Sorry this took so long. But the story is finished and I'll upload as soon as you nice people tell me to (especially since this chapter is not as long as the ones before but the next will be...sigh...so cute. Believe me, it's worth it). Take care you all and enjoy this. Happy holidays. Love ya.

Chapter twelve – Turtles, apes and a sweet little family

The next day, our four heroes took the bus that took them to the zoo. It was really nice, Ran and Shinichi had to admit. Right when you entered, there was a huge outdoor cage with mules. One had long brown hair and was standing really closely. Ran and Kazuha immediately approached, thinking it was sooo cute!

'It must be a male mule!' Shinichi thought grumpily. 'He only lets women stroke him!'

And it was true! As soon as Shinichi and Heiji approached, he started grumbling and moved away. The girls giggled and went back to stroking him. It was too much for the guys.

"We're going on ahead!" Heiji announced, Shinichi by his side. The girls followed soon after, chuckling, taking their spots on the side of their men. Although both enjoyed this little act immensely, neither said something, only held the hand of the girl back and smirked.

The came to a little pond with a little bridge that lead over it and a small island in the middle that was crowed with beautiful, white pelicans. The two couples walked on the bridge, meaning to pass it as Ran suddenly stopped and pointed at the water.

"Kazuha-chan, look there!"

Kazuha leaned a little forward and looked in the direction Ran was pointing. She immediately "aaww"-ed. There were turtles in the water. But they were not normal turtles, but-

"Love-turtles!" Ran squiecked.

"Yes!" Kazuha joined her.

Two of the turtles were swimming together. But not simply together! The smaller one was constantly swimming backwards and in front of the other, staying always in eye contact no matter how the bigger one turned his head and every here and there shoot the little head forward to kiss the other. It seemed like the larger one did not really want for the little one to bother him like this but he simply swam on, not swimming away.

"Look, he's playing hard to get!" Ran giggled.

"Yeah but she won't give up!" Kazuha joined her.

"That's sooo cute!" both screamed and observed how the turtles swam around slowly.

Soon the guys got bored and it was a hard piece to convince the girls to move on.

Ran wanted to see the dolphin-show while Kazuha wanted to see the bears. So the couples split up, guys had no say, meaning to meet later at an appointed spot.

Heiji and Kazuha walked around the Zoo, in search for the bears. Both were happy and content with the world, holding hands and chatting a little with each other.

It was no real surprise for Kazuha when she saw her aunt Yumi with her little son in the zoo, since she had mentioned it yesterday. The little pumpkin, Shuji, was not even five years old, had dark hair like his father but the beautiful blue eyes from his mother. He looked like a little heartbreaker, totally cute and cuddly.

"Hello aunty! Where is uncle?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about! Great that I see you, you see… Oh, what a lovely picture! Look at you two!" she was thrilled to see them like this. Kazuha had forgotten that they were still holding hands. "Don't tell me you two are..- you are…!"

Heiji and Kazuha blushed and after a while nodded simply. This thrilled aunt Yumi even more. "Oh, that's so sweet! Finally! Uncle and I were wondering when it would dawn to you two! Even back then you've been absolutely adorable and inseperatable."

Kazuha blushed deeper and took the hint to change the subject. "Yes, so what about uncle anyway?"

"He was late so I called him, because he had to work in the morning, and he told me he has a problem… that man! He forgot to fuel the car and is now lost on the way here. I should pick him up. That's why it's perfect that I met you two. Could you please take care of Shuji for me? Only for a few minutes."

"That's no problem!" Kazuha answered politely and smiled.

"Thank you so much! I'll be back in a few minutes!"

"No problem!" Kazuha looked after her aunt as she walked away. She let go of Heiji's hand and knelt down to the boy.

"Hello Shuji, do you remember me? I am your distant cousin!" she introduced herself and Heiji to the little boy who looked a little strangely at her, as if he didn't know exactly what to say and if to trust her. "Really, I am! Tell me, what do you want to do while we wait for your mommy?" she asked him. He thought for a moment about it before answering.

"I wanna go and look at the monkey!"

"The monkey?" Kazuha stood up and looked around.

"The ape-house is over there!" Heiji pointed behind her.

"Right. Come, let's go! Do you want some ice-cream afterwards?"

"YES!!" the little boy beamed magically at the word "ice-cream", melting immediately.

"Great." Kazuha took the little hand of the boy before she noticed that he was already holding Heiji with his other. She smiled at the confused detective who was still looking a little surprised down at the boy. He seemed to beam, happy about the prospect of ice-cream.

A few minutes later, they were already inside the ape-house, the little Shuji happily looking around. Kazuha found the little monkey with the long black and white tail to be so cute, while Heiji commented they resembled a skunk. She pinched his side and was delighted by the startled sound he gave.

"Serves you right!" she giggled.

Heiji only glared at her but that only made him look the more adorable and Kazuha, still giggling, pressed a little kiss on his cheek, enjoying his bewildered expression even more. They walked further around the house, looking at the cages, the little boy with great delight, until they saw two girls. They were standing in front of a cage, holding hands and looking at the apes, laughing and giggling together. They made a funny but also cute picture since one was a head smaller than the other, had dark, curly hair while her friend had blonde hair but both were cute.

The two friends walked on and Kazuha, with her "men", approached the cage they have been giggling about and then suddenly saw exactly what had been that funny.

"Kazuha-neechan? What are…what are those two doing?" little Shuji looked strangely at the two apes who were momentarily…engaged with themselves, pointing with a finger at them.

"Uhm…" Kazuha blushed dark red, not knowing what to do. Would it scare the little boy if she just covered his eyes and dragged him out of here? She looked at Heiji for help but…

"Yes, I would like to know that too, Kazuha-neechan?" he grinned devilishly, emphasizing the neechan in a cruel ferocity, tilting his head to the right while looking amused at the apes. Kazuha could only stare open mouthed at him, not believing him, her blush a tad darker.

She had had enough! She took Shuji by the hand and pulled Heiji on his ear, leading both guys away from this cage.

"I am sorry, but neither of you are mature enough for this. I'll tell you once you are grown up."

Shuji seemed to know better than to ask her about the why while Heiji only grinned, enjoying this. He even enjoyed the death glare he received from Kazuha.

She made sure to quickly walk through the ape-house and as the question of why they were hurrying came from the little one, she only answered that the ice-cream might melt. Shocked, Shuji understood immediately the urgency and a few minutes later they successfully approached the exit. And a few more minutes later, Shuji was happily lapping on his ice-cream.

"Is it good?"

"Oh yes!!" he beamed at Kazuha, a delicious chocolate crown decorating his mouth. Heiji and Kazuha had to giggle and she bent down on one knee.

"Stand still sweetheart, you're a little dirty!" she took a handkerchief and started cleaning his mouth and Heiji secretly admired how well she could treat children, stepping closer to her to see if he could help.

Suddenly a couple in their mid-twenties walked by, smiling at the scene.

"Just look what a lovely young family! They seem so happy!" the woman told her husband.

"Oh yes!" he agreed.

"Don't you think it's time we start thinking about children as well?"

"Hm… perhaps…"

Kazuha and Heiji couldn't hear how the conversation went on for the couple was already to far away but they had heard enough to blush a lovely shade of red. They shared a quick gaze but quickly looked away again, their faces a tad darker.

'How could they mistake us for a real family?' Kazuha wondered but continued her work mutely, trying to act as if nothing at all had happened.

"See, now you're clean again!" she smiled at her little cousin and he smiled back.

"Thaaaanksss!" he beamed at her gratefully and went back to eat. Three seconds later he had already his whole face covered in chocolate again.

"My, look Azuki-chan, what an adorable picture!"

"You mean the little family here? Oh yes, very sweet, indeed!" two old women had stopped to sit down on the bench next to Kazuha and Heiji, both now red faced, and were looking at them, smiling.

"Are you eating ice-cream, little sunshine?" the granny with the black clothes asked Shuji sweetly.

"Yessss!!"

"It must taste really good since you are eating it with so much devotion!" the other granny interfered, smiling as well.

"It does!" he beamed at the two.

"Look, you are covered in chocolate all over. Why don't you go and let your mommy or your daddy clean your face?" the granny pointed at Heiji and Kazuha.

They blushed like mad and started shaking their heads in an attempt to defend themselves but nobody paid them any attention. Not even Shuji. "What? I'm dirty again?"

"B-but we are not his-" both said simultaneously, falling immediately silent as they noticed.

The grand-mothers only laughed and one handled Kazuha a handkerchief. She slowly took it and looked down at Shuji who was smiling and showing her his dirty face as an invitation to clean it for him. Face hot, the young girl did as she was expected and cleaned the little boy.

"Done!" she tried a little smile through her embarrassment.

"Thank you!" he sang and kissed her cheek. The grannies in the background "aaww"-ed in unison.

Heiji took the dirty handkerchief from Kazuha and went to throw it in the duskbin. Again, but this time only the look the old ladies gave the little "family," said "aawww!"

As their husbands arrived, which was only three minutes later, they said goodbye. Heiji and Kazuha didn't dare look at each other. They had tried to explain that Shuji was not really their kid but it had turned out… rather difficult. Hey, have you ever tried to explain something to old people? Try and teach a cat to fetch your slippers; it has the same effect, really.

Shuji was almost done with his ice-cream, obviously the only who was relaxed in their small group.

"Oh, look at the sweet little family!" somebody behind them said. Heiji and Kazuha groaned and turned around in unison: "We are not!"

They were looking into two familiar, smiling faces.

"My, why so aggressive?" Shinichi teased.

"Yes. We really thought you were a sweet little family. We had no idea who it was." Ran supported Shinichi. The two walked to them.

"I never though you were THIS fast, Hattori!" Shinichi nudged Heiji in the ribs with his elbow, grinning all too devilishly at him.

"Oh shut up!" he blushed and tried to smack Shinichi on the head but didn't succeed; the other detective had ducked first.

"Is that your cousin you told me about?"

"Yes, this is the son of my aunt and uncle, Shuji!"

"He is so cute!" Ran exclaimed and kneeled down to greet the boy.

"True…" Shinichi agreed, standing behind Ran. He turned his head to look at Heiji. "So it can't be HIS, after all!"

Heiji was about to retort, or simply jump at Shinichi's neck and strangle him, it wasn't clear at that point, as Kazuha's aunt returned with her husband on her hand.

"Aunty!"

"Hello you all! Sorry it took so long! Has he been a good boy, Kazuha-chan?"

"Oh yes, he has been great!"

"I am so glad!" she quickly hugged her son. "Oh, don't tell me, YOU two are together as well??" she had just now noticed Ran and Shinichi who were standing closely.

They only smiled and nodded. This delighted aunty Yumi.

"That's… soo lovely! So many pairs are out here today!" she smiled at her husband who returned the smile.

"True, even the apes like to go as pairs!" Heiji just HAD to say, earning him a few confused and an angry gaze.

They chatted on cheerfully until little Shuji started complaining and whining. He took his parents and they went to look at the elephants. The remaining two couples noticed that it was about to get dark and since Ran wanted to look at the wolves and Kazuha at the fishes, and the guys had no say in this as usual, they separated with the promise to meet in one hour at the exit.

"Oh, look at this miniature shark!" Kazuha beamed as she pulled at Heiji's hand.

"Stunning!" he faked great interest while sleeping in the inside. Actually he was not sleeping but rather working hard to gather his courage for his next stunt that he had planned.

"Uhm… K-Kazuha… can I ask you s-something?" Heiji blushed and looked down at his hands, feeling like a teenager on his first date. He couldn't believe he was so nervous about this. It was a simple question after all!!

'Yeah, simple question NOW but you know exactly what-'

'Oh, Shut-Up!' his mind debated with himself.

Kazuha had red cheeks herself as she looked at him. Something in his voice had suddenly turned her very shy. "Sure!" she tried to stable her voice and was not sure if she had succeeded because to her it had sounded very instable.

"Do you.. I mean… I-if.. IF you don't have any p-plans for tonight… w-would you like to..go.. o-out with m-me?" Whoa, that must have been the most difficult sentence he had EVER said!

Kazuha smiled sweetly at him, finding his red cheeks unbelievable cute. He was so nervous about this. Not that she could not understand him… her hand came up to cover her racing heart, trying to soothe it.

"I would love to." She smiled. Heiji's face imitated her bright smile, relieved and happy.

"Great! I was thinking… since the Inn is kinda high up that we… eat there and then maybe go for a walk? You know how beautiful the forest is, especially around that enchanting lake underneath the waterfalls?" Kazuha was debating with herself, trying to find out if this had been a statement or a question for he was looking strangely at her. He probably was unsure himself. 'So sweet..'

"That sounds nice."

"A-and around eight? Is that okay for you?"

"Yes."

"Great!" he exhaled a deeper breath and smiled to himself a little, and Kazuha simply couldn't help finding him adorable. She enjoyed his slight blush as she took his hand again.

"Let's keep going!" she beamed at him happily.

"Anything!" he replied without thinking, letting him be dragged after her. He would follow her everywhere.

"What did you say?"

"I said 'amazing'!" he smiled at her innocently, silently melting at the look that she gave him.

I wonder what Heiji has in mind...don't you?