Winter
Chapter Two: The Christmas card
Sometimes, one greets 'Merry Christmas', but do they really mean it? Even criminals already in jail would greet the police officers 'Merry Christmas', as they all feel the cheer that Christmas has to bring.
Christmas is a Christian holiday, hence the root word Christ. This holiday obviously signifies the birth of Christ, a supposedly cheerful and happy day.
In the present time, though, children are being taught wrong. As of now, children await their Christmas presents, rather than actually celebrate what this holiday really means. As for the parents, they just want to get a rest from work. Today, people celebrate not Christmas but the facade of Christmas.
The usually cheerful atmosphere of the holidays awaited the household of the Mouris, but unfortunately, none of them was too happy.
Ran was at the hospital for depression treatment. Conan and Kogoro, on the other hand, were worried sick about Ran. No cases came in, since most probably even the criminals wanted to spend some happy time to themselves, and about half of the Police Force was on holiday.
After about three hours of waiting, the doctor came out of the examination room, explaining everything to them. Conan didn't pay attention, though; he was too busy looking at Ran. The only parts that he paid attention to was that Ran was in a very severe case of depression, which, if not treated soon, will cause her to have amnesia. Not a serious one, though; the only part of her memory that will be erased will be the one she doesn't ever want to remember, the face of the only one she will not want to remember...
"Shinichi Kudo," Ran whispered.
"What's that, Miss?" The doctor asked.
"I want to forget all about Shinichi Kudo," Ran said, a little louder this time.
Conan was shocked. That was something he never expected to get. Ran wanted to forget all about him, or rather, Shinichi Kudo. Conan realized now that it would take forever for the counter-antidote to be made. Ever since he was Edogawa Conan, he realized that Conan is different from Shinichi, in so many ways as he was similar to him.
If Ran was that depressed about Shinichi, he would find the cure himself. Haibara was taking too long.
He just hopes that he can get that cure in time, or else...
...Or else he'll lose Ran to himself...
The threesome went back to the office, with Kogoro muttering and cursing how the stupid detective could make his daughter that sad.
Ran went to her room and took a nap. Several hours later, she woke up with Conan there and a gift on the corner, covered in red paper. There was a card beside it, too.
"Hey, Ran-neechan, what's that?" Conan asked. He might as well be an actor than a detective; he was a natural!
"This? Must be a gift for Christmas. It's originally a Western holiday, you know. Alright; bring your gifts here, there's one from me in that pile, and we'll open them together! How does that sound?"
"Sounds great!" Conan said, once again acting like the little kid he really is (or rather, supposed to be). He ran to his room, grabbed the pile, and ran back to Ran's room, as he has his own plans to cheer Ran up.
"Alright. Let's open them!" Ran said in a (somehow) fake smile.
Conan opened the one from Genta first. Chocolate. Ah, that tubby's always food!
Ran opened a gift from Sonoko (or rather, gifts from Sonoko), in which were a few clothes, a few shoes, jewelry, and just about things that Sonoko Suzuki could afford!
Conan opened the other gifts, a book each from Mitsuhiko, Ai, and Ayumi. They really knew what Conan would like; Holmes. Of course, Ai got Conan the more complicated one.
Finally, the gift from Ran. Once again, it was a book, but for some reason, it was something Ran would give to Shinichi, not Conan.
"Ran-neechan, hy'd you get me a book that's way above my reading level?"
"Oh... Gomendasai; I don't really know what you like, but you seem to be a lot like Shinichi, with mysteries and stuff," Ran sat down beside Conan, "That was supposed to be his gift from me, but then, I don't think I could give it to him, you know?"
Conan smiled slyly as he exclaimed, "Ran-neechan, try opening the gift you just saw! It might be from Shinichi-neechan, right?"
"Yeah, right... I bet even on holiday he's still on a case!" Ran said, as she read the card. As she read the sign-off, her face dropped, "Or maybe not," she whispered.
"What's in the letter?" Conan asked.
"Nothing that a little boy like you should know," Ran said, "Now I'm making dinner. You go read some books of you like, or watch TV. It's too late to go out to Professor Agasa's anyway."
With that Conan obeyed.
As all of the people in the office drifted off to sleep, there was no moaning, no crying. Just a peaceful sleep from Kogoro, Conan, and even Ran.
What was in that letter, you ask?
That's Ran Mouri's little secret.
A/N: This is very disappointing, I know. I'm presently doing a rewrite. I just posted this so you can get an idea on how it's supposed to go. I promise (that) the next chapter's going to be more promising! Ja!