Experience unforgettable
By: Effishei Ran
Disclaimer: I… Do::: NOT… own::: Detective… Conan:: sobs
Chapter 3: A New Member
-At Teitan Elementary school-
"Aiya, Conan-kun." Mitsuhiko said, eyeing Conan's face. He did look tired.
Well, Of course he is. He had to convince Kogoro all night that his precious daughter had already left home to look for Shinichi. Sure enough, this made him hate Shinichi more… even more.
"You look so tired but class hasn't even started yet." Genta said. Ayumi looked worried.
"Are you okay, Conan-kun?" Ayumi asked him, feeling his forehead. Genta's pupils narrowed.
"Conan…" he growled and his fists balled out of anger and jealousy. Conan looked worried for himself. Ai smirked. 'Poor Kudo-kun.'
RRRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGG!!!!
"Aw… class is starting." Ayumi said, removing her hand from Conan's forehead. Conan looked relieved, but when she noticed Ayumi's blush and Genta's rude stare, he felt that his life would end in any minute.
"All right everyone, sit down." Their Hishiro-sensei said, setting the kids in their proper places (P.S. Hishiro-san is a woman.). "I'm going to introduce someone new to you so please, sit down." She said, looking around, making sure all of her students are already on their seats. "Yukirei-kun, sit down!" she told Yukirei, a boy whose hair was chocolate colored, who was standing on his seat. He sat down, with widened eyes trying to look innocent.
"Eh…? Introduce someone new? A transferee?" Mitsuhiko said, loud enough for the Detective Boys to hear. Genta looked excited.
"Kirune-chan, please, come in." The teacher said. When the door opened, they heard a few "ahhh…"s from the girls. When he peeked over, Conan felt his jaw drop.
A girl who looked exactly like Ran when they were kids.
'No way…'
"Kirune-chan, please, introduce yourself to your classmates." The teacher said gently. Ran nodded and took a step towards the center platform.
'Oh, hell no.' she thought. 'I already went through this stuff, why am I starting over again?' she thought sadly to herself. She was nervous and at the same time, frustrated, due to the fact that she's a "shrunk" high school student who has to mingle with elementary students and study alongside with them… Like before, only worse.
"Ohayo, everyone." She started nervously. "My name is Kirune Shieran. Pleased to meet you everyone!" she said with a bow. As she looked up, she saw some drooling boys and wide-eyed girls. And to think they're just elementary students!
"How did you get the name 'Shieran'? It sounds nice, but weird and mysterious." She jolted her head to the direction of the speaker. It was one of Conan's friends, Haibara Ai.
'Oh… And I thought she was all cold. I didn't know she's not fully know-it-all girl.' She thought. Oh, well. How did she get Shieran? Did it just pop in her head? No… she had a reason she chose that name… But what? What was that hidden reason. Gotta make up a story, and fast…
"Um… It…" she started, wringing her hands together. "It was my parents! Yeah! My parents, um… made it up." She laughed nervously. 'Oh, please buy it…'
"Eh? Your parents?" Mitsuhiko inquired. Ran nodded.
"Hai." She replied. "My mom's name is Seiran, which basically means 'blue orchid'…"
"And your father?" one of the girls, known to everyone as Sakura, asked. All of them muttered and started to whisper to each other.
'What's so interesting about Shieran anyway?!' she asked herself. She wished she can ask that to the students, but being rude will earn you less points. It's lonely being alone in school! "oh… my father?" she asked. Everyone nodded. "He's… uh… He's…"
"He is?"
"Kirune!" she said. "Kirune Shinichi!" she finally said. She heard some students "ohhh…" and heard some sigh. 'Finally!' there was a short silence that filled the room… Then…
"I get it!" an enthusiastic Mitsuhiko said. "If you put Seiran and Shinichi together, you'll get Shieran!" They he heard some students clapped and he looked very pleased with himself. Conan laughed, inwardly.
'Baka, it's already obvious…' then, he looked at the girl in front who looked just as pleased. "Hai! That is correct!" then she looked at her beaming teacher and smiled. "Where will I sit sensei?" The teacher's eyes wandered around the room. Some boys pushed their seatmates off the chair, to make it seem that it's vacant. Shieran smiled. Kids can't stop amusing her…
"Ah…" she heard her teacher say. "Conan-kun, is anyone sitting beside you? I mean, a seatmate aside from Haibara-chan?"
"Iye. It's free sensei." The bespectacled boy said. The teacher gestured Ran to sit on the free chair to Conan's left. She looked at the seat. It was near the window, a larger chance of daydreaming without being caught. To its right sat Conan, and to his right sat Ai. Behind Ai were Mitsuhiko, and then Ayumi, before the close-to-dozing Genta.
All of them sat close to each other, she noticed. She remembered the time when she and Shinichi were in a short orientation, with Shinichi chatting with other people. Sonoko wasn't there, so Ran didn't have someone to talk to that time. It was THAT feeling—that out of place feeling… It seems to be coming back, and she didn't want it to. Shinichi not talking to her for the entire day made Ran upset, but this? Not one of these students talking to her for the entire year…
Just the thought drove her crazy. She sadly looked out the window, wishing that all of these are just a dream. That Sonoko or Shinichi will wake her up and tell her its okay… but no. They aren't here… and they can't be with her now… Not like this…
She felt tears fill her eyes. She continued watching the birds as her teacher chattered and talked on and on… Everything didn't matter… It's her against the world…
No. It's her against herself. Then she felt a tap at her shoulder. As she looked, she saw a smiling Conan look at her.
"Hi." He said. "You must be pretty lonely sitting quietly there. Need anything?"
'God, he looks so handsome…' "H-Hi…" she told him back, blushing madly. She looked away, hoping he didn't notice. Then, she felt a note on her lap as her hand landed on it to take the vibrating cellphone from her pocket… and read the message silently. She looked puzzled. "Eh?" Conan peeked over, looking at what startled the young lady.
A note. Right…
"Nani?" Conan asked, as he continued to peer over for a better view of the paper. When she opened it, an entire sentence was written on the paper, and a cute little signature settled on the lower-right corner. It said:
Would you like to join our group?
Yoshida Ayumi
"Your group? She asked Conan. He smiled, blushed and chuckled silently.
" The Detective Boys." He replied. Ran's lips curled into an 'O'. 'Detective Boys, huh? I didn't know Conan-kun even joins stuff like that.'
"Wait. I'm not a boy, yet you want me to join?"
Conan beamed. "Yeah, we know, and Haibara and Ayumi aren't boys either, are they? The Detective Boys is well… just a name." He said, still smiling, though Ran was mocking him. Well, there is something about this girl that made him want to talk to her… A strange feeling…
That he had known her before…
Bizzare.
"Edogawa-kun?" Shieran asked. Conan snapped out. "Ha-Hai?" he asked. Ran looked away and blushed once more.
"Arou…" she started, grabbing her pen and uncapping it. Conan watched her movement. "I… um… Are you a Detective Boys' member?" she inquired. She was scribbling weird circle patterns over the paper, a sign of nervousness. For what?
'What's with her?' he asked himself. "Hai! I'm the brains of the Detective Boys." Shieran smiled.
"Then I guess I can join then." She said, placing the tip of her pen under Ayumi's note. "If I'm welcome."
"You're invited, don't worry." He said, assuring her. Then, the tip of her pen touched the paper, and her hands wrote her feelings and moved on their own.
Ok… I mean, sure, why not Ayumi-chan? Thanks for the invite:)
Kirune Shieran
She wrote legibly. That's nice, Conan thought. Then, he watched as she passed the note back to a very excited Ayumi with a smile. He couldn't help but notice…
' She looks like an angel when she smiles.'
xoxoxoxox
After the bell rang, the Detective Boys immediately approached Shieran.
"Welcome to the Detective Boys, Shieran-chan!" the three REAL kids yelled. Haibara and Edogawa watched and just smiled. Shieran smiled and laughed.
"What should we do first? I'm new so I don't know what you usually do yet…"
The three children thought of something interesting to do to welcome a new member.
"Let's watch a taped Kamen Yaiber film!" Genta suggested. Mitsuhiko shook his head. 'Genta-kun…' he thought.
"Let's go shopping!" Ayumi said next. Conan decided to butt in before this "conversation" leads to "somewhere" full of non-sense. "Why don't we introduce her to Agasa Hakase first, get her a badge and watchlight, before we take her places…" Mitsuhiko nodded.
"Conan-kun is right." He said. "Hakase doesn't even know we have a new member."
"Sure." Ai said, "Why don't we go to Hakase's house right now?" she packed her bag and put her notebooks inside. "So he can start on her badge and watchlight."
xoxoxoxox
At the Agasa Estate:
"Hakase!" the kids yelled. Old man Agasa chuckled. "Ah, I see! The Detective Boys are here. What is it?" he said, beaming at the children and abandoning his current job.
"We want to introduce a new member to you!" Genta said, excitedly. Then, he heard his stomach grumble like thunder. "We're gonna grab a grub too!" Agasa smiled weakly. 'Typical Genta.'
"So, where's this new member you're talking about?"
"Out in the gate." Ai answered, that surprised everyone. She was too quiet that everyone almost forgot she was there.
"Talking with Conan-kun." She revealed.
xoxoxoxox
Out in the Gate:
"Eh? No way!" she said to Conan. That didn't sound SO convincing.
"Yah. It's true…" he said, stopping his laughter. "You really look like our Ran-neechan! A… um… smaller version though."
"Probably coincidence!" she said, trying to look innocent. 'Of course! I AM RAN!!' she told herself deep inside. Then, she smiled.
"Do you like any particular girl in school Conan-kun?" she asked him, pretending to be curious. Conan shook his head.
"I certainly have NO time for MY lovelife." He said, as he looked down. Thoughts of Shieran and Ran's similarities flooded his mind as he stared blankly at his sneakers. "You're lying." He heard her say. Well, yeah, Conan likes Ran…
But he's starting to like Shieran too.
xoxoxoxox
After introducing Shieran to Agasa-hakase, the Detective Boys, with their newest member, took the normal walk home.
"Oi, Ran-chan." Genta called, to a running Shieran.
"Ran?" Conan asked. Ayumi nodded. "You see, Conan-kun…"
Flashback:
When Conan went to the living room to use the phone, The professor and the children started chatting. Since Shieran was new, he became the easy topic.
"Kirune Shieran?" Agasa asked. "That's a nice name… But, don't you think it's a bit long?"
"It is weird for a name that long to have no shorter version." Genta said, eating the riceball. Ran giggled. "Why don't you try to guess?" she said, in a challenging tone of voice. 'Let's just see how good these kids are.' She thought to herself. Genta was the first to speak.
"Sherry?" he asked. Ai twitched. 'What the—'
Ran shook her head. "Iye."
"She's not liquor, Genta-kun." Mitsuhiko said. Ai remained silent and watched them guess…
"I'm just thirsty." Genta responded, pouting at Mitsuhiko. Ayumi jolted up. "Okay, Okay! It's MY turn! Is it Chey?"
"Iye."
"Aww…" Ayumi said sadly, and continued to talk and think of other nicknames.
"Shian?" Mitsuhiko guessed. Ran shook her head once more. Ai couldn't help it anymore. The kids really didn't get the hint yet! It's right in front of them!
"Is it Ran?" Ai guessed, peering over with one eye. Ran beamed and nodded.
"Hai!"
"Eh!? No way!" The kids said in surprise. Ran tried to look innocent… 'Please don't tell me that…'
"Your nickname is the same as our Ran-neechan's name!" Mitsuhiko said. 'Knew it.' Ran thought, as she sweatdropped. 'What did I expect?'
"You look like her too!" Genta said. Ran laughed nervously. 'Baka! I AM Ran!' she thought. "Conan-kun told me the same thing… It's just—um—coincidence!" she continued, hoping they'd buy it. Ayumi laughed loudly.
"What's so funny, Ayumi-chan?" Genta said. Ayumi continued laughing 'til her eyes watered and when she stopped, she said: "You're right. It's not as if Ran-neechan would go and shrink ten years younger, ne?"
'That's exactly what happened.' Ran thought as she smiled weakly and laughed nervously. 'It is possible.' Ai thought sadly.
"So that means we can call you Ran then?" Genta asked, after what seemed a million years of laughing.
"Sure!"
End Flashback.
"… And that was it! That's why you should call her Ran too." Ayumi said, finishing her story (A/N: The Flashback.) Conan's lips curled to an "O…" as he nodded slowly. Genta stopped walking.
"Where do you live anyway?"
"I live near a detective agency." She said, as she and Ayumi let their eyes gleam as the stared at a shop's lighted window. (A/N: Sorry for the grammar!) Mitsuhiko stopped as well. "What detective agency?" he inquired. Ran pretended to think.
"Um… That was… Mouri Detective Agency, was it? I don't know, I didn't really come from here." She said. Conan looked puzzled. "Eh?" he asked. "You live near my place then." He said.
"You live there?"
"Hai."
"Then you live close to his place then?" Ayumi asked this time, as she fixed her dress in a coffee shop's glass window. The people inside the shop looked at Ayumi weirdly, but she ignored them. (A/N: I do that all the time!)
"I'm hungry." Genta suddenly blurted out. Everyone, except Genta sweatdropped. 'Again?' Conan-kun asked himself. 'Does he have a black hole on his stomach?' Ayumi and Mitsuhiko thought themselves. Great minds think alike…
"Then you guys can eat dinner at my place then!" Ran suggested. Genta's face glowed with extreme happiness. Ayumi nudged Genta by the ribs and said "Won't that be embarrassing?"
Ran shook her head. "Iye. Let's say it's a thank you for taking me as a Detective Boy… um… Girl!"
"Are you really sure you want us to come?" Conan asked. Ran beamed.
"Sure! Come on!"
xoxoxoxox
In front of the gate of Shieran's house:
"Wow…" the children said in awe. The gate may be large, but the walls beyond it was covered with vines, and that scene is visible from the outside. 'Probably a garden,' Conan reasoned..
"Let's come in." Shieran said, opening the gate. There was, as Conan deducted, a garden and a grotto.
"Wow, we didn't know you were rich!" Mitsuhiko said. "This is so amazing!" said Ayumi, as she eyed the flowers. Genta sat by the side of the pond, watching the eels and fishes swim.
"Do you cook these?" Genta asked, hungrily.
"Iye. We cook the other eels we have for dinner." She said. "They're a lot more delicious than the ones in the garden." Genta started drooling. "Please, come in." she told the children—ehem—her friends. All of them entered the mansion, except Conan, who stood watching the grotto. She IS rich!
"Conan-kun?" a voice asked, which made Conan jump out of surprise. "You sound quiet. Is something bothering you? Are you okay?" It was Shieran. Conan nodded. There really was nothing wrong with him…
"Iye. I'm fine." He said with a gentle smile. "I'm fine." Shieran looked relieved.
"Then why don't we come in?"
Anyway... That's a wrap! Sorry if it took a bit long but... well, I'm SO TOTALLY busy! Gomen guys... Well anyways--again-- thanks to Shubbimama, Anaime7 and luna nuova for reviewing. Due to Shubbimama's request, I made chap 3 a bit long... I really got tired typing it! Hehe...
Monday means field trip! Yeepeee! my last field trip here in the Philippines. Bye bye keishinigami-neechan. I'll miss this place.
Eh, Mat49324-niichan, I'll review! As I promised you:)
As usual, R&R guys:)
Mwah!