Disclaimer: though I really, really find Conan just plain adorable (or should I say, he's so kawaii!), he's not mine. Neither is his alter ego, nor the love of his life, nor his uncle Kogoro, nor his best detective friend, nor his love's best female friend, nor his love's best friend's love interest. I could go on and on, 'ya know.

Please review and I think I'm on a roll.

Chapter 4:
The Meeting


Wait for me, Ran.

Ran was tired. She lay on her bed, unseeing, unfeeling, unmoving.

She was tired of talking. She was tired of waiting. She was tired of crying.

Her puffy eyes were beginning to itch, her head beginning to throb, her nose beginning to run.

"Ran?" She heard a familiar voice called out as the door to her room opened slightly. "Ran?"

Ran didn't even shift, choosing to ignore the owner of the voice, and for the first time since he left, wishing he would just go away.

Kudo Shinichi stepped into the room and was shocked at what he saw.

The last time he—Conan—saw Ran, she was happy, oh, so very happy.

And now, this.

His eyes narrowed. "What did he do to you?" He growled.

"What are you talking about?" Was the muffled reply. Slowly, Ran sat up from her position in her bed.

"Shinoda," Shinichi began pacing around the room. "If he so much as touched you-"

"I doubt you could've done anything," Ran replied flatly.

Shinichi suddenly turned around to face Ran. "He did hurt you!" He exclaimed as he flung himself to her bed and sat beside her. "What did he do?" He demanded as his hands automatically reached out towards Ran.

But Ran waved him away. "What are you talking about?"

Shinichi sighed as he placed his hands beside him.

"I should've known you'll come," Ran grumbled. "I mean, everyone else had." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Wait a minute, don't tell me she's called you too?" Ran groaned.

"She?" Shinichi opened his eyes very wide, hoping that this would make him look more innocent.

"Don't play dumb with me, Shinichi, I know you too well." Ran threatened him.

Shinichi hid a smiled. "She did call me," he admitted.

"I can't believe this!" Ran exploded as she suddenly stood up, surprising Shinichi. "For one year I pleaded for you to return home, and one word from her and you came packing? Great. I can't believe she convinced everyone to talk me out of this,"

"Wait," now it was Shinichi's turn to narrow his eyes. "What do you mean everyone?"

"Apparently mom was very busy yesterday." Ran agitatedly paced around the room. "She told everyone how this wasn't right for me, that this isn't what I really wanted. Then, she told each one of them that they're the only ones who could change my mind."

"What?" And I prided myself on being a great detective. I fell for her manipulations hook, line, and sinker. I can't believe I risked everything because of what she had told me.

"But Ran, I didn't come for her." Shinichi told her seriously.

Ran spun furiously around and faced him. "Why are you here then?"

"To stop you,"

"Oh, not you too!"

"Ran, I-"

"I can't believe this is happening," she began as she paced around again. "I can't believe this, I can't believe this,"

"Ran," Shinichi said. "You're starting to hyperventilate," he stood up and grabbed Ran's shoulders to stop her, or at least, he tried to. What actually happened was when he grabbed her shoulders, she continued to walk towards him. Either she thought she could walk right through him or she just didn't care, but her forehead smashed into Shinichi's nose. "Ouch!" Shinichi yelped in pain as he quickly withdrew his hands to nurse his injured nose. He quickly stepped out of Ran's path as she continued to pace around the room.

"I'm almost eighteen now," she was saying. Shinichi quickly understood that her tirade was not meant for him. "I can make my own decisions. I'll be living away from home in a few months. I have my own life to live. I cannot believe this,"

"Ran, your mother is only concerned about you." Shinichi told her softly.

She stopped at that. Then, she sighed as her shoulders sagged down in defeat. "It doesn't matter anyway." She then slowly made her way to her bed. "It's over. You win."

"Ran-"

"I told Akira-kun it's off. I changed my mind."

A slow smile began to spread across Shinichi's face. His body also sagged down, but this time, of relief. Ran is NOT going to get married.

His face firmed with resolve. He must tell her now. NOW. Everything. Before he finds out whether or not the new cure was also temporary.

Then, something struck him. Ran had changed her mind about the wedding before she saw him. "Um, ano, Ran," Shinichi began. "What made you change your mind?"

"You meant to ask, out of all the people my mom sent out to harass me, which of them made me cave in?" Ran asked.

Shinichi nodded.

"Would you believe none of them?"

"Wha-?"

Ran smiled. "You probably don't know him, but-"

Shinichi winced. Great. Another him. As if Shinoda wasn't enough.

"His name's Kyougoku Makoto," Ran then proceeded to explain who he was. But Shinichi was lost to the world.

Wait. Kyougoku? Sonoko's admirer? What does he have to do with everything?

"Kyougoku-kun and I talked last night on the phone." Ran told Shinichi. "He helped me a lot. And unlike some other people I know, he didn't try to tell me what was right for me. Only, he told me what my options were and what would-"

"You talked to him but not to me?" Shinichi exploded. "Why? I thought I was your best friend?"

"You wouldn't understand, Shinichi, but he would."

"Ran, why wouldn't I understand?" He demanded. "Sure I got a little jealous, but my best friend's marriage is surely something that I could-"

Ran's eyes widened like saucers. "Marriage?" She asked, interrupting Shinichi's rant. "Who's getting married?"

"You are!" Conan threw his hands in the air in exasperation.

Then, much to his chagrin, Ran began laughing.

-TBC