"Here is he ... Finally" said Shinji after a long tirade from Masumi about how she hated to wait for others ... "They look really funny ..."thought Ran as she looked at Masumi's face who looked annoyed to be interrupted ...
"I'm sorry for being late ..." came his voice from behind her ... She knew this voice and this wasn't good at all ... she realized why Masumi was so happy today , why she had invited her ... to see him ... this wasn't good ... Not at all ... "What should I do ...?" she thought desperately ...
"Oh! ... Kudo-kun , it's you then ... I didn't expect such a surprise ..." said Masumi faking a face ... "Please sit down, Kudo-kun ..." said Shinji ... but it all went unheard for Shinichi who had his eyes fixed on her ... her face went blank as soon
as his voice had reached her ears ... "if only ..."he thought ...
Then, she stood up and ... "Please don't leave ..." he wanted to yell but his voice wasn't there ... "I'm sorry ... But I have probably ... to leave ..." she said in a
cracked voice ... he couldn't yet speak but he didn't want her to leave ... his tongue wouldn't let him say a word ... "If only I could stop you-" he thought ...
"But ... Ran-san, Please" begged Masumi feeling her plan falling apart ... "Goodbye ..." She said ... but she couldn't move an inch from where she stood ... She didn't want to leave ... her heart refused to leave ... but her mind had said it clearly ... She must leave ... She tried to move but she couldn't ... "Please ... Don't Leave ..."his words came out finally ... his hand caught her arms tightly ... he didn't really want her to leave ... neither she wanted to ...
"Someone ... Please call the police ... a woman was found stabbed behind the bushes ..." Yelled someone in that café ... she released her arm from his hand ... "Maybe you should go ... She was stabbed ... that's new case waiting for you ..." she whispered in an angry tone ... "No ... right now ... I've got a though case in hands ... I need to solve this one first ... " he whispered back.
"There is no case here Shinichi, this case has been closed for long now, it's no use to let our wounds bleed again, it has been solved and forgotten. Time heals isn't that right? and time had erased the few remaining proofs of this case" she said, with a tone he never heard from her, something was different about her, about the girl he loved.
"But, Ran, I love you, I do love you and I've done all I've done just to protect you, I wouldn't let you get hurt, I hadn't a choice Ran" he said, feeling for the first time in his life, that he had truly lost her, she wasn't the same, for some reason, this wasn't the same girl, Ran would had forgiven me, she loves me and love means forgiveness.
"No, Shinichi, love isn't some words you mutter, and love isn't fearing I'd get hurt. For all this time, for all my life, I thought I loved you, I thought you were the one, I cried, once and twice and many times, until my heart pounds and my lungs couldn't get a breath. Every time, I wonder whether it was love or not, this beautiful feeling that blossoms in my heart, I wonder if it was love that made you lie to me, leave me alone and pretend you were dead for four years. Do you know how it feels, to cry over your tomb and number the days you weren't there, with me. When I loved you so deeply, you gave me reasons to hate you. Love is about courage Shinichi, Love is about courage and you, you're good at running away, always claiming You'd break my heart into pieces. I am not made of glass Shinichi, and nothing had shuttered my heart as your own deeds. I'm not naïve, and for all these years, I've been in pain, because you thought I was. And you felt so happy seeing me tricked by your gadgets, I have tried Shinichi, I have tried to forget and to forgive. And look to the woman I've become, I no longer cry Shinichi, it doesn't matter anymore, I might be lying, I know and I wish if I can tell you that I have forgiven you, or I have forgotten what you have done, but look, this isn't something you should care about, you can go and solve whatever tough case that comes across your path, and believe me there will be plenty of them, and you'd forget that you're alone because you were afraid of loving me properly."
"I love you … Ran" he whispered … "I might have been stupid, for lying and for running away, I might have underestimated you, and I'm sorry … I'm truly and really sorry Ran … If there's anything I can do … I felt responsible for your wellbeing and I wanted to protect you, this was my way of saying that I loved you."
"No, Shinichi, Sorry isn't enough and Love isn't enough. I might regret turning you down later but, this word "Love" doesn't mean a thing for me. I know that you went through a few hard times, and I know that you were so lost but, all I wanted, was to be there with you. I wanted to be there for you, but you, as always, thought it was better to ran away with all your troubles. You thought it wouldn't hurt, to tell the world that you were dead instead of facing me, a little grieving won't hurt me but a little courage hurts you a lot. I'm leaving Shinichi, I know that our paths might get crossed, I hope I become stronger the next time I meet you and I hope You solve so many thrilling crimes meanwhile, so that you don't feel alone and you don't get so much time to spend with yourself, regretting your deeds or thinking about me. Maybe, Time will heal you too."
