CW: occasional use of caps lock, mild emotional blackmail.
Chapter 10: 'There's no way you're getting me in that.' (18/7/17)
The phone had to go off twice before Ai dropped her magazine. She reached for the device and glanced at its screen. Kudo. Who else.
In a matter of seconds, the two messages gleamed before her eyes.
'Where are you?' 'Haibara, answer.'
The shrunken scientist rolled her eyes, wishing her friend could see her. She texted, 'I'm home.'
Kudo replied quickly. Apparently, he had been paying attention to his phone.
'Come to the school.'
'Why should I?'
She knew the answer before Kudo sent it.
'The rehearsal starts in 10 minutes.'
Ai's thumb danced across the keyboard.
'I'm not going.'
'Come.'
'I'm not going.'
'It'll be fun. The kids are all here. Ms. Kobayashi has brought pastries.'
Ai's lips pressed tightly together.
'Stop it. We've had this conversation. There's no way you're getting me in that.'
'It's a school play, Haibara.'
The girl wondered why she hadn't set her phone aside yet.
'I am not going.'
'Why not?'
'Exposing myself in a school play could give away my current location'
Right as she sent the message, however, another came from Kudo.
'Is it because you play a tree?'
Blood rushed up to Ai's shrunken cheeks and her hands shook in rage while she texted, 'IT IS NOT.'
'It's not that bad. The trees sing and dance their own song.'
'I WILL NOT PLAY A DANCING TREE.'
'Come on. The kids will get sad.'
'LET THEM.'
'Even Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko?'
Ai's thumb stopped at inches from the keyboard.
'They're asking where you are,' Kudo went on. 'They were looking forward to seeing you.'
Ai peeped at the clock and then at her own clothes.
'Fine. I'll be there in twenty minutes.'
Ai jumped off the couch and hurried to write the professor a note telling she'd be back for dinner. Setting it under a vase, she left for the hall.
She'd be late, but better late than never.