"Home"

It was a foggy day, a foggy day indeed. After seeing Ran cry for losing "Conan", after sitting on the plane for a day, after seeing all those people staring at the "little boy" on the plane by himself, and now waiting for his parents to pick him up from the airport, how could have the a brighter sunny day instead of a foggy misty weather helped him feel better? Shinichi sighed. But he turned his thoughts into seeing his parents, turning back into himself, and finally going back with Ran.

"Conan," whispered Yukiko genteelly. Shinichi turned quickly around and saw his mother already there, waiting for him. Her usually giggly smiling face is gone, and he can see worry and fear in her face. She probably knew there was something wrong about her son's sudden wish to return. Behind her stood her husband, Yusaku, also having a very concerned face. They never saw their son face a challenge he cannot handle.

"Let's go home." said Shinichi. 'Home, how long did I not have a home, a real home?' He cannot say. All these many years, home equals the detective agency where he and Ran spent many happy times together, where Ran would be his sister. Ran is not his sister, far from it, but during that time, she really was.

Yusaku and Yukiko took their son into their car, which Shinichi had no heart to notice or observe like his usual self. And when Yusaku drove their son to their home, everyone remained silent. Everyone is afraid that if they say something, it would get somebody else upset. Anyways, what could Yukiko or Yusako say? "Hey, Shinichi! Did you and Ran break up?" And what could Shinichi say? "Mom and dad, I came to America to get the antidote because the scientist who was suppose to make my antidote suddenly went away because I fought with her?" This whole time, Shinichi just looked through the window at the fog an dream that he can see Ran's face in it.

When they arrived "home," the couple took their son into his new room and put his valises there. Shinichi looked around, and saw a bed, a closet, a drawer, a table, a phone that had a different number than the Kudo phone because it is for the Edogawa family, and what captures his eyes were the two big windows where he could see the back yard. He looked outside and to his amazement, there were cherry blossom trees in the back yard. His memory could not help but remind him of the time he and Ran went to see the cherry blossoms. Another sigh withdrew from him.

"Shinichi," pursued Yukiko, "you love these blossoms? Me too! They were in our backyard since we moved here. We don't know anything about flowers, but the blossoms still grow well. Sometimes, it is best to leave something alone, and it will flourish just as well." But Shinichi was not convinced that if he just lets the red thread stretch, it will not thin and break.

Yusaku then said, "Shinichi, tomorrow, I will take you to some of the best scientists and doctors. They will get the antidote, don't worry. And you'll be back in Japan in no time! Now, it is time for you to rest and take a nap. That plane trip must be long. I'll call you down for dinner." Yusaku closed the door after himself and Yukiko.

The phone in his room rang, and he quickly picked it up.

"Hello? Is this Ran-nee-chan?" How he hated that abhorrent way of calling Ran.

"Conan?" said Ran's voice through the phone. "How did you know it was me?" Oh! It is so hard to figure out! There is a special phone just for calling the Edogawa!

"Who would care for me so much to call me as soon as I arrive?"

"You don't know how lonely I am, Conan. With you gone, I really don't have any people around except for father, but he can hardly have a normal conversation with me because he is drunk most of the time. My father and mother are just not getting along. What kind of home do I have? No you, no mother, a drunk father, no Shinichi…"

"You must be really missing Shinichi-nii-chan. Your sad and hopeful voice tells me. You always talk like than when you think of him. Don't cry."

"How do you know I am crying?" said Ran difficultly, trying to stop a sob. "Maybe I just caught a cold like you always do."

"I know because I know you very well, too well. What could you hide from me? Today for you is Tuesday, and it is almost time for karate lessons for you. Don't be late."

"Oh Conan! You're right, you know me too well." This time, she stopped trying to hide her tears, and let Conan hear them. "Conan, you don't know. First, Shinichi just goes away like this and now you go away. I don't even know how much of this I can take before I totally collapse. I don't know how much longer I can hold on, waiting for him."

"Crying will not get him back, or do any good. Plus, it really hurts him if you cry." said Conan, trying to restrain his own tears. How he wanted to cry along with her, and let his sorrow out!

"Conan, you must think I am really stupid. Waiting for someone I am hardly close to, just waiting here, while he's out there living his own life, going on this case and that case. I even tell myself to forget him, but I can't. But Conan, do you think I should just let go already? Do you think it is best to go along with Araide? Do you think it would be best to just try one of the men Sonoko recommend? Maybe I'll fall in love again, to a different person, and live a happy life. Don't you think so?"

Shinichi didn't know what to say. He wanted Ran to be happy, really happy. But, he, he was also a very selfish person. He could not let Ran go.

"Ran, just do what you think would make you happier. I think you should forget Shinichi. He's a selfish, untrustworthy person. He wouldn't want you to love somebody else, but he knows that you are waiting too long. He said that he will be back, but he isn't back. Not for six years, and maybe not forever. He is too busy with his stupid cases and forgets all about you." Ran was getting really frightened. Conan's voice just got louder and louder, almost screaming. She was scared. Conan is too much like Shinichi, too hard to understand. This was almost like Shinichi telling her to forget himself. This was Conan becoming Shinichi. "Ran-nee-chan, did I scare you?" returned the once again Conan voice. "Don't worry, I am okay. I'm just too angry at him. How could he do that to you? Okay, you're probably already 5 minutes late. Bye!" and he hung up. The line went dead. All Ran could hear was her heart pounding in her chest and the cold beep of the merciless dial tone.

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Another boring chapter in the book of Bluegirl11375! Next chapter: The action begins: a bad, horrible news.