Sorry for the long break. I didn't have much time, even after getting into summer break because I have Japanese school...

Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW!!!

Note: Kazumi Sanada is the magician from episode 76 and 96


"Mom!" Kaito called into his house, school bag slung over his left shoulder, mail in his right hand, and kicking off his shoes as he walked in.

"Oh Kaito, you're back. Ai- chan is moving in today right, since you finished all of the papers and all? You'd better get over to Beika City to help her move." Kaoru said from the kitchen. She was careful to refer to Shiho as "Ai."

"Yeah, yeah. I know that already." Kaito tossed the mail on living room coffee table. As the four envelopes scattered across the table, the second one from the bottom caught his eye. Kaito set down his bag, and picked up the small envelope. Looking carefully at the sender's address, he called out, "Hey mom. Do you know who Kazumi Sanada is?"

"Don't you remember? He was your father's close friend. I remember you met him a couple of times." Kaoru said with a surprised voice, entering the living room while wiping her hands with a towel.

"OH! That person! I remember now. Back in third grade, he took me to a few magic shows when you and dad couldn't make it. I met him at a café by chance a little while ago too. Sanada- san was really nice. We talked for a while, and I caught him putting money in my pocket when I was trying to pay for my drink." He opened the envelope and carefully examined the paper. "Apparently we've been invited to his engagement party."

"Let me see," she said, taking the card from her son's hands. "By the way, I thought you said you were going to go to Beika already."

"Oh right." Kaito dashed up the stairs. A second later, he came rushing down, wearing a gray and white T-shirt and jeans. He put on (more like threw) a black jacket, and literally jumped into his shoes.

"Kaito!"

"What? I told Shiho that I'd be there immediately after school. I've got to hurry or she'll get angry at me."

"Your window," Kaoru said.

Kaito looked down, face reddening. "Oh!" He tugged at the zipper.

Kaoru turned around, shook her head and muttered, "You always do that when you're in a rush," and went back into the kitchen.


There was a loud thumping sound as Kaito ran into the brown cardboard box that just happened to be placed directly behind Agasa- hakase's front entrance. There was only one box, and the contents just barely filled it. Ai stepped out to gaze at the spectacle before her. Kaito, clutching his right shin, still kept his poker face. She reached out to the box and opened the flaps, while muttering, "Now that is exactly the reason why you don't go running into other people's homes."

"What the hell do you have in that thing? Bricks?" Kaito asked. He pulled up his pant leg, and inspected the small indent in directly in the middle of his shin.

"As a matter of fact, yes. You never know what you're going to need when it comes to survival in the wilderness." She smirked at him.

Kaito scoffed back at her. "I could very well say the same about you. I'll never forget those praying mantis eggs that you brought into one of my dad's magic shows. The inside temperature just so happened to be just the right temperature for them to come crawling out all over my jacket." He shook his head.

"Ai- kun. I see you're packed up. Well, there wasn't much for you to pack anyway," Agasa- hakase came out of the kitchen, eyeing the box.

"Wait a second. That is all your stuff, including all your lab equipment?" Kaito asked in bewilderment while pointing at the box on the floor.

"Well, only my clothes and books. I was planning on having you take my computer, which is in that box back in my room. As for my lab equipment, it's going to go to Hakuba- kun's house."

"Who?" He couldn't believe hat she had just told him.

"Hakuba- kun. He's letting me borrow his lab for my research. I thought you might be… uncomfortable with me doing all this medicinal stuff."

Upon hearing this, Kaito immediately switched his attention to Agasa- hakase. "So, this house will be pretty empty now won't it?"

"Yeah. Ai- kun does all the housekeeping for me, so it'll be pretty hard doing all that cleaning and cooking…"

"And don't forget the list of low calorie foods that I pinned on the kitchen wall. Make sure you follow that strictly. I also chose what you can get for a low price at the local supermarket. Even when you eat out, no exceptions," Ai told him.

Kaito gave a slight laugh while Agasa- hakase sighed. Kaito picked up the box. "Come on Shi- no, Ai." He stumbled over her name, trying to make sure he called her "Ai" instead of "Shiho" outside his own home. "Let's go."


"Kaito. Wait up," Aoko called out.

"Hurry up Aoko. Mom and those three are already waiting," Kaito said impatiently. He was wearing a black suit and tie, with matching pants, which were obviously little worn, by the look of the creases.

Aoko hurried down the hallway, but couldn't go very quickly because of her dress and high heel sandals. Seeing Kaoru Kuroba, Ai, Conan, and Ran, waiting at the double doors at the end of the corridor, she waved.

"Thanks for inviting us to come," Ran said as Kaito and Aoko, who just reached them.

"No problem. I know you've met Sanada- san before. But just wondering, where's the old man?"

Conan, with a look of exasperation, said, "Ojisan had a Yoko Okino concert to go to."

Kaito laughed in reply. Aoko turned to Ran. "Come on, we'd better sign in on the guest list."

Kaoru and Ai were already standing at the entrance table. Ran nodded, walked over, and picked up the sign pen.

"After you're done signing, let me see the list. I wanna know who's here." Kaito peered over her shoulder.

"Hey, Kaito- niichan," Conan tugged at his left sleeve. "Black really doesn't suit you, you know."

"Shut up ya little brat," Kaito said as he playfully ground his knuckles on Conan's head. Conan squealed in pain through gritted teeth.

"Agreed with Edogawa- kun." Ai grinned up at her older brother, arms crossed. She was wearing a light blue dress with a black, short sleeved jacket. "By the way, is it chilly here, or is it just me?"

"Well, I don't feel anything," Conan said.

"Here, Kuroba- kun. That's the sign-in list."

"Oh, thanks." Kaito took the large, leather covered folder from Ran. As he skimmed through he said, "You guys go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright," Aoko said. Kaoru, Ai, Ran, Conan, and her went into the party room through the doors.

"Okay." Kaito went back to looking through the list.

Sakurada, Kiriko

Sonei, Meimi

Itou, Kenichi

Haneoka, Koshimi

Mikawa, Yuji

The list continued on to two pages. Kaito muttered the names out loud. After half a minute, he reached the end of the record.

Uehara, Joshin

Iwada, Kairi

Kuriyama, Koume

Miwa, Rica

Shimada, Koji

Kuroba, Kaoru

Mouri, Ran

Kaito sighed, and put down the list. There was one particular name that he was slightly concerned about. I'm not sure whether it really will be her, but I guess I'm going to find out. If it really was, that would also explain what Shiho said a minute ago.

He casually walked into the huge party room. He immediately spotted his mother talking with Sanada- san in his white suit. He strolled over. "Hello Sanada- san," he greeted him, smiling.

"Thank you for coming today, Kaito- kun. And you even brought Aoko- chan, Ran- chan, and Conan- kun," Sanada- san said. "And I heard from your mother that you adopted a younger sister."

"Oh, that would be Ai. She's…" Kaito suddenly felt Ai clutch onto his right hand. He looked down to see his younger sister trembling. I guess it really is her, he thought to himself. Kaito squatted down and put his hands on her shoulders. "Uh, do you need to go use the bathroom? I'll take you there, since you probably don't know where it is. I'll be right back," he said to Kaoru and Sanada- san.

He quickly led his shivering sister out of the double doors, and headed left. Once inside the restrooms, he sat her on a toilet seat, and rubbed her shoulders. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Ai nodded. Through shaking lips, she quietly whispered, "They're here."

Just as I thought. Kaito put his jacket around her shaking shoulders. "It'll be all right. Do you want to go someplace else?"

Ai shook her head as she quietly said, "Don't tell Kudo- kun. He'll do something reckless."

"Alright. Are you sure you'd be fine right here?"

Ai nodded.

Kaito placed two small objects inside her jacket pocket. "That's a tracking device and a tranciever. But I'll come back here a couple of times to check up on you." He locked the stall door, and climbed over the top.

Kaito went back to the party room. He walked over to where Sanada- san and a young woman were standing. The lady had very long, black hair and was wearing a pale, frilly dress. Kaito walked up to the couple. "So, this must be the gorgeous Seira Iwada that Sanada-san told me he would have a date with last time we met."

"Oh Kaito-kun, your back. Where's the little girl?" Sanada-san asked.

"Ai's just… gone exploring the room."

Conan narrowed his eyes. To him, it didn't really sound like something Haibara would do on her own. She never liked investigating new places. He watched Kaito finish his conversation with Sanda-san and walk off to talk to other guests. He suddenly felt as though he were being watched. He quickly looked around to see a woman standing in the far corner. She wore a completely white dress, had dark amber eyes, and had matching color, shoulder length hair. Her gaze locked with Conan's for a moment, and then darted towards someplace else. He turned to see that the lady's stare was fixed on Kaito. Conan looked back at her, and saw the sadness in her soft, amber eyes. He cocked his head to one side, wondering who she was. He pondered over his question while heading over to get a drink from the food table.

Kaito was also standing at the food table. He had noticed the woman standing in the far corner, but pretended not to. Her gaze reassured him, and made him feel safe and protected. He was still unsure whether it really was the person he hoped it was. Kaito picked up a glass from the long table, put in exactly three pieces of ice, and filled it halfway, and put it back on the table, on top of a playing card. Kaito quickly walked away, pretending to look for someone.

He glanced back at the glass a few times. When he looked for the fourth time, he finally saw the lady walk over, pull out the card from underneath the glass, and place it face down on top. He smiled slightly. He still remembered the meaning of laying the card down like that: Wait until later.


After finally coaxing his sister out of the restrooms, Kaito headed home with the rest of his little group.

"So, Haibara. Can you please tell me where you were for the past few hours?" Conan asked, walking side by side with Haibara a little behind the small troupe.

"Oh Kudo-kun. Were you worried?" She smiled at him as she said playfully. Kaito wasn't the only one who could keep a perfect poker face.

Just then, Kaito suddenly said, "Damn. I think I forgot something."

"Hurry up and go back there. Better be quick," Kaoru said.

Kaito turned back and ran towards the hotel. After reaching the lobby, panting, he looked around. With his wide range of vision, Kaito caught a glimpse of the lady with brown hair standing inside the open elevator. He ran in just in time for the doors to close behind him.

"My, my. You still do such dangerous things don't you, Kaito-kun."

Without hesitation, Kaito hugged the lady.

She put her hands around his head, which was just about at the same height as her neck and sighed. "It's been quite a while hasn't it."

Kaito dug his face into her shoulder. Her hands felt warm, exactly the same after eight years. After a while, he finally choked through one sentence "Sharon-san… is it really true that… you're part of that organization that Aniki and Shiho talk about?"


Hello readers...

Yes "Sharon-san" does refer to Sharon Vineyard/Chris/Vermouth. I'm not going to say anything more than that...