Whatever force kept me up and at 'em yesterday disappeared by morning. The fever came crashing down. And somewhere jumbled in my head I could hear Mom's words knocking around: gotta get worse before it gets better. My parents were leaning towards a hospital visit, but I insisted going home was the best remedy. Heiji and Kazuha bid us a fond farewell, and well, that's the last I remember. My consciousness faded while boarding the train. I later awoke snug in bed. Back in Tokyo, as if time didn't exist between those two events.

My phone alarm played a customized song, Kimi Ga Ireba, instead of its default bells. I listened to it's melody, but instead of the song I fell in love with, the lyrics only sounded like a blaring order to get up. With lead in my arm I stopped the alarm.

Did Osaka actually happen? I thought, wondering if my imagination excelled better under stress, and conjured up an older version of Kazuha and Heiji to go with my victory. But for that matter, Do I really have a fever? I answered the last question by struggling out of bed.

Drenched in sweat, and definitely still sick, I changed clothes and saw it. There, reflecting the glare of morning light off a gold surface, was my first place trophy. My smile went wide. I won! It happened! After running my hand over the details, my name etched into a gold plate at the marble base, I giggled. Content, but exhausted, I returned to bed.

Hours later while picking through the refrigerator for something my stomach would accept (my hand hovered over leftover gyoza. No. Tonkatsu fillet? No. Curry? NO. Celery? Yes, and I almost took it but my tongue stomped its foot down. I scoffed. So picky.) At the door someone talking with Mother caught my eye.

"Keiko!" Ran beamed.

Mom stepped aside, then returned to the living room.

"Here." Ran handed me a box.

My lessened strength gave in, and I dropped it. The contents flew everywhere.

"Papers?" I asked, leaning down to pick them up.

"Make-up work," she answered.

I dropped them in disgust. "Geeh! You're joking!"

"Relax." Ran propped the box upright, and helped pile the papers back in. "It looks like our classes have been going over the same topics, you can borrow my notes."

"Thanks, but could I also borrow you? There's no way I'll be able to do all this alone."

"Sure, but is it alright if he tags along?" Ran scooted aside, however the kid she revealed skittishly retreated to her back, only half hiding now. "My dad always fights with Conan, so I'd feel better if he was with me."

"Heey, I remember you." I snapped my fingers. "Yeah, he can tag along."

Conan muffled a cough into his sleeve. "Y- you really scared us on the train yesterday. Speak up if you're not feeling well next time."

"I already got this talk from my mother... Except Mother was especially angry cause she didn't even know I was sick until we left..."

The TV in the living room suddenly got louder.

"Anyway... Did Sonoko hold up her end of the deal?"

Ran shook her head, hair swaying side to side. "Why do you two make so many bets?"

"Cause we're both too proud to admit that the other could be right."

Ran handed over six tickets. Each ticket promised an overnight stay at an inn famous for its outdoor hot springs.

"I still can't get a hold of Shinichi, and Sonoko said she doesn't want to go. So, that means there's two extra tickets. I was wondering if my father and Conan could go with us instead."

"Sounds great! But my parents won't be going either. Work piled up on them from this last vacation."

"Then we'll have two extra tickets again."

"Not exactly."

Ran's old man drove us to the Iyashi Hot Springs. Excited at the prospect of young women in the mixed baths. When we arrived, and unloaded our baggage, two familiar faces greeted us.

"This is gonna be great!" Heiji enthused, a bag over his shoulder.

"Oh, not you," Kogoro grumbled while shuffling inside.

"Kazuha!" I shouted upon spotting her.

"Keiko!" She embraced me. "It's been so long!"

"Much, much too long!"

Heiji raised a brow. "Ya saw her two days ago."

I slowly repeated, "much, much too long."

"Hi, Kazuha," Ran managed a small wave between us.

"Ran!"

We welcomed Ran into the group hug, happily bouncing in each other's arms.

We entered the Inn. "Welcome," chorused from a row of workers circling the entrance. Much to the old man's dismay, all elderly men and women.

We were separated with boy's in one room, girl's in the other, and Kogoro in the next. Then while treading the hallway to pay our first visit to the hot springs, I broke into a sneezing fit.

"Maybe you should get some rest instead." Ran cupped my cheek. "You're still a little warm."

"But—"

The kid interrupted with, "the hot springs could help heal her fever. Haven't you ever wondered why you get a fever and cover up when you're sick? You see, a fever is a virus. Your natural antibodies can't do much. So to combat it the body heats up to basically boil it out. And by soaking in hot water, the body temperature will rise, and create a pseudo fever that will help to kick out the virus quicker." He rubbed the sides of his nose. "Also the steam can help open up nasal passages."

"That!" I pointed emphatically at him. "What he said."

"Fine." Kazuha leaned down. "But wow, where'd ya learn all that?"

He seemed to contemplate this. "The school nurse."

Three entrances sat before us upon arrival. Men, Women, and Mixed.

"There's actually a Mixed?" I asked.

"I guess there is," Ran airily commented as she brushed the curtain aside to enter the Woman's.

"Don'tcha wonder if anyone uses it?"

"No." Heiji replied. "You're the only one who wonders that, Keiko."

"I'll be back!"

"No, wait!" Heiji reached to yank me back by the arm, but failed. Seconds later I retreated, my eyes screwed shut until I hit the wall, and curled against it.

Kazuha watched my outburst, predictably nonplussed. "So?"

"I've seen the future," I blurted. "It's wrinkly!"

Heiji and the kid laughed. Kazuha signed, took my hand, and pulled me to the Women's.

"Hold on!" The kid shouted before dashing off, and returning with a bucket of ice. "It's important that your head doesn't boil as well."

"Thanks, Kid," I smiled and accepted it.

We took a nice long soak in the springs. Relaxing. Letting the warmth seep into our bones. Till our stomachs sang time for dinner. We changed into yukata's, and met up with everyone in the dining room. The old man ate through a sulk. Gray haired ladies served our food. Other guests began to arrive soon after.

A middle aged man with dusty hair, battered brown boots, and a trench coat sat at one table. His companion across from him, a man of similar age with short thin jet black hair wearing a t-shirt, and jeans. If aura had a smell theirs was rather stagnant, aging, like they'd been brooding in it too long. Even though it couldn't have been more than five minutes. A table over sat a woman with wavy brown locks. She wore a yukata. The girl at her side could have been a younger version of her.

"I told you not to bring her," the trench coat man whispered to the other.

"I'd hoped she would help change your mind," the jet haired man replied with a ghost of a smile.

The trench coat man shrugged before he stood. I glanced at Kogoro, Ran, and the others. They didn't notice any of it. Or chose not to pay attention. Except the kid who cut me a sidelong glance. It made me feel subconscious for eavesdropping. Bad habits. I blame Shinichi.

In the halls we caught the trench coat man stumbling. Chasing the ground. I tilted my head, and was about to ask when a soft caress brushed against my ankle. My eyes went wide. I retreated, scrambling, almost falling away.

Conan cupped the culprit in his hands. A kitten. It purred in his hold, and strained to nuzzle its cheek to his chest or the bottom of his chin.

Conan chuckled. "Tickles."

"Isn't he cute?" The man asked. Now standing before us I could see his long face, stubbly chin, and worried eyebrows. He wasn't actually worried, it seemed, that's just how they looked.

"Yeah," Conan replied.

"Would you like to keep him?"

"Sorry." Conan peeked at Kogoro, who shook his head. "I can't."

Conan set the kitten down. It walked around all others, straight back to me.

I nearly crawled up the walls. "Noooo!"

Thankfully the man grasped it. "It seems to like you."

I bit my lip, shook my head and adamantly responded, "Nonononono."

The man turned to the others, holding him forth. "I found him on my way here, abandoned in a box. I'm not sure what to do now though." The man quirked a smile as he slipped the kitten into his pocket. "It's an interesting breed, Birman, I think. If you know someone who wants a cat, please let me know."

We nodded, smiling in return as he parted.

Boys and girls alike gathered in the girls room. Excluding the old man who retired early to his room. It started off with small talk, and sizzled down to a game of Go Fish with storytime sprinkled in.

Heiji flicked a card into the pile before he turned to Kazuha. "Remember when you two would play House? In my room... with my clothes... without my knowledge."

Kazuha snapped her fingers in remembrance. "Keiko would put on your whole outfit, from toe to head. Then that day you got home early." She palmed her face. "I was so embarrassed, but Keiko was mortified! She ran all the way home, dressed in your clothes!"

Heiji grinned into his cards "Even the boxers."

I slapped a card down on my turn. "You weren't supposed to be home till sundown!"

The inn keeper knocked at the door, offering complimentary juice and tea. We thanked her as she set the tray on the kotatsu, then returned to the game, now sipping drinks. I refrained from drinking one. Along with Conan who was too busy watching TV to notice.

"Are you going to drink any?" Ran asked.

"Nah," I pulled a water bottle from my bag. "Mother expects me to finish drinking three bottles before I return. She says it'll help me get better quicker. Works the kidneys, or cleans them, or something."

Ran shrugged. "Every little bit helps."

After my turn, I rolled across the floor to ask, "Kid, what time is it?"

"It's, umm..." He turned it sideways.

I impatiently grabbed his wrist to read for myself, and broke the watch. The lid popped off, now hanging by one small hinge.

I gasped, "I can pay for that," while trying to fix it.

He hesitantly smiled. "No, it's okay, that's—"

Something shot out in the midst of my fiddling, a thin shiny line that hit the kid right between the eyes.

He tumbled into my arms. "Um." I laid the kid down, then shook him a bit. "Kid! Um, hey, kid?" I sat back on my ankles, running a hand through my hair. "I killed a child." Then I attempted CPR for the first time in my life, which was really just me tapping his cheek. "Please don't actually be dead!"

"Keiko," Kazuha asked over her shoulder. "What are ya doin'...?"

"Eh?" I sprang upright, hugging the kid to my chest in hopes of hiding his glazing expression. "Th-this child fell asleep" I got up, still holding him there as I side-stepped to the door. "I'm taking him to bed now."

My movements were odd at best, but she didn't question it. "Okay."

After tucking Conan into bed a room over it occurred to me that his breathing was fine. Rhythmic. Deep. Asleep. "Oh thank goodness!"

Heiji entered a moment later, yawning. "I'm hittin' the hay."

"A-alright." I stepped aside as Heiji plopped into the bed I laid Conan in.

The instant his head hit the pillow Heiji snored. In his almost sleep Heiji groped around, only stopping when he grasped and cradled the kid into his arms. The sight had me snickering painfully to suppress the urge to laugh. With such good lighting, and optimum opportunity, there really was no other way around it. I snapped a picture with my phone. New backdrop.

Kazuha yawned when I reentered our room. "I'm hittin' the sack."

I jumped. "No, Kazuha you have to stay up!"

"Me too," Ran admitted while stretching.

"Not you too... I'm so full of energy, don't go."

They crawled into bed. "It's been a long day."

"No. No it really hasn't."

"Tomorrow we'll do more, promise."

"Fine." I scowled, crossing my arms. "The hot springs are open for another hour, so I'll do that before turning in."

"Don't forget your key," Kazuha said as she followed me to the door.

"Yeah, yeah."

She locked it behind me. It was then I checked my pockets, and realized my key was still sitting in my bag. I shrugged it off at the moment, but when I returned they wouldn't open the door.

"Kazuha!" I knocked at the door. "I know you're a light sleeper ...Ran~" I began calling her name, but immediately gave up, and slouched against the door. "Yeah right, she'll sleep through her old man's snoring." I slipped to the floor, still knocking over my shoulder. "I hope these sounds are entering your dreams," I told the door. "I hope it's giving you weird dreams."

An odd echo bounced around the halls. Piercing a silence I only just noticed. The whole hotel must have decided to sleep. Like clockwork. Except there was a noise, a creak that meant someone wasn't in bed.

"Hello?" My voice carried, and I flinched. Maybe it's not the best idea to draw attention to myself. It is rather textbook ominous. Night. Pitch black. I glanced down the walls, and either ends faded into an all encompassing darkness. Quiet. And one small noise in the midst of silence. It would be more textbook if it were midnight, but no one's awake, so it's pretty much the same thing.

Not for the first time I wished I could glide, but settled on rolling from the ball of my foot to the toe. A police technique Shinichi taught me. A door, a rectangle of light in the abyss of black, was my destination. Something I could see even if I couldn't see the path. It was a dim light, probably moonlight spilling in from the window inside. When I reached the arch of the door I flicked on the light, but it didn't work. However, I could make out a figure in the room. Two darker silhouettes against the darkness. Both shaped like basic humans.

My heart dropped when I noticed one of the silhouettes' feet was dangling, floating, just above the ground. Footsteps grew increasingly louder. The other silhouette was moving. Toward me. Silently in a panic, refusing to scream by some notion that the action kept me somewhat invisible, I ran. The sudden rush encouraged him into a sprint. Yeah. Good luck. Track champion. I was already jiggling the doorknob to my room before he got out the door. Still locked. The footfalls began echoing in quicker succession. Growing louder. A lump swelled in my throat. Is this it? Some lunatic kills me because I couldn't get away? I momentarily thought about kicking off the doorknob, but then how would I lock myself in? A nugget of common sense dropped and I darted for the boy's room. Still unlocked! I threw the door open and slammed it shut, locked it, then jumped into their bed.

"Wake up," I harshly whispered while shoving Heiji bouncing into the mattress springs, "wake up, wake up!"

The silhouette banged his fist on the door, then clattered the doorknob after. And it occurred to me that he could kick off the doorknob because he only needs to get inside. I closed my eyes, curling my fist into the blanket as I hoped, please, please, don't think of that.

A BANG ping-ponged against every wall in the room. I waited for a strong grip to haul me off by the shoulders, but another bang followed. Not as loud, and across the hall. I released my breath somewhere between a sob and a laugh. He didn't see what room I went into.

The pounding of my heart calmed enough for my ears to pick up another faint snore. The kid! I peeled back the cover and revealed him buried in the blanket.

Tapping, shoving, and pinching, Conan wouldn't wake up either. They're breathing, but refuse to wake. And a double coma is too much of a coincidence. The banging resounded from the room next door, and my heart leapt back into my throat. I hugged the kid for comfort. My head was spinning. Not yet fully recovered obviously, and mounds of fight to feed the feeling. I couldn't think straight. Never can in situations like these. Shinichi would know what the heck is going on. He should've come. I should've forced him to come.

His head turned in my arms. I didn't want to get my hopes up, and didn't believe he was actually waking up till he mumbled then said, "What?"

Although silently rejoicing in company, my arms hugged him closer in hopes of muffling him. "Shh."

"Keiko?"

"Shh!"

The banging had been a few doors down, but was now slowly returning. Conan wiggled for me to let go, but I refused.

So he whispered instead, "what's going on?!"

"I don't know," I quivered. "I got locked out of my room, and followed a noise. Next thing I know that person's chasing me."

"Are you okay?"

I hummed an affirmative. Conan ghosted a hand over his yukata and getas before hastily clicking his watch. He slapped his forehead when it broke again. "Do you have your cell?" He asked instead.

I almost said no. I'm in a yukata, where would I put my cell? And that triggered a memory, the same question I asked earlier, and I pulled it out from the inner fold of my sleeve. Conan flipped it open, then shoved it back in my face. A background of them cuddling earlier.

He leveled me with a glare. "Why?"

"Really?" I desperately rasped. "You're doing this now?!"

"Right." Conan first tried calling the Inn itself. No one picked up.

The banging in the halls subsided. We sat beside the door to listen. No footsteps. Banging. Nothing. Suddenly the kid jerked his head around, fixing his eye on the window. A moment later he dragged me between the beds, kneeling down, and forcing me to do the same.

"They're searching the windows," he whispered.

That's when Conan decided it was crucial enough to phone the police. All that this entailed piled on my mind. Questioning, statements, suspicions, and I'll probably get the honorable discomfort of becoming one of the suspects again. But none of that weighed against my relief that they would end whatever this has become.

Police sirens wailed in the distance. I'd nearly dozed off, curled against the kid's side. He refused to take his attention away from the window and door. His unyielding guard blanketed me in cozy relief. But the stiffness in my shoulders only eased when everyone blinked out their doors as officers poured in. The beginning hours of the day passed by, but when Inspector Yokomizo asked how the situation began, I felt it should be the ending hours.

"They locked me out, my friends." I twisted my index finger around my pinky. "Um, then I saw this guy. No, there were two guys. They might not have been guys though. Oh. No. I heard a noise..." I chuckled nervously. Stress. Lack of sleep. None of that helped. And my hands trembled just recalling it.

He forced a wide open mouthed smile in response. "How about this? Can you retrace your steps?"

So I retraced my steps. Starting from the hot spring, to my forgotten key, and even how no one seemed to be awake despite the racket. Eventually the innkeepers unlocked the correct door I had stumbled upon. (it was dark, how could I remember the precise amount of doors I'd passed to get there? And, oh, sorry for walking in on you random naked stranger, did you know there's a lunatic in the inn? Also, lovely tan line. We're so sorry for this, we should have knocked louder, please continue putting your shirt on)

Ran and Kazuha screamed. A rope expertly tied to the horizontal support beam, slung down, and wrapped around the neck of a blue faced corpse. His mouth agape, eyes shut, and a smidge of drool like he fell asleep in the worst kind of spot. I recoiled upon the sight, but Shinichi's field trips have thrown up walls in my mind. Mostly in attempts to keep it from bothering me, because Shinichi's already developed ways to keep it from bothering him. Still, a trench coat slung over the bed sunk my stomach as it told me who he was.

He'd been smiling earlier, I remembered, the trench coat man chasing a kitten. Then the lightest flutter against my ankle reminded me of something vitally important. Dead man aside, his kitten is probably very much alive.

It hardly entered the corner of my eye before I screamed and fled the scene.

Author's Note:

Kotatsu is a wooden table covered by a heavy blanket with a heating device underneath.

Getas are wooden sandals.