A/N: Minna! Hey-llo! How's life? xD

Here's chapter six! Brought to you by the ever-smiley neonquincy from the other side of the universe (uh, what?)xD

usual disclaimers... although I wish I own Magic Kaito... xD


Ch 6 That Which Has Already Changed

Since when has it been like this?

Before we both knew it, something huge has changed between us. It's as if a huge brick wall has come in between, and it's difficult to break it apart to see the old you again…

Before we knew it, we've grown a lot, to the point that we grew distant from each other, forgetting and ignoring every little thing that surrounds us both…

Before we knew it, we know little about each other as days pass by in a flash, our likes and dislikes, our deepest secrets, our hidden pains and blissful memories, our past and present…

And before I even knew it, I already see you as someone else…

I just hope, the day won't come, that before we knew it, we don't know anything about each other at all… And that you've already grown fond of someone else I never even knew…


"Kaito," Aoko called out. Kaito, who's still not listening, continued to drag her down the stairs, out in the school grounds and through the gates.

"Kaito," she called out again, her voice almost a shout. And when he still didn't respond, she tried to shake off his grip and shouted, "LET GO, BAKA! You're hurting me."

It was when Aoko finally got Kaito's hand off her now aching wrist did the lad respond. "What's your problem?"

"What's YOUR problem?" Aoko asked him back, putting her arms on her waist. "Did you just drag me all the way out here to tell me off about something?"

Kaito was just about to open his mouth to explain when Aoko interrupted. "You know what, forget it. I'm not going to listen anyway…"

"Hey, I…" Kaito started, but Aoko, yet again interrupted, "Look, I'm sorry I can't help you with your Kaitou Kid issues, but I have a few problems of my own. So if you're—"

To stop Aoko from talking continuously, Kaito almost literally stuffed his hand onto her mouth and complained about it, "GEEZ, WOMAN… YOU TALK TOO MUCH!"

Surprised with what Kaito did, she blinked in response. When Kaito was sure his best friend's already calm, he sighed in relief and told her. "Listen, I'm sorry I had to cut off your little moment with Hakuba, but… It's just…"

For some reasons, Kaito suddenly began to feel uncomfortable. Aoko noticed this, of course. This was, after all, another one of the unusualness that's happening today.

"Just what?" Aoko asked, and then quickly added, "You're not thinking there really is something going on between Hakuba and I, are you?"

To make himself less anxious, Kaito started the walk home, taking one step after another, causing Aoko to unconsciously follow him.

"Ba—ka! Why would that concern me?" Kaito said, with streaks of pink appearing on his face.

Aoko sighed on this. "Really now… You're taking things way too seriously…"

Soon, her thoughts drifted to what she just said. Taking things way too seriously… Honestly, am I not doing the same thing? Where did I even get that ounce of strength to tell him, or anyone for that matter, about taking things way too seriously?

"By the way," Aoko said suddenly, causing Kaito, who was actually in his own world as well, to look back at her, "what is it that you wanted to say?"

With Aoko bringing back the topic, Kaito looked away hastily. "Huh? Oh… that… It's just… I… I forgot something…" he said, trying his best not to make eye contact with her best friend.

"Welll?" Aoko asked again, not taking her eyes off his now reddish face, which, in the sunset, looks merely like a play of colors caused by the sun.

"What 'well'?" Kaito asked, totally forgetting about how determined he is not to look straight at her.

"Well, what?"

"Whaat?" Kaito said, totally confused. Aoko mentally face palmed to this. Something's wrong with him…

"I meant 'well, did you get it'?"

"Get what?"

"GAH! We're getting nowhere with this! Did you get what you've forgotten?" Aoko said with a voice strangely louder than usual. She couldn't believe Kaito's acting like a total idiot!

"Huh?" It took a while before Kaito completely digested the information. "Oh, that? Yeah, of course I did, haha!"

Aoko couldn't help but sigh in complete relief, knowing that her best friend's 'stupid other self' already took off and hoped he wouldn't be back for a while. "Geez, seriously?"

Realizing that Aoko didn't really get the point in what he's saying, Kaito told her ever so boldly, "I meant YOU, baka!"

"Eh?" Aoko reacted in surprise, blushing in the process.

"I mean," Kaito continued, scratching his now red cheeks with a finger, "it's just not the same without you. I don't have anyone to pull pranks on or talk to about useless stuff... It's getting kinda lonely… I don't mean it any other way."

As if expecting a really painful hit on the head from Aoko, he stopped walking and winced. That 'expected' head-splitting blow didn't come, however, and he looked back at her to realize she was actually smiling, as if she knew all that Kaito said weren't the real reasons for him going back to get her. Deep inside, Aoko was thankful for him, and all that was relayed to Kaito with just one, simple yet heart-melting smile. Idiot or not, one thing's for sure: the person she's with is still Kuroba Kaito, her childhood friend and the person she truly loves.

To keep himself from thinking any further, Kaito shook his head hastily, cleared his throat and told Aoko, "Oi, don't get your hopes up, I'm still upset and you can't do anything about it."

"What? And just when I thought I'm beginning to miss you too…" Aoko said, taking her gaze off Kaito.

"Hey, I didn't say I missed you. It has only been two days." Kaito replied, trying his best to not let Aoko read through what he's thinking, although it is without a doubt written all over his face.

Aoko didn't argue any further. Kaito's last few phrases took her back to what happened that night, during Kaitou Kid's failed heist. There was silence between them for a while, and it was Aoko who first broke that awfully agitating silence.

"Ne, Kaito, what do you think of Ace? Do you think he's someone worthy of anyone's trust?"

"Huh? Why that certain topic, all of a sudden," Kaito asked. Inside him, he was bursting with disappointment that he can't let Aoko know he was there that night. It will certainly confuse her, and she might even hate him for it, especially if she finds out he is Kaitou Kid.

"It's just that… For some reasons, I have this strange feeling that he's not really that of a bad guy. Maybe he really did defeat Kid," and made millions of fans cry about it, "but I feel like there are reasons as to why he's doing this."

"Y… yeah…" Kaito said, unsure about how he's supposed to react. He then added a side joke to lighten things up a bit. "I mean, why you, of all people? You're not that beautiful, you don't even look like a girl, even if you try to look like one, and to top it all up, you almost always act like some random yakuza you see on the streets, hitting people with mops just for accidentally seeing your undies…"

"Haha, very funny, Kaito. Thanks a lot. That really helped…" Aoko said sarcastically. Instead of feeling a little better, however, the thought of Ace took her to thinking about the mysterious character's note, especially the line which really had an impact on her... I'm gonna steal your heart…

"But, Kaito… whoever that guy is, and whatever the chances may be… you wouldn't let him, or anyone, for that matter, take me away, would you?"

Aoko's words hit him like lightning, and he could've sworn he felt his heart skip a beat. Is she seriously asking me that question? The answer's obvious, baka…

"You wouldn't, would you?" Aoko repeated, as if waiting for Kaito to confirm that he really would not let her be taken away by some crazy guy who claims to steal her heart, Kaito couldn't help but stop yet again and look straight at her. He saw it right there, deep in those dark blue eyes of hers, her hopes and desperation about this whole situation, but instantly forgot about them when she remembered what else happened that night…

"Tasukete, Hakuba-kun… Onegai." Suddenly, these words started echoing in his head, and it's making him lose himself, like some random controlling spell casted upon him by Akako, except that this could really let him lose control and just attack Hakuba in a random street on his way home.

"Really, now…" Kaito said, lowering his head to the point that his long bangs cover most of his face. "What do you need me for? You already have that boyfriend of yours and your good for nothing father who does absolutely nothing for your sake. Why are you asking me?"

"What?" Aoko said in a voice almost like that of a whisper. "I already told you earlier, didn't I? There's nothing going on between him and me. You still don't understand, do you?" She couldn't believe these words are coming straight from Kaito, from the person she has learned to trust—and love—all these years. What did she do to him, anyway?

"Oh, I get it, alright? Just tell me if you're having another one of those attention issues and I'm sure to help you out."

"Attention issues?" Aoko repeated, trying to control herself from breaking down in front of him.

"Wow, really. Who'd ever think about using this seemingly-depressing situation to get everyone's attention all to herself? You have your father, don't you? Oh, and that Saguru-chan as well. Why don't you just gather everyone together and put up a silly defend-me-against-them game along with that mister defective detective boyfriend of yours and your lame excuse for a father—?"

Kaito's words were cut off by a slap across his face, which hit him with such strong force; he almost lost his balance and fell over. She just had enough, and mere self control isn't helping anymore. This truly surprised him, of course, and it made him think clearly once again, as he struggled to look straight at her and saw Aoko's crying face, her uncontrollable tears, her disappointment and deep sadness for what Kaito had just said.

"Aoko, I—"

"Who are you? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY BEST FRIEND?"

"Listen, I… Aoko, I…" In an effort to make Aoko listen to his explanations, he stretched one arm to her, in which, Aoko took a step back from him, like how a little child would do in the presence of a total stranger.

"You know what, forget it… Who are we kidding? Why would I expect help from you anyway, now that I don't even know who you are anymore?"

"You—I—I… I didn't know what came over me, I swear, I—"

"It's true, something really is wrong with you… I can't believe I'm saying this, but for a genius like you, you're such a jerk to be saying such things without using your rotten mind… KAITO NO BAKA!" (A/N: Kaito you idiot!)

With that, Aoko runs off, determined not to look back and get away from there as fast as she could. She couldn't handle the fact that there really is something wrong with Kaito. And as much as she wanted to, she doesn't know where to start to help him, and get to the bottom of all this.

Kaito watched as Aoko dashed off, neither saying another word nor putting an effort to stop her from leaving; he couldn't, for he knows he has to give her some space. A lot has happened during a short span of time, and he knew that's just too much for her to take in. And as much as he wanted to stop her from leaving, he doesn't know if he even has the courage to do so, not after all he had said about her, and that failed attempt he made as Kaitou Kid.

Well, what do you know? Kaito told himself. By falling for someone, I'm not the only one affected…

Kaitou Kid was affected, too, and so was Aoko…

...

She was right, though… I'm a total idiot… What is it that I don't understand, really?

I knew this would happen, but I never really thought that this would happen really soon…

...

People might think Kaitou Kid can't ever fall for someone… but they thought wrong…

After all, making the impossible possible is his specialty…

From now on, things are going to be much more difficult and far different from what used to be there…


As dense as he could be, Kaito's driving force will always be because he loves his best friend, and he knows that. But little did he know that he would lose himself just because she saw her with another guy, and would right away jump into false conclusions.

That is exactly why he is slowly becoming someone else. Without him noticing it, he's a completely different person already. That is exactly why Aoko is running away from him.

Now, things are getting more and more complicated, and it seems as if Kaito's special ability of reading through people's thoughts are affected. He knows he has to do something...

But what is he to do, now that it seems he's got nothing to lose anymore?

Stay tuned for the next chapter...


A/N: *I'm sensing death glares from miles away* O.o *becoming paranoid as time passes by*

I'm sorry if things are getting more and more confusing (or if it isn't, thank God...)

I'm confused as well... LOL. Making Kaito the densest person in the whole MK world is quite a challenge O.o

Although I must admit, I like the fact that he still remembered to get her back from the classroom... xD

darn, when will he realize Aoko's feelings for him?

If you want to find out, I hope you'll be patient enough for another couple of chapters or so,,,

...

Next chapter focuses on Aoko and a little background about her childhood and secrets... and why it's as if she' taking a really big deal on Kaito's new self... LOL

Stay in touch *aheheh*

I hope it doesn't get a little boring or something. If it does, I encourage you to tell me... no matter how bad it may sound (just try saying it in the nicest way possible),,,

:D

It'll help, really... :D

The next chapter might take a while. I'm in the process of polishing it, and getting my thoughts in order, after all... xD

Love lots,

-neonquincy1217-

:3

P.S. I'm having a lot of fun writing this, so I ask for your continued support, so that I may finish this as well... Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!