Um yeah, sorry I'm so late, I've been really busy.. as well as tired, so I'm pretty much forcing myself to write, though I have to say, most of this chapter is written with some intent to amuse myself :|
And on another note, thank you all for being so patient with me and this story, as it is.. like.. years old :P
Yeah, again, sorry and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon!
And an extra: Someone is returning in the chapter, somone I really enjoy messing our with our dear detective!
Chapter 14.
Simply The Truth.
Kaito entered the cafeteria and looked around for the girl that was already famous around campus for her beauty and her intellect. Kaito barely noticed the other girls that was trying to get his attention, but he soon spotted the young woman in a corner of the large room, and then he walked right over, not seeing, but knowing the pouts on the other girls. Kaito came over to the table and sat down, seeing Nori was slumped over the table, her hands across the flat surface.
"Gloomy today?" Kaito asked. Nori barely moved her head, looking up at him with a soft glare. Her hair was disheveled and she looked like she hadn't slept in a while, but Kaito knew she had, because, well, quite conveniently, they slept in the same bed. Nori groaned, then faced the table again.
"Don't want to talk about it.." she muttered. Kaito began chuckling at Nori's unusually childish behavior, which only Kaito usually was. The magician reached out and curled a finger into one of Nori's many, messed up curls. He twirled it around his finger a few times before he was abruptly stopped from his own musing as Nori sat up, pouting.
"Kaito.." she breathed. Kaito grinned.
"Whatever it takes for you to look at me." the man said. Nori's face immediately turned red and Kaito couldn't help the laughter rising from his stomach. Nori pouted again when the magician almost collapsed on the table from the laughter.
"Kaito." she whined, hitting him on the head. He grunted, but was still smirking when he sat up, though nursing his head. Nori eyes him as Kaito pouted, then she cracked a smile, giving Kaito a grateful look.
"Thank you." she said. Kaito grinned.
"Anytime." Kaito answered quickly, grinning from ear to ear. Nori continued to look at him for a few minutes before she suddenly sighed. Kaito's smile slowly disappeared.
"Is it about Mouri-san?" he asked. Nori nodded.
"I was prepared for her to cry, scream and hit, but not faint and just... become like a doll, I think even Sonoko was shocked to some extent.. it was almost like.. she has lost her will to live." she stated. Kaito nodded.
"Well, hearing the death of one you love so much is hard.. I know.." Kaito said. Nori's face read realization then regret.
"Oh Kaito, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of your mother's death.." she said, looking like she really was sorry. Kaito smiled and shook his head.
"It's okay, thanks to you I've started to get over it, at least a little more than before, but I also lost my old man, who I loved more than anyone because.. well, a lot of things really..." he nervously laughed when Nori raised a slender eyebrow. Then she chuckled.
"Oh yeah, I forgot, KID I right? Your like KID's reincarnation or something." she asked, laughing when Kaito pouted.
"It sounds almost.. like I'm a copy cat or something." he whined.
"Well, isn't that what you are?" Nori asked. Kaito pouted.
"No!" he whined. Nori chuckled.
"Okay, okay.. your a next generation, still, I swear, if I have to raise a new generation if KID, I will bury you in fish!" Nori said, smirking a bit. Kaito got this slightly frightened look on his face before he laughed nervously.
"Please don't do that.." he whimpered. Nori smiled, though evilly.
"I'll think about it." she answered, laughing a bit. Kaito pouted. Suddenly Nori's phone rang and she was startled out of her amusement. Kaito watched as she pulled up her phone, then groaned.
"Who is it?" Kaito asked, amused.
"The devil.." Nori groaned before she answered.
"What is it Kaa-san? I'm at school!" she complained and Kaito could help but laugh at the fact that Nori called her mom a devil. Though he couldn't blame her. Kudou Yukiko was and always will be a scary woman. Even Haibara could be a soft, kind little girl compared to her from time to time. Suddenly Nori gaped, her face going white, then dark red.
"Y-you what? Kaa-san, can't you at least.. call a bit earlier?" Nori groaned. She didn't seem to get the answer she wanted as the male turned female detective stood up. Kaito followed right away as Nori began pouting.
"Kaa-san, seriously.. wait.. is Otou-san coming too?" Nori asked, then she turned a nasty shade of grey and blue, or so Kaito swore he saw.
"Kaa-san, why?" Nori groaned. Kaito had a suspicion as to why she was trying to get her parents to stay away, but he hadn't confirmed it yet. After a bit more complaining from Nori, she hung up. Kaito stepped closer, gently intertwining his hand with hers, and thus gaining a lot of glares from all the other male students.
"What is wrong?" he asked. Nori looked at him.
"The worst.." she said, pouting, but at the same time looking at bit troubled.
"Why?" Kaito asked.
"Because my parents are returning today.." she said. Kaito felt a chill rise up his spine. If they came back, that meant that he and Nori would- Nori sighed, stopping Kaito's thoughts.
"I guess.. no, I hope Otou-san wont kill you." she said, smiling sweetly up at him. Kaito just stiffened, a chill rising up his spine yet again.
"If your trying to reassure me, then it's not working Nori-chan." Kaito whined. Nori giggled, then pulled at his hand.
"I know, but I also know that your dad was a close friend of mine, so I think Otou-san will go easier on you." she said. Kaito just laughed, though his laughter was filled with uneasiness.
"Yeah.. that helped.."
"Kaa-san? Otou-san?" Nori called as she entered the house with Kaito in tow, though the magician seemed to get more and more stiff the closer they got to the house. There was some sort of squeal inside the house and Kaito just about flew out of the door, hiding in fear. Nori stared at Kaito before turning, meeting his mother.
"GAH!" Nori just about shrieked, having to hold a hand against her chest to calm her heart.
"Mom, don't do that again!" she whined, then she was pulled into a tight, breathless hug.
"Careful now Yukiko, or you'll strangle her." another voice stated and Yukiko immediately let go of Nori, who was trying her hardest to take deep breaths. Nori looked over her shoulder, seeing Kaito was hiding behind a bush right beside the gate.
"Is there something wrong?" Yukiko asked, both Yusaku and her had noticed the stare. Nori's head didn't move back, but she was smiling, and nodding.
"Excuse me for a second." then she exited the house, walking down the gate, but stopped by the bush, then turned towards it.
"Kaito." she said. The magician whined, but did come out of hiding. Nori grabbed his hand and mercilessly dragged him back to the front door. Kaito continued to whine, and avoided the eyes of Nori's parents.
"Um.. well, Otou-san, Kaa-san, this is.. er.. Kuroba Kaito." Nori began. Yukiko stared at the young man before she squealed.
"Kuroba Kaito? Can you be the little Kaito-kun that used to come with your dad? You've grown so much!" she said, squealing. Kaito just laughed nervously, then he nodded. Yusaku smiled as well.
"Yes, it's been a while, how are you?" he asked as well. Kaito glanced at Nori, who glanced back, squeezing his hand through hers.
"Um.. Otou-san, Kaito and I.. we're.. dating.." she said slowly, looking back at her father. Yusaku's face fell right away, as did Yukiko. Kaito was almost too sure they'd kick him out, or worse, beat him to death, but instead, Yukiko just about screamed in delight and hugged them both. Kaito and Nori both stared at each other in shock.
"Um.. Kaa-san?" Nori asked, completely shocked. Yukiko just smiled cheerfully.
"Don't mind me, you two are a perfect pair, so beautiful.. right Yu-chan?" she asked, turning towards Yusaku, who had been silent all this time. Kaito and Nori both held their breaths, waiting, hoping. For a few minutes, they actually thought Yusaku would hit the other male in the room. Then the author took some steps, coming closer before stopping right in front of Kaito, who was sweating like a mad right now.
"Make her cry and die okay?" he said, smiling, though his voice was dipped in sweet poison. Kaito was very quick to nod, and doing so several times.
"Y-yes sir." he said, keeping himself straight. Nori giggled.
"Thanks Otou-san." she said, smiling at him. Yusaku stared.
"What kind of father would I be if I denied my child love?" he asked back. Nori blushed.
"O-otou-san!" she whined. Yusaku laughed, as did Yukiko.
"Well, come on in, don't stand there Nori-chan, you too Kaito-kun." she said and the two followed slowly.
Nori and Kaito sat down in the living room as her parents sat down opposite. Yusaku didn't look pleased, but he didn't look angry either so Nori guessed it was fine. Yukiko continued to smile, reminding Nori of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, or just Kaito when he had tricked Hakuba into something.
"So, when did you two start dating?" Yukiko bluntly asked, catching the younger pair off guard. Nori gaped and Kaito flushed lightly.
"K-Kaa-san." Nori groaned. Kaito just chuckled. Yukiko raised an eyebrow.
"Well?" she asked, smiling almost evilly. A blush appeared on Nori's face and she looked down, looking a bit uncomfortable. Kaito too, but he took it with a smile. Nori sighed, then she pouted ever so lightly.
"We meet at To'o.." she said. Yukiko nodded.
"And?" she asked.
"We didn't get together right away Kaa-san.. I guess.." she turned to Kaito.
"A few weeks after that.. it wasn't around that time." Kaito said, not giving away what happened.
"What happened then?" Yukiko asked.
"Well, it was around the time when.. I told him who I really am.." she said. Both Yukiko and Yusaku's face fell right away, they hadn't expected her to tell the magician willingly about her identity, and yet she had.
"You've never done that before.." Yusaku stated. Nori flushed.
"I felt like I cheated Kaito when I held it back, thought it still took a week before we spoke to each other after that, but I guess one thing lead to another.." Nori said, scratching her cheek. Yusaku stared at Kaito.
"So you weren't able to.. accept that Nori is actually a boy?" he asked.
"N-no.. it wasn't that.. it just shook me up, if anyone would understand and accept me, that would be her, and likewise towards her, but, I guess I got so shocked.. and maybe scared that I just ran, couldn't sleep at all that night, but.. I did go by to apologize, but those times she wasn't even awake.. she's quite a sleepyhead." he teased. Nori pouted.
"Kaito!" Kaito just laughed.
"But.. when my mom died Nori was persistent enough and well, yeah, as she said, one thing lead to another.." Kaito said, smiling softly. Nori's smile, which had appeared while he talked, disappeared. Yukiko nodded.
"Yes, I heard she passed away, it must have been hard, first Touichi, then your mother." she said, showing sympathy for him. Kaito smiled.
"Nori's the one I can thank, she helped me back on my feet." he said. Yukiko nodded. Then she turned to Yusaku and took his hand. Yusaku turned to her, then he smiled before he stood up.
"Well, as long as they're happy." he said and Nori smiled.
"Um.. by the way, Kaito's kind of moved into this house.." well, it seemed she was smart in not saying it until after her parents had accepted Kaito, because by the look on Yusaku's face, Kaito wasn't going to get within ten feet of her room from now on, or worse, ten feet of the house.
Kaito sighed as he let the book fall down to his body. The magician turned his head slightly, watching as Nori sat in the chair, looking comfortable with the book she held. But Kaito didn't say anything, because it was a comfortable silence as well, not something he'd disturb just like that. And it would have stayed that way as well if the doorbell hadn't rung. Nori looked up from her book, her eyes just as piercing blue as they were when she and Kaito met the first time. It sent a thrilling feeling down Kaito's spine every time he saw it, and he never missed seeing them. It reminded him of his heists, even if it was Nori, as an university girl, Conan as an elementary school kid or Shinichi as a high school boy, it always made his heist more exiting and surprising. Hakuba wasn't able to make that feeling, nor Heiji or Nakamori, only Nori. And Kaito didn't mind one bit. However, said girl didn't move from her chair as steps in the stairs could be heard and Kaito recognized the light steps as Yukiko's.
"Yes?" her somewhat quiet voice drifted in through the open door. After all, Kaito and Nori was sitting in the living room, and that wasn't exactly right beside the front door, it was in a corner of the house.
"Kaito-kun?" now that called for said magician's name. The young woman sat up, putting down her book. Kaito sat up as well, closing his own book.
"Who can that be?" he wondered out loud. Nori shook her head.
"It's probably someone who knows you.. and isn't dangerous, or Kaa-san would have noticed." Nori stated. Kaito nodded.
"Well, let's hope it some of our fellow classmate's or something, or it could be that Mouri-girl." he said. Nori gave him a troubled look.
"I hope not, it's going to get even more troublesome the more she stays around me." she stated. Kaito nodded.
"Well, it makes sense." he said.
"Yeah, let's go." then she stood up, exiting the room, Kaito following right after. As the two neared the door, they saw a long haired brunette, however, it wasn't Ran, but could damn well be. Kaito just groaned.
"Aoko." he muttered. Nori stared at him with a raised eyebrow before she turned towards the door, where Aoko stood with, surprisingly Hakuba as well. Nori smiled softly when the girl entered, giving Nori a smile back.
"Nori-chan, how are you?" she asked, coming over. Nori smiled back.
"I've been well, how are your burns?" she asked back. Aoko giggled.
"Well, they're pretty good, compared to poor Hattori-kun this is nothing, I haven't heard from him in a few weeks, how is his burns?" she asked. Nori smiled, then she nodded thoughtfully.
"He still has a few weeks of therapy, but otherwise he is almost completely healed, though the scars will remain for the rest of his life." she explained. Aoko smiled even more before she gave Nori a sympathetic look.
"I'm glad he survived, he saved me after all." she said. Nori nodded.
"Hattori wouldn't have it any other way.. he did a very good deed and despite the pain, took the burns with that immense pride of his." Nori stated, laughing a bit. Kaito snorted, thus calling the attention of Hakuba as well.
"His pride isn't bigger than Hakuba anyway.." the magician casually stated, laughing and fleeing when Hakuba reached out to most likely strangle him. Nori rolled her eyes, as did Aoko.
"Those two never stop.." she said, groaning.
"Nope, and never will." Nori agreed. After watching the magician get chased around by the detective for a while, the girls decided to head into the living room. Aoko sat down on the couch, looking around the room.
"You live in a really big home." she commented. Nori flushed lightly.
"Well, it's Yukiko-san and Yusaku-san's house really, I'm more of a freeloader, but their son was my cousin so.." she explained. Aoko got this weird look on her face.
"Was?" she asked. Nori sighed.
"Well, my parents are dead, they died in a car accident a long time ago, but you might have heard of their son, Shinichi? He's just as famous as Hakuba, even a bit more.. he died recently and.. well, I barely got to meet him.." Nori smiled sadly while explaining. Aoko gasped.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I was digging into wounds wasn't it?" she asked.
"No, it's okay, I'm already getting over it, Kaito's been a big help, just as much as I've helped him getting over his mother dying.. the Kudou's were friends with the Kuroba's you see." Nori said. Aoko gaped.
"Really? I never would have guessed, that's awesome, though Kaito never spoke of you." she said. Nori chuckled.
"Well, Kaito didn't meet them often, he has meet Yukiko-san on some occasions, but I think his father and Yusaku-san were friends slash rivals, in a weird way." Nori said. Aoko nodded.
"Well, it'd make sense, if they knew his father and he died when Kaito was young so Kaito most probably don't remember them that much." Nori nodded, agreeing. Suddenly Kaito came jumping into the room before slamming the door, most probably shutting Hakuba out. Nori and Aoko exchanged looks, then they both rolled their eyes and sighed. Kaito skipped over to the couch and sat down beside Nori, cheerfully humming to himself while he wore one of his more silly smiles, but Nori couldn't help but find it cute anyway.
"Had enough fun toying around with Hakuba?" Nori asked. Kaito grinned.
"Never and you know that Nori-chan." he said. Nori glared, though halfheartedly.
"Geez Kaito, you never learn." Aoko complained. Kaito leaned back in the couch, smirking.
"Of course I do, I just get better at evading your rants and.. the mop." and Nori didn't quite get how Aoko produced said mop out of thin air, but didn't want to know either so she just watched as the brunette chased Kaito around the room, calling him things and he calling back. Just as Hakuba managed to finally open the door, Aoko ran right into him and the two tumbled down to the floor. Kaito looked around the door, then down, watching as Hakuba stared red faced up at Aoko, whose face was equally red. Nori watched with some shock before she smiled, her eyes showing a bit of amusement. Kaito just smirked.
"You two should stay there, I'll get the camera!" Kaito said, but it had the opposite effect as the two quickly got up, both glaring at Kaito. He just smiled back, despite the murderous glares now sent his way. Nori rolled her eyes at Kaito's antics, but couldn't help but smile at the other two's cute blushes, and if Nori was lucky, then Hakuba was in love with Aoko, because the female detective had noticed the looks Hakuba had sent her earlier.
"And do what with it Kuroba?" Hakuba's voice was hard now. Kaito snickered.
"I don't know.. maybe I'd slip one to Nakamori-san?" Aoko's face turned abruptly red.
"Don't you dare Kaito!" she growled. Kaito raised his arms.
"Don't fret, it wont be that bad, will it? It's not like he'll kill Hakuba or something.." well, he spoke to soon, because soon his had Aoko's mysterious mop right in the face. Kaito didn't make a sound, just moved the mop away and grinned cheerfully.
"Oh, and I thought about sending it to the task force, they'll be so happy to know that Nakamori-san's daughter is dating the failure of a detective chasing KID." and then he poffed away, obviously knowing he had ticked off Hakuba. Nori could see it too, the veins was popping on the young man's forehead, it showed through his blonde bangs.
"Just ignore him, he's been a bit ignored lately." she said, waving her hands at the two. Aoko and Hakuba seemed to consider going after him, then they both heaved a sigh before they came over, sitting down on the couch in front.
"So, who were those guys that kidnapped you?" Hakuba suddenly asked. Nori stiffened completely. It seemed to confuse the other two to some extent, but Hakuba, unlike Aoko, wasn't showing it.
"What is it Nori-chan?" Aoko asked. Nori looked down, her eyes a bit wide. She started trembling, but was startled out of her depressed state when Kaito suddenly appeared with a smoke bomb, then he sat down beside Nori, grabbing her hand while glaring at the other two.
"Why do you need to ask that?" Kaito asked. Hakuba was perplexed at Kaito's sudden protectiveness. Aoko titled her head to the side before she nudged Hakuba's side.
"It's probably not a good thing to ask." she suggested and Kaito nodded.
"She's right!" Kaito stated. Hakuba however, didn't seem to accept it like that.
"But, why?" Kaito sighed.
"Need not to know!" he stated in English and Hakuba's eyes widened considerable. It seemed he knew the meaning of those words, as did Nori, who had used them herself. Aoko just looked like she was troubled and confused at the same time. Nori looked up at Hakuba and Aoko, then she nodded, just making more confusion to Kaito's statement. Hakuba suddenly frowned.
"I'm not going to ask how you know those words, what I'd ask is, why?" Hakuba asked. Kaito sighed.
"Didn't I just say so? It's because it's to dangerous, just the fact that Aoko's alive is enough to endanger not only her own, but her dad's, your and her friends lives." Kaito stated. Nori nodded.
"That's the risk, you shouldn't dig into it, as we speak, the one who kidnapped up is probably killed by his own." Nori said. Hakuba didn't like that sentence one bit, nor did the rest, but he was the one who showed it the most.
"What? Why are they killed one of their own?" he asked.
"Because he got caught.. because the world now is on it's way to figure out what they are.. that is how they roll, everyone who knows that isn't part of their group is killed, included those who knows that person." Nori explained.
"So you meant that.. we are all in danger?" Hakuba asked.
"No, we are as good as dead!"
I always laugh when Yukiko appears, because she so.. what should I call it? Exentric? Excited? Crazy? Hm.. so many words..
Oh well, please review if you like it 'kay? :D Or I will let Gin go and let him go after Nori with a rifle..
Nori: ... the worst is you probably already have it planned..
Me: Nooo.. *giggle*