Correspondence
Ran stamped her foot impatiently. Where was he? He was supposed to meet her here five minutes ago!
The twelve year old girl was waiting in café under her father's office. Her best friend had promised to meet her to help her practice katas, although he insisted they meet at this coffee shop. Apparently the boy had fallen in love with the vanilla latte they served and couldn't find it anywhere else. But he was late!
Dammit, where was he? If he didn't show up soon, she was going to march over to his house and practice her karate on him there!
Grumbling, she decided to wait for another minute before taking extreme measures. After all, if Shinichi's parents were home, she didn't want to do anything. Yukiko-oba-san would go and tell her mother and Eri was very good with punishments, even if they weren't living together right now.
…His time was up. She got up with a huff, sending a short smile at the waitress that had given her water before stomping out of the shop and heading toward 2-21 Nichoume Street. If that jerk wasn't home, he'd be running into some serious trouble.
When she arrived, a frown formed on her face. The lights weren't on in any of the visible windows. She'd be willing to bet he was holed up the library, though. She fingered the key he'd given her in her pocket. If she rang the bell, would he even hear it? She knew how he got when he was reading – completely blocked out the rest of the world.
Once inside, she headed straight to the library and was surprised to find it empty. Where was he? She searched the house and finally wound up outside his bedroom. She could her a constant tapping inside and furrowed her brow. Knocking on the door, she pushed it open. "Shinichi?"
There was no reply from the boy she could see sitting in front of his computer, typing away. "Shinichi!" He jumped, spinning around to stare at her.
"Ran? What're you trying to do, give me a heart attack?"
"You were supposed to meet me six minutes ago!" She yelled, glaring at him.
He blinked, checking his watch. She was right. "Oops."
"Oops? Oops!? That's all you can say?" She growled.
"Sorry!" He held his hands up defensively. "I was busy. I got distracted."
"With what?"
"Nothing." Shinichi grumbled. He didn't want to say anything. It was personal, he didn't want anyone else to know about it.
It had started ages ago, over six years now. Most people didn't know, but he had an old friend, back from before his family had traveled to America when he was five or six. His mother was apprenticing under a talented magician, Kuroba Toichi. His son, Kaito, and Shinichi had gotten along well, becoming instant friends. So when the Kudo family moved, they'd talked their parents into buying them computers and exchanged email addresses. They'd kept in touch ever since.
Kaito and him had become close, even if they were only pen pals. Shinichi considered their relationship personal, he didn't want anyone else to know. It was special to him, he didn't want to ruin in by having other people butting in.
"So, what was I supposed to meet you for again?" He asked, turning off the monitor and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Ran grumbled, but now what he had been doing previously was the farthest thing from her mind.
--
Years later, Edogawa Conan looked up at Kaitou Kid and felt a bizarre sense of familiarity. The thief's beautiful blue eyes, a hint of purple swirling in their depths, gazed down at him, a smirk curling over his face. "Isn't it past your bedtime, Boya?" His cool voice called out to the child.
"Kaitou Kid-san," The boy's grin looked odd, like one not meant for his face. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Edogawa Conan, Tantei-san."
