The aftermath of Sherry

A/N: Finally, an update! I finally decided to write something in Ran's POV and ofc I had to make her feel miserable. . Anyway, this chapter is harder to write as it's my first time to get into Ran and Shinichi's POVs and somehow, I didn't really feel like I connected so they might be OOC here. I need me some inspiration.

-,- (end of thought process)

Disclaimer: Seriously, everybody knows that I don't own DC.

Chapter 5: Slow Dancing in a burning room.

(Yes, that's a reference to my favorite John Mayer song)

Ran

" So what are we doing today?" I asked Shinichi who was currently lounged on the couch of my Dad's office.

It's Sunday and he arrived a couple of minutes ago to pick me up and do something. It has been weeks since he finally 'returned' to himself and explained what really happened to him for the past 2 years. We have been together ever since and it was blissful. I finally have him back; he tried to make up for his long absence by giving me undivided attention and spending most of his time with me. We are in love.

We are happy.

Except for these little moments when he thought that I was not paying attention and his eyes would go downcast or stare at the space in front of him. It's these moments that make it hard for me to reach him. I feel like there's a sudden force field around him—one that he doesn't want me to know.

A world that he doesn't want me to be a part of.

Looking at him now, I know that something is bothering him.

"Shinichi" I tried again. "Is something bothering you?"

His head snapped at that. In a flash, his usual assuring smile is back on his face—never quite reaching his eyes.

The Shinichi I once knew had his every emotion reflected in his eyes. The way his cerulean orbs glint with excitement and mischief when he's secretly planning something had always fascinated me.

The newly returned Shinichi, however, had shadows in them. This version of him seems more toned- down and mature.

Darker. Haunted.

And I do not know what to do with it.

An unwelcome emotion rose in my throat. ' What are you hiding from me, Shinichi? If it's bothering you so much, why won't you tell me?' I thought.

"Oh nothing Ran, so what do you want to do today?" he asked nicely.

"Well, this last few weeks, it feels like we're constantly running at a speed doing so many things.."

'desperately trying to prove that everything is the same' I wanted to add. But I kept it inside my head. For now.

"So why don't we just have a little walk?"

For a second, he stared at me, trying to figure out the words that don't come out of my mouth. But like him, I wore my usual perky mask as well.

We knew it each other too well. We both know that there is something we have to discuss, the very thing that seems to sit between us—creating space, doubt, mistrust.

But he does not push and neither do I. We're like two people dancing, in the middle of a burning room- trying our hardest to hold onto something that's just bound to slip away.

"Okay." He said, bringing me out of my headspace.

The sky began to be filled with a soft velvet hue when we found ourselves in Beika Park.

" Look!" I perked up, pointing at the lone vacant bench, facing the view of the sunset. " Let's sit there Shinichi. Let's watch the sunset together." I continued and tried to pull him going in the direction of the said bench.

I felt his hands gripped mine tighter and I turned to him. His eyes were wide in I don't know, shock or some sudden realization. He looks so stiff. Feet rooted to the ground, he refused to bulge.

" No" he softly whispered as he stares at the bench with a face as if he saw a ghost sitting there.

" Shinichi?"

He must have realized his slip and as quickly as it appeared, that look in his face vanished- replaced by his usual grin. " I think that the spot under the tree offers a better view. Come on." He said before tugging me to follow him.

There, we sat as the sky turns blood red and the sun finally vanished at the back of a tall building.

"It's quite beautiful isn't it?" I turned to ask him.

But his attention is elsewhere again. He was staring at the bench with a certain look in his eyes. Was it nostalgia? Longing? Maybe a mix of both.

"Nee, Shinichi what's with that bench? You've been staring at it for quite some time now."

' and I am here beside you, blushing as I hold your hand in mine. But you're somewhere else. When you leave me, where does your mind go? Where do you go?'

We've been waiting for this for years. I know that he wanted it as much as I have, and I thought that once this finally happens, we would be perfect. Perfectly happy with each other.

'I am here, still the same, loving the same Shinichi Kudo- the childhood friend that I knew so well. Could he say the same?'

"Ran" he said as he turned to me with an apology written all over his face. "I'm sorry but I just remembered that I have to go somewhere. Can you go home by yourself?"

I.. I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting something…worse. ' What are you expecting Ran? You're an idiot' I mentally said to myself.

" Of course I can. Don't worry about me. I am not a Karate champion for nothing."

He smiled at that. "Oh well, talk to you later!" he said, and then he was on his feet in a flash. He waved at me and turned around.

He was running.

He seems to be in hurry.

Shinichi

" Haibara" saying her name feels strangely familiar and new on my lips at the same time.

I am running now. I could feel a throb in my chest and I don't think it is because of my current activity. How long has it been? How long has it been since I last saw and talked to that evil- eyed yawny girl?

I swallowed a lump on my throat. 'too long'

It has been more than a month now. I have been so elated with the thought of being myself again; carried away by being reunited with ran. I became so focused on spending time with her, she deserved it after all. I have lied my way to keep her, made her wait. Seeing her cry because of me and not to be able to do anything is an experience that etched itself in my brain. I wanted to make it up to her. I love her but I also felt guilty. Responsible.

I was so lost in my own self that I never noticed that nagging feeling at the back of my mind. The feeling that I was missing something. A presence.

Someone.

That's what hit me when I saw the bench. The bench, which the two of us always sit in, while waiting for the rest of the detective boys to be done with whatever game they were playing. She would sit on the other end as I sit on the opposite side. We mostly just sit there, drenched in comfortable silence. I would steal a glance towards her and see her looking at the eventual sunset with a sad and wistful look in her eyes. She would occasionally turn to me, smirk, and tease me until my face is as red as a tomato.

Ai.

I couldn't even remember if I have asked her how she was. Has she took the antidote and returned to her original body? How was she holding up?

'Shinchi Kudo, you've been a jerk'

I mentally cursed at myself.

Third-person POV

Shinichi found himself in front of Agasa's gate. He pushed it open and walked straight to the door and rang the bell.

After a few minutes, a quite disheveled Agasa came and opened the door.

He was wearing an apron.

"Oh, Shinichi! What brought you here?"

Agasa said it in his normal tone but something inside Shinichi flinched.

The professor must have noticed it and smiled to ease him up. "Come on in, I was just making dinner" He said as he opened the door wider for him.

Looking at him again, a smile tugged on the corner of Shinichi's lips. "So Ai is now letting you near the stove? That must be some kind of miracle"

They were in the kitchen now. He sat on the stall while Agasa went to the table and stared at the assortment of things on it. The poor man looks so confused.

The boy chuckled.

"Soo… what are you making?" he said as he peeked at the vegetables and meat on the counter. They are both clueless when it comes to cooking—a fact that Ai never failed to rub on their faces.

Speaking of that troublesome girl, "Where is Ai..I mean Shiho by the way?

The professor snapped up. That seemed to bring him back from his rather amusing confusion of what to cook. There was a sad smile on his face when he looked at him though, "She moved out a week ago"

That took him by surprise. "What?" he exclaimed. He saw the professor flinch at the level of his voice.

" Sorry. I was just surprised. Why did she leave? Why didn't she tell me? Why didn't you make her stay?"

His sudden tirade of questions must have irritated Agasa. He saw it in his face.

Disappointment. Hurt. Frustration.

Shinichi hasn't been on the receiving end of these emotions from him. Agasa has always been cool and did everything to protect them.

Now he's glaring at him. "Well, you would have known that if you bothered to ask"

Shinichi's cheeks flushed in shame. Agasa was right. He had no right to demand answers after seemingly ditching them for so long. After all they did for him, Agasa and Ai.

His memory took him back to that day. He was so happy. He eagerly took the pill with him and went to Ran and he hasn't been back ever since.

"I'm sorry" was his only reply.

The professor sighed. " Yosh, Don't worry. She's still in Beika. "

Seeing the question in his eyes, Agasa shook his head "But no, she won't tell me where she's staying. She promised to visit me though. She said she'll come next Saturday night."

"Can I come?"

The professor seemed to think about it for a few seconds, which is weird because Shinichi has always been welcomed in this house. In fact, he still has a spare key to the front door.

Hakase shrugged. "Well, I figure you want to talk to her so might as well come"

" Hakase.."Shinichi said, after some awkward silence.

"Does she hate me now?"

"Shinichi, You know her better than I do. What do you think?"

That made the boy pause and think.

'Does she? What I did was pretty standoffish and cruel. I felt like I just left her. I abandoned her when she needed me by her side. But there were many times that I had lost my cool and blamed her for everything that I have been through. I've said a lot of harsh and stupid things and almost immediately regretted them as soon as the words left my mouth. I've lied to her too. I kept things from her. I've treated her well just for the sake of the antidote. Yet, she stayed. Ai stayed with me through it all. Risked her own life for my neck a couple of times.'

What does she think of him now? The question unsettled him.

Hakase sighed. "I don't think she hates you. I don't think she can even if she tried. And if you think she does, then you are quite a foolish one for a detective. Has it ever occurred to you to look at what she has done to see that you happy?"

" I..I guess it never occurred to me that she will, one day, leave my side."

-End Of the chapter-

A/N: Sorry! I feel like this chapter is so much of a letdown. You see, I'm as inspired as a stick at the moment. I was just too busy and excited in thinking about this new story for ShinShi that I had in mind. I hope I finally get to start writing it soon. But for now, This is pretty much just an update of an .