Disclaimer: Unfortunately not my great characters... Such a pity...
Chapter 5: First Impression
Team Heiji or Team Kay?
They were sitting on the sofa in her living room, eating potato chips from a bag and watching some stupid TV show about motorcycles and cars. Normally Kazuha would have protested: Not only were these kinds of shows dull and mostly guys liked watching them, motorcycles also made her think about a certain pig- headed men, who tended to drive everywhere on one. But today she did not even realize which show was on.
After Heiji had left, Kazuha and Kay, her boyfriend, had gone inside and started to cook lunch, but while Kay tried everything to make her laugh, Kazuha just could not relax. Whenever Kay tried to kiss her she would occupy herself with something to do and whenever he started anything playful, like tickling her or putting some ketchup on the tip of her nose just to irritate her, she did not react. Soon Kay stopped his attempts and both of them fell into a quiet, gloomy state.
After dinner they reluctantly decided to watch TV, and now Kay was engrossed in his show, while Kazuha fretted about Heiji's behaviour. Sometimes he was such a child. Why couldn't he just shake Kay's hand and try to get to know him. Wasn't that his duty as her best friend?! She sighed – maybe for the 15th time in the last ten minutes – and Kay shifted uncomfortably in his seat next to her.
"Kazuha, to be honest, this is not how I imagined our afternoon," he started, looking at her. "I mean, I know you're upset – and you have every right to be," he added, when he saw her visibly annoyed raising an eyebrow, "but still... You just shouldn't let him get to you. If he's really your friend," again, Kazuha looked at him huffishly, "he will come around. And if he doesn't..." At this Kay paused and gently tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.
"If he doesn't he really IS the jackass I think him to be by first impression."
The last part of his speech made Kazuha gasp. She had never heard Kay cuss before, let alone call anybody a defamation.
"He's not a jackass," she declared, lightly shoving against Kay's shoulder.
"He's... protective. And he's not good with change." The girl sighed and looked at her boyfriend.
"And I'm sorry for being moody. This whole day was a little much." She shrugged.
Kay smiled and put his arm around her shoulders, tugging her closer to him.
"That's why I'm leaving now," he told her, before softly kissing her lips not once, but twice. Kazuha closed her eyes and returned his kisses, her hand stealing to his cheek and caressing it. When they broke apart she sighed again, this time in contentment.
"Alright," she mumbled, as Kay stood up and gathered his things.
"See ya tomorrow, Muppet?" he asked, using the pet name he had employed for her from the beginning. She nodded, and before he left he kissed her again at the door.
When Kazuha was alone it felt as if everything came crashing back. She needed to talk to someone. Someone, who knew about her true feelings for Heiji and would understand the mess of emotions she was just experiencing. There was only one person on whom she could rely. Taking out her phone she dialled Ran Moris number, waiting impatiently for her to pick up.
"Kazuha- chan! It's so nice to hear from you!" the girl from Tokyo answered her phone, obviously in a good mood.
"Hey, Ran- chan, how are you?" Kazuha answered, pondering how to start her story.
"Oh, I'm fine. Even better than that, actually," Ran started, telling Kazuha about the upcoming tournament and her previous encounter with her schoolfriend Kojiro.
"You won't believe it: So this friend, Kojiro, he's a little older than Shinichi and me and already finished school. He told me that he's getting married. Well, at least he hopes he is, since he just bought a ring and is going to propose to his girlfriend this afternoon! And now I finally know something Shinichi doesn't, so I am going to put him on a rack next time we phone!"
Kazuha patiently listened to her friends story.
"That's so great, Ran, make sure to mock him mercilessly!" Ran giggled.
"And the best thing is: Kojiro is going to invite us. And since Shinichi and he go way back, that mystery idiot will have to come to the wedding, don't you think?"
This made Kazuha smile. "We'll have to make sure you'll have the most breathtaking dress for the occasion, so he cannot leave you again!" she agreed.
A small silence settled in the line, until Kazuha heard a longing sigh on the other end. Her friend had obviously been dreaming about a possible scenario.
"Well, that would be fantastic. I'm not betting on it, though. So, speaking of mystery weirdos... How's Hattori- kun?"
Kazuha took a deep breath.
"That's actually the reason I'm calling," she mumbled, her fingers suddenly feeling cold.
"Ivegotaboyfriend." she blabbered, nearly choking on the words. Again, Ran fell silent on the other side of the line. Kazuha kept her breath and was just thinking about repeating her words, when an ear- piercing hoot erupted.
"HOW COULD YOU LET ME BABBLE ON ABOUT SOMEONE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN YOU'VE GOT SUCH GREAT NEWS?!" she squealed so loud, Kazuha could hold the phone away from her ear and still understand every syllable.
"Finally! Oh, Kami, I knew Hattori would come around! See, I TOLD YOU SO!" Ran did not even pause for breath, but rambled on about the brilliance of the news, until Kazuha interrupted her.
"You're wrong, Ran- chan! It's not Heiji I was talking about!" For the third time, a long silence lay itself between the two girls and Kazuha gulped.
"His name is Kay," she explained. "He is an exchange student. I met him in front of the library, where he nearly ran me over and spilled my iced coffee. He's really caring and funny and I truly think you would like him."
When Kazuha stopped, the silence returned.
"Ran? Are you still there." She could hear a soft rustling sound, as if her friend was moving, and the Ran's voice could be heard again, languidly this time.
"So... What about Hattori then?" she asked feebly. Kazuha felt a sting.
"I... don't know. I still like him, I mean, those feelings won't just disappear. But I'm not sure there's anything other than friendship on his side. And Kay..." She paused, thinking about her next words, choosing them carefully. "Kay understands. He is gentle and loving and we never argue. Even today, when I told Heiji about him and he – of course – reacted like a total ahou, Kay still did not pressure me or argue. He was just there for me."
Kazuha could hear her friend moving again, sighing.
"I think I need some chocolate to cope with this," Ran told her, and Kazuha could hear a door open, followed by an alarmed scream.
"Kami, Conan-kun, you startled me! What are you doing in front of my door?!" Kazuha could not hear the muffled reply of the boy, but some moments later, Ran returned to the phone.
"Boys..." she started, annoyance in her voice. "I really don't know what's wrong with them sometimes. Conan has been weird all day, watching me intently or glaring. I really don't know what's gotten into him." Something crackled in the line, probably a candy wrapper, since Ran's next words were quenched by food in her mouth. "All right, now I'm good to go."
Kazuha waited until she heard another door close and Ran heaved a sigh.
"Okay, tell me everything! From the beginning, if you please!" she told Kazuha, who started retelling how she met Kay, how they secretly dated, up to the point when Heiji declared war mere hours before.
Afterwards, Ran took some minutes to arrange her thoughts.
"Let me be clear: First of all, you don't like Hattori-kun. You love him! And don't even try arguing with me – you know I'm right!" she added before Kazuha could say anything.
"Secondly and this is really important: No man reacts the way Hattori did today if he only likes a girl as a friend. We might not know what he feels exactly, but he does feel something!" The confidence in her friend's voice made Kazuha's heart beat faster.
"And last but not least: I don't know what you feel. You are the only one who can know whether you like that Kay- guy or Hattori- kun. But you have to make sure. Otherwise you'll never be happy."
When Kazuha did not answer immediately she added: "I wish I could be more helpful, but I can't. Imagine a huge hug from me right now!" At that, Kazuha laughed. "Thank you, Ran-chan. You were a bigger help than you think."
"It's just..." the girl from Tokyo hesitated before finishing her thought. "Well, I don't know your boyfriend. And he might be a decent guy. Maybe even a real Prince Charming. But still..." Again, Ran paused.
"I'm still betting on you and Hattori-kun. I can't help it. Don't be mad!" Kazuha smiled.
"Of course not. You're entitled to your own opinion," she told Ran, but it nevertheless left a sour taste in her mouth.
"Oh, great. Then I'm Team Heiji!" Ran cheered. "Just call me if you need something," she urged, before they said goodnight and ended their call.
Before Kazuha went to sleep she stared at her ceiling, on which little glow-in-the-dark stars glittered.
Heiji had given them to her as a birthday surprise some years ago. The problem was, how she could resent Ran's sentiment, when in all honesty she could not push away her own feelings of hope? That last glimmer of a chance of happiness for her and that mystery ahou.
Author's Note: Not much happening here, but needed to continue the story :D Please R&R anyways! Thanks a lot for reading! 3 Ria
