Disclaimer: I do not own MK nor DC nor Aya and Hatate.

Feature Story Part II

The New Generation, Gentleman Thief

Ran gave her all in that slap. In that slap was the vindication of her endless days of waiting and her sleepless nights of worrying.

"Do you know how worried I get every time you disappear?" Ran said. "You always leave... And you're just fooling around, after all… I'm such an idiot! An idiot!"

Ran felt tears forming on the corner of her eyes. She raised her hand to slap him again but somebody caught her arm.

She turned and saw a girl, smaller than her. She had big brown eyes and brown hair she tied in ponytails. She also had the angriest expression on her face.

"NOBODY SLAPS KAITO EXCEPT FOR ME!" she said as she threw down Ran's arm. "You want to scram or do you want me to mop you on the floor with… well, a mop…"

"And you!" the girl pointed to the boy Ran just slapped. "I can't even trust you! I'm defending you but this girl wouldn't slap you for nothing! What's with the leaving thing? Did you date her and didn't call her back?"

"Sumimasen, miss," Ran interrupted but the girl just kept on ranting.

"Did you flirt with her and just left her hanging? That's become a habit of yours, even with the girls at our school…" the girl continued. "Or… or… or did you get her pregnant and you didn't want to take responsibility for it?"

The boy finally stood up. "Oi Aoko I was the one mistreated here and you're still taking her side? And this is the first time I saw this girl – how could I get her pregnant? Unless you're implying I have some form of super sperm!"

"Eeew! You're so gross! Don't say things like that – we're in a public place!"

"Hey, excuse me, uhm…" Ran said but the two were lost in argument.

"You're the one who caused the scene!" the boy said to the small girl.

"You're the one who always makes girls angry!"

"I was the victim here!"

Ran chopped an empty plate on the table in half. It was the first thing she thought she ought to do, in order to get their attention.

It worked. The two stopped bantering and just stared at the broken plate, and then at Ran.

"So what you two are saying is that you're not Shinichi?" Ran asked as she pointed to the boy with very messy hair.

"Who's Shinichi?" they asked in unison.

"Oh," Ran said. She blinked and could feel herself blushing. "Gomen, gomen, I thought he was someone I knew. And oh no – I broke your plate!"

"Looks like a waiter has noticed us and is coming over," the small girl said. "Oh no! If she he sees the plate we'll get in trouble!"

"Are you forgetting?" the boy said to the girl.

"Huh?" the girl said and Ran just raised a brow.

The boy snapped his fingers and a cloud of smoke appeared, creating a canopy over the broken pieces of plate. When it settled, the broken pieces have disappeared.

"Sugoii! You're a magician!" Ran said.

"Kuroba Kaito," the boy said as he took Ran's hand.

He kissed the back of her palm and Ran felt herself blushing again.

"Such hands aren't made for combat, ojou-sama," he said. "It's better suited for – "

There was a tap on Kaito's shoulder. It was the small girl who looked mildly annoyed and was pointing to the waiter already standing beside her.

"He was asking if we broke any plates," she said.

"I heard it from my station and some guests were actually complaining that there was a commotion here," the waiter said.

He looked old enough to have fought as a samurai during the Tokugawa Era, Aoko thought. She also noticed that the old man was staring at Kaito intently.

"No broken plates here," Kaito said. "And please tell our guests that we are sorry for the disturbance. We are high school students practicing for our school play. As a sign of our apology, I'm sending flowers to their tables."

The boy magician snapped fingers from his free hand. Almost instantly, single red roses on thin, porcelain vases materialized on the tables where there were guests.

"Oh those are pretty!" Ran said.

The other guests started clapping their hands. The waiter looked pleased, as well.

"You're a magician!" he said.

"Learned from the best," Kaito replied, without looking the waiter in the eye. "And, good sir, if you please, it seems as if the staff forgot to set another plate in our table. Can you kindly give us one we can use? My friend and I haven't eaten our lunch yet."

"Right away, sir," the waiter replied and he hurried off to the kitchen.

"Glad that's over," Kaito said. "Now where were we?"

"You were about to let go of her hand," the small girl said. She was still shooting him dagger stares.

"Ah yes," Kaito said as he let go of Ran's hand. "Gomen, I couldn't help touching such delicate fingers."

He was slapped hard on the back by the girl. He coughed.

"He's really sorry," she said as her eyes narrowed at Kaito, who was still coughing. "He can be an idiot sometimes… Most of the time, actually… I'm Nakamouri Aoko, by the way. And you are?"

"Mouri Ran," Ran said. "Nice to meet the two of you. Do you know Nakamouri-keibu? Ginzo's his first name, if I remember correctly…"

The girl's eyes lit up. "Oh yes! He's my otou-san! He's the famous inspector who's always chasing after kid! And Mouri… You're related to that famous 'Sleeping Detective' Mouri Kogoro!"

Ran nodded. "He's my otou-san! Small world! Our fathers both worked on cases that involved Phantom Thief KID."

"The only difference is my otou-san never catches KID," Aoko said and Ran wondered why she sounded so proud with that fact. "But you, your father has that assistant – that kid with glasses – and he always manages to stop KID from taking the jewels."

"You mean Conan-kun? He's more of an assistant to this friend of mine, Shinichi," Ran said.

Just then, she felt a tug on her miniskirt's hem. She turned around and saw Conan.

"Ran-neechan, I don't think I can go for another round of cakes," the little boy said. "And Sonoko-neechan and I saw Heiji-niichan and Kazuha-neechan when we were on our way back here. They're in the lobby and Sonoko-neechan is still talking to them."

Aoko crouched to get a better look of Conan.

"Oh, you're that boy! Hi! I'm Nakamouri Aoko, daughter of Nakamouri Ginzou who always runs after KID," she said. "It's nice to meet you! My father is very grateful for all your help. I'm also grateful because I see him around the house more often!"

"Nice to meet you too," Conan said. "I'm Edogawa Conan, uhm... First grade in Teitan Elementary School."

"And I'm Kuroba Kaito," Kaito said. "Do you want to see some magic, little boy? I'm a magician like KID but since you met him up close, maybe you can tell who the better magician is, ne?"

Conan held on tighter to Ran's skirt.

"Gomen, he's a little shy," Ran said. "Maybe next time, Kuroba-san. I'm also running late to meet some friends."

Kaito shrugged his shoulders.

"See you around," Aoko called after Ran and Conan who were already rushing to the lobby.

"I wonder if they're also here for the interview," Aoko thought out loud. "Maybe that little boy is part of the feature story and Mouri-san is her chaperone."

She sat on the chair in front of Kaito, who was also returning to his seat.

"Didn't that Holmes freak said that the interview was specifically about teenage detectives? That brat hasn't even gone through puberty yet!" Kaito said. "Speaking of, where's Hakuba?"

"Maybe he just got caught in traffic or something," Aoko said as she looked at her watch. "Anyway you don't have a right to be impatient. You're the one who insisted that you chaperone me in this interview!"

"And who agreed to act as Hakuba's girlfriend? I just got concerned when I found out that you will be interviewed in a hotel. Last time I checked, Aoko, that's not a decent hang out place for a single guy and girl. What if that freak does something to you, eh?"

Aoko sneered. "Why the sudden concern, huh? I'm not worried if it's Hakuba-san. He's such a gentleman. I'd be worried if I was with just you, you perv. And what was with the hand-kissing a while ago? What were you trying – "

There was a knock on their table and they both looked up.

"I heard my name mentioned in the conversation," said a tall, blonde guy who took a third seat in their four-seater, round table. It was Hakuba Saguru, a classmate of theirs in Ekoda High. He is also a detective who previously studied and solved cases in London.

"I actually got our meal vouchers from the front desk first," Saguru said. "Saves us more time. Good thing I already asked about this yesterday from that reporter lady."

He distributed the vouchers to Kaito and Aoko.

"Oi Hakuba, none of these vouchers say 'valid for lunch buffet' or anything of that sort…" Kaito said.

"Yeah, just two stubs for snacks, a stub for unlimited access to the juice and coffee bar, and another for dinner," Aoko said.

Saguru frowned as he scanned through his own set of stubs.

"The mistake is on my account," he finally said as he pocketed his stubs. "I can pay for our lunch for the meantime. It is because of me that the both of you are here, after all."

"Arigatou, Hakuba-san! Any girl would really be lucky to have you as a boyfriend!" Aoko said.

"Isn't that why you are here, Aoko?" Saguru asked. "When that reporter called and asked for the name of my lover, yours was the first that came to my mind. I'm really sorry if that was too forward and I know we're not together yet but since your father is also in pursuit of KID, I can't help thinking that our goals are parallel and our hearts, almost one and the same. Clearly, there's no better match!"

Aoko giggled. "Hakuba-san, you're just teasing! Please tell the reporter that we're not actually a couple… Maybe we could say that we have the same interests. That will do…"

"Haven't you heard of the saying 'opposites attract'?" suddenly asked Kaito.

"That is only true for magnets, I'm afraid…" Saguru said.

Before the two could get into argument, the waiter who was earlier summoned by their scene, reappeared.

"Mister and miss, here is your plate," he said as he handed them a new one. "If you would like to avail of the buffet, please pay at the counter first, where they can give you a stub. If you just want to order, I'll be happy to get you a menu."

"Just the regular, uhm we'll get a menu, sir," Kaito said.

The waiter nodded and proceeded to return to the kitchen. Kaito supposed they have to wait for another turn of the millennia before they can start ordering.

"Going back to the topic, love," Saguru said. "Do not feel at ease for I already have explained that beside our connections and similar pursuits, clearly shaped by none other than the hands of destiny, I am only still just a fool waiting for you to return my affections; but I am in no rush for your hand."

"So you said that, uhm, technically, you said that you were courting me?" Aoko said. "Did I understand that right?"

Kaito's eyes widened and he started waving his hands in front of them.

"O-kay, as your official chaperone, I forbid you to talk about these intimate things," Kaito said. "And you Hakuba I thought you never want to be interviewed about your private life?"

"If you are accusing me of vanity, then I am guilty," Hakuba said. "However, I must admit I have another motive for accepting this interview and being close this whole day to that reporter…"

"You want her in your harem?" Kaito asked with much sarcasm.

"She is the very same reporter who posted an announcement to KID, three days ago," Saguru said. "It was all over the major broadsheets, actually. She posted him a letter, saying she wants to interview him."

"Oh! She's the girl my otou-san was interrogating last night! He said they are convinced he had already made contact with her and most probably, he agreed to do the interview," Akako said. "She denied, of course. She even called the lawyers of the station and they kind of told otou-san to stay off the premises of the hotel because she wouldn't be able to do her job properly if they were hanging around."

"So you agreed to do the interview to spy in place of your otou-san?" Kaito asked and then smirked.

"I don't see the need to be a spy. If this place is crawling with high school detectives, KID would be really be thick to show up," Aoko said.

"Anyway let's just have fun, ne? Let's forget about that troublesome thief!" Aoko continued to say. "We're not even sure if he's coming or not."

Saguru cupped his chin with a hand, his elbows rested on the table.

"Who knows? He may already be here…" the blonde detective said as he looked straight at Kaito.

O O O

Ran was panting as she and Conan reached Sonoko, Heiji and Kazuha, who were near the indoor fountain at the lobby.

"Geez, what took you so long?" Sonoko asked.

"There was a commotion at the hotel café and I met some people," Ran said. "Did you just get here, Heiji, Kazuha?"

"Yeah we did!" Kazuha said before running over to Ran to hug her. "After the interview can we go to the spa, please? Please? I heard this hotel has a good spa facility! Maybe we can go before it's our time for interview!"

"Ooh I'll go, too!" Sonoko said.

"You girls have no other concerns, do you?" Heiji asked. "I can't believe you can relax when there's the interview!"

He lowered himself to whisper to Conan, "And also, with that thief running around…"

"Nani? What thief?" Conan asked.

He then pulled Conan aside, out of earshot of the girls, who started deciding what sort of services they will try at the spa.

"You mean you haven't heard?" Heiji asked. "It's that thief you're always chasing after!"

"Oh, that one…" Conan said. His face was suddenly sullen from what he felt was a foreboding trouble – a tough case that usually involves a white cape and a silk, top hat.

"I can't let you have all the fun," Heiji said with a wink. "I'm joining the chase this time!"

"What's he up to this time?" Conan asked.

"Haven't you heard? The very reporter who contacted us is the same one who posted a note to KID, a few days back," Heiji said. "She didn't really write a challenge, more of a request to be interviewed for her magazine. That's actually why I accepted the interview. There were some rumors going around the station that KID may have already answered her and would be doing the interview this very day…"

"Any other leads?" Conan asked.

Heiji shook his head. "I heard she was interrogated at a police station yesterday but she denied having been contacted by that thief," Heiji said. "The police also searched her house and went through her mails and stuff, but they didn't find anything."

"Based from what I know about that person, he could be tricky as hell," Conan said. "Let's keep our eyes peeled, just in case…"

"Yeah… They might do the interview after she's done with ours, eh?" Heiji said. "Oh yeah that reminds me – how would you do the interview if you're in that state? Are you going to use the pills again? And I thought you don't want anyone to find out about you!"

"Oi oi I'm not included here," Conan said. "I came here as Conan… Ran said she needed moral support."

"What if Ran and that reporter set you up, eh? Maybe they already know that you're Shinichi…" Heiji said, after which an evil smirk spread across his face.

"If that was the case, I would have already been karate-chopped by Ran," Conan said as he began to blush. "All those times we were in the…"

"Bath?" Heiji asked as his grin grew wider. "And you washing her back and rubbing her smooth, smooth skin! Oooh!"

"Ssshh!"

Ran, Kazuha and Sonoko walked over to the boys.

"Heiji are you teasing Conan again?" asked Kazuha. "You're so immature!"

"I'm immature? Who's the one wearing a pink, frilly dress for the interview?" snapped Heiji.

"I just want to look good in front of national television!"

"And do you think anybody would care?"

In the heat of their boiling argument, they were distracted by a loud and bright light.

"Very nice, very nice!"

They turned to see a woman with long, bright brown hair and blue eyes. She looked like she was in her early twenties but she was wearing a gray, faded office blazer that made her look older.

Beside her was a media crew of four. One was a middle-aged man, who took the photo. Around his neck was a strap connected to a digital camera he was holding. He was adjusting the lenses and taking more photos of Heiji and Kazuha.

Another one in the crew was a tall, bearded man who carried a big rectangular box. It looked like it housed a camera and its necessary appendages. Another was a young man who brought another big bag. For wires and audio, Conan and Heiji thought.

The last crew member was curly-haired blonde guy with a tattoo sleeve visible from underneath a checkered, collared shirt. He carried two big, black bags which have uneven ends. It could carry the lights and their stands, the two detectives thought.

"No don't stop fighting, please! This scene would make a priceless photograph!" the woman said.

"You wouldn't be Himekaidou-san?" Heiji said.

"One and only, darling," she said. "One and only. Pleasure to meet you, Heiji-kun."

She walked over to the dark-skinned detective and handed him a business card.

"You must be Kazuha-chan, ne?" Aya said to Kazuha.

She turned to Ran and the others.

"Based from a message I received earlier, about the names and descriptions of guests a certain interviewee will bring, I deduce that you are Ran-chan, Sonoko-chan and Conan-kun," the woman said as she pointed to Ran and the others.

"Spot on," Sonoko said.

"More specifically, you must be Sonoko," she said to Sonoko.

"EH? How did you know that?" Ran and Sonoko said.

"Your voice," Aya said. "It doesn't resemble Ran's who I talked to yesterday."

"You can remember voices?" asked Heiji in a tone of curiosity.

"Yes, I'm sort of… What's the counterpart of the photographic memory for voice?"

"Perfect pitch?" Heiji and Conan said at the same time.

"Yeah, that one…" she said."Before we waste any more time, let's go to the penthouse, ne?"

She ushered them to a special elevator behind the reception. Luckily, the elevator doors opened to reveal an empty one. There was a momentary debate whether they could all fit in, but Heiji and Conan said that even if they do, they would be overweight because of the heavy equipment.

Aya tossed a card to the youngest-looking crew and told them to get the next one or use the other penthouse elevators.

Once Conan and the others were inside, Aya inserted a card into the slot, before pressing a button marked with "P" that stands for penthouse.

As they were ascending, Heiji asked Aya what he and Conan have been dying to find out –

"So have KID contacted you?"

Aya smiled at him. It's the kind of smile you give someone when you want to say "Oh dear, you have no idea, do you?"

"You too? You're going to ask that too?" Aya just said. "Sumimasen, I forget I'm in the company of detectives!"

"I actually did a bit of research on my way here," Aya continued. "Of course I also need to know the background of the guests and I found out that this little boy here was the one chasing KID in his recent heists."

Conan looked up at her, smiled and nodded.

"You're all such a cute bunch of kids, really…" she said. "Oh, who wants to do the interview first? Ran-chan, do you want to go first? Maybe Kazuha and Heiji are both tired from their trip, after all."

"Oh-okay…" Ran said. "Sonoko and Conan can come with me, ne?"

"Yes, yes," the reporter said. "While we're shooting, Kazuha and Heiji can go to the suite at the floor below. A businessman friend stayed there last week, that Prince Edward Suite. It's one of the best suites at the hotel."

"Thanks," Kazuha muttered.

Aya smiled at the girl "And maybe you and Heiji-kun want to be alone for a few hours?"

She winked at Heiji.

"OI! What are you implying, lady?" Heiji said.

"My, my, such hot, young blood!" Aya said. "And don't call me 'lady'! I'm just a few years older than you!"

"But with the way she's talking, she sounds exactly like my grandma," Sonoko whispered to Ran.

The elevator doors opened and they walked out. The teenagers gasped as they saw the baroque interior of the room. Drapes of velvet, patterned with salmon and gold, hung from the ceilings and windows.

It looked like those old-school, mansion game rooms, with a billiards table at the center of the room, and littered pieces of different kinds of armoire and sofas.

"Through that door is the bedroom," Aya said as she pointed to a door to her right. "And through that other door is the hallway. This floor has two other conference rooms, I believe. This part of the penthouse is just like some sort receiving area. So it's not actually a penthouse, it's more of a pent – uhm, pent-conference floor."

"That elevator we rode is one of the only three with access to the three major conference rooms in the penthouse. There's also some service elevators, I think," Aya continued. "Maybe the crew took one of those so they'll be coming in from that door."

"Oh yeah, my family went to a party held here," Sonoko said. "But I heard they rent these rooms mostly for photo shoots and stuff."

"The owner of this hotel has many friends from the media industry, I believe…" Aya said. "We get a discount for the rent so that's why we're using this for today. The bedroom is where the crew will be unloading the equipment and here in the receiving area is where we'll do the interview."

"You know, we can just wait here with Sonoko and the others," Kazuha said. "You were suggesting earlier that Heiji and I go to the suite but I'd rather just stay here of if Heiji wants to stay there alone, then better!"

"Yeah anywhere except with this moody girl is fine with me!" Heiji said.

"Ah, a love-hate romance!" Aya swooned. "I'm afraid I can't let you stay here. You see, I don't want you hearing the questions before your interview. They're more or less the same questions, you see. And also, the other interviewee may be on his way up the suite and I need you to open the door for him and his guests. I accidentally brought all the key cards to that suite. I was supposed to leave it in the reception area yesterday with their food stubs. Silly me."

She fished out five key cards from her cherry pink bag and handed it to Heiji, who took it begrudgingly.

"I forgot to mention that the suite is for VIPs and it has three deluxe rooms, four bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen," Aya said. "We rented the room for until tomorrow so you youngsters can also stay there for the night, if you like."

"At least we don't have to look anymore for where to stay for the night," Heiji said through his teeth.

"Oh, oh and since it's a VIP suite, your key cards will be honored at the hotel spa, pool, gym and bar," Aya said. "Your food stubs are with me but your key cards will give you free access and service to any of the hotel's amenities. Please use them. Consider it as a gift from Nichiuri TV."

"Fine!" Heiji said as he grabbed on to Kazuha's arm and started dragging her back to the elevator. "C'mon, let's go to the suite now…"

"We'll just watch TV while we're waiting for them, okay?" Heiji said loudly and Kazuha thought she saw him blush.

"Ooh I bet he likes it rough!" Aya whispered to Ran and Sonoko.

"You should really stop teasing them, Himekaidou-san," Ran said politely. "Those two will just get further into argument…"

"It would make my story more interesting, then," Aya said with a wink.

They watched the elevator door close, and it wasn't long before Conan received a message in his phone. It was from Heiji and it simply said "Don't let her out of your sight."

Conan understood what the message meant.

Next: Master of Swords and Mysteries