Note: I apologize if these one-shots seem very shoujo-alike and maybe OCC (TT_TT) I'm used to read romance mangas and I haven't written fanfictions in years. But let me tell you: if Magic Kaito was a romance shoujo, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SHOUJO IT WOULD BE.

This AU was inspired by a fanart by momomo (Japanese artist on pixiv & twitter)
Basically the same as in the serie except Kaito and Aoko are older and they knew each other not as childhood friends but colleagues in the Casino.

Kaito loved magic more than anything in the entire world. Yet, the entire world didn't love it as much.

It did not matter that he was the son of the greatest magician of Japan -no, the greatest magician of the world. Neither of that made any difference. Magic didn't please as much as it used to. Now, people were only obsessed with piercing the mystery of the trick.
Very few enjoyed it for what it really was: to make the unbelievable believable. Despite that, everyone was too attached to the boring reality, and no one could admit that, yes, the bunny may truly have disappeared.

Actually, people were now mocked for loving magic. They were thought as fools and easy persons to trick, since they paid someone to show them something unreal.
And so, the 'evil' magicians were defined as robber and thieves (well, in his case, this wasn't too wrong) for making fun of such naive people.

Because of all that, when he started performing, his shows were quite unpopular despite their great quality. To add to that, some people refused to see magic showdowns because of the Phantom Thief, KID. To them, it was like supporting crime in a sort of way -and, on the contrary, a lot of KID's fans said they loved magic, but also that they would rather watch KID's tricks on TV for free than pay to watch some stranger, unknown magician do it lamely.

"I can't believe I made shadowing to myself", he always thought in return, amused and yet kind of annoyed.

His mother never stopped telling him he should just give up on Japan and go performing in Las Vegas, not only because they could be together but also because the money would instantly flow.
"I told you for hundreds of times, mom" he mutely repeated on the phone while Chikage was blabbering about it again. "I won't leave Japan until I find Pandora and avenge dad. There's no way I've done all of this just to give up so close!"
"Oh, I know sweetie how important it is for you -it is for me too... But I think your father wouldn't have wished for you to lose such a big part of your youth just trying to avenge him. It's already been years..."
"It's not only about avenging dad. It's about destroying the Organisation that tore other families apart and hurt people."

The solemnity he declaimed -and yet whispered- these words with created a small, awkward silence on the line. Then Chikage busted out laughing.
"Oh my, you sound so serious! Just like a grown-up hero!"
"I am a grown-up!" he replied, embarrassed. "I'm turning twenty-three this summer!"
"Oh, really?"

He was sure she would say it as joyfully as ever, however she sounded melancholic about it. He frowned his eyebrows. She did not forget his birthday, did she?
"Mom?"
"Oh, sorry, it just makes me feel so weird knowing my baby boy is an adult now... That and the fact I am turning old."
"Well somehow the last one seems to shock you more than the other. Anyway mom, I should get going. See you later."
"Wait, Kaito!"

Now panick filled her voice. How could this woman change both her voice and emotions so easily and fast? She could laugh and cry in the same sentence. How could his father even handle her back then?
"Are you sure..." she continued "...really sure you don't want to come to Las Vegas?"
"Mom, I told you, I still have things to accomplish here. And..."

He looked through the window of the subway. The city of Tokyo stretched infinitely all the way of his vision field, high buildings blooming as iron flowers into the surprising blue sky for such a polluted place. An incredible number of people he could not even imagine were crossing the enormous streets, cars were driven into the non-existent horizon of the city. Multiple and pastel colours filled the ads on the buildings.

It was nothing but a strange ant-hill that captivated him in a way or another -yet he couldn't discern anyone precisely in it. He gulped, starring at this monstrous, endless, yet so empty infinity.
"I feel like", he added without turning away his stare, "I must stay in Japan, for some reason."

Despite the gigantic amount of money his father left behind, Kaito could not stand the idea to stay at home and wait for nothing but the night to come, both for his shows and KID's heists, since he was no longer a student. Otherwise he would go crazy with boredom- he had friends of course, but he could not just stick up with them all day long. They had a life of their own, evolving while he felt terrible at his own routine.
It turned out as an evidence: he had to find a job.

His assistant Jii once offered him to work in his bar, the Blue Parrot, but he immediately declined the old man's offer.
"You barely even gain a living between the short money the bar makes and the spendings on KID's gadgets", he reminded him. "If you had to pay me too, you wouldn't bear it, Jii. You are already doing too much for me. And I need to wide up my senses. I can't continue to do the same things forever."
"Young master", then interrupted Jii with energy, "I assure you it doesn't bother me!"
"Don't sweat it", laughed Kaito with a wink. "I'll get a job in no time, you won't even notice!"

Indeed, it was in no time. Only some days after, he got a job as a dealer in a very popular Casino. It was quite a surprise, yet somehow, it fitted him perfectly. He shuffled the cards like nobody, his charisma alone, when he was wearing his poker face, made people want to rebet their money, and he was good company. He even got to work his magic tricks sometimes: he became an attraction of some sort, and he gained popularity as a magician. Nothing but benefits. Everybody liked him!
Or at least, almost everyone.

"So, how is your buisiness going?"
This simple phrase that any business man would to another he heard somehow drew his attention. While he was throwing some cards, he did the same with his glare at the two men aside talking. Their faces were shadowed by their hat.

"That is very confidential", answered the other in a whisper. "But I only tell you that as a friend: I am going to receive The Goddess Punishment, a very precious sapphire for my sister's wedding. My step-mother keeps getting mad about such purchases, but as my sister's a model, just a few shoots of her wearing it will make the copies selling explode. I can't wait to have it in my hands."
"How come it is confidential? Shouldn't you start promoting the news right now?"
"Idiot! If I did that, it is like offering it to Kaitou KID on a silver plate!"

Well, thought Kaito as he couldn't stop smiling, you'd better do that, since how popular I am, the copies would sell way better than with just your model sister.

The two men then switched the conversation about the marriage. Kaito had to copy the information to make sure he would not forget it despite his incredible memory -never too careful, uh? He would make research on it. Maybe this could be Pandora.
How could they be so stupid to let go such precious words in public places, anyway?
"Ladies and Gentlemen", he announced with a magnificent and pleased smile, "I am afraid it is time for my break. Please continue with my colleagues."

While the audience sighed in disappointment, he fled to the entry of the Casino. One of his superiors at the reception was about to ask him what he was doing, but he stopped him while drawing out his smartphone.
"Give me five minutes and I'm back. This is an emergency."

The man kept his mouth shut. Kaito was doing a great job ninety percent of the time, so for once he would be okay. This seemed really like an important thing -but it was just that Kaito was also a good actor. He noted every single word of the two men that seemed important at the speed of light and texted Jii to make some research about this 'Goddess Punishment' -such a strange name.

He tried to focus as much as he could, begging his brain cells to remember every single detail that could be essential. Yet... his eyes and attention were heading somewhere way else that what it was supposed to be.
Feminine giggles ringed in his ear like mermaid calls, since what he had in front of him was a mermaid valley. Or more likely a bunny valley.

Next to the game rooms of the Casino was the bar, which was nothing more or less than a bunny café -just more sophisticated. Everywhere, young women in tiny suits and bunny ears, generous breasts, waged their cute bumpy tails to serve the customers. Mostly aged men, of course.

They all had, both men and women, an enormous smile on their face, as if they found the source of eternal youth and happiness when they enjoyed nothing but superficial matters : beautiful and rich place, cute girls whose sights make your heart race with adoration and lust, gorgeous food and fine wine which makes you stay up until the end of the night.
But it would have been a lie to say Kaito didn't enjoy the sight too. All of this may have been fake, so what? It was a happy, out of time and struggles place. Joyful. Cheers. There wasn't misery, neither sadness.

Somehow, drunk in this illusion -what a paradox for a magician! - Kaito wished he could stay forever in this atmosphere where nobody could be sad. No cries, no tragedies. Just happiness. Happiness. Happiness. Forever and for everyone.

Well, almost for everyone. If this little bunny girl would have decided to smile, it would be everyone, and yet, the young girl left nothing over her face other than a sulking, tired expression.

Kaito sighed at the sight of it. Aoko, 'Blue Child', was quite an appropriate name for her actually -she felt like nothing but pure blue sadness.

To be honest, how the girl got the job still was a mystery to him. Even without noticing her flat chest that couldn't fill her costume, this girl was just so gloomy, she felt out of place and looked like she could flush down all the excitement of the Casino with her stare only. She served the cocktails, shared a few sentences with the customers, and that was it. Nothing more, nothing less. However, after what some of his colleagues had said, she, sometimes, extremely rarely times, as if she remembered she was in a place of joy, she bursted in an enormous smile, filled with childish but contagious energy, giggled like the cutest kid that could ever be.
But it was a rare occasion he never had the chance to see. It was obvious that she did not like her job.

What a waste, he thought. He would never say it to her face -if anyone asked him, he would say she was lower average-, of course, but she appeared cute to him. Actually way cuter than any other bunny girl, with her gorgeous eyes full of sapphire shards that could freeze you in an instant, her long brown hair with caramel reflections that bounced around her shoulders, her cute sculpted nose and white snow lips and silky skin and her tiny wrists and feet and hands and -was it him or was it hot in here?

Oooh, but what do we have here?
The most narrow-minded eyes and smile illuminated his face.

"Hey, Aoko", he called quite loudly -loudly enough to make all heads turn at him. "So, we are having white tonight, eh?"
"What do you mean?" she answered, pressing her plate against her non-existent breasts and looking at her black bunny costume.

He whistled in an admirative way, just like he was some pervert wolf from a Texas Avery Cartoon, turned around and wiped his back-pocket while glancing sensually at her. It didn't take long for Aoko to look at her own derriere and see what she wished she could have continued ignoring.

She let out a tiny scream trying to cover her white panty showing out of her black bunny outfit; and the only response she got from every customer in the bar was laughters, as they thought it was an organized little animation made to distract them.
Good Lord, she suddenly seemed way too red to be called Aoko anymore.

"Kaito-! You!" she growled out, louder and louder while the palms and knuckles of her hands were whitening due to the pressure she inflated to the poor innocent plate.
"Just wanted to help you out", he whispered before disappearing out of sight.
"Like I'd let get away with it! Get back here you idiot!"

That's how another chase began.
She was not smiling -but at least she was not sad anymore, shouting at him and purchasing him. That was more than he could hope for.