File One Hundred and Twenty-Six: Just a Small Magic Show
What… is he doing?
No, seriously, what was he doing? Conan pressed his face against the glass, further, hoping to get a better view of the platinum blonde man inside of the small café, walking back and forth, keeping himself busy even after having arrived, like, five minutes ago.
Not that Conan had been stalking him so badly to know that ─ he had.
Amuro Tooru-san. Private detective, currently working at Poirot and apprenticing under Great Detective Mouri Kogoro…
As the target of his observations moved farther into the back, Conan stretched his neck to see. The rustling of leaves from the potted plants Azusa had taken good care of fell to deaf ears, far too concentrated on the man who promptly sat on a chair, a look of utter focus crossing his face while he shifted in place, ever so slightly, to test his theory.
A member ranked highly enough to gain a codename ─ Bourbon. Said to have been on good terms with fellow member Singani before being labeled as a traitor.
Calmly, the boy saw him disappear from his sight, returning only seconds later with a small toolbox in his hands.
Cold and merciless… A demon with an angel face that could get anyone into trusting him… Probably. Clever beyond a doubt, and manipulative.
Even knowing so little about him, Conan knew he was up to something ─ more to the reason, he needed to keep a strict watch on him.
Thus, he stayed quietly in place, not daring to even breathe too loudly ─ pressing his little body against the soil, trying to stand up as little as possible while he watched Bourbon kneel next to the chair.
And start on repairing it.
What's this?! This is a perfectly normal routine!
A loud sigh escaped his lips, head hanging dejectedly. What had he been expecting? Sit there to clean up some bloodied knives as he waited for Azusa to arrive? Of course not!
He pressed a hand against his forehead ─ clearly, this idea had sounded so much better in his mind than put into practice.
"Eh? Conan-kun?" He all but stumbled backwards, falling off the potted plants sitting in front of the café ─ where he had brazenly climbed up to spy the inside. "What are you doing here?"
The door had been opened without him realizing, Amuro's genuinely puzzled face just barely peeking out. Conan was tempted to just run for it, yet held it back on with a hopefully shy, childish giggle ─ instead of the awkward cackle that reached his own ears ─ while he carefully landed back onto the pavement.
"I, uh…" he muttered, shifting onto his feet. "I just, um…"
Amuro's head tilted lightly.
"T-Thank you. For saving us the other day."
He did not say much else, thus an awkward silence surfaced ─ Conan cringed, berating himself for not thinking about this earlier. At best, Amuro would be under the belief that he was a strange little guy and keep his distance ─ and he better. If not…
But Amuro recovered right away, a pleased smile blossoming on his lips. "I'm just glad I was there at the right time," he said, turning about to enter the café again ─ allowing the little boy to breathe once more. "There's still time until we open, but would you like to come in-?"
"No." Noticing he had blurted it out, Conan tried to mask it with yet another nervous bout of laughter. "I-I mean, I'd love to, but I'm hanging out with my friends today…"
He took a couple of steps backwards as he spoke. "I'm already late as it is, so…"
"Ah, I see." Amuro was hardly phased about it. "Then you shouldn't keep them waiting."
And then, he smiled ─ whether or not it was intentional, Conan did not know, but it did not fail to make him shiver at the sight, and the words that followed.
"You're free to drop by anytime, Conan-kun."
A stiff nod was all the answer he graced him with ─ darting away the next second, fearing that he wouldn't have that chance if he was just a little slower.
"Wasn't it awesome? I totally couldn't figure out the tricks!"
Scoffing, the teenage magician shoved his hands inside his pockets, hurrying over to catch up with the easily excited girl that skipped a few steps ahead, showing little to no correlation with her actual age.
"It's probably a mixture of digital effects and hypnosis," he said, rolling his eyes. "If I see it again, I'll probably see through the trick."
Aoko gave him a dubious look. She had seen little kids floating and transforming into angels, giggling as they cruised through the air and around the magician in charge for the show ─ so, yeah, she was kind of hesitant that he would.
Rather than saying anything, she spun around to the girl walking right behind her. "Akako-chan, thank you!" she said, smiling brightly. "It was so fun!"
In return, the scarlet-eyed girl laughed under her hand. "You enjoying it makes me happy."
Next, her attention drifted to their fourth member for today's outing ─ quiet, head slightly tilted forward as he walked, unwilling to look at anything but the tip of his own shoes. Certainly, it was not the first time it had caught Aoko's attention, but unlike other instances, she decided against asking directly, turning back around. None of her other tries had been successful, in any case.
"Say, Kaito." Instead, she whispered to her childhood friend. "Doesn't Kudo-kun seem down today?"
"Hm? Like usual, you mean?"
Just a look sufficed for Kaito to shrug, staring back ahead. "Well, yeah. It's to be expected," he said. "He argued with Tantei-kun the other day."
"Eh? With Conan-kun?" Her head snapped back to him, eyes widening violently. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
"Why do you always act like it's your business?" he rebutted. She was taken away, hesitating for several seconds, before her eyes flashed, mouth opening but rendered unable to make any sounds when Kaito added, "I know where you're coming from, but this time, we really can't interfere, Aoko."
That was all it took to dissuade her from arguing, violently as she had intended ─ a dejected sigh, and a strange glint of resignation that pierced through Kaito's flawless poker face.
"Whatever Kudo is really dealing with is something we can't help with," he said, unable to keep a tint of annoyance from slipping into his tone. "Unless he decides to speak for himself, that is."
He left it at that, single-handedly ending that conversation topic by hastening his pace, forcing Aoko to hurry not to be left behind ─ not as silently as he would have liked, naturally, since she had complained about it, loudly so. But it wasn't like that once she caught up with him, merely huffing at him, looking away from him.
If Shinichi noticed her sneaking a glance over her shoulder, he did not let her know ─ frowning a little, she was forced to focus back to the front, doing her best to ignore the sour taste that lingered in her mouth.
It was likely, however, that he simply hadn't. Having yet to utter a single word, the disguised detective continued to walk, still not quite realizing he had fallen a little behind the rest, Akako being the nearest for a few steps.
"What's going on with you and Bourbon?" Conan's frustration was audible, even in his memories. "Oniichan!"
His round, big eyes, too, were as intense as it had been the other day ─ Shinichi felt his own closing, as if it would amount to anything since, with them residing in his mind only, there was no escaping them. That inquisitive gaze of his that seemed capable to pierce right through his flesh and reach his very soul in his restless quest for some answers he wasn't sure he wanted to share ─ at that time, he had been forced to look away, fearing that, somehow, he would find them.
"I'm sorry I had you come all the way here, Kudo-kun."
"It's no problem at all, Inspector! There are still a few errands for me yet to run around here, so it wasn't that much of a detour."
"I see… Well, you really saved us there! So thank you a lot."
Between carefree laughter and waves of a hand, the door to the Metropolitan Police Department building opened enough for him to walk past, stepping onto the street with a soft smile etched onto his features.
Allowing it close behind him, he began to move forward ─ shadows of the quickly approaching night blending with a well-trained facade that refused to crumble down under those few that passed by.
There were a few clouds agglomerated in the sky, he noticed after another moment or so of study. The notion stole a sigh out of him, mentally berating himself for not taking an umbrella with him ─ what was he going to tell Ran now? She wouldn't be pleased if he caught a cold, and definitely would ask questions he wasn't willing to answer.
That, not even mentioning that he was still wearing his middle school uniform ─ the only one he currently possessed. With the last one being torn to pieces after a particularly nasty case the other day, there was no way he could replace it if it wound up soaked wet.
He really needed to talk with his parents about buying a new uniform. But first, he had to figure a way to prevent them from figuring out the real reason he kept on constantly ruining them.
And the real nature of those 'errands' of his.
As on cue, he felt something poking his back, pressing against it in a way that had him freezing on the spot, paralyzed at what might as well been a gun muzzle ─ but then calmed down, blinking as he came to the realization that it felt different, somehow.
Turning around, he found face to face with an umbrella and a friendly smile he had never seen before in his life. Tanned skin, platinum blonde hair and a blue gaze that, while amicable at first sight, Shinichi could not get over the feeling of his entire being stabbed at.
"It looked like you needed one," the young man said, not fazed by the look of utter bewilderment of the middle schooler in front of him. "I live nearby and have plenty of them, so I figured I'd just help a stranger out."
Shinichi stared at him for a beat, nodding slowly, if confused. Accepting it and tucking it under his arm, he turned back to the front, waiting for the red light to change so that he could go on with his day.
People around them kept on with their own business, noticing none of their weird exchange.
"I assume you're the new guy," Shinichi heard, whispered from close to his ear.
He stood still for an entire second. "I've been in this for a year," he clarified.
"Singani-kun, right? You're much younger than what I had expected." At that, he did not respond, opting to keep his gaze to the front, as if he was deaf to his comments. "May I ask what had caused you to descend to this kind of life so early on?"
The warmth feel of blood, pale blue eyes lacking of life and crimson red lips curving in a sinister smile ─ everything flashed in front of his eyes in an instant, and was gone by the next. His face remained expressionless throughout it all.
"You're Bourbon," he said instead. "The member Vermouth told me about."
No answer to that, but no denial came either, so he assumed he was right.
"As expected, Gin's persuasion was enough to keep Watanabe-sensei from speaking against us," he informed. "The problem is his coworker, Tanaka Taro-san. He testified to having seen a shady silver-haired talking with him hours after the crime."
Again, only silence met his words. He knew, however, that he had to still be listening ─ or he wouldn't be still there, standing behind him while pretending to check his phone messages.
"I managed to close the case as suicide and convinced the Inspector he was nothing but a pathological liar but…" Shinichi's eyes narrowed. "As for now, I'm on my way to deal with those few loose ends."
Green flashed on the other side of the street thus, having finished his report, the teenager went on his way, leaving the older guy behind, his sharp eyes piercing through his soul even from so far away. Shinichi kept on walking regardless, not pausing for the slimmest moment to turn and check for himself.
As predicted, a few stray cold droplets landed on his head, unceremoniously sliding down his cheek. An annoyed shake of head later, he had opened the umbrella the man had gifted him, his other hand firmly in place inside his pocket.
The gaze hardly left him, even from such far lengths.
Neither did his fingers, concealed inside his pocket, stop typing across a screen he couldn't risk being seen.
Because his parents weren't the only ones who had to be kept in the dark about this.
He feared what would happen if those people figured it out ─ what his 'errands' actually consisted of.
A firm shake of his head drove those thoughts away, head snapping back up to focus in the present rather in the past. There was no point in it, it was no use dwelling on it any longer ─ or at least, that was what he told himself. The slight shaking of his limbs was as constant as it had been for the entirety of the magic show he had been supposed to enjoy, and the icy cold chill had long turned into an icicle ─ hair standing on an end, like ready to trigger a flight-or-fight response in case anyone was to strike.
He seriously needed to calm down. Crossing over to the 'paranoia' territory would bode no good for him or those around him.
None of what he was telling himself stopped him from twitching when Akako suddenly halted, her gaze suddenly sliding at a certain spot in the busy crowd surrounding them. Shinichi stopped as well, trying to take a look at whatever had gathered her attention, yet failed horribly.
There just was nothing there.
"Did something happen?" he asked.
She squinted her eyes at nothing in particular before shrugging it off. "I could've sworn I just saw Hakuba-kun."
Out of everything, that was the name he had been expecting to hear the least. "How could that be?" he said, masking his surprise with a faint smile. "Didn't he tell you he couldn't come because he had other business to attend to?"
It had taken everything in his power not to speculate about what kind of business he could be dealing with. Even after Kuroba had drilled it into his mind the other day. That not everything was about the Black Organization, and that the guy was a detective in his own right, meaning that he had cases of his own and criminals to chase… It had been hard to shake it off as not that much of a big deal.
Again, blame his untamable paranoia for that.
"Yes, he did," was all she said.
And started on her way again, just like Shinichi, a few seconds after her.
"So, why was this show for?" asked the detective, hoping that a change of topic would keep his mind from derailing once more. "You just wanted to tease Kuroba?"
"Maybe I merely wanted to create an opportunity. For you to approach me, Hirai-kun." Shinichi stared back at her, cluelessly. "Nakamori-san mentioned you wanted to discuss something with me."
It took a little longer than usual for her words to be processed, but when it did, the confusion dispelled and a sharper look took over. "I still do," he said. "But it's surprising. Because I heard you weren't coming back until summer vacation was over."
"There… was no point in it." Before Shinichi could even think of asking what was that about, she added, "Perhaps, we could talk all you want at my house. If you're interested."
"I'd be most grateful."
"But that guy was pretty boring, huh?"
"You mean Yumi-san's ex?"
"From the way she talked about him earlier, I was expecting some attractive guy from a host club…"
Conan simply nodded along, half-listening as his friends talked amongst each other, not having enough energy to keep up with them ─ an entire week worth of cases seemed to be finally being taking a toll on his body, lamented the boy, and he did not think they would stop coming at them in a long while.
Granted, this one hadn't popped up in the middle of his way and had only heard Miike getting a call about a murder. But there was no way he could leave it alone ─ who knew who kind of lousy detective would get to the scene and mess it all up?
Looking at it now, however, he shouldn't have to have worried at all.
"It's fine, isn't it?" smirked Ai. "He has a sharp mind and helped solve the case."
Haneda Shukichi was a brilliant guy, clever beyond his cheery demeanor and goofball smile. The woman next door had been found dead, hanging from her ceiling, and he, alongside her husband and son, had unwittingly become prime suspects.
Despite what his appearance would insinuate, he, like Conan, had deduced everything. It had been the husband who had finally killed her after years of planning. Seriously, four entire years, he wasn't even exaggerating on the fact. Divorce exists for a reason, people.
"Yeah," Conan finally responded. "I was excited to get the chance to deduce alongside a meijin…"
Clueless glances were all he received, stealing a sigh out of him. Wordlessly, he plucked out his phone, typed some, then shoved the device to their faces ─ leaving them to blink at the video that played out. A man was being interviewed, which they quickly recognized as Taiko Meijin, as the media knew him.
"But what does that meijin have to do with him?"
Conan seized him with a look. "And I'm the one who needs glasses…"
Again, they didn't understand, merely turned their focus on the mysterious man he was showing them. After what might as well have been hours, a loud "AH!" came out of their systems, all at the same time, finally recognizing him as Haneda Shukichi from earlier.
"Then, what are the seven things he's trying to collect?" asked Mitsuhiko.
He had, according to Yumi, given him an envelope she was not to open until he collected 'all seven', as Shukichi had said. Yumi, being unaware that he was a professional shogi player, had definitely not gotten it.
But to Conan, it was clear.
"The seven shogi titles."
Their eyes widened in understanding. Well, except for Ai, who merely smirked, deciding the mystery was closed and that she should go about her life. The rest of his friends, now with their curiosity satiated, did the same, skipping until they were joining her a little ahead.
Conan crossed his arms behind his head, gaze rising to the sky ─ taking into the orange shade tinting the clouds, until he halted, his smile eradicated from his face.
The next moment, all his friends were shouting at him out of surprise, seeing him dart right past them. "Sorry!" he exclaimed, turning to run backwards instead of simply stopping. "There was something I forgot to do and I'm running late now!"
Even Ai was a little taken aback, her hand hanging loosely in the air towards him. "Wait-" she began.
"There's something I still have to ask you, Ai!" he yelled, all the way from the end of the block. "I'll call you later!"
She blinked once before nodding faintly. He smiled a little, spinning onto his heels to disappear seconds later, leaving her to stand there, wondering what in the world could he possibly want from her.
Is it about what I told him yesterday? Her factions hardened, confusion dispelling instantly. No, that can't be it. I already told him everything I knew…
You must be still looking into it, huh? The truth behind the relationship between Shinichi-san and Bourbon…
This time around, she had not the faintest clue of what he would find, but she still had that feeling that nobody would be pleased, whatever it was what he found at the end.
What she did find, however, was herself being the focus of all three of her remaining friends ─ eyes wide with shock, jaws loose at whatever discovery they had stumbled across. Her eyebrow rose, just in time for a loud gasp to tear apart from their throats.
Together, they all screamed in perfect harmony, "'AI'?!"
Not that Conan was around to hear any of it, as loud as it might have been. I need to hurry back to the agency, or he would never get to hear the end of it from Sonoko.
He had absolutely forgotten that she had moved some strings to have them watch the preview from the gallery of some cooking show she and Ran had been obsessed with since the beginning of summer. Now, not that he was particularly ecstatic to attend, as much as he had been initially surprised by her invitation, but if he failed to get there, Sonoko would definitely have his head.
That was because she had been told to invite five people.
"Hey, brat!" Sonoko's yelling was all the welcome he received upon crossing the doorway. "You're late!"
"Don't be like that, Sonoko. We still have plenty of time." As usual, Ran came along to soothe her friend. "Dad hasn't even gotten out of the shower yet!"
Sonoko pressed a hand against her face. "Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned Okino Yoko at all…"
Ran and Sonoko made less than a half of the desired quota. Kogoro had been roped into going after being promised that his idol would be there. With all of them, himself included, they made it to four people…
So, naturally, there had been a single spot open for use.
"Hey, Conan-kun!"
Apparently, their fifth person had arrived much earlier than Conan himself. Green vibrant eyes, a tiny fang sticking out as she grinned ─ the boy would recognize her wherever, that was for sure.
A timid hand raised to wave back at her. "So you really came, Sera-san," observed the boy.
"Of course I came!" She lit up like a Christmas tree. "Since Ran-kun told me you were insisting."
Shocking as it might sound, that was true ─ he had been the one who suggested Sonoko to invite Sera. Not that this stopped him from backing off, suddenly unnerved by the genuinely gleeful grin she was sending him at the mere thought.
Normally, I wouldn't willingly come along with her, thought Conan. But there's something left for me to figure out…
While her focus eventually shifted away from him and back to her friends, his intensified ─ gaze squinting, as if attempting to see through her soul to solve the darkest secret surrounding her.
What did Oniichan see in her to determine she wasn't an enemy?
"Well, don't stand out too much and catch Judge Takeki-san's attention," he heard Sonoko warning Sera.
That seemed to confuse her more than anything. "Does something happen if you catch his attention?"
Conan spoke up, before Ran could even open her mouth, "Nothing much," boredom lacing his tone. "He'll have you taste one of his handmade sweets and name correctly the fruits he used." Crossing his arms behind his head, he continued, "Guess correctly and get the chance to eat the winning sweets. Guess wrong and are kicked out of the studio."
For a beat, all three girls just stared at her. His eyebrows rose high above his hairline.
Sonoko chuckled, moving closer to Sera to whisper, "Despite how he's acting, he's secretly dying to be chosen."
A giggle almost escaped Ran at the visible flinch the little boy's body gave.
"But wouldn't this be a good thing?" Sonoko continued. "If he's chosen, we won't have to see his face for a few hours, at least."
"I'm not you, so no." Conan shrugged. "Though I understand where you're coming from. Naming a few fruits must be a challenge for you."
From the moment that Sonoko's smug smirk vanished, and the glare surfaced, Ran knew it was going to be a long night.
"Oh? I'd see you try!" she shot back. "I'm sure a midget in the middle of the studio must stand up real quick… If they even get to see you, that is."
"Don't worry, I'm sure I won't be picked. In the last five programs of your dumb show, how many of the chosen participants actually guess correctly? Zero." Conan grinned, brightly. "Lack of intelligence stands up a lot more, so you'll definitely be the next one! Isn't that great, Sonoko-neechan?"
"Well, for it to be a 'dumb show', you've surely been showing a lot of interest in it."
Conan scoffed. "Why would I be interested in a blatantly rigged, cringe inducing cooking show?"
"What are you trying to say?" Sonoko leaned forward, glowering down at the boy as if she had been insulted. "That the competition is rigged?"
"Please! You're telling me that the six-times champion coincidentally brought ice cream and jelly that suited the strawberry theme?"
"I don't think that's true." Ran finally decided to step forward. "Even before opening the chest, the TV staff doesn't know what the themed fruit is."
"That archaic old thing that opens at the beginning of the show?" It was hard not to roll his eyes at their innocence. "Any staff member could just peek inside without getting caught."
"Well, it's designed so that you can't," Sonoko stressed out.
That statement was followed by a lengthy explanation of how they were keeping it secret until the competition ─ making Conan wonder why those people were going through all this trouble for a trivial cooking show. It was an elaborate trick, but not one he hadn't heard about yet ─ fill the chest, put a lock on it. Then, you send it to the director for him to put another lock and be sent back to you. Finally, you take your lock and it would be ready for the grandiose reveal at the TV show.
Again, it was a TV show, and far too much of a hassle to handle every other week. How did they even keep up with it, anyway?
Conan shook his head, feeling that his interest had finally dissolved into nothing but a dull headache. Plopping down onto the couch, he would wait for Kogoro to finally get ready ─ the chattering of the girls fading into the background, muffled by a random TV show he had just put on.
All he had to do was to find the perfect chance to talk with Sera alone.
And think about what he was going to say to her, too.
Well, at the very least, Kogoro got his chance to be with Okino Yoko.
It had been by pure chance, really. He had been crazy mad, too, when he found out that Sonoko might have 'forgotten' to mention that his idol would only appear behind a monitor, loudly complaining ─ read: throwing a tantrum ─ in the middle of the gallery. So bad it had been that Conan had fervently wished he could just shrink away from sight, looking away as if he didn't know the man ─ even though he was sitting in the middle of the group, which made it even more obvious.
In any case, someone from the staff soon called him over and, in some incredible turn of events, Conan's wish had been conceded and Kogoro was taken away. Only to appear minutes into the recording on the program, grinning from ear to ear from behind Yoko through the aforementioned screen.
He's a replacement for that stingy judge? Not that he exactly cared about it, but he failed to see how they thought it would a good idea ─ then again, judging by the face from the staff member that came to pick Kogoro up, they hadn't known about their judge's absence until the last moment, so they might have be trying to improvise.
Cheek resting against his hand, Conan snickered. "Well, doesn't it work just fine, Sonoko-neechan?" he commented. "At least this way you won't be chosen and embarrass yourself."
Since he could sort of tell which kind of person he would choose. The gorgeous, older kind, he thought.
But Sonoko was staring at him, saying nothing at all. He raised an eyebrow in return.
"Nobody's going to get chosen today," she stated.
Conan blinked, cluelessly.
Ran's patient smile came through. "If Judge Takeki-san isn't coming, there won't be any handmade sweets to try." The boy's eyes widened in realization. "I can't see Dad preparing some to taste…"
In silence, the boy stared at her for a beat, until he finally looked back at the front, plopping back down onto his seat with his arms firmly crossed over his chest.
Sonoko and Ran giggled at the sight. So he really wanted to get picked, they thought.
Back at the front stage, the presenter, Kenzaki Osamu presented the challenger, and the six-times champion ─ the kid could not imagine how that was going to turn out, not precisely for the cooks themselves, but because of the last minute replacement of the judge. Like, Mouri Kogoro? Seriously?
I would have done a better job than him, thought Conan, sighing. Why did I even come here, anyway?
"Is something wrong, Conan-kun? You look disappointed."
Ah, right. Sera. That was why he had agreed to come.
The producer was handing the presenter that key Ran had been talking her head off the entire way ─ the one that couldn't be picked because it had an electronic chip so that it would buzz if something was inside, or whatever ─ but Conan was too far off for caring.
"Hey, Sera-neechan," he whispered, instead. "There's something I want to talk to you about later."
"What, what? Ask me now!"
So Sera was not a fan of this kind of show either, huh. Well, it worked fine for Conan, either way.
"T-Then…"
A smirk blossomed on Osamu's face as he announced he was going to finally open the chest.
"Sera-neechan, have you-?"
A terrified wave of screams, loud enough to shatter his eardrums, had him freezing on the spot, head gradually turning until he was able to glimpse the horrors that the antiquated chest had been concealing from plain view ─ if Conan had already been skeptical about the outcome of this competition, now he couldn't begin to imagine what they might prepare with Judge Takeki Shoutoku rotting flesh as the main ingredient.
Whatever the case, Conan did not wait. Instead, jumped onto his feet, squeezing past the many witnesses sitting at the seats in the front, just barely getting to hear Ran's usual calling of his name while seeing him go.
What he did not see was Sera, placing a hand over her shoulder to stop her from coming after the boy.
"Stay back!" she ordered. "From here on out, it's our job."
And promptly left. Ran stood back, frowning in utter confusion. We? echoed in her mind. Did Sera-san realize that Conan-kun…?
Yet, despite the uneasy feeling, she felt herself unable to do anything but gaze at Sera's back as she rushed back to the stage. And to wonder what was that certain sound playing on her ears, that only she seemed able to perceive ─ that of tiny waves gently washing up onto the shore.
It was Conan the first to rush past the cameraman ─ still filming, for some reason. Fortunately, it was not live ─ to reach the body, confirming that it was the missing judge, lying in a mattress purely made of fresh apples. Stiff and cold, Conan realized from touch alone.
And that was what he told Sera, as she came to a stop right behind him. Nodding in understanding, she carefully moved it to inspect the wound on the back of his head.
"Judging by the degree of rigidity, he's been dead for more than half a day," said Sera.
"From hitting his head against this chest," Conan added, motioning to the traces of blood remaining on the side of it. "Look, there's a bit inside, too."
"Meaning, it must have happened while the chest was open. He was then packed inside along with the apples."
Conan merely nodded alongside her, having long concluded that himself. His attention was brisked away from the body, and to the paled-faced, still shaken presenter who was approaching the duo.
"I-Is Takeki-san really dead?"
So observant, thought Conan, sarcastically. But he did not state out loud, instead allowing Sera to order him to contact the police as soon as possible ─ like, did they really need a high schooler to come and state the obvious? He did not voice that either.
"Also, it would help if you have the audience wait in a separate room," added Sera. "Someone may have seen something."
"If that's the case, I'll call Detective Mouri here, who's in a different room." As the presenter said that, Conan's attention drifted over to the large screen for before, taking in Yoko's terrified expression, and Kogoro's frown. "Is that alright with you, Conan-kun?"
His gaze snapped back towards the man, blinking owlishly.
"Eh?" Sera was surprised. "Are you two acquaintances?"
Conan's head laded slightly to one side. "It… seems so?"
The man stepped back in shock, returning with a loud, "Kenzaki Osamu, remember?" Conan stared harder, agitating him even further. "We met in a previous case!"
Humming, Conan crossed his arms over his chest, eyes squinting over the guy for several minutes, until he gasped. Seeing that, Kenzaki smiled, until the boy blurted out, "You're the guy from Detective Samonji!"
"Oh! That hilarious detective?" Sera exclaimed. "Wait, Conan-kun. I thought I heard Ran-kun say once that you liked Detective Samonji?"
"I read the novels when they come out. Watching the TV show is pointless when you already know what's going to happen."
"Ah, I see."
Kenzaki merely shook his head, a rejected sigh escaping his lips as he finally turned around to do as he was told. Conan watched him go, silently. Actually, I think I kind of remember the guy? he thought, a little unsure still ─ he had been through so many cases that it wasn't even funny anymore, so he wouldn't be surprised if one or two had slipped from his mind. I think it was one of those cases where I tagged along with Oniichan in the year before he went missing…
That being the case, he supposed he was better off saying nothing with Sera around ─ as much as he, for reasons he had yet to comprehend, was certain she was no enemy.
"He's disappointed, huh," commented Sera.
Conan nodded quietly, focusing back on the newly discovered body.
"You're rather bad at remembering old faces, aren't you?"
At that, the boy turned to look at her, and the pointed look she was sending at him.
Again, he did not understand.
"Well, the suspects have been narrowed down to three, but… who in the world was the culprit?"
As much as he would have wanted to say the opposite, Conan did not find the situation any clearer than Kogoro.
About how he was murdered, he had pretty much figured it out. Takeki, suspicious of the ungodly amount of luck the recurring champion seemed to possess, had hidden in the room where the chest was stored in order to ambush the culprit. Upon being caught red-handed, the culprit must have panicked and shoved the judge away from himself, causing him to knock his head against the chest and die.
That theory had been confirmed by the surveillance camera recordings they were shown later on, where last night Takeki appeared to enter the room in question, but never walked out. There were three, however, people who ended up doing the same, lasting approximately thirty minutes each, before heading out.
First came the producer Taruoka Toshide to check if the chest had arrived ─ apparently, he had wasted a lot of time inside wondering where it had been put until he had finally found it. Next was Furuya Wataru, assistant director, alongside a pair of younger coworkers who did not come in. According to himself, he had been in there for a long while smoking and checking some messages on his phone after checking the chest. And finally, there was Food Coordinator Kasuga Terafumi, who had come there to check the lock, and take a handful of photos to show Takeki later.
It was a no-brainer that the culprit was among those three.
But who? Or rather, how? How did the culprit unlock that chest?
Until he figured that out, Conan doubted they would be able to make much progress.
"By the way, why is there so much filled inside?" wondered Kogoro, motioning at the loads upon loads of apples inside the chest. "The champion and the challenger ─ just those two alone wouldn't use more than ten during the show."
"Because it's a TV show," remarked Conan, holding back a sigh when the man simply glanced down at him, showing no sign of understanding whatsoever. "A bountiful amount of apples revealed upon opening a massive chest doesn't have the same visual appeal as just a handful of them."
"See? Even the brat gets it!"
Of course, followed by her voice came her arrival, and the inevitable roll of his eyes that nowadays arose mostly by instinct than anything else. Behind Sonoko was Ran, realized Conan later on, a tiny smile still hung on her lips as her friend went on and on about how rare the fruits were, the false bottom on the chest, about how the excess fruit was given to the gallery by lottery…
Conan quickly lost interest. He turned about, focusing on the many apples ─ apparently ridiculously rare and probably much more expensive than his own life even though they were, just, apples ─ that filled the chest. It's even bigger up from close, he thought, reminded of all the other nights he had seen it from the other side of the TV screen. Each program, a different kind of fruit, a few stray ones falling off and rolling away from the camera.
Which made him wonder about whoever was to get those ─ hopefully, the floor would be clean…
Wait. Conan paused. Those apples… They didn't fall off, did they?
"Well, compared to that puzzle, this isn't nothing…"
It wasn't only Conan staring at Kogoro in confusion, but Sera as well. But it was her, however, to whom his disbelief was mostly directed at. "Wait, wait, you really haven't noticed?!" And he was grateful for it ─ he certainly wouldn't have wanted to be at the receiving end of that wild-look, from so close, as it was being for Sera. "Something this important, how could you not have noticed it?!"
Sera stuttered incoherently.
"It's Yoko-chan's hair!"
She blinked comically twice, her gaze slowly sliding until it met with the young boy's, realizing he was not understanding this any better than she was.
"Why don't we… redefine the word 'important'?" mumbled Conan, lips quirking upwards, awkwardly.
Immediately, he knew he should have kept his mouth shut.
"Then, can you explain it?!" Because Kogoro's attention was on him now. "Even though in her last live broadcast it was quite short, today it's long! That growth speed is not normal…"
Conan stared at him. "I can."
"Eh?"
Not that he was willing to.
Thus, Ran explained, "That's probably an exten!"
Kogoro's clueless expression made it hard for Conan not to roll his eyes ─ not that he fought against the urge too hard. This guy's a detective, and it was truly amazing how the fact was still surprising to him, even after living with him for so long. And he did not even think about hair extensions?
"In Yoko-chan's case, I think her hair tie hid them well."
Ran's words made him freeze, eyes widened in full capacity, staring up at nothing in particular. I see! he cried in his mind, shoulders relaxing ─ that same old smirk sparking back to life. So that's how it-!
"Ah!" Hands were posed over his shoulders, tugging him away from his mind realm to a certain fanged grin. "You, just now, thought the same as I did, right?"
He felt himself shrinking under Sera's notable excitement. "I, uh…" was all he managed to choke out, his feet instinctively taking him a step backwards and away from the sudden attention shoved right at his face right now.
Everything faltered the following second. Emerald green twinkled in joy against the dark shadows that framed her gaze ─ and while not for the first time, the little boy found himself studying it, closer than ever. Unable to get over the feeling that he had seen that one before somewhere else.
Sera pulled back, and that gaze narrowed ─ sharpened considerably, which made it all the more familiar to him.
"But the problem is the evidence," she muttered.
He racked his mind, trying to recall where he had seen that gaze, yet failed horribly.
"Huh? What's up? Is there something on my face?"
"Ah, no… It's nothing."
Not that he was sure it was nothing. But, for the time being, he would just push it back to the back of his mind until the time was right.
"So? What do you think?"
He raised the little rubber, golden tube over his eyes to be studied so carefully ─ gaze squinting slightly while he squished it once.
The prop guy was bending slightly to be closer to his height ─ a friendly smile that twitched met Conan's sight when he finally tore it away from the object. It faltered when the boy failed to respond, staring back at him so blankly that it was almost disturbing.
"Say, little boy, what are you going to do with-?"
The kid promptly spun around, leaving the guy to stare silently at his retreating back. Which he ignored, obviously, in favor of the newly received prop sitting on the top of his palm ─ exactly what they needed to finally unlock the truth.
"Well, then. We should start soon."
"Eh? Start what?"
"What, just a small… magic show!"
A small magic show, that was how she had called it. It was only natural that Takagi wouldn't understand, even after being patiently explained the whole thing for, like, the third time already ─ Conan could hardly see where this 'magic' was coming from. At most, a deduction show would take place there, probably a rightful enforcement of their bragging rights for solving the case, but to call it that was kind of a stretch.
After being there, chasing after a certain magician dressed in white all those nights under the full moon, he felt like calling it a magic show was somehow lacking… Not that he was telling him that.
It did not take long to find her crouching over that one enormous chest inside the room they had agreed to meet at. He only got to see a glimpse of that sharp gaze of hers, studying the chest one last time until, alerted by the sound of the door opening, it went all away ─ that excited, childish glint taking over her every expression once more just as they caught sight of him.
He showed her the tiny rubber tube he was carrying. She nodded right away, that fang sticking out as she grinned back at him.
And then, he found himself forcing his expressions to smoother out a smile of his own. I shouldn't be this relaxed around her, he chastised himself. Just because I know she's not Bourbon, it doesn't mean I should trust her…
No matter what that idiot says.
"There isn't much left to do," said Sera. "With this, our magic show is finished."
There she goes, calling it 'magic show' again- His thoughts came to a halt when the words really sank in. 'Our'?
Her grin widened, if possible. "Don't give me that look ─ you know we need two people involved for it to work."
"I could just call Detective Takagi…"
"No, that wouldn't be any good!" she protested. "We solved this ─ the both of us. Of course, we need to prepare the show together!"
"Huh? But I didn't-!"
"Oh, come on!"
In a blink of an eye, she was back on her feet, crossing the distance between them both in two long strides to stand behind him, hands placed over his shoulders, pushing lightly. He stumbled forward, barely able to keep up with the pace, and in no time, he found himself face to face with the chest, and what might as well be a pitch black abyss staring back at him.
Despite himself, Conan felt himself beginning to sweat.
"Okay, so one of us will have to hide behind this thing first," said Sera. "It's large enough, especially when wide open ─ none of us would have much trouble for that part."
Rooted on his spot, the boy barely looked away.
"And another has to hide inside the chest… Are you up to it?"
Perplexed blinking was all the female detective got from his end.
And, really, that was all there was to it. Next thing he was aware of, he was standing there ─ hands latched behind his back, innocently blinking at the dumbfounded stares he was receiving from the doorway. A few of them strayed away from his form, scanning the room in their search for Sera ─ who, as far as Conan knew, was crouched behind the chest to hide, as previously agreed.
Conan's, however, rose until they met with the staff member at the farthest of the group. Hopefully, with the performance that was about to take place there, they would be able to shed some light on the mysteries of the crime this man had committed. Proof was no trouble ─ he knew for the moment Takagi offhandedly commented that he had walked in on a guy being scolded for not washing some kitchen prop used for a drama properly ─ but for once, he wasn't exactly interested in covering that part.
"Conan-kun?" It was funny how none of them thought of asking until the point where Ran couldn't hold it in any longer. "Where's Sera-san?"
Conan said nothing about that, just revealed the sheet of paper he had been keeping hidden and read, "Welcome to Sera Masumi's House of Magic," in the plainest, emotionless tone there was ─ intentionally glazing over the 'and Edogawa Conan's' plain in sight, because, no. "Today, uh…" He squinted at the paper, holding it an inch away from his eyes, before promptly crumpling the paper with his hands and discarding it. "Just check the inside of this chest."
Even in hiding, Conan could feel Sera's disappointed gaze on him.
Which he ignored, allowing Megure and Kogoro to peer inside while he moved to the nearby table, plucking out a golden lock and key.
"What's with it?" Kogoro's annoyance was audible, even before he had yet to do anything. "There's nothing inside."
"Good, you got the point." He brushed right past him, silencing any retort he had to offer by showing him what he was carrying. "The chest might be a replica, but this lock and key are the real thing. Right, Detective Takagi?"
Takagi nodded, stiffly.
"Detective Takagi, would you close the lid for me?" Conan asked.
It was too big, but luckily he didn't have to find a way around his short stature and tiny limbs, because the older detective took care of it. A thankful nod later, he had moved over, made sure not only to get them to see he was locking it, but also, not to let them notice of the small rubber tube he had attached ─ the real key for this case, that was.
"Here." Kogoro was blinking at the golden key he was presented with. "Take this with you and leave."
"Huh?"
"There's a door right over there."
"I know that much, brat, but-"
"Now, now, Mouri-kun…" Megure laughed nervously, holding him by his shoulders to steer him away. "I'm sure Sera-kun has a reason for doing this…"
Sure there is ─ showing off.
Like every other high school detective I know.
He needed to be careful in the future, he mused ─ not to become a headache like that bunch. Though, seeing the irritated glare that Kogoro sent him seconds before the door shut closed made him consider that, maybe, he wasn't doing a good job in that regard, despite him being still in elementary school.
"Well, now that's over…" Sera's massive grin poked out from behind the chest. "Let's get to the next part of our magic show!"
Conan made a face. "You're still calling it that?"
"Liven up a little, will you?" she said, easily unlocking the chest and opening it wide. "Because you have to prove to everyone that you're the greatest wizard to have ever existed."
"Magician. That's the word you're looking for."
"Same thing." Conan was just a second away to protest that, no, it was not the same ─ and God forbid him for becoming a magician like that one guy ─ but she beat him to it. "Come on, come on. Detective Takagi won't be keeping them from coming in for much longer."
Every complaint or whine that could be waiting inside himself to be expelled failed to come out in nothing else but a lengthy sigh, simply allowing the girl to pluck off the ground by holding under his armpits, letting him off only when he was inside the chest.
He had been able to sort of tell why he had been the one chosen from the beginning, but now that he was lying down in there, it was kind of obvious ─ he was, much to his dismay, tiny, or at least, of a smaller complexion than the average eight-year-old. The chest could only be so spacious, but with him being like that, he would be the one who would be the most comfortable between the two ─ or at least, that might be how Sera's thought process looked like.
"Okay! See you in a few minutes, little wizard!"
"It's not 'wizard'-"
The lid closed up on him, leaving him alone with his half-spoken words and darkness surrounding him whole. Just in time, too, because the sound of a door opening, and the consequent puzzled noises, soon reached his ears from his position ─ causing his muscles to stiffen, by pure instinct rather than anything else, along with his breathing. As if to make as little sound as possible.
But that was okay, he thought. It wasn't as cramped as it had appeared from the outside, so really, he wasn't entirely uncomfortable ─ unlike what might have been for Sera, had she actually been in his place. All he had to do was lie there and wait for anyone to unlock the chest from the outside.
"Where do you think he is~?"
"Hey, don't tell me-"
There was nothing left to do ─ nothing but to stare up, unable to see anything but that same pitch black that did not serve as proper company.
Black. Darkness. Black ─ Conan pressed his lips together, forcing his breath to resume, but finding himself completely unable to.
White hands moving ─ his eyes scrunched shut. No, he could not fall for it. Not for the tricks his mind was playing to him, presenting him with figures he knew were not there.
Along with a certain melody, resounding to his ears only, sending shivers down his mind.
No… Extending his hands to his side, in a sad attempt to reassure himself that the walls were not closing on him, served no good. Not now…
He could swear the rough wooden surface had softened, bending slightly with touch ─ not unlike a cloth-like texture. Not unlike that of a bag.
"-inside the chest?! It's impossible, it's properly locked!"
Faintly at first, he could hear that too.
A laugh, gradually becoming louder and louder until there was no other sound left. Before he knew it, his hands had pressed against his ears in order to block what no one else seemed to hear.
There was also a whimper, which he hardly registered as his own.
"Conan-kun?! Hold on a little longer, Conan-kun!"
"The key! Who has the key, damn it?!"
Stop it… Curling onto himself, he willed it to, just, stop. But there was no improvement. Please, just…
Then, there was light ─ just a sliver, poking out from the tiniest gap. His eyes shot open, soon to be shielded from it by his own arm, just barely able to make out a face ─ features yet to be distinguished over the newfound, burning brightness.
"Brat!" Conan felt himself pause ─ that husky voice. "Brat, calm down! It's just me."
Sure enough, it shifted back to focus ─ a few blinks later, Kogoro's short mustache greeted his sight, and with it, came that face he had grown used to through the year before. There was, however, that focused, serious frown painted on his face that he had seen so little that it was almost foreign ─ that one that, at times, caused the young boy to wonder if the older man was really a lost case. Or if there actually was a skilled detective there, after all, deeply buried within.
That face inched closer, and next thing he knew, he was being lifted off the shadows and into the light ─ only for slimmer arms and kind hands to wrap around him, almost protectively, pressing him lightly against a chest. Instinct won against logic, his face burying into the warmth, his hands drawing into fists around her shirt, as if afraid she would let go.
No matter how harshly the voice inside his mind was chastising him for such odd behavior, Ran barely complained at all ─ her grip secured around him, fingers slipping through his hair.
Seeing all that, Sonoko whistled. "And here I thought Shinichi-kun was heartless…" She snuck a glance at the third girl in the room, rooted in her spot with wide, wide eyes ─ as if she was having a hard time believing what she was witnessing. "But locking a kid inside a chest? It's hard to beat that."
Sera almost jumped out of her skin. She turned her head to face Sonoko, her movements almost as stiff as the smile that appeared on her face.
"Conan-kun said he didn't mind-"
"It doesn't matter what he said." That one had been Ran, however hard she had been to identify thanks to the unusual tone ─ unwavering, yet somehow cold. "Conan-kun is still a child. You're the grown up who should have known better, Sera-san!"
Whatever else she was about to say was drowned out by the silence, her mouth clicking shut after failing to be useful at all. Not that Ran waited for any of it, standing back up with Conan tightly secured on her arms, spinning on her heels and disappearing from the room.
It only registered in Conan's mind that he had missed the deduction when he saw the police walking right past him while escorting Furuya Wataru out of the building. Now, if Sera's thought process had been any similar to his own, the proof had yet to come out ─ quite literally. He made a face at the thought ─ but it would be a matter of time. The cyanide in the seeds of the apples he blended in a desperate move to hide the body would certainly not be enough to kill him, yet enough to point him as the criminal.
Soon after them, Megure walked out, Kogoro following close. Seeing her father, Ran smiled, and moved closer to join him, and Sonoko, of course, who rushed up to meet her friend half-way.
From afar, Conan watched them with mild interest. At least, until that unsettlingly familiar green met his gaze.
Suddenly reminded of the scene he had pulled out about half an hour earlier, he felt his face heat up. A scowl taking over ─ because why had he done that?! ─ he averted his eyes, willing them to fixate in a random corner of the room.
It did not mean he could not feel Sera's inquisitive ones drilling holes into the back of his head.
"Hello? Is someone there?" Conan abruptly remembered about the phone he held to his ear, or that he had been supposed to be waiting for someone else to pick up, until he was distracted from it, that was. "... Did he pocket dial me?"
"Ah, no. I didn't."
She said nothing for a while. Conan figured that, had he been there, she would be giving him the plainest look ever.
"What?" he argued, just in case she was. "I told you I was going to call."
"I heard that. Everyone did." The young boy found her inflexion a little weird, as if exasperated for some reason he feared asking. "But I assumed 'calling' implied 'talking' after the other person picked up."
Again, a scowl surfaced, but for entirely different reasons. "Leave me alone."
To his surprise, she did. "Ai?" he called. The newfound quietness smoothed his expression off, the irritation dissolving into confusion, mixed with a dose of concern.
"I know why you're calling me."
Thankfully, she wasn't around to see how stupid he looked, blinking owlishly at plain air. "You do?"
"But I'm afraid it's no use. Even though I wish there was…" she began, her tone indifferent despite her words. "There's nothing else I can tell you about your brother regarding his relationship with that organization member."
Only silence met her words ─ Conan failed to put a response together. Ai, hardly surprised, let out a snicker, absolutely lacking any kind of emotion, besides the slightest tint of bitterness to be perceived.
"Well, I can't exactly blame you if you don't believe me," said Ai. "Since, right at the beginning, I refused to tell you about Shinichi-san's involvement with the Organization. Yet, this time around-"
"No." Ai's words skidded to a halt at what he had uttered, just barely above a murmur. "It's not that. That… isn't what I wanted to ask you."
Instead of just asking, Ai waited quietly.
At least, until he spoke again ─ eyes shooting open the moment those innocent words reached her ears:
"Your birthday-"
"How did you know?"
She knew she had blurted it out by the lack of an answer, and the confused noise he made after a beat. "What… What was your question?" she asked instead.
Conan paused, seemingly gathering his thoughts. "It isn't today, is it?" he asked, almost fearfully ─ for whatever reason. "Your birthday…"
"No."
Relief was clearly audible in the sigh that escaped the boy. "Then, when is it?"
"Today." Again, she could hear his bewilderment from her spot. She smirked as she added, "With a 365-day margin of error."
Easily, she could picture him rolling his eyes. "We both know it's actually closer than that." But it all melted away in the face of her own confusion. "Your reaction just now was a bit over the top, don't you think?" He was so smug as he said it, too ─ leading her to believe that he wasn't bluffing, he was certain about his recent deduction. "But I totally understand it ─ you thought I had found out about it, didn't you?"
Her silence worked just as fine as words.
"All I said was 'your birthday', though. Isn't that weird?" Now was that lively, innocent little-kid inflexion he reserved for dealing with clueless adults ─ and for teasing her, apparently. "Normally, you'd think I was just asking about it. But you assumed I did and was bringing it up. Why would I bring it up? Because it is close, of course."
There was a scoff on the other side, triggering a bright grin on his face, spreading from side to side. "Can I get an improved margin of error?"
"Of course." Now, he did not expect that kind of answer. "You're free to do the math yourself."
"Hey, hey-"
"Good luck, Detective-san."
All other complaints fell deaf on a line that went dead. Conan yanked the phone away from his ear to glare at the screen to confirm that, indeed, the young scientist had just up and hung up on him. This time, he couldn't hold it in ─ a frustrated groan bubbled up the confines of his throat.
From a safe distance away, Sonoko could not keep his eyes away from him. Arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow raising far above her hairline, she commented, "Well, at least he's lively now."
Kogoro eyed the kid, too. "You aren't wrong," he said.
For Sera, however, it was impossible to direct her attention away from the fuming little child. She observed him, unusually mute, eyes narrowing slightly as if she could see something beyond what mortal eyes could see ─ beyond what that non-assuming grade-schooler displayed for the rest of the world to see.
That did not last long. Ran's face abruptly came into view, lips pursed and a frown settled on her features had Sera blinking, not sure what she was seeing.
The feeling intensified tenfold when she bowed slightly. "I'm so sorry, Sera-san!" Her words did not help, either.
"Um…" Quite frankly, she wasn't sure of what was going on. "Why are you apologizing?"
"About earlier… The way I talked to you…" She picked her head up, allowing Sera to see a timid smile on her face. "I didn't mean to come across like that."
Sera waved her apologies off with a grin of her own. "It's okay ─ I'm the one who should be apologizing," she said. "I acted like an idiot back there."
Sonoko rolled her eyes. "Typical detective behavior there." Before Sera could ask about what she had just heard, the heiress added, "Well, I wouldn't beat myself over it," shrugging as she did so. "Sometimes, it's easy to forget he's just a brat."
Ran giggled. "He's such an independent and smart little boy, so he kind of gives out that impression…"
The next second, it was all gone from her face, a strange glint taking over her eyes as they slid to the side. Unlike Sera's first assumption, she wasn't just trying to avert her gaze, but rather, they had fallen on the small detective in question. Oblivious to everything else, he was huffing, typing furiously something out on his phone.
Suddenly, he stopped to look at whatever was on his screen for a second time. She could swear it was a pout what crossed his face afterwards.
"But if you look closely enough, under the surface…" Now able to identify that odd glint as hopelessness, Sera could not stop her eyes from widening. "You'll see… that. And curious, innocent child."
For a single heartbeat, Sera found it hard to find her words.
"He's very dear to you, isn't he?" Ran looked back, surprised to see the gentler turn her broad grin had taken. "For you to protect him, so fiercely like that…"
Her lips curved, and warmth eradicated the sadness from before.
"Just like the little brother I never had," Ran said.
Though not entirely unexpected, there was something in her words that made it hard for Sera's brain to process them. They sank after a while, her expression smoothing out when they did.
She spun on her heels without a word ─ not that any of her friends questioned it. Since seeing her slowly approaching the little boy, her intentions were crystal clear to them.
Not so much for Conan, whose gaze tore apart from the phone to stare at the female detective, absolutely confused.
Especially when she crouched down right in front of him. Instinctively, he flinched back under her scrutiny, that seemed, for whatever reason, intensified. He didn't even know that was even possible.
"Conan-kun," she began. "About earlier…"
He felt a flustered flush dusting his cheeks. "Ah, no, it's fine!" he exclaimed, hands frantically waving in front of his face. "I thought I could handle it… But I guess it was too scary for me, after all."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, taking into his tiny figure for a little longer. No. Closing them, she let out a small sigh. He is not…
Conan's head tilted, curiously. But went back to normal when she opened them back up again, her grin back to life, despite her words.
"It's not fine. I got too carried away and never considered your feelings…"
I made a mistake…
"I'm sorry."
There's no way this boy is him.
And it would seem that rendered him out of words. So she snorted, amused at the sight. She stood back up, ready to tell him if he was feeling up to joining everyone.
"Wait, Sera-san!" When he suddenly called, his little latching to the hem of her jacket to get her from taking a single step. "Before you leave, I have a question for you…"
"Oh, right. You said that earlier."
He nodded vigorously, and placing a hand next to his mouth, he whispered, "Sera-san, have we possibly… met somewhere before?"
For an entire second, it would look like she had forgotten how to breathe. Conan felt himself try to shrink, unable to understand why there was such a wild look onto him, all of a sudden.
And then, her entire face lit up ─ her little fang poking out a massive grin.
"Hmm, I wonder…" was all she said, finally turning around to join the others.
Conan stood there, taken aback, then exclaimed, "Eh~?!"
Sorry, but I can't tell you.
But no matter how much he asked, or demanded an answer, she never said anything ─ merely laughed, much to his dismay, in high spirits, once more.
Until the time comes.
A/N
Gamelover41592: Basically, I felt like it xD For now, however, he's mostly wondering about Shinichi's relationship with him, but not about him being part of the PSB and everything else that's canon.
CherryGirl 21-6: Being honest, I've already thought about something. It's probably going to be related to something later on in the plot (just a little, though) so it's unlikely I'm going to change my mind… But I'm kind of curious about what you have thought, however! Only if you're willing to share, however…
F.C. Meyer:
It might sound bad, but I don't remember why I skipped that part xD I think I didn't feel it would be relevant enough because Conan was going to figure the trick out right away so I didn't bother…
And, no, not even close. I was half-way editing chapter 13 when I had to stop because I didn't have time. I'm planning on going back to it later on, though.