So this chapter is really short, but I just wanted to give a bit of an insight into the others and what they thought. After this it'll be back to Shinichi's POV. So this of this as an interlude of sorts.

And just as a heads up to those who think I make posting this soon a habit, I just post the chapters the second I'm finished writing them. No reviewing them, no beta, just write and post. So while some come sooner, some you'll have to wait a while for. Who knows with this story. If I keep going on a role, maybe you will get a new chapter daily. We'll see.


Kaito sighed as he stared at the images of his two friends over Skype. He was worried about Shinichi. After he'd come back from the bathroom he hadn't said a word to any of them. His parents had played it off as him being tired, but he'd just seemed so sad.

"Still thinking about it?"

Kaito blinked at the image of Saguru and nodded. "I know Kudo-san told us to leave him be, but it just doesn't feel right. I mean, he seemed really upset."

"Kuroba," Heiji said with a sigh, "The dude's been pushing us away since we met him. Which, might I add, was last night. We haven't known him that long. Maybe that's normal for him."

"What a depressing thought," Saguru commented dryly. "For someone's state of normal to be sad all the time."

"All I'm saying is if he don't wanna talk to us, he ain't gonna talk to us. 'Sides, there's something off 'bout him, an I don't just mean with the whole depressed stuff either."

"That's rather rude Hattori, to say about someone you barely know."

"Look, I'm just sayin' that when he's 'round I get the feeling we ain't the only ones there."

"A detective who believes in ghosts?" Kaito couldn't help but laugh. "And here I thought you detectives were all about logic and didn't believe in the supernatural."

Heiji's cheeks flushed red, but Saguru cut in before he could say anything. "As painful as it is, I do see Hattori's point." Saguru's scowl deepened while Heiji seemed pleased. "I'm not sure I believe Kudo-kun when he said it was a feeling someone had been killed, but the fact is that he knew someone was dead without being anywhere near the body."

Kaito frowned in thought. "As grateful as I am that he warned Oyaji to be careful, it is weird that he knew something was going to happen. I asked Oyaji about it and he admitted that it was probably Shinichi's warning back then that saved him."

"'Bout that," Heiji mused, "What made 'im take a kids warning seriously? I'd a just laughed."

"He wouldn't tell me what exactly, just that it was what Shinichi had told him. He refuses to tell me what that was though."

"On a related subject," Saguru reached over and pulled something closer to him, "Kuroba, do you remember when you asked Kudo-kun about whether or not he was going to become a writer like his father?" Kaito and Heiji both nodded. "Apparently, he's already published a few books under a pseudonym." The blond held up a book entitled 'Till the End' by author Fujimine Shin. "Apparently Fujimine is his mothers' maiden name."

"I've heard of that book," The magician remembered Aoko shoving it into his hands and telling him to read it. "Aoko cried for a week straight after reading it. She tried to get me to read it, but I told her I wasn't going to read something so depressing it made her cry for a week."

"Kazuha's read it too. Came over bawlin' her eyes out. Always thought it was some sappy romance."

Saguru set the book down and shook his head. "It's not a romance. I don't…I'm not sure what genre to put it in really. I looked it up and apparently Kudo-kun's written a few more as well. His books are relatively popular, and gaining more fans."

Kaito hummed and moved over to his bookshelf. He was pretty sure he still had the book around somewhere. Aoko had told him not to give it back until he'd read the entire thing. Skimming the titles, he finally found it jammed between an old magic book and his junior high yearbook. Waving it towards the computer he set it on his desk. "I guess I should read it so I can finally give it back to Aoko."

"I'll see if Kazuha'll let me borrow hers."

"So I guess this means Shinichi is going to be a writer like his dad." The magician frowned as he recalled the conversation. Shinichi hadn't seemed very interested in the idea. "How come he didn't just say so?"

"If he's using a pseudonym maybe be didn't want us knowing he'd written these?"

"Sill 'could a said he was plannin' on bein' a writer like his dad."

"Shinichi didn't really seem interested in that though. Maybe he tried it and didn't like it?"

"If he wasn't interested in it, he would have stopped. According to the news, however, he has another book scheduled to be released later this year."

The three were quiet for a while until Heiji groaned. "Damnit. Kudo just ain't makin' any sense. Writin' but not interested in it, fake glasses, earplugs, an' gloves when it ain't necessary to wear 'em."

"In his defense," Saguru said, "He did say he didn't like being touched. And that he had sensitive hearing."

"I don't know 'bout you, but I ain't ever heard a someone havin' that sensitive a hearing they needed earplugs. An it still doesn't explain the whole feeling thing either."

"None of that matters!" Kaito crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "I don't care if he wears gloves all the time, or fake glasses, or earplugs, or any of it. I just want to know why he looked so upset last night." He looked at his two friends. "He didn't smile once, even when I turned your hair white and gave you wrinkles!" The two on screen glared at him but Kaito ignored it. "Even the adults found it funny! Shinichi didn't even seem to react. Not the barest twitch of his lips. Nothing."

"Kuroba," Saguru said blandly, "Are you sure you aren't just upset he didn't react to your prank?"

The magician looked down at his desk. "When he came back from the bathroom he seemed even more upset than he was before. The look on his face before he pretended nobody else existed was so sad."

"What can we do Kuroba? We barely know him. He's probably not going to tell us what happened."

Kaito grinned and the two on screen groaned. "No, but we can try and get him to smile."

"Do we got a choice?" Heiji sighed as the magician happily shook his head.

"Besides," Kaito's smile turned a little sad, "He doesn't seem like he has very many friends. Yukiko-san asked us to be friends with him. I don't think she'd do that unless she was worried about him."

"We have school tomorrow," Saguru said, probably trying to dispel the heavy atmosphere that that settled around them, "But we'll see about meeting up with him this weekend."

"Let me know how it goes," Heiji said. "Bit of a trip from Osaka. Anyway, Kaa-san's callin' 'bout dinner. See ya." The Osakan's photo disappeared as he logged off.

Saguru sighed. "I must go as well. We'll talk more tomorrow."

Kaito closed his laptop as his two friends left and gazed down at the book on his desk. His parents were out at dinner with some of their friends, so he was on his own tonight. Picking it up, he made himself comfortable on his bed and opened it.

Kaito didn't realize he was crying until he heard his mother ask what was wrong. Holding the book with trembling fingers, he looked up. "K-Kaa-san," Not caring about how it looked or the fact his Poker Face was in shambles, he quickly wrapped his arms around his mother and cried.

"Kaito?" His bed dipped as his father sat next to him and put a hand on his head. "What's wrong?"

He could feel his mothers' laugh as she wrapped her arms around him. "It seems he read 'Till the End'. I didn't think you were interested in those kind of books."

Sniffing and pulling back slightly, he rubbed his eyes. "H-Hakuba said S-Shinichi wrote them. I-I wanted to learn m-more about him."

His mother laughed again, and he could hear the amusement in his fathers' voice. "He really didn't pick a very good pseudonym if everyone is figuring it out."

"I don't think Shinichi-kun really cared when he picked it. He just needed something besides Kudo, or Yukiko would have declared it an unfair advantage since Yusaku already has a fanbase."

Kaito sniffed and blew his nose. "What are you talking about?"

His father smiled and ruffled his hair lightly. "According to Yusaku, the only reason Shinichi-kun wrote and published a book was because of a bet with his mother to get out of having a party."

"I don't understand."

His mother giggled. "Yukiko is determined to throw Shinichi-kun a birthday party, but he absolutely refuses. Rather than fight about it, Yukiko bets Shinichi-kun that he can't do something within a year, and if he wins, he doesn't have to have a birthday party, but if he loses she gets to go all out and throw him a party. They've had this going for close to eleven years now."

Kaito shook his head. It sounded like a weird way to settle things. His mother kissed his forehead as she stood up. "You still have school tomorrow, so try and get some sleep." The teenager nodded and watched as his father placed the book on his desk as he slid under the covers.

"Night Kaa-san. Night Oyaji."

"Goodnight Kaito."


So yeah, this was mainly a chapter for me to explain a little more on the betting thing, as well as give a reason for Shinichi to have written some books. I actually have the scene where it's explained why Shinichi doesn't want to be a detective anymore all thought up, but I don't think it'll be actually written into the story for a while yet, since these three still don't even know there was a point he wanted to be a detective. Anyway, thanks to all the reviewers - it's because of you all that I was even able to think about it!

Let me know if you have any ideas for the interactions in the future! Also, Ran should be showing up in the next chapter. I'll probably have her meet at least Kaito and Hakuba. We'll see what else happens. Depending on how the story wants to go, it could be ending fairly soon or could drag out for quite a bit yet. We'll see.