Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Detective Conan or Magic Kaito – they belong to Gosho Aoyama

A/N: This is the final chapter of the story (save for an epilog) – from Ran's POV this time, hope you'll enjoy it.

As I mentioned in the previous chapter, I might someday write a sequel – as in a brand new story where I keep the established-relationship part but otherwise have a completely different plot.

~Ran's POV ~

Ran glanced at her watch for the fifth time in the last ten minutes. Sonoko was late, as usual. Aoko tapped her foot impatiently next to her, mumbling about Sonoko's ridiculous need for spending time with her hair products. While they hadn't been friends for long, Aoko hadn't needed much time to figure Sonoko out. They'd spent the last couple of days together, going shopping and visiting that adorable café, and the three girls had bonded. It was really nice to spend time with a group of girls for a change. She liked spending time with Shinichi, really. Sometimes, it was just really nice to do girl stuff without having a guy roll his eyes and comment on the illogical parts of a chick flick.

She might have been worried that Shinichi would feel left out if she hadn't discovered that he hadn't been alone the last couple of weeks. As it turned out, Aoko's childhood friend Kaito had been living with him. Now, Ran was very well aware that Kaito had been living with him the last time she stopped by with groceries shortly after the cruise. But that had been weeks ago, and she had figured that the boy would have moved out already. That's why she'd been really surprised when she'd called Shinichi's house and Kaito had answered with an enthusiastic "Ran-chan! How are you!" before explaining that he was in fact still living in the Kudou house. She wondered when the two of them had bonded so well. As Shinichi's best friend she should probably know stuff like that, yet she hadn't even really talked to Shinichi other than through texts in the previous few weeks.

"Hey, you two!" Sonoko's voice cut through the city noise. Ran and Aoko lifted their heads at the greeting and waved at the girl. "Sorry, I'm late. My hairdryer wasn't cooperating," she excused herself.

Aoko rolled her eyes behind her. Sonoko had about six hairdryers; at least one of them was bound to work, so the excuse didn't really cut it. But to avoid any further discussion - and avoid being any later - Ran and Aoko kept their mouths shut and started walking in the direction of the cinema they were meeting Shinichi and Kaito at. They were all going to see some new romantic comedy.

Ran was a bit skeptical, though, since Shinichi had actually agreed to watch it. He hated those movies as much as he hated chick flicks, so she already feared that there was some psychological twist in the movie that would ruin the relaxed fun for her. Then again, maybe he was just agreeing as part of his 'making up for being gone for so long'-routine. As much as she enjoyed having Shinichi give her what she wanted, it really took out some of the fun to know that he hated it.

There weren't many people in the streets and she could easily spot the two guys waiting for them in front of the movie theater 200 meters away. They didn't seem to have noticed the girls yet, though, as they stood closely, talking. Ran found something about the situation odd. Shinichi was socially very awkward and would almost never stand that closely to anyone – sometimes not even Ran – yet he was standing so close to Kaito that they were practically exchanging air. Kaito was even playing with a string on Shinichi's hoodie without the detective backing away. They were both smiling and laughing, weirdly into their own little world of conversation.

"Sorry, we're late!" Aoko called loudly. "Sonoko had a disagreement with her hairdryer." The boys looked up synchronically, Shinichi rolling his eyes at the typical Sonoko-behavior.

"That's alright," Kaito grinned, still playing with Shinichi's hoodie string. "Me and Shin-chan almost just got here, right?" Shinichi nodded, but half looked like he actually had no idea how long they'd been there.

The group bought their tickets. Aoko and Sonoko insisted on getting popcorn and candy and dragged Ran along with them. On their way, Ran glanced back at the guys briefly and could have sworn she saw Kaito caress Shinichi's cheek. What had she missed?

Thirty minutes later they were watching the movie and Ran felt relieved that it seemed to be just like any other romantic comedy - and Shinichi hadn't even been complaining at all. She turned her head to ask Shinichi why he'd agreed to watch something he claimed to hate but quickly discovered that he was by no means looking at the screen. He was making out with Kaito!

Ran would have said something but was too shocked to speak. She watched as the boys were getting gradually more entwined with each other. Knowing how awkward Shinichi usually was, she didn't have to be a detective to figure out that this must have been going on for a while. What if it had happened even before Kaito moved in?

How could Shinichi not have said anything?! She felt mildly hurt and offended that he would keep something like that away from her. But then she remembered how the boys had been in their own little world outside. Even Shinichi who was such a good observer hadn't noticed the girls until they had been right next to them.

The boys broke apart and Ran caught the content smiles on their faces. Maybe it wasn't completely unrealistic that they'd simply been too caught up in each other to remember to tell her. It wasn't like she had contacted him all that much since they'd last hung out together. Her brief anger vanished. She wasn't going to be upset with Shinichi. But she was going to confront him.

Which she did when the movie ended. The group was eating burgers at a fast food place when she finally couldn't keep it in anymore and asked the question on her mind.

"Are you two together? Like, together together?" she asked the boys sitting across the table, close enough that their hips were touching. Their eyes widened a bit at the suddenness of question while Sonoko choked on her soda and Aoko lifted an eyebrow, not really shocked.

"Why, yes! Yes we are!" Kaito exclaimed proudly and threw an arm around the now blushing Shinichi. Shinichi eyed Ran carefully, knowing her well enough to understand the slight edge to the question.

"I.. um… I was gonna mention that eventually," he tried. Ran shook her head to dismiss it and Shinichi looked relieved that she wasn't mad. Sonoko had recovered from her choking.

"Seriously?!" she asked loudly, clasping her hands together with stars in her eyes. "That's awesome! I knew you had to be good for something, Shinichi. I mean, you're pretty lame on your own, but you two together? That's so cool… and hot!"

Ran rolled her eyes at the girl. How typical Sonoko. One moment she thought Shinichi was the most boring person on the planet, the next she changed her mind to fit him into the gay category. Probably thinking he was suddenly going to go shopping with them or publically make out with his boyfriend or something.

"And you're living together?" Aoko asked. Kaito looked at her confusedly. "Your mom told me."

"We are," Kaito nodded. "Someone's gotta make sure Shin-chan eats properly." He winked at Ran.

"For how long?" Aoko asked.

"Indefinitely, for now," Shinichi asked. "It's not like my parents are coming home anytime soon, anyways."

Ran nodded. Well, at least Shinichi wouldn't be living all by himself then, and if Kaito made sure he ate properly, she wasn't going to complain.

She smiled approvingly at the two and watched as Shinichi visibly relaxed at the sight of it. He leaned on Kaito's shoulder and proceeded in answering most of Sonoko's ridiculous questions, though he avoided the more intimate once while turning more crimson. Kaito smirked, allowing Ran's imagination to fill in the blanks even if they didn't answer.

They finished their food and got ready to go home. Sonoko kept squealing at every little thing the boys did, wanting to know everything about the development - and driving Ran and Aoko crazy.

"Will you ever shut up?!" Aoko asked Sonoko irritably. Sonoko shook her head violently.

"Not until I see some actual action! Some proof!" She yelled determinately while pointing at the boys. "They are not allowed to leave until then!"

Shinichi looked like he was about to say something rather rude to the girl but Kaito cut him off by grapping his shirt and pull him in for a kiss. With tongue. Ran felt her jaw drop as she heard Sonoko squeal.

"There," Kaito grinned as he pulled away. "Now we can go! And I can have Shin-chan all to myself again!" He took hold of Shinichi's hand and dragged him away, waving his free hand at the three girls.

"Bye, Bye!"

Ran watched her childhood friend be dragged away, feeling like she might have to work harder in the future to get some time with him. She smiled warmly at the idea that no matter how much she wasn't including Shinichi in her life, he wasn't on his own anymore.