Okay! Here is chapter 3! Things are starting to heat up a little! Hopefully I can get some ideas for what will happen in the next couple chapters. Until then, enjoy!

(Detective Conan and all related characters don't belong to me. I'm just a fan.)

After a few minutes, Sato stood up to look out the window for a brief moment while her mother went to the kitchen to get things prepared for lunch.

"Say Miwako, this Takagi fellow, is he handsome?" her mother asked with a hint of laughter in her voice.

Sato felt a huge blush creep up on her face. Luckily she was looking out the window so her mother couldn't see. "Ugh I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." Sato lied as an excuse just to be taken out of the awkward environment for even a moment.

"Okay honey, I'll keep getting things ready for when he arrives." Mrs. Sato said as she began to set the table for three.

Meanwhile, Takagi was in his car very close to the Sato residence.

He wasn't quite sure what was happening himself, but he had a feeling things might grow uncomfortable since Sato's mother was unaware of his relationship with her daughter. "I wonder if Sato-san doesn't want anybody to know that we're together.." he thought silently to himself. Takagi knew that since they were both police officers, they had to be careful about telling people about their relationship but he didn't think telling parents would be an issue. Then again, Sato has her own way of thinking.

After a minute or two, Takagi reached the destination.

Mrs. Sato looked out the window and smiled happily. "Miwako! He's here! Come out of the bathroom and welcome him!"

"Okay Miwako, get your priorities straight." Sato thought to herself as she exited the bathroom. "It's not as big of a deal as you're making it out to be..all you have to do is eat lunch and try not to make mom think anything is going on." Sato headed towards the door and opened it for Takagi.

"Sato-san! Nice to see you..ehehe" Takagi rubbed the back of his head and chuckled a little out of embarrassment since he wasn't sure if he was wanted at the house or not.

"So this is him then, Miwako? Your partner?" Mrs. Sato put a little bit of emphasis on the word "partner".

Sato tried hard not to blush but she managed to speak in a respected and dignified tone. "Yes this is Takagi-kun. He is a very hard worker and I have nothing but respect for him." Sato politely smiled at Takagi. He looked back at her with slight confusion but smiled politely back.

"Very good! Well I'd like to apologize Takagi, I had no idea you made plans to have lunch with Miwako today. Seems like this girl of mine doesn't like to tell me things very often, huh?" Mrs. Sato said as she looked over at Sato with an expression that was obvious what she was hinting at.

"Oh is that so?" Takagi forced a laugh as he spoke. "Haha well no worries! I don't mind! What is it you aren't telling your mother, Sato-san?" Takagi said with an all-knowing smile.

"Takagi. May I speak with you in the other room for a moment?" Sato said in a slightly demanding voice.

Takagi was taken aback by her change in tone but he obliged. Takagi and Sato walked over to the next room and Sato shut the door.

"Takagi-kun, I'm so sorry my mother is doing this.." Sato said with a desperate look.

Takagi looked at her with a bit of hurt in his eyes. "Sato-san its no problem at all. But..why don't you want to tell her about us? Are you embarrassed about it?"

Sato could see the hurt expression on Takagi's face and it hurt just to look at it. "No not at all! I am not ashamed of my love for you, Takagi-kun. I'm just worried my mother is going to attempt to force me to get married to another strange man I don't know and not care to consider that I have feelings and should be able to pick a man I actually love to be my future husband."

"Your mother is doing what?!" Takagi said in a somewhat loud voice.

Sato quickly put her hand on his mouth "Shhh! Not so loud!" After a moment, Sato regained her composure and whispered. "Do you remember the time I was in that arranged marriage with Shiratori? That was all my mothers doing! Remember how you had to come before the sunset to rescue me and then the arrangement was off?"

Takagi finally remembered that memory. "Oh yeah! Th-then that was your mother who forced you into that?" Takagi said in a very oblivious tone.

"Yep..my mother has been trying to force me to get married for about 4 years now. She never even considers if I'm happy or not..which is why I'm worried she won't bother to understand how I really feel."

Takagi looked down for a moment trying to process everything. Finally he walked closer to Sato and grabbed both her hands. "Sato-san, why don't we just tell her that we're together? Then she'll have no choice but to support your true feelings."

Sato blushed as Takagi held her hands. She looked up at him and smiled knowing he was right. "Okay, we'll tell my mother about us. Except I have one small condition."

Takagi tilted his head a little in confusion. "What would that be, Sato-san?"

Sato spoke with a serious expression. "We don't tell her until it's time for you to leave."