"Haibara-senpai! I really like you, so would you be my girlfriend?"
The words tumbled out of the boy's mouth clumsily like a baby deer that just learned to walk. With amused blue orbs, Ai fixated her gaze upon the outstretched hand of the underclassman in front of her and let out a little sigh. This was the fourth one this week, and it was only Tuesday. Last week she counted seven by the end of Friday, and at this rate, a new record would be born. She didn't necessarily find them annoying or troubling; no, it was nothing of the sort. How could she mock these young teenagers for being straightforward with their feelings? She envied their courage, a property of their youthfulness that she never seemed to have, despite being given a chance at a new life. It was amusing at the very least, and her lips would tug upwards every time at the thought of a certain detective's reaction that never seemed to change.
"Sudou-kun… Was it?"
The boy looked up, excitement shining clearly in his eyes. "Yes! I'm Keiichi Sudou from Class 1-B, member of the baseball team!"
A light laugh escaped from Ai's lips. Teenagers these days are so energetic, she thought to herself. It's most certainly amusing. "Then, Sudou-kun, I have a question for you. What do you like about me?"
The question was clearly one that was anticipated by the boy, and he responded immediately. "Haibara-senpai, you have always been the brightest star in the night sky. Of course, I think you're extremely beautiful, and super fashionable and stylish, but not only that, you're also so talented in everything, from languages to the sciences. You're always so calm and composed, and you're so full of mystery, and I want to know more about you. Your strong attitude and mysterious aura only draw people in stronger. You are so, so perfect in every aspect."
It was as if they copied down their answers from a textbook. There was nothing new about his answer, and Ai had heard these words at least twenty times from twenty different people already. She leaned back against the rails of the staircase they stood next to, letting out a little sigh.
"I'm afraid I'm not as perfect as you imagine."
"Absolutely no way! Ever since the beginning of freshman year, I've been in love with you! You're so poised all the time and you're the kindest person I know! You're perfect in every way!"
"Perfection is deceit," said Ai calmly, repeating her perspective for what seemed like the millionth time for her admirers. "It's a simple lie, a mirage that forms when one is clouded by his or her personal expectations. But reality is not so simple; perfection doesn't exist, and I am in no way the one to make it reality. In fact, I am far from perfect, someone who will not fulfill your image of me. You are simply in love with the idea of me, or the person you believe I am. You're not actually in love with the real me."
"But—"
"I'm sorry, but she's not interested."
Bingo, she thought. Four for four this week. She fought to bite back a smile as she heard the footsteps that echoed behind her. The great detective descended from the staircase and put his arm around her, just as he did whenever such a situation arose. She took a slight glance at him, at his annoyed expression as he pushed up his ridiculous glasses, at his possessive stance.
"You're… Conan Edogawa? From 1-A? Captain of the soccer team?"
"That's me," said Conan, proudness creeping into his voice. But only Ai could notice such a thing.
"So the rumors were true," said Sudou, staring at the two of them.
"What rumors?" asked Ai, raising an eyebrow.
"That the two of you are dating."
"Oh?" Ai turned to look at Conan, who fought to keep a smile off his face. "How come I didn't know about this? When did I start dating this idiot?"
"Shut up," said Conan. "You're the idiot. You spend all your time at the science lab anyways; you're not gonna hear about rumors if you shut yourself in there 24/7."
"I'm not in there 24/7, and I am most certainly not interested in looking at your face all day. Besides, the lab is refreshing. I can make coffee."
"Black coffee is detrimental to your health. Stop drinking it."
"I don't think I will, Edogawa-kun. Since when did you have the right to order me around, when I'm the upperclassman?"
"You skipped a grade, dumbass, that doesn't count," said Conan, rolling his eyes. Turning to Sudou once again, he smiled. "Anyways, Sudou, as you have heard from her, she's not interested. Sorry about that."
Sudou glanced at Conan, then at Ai, then back at Conan, then gave a quick bow and ran off without another word.
"You were meaner to this one than the others. Seriously, you're a few steps away from being a bully," said Ai, sighing.
"This is the fourth one this week, and it's only Tuesday."
"You kept count?" asked Ai, amused.
Conan rolled his eyes. "Shut up, I have a good memory."
"Why are you doing this, anyways? Stop meddling with my business."
"You're gonna keep doing this? You've rejected a quarter of the school's male population by now," said Conan, raising an eyebrow.
"Then what do you suggest I do to stop breaking more hearts, Mr. Detective?" asked Ai, amused.
"Date someone."
Ai raised an eyebrow at his response and ignored the knotting sensation in her stomach. When it came to breaking hearts, Conan Edogawa was no stranger to the matter. If she had rejected a fourth of the school's male population, then he would easily rival her with the amount of girls he had rejected. Ai always thought that he couldn't forget about Ran, even though Shinichi Kudo had been dead to the public for almost six years now. It didn't matter that they got a new chance at life; Conan Edogawa was just as good at breaking hearts as Shinichi Kudo, and she should have known better.
"I guess I should. Alright, I'll accept the next confession I receive," she said, putting on a nonchalant tone as she ran a hand through her auburn hair.
"I love you."
Ai stopped dead in her tracks as her mind worked to process the meaning behind the words that just fell from his lips. She let her arm fall to her side as she turned to stare at him in disbelief, at the boy she had been secretly in love with for years. There was no way, she told herself. No way that he just said the three words she yearned to hear from him, the three words she believed she would never hear from him. There was no way.
"What about Mouri-san?" Her initial response caught the both of them off guard. She never thought she would ever put her secret concerns into words, much less to him. But here they were, saying things she thought would remain unspoken for eternity.
"Ran-neechan?" asked Conan, laughing. "Seriously? It's been six years. You thought I was still hung up about that?"
"I ruined your life. The life you loved. I was a murderer."
"No," said Conan. "It wasn't ruined. I was supposed to die; if anything, you saved my life. I discovered a lot of new things about the world, about others around me, and about myself. I met a lot of new friends. And I met you."
"But—"
"Listen," said Conan, inching closer towards her. "I am not Shinichi Kudo, and you are not Shiho Miyano. Not anymore. Our past lives are behind us, and we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to start anew. I am Conan Edogawa, and I love Ai Haibara."
Ai stared at him, suddenly at a loss of words. She never expected him to think this way; she certainly never allowed herself to. He wanted to return to his life as Shinichi Kudo so bad six years ago; perhaps time really does heal all wounds. "Then, Edogawa-kun, I have a question for you. What do you like about me?"
Conan laughed. "My turn, huh? Well, you're sarcastic, you're reckless, and you tease me all the time, but there's nobody who understands me as much as you do. From daily life to detective work, you have always been by my side as my partner, and I trust you with my life. You understand me, help me, and support me no matter what. As Shinichi Kudo and Shiho Miyano, we may be strangers, but as Conan Edogawa and Ai Haibara, we're bound by the strings of fate. You might not be perfect, but you're perfect for me."
His words seemed to echo endlessly in her mind, and she simply stared at him in disbelief. Never even in her dreams did she imagine him to feel this way; she never thought she had the luxury for such daydreams that would never come true. But here they were, face to face, and he was telling her that he felt the same way.
"I—"
"Wait, I'm not done yet. Remember when we went to Beika City Hall to play that new game?"
"The one we were trapped in?"
"That's the one. When we were escaping from the chaos in the opera house, you pushed me out of the way of a falling beam that, well, killed you. As you disappeared in front of my eyes, you looked at me with such a heartbreakingly sad gaze that was also full of hope and trust. 'Don't give up,' you said. 'Even without the helping character, we have our Holmes — you. That much ability resides within you. There are no cases Holmes can't solve, right?' You put your wholehearted trust within me; I think that's when I fell in love. I didn't realize it until much later, but you are so important to me."
Ai bit her lip. "I can't believe it," she said quietly. "I just can't believe it."
Conan laughed. "And your response is?"
"I love you too."