A/N: Chapter 10! Yay!

Hope you like it! ^_^v

Usual disclaimers, yada yada...

Ch10 What She Sees; What He Gets

"BAKA, what were you doin', Hakuba Saguru? You call yourself a detective? Why can't you even stop a kidnappin' from happ'nin right in front o' yer eyes?" Heiji bellowed at the blonde as he rejoined everyone in the campsite, Conan tailing behind him.

"Heiji-niichan, let's go!" Conan said with much conviction. The Osakan nodded in agreement. "Right, there's no use talkin' to this know-it-all… So, are ya comin' or what?"

"Of course I am! It's Aoko we're talking about." Hakuba said. "Someone get Kuroba and tell him what happened."

"It's no use. He isn't there. He left a note, though, saying he'd be gone for a while because there's something he left at the beach. He said it was a charm from his father…" the adviser told him with a worried look on her face.

"There's not much time. Let's go."

They began to dash off to the direction where Ace flew away. The others began following them with every intention of getting back the inspector's daughter, firm about not losing sight of Ace's disappearing figure. Keiko even went as far as to call Nakamori-keibu about what just happened. It was only a handful of them who went to take a risk of getting her back, but Heiji told them off, saying this is a dangerous task, since they don't even know who they're up against. In the end, only the three boys, Hakuba, Heiji and little Conan, pursued the thief, with a determined look which says they will not lose sight of him. After a few minutes, though, they realized they were unsuccessful, for they lost sight of the thick black cloth floating gracefully in the sky, thanks to the contribution of the thick, dark trees in the forest. Despite that, it didn't stop them to look for the two, instead, his disappearance made them look for any sign of him with more dedication than before.

.

Across the night sky, Ace 'flew' away from Izu-Shioka Camp, holding the teary-eyed Aoko tightly by her waist. Upon noticing her sulky mood, Aoko's mysterious abductor whispered, "Bid those tears goodbye, milady. I promise I'll never hurt you in any way."

Easy for you to say, she muttered under her breath without looking at him.

From behind Ace's mask, that black, stylish cloth placed over his eyes, lies Kaito who couldn't help but feel sorry for himself, as he realized that while he's actually kidnapping the woman he loves, he might actually be killing himself from regret afterwards…

But things just have to go according to plan; this is the only way he can have Aoko for himself…

To get himself off from what he's thinking, he tried engaging her to a conversation…

"I think we lost them…"

Aoko didn't answer. She was staring blankly at the starry path before them in deafening silence; it's as if she isn't even there. In her silence, she remembered her conversation with Conan not too long ago.

-Flashback-

"Aoko-neechan?" Conan said as he emerged from his hiding place, acting as innocent as ever.

Like that afternoon, Aoko was once again surprised by the boy's sudden appearance. She quickly wiped the tears away, hoping that the clever little one hadn't noticed it. "Conan-kun… Sorry, please don't mind me… and… can you do me a favor to not tell anyone about that note?"

"Eh? You're worried about that? Is that why you were trying to be so far away from the others and continued pretending you were okay? Is that why you're here?"

Aoko curled a smile on her face in amusement for Little Conan's quick mind. She patted him on the head and told him, "You're quite smart for a little one."

The smile gradually faded from her face. Before she knew it, she was once again staring into nothingness and said, "I only wish a certain someone's as quick-witted as you are in things like these and realize what I've been trying to tell him…"

"Y-you meant Kaito-niichan, don't you?" the little boy asked brusquely.

"Eh?" Aoko blushed madly. It took a while before she could smile back and say, "Yeah… I guess I can't deny that fact."

"Jya, why were you with Hakuba-niichan all this time?"

Rather than telling the curious boy about the whole truth, she decided to take it as a joke but still partly true in a way, and told him, "Because Kaito-niichan is a great big idiot who does nothing but amuse himself with magic and take all things as a big fat joke."

Conan forced out a laugh. Aoko did just the same. As she laugh herself out, her eyes were telling a different story: a story of a love she begins to regret to have.

"So, you're not gonna tell anyone about that note, ne?" She gave him a cheery-looking wink, putting one finger against her lips.

"Ah… Nn…" Conan nodded. "Demo, nande? Are you gonna let that Ace guy take you away?"

"I'll be alright… I'm pretty sure a 'certain someone' is not gonna let me be taken away…" She went back to watching the sunset, with a hope-filled look deep within her eyes and streaks of red appearing on her cheeks.

Conan let out tiny gasp, as he now understands what his newfound friend is trying to do. He couldn't help blushing as well. Her resemblance to the woman he loves is juuuust too… odd?

But something is still lingering at the back of his mind, bothering him, not letting him settle down for a moment… What if this Ace guy has something to do with them?

"And, Conan-kun?" he suddenly heard her say.

"Hm?" He looked at Aoko, with every intention to attentively listen to what she has to say.

She gave him a sweet smile and said, "Thanks for covering up for me a while ago…"

"D-don't mention it. I know you have your own reasons." The little one said sheepishly. "J-ja… I'll… go ahead, then…"

With that, Conan retreated to his hiding place with a satisfied grin, and Aoko was left to admire the beauty of the moon almost in its full phase...

-At present…-

When the mysterious Ace was positive they were not being followed anymore, he stopped and landed on a steep elevation on the far side of the Amagi Mountains overlooking the sea in the western coast of Izu. From there, they can very well see the beach that Kaito and Aoko shared so many memories together. The bright silver moon served as their only source of light. Ace decided to stop and rest there for a bit. After all, every great creature of the sky should stop and rest its wings every once in a while. That goes for the Lucky Beginner, too. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he laid Aoko down on the grassy ground and allowed her to cry once again.

Aoko just sat there, hugging herself by her knees, her face buried in her arms. She just couldn't take it. How could Kaito let her be taken away just like that? She was expecting so much of him, but it seems she has to learn the hard way…

So much has changed between us ever since I told him about how I feel about him. I shouldn't have trusted too much on him about this…

Her grip on her skirt tightened and before she knew it, she was sobbing in sadness. The night seemed so still, except for the occasional blow of the winds coming from the southeast and her crying. There she was, still wondering about what she just allowed herself into, it took a while before she noticed the thief's hand stretched onto her, and in his hand was a chocolate bar wrapped in foil.

"Here, have some. It'll make you feel a lot better…" Ace told her, again with that deep, misleading voice that she assumes he altered a bit.

Aoko took his little gift without saying anything, holding it on eye level. Just where that chocolate bar came from, she can only care less. When she paused to look at it closely, Ace let out a quiet snigger and told her, "Don't worry. I didn't poison it or anything…"

He leaned on closer to her so that their eyes would meet before he added, "Like I said, I wouldn't harm you in any way… And, don't worry; I'll take you back to that campsite just before the sun rises…"

Aoko nodded weakly, quite surprised that even if this guy before her is a criminal, he doesn't look threatening at all, unlike a certain blonde detective she knew of who seems to want something from her. She unwrapped part of the foil and took a small piece off from the chocolate. She then ate the bite-sized sweet, smiling secretly to herself… Kaito likes chocolates, too…

After a while, Ace sat beside her, just watching her quietly with his hands locked together on his chin and an alluring smile curved across his features.

"I'm surprised you never told anyone about my note," he suddenly said when he was sure she wasn't crying anymore.

Aoko was wide-eyed upon Ace's words, "How did you—?"

"I told you I've been watching for a while, didn't I?" he beamed. "So, what's your reason behind it?" Ace asked.

The brown-haired girl paused in an effort to look for the right words to say what she has to say, staring blankly at the remaining piece of chocolate in her hands.

"I never planned to. I just… wanted to go away for a while, maybe disappear from this place."

Slowly, the thief's smile disappeared from his face and jerked in surprise, "Why's that?" he asked.

Another pause and Ace tilted his head to the side, eager to get a better glimpse at the fine young lady before him. Aoko took a deep breath before she said in a voice almost like a whisper, "After I told Kaito how I feel about someone, I just knew something's gonna change…" She took another bite on the chocolate. She couldn't help it! Every word she's saying is tearing her whole being apart; and the chocolate worked like magic to her, like every little problem is slowly fading away.

From behind the silk mask, Kaito's eyes widened and a sudden heavy feeling overwhelmed his heart. He sat there, dumbfounded upon his best friend's words…

"He's drifting away from me, not knowing that it was him I was talking about that whole time…"

Another bite…

"What about you? Why are you doing this, Ace? You don't seem to be that kind of person who would selfishly take things he wants with him…"

It took a while before Ace said, "I have my reasons… I'm doing this for a friend."

Aoko hastily swung her head to his direction, "You're not suggesting Kid, are you?"

Ace replied with a grin, "Maybe, maybe not."

He was expecting her to grin back, but she didn't. Instead, she looked down in misery, "I envy you…"

"Huh? Why?"

She took another bite from the chocolate bar, thankful that it makes her feel a less miserable.

"You don't have to worry about anything but yourself…"

"Eh?"

"Unlike me…"

Silence… It was said a woman's silence breaks a man's heart to pieces, and right now, it proved true for the masked Kaito. It hurts him that he can't do anything to keep her from feeling that way. After all, it was due to his carelessness that led to these happenings.

Baka, Kaito thought. I'm human too, and I worry that I might lose you from someone else… Someone who can't even make a smile appear from your face…

He waited for her to continue, but she sat there, absent-mindedly eating the chocolate he gave her. Another bite and Aoko soon realized that was the last of it. She bit her lip in misery and soon fresh tears streamed down her eyes once more. She desperately tried to wipe them away. After all, she realized that crying in front of a complete stranger is somewhat embarrassing. She stood up and walked towards the end of the cliff, desperate to hide those tears from him.

"Aoko-san?" the masked man had a hint of concern in his voice. He walked towards her and placed two comforting hands upon her shaking shoulders.

"I'm losing everything I ever care about; my mom from many years back, my dad because of Kid, and now my best friend... I can't take it anymore!" she wailed as she continued to cry.

But then again, what is she crying about? It's plainly not the loss of chocolate, that's just too childish. So, is it because of her stupidity, that she believed things are still the same between her and her best friend? Is it about her losing everything? Or is it because of the thought that… that…

"Take me away, Ace." Before she can stop herself, these words suddenly came out of her trembling lips. She turned to look at him, straight into that black mask where she assumes his eyes were. "Take me wherever you want to. I don't want to be here anymore…"

"Aoko-san…"

It was then that the magician in disguise came to a realization that Akako was right! Aoko's encounter with his third persona is a BIG MISTAKE. At the first place, like what the sorceress said, creating him was one of the most foolish ideas he has ever came up with. And now, he understood wht she meant by that. Aoko was clutching on to the collar of his suit to prevent herself from stumbling down. For some reasons, her knees feel really weak… Maybe there really is something in that chocolate.

But, she thought, why would he do that? It's better to stop thinking like this. After all, he did make her feel better.

Finally, he let out a sigh and said, "It's not easy as it sounds like, Aoko-san…"

"I don't care… Just… let me forget…" She gripped tighter on his suit her eyes all puffy from crying too much.

Aoko…

"Do whatever you want that you think will make me happy," she continued. She was shouting at him, and she didn't even realize it. That's how desperate she was. If there's absolutely no way for her to return what has been, then maybe it's better to face what is to be…

By then, Aoko took notice: her mysterious abductor is already… shaking all over?

"Ace?" she asked, noticing the streaks of red on his partly-covered cheeks.

A trembling gloved hand slowly went to her waist, while the other longed to touch those lovely lips. He gently wiped her tears away and leaned closer. Closer and closer they went until his wavering lips came in contact with her flawlessly red ones. Aoko was hesitant at first, but enjoying the feeling of her first kiss, she closed her eyes and kissed him back not before long… which was kind of odd, for as soon as their lips touched, it made her feel like she already knew him for the longest time.

Kaito's hand now went to the back of her head, pulling her to an even deeper kiss. His mind tells him this is a mistake, but his heart tells him otherwise. How could he resist? He finally had a kiss with the girl he loved the most… or was it really Kaito she was kissing?

No… In front of her is not Kaito, but a masked figure going by the name Ace. He isn't the best friend she knew for so many years. Is he really doing the right thing?

But then again, like they say, sometimes, what makes you happy is not really the right thing… Kaito kept to that saying as he continued to be intimate with her.

Soon, his other hand made its way inside the back of her shirt, stroking her perfect figure ever so lightly. A sweet moan escaped her lips, and he began to stick his tongue in her mouth. She responded with another moan as she felt a shiver running down her spine. Butterflies made it more thrilling and it made her kiss him back, allowing him access to the sweetness of the invisible drug-like substance making its way to his throat. She slung her arms around his neck, enjoying the intoxicating feeling brought about by the touching of their lips. And before they knew it, they were in another dimension, where time and space never existed, where troubles drift away like magic…

Magic… Aoko thought as she gasped for breath. He was always so good at it…

Ace once again pulled the girl to another deep kiss, until a single name coming from her lips stopped him…

"Kaito…"

Ace, quite surprised about it, broke the kiss and pushed himself as far away as possible with a hand over his lips. The equally surprised young lady did the same as tears once again started welling up in her shock-filled eyes.

"I'm—I'm sorry…" Ace said with difficulty. "I—I didn't mean to…"

Aoko just stood there looking at him. She slowly shook her head in disbelief… Did she just have her first kiss taken by a total stranger?

"D… don't be…" were the only words she was able to blurt out. Aoko looked away from him and said, "It—It's my fault for asking you such a huge favor."

"Aoko-san…" Ace whispered. Aoko took a few steps towards him and put a gentle hand on his cheeks, her thumb caressing it as she wonders about who the guy behind the mask is…

"W—Who are you?" the lass asked. Ace didn't say a thing and looked away from her. The hand still on his face forced him to look straight at her. When she did, her free hand took his other cheek. Her eyes narrowed in an effort to try to identify who he is. When staring didn't work, she reached for the knot at the back of his head. Kaito remained motionless. She'll find out anyway… Why wait for another day to tell her about this nonsense?

Soon, the knot came untied, but before it came off him…

"AOKO-NEECHAN!" a voice of a little boy shouted. Aoko's attention was taken by that voice as she looked at the direction where it came from. Voices of a Kansai-ben and another guy echoed together with it.

"Til next time, my fair lady," he said as he pulled the rim of his hat in an attempt to keep his face unseen, kissed her at the back of her palm and took off; leaving no sign that he had gone there except for the black piece of cloth she was clasping.

She was left there, red-faced and all, and quite dismayed that she never got to know who the guy behind the mask it.

B—But why do I feel this way? Aoko started questioning herself, her mind once again drifting to a far-off place. My heart can't stop pounding so hard against my chest… Is it possible that… I'm falling in love with a person I never even know anything about?

A finger went over her lips, tracing its shape over and over again. That made her redder than ever, and a mixed emotion of guilt and pleasure overwhelmed her.

No… That's completely impossible… I still love Kaito, after all… Or… or do I?

In confusion, she placed a hand desperately on her forehead, trying too hard to make the unclear clear to her, but to no avail.

Wh… What happened exactly? Why do I feel like this?

"Aoko-neechan!" Conan shouted once again as he finally managed to find her. The elementary detective ran towards her in relief, knowing now with only one look at the place that Ace had been here, and that he isn't associated with the Black Organization in any way.

"Aoko!" Hakuba said, appearing behind the little boy with Heiji.

"Conan-kun! And Saguru-kun and Hattori-kun, too…"

"Hah, thank goodness we found you." Hakuba told her with a sigh of relief.

"The chibi no gakincho was righ' after all, ne Co—" Heiji paused, only to realize that Conan, who was there with them a minute ago was nowhere to be seen… Oi, where'd that bighead go?

"Anyway, are you okay?" Hakuba asked.

"Y… yeah, but…" Aoko looked around, "Where's Kaito?"

"Oh, that guy? He left a note back in camp saying he must've forgotten something back at the beach. I dunno if it's true, though," Hakuba answered, jerking his shoulder upwards.

"Oh," was the only thing the girl said in disappointment. Once again she was staring blankly at nowhere. It took a vigorous shake from Hakuba to snap her out of it.

"Aoko, daijobu desu ka (are you okay)? Did something happen to you?"

Aoko flushed but decided to lie to avoid any other questions, "Ah… n-nothing, nothing at all. We better go back…"

"Uh, okay…" Hakuba said, although he wasn't convinced about it.

"Well I guess I'd better find the li'l guy. Who knows where he is?" Heiji said and bid the two people goodbye.

.

As Aoko went back to camp with Hakuba leading the way, she noticed that she was actually holding a piece of paper together with Ace's black mask, that same rose-scented paper that the mysterious Ace gave her that afternoon. She slowly unfolded it, making sure that nobody was watching her do so. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw seven little words on the paper—seven little words that broke her to million little pieces…

The Kuroba Kaito you know is dead.

"Baka… You're unfair, getting what you want then leaving me anyway. You don't know anything…" and if he really is dead, then I'll simply look for a way to bring him back to life… to bring him back to me…

Aoko's mysterious abductor, Ace, finally showed himself once again. With a bar of chocolate under the moonlight, Aoko reveals her fears and her feelings for the best friend she once knew to a total stranger, not knowing that he wasn't that of a stranger at all.

And now, Kaito finally knows the truth, but it seems he's not doing anything to turn this all around nor even made the slightest effort to tell her how sorry he was. Instead, he once again gave her a note (as Ace) with words that totally shook Aoko's being.

Due to Kaito's unusual stupidity, Aoko is now beginning to doubt on her true feelings, her decisions, her friends, and even herself...

Just what another crazy scheme is Kaito up to? Is he just about to let it all go to waste?

And where has our little Conan gone off to? Is he just about to take this opportunity to make the guy snap out of his insanity? Is it to reveal Ace's and Kaitou Kid's identity?

...or is there something else he intends to do?

Find out in the next few chapters…

(and extra chapters, perhaps?)

A/N: KYAAAA!~ Was it me or is it getting hot in here? Honestly speaking it's a first for me to write about a kiss… I hope I didn't fail… I honestly did what I could to control myself. O.o

Come on, Aoko-chan, you're much brighter than that. How can you bring something back if you never even lost it? :D

And NOW we know why Conan left with a grin on his face after he had a conversation with Aoko. He knew Aoko intended for Ace to take her away!

...

Hmm... What do you guys think of an extra chapter?

I'm thinking of one, actually, kinda like a sequel to this chapter, except that it's a little shorter and will only focus on quite a few important characters. It won't defeat the purpose of the story, instead it'll tell us a few important little details about what might happen... Tell me what you think...

Comments are looooved!

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Love lots,

-neonquincy1217-

:3