A/N: Hello guys! It has been 4 years since I last updated? Now that's wicked. But here is the new chapter! I am not trying to pair Heiji and Shiho together! You'll see why I chose Heiji in this chapter. I would have chosen Kaito Kuroba otherwise (since he also knows about Conan's real identity) but I figured the same faces would be difficult to explain but that could also be fun! Just imagine Shiho looking at his face but thinking of another person. But since Heiji also interacted (somewhat) with Ai, it wouldn't be a bad choice. Also I apologise for those who commented that Ran was OOC- I have no excused for that but inexperienced writing. Sorry for the prolonged hiatus! (Also sorry for the many exclamation marks above !)
"Let me help you out," Heiji winked.
"Don't do that. It's gross," Shiho coldly refused.
"Hey! Do you know how many girls are head over heels for me! I was voted number one guy girls want to date!" Heiji exclaimed defensively and feeling a little hurt.
"That's in Osaka. But we are in TO-K-YO," Shiho snickered.
School has already ended for the day. Ran had enthusiastically dragged Shinichi to the nearby theatres. Shiho and Heiji decided to stop by the school cafe for a short respite.
Heiji slumps back into his seat and slurps his smoothie. 'You're no fun,' he thought.
"I know what you're thinking. I'm no fun. Right?" Shiho flips through the chemistry textbook nonchalantly, without sparing a glance at Heiji.
"Wow, I knew you were smart but you can read minds too?" he said sarcastically.
"Besides, do the votes of girls you don't know even matter? Haven't you already set up your mind to marry your childhood friend."
Heiji flushed at the thought of what she said and awkwardly flails his arm in response to it.
"Just like a certain idiot..." she uttered under her breath.
Despite Shiho's almost inaudible words, Heiji knew exactly what was going through her mind from the forlorn expression forming on her face.
"You can't continue to like Kudo." Heiji's face suddenly turned serious and so did the tone of his voice. He stared straight at Shiho without reservation this time.
Shiho finally looked Heiji in the eyes.
"He already has someone he wants to protect for the rest of his life," he paused for a brief moment, before continuing. "And it's not you."
Upon hearing those words, Shiho shifted her eyes uncomfortably away from Heiji's unusually piercing glare. In that moment, it seemed as if he was able to see into her and her feelings that should have been buried away. Even though she tried to deny the truth of his words, it still hurt- very much so.
After pausing for an awkwardly long silence, Heiji sighed and then turned back into his usual lighthearted self, "And that is why I said I want to help you!"
Before Shiho had a chance to rebutt him, he continued, "I'll help you find a boyfriend."
Shiho rolled her eyes in disbelief. 'Boyfriend?' Even the sound of the word in her head was as incredulous as it could get.
"There are many options out there! How about-"
Without warning, Shiho delivered a kick onto Heiji's shin.
"AH!" Heiji yelped and immediately covered his mouth in embarrassment from the many heads swirling in the direction of his cry.
Shiho smirked in response.
"Which guy can put up with a girl like this..." he mumbled grudgingly while rubbing his sore shin.
"I have no time to waste with you," Shiho picked up her bag and walked away.
In the movie theatres:
Hesitantly, Ran inched towards Shinichi's shoulders and angled her head.
"Ran? Are you feeling okay?"
"Ah?"
"You are sitting in such an uncomfortable position, I just thought-"
"Shinichi! You're such an idiot!" with that said, Ran rested her head on his shoulder.
A flush of red painted Shinichi's face.
This situation reminded him of when he was still Conan. Ayumi and Ai fell asleep on his shoulders while watching Gomera. Ai always had defences strong as steel built around herself, it was one of the rare few times she appeared so vulnerable. He couldn't help but smile.
Ran took a peak at Shinichi. 'He's smiling,' she let out an inner sigh of relief.
As Shinichi and Ran walked out of the theatres, an abrupt thought sent a shudder went down the former's spine.
'Is Miyano and Hattori at home? Alone?' This single thought made Shinichi feeling anxious.
"Let's have dinner outside! Do you remember the restaurant in the skyscraper?"
"Uh, but, I..." 'Quick Shinichi! Think!' "Professor Agasa invited me over to his house for dinner! He said he hasn't seen me for a long time!" Shinichi awkwardly laughs and looks away, hoping Ran would not notice anything amiss.
"Oh! That's great! Professor Agasa surely wouldn't mind if I joined for dinner right!" Ran beamed.
'Damn it Shinichi! Now you've screwed up,' he cursed in his head.
Ran has been fidgeting with her hands for a while now and debating if she should make the first move to hold his hand. 'But I already made the first move in the theatres,' she blushed at the thought of that moment.
Just as Ran was contemplating and about to reach for Shinichi's hand, she was interupted by Shinichi's exclamation.
"Isn't that Shiho and Heiji!" He already began running towards their direction before even finishing.
"..." A wave of dejection hit Ran. It felt as if there was distance growing between the two of them. Shinichi's back seemed so distant. Unwilling to be eaten by that thought, Ran hurriedly ran after him.
"Why are you following me," Shiho suddenly stopped her tracks to turn back.
"Uh... I am not familiar with the roads of Beika and we are going back to the same house hehe," Heiji goofed. In reality, Heiji was curious about Shiho's life after school. She always seemed so mysterious, even as a seven years old. Could his suspicion be wrong? Maybe she did not like Shinichi but she's actually seeing someone? ...
'But nothing can escape the eyes of a great detective- THAT IS I, HATTORI HEIJI! HAHAHA'
Heiji followed Shiho to the Spectacles Hut.
"I am here to collect my spectacles," Shiho approached the girl at the counter who served her earlier this morning.
The girl looked up from the counter and her eyes were instantly captured by the sight of Shiho and the Heiji who followed her into the shop. "…Yes…" was the best she managed to voice. She was too distracted by the good looks of the two teenagers. 'Are they dating? So this is her type I see, an athletic boy with a toned body and sun-kissed skin. Kyaaaaaaaaaaa~'
*Coughs* "Is something wrong?" Shiho asked. The prolonged and persistent gaze of the girl was not exactly subtle.
"Oh not at all!" the girl grinned widely. "Let me just get you your prescription." She scurried to get Shiho's spectacles.
"Please try it on!" the girl said as she handed the spectacles to Shiho.
"No it's all right-"
Heiji snatched the spectacles from Shiho's hand and plopped them onto her face.
"You still look good heh," he commented after examining Shiho's bespectacled face and flashed his trademark smile.
*Badump* The girl's heartbeat increased after witnessing Heiji's million dollar smile.
Shiho simply shrugged the comment off and removed the spectacles off her face.
"Thank you for your patronage! Please come again!"
Only a few moments after exiting the shop, they heard a familiar voice and saw a familiar figure running in their direction.
'What are Hattori and Shiho doing?' thoughts ran through Shinichi's mind as his legs carried him towards his two friends.
"Mou! Shinichi! Slow down!" Ran's called as she tried to catch up with him.
Without waiting for Shinichi and Ran to reach where she was standing, Shiho began walking.
"You're not waiting for them?" Heiji questioned.
"Nope."
Despite the apparent finality in the tone of Shiho's voice, Heiji also picked up a sense of false nonchalance and hurt in her voice.
Shinichi quickened his pace. As he was approaching Shiho, his hand moved towards Shiho's arm, about to grab her.
It was not a calculated thought but his body moved on its own. He did not realize that he was afraid that Shiho would just disappear- like the many times she almost did, sacrificing herself to keep people around her safe.
Shinichi reached out and landed a tight grip on Shiho's wrist. That force spun and pulled Shiho's body towards him.
Shiho's eyes widened at the unexpected warmth on her wrist and abrupt movement. She barely managed to maintain her balance without falling into Shinichi's torso.
"Kudo?" Shiho mouthed. It was unmistakable, it was not her imagination playing tricks on her. Even if she had all the willpower in the world, she would not have been able to control her heart from racing. Shinichi's face is barely inches away from hers.
Just as Shinichi was going to react, a figure appeared in front of him, grasping his hand that was on Shiho. It was Heiji.
"Let go," Heiji asserted firmly. He looked at Shinichi with an intent glare. Shinichi did not shift his eyes that were fixated on Shiho away.
But he heard Heiji's words very clearly. The two words made something in Shinichi snap. He hung his head low and with a serious tone, "No. You let go," he declared.
"Shinichi..."
"Kudo..."
Ran and Shiho's voice echoed in Shinichi's ear at the same time.
A/N: I am essentially the girl in Spectacles Hut... I will be adding more Shinichi and Shiho action soon! Thank you for your support and reviews. I appreciate it very much :)
