Warning(s): Shitty Grammar, OOC, Mild Language

"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." – Dr. Seuss

...

Shinichi knew he had it bad the first morning he woke up with a sudden realization that he was in love. Literally throwing himself out the bed to try and forget the thing he just had realized but the water didn't seem to be the best solution at his declaration of being in love despite the fact that he never encountered such as love, after he got over with Ran.

Rinsing his face with soap and water, he leaned on the wall head back against the tiled wall, and sighed. He'd been doing that a lot lately when he had learned last week that his best friend – Kuroba Kaito, for that matter – has confessed to Aoko and they were going out. He didn't particularly care – or so he said so himself – but there was this nagging feeling on the back of his that said, "Go after him and stop this nonsense."

He opened his eyes and looked at the tub. At least he wouldn't see the magician until later. Kaito had invited him yesterday for dinner with his girlfriend and of course, Shinichi refused because he didn't want to be the third wheel of the supposedly a date, but the magician didn't listen. Shinichi sat on the bathtub as the water quickly fill it with warm water.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath until he closed his eyes for relaxation. He's been stressed a lot lately. After the declaration of Kaito's girlfriend, Shinichi had always been left alone in the library – not that he cared for the most part – but he had been used to the magician's presence, and he didn't know if he was just not used to it, or something more.

After an hour of cleaning himself – he didn't do anything but sleep, thank God he didn't drown – he opened his closet for something good to wear, ignoring that one little thing he just realized this morning. Shinichi didn't know if he could face the magician now that he knew for himself that he was in love with the same gender, with his best friend, and with his best friend who was obviously was a heterosexual considering he has a girlfriend.

When seven o'clock ticked from the clock's hand, Shinichi groaned. He wasn't sure if he could act as himself the moment Kaito's face dawn into him. He was fairly used to the idea of just settling back as soon as the whole fiasco faded, that was why Ran and he didn't work out. He didn't regret letting her go though, because he could see how happy she was with her new boyfriend, as for him, he didn't know. Maybe be a detective for life and die virgin? Probably both.

He took his car keys and opened his front door only to be surprised when Kaito almost knocked on Shinichi's face. Shinichi held a casual smile and met the other's eyes. Shinichi noted on the back of his head just how wonderful Kaito's eyes were that he never noticed before. Perhaps it was because he never did pay attention to anything rather than read his novels.

"What are you doing here?" Shinichi prodded as he realized that Kaito was by himself. He would have been happy by the thought because they were alone, but he reminded himself that Kaito has a girlfriend. And the girlfriend looked so remarkably Ran, so he couldn't let her see hurt even if he ever had the gut to even voice his feelings out.

"What's the matter, Shin-chan?" Kaito asked him, eyes pinned on the road. Shinichi answered with a muffled voice while his eyes darted on the busy road. Kaito arched an eyebrow, but let the issue drop. Shinichi inwardly sighed and mentally smacked himself for even thinking of pouncing Kaito now that he was at it.

Finally, the time had dawn to him. Why was it so far away anyway? Were they going back to Ekoda? Then why didn't the magician just picked up her girlfriend first and let Shinichi drove himself? All the time, Kaito had always managed to surprise him in anyway, but today was an exception, he wasn't in the mood for fun at all.

"You're quieter than your usual, Shin-chan." Kaito said while his eyes still on the busy road. Shinichi let out a muffled sigh but sat up straight and countered the magician's observation.

"I've always been this quiet, Kaito." Shinichi said, his eyes trying to search more interesting things other than Kaito's face. Though, he mused, there was nothing more interesting than Kaito himself. He was after all, what Shinichi had been wanting all along until he realized he was too late to even think of that matter. Perhaps he would never get over this issue for at least years. Or forever, Shinichi thought dryly.

"Not that quiet. Tell me, what's wrong?" Kaito prodded the issue more, he couldn't let the detective in question be depress on something, and didn't let him to know. What best friends were for if he didn't do the job in a more useful way?

"…No I'm fine." Shinichi grumbled, restraining himself from doing anything to let that frown on Kaito's face to go away. He had it bad, Shinichi thought warily, as he looked at Kaito's perfect features. Though they were similar in features in most kind of ways, they were different in everything. In every aspect, Shinichi's ideas contradicted Kaito every time. He even asked himself how they became best friend in the first place.

"Ah right, I can perfectly see you're fine." Kaito's voice was playful but knowing Kaito for like forever, Shinichi knew he was serious on not dropping the matter. Letting out a stifle sighed, Shinichi looked out the window, and he knew for the fact that Kaito was looking at him with those scrutinizing eyes of his that showed every inch of it that he could see Shinichi's soul inside out.

"I'm in love, Kaito." Shinichi half yelled because the magician's stare had sent him on the edge. He placed his hands on his mouth to cover it for saying anymore nonsense as the car stopped on the sidelines and the magician peered at him wide-eyed.

"You're in love?! Why didn't you say so then?" Kaito cheerfully asked, more cheerful than what Shinichi had imagined. Erasing the odd behavior of the magician, Shinichi shifted to his seat uncomfortably. For all he knew, Kaito was watching everything and every inch he moved.

"It's nothing, Kai. It's something I realized this morning. No need to pry on it." The pleading tone Shinichi placed in his voice didn't stop the magician from asking. The more he got closer, the more Shinichi's heart trembled. He wanted nothing else but to hugged the magician and closed their distance together, but he reminded himself of the dreaded fact that Kaito has a girlfriend.

"What's wrong with realizing that you are in love Shin-chan?" The magician asked still cheerfulness could sense on his voice. Shinichi had to wonder if he was hearing things right, but why was the magician sounded so sad even if the cheerfulness was there?

He wondered, but erased the thoughts because he didn't want to get his hopes up. He still didn't know Kaito that well even if they'd spent time together since childhood. The magician had the tendency to hide all of his worries to himself and most of the times Shinichi had been mad about those moments because it felt like Kaito didn't trust him enough.

"It's nothing. I just realized it a bit too late. Even if I interject, that person wouldn't have second thoughts anyway." He mused out loud, sounding a bit bitter than he intended to. Shinichi casted a glance over Kaito and saw how the magician was unfocused.

"Hey, you okay?" Shinichi asked, but hit his back head on the window when the magician beamed at him. Again, a little too cheerful than Shinichi had seen the magician ever used. He was probably anticipating for him to get together with someone after Ran's break up with him, but spent months of waiting, and nothing came out.

"I'm fine. Aoko sent me a text that she's been waiting for hours." Kaito said sheepishly and pressed on the pedal. He was distracted, Shinichi observed. But he couldn't tell why, though he had a vague idea, but he didn't think it would affect the magician this bad. Was it wrong not to tell him? Kaito always did the same thing so he was far at fault, Shinichi thought grumpily.

As they reached down a plain house, Shinichi didn't go down from the car even if it looked rude. He was not in the mood to do any formalities right now. If Kaito was happy to her, then Shinichi thought otherwise. As the couple made their way inside, Shinichi just nodded in acknowledgement to the girl. He was fairly familiar with her and she knew that he was not someone who talks a lot, so that thing was done.

"Hear this Aoko I remembered seeing this in the tabloid yesterday afternoon. There is this new built amusement park in Tokyo, do you want to come and visit?" Kaito asked as he drove the car with now Aoko on his side. Shinichi decided it was fair if the couple sat by themselves and he didn't mean to intrude with their moments anyway.

The girl beamed at Kaito and Shinichi wondered if he could be placed into her place. Then he smiled bitterly, that would never happened because as Shinichi, the logical of them all, he knew that things would go this way even if he hated every bit of it. As long as Kaito has Aoko, Shinichi would be the shadow. As long Kaito has Aoko, he would never look at Shinichi the way he looked at Aoko, Shinichi thought dryly. At least, that set things out.

Shinichi didn't notice the pair of indigo eyes looking at his direction with deepest regret adorning the owner of the pair of eyes. He wished he would have the guts, but for now, he would let things happen as they intended. But after some time, fun needed to be in the air if his guts followed him.

...

A/N: I want to at least create a funny one, but depressing ones only comes to mind. Haha, I'll try searching for more ideas. Bwahah. :)