Happy Chinese New Year everyone! My family has been so busy with cleaning that it's a miracle I could squeeze in time to write! Okay, I'll shut up…

Chapter 6

"It's fine, you look adorable!" Yukiko said for the umpteenth time, smiling down at Ai, and apparently unaware of the strawberry blonde's icy glare. She had, after meeting her with many exclamations of 'kawaii!!', insisted on buying new clothes for her. Ai is now grimacing at her own reflection, and fidgeting in a pink sundress she just knows Ayumi would love.

"It's very nice of you, but I really don't need—." But Ai never got to finish her sentence, as Yukiko promptly pushed her out of the room.

Great, she could just hear the snickering and sarcastic comments from Kudo. Ai thought dryly.

And so it came as a surprise when Shinichi said in a shy voice, "Wow, you look nice, Ai-chan."

Undoubtedly, Kudo was a much nicer person than Conan was.

That is proved wrong when Shinichi dragged her over to a roller coaster ride the moment the car stopped. Not just any roller coaster, it plunged about fifty feet right into the water below, and just the look of it made her stomach turn. Of course, Ai refused flat out.

"I don't think so."

"It won't be any fun if I go alone!" the little detective whined. "Pleeeeease?"

"Not in my lifetime."

"But Ai-chan…"

"You really don't understand the meaning of the word 'no', do you?"

And apparently he doesn't, since Shinichi didn't stop pestering her. "Come on, Ai-chan! ...Unless you're scared?" Shinichi challenged.

Ai rolled her eyes. It was clear she would never get any peace before she gives in. "Am not!" she said, knowing that it's the reply he had expected.

"Prove it, then."

Humoring the little detective, Ai argued with him for awhile before finally giving in. "Fine, I'll go."

"Yay!" the little detective cheered triumphantly.

But he sure isn't celebrating as, ten minutes later; they got off the ride, looking quite green in the face, and wishing dearly for a barf bag.

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"Ai-chan, look!" Shinichi said the next day, hand extended.

It was a photo of her, probably taken by Yukiko yesterday. Ai's gaze only left her magazine enough to glance at it. "Yeah, so?" she reached to take the photo from him. "Give it, it's mine."

Shinichi stuck out his tongue at her. "I'm in it too."

Sure, if you count in the back of his head at the edge.

The professor cleared his throat. "Shinichi, give the photo to Ai-kun." If Ai disappears, the photo would turn blank and give everything away.

"Nope." Shinichi said, laughing.

Ai laid her magazine to the side with an exasperated sigh. "Shinichi!"

But there's no persuading him. Shinichi just laughed and ran around the room, waving the photo in the air as the professor chased him around.

"You're even more impossible than Conan!" Ai exclaimed at last, frustrated.

At that, Shinichi's attitude changed abruptly. Ai found herself nose-to-nose with him as he asked. "Conan? Who's Conan?"

Even though she refused to tell him anything about her past, it was clear that her past seven years wasn't exactly blank. Shinichi thought to himself. First that 'Edogawa' she mentioned, then there was that time when she muttered 'if only that baka is here', and now this person called Conan. Sheesh, there's so many people he has to watch out for!

Ai tried hard not to laugh when she realized that he's jealous. Fighting fits of silent laughter, she decided to turn this to her advantage. For a second she even wished the high school Shinichi was here, so she could laugh at him.

"Conan-kun never tries to annoy me!" Ai yelled.

"I didn't—"

"You know I wanted my photo back!" Ai said in a very convincing tone of a little girl about to burst into tears. Agasa Hakase almost clapped at the brilliant acting.

"…" Shinichi looked completely taken aback, and after a silence, he handed the photo over to Ai reluctantly, and she almost felt guilty, seeing the look on his face.

"…I just, wanted to be able to see you, even if you're not here…" he said sulkily, before running out the room.

Ai and the professor exchanged startled looks. Shinichi voice was… a little too serious.

It was Ai who broke the silence. "He's only a kid, he can't possibly know." She said, sounding more confident then she felt.

"…but, Ai-kun…Shinichi is smarter than most kids his age… he has an IQ of 186…"

They heard the front door open with a creak. "Ai-chan? Don't forget I'm still coming over for dinner!"

The professor met Ai's eyes, and they both burst out laughing. Nah, it can't be.