The Date- Part 2
Tsukiko smiled reassuringly at her worried detective. You don't need to be a detective to see how nervous Kudo Shinichi is right now! This is rather unexpected and fun! Teasing the detective is always entertaining but Tsukiko could see how unfamiliar Shinichi is with this. Dating must not be something he does often. Not that Tsukiko expected anything to begin with. She knew her boyfriend was hopeless. Guess, she should give him a hand, uh?
"Cinema sounds good. But maybe we could grab something to eat first? It's almost lunch time. We could stroll around for an hour and look for a nice place to eat. Then, we'll have all afternoon for the film. Sounds good?" Tsukiko suggested cheerfully and was glad to see Shinichi's tensed body relax a little.
The detective blushed and looked irritated but he nodded nonetheless. Oh dear. Did he not like her help? Well, he looked so lost, she couldn't just leave him like that!
"That's … Whatever makes you happy." Shinichi mumbled with a shrug and started to walk on, expecting Tsukiko to tag along.
Tsukiko sighed. Really, Meitantei, you don't know how to treat a girl at all!
Without warning, Tsukiko latched onto Shinichi's arm and walked alongside him, holding his hand.
"W-What are you doing?!" Shinichi stuttered and tried to shake her off his arm.
The girl rolled her eyes and beamed at him expectantly.
"What? It's a date. I'm your girlfriend. Isn't this normal?"
Shinichi glared at her but remained quiet. He stopped struggling and let Tsukiko hold on to him so Tsukiko took that as her victory! She really is going to have to train the detective into becoming a better boyfriend. It might benefit him in the future when he actually feels serious for someone else.
Tsukiko smiled bitterly.
Getting serious, uh? That's ... wishful thinking, isn't it?
Shinichi tried to ignore the drumming of his blood and the heat coursing through his body. Why does he get like this whenever Tsukiko touches him? What kind of feeling is this? He never got like that with Ran! It had been pleasant and comfortable with Ran! Not this wild dangerous fire raging inside him! That's just not normal!
Not to mention, Tsukiko isn't even real!
"So, I'm guessing there was a reason to prompt this sudden dating initiative on your part. Your mother?" Shinichi heard Kaito suddenly engage conversation.
The detective let out a tired sigh.
"Yeah. She kept asking me random questions about you, like: What is your favourite food? Your hobbies? Do you have a pet? Your fashion style? And such nonsense! Eventually, she started enquiring on what we do on dates. She went berserk when I told her we hadn't been on a date yet."
"Well, considering we've been going out for just a week, I don't find this particularly weird." Kaito shrugged then his eyes trailed towards one of the shops they were passing by.
Shinichi looked up as he felt his partner slow down to almost freeze in front of a shop window displaying ice creams. Kaito's eyes were glittering like firecrackers and Shinichi couldn't help a small chuckle at the adorable expression of the thief.
"Am I to take that your favourite food is ice cream?"
Kaito shot his *boyfriend* a glare before reflecting on his answer.
"It's a tie with chocolate." He decided on and Shinichi couldn't say he was surprised.
"As for pets, my first dove was a gift from my father. She died a few years back but she still was my favourite." Kaito carried on with a small smile of remembrance cornering his lips.
They both started walking again.
"My fashion is pretty average. I'm fairly casual but I do enjoy varying my styles and looks. Tsukiko tends to maintain a western casual trend."
"There's a difference?"
"Of course. Tsukiko isn't me, Meitantei. You're dating a girl whose favourite food is chocolate ice cream, wears casual clothes but rather likes the western style and keeps up-to-date with French trends. She has no pets. And her hobbies are magic, books, and pranking people."
Kaito paused with a quick reflection before adding:
"She also used to play the piano and is quite good at it."
"What about shiny stones?" Shinichi taunted.
Kaito smirked back at him.
"Well, Meitantei, a diamond is a girl's best friend!"
The day turned out quite a pleasant one. Both Kaito and Shinichi enjoyed each other's company and perhaps this was due to the fact that they were not actually *dating* and so they felt this outing to be more like a friendly one. The best part so far is that Shinichi has not stumbled upon a murder yet.
He actually expected something to happen as it has been a while since the last time he fell upon a dead body (ok, so Kaito may be right about the dead people dropping like flies around him but Shinichi is never going to admit this!). Strangely enough, nothing of the sort happened.
They wandered around various shops, went for lunch at Poirot ("how original, Meitantei!") and then went to the cinema to watch some mystery film. Shinichi couldn't help glaring at the screen the whole way through the film and the moment they walked out, he bombarded Kaito with all the inconsistencies of the show and the many mistakes in their deductions and reasoning.
Usually, when Shinichi goes out with people, they never go for a mystery-related event, be it book or film, otherwise, there'd be no end to Shinichi's criticism. Ran had often told him to stop ruining her appreciation of the film and Shinichi reluctantly had to conform to her wish. After that, he simply opted to every other film available rather than what he actually likes.
Kaito wasn't like that.
Kaito simply smiled as he listened to Shinichi ramble on. He didn't even feel bothered and sometimes also pointed out a few things he found odd in the film. Aside from Hattori, nobody would be able to tolerate Shinichi in this state. And that's only because Hattori would complain even more than Shinichi about the film.
"Sorry …" Shinichi muttered after a long while.
They had already long moved on from this conversation and were taking a stroll through the park on their way back. Kaito must have been confused because he lifted an eyebrow at Shinichi, silently inviting him to elaborate. Shinichi coughed nervously as he explained himself.
"I mean … I realise I might have dominated the conversation back at the cinema. I'm sorry. I tend to get really worked up over this."
Especially since that film had been a Japanese adaptation of Sherlock Holmes and it was HORRENDOUS! Shinichi had been even more critical than usual. But Kaito only laughed, dismissing his *boyfriend* with a wave of his hand that was not holding ice cream (yes, he did get his ice cream in the end. It's hard to refuse Kaito anything. The guy knows how to get things his way!)
"Why are you apologising? This just proved that you really love Sherlock Holmes! Not that I didn't know already how much of a Holmes Geek you are! I don't see the problem! It's something you like so, as your girlfriend, it's something I also want to care about."
Shinichi blinked owlish eyes on the magician-turned-woman. He had to blink to actually see Tsukiko. The whole time, Shinichi had forgotten that he was *on a date with Tsukiko*. All he had seen was Kaito. Weird. It's not like his make-up isn't perfect. There's little of Kaito left to see. And yet … Shinichi never even thought of Tsukiko's name. Perhaps that's how KID felt when he was dealing with Conan? Seeing the true person behind the façade?
"Yeah … But since I'm your … erm … boyfriend? I should probably be spoiling you rather than the other way around."
"That's ok! I like spoiling people! Why else do you think I perform? Besides, you bought me ice cream so everything you think you may have done wrong today is now forgiven!"
"Just with ice cream?"
"Do not underestimate ice cream!" Tsukiko pointed a warning finger at her boyfriend before smirking maliciously.
Shinichi chuckled and shook his head. He really had to pick the most nonsensical person in the world to help him through his *lack of a relationship*.
Kaito eyes trailed over to a corner of the park where a street magician was performing for children and parents alike. He couldn't stop himself from smiling.
When Shinichi felt Tsukiko stop, he back tracked his step back to her and saw the smile on her face and twinkle in her eyes. Following her gaze, the detective also smiled at the sight. He tugged on Tsukiko's arm and gently steered her towards the crowd so they could also enjoy the show.
Children gasped at the tricks and parents clapped and cheered. It was such a small gathering, an amateur level of tricks, nothing grand and nothing nearly as great as Shinichi was used to with Kaitou KID. But for some reason, Kaito's eyes were shining with awe and excitement, like he was truly enjoying the show and appreciating it more than anyone else present. It's strange, considering Kaito likely can see through all these tricks better than anyone here and produce a far better quality show. Despite that, Tsukiko was cheering the magician on with equal enthusiasm as the children, almost looking like a child herself.
Like a kid.
Shinichi, on the other hand, was unable to stop himself from working out the rather easy tricks. Normally he'd find this dull. There is no complexity and no challenge. But as the show came to an end and the people scattered, Shinichi found himself smiling as he listened to his *girlfriend* ramble on and on about this or that trick. For some reason, seeing Kaito enjoy himself so much made this experience just as pleasant for himself.
Oh.
So, that's what Kaito meant?
Shinichi chuckled and it must have looked strange since Tsukiko stopped talking and blushed, realising her sudden eager chatter.
"Sorry … I guess, this kind of level of magic would have been boring for you! You probably ruined it all in your head by trying to figure it all out!" Kaito rolled his eyes at his *boyfriend's* bad habit.
But Shinichi shook his head, smiling all the same.
"No. I enjoyed it. Well, I can't say I didn't figure out every trick but … I wasn't bored."
Kaito stared at him suspiciously, as if trying to decide if Shinichi was just humouring him. The detective leaned down and softly pecked Tsukiko's lips, causing another flaring cute blush on the magician's face.
"My girlfriend liked it, so I too enjoyed it." He whispered in a breath
For a moment time stood still until a childish voice interrupted the *couple*.
"Mummy look! They were kissing!"
"Hush now! Don't interrupt them!" A mother giggled indulgently at her curious little boy.
The spell broke.
Shinichi and Tsukiko suddenly jumped away from one another, each sporting a rather red face and unable to look at each other. Kaito was the first to engage them back on a safer standing.
"Don't go quoting me, Meitantei!" the *girl* muttered and Shinichi had to laugh.
This day felt nothing like a date and yet … it probably was the best date he ever had.
Preview:
This is not called stalking!
It's just … parenting!
[...]
So, this is not stalking.
It's a precaution.
[...]
"So how can you say this is stalking?!"
"Because we're wearing suspicious clothing, sunglasses, and we're hiding behind newspapers while trailing them all day." Yusaku reasoned his unreasonable wife.
