A/N: Here's my contribution for Saimatsu Week Day Two, taking place in the same year as "Kiki Meets Genocide Jill". Please read, review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Saimatsu Week 2022!

Day Two: Childhood!

"Mom, do I have to come see the movie?" A three-year-old boy whined as his mother pulled him through the theatre by the hand.

The boy's short blue hair made it so that he couldn't hide the nervousness in his gray eyes. His small, black suit felt stiff on his body, making his attempts to keep up with his mother seem robotic to the other moviegoers. The mother, a woman with matching blue hair that flowed down her back, smiled and shook her head in amusement.

"Shuichi, dear, don't you want to see your daddy star in his big film? If enough people see it, it could propel him to the heights of stardom…and mommy as well, since I wrote the script. Don't you want to help make that dream a reality?"

"Yeah, but…" Shuichi bit his lip. "There's just so many people…couldn't we have just watched it at home? Or at least brought my hat?"

"Nonsense, Shuichi. How're you supposed to see your father in all his glory if that hat of yours is hiding your eyes? Besides, it's bad manners to wear a hat inside, and appearances matter."

Shuichi grumbled, but reluctantly nodded and kept silent as they found their seats next to his father. The black-haired man wearing a tuxedo that matched his son's smiled and waved them over. Once they sat down, the shy boy shrank in his seat, glancing around at the crowded movie theater.

I know I should be happy to spend what little time with Mom and Dad I can…but there's just so many people! I can't help but wish I was solving puzzles with Uncle Minato.

"Uh, the movie screen's straight ahead, not at your feet."

"Huh?"

Shuichi's head instantly shot up, bringing him face-to-face with a young, blonde-haired girl. The grinning female giggled at his dumbstruck, blushing appearance.

"Kaede, don't tease the poor boy." A grown woman with similarly blonde hair chided, resting a disapproving hand on the girl's shoulder.

Kaede pouted. "Geez, Mom, he just looked so down. I thought a joke would cheer him up, was all."

The woman sighed, shaking her head in amusement before she turned her head towards Shuichi's parents. "I apologize for my daughter's antics. She means well, she just…leaps without looking, sometimes."

Shuichi's father smiled and shook his head. "It's fine, no worries. Are you two here to see the movie too?"

Kaede grinned, nodding excitedly. "Yeah, I've been really excited to see it! Can we sit here, please?!"

Chuckling in amusement, the Saihara patriarch nodded. "Please, the more the merrier."

"Yay!" The three-year-old cheered, causing her mother to roll her eyes.

Once the two of them sat down, Kaede's mother offered the Saiharas a small smile. "Allow us to introduce ourselves. My name's Aki Akamatsu, and this is my daughter, Kaede."

Shuichi's father nodded in acknowledgement. "Yoroshiku, Akamatsu-san. I'm Issei Saihara-"

"Wait, ISSEI?! The lead actor in the movie?!" Kaede shrieked, stars in her eyes as Shuichi groaned.

Hitomi grinned. "That's correct, my husband is the lead actor of the movie. I'm his wife Hitomi, who wrote the script-ow."

Hitomi nursed her side as Issei chided "Hitomi, no need to brag." Shifting his gaze to the Akamatsus, Issei continued "Anyway…this is our son, Shuichi."

"Wow! You're the scion of the lead actor and screenwriter of this movie?! That's so cool!" Kaede gushed in awe.

Shuichi only groaned in embarrassment, which caused Aki to scold her daughter again. "Kaede, I know this is exciting, but you can't behave like that with people you've just met, especially if they're celebrities."

Kaede crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "C'mon, Mom, I was just telling Saihara-kun how cool it was that his Dad's a famous actor!"

"Does he look like he was enjoying it?" Shuichi shrunk in his seat, his cheeks reddened as he wished he had his hat to hide under. "He seems pretty embarrassed from where I'm sitting. Now apologize to Saihara-kun."

Kaede grimaced, turning towards Shuichi. Her eyes softened once she took in his reluctant and mortified expression.

"…Gomen, Saihara-kun. I didn't mean to upset you…"

Shuichi nodded. "Daijoubu, I…understand why you were excited…"

"…Why aren't you excited, though?" Kaede furrowed her brow in confusion, prodding, "Isn't it exciting to see a movie your parents helped to create? I just figured you'd be…I dunno…happy…?"

Shuichi shook his head. "It's not that I'm not happy to see a movie that Mom and Dad are in. I'm just…shy…" Shuichi fiddled with his collar, confessing, "Being around all these people gets…overwhelming."

To his surprise, Kaede nodded. "I get the same way during my piano practice. I wanna play in front of all my family to make them proud of me, but I get so nervous, I usually just throw up."

Shuichi's eyes widened in surprise, the boy lifting his head to stare incredulously at the girl. "Really…?"

"Yeah…so I can relate to the feeling of stage fright…though in your case, you're not even the one on stage. There's not relaly any pressure on you, ya know?"

Shuichi blinked, as though she had just solved a grand mystery. "I…never thought about it that way. Mom always said that I had to give a good impression to everyone, that how I behaved would reflect on her and Dad."

To their surprise, Issei shook his head in disapproval. "Hitomi, I told you we can't put that kind of pressure on Shuichi. He's only three, after all. He's far too young to worry about things like the media and paparazzi."

"But dear-"

"Honestly…" Issei cut her off. "This is part of why we agreed to let my brother be the one to raise Shuichi. We wanted him to grow up as a normal boy, not as a prop to enhance our social status."

"You live with your uncle, Saihara-kun?" Kaede whispered as the two Saihara parents continued bickering.

Shuichi nodded. "Yeah…my Uncle Minato. He's a detective, and he just set up a small agency not too long ago."

"Oh really? Are you gonna be a detective too, someday?"

Me, a detective?! Shuichi smiled awkwardly at the ridiculous thought. "Ah, I don't know about that. I'm only three, after all. I've got my whole life to decide what I want to do."

"Well I already know I wanna play the piano for the rest of my life!" Kaede proclaimed, pumping her fist. "Even when I'm on my deathbed, I want my last moments to be playing the piano!"

"Wow…" Shuichi couldn't help but blink in awe. "You're…really dedicated, Akamatsu-san." I…I wish I had as strong convictions as you.

Kaede giggled, her cheeks turning pink for the first time that evening. "Thanks, Saihara-kun-"

"Kaede, it looks like the movie's going to start." Aki interjected. "You can talk more with Saihara-kun after the credits roll."

Kaede immediately clamped up along with Shuichi. The five of them turned their attention towards the screen as the title appeared. A soft shaking sound caused Shuichi to shift his gaze to the side. Hitomi held a small cup of popcorn out to her son. Nodding gratefully, Shuichi took it and dug out a kernel. As he was about to pop it in his mouth, his eyes shifted to the other side.

Did…the Akamatsus not buy any popcorn? Glancing at the kernel in his hand, Shuichi decided I should share it…she was nice to me, after all.

Instead of popping the kernel in his mouth, he quickly placed it in her open hand. Quickly turning away before he could get caught, he snuck a glance over his shoulder. Kaede blinked, staring in surprise at the bashful blue-haired boy. At last, a smile tugged at her lips as she nodded and popped the kernel in her mouth.

Shuichi breathed out a sigh of relief, turning his body back so that he could face the aspiring pianist. His cheeks turned rouge again as she grabbed his hand in her own. Though he felt the urge to retract it, the smile on her face caused him to stay still.

This…feels…nice…

Still embarrassed, Shuichi let his hand stay where it was as he focused his attention on the movie. Though that didn't stop his thoughts from wandering to the little girl who literally extended her hand in friendship.

I thought I'd just feel anxious the entire movie…but her hand is…so warm. I think…I can bear it if she's here with me…