Author's Note:
Thank you for the two reviewers who reviewed! I'm very glad!
About their stargazing from the first chapter, I've changed it from watching a series of shooting stars to meteor shower. ^^
Happy reading everyone!
CASE 2
To celebrate Ran's birthday in advance, Heiji and Kazuha brought Conan and Ran to a restaurant. Before they dug in to their deliciously prepared food, they made Ran blow off the light of the candles on her cake after singing to her a happy birthday.
"Ne, Ran, what did you wish for?" Kazuha asked curiously.
She simply smiled. "It was just a simple wish. I wish Shinichi would bother coming back to celebrate my birthday with me, even just a few minutes."
"Ran…" Conan muttered as he looked at Ran with great guilt and the sudden pang of sadness hit him.
Her sad eyes were already shining dangerously. "I haven't seen him for quite a while now. He hasn't even called. I don't know how he is doing right now. And I'm really worried. I really want him to be here. There hasn't been a single birthday I've celebrated that he wasn't around."
"Ran-chan," Kazuha said and she held her hand, sympathizing with her friend.
She wiped off the tear below her eye before it rolled down to her cheek and let out a light, sad laugh. "I'm really ridiculous. Crying so suddenly. I know it's a very simple wish but it is very hard to be granted. Shinichi could probably be in a middle of a case right now. He just couldn't possibly ditch it just to attend his childhood friend's birthday. He could not do that. He isn't like that."
Conan's head was bowed. Guilt and shame overpowering him simultaneously and Heiji noticed it. Honestly, he felt sorry for him. No matter how great of a detective Kudo is and had solved thousands of other people's problems, he still can't solve his very own. He had no escape and he knew it frustrated him every single bit. Even though the Osakan detective wanted to help him, he can't since there's nothing he can do but to watch the both of them. It frustrated him, too.
"I should understand that he is a detective and he cannot do that. It is more important than attending a silly birthday. I should have understood from the very start and did not bother wishing for it from the very start. It was just a waste."
"Maybe you're right, Ran-neechan," Conan suddenly said.
Ran gasped in surprise and immediately turned her attention to Conan, confused.
"Because you did not have to wish for it. I'm sure Shinichi-niichan would come if he had the chance. He would definitely come, even if he would have to ditch a case or whatever it is just to see you on your birthday," he stopped and looked at Ran through the eyes of Kudo Shinichi, the cerulean eyes she had always been longing to see but unknown to her, those set of warm eyes were always there, watched her and made sure she was safe. "I'm sure Shinichi-niichan would not want to miss that very special day for the world; no matter what the circumstance may be."
Ran's eyes widened to that as she suddenly recognized those eyes. "Shi-Shinichi…"
"Cheer up, Ran-chan," Kazuha interrupted as she placed a hand on the birthday girl's shoulder. "Conan-kun's right. Ya didn't have to wish for it. If Shinichi-kun really cared for you, he will find a way to come on yer birthday. I know it's hard but don't be sad now, Ran-chan. It's yer birthday. So, to cheer ya up just a bit," she held out a small box to her.
"I want to give tis to ya," Kazuha said in a smile.
Ran looked at it in surprised and accepted it from her.
"Come on, open it."
She obliged and opened the box. She gasped as she saw the content: a pink friendship bracelet.
Kazuha raised her right wrist. "I have one, too. I want that to serve as our friendship seal."
She slowly smiled and wiped a tear that fell from the corner of her eye. She nodded in delight. "Thank you, Kazuha-chan."
Conan bowed his head, again. The guilt just could not easily fade away, not at this rate.
Heiji elbowed him. "Oi, Kudo, don't feel so down now. It's not your fault why ya can't come. It's just something ya cannot prevent from happening."
"No matter how many times I tell myself that, I still could not help myself from getting guilty. It may be the case but Ran has not realized it yet. I'm always breaking her heart by making her wait for an eternity, even though I'm always by her side. It should not be always like this. I need to do something this time."
"If that's the case, what are you planning, Kudo?"
In reply, Conan just stared at his love interest with determined eyes.
After, they watched a movie, which of course was shouldered by the Osakans. Then, they strolled around the mall. The girls and the boys parted ways since the girls wanted to have their alone time which delighted Conan since he was finding a chance to buy a gift for Ran.
"Oi, I think I already know what yer planning," Heiji said alarmingly as they were standing in front of a jewelry shop. He turned to the little detective. "Are ya sure about this? Maybe yer just thinking too much."
"Baro," Conan said with narrowed eyes. "You are the one who is thinking too much. I'm not going to propose or anything. We're still too young and with my current condition, you think it will work out?"
"Yah, yer right. So, what do ya have in mind?"
"Just a simple commitment will do for now. On her eighteenth birthday, I want the world to know that Ran is mine before it's too late since competition is kind of rough lately," Conan said possessively.
Heiji smirked. "You little brat."
"At least I'm being brave and taking a step forward. How about the others there?" he said mockingly as he entered ahead the shop.
"What did ya-?!" Heiji exclaimed as he followed Conan and grabbed him by the head and rubbed it quite mercilessly which annoyed the little detective. "Say that again?!"
"What are you so mad at?! There is only one truth and that was it! It's no problem no matter how many times I would say it!"
After a few hours, the boys and girls ate dinner together before they dropped the Osakans at the train station for their departure by sun down. Thus, it ended Ran's simple advance party with them.
Conan and Ran traveled back to the Detective Mouri's Agency to rest a bit and prepare for their star-gazing at a Gunma mountain later.
At this moment, both were watching Conan's favorite detective show on Nichiuri TV while waiting for Harumi. However for the first time, the little boy cannot concentrate since his mind was too occupied of what Ran had said earlier. It's like a DVD playing in his mind over and over again and he cannot do anything to stop it. For short, it was guilt. He was back to reality when Ran asked, "Ne, Conan-kun, am I being selfish?"
Conan's head immediately turned to Ran. He saw her flinch and Conan wanted to punch himself for not being able to do anything. She turned to Conan and let out a small smile but her eyes showed everything: pure sadness and pain. Like everyone said, the eyes never lie. Conan wanted to take away that pain. He did not want to see Ran hurt. Not in any way but no matter what he did, all the pain she was going through was all caused by him.
All by him.
He hates himself for that.
"What do you mean, Ran-neechan?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer to that. He still wanted to hear it directly from her.
"Even though Shinichi is very busy, it does not mean he doesn't have any free time anymore, right? Doctors and lawyers can afford to have free time. He can do it too, right? Even for five minutes, if I would see him, I would be very glad. I just want to see him and hug him, that's all. Am I asking too much?"
It torn his heart into half. Oh boy, seeing Ran at this state was the least thing he wanted to see. "No, Ran-neechan. Not at all. I'm sure Shinichi-niichan is already finding a way to come."
"You think so?"
He nodded. "I'm sure about it. Because Shinichi-niichan would never forgive himself if he can't come to the most important person of his life's birthday."
Ran froze to that statement. Not believing her ears.
"You don't know that."
"Yes. But Shinichi-niichan does." He smiled. "Don't worry, Ran-neechan. He will come. He will surely come," he reassured.
"Thank you, Conan-kun. I know you want to cheer me up but I don't want false hopes." She winked. "But I will hold on to that."
He slowly grinned as he saw Ran relaxing. He jumped down the couch and said, "I've forgotten something. I'll just go to get it."
Ran nodded. "But be quick. Harumi-chan will be here in a few minutes."
"Hai!" he answered as he ran to his room. He opened the door and entered the room and locked the door behind him. Then, he took his cell phone out of his pocket, dialed a number and placed it on his ear. "Haibara," Conan said as soon as the person on the other line answered. "I have a favor to ask of you."
Few moments later, honking from a black Mercedes van can be heard outside the Detective Mouri's Agency.
"Conan-kun! Harumi-chan's already here!" Ran called out from the living room.
"Hai! Coming!" Conan answered back, cell phone still on his ear. "Well, I'll pass by the Professor's house by tomorrow morning. Bye," he concluded the call and hang up. He smiled in satisfaction and went out the room.
XXXTHE ONLY TRUTHXXX
They already entered the Gunma's area and approaching fast the mountain they were going to stay overnight.
Harumi, Ran and Conan were seated at the passenger seat with that order respectively.
"Conan-kun must be really excited about this," Harumi said cheerfully.
It caught Conan's attention and took a break in gazing outside through the window and shifted his gaze to Harumi.
"Eh? Why do you think so, Harumi-chan?" Ran asked.
"That's because ever since we left the Agency, Conan has never left his eyes off the window, not even a second. There's only one thing that I can deduce whenever I see kids doing that: they are very enthusiastic about the trip." She gazed at Conan menacingly, "Ne, Conan-kun?"
He forced out a light laugh and faked out his amusement. "Sugoi, Harumi-neechan! You've guessed it right!"
"So, did you see anything interesting? Anything at all?
"A-ah…" he shook his head. "N-nothing in particular yet."
"Oh. I see. Well, keep on looking but don't be disappointed if you won't be able to see anything interesting out there. After all, we're heading to a mountain."
"Isn't that right? Hehehehe…" he said as he scratched the back of his head. He, then, narrowed his eyes in annoyance, 'This girl…' He turned his attention back outside, again. 'Well, I haven't seen anyone suspicious yet, nor have sensed anything. Also, Hattori hasn't contacted me yet. Maybe this isn't a trap after all.' He gazed at Harumi with narrow eyes. 'Or so that's what she wants me to think.'
He suddenly smiled. 'Well, bring it on. This is going to be interesting, right? It is you that I'm fighting against, after all.'
After two hours of travel from Tokyo, they finally arrived at Mount Haruna. They settled at the peak of the mountain since that was the best place to view the shooting stars in the sky. As they climbed down the van, Conan noticed a black Ferrari sedan parked not far away from them.
'So, someone's here too aside from us?' he thought.
"Hurry, Conan-kun! Help us set up the place," Ran called out from the rear of the van.
"A-ah, hai!" Conan answered as he followed Ran.
After a few minutes, they had finished setting up the telescope for them to view the stars better, they had spread two wide mats for them to sit on the first one and different varieties of food were settled on the second one.
It was just a little past ten o'clock; there's still two hours to spare before the awaited event. While waiting, they decided to eat since they felt a little hungry after the long ride.
"Oh, right!" Harumi exclaimed. Ran and Conan gazed at her in confusion.
"I forgot to bring out the drinks from the fridge. What would the two of you want?"
"Cola will do," Ran answered.
"Juice please," Conan answered.
She nodded. "I'll just go and get it," she said in a smile as she stood up and walked towards the rear of the van.
"Sorry for the inconvenience," Ran said.
"It's alright!" she replied as she disappeared at the back of the van.
"Isn't this nice, Conan-kun?" Ran suddenly said.
"Huh?" Conan looked at her in confusion as he popped a sushi in his mouth.
"This is our first time to go out without Otousan, right? I've realized it's nice to go out and go somewhere far and peaceful with just the two of us without Otousan ordering us around," she humored as she looked at Conan in a smile.
He saw it. She was happy and it lightened up his heart. He's glad to see her this way; and he hoped to see her this way always.
He slightly blushed to that statement and just bowed his head to hide his embarrassment. He nodded.
"Here!" Harumi said as she placed three plastic bottles on the mat. She sat down before she distributed the drinks. "Cola for Ran," she said as she handed Ran her cola.
"Ah, sumimasen," Ran said as she took the bottle.
"Fruit juice for Conan-kun," she passed the juice to Conan.
"Arigatou," Conan said and he took the bottle.
"And soda for me," she said happily as she opened the cap of her bottle and took a few gulps.
"Harumi-chan, thank you for inviting us here," Ran said.
"It's no problem at all," Harumi replied cheerfully. "I enjoy your company. Besides, I really wanted to see the meteor shower later and it would have been boring to see it alone."
"I guess you're right," Ran said and she took a bite of her rice roll.
They heard the van's engine restarting and saw it accelerating away from them, exiting the cliff in particular.
"Ne, Harumi-neechan, why did Driver-san drive the van away? Is he going somewhere?" Conan asked curiously.
"Aa," Harumi answered. "He just needs to visit a friend that is somewhere near here."
"At this late hour?" Conan pushed.
"Quite unlikely, isn't it? But this is the only time they can see each other since he is always busy driving for us. Don't worry, he'll be back in a few hours to fetch us." She smiled.
"I see," Ran said.
'That better be not just a bluff,' Conan thought as he roamed his sharp and observant eyes around him. As usual, no one was there, not even a shadow. He sighed and popped a sushi in his mouth. 'Well, it must be true. Hattori had just texted me recently that he didn't see anyone or anything suspicious. If he did see anyone, they're just normal citizens of the area. I guess I can relax for while but…' he glared at her. 'I'm still not going to let my guard down.'
He absent-mindedly opened the cap and took a few gulps of his ice cold fruit juice and put it back down. He stretched out his hand to get a rice roll when suddenly felt his whole body getting warm which he just ignored it. However, when he had took a hold of a rice roll and was about to retrieve his hand, he felt a wave of pain that struck his chest. He gasped and dropped the rice roll and he grabbed his chest automatically while catching his breath, his whole body twitching terribly. It instantaneously worried Ran and Harumi and they scrambled toward him.
"Conan-kun, what's wrong? Aren't you feeling well?" Ran asked in panic as she wrapped a hand around his shoulder to comfort him.
"Are you hurt somewhere?" Harumi asked worriedly.
'Oi, what's the meaning of this?' he thought in panic. 'The sudden abnormal heating up of my body, the unbearable pain and pounding of my chest, this familiar feeling, don't tell me… But how?' His eyes roamed the food that is spread before him. 'There hasn't been anything that is prepared here that is similar to the contents of the Paikaru or anything that can cause my transformation. How?' His eyes suddenly widened as his question had been answered quite quickly and cruelly. He saw the cap of his fruit juice had been punctured, though it was very small and anyone could had overlooked it, it was still enough so it would not pass the little detective's sharp eyes. It was impossible for him not to see it. He should've seen it but he didn't.
He cursed under his breath in recognition. He was just too naïve. 'So, that's how it is done. But another question rises. I don't have a cold or anything. How…? At any rate, it's not the time for me to worry about it for now.' He let out a pained moan as he felt another wave of pain which pounded his chest, this time it was much stronger. He clutched his chest tighter, a way for him to relieve the pain even just a bit but it failed miserably.
"Conan-kun?!" Ran whined.
'My whole body's shaking. At least I think I can still manage to move.' He made a sideways glance at Harumi, beads of sweat falling on his forehead. 'So, this was your plan, huh? I have to get away from here before I would transform.'
"I'm alright, Ran-neechan. I think I just have a little stomach ache," he managed to answer in a low voice.
"Do you want to go home?" Ran asked.
"No!" Conan answered quite forcefully which took Ran off-guard. "I mean… we don't need to go home. I just need to go to the toilet and I'll be alright." He said as he stood up.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Ran offered as she stood up, also.
"No need, Ran-neechan. I can do it," he declined as he hurried to go to the public restroom a few meters away from them.
"Is he really going to be alright? I think I really should go after him."
"Dame, Ran," Harumi stopped her before she made another step. "Let him give his time. He may feel kind of embarrassed because of his situation right now. Even he is just a kid, he is still a boy."
Ran visibly hesitated as she trailed her eyes on Conan until he went inside the restroom. She finally gave up and sat back down. "I guess you're right."
He pushed the restroom door open. He almost lost his balance because of his current condition but still managed to enter a cubicle, and locked it immediately. He sat down on the basin, his hand clutched on his chest hard and caught his breath. He gasped once again as the painful pounding on his chest continued.
"Oi, Kudo, are you alright?" Heiji asked worriedly as he knocked on his cubicle door.
'My body… I feel like my body is on fire.'
He let out another pained moan, this time louder than the previous as he felt his whole body getting hotter and at the same time, another pain stroke his chest, making him feel his heart was going to burst anytime.
"Kudo! Kudo! Answer me! Oi, Kudo!" Heiji said in panic, his knocking now much more aggressive.
Before he could answer, he let out a shout, a long and an agonized one as his transformation had finally set in: his chest slowly broadened, ripping Conan's clothes; his arms and legs slowly grew longer, his face slowly developed into a young lad. And as his transformation was completed, he let out a moan once again; this time of a deep voice of a young lad's and finally caught his breath.
He slowly opened his eyes and raised both of his hands. He looked at them with curious eyes briefly before shifting it to his legs. He placed both of his hands on either of his cheeks and felt his cheek bones. He had definitely changed back to his original form. He had definitely changed back to being Kudo Shinichi.
'I've really… I've really transformed back,' he thought in amazement. But that amazement didn't last long since he narrowed his eyes and his mouth was curled into a smirk. 'I don't know if I should be glad or not. Because first of all, I don't have anything on since I've ripped Conan's clothes during my transformation and...'
As if right on cue, a set of clothes landed on his head – a plain light pink long sleeved polo shirt, a dark brown coat, and brownish gray pants – which caught him in surprise. A loud thud was heard then when a pair of shoes that was the same color as of the pants was thrown in front of him next.
"What the- ?" he murmured in disbelief.
"I believe you need those," a confident voice of a feminine was heard from outside the cubicle.
"You've really prepared for this, huh?" he said boredly as he slipped on the pants. 'And my second concern is her,' he added mentally.
"Surprised?" she said as she leaned on the pillar beside the cubicle that was occupied by Shinichi.
"Not really," he replied as he stood up after fixing his shoes and unlocked the door.
Harumi smiled as Shinichi went out the cubicle and came in sight, "Long time no see, Great High School Detective Kudo Shinichi."
He smirked back as he placed both hands on the pants' either pocket and faced her proudly. "Aa. I would have to say the same thing to myself."
Another case coming soon!
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading! About the amount of time of their travel, I just made that up since I really don't know how long it would be. ^^
This is my second update for this month! Yay! I've at least made up for not updating last June. However, this chapter did not contain much action, yet. Sorry. Actually, I could say this is just a filler chapter that would serve as a foundation for the next events that would come on the next chapters. You'll see.
Well, the next chapter will have some action in it so until next case!
Please review! Comments, constructive criticisms or suggestions are very appreciated!
August 25, 2012