The crowd stared speechless at the couple. Houtarou tightened his embrace on her as he felt the small tear that came from eye. And as what he planned, the lights turned off. Everybody gasped, but didn't run.

Eru also gasped, but before she can react, Houtarou carried her and ran to the balcony. She was shocked by his sudden actions. Houtarou continued to run, until they reached the rooftop of the mansion. He placed her down and let her walk. She hurriedly walked a few steps away from him.

"What were you thinking?!" Eru asked. Houtarou glanced at her and walked towards her. "To attain privacy, I brought you here. People will see me." He responded. Eru walked another steps back. "I don't know this feeling, Lupin. But I am sure of one thing."

"What is it?"

"What I am feeling right now… you're the cause of it!" she exclaimed, as she pointed her index finger at him. "What?" Houtarou asked, raising an eyebrow. "If you hadn't kiss my cheek in our first encounter, if you hadn't save me in the museum, if you hadn't sent that letter, if you hadn't give me those roses then kissed me, I would never feel this weird feeling!" She said, as her eyes were getting redder and was starting to be overfilled with tears.

Houtarou's eyes widened. Never has he ever seen her shivering and crying like this. He looked down and scratched his head, not knowing to do. Eru wiped her eyes hastily, but the tears continued to fall.

"Holmes, I-"

Before he can continue, Mayaka and Satoshi came running. "Eru! Are you-" Mayaka stopped mid-sentence when she realized that Eru was crying. She glared at Houtarou. "You idiot!" she said, and then ran to Eru. She placed an arm around her, and comforted her. Satoshi walked towards Houtarou and patted his shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked. Houtarou transferred his gaze opposite from everyone else. Instead of having the privacy he wanted, it went the other way around. He closed his eyes shut, then held his bangs, as if he was thinking deep about something.

He's a genius, he must know this.

He outsmarted Holmes twice, he must know this.

He knows that feeling. He can't deny that fact. He just doesn't know that the feeling he was previously thinking of was already inside him.

…

And he feels that feeling to that certain person.

He knows that.

Houtarou suddenly opened his eyes abruptly. He smoothly made his way to Eru, and then carried her again. Everyone in the rooftop was too surprised to react. Even Eru herself had a hard time processing the events in her mind. He went to the edge of the rooftop, then faced Satoshi and Mayaka.

"Poirot." He said. Mayaka stared at Houtarou, realizing that he indeed called her name. "I'll borrow Holmes for a while. Satoshi, keep her company." He said. And before anyone could retort, he let himself fall from the rooftop. Eru shrieked and closed her eyes firmly. Houtarou then jumped from a terrace, then to a nearby tree and finally, landing safely on the ground.

"Holmes. You can open your eyes now." Eru slowly opened her eyes, and realized that she was safe and alive. She sighed in relief, and then became aware that she was still on the gentleman's arms. She blushed, but dared to not say a single word.

"Holmes?"

"Y-yes?"

Houtarou then whispered something at her delicate ear.

Eru's crimson cheeks went deeper in color. She understood what he had said, but she doesn't know how to reply. She feels happy and she doesn't know why, she thought. But again, she started to doubt.

'Does he really mean it? Or…' she shook her head mentally. Could he really feel that way towards her? She thought. She froze, her body, her mind and her mouth froze. She can't say anything, and she can't think of anything to say.

"I-I… I don't… know." She replied. She knew her answer was out of place. She knew that her answer was not the answer to his question. And she knows that this wasn't the answer he was hoping for. Houtarou placed her down and let her stand. Then, he placed his arms around her securely.

"Well then, just tell me what's on your mind." He said.

"I… can't… I-"

"You can."

"But-"

"It's not a cold case yet. Tell me, and we'll solve this mystery."

Eru hesitated. She leaned her head on his chest, and listened to his heartbeat. 'He's feeling nervous.' She thought. Still leaning her head on him, she sighed.

"What you told me earlier made me so happy. I don't know why I felt so happy. I just… felt that way."

Houtarou nodded.

"That's the way I felt when I kissed you at the park. I felt happy without knowing why." He confessed. Eru's eyes widened as her blush went deeper in color. She pressed her head against his chest again and closed her eyes.

"And now, you know why you felt so happy?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Do you think that's the same with me?"

"Depends on how you really feel."

Eru thought about it for a while. She likes the way he looks at her, she likes to be in his arms, like the way he is holding her at the very moment, she likes the feeling of his lips against hers and most importantly…

She feels happy because of the things mentioned above.

"If I were to base my analysis on your theory, then I landed on a conclusion." Eru said. Houtarou never moved. He waited for her answer.

…

…

"I love you too."

Satoshi and Mayaka went back to the party. The lights went on again, and Mr. Edelweiss apologized about the small black out, and he did not know the reason for that. The guests continued on their merry-making, as if nothing had happened. Mayaka sat down on a sofa in the lobby, confused and tired. Satoshi sat beside her, but kept his distance.

"I wonder where'd Houtarou and Holmes had gone." Satoshi wondered out loud. Mayaka shot him a frustrated glare, and then sighed. "And you looked so relaxed." She said. Satoshi chuckled, and then looked up.

"For tonight, Poirot, let's set aside our differences. Look at Houtarou and Holmes! Kissing like that in public, as if they've been lovers for years." Mayaka blushed slightly, as she remembered what happened just moments ago. She also blushed at the fact that it was like he was trying to imply something.

Set aside their chase. Lovers.

Mayaka blushed even deeper just by thinking about it. "I guess you're right. Just for tonight, at least."

The gentleman-burglar and the detective walked along the sidewalk, hand in hand. Eru stripped a piece of her dress in the lower part, since she was starting to feel bulky. So basically, her legs are almost showing. Houtarou kept on sneaking glances, but always scolded himself mentally for thinking of such thoughts.

"We're going to the park, right?" Eru asked, breaking the never-ending silence. Houtarou just nodded. She looked down, and stared at their intertwined hands. She blushed slightly, and realized that they're like lovers now.

"Je t'aime."

She remembered the very words he whispered at her ear. The words that made her realize her inner feelings. Just by thinking about it, she smiled to herself.

They stopped at the park, and once again, entered. Still hand in hand, Houtarou sat on the grassy field. Of course, Eru sat down as well. She stared at him for a while, trying to burn his every detail on her mind.

"Lupi— Houtarou…" Eru uttered. When he heard his name, he faced her quickly. "Yes?"

"What happens now?" she asked, as she was staring deep in his eyes. Houtarou's eyes widened slightly, but his gaze still fixated on her. "What do you think?" he asked. Eru made another involuntary poignant look. Of course she doesn't know, she thought. "I don't know, always meet each other in secret?"

"That's just too cliché."

"I haven't got any logical ideas."

"We don't need plans. We'll do everything spontaneously."

Eru leaned on Houtarou. She was feeling a bit sad, just by thinking of the many possibilities if she told the world that she's in love with Europe's most wanted thief. Houtarou blushed and felt bashful the moment she leaned on him, but he never showed signs.

Shit just got real XD The OOC-ness is very empowering