Four points of the same star

DISCLAIMER:I do not own Detective Conan .

FOUR POINTS OF THE SAME STAR

Chapter 3

Rei

Conan opened the envelope and started to read the letter with a smile on his face.

Dear Shinichi,

How are you? It's been a while since we've heard each other. Sorry, but I've been really busy here with classes and exams and life in general.

By the way, what happened to you? I called down at your house a few times when I had time but you never answered. Are you working on your cases as usual, or have you just turned too lazy to get up and pick the phone?

Just joking.

As I said before, I've been busy with classes and exams. There were moments when I thought that you were right when you said that it was a stupid to do something before time. You know what I mean.. As soon as I moved to the USA, I finished high school and I was just fifteen. Then I started to follow the computer science course at university. It has been tough, but now, I'm proud to tell you that I've finally managed to graduate! I really don't understand why you refused to do this yourself; at this time you'd probably be graduated too! I remember that when I asked you so, you just said that you had a good reason to stay.

I think that you didn't want to leave a certain person.. a girl.. maybe called, let's see... Ran Mouri?

I can see you blush, you know?

'How the hell does she know that?' Conan thought, as red stripes coloured his face.

Well, changing subject, things have improved since we've heard last time.

The other students have stopped to look at me as though I was some sort of alien and they don't treat me as a younger kid anymore. By the way, I've met another Japanese student of our age: it's a boy that studies engineering here in New York. Guess what? He's another "Holmes freak". I'm beginning to think that there must be some strange magnetism that attracts those who love Holmes stories: I've met him the same way I met you. You two have many things in common and I'm sure that you'd get along very well with him.

Anyway, Shinichi, now that I'm through my studies, I'm going to try to enter FBI.

It's the only way I have to investigate and discover some details about my parents' accident. Don't worry, I won't do anything rash: I'll be careful. Your words still support me.

No matter what, truth is always there. You just have to find it.

You encouraged me and I.. well... I really don't know how to thank you. And your parents, too. Yukiko-san calls me very often: it's so sweet of her. She makes me feel cared with her motherly ways. As though I had a mother again.

Ok, I must leave you now. Listen, get in touch soon. I don't know how: mail, phone, or whatever. I'll be waiting to get your news, all right?

Hope to see or hear you soon! Bye, little brother!

Love,

Rei.

Conan was still smiling when he finished to read. His mood had positively improved, too. He got up and, carefully, put the letter in his jacket pocket. He looked at the envelope and saw that it had been posted nearly 8 months ago.

'Damn it!' he thought, 'I've got to contact her immediately and apologize!'

He then noticed that Ai had been watching him the whole time.

"Is there something wrong, Haibara?" he asked.

"No. I think I underestimated you, Kudo." she replied, turning back to the magazine.

"Huh?" he asked with confusion "Why?"

"I thought you only had eyes for Mouri-san, but I'm surprised to see that I was wrong." she replied, without looking him.

"Ran? What are you talki.. ?" he stopped half way through his sentence because he understood what she meant. "Wait a second.. you thought that I.. with her... cheating Ran..." He was stammering and blushing furiously. "No, you.. you misunderstood!"

Ai looked back at him and seeing his face, she stifled a laugh.

'Nobody would believe he's the famous Shinichi Kudo if they saw him now.' she thought, 'The cool and efficient detective who never failed a case.. yet one who is completely clueless when it comes to girls and feelings...'

After her sister's death, life had lost all it's meaning and she had taken her own poison. She had nothing to loose. Unfortunately, life had refused to give up on her. Destiny had sent her to him. The one who could have saved Akemi.

She remembered breaking down before him. He had said nothing but only held her gently as her tears wet his shirt. In his eyes, she had seen his guilt and witnessed his painful recollection. It was not his fault. Their initial hostility had slowly melted away: she didn't blame him and he didn't blame her for having made APTX-4869 that had shrunk both. (A.N: I took this bit from Pyrokid's "Haibara disappears".)

They were friends, even though neither would admit it. Her life had changed thanks to him, but she knew that everything would have ended the moment she finished the antidote. He would go back to his life.. back to Mouri, while she.. where would she go? How could she live without him?

Ai shook her head slightly: she did not want to think about it, yet. She had promised him to make the antidote. She only had to think about that now.

"You're going to protect me, right?

"Yes."

His promise came back to her mind.

"Don't run away, Ai." he had said after the bus-jack, "Don't look away from your destiny."

Shortly after, he made her that promise with his caring and calm tone...

"Haibara, how did you know that it was a girl?"

"Huh?"

Ai snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Conan, who had stopped stammering the moment he noticed that she was not paying attention to what he was saying.

"Come again?"

"How did you know that the sender of the letter is a girl?" he repeated with a suspicious look.

She noticed the look.

"The handwriting." she replied shortly, her gaze averting back to the magazine.

"Huh?"

"I saw the writing on the envelope and guessed it was a girl." Ai looked at him. "Why? Did you think I read the letter, violating your privacy?"

"No." he lied, blushing slightly. She snickered.

"By the way.." Conan said to get out of awkward situation, "She's not my girl friend."

"Who is she, then?" Ai asked.

Conan looked at the girl next to him, wondering if he should answer.

"Do you really want to know?" he finally asked.

This took Ai by surprise. She didn't expect that he would have actually given her an answer but she had to admit that she was curious to know who this girl was. She had noticed the way he smiled when he was reading the letter: it was a tender smile that she had never seen on his face.

She closed the magazine.

"If you want to." she said, looking at him

"Ok.. well, her name's Rei... Reila.. Ikeda and she's seventeen. We met 3 years ago when she moved from Europe to Teitan High..


All right, this is chapter 3. I hope you liked it! In the next chapter, I'll make Rei's official introduction.

Please, review!

Bye!