Author's Note: This chapter seriously almost made me cry while I was typing it…Anyways, I finally gave Mrs. Kuroba a real name! Though I really just got it from another character. XP Thanks for the reviews, anyhow!

Part 8

Kaito had an awful night. He was guilty of sending Shinichi, who had completely nothing to do with being Kid, to jail for life. He sat at his desk, the Pandora gem sitting in front of him, once again mocking him. Kaito could see his reflection in it---a sad, tear-stricken face of a measly thief.

"…Stop looking at me like that."

He was talking to his own reflection in the jewel. Of course, he did not get an answer. His reflection continued to stare back, the word 'GUILTY' shown all over his face. Kaito closed his eyes, and Shinichi's sad, smiling face appeared before him.

"It's all just for a friend…and I'm sorry I didn't accomplish it, that's all."

His eyes opened, fury burning in them. He snatched up the jewel in one quick motion. "It's all YOUR fault!" he cried, hurling it. It landed once more on the bed in one piece, the moonlight glowing through it. Kaito got up to his feet, kicking the swivel chair with all his strength. It merely rolled away and hit the wall without falling over. Next, he picked up the pillow and flung it to nowhere in particular. His fist struck the table so hard that his knuckles felt painful, bringing reality back to him. Breathing hard, he turned to his bed.

The gem was still there.

Kaito fell to his knees on the floor in defeat, tears streaming down his face. "Why…why can't I help him? Why do I have to put up with this! Why---ME!"

He was filled with too much emotion to bear. His mind was cluttered; he could not think straight. Everything that had happened---he could only blame himself for them. Was it fate that had put him in that condition? Kaito believed so, and he wanted to change it. But there was no way he could do it. Whatever he did, fate was there to control him…to mock him. He was useless, a shame, a criminal.

And, to him, he was as good as dead.

"Kaito…"

Kaito looked up abruptly. There had been a voice, calling his name. He wiped the tears from his eyes with his sleeve and glanced around him. There was nobody there. He was alone in the dark room.

He turned to the closed door, where a life-size poster of Kuroba Toichi smiled back at him. He stared at it for a moment, as if the poster was the one that had talked to him. The late magician's eyes were warm and caring, and they soothed Kaito's heart. Otou-chan…

"Kaito-kun?"

There was a knock on the door. Kaito snapped out of his daydream, blinking. He quickly got up, staggered to the door and opened it. It was his mother---warm-hearted Kuroba Ryouko. She wore a worried frown on her face as she observed her son's condition.

"Are you all right, Kaito?" she asked softly. "I heard some noise, and I thought…"

"I'm fine, Okaa-san," Kaito said, turning around and rubbing away the tear stains. He walked over to his bed and plopped onto it, at the same time pushing the gem under the covers to conceal it from his mother's sight.

"Are you sure?" Ryouko asked, sitting down next to him and taking out a handkerchief. "You had been crying, I can tell." She lifted the handkerchief to wipe Kaito's face, but he turned away, declining her offer. Ryouko sighed. "Is this about the arrest of Kudo Shinichi, who the so-called Kaitou Kid?"

Kaito snapped his head to face her. "How did you---"

"It's already over the news, Kaito-chan. What happened?" It didn't look like Kaito was going to answer, but Ryouko could guess. "I suppose he was trying to help you, but got himself in trouble instead. Right?"

"It's my fault, Okaa-san!" Kaito said exasperatedly, unable to hold his feelings. Tears began to well in his eyes once more. "I didn't want him to get involved, but he insisted, and I couldn't make him change his mind…he doesn't deserve it! Why did he do stupid things like that? He could have told on me, defense himself!"

"I suppose he doesn't want you to get in trouble, hm? It's natural for a friend to do that."

"Yeah, but…he barely knows me! I should be the one in jail, not him! I'm the criminal! I'm Kaitou Kid! You---you won't understand!"

"But I can understand that you don't want to accept this truth," Ryouko stated kindly, putting a hand on his arm. "That reminds me of myself, when I didn't want to believe that Toichi, your father, was Kaitou Kid." She chuckled lightly. "He had to go through a lot of trouble convincing me that he was not what I think he was."

"But you stood by him," Kaito pointed out with a sniff, rubbing his eyes. "Why?"

Ryouko sighed dreamily. "Well…I don't know why, exactly. But he had this trusting look in his eyes every time I looked into them…the one that told me that everything would be all right. He really wasn't a bad person. He was just being who he was. After all, he didn't always steal for fortune. Just like you."

He was silently for a moment. "Otou-chan…always told me to use the poker face," Kaito said, looking down at his hands.

"I don't know what it is with you magicians, but I suppose it's something you must have to show that you're calm and have no trick up your sleeves, right?" Ryouko winked. "After all, a magician never reveals his or her secrets. Everything is left in the dark from the audience. Neither of you Kuroba's has even revealed anything to me! Don't you think it's time to tell me?"

Kaito laughed a little. "Gomen nasai, Okaa-san."

Ryouko sighed, shaking her head. "Magicians. Well, I see that you're cheered up, so my job here is done." She got up and looked at him with a smile. "Just believe in yourself. If it's okay, I'll help to lighten Kudo-kun's burden too."

Kaito smiled wanly at her. "Arigatou, Okaa-san. I appreciate it."

She laughed. "You look very much like Toichi…very much. Well, make sure you have enough rest." She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Oyasumi, Kaito-chan."

"Oyasumi." Kaito watched as his mother left the room, closing the door softly behind her. The poster behind the door was visible once more. He got up and walked up to the poster. He fingered it fondly and thoughtfully. If it were his father, what would he do?

"Don't forget to show poker face."

Then it dawned on Kaito. His eyes began to brighten up. He smiled up at the poster. "Arigatou, Otou-chan…"

"What is the meaning of this, Kaito-kun?" Nakamori-keibu asked with a perplexed frown.

Kaito was sitting in front of the desk across the inspector, smiling. The Pandora gem was on the desk, shining under the sunlight. "I found this in the bush in your neighborhood. That means, Kudo Shinichi is not Kaitou Kid."

Nakamori rubbed his temple. "Kaito-kun, finding a stolen gem in the bush doesn't mean that Kudo is not Kid."

"But it wasn't there BEFORE you arrested Kudo."

Nakamori sat up very fast. "Nani!"

"Oh, no, wait a second," Kaito continued with a little frown. "It could be Kid's assistant. Or does he have an assistant?"

"That we'll find out," Nakamori muttered, getting up. "Kaito-kun, do you mind if we---" He was gesturing at the gem, trying to find the right words.

"Use it as a bait to catch Kid? Sure," Kaito replied with a smile, pushing it towards Nakamori. "You trust me, don't you, keibu?"

"Of course I do," Nakamori grunted, resisting the urge to grab the jewel. "Now if you don't mind, we'll begin our work immediately. If this turns out to be a hoax though, I'll be looking for you. Mark my word."

"I promise that you won't be disappointed, keibu," Kaito told him, getting up. As he left, he had a mysterious smile on his face.