Chapter three

"Look!" a smile would appear on his face, as he grasped the paper in his hands. The paper, apparently was stuck on Shinichi's locker by means of duck tape. He quickly, and carefully began to remove it. Once he did, he gave it to Ran. "Heh Heh! I knew I would've gotten a case!" Even though I was kind of expecting more than just one..

Ran blinked, looking at the paper.

Dear Kudo-kun,

I have a case for you. Please meet me after school near the locker rooms at 3:20.

Signed, Your first case.

She sighed. "That doesn't mean anything."

"Oh yes it does, I got my first case." he grinned, as he cupped his chin. "Heh Heh Heh.."

"..You're an idiot you know that?" Ran shook her head, and then turned around. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go to class before I get a late pass.."

Shinichi blinked, watching Ran go. He then glanced at his watch. "Oh crap! I'm going to be late!" he thus began to dash after Ran.

"Do you seriously think that this isn't a joke?"

"Who knows." he grinned, looking around. "If it is a case though, then I'll make sure to give it my all."

Ran sighed. "Whatever, I'm heading home."

"What? you're going to stay and watch me?"

"Why would I? I'm not interested in detective stuff like you are Shinichi.."

He sighed. "B-but.." but before he could persuade her to stay, Ran had already walked out of the doors. Darn it, and I wanted to impress her too..

"Kudo-kun?"

Blinking, Shinichi turned around. "Huh?"

"Ehh, you put that poster up about being a detective, right?" A boy that was about a year older than Shinichi glanced at him. He wasn't that tall, but somewhat taller than Shinichi. He seemed, very attractive for a boy his age..

Shinichi nodded. "Yep, that's me. Kudo Shinichi, detective at your service."

"I need you to help me with something."

"Obviously, if you left that note on my locker. So, what seems to be the trouble? did your parents get kidnapped and you're trying to find them? did you find a dead body on your way to school? were you blamed for a crime you did not commit?"

The boy sweat dropped. "Umm, no not really."

"Then, what is it?"

"Well, a few months ago I went out with this girl from my class. She wasn't what you would call, 'sexy' or 'pretty' or anything, but she was pretty plain if you asked me. I don't know why I went out with her, but.." He shrugged. "I guess it was just a thing. Well anyways, after a few months, I broke up with her. She begged me not to, but I had to. I didn't want the guys to know that I was going out with an girl like her. Anyways, she called me the other day, and she said that if I don't go back to her, she's going to make copies of this picture she has of us together and spread it throughout the whole school!"

Shinichi couldn't believe what he was just hearing. From the looks of it, this guy is really shallow and despicable.

"So, are you going to help me or not?"

"Ehh, what do you want me to do, exactly?"

"I need you to find that picture! I tried looking into her locker sometimes, but it wasn't there."

"I doubt she'd leave it in such an obvious place."

"Then?! where could she be keeping it in?!"

"I don't know." Shinichi shrugged, leaning against a wall. "It could be inside her book bag, or her house, or even in her shoes who knows?"

"Well then, It's YOUR job to look for it!"

"Don't worry about it. I'll find it for you.." Why does my first case have to be something like this?

"You BETTER! If I don't have that picture by the end of the week, I'm shoving you in a trash can, and roll you down a hill."

Shinichi sweat dropped. "Ehh, d-don't worry, y-you'll have the picture by the end of the week, promise!" This shouldn't be hard, I mean, how many secret hiding places can a girl have?

The boy gave Shinichi his phone number and address, and walked away.

Shinichi spent most of his time spying. During the morning, he sneaked into the girl's classroom and digged into her desk, only to be caught by the teacher of that homeroom. During lunch break, Shinichi spied on the girl from afar, as she ate by herself, hoping that she would give at least some kind of hint if she carried it on her, but Ran had dragged him away saying that it wasn't right to spy on others, especially girls.

He was getting nowhere. It seemed like his first case was going to be his last if he didn't hurry up and find some sort of clue.

While walking Ran home, like he usually did when she didn't have Karate practice, an idea popped in his head.

"Hey Ran, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what kind of question though?"

"If you had something important, where would you keep it?"

"What'dya mean by important?"

"Something that means a lot to you."

She blinked, and glanced at him. "Why are you asking me this?"

"I'm just curious."

She glared at him for a couple of seconds, then sighed. "Well, if it were me, I'd keep it somewhere close to me. Like, in a diary or something.."

He blinked. "..I see.."

"Why are you asking?"

He shook his head. "Nothing."

Well, that kind of helped. Jeez, girls are so weird.

That night, Shinichi couldn't sleep. All he thought about was the case. First off, if that picture was really important to her, she'd most likely keep it in a place that only she knew about. Either that, or somewhere very secret. Second off, there was what Ran had said earlier. She could be keeping the picture in one of her notebooks, or even possibly a diary, but she wasn't carrying around a notebook. If she did, she'd knew that that guy would most likely have been trying to snatch it back without her knowing so she would've been seen carrying some sort of notebook with her...

This case is simple, I just got to think enough. Think Shinichi, think!

"Can't sleep, eh Shin-Chan?"

Shinichi glanced from his bed, and saw his mom standing above him. "Kaa-san, when did you--?"

"I sneaked in to check up on you. You looked so deep in thought that I guess you didn't notice me come in." She sat by his bedside. "So, what exactly are you thinking about? Is it a girl?" she giggled.

"No, I'm trying to help someone." He then decided to ask his mom about it. She was a girl, after all. She should know about this kind of stuff. "Ne, Kaa-san.."

She blinked, tilting her head a bit. "Hmm?"

"Where would you keep something important?"

"Something important?" She was confused by his question.

He sighed. "I mean.." he sat up. "Like something really important."

"Ohh!" She smiled, placing her hands near where her heart was. "If it was something that was given to me by a loved one, or something that reminded me of a loved one, then I would keep it close to my heart. That way, wherever I go, then that person's 'essence', as I would think it as, will be with me"

"Oh, I see. So like, in a locket or something like that?"

"A locket, a special notebook like a diary. It depends on how big or small that special something is.."

Shinichi smirked. I get it now. It all makes sense now that Kaa-san has helped me. Even though, I'm reluctant to admit it..

"Did I help you, Shin-Chan?"

He nodded, and then layed back on his bed. "Mhm. My mind is clear now, thanks Kaa-san."

"You know where she's keeping it?!"

Shinichi had contacted the boy the following morning, telling him that he had figured out the case. "Yeah, now all we have to do is figure out how to get the picture from her.."

"Why can't we just take it?"

Shinichi sighed. "Just meet me in front of the locker rooms after school, okay?"

That afternoon, as soon as Shinichi walked down the stairs to the locker rooms, the boy was already there waiting for him. It seemed like he was much more anxious to get the picture back.

"So, how are we going to get the picture from her?" the boy would ask, leaning against the wall.

"First off, she's staying after school for tutoring, so we're going to have to wait until tutoring finished."

"And?"

"Afterwards, you'll confront her about the picture, while I'll be listening outside the class room, alright?"

The boy nodded. "Alright. Once I get that picture from her, I'm making sure she never speaks to me again."

Shinichi sweat dropped. This guy..

Tutoring class didn't take that long. While they waited, Shinichi thought to himself. Well, he tried to anyways, but that boy wouldn't shut up about stuff like 'I'll teach her a lesson' or 'Damnit, I can't believe she still had that stupid picture with her' and

'I don't even know why I went out with her'.

Once all the kids left the classroom, the boy entered, approaching the girl.

"Azumi!" the boy shouted, glancing at her from the doors.

She looked towards him and blinked. "Shiina?"

"I'm here for the picture, you better hand it over if you know what's good for you!"

"If you think I'm going to give you the picture, then you're kidding yourself. I'm never giving you our picture!"

He glared. "Azumi, why?! we broke up a long time ago, why do you keep that stupid picture with you?!"

"It's none of your business! you were the one who asked me out, and you were the one who broke up with me. The only way I can get revenge on you is by showing everyone in the school this picture!"

Shinichi glanced from outside, peeking through. Jeez, it's like one of those bad American Soap Operas that kaa-san watches..

Shiina began to approach closer towards Azumi, and took out his hand. "Give me the picture, now!"

"No! you're NEVER getting this picture, EVER!"

"But what if he already has it?"

They both turned around, and saw Shinichi approach them. Azumi blinked. "What?! Shiina already has--"

"That's right. He sneaked in and got it before you even realized it."

At that moment, Azumi digged into her shirt, taking out a locket. She opened the heart and saw..

"W-Wait! the picture. it's still.."

"I figured that you would keep the picture inside of your locket." Shinichi remarked. "It's simple, since you didn't keep it in your locker, nor your book bag, nor in a notebook of the sort."

Azumi glanced up at Shinichi, and then sighed. "The only reason why I keep the picture with me is because.." She then glanced at Shiina, with a few tears in her eyes. "Shiina, I had such a fun time going out with you. I didn't believe it when you broke up with me. The only way I could remember our relationship, is if I kept the picture.."

"Then why were you forcing me to get back with you?"

"I thought, that if I forced you to come back, with the picture and all, that you would come back to me. Nobody would want to go out with an ugly duckling like me. I'm unpopular, my hair's not all long and shiny like the other girls. For once, a guy liked me for me, and I was so.." She sobbed a bit. "I was so happy with you Shiina.."

Shiina sighed, looking the other way. "Well then. I guess.. you could keep the picture, and we could be friends instead? I mean, I did like you don't get me wrong Azumi, I just..listened to my stupid friends. I'm sorry."

Azumi nodded, rubbing her eyes. "I-It's okay Shiina."

Azumi and Shiina actually began dating again. Shinichi was the first to find out when Shiina unexpectedly called him the following night. Shinichi was happy to know that they were back together, and that everything was sorted out in a peaceful manner. As for the picture, Shiina now carries one with him wherever he goes.

That next day...

"So, that's what happened."

"Really? I can't believe Shiina-kun had a change of heart so quickly. I guess he really did like Azumi-chan." Ran would say, as she stood beside Shinichi's desk.

He glanced up at her. "Yeah, in fact, Shiina told me himself that he still liked Azumi-chan even after breaking up with her. He was just reluctant to admit his feelings.."

"That's so romantic." Ran smiled, turning towards the window. "I hope that I find a guy like that someday.."

"You want a guy that breaks up with you only because his friends told him to?"

She glared back at him. "No! I meant.." she blushed looking down. "A guy who would..tell me that he likes me and all.."

Shinichi blushed, looking at Ran. "Umm..well.."

"Kudo-kun!, Mouri-chan! would you two please sit down so we could start class?"

Apparently, they didn't notice that class had started just a couple of minutes ago..

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-Stretches-. This was hard for me to write. So, I kinda borrowed the idea of this case from "A scandal in bohemia", one of the cases that Sherlock Holmes did. I think I'm going to use some of his cases, and adapt them to what kind of cases Shinichi would get in Junior High. I don't really like this chapter, but at least I survived!