Chapter 2

By Crystal Snowflakes

Author's Notes: The previous few chapters are still introduction to the story, as is this one, so if it goes slow, I apologize, and I'm sorry for the frequent scene changes.

Detective Conan does not belong to me.


Conan sighed as he sipped on his orange juice like a good little boy. On his right side was Ran, talking merrily to her fiancé with Kazuha. Across him was Heiji chatting away with 'Shinichi', who was right beside him. He looked diagonally across to see Ai playing with her own cup, a bored expression on her face.

He sighed again, looking up at Ran beside him, then froze up when he saw her studying 'Shinichi'.

Ran looked down at him thoughtfully, "Conan-kun?" She asked, "Don't you think Shinichi looks happier now? He seems more confident..." She smiled softly, "He seems freer as a person... I wonder what happened these few years. I'm sure Miyano-san is very nice to him..." Her smile faltered slightly.

Conan smiled childishly, "I think Ran-neechan will always be the best!" He exclaimed.

She bent down forward slightly and glanced beside her, at her fiancé, then whispered in his ears, "I will always think Conan-kun is the best too." She gave a wink, "Don't tell Keiji-kun though."

Conan nodded in understanding and gave a large toothy smile.

She laughed softly at the almost teenager, then patted his head and turned towards her fiancé, saying how much she'd love a kid like 'Conan-kun'.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ai hopped off her chair and headed outside.

The other young adolescent at the table followed without a word. He jogged towards her departing figure. Finally, he caught up and grabbed her wrist tightly.

"What's wrong, Haibara?"

"What makes you think anything is wrong, Kudo?" Her voice never betrayed anything. "Does it matter where I go? It's none of your business, so go away, Kudo."

"You never call me Kudo. Kudo-kun, yes, but not Kudo." He frowned slightly, "You obviously have something you want to say or do."

Ai turned around and glared at him, "It doesn't matter what I do, all right? I won't do something to make them come after you. I won't cause your death."

"I was being merely concerned!" He growled, frustrated. "Walking off like that in the restaurant... Even Ran and see that something is wrong with you!"

Her eyes grew cold and piercing.

Conan almost flinched.

"Ran, Ran, Ran..." She muttered, more to herself than him, "It's all about Ran, isn't it? It's all about Mouri-san, isn't it Kudo?"

"Haibara..."

She smiled bitterly, "Haibara, even after six years... I don't know whether to be disappointed or not... But for six years, everything has been about her. You've been through hell and back for her, you've caused so much pain to yourself for her... And she hasn't even acknowledged it." She paused. "For years, I've tried to help you... Help you get your body back so that you can be with her..." A very un-Haibara sigh escaped from her lips, "I don't even know why... But I'm so jealous of her. I understand that you love her, and I've come to accept it... But all I've want is for you to maybe notice me... Is that being selfish...? Even though I know that nothing that I can ever do is going to be enough... Right Kudo-kun?"

Right?


Ran looked out the window of the restaurant, a worried expression plastered on her face. "What's wrong with Conan-kun and Ai-chan? They seem to be arguing..." Her hand tightened on Keiji's hand subconsciously.

Heiji chuckled uneasily, "I'm betting it's nothing. They always do that anyways... I'm sure they'll be fine in a while, right Kur—" He coughed, "Kudo?"

Kaito looked up at Heiji, almost frowning at him for the screw up, "I'm sure the twerp will be fine..." At least I hope so. Now's not the time to think about Mouri-san, Kudo Shinichi... But I think it's finally the time you stop daydreaming about growing back up. Even though the cure is made, you can't take it because they are still out there... Even after six years, you're still an idiot, aren't you? Always so much hope for you to get back to how you were...

He sighed to himself, So will you be forever fateful to Mouri-san and not be with her, to always be so close to her, yet so far... Or will you start caring for the woman who will waste her life, without any hesitation, for you? Will you start loving the woman who you have promised to protect? I'm pretty sure Ai likes you enough to spend her whole life in developing the antidote, if only for you...

Kazuha looked at Heiji suspiciously. Although his emotions are hard to tell sometimes, she could guess that he was very perturbed by the two young children. Why? Why would he be so nervous about them? They are still kids... Even if it doesn't work out, I'm sure they'll grow up to like someone else. Why is he taking the two of them so seriously? "Conan-kun and Ai-chan are always so mysterious in their own little ways..." She said, not knowing that she said her thoughts out loud.

Ran nodded, "He sort of acts like you, Shinichi..."

Kaito glanced at Heiji for a mere second, then shrugged nonchalantly, "Must be the infuence."

The five adults watched the drama unfold, interested, each for their own different reasons.

Kazuha narrowed her eyes at her fiancé… He's hiding something big and important to me. He's hiding something from Ran and I... I can just feel it! And Kudo-kun happens to know what it is... And sometimes, I wonder if Ai-chan and Conan-kun does as well... They're always whispering to themselves when they think no one is watching or listening... Determined that she would corner him into telling her, she brought her eyes back to the scene of the arguing children.


"Haibara, don't say that." Conan gulped as the conversation between him and Kaito popped up.

What will happen to Ai then? Will you toss away the woman you have vowed to protect hastily or will you let the woman that you've loved for the majority of your life go away?

"Of course I notice you! You're important to me and—"

"Important, yes." She interrupted, "I'm important to you because I'm the only one in the world that can turn you to who you were originally. Your future is in my hands, as lame as that sounds. But besides that, I'll always be Haibara to you. I'll always be Miyano Shiho, the woman who shrunk you."

"That's not true! I—"

She shook her head, frustrated as secrets and emotions poured out of her mouth uncontrollably. "You're not the only one hurting, Kudo-kun. I am too. I've lost everything that has been meaningful to my life... Otouchan and Okaachan are gone... Neechan's gone... My life has had no meaning, and when I did find it—"

"Shiho." He cut her off this time. His voice was thick, pained, and full of emotions. He didn't know what was happening, but he found himself opening his arms, approaching her, and finally embracing her. His voice shaking, he whispered, "I'm here Shiho... I'm here for you."


Kaito let out an inaudible sigh of relief. He glanced at the object of Shinichi's former love life. I think, Mouri-san, that you've lost... He might still protect you, but no matter what happens, I think he'll stand by her... Although you don't know it, but today's the day that Kudo Shinichi finally forget you. Or at least attempt to. He gave a small grin to himself.

Ran smiled softly as she caught the grin on Shinichi's face. It had looked wrong on his face, for some reason, but she brushed it away. "Look Keiji..." She whispered, her eyes drifting back to the embracing couples on the street... "Kids are so adorable..."

"Yeah, they are." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gave her a peck on the forehead, "They are adorable, aren't they?"

The magician, finding the two couples whispering to themselves, stood up and walked towards the door, and decided to maybe interrupt and spite his little 'cousin'.


Walking out of the restaurant had done nothing to Kaito. He still felt a kind of sadness linger as he watched the two still embracing... A tiny tug at his heart made him think about his girlfriend... I just knew I should've brought Aoko...

The young boy looked away from the girl he was embracing and raised his piercing eyes to meet those of the magician's.

Ai, feeling someone else's presence, pushed herself away from Conan and glanced behind her, "Why are you here, Kuroba-kun?"

Kaito grinned smugly, "Just wondering how you guys were doing. That was quite a dramatic display, you know, tantei-san." He tilted his head against the window...

...Which made Conan glance towards the direction the magician tilted his head... And groan loudly as his face flushed. "You've gotta be kidding me. You mean Hattori saw that too?"

A smirk, "Of course! I can't wait till he starts teasing you tonight about it, right Ai?"

The girl, once again, raised her eyebrow coolly at him.

Kaito snorted, "Stop being so clam all the time, will ya?" He glanced towards the window again, "Let's get back before they suspect anything." He ruffled the detective's hair playfully, "Come on, Shrimp."

Conan only scowled in response.


"Girl trouble, Kudo?" Heiji asked, grinning down at the adolescent.

Conan scowled, "None of your business."

Kaito, who was standing beside him, sniggered.

"Where's your wife anyway?"

Heiji gave another grin and pointed his thumb towards his back, "She dragged Haibara to make fun of Neechan and her fiancé..." He glanced backwards for a second, "It doesn't seem like your girlfriend's having too much fun though, Kudo." He sat at the side of the water fountain and gave a sigh, "Thank god I'm done taking picture in this pathetic suit."

Conan scowled, "You're not the only one. Kuroba and I are wearing suits too... And for the last time, she is not my girlfriend."

The detective of the West only raised his eyebrow, "With that little display a while back?" He snorted, "Nobody's going to believe that she isn't your girl." He unloosened his tie slightly, "As for the suit comment, you're always wearing some bloody blue suit and tie, and Kuroba always has his white suit..."

Kaito narrowed his eyes in warning.

He continued as if nothing was wrong, "I don't get it though... Why is it that all the girls are so crazy about you and Kuroba? Maybe it's the suit?" he snorted to himself, "I just don't get how you attract so many girls."

Conan gave a smug grin, "It has to do with the face."

"No way!" Heiji exclaimed, "You're just a kid, and even when you're not, you're—"

Kaito cleared his throat, "May I remind you that I have a similar face to Kudo..." Kaito spoke up, "So please insult any of part of him but his face."

Heiji scoffed, "It's true though, you're both horrid looking..." He gave a smug grin, but it was instantly wiped off when he felt someone pinching his ear. "K—Ka—Kazuha!" He stuttered.

His wife narrowed her eyes, "What were you saying to Kudo-kun and Conan-kun?"

"Ehh...nothing!" He replied, chuckling nervously.

"Kazuha-neechan!" Conan put on his best childish voice. Let's see how your ear will be after this, Hattori. He gave a small pout, "Heiji-niichan said that Shinichi-niichan was not good-looking, and then he said how I looked like Shinichi-niichan..." He paused, "And..."

"Heiji..." Kazuha glared at her husband dangerously.

As her grip on his ear tightened, Heiji shouted and yelped loudly, "LIES! The twerp is LYING!"

Kaito looked at his suffering friend lazily in a very Shinichi fashion. "Conan doesn't lie..." At this, a mental snort entered through all three brains, "You were asking for it, idiot."

She narrowed her eyes as she dragged Heiji away, "Maybe I should teach you some manners, Heiji."

Sounds of him screaming echoed throughout the garden as the adult and adolescent, both alike in looks, glanced at each other and began to laugh.

A few feet away, one reddish-blond and the other a brunette, together, at the same time, looked in their direction as a sad smile formed on both their beautiful faces.

Kudo Shinichi...


Author's Notes: A bit longer, but yeah... Hope you guys enjoyed?

Crystal Snowflakes

Sunday, March 13, 2005