He spotted a spec of auburn in the seas of people, and that alone was able to drive him mad. He grabbed her arm forcefully, pulling her towards him. She, however, didn't budge, and he felt the rage bubble from deep within him.
"What the hell, Haibara," he said through gritted teeth. "Could you explain what's going on?"
She shook off his grip on her arm and turned to him, eyebrows raised. "You were hurting me, Kudo-kun. Would you stop doing that before I report you for physical assault? I thought my wrist was going to bruise."
"Goddamn, Haibara, answer my question!" He shouted. "I'll ask again, what's going on?"
"You're making a scene," said Shiho as she examined the people around them, who were now staring at both of them. "Not that you don't normally, Mr. Great Detective of the East."
"You're really starting to piss me off," said Shinichi. "Why are you leaving without telling me?"
"And what do you plan to do with that information?" asked Shiho, a light chuckle escaping from her lips. "Plan a going-away party for me?"
"That's not—" Shinichi let out a ragged breath in exasperation. "Why would you leave without a single word? Were you just going to disappear without my life and not even let me know?"
"And why should I?" Shiho retorted. "Why am I obligated to tell you everything about myself?"
Her words stung more than he expected they would. He found himself angrier than ever at the woman in front of him, at his partner, at someone he never thought he would have to part ways with. He always thought he knew her well, that he understood her, but looking at her now, she felt more unfamiliar than ever.
"Damn it, Haibara—"
"Miyano."
He broke off mid-sentence and stared at her. She stared back at her, and Shinichi swore that he had never seen such a cold, bone-chilling gaze from her before. "What?"
"It's Miyano. Not Haibara."
He blinked and scrunched up his face in confusion and frustration. "Whatever. Miyano. Same difference. That's not the point. How could you say something so cold?"
"I'm not being cold. I'm simply stating facts."
"Listen to me, goddamn it. What's gotten into you? Aren't we—"
No words came to his mouth to finish that sentence. Were they classmates? Friends? Partners? Or…? All of a sudden, he found himself unable to find the right words to describe their relationship, and Shiho, seeing his pause, only laughed bitterly.
"We're strangers," she said, finishing his thoughts for him. "We may know each other as Edogawa and Haibara, but as Kudo and Miyano, we're nothing but strangers. Now, I have a flight to catch up. Goodbye, Kudo-kun."
His body moved before his brain did, and immediately, Shinichi grabbed her hand, a little forcefully, a little too desperately. "Miyano," he said slowly. "Please. Talk to me. Why are you acting so cold towards me?"
"It's time we part ways, Kudo-kun. You're high school detective Shinichi Kudo, not elementary schooler Conan Edogawa anymore. You don't need me in your life, do you?"
"I— What are you talking about? Why are you speaking in riddles? Why can't you just stay?"
"And why should I stay? You're going to have to convince me with a real reason."
"I…"
Seeing his inability to answer, Shiho stared at him, and those piercing blue eyes hurt him more than any physical wound ever could. "Of course. You wouldn't understand."
"Please, Miyano. Stay."
"Who do you think you are, Shinichi Kudo? Do you expect everyone to live their lives around you, like you're the center of the universe?"
"That's not what I said. I—"
"Listen, I gave you your old life back. I gave you want you wanted, so can you spare me and let me go?"
Shinichi could only stand there and watch her turn away, walking brusquely out of his life. All he could do was stare longingly at her figure disappearing into the distance, repeating one thought over and over in his mind:
Where did I go wrong?