With a heavy bag packed I bought my ticket. It's only one night, but I'm so behind in school that missing one day of reading the texts could turn my study schedule to torture.

Almost boarding, something caught my eye. A slip of something I told to stay with Ran.

"Conan!" I gritted my teeth. "I can't walk you home from here, I'll miss my train to Osaka." I shooed him to the help desk. "Tell 'em you're lost."

He put his foot down. "I wanna see Heiji!"

"You spoiled— I don't have enough money for another ticket. The rest is for my return home."

"Aw, but..."

He looked so defeated. My shoulders dropped. Fine. I scooped him up, and ran into the public restroom.

"What are you doing?!" He squirmed in my arms, eyes darting left and right. "This is the woman's—!"

My backpack hit the counter beside where I set him down with a heavy thud. Resigned, and he knew it, I unzipped it and began unpacking my books. "You asked for this."

"...asked for what?" His arm came up defensively. "What are you doing?"

I got off the train, and found that Heiji had been waiting. However while taking a seat on his motorcycle, I had a hard time getting situated with the textbooks cradled in my arms between us.

Heiji sighed, slouching over the handlebars. "Why don't ya stuff them in yer backpack?"

I gently set my backpack down. "Guess you've got a point. Time to switch." I unzipped it, and Conan tumbled out.

Heiji's face lit up like a firework. "Kudo?!"

My head whipped around. "What about him?"

"Ah... um..." Heiji itched his cheek. Gazing skyward in thought. "Oh! Kazuha told me to ask about Christmas. You spent it with him right?."

It was my turn to stutter. "Um..."

"Well?"

"Maybe..." I tentatively smiled, my face uncomfortably warm. "Maybe not now."

[One week prior to Christmas]

Snow.

Enticing, frigid, colorless, malleable, and all those other adjectives you can sprinkle on the stuff. Come Winter Break it spread everywhere, beautifully deafening every color in town.

"Catch!" Shinichi tossed a snowball at me. He's fully aware that my coordination is lacking. So, there I am, hands ready, and it hits me square in the face.

Shinichi pointed and laughed.

I mushed a lump of snow together. "How dare you!" And threw it, it excelled with mad force, but missed by a full two feet.

Shinichi's laugh intensified.

"Geez..." I huffed.

"You need practice." Shinichi strode over, scooping snow from the ground to my hand as he did. "Point your elbow at that tree." My cheeks tingled as his hand curled around the back of my arm. "Then swing your arm straight forward." Following his directions, I swung, but it didn't hit the tree. I let go too soon. It went up, and landed behind me instead; right on Shinichi's head. I sputtered into a laugh. Eyes blank, he looked positively shocked.

The corner of his mouth twitched, an obvious attempt to hold back a laugh. "You did that on purpose."

"Are you kidding?" A happy tear fell to my scarf. "That's a skill I have yet to achieve."

"Check it out!" Sonoko shouted across the park, "we built a snowman!" as Ran circled said snowman tossing flurries like a celebration.

As we made our approach, their frosty work came more into view, and we realized that in appearance it resembled a certain magician thief. Each step closer supplied Shinichi with a deeper dislike for it, until a pair of pink and blue girls stopped us in our tracks.

"You're Kudo Shinichi!" the girl in a pink jacket proclaimed.

"Yeah." Shinichi flashed them a hasty half-smile.

They giggled then the pink one produced a notebook. "Is it alright— I mean, can we have your autograph?"

Shinichi scribbled away onto the paper, obviously in a rush to leave them.

The girl in blue looked me over in contemplation. "Are you his little sister?"

What a guess. They act as fans but aren't aware he's an only child. And I tried to stay mad on that thought, but soured over the implication that my stature deemed me less than girlfriend material.

Somehow sensing my ire, Shinichi cut in. "She's a close friend."

"Oh, only a friend." She smiled then turned back to Shinichi. "Thank you for this." She bit her lip, then covered the action with her blue gloved hand. "Can we ask a personal question?"

He tensed. The answer should be no, I know, but I also know he's polite to a fault.

We hardly noticed snow crunching beneath approaching footsteps till Sonoko broke in, all waving arms. "Keep moving, he's on holiday."

Shinichi relieved his formal posture. "Thanks, Sonoko."

"No problem." She nodded approvingly.

Job done, Sonoko returned to Ran, who already worked midway through their next questionable creation.

That's not right. Little sister? My eyes traveled down to reassert the day's attire in my head. Lime green button up blouse covered in a forest green windbreaker. Under all that, a soft teal undershirt. Sensible. Pine green skirt, and leggings to match my undershirt. Fashion in check, and Sonoko made no disagreeable comments, so it had to be. Then my eyes traveled up, and up, to Shinichi. And there's the problem. Had I been born with taller genes, there would be no question. We would be mistaken for a couple, blushing and denying it, but no I'm his little sister. Tipping forward to my toes, and sucking in a breath, I came to Shinichi's side. In such a stance my direct line of sight landed on his chin instead of his chest. Progress.

He chuckled at the sight. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

Shinichi pushed down on my shoulders till my feet gave in. But I defiantly stood back to my toes. So this time he mimicked the action. And while Shinichi leisurely perched on his toes, I strained to make myself taller than he became. In all my endeavors, I failed to realize his plottings.

"Maybe if you stretch your arms out it will help."

I did as he suggested and my hands collided with a branch. My legs collapsed under the sudden off balance, and I fell. Snow stacked in piles on, and around me. Enveloping my lap and torso like a blanket tucking me in for an ice nap.

Shinichi chuckled apologetically. "Sorry, didn't expect the snow to swallow you up."

I hopped to my feet, and curled into myself shivering. A hug from Jack Frost was the last thing this small body needed.

Shinichi arched down to my height. "You should have worn more than a windbreaker."

He unwound his scarf off, then wrapped it around my neck. It proved to be more than I needed, and covered half of my face, but I reveled in his warmth now shielding me from the harsh weather all around.

"Thanks," I murmured, blushing as I noticed his scent mixed in the fabric, but relaxed knowing my cheeks were too cold to show it.

"You're welcome."

On the walk home my earlier thoughts returned like an elastic snap. Eat healthy, exercise, and this is all I grow. Sonoko would suggest high heels. I glowered.

Hands in his pockets, Shinichi curved over to puzzle out my expression. "What's on your mind?"

I stumbled back. "Oh." There's dozens of excuses I've used before, all stockpiled in my mind to answer that pestering question. Luckily, a relevant one hit me before I spoke. "What do you want for Christmas?"

He hummed to himself, a crooked smile as he answered, "the first copy of Sherlock Holmes from an 1887 Beeton's Christmas Annual. Tickets to the Tokyo Spirits first game next season. More rosin for my violin. The american recreation of Sherlock Holmes starring Robe-"

I threw up my hands. Why hadn't it occurred to me that rich kids have expensive tastes? "Anything simpler ...please?" Except one of his answers struck me as something that didn't sound too high in the market. "What's rosin?"

"Rosin is applied to a violin so the strings don't attach to the hair in the bow," he supplied like the human textbook he was. "Anyway, I'd also like England's recreation of the novel, which they simply titled as Sherl-"

This was going nowhere fast. "Nevermind, I've got something in mind."

His enthusiasm cooled. "Okay."

We crossed the threshold of home, my home, and shut out the icy outdoors before shaking off the snow from our coats. Mother didn't appreciate that. But one charming smile from Shinichi, and she playfully waved us off.

Shinichi perched before the small heater in my room. Both of us reclaiming normal body temperature. I swung into my desk, immediately scribbling in a notebook. My fingers protested, chilled as they were, but I had to get the idea down.

[Shinichi's POV]

Keiko put a pencil to paper. Determined, with her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth, no jokes on the snowmen, or comments of the day's events. And that gripped me with an urge to break her concentration for a smile. Even a quick one. So, I prodded an eraser to her nose. She paused only to itch it. And I continued to her cheek, forehead, chin. Until she finally looked up, flicked my forehead, and returned to work. Not a hint of amusement.

Her hair brushed my hand. Silky. I ran my fingers through the strands from root to end. Despite the dry weather it retained its quality.

"Stop."

"Why?"

Keiko leaned toward my touch, the gesture mesmerized me in a way, and her writing slackened. "It's making me sleepy..."

"That's a bad thing?"

"Well." Her eyes fell shut. She reopened them after a yawn. "Stop."

In her notebook columns cascaded the page, separated into categories. "What are you writing?"

"I'm planning a surprise party for my parents' anniversary. Want to help?" She sat up and stretched. "After that shindig you pulled for my birthday, I believe our combined efforts would create a masterpiece."

I thought of the people acting as her guardians. "But they're not married, are they?"

"That's not it..." She quirked a smile. "Christmas is when I met them."

Sentimental as always. "What do you need?"

She turned to the page. "What would you choose from this list of foods? Pick what's appealing. I'm getting preferences from everybody."

"Well, this..." I circled lemon pie, and from there selected a few fruits. Once finished, she shrugged at my selection, writing off choices left and right. "They'll like this more, I've never seen them eat that, and-" she erased then jotted down an alternative. "-I'll choose this instead."

"If you're going to do that, why even bother with me?"

She grinned. "Your opinion has been taken into consideration, and I thank you for it!"

But the next day, she asked for party ideas, who to invite, and a handful of other questions to which she basically said, "I'll use my idea instead." Her particularity on everything struck a nerve. Christmas Eve came to be a sigh of relief, she ceased any mention of it. Seeing as it would be the next day, I took comfort in the fact that she seemed to have the planning wrapped up.

Keiko sent me out to collect drinks, and halfway home, my phone rang.

"Shinichi," Keiko blurted. "The party's been moved up to today, sorry! The date works better for their job. Everyone's at Agasa's now, hurry over! Oh, but we're all prepared to shower a surprise on my parents when they walk in, so you'll have to sneak through the back. See ya in a bit!"

"Wait, why do I-" the dial tone beeped, "-have to sneak in..?"

Keiko wouldn't pick up when I redialed. The Professor's back door was, of course, locked. And crawling in the window, I'd had enough. She's not been mindful of me once, it's Christmas Eve, and I'm doing all her bidding. It's far from fair, and I've had—

"Surprise!"

Circling the window I'd entered, everyone tossed me confetti, streamers, and big smiles.

I'd tumbled the rest of the way in, speechless. The Professor, Ran, Sonoko, Kogoro, and Keiko all waited with bated breath. Well, except Kogoro who cackled behind his palm at my predicament.

Keiko helped me up, then eagerly asked, "surprised?!"

Instead of answering I narrowed my eyes on her, pointing accusingly at everything we strived to set up. "This— you planned this all along?"

"Yep!"

"What about your parents?"

"I bought 'em gift cards!" She chirped. "Bit of a psychology trick here. Watching how you pick out lies, sorta helped me lie to you on this."

I shivered. "Scary trick"

She laid a palm over her heart. "My powers will only be used for good."

Still, it's too much. Can't believe the entire time I never had a clue. Not that I actively keep an eye out for deceit in friends. I ruffled my hair, amused and frustrated all on one. "I can't believe you!"

The rest took my admission as a white flag. They bounced off their toes, shouting, "we got him!"

"Shinichi." Keiko embraced me. "Merry Christmas! ...Eve!"

I laid a hand to her back, calming with a sigh as I returned, "Merry Christmas Eve, Keiko."

When I unwrapped her from the hug Keiko held tighter. So I did the same. This went back and forth, us hugging tighter and tighter, until she collapsed.

"Air," Keiko gasped.

A laugh escaped me. "I win."

Ran announced the time to open presents. We unwrapped, passed gifts around, all expecting that one weird present to present itself. But no. When Keiko's involved in the gifting process, usually something odd makes it in; some strange invention she asked Agasa to create, toe-socks, and I almost gave up until-

"What's this?" Sonoko pulled photos from her gift, all of outfits from shop windows.

"Since I couldn't afford it," Keiko explained. "I took a picture. This is what I wanted to get you."

Sonoko narrowed her eyes, and quoted, "it's the thought that counts?"

Keiko in turn questioned her present, "high heels?"

Sonoko laid a hand upon Keiko's shoulder. "Don't knock them till you try them."

Instead of retaliating, Keiko frowned, staring at the gift.

Ran did one last search under the tree then tapped Keiko on the shoulder. "Did you get anything for Shinichi?"

Keiko quickly smiled.

"Don't tell me..." Sonoko sighed. "You spent so much time planning the party you forgot?"

"Shinichi, you too. Where's your gift for Keiko?"

I nervously averted my eyes, muttering something that sounded like an excuse.

"You two never cease to amaze me." Sonoko faintly chuckled.

Despite her earlier displeasure, Sonoko discussed the photos Keiko gave her with Ran. Sounding genuinely interested in purchasing some of the choices.

Dinner consisted of all of my favorite dishes. Keiko caught me with a mouthful, asking a question that, when she noticed my squirrel cheeks, ended in a giggle and an offer for more. The party favors were puzzle games, which everyone played before the TV. Kogoro mostly took up the center counter, chugging beer he brought himself. Ran went back and forth between our game, and a chess game she set up with her father. She won both. After the Lemon Pie dessert we exchanged wishes for a Merry Christmas, and turned in for the day.

[Author's POV]

Keiko aided Shinichi in carrying his newly acquired gifts home. She set the last down, clapping the figurative dust from her hands. Satisfied with Shinichi's obliviousness, she yanked his sleeve, and smiled.

"What?" He asked.

"I have another surprise."

Shinichi apprehensively surveyed the room. "...what?"

"Relax. My gift is hidden in your house."

"Hidden?"

She nodded. "And hidden well. Now ya gotta find it, Detective."

Shinichi shrugged her off, unwilling to relent to the possibility of her getting him twice in a row.

"When did you have enough time to skillfully hide something in my home?"

Still he searched diligently. Cabinets, shelves, under furniture.

Keiko giggled. He reserved detective-mode for want of keeping face. Unlike earlier when she caught him off guard, now he refused to be taunted into putting thought as to where she would hide it.

Her apparent amusement only served to fuel Shinichi further into unveiling the elusive thing.

"I already gave you a hint!" Keiko shouted.

Shinichi bumped his head, flinching from her outburst. Keiko worried a room away that he'd been injured by the silence, but a colorful word from him shortly following the noise assured her otherwise. She wandered his home, knowing his tricks at reading nonverbal cues. Nuances a suspect gives off when they want to protect something they've hidden.

In the living room Shinichi reclined over the sofa, his lean body taking up all the space, he cradled his head in his hands folded underneath.

"I came in here to think..."

Keiko grinned expectantly.

"And saw that." He pointed up. Against the ceiling a box hung afloat strung up with balloons. "You said relax, and that was the hint..."

Keiko nodded.

He shook his head to hide a smile. She's getting crafty, and that idea couldn't decide whether it pleased or frightened him.

He aimed pencils like darts. If he could use his legs, it would've been done, but as it is he's shot probably seven pencils. Keiko supplied him with ammo as she sat next to the sharpener, bringing pencils to a point between reloads. One balloon at a time it lost altitude.

"It's a big box," Shinichi curiously observed as he turned it over in his hands. All sides are three feet long.

Keiko bit her lips and nodded.

Shinichi untied the ribbon, removed the lid, to reveal... another box. He set the opened box aside, then pulled out the next one, only to repeat the process fifteen times.

"When I introduced you to nesting dolls, this was the last thing I expected." Unwrapping now down to a skill, he pulled out the next with little thought, and revealed an item wrapped in tissue paper. As he tore through, Keiko explained her gift to him.

"It's sorta last minute. I mean, I had it for a while, but the extra part."

Shinichi finally revealed the goal, marveling at his new treasure.

"M-my original idea was a plain old soccer ball." She stammered at his silence. "A certain someone disagreed. I joked and said we could get it signed. That person stole the ball from me after the comment, and returned with an autograph from the whole Tokyo Spirits team. Mister Curtis smeared his signature a bit, but it's all intact, and-"

"It's perfect," Shinichi murmured, the corner of his lip twitched. "How did you get this? I've collected a few signatures here and there, but this is everyone!"

"I called your parents for a spot of advice. Your mom arranged for this ball to get signed." She smiled at the floor. "I'm glad you like it."

Shinichi grabbed her shoulders. "Like it? I love it!" He tucked her into an embrace, gratefully exclaiming, "thank you so much!"

Keiko replied with equal breathless enthusiasm, "you're welcome!"

Shinichi thrusted her the ball then patted her shoulders. "Wait here."

She turned the ball carefully in her palms. His footsteps receded down the hall. A clattering announced his return as he nearly toppled a porcelain bowl from the sofa table.

Shinichi offered a box when he plopped down. Keiko accepted Shinichi's gift, smirking at his choice of soccer ball wrapping paper. She ripped the paper off, and Shinichi chose to explain his gift to her.

"Sonoko always brings up your time here, saying you couldn't remember certain events for how long you've lived in Beika. I know you two tease one another, since the two of you hardly get along, but I know when one goes too far and... well... it made me wonder if maybe her comments isolated you. You never say, but it's not impossible to notice."

Keiko pulled from the paper a leather bound photo album. Within the cover sleeve was a picture of Keiko, Shinichi, Ran, and Sonoko posing in front of their school.

Shinichi continued, "so, I asked around for photos with you, or people we know. Ran provided... a jarring amount." Shinichi gave a small smile, a red hue danced along his cheeks. "Mostly pictures of us. Look." He pointed to a photo of Keiko standing with her Mother, Father, and Grandma when they first arrived in Beika. "Your parents provided something to put in here. Ran even went so far as to get her parents together for a photo, of course, she was more than happy to oblige there. Sonoko tried giving me a dozen of-" Shinichi's voice faded.

Keiko's tears had splattered against the plastic cover. She dabbed her sleeve to her eyes when the tears became too much, but turned the pages to admire the gift despite her blurry vision.

"Are you alright?" Shinichi hovered an arm over her back. Cupping her cheek to closely analyze Keiko's expression.

She pulled down, shaking her head. "I'm fine. It's just-" she took a deep breath, "-this gift is so, so wonderful." Her features softened. She swiftly dried her tears, and managed her best smile. "I can't believe you would do something like this for me." She gathered him into her arms. "Thank you." She murmured, squeezing tight. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Shinichi exhaled. Heart still racing. Her crying made his initial thought rejection. With her, emotions always took a step before logic. In the moment he would loath the thought. However in reality he developed a fondness for it.

He slid a reassuring hand down her back, hesitating momentarily before laying his head atop hers. She tucked herself in further, accepting the gesture, and he revelled in the feel.

Keiko turned in his arms to cradle the album in one arm. She turned the pages back, stopping upon the photo of her Grandma.

"Grandma," she stated. "Went into Witness Protection."

The news bubbled nervously in the pit of his stomach. He had his suspicions, but didn't push if she wouldn't say. "When?"

"Halloween."

"Why tell me now?"

She shrugged against his chest. "Didn't want to dwell on it before. Grandma's safe, no use discussing it..."

Shinichi tilted his head down, partially speaking into her hair, "when this is over, you can see her whenever you please. Try and look forward to that."

Keiko nodded. Their temperatures mixed into a combined warmth. His arms simultaneously soothing her, like coming home, she melted into his touch.

The mood snapped when Shinichi's cell reminded them of reality. Agasa called and said Shinichi forgot a few things on the kitchen counter. Shinichi reluctantly untangled from her to go retrieve it. Keiko trailed after him out the door. Although as he rounded into Agasa's home, he realized Keiko wandered the opposite way.

Shinichi caught her by the arm. "Where are you going?"

Keiko raised a challenging brow, and he noticed she had the album. "Home."

He glanced around, then asked, "why don't you spend the night?"

That's new. Shinichi never asked, always found it tedious to have sleepovers when she managed to see him everyday, but he knew she'd be spending Christmas morning without family. Like him, and refused to let her go through it alone.

Keiko's heart fluttered, then dropped. She would have to turn him down. "Sonoko had a slumber party two days ago. My parents won't accept me out of the house more than two nights a week. Escalates the probability of an incident..."

With that terminology he knew she quoted them. "Keiko, be spoiled for once. Your Grandma's not home. As soon as you return all you have to look forward to is bed. As for me, neither of my parents are home, and tomorrow's Christmas. If you go, we'll be facing the start of it alone."

That's part of a lie. Keiko knew Shinichi never cared much for the company of his childish parent's. But the truth is that they had no true family to join on Christmas day.

"I dare say you're being the spoiled one here..."

"Please!"

"Fine," Keiko pulled out her cell, timidly dialing home. As soon as Keiko said the words, "I'm sorry it's too last minute," Shinichi took the phone and demanded that Keiko be free for the holidays. Satisfied with an okay, Shinichi hung up.

Then crouched down, holding his head in mortification. "You didn't tell me it was your father!"

"You didn't tell me you were going to do something stupid!"

Shinichi rubbed his hand up and down his face. He yanked his jacket like a man would tug the collar of his suit, and walked to Agasa's. "A-all that matters is you're still here." He mumbled, "and it was not stupid."

Keiko smirked. Yeah it was... but he did it for me. "Thanks, Shinichi. And , alright, it wasn't stupid. Actually, it was kinda cool."

Shinichi nodded, as if reassuring himself.

They retrieved Shinichi's things. Sitting on the counter beside his items, Keiko spotted a crystalline bowl of round pastel colored candy. She chomped down a piece, humming happily to the taste. She popped another, drawing in Shinichi's interest till he sampled a few.

"It's good," Keiko said around a mouthful.

"Wait!" Agasa sprinted into the room. He possessively confiscated the candies before they took another.

Keiko gravitated to Shinichi's side. "What?"

"Did you eat any?" the professor asked.

"It... it's candy right?"

He fixed them with a long stare. "How do you feel?"

"What did we put in our mouths?" Shinichi stuck out his tongue, like the action would help him identify the substance.

"I've been meaning to test it, but no volunteers have signed up."

"Answer us!" Keiko pleaded.

"This is crucial, answer me first!"

Shinichi's knees gave in. He hooked an arm over Keiko's shoulders. However, she struggled to keep balance alone. They toppled and fell behind the counter.

"I feel nothin'," Shinichi slurred, rising with effort.

Keiko didn't bother trying to stand.

Eventually they both straightened up to Agasa's prompting. Their giddy smiles hardened into an indifference to avoid suspicion so Agasa would explain.

"What you ingested is the prototype. The medicine simulates the effects of a cold. I plan on marketing to those who need a foolproof excuse to get out of work. But this prototype contains alcohol... I thought mimicking the flush appearance of an intoxicated individual would be a good place to start... Are you sure you feel nothing? Nothing at all?"

Later they would tell the truth, but now, "I've never felt more nothing than the nothing I'm feeling now."

Agasa looked the two over with a funny look by Keiko's standards, so she figured that their facade probably wasn't holding up. Given the date Keiko didn't want to stay to be examined.

"I'm goin' ta Shinichi's, byyyeee~!" Keiko tottered out the door with their things in hand.

Shinichi followed. "I'm goin' to Shini— my house, byee~"

Once safely outside, they shared a chuckle for masterfully deceiving him. Stumbling to Shinichi's home, helping each other stand, failing, and falling, they learned to rely on inanimate objects. Once home they dropped their belongings to flick on every light in the house.

"That's a lotta lights." Keiko plopped onto the couch. "People are gonna think there's a ton of people here."

Shinichi repressed a chuckle to say, "but there's not."

To which they laughed till water filled their eyes.

Keiko gasped. "That's a little too funny. Are we really intoxid— intoxa— in-tox-ic— drunk?"

"Most likely." Shinichi collapsed onto the couch beside her.

"But we know we're drunk."

"Yeah."

"So are we drunk?"

"Yep."

"Wow."

Shinichi laid across the couch, crossed his arms, and smirked. "I planned my own Christmas party."

"Uh-huh."

"I did not expect you to do that."

"Of course."

"That's probably why it surprised me."

"You were surprised?"

"Yeah." Shinichi rolled his head over the cushion to face her. "But if you ask me later I'll deny it."

"Okay." Keiko stretched out. "I guess I'll shower."

After sobering up a bit, Shinichi became aware that allowing a drunken Keiko to shower wasn't the best idea. Everything played out well till the water shut off. A loud thump caused Shinichi to rush up and knock.

"Keiko?"

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

A low whimpering answered.

"Keiko..." Shinichi sighed.

After fully dressing, Keiko exited.

"What's hurt?"

Keiko shook her head.

"You hurt something."

Keiko pouted, and swung her hand forward. A wound on the meaty part of her index finger bled bright red. Shinichi guided her to his room for first aid. He applied antibiotics before gently sticking a bandage over it.

As Shinichi prepared for his shower Keiko asked, "if you won't admit the party surprised you. What could I do that you would admit to being surprised about?"

"If I told you, wouldn't that defeat the purpose?"

"Oh yeah... if I scared you, that's surprising, right?"

"It's surprising I guess, but not a fun one. I thought you were going for something pleasant, like what I did on your birthday?"

Keiko's blank smile worried him.

"Hey, those candies. I ate two... How many did you take?"

Keiko leapt forward and threw her arms out. "Boo!"

"...For future reference... let's say more than two."

A shower later Shinichi felt invigorated. Sober, but not fully. Some thoughts remained jumbled. Others took up permanent residence. To say the least it bothered him, but troubling still is Keiko's reaction to alcohol. Shinichi reentered to find Keiko off the side of his bed. Upside down.

"Is it Christmas yet?"

Shinichi read the clock. "Thirty minutes."

Keiko rolled forward with a frown. She strapped on her new high heels from the gifts piled in the corner. "For this year's Christmas, I want a foot or two more. Up, up, no more standing to my toes."

"Oh yeah?" Shinichi acknowledged her absentmindedly while filing away anything potentially dangerous. Pencils, glass, lighters, tools, recording devices. "But being small is very you."

"I don't expect you to understand..."

Okay, that sounded oddly sober, Shinichi thought.

He had Keiko spread out her futon, so he could make hot chocolate. Something of a chaser in case she hadn't digested all the alcohol already. Bad idea. Keiko became all energy.

"Try and get some sleep?"

"No."

Keiko ran circles around Shinichi's room, leapt off his bed, tagged him, then continued.

"Yes."

Shinichi held his arms out to catch her on the next lap, but missed.

"No no."

"Yes yes!"

Shinichi caught Keiko's arm. Her momentum as he pulled, sent them both spinning. They knocked heads. While that pained him, it sent Keiko reeling.

She complied when he dropped her to bed. She sat there flapping the top cover back and forth. "Ya know, I wrote out a letter to them."

Shinichi yawned. "Who's them?" Idly he picked up what she strode out, but promptly dropped it. He won't be a housemaid in his own home, she can get it in the morning.

Keiko shyly scratched her forehead. "M-Mama and Papa back in protection. It's an update of sorts, so they'll know I'm alive, and about school, general stuff... I also mentioned you."

Shinichi flicked off the lights. Sat beside Keiko's futon, and lightly chuckled. "Me?"

"Had to use a codename, but I wanted them to know I'm not alone. It'll be a nice Christmas present. So, I hope Santa delivers it posthaste."

"Santa," Shinichi faltered. "You don't seriously believe in him?"

"No."

"Then why...?"

"Not the traditional red suited man, but I do believe in the miracle of a present making it from one hand to another. Anyone who has it in them to give away a gift to feel the joy of another, or even to fulfill the wishes of another, is the idea of Santa to me."

"Then... I guess I believe in Santa as well." Shinichi laughed. "I can't believe those words left my mouth. You're ruining me... or maybe I'm still tipsy."

"I'm not taking it back."

"You don't need to. If you believe in Santa." He ruffled her hair. "Or if you're short." His eyes softened with his smile. "Then don't change. I like you, and all of the strange quirks that make you who you are. The way you come up with new views, it's refreshing! And don't worry about your height, your height is- well, Keiko height. Had you been any taller, half of our activities wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining."

Keiko felt her earlier worries dampen. He eased her mind by accepting who she is, and somehow, his words were all that mattered. He took away her self-pity, and the fact that he could swallow her heart in overwhelming joy. Words couldn't convey the happiness he provided, but she wasn't sure what else to do with this newly inspired confidence.

"We may have different views and opinions, but I think it's funny that-"

She shuffled closer, closer than talking distance, and logic for the first time in a long time told him proximity, without hugging, often led to only one thing. Her face was so close he felt her breath quivering. He went rigid.

Keiko peeled her eyes off the ground, peering up at him through her lashes. "I wanted to, Um." She refused to second guess herself, and blurted, "I like you!" Keiko swooped in, pecking him on the cheek, not expecting to hear the audible chu. They blushed madly, red hot cheeks that only seemed to get warmer.

Her admission spiraled him into instinct. And Keiko could tell from the vacancy in his eyes that predicting what followed next was a mystery to even him. However, his hesitancy to act clued her in that he battled for a right and wrong in the situation.

Keiko wanted to encourage him. Didn't know how. And couldn't reign in her embarrassment to even feign a smile as she whispered, "surprise."

The battle forfeited, Shinichi gravitated towards Keiko. A short distance that forced her against the side of his bed to maintain.

Keiko breathily laughed. "What? There something on my face? Please tell me there's something on my face." Shinichi again drifted closer. "Please tell me yer usin' a weird way to get something off my face."

Despite his best efforts, Shinichi broke face into a chuckle at her comical excuses. But only a moment before he closed the distance between them. Keiko panicked, and turned away, bringing Shinichi to kiss her on the cheek.

Keiko faced him. "Did you... um, get whatever it was off?"

"No." He frowned.

Shinichi took Keiko's hand, reassuring her, but not enough.

His other hand cupped her face, and caressed a thumb across her cheek. She fell into his touch. Finally gathering the courage, they steadily held each other's gaze. Mesmerized. Assured in his advances, Shinichi leaned in. Their eyes fell to a close, breath intermingling before their lips met.

A simple touch of the lips, the most delicate, determined, but uncertain kiss. Lingering. But as Keiko grew unsure of what should follow, she began to pull away. Shinichi chased her retreat till the back of her head hit the bed, and her mind spun. Musings of what should follow jumbled into a confused heap in her mind.

She pushed off the bed to take some control, and on impulse, gathered his lower lip between hers.

Shinichi took a sharp breath through his nose. He focused on the sensation. Learning her gentle movements before repeating the action on her upper lip.

Keiko squeaked in surprise.

They broke the kiss and pressed their foreheads to one another for support. Between deep breaths they chuckled.

Shinichi glanced at the clock behind her, and with a broad smile said, "Merry Christmas."

Keiko felt the excitement blossom like a warmth in her chest. "Merry Christmas!"

But she still sounded far too breathless for Shinichi not to laugh.

[End of Flashback]

"I don't want to go back in the bag..." Conan muttered to his feet. The end of our Osaka visit, and really, the only way we can return home together. Heiji, snickering as he was, refused to lend me money for Conan's ticket home.

"Conan... I have no problem with leaving you at Heiji's. For some reason I'm sure he'd willingly adopt you, but if you want to go home you're getting in the bag right now." I unzipped it. One of us should have been uncomfortable, it was the ladies room again that this event occurred in, but all either of us could worry about was the bag.

He clasped his hands together. "Don't make me go back in the bag."

"Get in the bag."

"I don't want to get in the bag."

"You're getting in the bag."

"Keikooo," he whined.

"Conaan," I chided.

Needless to say, my bag did its best to kick me on the ride home.