Four points of the same star
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Detective Conan .
FOUR POINTS OF THE SAME STAR Chapter 17: Goodbye Conan and Ai.
"Children, I have to tell you something that won't make you very happy. Conan and Ai are leaving for America: today's their last day of school with us."
The teacher's announcement was taken with surprise by the whole class, especially by Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko who were dumbstruck. They didn't know anything about this and they just stared at the two silent kids, standing next to the teacher.
However, at recess, the Detective Boys were hanging near the swings and the three kids were bombarding Conan and Ai with questions.
"Why are you leaving?"
"When are you leaving?"
"Why didn't you tell us?"
Conan and Ai glanced at each other: they had expected this reaction.
"Listen, it happened suddenly." Conan said, "My parents have finished to travel because of their work and they've decided to take me back home. That's the main reason I've been at Ran-neechan's house for all this time: they didn't want me to be home alone. While Haibara..."
"I have a relative that lives in America and he says that he will take care of me like Agase did." Ai remarked, looking over her magazine.
"When are you going to leave?" Mitsuhiko asked.
"Tomorrow." she replied.
"WHAT?" the three kids exclaimed together, "SO SOON?"
"Yes, my Mom and Haibara's relative will come together tomorrow and we'll leave immediately: they have to go back to work." Conan said. He saw the looks on their faces. "We will be leaving at noon from Agase's house so, if you want, you can come over to see us."
Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko seemed to cheer up a bit when he said this.
"How come you're leaving together?" Genta asked curiously.
"It seems that Edogawa-kun's house in America is next to my relative's house." Ai replied, "We're neighbours."
Ayumi and Mitsuhiko didn't seem so happy of this last detail and Conan and Ai couldn't help but smile slightly: they both knew that the two kids liked them in a special way.
The bell rang and as they went back to their class, Conan glanced at Ai.
"You know, I think I'll miss those three." he said, "And all their crazy ideas of becoming famous and rich solving cases."
"The famous Detective Boys... without the real detective. " Ai remarked, "I hope they won't get in trouble, investigating on their own."
"Yeah, we'll have to keep an eye on them." Conan said, "They always get in trouble."
"Yes, you're right." she said. "Anyway, let's go, Kudo-kun."
"Oh, yes. If we don't hurry, we'll miss our last day in first grade." he said sarcastically, "It would be terrible."
Ai smirked and they both went back to class.
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That afternoon, as soon as classes were over, Ayumi, Mitsuhiko and Genta managed to drag Conan and Ai with them to the park.
"Come on, you're leaving tomorrow." Ayumi said, "Who knows when you'll come back?"
Conan and Ai accepted because they didn't want to spoil the children's enthusiasm and innocent faith. They didn't know that they wouldn't have met each other again.
'Conan will disappear forever tomorrow.' Conan thought as he looked at the kids, walking in front him. 'I'm sorry but you won't meet me again.'
Ai was thinking the same.
'We won't meet again.' she thought, 'You'll go on with your happy lives while I'll try to destroy the ones that made my life miserable.'
Ai thought of how much she owed to that three kids, the Detective Boys: Genta Kojima, Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya and Ayumi Yoshida.
'Kojima, the leader of the group that always has food in his mind; Tsuburaya, the logical mind that sometimes gives useful hints to solve cases and that happens to like me. Me. I'm sure he'll find someone more suitable for him. And then, Yoshida...Yoshida, the nice and caring child with an invincible stare: the stare of innocence. She was the one that started talking to me when I first got to school, the one that dragged me into the Detective Boys group, the one that was jealous of me because I was close to Kudo-kun…
I owe a lot to them... They're probably the only ones that have given me innocent friendship, the only ones that have made friends with me without bothering of who I am or where I came from. For them, I'm simply Ai Haibara, a girl of their age.'
"Haibara?"
Ai turned to her left, as Conan called her.
"Yes?" she asked.
"Do you feel guilty as I do?" he asked, keeping his voice low. "For not telling that we'll never meet each other again. In this state, I mean."
"Well, they'll find out tomorrow." she replied, "Let's give them false hopes for now."
"Yeah, it's better." he said, sighing slightly.
"Come on, Kudo-kun, it's our last day as seven year olds." Ai said, "It's the last time we'll have to behave as kids."
Conan looked at her with a smile on his face.
"Well, let's make Conan and Ai enjoy their last day, then." he said and Ai smiled back.
"Conan-kun, Haibara-san! Hurry up!" Ayumi called from the other side of the road. Conan and Ai glanced at each other again and hurried to her.
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Ran was in the kitchen: dinner was ready and she was setting the table. As she put three plates and glasses on the table, a sudden wave of sorrow overcame her.
It was the last time that she would have to set the table for three.
Conan's mother had called less than a week ago and had told her that she was coming to take her son back home. She didn't have to travel anymore for her work, so she wanted to have Conan back with her: she would take care of him now that she didn't have to spend all her time out.
"I can't stay for long in Japan: my husband's busy with work and I have to help him with a few things. I'll come Saturday morning and leave with Conan shortly after."
'This were her words on the phone.' Ran thought, 'Conan-kun will leave tomorrow at noon and he probably won't come back here anymore.'
Ran knew that Conan would have had to leave her house and go back to his parents but, somehow, she hoped he would have stayed forever. She was really fond of that little boy that behaved as an adult. Caring, cheerful and protective Conan: he was going to leave her. First Shinichi and now him.
"I'm back, Ran-neechan!"
Ran's heart gave a lurch as she heard him: she wasn't going to hear this anymore from now on.
'Get a grip, Ran!' she scolded herself, 'It's his last day here: let him enjoy it.'
"Welcome back, Conan-kun." she called, "How come you're late?"
Conan appeared at the door, carrying his school bag.
"Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko took Haibara and me to the park and many other places." he said, "They wanted us to have a good memory of our last day here."
"Oh, it's very sweet of them." Ran said, "Are they coming to Agase's house tomorrow?"
"Yes, they want to say goodbye to me and Haibara."
"It's been a lucky coincidence that Ai-kun's house is next to yours. You won't feel lonely in America since she's there."
"Yeah." Conan replied shortly. He didn't like lying to Ran or talking to her about Ai.
'If Ran knew that she's the one that has taken her place in my heart, she wouldn't say this.' he thought, 'She wouldn't.'
The events had taken an unexpected turn: he had thought that after their talk at the coffee shop, after he had told Ran he had feelings for another girl, she would have stopped thinking of him and that she would probably hate him. He thought he'd have to comfort her, as Conan. And he did do it, but...
FLASHBACK
"I'm back, Ran-neechan!"
Conan had just come back to the Mouri's detective agency, after his day as Shinichi and after having spent the night at Agase's house. As he walked inside the house, he forced himself to be normal and pushed away all the guilt he was feeling.
He looked around: the house seemed desert. Kogoroh was probably out for a case or for a drink but where was Ran? He remembered that Sonoko had asked her to come to her house after their meeting because she wanted to know what had happened and what he had to tell her.
'Ran might have gone to Sonoko's place to get a bit of comfort since no one was home.' he thought.
He slowly walked to the his door when he heard a soft cry from the room next to his: Ran's room. She was still crying for him. Once again, he had made her cry.
Slowly, he opened the door of her room. Ran was lying on her bed and it seemed that she had been crying for a long time: her eyes were red and her face was filled with moist tears. She didn't notice Conan come in and approach her until he spoke.
"Ran-neechan, why are you crying?" he asked softly, struggling the guilt and pain he felt for making her suffer so much.
Ran got up with a start.
"Conan-kun! When did you come back?" she asked, hastily drying her tears with her hand.
"Why are you crying?" he asked again.
"Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry." she said, forcing a small smile, "Come on, it's late: I have to get dinner ready. You're hungry, aren't you?"
She was getting up and was going to leave the room.
"You're crying for that Shinichi Kudo again, aren't you?" Conan said painfully, knowing the answer already.
Ran turned around quickly and stared at him.
"How do you know?" she asked as tears filled her eyes. "Anyway.. it doesn't matter anymore: he gave me an answer... But I still love him." Tears rolled down on Ran's cheeks as she said this and she hugged Conan, sobbing softly on his shoulder. He hugged her back.
"Why don't you just forget him?" Conan asked.
"I love him even if he doesn't love me." Ran said, tightening the embrace, "I'll love him forever as he will be inside my heart,"
"He isn't worth your tears and heart." Conan said softly, as guilt surged in him again, "He made you cry so many times."
"Maybe... but I will wait for his return, even if he already has a girl in his heart. I will wait and I will talk to him again." Ran explained.
"You will wait? "Conan asked surprised.
"Yes, I want to talk to him again: maybe I can show him that my feelings are really strong." Ran said, "I will wait without giving up and will talk to him again"
Ran's heart was already broken but still she didn't want to let go. She really loved Shinichi with all her heart and soul and she wasn't going to give up. She was going to fight for him.. even with the girl he loved now.
Conan felt guilt wash through him. He didn't have the heart to contradict her: how could he tell her that her efforts would be vain? Shinichi.. he was in love with another girl. With Shiho. Ran was only a friend for him: his dearest childhood friend.
Ran got up and dried her tears quickly.
"Thank you, Conan-kun." she said, smiling slightly, "You're always here when I sad. What could I do without you?"
Conan forced a smile but he had never felt so bad before.
'I'm sorry, Ran but I will leave you soon, too.' he thought.
"Come, let's get dinner ready. I don't know when Dad will come back, so it's just us."
"Yes, Ran-neechan." he replied.
END FLASHBACK
Conan looked at Ran as she was busy, preparing dinner. She didn't show her feelings openly when his mother called, telling that she was coming to take him home. However, he knew that she was suffering: Conan was like a little brother to her.
"Conan-kun?"
"Yes, Ran-neechan?" he asked, snapping out of his thoughts.
"Have you packed everything?"
"Yes, all my things are ready."
"Good. You know, we have to be at Agase's house before noon. Your mother said that you have to take the plane at one o'clock: if you forget something here, you can't take it back."
"I've checked everything, Ran-neechan."
Ran looked at the little boy and smiled slightly.
"Ok, then." she said, "Go and put your bag away and wash your hands. Dinner is ready: I've made all your favourites."
Conan managed to smile brightly.
"Thanks, Ran-neechan!" he said and left the kitchen.
As Ran started to serve dinner, she found herself thinking of all the days spent with the boy.
'Thank you, Conan-kun.'
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There was a small crowd in front of Agase's house.
There were Ayumi, Mitsuhiko and Genta but also Sonoko, Detective Sato, Detective Takagi and Inspector Megure. They were all there to say goodbye to Conan and Ai (although most of them were there only for Conan).
"Wow, there's a crowd out there." Ryu said, carefully looking out of the window.
"Yes, you two are pretty popular, aren't you?" Rei asked, turning to Ai.
Ai smirked.
"Kudo-kun is popular." she replied, "He helped solve many of the cases that the police officers out there were working on. And he was always hanging around with Detective Mouri, too."
"Come on, they came for you, too." Rei said, "That three little kids are an example. By the way, why is Suzuki here?"
Ai peeked out of the window and shrugged.
"I have no idea." she said.
Just then, Agase came in the room, carrying a suitcase.
"Ai-kun, I think we should go out." he said, "Otherwise, they will wonder what has happened to you."
"Professor, it's only half past eleven." she replied.
"Matt said that he'll be here with Kudo-san at twelve sharp." Ryu said, getting away from the window, "You can take it easy."
"Oh, all right." Agase said, "We'll leave when Shinichi-kun comes."
They didn't have to wait long: the Mouri's car parked in front the house fifteen minutes later. Ran, Conan and Kogoroh were greeted by the people outside.
"Shinichi-kun's coming here." Agase said, glancing out of the window.
Rei and Ryu got to their feet immediately.
"Is there someone with him?" Ryu asked. No one had to see Rei or him.
"Well, Ran-kun's following him... no, she stopped. He's alone."
Conan opened the door and came in.
"Hello, everyone." he said, "What's that crowd out there?"
"All people that want to say goodbye to you and Ai, I suppose." Rei said, "Anyway, I think you should go out. Matt and Yukiko-san should be here in a few minutes."
"Yeah, we'll wait here." Ryu added.
Agase picked the suitcase and headed out of the door, followed by Conan and Ai.
"See you later." they said together to Ryu and Rei.
As they were going out, Conan turned to Ai.
"Here comes the hard part." he whispered, "Saying goodbye to everyone: even if it's an act."
"It will be difficult the same." Ai continued, "Especially for you, Kudo-kun: nearly everyone is here for you."
"That's not true." he retorted, "They're here for you too, Haibara."
Ai smiled slightly at him.
"Conan-kun! Haibara-san!" Ayumi said tearfully, as soon as she saw them, "Is it true that you won't come back anymore?"
Conan and Ai glanced at each other uncomfortably, wondering how the little girl had found out this 'detail'. Mitsuhiko and Genta came to her side, too.
"I'm sorry, Conan-kun." Ran said apologetically, approaching them, "Dad informed your friends, before I could stop him."
'That fool of a detective..' Conan thought, 'Why can't he keep his mouth shut?'
"So, is it true, Haibara-san?" Mitsuhiko asked, "You won't come back again?"
"Well, yes." Ai replied, "Edogawa-kun and I didn't want to hide it to you but.."
"We didn't want to.. ehm.. sadden you more." Conan added.
Ayumi burst into tears and Genta and Mitsuhiko seemed to be on the verge of tears, too.
Conan and Ai looked at each other helplessly. Ran pitched in and gently tried to comfort Ayumi while Detective Sato calmed down the other two kids.
"There, there, calm down." Ran said, "If they go away, it doesn't mean you won't be friends anymore."
"Exactly." Sato added, "You will be friends forever."
The three kids quickly dried their tears and looked up.
"Really?" they asked, looking at Conan and Ai.
The two 'kids' smiled slightly and nodded. Then Conan put his hand in his pocket and brandished the detective badge.
"We're the Detective Boys, aren't we?" he said, "Now and forever."
Ayumi, Genta and Mitsuhiko beamed at him while Ai shot him a smile: he had said the right thing.
It was nearly noon when a large grey car showed up on the street and slowly stopped in front of Agase's house and two people came out.
One was a lady: plump, dark haired, wearing glasses and a skirt with jacket. Fumiyo Edogawa, alias Yukiko Kudo. The other was a young man: tall, short black hair, bright green eyes, wearing grey trousers, a white t-shirt and a black shirt over it with dark trainers. Ai's relative, alias Matt Xanders.
They smiled broadly and Conan and Ai greeted them. They had to put on their act now.
"Hi, Mom." Conan said, as Mrs. Edogawa hugged him.
"Oh, my dear, I can't wait to get home with you." she said, "Your father and I missed you so much."
Ran looked at the scene and felt a wave of joy and sorrow surge in her. She was happy for Conan: he would live with his parents again but she felt sad for herself. He was going to leave her.
Matt and Ai were in a weird situation: they had never met before but they had to behave as they knew each other for years.
"Hello, Ai." Matt said, hugging the little girl (Ai blushed slightly), "It's good to see you again."
"I'm happy to see you, too.. Matt." she replied.
Then, he went to Agase, thanking him for having taken care of Ai for all this time. Sonoko had dashed towards Agase hoping to be introduced to Matt.
Mrs. Edogawa addressed herself to Ran and Kogoroh.
"Thank you for having taken care of my son for all these months." she said, "You have taken him in your house even if you didn't know him. I really don't know how I can repay you."
"Well, you could repay us the same way you did last time..." Kogoroh began. He remembered that when they had met the first time, Mrs Edogawa had given them ten million yen for the keep of Conan. "So, what do you... OUCH!"
Ran had elbowed her father on the ribs.
"No, don't worry, Mrs Edogawa. You don't have to give us anything. Right, Dad?" she said, shooting him a withering look and Kogoroh nodded quickly. "It had been a pleasure to take care of Conan. Really."
Conan's mother smiled.
"Mrs Edogawa, I think we should go." Matt said, approaching her, "Our plane's in an hour. We don't have a lot of time."
"Yes, you're right." she replied. Then she turned to Conan, "Why don't you go and say goodbye to all your friends, dear?"
Conan nodded and first went towards the police officers: he said them goodbye and they hugged him in turn (Conan blushed when Detective Sato did) and each said something before saying goodbye to him.
"Who will help us during cases from now on?" Inspector Megure said, "I won't see you around investigating on your own anymore, Conan-kun."
"Yes, who will point me out the clues I missed?" Takagi added.
"We will miss your observations and hints during cases." Sato remarked.
Conan just smiled at them. He quickly said goodbye to Sonoko, who remarked that she won't be involved in murders anymore since he was going away and to Kogoroh, who said that he wouldn't see him, the great detective in action again. Conan couldn't help but smirk.
'Neither will you.' he thought.
Then he said goodbye to Agase.. well it was only a feign.
The only ones left were the Detective Boys and Ran. Conan and Ai went to say goodbye to the three kids together.
Genta and Mitsuhiko were on the verge of tears when they said them goodbye, even though Mitsuhiko blushed furiously when Ai smiled at him slightly. On the other hand, Ayumi was sobbing: she flung her arms around Conan and Ai's neck, taking them both aback.
"I will miss you two so much." she said, through the tears.
"A.. Ayumi-chan, calm down." Conan said, "I... we will miss you too."
"Yes, he's right." Ai added, "We will miss you too but we have to go. Come on, Yoshid... Ayumi, stop crying."
The little girl was so surprised to hear Ai call her by name that she immediately stopped.
"Yeah, let's part with a smile." Conan said, smiling.
Ayumi nodded and managed to smile slightly.
"Ok, I hope to see you again." she said, "Bye."
Now, there was only Ran. Conan approached her.
"Goodbye, Ran-neechan." he said.
Ran bent down and hugged him.
"Goodbye, Conan-kun." she said softly, "I will miss you."
"I will miss you, too." he said, struggling the guilt he was feeling.
"I hope to see you again and remember to write sometimes, ok? Bye Conan-kun and take care."
"Bye, Ran-neechan." Conan said.
'I'm sorry to leave you also in this form, Ran.' he thought sadly.
Ai watched the scene and felt a twitch of jealousy. To her surprise, Ran suddenly knelt in front of her and hugged her, too. She smiled kindly.
"Goodbye, Ai-kun." she said, "Take care, all right?"
'You should thank me.' Ai thought 'You'll have him back now. He'll be with you again.'
"Goodbye, Ran-neechan." she said.
They were going to leave when a voice called.
"Hey, Conan-kun!"
Conan turned around and noticed a boy running towards them.
'Who's that?' he wondered.
But when the stranger came close, his mouth dropped open.
"S.. Shinichi?" Ran gasped.
The boy stopped in front of Conan and looked up. He was exactly like Shinichi, only with the hair a bit more ruffled. He smiled at Conan.
"Sorry, I'm late." he said, "But I hurried here as fast as I could: I couldn't let my friend go away without saying him goodbye."
Conan was so stunned that he didn't talk or even move and the other people there were just as surprised, especially Mrs Edogawa, Ran, Agase and even Ai, though she didn't show it openly.
Noticing the awkward situation, the boy bent down to Conan.
"Well, I told you I'd show up, meitantei-san." he said. The last word was barely audible and only Conan and Ai heard it. The little boy's widened to the size of saucers.
"KID?" he mouthed, "Kaito Kuroba?"
Kaito nodded, smiling slightly. Conan's brain seemed to be working again, now.
"I'm happy to see you, Kaito-nichan." he said, with his childish voice, smiling broadly, "I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye to you, too."
"Yeah. Anyway, goodbye, Conan-kun." Kaito said and gave him a quick hug, "Hope to see you."
"Go in the house as soon as everyone's gone." Conan whispered, as they parted, "Explain everything to Professor and the others."
Ran and Sonoko approached them.
"Who are you?" Sonoko asked Kaito.
"I'm Kaito Kuroba." he replied, smiling slightly.
"Yes, and he's my friend." Conan pitched in.
Ran smiled slightly.
' He's exactly like Shinichi.' she thought, 'For a moment I thought it was him.'
"Conan! Ai!" Matt called, "Come on, we have to go."
Conan and Ai headed to the car: Mrs Edogawa was already in and Matt was putting there things in the boot. As soon as he got in, Mrs Edogawa started the car.
"Well, goodbye." she said and sped off.
As the car turned, Ran felt as though a small part of her was leaving too. She felt sorrow wash her.
'Goodbye, Conan-kun...'
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"Stop here. It's far from the house and no one will notice us."
The large grey car stopped in the parking lot of a supermarket: ten minutes had passed since they had left Agase's house.
"It's only a quarter past twelve." Matt said, checking his watch, "We'll have to wait till Ryu or Rei will tell us that the coast's clear and we can come back."
"Well, this means that you can get rid of that disguise, Mom." Conan remarked, "Better not take risks: if someone sees you..."
"All right." she said and ripped off the mask: she was Yukiko Kudo again. "But I think I'll miss it: it was fun to act again."
"Fun?" Matt exclaimed, "It might have been fun for you, Mrs Kudo but it was only weird for me: I had to say that I was her relative without even having met her before." Conan and Ai smiled slightly. "By the way, we should introduce ourselves." He turned around. "Matt Xanders, pleased to meet you."
"Shinichi Kudo." Conan said, shaking his hand.
"Shiho Miyano, pleased to meet you." Ai said.
Matt looked at them with a slightly amused look.
"You know, Ryu and Rei have sent me a few e-mails telling me who you are and what has happened to you but... it's incredible!" he said, "You are two seventeen years olds trapped in seven year olds bodies. I wouldn't believe if someone told me."
"Well, it won't last for long." Ai remarked, "We'll take the antidote as soon as we'll be back to Agase's house."
"Yeah, we'll be ourselves again." Conan added, "Forever this time."
"You'll just have to wait then." Matt remarked, "We'll get the other's call soon."
"By the way, Shin-chan." Yukiko said suddenly, turning to him, "Who was that boy that looked exactly as you? If it wasn't for his hair, I could have mistaken him for you."
"Oh, he's just Kid." he replied, "Phantom thief Kid. I asked him to help us with the Organisation."
Then, thinking it over, "I'd like know to how he knew that we were... leaving today. I didn't tell him anything about it."
"Maybe, he used his abilities as thief and magician to find out." Ai suggested.
"So, this.. Kid, is involved in our plan, too and he's a thief. Well, what an interesting team we have made." Matt said ironically.
Yukiko laughed while Conan and Ai smiled.
Just then, the phone rang. Conan answered immediately.
"Hello? Ryu? Everyone's gone away? All right... We'll be there in ten minutes." he said, "By the way, is Kid there? Ok... see you later."
He put the earring phone back inside his pocket and looked up at the others.
"They're waiting for us." he said, "We can go."
Yukiko started the car and they headed back to Agase's house.
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Conan, Ai, Yukiko and Matt were at Agase's house ten minutes later.
Yukiko parked the car behind Professor's house and they all went in. Agase greeted them and took them in the living room where Rei, Ryu and Kaito were talking.
"Oh, here you are." Ryu said, standing up as they entered. Rei and Kaito got up, too.
Matt approached Ryu and Rei and gave them a brotherly embrace.
"You two..." he said, slowly, "Can you even imagine how worried I was when you didn't contact me for all this time?"
Rei and Ryu glanced at each other uncomfortably.
"I'm sorry but I had to." Ryu said, apologetically, "I didn't want anyone to be in danger because of me."
"And I didn't call because I wanted to find him and finish all my work before." Rei apologized, "I'm sorry, Matt."
Matt broke the embrace and looked at them smiling.
"Don't worry. You've been going through very hard moments." he said, "We knew it could have happened when we started our plan. However, Ryu, you must only do me a favour."
"Sure. What is it?" he asked.
"You have to call home and talk with Mom and Dad. They've been worried sick since the day you disappeared."
Ryu nodded, smiling slightly. Then he noticed Yukiko and approached her.
"I didn't introduce myself, did I?" he said, holding out his hand to the woman, "I am Ryuji Kazama, but everyone calls me Ryu. Pleased to meet you, Kudo-san."
Yukiko smiled and shook his hand.
"Pleased to meet you, too, Ryu-kun." she said, "You're Rei's boyfriend, right?"
Both Ryu and Rei blushed furiously.
"Yukiko-san, how did you... ?" Rei stammered.
Yukiko looked at the two red- faced teenagers and pointed to Matt, who was quite amused.
"Well, he told me while we were on the plane." she said simply, "He said you have always liked each other and that you were together."
Rei and Ryu turned around to Matt, one with a surprised expression and the other with a kind of murderous stare.
"Hey, don't look at me like that." he said, smiling, "I mean, it was so obvious... well, I guessed what Rei felt while I knew very well what Ryu's feelings were."
Rei glanced at Ryu who had turned even redder. Conan and Ai seemed to be fighting down a laugh.
"By the way, I didn't guess wrong, did I?" Matt asked teasingly, "You two are together, right?"
Still blushing furiously, they both nodded slightly and Matt smirked.
"Well, about time..." he said, smiling.
Ryu shot him a look that seemed to say - Smile until you can because I'll kill you later.- Then, making a mental note not to tell his secrets to Matt anymore, he turned to Conan, Ai, Yukiko and Agase who were still standing by the door.
"Ehm... by the way, he is Kaito Kuroba." he said, pointing to Kaito who was standing close to the window. He approached them and shook hands with the ones he didn't know.
"How did you know that I'd be leaving today?" Conan asked immediately.
Kaito grinned.
"I've been hanging around the Mouri's Detective Agency a few days ago." he said, "And I heard Ran-san tell her friend that Conan-kun was going to leave to America with his parents."
"And, so you decided to show up.." Conan remarked.
"It was quite shocking when we first saw him." Rei said, "You two are extraordinarily alike, Shinichi. It took me a few minutes to notice his hair style and some other small differences."
"We've also talked a bit and I've given him a general idea of who we are and what we're up to." Ryu added, "But I think that we should all sit down and have a decent talk if we want to have everything cleared out."
"Yeah, there are still a couple of things that I'd like to know." Kaito remarked.
"I've got a few questions, too." Matt said.
"Well, I think you'll have to wait another bit then." Conan said, "Haibara and I have to take the antidote before."
As he said this, Ai put her hand in her jacket pocket and drew out a small box, containing two red and white pills: the definitive antidote to the APTX-4869.
"Don't worry, we'll wait. You're members of the team now. Am I right?" she asked, turning to Ryu and Matt who nodded.
Conan and Ai nodded back and turned around, ready to go upstairs to the bedrooms where they had left their bigger clothes, when Yukiko stepped in front of them, holding a camera.
"Mom?" he asked, "Why do you have that ?"
Yukiko giggled slightly.
"Well, since it's the last time I'll ever see you as Conan, Shin-chan, I thought I could take a photograph of you." she replied simply.
Conan stared at her.
"You want to take a photo of me. Now?" he asked slowly and looked at his mother as though she had gone mad.
"Yes." she replied happily and backed a few steps, focusing the camera. "Don't you dare move, Shin-chan." she warned him, foreseeing what he was going to do by the look on his face. "By the way, Ai-kun, why don't you stand next to him? Maybe he won't fuss so much if he's not alone."
Ai, taken aback by Yukiko's request, glanced at Conan who had an expression half amused and half pleading. She sighed, giving up and stood next to him.
"Thanks, Haibara." he said, "At least we'll finish soon."
"We'll finish if your mother contents herself of one photo." she remarked, "If she starts taking photos in a row, I'm leaving."
"And I'll be following you suite." he said with a smile. Ai smiled slightly too.
Yukiko took advantage of this moment to snap the photo.
"All done." she said, "You two can go upstairs now." She approached them, "You know, I think I'll miss seeing you as a little child, Shin-chan."
Conan let out a derisive snort: he wouldn't miss this small body.
"Well, see you in an hour." he said, following Ai upstairs.
They had arrived in front of the girls' room: Ai put the pill in Conan's palm.
"Well, here we are." she said, "I kept my promise and made the antidote: you'll turn back to yourself now."
"You'll turn back to yourself, too." he pointed out, "Anyway, thank you, Haibara."
He smiled sincerely at her and Ai felt heat on her face.
"It's nothing, Kudo-kun." she said, turning around, "We'd better hurry up: they're all waiting for us."
"Oh.. yes." he said.
Ai was sure that he had already dashed to his room that, when she turned around to close the door, she was quite surprised to find him still standing there and staring at her.
"Well?" she asked, "What are you still doing here?"
"What?" he said, "Ehm.. nothing. I was just thinking."
"What about?"
"Well, this is the last time we'll ever see each other in this form."
"Don't tell me you're going to miss being a small kid." Ai remarked, smirking slightly.
"NO. It's just that.. well... ok, maybe I'll miss it." Conan stammered but shook his head after a few seconds "Forget what I've been saying. See you later."
He headed to Ryu's room.
"Goodbye, Edogawa-kun."
Conan turned around and saw Ai, staring at him with a small smile on her face. He smiled slightly.
"Goodbye, Haibara." he said and, as she closed her door, he went in the room and closed the door behind him.
He looked around the room and saw the chair where he had left a pair of jeans and a light blue shirt. He walked the bed and sat on its edge: he took off his high-powered shoes.
'I won't be needing them anymore.' he thought, putting them near the bedside table.
He got up and took off the stun-gun wristwatch, the voice changing bow-tie and, at the end, his glasses. He put them all on the side table and then, got up again. He crossed the room, opened the wardrobe and looked into the mirror on the inside of the door. A familiar seven year old boy was looking back at him. He put his hand in his pocket and drew out the pill.
"Well, Conan…" he said, "Your adventure is over: I've got to come back.."
He took the pill and glanced one last time into the mirror.
"Farewell, Conan Edogawa…" he said and lied on the bed, waiting for his body to change and get back to normal.
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Light blue eyes slowly opened and the girl got up with a hand on her head as she tried to shake off the dizziness. She was sitting on her bed when the pain had started and she must have lied down when she fainted. She looked down at herself and a small smile appeared on her face.
"It has worked." she said, "I am myself again."
She quickly put on the clothes that she had prepared: a pair of black trousers and a white blouse.
She got up and looked into the mirror inside the wardrobe.
"Good thing Rei and I have the same size." she said, looking down at the clothes she was wearing, "However, I've got to buy some garments: I can't keep on borrowing her clothes for ever."
She then, focused her attention to her reflection: a young girl was looking back at her with a cool expression and a haughty smile.
"Welcome back, Shiho Miyano." she said softly, "Or should I say Sherry?"
Shiho looked into the mirror for another few seconds, then she shut the wardrobe's door. She walked to her table and put on her flashlight watch.
'It's a good watch, after all.' she thought, 'And it might be useful.'
As she left the room, she closed the door behind her and was ready to go downstairs, wondering what they would have discussed, when….
"Seems that I've been faster to come around this time."
Shiho looked around.
A young boy was leaning on the wall, close to the staircase: short dark brown hair that stuck out in the back, cobalt blue eyes, tall, well built figure. Definitely handsome dressed all in blue. Shiho felt her stomach do a back-flip.
"When did you come around, Kudo-kun?" she asked approaching him.
"Hardly ten minutes ago." Shinichi replied, straightening up.
"Why are you still here then? You could have gone downstairs."
"Well, I waited for you. I am a gentleman, even though it might not seem so."
Shiho smirked.
"I never doubted it." she said sarcastically.
Shinichi grimaced at her.
"Shall we go then, Miyano?" he said and stepped aside to allow Shiho go first. He flashed his trademark smile and Shiho felt her heart melt like an ice cube. She managed to nod with a small smile and they went downstairs. Ryu, Matt and Kaito were waiting for them near the stairs.
Matt and Kaito stared at Shiho as she descended the stairs and Shinichi, noticing it, scowled darkly. Ryu that was watching, couldn't help but smile.
"Welcome back Shiho and Shinichi." he said, "We thought we could talk better in the lab: Rei's already there. Come on."
"Where my mother and Professor?" Shinichi asked as they went in the lab and looking around.
"Professor's in the kitchen." Ryu answered, "I don't know where your mother is."
"Yukiko-san said that she had some… business to do before leaving." Rei said, arranging some chairs around her desk, "Don't ask me what she had to do because I don't know."
"Great.." Shinichi muttered.
"Anyway, I think we should get started." Matt said, sitting on a chair, "There are lots of things we have to work out and we have to do everything before night. Mrs Kudo and I have the plane at seven o'clock (pm)."
"Didn't you come here with a private plane?" Ryu asked, sitting at his desk.
"Yes, but I've got to be at work tomorrow: if we leave later I'll never be at the headquarters in time and, you know, it would be a bit suspicious if I didn't show up after my suspension. Anyway, Mrs Kudo said that it was all right for her."
"Well, let's start then." Rei said, as everyone sat down, "We don't have to waste time."
Everyone nodded.
The final stage of the plan was going to start.
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Hello, everyone! I hope you didn't have to wait too much but the updates have finally come. I just hope my computer won't break down again. Anyway, I hope you'll like the story's further chapters: I think it will get more interesting…
REVIEW!
Bye.
P.S: Small mistakes and corrections have been made.
