lyrics at the very beginning. The last chapter will be taken from a different song/the last line in the song; a different song's lyrics will begin the last chapter. There will be approximately 19 chapters with the Longer lyrics, and a chapter 20 for the epilogue and different lyrics.
Title: Longer
Chapter: 1
Type: Multi-Chaptered
Chapter Title: Leaving
Pairings: ShinichixRan
Legend:
-O-X-O-X - Division Line
Lyrics
Flashback
"Talk"
'Think'
Disclaimer: I don't own Longer or Detective Conan!
Full Summary: Shinichi, a world-renowned detective, hires Ran Mouri to educate a reckless boy known as Conan, without a single thought in the world. But once she arrives, he realizes that she's his childhood friend he fell in love with but had to leave behind years earlier. But she doesn't recognize him, but only remembers a first love as a child. So, on a quest to gain her feelings, Shinichi meets a woman named Karrie and brings her home, in an attempt of making Ran jealous. Ran, not realizing his motives, ignores this behavior. But as she continues to further herself into the lives of these familiar people, she finds herself falling back in love all over again… But there's one problem.
(Conan-kun?) (There was a small sniffle.) (Conan-kun, are you all right?) (He's going to marry her…) (There was silence.)
Enjoy!
-O-X-O-X-
Longer than… there've been fishes…in the ocean.
-O-X-O-X-
"Shinichi-kun!" A cute voice chimed. She ran towards the ebony haired boy, waving her arm furiously.
"Shinichi-kun!!" She yelled loudly, attempting to get his attention.
He turned, hands stuffed in his pockets. He turned, slowly, until he faced the direction of Ran's bright face. When she saw the look on his face, she slowed down. Her arm fell to her side, and her once bright face was replaced with a confused one.
"Shinichi-kun…?" She asked, tentatively.
"Ran-chan…" He said, in a voice that seemed saddened by her arrival.
"Shinichi-kun? What's wrong?" She looked at him curiously, tilting her head to the side.
"I'm…going." He said slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"Going? Where?" She was even more confused now, if he were going, wouldn't he come back?
"I'm going for good, Ran-chan." He stated, bluntly, without a trace of emotion in his voice.
She watched him, tears filling her eyes.
"O-oh…" She said, sadly. She stared down at her feet, her hands clutched together.
"W-well…" She stuttered, shyly in a way. She hid her tears.
"Shin-chan!" A faraway voice called.
Shinichi turned to the sight of his mother and father, waving and making signals that they had to go.
"I have to go, Ran-chan. Bye." He said suddenly, before embracing Ran in a hug. She stiffened at this. He was saddened by her reaction.
"B-bye, Shinichi-kun…" She trailed off, watching him run back to his parents.
She was only 10 then.
-O-X-O-X-
Ran Mouri awoke with a start. She looked around, blinking, her body sweating. It was just that dream again, again, and again. It always came back to haunt her.
She could never figure out why, it was 7 years ago after all. She glanced at the clock. It was time to get ready to leave. Her entire flat was empty, save for the bed and her covers, a few spare clothes, and some other necessities.
She smiled sadly to herself, as she peered at the picture she had kept with her. It was in a beautiful blue frame, with a glass flower attached on the top right hand corner, and some smaller blossoms at the bottom left hand corner.
She paused, staring at the picture of her father and mother.
"Otou-san… 'Kaa-san…" She stared sadly at her deceased parents.
(Yes, they're dead. It makes me sad, really, it does. I didn't want to kill them, but they had to go…)
Ran then smiled brightly.
"I promise I'll make this job work!" She grinned, before slipping into a pale blue sundress. She grabbed the few remaining things and her picture, stuffing them in her bag. The bed was to be left here, as the other things from before she moved in.
(She rented a place, and it had a bed, desk, etc.)
She stumbled slightly down the stairs, before running out to the taxicab waiting for her. Ran entered the small yellow cab, before it began to drive off to her destination. She stared outside the window, as the shadows of trees passed over her face. The sun was shining brightly, some clouds drifting leisurely across the bright, blue sky.
She suddenly noticed they were on the outskirts of town now, the pastures a gleaming green, the mountains with their snow-white capped tops, and the small farmers' houses appearing every once in a while. The rice fields stretched widely, as cattle and horses roamed in their fenced homes. She saw the forest in the distance, and a large white estate with blue roofs appearing steadily across the horizon. As the cab approached the house, she saw the gated yard, with a beautiful fountain right in the center of the driveway, as the driveway circled around it and back out again. The cab drove into the automatic gates, and drove bumpily across the cobbled driveway.
She stared at the beauty of the house, awestruck. The large mahogany doors stood menacingly in front of her, as she paid her taxi and got out. Her other belongings had already been sent here, and she didn't notice the cab leave. The doors suddenly began to open slowly, startling Ran.
And out popped a little boy, wearing a small blue suit with a red bowtie. He had on black glasses, and his hair was black and his eyes a shining blue color.
He smiled cheerfully up at her, before attacking and latching onto her legs.
"Konnichiwa, onee-san!" He said in a childish voice, his arms hugging her legs.
She giggled at this, and pat him on the head. He let go of her legs, and she bent down to his height.
"Now, who would you be?" She asked, radiating a beautiful smile.
"Watashi wa, Conan!" He pointed to himself, grinning wildly.
(Kawaii…! I'm pretty sure 'Watashi wa' means 'I am' or 'My name is.' Correct me if I'm wrong, please!)
"Well, nice to meet you, Conan-kun!" She watched as he pranced around the yard, rambling on about childish things, like why the sky was blue, or the grass green.
"Conan-san? Conan-san?" An elderly voice called out, and out came a small woman, her graying hair up in a tight bun, and dressed in a formal lavender kimono. When her brown eyes caught sight of Conan, she sighed.
"Conan-san, you can't go wandering around!" She grabbed a hold of his wrist, while he struggled to get away.
"B-but…" He whimpered, obviously unhappy.
The lady then turned to Ran.
"Excuse me, Miss, but who are you?" She inquired.
"Ah! I'm supposed to be here today, to teach Conan…" She said, timidly.
The lady's eyes widened, "Oh! Oh, my! I'm sorry I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Kana. I'm the caretaker of this home. I was supposed to wait for you here, but I couldn't find Conan-san…"
"Oh, it's quite alright." Ran smiled brightly. "Here, I can take Conan-kun." She held out her hand to Conan, and he grasped onto it, their height a major difference.
"Oh, thank you, Miss…?"
"Ran, Mouri, Ran!" She said politely.
"Well, Ran-chan, please call Conan-san, well, Conan-san. He is the master's nephew."
(No, not son.)
"Oh, alright then." Ran peered down discreetly at the little boy who was just running around, asking innocent questions, to when he was struggling against someone's grasp.
"Well, come in, come in! I'll show you to your room, and introduce you to the staff." Kana smiled, but it was worn, as if she'd done this many times to others.
"Alright." Ran followed obediently, Conan at her side.
The two entered the house, and she was awestruck again but this time, by the interior.
There was a grand staircase, and the floor was all marble. It was a subtle off-white color, with hints of pink. The railings were made of dark wood, and the inside's color pattern was a light beige. The stairs wound upwards, and there were halls branching off from the foyer. She looked around, only to see large oil paintings of a family, and she couldn't help but stare at them.
-O-X-O-X-
"…And down here is the kitchen." Kana had introduced Ran to everyone by now, and was just showing her around the house.
"Ah, Ran-chan, it's about time you go meet the master. He should be in his office, waiting for you. I'm sorry for keeping you!" Kana apologized, bowing.
"No, no! Without your help, I would probably be lost by now!" Ran laughed, and Kana smiled at her enthusiasm.
"Well, I guess I'll take Conan-san back to his room…" Kana took Conan's hand, but he protested, and attempted to push off her hand. Kana had to drag Conan with her up the grand staircase.
As soon as Kana had disappeared from sight, Ran realized something.
She had no idea where the office was!
-O-X-O-X-
Ran wandered towards the kitchen, in hopes of finding someone who would show her. She then saw a girl who was wandering around; only she was in a maid's uniform. Ran approached the girl shyly, and tapped her on her shoulder.
The girl had cream skin, her hair tied up in a ponytail.
"Yes?" She smiled politely.
"A-ano…" Ran fidgeted slightly, and blushed. "I need help finding the master's room…" The maid laughed.
"I can help you find your way." She smiled, her eyes slipping closed.
"Arigatou!" Ran replied, happily.
Ran followed the girl, like a puppy, and found out her name was Kazuha. She wasn't from here, but from Osaka.
Apparently, her parents had sent her here in hopes of her broadening her horizons, but she landed this job. Her father was retired, her mother dead. She used her job to help take care of her father, and to pay for her necessities.
Ran already knew how much she would be paid, and she wasn't surprised to find out the other salaries were just as high, if not slightly lower.
"Eh? I'm the 6th person they've had?" Ran pointed to herself, confused.
"Yeah!" Kazuha nodded, "Conan-san keeps chasing them all away, he doesn't like any of them. Maybe you'll be different!" She pointed to Ran, as they wove through the hallways.
"Wow…"
"It was probably because they all had tried to hit on the master. I mean, Conan doesn't like any of those girls; most of them are complete nitwits! Sometimes I'm grateful, some of them are so rude!" Kazuha laughed.
Ran smiled, but sweat dropped.
"So, why are you here?" Kazuha asked curiously.
"Well, both my parents are dead, and my last job, well, my boss was a complete pervert. So I quit, and I found this ad in the newspaper. I signed up, and I got it!" Ran smiled.
"Oh…!" Kazuha nodded, knowingly.
"Well, we're here!" Kazuha said cheerfully. "Have fun!" She winked, before opening the door for her.
-O-X-O-X-
Ran Mouri walked into the room nervously, and found that it wasn't the office. It was a small lobby, it seemed, and she saw Kana exit the room to her right.
"Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot to show you here." Kana bowed, in apology.
"No, no. It's fine, Kana-san. Kazuha-chan showed me here."
"Well, you can go in. Conan-san is in there with the master…"
Ran nodded, before knocking politely on the door.
Kana watched from behind her, but Ran didn't notice.
"Come in." A voice said from the other side of the door.
Ran opened the door, only to find Conan dash and attach onto her legs.
"Onee-chan!" Conan cried childishly, grinning up at Ran.
Ran laughed, patting him on the head.
"Conan-ku…-san." She smiled, although a bit annoyed with the formality.
She heard someone clear their throat, and looked up, only to stare into familiar blue orbs.
Where had she seen those blue eyes…? She peered down, and saw the resemblance between him and the man behind the desk.
Oh. So that was it.
The man, appearing as Ran's age, 17 or 18,shuffled some papers on the desk.
"Ah, Ran Mouri. You're here to take care and educate Conan-kun, right?"
"Aa." Ran nodded.
-O-X-O-X-
Shinichi Kudo sat behind his desk, typing on a computer furiously and messing around with a few scattered papers. Kana sat with Conan, attempting to get him to play.
But Conan wanted to leave the room, and so Shinichi dismissed Kana. He would watch over his nephew himself.
He heard a faint conversation on the other side of the door, as did Conan. He peaked up, and stared at the door hopefully.
Then a few knocks came.
"Come in."
And in stepped Conan's new caretaker, educator, and a familiar face.
She still had the same smile.
'After all these years…' He stared, in awe.
-O-X-O-X-
"Ne, Ran-neechan, are you going to be watching over me?" Conan asked curiously, tilting his head to the side.
Ran smiled, "Hai, Conan-kun."
"Yatta!" He cried happily. It was at this point that Ran noticed the master staring at her.
"Ano…?" She peered at his face curiously, as Conan ran back to his toys.
"Ah, right." He hastily piled some papers on his desk, before standing up.
"Konnichiwa, Ran-san." The man couldn't help but think about how foreign this sounded.
Ran knew she had seen this man somewhere, but where…?
"My name is Shinichi Kudo. Please feel free to call me Shinichi, if you wish."
"Hai, Shinichi-san." She blinked, as she noticed him wince subtly.
'Another foreign sound…'
As he explained the job requirements, her eyes never left his. She was attentive, paying attention to every word that slipped from his mouth. After he was done, Kazuha came in, signaling dinner.
-O-X-O-X-
After dinner, Ran walked up to her room. She flopped tiredly onto her bed. She'd talked with Conan all night, and now he seemed like the little brother she'd always wanted.
He was childish, cute, smart, athletic….
She paused, and remembered Shinichi.
'Shinichi…?'
Where did she hear this name from?
She couldn't remember anything, nothing from that dream.
All she could feel was that small pain in her heart.
-O-X-O-X-
'Ran…chan….' Shinichi stared at the bright moon, sadly.
'Ran Mouri, why didn't I notice it earlier?' He questioned himself, but… He couldn't help but realize that she didn't seem to recognize him.
He felt something pull at his heart.
Did she really forget?
-O-X-O-X-
Chapter one, finished! Nine pages, lol! Well, thanks for reading. Please review…! Review me some ideas, too! I don't mind, hee, hee!