Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not mine. The series belongs to its creator, Gosho Aoyama, and I'm just borrowing the characters and scenery to create these short tales.

Premise: Ai and Conan are still kids. The scene occurs late at night or early the next day.

Drabble 15: Thief

-o-o-o-o-o-

Hindsight was 20/20. And now he wished he hadn't gone.

Of course she would know about it. It was always a well-publicized event. And several of his diminutive classmates always got together and discussed it in childish ways the next day. Unfortunately, it hadn't occurred to him that their discussions - about why the police should leave the thief alone – had been stimulated by the TV; he was always there at the scene in question, why would he need to see it on TV?

When the newest note appeared in the newspaper that morning, he had solved it with his usual vigor. And then he waited.

When it came time, a simple story about how he was staying the night at the professor's house allowed him to sneak away from the Mouri home.

He hadn't even realized she was following him until he turned around when he heard footsteps. 'Did she think he was following a lead on their enemy?' was the first thought that came to mind.

Instead of trying to lose her, he beckoned her over to walk with him; this had nothing to do with the BO and it would be fun for once. She calmly caught up, acting as if it was a chance event that brought the two of them together at this time of night. The rest of the journey to the mansion was completed in silence.

Soon it was time for them to separate, and Conan left to find the mysterious thief.

They rejoined an hour later. The thief had managed to escape again, but at least the angel's tear was back in its case.

As they were leaving, he caught sight of the elegant rose proudly displayed in her hand. And that was when he realized that she had not made a mistake.

And it bothered him.

Even though he knew that Haibara had a penchant for rooting for the underdog, this time she was cheering on Kaitou Kid.

It really bothered him.

-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N:

Acknowledgements

Story Idea from:
Strings of Fate
by Hikari-chan