--------------Chapter 18: Wonder and Ice Cream--------------

Kazuha lowered her hand into the water. She was speechless. Why was he so straightforward toward her? She had no idea. Instead, she got up, tying the knot on her towel even tighter and followed him. She grabbed him as he entered the sauna. "Y-You're right," she said, clearing her throat and looking away. "I can't forget that.." she quietly said, trying to keep her focus on the ground.

Heiji stopped and turned. He looked at her, all soaked and quiet. "Th-Then..." He tried to keep himself composed, "Y-You don't mind?.."

It took a second or two to register what Heiji was asking her, she continued to look at the ground. She then slowly shook her head, continuing to blush.

Around the corner, Conan and Ran followed. He poked his head around, trying to keep an eye on the two.

Heiji let out a smile that he couldn't hold back. "That's.. That's great." He stood still for a moment, not knowing what should happen next. He watched her, her eyes glued to the ground. "Y-You know I'm up here..." he reached out a hand and picked her chin up, towards him, "...right?" He looked into her eyes softly.

Kazuha cleared her throat. Looking back up, she felt his aqua eyes fill her own. Her eyes began to close, slowly. Still with them slightly open, she continued to blush. Ran smiled softly. She grabbed Conan's hand, turning them both around and walked in the opposite direction. "Let's leave them alone.." she said, looking down at the boy.

Conan blinked at Ran, "Who's the one who wanted to watch in the first place?" But he quickly shook it off, allowing a small smile to grow on his face. "That Hattori..." He closed his eyes and made a small laugh to himself. He then turned and looked up at Ran.

Entering another room, Ran sat down in a sauna. She closed her eyes and began to relax. "What a night, huh Conan?" she asked, giggling slightly.

"Yeah, definitely," said Conan, realizing that the sun had, indeed, already set. He leaned back against the steam room's wall, his hands behind his head.

"M-Maybe we should go find Ran-chan?" Kazuha asked Heiji, still in a daze with his eyes.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, haha," answered Heiji, suddenly remembering that they were actually here with other people. "Then, let's umm. Let's go look for them," he started off alongside her.

Kazuha giggled, pulling him back. "Maybe we don't have to go find her so quickly. . ." she said, smiling. She closed the sauna door behind them, getting on her tippy toes, she reached for his cheek, lightly pecking it with her puckered lips. "Mmm. Okay! Now we can go," she announced, giggling.

Heiji smiled, almost disbelieving what she did. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, giving her a good squeeze before letting up. He kept his smile as he looked down to her, stepping out of the room and down the walkway.

Kazuha blushed, putting her knuckles up to her mouth and looking away. She looked up, spotting Ran and Conan. "O-Oi Ran-chan.." she said, trying to get her attention.

Ran sat up. She opened her eyes, looking at Kazuha and Heiji and how couple-like they looked. She blinked. Tilting her head, she got up with a grin. "Shall we head home? Mrs. Hattori...?" Kazuha twitched, pulling Ran's cheeks as she pulled her out of the room and down the hallway, "Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow."

Heiji laughed, watching the two walk away. He didn't care how she reacted at the moment, he was too elated simply by the day's events. Conan watched the girls walk away, before giving Heiji a friendly punch in the arm. "Haha, way to go. You got yourself a good spaz."

Heiji raised an eyebrow, putting his hand onto Conan's head, "Oh yeah that's right! Isn't there a first grader with a crush on you?" He continued to smile.

Conan pushed Heiji's hand off of him, "Touché..."

Continuing to squeeze her cheeks, she dragged her along the hallway. Ran pulled away. "Aah.." she quietly said, looking down at her cheeks. Ran nudged Kazuha in the arm gently. "So how did it go...?" she asked, then quickly hiding behind a wall from having Kazuha pinch her cheeks again.

Kazuha looked away, "I'unno.." She shrugged.

Ran slowly walked up behind her, "You're lucky, Kazuha."

Kazuha looked up, then turned around to her. "Lucky?" she asked, tilting her head.

Ran nodded looking at the ground, "You get to admit your feelings towards someone you really care for."

"Well, in all seriousness, congrats," Conan remarked, hopping of the bench. "It's getting really late now, we should be heading back." Conan stepped out the door and looked at the sky.

"Kudou?" asked Heiji, walking up behind him. Conan turned around.

"Hmm?"

"I think you should be on the lookout. You may have just 'disappeared' this morning, but you know now Ran might try to contact you."

Conan sighed. "Yeah I know... But... I can't tell her anything. Not until I see her in person." He started off, towards the lockers where they kept their stuff.

Stepping out, Kazuha threw her gym bag over her shoulder. "You ready?" she asked Ran, who was still packing up behind her.

"Eh, hold on. My pony tail is bugging me," she pulled out the rubber band, letting her hair fall down against her back. This time her hair was in a curly/wavey stage from the water. Ran grabbed her bag, rushing over to Kazuha, "Ready."

As the boys finished dressing and got their stuff together, they walked out the door to meet with the girls. Conan stared up at Ran, noting her hairstyle. "Your hair is really pretty tonight, Ran-neechan!" he told her.

Ran giggled. "Why, thank you Conan." She put her hand against his back gently, walking with him. "Would you like to have a midnight dessert when we get home?" she asked, looking down at him.

Meanwhile, Heiji stepped up to Kazuha. "No, allow me," he said, taking her bag and insisting on carrying it.

Kazuha was speechless. "You're taking my bag?" she sounded, almost asking herself.

"Sure, Ran-neechan!" answered Conan.

Heiji laughed a little, "Yeah, is it a crime to do something nice?" He smiled at her as they walked.

Kazuha put her hands behind her back, looking away. "I guess not. It's just different for you Heiji," she said, rolling her eyes up to him.

Heiji looked forward again, "Well.. Sometimes change is good."

Kazuha rose a brow, then grew a smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

When walking up the steps of the house, Kazuha entered with Ran. Expecting to see Kogoro sleeping, instead they find him glued to the television- Nothing surprising. Ran threw her bag on the couch, then fell on top of it. "HoOoOome," she announced.

Kogoro looked down at her. "Shhh! It's not like I can't see that, Yoko's on!" he whispered loudly.

Ran shot him a look, "Why're you whispering?" He ignored her.

Kazuha took her bag, "I can take it from here." She smiled at Heiji, then walked back to Ran's room and closed the door. She found herself staring out the window once again, but this time it wasn't snowing. Kazuha thought about today, how different things will be from now on. "Will it be a good thing?" she thought. She hoped so. Minutes later she fell asleep in a sitting/cuddling position against the window.

Heiji walked on to Kogoro's room and put his own bag back down. He collapsed into his pile of blankets. "Man, what a day," he said, with a happier tone that he would have normally used for that phrase. He turned over to his side and quickly fell asleep as well.

Back in the living room, Conan put his bag down by the wall. He then approached Ran over on the couch. "So what will we be having for dessert, Ran-neechan?" He normally wouldn't care, but he found himself incredibly hungry. Something sweet would definitely hit the spot.

Ran sat up, "Oh, that's right!" She got up and walked into the kitchen, opening up the freezer. "Hm, how about vanilla ice cream, with chocolate syrup?" she asked brightly.

Conan followed her into the kitchen. He nodded, "Mmhmm!" before taking a seat at the table and waiting.

Scooping up the ice cream for two, she put the balls of ice cream into blue little bowls. She sat down next to him, placing the chocolate syrup beside him, "Here you are!" Eating a spoonful of icecream, she smiled, "Good?"

Conan drizzled the chocolate syrup over his bowl, then took a spoon and tried some. "Yeah! It's really good!" He smiled up at her, kicking his little legs cheerfully. He continued to eat, until he was almost done and feeling tired.

Once her bowl was cleaned off, she had noticed Conan was getting drowsy. "How about bed..?" she asked, grabbing his bowl and piling it up on top of hers.

"All right, Ran-neechan," he said, woozily. "Weird, I shouldn't be so tired so quickly. I wonder if this could be a side effect of the new drug.." He wobbled his way to the door, heading off down the hallway to his room.

--------------End Chapter 18--------------