This chapter is dedicated to blackismycolor31 and RJCA27. You guys are the only ones constantly reviewing and I sometimes think I'm only finishing this story for you! So, thanks for reading, fangirling and responding, I love hearing from you! XOXO

Chapter 10: What a morning!

Where plans are made…

It was finally Ran's birthday and over night the Mouri household had become a war zone:

Ran was ordering everybody around like a drill sergeant, shouting commands while buzzing through the apartment herself, preparing food and applying decorations for her party.

At the moment, Kogoro was hanging fairy lights in the living room, while Conan was dusting the furniture. Both didn't seem very motivated, but whenever Ran stuck her head into the room they forced a smile and worked twice as fast. Ran's mother, Eri, was sitting at the table, peeling potatoes.

Having just arrived, Kazuha and Heiji were standing in the door, watching in awe.

"Ran-chan, what can we do to help?" Kazuha asked, jumping out of the way as Conan wheeled a stack of folding chairs past them and Ran peeked out of the kitchen again.

"Oh, good morning you two," she smiled, her tone as sweet as always, "did you have a good night?"

They both nodded, Kazuha blushing slightly, before gesturing to the others.

"We'd like to help. Should I give you a hand in the kitchen, Ran?" Kazuha rephrased her earlier question. Ran looked at them for a short moment.

"It would be lovely if you could get me some things from the store, if that's alright," the birthday girl decided.

"I can do that," Heiji murmured, but as he looked at Ran she shot him an irritated glance.

"That's a great idea, Heiji," Kazuha chimed up, "you go to the store and I'll help in the kitchen."

"No!" Ran shrieked, making Kazuha flinch and her family look up from their chores.

The birthday girl blushed.

"I mean, no offense, Heiji, but… if I had confidence a guy could get the correct things on his own, I'd already have sent my dad." Ran smiled apologetically, making all three men in the room frown.

Eri just laughed. "You're right, Ran, I cannot count the times your father brought back completely false groceries when you were little. Men really need someone to watch what they are doing!"

Behind Eri's back, Kogoro shot her a dirty look before turning back to installing the lights.

A small smile appeared on Kazuha's face.

"Alright, then I'll go. Heiji can stay here and help move the furniture."

Ran shook her head vigorously in response.

"No way. I need you to pick up some drinks, too, that's way too heavy for you to carry back. Heiji will go with you." Ran's tone was final, as the small blush re-appeared on Kazuha's cheeks. Ran couldn't help the small grin that appeared on her face.

Whatever had happened that night made Kazuha want to spent time apart from Heiji – and not because she still felt angry. Everything seemed to go according to plan.

"Heiji-kun, come over here, I'll give you the grocery list," Ran called, while Kazuha was hugging her mother in greeting. Slowly Heiji made his way over to Ran as she was starting to write the list.

"It's kinda obvious you're trying to get us to be alone," he told her in a low voice, but Ran just shrugged.

"It's my birthday, I can do whatever I want. Also, I think our plan is working. Whatever you did last night," she started, but held up her hand, stopping Heiji from talking, "and I don't want to know the details, Kazuha's resolve seems to melt down. So, right on, this is your chance to charm her!"

Heiji frowned, taking the list and a bag from Ran and before he could even attempt to say something the Tokyo girl shoved him towards Kazuha.

"Off you go, you two. I really need that stuff!"

They were nearly pushed out of the door.


Using Ran's obvious meddling in Heiji's and Kazuha's affairs to his advantage, Conan had quietly slipped out of the apartment, moving into Kogoro's detective bureau.

As he sat down at the table, staring out of the window he sighed.

His talk with Heiji the day before and the nightmare afterwards had made him realize what he had to do. Picking up his mobile, he dialled Ran's number, activating the voice- changing bowtie. It took Ran a few rings to pick up, probably to clean her hands after preparing food, he deducted.

"Moshi Moshi?" she answered, a hint of hurry in her voice. She presumably hadn't even looked at the caller- ID, trying to pick up before the caller hung up on her.

"Happy Birthday, Ran," he said calmly and he heard her breath catch.

"Sh-Shinichi?" she whispered, and he couldn't help himself but smile.

"Of course it's me, you didn't think I'd miss your day, would you?"

She sighed, sounding relieved and he felt angry at himself for the way he had treated her when she called him last.

"Listen," he started, "I'm sorry I was so short spoken the last time you called. I was really frustrated."

Her voice sounded loving and worried and it made him ache to hug her.

"Are you alright now, Shinichi?"

"I'm better," he told her, "and I'll be fine once I see you."

He could feel the smile on her lips as she spoke.

"Are you coming to my birthday party, then?"

For a moment, he hesitated, before he took a deep breath.

"I'll be there, no matter what. Just wait for me," he promised and she laughed happily.

"Kami, I am so happy you'll be here! I can hardly wait. And you'll be able to see Heiji-kun and Kazuha and even Kojiro-kun. Do you remember him from school? I met him the other day and guess what – he's getting married. We are invited, by the way!"

Conan's breath caught and he palmed his face in his hand. How could he have been so stupid.

"I'll see you later, Ran," he murmured. The whispered "I love you" was hardly audible.

When he ended the call, Conan hopped down from his chair. He went back to the apartment, telling Ran he had to meet Ai for something school-related and headed to his own room. Pulling a small package from his drawer, he looked at it for a moment.

Tonight he would be himself again. Tonight he would give her her present. Tonight his life would start again.

With those thoughts in mind, he made his way over to Professor Agasa's house.


"Kazuha, this is getting ridiculous!" Heiji exclaimed, coming to a stop as he put the bags of groceries down on the ground.

First, she had flinched away when they both reached for a shopping basket at the same time, then she had walked half a metre before him in the shop and not spoken a word with him, just silently putting stuff into the basket he was carrying.

And now, as they were crossing the little park that lay between the store and Ran's home, she was nearly running, and he was fed up.

"Can you just stop for a moment!" he told her, and reluctantly she slowed her steps, coming to a halt in front of him, her back still to him.

"Look at me," he said softly, but, as she did not react, he walked around her, facing her that way.

Kazuha looked at the ground.

"What is it, Heiji?"

"I don't want this anymore," he murmured, making her look up.

"What do you mean?"

"This," he gestured between them, "I don't want us to be that way. So, if you really want to stop being friends, please, go ahead."

She stared at him, frowning.

"The thing is," he started again, as she didn't respond, "if you really did not have feelings for me at all, you should not have a problem with us being friends. But the way you're acting right now makes me think you like me. More than you ever admitted."

His tone was serious and he watched as her lips opened to protest, but no sound erupted.

"Probably more than you like Kay," he added quietly.

She blushed, crossing her arms in front of herself.

"You're wrong, Ahou!" she told him sternly, but he didn't drop the topic.
"Really, Kazuha, then tell me. Tell me you don't have feelings for me."

"I don't have feelings for you," she murmured in a small voice, making him frown.

"Really, Kazuha, and I mean it: Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't like me- at all," Heiji repeated, as her hands clenched and unclenched.

"Heiji, why do you even care?" she asked him angrily, finally looking at him, right into his face.

"Because," he whispered and a small smile appeared at his lips, "I have feelings for you. No brotherly feelings, no strictly friendly feelings."

For a moment, neither of them said anything and an uncomfortable silence fell over them, before Kazuha shook her head.

"You're just saying that because of Kay," she murmured, "you either think you like me or you just don't want to loose me or to loose to Kay, but those are not real feelings!" Her voice was firm, but Heiji could detect a small quiver in it.

"Damn it, Ahou!" he exploded, taking her hand in his, "first of all, don't tell me what I feel. I'm telling you this even though I never thought I would admit it and even though I'm scared out of my mind to loose you, cause let's face it: I am not sure I could stand seeing you with someone else everyday. So, yeah, Kay IS the reason I'm telling you now, but not because I merely imagine liking you, but because I've liked you for years."

Suddenly, Kazuha started sobbing, snatching her hand from his to wipe her eyes.

"This is so messed up!" she snivelled. "Why couldn't you say that half a year ago? I've spent so much time getting over my feelings for you, telling myself I was stupid to even consider liking you and now you decide to tell me?"

Gingerly, he laid his hands on her shoulders and took her in his arms, waiting for her crying to stop. After a while, she pushed herself away from him.

"I can't do this, Heiji. I can't just drop Kay, after all he did for me in the last month. I'm sorry, I just don't think this would work," Kazuha whispered, and Heiji's face fell.

She picked up a bag and started to walk again, and Heiji's mind raced. He had to make her change her mind.

"Alright," he burst out, making her turn around in surprise, "how about a trial then? I mean, Kay is obviously not here this weekend, so what about we try acting as a couple just for the weekend and then you can decide whether it could work or not!"

For a moment, Kazuha seemed to think about his words.

"You know Ran devised us being here so we would get together," he urged, "and she probably won't leave us alone anyways. So, why not use this weekend to see if we could be more than friends? Just try and see if I deserve you liking me."

She sighed, and just when he thought she would tell him 'No', she nodded slightly.

"Fine, I guess. But I won't do anything that might hurt Kay!" she told him. Heiji picked up the second bag and took the other one from her hands.

"That's fine with me," he told her and, for the first time in a long time, took her hand in his to walk next to each other. For a moment she stiffened next to him, but soon she relaxed as they went on.

They didn't say a word, both lost in thoughts, until they arrived at Ran's place.

Kazuha slipped her hand from his.

"Don't tell Ran about this," she told him, "if she sees something and suspects, fine, but I won't get her hopes up for nothing!"

With that, they went upstairs again.


"Isn't today Ran's birthday?" Ai asked suspiciously when she saw him on her doorstep. Conan shrugged his shoulders, waiting for her to make way for him to go in.

"I need the antidote," he told her, making her frown.

"Right now? Do you really think today is the day to decide this?"

Annoyed, he pushed past her, walking into the place Ai shared with Professor Agasa.

"I've been gloomy for days, Ai, and I can't handle it anymore. I'd rather know today whether I can be myself again, instead of moping around Ran's party, talking to people Shinichi has known for years but pretending not to know them. I'll either go as Kudo Shinichi or not at all!"

Closing the door behind herself, Ai walked past him towards the room she used as laboratory.

"Fine, just be sure you know what you are doing. If this antidote doesn't work on you, probably none ever will again. So, be prepared for whatever changes this day brings," she told him matter-of-factly, making him grin confidently.

"Believe me, I know what I'm doing."

Starting tonight I will be with Ran forever," he thought, following Ai into the room and closing the door behind them.


As Heiji and Kazuha walked into the apartment, the air was quite changed. Ran was humming happily, nearly dancing through the kitchen, her father was standing on the balcony, smoking, and chatting with Eri and Conan was nowhere to be seen.

Walking into the kitchen, Heiji deposited the bags on the table.

"Aren't you in a good mood?" he asked Ran, who smiled at him in return.

"It's my birthday, why wouldn't I be happy?" she chimed, hugging him softly before starting to unpack the groceries.

"I think I'll handle the rest of the decorations," Heiji whispered in Kazuha's ear and she was alarmingly aware of his warm hand on the small of her back as he leaned down to her. She just nodded and watched him go, feeling the blush that spread over her face, but Ran didn't seem to notice.

"You seem over the top happy, Ran-chan. Did something happen?" Kazuha wondered, making Ran beam at her.

"Shinichi called," the girl told her friend, "and he's coming tonight. I don't think this day could get any better! Come on, help me prepare the salad!"

Kazuha grinned and started cutting the cucumber.

You have no idea, she thought, her stomach doing a little flip as she thought about her arrangement with Heiji.


Author's Note:

Oh, well, it might seem a little bit OOC, but I wanted the story to make progress, so I decided for Heiji and Kazuha to try being a couple.

Some of you might not think Kazuha would react like this if Heiji actually told her he had feelings, but I'd like to think she has evolved in this story and that she genuinely liked Kay as well. So, the decision she has to make is not that easy to make.

Also, Heiji hasn't said he loves her (yet?) and so her reaction might have been different in that case.

I hope you liked it.

Hugs, Ria.