The final battle of Shuichi and Shinichi is about to begin. I don't know why, but I'm getting really fond of Yoro. I'm really going to miss him. Anyway, please read and review. Chapter 18 everybody! Enjoy the ride!

CHAPTER 18

Shinichi pounced at Shuichi, almost uncharacteristically determined. He knew that Shuichi was not a person who liked to joke around, and whatever he said meant something. That was one thing that he understood. Another thing he knew was that there was only one way he was going to get out of the door away from Shishio and Shuichi, and that was to land a punch on Akai without getting unconscious first.

He swung his hand forcefully at Shuichi, but he just dodged it effortlessly and slammed his fist in Shinichi's stomach. Shinichi coughed and spluttered, slamming on all-fours on the ground. Akai just stood above him, wiping his cheek dryly. " Was that the best you could do, Kudo?" he whispered. " Do you want me to make you fall into unconsciousness like what I did to you on the rooftop when we first met?"

Flared with unknown anger, ignoring the fact that he probably had three ribs already broken, he slammed his fist at Shuichi's face, in which he dodged it, staggering backwards. Shuichi looked at his smarting arm before looking back at Shinichi.

Shinichi got ready in his stance.

" Let's roll." he whispered.

Akai glared at him before nodding.

" Yeah." he said. " Let's."

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" It's a beautiful night, is it not?"

Shiho noticed Yoro standing beside her at that moment. Pondering whether she should answer him or now, she decided to ignore him, and continued to look at the stars in silence. He smiled to himself and took another step towards her, ignoring her flinch. Heaving a sigh, he looked up at the stars, mimicking her movements for a moment until he heard her sigh.

" Kudo Shinichi confessed to me." she said.

He didn't look at her, but a small smile played on his lips.

" Yeah." he said knowingly. " I know."

She didn't expect herself to tell him anything, let alone speak or acknowledge his presence. But there was something so peaceful and distinctly familiar about this person that made her just confess it to him. She bit her lip and sighed once more. " I never thought that he was in love with me. . .all this while." she said.

He blinked.

" Really?" he asked, unable to stop his voice from having a hint of amusement. " I thought you were Shiho Miyano, the woman with an IQ of 200."

" Oh, shut up." she snapped. " I'm not at all good with human emotions, alright?"

" What do you mean by that?" he asked.

" Well. . ." she said hesitatingly. " I never had any friends. I was always a loner. Girls hated me because I never shared my homework with them or shopped for clothes and talked about boys like many others. Boys hated me because they thought I was too stuck up for my own good. . ." she stopped and flushed red, as though the words had spilled out of her mouth on their own will, and looked at Yoro embarrassingly.

But her embarrassment faded as she saw him smiling warmly at her. " It's nothing to feel ashamed about." he said softly. " I was an outcast too."

" You?" she asked, eyes wide. " Really?"

" Yeah. . ." he said, pausing for a moment, his head looking up at the skies once more, as thought reminiscing. But at the sound of a girl laughing with her friend behind them, his eyes snapped open and looked back at Shiho, grinning almost sheepishly. " Sorry about that." he said. " Forgive me for asking. . .but did you. . ."

" Reject him." she finished, sounding gloomy. " Yes I did."

" Ah."

They stayed in silence for a moment.

" So do you love him?" he asked. " Sensei?" he added hurriedly, when she raised her eyebrows at him, causing her to chuckle lightly.

" I don't know." she said softly.

" Yet." he finished for her, and she blinked.

" Excuse me?" she asked curiously.

" You don't know yet." he said firmly. " But I believe that you will know."

She cocked a brow.

" You seem mighty confident of that." she said.

" Of course I am." he said, smiling soothingly. " And I believe the time will come when you will finally be able to say that you love Shinichi openly for the world to hear."

" You can't be sure of that." she said serenely.

He nodded silently to himself, and there was another hole in their conversation until a loud, booming voice filled the dance floor. " LET US BEGIN THE BALLOTING!" yelled the person, followed by hearty cheers.

He smiled at Shiho.

" Shall we leave?" he asked.

She looked at him for a moment.

Then she smiled.

" Yeah." she said. " Lets."

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Shinichi took a quick side-step to attack at Shuichi's blind spot at the top of his forehead, but Akai just jumped back, lightly dodging Shinichi's kick in mid-air, and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking restless. " I honestly thought you would put up a much better fight than this, Kudo." Shuichi said, sounding bored. " Is your love for Shiho really so limitless?"

Shinichi glared at Shuichi before lunging at him once more, aiming a shot at Shuichi's stomach blindly. " Not good enough, amateur!" Shuichi bellowed, ducking before ramming his leg into Shinichi's ribs. Coughing and gasping, Shinichi fell to the ground, wheezing. Shishio winced and nodded to himself. " Never a good idea to spar with Shuichi, whether he's in a bad mood or not."

Then Shishio rubbed his chin.

But somehow, he had a feeling that Shuichi was still holding back.

" Come on, Kudo." Shuichi said softly.

Shinichi got to his feet, spitting out the blood from his mouth.

" It's not over yet." he hissed.

" I know that." Shuichi said quietly.

Shinichi removed the watch from his hand, rather deftly, and let it fall to the ground with a dull clink. " I never thought you were one that would fight me half-heartedly, Akai." Shinichi said, smiling slightly.

Shuichi's eyes danced with an unknown flame.

" So you knew." he whispered softly.

" Yes." Shinichi said confidently. " But neither have I."

Shuichi's mouth had drooped downwards, in a distinct sulk.

" You expect me to believe that?" he whispered.

" Only one way to prove it. . ." Shinichi said, getting to his feet, slamming his fist into Akai's head. Blocking it only merely, Shuichi cursed painfully as Shinichi rammed his leg into his stomach, but thankfully blocked it with his other hand in time. Shinichi smirked triumphantly and aimed another blow at Shuichi, but Akai whipped out of his range, and kicked him well across the face.

Gasping, Shinichi fell to the floor in a dull heap.

Shuichi, finally breathing hard, wiped his lip.

" So you were playing me along all this time?" he whispered.

" Darn right I was." Shinichi said.

Shuichi's face lit up with a ghostly smile. " Well, in that case. . ." he whispered, removing his shoes and socks quietly. Inside bore lead weights, and Shinichi's eyes widened at the sight. Shuichi removed them from his feel and stepped up towards Shinichi. " I'm not going to pull anymore punches."

" I'd like to see you try." Shinichi snarled.

But suddenly, a jab in the jaw came so fast that Shinichi barely had any time to feel pain when he fell to the floor, body numb. Shuichi cracked his knuckles. " You tried to hit me a couple of times previously, didn't you?" he whispered, walking closer to Shinichi. " None of them hit me, right?"

Shinichi didn't have time to reply when he felt a bursting pain in his head and he scrambled back to prevent Shuichi from giving him any more damage.

" Come on then." Shuichi whispered, eyes livid. " Like you said before. . .let's roll."

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" Starting with the Men's, obviously. . ." the person said cheerfully, almost forced to yell out his words into the microphone because the cheering was so loud. " Will the three guys all get up to the stage please?" he continued, when the yelling and screaming had finally died down.

Yoro winked at Shiho. " Well, that would be me." he said, getting to his feet, leaving her side.

She smirked at him.

" Don't get stage fright." she said sarcastically.

He grinned.

" I'll try." he said, icing his voice with equal sarcasm.

" Good luck." Sonoko whispered to Sanshriyuki, who merely nodded at her, and got up to the stage, looking rigid and noticeably sulky. But strangely, Kudo Shinichi was nowhere in sight. People were looking around, calling him to come foward, but he never came. Shiho bit her lip and felt a sense of guilt. Had he went home already? Was it all her fault?

" Shinichi won't leave like that." came a placid voice behind her, and she whipped around, and saw Ran standing behind her, arms folded across her chest. She patted Shiho on the shoulder soothingly, ignoring the look of confusion that was etched across Shiho's face. " He was chasing after me for years. . .I know what he's like. He won't let Sanshriyuki have you without a fight."

" I was never going to choose that woodlouse anyway." Shiho muttered, blushing.

" Who, Shinichi?"

" Sanshriyuki, smartass!"

" So you'd choose Shinichi?" Ran said coyly.

Shiho opened her mouth then shut, face flushing.

" That was uncalled for." she snapped.

" Got you, didn't I?" Ran said, grinning.

" One hundred!" yelled a girl beside them, which seemed to jolt them back to earth. Apparently, Sanshriyuki had gone first, and there were tons of females from all sides that were yelling out numbers to just get the chance to be with him for one simple night, which would probably lead them home in tears because of being exposed to too much ignoring by him.

Of course, they did not know THAT yet.

" Two hundred!" screamed another.

" Three!"

" Three fifty!"

Shiho pouted and crossed her arms across her chest. " This is no difference from auctioning off a painting." she said, disgusted.

" Well," Ran said brightly. " I'm sure if it's you, the boys won't mind a. . ."

" . . .Nude painting." she said wearily. " Heard that one before."

Ran smiled rather sheepishly.

It was then when the two of them noticed Sonoko standing in a corner, looking sulky, and glared at every girl that yelled out a digit to Sanshriyuki's name.

The two glanced at each other, and shared a smile.

" YEESSSS!" a girl screamed, and Ran and Shiho could only guess that she had won Sanshriyuki over. Everyone looked at her with glares and raised eyebrows as she did three cartwheels until she was by Sanshriyuki's side, in which she wrapped herself around his arm, smiling at him playfully.

Shiho couldn't make out who was more disgusted, Sanshriyuki himself, the crowd or Sonoko.

The announcer had his eyebrows raised but just cleared his throat uncomfortably. " Alright," he said. " The next one will be Yoro, then. . .I guess. . ."

Ran fidgeted with her collar nervously.

Yoro smiled to himself and grabbed the microphone. " Sorry ladies." he said, sounding rather nonchalant about the whole idea. " There is only one person in this entire world that I would date with, and that is the girl that I love, and her name is Ran Mouri."

Ran's eyes widened, a blush forming on her cheeks.

He looked at Ran, a smile on his face.

The entire area was very quiet until there was a distant clapping from somewhere in the middle of the room. Suddenly the whole room was bursting was applause as Yoro put down the microphone and started to make his way to Ran. Shiho stepped aside, winking at Yoro, who grinned at her. Yoro stood up before Ran, amid cheers and wolf whistles.

" I love you, Ran." he said.

A lone tear fell from her face.

" I love you too, Yoro."

The yells were deafening.

Shiho nodded approvingly at Yoro as the two of them shared a kiss.

" That was really romantic." she said fondly.

" Practiced my speech last night." Yoro said, smirking, as the crowd laughed.

Ran wiped the tear from her eye.

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" Ahhrrgg!"

Shinichi fell to the ground, falling face first on the basketball court. He tasted blood as he felt Shuichi ram his leg painfully at the side of his head and struggled to get to his feet. Shuichi, eyes cold and merciless, seemed to be a totally different person from who Shinichi saw and knew.

Shishio sighed and looked away.

So this was Shuichi when he pulled no punches.

Still, it was better than when he was angry.

Shishio had a broken back and major injuries to prove it.

He could still remember when he first saw Shuichi burst into rage.

That was years ago. . .

FLASHBACK

Shishio raised his eyebrows as he heard a knock on the door.

" Come in." he said simply.

There stood Shuichi, looking shrewd as he stayed at the doorway, not daring to step inside nearer to Shishio. There was always a sort of tension that passed through the two of them, and could never say a word to each other without forgetting their tact, and ignoring the fact that they had to be polite to each other. In fact, the only time that they were nice to each other was when Shiho was there. But that was a totally different subject, fo course. " You called to see me?" Shuichi said.

" Yes." Shishio said, pointing to the seat before him.

Shuichi sat down, before glancing at the six guards that were surrounding Shishio from him. He seemed to look at each and every one of them individually before his eyes settled back down on Shishio. " Is there something you wanted to tell me?" his voice in strained politeness.

" Yes, indeed there was." Shishio said.

There was silence that followed that.

" Would you care to tell me what it is?" Shuichi asked, lips pursed.

There was another silent moment that followed.

" How long have you known my daughter, Akai?" Shishio asked slowly.

Shuichi raised his eyebrows.

" Not long enough." he replied simply.

" Would you care to properly answering a question just for once?" Shishio asked quietly.

" Would you get to the point for once?" Shuichi asked shrewdly.

Immediately, a guard grabbed out his gun and pointed it at Shuichi's head, his face etched with hatred and anger for the boy that sat before him. Shuichi turned his head just slightly, and he glared at the guard, who took a step back, expecting the boy to attack. Instead Shuichi just looked back at Shishio, yet his hands were clenched into fists.

" Alright then." Shishio said. " I would just make this short then."

" I would very much like that, thank you." Shuichi said.

" I would not like you to see my daughter anymore." Shishio said.

There was a moment where Shuichi just stared at Shishio with unflattering confusion, until that was won over by his usual cold glare, his eyes dancing with an unknown flame. " I do not find that possible." Shuichi said, voice in a forced firm, as he made movement to leave, but before he knew it, six guns were pointed in his direction from all around the room.

His looked at all six sides before his eyes once again rested on Shishio's.

" What is the meaning of this, Miyano?" he asked coldly.

" I already told you." Shishio said, equally disdainful.

Shuichi just glared at him.

" Get out of my office." Miyano said. " That is all I have to say to you. Get out of my office, get out of my life, and get out of my daughter's. That would do everyone help."

" I fail to see how that is possible." Shuichi said, jaw clenched.

" Then we would be forced to remove you." Shishio said, standing up, his hand reaching into his coat.

" I'd like to see you try." Shuichi said.

There was a staring contest that followed. Which was stopped abruptly by Shishio letting out a low growl, grabbing the gun from his coat and aimed it at Shuichi, firing six bullets. He dodged them almost effortlessly, and kicked the table in Shishio's direction. Cursing, Miyano yelled at his guards to attack at Shuichi. But before any of them knew it, separate blows had been attacked at their bodies, and they fell to the ground, hacking and gasping.

In a quick fluid moment, Shuichi had grabbed Shishio and pinned his face first to the table, the gun pointed at the dead center of his head. " You know what?" Akai whispered, voice struggling to remain calm. " I could just kill you now. End my misery. But I know that that would make Shiho upset and angry. And I know that the both of us don't want that."

" I fail to see when I allowed you to call my daughter by her first name." Shishio muttered through gritted teeth.

Shuichi jammed the gun deeper into Shishio's skull, and he let out a painful hiss.

" I'm her fiancee." he hissed.

" And I'm her father." Shishio spat.

The six men had got up once more, and all of them had their guns pointed at Shuichi's direction. " It seems like all both of us are going to die in here, aren't we?" Shuichi said, a voice of mock fear in his voice. " Which one is going to Heaven first?"

" Don't be cute." Shishio said idly. " The only place you'll be going to is Hell."

Finger on the trigger, Shuichi would have pulled the trigger if it was not for the sudden sound of the knocking on the door. " Father?" came Shiho's voice, full of concern. " Are you inside there?"

Shuichi stepped away from Shishio at that, and dropped the gun in his hands.

Shishio got to his feet, looking up at Shuichi in wonder.

Shiho knocked once again.

" Father?" she asked, sounding more concerned now.

Without a word, Shuichi jumped out of the window, and disappeared.

" Yes." Shishio said. " Come in."

Shiho opened the door and looked around.

" That's funny." she said, frowning. " I thought I heard Akai's voice. Is he here?"

Shishio stood at the spot for a moment, the guards now lowering their guns. He looked at the spot where Shuichi previously stood. ' You could have killed me Akai.' He thought in wonderment. ' Why didn't you seize the chance?'

" No." he said quietly. " No he wasn't."

END FLASHBACK

Shishio shut his eyes. " If I didn't butt in the way of their romance. . ." he whispered to himself. " Would they have ended up together?"

Even he knew that that was a redundant question.

Yes.

Yes they would have.

" What do you know, Shiho." he muttered, rubbing his chin.

" The two best people most suited for you. . ." he whispered.

Akai and Shinichi charged at each other with gritted teeth.

" . . .Is right here."

END CHAPTER 18

How was that? I have to admit, these two last chapters are going to be really hard to write. Nonetheless, I will strive to make these two fantastic. So please cheer me on by reading and reviewing! Trying to update weekly, y'all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!