Two things, first I apparently don't know how to count. There are 6 chapters not 5. Secondly, it has been pointed out to me by ShiraYuki that Kappei Yamaguchi (the Saiyuu/voice actor of both Kaito and Shinichi) has a version of this song Sound of Silence on youtube where he sings it in Japanese. Its absolutely gorgeous and I recommend you checking it out! Thank you so much to ShiraYuki for telling me this, and isn't that a funny coincidence? I didn't know! Haha.
Special thanks to the amazing Addy01 for being a champ editing this chapter.
Ops, next chapter might take a little longer than a week to get up as I'm currently writing on an exam essay. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Please enjoy!
…
In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence
Disturbed
…
Chapter 2: Touched
…
The room was filled with police officers, forensic analysts and eyewitnesses. It was a large room with a sophisticated chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The reflected light shone seemingly in a disarray of rainbow colours, but as Shinichi peered closer, he could see the distinctive sparkle of grey and white within the gems themselves.
The hostess lay motionless underneath the chandelier where she had fallen from the balcony that was overlooking the celebratory party. It had been organised for her husband's recent promotion.
"What are you looking at?" Chiba asked. Shinichi almost jumped in surprise, having not heard his approach. The junior investigator squinted in the same direction as the consultant with an expectant though curious expression – as if he could find the clue that was only visible to the prodigious detective if he stared long enough. "Does it have anything to do with the murder –"
"People usually have a misconception that diamonds sparkle like a rainbow, but they don't – " Shinichi cut in, having expected that question, his voice low and patient. "They do sparkle, but in a more grey hue. If a diamond sparkles in the colours of the rainbow within the gem itself, it's most likely a fake."
Chiba frowned, pressing his lips together as he eyed the dozens of tiny gems above their heads for a long while, and Shinichi could almost hear the grinding of wheels as Chiba processed what he had just learnt and he observed them silently with a scrutinizing gaze.
"So they are –"
"Undoubtedly real. The Tanifuji come from old money," he quickly interrupted as he could already see that the investigator had gotten to the wrong conclusion. Chiba's face clearly displayed a dumbfounded but impressed expression as he looked between the detective and the chandelier.
"That's impressive, Kudou-san," Chiba breathed out his awe." If you so knowledgeable about gems, why didn't you ever go against Kaitou KID?"
Shinichi only raised an eyebrow at the question, and it dawned to the junior inspector a moment later exactly what he had asked Shinichi. There was a flush on his cheeks as his eyes darted wildly in the hope of finding an escape from the sudden awkward situation.
When he couldn't, Chiba cleared his throat. "I meant –"
"Don't worry about it, Junior Inspector Chiba," he responded with a friendly smile, which he hoped would deter Chiba from turning incoherent in his embarrassed state – it was common knowledge he had been fighting against an international crime syndicate during the infamous moonlight magician's most active crime sprees. Now a days, the thief only surfaced to expose any fake artworks that appeared in Japan. Although Shinichi did not know why the thief had suddenly stopped his thieving ways, he assumed that Kaitou KID had found whatever he had been searching for.
"I don't particularly think I'd be much use running after a thief in my current predicament."
Chiba flushed darker, but he never got to voice his stuttering apology as the phone in Shinichi's pocket started to vibrate.
Shinichi fished it out and excused himself, pressing the cellphone to his ear as he walked away to gain some resembles of privacy. He was not able to voice a greeting, as the caller had blurted out a string of incoherent sentences as soon as he picked up the call.
"Could you repeat that?"
There was a short silence from the other end and Shinichi could hear the caller taking a deep breath. When they spoke again, the words were still rushed. However, Shinichi could now recognize the familiar voice of Mouri Ran.
"It's a disaster, Shinichi. Sonoko is blowing it out of proportions with her planning, and I know with certainty that Masumi only wanted her closest friends. And now the venue has been relocated and Sonoko has been interviewing several chefs and –"
"Ran," he interrupted, even his infamous brain was not able to keep up with her, not when she spoke without period breaks. "First, deep breaths. Then please elaborate and I'll see what I can do to help."
She took a deep breath, and he could clearly hear how much calmer she was when she spoke again. "I'm talking about Sera Masumi's birthday party next week."
He blinked. He had forgotten about that completely, before sighing miserably at the prospect of it, "I'll talk to Sonoko about it." He was sure he would somehow owe the heiress a favour for simply asking her to respect Sera's wishes.
The soft thank you he got in response sent his heart fluttering with affection, before he quickly squashed it down. He needed to get over his romantic feelings for his childhood friend. Pining over her would do no one any good.
"Hey, Shinichi?" she spoke with a hopeful tone, and he knew immediately he would agree to whatever question she pose. His mind and heart was not even remotely in synch with each other. "Would you go shopping with me on Saturday to find an outfit for the party?"
Shinichi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ran –"
"Please," she begged, urgency and desperation laced her tone. "Sonoko isn't as half as good as you about colour combinations and knowing what will fit my stature. I want everything to be perfect."
He blinked, his mouth suddenly turning dry. He regretted that one time he had boasted how his deduction skills was useful if any every day scenario – including shopping. He licked his lips slowly, letting the seconds tick by, even though he knew he would relent to her wishes in the end. "I'll see if I have any spare time on Saturday –"
"Thank you, thank you" she breathed her gratitude and relief into the phone, and he could imagine the bright smile on her face and the happiness dancing in her eyes.
" – and are you accusing me of being gay?"
Just saying the teasing sentence was worth enough. The line turned completely silent for a full moment, before Ran responded with a choked chortle.
"If that was the case, we would have been one odd couple."
He hummed in affirmation, and a smile curled on his lips.
"Kudou-kun?"
Shinichi's eyes darted to the side as Megure stepped into the room. "I have to go, I'll call you back later Ran. And remember, deep breaths –" he slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned around to face the inspector. Takagi trailed behind him, giving a summary about the case to the chief officer.
"She fell from the balcony to her death during the party at nine thirty-six. The discolouration and frothing on the lips indicated that she was poisoned – the medical officers are on their way to determine which type of poison was used. She came from up there," Takagi lifted his finger to point up on the balcony just above their heads. " – however the actual indigestion could have taken place anywhere. We haven't discovered the source just yet. The house is pretty large."
Shinichi cleared his voice, and several sets of eyes snapped in his direction.
Megure turned to face him with a look brimming with curiosity and anticipation. "You have something to add, Kudou-kun?"
The consultant nodded down towards the deceased. She was an attractive individual – in her late-thirties, bleached hair and wore jewellery worth enough to feed a family of six for four months. Her cheekbones were sharp and her nose too perfectly round which indicated that she had most likely had several bouts of cosmic surgery. "Look at her eyes."
There was a moment of concentrated silence as the police investigators scrutinized the body. When none showed any signs of understanding, Shinichi let go of an internal sigh in disbelief, however kept his dismay hidden as he continued.
"She has more mascara on her right eye then she does on her left, which means that she was halfway reapplying her makeup when she was poisoned. So she had to be in the bathroom when it happened."
Megure looked surprised at the revelation, obviously that possibility had not occurred to him. He gave a nod to Takagiand the inspector turned to search for the source of the poison in the bathroom.
"You are a valuable asset as always, Kudou-kun. Thank you."
Shinichi shrugged, "You would have figured it out sooner or later, Keibu." Even though he had voiced what he believed to be the truth, Shinichi could still feel the burning gaze of their audience. Which was mainly filled with awestruck admiration, with one or two glares of envy sent his way. His shoulders tensed slightly at the hostility.
It was going to be a long evening.
…
Shinichi stepped out of the building with his nose buried in a case document. He had been preoccupied by the recent case of several murders in the Kanto region. All the victims were of both genders, either teens or young adults, and had been found by the side of the road, with their clothes missing and signs of strangulations. So far, they had not found any clues as to narrow down the culprit, other than the psychological profile indicated that the penetrator was most likely in his early forties and divorced.
"Hey, Kudou!"
Shinichi tore his eyes away from the file. Kaito had a huge smile on his face as he approached the detective with his girlfriend, Nakamori Aoko, trailing behind. She gave him a hesitant wave. Today the magician wore a large scarf that was clearly home-made from the apparent large hole in the seams and the mismatching purple and orange colours. His cap was propped down to the earlobes in an attempt to escape the sharp, winter-wind. The snow had not let up since their last meeting.
Aoko's clothing had wrinkles at odd places, she had probably thrown her clothes on in a hurry, and a matching scarf – just in different colours – with it's tip trailing after her like an obedient puppy in the snow.
Shinichi stopped in his tracks and threw a preoccupied smile in their direction. He was juggling a stack of paper, a cup of coffee and his cane in his arms, all the while trying to wrap his scarf around his neck to ward off the invading cold breeze.
"Morning Kuroba, Nakamori-san," he nodded in her direction. "I don't really have time to stop and chat, I have a car waiting –"
"It'll only take a second," Kaito yelled out as he wobbled his way through the half-meter of snow that still had not been shovelled by the groundkeeper.
Shinichi did not have the heart to decline upon seeing the hopeful smile on the magician's face, and the clear indication that he had hurried out in the snowstorm for the sole purpose of catching the detective. He felt a little guilty over that fact.
He nodded in resignation, an eye darting to his wristwatch "If it's quick."
Kaito removed one of his mittens even before he reached the detective, and from out of a pocket, he waved a deck of poker cards in his direction. "Pick a card, but don't look at it," his breath came out of in quick successions from the strain of walking through the snow. Behind him, Aoko stumbled but managed to catch herself from tumbling into the snow face first.
Shinichi winched in sympathy, before turning his attention towards Kaito, who had reached him by then. He plucked a card from the deck with half amusement, half curiosity, wondering what the magician was up to.
There was a yelp and Kaito dropped his arms as he turned to grab Aoko as she actually fell this time, and there was a shovel of limbs and an odd swear word from Aoko before she finally managed to get passed the death-traps in the snow. She looked at Shinichi with large, doe-like eyes filled to the brim with uncertainty and guilt. Most of her left side was now coated with snow.
Shinichi's stomach clenched painfully at the expression, feeling regret once more for the way he had reacted during their first meeting. He opened his mouth to apologies, as was she; but was interrupted by Kaito before either could say anything.
"Try guessing the card without looking at it," Kaito motioned his hands in the direction of the card Shinichi was holding faced down between his thumb and index finger, clearly trying to wade off any potential tension before it could even start.
The detective decided to let it go, though he raised an eyebrow at the request and frowned down at the card.
Aoko voiced his confusion with incredibility. "What kind of weird trick is this, Kaito? I don't think I've heard about this one before."
The magician did not respond to her either and just flashed his teeth in anticipation with mischief dancingin his clear, indigo eyes and a flush from the cold adorning his cheeks.
Shinichi eyed him carefully, wondering what the trick was really about. This just felt – utterly random to him and simply a play of chance. He looked back at the card with scrutinizing eyes, but he could see it had not been tempered with. Kaito did not seem discouraged at the lack of movement from Shinichi, even as the seconds tipped by, nor by the confusion of his audience. Finally, the detective decided to play along and voiced the first number that came to mind.
"Four of Spade."
Kaito only nodded, his expression revealing nothing. "Now turn it."
Aoko must have lost her patience, as a flicker of shock and disbelief flashed across her eyes while her smile thinned. "Is this why you dragged me out in the cold again? This is just ridiculous. You can't possibly have predicted this outcome. There's no way in hell this can be considered magic –"
Ignoring her tirade, however secretly agreeing on certain counts, Shinichi turned the card only to come to a stop as the four of spade was revealed.
Aoko stuttered for a second, her mouth gaping in shock, before she grabbed Kaito's hand and shook them violently. Other than a penny, an orange scarf and a yellow rubber duck, nothing else was revealed to be hidden in the magician's sleeves. She let go of him, blinking at him in surprise. "How on earth –"
Kaito only grinned like the cat who ate the cannery, and his eyes never waived from Shinichi's face.
Shinichi's eyes darted back and forwards between the card and the magician in astonishment. He was certain nothing had been tempered with, and he had chosen the card from the deck himself as well as the number. He would have believed it to be a simple case of pure luck and coincidence that he had picked that specific card, had it not been for the anticipation and cockiness that exuded from the magician.
Shinichi eventually shook his head when his thoughts did nothing but spin in circles and he offered the card back. "Alright, you win,"
Somehow, the confession did not taste bitter on his tongue and his heart fluttered against his chest in surprise. It had been a very long time since he had not been able to figure out a trick, and the revelation felt stimulating.
Kaito accepted the card and slipped it into his pocket with a playful quirk of his lips. "Then we are 2 – 2, detective."
Shinichi snorted in amusement. However, he never got the chance to respond, as a familiar figure clad in blue stepped into the courtyard with a worried expression.
"Kudou-kun?" Takagi called out, the tone of voice was laced with concern. The officer had probably been worried that the detective had slipped on the ice and gotten hurt in the snow, and had therefore left his car to search for him.
For once, he did not feel remotely vexed at being treated like a fragile doll, and he waved a hand in the inspector's direction with a 'on my way', before turning his attention back to the couple.
"So we are. I hope you have a pleasant day you two. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment to get to."
Aoko seemed to have forgotten her previous hesitation as she threw him a friendly smile, all the while keeping half an eye in the direction of Kaito with a scrutinizing gaze as though she could make him spill his secret if she glared hard enough.
The magician was far too energetic as he waved an arm in farewell. "Likewise, detective," he responded with a light tone filled with gleefulness, and Shinichi shook his head again in utter disbelief.
Kuroba Kaito was definitely an odd individual, and Shinichi felt anticipation fluttering in his chest at the thought of interacting with the magician again – the next time, he would sure have a deduction to the trick the magician had performed for him.
…
"Could you pick up Heiji from the train station tomorrow?"
Shinichi wobbled to the side as someone brushed against him. He had the mobile phone pressed between his ear and shoulder. His arms had been preoccupied and he was not able to look who scuffled into him by accident.
The room smelled of medicine and the sick. Someone in front of him in the queue coughed loudly and he suppressed the urge to cover his mouth.
"Do I have to?"
He could clearly imagine the scowl etching itself into Ran's forehead from the other side of the phone-line. "He's your best friend, of course you should pick him up. And don't even think about taking him to work with you regardless of whether the two of you enjoy it more than going to the movies."
He sighed in defeat. "Why is he coming so early? Kazuha isn't getting here before later –"
"Shinichi," Ran chided in disapproval. "Why does it matter if he sleeps over at yours for a day extra? You finished your exams last week."
He scuffled with the papers and switched them over to his left hand and grabbed his phone with his right. Shinichi hoped he would not drop or wrinkle any of the documents as he tried to hold on to them and the cane simultaneously. His leg had been aching more than usual and he suspected it had something to do with the cold weather.
"Fine, fine, I'll pick him up tomorrow. How is the preparations for Saturday? Need any help?" He tapped the corner of the phone against his ear twice, his eyes flickered towards the ceiling in exasperation – he was sorely lacking a third hand to pinch the bride of his nose.
"We don't need any help, we got it covered," she rushed to say, not missing a beat, and Shinichi felt his stomach drop as he read between the lines. She did not need his help, meaning most of the stuff still needed to be done would involve carrying furniture, decoration or food up and down eight floors without an elevator.
He ignored the sting of hurt and forced a teasing tone into his voice. "Regardless, if you need any help let me know, and I'll send Hattori over."
Ran gave a surprised chortle in respond, and there was a ruffling from the other end as she presumably shook her head in disbelief. "I'll keep that in mind. Listen, I have to go now, but you stay safe, okay? I heard there was a snowstorm brewing tonight so you better be home by then."
The queue moved and he moved along automatically. "Yeah, I know. I'm just picking up my prescription at the pharmacy, and yes, before you ask. Chiba offered to drive me. Stop fretting so much, you old mother hen," he mock-frowned into the phone, only half serious. Of everyone, Ran was the person he tolerated fussing the most.
There was a moment of silence, before she sighed into the receiver. "I'm never going to stop worrying about you, idiot."
His lips quirked upwards, and his heart fluttered in his chest from the affection in her tone. "Perhaps. You would probably lose your whole purpose of existing if you did."
He could imagine the scowl on her face as she responded, but he could tell she was not really offended. "I change my mind, I hope you get stuck in the snow and get sick."
Shinichi's smile widened. "Then who would pick up Hattori?"
Unsurprisingly, she ended the call there and then, and he could not subdue the chuckle that escaped from his lips. He put the phone back into his pocket, and he only had to wait for another two minutes before it was his time to step up to the register.
He nodded his head in greeting towards the pharmaceutical sales representative as he handed over his prescription. She was in her mid-twenties, hair short and auburn. Ger dark eyes flickered across his form, then down on the piece of paper in her hand. She gave a small but nervous smile as she turned around to get his pills.
Her shoulders were tight with tension and he swore she looked more like a skittish mouse then a grown human being. He creased his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what had produced such an uneasy attitude from her. He had sworn she had been calmer earlier. His thoughts spun for a second trying to deduce a possible conclusion, and landed on two probabilities; either she had recognized him from the papers and was nervous about waiting on a 'celebrity' – it would not have been the first time – or she had been nicking pills from the pharmacy. He would have to take a deeper look into that possibility at a later date.
His thoughts were cut short when she handed him back the bottle and he paid for it, ignoring the unsettling gaze and the nervous fidget of the woman as he left.
…
The train station was crowded even though it was only eight in the morning. Shinichi stood by the entrance, nursing a cup of burning hot cup of coffee as he waited for the train from Osaka to arrive. He stifled a yawn and glanced at the large clock above his head. It would only be a few more minutes.
A few metres away from him on the right was a couple – and to his dismay, he could hear the sloppy smacking of their lips as they connected and separated every few seconds. For a few moments, he considered doing either of two options; ask them to kindly stop, or hit them over the head with his cane. He knew there must be some kind of pros with carrying a cane around.
Instead, he opted to slurp his coffee louder to drown out the noise. The sky was still dark, however silver linings from dawn started to crack overhead. The weather caster had predicted a sunny day, and he hoped the sky would stick with the precognition.
The red kaisoku train from Osaka eventually trailed into the station. There was a restless stirring in the crowd within as the passengers waited to be released. Even before the door was opened half-way, there was a body of a tall, lean man pressing himself through the crack in order to dash off to escape. As he stepped through, the person pushed someone over who had been blocking his way and sprinted down the platform, ignoring the angry, indignant calls after him.
As he stepped past Shinichi, the detective vaguely recognized a drop of a distinctive crimson substance on his sleeves. Without pausing, Shinichi reached after him with his cane, and yanked the curve of the handle in front of the culprit's foot. The penetrator stumbled immediately and went blundering into the couple who were still kissing the daylights out of each other – talk about killing two birds with one stone.
Shinichi could not stop the satisfying smile twitching his lips in gratification at the sight. He did not need to watch Hattori Heiji running towards them from the train to know what misdemeanour had gone on before the train had arrived at the platform. Shinichi leaned against his cane as he peered down at the three bodies by his feet.
"I recommend staying where you are. "
The perpetrator twisted to glare at Shinichi with a mixture of fury and fear. He started to crawl to his feet, however one of the couple's elbow shot out and hit him in the groin. He immediately crumbled onto the floor with a painful groan as he covered his groin with his hands.
"Ouch. That looks like it hurts," Heiji's voice reached Shinichi as he approached, his voice only marginally out of breath from the sprint.
The detective glanced in his friend's direction and his lips quirked upwards. "Had an exciting trip, I take."
The Osakan's nose crunched upwards in dismissal. "Pretty much a straightforward cut and run, I swear the criminals ain't even trying to make it hard anymore."
Shinichi hummed in affirmation, and they shared a grin in greeting before turning back to gaze back down at the culprit who was still struggling to get off the ground. Heiji moved to intercept, but suddenly the perpetrator shot off the ground with a last desperate dash for freedom. The Osakan detective did not miss a beat before he was off chasing after him like a dog after a hare.
Shinichi was left standing there and stared after them with a melancholic expression, which turned into one of amused exasperation when Heiji tackled the criminal right into a coffee booth a moment later. Behind him, he could hear the whistle from the Osakan train as it started to exit the platform, and he shook his head.
Heiji had not stepped out of the train with his luggage. Either he had not brought any, or he had forgotten it on the train.
Shinichi's penny was on the latter.
…
By the time they had managed to locate the Osakan's luggage after the arrest, it was already mid-morning. On cue, Heiji started hinting for an early lunch. They ended up eating Takoyaki at a street-venue and continued to Shinichi's apartment.
…
"You look fine. Stop fussing, Hattori. You are worse than Sonoko."
Heiji shot him a grumpy look as he untied his tie for the fifth time since they left campus half an hour ago. The air was crispy and the cold tingled across their cheeks and bit any uncovered skin. Their feet thread through the snow and the crystals clunk to their shoes and jeans.
"Excuse me for wanting to look good, but I intend to make an impression."
Shinichi lifted an eyebrow, and a grin curled on his lips. "Impress Kazuha, you mean."
On cue, Heiji flushed as he started to stutter out a denial. "That's not –"
"Face it Hattori," Shinichi interjected, tired of hearing the same tirade of how they were just friends for the last three years. "As long as I've known you, you have never looked at or even thought about flirting with any other woman. There are only two possible conclusion to this behaviour; either you are gay, or you are in love with Kazuha. There are no other reasons."
The Osakan detective fell quiet as they continued down the street. His eyes were trained to the path in front of him as a frown etched itself into his brow. He licked his lips before eventually answering with a low, hoarse voice. "Alright, you got me. I might, might, have feelings for Kazuha," his eyes darted in Shinichi's direction as horror over the admission flashed across his eyes. "Don't tell her I said that."
He supressed the chortle tickling in his throat. "She loves you, you know. It's clear to everyone who knows you two." It took him only a few steps before he noticed Heiji was not following, and he turned to regard him – his eyebrow still raised.
Heiji looked flabbergasted. Surprise and hope flashed across his face. His mouth gaping before he managed to voice the disbelief but wistful thoughts spinning in his head. "Y-You think so?"
Shinichi wanted to respond, to reassure Heiji, that he knew it to be the truth. However, getting involved with his friends' complicated relationship was not something he wished to do. He trailed his fingers through his hair, before letting out a soft sigh. "Let's just get to the party Heiji. If you truly want to know, you should take it up with the woman in question."
He did not wait for Heiji to respond as he continued walking. He only had to wait for a few seconds before his friend followed suit. There was an oppressive silence between them, and he let Heiji mull on his thoughts, most likely scrutinizing every meeting and conversation he'd had with Kazuha over the years in order to verify Shinichi's words.
The Osakan detective could be thick-headed sometimes, Shinichi thought, he was sure they'd had a similar conversation several times already. Perhaps Heiji was simply self-conscious about the idea and needed reassurance that he was not being a fool pinning over his childhood friend.
They eventually arrived at their destination, and by the time they had climbed all eight floors, Shinichi's leg was throbbing from the sudden exercise. He had ignored Heiji's heavy gaze as the Osakan purposely walked behind in him in case he slipped. Shinichi pushed the ordeal from his mind, not wanting for that action to sour his own mood, especially as he knew the Osakan meant no harm.
They greeted the birthday girl as they entered her apartment and hung up their winter attire. Immediately, they were swept up in a flood of music, talking and introductions.
In the end, Shinichi and Ran had managed to dissuade Sonoko and held the party in Sera Masumi's studio apartment. It was already large enough to house many guests as it was.
The girls – Sonoko, Kazuha, Ran, Sera and surprisingly enough, Aoko – looked radiant, seeing as they had spent the day in a luxury spa, followed by manicure and a hair salon. A treat all paid for by Sonoko. Ran wore a lilac blouse that matched her eyes, and a stylish, black skirt that went to her knees. As always, her make-up was done modestly and he was struck by how beautiful she was as she blushed before laughing at something Sera said.
Sera was modestly clothed in comparison, opting to wear a shirt and a vest with her trademark hat, and only a thin line of eyeliner finished off the whole outfit.
Shinichi glanced in the direction of Heiji, who had suddenly gone rigid next to him. He was puzzled for a second, before he realized that the Osakan must have spotted Kazuha in her short, green dress. Shinichi elbowed him, but it did nothing to produce a reaction. He sighed with a mixture of aggravated affection at his friend.
"Just talk to her," he whispered from the corner of his mouth and promptly left. He could tell Heiji seem to have been nailed to the floor with bewilderment. He headed for the refreshment table, with an eye searching the premises questionably – wondering if Nakamori Aoko's presence meant that Kuroba Kaito was here too.
However, there was no sign of the magician.
Hiding his disappointment, Shinichi nodded towards a group of people he recognized from one of his modules and was shortly approached by them –they were discussing the upcoming exams. The discussion quickly curved into different topics, such as the merits of using DNA samplings for human identification purposes.
"It's going to be possible to predict phenotype features such as statue, facial features and pigmentation in the future," Nashio Masashi said, the tip of his black fringe was dyed red and he took a sip of a bottle of beer. His eyes shone with excitement and a flush tinted his cheeks from the alcohol.
"Sounds like bollocks," Tomita Eisuke said, his eyes narrowed with distrust. However he sounded unsure, as it was common knowledge that Nashio had an odd interest in forensic investigation. "Surely our entire genetic make-up can't possibly predict how our facial structure is going to develop. What about environmental changes on our facial features?"
Nanao Tsuya fidgeted where she stood, nearly a head and a half smaller than the boys, and she shifted her glasses with a determined look as she peered up at them. "You have a point, Tomita-san. As the research stands, we cannot predict environmental adjustment, but give it a few years we should be able to calculate the phenotypes more accurately. Think about the ramification of the research. We could portray an accurate description of the victim or killer just from a drop of blood."
"Sounds like futuristic crap to me," Tomita responded. "Could be years in the making –"
"Actually," Shinichi finally interrupted, and the three pairs of eyes snapped in his direction as he spoke. His lips quirked upwards in surprise at the sudden attention. "It's already possible to predict if a suspect has red hair due to the discovery of a melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor gene that causes the mutation of red hair, the police are using it in their forensic investigations."
There was a moment of silent, before Nashio responded with a dry grin. "So basically, if you are ginger committing crimes in Japan you are screwed?"
Nanao chortled and she shot Nashio an affectionate and wistful expression. One did not have to look twice to realize she had a crush.
"Kudou-kun?"
Shinichi glanced to the side as Sera Masumi approached him. Her lips twitched in uncertainty, and he frowned marginally at the nervousness in her shoulders, wondering what could have caused the tension in her as she absentmindedly pulled at a thread on the seam of her shirt.
He gave her a friendly smile regardless and leaned in to give her a one armed hug. "Happy birthday, Sera. Here, I –" he straightened to pull up a small box from his pants and handed it to her with a sheepish grin. "I wasn't sure where to put the gifts."
She flushed as she accepted it with shaking hands. A frown etched itself into her forehead. "I thought the invitation said no presents," she fiddled with the parcel for a moment before handing it back to him.
He did not accept it and shook his head instead. "Please, I insist. I didn't get you anything last year for – for obvious reasons."
Sera lowered her eyes before she let her hand fall with a small nod. "Fine, but I'm considering this a Christmas present from me to you."
His lips quirked upwards at her teasing words and he chuckled softly. "It's the best Christmas present ever, Sera. Thank you, you are really generous."
She grinned back, all evidence of nervousness evaporated and she licked her lips as her eyes darted around the room before settling back on him. There was a sudden determination shining in her eyes as she spoke next. "Can I talk to you? In private?"
He nodded in response and followed her out into the hallway. The click of the cane echoed from the walls in the intimate corridor as the floor switched from carpet to stone. He leaned his hip against the closest wall and lifted an eyebrow in expectation. All the while, his heart had started to flutter with foreboding.
Sera did not revert back to her nervous state and she planted herself on the floor with feet spread and arms twitching as though she was expecting a dispute. A tongue flickered out to moisten her lips as though she was trying to buy a few moments. Though her body language indicated a readiness – either to fight or flight, her eyes swam with uncertainty and a tiny flicker of fear.
He did not speak, instead letting the girl take her time. Whatever she had intended to voice, had to be an important matter to Sera, since she was someone who tend to speak her mind.
"Alright, just –" she bit her lip, before inhaling sharply, gathering her courage. "I'll back off if you want me to, I don't know what happened between you and Ran. I can tell how much you two care for each other. But I just – I might – that is to say –" she stumbled with her words, her eyes switching between staring at a point behind Shinichi's shoulder and the floor. The courage she had had evaporated as she spoke.
Shinichi took pity on her, and reached out to grab her shoulders. Almost immediately the female detective stilled underneath his fingertips. His heart pulsated in his throat and he could feel his stomach dropped as it dawn on him what she was trying to say.
Half of him was happy for Ran's sake – he had been worried earlier that Sera might not reciprocate Ran's growing affections – the other part felt his heart break into pieces at the realization that the glimmer of hope in the back of his mind that he and Ran would eventually end up together and still been present despite his try to move on. He pushed that all away though – now was not the time, and forced a smile on his lips.
"Deep breaths, Sera. Me and Ran are over. So if you want to confess your feelings, you have my blessings."
Her eyes widened in shock, and her mouth popped open in surprise. Her body twitched for a second as she considered hugging him, before she shot forward to embrace him tightly anyway. The hug only lasted for a moment before she released him, her face flushed with hope and embarrassed. "How did you know I –"
He flickered her nose and hummed with a teasing smile. "Don't insult my observation skills, detective."
A grin grew on Sera's face, and she shook her head once in incredulity. "Point taken," her eyes flickered past Shinichi and back into the party, and another uncertain emotion flickered across her face as one obstacle still remained: confessing her feelings to Ran. He could tell she wanted to get it all over and done with. So he moved and motioned her to go on ahead.
She sent him a grateful look and left with a promise to continue this conversation at a later date and a 'thank you'. He watched her go, the smile falling from his lips as she disappeared from view. He raked a hand through his hair and let out a sigh.
For a moment there, he had been tempted to say no, to tell Sera to not approach Ran about with her romantic feelings. That would was an idiotic and foolish impulse, he knew. He and Ran had been over for months. Moreover, Ran did not love him the way she loved Sera. Standing in their way would not gain anyone except the cruel whisper in the back of his mind.
He refused to be bitter about it all, to wonder what he lacked that the female detective possessed. Trustworthiness, reliable, doesn't make Ran cry, the right gender, murmured a whirlpool of voices in the back of his head. And as he heard the wolfwhistle from the other room, he felt the sudden urge to leave and clear his head.
Shinichi was happy for them, of course he was. He simply was not ready to deal with the heartache at this very moment, and to deal with the gnawing feeling of abandonment in the pit of his stomach. Everyone he knew had a romantic partner except for him, and there was always the nagging feeling of who could ever possibly love a broken soul like him?
"You look like you could need a drink."
Surprised, Shinichi blinked away the tears prickling in his eyes as he glanced in the direction of the voice. He had not heard anyone approach him.
Kuroba Kaito looked at him with a worried expression as he offered the detective a red plastic cup filled with some unidentifiable alcoholic substance. Shinichi did not really care as he accepted the cup and he gulped down half, the unmistakable burning of alcohol sliding down his throat – which did nothing to calm his nerves. "Thanks."
They stood in silence for a few moments, though it did not feel oppressive or awkward. Instead, Kaito simply leaned against the adjacent wall as he sipped his own cup, keeping the detective company. Shinichi knew that if it had been anyone else, he would have twisted in discomfort and anger as he imagined the pity reflecting in their eyes. However the magician only looked stoic and sympathetic.
The cup was empty by the time he managed to reign in his frazzled mind, and he cleared his throat. "I didn't know Nakamori-san and Sera were such good friends."
Kaito scratched his cheeks, and a sheepish smile played on his lips. "Apparently Aoko and Sera-san bonded over their mutual dislike of Kaitou KID."
Shinichi could not supress the chortle that escaped his throat. "Sounds like Sera alright."
"Sounds like Aoko," Kaito agreed as he lifted his cup and bump it against Shinichi's in a soft 'thump' as if to toast, "For our crazy friends who can't appreciate art."
The detective lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "You think the thief's performance is art?"
He gave a noncommittal shrug in response. "Either Kaitou KID is a maniac looking for a bizarre form of adrenaline boost - seeing as he never steals anything - or he consider himself an artist with his magic performances. Like a circus clown searching for an audience to enthral. Either way, he has put away an impressive amount of forgers and crooks behind bars, no?"
"So you think him a vigilante?" Shinichi voiced his question in curiosity, half amused and half exasperated. "We should thank him for pointing out obvious lapse in judgement from the police and museum's security systems for letting a thief just saunter in and out?"
Kaito held up his palm, to indicate that he did not mean to disrespect, however his eyes still shone with a dark emotion. "All I'm saying, there has got to be more to him behind the metaphorical-mask. The moonlight magician is just as much of a human being as anyone else."
Shinichi's head tipped his head in agreement. Though he had encountered the elusive phantom thief many a times as Edogawa Conan, he had never truly gotten to know the man behind the masquerade and what made him tick. He agreed with Kaito's reasoning, there had to be a motive. However it had never been a priority in his life to figure it out, especially since he had not attended a single heist since he turned back.
"So, what's the verdict? Go back in or tactfully retreat for the evening?" Kaito asked, moving onto another subject when the detective did not make a verbal response.
Shinichi's lips quirked upwards, his eyes darting in the direction of the door. "No matter how much the latter sounds tempting, I'm afraid I'd never hear the end of it if I was to do so." To his surprise, he noticed he had calmed down quite some – whether it was from the alcohol buzzing in his veins or Kaito's presence he could not tell.
The magician tipped his head as the decision was made, and held the door open for Shinichi. "Your call," he replied with a soft voice, and the smile on his lips was tad more serious and affectionate than with humour.
Shinichi's heart fluttered in surprise at the expression, and rather than standing still for a second and consider it, he slipped past Kaito and back into the crowded room.
…
Shinichi was not sure if staying had been the right call, as he ended up having a front row seat to Heiji's play of jealous drunkenness as his friend sulked about the sight of Tomita Eisuke flirting with Kazuha. If the Osakan detective had more than two working brain cells to rub together with in his current intoxicated state, he would have been able to clearly see how uncomfortable the girl was. She kept stealing glances in Heiji's direction, hoping for a rescue.
"It's just not fair Kudou –"
"Then go talk to her," Shinichi injected rather briskly and unsympathetic as they had kept repeating the same few lines at each other for the last five minutes. He could feel a headache brewing behind his brows, and it had nothing to do with a hangover that would surely overwhelm him come morning.
Heiji fidgeted for a moment, took a large sip of his cup, before opening his mouth to start the circle all over again. However, this time, he stilled a second midway, before his head turned to gaze at Shinichi with an intense expression. "Can I –" he licked his lips as he inched closer to Shinichi on the couch – and he suddenly got a foreboding feeling. "can I borrow your cane for a second?"
Shinichi eyed the aforementioned item leaning against the edge of the sofa for a brief second, before his eyes darted back up to regard his friend. He lifted an eyebrow. "Only if you promise not to commit murder. I don't intent to lose my favourite cane as evidence in a criminal investigation."
Heiji's face faltered for a second – and he could have sworn he looked disappointed – before a renew energy flared in his eyes. "Can I at least trip him?"
Shinichi snorted, and waved his hand in the direction. "Go for it." Even before the words escaped his lips, the Osakan detective had made a grab for the stick and was already half across the room. He could see when Tomita backed off with widening eyes at the oncoming storm that was Hattori Heiji.
"You clearly need less homicidal friends," Kaito commented drily as he handed Shinichi a glass of water before slumping into the seat Heiji had previously occupied, his eyes glued to the back of the Osakan detective.
Shinichi accepted the glass and took a sip. He hummed in agreement, an eye darting to regard the magician. Kaito had loosened his tie, and it hung freely around his neck, only bouncing slightly every time he moved. He wore a sky-blue shirt that matched his eyes. However Shinichi could still see residual stains from multi-coloured paint on the fabric – or at least he hoped it was paint. The magician's fringes were styled to the side, however the rest still stood in defiance to the laws of gravity. There was a healthy red flush across his cheeks from both the warm of the apartment, the buzz from the alcohol and laughter.
"Present company included?"
Instead of being outraged at the thought of being accused, even teasingly, of being a murderer, Kaito's eyes lit up as he regarded the detective with surprise. "You consider me a friend?"
Shinichi had to take a second to blink as he reflected on his words. He had not realized it before now, but he had indeed started to consider the magician a friend. Whether it was from the pleasant buzzing of the alcohol - he could not tell - his lips twisted upwards and he sighed with a happy expression as he tipped their cups together.
"For friendship," he agreed, and the subsequent blinding smile sent his heart fluttering in surprise.
He settled back in the comfortable coach and let his eyes dart around the room. Sonoko was chatting with a couple of friends - her long-time boyfriend, Kyogoku Makoto could not make it to the party. In their own corner, Sera and Ran huddled together, Sera's arm was wrapped around Ran's waist and even from the distance, Shinichi could clearly see the happiness radiating off them as the world around them ceased to exist as they spoke with soft tones.
He forced his eyes away from them before his heart clenched even more painfully. He settled on an easier topic, as he watched Nakamori Aoko holding an animated conversation with someone he vaguely recognized as Hakuba Saguru. She wore a stylish one-shouldered white-blouse that hung down to her thighs, with a short naval-blue jacket worn over it.
The detective was marginally surprised at the modern and considerate wardrobe, as he had always imagined Aoko to be less interested in fashion from her choice of mismatching colour combinations to her home-knitted scarfs.
"I think she's secretly colour blind actually, she's just too proud to admit it," Kaito commented amicably, and Shinichi realized he had accidentally voiced his thoughts. The magician stretches his arms across the top of the sofa, and for a second, his warm palm brushed against the detective's neck.
It sent a not entirely unpleasant shiver down his spine. He took another sip of his water as he looked back at Kaito. "Is that so?"
A grin played on Kaito's lips. "Aye, and as always, I had to come to the rescue. Being the one with the fashion sense between the two of us."
Shinichi chortled in amusement as mirth danced in his eyes. "So you got pulled into shopping too, huh?"
They shared an amused look over their predicament, and Shinichi was suddenly glad that Kaito had been there for the evening, uncertain how he would have taken the news of Sera and Ran being a couple had he been left on his own. His chest suddenly filled with warmth at the prospect of widening his circle of friends – something he had been trying to avoid lest they got hurt on his account – what with his dangerous vocation.
Now, instead of feeling dread, he felt only contentment at the thought.
The feeling evaporated a second later however, as a large and expensive looking vase fell onto the floor. It took Shinichi only a moment to locate the source, and had to stifle a sigh at the picture of Heiji waving his cane in the direction of a terrified Tomita Eisuke.