These two are both things that were mentioned in the last chapter, but they weren't things I was originally intending to actually write... but I guess I wanted to take a step back to the weird reality I've made after all.
Conan wasn't sure how to feel...
It more than a week after the heist where Kid had announced his sudden retirement.
It really had felt like it came out of nowhere, but I'd known for a while that the thief had been searching for something so I should have known that he was going to disappear eventually. But the pieces of the puzzle I'd received from Hakuba that night only left things more perplexing- Kid was trying to protect the gem from someone who had apparently killed someone close to him. Moreover, Kid had entrusted the arrest of that person to Hakuba and I...
But I couldn't investigate with so little information. Kid had promised that he and Hakuba would come visit me in a few days and explain things but it's almost been two weeks with no sign of them. It's enough to suddenly make me start to think that perhaps the thief has broken his promise.
As if to answer my concerns, my phone suddenly rings, It's the professor.
"Shi- Conan-kun, um... some visitors just showed up saying they have an appointment with you?" He sounds confused, of course he is, given that one of his guests probably is the spitting image of 'Kudo Shinichi'.
"I'll be right over." I tell him as I grab my tools.
...
I glare at the thief as I enter the professor's place, "You kept me waiting. I was beginning to think you wouldn't come after all."
"Sorry, We got held up... After that night the Keibu was keeping an eye on Saguru thinking he knew something about me," Kid apologized, as expected he's disguised as me, "We didn't want to call any extra attention to you."
I suppose it makes sense that Nakamori-Keibu would have been able to tell that Hakuba had some connection with Kid even though he'd only been on the roof for a short time that night, Hakuba hadn't exactly done a good job of hiding that he was playing for the thief's team that night.
"Thanks... you're right, I don't need more attention on me right now," I give a nod, "Anyway, Kid, could you cut it out. You don't need the disguise here."
I notice a brief look of surprise from Hakuba as Kid gives a chuckle and messes up his hair and casually removes the jacket of my school uniform and loosens the necktie, "Is this better, Meitantei-san? Or could it be you just want to see me in the suit?"
With such minor changes he doesn't really look much different, rather he looks like me if I'd woken up with bedhead and was in a rush to put on the Teitan uniform... but the way that he's carrying himself isn't the same as when he was playing at being me. Even the cadence of how he speaks has changed. He's truly dropped his disguise, as hard as it is to believe.
"As I thought... That really is your undisguised face."
"Uncanny, isn't it?" He asks.
"Frighteningly so..."
"Um... I hate to ask you to explain the joke, but I get the sense that I'm missing something here..." Hakuba glances between me and Kid as he speaks up.
I had assumed that because Hakuba was working with Kid that he knew as much as Kid did, but it looks like he might have been kept in the dark about a few things. I ask to confirm, "Kid didn't tell you about...?"
"Of course I didn't," Kid cuts in, looking almost offended at the implication that he would have ratted me out.
"Kid... feels uncomfortable when it comes to revealing secrets. It can be a bit troublesome, but they prefer to lead people to the information and let us deduce things from there..." Hakuba explains somewhat sheepishly, "That's actually why I've come along today, so I can say the parts Kid won't say themselves."
Kid nods, apparently this is true.
Sounds like an annoying habit, but if what Hakuba mentioned before about dating kid was true then this relationship probably only works because Hakuba is skilled as a detective. It's pretty impressive if he was able to become close with a completely closed off Kid purely through investigation. I should probably be careful around him.
"Yeah, so, Meitantei-kun, it's up to you whether you want to explain your little situation to Saguru, or if you want to do like me and let him put the pieces together himself."
"I'll consider it..." I reply. It's certainly meaningful to see how much Kid trusts him, but I hardly know Hakuba so I'm not exactly inclined to start spilling dangerous closely gaurded secrets to him. I switch the subject back to the meeting's original purpose, "First you two need to tell me what's going on."
"Right right... where to start though. Perhaps you can tell us what you already know so that we don't waste time covering ground that doesn't need covering."
"If I must..." I sigh, "... You are not the first Kaitou Kid."
Between his age and the gap in activity it made much more sense to assume that the modern Kid was someone different than the one from my father's generation, despite Nakamori-keibu's belief to the contrary. Which then begs the question of why the replacement, I'd thought for a while that the first Kid may have been the current Kid's accomplice, but after the events of that last heist new information came to light.
I keep going, "The first Kid was murdered by the people that had been trying to use you for target practice. You poked a hornets nest by making them think they'd failed to kill the original, then kept up the charade to draw them out of the shadows."
Kid nods, "Good so far, that's not all you've got, right?"
"Of course not..." I roll my eyes, "...Clearly if you're taking so much risk for revenge against the original's killers then you much have had a strong relationship with them, the fact that Nakamori-keibu thought you were the same Kid means that your methods are similar enough that the average person wouldn't suspect there was a substitution at all, that points to you either being an student or a family member of the original. Given the age gap, family seems more likely... He was your father, wasn't he?"
"How astute, but why assume father? If you're making a jump to relative then he could have just as easily been an uncle, a grandfather, or even an aunt."
So I'm on the right track after all, he just wants me to show my work, "Considering that your mother was Phantom Lady, and looking at the files of both... it seemed to make sense that he may have been your father."
"Your mother?!" Hakuba turns to Kid seeming a bit surprised. I guess he didn't know the bit about Phantom Lady.
Kid laughs, "What can I say? Phantom thievery is the family business."
Hakuba sighs, "... you never cease to amaze me..."
The thief smiles, then clears his throat, "In any case, I'll confirm that the first Kaitou Kid was indeed my father. How much else have you managed to dig up?"
"... I looked into stories of 'Pandora', there doesn't seem to be much commonly available information on any gem by that name, you stole it to keep it away from the people that killed your dad, but Hakuba mentioned that it was said to be able to grant eternal life... that bit caught my attention. The people behind my... situation also tend to look into similar things, but when I asked one of my contacts I found that the ones after me don't seem to have a particular interest in Kaitou Kid so most likely it's a different group than the one I've been pursuing... But after that point the case runs cold for me. I've been hoping that you and Hakuba could shed some light on the subject."
"That's what we're here for Edogawa-kun, but really... shouldn't you be using honorifics, I am a good bit older than you."
That's going to be rather annoying if he's going to be insisting on proper polite language while I'm speaking with them both more as myself than as Conan.
I glance at Kid, he gives an apologetic look.
"Kid... are you sure Hakuba can be trusted?" I ask, I notice a slight frown on the other detective's face when he sees that I've just ignored his request and used no honorific again.
"I'd trust him with my life." The thief assures me.
I nod, and turn my attention back to Hakuba, "... You are only one year older than me."
I don't fully trust him, but Kid has always shown himself to be cautious, if he trusts Hakuba then I probably can too. I'm definitely not telling him everything though, just what's necessary to help this conversation go more smoothly; it'd be a hassle if I had to keep up the child act. Kid already made it clear to Hakuba that I have a secret, telling him that my age is part of it shouldn't be taking it too far.
"But you-!?" He's understandably quite shocked, no doubt processing this new information and trying to understand what it means.
Kid seems to be getting a good laugh out of the situation.
"As for the details, they're too dangerous and I can't have more people getting involved so I'll leave it at that but-" I start but Hakuba interrupts me, seeming to have already gotten past the initial shock.
"You're Kudo Shinichi, that's what's going on, isn't it?"
I suppose between my age and Kid disguising as me he had the pieces put in front of him, still being able to leap to that conclusion with as little interaction with me as he's had was impressive.
...
Saguru was feeling nervous...
I knew what Kaito was planning, and I knew that this would be the best opportunity for it...
Kaito clings to my arm cutely as we step onto the press conference stage, they're here in guise of being another in my at this point long line of girlfriends though in actuality they're the only person I've ever dated. I do love how well these dresses suit them, but I would like to be with Kaito as themself while in public from time to time.
I take a seat next to Nakamori-keibu, Kaito sits next to me. Also present are Advisor Jirokichi, Kudo-kun whom apparently Kaito had disguised as often enough and effectively enough to make him a notable member of the task force despite the fact that he was Conan during the majority of Kaito's run as Kid, and several of the members of the task force that had made notable achievements during the time that Kid had been active. There were a few familiar faces in the audience, most notably Kaito's mother who probably knew as well as I did what Kaito was planning.
"It's a shame that Edogawa Conan-kun couldn't make it, but it seems everyone else is here," The host speaks up, "Shall we get started?"
"Yes," Nakamori-keibu says with a nod.
Things begin with some simple questions for Nakamori and Advisor Suzuki. But before long a few questions start making their way to me.
"-And Hakuba-keibu, you've made quite the name on the force now, but you got your start chasing Kaitou Kid, how do you feel now that the statute of limitations for all of his crimes is estimated to be wearing off soon?"
That's right, it'd been years since Kaitou Kid had made his final appearance.
"It's a rather complicated feeling but... if you'll allow me to correct you, the statute of limitations for Kid's crimes has already worn off, yesterday in fact by my calculations. The police of course had to make some estimates when it came to Kid's activities outside the country as that freezes the countdown for the statute of limitations until they return, but without knowing when Kid left and when they returned the police were only able to estimate the window that it would be wearing off sometime this month- but I can assure you, it was in fact yesterday."
There are several gasps among the people on the panel and the audience as what I just said is understood. If the police couldn't pin down the date without knowing Kid's identity but I had a firm date then... well the implications were obvious, one didn't need to be a detective to understand.
"Hakuba-Keibu, do you mean to say that you know Kid's real identity?"
Perhaps I'll make a splash here before Kaito has the chance to pull their own reveals. I answer honestly, "Yes. In fact despite having retired Kaitou Kid is in attendance here today."
The audience clamors. Nakamori-keibu is glaring at me, no doubt the only reason he isn't shouting is because he's already known for some time that I've had a connection with Kid even if he was never aware of the form it took. I catch a glimpse of Kudo-kun rolling his eyes in his seat.
"Then... Who here is Kid?"
"I had intended to wait until Kid chose to say so themselves but... to be frank, I'm surprised that no one questioned that I brought someone that's supposedly simply my girlfriend to be in attendance here." I glance at Kaito who was now grinning as attention was quickly being drawn to them, "It's a wonder that it was allowed, but I suppose no one wanted to bring up the elephant in the room."
"She's-!?"
White cloth shifts beside me as Kaito stands, donning the suit, cape, hat, and monocle left to them by their father for the first time in many years. Kid was now on stage once more- a ghost that refused to rest.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!~" With a flourish and bow they tack on at the end, "and all those who are neither or both, I hope you'll all forgive me for showing myself a bit late just this once."
A few of the members of the audience swoon and shout, Kid had always been quite the charismatic thief, it seems that even after failing to make any appearances in the better part of a decade Kid still had plenty of fans. Kid sits back down still next to me as the uproar dies down.
I glance over at Nakamori- Kudo seems to be helping to hold him back and reminding him that because the statute of limitations has run out they can't make an attempt to arrest Kid. At worst such attempts could be seen as a form of assault or defamation.
The host gulps a little, "Then... since the statute of limitations is up, Kid, would you be willing to reveal your true identity for us?"
Kid does a dismissive handwave, "Of course not. My name, my age, my sex... all of those are going to remain my little secret~... But I won't make you all leave empty handed... I'll tell you about the relationship between me and Saguru here."
With that they hug up close to my arm as they'd been doing when posing as a girlfriend, though now the audience was understandably reacting very differently to the gesture. Before a good portion of those in the audience seemed jealous, but now several of them seem positively thrilled, I can't say I expected the fetishization that comes with not being straight to show up here- but perhaps I should have.
I feel blush spreading on my face, "Kid, are you sure you want to tell them that?"
"I'm rather proud of it," Kid pouts.
"Well... yes me too but... they are the media, if you give them an inch they'll take a mile..." I respond but they're continuing to pout... I can't say no to those eyes. I sigh, "Fine, but when they find your name because of this, it won't be my fault."
"Of course, dear, the blame's all mine."
There are several very high pitched screams from the audience when Kid calls me dear.
Kid clears their throat and continues what they were saying before I cut in to ask if they were sure, "Saguru and I, have been happily married for quite some time now."
Blush deepening I nod confirmation, causing the crowd's roar to increase in volume.
It was true, we'd gotten married on a trip to visit my family in London just a few years ago. Kaito had even been cheeky enough to invite Kudo to attend, but at that point he'd still been unable to make use of his passport.
Nakamori looks to be waiting to throttle me now, I'll have to thank Kudo later for keeping him in check. I suppose it makes sense for him to be having such a strong reaction, he and I are quite close at work and yet I've been hiding that I'm in an intimate relationship with someone he'd sworn to send to jail.
The interviewer seems to have gotten quite distracted from the initial purpose of the interview and has taken to asking Kid trivial questions to see how much they'd be willing to let slip... though it makes sense for them to do that, an interview with the legendary thief that was never caught will probably be much more interesting for ratings than a common detectives and police interview panel.
... And that's all I got. Didn't really have a way I wanted to end that scene so that's why I didn't originally write it but... I ended up writing this much, may as well share it anyway.
