"Dad, do you have a laptop that I can use?"
"Yeah? What for?"
I think I just need time to accept the truth that he doesn't want me anymore.
"Ao-kun, you have been sitting in front of that laptop for three days and three nights listening to the same song over and over again. Are you sure you are okay? Ai-kun and I can even sing that song backward!"
"..."
"Ao-kun?"
"Ignore her. She needs time to think things through." Says Ai-chan as she walks over to the couches to sit down with her coffee.
That's right... Even if I can't stick with Kaito anymore, I can still look out for Kaito from afar. I'll stay within his circumference... Talking about circumference... Maybe I shall take a little sneak peek on Conan-kun... Hehehe
I search the house high and low for the "ingredient" but I didn't find any.
I guess it is time to go outside and look for it.
I begin to walk around the neighborhood, trying to spot a bar of some sort but I just wasn't in any luck. Then, a certain voice struck me. Ran's.
If I follow Ran home, I might be able to find that "ingredient" since his dad might drink it once a while... Hehe... How can I be such a genius?
Ran is talking with Sonoko on her way home from school.
Sonoko... The third enemy...
Why third you say? Aoko is the first because Kaito got feelings for her. Akako is the second because she has magic, actual magic. Thus, that makes Sonoko the third on my list.
I quietly follow Ran as she and Sonoko went separate ways. Ran first went to the market to get dinner for tonight. She is a good housewife, I would say. She could bargain and cook really well, unlike me, who only know how to eat and make cup noodles when I have to.
With loads of plastic bags full of food, Ran climbs up the staircase to the Detective Agency.
There, lays Conan and Mori Kogoro, snoring away.
And there, lays my target, Baijui. It is the ingredient that makes me return to my normal human form before Ai-chan can create the 24-hour antidote.
After hearing the doors close, Conan sits up and asks in a very childish way, "What's for dinner, Ran-neechan?"
I cringe at his voice... Creepy. I sneak over to Mori's desk and try to claw my way up. Nope, nails won't work. I spotted some beer cans to the side of the room so I roll it over and try to stand on top of it. After stretching my backbone and reaching out my claws, I finally get a grip on the edge of the desk. With all the strength in my tiny cat muscles, I finally made it to the top of the desk.
Phew, I felt like I just climbed Mount Everest!
However, the beauty in the scene did not last long. A tiny hand reaches over and snatches away my goal.
It was Conan. He had that know-it-all smirk in his face.
"What do you think you are doing?" He asks.
I swat my paws at him, "Gimme that!"
"Baijui... Alcohol... A kitten like you shouldn't drink something like this."
"And a little kid like you is not supposed to even touch something like that."
"I am actually seven-"
"Conan-kun! What are you talking about! A kid like you shouldn't touch these stuff!"
Ran comes out of the kitchen with an apron.
I return Conan's smirk to him as he tries to explain how he is innocent.
"It's not what you think, Ran-neechan! The kitty is trying to get it so I was just trying to save the kitty!"
I cringe again. I am still not used to his childish voice. Furthermore, I don't need you to save me. Save yourself from troubles, brat.
Ran separates her focus over to me.
"Why is there a kitten in here?"
Conan gives me a victory smile.
"It is sooooooo cute!"
Ha. Take that, brat! Roasted! There's no way I am going to be kicked out! She likes me!
I rub my head against her foot and purred to get more of her attention. I have captured her heart. She picks me up gently and hugs me tightly.
Okay, Ran. I like you but I don't love you so can you please release me because I CAN'T BREATHE!
I wriggle to break free and she seems to know the signal and quickly let go as well as apologizes.
"Conan, take care of kitty while I go and get her some milk."
Conan looks at me. Annoyed.
It's not like I wanted milk. She wanted to give me it. I hate milk. It's disgusting. I have already made myself clear in the first few chapters.
"What are you doing over here?"
"I came for the alcohol. Is there a problem with that?"
"Yes. I am not going to let you turn back. It's safer for you to be in this form."
"Che. It's not like you didn't change back."
I inch closer and closer and try to strike the bottle with my little paw. Conan lifts the bottle higher and gives me a victory smile.
"Kitty-chan! Come and get your milk!" Calls Ran from the kitchen.
Nope. I am not going in for that milk. I give Conan one final glare before leaving through the door. Milk is terrifying.
I make my way back to Agasa's house without getting the alcohol I needed. Sigh. What now? I want to get my mind off of Kaito for at least one second. The scene of the breakup flashes freshly back into my head. I stopped outside of Agasa's house. Kaito... I miss you already... Rain starts to drip down on my face before pouring down ruthlessly.
I enter through the pet door as water drip from my wet fur. I shake the water off of myself. It's a nice trick actually.
Why is it so quiet today? Where did all the clings, clangs, and bangs?
"Anybody home?"
No answer. Oh well. I'll take a nap then. I trot over to my little basket and cuddle along with my tail. I twist and turn. Ughh... Can't fall asleep. Is there any food on the table? Chocolate? Chocolate... Kaito... I frantically shake the name off my head. Not now. I climb onto the chair and onto the table. The table is cleaner than before. No sight of junk. I guess this is the work of Ai-chan. Wait. What is that sparkly box on the side of the armchair? I leap down from the table and run for the box. It is a tall box wrapped in a shiny red wrapping paper. Oohh... Looks precious... Hehe. I doubt Professor would mind me unwrapping his gift for him... I slash open the paper with my tiny little claws and tear it open with my teeth. It's a red box with golden characters. Characters I am familiar with. "Baijiu." Ha! Why did I have to waste my effort? Muahahaha! Conan, you can't stop me now! I eagerly tear open the box. Inside is a little white bottle with a plastic-sealed opening. Plastic is not going to stop me! I bit it open with my teeth and twist open the cap with my paws. I hover myself over the tiny opening. It doesn't smell good readers. Spicy. But I am willing to do whatever it takes to return back to my human form. I push over the bottle, letting it spill onto the floor. It doesn't smell good alright. I force my tongue to touch the liquid, tasting the tiniest bit. Spicy. Ughh... I sit in front of the bottle and wait for a burning sensation to turn my back to normal. Nothing. Maybe it wasn't enough? I mustered the courage to go for a second lap. Bleh. I wait. Still nothing. Frustrated, I start lapping up more of it. Nothing. I need more. I lay down flat on the ground and pick up the bottle with all four paws. I open my little mouth and down the liquid goes.
"How many times do I have to tell you, no more sweets?"
"Not even one tiny pack?"
"No."
Ai-chan and Professor Agasa walks into the house with bags of groceries from the market. They drop open their mouth at the same time when they see the house in a mess. In the middle of the mess lays a tiny white cat, singing to a bottle of Baijiu.
"Life is a missssseryyyy! Unfair! Why can't I... Change back?" I sing.
"Ai-chan... This..."
"Professor, let's bring her back to her basket."
Professor gives a slight nod in the head.
"Stop! I am not going anywhere!" I scream at the top of my lungs.
Suddenly, a stabbing sensation hit my stomach. I roll up in a ball, shivering in cold sweat.
"Ao-kun! Are you okay?"
Professor hurries over and picks me up in his arms.
"Professor, what did she drink?"
They both turn their attention over to the Baijiu and figured the symptoms.
"Ai-kun, do you have clothes?"
"No, but a t-shirt of yours would do the trick."
Ai-chan carries me over to her arms and takes me into the bathroom.
My pain getting stronger and stronger. It has spread through my entire body. It is as if I was thrown into an erupting volcano.
Ai-chan closes the door behind her and set me on a dry towel on the ground.
After the pain reaches its peak, it immediately went away. Every muscle of my body relaxes and I slowly open my eyes. Ai-chan hands me a large white t-shirt. I reach to get it... MY HANDS! I HAVE HANDS! Ignoring the shirt, I run over to the mirror to take a good look at myself and drop open my mouth in shock. I turn to Ai-chan and pull the shirt over myself.
"What happened to my brown hair?"
"The pill works differently for different people. You are the special one in a thousand case. Out of the thousands of mice I've tested, one turned into a cat. It was a full change on the physical traits of the mice. The mice's brown fur became white and its eyes became blue, just like you."
"But now that I've changed back, shouldn't I have back my brown hair?"
"Maybe the pill has done some serious destruction to your pigment gene. I'll have to run several tests to find out for sure."
I stare at my snow-white hair and clear blue eyes. This... Is me?
"Okay..." I reply "But, can I get some undergarments? It's kinda breezy..."
Ai-chan sighs and leaves to buy me something appropriate.
Several minutes later, Ai-chan comes back with a pink bag.
"Wear this. Then, come into the lab room. I need to run some tests."
She left and close the bathroom door behind her.
Inside the pink bag are a white bra, panties, and white jeans. I look in the mirror. The shirt on me is white. My hair is already white. The only things not white are my eyes and the aqua blue collar with black clover designs on it. Kaito... I reach for the clasp and untighten the collar. I run my fingers along the silver tag that engraved the word "Shiro" in beautiful script. I flip to the back and stare at the engravements of Kaito's address. My vision starts to blur. I know what's coming. Seawater.
"Ao! Hurry up and get down here."
I rub the tears away from my blurry eyes, tuck the colalrs in my pant pockets, and reply, "coming!"
Several hours later of plucking my hair and collecting saliva to do DNA tests, Ai-chan came up with the results, "Kudo-kun lasted 30 minutes in his teenage form after drinking, but for you, it has been 5 hours, yet nothing seems to be changing. It is the difference in size that is causing this effect. Furthermore, there seems to be something in your genes that is causing the side effect of white hair. However, according to the readings on this graph, your brown hair would come back after a certain amount of time"
White... Dove... Love... Kaito... No. I have to brush these depressing thoughts off of my head.
"Is it okay for me to walk around the neighborhood? I promise I won't cause trouble. Please..."
Ai-chan stared at me for a while.
After several minutes of anticipation, she finally answers, "fine."
"See you dinner time!"
Time to enjoy life as an anime character! I step out the door to see, for the first time in a human perspective, the neighborhood around Agasa's house. The last time I snooped around, everything was massive, including garbage cans.
Although I promised no trouble for Ai-chan, I couldn't say the same thing for Shinichi. Hehe. Now, where's Teitan High School? I look into one of the cars to see myself in the reflection. Brown hair just like Ai-chan said. My eyes are still blue. Is it a thing in the anime or is it the pill that is causing it? Oh well. I gotta say I look kinda cute in this. The glass suddenly slides down to show a middle-aged man.
"ARE YOU DONE LOOKING IN THE MIRROR? SHEESH! YOU SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL BRAT!"
That was unexpected. But again, what is expected in a world that open new cases of mystery every day.
"Sorry. I am on my way to school but I think I am lost. Do you know how to get to Teitan High?"
"Sure! A lift?"
What's with this 180-degree turn with his attitude?
"Nevermind. I can search it up and follow the GPS myself. Thanks."
He slowly starts to drive next to me as I walk away from him. Creepy. Not knowing the neighborhood that well, I make the wrong turn and walk into a place with fewer people and fewer people means more danger.
Crap. What now?
I can hear a slight chuckle behind me. Should I start praying? Maybe I should. God. If you can hear me. Make him disappear. I turn back the slightest bit, trying to make my movements barely noticeable. He is still there. Slowly driving behind me. Shall I make a run to the police station? But I don't know where that is. Even if I do, my name is not real and when they ask for it, I am risking revealing myself to the Organization.
I hear a pause in the car engine. He stops. He gets off. There's no time to think. I take a deep breath.
"Say, Ojii-san, do you like guts boiled or fried? I personally prefer steamed hearts. It keeps the juice in."
I calmly turn back to face him.
"I don't know about why you followed me but that sure saved me lots of trouble. I was looking for a target... More specifically a... Prey..." I think I am emitting bloodlust the way they usually do. I even made my voice lower and softer so it'll sound creepier. He seems to back up a bit but he doesn't forget to maintain his composure to a little girl.
"W-what do you mean, I am just trying to be kind. It's a dangerous world out here Ojou-chan."
"Do you know why it's a dangerous world?"
I inch closer to him. Step by step. His fear is beginning to surface. He slowly moves toward back to his car and he tries to open his car door. I lunge forward and stops him. I have my right hand in place of the handle. Our faces are close to the point where I can smell his onion breath. I point my left finger at his heart. "This is my favorite part of cannibalism."
"S-shokujinki!" He pushes me away from him, dashes inside his car, and flees away.
"Ouch..." I pull myself up from the hard cemented ground and pat off any dirt. Did I overdo it? Still, how can he call a cute ca-girl like me a "man eating ogre"? He deserved it.
I continue walking around aimlessly for another hour until I come across a brick gate that reads "Teitan High School".
Ha! Found it! It wasn't that hard at all! The bell rings for dismissal and my prank begins...
I wait outside the gates for Ran and Sonoko. In the middle of the crowd is a unicorn head. Ran spotted. Pushing through the crowd, I made my way to the front of them.
Ran noticed how I stopped in front of them and asks, "How can I help you?"
She's just so kind but she doesn't know what I have in store for her.
"Um... Are you Mouri-san?"
"Yeah..."
"Do you have any idea where Shinichi might be?"
"No... Did he do something bad?"
I remain silent.
"That detective maniac!" Ran pulls up her sleeves as if she's ready to fight. "Tell me, what did he do to you? I'll beat him up when I see him!"
"He..." I look down at my stomach and gently pat it.
Ran seems to get the sign and blushes with embarrassment and anger at the same time.
"HOW COULD HE-"
"Ran-neechan?"
Conan again stands there with his innocent face.
"C-Conan kun!"
"Ran-neechan, what are you so angry about?"
"Shinichi, that bastard, got this girl pregnant!"
"WHAT! SHINICHI NIICHAN WOULD NEVER DO THAT!"
"Kudo-kun may be always here and there but he wouldn't do something like that. He's a detective freak, not a pervert." Sonoko explains.
Are you sure he's not a pervert? Sigh... I think this joke has gone far enough.
"You really like him, don't you, Ran?" I question.
She immediately blushes. "W-who would like a detective freak like him?"
"Are you sure?"
"..."
"No answer means yes. We girls, when it comes to having a crush, should always wait for the cowardly guys to first propose." I look down at Conan, giving him the you-should-know-who-I-am-referring-to look. He gives me that unamused glare again.
"So... You are not pregnant?" Wonders Ran.
"Of course I am not! I became acquainted with him during one of his deductions. I was just curious about this girl whom he talks about so often."
Ran blushes again and Conan gives me the suspicious look. Crap. He's onto me. Once he finds out, it'll be less fun. I have to make the best of it while I can.
"By the way, who is this child? Don't tell me it's you and Shinichi's."
"No, no. This is Conan who lives with me for now."
"Oh my, look at him! He's such a cute and innocent child!" I said sarcastically as I squish and pull his cheeks. He is obviously annoyed. Ha. I like how he can't do anything to stop me. This is what you get for not letting me drink Baijiu.
"We haven't asked you yet, what is your name?" Says Ran.
See, such a polite girl. Kudo really doesn't deserve someone like her. Keeping her waiting and giving her hope. A lady doesn't have that much youth for him to mess around with.
"Yuna. Maki Yuna. Just call me Yuna."
"Yuna-chan! Nice to meet you. How about you come over to my house and have dinner? We can get to know each other better!"
"Sure!"
No Wonder Vermouth calls her an angel. She's too innocent. She doesn't even suspect me at all. Maybe it's because I look too nice to be a bad guy?
"Yuna-chan, it's nice to meet you but I have to leave. I have to go join the company's dance party tonight! Bye!" Sonoko quickly explains and leaves the group.
Rich people. Can't quite understand them.
"Yuna-chan, let's go for some grocery shopping now that you are coming over for dinner. What do you like to eat?"
"I like meat!"
"What type of meat? Oh! Would you like burgers?"
"Sure, that sounds nice! I'm sure kids like Conan would loooove burgers, right, Conan-kun."
While Ran is picking out the meat and the choice of filling for the burger, Conan asks me to go to the bathroom with him.
"Ne, ne, Yuna-neechan, I wanna go potty..." He says as he does his little potty dance.
I look at him. In disgust.
"I'm sorry Yuna-chan, would you mind bringing Conan to the bathroom? Make a turn down that corner and there will be a bathroom there."
"Uhh... Okay..."
This little brat. What does he want this time? I hold him by his hand and walk down the path that was instructed. When we are far enough from Ran, Conan begins to speak, "What do you want?"
"Me? I don't want anything." I reply in my most innocent voice.
"I don't care who you are but no messing with Ran."
So... He doesn't know who I am yet. Well, that just means more fun for me!
"Hmmm... What exactly do you mean by no messing with Ran? I just want to have dinner with her. It's as simple as that... Or is it..." I turn to leave Conan behind with his death glares piercing me. I don't think I can be too serious when it comes to messing with him.
Ran joyfully enters the house and puts on her apron, ready to cook.
Conan is still looking at me... Ughh... I can't stand it anymore.
"Ran-chan, let me help you. What can I do?"
"Yuna-chan, can you wash and slice the tomatoes? I am going to get the meat ready."
"Sure!"
Finally, I can get away from his glares. They are actually giving me the shivers.
"Itadakimasu!"
"Ran-chan, these are the best burgers I've tasted yet! However... I personally think that they are missing something."
I walk over to the fridge and starts digging.
"Ah-ha! I was worried for a moment. I thought you didn't have it. Who knew it'd be a full bottle!"
I pour the red sauce over my meat and take a huge bite.
"Mmmmm... On point!"
Mouri Kogoro, Mouri Ran, and Conan all look at me in shock.
"Maki-san... Isn't it too sour?" Asks Kogoro.
"Itpasebine!" (It tastes fine!) I manage to say in between chews. I feel like I haven't tasted meat in years. Kaito wouldn't feed me meat, but again, who would feed meat to a cat. I haven't eaten since I got depressed anyways.
"Neh..." Ran begins to speak, "How did you meet Shinichi?"
I choke. Crap. I only said that I met him in one of his cases as an excuse... What should I say to her now?
"That detective boy? Why are we talking about him at the dinner table?" Interrupts Mouri Kogoro.
" ?" (Why we talk about him?)
I swallow my food to speak clearer, "you wanna know more about him don't you?"
"N-No!" Ran immediately objects to my suggestion.
"It wasn't Ran-neechan, I am the one who wanted to know more about Shinichi-niichan and how you met him! He must be awesome right!"
Conan is definitely trying to catch a flaw in me. Like hell I am going to reveal myself!
"Well you see, someone was murdered and he happened to be there. His intelligence helped the police find the murderer and I kinda took notice in him. After that we started getting along and yeah that's that."
"Yuna-neechan, that's pretty vague. Can you go deeper into detail? Pwease..."
"Conan-kun, it isn't very appetizing to talk about such things at the dinner table you know. We can save that for later."
Later is never. Muahahaha!
After eating, I helped Ran clean the table and then quickly excused myself before Conan finds anything suspicious in me.
"Ne, ne, Yuna-neechan... Aren't you going to explain to us how you met Shinichi nii-chan?"
Seems like I have no way out now...
"I was visiting Beika Aquarium one day. Everything was great until a crowd started to form in front of one of the tanks. I squished in to see a man sitting on the floor. Not moving. It turns out that he was dead. Then, Shinichi appears to solve the case. He figured that it was one of the victim's ex-girlfriend. I was impressed with his deduction. If I wasn't wrong, Ran-chan was also there at that time."
(Refer to Shinichi Kudo's Aquarium Case)
Okay. I am sure that Conan is more suspicious of me now because even if I can randomly say a case, he was never acquainted with him in the first place.
"Oh... I see, but I just asked Shinichi nii-chan through the phone and he says he doesn't remember anybody named Yuna."
This kid is onto me. He has no intention of letting go.
"Well... He's a busy person so he tends to forget."
He seems to have loosened his grip for a bit. He doesn't look as suspicious anymore. I guess this is my time to flee.
"I'll take my leave now, thank you for the meal."
I take my stuff and hurry downstairs.
Phew. That was a close one. I think it's time for me to go back to Agasa's place now, it's getting late.
"I'm home!"
"Welcome home, Ao-kun! We are having curry for dinner. Come join us."
"Thanks but I'm sorry dad, I already ate."
"Aww... But I thought you were coming home for dinner so I made extra..."
I smiled. Is it greedy for me to indulge myself in this warmth at this moment?
I walk over to the counter and sit next to Professor Agasa.
"So... where's my share, dad?"
Professor Agasa's face lightens up at my words. He quickly gets up and gets me a serving of hot curry.
"Chicken curry" I take a bit of it, "Mmmm... So good. I haven't had decent food for weeks! Wait, where's Ai-chan?"
"She's still in her lab trying to figure out how the wine has an effect on you because your different from Shinichi's."
"Let me go get her."
I walk down the stairs to Ai-chan's lab. She's in her mini white lab coat with a bunch of papers in her hands. From a kitten's point of view, I was used to looking up to see her but now that I'm in human form, she looks just like a child... Well, she is physically a child now.
"Ai-chan! It's curry chicken for dinner! Let's eat together!"
Ai-chan lifts her head up from the bunch of papers and says, "go eat first. Don't mind me."
"What's that in your hands?"
"A calculation of the time the alcohol would be in effect."
I lean over her shoulders to see a glimpse of the calculations.
"So, according to these calculations, one minute for Kudo is an hour for me. That doesn't sound bad at all! So if he has 30 min, I have thirty hours, but I've already wasted more than half."
"Yeah, you should be getting ready to change back. Fifteen hours have "
"True. I spent five hours with you doing research... Wandered for an hour to find the school... Waited half an hour for Ran to come out of school... Went grocery shopping for an hour... Prepared food for about two hours... Ate for an hour... Spent another hour taking my time to walk home... One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven... Thirty minus eleven is... Uhhh..."
"19"
"Oh, yes... Then I have another nineteen hours to spend in human form. How should I spend my nineteen hours?"
"Don't make any type of trouble outside. You are staying home."
"Aww... Okay then. Yes, mam!"
I reach into my empty pockets so I can have my collar out when I change back. Empty... EMPTY!
"Ai-chan, I'm gonna go out for a minute. I'll be back."
"Wait! Where are you going! It's night and the alcohol is going to wear out in the morning!"
"It won't take too long! Oh, tell dad to save me some curry for breakfast!"