Review and Read! Haha ^_^ I always wondered why it was read first. Now try reviewing before you read! haha ^_^ Just kidding!

Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan. I wish I did, but I don't. And even if I did, DC probably wouldn't get this much fans.

~~~~CHAPTER 11: I'M SHUTTING UP NOW~CONAN'S POV~~~~

Haibara and I walked to school together. I was sneaking peeks at her, like I did during dinner. I knew I had to get it over with. I had to ask her out Friday night, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. One wrong move and she'll tease me like crazy (again).

How should I ask her? No matter what I do, it'll always seem like a date. I mean, I think she has an idea that I like her, but I'm sure she'll give me a hard time if I say it straight out. How should I... Wait! (insert a light bulb above his head)

"Ne, Ai..." I started.

"What is it?" she asked, looking ahead.

"Do you remember when I uh..." My cheeks turned red. "k-kissed you at school?"

"How could I possibly forget?" she said.

"What?" I stopped walking and stared at her.

Her eyes met mine, and I couldn't look away."Whenever I see you, and my heart starts pounding so fast and my breathing becomes uneven. We live under the same roof, spending almost every minute together... How could I possibly forget?"

I blushed even more. She liked me all this time? I'm such an idiot! I never noticed those signs!

"Just kidding."

Her words rang out, intruding into my thoughts. Just kidding.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

God, I AM such an idiot! She teases me day in and day out. How could this time be any different? I sighed at how gullible I am, the second greatest sigh in history. I find it hard to believe I actually fell in love with her. I smiled. I guess I should just get it over with.

"You said I owed you, right?"

"Not owed, tantei-kun, owe. It's present tense. You haven't done anything to repay that debt."

"Hai hai." I conceded, deciding to just let her be as sarcastic as she wants. "So I was thinking..."

"You were!? What a great improvement! Never in my greatest dreams could I have imagined that your brain would finally work!" she exclaimed with mock surprise.

I heaved the greatest sigh in DC fanfic written history (haha). My patience was wearing thin. "Could please just shut up and listen?" I said in my I'm-getting-mad-so-if-you-say-another-word-I'm-going-to-kill-you voice.

"I'm just following your advice, tantei-kun. I'm speaking more often." By this time I was clenching hands into fists. Can't she tell that I'm trying to say something important? Obviously she doesn't get it, or chooses to ignore it.

She suddenly held my hand, unfolding my fingers from the fists that had formed. I looked up at her, surprised, my irritation forgotten. She smiled and said quietly, "I'm shutting up now."

Her hand was cold, but for some strange reason, it made mine feel warm. How could she do this to me? I was mad at her just a minute ago... I just kept staring at her, not saying a word. She cocked her head to the side as if to say 'Start talking.'

"So, well, as I was saying..." I said, trying my best to keep from blushing (which was futile since I already was), "I owed you, right? So I was thinking of... Taking you out for dinner this Friday..."

She smirked, and no words were spoken, but I could tell what she was trying to say. 'Don't think that a cheap fastfood joint would satisfy me.'

Her unsaid words made me flustered. "I-It's not like that! I know I owe you. Big time! And it's not gonna be cheap! I swear! I wouldn't dare make it cheap! Why would I!? It's where I'm gonna con-"

I stopped dead, my entire face red (dunno if it's from all the talking or what I just said). She raised her eyebrow, the smirk on her face getting wider by the second. 'Go on,' she told me, without saying a thing.

"It's nothing..." I mumbled. Then made up my mind to pretend that my blunder never happened. "So, can you go?"

She looked away, making all sort of communication impossible (even the telepathy we've been doing so far). "Oi, Haibara!"

She sneaked a peek at me, and that short moment told me, 'I'm not allowed to speak so...'

I frowned, annoyed at how annoying she was getting. (This proves that her being annoying was effective ^_^). "Fine, you can speak now," I said.

She released my hand. Unconsciously, I had gotten used to it and I became a little sad that she let go. She turned to me and said, "I can't go."

"What!?" She doesn't have anything to do on Friday... does she? I'm sure she wants to collect that so-called debt... So why is she refusing? "Do you... have anything planned then?" I asked hesitantly.

"Nope. Nothing at all."

"What!?" My mind raced, trying to think of a million possible reasons why she would decline, but nothing came up. "Then why?" I demanded, almost desperate.

She looked at the sky and said, "Oh, no reason. Just that your mom told me not to make any plans for Friday night."

I cursed inwardly. Damn that woman. She ruined everything. But she told Ai not to make plans because of me! Why? Why must it be the same reason for her to say no!? This must be the second worst day of my life. (P.S. The first was back in chap 9, with Mitsuhiko's CMK)

"Ai, you don't need to listen to her!" I was almost begging, but my pride stopped me. Not to mention, it would've been very embarrassing and very obvious that I was gonna confess.

A teasing light appeared in her eyes. "I don't need to but I want to."

The thin line that was my patience finally snapped. "God! Why can't you just be good girl like Ayumi and obediently say yes at times like this!?"

The teasing light disappeared, replaced by a hurt look. I blinked, unsure of if it really was hurt. When I opened my eyes, it was just the usual irritation. "If you want a good girl who would obediently say yes, then why don't you ask Ayumi?"

She walked off, no, stormed off. I then realized what I just said and ran to catch up to her. I grabbed her by the hand. She tried pulling away, but I was unwilling to let go. "Listen Ai, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? There's no reason for you to apologize," she snapped.

I bit my lip, mad at my rash actions. Then, I looked at her, trying to ask forgiveness through my eyes. I couldn't get my message across, though, because she refused to look at me. I heaved the third greatest sigh in history (the three greatest sighs in one day!), and pulled her to me. She was caught off-guard and had no time to resist.

I hugged her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. "I'm really sorry," I whispered in her ear. "Forgive me?"

She struggled, trying to push me away, but I held my ground. "I didn't mean what I just said. I don't want Ayumi. It can't be Ayumi." She stopped struggling.

"It has to be you. It has to be the arrogant, sarcastic, smartass Haibara Ai. So... Please?"

I pulled away a little to see her face. A small smile graced her lips and she whispered, "Baka... (Idiot)"

"I know." I grinned at her. "The egotistical, cocky, selfish Shinichi Kudo is asking you out on a date. So, please?"

Her cheeks turned pink for a moment, but it quickly disappeared, making me wonder if my eyes were playing tricks on me. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "Can you let me go now?"

I blushed, immediately releasing her. I avoided her eyes, thinking of something to distract her. "Uh, yeah, right. Come on, let's go. We shouldn't be late for school," I said, immediately changing the subject. I started running towards school, Haibara a few steps behind me.

~~~~CHAPTER 11: I'M SHUTTING UP NOW end~~~~

The title should have been 'The Arrogant, Sarcastic, Smartass Haibara Ai' but it was too long. haha ^_^

I know I said that the next chap would have been the confrontation, but this nagged me at the back of my mind. Haha ^_^ Besides, I don't like confrontations, in stories or in real life... They always end with at least one person walking away mad or crying... And so, I'm trying to postpone writing it for a while. But still, confrontations are inevitable, so I guess the next chapter it will be.