I felt like an idiot as soon as I realized what I'd said. Not because it instantly ended any plans to feign muteness, nor because even that one word would give Kudo information that he could use to try to figure out who I was. Not even because it never occurred to me, except in hindsight, to play it off as simply calling the girl "onee-chan" because she was technically older than me. I was an idiot because I honestly believed what I was saying. That despite knowing that this girl, however much she reminded me of you, Onee-chan, could not possibly be you, I wanted her to be. In that moment I'd let myself hope that it might actually be you, that you weren't...

That's when I started to cry. It started small, with the first tears running down my cheeks. Within moments, however, I was crying harder and louder than I could remember having ever done before. Cried like I hadn't dared allow myself to after I heard about what happened to you. The tears I had kept at bay to avoid showing weakness in front of anyone in the Organization now came freely. Before I had even registered that fact, the girl had sat in the chair next to mine and pulled me into her lap. She held me tight, patted my back and spoke softly, offering soothing words that I did not hear. I honestly think that only made me cry more, as it was just what I would have expected from you, Onee-chan.

I don't know how long I wailed like that, but I eventually calmed down. Once she realized I was done, the girl pulled me away and turned my face to look at hers. Kudo gave the girl a handkerchief to wipe my eyes and nose.

"Do you feel a little better?" she asked. I nodded.

"What's her name?" she asked me. "Your onee-chan?"

"Akemi." I'd curse myself for answering so promptly later. At that moment I was in no mood to care.

"That's a lovely name," the girl said to me. "Is there a way to contact her?"

"A seance," I said, not thinking to stop myself. I could almost feel Kudo and the girl wince at the response.

"I'm sorry," the girl said. She sounded sincere. You would have been, Onee-chan. "Is there anyone else? Your parents?"

I shook my head. The girl sighed.

"Well, if we can't do anything about that right now, let's at least deal with what we can." The girl put my back in my original seat, the plate of food right where she'd left it. "You go ahead and get started. Ran-neechan's going to go and get the rest of your breakfast."

I closed my eyes and recited "Itadkimasu," earning me praise for my good manners from "Ran-neechan". I looked up as I picked up a knife and fork to begin eating and saw Kudo watching me intently. The cursing myself I'd known would come started as I wondered just what Kudo must have gleaned from my moment of weakness beyond the obvious.

I tried not to let that bother me as I began eating Ran's breakfast with a lack of restraint that surprised me. It probably shouldn't have, given it was the first full meal I'd eaten since I was locked up to be executed. The Organization didn't believe in the concept of "last meals". They just added to the mess that would need to be cleaned up when they shot me in the head. They were practical like that.

As I ate, I tried not to look up at Ran as she brought in a glass of juice for me and breakfast for herself and Kudo. I didn't want to risk a repeat of my... less than dignified moment, so instead I focused on my food, which perhaps is what prompted Ran to promise me seconds if I was still hungry afterward. I could feel Kudo's gaze on me the entire time. As my plate became clean I began looking around the room again. Looking everywhere except at Kudo and Ran. My eyes eventually found their way back to the detective books. They were almost exclusively mysteries; primarily Arthur Conan Doyle with others mixed in. Most were Japanese, some English. I was never one for mysteries, so the only other author among them I really recognized other than Doyle was Agatha Christie.

"Do you like to read?" I heard Ran ask. She had moved and sat in the chair next to mine. I managed not to jump in surprise and answered the question with a shrug.

"Those are mysteries," Ran went on. "Detectives solving crimes and stopping bad guys. Shinichi-niichan is a detective, too."

I felt myself frown. A detective that stopped the bad guys? We both know that's one thing Shinichi Kudo was not, Onee-chan. I tried to focus back on my food. From the corner of my eye I could see Ran frowning.

"Guess it's back to the silent treatment," Kudo said from his place across the table. "Don't feel too bad, Ran, you got more out of her than I did."

Ran ignored him, stood up from her seat and knelt down beside me. She turned my head so I was forced to look at her face. The face that was so much like yours, Onee-chan.

"Can you at least tell us your name?" Ran asked. "We'd like to know what we should call you."

I tried to pull away, but Ran held my head firm. I tried to put another forkful of food in my mouth, only for Ran's free hand to gently take the silverware from mine and set it on the table. Not once did Ran's gaze waver from my eyes. With no choice but to look into that face, I realized there was no getting out of the question this time. I remained quiet for a long moment, trying to think of something. My gaze found its way to the books again, and inspiration struck.

"Kaede," I said. "My name is Kaede."

"Kaede..." Ran said with a leading tone, clearly fishing for a surname.

"Kaede," I repeated. Two more failed proddings later, Ran conceded that she would only get a given name and released me. I made a mental note to try and think of a family name before either she or Kudo tried again.

"All right, Kaede-chan it is," Ran said. As I began to eat again, I saw with dismay that Kudo was looking in the direction of the books. Regardless of whether or not Ran had been convinced, it was obvious that Kudo was suspicious. At least he was apparently going to wait for us all to finish breakfast first.

Author's Note: Little fun fact, until I got the first review for chapter two and because I wrote this as one long story that I'm only breaking up into chapters for easier reading and posting, it never once occurred to me that I didn't actually name Ran in the previous chapter.