For this chapter... the "[dadada]" are used for when the future Ran "talks" in Ran's head. The "*dadada*" are used for the 17 year old Ran's conversation with her future self or for her own thoughts. Okay, I hope?
Names are in Japanese name order, last name first. Example, for my name would be: Hoak-Kagey Laura. It just feels more "Japanese" or something. :)
Also, "NAME-chan" appears in this chapter. "-chan" is used for children or close friends. It's kind of a sweet, caring, cute thing to use...
Chapter Two: Matanakattara... (If she didn't wait...)
By Laura Hoak-Kagey
Ran glanced from the silvery white-dressed woman to the crimson red-dressed woman. One would show her the future if she waited for Shinichi. The other would show her the future if she didn't want for Shinichi.
With a determined face, Ran placed her hand in the crimson dressed woman's hand. Well, she had been thinking of giving up on Shinichi lately anyways, and this way she would be able to see if things really did turn out better for her or not.
The second Ran placed her hand in the other woman's, a crimson light slowly started to engulf them. The last thing Ran heard before the surroundings around her turned completely crimson was the voice of the silvery woman.
"I'll be waiting for you..."
@>-;---
Ran opened her eyes to find herself in what seemed to be present day Tokyo. Just as she looked to her side to ask the woman where they were, Ran heard a voice in her head.
[No, I'm not next to you. If you have questions, you can ask me in your head, and I will answer the same way. But this I will tell you, no one can see or hear you in this time. You're only a shadow. This time is ten years after your time, making you nearly 28 years old.]
*But...where are we now? This looks like an elementary school in front of me.*
[You're right. But just be patient. I'm going to leave the discovering about your future to you for a bit. Let me know when you're finished here.]
Rather than try to ask all of her questions to her future self, Ran decided to do just what her other self had told her, find out about her future. If she was standing in front of an elementary school, there had to be a reason for it.
Just as Ran was about to head for the schoolyard, the bell signaling school was out, rang. Children started running out of the building, and all around Ran, parents were starting to gather.
"Mama! You came!"
Ran saw a little boy with medium brown hair and green eyes running towards her. She looked over her shoulder to see an older version of herself standing there. She was older...and...her older self looked tired and a bit sad, but as the little boy came closer, her older self's eyes started to light up with happiness.
"Yuuichi! Of course I would!" Ran's older self crouched down to a child's height, and opened her arms wide. Yuuichi jumped into them. "Yuu-chan! How'd school go?"
Yuuichi stepped away from his mother to answer her. "Well, me and Nami kinda were too loud, but..."
"Kudou Nami?"
Yuuichi shook his head. "But don't worry mama! I didn't do anything bad!"
A smile reappeared on the older Ran's face. "Okay, I'll believe you this time. Anyways, let's go home, okay? Your papa's coming home early to have dinner with us today."
As Yuuichi put his hand in his mother's, they began to walk home.
*My...son? And Kudou Nami? Is that Shinichi's daughter? I know Kudou isn't a rare name, but I can't help but wonder....*
Ran was about ready to ask the crimson woman a question when she noticed a familar woman start to make her way towards the school. The woman had blonde hair and reminded her of...Ai-chan?
The blonde woman searched the crowds until her face showed that she had found who she was looking for. She made her way towards a little girl. "Nami-chan!"
A little girl with light brown hair and blue eyes looked towards the voice. The girl's face lit up slightly.
"Mama! You came! Usually it's papa who comes..."
The blonde haired woman took the little girl's hand, and said in a gentle voice, "Well, your father's busy. You know how busy he can be because he's a famous detective. Besides, it's been a while since I've come to pick you up. How about I buy you some ice cream on the way home?"
Nami nodded, but her face told Ran that this girl had hoped her papa would've come to get her.
After the pair had walked beyond her sight, Ran wondered who that lady was. All the clues seemed to tell her that she was Shinichi's wife, but why was Ran convinced that that lady was the same girl as the Haibara Ai she knew in her time?
[All I can tell you is that she has a relation to the person you mentioned. Don't ask the details about it, but she is Shinichi's wife, and the little girl called Nami is their daughter. But now, it's time to take you to your future house. There is still more to see...]
A crimson light once more surrounded Ran.
@>-;----
Once the light had subsided, Ran could see that she stood in front of a house. She glanced to the nameplate and saw the Japanese characters for "Yamazaki" engraved into marble.
"Yamazaki? Yamazaki Ran...I suppose it sounds okay." Rather than stand there and contemplate whether the name suited her or not, Ran started for the house. When she reached the door, she hesitated.
[Go ahead, walk through it. I told you that you were a shadow...]
"Yeah, but..." But since everything else Ran had been told had held true, she decided to believe the crimson woman. Taking a breath and closing her eyes, Ran headed for the door. To her surprise, she found herself on the other side, inside the house. Well, this was certainly turning out to be the strangest dream she had had so far in her life...
Ran walked from the entrance way into what was the dining area. The table was set with dishes and a dinner that looked to have taken a long time to prepare. Ran saw her older self leaning against a wall in the kitchen, with her arms folded across her chest.
*Why...*
At that instant the phone rang. Ran moved closer to the older woman so she could hear was on the other side.
"Hello. Yamazaki residence."
"Ran? It's me. I called to let you know that I can't make it home early tonight. Sorry."
"Geez, Keiichi, again? Which is more important? Your family or your work? You should know that Yuu-chan's been waiting for you since I brought him home from school. I know you're busy, but your son misses you. Or haven't you noticed." The older Ran's voice was full of disappointment with a touch of anger.
"Ran, I can't help it. If you want a place to live and money to provide for Yuuichi, then you need to understand that I have to work when they ask me. The money you make from your part-time job just isn't enough. It's not like I don't want to see my son...and because I probably won't get home until late, you don't have to wait up for me."
"Fine! I won't! You don't even need to bother coming home!" And she slammed the phone down.
Ran looked at the older woman and could tell that she had tears forming in her eyes. Was this really the future she had made for herself without Shinichi? What had happened to all of her strong will? Her thoughts were interrupted by Yamazaki Ran's random comments.
"Why the hell did I ever marry him? I know, he used to be such a nice guy...maybe it was because I was lonely? Why didn't I realize that I had only fooled myself into love...if it wasn't for Yuuichi..." She wiped the tears from her eyes before they slid down her face.
"Oh well. I suppose I should tell Yuu-chan that it's dinner for two again..."
Before heading for the living room, the older woman whispered one more thing. "A big mistake, wasn't it Shinichi? You at least cared about people's feeling when you were away..."
After the woman had left, Ran stood still looking at the doorway her older self had just passed through.
*She looks so sad...*
[That's because she is. Yamazaki Keiichi has been working late more and more often, and never finds time with his family. Ever since Yuuichi was born, he started acting differently. Maybe he didn't want to be a father, maybe company ambition became more important, or maybe he realized he rushed into marriage. I don't know because he never tells me anything...]
Ran then realized why the crimson dressed, older version of herself had looked so sad when they had first met. She was the same person who was now telling her son that his father couldn't come home for dinner.
*Why do you put up with it?*
[Sigh. Sometimes I ask myself the same question...anyways, there is one more place you need to go.]
Although Ran wasn't completely used to it, she took the coming of the crimson light with less of a surprise this time around.
@>-;---
The house Ran was now standing in front of was all too familiar to her. She didn't even need to glance at the nameplate to know that this was Kudou Shinichi's house.
^^^^^^^
Alright, and no, I'm not a big Shinichi x Ai fan, but, well, there had to be an alternative future, right?
And if you can figure out the connection between Ran and the last name "Yamazaki" you get a cookie. :)
Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!
July 2001