'And what if it was as it seemed?'
"Well, Conan-kun? Are you? Are you Shinichi?" Ran asked, her eyes full of tears and the boy she had just yelled at so heatedly choked on his next words.
"Y-yes..." he said, little tears forming in his big blue eyes.
Ran gasped, looking at him in shock, her face hopeful. "Really? It's you, Shinichi?"
The tears in the boy's eyes built. "N-no." he said and it came out like a sob. "But I could be, if you wanted me to, Ran-neechan. If-if that would make you happy..."
Ran immediately regretted questioning him so harshly, when all he really wanted was for her to be happy. Was willing to give up Conan and pretend to be Shinichi for her, just to make her happy.
"I could be Shinichi for you, if that's what you wanted, Ran-neechan." He continued, and the first of his tears slipped down one rounded cheek. Still a boy, still a child. Sometimes she forgot that, when he'd race around, so smart and intelligent, just like him. But this was not her best friend in front of her, just her adopted little brother who cared about her and who she'd reduced to tears.
How easy it would be for him to be Shinichi. They looked the same, they acted the same, but they weren't, she she had to keep reminding herself of that. He was just a little boy, just a little boy that'd she's frightened and questioned mercilessly, never once thinking about how he would feel if she was wrong. The only thing she had thought about was what she wouls would do if she was wrong. Didn't pause to think she might hurt some bright eyed child's feelings. What kind of neechan was she? So absorbed in herself that she didn't think for a second that other people might be hurting. That didn't sound like her. She was the person who put everyone else first; except this once.
"Oh, Conan-kun, baby, I'm so sorry." Ran said.
He cried silently against her shoulder, not allowing himself a sob or gasp even. Still acting strong, acting brave. But who was there to admire that bravery? Just Ran-neechan, only her. But she did admire it. Admired that he cold hold himself in for her sake. No child should have to do that. But he did, without one word of complaint.
"An-and if was Shinichi, you-you'd be happy. You'd be happy so it-it'd be okay." He said and she rocked back and forth on her heels, mumbling nonsense words into his hair.
"I could be him. I could. If...if that's what you w-want me to be." He hiccupped out.
"No, sweetheart, no, you couldn't. Because, if you were Shinichi, I still wouldn't be happy. I'd just spend all my time missing Conan-kun."
