A/N: Thank you, Enji86, cahyaputra, Anime Lady PIMP, and YELLOW JACKET PRIDE, for leaving reviews, and many others for reading my story! There is nothing to say atm, except for some of my little blocks, so let's get straight to the story. Plz enjoy and review.

Disclaimer: I no own DC

Chapter Ten

Second Arc

What would you do if you had to hurt yourself not to hurt the one you loved? If it were to be the one you truly loved?

-0-

(General POV)

"Zero."

Conan was just touching the doorknob, when it burst open.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!-" Shouted Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi.

"-Conan?" He was on the floor, twitching a little. "AH!"

It seemed like they opened the door a bit too hard. His glasses were flown to the garden, his nose was bleeding a little, and there was a big red mark on his sarcastic face.

"Haha…I love you too."

They pushed him inside the house. The house was decorated everywhere. Conan saw countless balloons attached to the walls, ribbons of various colors covering the furniture, confettis prepared to be scattered on the floor, and five party hats on the kitchen table, where Haibara was sitting, smiling like the rest.

"So the main character has finally come."

For some reason, Conan blushed a little at her smile and didn't respond.

"Why is your nose bleeding?"

"They happened to be too excited." Conan glared at the three, who were suppressing laughters.

Soon, they were huddled up at the kitchen table.

"Conan-kun! Eat a lot! Me and Ai-chan prepared a lot to cook all this food." Ayumi eagerly handed him steak, potatoes, and fried rice with curry.

He gave back a flash of grin. "Thanks, Ayumi, you'd-." Then, he had to cover his mouth with his spoon before he spilled out the words, you'd make a great bride someday. He remembered the event that happened a few days ago.

Thankfully, before Ayumi could question about what he wanted to say, Genta interrupted.

"Hey, Conan! Open your presents!"

"Ah, Okay…" He picked up a thin, blue box. "This one is from Mitsuhiko." While he opened it, he said, "It's a book."

Mitsuhiko grinned as Conan took a look at the book. "It's not just any book. It contains 100 methods to create codes! Maybe you can use them in the future as a detective."

"Thanks!" Haha…I already know all of them, though.

"Hey, what's up with that face?" Conan flinched as he noticed Mitsuhiko examining his face. "Don't tell me…you already know all this?"

"Ah-no, no-"

"You do!" He sighed, and Conan felt extremely guilty. "Don't worry, Mitsuhiko. I forgot most of them anyways. It's good to read it again."

He picked up a small green box tied by red ribbons as he spoke. The nameplate read Ayumi.

"This is…" He took out a brown case and opened it. A black, shiny glasses were in it.

He looked at Ayumi, who was smiling. "I noticed that you didn't change your glasses for the last 2 years."

"Thanks, Ayumi!" He switched the glasses and put his old one in the case.

"And this one must be from Genta." He knocked on a huge white box. "Looks like it's from a bakery…so it must be a cake."

"Hey, Don't hit it! You're going to ruin the icing!" Genta seemed to be more eager to eat the cake than any of them.

"Haha…Let's eat it together later." Conan turned his face towards Haibara, expectant and feeling a bit nervous. Did she prepare…?

Haibara noticed his gaze and took out a box from under the table.

"Here."

It was the box of medicines she had created years ago. It contained all sorts; fake pills, cold medicine, pills to make someone have cold on purpose, the temporary medicine for APTX…

"Which one do you want?" She asked alluringly at Conan's dumb expression.

"Ahaha- I think I'm feeling healthy enough, no thanks."

"C'mon. Don't be shy."

"You're really scary sometimes."

He quickly turned his attention to another parcel. It didn't have anything on it. Curious, he opened the parcel rather roughly. After ripping it apart, he realized it was a present from none other than Ran.

"Ah, there's a card inside!" Genta grabbed it.

What?

"Don't read it!" Shouted Haibara, but they didn't hear it, as Conan was fighting to get the card back. Mitsuhiko grabbed Conan, and Genta read the card out loud.

"Let's see…Dear Conan-kun."

Huh?

"Happy birthday. The raining season is coming soon, so use this umbrella wisely." And Genta and Mitsuhiko read the last part mischievously, which annoyed Conan. "From Ran~~"

"Just shut up, you guys."

"Is that all?" Asked Haibara quietly.

"Eh? Of course." She could tell from his expression, that Ran always wrote it like that every year.

(at hakase's)

"Oh, by the way, Haibara." She looked up at him. "Please don't call me Kudou-kun anymore. My name is Edogawa Conan."

She cried and told me, "But why?...Why won't you tell me you're Shinichi?" And I said, "Maybe you should…forget about him. You should move one, Ran-nee-chan."

So he…really…

.

"Geez." Conan was mopping the floor. "Why do I have to clean all this?"

"Well, I'm helping you, aren't I?" Haibara was taking out the large cake box out of the house. "It's still good to celebrate."

"Only if they clean my house after making the mess." He grumbled.

"Psh. Don't be mean. You would've forgotten your birthday if it weren't for them."

Really funny, how a kid this sharp can forget his own special day.

She put the box in front of the fence and returned inside to help him with the mopping.

He was already done and was resting on the sofa. "By the way, Haibara." Conan stood up, his expression unreadable.

"What?" She was startled by the short distance between them.

"You never said it." He added when she was confused. "The congratulations."

"Ah." She sighed. Suddenly, she had no words to say. She had a snappy retort made in her mind already, but something stopped her from doing it. What can you say to a person you've hurt so much? And what if that person possibly…loved you? She was still speechless.

She sat down on the sofa and drank some juice that was left on the table. "Congratulations on reaching 28 years, gramps."

"Haha…" Jeez. Can't give me a proper present or a simple congrats.

He went in the kitchen to get some water. Then, he groaned when he saw the dishes. Man…I wonder if birthdays are worth it. He put on the rubber gloves and got to work. Suddenly, a glass with a pinch of orange juice appeared.

"You look fancy with these on." She smirked, pointing at the gloves. She added before he could respond. "Here, let me do it."

A bit surprised, he handed her the rubber gloves. She put them on and quietly started doing the dishes.

Then, she stopped all of sudden.

"Thank you."

"What?"

"I never got to say it."

There was an awkward silence.

"I truly thank you, for all you've done for me. And it's still not enough. I'm sorry, for what I've caused. For making you go through all the troubles. For hurting your feelings so many times. Yet, you still stand beside me. I can't thank you enough."

"Haibara…" He was pretty shocked by the way she said the words. They were not bitter or cold. She really meant them. They didn't talk anymore.

After she was done with the dishes, finally, they could part. Conan walked with her to the hakase's fence.

Just in front of the fence, they faced each other.

"I couldn't prepare a proper present because I also forgot about it until the school ended." She grasped his hands. "Congratulations, for your 18th birthday…Edogawa-kun." And she smiled. Warmly. Conan flushed, but thanks to the darkness, it couldn't be shown.

He watched her until she went inside of her house.

-0-

It was raining. It was pouring so hard that you could barely see outside the window. However, a girl was staring out the window despite the blowing wind and rain. Her face was deep in thought, until another girl interrupted her.

"Kana-chan."

The girl turned around. It was Ayumi.

"Ah, Ayumi-chan."

"Have you decided on your club yet?"

"Hmm, haven't thought of it yet. You're in a literature club, right?" Ayumi nodded. "Then I'll go there, too." She said, smiling.

"That's great! Anyway, why are you so glum?"

"…"

Kana didn't face Ayumi.

"…Is it about Conan-kun?"

Ayumi hadn't forgotten about Kana's actions last year.

Last year, Ayumi was usually around Conan. They were very friendly towards each other. Both looked more than friends to the others. Most of the time, Ayumi held on Conan's arm, which he never refused. Mitsuhiko, Genta, Ayumi, and Conan were always together. However, it was popular among the students that Ayumi was the only girl in the club, and she liked Conan.

Kana knew this. However, one day, Ayumi noticed Kana sending glances at her.

"I only think of him as a friend. Nothing more."

That's what she had said…sadly.

Kana sighed. Was it that obvious?

Ayumi thought of the image she saw a few months ago at the back of the school.

"Kana-chan…"

"It's nothing." Kana walked quickly towards the door, out of the school.

.

It was raining. It was pouring so hard that you could barely see outside the window. A girl was at the school's main entrance, hesitating.

How did I forget my umbrella today? Ugh. Her strawberry blonde hair was flying everywhere from the wind. She walked back and forth, thinking.

I still have to do my chemistry project that's due tomorrow. Dang! She made her decision. She prepared to run.

Then, somebody passed her, hitting her shoulder.

Ah…

"Aikawa-san." She muttered the name without thinking.

The girl stumbled a bit. She half-turned her face to check who it was. Then, she ran towards the school gate, not bothering to open her umbrella.

.

It was raining. It was pouring so hard that you could barely see outside the window. A boy was hurriedly running out of his house, holding two umbrellas.

Hakase said she forgot hers…I hope her literature club doesn't end too quick. How can it rain so much in 2 hours?

The sky was darker than ever. It was almost pitch black. The streetlights turned on and off as the wind blew stronger. Rain was flowing backwards out of the sewer, and cars screeched loudly whenever they braked, honking menacingly. His glasses were a bit askew as he ran faster.

If she did try to come home in this weather…

He didn't want to think of it. He kept running. Then, a foot interrupted his path.

"Whoa-" He almost fell face first into a pond of water. Thankfully, his quick reaction only wet his hands. What's up with that person? Staying outside in this rain…

He stood up to see the cause of his interruption. The person was leaning against the lamppost, breathing roughly.

"-Haibara?"

-0-

(Ai's POV)

I was engulfed by the darkness. I don't know where I am. I don't know how I got here. I'm not even sure who I am. But all was quiet, as I kept staring at the total blackness.

Then, my head ached real bad. It was as if my brain was trying to burst through my skull. I screamed, but no sound came out of my mouth. Only another voice, cold and bitter, could be heard inside of my head.

"You know why."

What?

"But why are you so special to him? What's the reason?"

Who are you?

"You lied to me."

Show yourself! I couldn't open my eyes. Tears were coming out of my eyes from the sheer pain. I fell down on my knees.

"Because…" I stopped. The pain was still searing through me like daggers. But that was…my voice?

"I've done a permanent damage. He forgot his past because of me."

Were those my words? I can't think! Then, I could finally scream. As loud as I wanted to. However, the hollow voice still echoed through my eardrums.

"My sin."

Then, the other voice screamed inside of my ears. "I can't be perfect, and I never will be!"

I covered my ears. I didn't want to hear anything. My body was thrashing on the ground, unable to handle the pain.

Then, the blackness disappeared. Colors flashed in front of my eyes. A blurry image was shown. It was dark and clammy. I was leaning against a lamppost, unable to control my detached body. Rain was still pouring in buckets. I could feel the moisture wetting my body. My vision was clouded as water drops fell continuously on my eyes.

"Haibara."

A man whispered my name. I could hear no more. The water finally filled my eyes and I closed them. Everything returned to darkness.

Into the familiar black.

"Haibara." The man whispered again.

The pain. The pain was excruciating. I tried to cover my aching forehead with my hand. Instead of touching the fire, my hand felt icy.

"Haibara." The voice came again.

My hand caressed the icy material. The pain was soothing little by little. I finally snapped my eyes open, out of the world of unknown.

.

Where am I? That was my first thought.

I thought I'd just gone through everything. I sat up straight. The ice and towel on my head fell on the blanket. My head was still throbbing. There was an unused desk, where papers and various files where stacked upon it. There were three windows across the room, where sunlight was shining through. I looked around the walls. I saw the clock and read the time, 10 a.m.

I knew this place.

I was about to realize where I was when I noticed a photo that was on the wall, when somebody came through the door.

"Ai-chan…"

"…Ran-san."

-0-

-End of Chapter Ten-

A/N: I feel the ending is coming soon…The test is coming near, and I'm not sure when the next chapter is gonna come out. Anyway, please read till the end and once again reviews are welcome.