Everyone had someone, swinging to the tango on the dancefloor. Sonoko and Ran even found a dance partner. But Shinichi otherwise occupied himself. Signing autographs for fans, and talking with important business men, whom I know nothing about.

Occasionally the question would arise, "could I have this dance?"

But I'd have to politely decline saying, "sorry, I have a date."

Although I say date, there I am, center table, alone.

News crews rolled in left and right. Interviewing guests, getting their opinions of The Night Baron.

With so many eyes in the room, it's hard to relax... I thought as I slouched further into my chair. From afar I caught a glimpse of Shinichi peeking over his shoulder to check me. However, he hastily averted his attention when we made eye contact. I stuck my tongue out at his turned back. Even my parents are better company than— my parents! I jumped up, and rushed out of the room. Crud, double crud, triple crud! Where's a phone?! I ran down the empty hallways.

"Excuse me!" a maid called from afar. "Are you lost?"

"No. Well, yeah. Is there a phone I could use?"

She nodded and escorted me down a separate hallway to a luxurious master bedroom.

This mansion must be someone's home, I thought as I dialed Mom's number.

An answer! "Mother!" I shouted.

To my dismay, she went off on a rant; where are you? Why didn't you call earlier? etcetera, etcetera...

I sighed and explained my whole day with the Kudo's.

"I can't believe this," she exasperated. "I'm tired of constantly keeping tabs on you, Keiko! When you get home, you're grounded! You hear me?!"

Farewell summer vacation. "Yes Mother. I hear you…"

She hung up so I followed suit.

"Dear me, what a ruckus," the curtains around the master bed beside me slipped open.

"Someone's in here!?" I yelped at the maid while pointing to the old man who emerged from the bed.

The maid struggled to maintain her professional appearance, shaking as she deeply bowed. "I'm terribly sorry, sir! I had no idea you were resting! I assumed you were out enjoying the evening with the guests."

"Please, Rita, it's all fine. I was planning to join the festivities after the media cooled down." He examined the clock. "It's around time for me to prepare anyway." He stood up.

Rita, the maid, kept her head down.

"And who might you be?" he asked me.

"Sachiko Keiko, sir." I couldn't help an eyebrow twitch, my nerves were still racked from the phone call. "Sorry about this."

"Fine, it's fine." He patted my shoulders and turned to the maid. "Rita, could you fetch me my suit?"

"Ye-yes sir!" She bowed twice more than scurried away.

He again faced me. "And if you don't mind Sachiko, could you hand me that cane?" He pointed to a black cane. The paint appeared to be peeling off of the sides to reveal a wood make.

After picking it up and putting it in his hands, I grinned. "You can call me Keiko."

"Oh." He smiled warmly. "Then you may address me as Hiro."

"It's nice to meet you, Hiro." I waved while holding the doorknob to leave.

"Likewise." He waved in return.

I shut the door, making as little noise as possible. Then took off down the hall.

"STOP!" A yell froze me on the spot. The origin of this disturbance was apparently a little old lady one door over from Hiro. "Rita? Rita! Where's my prescription?! My dinner?!"

I held a hand over my heart, the old lady seemed to be looking at me, yet yelling at someone else. However, upon closer inspection, no, she wasn't looking at anyone. Her eyes held the milky shade of a blind woman.

Before I could speak Rita rushed along with Hiro's suit in one hand, and a plate of food in the other. "Ple- please Mrs. Yamasaki, return to your room, there is a guest present," Rita pleaded.

From hearing alone the little old lady pinpointed Rita, and slapped her sharply across the face. "You don't ever think you can get off telling me what to do, it is a privilege to work here! Remember that!"

"S-sor- yes ma'am." Rita weakly stood, holding her deliveries. But that's the amazing thing. She had managed to compose herself, with nothing dropped throughout such a situation. Was this normal?

Rita escorted Yamasaki back into the room then later exited without the food. She noticed me still there, sighed dishearteningly, bowed, and left.

Poor girl. My heart went out to her. Such a terrible person to work for, yet Rita somehow pulled through.

Upon returning to the party, it was easy to perceive time passing without me. Shinichi and his growing adoring audience. Ran and Sonoko now twirling with one another, joyful smiles all around. And an empty spot at the table, the sole thing awaiting my return.

Instead of facing that again, I found a nice calm spot against the wall in the hallway. The music echoed off the hollow walls for my listless ears; a smooth waltz muffled through the doorway.

If I could just talk to him, I could straighten this out. I slid down the wall to the floor, hugged my legs, then rested my head atop my knees. "I can't approach him, let alone talk."

"Guy problems?" A rather tall, middle-aged man asked. His voice chimed sweet and soft, similar to the way one would speak to a downhearted child.

I didn't feel like talking to this stranger, but I did want to vent. "That's complicated. He's just my friend if that's what you're assuming."

"I didn't mean to come off rude." He sat gingerly next to me. "Just asking a heavy heart what's holding it down."

His sympathetic response had me at a momentary loss for words. "Uh, well... My friend and I had a silly fight. But I figured it'd be best to wait until after the party to apologize, since he's surrounded by so many people." The longer I spoke, the further I slouched.

He held up a finger and swayed it disapprovingly left and right, like a metronome. "The worst thing to do would be to hold off such an important event for later. Take him by the hand and whisk him away if you must!"

I blushed. "No way! Besides, what's so wrong with waiting?"

The man shrugged, and glanced down, seemingly recalling memories of his own. "If you wait to take a chance, there are things I know you'll miss out on."

I raised a brow. "What exactly am I missing?" It's not exactly the best feeling when someone I just met gives advice like they know me.

His eyes met mine.

Then he explained it as simply as he possibly could, "where are you, right now?"

"Sitting with you in a hallway."

"Where would you be in that room?"

I stuttered, "al- alone.."

"When you arrived here, what did you want to be doing?"

My head heated up, this man only piled on how pitiful I felt at the moment. "I wanted to be dancing with Shinichi..."

He pulled me to my feet. "Then hurry up! I hate seeing a beautiful girl who chooses to hide away her wonder in this dreary hallway whilst a celebration is underway."

I gasped, but stopped at the doorway. "Then if I apologize, we'll dance? And the world will be right again. You make it sound so simple."

"It's the simplest things in life we doubt and take for granted," he exclaimed with a broad smile. "Think of the possibilities in one word, in one action! One is the infinite number that can change everything.

"Spoken like a true philosopher," I laughed. His joy felt contagious.

My spirits felt lighter, and my thoughts swirled with confidence. My last thought being, what could ruin this? A scream from the separate hallway split my nerves and set every little hair I had at attention just to answer that question. To whomever heard me; that was a rhetorical question, not a challenge!

Soon the Philosopher and I found the source of the scream; Rita who apparently fainted in front of Yamasaki's room. I ran to check on her when the Philosopher turned tail and ran. Befuddled by his reaction, I watched him cut the corner, carefully eyeing a spot near me as he left. I followed his line of sight to the inside of the doorway.

Cold dread crept through my veins. A snake. Its pair of icy emotionless eyes stared back at mine; a speechless creature whose stance spoke volumes. I tried to slowly stand, and not provoke it. Inching away, till a crease in the carpet caught my foot. I fell back. It hissed, and charged.

"Darn it!" I yelled, resorting to my voice as a last ditch effort to survive this encounter. "HELP!"

As I ran my third lap around these lengthy hallways I realized several things; the first being, even though I've participated in Track since the age of six, this snake is some serious competition. Second, that stupid Philosopher abandoned me. And lastly, my yell proved to be useless.

My fourth lap around, Shinichi appeared outside the party room. Happiness radiated from me at the sight, then I recalled our fight. Which caused glowering on my part. While reminiscing of our quarrel, I wondered why on earth I was running to him, then I remembered the snake.

Shinichi finally addressed me, "Keiko?" after watching my expression change five times within the span of ten seconds.

I skidded across the carpet to face the snake directly, running past now means the snake would go for Shinichi. Now isn't the time for carelessness. After looking around, I leapt up, and tore a curtain from its rods. Then readied it like a Torero. The snake went straight into it, and with a few quick hand movements, he had been tied up like a cat in a bag. Although, the adrenaline coursing through my veins dried up with the snake gone. I collapsed backwards.

"Yo..." Shinichi knelt down, and flipped me around to face him, "that was a snake! Geez, don't you know that's dangerous?! And what exactly have you been doing when you should be—!" he halted, unspoken emotions written all over his face.

As he spoke I gulped in air to regain my breath. "Should be what?"

He refused to go on, so I swallowed my pride and decided to get the truth off my chest. "It's not the best time but, about earlier. Shinichi, I didn't mean to pick on you. It's that... I was staring 'cause your mom said you talked about me, in depth... It was a surprise. I don't think anyone in my life has ever noticed the things I do, like you do." I couldn't look at him directly since a spell of vulnerability overcame me whilst admitting such a thing. But of course, he would find some way to make me stare him square in the eye.

"You? Pick on me?" he teased.

I grinned apprehensively. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Shinichi laughed. "Keiko, knowing these small things you do is a knack from my job as a detective."

Mentally, I felt myself deflate at his answer. Right. Of course.

Then his cheeks reddened as he went on, "b- but as your friend, I'm always eager to learn these details about you."

My face overheated from his flattery. I didn't ask for a different answer, but it was worth listening to. Yet...

Precisely then, the Philosopher returned and swiftly ruined our moment.

"Oh my my my." The Philosopher feigned surprise. "You captured the snake so efficiently, it seems as though I wasn't needed." In his hand was a large net.

I sighed at him. "I'm not even gonna ask where—" my mouth clamped shut as I remembered, "Rita!" I leapt to my feet, and just as quickly collapsed; all my energy depleted.

"Keiko?" Shinichi, who failed to catch me, stood open armed and confused.

"I forgot, d-down the hall! There's the maid!" I jabbered on urgently until the Philosopher demanded that Shinichi follow him, and left.

"Keiko?" Minutes later, Ran appeared at the doorway.

She helped me to my feet. "H-hey, Ran."

She flinched away upon noticing the squirming curtain-bag. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure anymore..." I sighed, all this excitement stressed both my mind and body.

Ran bravely handed the bag to a waiter in the dancehall. He received it dutifully then disappeared into one of the back rooms as though this were routine.

Ran took my arm and slung it around her shoulder to aid me in hobbling over to the table. Then all of a sudden, the Philosopher ran in, ordering the workers to seal off any exit, and keep everyone inside. Instantaneously an outrage broke out amongst the important folk who had places to be. Yelling ensued all around as I recounted to Ran what had happened to me from start to finish.

"I had no idea," Ran stammered. "I'm sorry, Sonoko and I were having so much fun, we never noticed you had to deal with all that." She glanced at Sonoko, who despite the ruckus, still enjoyed the entertainment this celebration had to offer.

"Ah." I held my heart like it had been struck. "So heartless, the two of you enjoying yourselves while I-" I dramatized away.

"Will it ever be possible for us to make it up to you?" Ran played along, acting just as serious as I was.

"Perhaps... a milkshake, and some lunch next Sunday can mend my wounded heart."

She laughed. "Done and done!"

I giggled along with her.

The crowd died down, and settled into their seats, murmuring in groups of frustration.

"But," Ran snickered. "Did Shinichi really say that?"

"Yeeaah," I drew out my response, wondering if I should change it.

Ran giggled contentedly.

"Don't tell Sonoko," I begged. "She'll pick on me."

Ran winked. "I won't."

"Won't what?" the Philosopher asked as he took the seat next to mine. He nonchalantly swiped a glass of wine from a passing waiter, and sipped until he realized we were glaring at him. "What?"

Ran brought her hand up to whisper into my ear. "Is this the—?"

I nodded then addressed him, "you gave a good talk, but where was that wisdom when a snake appeared?"

"I didn't mean to abandon you," he replied in defense. "Fear can overtake one's thoughts, sorry I couldn't build up the courage to return till too late."

"Since we just met, I guess I'll let it slide... But only because I didn't get bit. If I were actually hurt, you would be taking all the blame right now."

"I'll accept that as leniency..." He recomposed his stature by tugging at his tux.

Suddenly the air went heavy as, with next to no warning, police poured into the dancehall and began to question the attendants.

"Where were you around eight o' clock?" a spiky haired officer, named Takagi, asked us.

"I was here, in the main room, they can confirm it." Ran pointed to Sonoko and the two men they danced with.

The Philosopher gripped his stomach with an abashed expression. "For most of my time here, I've occupied the restroom. Must have been all the weird food I ate."

"Can anyone confirm you were there?" Takagi questioned.

"No sir."

Takagi waved another officer over. "Escort him to the other suspects." The officer nodded, then took the Philosopher away.

"Suspects? What exactly happened?" Ran asked.

"I'm not allowed to disclose that information at the moment," he answered, then rounded expectantly on me.

"Uhm, I guess around that time I was making a phone call," I spoke from memory.

"May I see your call log to confirm this?"

"Actually, I used the home phone here. The maid, Rita, and the host, Hiro, should be able to confirm that."

Takagi's eyebrows jumped to his forehead. "Wait, did you use the phone in Hiro's bedroom?"

Yikes, that was precise, I cringed. "Y-yes, how did you know?"

He wouldn't answer, simply waved another officer over and gave me the same routine he gave the Philosopher.

"Where are we going?" I asked the officer escorting me. He also didn't answer.

When he led me down the separate hallway, I was taken aback by the number of forensics men scattered up and down the halls I had been running in not even an hour ago. Before I could recover from the surprise however, the officer sat me down in one of the far off rooms of the mansion, which resembled an office. Others were gathered here as well, all sitting in chairs that lined the left wall. A rather round man, called Inspector Megure, began taking my statement when I arrived.

An hour and a half passed when I managed to overhear that all the guests had been questioned. So, all the occupants here would be all they gather; first was the Philosopher, then Hiro, Rita, some old guy, and me.

Voices carrying from down the hall echoed into the room. The roar of dismayed murmurs from guests leaving the celebration could be heard as they left out the door. What followed; silence.

"Why are we here?" The old man growled once the silence became unbearable.

The officer guarding the door finally answered, "you are all suspects for the murder of Mayuri Yamasaki."

We collectively gasped.

"Murder?! Surely, you're joking! I would never commit such a foul act! Not to mention, the fact that I've never even met this Mayuri."

I dug my nails into the lining of my chair. Murder, I thought. Someone was- no, Yamasaki. That blind old lady from before, she's... dead? I just saw her a few hours ago, yelling at Rita.

Rita herself looked as pale as a ghost. She clenched her teeth so tightly together that I was sure they would break. Then Hiro, he did no more than stare at the carpet. The old man, now silent, glared unseeing into the distance. Lastly, the philosopher sat back, arms crossed, as he gnawed at the inside of his lip. It all felt so surreal, like a dream. When did a simple party turn into something so complex? And again, I'm being wrongfully detained. I sighed.

"We've gathered the suspects here— there's quite a few," Megure said from the other side of the door.

"Don't worry inspector, detective Kudo Shinichi is on the case," Shinichi replied, all good energy.

Shinichi, my hopes sparked once again, yet I couldn't help but ridicule his ego. Geez, 'detective Kudo Shinichi is on the case,' he sounds like such a show-off.

My heart skipped a beat as the door cracked open, here the silence ends and the story begins again. Shinichi took one step in, confidence clear in his stride. Then he laid his eyes upon me. I grinned and waved hello, like a spectator caught in the background of a news report.

Shinichi's poker-face immediately faltered. "Keiko?!"