One Truth, Countless Lies

by Tetra 26

Chapter 4: Goodbye Love

A/N: Lots of time-shifting in this one.

o0o0o0o

"I can't believe it, Conan-kun! You're really moving away?" asked Yoshida Ayumi. She had a look of both shock and sadness on her face, and there were unshed tears in her eyes.

Shinichi was all too aware that Ayumi had a crush on him, so he decided to tread carefully and let her, and the others, down gently.

"Yes, Ayumi-chan. My mother will be here in a few days to take me to our new home in America."

"Ooh, where are you going to live at in America?" Kojima Genta actually sounded excited instead of upset that Shinichi was going to move away. Shinichi suspected it was because he felt that with "Conan" out of the way, he'd have a chance with Ayumi.

"New York," he lied. There was no need for them to know the exact truth. He planned on moving to America with his parents and staying out of the public eye. He had to due to his parent's fame. It would be mighty suspicious if "Edogawa Conan" was seen living with and always being around Kudo Shinichi's parents – that would cause unnecessary snooping into his background and possible exposure of his fake identity.

His father, while still against his idea, gave in somewhat and made sure that his identity as "Edogawa Conan" was officially set. He contacted a friend of his who provided Shinichi with birth certificates, a Social Security number, and other official documentation. As far as American records were concerned, there really was an "Edogawa Conan".

"Will you write letters to us and call us?" asked Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko, softly. He had been soft spoken and melancholy since Haibara Ai "moved away" without warning, and was sad that she had not contacted him. None of the Detective Boys knew that Haibara Ai was, in actuality, dead. Shinichi felt bad for the little boy; he knew Mitsuhiko had liked Haibara very much.

"Ye...Yeah, of course!" Shinichi replied in a cheerful voice. He intentionally had not planned to do so, but thought that maybe he'd drop them a few letters and phone calls here and there before phasing out communication with them altogether. He felt like a tool for abandoning them after everything they had been through, but it was necessary.

Shinichi thought about what had led him to his secondary plan. When he had revealed his first plan to Heiji, the other boy had raised an excellent point. Continuing to live around Ran as "Edogawa Conan" really did kill him inside. Just being around her, after all hope for turning back had been lost, hurt him deeply. To be so close to the one you love without being able to show them that you love them was taking its toll on the young detective's body. Shinichi had trouble sleeping, he often forgot to eat, and cases didn't pique his interests like before.

He looked over at his friends. Ayumi's tears had started to leak out of her eyes, and she had a look on her face that Shinichi found pitiful. Genta was patting her on the back while giving her a concerned look. Mitsuhiko was looking at him and giving him a sad smile.

"I look forward to hearing from you, Conan-kun," Mitsuhiko said. Shinichi though he detected something mocking in the young boy's remark to him.

Shinichi wasn't surprised one bit that Mitsuhiko might have figured out he wasn't being quite truthful. Still, he gave one of his brightest smiles and replied. "Okay!"

Settling things with them had been surprisingly simple. He had expected Ayumi to tearfully beg him not to leave, and he had expected many more questions, but after Mitsuhiko's remark and his response, not much was said about the matter. They all just resolved to spend as much time together in the short time that he had left with them.

It was the least he could do before abandoning them altogether.

o0o0o0o

"So, have you packed most of your things at the Mouri household?" asked Hattori Heiji. He and Shinichi were at Shinichi's house, hanging out and packing a few things that Shinichi wanted to send to the States.

"What things, other than clothing for this body?" Shinichi replied as he tried to decide whether or not to pack the book he was flipping through. "I don't have anything there that's mine."

He sighed at the double meaning behind that sentence. He truly had nothing there. Especially not Ran. She had been sad when he broke the news that "Conan" was moving back with his parents. She had hugged him hard, and told him that she thought of him as a little brother and that she would miss him very much. She didn't cry, however. Ran didn't cry much anymore, anyhow.

He hated to abandon her so soon after his "death", but he thought it would be for the best. Heiji had been right when he said it would kill Shinichi inside to continue living with Ran. Just looking at her made him feel guilty and miserable for what he had done. One part of him kept saying that he was doing it for her feelings, yet another part was saying that he was running away because of his own. He knew it was both. He was distracted from his brooding by Heiji.

"Aw... look at Shin-chan when he was a baby! How cute..." Heiji said in a cooing, mocking voice.

"What..." Shinichi started as he looked in the other boy's direction. He saw that Heiji had his baby photo album out and was looking at it with a smirk on his face. "GIVE ME THAT!" Shinichi shouted. He tried to snatch the photo book out of Heiji's hands but the taller boy stood up and held it out of his way, laughing.

"Oooh, look at this picture of you naked and in the tub! I must have a copy for blackmailing purposes!" Heiji said, laughing as Shinichi jumped up and down, trying to get the book out of his hands and failing miserably.

Shinichi decided to play dirty and stomped down hard on Heiji's foot.

"Ow!" Heiji cried out, dropping the book.

Shinichi grabbed it off the ground and looked smugly at the other boy.

"You didn't have to stomp on my foot you little brat!"

"Who the hell are you calling a little brat, you idiot!"

"Who the hell are you calling an idiot, you moron!"

The two argued back and forward between each other for a few moments more before settling down again.

Heiji dropped into the chair nearest to him and rubbed his foot. "You didn't have to step down so hard, you know," he whined. "I wouldn't have really used the picture like that, I was just joking with you!"

"You're always playing pranks on me, how am I supposed to know you wouldn't have done so? That was for being so annoying, and it was also for laughing at my memorial service!" Shinichi fumed, remembering how Heiji had almost blown their cover by laughing.

"You're still mad about that? Kudo, I've already apologized countless times! Besides, no one knew that I was laughing..."

"I don't care, you almost ruined everything!"

"But I didn't ruin everything, did I?"

"But you almost did, and that's what counts," Shinichi said, crossing his arms and pouting. Heiji laughed at how indignant he looked.

"You really are a little kid," he said before he could stop himself. He widened his eyes in horror over his friend's pained expression. "Ku... Kudo! I'm sorry..."

Shinichi sighed, the look already fading from his face. "Don't be, Heiji. I know you didn't mean any harm."

"Still... I'm sorry. I guess I do get carried away sometimes..."

Shinichi raised his eyebrow. "Sometimes?"

"Shut up, Kudo," Heiji said, with a smile.

The two boys silently went back to sorting through the things, lost in their own thoughts. After a few more minutes of working, Heiji spoke up again.

"Kudo, are we still going to keep in touch with each other after this?" the other boy asked, softly.

Shinichi snapped his head up from the box he was taping and looked at his friend. Heiji had stopped working and was looking down at the floor, a pensive look on his face.

Shinichi was startled at the look on the bigger boy's face. "Of course we will, Hattori. Did you think otherwise?"

"Well... yes. I mean, you plan on phasing out contact between you, Ran and those kids, I thought you'd be doing the same to me..."

"No. Not to you," Shinichi replied, firmly. Heiji was one of the few people that knew everything; he was one of the few people he could talk to honestly. Shinichi had no intentions of losing touch with Heiji.

"Are you sure, Kudo?" the other boy asked in a quiet voice.

Shinichi walked over to Heiji and stood in front of the other boy, who had dropped down into the chair again.

"Hattori, you are one of the few people that know the truth about me. You are one of the few people that I can trust to keep my secret," he said, relaying what he had thought seconds before. He looked Heiji directly in the eyes. "Hattori, you are my best friend."

Heiji's eyes widened in shock. Shinichi had never said anything like that to him. Even though they bantered between each other, had been through a lot with each other, and shared secrets with each other, Shinichi had never directed anything deeper towards him other than begrudging respect. To be called Shinichi's best friend meant a lot to Heiji, and he couldn't stop himself from pulling the other boy into a bear hug.

"HA... HATTORI! LET ME GO!" the other boy hollered out furiously as Heiji's arms went around him. Heiji laughed and stood up, the kicking-and-screaming boy still in his arms.

"You are my best friend too, Kudo!" he said. He squeezed one more time before putting the annoyed boy back on the ground, and smiled down at him.

Shinichi blushed due to Heiji's openly-displayed affection. "Come, let's quit playing around and finish up here," he said to his best friend.

o0o0o0o

"Shinichi, I'll make you a few extras of your gadgets and send them to the States," Dr. Agasa told his young friend.

"It's probably not necessary to do so, Dr. Agasa," Shinichi said with a sigh. "The American police aren't quite as accepting of help from younger people as the Japanese police, so I sincerely doubt I'll even be able to use them. Besides, I need to keep a low profile, and solving cases at such a young age is not the way to do so in America."

"Shinichi, it's unlike you to stop solving cases," the doctor said as he sat down on the opposite couch that the young boy was sitting on.

"I know, Dr. Agasa, I know... but lately I haven't had the motivation to solve cases or do anything else. That last bout with the Black Org. took a lot out of me," he said, his face scowling up at the memories.

So many people had been injured or killed in the final showdown. So many traitors had been revealed. So many lives altered forever. He shook himself out of reflecting on it before he got depressed about it all over again.

The older man spoke up. "Shinichi, no matter what happens, never forget your dreams. Don't let the past determine your future. The Black Org. took a lot from you, but they have been crushed. Don't let them continue to trump you from the grave. Don't give up hope. Don't forget yourself."

Shinichi was touched by the doctor's words. Very rarely did Dr. Agasa say something so serious, so very clairvoyant. Shinichi appreciated the man even more than he already did due to his words. Dr. Agasa had been there for him for so long. Often, when his parents were away, they'd leave him with the doctor for however long they were gone.

The doctor had become like another father to Shinichi. Dr. Agasa had never treated him like a normal child as most adults did, he had always recognized Shinichi's inner brilliance and urged him to strive harder.

"I'll try not to forget myself, Dr. Agasa," he said. He would try, he didn't know if he'd succeed, but he wouldn't give up everything. Even if he had to put his dreams of being a detective on hold for another decade, he'd never give up hope. Not when there were people left to cheer him on and motivate him.

The doctor smiled at Shinichi. "I'm glad to hear that, kid."

They both got up off of the couches. Dr. Agasa followed Shinichi to the front door to see him out.

"I wish I could see you off when you leave, but I'll still be in Yokohama for my conference," the older man stated.

"That's okay, I know you're busy," Shinichi replied.

"In case I don't see you before you leave, I guess this is goodbye for us for awhile."

"Yes, I guess so."

"You know how to contact me, so make sure you do so."

"I will," Shinichi said, truthfully.

o0o0o0o

"Conan-kun, your mother is here," Ran called out to the boy. She smiled slightly at his mother. "It's hard to believe he's really leaving, I've become so attached to him."

"He's attached to you too, dear," said the stout woman, known to Ran as Edogawa Fumiyo. She was really Kudo Yukiko, the mother of Shinichi. However, in order to pick Shinichi up, she dressed as Conan's "mother" like she had done before.

"Last time, he really didn't want to leave, but I miss him so much and since we're moving, it's time for him to come home," she said to Ran.

"I know... even though I'm going to miss him, I know that he can't stay here forever," Ran said, sadness tinging her words.

Shinichi, who had been listening in on the exchange, chose to let his presence be known.

"I'm all ready," he said.

Ran turned and smiled at him. She walked over to him and bent down until she was at his eye level.

"Conan-kun, I'm going to miss you very much. Don't forget to write and call me sometimes, okay?"

Shinichi planned on doing the same with Ran as he had planned on doing to the Detective Boys. He would call and write her a few times, then slowly phase out any contact at all. It was simply easier this way, at least for him.

"Of course I will," he said. She hugged him, and patted him on the back.

"I'll see you both out," Ran said.

o0o0o0o

After taking the suit cases down the stairs and putting them in the trunk of the taxicab, Shinichi said his final goodbyes to Ran, who was standing outside to watch them go off. He was about to get into the back of the cab with his mother until he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Conan-kun! Conan-kun! Wait!" Ayumi shouted out to him.

Shinichi turned around, and saw her as well as Genta and Mitsuhiko running in his direction. He hadn't expected them to come; each of them had expressed that it would be hard to see him go. However, there they were.

"We caught you just in time!" Ayumi said.

"I didn't think you guys would be coming," he said. "What made you change your minds?"

"We brought something for you," Genta said. He shoved a crudely-wrapped present in his hands.

Shinichi was curious as to what it was, and was about to open it until Ayumi spoke up.

"Don't open it now! Wait until you get to your new home, okay?" she pleaded.

"Fine, fine," he said to appease her. He knew he'd open it once he got in the car.

"And don't open it in the car, either," Mitsuhiko said, slyly.

"Oh... okay," Shinichi said. He was both annoyed and amused at how well Mitsuhiko read his thoughts.

Of all of the Detective Boys, Shinichi thought Mitsuhiko had the most potential to be a true detective when he got older. Shinichi was proud that the younger boy had taken note of how he worked and applied those skills himself. He was distracted from his thoughts by the taxi's horn.

"Conan-kun, you had better go on," Ran spoke up. She gave him a sad smile, which made his chest tighten.

"Yes, I should," he said softly.

"Conan-kun, I love you!" Ayumi blurted out as she rushed towards him and wrapped him in a hug, which caused him to drop the gift. "I'll never forget you, ever!" she said in a teary voice.

Ran and Mitsuhiko looked amused at what they saw, but Genta frowned. He probably would have throttled Conan right then and there if Ran hadn't spoken up.

"Who knows, maybe you two will meet up again in the future and end up married," she said.

Shinichi was pretty sure his face was bright red, not just from Ayumi hugging him and declaring her love, but because of Ran's remark as well.

"Maybe we will!" Ayumi exclaimed, happily. She let Conan go, and picked up the gift. "Here, Conan. Don't forget to write and call!"

He felt like an absolute heel, but nodded his head as he took the gift. "I won't."

He walked over to the taxicab and opened the door. He turned back towards them one final time.

"Goodbye," he said.

"Goodbye!" the Detective Boys chimed together as they waved.

"Bye, Conan-kun! I wish you well," Ran said.

He got in the cab and shut the door. He looked out at the four of them. Ran was still smiling at him. Genta and Mitsuhiko were waving at him. Ayumi was looking at him, heartbreak displayed on her youthful face.

He waved one last time as the cab pulled off, and willed himself not to look back at those he was leaving behind.

o0o0o0o

"Well, Shin-chan, this is it," his mother said. "When we get on that plane, and era ends and a new one begins."

"Please, mother. Don't use such clichéd words," he groaned out.

"Fine," she said. "I can see you are in a bad mood. I'll just leave you alone until it's time to go," she said. She got up, and went downstairs towards the airport café.

He sighed. He didn't mean to run her off, and hoped that she didn't feel like he did. He appreciated how she had went above and beyond to make his harebrained scheme work. If they ever get caught, he knew his mother would be in some serious trouble. Yet, she had done it anyhow, just because it was for him. He reminded himself to express his appreciation for his mother out loud to her.

He looked down at the object that had put him in a bad mood, and sighed again. Shinichi thought about how touched he was when he had opened the present in the car and found the scrapbook. The Detective Boys had taken the time to print up and cut out articles of some of the cases they had solved together. They had also included various pictures they had taken together, and even had written up a short "Bio" for each of them, including the missing Haibara Ai. The gesture was sweet, but it also served to remind him of how it wasn't just Ran he was abandoning.

Those kids, which he had found beyond annoying when he first met them, had become more important to him than he realized. Even though he didn't like clichéd sayings, he realized that he truly didn't know what he had until it was gone.

He thought about the first case they had went on together, how they had been so close to being killed. He recalled all the times when he had "forgotten himself" and enjoyed playing with them with childlike abandon. He remembered the first time he thought that he would like to keep them in his life somehow when he turned back. He lost himself in more memories of the Detective Boys, cases, and various hijinks they had partaken in.

"Shin-chan, it's time," his mother said to him, softly.

He snapped himself out of his thoughts, and nodded at her. He couldn't bring himself to say anything at that moment.

She took his small hand as he got up, and led him away to board the plane. Each footstep he took towards his new life seemed to feel heavier, and his small shoulders seemed to be weighed down with an invisible mass. Even though all the plans had fallen into place almost perfectly, carrying them out had been harder than he initially thought.

He stepped on the stairs leading into the plane. Halfway up, he paused and glanced backwards. A part of him wanted to run back down the stairs, catch a cab back to Ran's, and tell her the entire truth. His mother placed her hand on his shoulder and nudged him forward. He turned back around with a sigh, and continued up the stairs.

Once he had settled down in his seat on the plane, he looked out the window. He didn't know how long it would be before he set eyes on Japan again, if ever. His emotions were still jumbled up about the entire thing. He felt like a coward for leaving, but he knew that he couldn't survive staying. Shinichi realized that even he couldn't be strong all the time, and the heartbreak and sleeplessness was tearing him apart.

As the plane took off, he looked out and down across the country that he was abandoning for another. In his mind, he said more goodbyes to his home, his friends, his dreams, and to his love.

o0o0o0o

Author's notes: Well, that's it for this chapter. Due to spring break and my need to get a few KKM oneshots off my chest, it's later than I would have liked it to be. It was also harder to write this chapter than I thought even though I laid the plans for it a while ago. I ended up changing things and cutting out some stuff as well. The biggest example of this is that I initially had Heiji surprise Shinichi at the airport to see him off, but I scrapped it after it was fully written out cause I thought the scene with them in the beginning of this chapter was enough. To be honest, I don't like how I ended this, but it was the best I could come up with after thinking so hard about it. As Boyz II Men sang, "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye".

Speaking of songs, the title of this chapter comes from the Guy song "Goodbye Love". If you like smooth R&B from the late 80's, you might want to check it out. Aaron Hall is on vocals. The song lyrics kind of fit this chapter, but this isn't a songfic since I had named it this after I had written the bulk of the chapter.

Important note: While I do write slash, this fic will stay het.

Next Chapter: Nine years have past – what has become of Shinichi?