The New Façade
Disclaimer: DC is something that I will not have, ever. (Can anyone give a reason why is this thing necessary?)
Please do not venture further I you dislike clichéd stories. I repeat, do not venture further. This story is riddled with clichés and I have no intention to have people flaming me because they didn't check this warning before hand. If you're not one of those people, feel free to scroll downwards and read this oh-so-clichéd story.
Unruly Decision
One hour before detention-
"Yo, Shinichi, how ya doin?" A guy said to Shinichi who was busy writing something on his notebook.
"Fine. What's up Niji?" He replied, put his pencil down and stared at Niji fixedly. "Judging by your tone, you have something up your sleeve huh?"
Niji looked surprised for a second, and then grinned widely. "Yeah, I guess you're right. You're the high school detective after all."
Shinichi raised his eyebrow. "So, what is it? Another way freak Ran out? I'd personally recommend that you stay clear from that idea for your own good."
The one he addressed that warning to laughed nervously. "No, no, she almost broke my neck the last time I put a frog inside her bag, and there's no way I'd like to repeat that experience ever again."
Shinichi gave a knowing smile. "So? What are you up to this time then?"
"You know the new student right? Hai something?"
"Haibara? Yeah, I do recall some unpleasant meetings with her, but what about her?" He said with curiosity.
"Well, you see…me, Kou and Taka made a bet…" Niji said, somehow stuttering his words. Shinichi was getting impatient.
He continued, "And… we betted that you… well… I mean I betted that if you can successfully…uh- ask that Hai something on a date-"
"WHAT?" Shinichi shouted suddenly, torn between outrage, horror and unbelieving. Everyone around him went silent and stared at him as if he was some kind of a freak. He noticed this and lowered his voice.
"Are.you.insane?" His voice sounded clipped and angry, and he had a good reason to; what normal guy would want to date a nerd such as Ai? And he didn't say that because she was someone that would be categorized as ugly, he's not someone to judge a book by their cover, but because of her coldness. Dating her would be similar to dating an iceberg.
"Well, if I won, I'll get 50,000 yen, and we'll split if fifty-fifty, pretty reasonable right?"
"Why, you ungra-" Niji literally shoved a photo onto his face, cutting him in mid-sentence. "What?'
"Look at it closely"
He stared at it; it showed him holding hands with a pretty girl. He tried to process the picture onto his brain.
Why the heck was I with a girl? I've never even been on a date before, what-
"Let's see what will the outcome of you rejecting to date her be, huh? Your girlfriend, Ran-neechan would probably find this photo by accident, and then she'd hate you, again for some unknown reason, and your love live would end right there."
Shinichi stared at his friend, totally flabbergasted and unable to say anything.
Then realization dawned into Shinichi. He knew that photo was computer altered, and Ran would surely believe him, right? …Wrong. She's way too easy to believe people, and if she was given a photo of him and some girl looking like they're on a lovey dopey date, she'd freak out for sure and maybe wouldn't even speak to him for like, eternity. He couldn't risk that and decided to play cool.
"One, she is not my girlfriend. Two, it was computer altered. Three, she wouldn't believe it. So why would I be involved in your dumb bet? There's simply no reason to" He tried to keep his voice from shaking in panic, and made direct eye contact with his friend-turned-professional-blackmailer to prove that he was one hundred percent sure.
Niji didn't seem the least bit affected, he even made eye contact back at Shinichi, a motion that was clearly meant to challenge him.
Shinichi gulped, and admitted defeat, he was never good at intimidation. "Fine, you win, I'll date her okay? As long as you don't give that thing to Ran, got it?"
Niji grinned cunningly, "Yes sir! And when will you date her, pretty boy?"
"As soon as I can" He said dejectedly and went back to writing at his note book. Niji left with a smug grin plastered on his face.
Shinichi sighed, he felt bad about the whole thing. Doing this bet meant that he had to hurt Ai's feeling one way or another. He knew that feeling, and he wasn't keen to let other suffer such terrible thing. But he had to nonetheless, or else Ran would hate him, and even though they were never considered officially dating, he knew she had feelings for him, and he in fact loved her dearly too. But as was their nature, they were too shy to admit one's feeling towards another. That, and the fact that he needed money to buy Ran's birthday present. 25,000 yen totaled with his saving will surely be enough. It seemed that he had to do this, both for his and her sake; even though he'd have to hurt Ai's feeling in the process.
He once again set his pencil down and diverted his gaze to the ceiling. He was watching the fan going around in circles with amazing speed when something clicked. He could always be straightforward and just tell her about the bet and ask her on a pretend date right? Hopefully.
---
Ai entered the detention room and nonchalantly sat beside Shinichi. It seemed that they were the only ones who received detention today. She pulled out a book out of her bag and began reading it apparently oblivious to the presence of Shinichi beside her.
"Hi Haibara, good weather today huh?" He said, trying to open a conversation. He was hoping that she would at least say something decent to avoid the awkward silence that was engulfing them (at least to him anyway) and make his plan easier to complete.
Ai remained silent. The only sound audible was the rustling of paper when she turned a page over. In desperate attempt, he peered at the book she was reading.
"Pretty face? You like that manga too huh?"
Please, please say something or just nod so we can have a normal conversation like normal people so I can say that to you. He half thought half wished. He waited for the reply. Nothing.
Another rustle of turning page.
Shinichi was in vain. He had tried to strike a conversation between them twice, both times had failed, and he didn't dare even think that the third attempt would be a success, but he decided to try despite the consequences that he might face.
"Look, I'm sorry for what happened the other day, Haibara. I really didn't mean to be snooping, it was just… you seemed so sad…" He waited, and waited, and finally Ai spoke.
"Apology accepted," she said it with a voice so soft that it was closer to a whisper. When Shinichi was about to ask for a re-confirmation, the teacher from hell, Sakaki kicked the door open and went in. She walked haughtily and stopped before them.
Ai put her book away, crossed her hands together and pretended to stare at her in rapt attention; she noticed that Shinichi was also doing the same thing. It was better not to annoy a pissed off teacher, she learned it the hard way at her old school. She stood up to a teacher who was as pissed as Sakaki now and had to run 65 laps after that. Not something she'd enjoy repeating.
Sakaki eyed them curtly and slammed down a big pile of books, thirty, hard looking books to be precise. Shinichi noticeably gulped. She had been famous for her excruciatingly harsh detention methods, but he had absolutely no idea that she would make them do something so cruel and unorthodox like.
"Excuse me miss? Do we have to finish all of these?" He asked nervously.
She glared at him, Shinichi shrank back. "I'm glad you're at least using half of your dimwit brain, Mr I'm-a-famous-detective-in-detention." Talk about funky vocabulary for a teacher.
She paused and watched him smugly as his face went from horror, to surprised, and back to horror again. Besides him Ai remained impassive.
Satisfied, she continued, "You shall not leave school until you have finished every single page of this highly education books, and I won't give a damn if it takes you forever to finish it, or if you died from brain dysfunction. NOW START WRITING FOR GOD'S SAKE!" She shrieked, stomped off, yanked the door open and disappeared from sight.
Shinichi's gaze landed on the book, apparently disheartened. Then he glanced sideway at Ai, "You seem awfully calm for someone who had just received the harshest punishment in the history of Beika High." The only thing he got as a respond was a shrug.
She fished out a calculator and a pen from her bag. She grabbed a book on chemistry from the pile and began working on it.
The young detective is distress watched her figure for several moments and decided it was the best time to tell her about the bet.
"Haibara?"
She kept on writing.
He cleared his throat and spoke cautiously, "Look, my friend made a bet that involved me asking you out on a date and if-"
"If you refuse, whoever made that bet will give Mouri-san a photo of you and a girl and you don't want that to happen, correct?" She said deadpanned, continuing his sentence.
Shinichi was shocked, utterly impassably shocked. "What? How did you-"
"I was there."
Silence.
"…………………….Oh." How can Niji be so careless? That brat… He cursed inwardly.
She gave him an amused expression, "So, aren't you asking me out? Or have you changed your mind?"
His face lit up, thinking that maybe Ai was in the mood to be kind and decided to help a poor soul such as him. "Of course! Would you go on a date with me?"
Ai turned around and gave him her sweetest smile. Shinichi brightened up even more, feeling absolutely positive that she going to help him.
Then, slowly, her smile transformed into a smirk, "No." She said it flatly, with no hesitation at all. It seemed that she was toying with him the whole time.
Shinichi literally felt a slab of brick hit him fair on the face. As quickly as it went, he regained his composure back. He made a decision to go with the 'Pleading' strategy. Well, just to be blunt, it wasn't a strategy to start with, he really felt like pleading if that could help.
"Please Haibara! Just go on a pretend date with me for a day! It's only a pretend date, you've got nothing to lose, pretty please?" He pleadingly pleaded. (A/N: What a weird use of words, lol)
She raised her eyebrow, "Your pleading amuses me, Kudou, I assume that you will also go to the depths of hell for this bet?"
He continued to look at her with doggy eyes.
Very uncharacteristically Kudou Shinichi, Ai thought, still wearing her trademark smirk. For once he looked like a kid begging for an ice cream. Of course, all of this was definitely increasing her enjoyment of watching him suffer.
"It is true that I have nothing to lose, but I have nothing to gain either." She said.
Shinichi was taken aback. Yes, what would he offer her so that she would agree… opt to do her homework? No, she's definitely smarter than him and she showed it. Give her money? Absolutely not, he was going to save up for Ran's birthday and he couldn't afford to waste it and disappoint Ran, after all, all of this was for that. After an array of impossible and stupid things, he finally found the answer. It was still quite dumb, but smarter than the others anyway.
"If you agree, I'll do whatever you command me to do!" He exclaimed, rather pleased that he came up with a good solution quite fast.
"When?"
"Huh?"
Sighing, Ai wondered if this whole ordeal had somehow lowered his IQ. She rolled her eyes.
"Location? Time? Date?" She inquired as she placed her calculator and pen back at her bag.
Shinichi felt like he was on the top the world (Well, he already was, but you see, happy people usually had their logic screwed). He practically bounced from happiness. "The amusement park, 10 at the morning, this Saturday. Oh, Haibara, thank you! I really owe you one!"
Her smirk grew wider, "No need, Kudou, you'll pay it back in a very satisfying manner."
Her tone was casual, but he had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling. Then he noticed that Ai was now standing with her bag slung over her shoulder. She wasn't going to do what he thought she was going to do, right?
"Uh… Haibara? Where are you going?" He asked feebly.
She was almost at the door when she answered, "Home." She ignored him who was shutting and opening his mouth dumbly and went through the door, muttering something that sounded like, "Enjoy" as she was leaving.
He was about the chase her and drag her back to demand explanation when he noticed a note lying on his desk, near the neatly piled books. Since when- He immediately grabbed it and began reading.
Thinking about dragging me back, Kudou? How ignorant of you, this is what came across my mind when you offered to do anything for me.
He could almost imagine Ai smirking when he read this. He continued.
Well, enjoy your task at hand, tantei-san. Your dear relation with Mouri-san depends on this, as well as my school life, I have no intention on further angering Sakaki-sensei because of your blunder. Make sure you do finish it on time.
Ai.
Shinichi stared at the note in his hands with utter shock. Is she expecting me to finish all of this? That's ridiculous, even Einstein couldn't possibly accomplish it without experiencing some sort of brain seizure before hand. He looked at the books. Why should I do it anyway? I wouldn't care what Sakaki-sensei does next. Yeah, I'll just neglect this whole thing and head home. After he decided this, his eyes wavered on the note and hit the continuation.
P.S. If by any chance you have neglected this, I myself will make sure that you and Mouri-san's relationship shall not go any further.
P.P.S. Consider yourself lucky for succeeding on asking me out. It is not often that someone can ask me out without waiting three hours in line. I wish you luck for your bet and detention.
It was twice that he had stared at that note with utter shock. The frightening fact had been implanted on his brain permanently. He could not, in any circumstances, back up. Not unless he wanted to lose Ran of course. He shook his head, feeling quite lost and hopeless. He understood perfectly the P.S part, but what he didn't quite grasp was the P.P.S part. Why the heck would anyone wait three hours in line to date her? Ah well, maybe that will be something for him to solve. He grabbed a book, flipped to a random page and began his first mark on detention that day.
Continued…
Thank you for the reviews indicating that my fic doesn't suck. I guess maybe it doesn't after all; I was just rather, uh, feely that day.
I'm sorry for making this story a bit too clichéd, but I had no intention to make it excessively clichéd. Unlike some other nerd-jock stories, here the jock, Shinichi wouldn't develop his feelings extremely fast for the nerd, Ai. I was always dismayed when reading other fics with the jock who mysterious had feelings for the nerd right after they had a memorable experience or a bet. It's just not right for some reason. There was no way Shinichi would feel for Ai as fast as them, he still loved Ran, and those two were late bloomers to say the least. Anyways, I love clichés, so that's why I'm writing one, enjoy!
P.S. I feel like I'm updating too fast…maybe I should slow down and release chapters like once a month? How about that? Do you guys agree?
P.P.S. Please review! I will hug you, cherish you, grovel over you and so on if you decide to do it. Pretty please?
