Going Through the Motions — Not Forgotten
"Conan-kun!"
The moment he stepped over the threshold, he was enveloped into a hug. The kind that made his cheeks flush hotly, and his heart pound in his chest.
She had been worried—he had worried her. Again. And he kicked himself mentally.
What had he been thinking? Not much, that was clear. He had just blindly run away. Desperate for a moment of rest. A moment to breathe. He had been suffocating, the weight on his shoulders pressing him down. Clawing at him with sharp nails.
But he was back. It was alright now.
"I'm sorry, Ran-neechan. For worrying you." His voice was muffled against her shoulder. She held him a little more tightly.
"Don't do that again." A mixture of sadness and sternness. "Always tell me when you go over to someone else's house."
Ah. Haibara had already taken care of the story for him. He should thank her. Again.
Ran drew back, looking him into the eyes, studying him. She had really been bothered by his sudden disappearance. He'd usually tell her where he was going. Even if it annoyed him. He was not a kid! But, and he sighed inwardly, that was the problem, for the outside world, he was. To most, he was just a six-year-old brat with too-big glasses. It was annoying, but there was no other way. And it was the least he could do. So he nodded. The guilt he felt sitting as a stone in his stomach. He had made her worry. Again.
And he knew it would not be the last time it would happen.
I will make it up to you, Ran. I promise.
He swallowed, her beautiful eyes were still searching his own. Probably looking for an answer. And some part of him wanted to avert his gaze from hers, the embarrassment making his insides clench. The hangover was still there, and once the medicine which Haibara had given him lost its effect, he would be back to being miserable. He already could feel the beginning of the too-familiar headache starting to form behind his eyes.
Well, it was his own fault. And alcohol he would not touch for the next—well, for probably a long, long time.
"Here, you almost forgot these."
He looked back over his shoulder to where she was standing. Her face bathing in the early morning light. In her hand, she held his glasses. No, not his, but Conan's. Yeah, that was right. He smiled, taking them from her. How could he have forgotten?
He was Kudo Shinichi, after all.
