Shinichi didn't expect to understand much about Shiho's thesis defense, but he underestimated how little a layman can understand about advanced biochemistry. Sure, it looked like a run-of-the-mill presentation, but once they were about four slides in, Shinichi was feeling a little lost. Knowing how to name organic compounds (like how the suffix -ol signifies an alcohol group attached to some larger base molecule) was one thing, but Shiho was talking about phenomena and research he had little knowledge of. It all looked like it made sense, and Shinichi had had a little more personal experience with cutting-edge biochemistry than he would've liked, but he still had to trust that Shiho was doing well.

Overall, he didn't mind not understanding too much about the presentation. Shiho would surely fill him in later. What he did mind was that, once the committee was through and had announced Shiho had passed, one of the professors stayed a bit longer to talk to her. He was very interested in her research and cross-disciplinary opportunities, trying to convince her to join his lab after she graduated, or perhaps that of a collaborator at a university in Tokyo, should she be interested. Shiho promised to keep that in mind, and this professor, a Frenchman, kissed her on both cheeks for good measure.

Once they were through, Shinichi walked Shiho back to her apartment. She was tired, having spent weeks perfecting her defense, but the opportunity to work at a lab back in Tokyo was appealing, and she couldn't help but talk Shinichi's ear off about it. She certainly was having a good time.

"What are you so sour about?" she asked.

He wasn't being sour about anything. It was a great day for her, and it was nice that she was hitting it off so well with one of her committee members.

Of course, Shiho was not stupid, and she started grilling him about what exactly he meant by that. "Don't tell me you're jealous of Professor LeBlanc."

Why should he be jealous? That was an absurd idea.

"He really is quite charming, isn't he?" said Shiho. "I didn't know much about him before my advisor recommended him for my committee. He's a brilliant scientist. I hope we can have a constructive relationship in the future."

Shinichi narrowed his eyes. "You're making fun of me."

"Only because you're being childish, which often happens to you when it comes to women. Trust me, I've seen it many times. It's annoying." She smiled coyly. "Most of the time."

"And the rest of the time?"

She put her key in the lock to her apartment, but she stopped there, looking at him seriously. "The mysteries we've solved, the Detective Boys, and all that—those are things that will always be ours. No one else can share them. I don't just flutter between brilliant men, you know."

Of course she didn't. Shinichi had to feel silly for even making her say that out loud, but there was still something bugging him. "You didn't answer my question. What about the rest of the time?"

"The rest of the time, that jealous streak of yours can be cute, if you don't let it get out of control." She pulled him inside and whispered in his ear. "Tell me, Detective: does seeing another man so close to your girlfriend make you want to show her who's the better lover?"

Shinichi scoffed, and he let her drag him inside.

She really was quite brilliant.

For CoAi Week 2018 Prompt #6 – "Genius"