-1Kimi Ga Oikaketa Yume
Chapter 7
------
The newly dubbed "Edogawa Conan" continued to smile weakly at Kaito, hoping that the new name, the glasses, and the fact that anyone shrinking would be such an absurd idea to any normal person that they wouldn't think of it at first would keep Kaito from guessing who he really was. And, well, Kaito had left when they were really young…maybe he didn't remember Shinichi's young face, and so he wouldn't be suspicious…
"Conan…? Like the author of Sherlock Holmes?" Kaito tilted his head to the side in curiosity.
And now to add to his troubles, he'd managed to pick himself a name that sounded like he was some foreign kid with a geeky dad. He laughed weakly. "Um, yeah…my dad's a big fan, so…"
"Sounds like what Shinichi would name his own kid…" Kaito said, shaking his head, and it took all Shinichi had to not grimace and complain. He wasn't that much of a mystery geek! "Anyways, Conan-kun, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you before…"
Shinichi's mind began racing. Cover story, he needed a cover story… "Um…I…I'm a relative of Shinichi-nii-chan! Yeah! And I came to live with him, cause my parents have to do a lot of business travel and they can't take me…but Shinichi-nii-chan isn't here at the moment, so the Professor's been watching me…" There, it explained why he was there and why he looked like Shinichi in one go. It was amazing how that just changing certain facts of the truth made an excellent lie. Well, he hoped it was excellent - if Kaito didn't believe him, he wasn't sure what he'd do. The story he'd mindlessly babbled out had been the best he could come up with, and he wouldn't have time to make another…
"Is that so…" Kaito said, more to himself, and Shinichi tried his best to not panic and just run away from Kaito. Please believe that…please believe that… he mentally chanted, doing his best to smile innocently up at Kaito.
Kaito then smiled at Conan, and whatever Kaito was thinking, it was quite firmly hidden away. "Is that so? It must be hard, coming to live here away from your mom and dad, and then Shinichi's not even here…" Kaito suddenly looked over his shoulder. "Is it all right, Professor? To take care of him? Last I saw, your lifestyle really isn't one to take care of a little kid…"
"What? Oh!" Agasa managed, before laughing nervously. "Well, that is true, I've had to make do with what I have, but my place really isn't the best place for a little boy…that's right, Kaito-kun! Why don't you take him home for a bit, until Shinichi comes back?"
"What?" Both Shinichi and Kaito said at the same time, though Shinichi's voice was considerably more surprised and panicked - he couldn't live with Kaito, he'd be found out within days! Kaito was smart, was an expert at reading people, and he knew all of Shinichi's habits and mannerisms…one slip-up and he'd be done for - hell, he might be done for just by being there, slip-up or not!
"Well, it's okay with me…and I'm sure Mom won't mind, just have to ask her…" Kaito turned back to smile at Conan. "Well, Conan-kun? Would you mind coming to live with Kaito-nii-chan for a while? I'm a good friend of Shinichi's, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind!"
Yes I would! I very much mind this!! A smile stayed on Shinichi's face through sheer force of will. "Um…can I talk with the Professor about it…? I…I wanna make sure it's okay, and that Shinichi-nii-chan or my parents would be able to find me if they come back…"
"Sure, Conan-kun…" Thankfully, at last Kaito's hands dropped from Shinichi's shoulders, allowing him to run over to the Professor. He hissed angrily at Agasa, making sure his voice wouldn't carry to Kaito.
"What the hell are you doing!? Kaito will find me out, there's no way he wouldn't!"
Agasa leaned down, bright smile on his face as if he was comforting Conan so Kaito wouldn't get suspicious, and he whispered back just as quietly. "Listen, Shinichi, I can't return you to normal without a sample of the drug that poisoned you in the first place, and to return you need to make sure those guys are out of the picture so they won't come after you again! And didn't you say Kaito was the reason you investigated them, from his dad's death? He might have the information you need!"
Shinichi's eyes widened. While he hadn't told the Professor about Kaito being Kid - that was Kaito's secret alone, and he wouldn't tell that to anyone, even under pain of death - after he'd been shrunk, he had admitted part of the truth - that the guys in black had been responsible for the death of Kaito's father, and they'd been investigating them together. He knew Kaito had information on them - hell, he'd helped him get some of it - and was the most likely to get any new information. And if he wanted any way to return…to take out those guys for himself and Kaito, then he needed that information. And he needed a way to get to it…and if he lived with Kaito, he'd be able to. Even if his disguise didn't last long, it'd be long enough to do what he needed. This was the best chance he'd ever get to find out where those guys were - investigating with no leads would take twice as long in his normal body, and he didn't want to think of how long it'd take in this form, where he could no longer directly ask questions. So long as he lived with Kaito…do his best to keep up his disguise until he had his hands on what he needed…then he could put an end to all this. He just needed to take out them once and for all, so Shinichi could return to Kaito's side - in his real body, in the way he should be with Kaito, instead of this pathetic mask…
He grinned at the Professor, showing he understood, before turning around to don his best "little kid" mask, smiling brightly as he ran back to Kaito. "The Professor said it's okay, so I can go home with Kaito-nii-chan!"
Kaito smiled at him, reaching out to ruffle Shinichi's hair. "Well then kiddo, shall we go? It's late, and I don't want to miss the train. Do you need to pack anything before you go?"
"Um…" Shinichi bit his lip. Crap, he hadn't thought of that…he'd been using his old clothes that his mother had thankfully kept, and everything else that a normal person would pack he couldn't take - they were all Shinichi's. The lie wouldn't keep up very long if he had to say he was "borrowing" Shinichi's toothbrush - or at least, the toothbrush Shinichi kept at the Professor's house. "I…my parents kinda left me here suddenly, so I don't really have anything…"
"Well, that's okay…Mom's kept my clothes from when I was little, and they should fit you pretty well, so don't worry about it. We can just come back and get anything you need anytime. Now, let's go!" Kaito stood up, taking Shinichi's hand and smiling at the Professor. "Well, we'll get going. If Shinichi comes back or calls you or anything, could you tell me? Same with this kid's parents…I'd like to know anything you find out, especially about Shinichi…"
Kaito's voice trailed off slightly as he said Shinichi's name, and Shinichi's grip on Kaito's hand tightened a little. He didn't want to hurt Kaito, but he had no choice. Shinichi couldn't come back, not yet.
After saying goodbye to the Professor, they headed out and for the train station, walking most of the way there in silence. It was kind of odd, he felt, to walk holding Kaito's hand…though the teen had always grabbed his hand to drag him someplace or something, they'd never just walked hand in hand. It felt nice, and yet…Kaito was holding his hand because he was a kid, so he wouldn't wander off and get lost. He was holding his hand to keep him close and protect him, because he believed that "Conan-kun" wouldn't be able to take care of himself on his own, that he couldn't walk and stay by Kaito unless held there. It felt nice to be protected, and yet…and yet…Shinichi didn't want to be. He wanted to be strong like Kaito had told him to be so long ago, wanted to stand on his own two feet, wanted to stay by Kaito's side out of his own power, and not just because Kaito saw him as someone to be protected.
He wanted Kaito to hold Shinichi's hand, not to protect Shinichi, but just to keep them linked together…
"Conan-kun?"
Lost in his thoughts as he was, it took Shinichi a minute to respond to the unfamiliar name. "Ah, yes, Kaito-nii-chan?"
"Do you…really not know anything about where Shinichi went…?"
To anyone else, Kaito's voice was just questioning, but Shinichi could hear the faint pleading in it. It was as if Kaito didn't really know what to do about Shinichi missing, how to handle the fact that something might have happened to his friend and he might never see him again. It was almost the same as when Shinichi had fallen down those steps and Kaito had panicked…as if he didn't know what to do with his worry, didn't know what to do when something happened to Shinichi that was out of his control, didn't know what to do when Shinichi was in a situation he couldn't save or protect him from…
Shinichi almost flinched at that thought. He…he wasn't the four-year-old Shinichi anymore, the one that couldn't deal with anything and hid behind Kaito. He wasn't the weak little kid anymore that couldn't do anything without his best friend by his side to protect him, wasn't the kid who couldn't save himself. He had grown up…he could take care of himself now, could handle his own situations without Kaito needing to hold his hand. He no longer needed that hand for guidance…he just wanted to hold it because it was precious, because Kaito was important to him. He was independent now…could be with Kaito just to be together, and not because he had to lean on him…
He looked up at Kaito. The other teen was staring at the ground, face lost in thought. And yet, through the thoughtful look, he could sense the sadness and worry, the fear that Shinichi might never come back. That they might once again be separated, this time forever…
Despite everything, despite his need to walk on his own, and to protect Kaito and everyone else, he almost broke down and told Kaito right then and there who he was. He didn't want to cause that sort of pain, no matter the consequences. He didn't want Kaito to hurt anymore.
But…no. He couldn't. He couldn't put Kaito at that kind of risk, couldn't give those guys a reason to go after Kaito as well. And…he wanted to prove himself. Wanted to prove to Kaito that he could return safely, that he could take care of himself and come back on his own without Kaito having to save him. Wanted to prove that Shinichi was strong enough to do so, that Kaito didn't have to worry about him leaving his side, because he had the strength to always return.
He took a deep breath, before forcing a weak smile on his face. "I…I'm sorry, Kaito-nii-chan…he was gone before I got here, so I don't know anything…"
"I see…" That distant look remained on Kaito's face for a moment, before it was gone, replaced by Kaito's bright smile. "Well, it's probably nothing to worry about…he's probably run off and gotten himself stuck in some interesting case, and just doesn't have the time to come home yet, and too excited about it to tell anyone where he went…I bet he'll show up sooner or later, babbling about the case and everything in it. He's always like that after he solves one of his cases." Shaking his head, Kaito looked down at Shinichi, smile still in place. "Now, we're almost to the station. We'll be home in just a few minutes, and then I'll show you to Mom and everything. You'll like it there, I promise…hey, you might not even want to leave when Shinichi comes back. And you can tell Shinichi all about how you got to live here, bet he'd be jealous…"
Still with that bright smile, Kaito pulled him gently towards the station, chattering on about his house and other nonsense as he looked ahead, not really down at Shinichi. Shinichi stared up at Kaito, unable to help the wistful expression on his face as he made a silent vow.
I'm sorry, Kaito…for having to lie and use you like this…but I promise, Kaito…I'll return Shinichi to you. I'll give him back, a Shinichi you can proud of, one who has the courage to return your kiss… Your Shinichi will come back to you, always, I promise…
No matter what.
His grip tightened on Kaito's hand again.
No matter what.
------