Four points of the same star.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Detective Conan.
A.N: Changes and corrections have been made.
-...- transceiver talk.
'...' thoughts (A.N: Please. Don't confuse with "..." that are dialogues!)
FOUR POINTS OF THES SAME STAR Chapter 21: A symbol.
A few weeks had passed and 'our' four teenagers have just got to school by motorbike.
It was only a quarter past seven but they didn't care: they didn't want to be seen by everyone..
"What do we have this morning?" Shinichi asked as he walked towards the school gates, followed by Ryu and the girls, "History... English... Japanese and... then?"
"Maths and science." Rei replied.
"Oh, your subjects." Ryu remarked, looking at her and Shiho.
The two girls smiled slightly.
"You know, I would be happy of that if I hadn't already done this things years ago." Rei remarked.
"Poor thing, high school level is too easy for you, isn't it?" Shinichi teased her.
Rei ignored his sarcasm.
They went inside and headed to their shoe cupboards.
Ryu hardly had time to open his that a stream of letters fell out. (A.N: It's a typical anime scene and I've always loved it. I really HAD to put it in the story.) He bent down to pick them looking highly embarrassed. The other three smirked. It was a familiar scene: it had happened for the last five days.
"How many admirers, Ryu." Shiho stated, "You're the usual heart breaker, aren't you?"
Ryu got up with the stack of letters in his hands.
"As though I wanted to be one." he muttered, thrusting the stack in his bag; he then looked up at the others with a slight smile, "By the way, I'd like to see what will happen when you three will open your cupboards."
Shinichi, Shiho and Rei first looked at each other and then at their cupboards. They opened them slowly and the same stream poured out. The three sighed as they bent down to pick the letters.
They walked towards their classroom through the desert corridors.
"When do they put them in, anyway?" Shinichi asked, "We take the letters out in the morning and there's nothing when we leave in the evening. So, when?At the crack of dawn?"
"During the night?" Ryu suggested.
"Why don't you think of something more reasonable?" Rei remarked, hearing the boys' nonsense.
"It's probably after we leave." Shiho said simply, "It's the most sensible hypothesis. By the way, what are we going to do with them? I'm new to these things but, since you three are the experts, give me a few hints."
"Option one: read them and give an answer." Rei said.
"Option two: read them and keep them somewhere." Ryu remarked.
"Option three: read them and keep them aside for a bonfire." Shinichi stated.
Shiho stared at him and shook her head, thinking that he didn't deserve an answer.
They reached their class and went to their desks, talking about school.
It was quite a pleasant change for them to think about something else and not of the Organisation. For once, at least in Shiho, Rei and Ryu's case, they could behave like any other seventeen year old and even though they knew it was only a temporary condition, they had decided to enjoy it.
"Isn't it Thursday today?" Rei asked, turning to the boys, "Where are your sports bags?"
"And you noticed it only now?" Ryu remarked with a smirk, "Anyway,no practice today: Kojima-san gave us a day off."
"Yeah," Shinichi , "He said that we have to be in full strength since we've got a match in a few days."
"Don't be so enthusiast." Shiho remarked, noticing the look on his face, "I thought you liked soccer: you did nothing else but bounce a ball when you were Conan"
"I do like soccer but... not.. .now"
"We've already talked about this." Rei remarked, "You have always played in the school's soccer team and it would have been suspicious if you didn't join it after your return. You... we have to be careful but also behave normally, remember? That's why Ryu's with you: you'll keep an eye on each other and enjoy yourselves."
She didn't look at the boys as she said that they would have enjoyed themselves but she could immagine their faces. She glanced at Shiho who had a faint smile on her face and smiled too.
Before the boys could reply, the door opened and a few of their classmates came in.
It was already ten to eight. Another "normal" school day was starting and they hoped that nothing would have happened.
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"Class, I want these researches on my table tomorrow morning, all right? Well, goodbye."
Shinichi groaned as the Japanese teacher left.
The peaceful day that he had hoped for had just been shattered. He turned around and faced the smirking faces of Ryu, Rei and Shiho.
"Well, you find it funny don't you?" he grumbled, "I'd like to see you in my place."
"Come on, it's not that bad." Ryu remarked, hiding a smile, "It's just a research about Bunraku theatre during the Edo period."
Shinichi stared at him.
"The report is not a problem. My partners are." he stated, "You three are lucky: knowing how you work together, you'll finish in half an hour, while I... .oh, damn it!"
"Aren't you exaggerating, Shinichi?" Rei asked, "I mean, Mouri and Suzuki can't be so terrible..."
"Yeah, you're talking like this only because you're not working with them." he retorted, "Especially Sonoko: she's a pain. Always protesting about this and that..."
But Ryu cut him short.
"Shh!" he whispered quickly, "They're looking at you."
Shinichi turned and saw Ran and Sonoko staring at him from their desks.
'What do they want?' he thought.
It seemed that Shiho had read his mind.
"They probably want to know where you'll meet for the research." she stated.
"I bet they'll want to come to my house: Sonoko won't miss the chance but I'm not going to let her do as she wants." he muttered, getting up, "I'll go and talk to them and see what we'll do this afternoon."
He walked towards the two girls, shortly after he said this. As soon as he was out of their earshot, Ryu turned to the girls.
"Is he newly in speaking terms with Mouri and Suzuki?" he asked.
Rei shrugged and looked at Shiho.
"Do you know something?" she asked.
Shiho looked up from the text book she was reading.
"He tried to speak with Mouri but it's kind of hard since Suzuki seems to be glued to her." she said, "Shinichi has never found the right moment to talk with her seriously but, anyway, they are behaving as two childhood friends again."
"But Mouri still doesn't know anything, right?" Rei stated, "About you and Shinichi, I mean."
Shiho shook her head.
"Shinichi wants to tell her but he doesn't find the right moment." she said, "At least that's what he says."
"Well, maybe he doesn't know how to tell it to her." Rei remarked, "Knowing Shinichi, he doesn't want her to suffer more."
Shiho nodded and noticed Shinichi coming towards them. On look at his face and she understood that something had gone wrong. Ryu noticed it, too.
"I think we'll have visitors this evening." he stated.
Shinichi sat down on his chair with a defeated look.
"Sonoko cornered me saying that my house is the best place to work since it's large and I've got all the necessary material." he said grumpily, "All nonsense! She just wants to come at home and see what we do: she doesn't accept the fact that she still doesn't know anything about you three. Well, especially about you, Ryu."
Ryu didn't know whether to smile or be worried...
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That evening Ran and Sonoko arrived at the Kudos' house with different thoughts in their minds. Ran wanted to have a chance to speak to Shinichi: their relationship had bettered in the past weeks. They were newly friends and this had given her a spark of hope.
Sonoko, on the other hand, was determined to know Ryu more: she was furious with herself because she hadn't found out anything about him besides the things she already knew. This was her great chance to find out a few things about him. She didn't care that much of the report.
Unfortunately for her, Ryu, Rei, Shiho and Shinichi had other plans...
They were all in the living room and they saw the two girls outside the house through the window.
"Four o'clock sharp." Rei stated, "Well, they're perfectly in time."
Shinichi sighed.
"So, you'll stay in Rei's room all the time while I'll have to stay with them, right?" he said, as they headed to the door.
"Yes and, by the way, if they go close to the studio, take them away or find a way to distract them." Ryu remarked, "We've got all the computers and the radar in there and it would be a bit hard to explain why they are there."
"Well, I knew that but..." Shinichi stared but he was interrupted by the door bell. He went to open it and let the two girls in. Ran said hello to everyone while Sonoko was already roaming around Ryu. Shinichi stifled a chuckle as he saw how uncomfortable his friend was. But after a bit, feeling pitiful, he went to help him.
"Ran, Sonoko, we'll be working in the living room." he said, "By the way, did you..?"
"Kazama-kun, you probably don't know much of Bunraku theatre since you've been living in USA." Sonoko said to Ryu with what could be defined a flattering tone, completely ignoring Shinichi, "I can help you if you want."
Feeling her gaze more piercing than a knife, Ryu stepped back.
"Don't worry Suzuki." he said, "I already know a few things about it myself and, by the way, Rei and Shiho already know what it is, so.."
Sonoko turned to the two girls and Shinichi and Ryu could swear that they could see daggers flying towards them.
"So you already know Japanese literature?" she asked rather coldly. Ran would have poked her in the ribs for her harsh tone but she didn't do anything because she was curious too. How could two American students know something about ancient Japanese theatre?
"Bunraku theatre is the Japanese traditional puppet theatre in which nearly life-size dolls act out a chanted dramatic narrative, called joruri,to the accompaniment of a small samisen(A.N:three-stringed Japanese liute)." Rei said and noticed the look on the two girls face, "I've read about it."
"The term bunraku derives from the name of a troupe organized by puppet master Uemura Bunrakuken in the early 19th century." Shiho added like it were nothing, "I've read about it, too."
Sonoko was speechless so Ryu decided to take advantage of the moment to leave.
"Well, see you later then." he said, heading towards the staircase.
Sonoko snapped out of her trance.
"Where you're going?" she asked and seeing that Rei and Shiho were going with him, her face hardened. Shinichi decided to act before things could get worse.
"As I said before.." he remarked, "We will be working here in the living room, while they will be upstairs. We've been divided in groups, so we thought that we had to work separately."
As soon as he said this, Rei, Ryu and Shiho went upstairs before anybody could say something else.
One look at Sonoko's face and Shinichi knew that he would be very tired that evening.
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Rei, Ryu and Shiho had just got inside Rei's room.
"Oh God, that girl's tiring." Ryu remarked as he closed the door, "I really wouldn't like to be in Shinichi's place."
Rei smiled.
"Come on, you should flattered." she said, "She's behaving like that only because she wants to know you, Mr. Heartthrob."
Ryu stared at her.
"I'll avoid to give an answer." he replied, "Anyway, we'd better do that research."
The two girls nodded: Rei got her laptop while Shiho got her notebook. They, then, looked at Ryu.
"What about you?" Shiho asked, seeing that he didn't have anything.
"Oh, right. I've got a book in my room." he said, opening the door, "I'll be back in a second."
As soon as Ryu left, Shiho turned to Rei that was sitting at her desk.
"Rei?"
"Yes?"
"Do you mind a question?"
"Not at all." she replied, looking at her, "What's up?"
"Doesn't it bother you that Ryu is so... famous among girls?"
"Well, to tell the truth, no. He's always been popular: when we were in New York, the university's whole female population went after him. I'm probably used to it: after all, I attract quite a bit of attention too." Shiho didn't say anything but Rei noticed that she didn't seem satisfied by the answer. "But I suppose, that this wasn't exactly what you wanted to know, right?".
The reddish-blonde looked at her and nodded slightly.
"Well, I don't want to be intrusive..." she said but Rei stopped her.
"Oh, come on!" she exclaimed, "We're friends and I don't have nothing to hide."
The last statement made Shiho smile slightly.
It was true: they had always talked quite freely. She didn't have to feel embarrassed of asking her something but Shiho wasn't still used to it. The only person with whom she had talked with such freedom was Akemi. She glanced at Rei.
"Aren't you worried that Ryu might... well, fall for another girl?" she asked.
"Well, he could and if it happens, I would accept it." Rei's reply made Shiho stare at her. The dark haired notice it. "Don't misunderstand, Shiho. I care for Ryu. God knows how much I care for him. But, if he fell in love another girl who's better than me, smarter, prettier or that simply cares for him more than me, I'd accept it because I wouldn't want him to be unhappy. That's all."
"You would just give up?"
"No, I'd fight till I could but if I realized that it's a lost fight, I'd give up for him."
Shiho didn't say anything and neither did Rei. The room went quiet for a while, until..
"Rei?"
"Yes?"
"Did you realise that it will never happen?"
"What?"
"Where could Ryu find a girl better than you?"
Rei didn't know whether to be pleased or to laugh.
"Shiho, I think you're overestimating me." she remarked, "I already know a person that has all these qualities and that is very close to Ryu."
Shiho stared at her.
"What?" she said.
"Yes, we're similar in many things and different in others. Believe me, if I had to be jealous of someone, it would be her." Rei said and smiled mischievously, "But, fortunately, she's already in love with a boy I know pretty well, so I don't have to worry."
It took Shiho a few seconds to realize who she was talking of.
"Wait a minute.." she said, "You.. you're not talking about me, are you?"
Rei looked at her and nodded.
"Yes, I'm talking about you." she replied with a small smile, "Who else?"
"You're saying that if I didn't like Shinichi, you would have been jealous of me?"Shiho remarked. She still couldn't believe what her friend had said.
"Well, I don't want to sound overconfident but, actually, Shiho, if I had to worry about someone that could attract Ryu's attention, that would be only you." Rei said, looking at her, "Let's say that I don't feel... ehm.. in danger with all the others."
"This is mad." Shiho said, still staring at Rei.
"No, it's just a rational thought." Rei stated, "Why? Did you think I was jealous of.. Suzuki?"
Shiho stifled a smirk, making Rei smile.
"By the way, Shiho, how did this thing come into your mind?"
"I was just thinking."
It was Rei's turn to be unsatisfied by the answer.. She stared at the other girl, wondering and then, she understood.
"Shiho, are you worried that Shinichi could fall for Ran again?" she asked.
She didn't get an answer, so Rei got up from her desk and went to sit on the bed next to Shiho.
"So?" she asked.
"I'm behaving as a fool, right?" Shiho asked, without looking at her.
"Yes." Rei said, "But, you're also in love so I think it's normal."
"Since you're the great expert, why don't you me give an advice?"
"Trust him."
Shiho looked up at her.
"I do trust him." she remarked.
"Then, why are you worried?" Rei retorted, "We both know how Shinichi is: he's fanatic about Holmes and soccer; there are time where he can be clueless to an extent you wouldn't believe it but there's a thing that will never change. He's sincere. He's in love with you, Shiho and with no one else."
Rei's words sent a wave of relief through Shiho's being.
'I've been a fool.' she thought, 'I should trust him more and worry less.'
"Are you satisfied, now?" Rei said, noticing that she was smiling slightly.
"Yes. Thanks, Rei."
"Don't mention it."
"By the way, Rei, do you know something?"
"What?"
"If you weren't in love with Ryu, I'd be jealous of your relationship with Shinichi."
Rei smirked.
"And you had the nerve to say that I was mad saying that I could be jealous of you, right?" she remarked, "Anyway, don't worry, I can't even immagine Shinichi and me together. We're just good friends."
"Same for me with Ryu."
"Good to know it."
The two girls looked at each other and laughed. Just then, Ryu came in.
"Hey, what's so funny?" he asked, slightly amused of Shiho and Rei's sudden carefree attitude.
"Nothing." they answered together.
"By the way, Ryu, did you print that book yourself?" Rei asked.
"Very amusing." he remarked, "I didn't remember exactly where I put it so I had to search a bit in my room. That's all." He looked at the girls again. "Why were you laughing?" There was curiosity in his tone.
"Nothing." Shiho replied, "Women's talk."
"Exactly." Rei remarked.
Ryu rolled his eyes.
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Shinichi was getting desperate: the moment the others had left.. well, the moment Ryu left, Sonoko had become unbearable. Ran was trying to calm her down, noticing how annoyed Shinichi was, but her efforts seemed useless.
'WHY?' Shinichi thought, 'Why with all the people that were there, I had to get stuck with Sonoko? Working with Ran is ok but Sonoko is a pain... Oh God, why didn't I get paired with the others?'
He was so busy pitying himself that he didn't notice that Ran was talking to him. He snapped out of his thoughts only when he heard the scraping of a chair: he looked up and saw Ran heading towards the door. He got up with a start.
"Ran!" he said, "What.. where are you going?"
The girl looked at him with surprise.
"Shinichi, I told you I was going to get something to drink in the kitchen." she replied.
"Yes, it seems that we'll have to serve ourselves since you don't know how to treat guests." Sonoko added coldly.
Ignoring her comment, Shinichi walked towards Ran.
"I'll get something to drink, Ran." he said, "Just sit down and wait and I'll come back with... Do you want coffee or soft drinks?"
"A soft drink, please." she replied.
"Me too." Sonoko added from the background.
Shinichi nodded and went to get the drinks in the kitchen. Ran looked at him go away and went back to her seat at the table.
"Sonoko, have you noticed that Shinichi is behaving strangely?" she asked, as she sat down.
"That guy is always behaving strangely." the blonde stated, "He's a detective, Ran, remember? Maybe, you're used being with your father but detectives are always strange. And Shinichi Kudo is the weirdest of all: who else would disappear for months just to go and solve cases abroad.
"Uhm, yes, but..." Ran continued, "I had the feeling that he didn't want me going around the house. You saw how he reacted when I was near the door. I feel as though he... he's hiding something."
Sonoko looked at her friend and shook her head.
"Ran, you're getting paranoid." she remarked. Then, seeing that her friend still had a troubled look, she decided to help her... and herself too.
"Well, Shinichi is in the kitchen, right? Let's go and look around."
Ran stared at her friend.
"What?" she exclaimed, "Sonoko, we can't do that."
"Oh, come on, Ran!" the other retorted, "We'll just look around and if Shinichi asks us something.. ehm.. I'll say that I didn't remember where the bathroom is."
"Sonoko, we know Shinichi since we were five." Ran remarked, as they headed to the door, "He'll never believe us."
"Whatever." the other replied and they left the living room.
They walked towards the studio, just to find it locked.
'Why would he lock the studio?' Ran thought, 'There are only books in there!'
The two girls went upstairs. They didn't know who had which room. They only knew that the first one on the right was Shinichi's. And it was closed. They walked to the room next to his. It was open and they peered inside with curiosity: they saw a neatly made bed, a bedside table with a small lamp on it, a plain desk with drawers furnished with a lamp and with a chair at its side, a bookshelf with the books packed neatly and wardrobe at the end of the room. It was all neat and in order.
Ran,who had always thought that her was room was neat, thought that it was quite a mess compared to this one.
'Whose room is this?' she thought, walking inside. She didn't notice that Sonoko, not finding the room interesting, had gone to "visit" another one.
Ran noticed that there wasn't anything else in the room: no photos or posters on the wall, like in her room. There was only a lab coat, hanging on a hook behind the door and a small collapsible mirror, at the edge of the desk.
'Maybe it's Miyano-san's room.' she thought, 'Shinichi said that she was good in science and that would explain the lab coat.'
Ran walked to the desk and absently touched the mirror's frame, expecting to see another mirror on the other side. But to her surprise, there was a photograph behind.
A photo of Shinichi.
He was leaning on a door frame, dressed in his usual blue suit and with a dark green tie. Hands in his pockets, gaze fixed on the camera and his trademark, slightly arrogant, smile on his face.
Ran looked at the photo and felt as though that last spark of hope that had been inside her heart, since the day Shinichi had told her that he loved another girl, had slowly faded away.
She quickly turned to leave the room but she had hardly reached the door that she found herself face to face with Shiho Miyano.
Shocked, Ran stepped back and then noticed that Kazama and Ikeda were right behind Miyano and that Sonoko was with them.
"Were you looking for something, Mouri-san?" Shiho asked in a cool tone.
"N.. no." Ran replied, "We... I was just..."
"Looking around." Ryu finished, "That's what Suzuki told us."
Ran had never felt so embarrassed: they had all the rights to be annoyed or even angry. Sonoko and she had been poking around, wandering in their rooms.
'And Shinichi still has to come..' Ran thought.
As though he had been called, Shinichi appeared with a rather annoyed look on his face.
"Where on Earth were you?" he asked, approaching them, "If you needed something, I'd have brought it to you. Why are you upstairs?"
He looked at Ran and Sonoko with a questioning stare.
"We had to go to the bathroom." Sonoko replied, annoyed that she had been caught sneaking around, "We can go there, can we? Or would you have brought the bathroom downstairs?"
Ignoring her sarcasm and not wanting to argue, Shinichi glanced at Rei, Ryu and Shiho.
"Any problems?" he asked.
The girls shook their heads.
"No, nothing." Ryu said.
"So, how's the research going?" he asked.
"We finished ten minutes ago." Rei replied, "What about you?"
"We're nearly done." Shinichi said, "Just have to add another couple of things."
Rei and Shinichi weren't truly interested on the research. It was only a diversion: they had started to talk only to allow Ryu and Shiho to check their rooms and see if they had left out something that could have made Ran or Sonoko suspicious about their true identity.
"We'd better go down and finish the work." Shinichi said, turning to his research partners. "Come on., let's go."
The two girls followed Shinichi downstairs and didn't notice that the other two had glided in their rooms. Rei watched the three go downstairs and waited for Ryu and Shiho.
-
Shiho looked around her room.
There wasn't anything "compromising" left around. She had been careful not to leave around anything that could lead back to their work against the Organisation. The studio was their working station and all the material was there.
She was going to leave when she noticed that her mirror/frame had changed side: it was showing the photo now. Realisation slowly hit her.
'Oh, no..' she thought, 'She found out.'
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Sonoko was fuming inwardly.
Shinichi had managed to bring her and Ran downstairs to finish the research but she wasn't going to give up. She had many questions that wanted answers. She glanced at Ran and noticed a sad glint in her eyes: she wondered why for a few seconds. Then, she looked at Shinichi, who was quickly writing down his part of the work and thought of which tactic she could use to get some information from him.
"Shinichi-kun, can I ask you a question?" she said, after a while.
Both Ran and Shinichi looked up in surprise. Sonoko had never called Shinichi like this: it was either Kudo or simply Shinichi. She wanted something and they both knew it.
"What do you want Sonoko?" he asked, looking at her, "And please, don't call me like that. It sends chills down my spine."
Sonoko scowled and Ran would have laughed if her mood had been better.
"Oh, whatever." Sonoko remarked, "Whose room is the one right in front of yours?"
"Ryu's." he replied shortly.
"You mean Kazama-kun?"
"Yes."
"He plays the guitar?"
"Yes."
"What else can he do?"
"Ask him not me."
"Whatever. Whose in the room next to yours?"
"Shiho."
Ran looked up abruptly.
'So, I was right.' she thought, 'It was Miyano-san's room. So that means that she and Shinichi...'
Sonoko raised her eyebrow.
"You call her with her first name?" she asked inquiringly.
"Yes. What's wrong with that?" Shinichi retorted, looking at her.
"Why is her room so empty?" the blonde asked instead, going on with her questions.
Shinichi was getting annoyed.
"It's none of your business." he replied, "It's her room and she can put in what she wants." He put his pen down and looked straight at Sonoko."Why are you so interested in Shiho anyway? I thought you only cared of boys. Not girls."
Sonoko was going to retort when a crash from the kitchen made her jump.
"WHAT was that?" she exclaimed, turning to Ran, who had got up, too.
Shinichi rushed to the door.
'One of the others must be in the kitchen.' he thought slightly alarmed.
"Hey, what's going on?" he yelled.
Ryu approached him and Shinichi noticed that the corners of his lips were twitching and relaxed: if Ryu was so calm, nothing serious or dangerous had happened.
"Say, Shinichi, you made dinner yesterday, didn't you?" the blonde asked.
"Yes." he replied, confused, "Why?"
"Rei had hardly opened the kitchen cupboard that all the pots and pans fell out. Do I have to remember you what she and Shiho always tell us?"
"Don't mess up in the kitchen and keep everything... " he started to say and then he remembered, "..in order. Oh Lord..."
"I'd start running if I were you." Ryu remarked, smiling.
"Ehm... good idea." Shinichi agreed. He had hardly said this that he found himself face to face with Rei.
"What did you say, Shinichi?" she asked. Her voice was oddly calm and this made the young detective even more nervous. Rei was always calm and hardly got mad: he didn't want to see her angry version.
"Ehm... Rei.." he began to say, "I well..., sorry... but..."
Shinichi's attempt to apologize was quite a comical scene.
Ryu was stifling a laugh. Shiho was highly amused and even Rei was having a hard time to keep her face straight. She wasn't truly mad: she just enjoyed seeing Shinichi in this kind of awkward situations.
Ran and Sonoko, on the other hand, were watching the scene with a rather astonished look. Especially Ran: there was a strange atmosphere among the four teenagers.
She snapped out of thoughts when she heard someone laughing.
Rei and Ryu had burst out in a fit of laughters, Shiho (to Ran's great surprise) was actually stifling a laugh. Shinichi had a frown on his face and was muttering incoherent words under his breath.
"Very funny, Rei." he said at the end, "I thought you were going to bite my head off, instead you were only teasing me."
"You should have seen your face." Rei said, still shaking with mirth.
Shinichi ignored her.
"What's going on?" Sonoko demanded.
Rei, Ryu, Shiho and Shinichi turned around quickly: they had nearly forgotten that the two girls were there.
"Sorry, we didn't want to disturb your work." Rei said, "I just wanted to give Shinichi a small lesson."
"How come Ryu never gets such a treatment?" the detective asked her.
"He's neater than you and he listens to what Shiho and I say."
The boy grimaced.
Noticing the confused looks on Ran and Sonoko's face, Ryu decided to give them an explanation.
"You see, we have turns to do the houseworks." he said, "There are no problems for the cleaning and washing but Shinichi and I are not that good in cooking. The girls are always complaining that the kitchen seems like a battle field after one of us has been in there."
"Ryu has learned to put the things in order at least but Shinichi still hasn't." Rei added.
"He's a useless case." Shiho stated.
"Well, thank you very much." Shinichi remarked sarcastically.
The other three smiled slightly.
'They are more than just friends: I'm sure of that.' Ran thought, looking at the four 'They are more like... a family.'
Sonoko glanced at her friend and noticed the sadness in her eyes.
You could say anything about Sonoko Suzuki: bossy, talkative and with quite a temper but she had a quality. She was loyal to her friends and cared for them. And now, seeing Ran so sad made her only feel angry. She knew her since they were five and she had always been by her side. When her parents had separated, when Shinichi had disappeared, when Conan had left and when Shinichi had had the nerve to tell her that he liked another girl.
Ran was her best friend and she didn't want to see her suffer.
"By the way, Shinichi, we're going next door." Rei said, "Agase called and said that we had to help him with something."
The boy looked at her curiously.
"What does he want?" he asked.
She shrugged and shook her head.
"I haven't got the slightest idea." she remarked, "He asked us to come and help him. You haven't finished, have you?"
"No, we still have to do a few things."
"Well, I don't think it will take us much." Ryu said, "We three will go and do everything. See you later."
"Ok, see you later."
Ryu and the two girls headed to the door. As soon as they left, Shinichi turned to his two research partners.
"Come on, it's nearly six o'clock." he said to them, glancing at his watch, "We'd better hurry."
"Why?" Sonoko asked suspiciously, "Do you have any plans for tonight?"
"Even if I do have something to do tonight, why do you care?" Shinichi retorted, You know Sonoko, you're stranger than ever today. "
Sonoko had a witty retort but Ran stopped her. The girl knew that if the two had gone on, things could have got worse.
"Come on, there's no need to start a fight." she said, "Honestly, you two haven't changed a bit in these years. You still bicker like two kids."
"It's his fault."
"It's her fault."
Ran actually smiled when she heard their simultaneous answer.
"Let's finish that research." she said and thought 'Some things never change.'
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It was nearly seven o'clock when Shinichi, Ran and Sonoko finished their work. The research was perfect: neatly written and with explicative images. They would have got a good mark.
"You know, Shinichi, your idea of including some pictures is great." Ran said, "The teacher won't expect it."
"How did you get this idea anyway, Kudo?" Sonoko asked (She had got back to her normal self and was calling Shinichi as usual).
"Ehm... It was just a random thing that came to my mind." Shinichi lied. Actually, he had talked with Rei that afternoon and she had given him the idea. It was quite fun to see the admired look on Ran's face and the astonished one on Sonoko's. A small proud smirk crossed his face.
"Well, the research is done." he noted, "It took more time than I thought:. You two better be going: it's late."
The two girls nodded. Sonoko went to the bathroom to refresh herself, leaving Ran and Shinichi alone in the living room. They were putting their things away in silence: both wanted to speak but they didn't how to start.
"Shinichi.."
"Ran.."
They stopped, realising that they had started to speak at the same time.
"Go ahead." Shinichi said, smiling, "Ladies first."
Ran smiled slightly.
"Well, I.. I wanted to ask you something." she said unsure, "Can I?"
"Sure." the boy replied, "What's up?"
"Remember the talk we had more or less a month ago?"
Shinichi nodded: it seemed that both wanted to talk about the same thing. It was rather predictable: he had already postponed this talk too much.
'Ran has to know the truth.' he thought.
"The girl you mentioned. well.. did you tell her...?"
"Yes, I confessed her my feelings." he said, cutting through her sentence.
Ran looked up. She was dreading to ask the next question.
"What did she say?" she asked softly.
"She returns my affection.", he replied, "It seems that she has been liking me for a long time."
Ran felt a lump in her throat as the last spark of hope evaporated from her heart. Tears were willing to fall down her cheeks but she forced them back. There was one last thing she had to ask him.
"Shinichi?" she said, after a few moments of silence.
The young detective nodded without looking at her: he couldn't bear to see the pain in his childhood friend's eyes.
"The girl is.. Miyano-san, right?"
"Yes. I'm in love with Shiho."
His sentence pierced Ran's heart like a knife. This was the confirm of all her suspicions.
An uncomfortable silence fell in the room.
"Ran?"
The girl looked up.
"I know this is a really stupid question but are you all right?" Shinichi asked, looking rather unsure which was quite an unusual thing for him.
The girl smiled weakly. He cared for her: not the way she would have wanted but he cared.
"Well, I'd lie if I said yes." she replied.
"Right. Listen, remember what I told you last time? I still consider you my friend: the same with whom I used to play when I was small and that I care so much and I hope that, no matter my feelings towards Shiho, you will still consider me your friend."
Ran didn't reply immediately. She looked at him straight in the eyes and saw that he was sincere. She had to be just as sincere too.
"I don't know, Shinichi." she replied, "You have to give me time because... my feelings haven't changed."
The boy swallowed. This was getting harder and harder...
"I know you told me that you would have waited but, Ran, it's not fair for you." he said, "You deserve better."
Ran looked at him in surprise.
"I never told you that." she stated.
Shinichi froze for a second. It was true: she hadn't said this to him but to Conan. He should have been more careful.
"Well, you know..." he remarked, trying to find a plausible answer, "I talked with Conan and he told me everything. You know, he's a small child and was worried about you, so.."
"You heard Conan-kun?" Ran asked, "How is he?"
Her attitude had changed completely. Shinichi could see how much she cared for the little boy just through the happiness in her eyes.
"He's fine: kind of busy with his new school and friends." he lied, "That's why he hasn't called you. I heard him shortly after I returned. He also asked me how you were doing."
Shinichi hated lying but for once, he thought that lies could be useful. In this case, they gave Ran a shred of happiness.
That very moment Sonoko came back. She looked at Shinichi with a strange face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, slightly annoyed.
"Don't you celebrate Christmas?" she asked.
"What?" he asked in confusion.
The two girls looked at each other and then at the boy.
"Shinichi, it's Christmas Eve this Saturday." Ran remarked, "Don't tell me you didn't know it."
"Ehm... no. I think it passed out of my mind."
Sonoko looked at him in disbelief.
"What on Earth do you have in your mind?" she asked, "Forgetting Christmas!"
Shinichi had to admit that she was right to be surprised.
He clearly remembered that he had looked at the calendar this morning and didn't even realize that the festivity was near. It was probably due to the plan and the work. Matt had been sending e-mails nearly every day, asking for help in decoding files or for information. He had said that FBI was close to do the final attack against the Organisation's American headquarter.
It was just a question of time. Shinichi, Ryu, Rei and Shiho were waiting anxiously for this to happen. If the American headquarter fell down, they would be in first line to bring the Japanese one down along with Matt, his father and his FBI squad and Kaito, who gave them constant news about the events at Tokyo's principal police station. The moment they would have some solid evidences, Shinichi would have called Hattori, who would have informed his father, and Megure. At that point, FBI, Osaka and Tokyo's police forces would have worked together to bring the Organisation down definitely. But, for the moment, they had to wait and be in constant vigilance.
"Shinichi'?"
"W.. What? Yes?" Shinichi snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Ran, "Yes, Ran?"
"What will you be doing for Christmas?" she asked.
"Well, I haven't got the slightest idea. I sincerely forgot that it was so close. I don't know: I'll probably stay at home." he replied, "What about you two?"
Ran said that she would spend the day with her father, except a few hours when she'll see her mother. Shinichi was happy for her: he knew how much she wanted to be close to both her parents. Sonoko, on the other hand, began rambling about her vacation with her family in one of their mountain houses. There were times when Shinichi forgot who Sonoko was and how rich her family is. Mind you, he was rich too but she was above standards.
The three turned around when they heard the front door open and Ryu, Rei and Shiho come in. Shinichi noticed that there was a slightly amused look on their faces.
"Hey, welcome back." he said, approaching them, "What did Professor want?"
"Shinichi, do know that it's Christmas Eve the day after tomorrow?" Rei asked, not replying to him.
"No, Ran and Sonoko just told me." he said, "Why?"
"Agase called us to help him with Christmas decorations." Ryu replied, "You should have seen his face when we admitted that we had forgotten about it."
"He gave us a lecture about the importance of religious traditions." Shiho added, taking off her jacket.
At this, Shinichi raised an eyebrow.
"Importance of religious traditions?" he stated, "But Agase is Buddhist!"
"That's exactly what I said to him." she remarked.
"And what did he reply?"
"He stuttered for a few seconds, blushed and then admitted that he liked Christmas for the decorations, the tree and so on and also for the presents." Ryu said, "He actually dropped hints that he would like a new set of working instruments for his inventions."
Shinichi laughed out at this as a smile appeared on Ryu's face.
Rei turned and saw Ran and Sonoko near the living room's door.
"Mouri-san, Suzuki-san, have you done with the research?" she asked, approaching them.
"Yes, more or less fifteen minutes ago." Ran replied, "Shinichi came up with a good idea, so it took us more time."
"Oh, really? Shinichi came up with a good idea, huh?" she said, turning to the latter, who smiled sheepishly.
She then noticed that Sonoko was staring at her.
"Ehm, Suzuki-san? Is there something wrong?" she asked tentatively. Rei was always cautious when she talked to her: since Shinichi had told her that Sonoko was still mad with her for something that had nearly four years ago, she was always very careful.
"No, I was just wondering how all of you have forgotten that Christmas is so near?" she said rather hastily, "All the shops are decorated, there are TV-commercials that show toys and gifts every second. Do you go around blindfolded or what?"
"Well, you've got a point but we just didn't notice it." Rei answered, "As for television, no one looks at it." She saw the astonished look on the girls' faces, "We've been pretty busy. That's all."
"Oh, all right." Ran said. Then she turned to Sonoko, "We'd better be going. It's half past seven. I have to get dinner ready or I'll have to hear Dad."
But Sonoko didn't move. She looked at Ryu instead.
"Kazama-kun, what are doing for Christmas?" she asked, in a flattering voice that sent chills down Shinichi's spine.
"Ehm, nothing." he replied, shifting uncomfortably away from her gaze, "I'll probably stay here with the others."
The fact that Rei would be spending Christmas day with Ryu annoyed Sonoko greatly.
"Why? Can't you spend the holidays with your parents?" she asked, "Isn't it better to be with your family?"
That simple question had the effect of a lightning in broad day.
Ryu, Rei and Shiho froze on the spot. Shinichi hastily decided to end the conversation.
"Hey girls, it's late and it's already dark." he stated.
Ran nodded and dragged Sonoko to the door.
"See you tomorrow at school." she said, turning around before leaving, "Bye!"
"Bye." Shinichi said. Ryu and the girls nodded towards her. Ran didn't have Shinichi's skills in identifying a person's change of mood but as she said goodbye, she noticed the glint of pain in Kazama, Ikeda and Miyano's eyes. An unbearable pain.
As soon as Ran and Sonoko left, Shinichi turned to his friends. The three were all deep in their thoughts. There was an uncomfortable silence in the whole room.
Shinichi wanted to say something but he couldn't find the words.
'What can I say?' he thought, 'I understand how you're feeling? Don't worry things will get better? No, I would be only lying. Damn it, trust Sonoko in ruining the day...'
For a good five minutes, nobody moved or made a sound in the house. They just stood there at the entrance in silence.
The first one to move was Ryu. He looked at the others.
"Do you mind if I go in my room?" he asked, "I don't feel like eating."
Shinichi nodded slowly.
"Are you all right?" he asked ,approaching him. He mentally slapped himself.
'Does he look all right?' he thought, 'God, what a fool I am!'
Ryu, however, smiled weakly.
"Well, it's strange but after five years I thought that I'd be able to deal with my emotions better." he remarked softly.
Not knowing how to reply, Shinichi nodded in agreement.
"You can't deal with emotions." Rei said softly, getting near the two boys.
"Especially with the painful ones." Shiho added.
Ryu looked at the two girls: they could understand how he felt. What it means to loose someone dear to you. All because of the Organisation.
"All because of the Organisation.." he whispered. The others heard him nevertheless.
"You're right." Rei said.
"If it wasn't for the Organisation, everything would have been different." Shiho remarked.
"Yes." Ryu said, going upstairs, "We'd still have a family and a place called home."
Rei and Shiho nodded and went upstairs too after having excused themselves with Shinichi.
The boy heard the sound of their bedroom doors' getting locked. This was a rather unusual thing and it showed that none of the three wanted to be disturbed.
However, if Ryu, Rei and Shiho hadn't been so upset, they would have noticed the hurt look on Shinichi's face when he heard Ryu's last sentence.
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That night was a sleepless night for all.
Ryu
Ryu was lying on his bed looking blankly at the ceiling.
Old memories came back to his mind and hurt him more than knife stabs. All the happy moments with his family. All the pain as he witnessed their death. He was reviving everything in his mind.
His mother. He remembered everything of her: every single detail.
The day he asked her to teach him to play a musical instrument he was nearly eight or nine years old. He still remembered her proud, happy smile when he learned to play both the violin and the guitar.
"Mon petit garçon has a great talent." (A:N: Mon petit garçon My little boy.)
His mother often spoke French at home. It drove his father mad sometimes because she could mix English, French and Japanese all together in the same sentence. He hardly understood what she wanted to say and always blushed when she laughed at him. Ryu would laugh with her: she had taught him French too and he understood what she said.
His father. One of the youngest yet most talented electronic engineer's in Japan. Ryu had always admired him: he wanted to be like him. He was an honest and good man, admired for his work and skills. Yet he was modest and never put himself above the others.
"Never think to be better than someone else." he used to say, "You can always learn from others."
He cared for his family more than anything else. Ryu remembered that even if he was busy or had to give out a project, he would find time to talk or play with him and his sister and spend some time with his mother. He always found time for them.
His sister. Ryu felt tears flow down his cheeks as he thought of her. His beloved little sister Françoise. He cared for her more than for anyone else. Since the day his mother had come back from the hospital holding her gently in her arms.
Actually, five year old Ryu only saw a bundle of blankets: his father had to lift him up to see the baby girl. He had been absolutely delighted to see his new sister and seeing her so small and delicate in his mother's arms, he came to the conclusion that he would have always protected her. Always. His mother often said that she didn't have to spoil her because he was there for that. He gave her anything: from toys to games. Ryu just wanted her to be happy. His parents sometimes complained for his over protectiveness but he saw that they were pleased of the close bond the siblings had.
And then, everything finished...
Ryu closed his eyes as the pain became stronger. When he opened them, the ceiling was blurry through his tear-tinted eyes.
The Organisation had taken them away from him in one night.
All together, leaving him alone with his pain.
Rei
Rei was leaning on the wall, looking out of the window. However, noticing her empty stare, you could understand that she was thinking. Ryu's words were circling in her mind.
"If it wasn't for the Organisation, we'd still have a family and a place called home."
'How right he is.' she thought bitterly.
Family. She had lost both her parents in a car crash. An accident: that's what everyone still thinks. Only she and her friends knew the truth.
It was a murder: a clever murder that was covered up to seem an accident. She still remembered the night when Shiro Ayase, her father's colleague and good friend, came to her house to tell her about the accident. His normally steady and calm voice was shaken by sobs as he told her that her parents had died. Rei's mind had gone blank in shock and when the reality sank in, she broke down and Shiro-san comforted her as he could. She had been in grief till the funeral service but when everything had finished, she realised that she didn't believe what had happened. It was impossible.
Her father had lost control of the car and crashed? Her father that had given her advices and had always admonished her to be careful and that would have never endangered the lives of his wife and daughter, he would had lost control of the car?
Her parents had always warned her that something could have happened to them because of their jobs. Being a diplomat and lawyer, they knew that not everyone would have been satisfied by their work. She remembered that once her mother's car's tires had been slashed by the clients of the lawyer she had faced during a practice. She had asked her why she had chosen that job and her mother had said something that she would always remember.
"I wanted to defend people with words and give everyone a chance. The world is not only divided in
Good and Evil: you can't judge people only looking at their appearances or their actions. There are good people as much as the evil ones but often they are mixed up. Too often, innocent people get condemned while the guilty ones are set free. I just want to help the innocent."
Her father had given her a similar answer but had made a touching addition.
"I will help all the ones that deserve help. I don't want my only daughter to live in a world full of corrupted people. Am I not right?"
Her mother would nod with a smile and he would ruffle Rei's hair and laugh as she complained.
Rei smiled sadly: she would have given anything to have her father ruffle her hair and tease her again. She walked away from the window and opened her wardrobe. She drew out a violin case , put it on her bed and opened it. Inside was a violin covered by a dark blue velvet cloth. Rei took it out with shaking hands and laid it on the bed.
The violin was her father's last gift: she had received it for her twelfth birthday after that her older violin had accidentally broken. Hardly two weeks later, they died in the car crash.
Nobody knew that Rei hadn't played it since then. She didn't tell to Shinichi or Shiho.
Not even to Ryu.
She used to play the violin for her parents: it was usually her father that made the requests. He loved music but he was practically tone deaf. He was very proud that she had a talent in music.
"Too bad you didn't inherit this quality from me." he often said and her mother would laugh.
She stopped playing the violin since the day of their death. Not that she hadn't tried: every time she took out the instrument and tried to play, her hands would shake and tears would fill her eyes. Her parents' memories tormented her whenever she touched their last gift.
She had promised herself not to play it anymore: it was a link with her family and now that they were gone, she didn't... or couldn't play it.
Tears slowly streaked her face as she put the violin back in the case.
'Ryu is right.' she thought, 'If the Organisation hadn't existed, I would still have my parents and I would still have my house. I wouldn't have been forced to move to Europe and live there hiding myself for two years, before coming back to Japan.'
She covered her face with her hands and sobbed softly as bitter tears testified her pain.
Shiho
Shiho was sitting at her desk, absently flipping through the pages of a magazine. She was lost in thoughts.
"Why? Can't you spend the holidays with your parents? Isn't it better to be with your family?"
'Why did Suzuki's simple question upset me so much?' she thought in slight confusion.
She never really had a family.
She hardly remembered her parents. The only thing she knew about them was that they worked for the Organisation. Well, her father was a member: she never knew which was her mother's role in the Organisation. He was the main responsible of her situation. It was his fault if she and Akemi had been forced to be with the Organisation.
'It's useless to think about this...' she thought, 'Accusing my father won't change what has happened.'
She abruptly shut the magazine and leaned on her chair, closing her eyes slowly.
In the past years, the Organisation had imposed her to live as one of them: happiness, emotions and family were concepts that didn't exist for them. It was only pure loyalty, hard work and nothing else. She shuddered at the thought that, if she hadn't had her sister, she would have probably turned into an emotionless machine whose only task was to satisfy the Organisation's requests.
Akemi. She had been her only family: the only one that she had trusted and with whom she had spent happy moments. She was only a few years elder than her but, besides being a caring sister, Akemi had also behaved as a mother for her.
Shiho remembered an episode of her childhood.
During one of the rare occasions Gin allowed her to see her sister, fourteen year old Akemi had shown up with a small cake and a camera that she had carried in her backpack.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come for your birthday, sis." she apologized but then smiled mischievously,"I made this for you: it's the first time I've ever baked a cake. I hope you'll like it."
She gave the cake to a ten year old Shiho that accepted the gift with a smile.
"It will be delicious, One-chan." she reassured her.
Shiho smiled slightly as she remembered the rest. They ate the cake together and then, Akemi took a photo of them together. She saw the photo in her mind: they were sitting on a couch and Akemi was hugging her little sister. They were both smiling because, for one moment, they were happy.
She had kept that photo for years: even, when she was in America and in the lab she used to work.
With a pang, she realised that the photo had gone lost. The photo was in the lab and it had been burnt down after her betrayal. She didn't have anything that belonged to her sister. Only memories.
Shiho got up, opening her eyes and realised that she was crying silently.
A bitter smirk appeared on her face.
'Gin would tell me that I'm exposing my emotions too much.' she thought, 'Feelings are an obstacle, Sherry. Yes, that's what he used to say.'
She walked to her bed and sat down. Tears were still falling from her eyes but she didn't bother to dry them. She laid down and covered her face with her arm, blocking a ray of moonlight that filtered through the window. As the memory of sister came back to her mind once again, Shiho felt a lump in her throat and her tears continued to fall down, making her sight blurry and showing how deep her pain was.
Shinichi
Shinichi was sitting on a the couch in the living room.
He glanced at his watch and saw that it was only nine o'clock. He had been there in silence for nearly two hours, since Ryu, Rei and Shiho had locked themselves in their rooms. His first impulse had been to talk to them but he quickly understood that it would be useless. If they had locked their bedroom door's, they wouldn't have opened even if he had knocked or pleaded them. They were hurt: Sonoko's simple question had opened wounds that hadn't healed yet. He didn't know what it means to loose your family, so he couldn't say that he understood how they felt.
He would just be a hypocrite.
Thinking it over, maybe he was a hypocrite. He had his parents; he had a house.. actually, he had two; he had lived a normal life... till a year ago. He had had a normal childhood. How could he have thought that he understood their feelings? Their suffering was beyond his comprehension.
He shook his head as Ryu's last statement came back to his mind.
"If it wasn't for the Organisation, we'd still have a family and a place called home."
That sentence had hurt him. A lot. Even though, it was the truth.
He hadn't realised it completely before but Ryu, Rei and, obviously Shiho had become an important part of his life. He had found a sister, a great friend and his love in them and, even though he despised to admit it, the Organisation had contributed to allow this. He sunk on the couch, thinking. The Organisation had to be destroyed and he knew it but that wasn't the problem now.
Ryu's words. That was something he had to think about.
Shinichi glanced at the calendar. 22 of December: three days before Christmas.
'Christmas..' he thought, 'A festivity to spend with your family..'
He had spent his past four Christmases with Agase. His parents called him from America to bid him their wishes and the gifts for him usually came the same day. He had felt slightly sad the first year he spent the festivity alone but he slowly got used to it. At least, he knew his parents were there for him. It was different for Shiho, Ryu and Rei.
He knew that he couldn't do anything for that. They had lost their families and he couldn't bring them back but maybe... he could make them understand that... they could be one.
He already considered them part of his family. How could he make them understand this?
And going on to the absence of a house, they could consider his house as their own. But the point was: how could he make them understand this? And, most of all, what could he do to make them feel better?
He scratched the back of his head and thought about a possible solution to his problems.
Ten minutes later, he still hadn't a clue of what he wanted to do to help his friends. He got up and walked to the window: it was a clear night without moon but with plenty of stars. He walked back to the couch and absently glanced at the calendar again.
As he sat down, he began to think rather randomly.
'Shiho... 22... Christmas... gifts... Rei... family... home... Ryu... ... stars...' he thought.
Then..
He got up with a start. He had an idea.
He got up and paced across the room.
'Today's the 22.' he thought, 'That means that I've got more or less.. let's see... two days before Christmas Eve. Two days.. It's not much but it's better than nothing. Then... how can I do this? I've got to be quick but they won't let me go. Yeah, I've got to go now... immediately. but... if I go like this..? I'll tell him! And he'll tell them: they won't worry. But I've got to hurry.'
Shinichi quietly walked to the entrance: he put on his jacket and checked his pockets. He found his wallet, the earring phone and his motorbike's and house keys.
He smiled slightly: he had everything he needed. He found a piece of paper and quickly scribbled down a note. He picked up his helmet and walked to the front door, after having switched off the lights of the living room. He opened the door as quietly as he could. Before stepping outside he turned around and looked upstairs. He smiled tenderly and left, quietly closing the door behind him.
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Ryu was the first to get up the next morning: he had a quick shower and got dressed to go to school. He was making breakfast when Rei showed up, fully dressed too. One look at her face and he knew that she hadn't slept much.
"Good morning." she said with a small smile.
"Good morning." he replied softly, "Sleepless night?"
"Yes. Same as you, I see."
"Yes."
"Have you seen Shinichi?"
"No, he must be in his room."
"Probably." she replied and turned around, "Good morning, Shiho."
"Good morning, Shiho." Ryu said.
"Good morning." the blonde said to both. They noticed that she looked tired too.
"Where's Shinichi?" she asked.
"In his room." Ryu said, "At least, I think so.."
"It's a bit strange though. He usually gets up before us."
"Maybe, he went to sleep late." Rei said, "I didn't hear him get inside his room and I went to sleep at one o'clock."
Shiho didn't show it but she felt worried. Rei, however, seemed to notice it.
"Come on, let's go and see what he's doing." she said to the other girl. Shiho nodded and they left the kitchen.
Ryu, in the meanwhile, had gone to take the newspapers: he opened the front door, picked the papers and quickly closed it, shivering for the cold.
Only when he turned around, he noticed that a helmet was missing.
Arching an eyebrow, he put the papers on the kitchen table and noticed the girls going upstairs. His gaze casually fell on the coat hanger: Shinichi's jacket was missing.
He looked around, as a sense of foreboding grew inside him, and noticed a piece of paper. He read it in less than a second.
"REI!" he called, "SHIHO!"
The two girls had hardly reached Shinichi's room when they heard Ryu's shout.
They both froze and looked at each other: there was a strange note in his voice.. and they didn't like it. They rushed down.
"Ryu, what's wrong?" Rei asked, looking at him: he was pale.
Ryu didn't answer. He just handed her the note.
The girl looked at him with confusion and read it. Shiho looked at the paper too.
Dear Shiho, Ryu and Rei,
I've got an important business to carry on. Don't worry I'll show up soon and I'll be careful.
Shinichi
The girls eyes widened and looked at Ryu.
"He has already left." he said softly, "And he has taken his motorbike."
-
"Nothing! I've gone around the whole block but he isn't anywhere."
Ryu put down his helmet and his keys and sat down on a kitchen chair. He looked up and stared at Rei and Shiho's pale faces.
"He has probably left either last night or this morning very early." he stated, breaking the silence, "But..."
"Why?" Rei asked, "Why..?
"Why did he leave?" Shiho asked as well.
The other two weren't able to give her an answer. The all stayed in the kitchen in silence when they heard someone opening the front door. They looked at each other and, in some trepidation, they walked to the door, hoping it would be Shinichi and not someone they wouldn't have liked to meet.
Unfortunately, or fortunately (depends on the point of view), when the door opened, it revealed only the well known face of Hiroshi Agase. They had forgotten that Shinichi had given the scientist a pair of spare keys of the house.
"Good morning." he said, as he came in.
"Ehm.. Good morning, Professor." Ryu said.
"Is there something wrong?" Agase asked nonchalantly.
"Professor, Shinichi is missing." Rei said, "He only left a note and got away with his motorbike."
"Oh, don't worry. He'll be all right."
This was probably the last answer they would have expected. Ryu, Rei and Shiho stared at the old man.
"What?" Rei exclaimed, "Shinichi has disappeared without saying a word and you say not to worry?"
Agase looked at her and the others: he could see concern in their eyes. He would have liked to say the truth but he had made a promise..
"Don't worry. He'll be back soon." he said, in an attempt to comfort them. He immediately regretted it, noticing the look on the three youngsters' face.
"You know where he is." Shiho remarked, staring at him.
"What? No.. No!" he stuttered, "Really, you must have misunderstood my words."
But Ryu, Rei and Shiho were not so easy to fool.
"Agase, please tell us where he is." Rei said.
"Yes, he's in danger as much as us." Ryu added, "He can't go around like that."
Agase knew that he was cornered but he couldn't break down. He looked around and noticed the time.
"Listen, it's a quarter to eight." he said, "Shouldn't you be going to school?"
Rei looked at him in disbelief.
"School?" she repeated, "Professor, we've got more important things than high school in our minds now at the moment."
"Yes, tell us where Shinichi is." Ryu said.
"We're not going to let you go till you tell us." Shiho added.
Agase mentally marvelled over Shinichi's ability of foreseeing his friends' reactions. He had told him exactly what to do and say in this situation.
"But.. wouldn't it be suspicious if the four of you were absent?" he asked, "Someone could think that something is wrong and come here to check."
The three looked at each other, slightly taken aback. He was right: if only one was absent, the others could have covered him but if all were absent, it would have been suspicious. They were torn between their concern for Shinichi and their responsibility.
It was Ryu that voiced their decision.
"You're right, Agase. We have to go." he said, looking at the girls who nodded in agreement, "We can't risk to loose our cover."
The old scientist nearly sighed in relief.
'Shinichi-kun, this is the last time, I'll do this for you.' he thought, as he watched the retreating backs of Ryu, Rei and Shiho. They came back down in a few minutes, carrying their bags. Just then, Ryu realized a thing.
"Ehm.. we've got a problem." he stated.
The girls turned to him with a quizzical look.
"We are three but there is only one motorbike." he explained.
Agase pitched in before one of them could have thought to stay back.
"I can take you to school with my car." he said, "I have to do a few... oh, it doesn't matter. Let's go, shall we?"
The three nodded but they had noticed that Agase was hiding something.
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It was five to eight when they walked through Teitan High School's front gates.
All the students were coming in that moment and Ryu , Rei and Shiho could hear a hushed murmuring around them. Everyone was probably wondering what was going on: Shinichi wasn't there, they hadn't come with their motorbikes but had been dropped in front of the gates by Agase. The mystery around them had always interested everyone in the three weeks they had been there and now this change was probably making the students burn with curiosity.
The three ignored the constant whispering that seemed to spread around them and quickly went to their seats. Rei and Shiho sat together while Ryu sat behind them alone. They didn't talk or move while their classmates came in but merely nodded their heads when they greeted them.
Ran and Sonoko walked in just before the bell rang. They headed to their seats quickly; Ran, however, had noticed that Shinichi was missing.
'Where is he?' she thought but she didn't have time to think anything else because the Maths teacher came in.
Half an hour later, the whole class was silent and the only person speaking was Mr. Takashi, the strict Math teacher. He had just explained linear spaces and systems of linear equations and was writing an example on the blackboard to clear out the students' ideas. He could hear some of them muttering about the use of knowing this concepts for their lives.
He turned around and noticed that the three transfer students weren't paying attention. He saw with annoyance that they weren't even bothering to take notes: they were either flipping absently through the pages of the text book or looking out of the window.
"Ikeda. Kazama. Miyano." he said loudly. The three stood up as they heard their names, "Is the lesson too boring for you?"
Rei fought the desire of nodding and didn't reply. Neither did the others. Takashi thought they were silent because they were too embarrassed to speak. He thought they deserved a lesson and went on.
"Miyano, give me the solutions for the system I've written on the board." he said with authority.
Shiho casually glanced at the board and answered with a cool voice. Mr Takashi's eyes widened slightly.
"G... good." he said to her, "Kazama, if I add the parameter k to the second equation, what kind of solutions would I have?"
Ryu answered easily. Takashi was speechless.
"Ehm... right." he said, after a few seconds of silence, "Ikeda, give me all the possible solutions of this system with the parameter k in the first and third equation."
This was a hard question: at least it was a hard question for a average high school student. However, Rei didn't even blink: she answered with a clear and cool voice. Takashi's mouth dropped open as half of the students in the class. They knew that the three new ones were smart, just like Kudo, but how could they know something that the teacher hadn't still fully explained. Takashi seemed to think the same thing.
"Sir?" Rei said, making the teacher come back to reality.
"Ehm.. Yes?"
"Can we sit down?"
"Wha.. ? Yes, yes." he said. Then, trying to regain his composure, he added: "Even though you have answered correctly, you have to pay attention in class."
After this, he turned around and went on writing on the board.
Despite their thoughts, the three smirked as they sat down again.
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It was lunch break and Ryu, Rei and Shiho had gone up to the school's rooftop: it was desert, to their great relief. They hadn't talked to each other and they were willing to do it now. They hadn't prepared their lunch so they bought a few sandwiches at the school's cafeteria. They had just finished to eat when they heard someone opening the roof top's iron door.
Ran appeared in front of them.
"Hello." she said, rather timidly.
Rei smiled slightly and greeted her.
"Hello, Mouri-san." she said, "Do you want to speak with us?"
"Well, yes. But I don't want to disturb you.."
"No, not problem at all, Mouri-san." Ryu said, "What do you want to know?"
Ran looked at the three in front of her. She wasn't a great observer but she noticed that they looked tired and worried.
"Ehm, why isn't Shinichi here?" she asked.
"He had.. a business to carry on. He will be back in a few days." Rei answered, hoping that her tone was not uncertain.
"So, he will come back soon?" Ran asked.
Ryu and Rei looked at each other: how could they answer? They hardly knew anything themselves.
Suddenly a phone ring tone broke the silence. Ran, Ryu and Rei turned around and saw Shiho taking out an earring phone out of her jacket. Ran recognized the phone.
'Conan-kun had one like that..' she thought.
Shiho attached the phone to her ear and answered.
"Hello? Who...?"
She suddenly stopped, recognizing the voice and a surprised expression appeared on her face.
"Hi, Shiho. How you're doing?"
"Where are you?" she demanded. Ryu and Rei were by her side in a flash: they had understood right away with whom who she was speaking.
"Hey, calm down. I'm fine and I'm very careful: don't worry, all right?"
"When will you be back?"
"Ehm... tomorrow.. I think. At the very least..."
"What?"
"I said don't worry. Listen, I've got to go now. Say hi to Ryu and Rei, ok? Bye, Shiho."
"No, wait... Shinichi!"
Shiho frowned and pulled the phone out of ear.
"He put down." she said to Ryu and Rei.
"Where is he?" Rei asked.
"I don't know. He just said that he's fine and that he will be back tomorrow at the very least."
"Tomorrow?" Ryu asked, "What the hell is he doing?"
Shiho shrugged.
"Was it Shinichi?" Ran asked.
Ryu, Shiho and Rei looked up in surprise: they had completely forgotten that she was there.
"Ehm... yes." Rei said uneasily.
Ran looked at them and realized that they were hiding something.
"Listen, we don't know each other well but.. well, please don't lie to me." she said, "I think that there's something that you aren't telling me about Shinichi." The three looked at each other. Seeing that she had hit the right spot, Ran went on. "Shinichi is one of my oldest childhood friends, so please tell me if there's something wrong with him. I care for him very much" She shot a small glance to Shiho and bit her lip, "As a friend."
Shiho seemed to understand what Ran meant.
'Is it possible that he has talked to her?' she thought, looking intently at the girl. She could see, through the glint in her eyes, that Ran was concerned. Shiho didn't feel like lying to her.
"All right, Mouri-san. We'll tell you everything." she said, after a while. Rei and Ryu turned to stare at her but the firm look on her face made them nod in agreement. Shiho smiled at them slightly and then turned to Ran.
"You see, Mouri-san, Shinichi has left suddenly, without saying a word to us." she said quickly.
Ran's eyes widened.
"When?" she asked.
"It's just a guess but I think he has left last night, pushing his motorbike for a while before turning the engine on." Ryu said. He noticed the questioning looks on the girls' faces and shrugged, "I saw the tracks outside the house. That's all."
"Do you know why he left?" Ran asked.
"No. He just left a note, saying he had some business." Rei answered.
"But he will come back?" Ran asked, "He hasn't left like last time, has he?"
Ran's concern was comprehensible: she feared that he would disappear as he did after their date at the Tropical Land . On the contrary, Shiho, Ryu and Rei, who knew why he had 'disappeared' last time, were concerned for his security.
"He has just called and said, rather vaguely, that he'll be back tomorrow." Shiho said, "We'll find out what he had to do of so important only tomorrow."
Ran nodded. She was relieved to know that Shinichi hadn't disappeared again but the fact that he had called Miyano and not Kazama or Ikeda made her realise that he cared for her more than the others.
'He knew that she was worried and tried to comfort her.' Ran thought with a hint of sorrow. Just then, she remembered the strange expression on their faces when she and Sonoko had left the night before. It was... pain. She was sure but...
'Why?' she thought, looking at the two girls and the boy in front of her, 'I wonder why they were so in pain.'
After having been in silence for a while, Ran decided to dare and ask.
"Ehm, Ikeda-san? Kazama-san? Miyano-san?"
Rei, Ryu and Shiho looked at her.
"Do you mind if I ask you a thing?" she asked.
"No." Rei said, "Go ahead."
"Well, yesterday I noticed that you three had a strange expression on your faces: it was shortly before I left with Sonoko."
Even though they didn't show it openly, Ryu, Rei and Shiho were slightly surprised: they didn't think that she could have noticed their sudden change of humour. They looked at each other and after a silent agreement, they decided to speak. It was Rei that started.
"We hoped that no one would have noticed." she remarked with a small smile, "Great skills of observation, Mouri-san."
Ran smiled sheepishly.
"Thanks but.. well, why were you so sad?" she asked. Then, feeling that she was asking too much, she added: "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, don't worry." Ryu said reassuringly, "Mouri-san, do you remember what Suzuki-san said last night before you left?"
"Ehm, not exactly." she said. after thinking a bit, "She said a lot of things. As usual."
"Her exact words were: Can't you spend the holidays with your parents?" Shiho said, "Isn't it better to be with your family?"
Ran looked slightly confused: she couldn't see how those words could have hurt them so much. Rei seemed to notice it: she glanced at Ryu and Shiho, who nodded in return and turned to face Ran.
"Mouri-san, we'll explain you a few things now but.." she said, "You have to promise us to keep them to yourself. No one else has to know."
"Ok." Ran said slowly.
Rei took a deep breath and started to speak.
"Mouri-san, the word family affects us deeply. Anyway, what I'm saying now is referred only to me." she remarked, "Remember when I came here three years ago? I had just moved from Europe and hardly six months later I moved to USA." Ran nodded. "What nobody knew was that I lived with a guardian. You see, my parents died in car crash when I was twelve." Ran's eyes widened in shock. "That's why I was very.. secretive at school. The only ones to know this detail of my past besides Shinichi, Ryu and Shiho are the Kudos, who were good friends of my parents, and Agase."
"Coming to me." Ryu said, "My family had moved to USA for my father's work. One night a burglar entered our house and was caught by my parents: he killed them with a gunshot and then, he put the house on fire. My younger sister died in the fire. I was twelve too."
Ran didn't move: her eyes were full of shock.
"As for me." Shiho said, "My parents died when I was small: I hardly remember them. I only had my elder sister and.. she died nearly a year ago."
Ran was speechless: if she had only imagined it, she wouldn't have asked.
"That's why we were so.. ehm... disturbed by Suzuki's sentence." Rei explained, "Being with our family is the thing we want most but.. we can never do that."
"I'm sorry." Ran apologized, "I shouldn't have asked this to you."
"Don't worry, Mouri-san." Ryu said with a smile, "You couldn't know and, by the way, we told you everything spontaneously."
"He's right. You don't have to apologize." Shiho added.
Ran looked at them: she hardly new them but she admired them.
The "American ones", as the whole school had named them, were very popular, polite, brilliant in their studies as in sports. But no one knew them besides Shinichi Kudo. He was the only one with whom they talked freely but, now, Ran realised that they had confessed her something of their past.
'Did they do it because I know Shinichi and I'm his friend or because they trust me?' she thought. The question never got an answer.
"I promise I won't say anyone what you have told me." Ran said with a smile.
Ryu, Shiho and Rei smiled slightly.
"Thanks, Mouri-san." they replied.
"I'd better go." Ran stated, "Sonoko will be wondering where I've gone. See you later."
Saying this, she left the rooftop, closing the door behind her and leaving the other three alone.
"Do you think we've done the right thing telling her details of our past?" Ryu asked, "Her father's a detective and she might want to find out more."
But Rei shook her head.
"No, I don't think she would do it." she remarked, "She's trustworthy: our secrets are safe."
"All right." he said and turned to Shiho, "Shinichi didn't say where he is, did he?"
"No, he just ignored the question." the blonde replied, "But I noticed that he sounded tired and he seemed to be pretty busy."
"Busy?" Rei asked.
"Yes, he said that he had to go as though he had to do something urgently."
"Oh Lord, what on Earth is that boy up to?"
Ryu had been silent and hadn't joined the girls' discussion. He was thinking.
"Rei, Shiho, have you wondered why he left?" he asked.
The girls looked at him and shook their heads.
"What about you, Ryu?" Rei asked, "Do you have an idea?"
"Well, maybe our... well, my reaction might have hurt him."
"What?" Rei exclaimed.
"You didn't say anything that could hurt him." Shiho added.
Ryu looked at them with a strange expression.
"Are you sure?" he asked and we went on before the girls could reply, "Do you remember what Shinichi said the first day we settled at his place? It was dinner time and we had finally finished unpacking.."
FLASHBACK
Rei, Shiho, Ryu and Shinichi were in the kitchen, preparing their first dinner together at the Kudo's house.
"Hey Shinichi, where do you keep the oil bottle?" Rei asked, looking around.
"Ehm... check in that cupboard near the oven." he replied, "It was there last time."
"Here it is. Listen, can I take this bowl, too?"
"Of course. Go ahead."
As Rei went to the stove, Shiho, who was cutting some vegetables, looked up.
"Shinichi, can I take that large plate that's in the cupboard?" she asked.
"Yes, go ahead." he replied again.
Just then, Ryu, who was setting the table, turned to him.
"Can I take those plates?" he asked.
'ARGH!' Shinichi thought.
"Yes, Ryu, you can take them." he replied, "And... guys?"
The other three looked up.
"You don't have to ask me everything. Now, this place isn't only my house but it's also your house. Have you understood? Behave as though you were at home."
END FLASHBACK
"This place isn't only my house but it's also your house. Behave as though you were at home." Ryu recited, "Those were his exact words: I just remembered them."
An uncomfortable silence fell among them.
"Shinichi wanted to comfort us but we didn't give him the chance." Rei remarked, after a while.
"We just locked ourselves in our rooms without saying a word." Shiho added.
Ryu shook his head in disbelief.
"And I said that if it wasn't for the Organisation, we'd still have a family and a place called home." he stated, "Oh God, I'm a fool!"
"Ryu, calm down." Rei said, slightly worried for his outburst, "You were.. upset."
"Upset or not, I must have hurt his feelings." he retorted, "He has done a lot for us and that's how I repaid him."
Neither Rei or Shiho could reply. He was right: even though it wasn't totally his fault. They had their share of fault, too.
"So, you think that he has left because of our hasty reaction?" Shiho asked.
"It's possible." Ryu remarked.
"But what does he want to do?" Rei asked, "What's this .. business he's got?"
"I don't know." Ryu answered, turning around and looking down the rail, "I don't know."
"We'll find out when he comes back." Shiho remarked quietly.
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Ryu, Rei and Shiho were brought back home by Agase, who seemed to have gone shopping because the car's trunk was bulging. When Rei asked what he had bought, he answered vaguely, saying that he needed some things for his inventions. This made them even more suspicious..
As they went inside the house, they half expected to see Shinichi with his trademark smile, as though nothing had happened. But only silence greeted their entrance.
They went upstairs after having said goodbye to Agase. They had many things in their mind and they hoped they wouldn't get any work to do: they weren't focused.
They went back downstairs and got inside the studio. Shinichi had made four spare keys of the studio's door, beside his own, and gave it to Ryu, Rei, Shiho and Agase.
Rei turned the laptop on and checked the mail while Ryu and Shiho opened the windows to let some fresh air in. She had entered her account when she noticed a few e-mails from Matt. She smiled slightly as she read the object of the first one.
Object: Ford asks for Christie's help... HELP ME!
With a bit of curiosity, Rei clicked the button "Read the message". There was a short message followed by a long sequence of numbers.
Rei scanned the message and arched an eyebrow just reading the first line.
"Hi girl, how you're doing?"
'Matt wants something.' she thought, 'He usually says "Hi girl" when he needs something quickly. Well, let's see what he wants...'
Hi girl, how you're doing?
Listen, you've got to do me a favour. Guess you already knew that, didn't you? Anyways, we've nearly got to IT: just have to sort out a couple of things. But coming to the point, we need some names and I found these sequences during one of my visits to some friends.
Rei smirked: Matt's visits to some friends usually meant FBI's raids to criminals.
I think that it's something important, Christie. Probably the names of the big ones. I've sent you a copy: no one else here has been able to read it. You're the only one who can do it: I believe in your ability.
The other stuff I've sent is the usual: nothing different from the other times. I know I'm asking too much but try to send the sequence's reading soon. I wouldn't ask you it wasn't urgent. As I said before, we're nearly there to get THEM. I'll probably show up soon, so wait for news.
Say hi to Ellery, Conan and Ai and good work to all.
Bye Christie!
Ford (the damn guy that always loads you with work)
Rei smiled slightly: Matt never changed. She slowly scanned the sequence of numbers and letters and groaned inwardly: at a first look, it seemed different from the one she had decrypted last time.
'Great!' she thought, 'Just what I needed now: a code to decrypt.'
She drew out a notebook from the drawers of one of the studio's desk and quickly copied down the sequence. Ryu approached her and looked over her shoulder.
"What's that?" he asked.
"Work for me." she replied, without looking up, "Matt has sent us a few things: take them from my laptop."
Shiho got closer as Ryu downloaded the e-mails with the work for them. A few minutes later they settled to work.
They were so busy working that didn't hear the front door open and Agase slide in with a large box. He looked around and noticed the studio's door half closed and with the lights on.
'They must be inside.' he thought and headed to the living room. Shinichi had given him a work to do and he was determined to do it but nobody had to be home. He hid the box behind an armchair and quickly left, quietly closing the door behind him.
And now, the crucial point.
What could he make up so that Ryu, Rei and Shiho would leave the house for a while?
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It was nearly midnight but Shiho, Rei and Ryu hadn't still gone to sleep.
After a quick dinner, they had gone back to the studio to work. It seemed that they were determined to finish as soon as possible and the fact that they didn't have school the next day was a good chance to go on working.
Ryu and Shiho were working slowly: Matt had asked some information about certain people. They were browsing in Internet to find what they needed but they weren't working as usual.
Rei, on the other hand, had filled up half her notebook with notes and hints on the code she was working on. She had guessed that boolean numbers had something to do with it but she still hadn't figured out how to work it out. She wasn't able to concentrate more.
She was still cracking her head over the sequence when a light tap on her shoulder made her look up. Ryu was right behind her.
"Rei? How is your work going on?" he asked.
"I've sorted out a few things but I just can't find the final solution." she remarked, pointing to her notes.
"Well, it's late. I think you could work better after a night's sleep."
"Uhm.. you're right. I do need to rest."
"No wonder at all." Shiho stated, approaching her, "No one has slept much last night."
"All right. We'll continue tomorrow." Rei said, shutting her notebook and turning off her laptop.
The three youngsters went upstairs. None of them had entered the living room: so no one had noticed the box Agase had hid there.
Agase's house
Professor hadn't still gone to bed. He was waiting for a phone call.
'Why doesn't he call?' he thought, pacing up and down the kitchen, 'He knows I hate staying up late!'
He yawned and felt his eyes slowly close but the sudden ring of the phone startled him. He rushed to answer it.
"Hello?" he said.
"Hello, Professor. You're still awake: I never thought you would have been able to do it." Shinichi teased.
"Very funny, Shinichi-kun. I hope it won't become a habit: it's the second night that you want to talk me. Tell me, why couldn't you call me before? At a normal time?"
"Sorry, Agase but I was busy. You know, despite Rei and Ryu's teaching, I'm still kind of slow with computers."
"So how are your researches going on?"
"I've found the one for Rei immediately and I've just found Ryu's one. The problem is Shiho: I'll have to work hard to find hers."
"I see. Shinichi-kun, they are very worried about you, you know?"
"That's why I called them. They know that I'm safe and sound. By the way Professor, have you done what I've told you?"
"I've bought everything but I still haven't arranged a thing. I have to be alone to do it."
"Good point. You should get rid of Ryu and the girls for a few hours."
"As though it was easy... You're the mind of this plan: tell me what to do."
Shinichi didn't answer for a while. Then, an idea came to his mind and he quickly told it to Agase.
"Do you think they'll believe me?" the old scientist asked.
"Well, we'll have to hope so. We're telling the truth. " the young detective replied, "Anyway, Professor, I've got to go to bed: I'm exhausted and I've got to wake up early tomorrow."
"What about the stars? Did you find them?"
"Oh yes. It was the first thing I did after I left."
"All right then. See you tomorrow, Shinichi-kun."
"Yes. Thanks for your help Professor: I know you hate lying and hiding things to Shiho, Rei and Ryu but you know how much I care for my plan to work."
"It's not a problem."
"Ok. See you tomorrow, Agase. Good night."
"Good night, Shinichi-kun."
As he put down the phone, Agase smiled slightly, thinking of Shinichi and his care for Shiho, Rei and Ryu.
'I can't wait to see their faces tomorrow.' he thought.
Then, he walked upstairs, glad that he could finally go to bed.
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"Why on Earth does he need all this stuff?" Ryu asked with exasperation.
It was Saturday afternoon: Christmas Eve to be exact.
Ryu, Rei and Shiho had worked till lunch time and were keen to do the same afterwards. However, their plans were shattered by Agase. He said that since it was Christmas Eve, he would have invited them for dinner. Shinichi included since he was due to come back that day. Ryu and the girls had hardly had time to say that they would have come that Agase asked them to do some -last minute shopping- as he called it. They had tried to untangle themselves from this, saying that they couldn't go around like it was nothing but Agase retorted that even the Organisation wouldn't be active at Christmas time.
They had avoided to answer.
Agase had told them to take his car, saying that, in this way, it wouldn't have been too tiring for them. He was right: they would have never carried all the bags that filled the trunk.
Coming to point, it was already five o'clock and they still had some things to buy and their moods were not high.
"Let's see... cinnamon, ginger and some other spice I've never heard of." Rei muttered scanning the list, "You know, I seriously doubting of Professor's sanity: since when is he interested on foreign cooking?"
"Foreign cooking?" Ryu asked, not taking his eyes from the street.
"Well, with all the spices and vegetables he asked us to buy, I doubt he'll use them for some local dishes."
"It might be." Shiho remarked from the back seat, "Agase often said that he would have liked to cook plates of other countries. He said that it would have been a nice change."
"Great. We'll be his human guinea-pigs tonight." Ryu said sarcastically, "I just hope we won't get ill or something."
The girls smirked at his remark.
"Hey, stop Ryu!" Rei said after a while, "I think we can find everything here."
The car stopped in front of a small shop that displayed large jars full of different items at the window.
"I hope so." the boy stated, "If we don't hurry up we'll get blocked in traffic: it's Christmas Eve after all."
They all got out and headed to the store. A cold gust of wind forced them to wrap themselves more in their scarves and jackets. As they entered the store, they noticed a small board: Father Christmas on his sleigh drawn by reindeer that was flying in the sky flickered by snowflakes. Under the picture was the writing Merry Christmas to all!
They looked at it for a moment and then, walked on.
Rei, Shiho and Ryu had discussed about the night Shinichi had left, when they worked in the studio, and they also talked about their painful memories. It was easy to talk to someone that knows personally what it means to feel your pain. They had come to the conclusion that, yes their suffering was plausible but they had to go on living. For themselves and for their families.
As Rei had said once: "We must live not only for ourselves but also for them." They had also decided that they had to apologize to Shinichi: they didn't know why he left but, somehow they were sure that their cold reaction to Sonoko's words, had had its part. Shinichi knew a lot of Rei, Ryu and Shiho but they hadn't trusted him enough to confess their painful feelings.
Trust.
It seems simple to trust someone but it's not true.
Trusting someone is hard and they knew it better than anyone else. The events of their past and present had built an invisible wall around them: Rei, Shiho and Ryu only trusted the ones they are sure to be their friends and Shinichi was the first of the short list.
Nevertheless, they hadn't told him anything last night..
The three walked along the aisles, taking the things that were on the list. They paid and left about fifteen minutes later.
-
It was a quarter to seven and a very annoyed Ryu, Rei and Shiho got out of the car, carrying some bags. As Ryu had foreseen, they had got stuck in the chaotic Christmas traffic for more than an hour. They headed to Agase's house to give him all his shopping but, much to their surprise, nobody answered.
"Where is he?" Rei asked after a few minutes.
"I don't know." Ryu said, "Do you think he had to buy.. something else?"
"After all the things he asked us to buy?" Shiho remarked.
"Good point." he stated, "Well, let's look around."
They left the bags in front of the door and walked towards the Kudo's house. The first they noticed was that the front gate was slightly open. They looked at each other.
"Do you think Professor is in?" Rei asked.
"Well, I hope so.." Ryu muttered, walking in front of them, "I'll go and see."
"We're coming with you." Rei said firmly.
"Don't even try to leave us behind." Shiho added.
Ryu tried to retort back but the look on the girls' faces made him understand that anything he would have said would have been useless.
"All right." he said and the three walked to the door and opened it with caution. Ryu looked around: everything was still and silent.
"Well, everything seems ok." Rei stated but, nevertheless, she was cautious and the others did the same. The last thing they wanted was to be welcomed by someone of the Organisation... fortunately this didn't happen.
Agase walked out from the living room and seemed startled to see them. Ryu, Rei and Shiho stared at him: he looked exhausted.
"Oh.. you're back." the old scientist said, approaching them, "You came early."
"Early?" Ryu repeated, raising an eyebrow. Rei looked at Agase in disbelief.
"Professor, it's a miracle if we are here now and not still blocked in the traffic." Shiho remarked.
"By the way, why are we.. early?" Ryu asked.
"Well..." Agase started.
"Well..?" Shiho asked
"It's just that..."
"That...?" Rei said.
"I'll explain you everything. Leave poor Professor in peace."
Shiho, Rei and Ryu whipped around, recognizing the voice.
Shinichi was standing near the staircase. It was really Shinichi: he was wearing the same clothes he wore two days ago and looked tired but he had his usual smile.
"Shinichi-kun has just come back." Agase said to the surprised Ryu, Rei and Shiho.
As the initial shock wore off, the happiness and relief of seeing him safe and sound turned into anger.
Rei was the first to approach him and her welcome was not what Shinichi had expected.
"What in God's name were you thinking when you left?" she asked in a very, very restrained calm and cool voice. The young detective actually felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Rei well but he had never seen her mad. You didn't have to be a detective to see that she was really angry now.
"I can explain.." he said, taking a few steps back.
"Oh, sure you will." Ryu stated in a ice cold tone. Shinichi felt another chill run down his spine.
"Calm down, will you?" he said, looking at him, "Please."
"By the way, what was this important business that you had to do?" Shiho asked, approaching him, "So important that you had to leave without a word."
Shiho's voice, if it was possible, was colder than both Ryu and Rei's put together. He felt as though someone had just poured a bucket of ice water on him. Add the fact that Rei, Ryu and Shiho had trapped him in a corner and you would know how he felt. He had just realised how worried his friends must have been.
'I'd better hurry up.' he thought quickly.
"Listen, I tell you everything, I promise." he said, "But first, go in the living room."
"WHAT?" the other three exclaimed.
Expecting another harsh reaction, Shinichi hastily spoke out.
"I swear I'll explain but first go, please... and then, you can kill me."
Rei, Shiho and Ryu looked at each other and then at Shinichi. They nodded slowly and headed to the living room. Shinichi sighed in relief and so did Agase, unnoticed to anyone. The two went into the living room and immediately saw Ryu, Rei and Shiho frozen in the middle of the room, looking around in awe.
"So, do you like the décor?" Shinichi asked, walking in front of them. Then, watching their faces, he smiled, "I'll take that as a yes."
The living room was beautifully decorated.
Golden and silvery Christmas wreath was hanging on the walls and ceiling. A large Christmas tree was in a corner, full of colourful balls and bells and lights. It was quite a sight.
Ryu and the girls had nearly forgotten what it was like to see a house with decorations. They just looked at the room with a strange feeling bubbling inside them: a pleasant forgotten feeling.
"When did you do this?" Shiho asked.
"Don't look at me." Shinichi said, "Professor did everything."
Ryu, Rei and Shiho looked at the old scientist.
"Really?" Rei asked, "When?"
"While you were out." Agase replied.
"That's why you sent us shopping." Ryu remarked, "Everything was planned, right Shinichi?"
Shinichi nodded.
"So, will you finally tell us where you have been?" Rei asked but Shinichi held out his hand.
"First, look under the tree." he said, "I think there's something for you."
Rei walked to the tree and noticed that there were three packages. She picked them up and turned to Shinichi.
"These?" she asked.
"Yes." he replied.
Rei looked at the packages: the two smaller ones had her and Ryu's name. The bigger one was for Shiho. Rei handed the packages to them and sat down on an armchair. Shiho sat down on the couch while Ryu stood close to the window. He looked up.
"Can we open it?" he asked Shinichi and the boy nodded.
Ryu, Rei and Shiho slowly began to open the package. Shinichi looked at Agase and, unnoticed to the others, they left the room.
Ryu
Ryu was the first to reveal what was inside: it was a picture frame. He curiously turned the frame around and his eyes widened when he saw the photograph.
'No..' he thought, not believing his eyes, 'It.. can't be...'
His family.
His mother, his father and his sister. For the first time, since their funeral services, he was looking at the faces of the people he loved most: his parents and his sister Françoise. Ryu recognised the place where the photo had been shot. It had been taken in America: they had just moved there and his father had just joined the company that was interested on his devices.
With a smile on his face, Ryu looked at the photo.
Misaki Kazama had hazel hair and blue eyes: he was tall and handsome and had a hand on his son's shoulder. Next to him, stood his wife, Catherine Misaki: she was beautiful just as Ryu remembered. She had waist-length blonde hair and light blue eyes. Standing in front of them were two children: a boy and a girl. Twelve year old Ryu and seven year old Françoise: both with dark blonde hair and light blue eyes. Ryu's eyes softened as he looked at his sister: she was smiling happily, like any other child at that age, and holding her elder brother's hand. They were all smiling.
Ryu's heart was aching but he couldn't take his gaze of the picture.
He felt as though he had found his family again.
Rei
Rei opened the package and gasped softly as she saw the picture on the frame.
She and her parents.
Together. Happily.
'Long time no see. Mom and Dad.' she thought as a smile crept on her face.
It had been a long time since she had last seen a photo of them. Rei had been forced to leave all the things that belonged to her parents when she left for Europe.
"We don't know who could be after you." her guardian had said, "We have to take advantage of the fact that Ikeda is a common surname and keep you safe till the dust settles. I'm sorry but you can't take anything that can imply a connection between you and your parents."
Imply a connection. She was their daughter, for heaven's sake! She was a living connection to them. She still remembered how she felt when Shiro-san had said this: she knew that he only wanted to protect his best friend's daughter but she was still irritated by his words. However, she agreed and left for Europe with all her things. The only things she refused to leave were her parent's last presents: the violin and the chain. Nothing else. No photos.
Rei stared at the picture.
Hayato Ikeda had black hair and deep blue eyes and he looked very handsome in his typical dark tuxedo. Saiyuri Ikeda, on the other hand, wore a simple two piece skirt and blouse but she was just as elegant as her husband. They both had a hand on their daughter's shoulder: Rei was probably ten in the picture. She vaguely recognized where it had been shot but she could remember precisely.
But she didn't care about it now.
She only wanted to look at her mother and father again, after all those years.
Shiho
She opened her package just to find that it was the wrapping of other two objects: one was flat and rectangular, the other was a box. She put the box-shaped package aside and, with slight curiosity, she opened the flat one.
It was a picture frame and the moment she saw the photo, Shiho felt a lump in her throat.
"One-chan." she whispered.
Akemi.
Akemi was smiling at her. She was just as she remembered: tall, long dark hair, sparkling blue eyes and with that warm smile that she loved so much. Tearing her eyes off her sister's face, Shiho looked at the background: it looked like a park, maybe a school. She wasn't sure.
How Shinichi had found this picture was beyond her but she was glad he found it.
Her elder sister was back with her again.
-
Ryu, Rei and Shiho didn't realise it but they spent nearly ten minutes in silence in the living room, watching the pictures. Ryu was the first to react: he looked up and saw that Shinichi and Agase were not there anymore. He approached the armchair and gently tapped Rei's shoulder. The girl looked up with a start.
"Oh, Ryu." she said, getting up, "What do you...?"
Her voice trailed off as she noticed that he was holding a frame in his left hand.
She looked up at him.
"Is that a photo of your..?"
The boy nodded.
"I suppose that your picture is the same." he said.
"Yes." she replied and flashed a smile that nearly made Ryu melt on the spot.
"How do you think he has found them?" Shiho asked, approaching them and joining the conversation.
"I don't know." Ryu said, "But he must have worked hard."
"I think he did some research on Internet." Rei remarked, "But you're right: he must have worked hard."
"Where is he anyway?" Shiho asked, looking around. The other two shrugged.
They left the living room and found Agase, struggling with a lot of shopping bags and heading to the kitchen. Feeling pitiful, they helped him.
"Professor, if the shopping was just a way to let us leave, what will you do with all this stuff?" Rei asked, putting a bag on the kitchen table.
"Well, I'll use it for tonight's dinner." the old scientist promptly answered.
"Wait, there still is a dinner?" Shiho asked.
"Of course! Shinichi-kun and I have been doing it for the past five years."
"Really?" Ryu asked.
"Yes. Shinichi-kun has spent every Christmas Eve with me since his parents have moved."
"And you do all the cooking?" Rei asked.
"Yes, I don't trust Shinichi-kun's cooking."
"Speaking of Shinichi, where is he?"
"Upstairs. He's very tired and he wanted to take a shower. You should take one too: after all the work I've given you today. Don't worry of dinner: I'm in charge of that."
Nodding in agreement, Rei, Ryu and Shiho went back to the living room to take their gifts. Shiho noticed only then that she had forgotten to open the other package.
'I'll open it later." she thought, 'After the shower.'
Ryu and the girls went upstairs. Shinichi was still in the bathroom so they waited in their rooms, after having decided the turns. Ryu told the girls to go first: so, after a quick agreement, Rei was to go in first.
They were in their rooms when Shinichi showed up, rubbing his hair with a towel. He had changed his clothes and looked quite refreshed. He had hardly reached his room when he noticed Ryu, Rei and Shiho at their rooms' door. He grinned sheepishly.
"Are you all here to kill me?" he asked.
"Probably." Ryu replied with a smile, "It depends on you."
"And on your answers to our questions." Shiho added, crossing her arms on her chest.
"All right, go ahead." Shinichi said, leaning on the wall, "I'll tell you everything."
There was a brief silence at first, then Rei spoke up.
"Why did you leave?" she asked.
"Hmm, we start immediately with a tough question." he stated, "Anyway, I promised... well, I felt useless two days ago."
"Useless?" Shiho repeated.
"Yes. Sonoko's words hurt you and you three locked yourselves in your rooms while I spent a few hours thinking on the couch."
"Because of my words?" Ryu asked. Shinichi turned to him.
"Well, yeah."
"Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean.."
"No, Ryu, you don't have to apologize. You were right, after all."
"What?"
"When you went in your rooms, my first impulse was to come and talk with each of you, but a second later, I realised that I wouldn't know what to say. Well, let's face it: I will never understand how you three feel. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I do." Rei, Shiho and Ryu didn't say anything, so Shinichi went on. "Your homes and families. I thought about them and I obviously realised that I couldn't do anything.. to bring them back, could I? So, I began to think of something else. Something I could do to make you three feel a little better. I already consider you part of the family and I don't want to see you suffer."
Ryu hid a smile, bowing his head while both Rei and Shiho's eyes softened. They were touched by his words and they had all also thought the same thing.
Shinichi had felt guilty. He felt guilty because he had something they had lost years ago. His sense of self-righteousness, one of his best qualities at times, obliged him to let them taste the normal happiness he had always been used to. They should have known...
"Shinichi, you're wrong." Rei remarked.
"Huh?"
"Yes. It's not true that you can't understand how we feel." she said, looking at him, "You are probably the only one that understands us." The young detective looked confused and this made her smile. "Say, aren't you the great detective?" she asked mockingly, "Don't tell me that you're so clueless."
Shinichi frowned at her while Ryu and Shiho smirked.
"Rei, you've lost me." he replied.
"All right. How much time do we four know each other?" she asked. Not waiting for an answer, she went on, "Even though it seems more, we've know each other for nearly four months."
"Only four?" Shinichi asked, "Wow, it seemed a lot more to me."
"Same for me." Ryu said.
"Probably because many things have happened since we've met." Shiho remarked.
"That's the point." Rei said, "Since we've met, we have always been together: working, talking, going to school, training (Shinichi and Ryu smiled), planning and we also narrowly escaped a member of the Organisation. Quite a bit in four months. And in these months, we've known each other better."
"Where are you coming to?" Shinichi asked. Shiho and Ryu knew what she was going to say.
"Ehm, do you remember what you said the first day we settled here?" Rei said, "This place isn't only my house but it's also your house. Behave as though you were at home."
"Yes, I said it to you while we having dinner." he replied.
"We had a talk, shortly after we found out that you had left." Ryu remarked, "We remembered your words and well, felt guilty. You have practically accepted us as members of your family and made us live in your house. You have done a lot for us but we didn't trust you enough to tell you how we were feeling. I'm sorry for that, Shinichi."
"I'm sorry, Shinichi." Rei said.
"I'm sorry, Shinichi." Shiho said.
"Hey, come on! You don't need to apologize." Shinichi remarked, slightly embarrassed.
"All right." Ryu said, "But you promise to forget my words."
"No problem." the other replied with a smile. He felt as though a heavy weight had been removed away from him.
"Where have you been in the last two days?" Ryu asked
"Oh, I was wondering when you'd ask... I was at the University." Shinichi replied.
The other three looked at him blankly.
"The University?" Rei repeated, "The one that's near the station of Nerima?"
"Yeah."
"What on Earth were you doing there?"
"I had to find your photos! Where else could I go? The University has got a lot of good computers so I set to work there."
"Computers...?" Rei asked in confusion. Then, realisation dawned on her face, "Of course, the archives..."
Ryu looked at her blankly.
"Care to enlighten me?" he asked.
Shinichi answered instead.
"It was Agase that gave me the hint." he said, "I told him that I wanted to find photos of your families and I asked where I could look for them. He suggested the archives of the University: they catalogue everyone and everything there. So, I began to search. I found Rei's photo easily. I found it in a site where were registered all the presentations of Dad's books."
Rei inwardly slapped herself: she had just remembered where the photo had been taken.
"Yes, that photo was shot during the presentation of Yusaku-san's book." she said, "The first place we met each other."
Shinichi nodded and went on.
"I had a few problems for Ryu's one. Your father was famous and there were many of his photos but none with his family. I searched for an entire day without results, then I remembered that Agase had said that he met your parents during a scientific convention. I checked them out and finally found one with the whole Kazama family."
Ryu smile gratefully at him and turned around to eye the photo that was on his desk.
"Well, I had even more trouble to find yours, Shiho. I tried to find one with your whole family but I didn't make it. I found the picture of your sister in the website of her college. She was quite brilliant, you know? Her name appeared often for her high marks. I found her photo on the page of a trip she had gone to."
Shiho didn't know what to say: she just nodded.
"So, are the questions finished?" Shinichi asked.
"Not yet." Rei said, "You have done all this in two days?"
"Yes. I've finished this afternoon around five o'clock."
"Did you sleep at all?" Ryu asked, "You look exhausted."
"I'd like to see you after two days of work and five hours of sleep.."
"Why?" Shiho asked.
"Huh?" Shinichi said.
"Why did you do everything in such a hurry?"
"Well, one if I hadn't come back soon, you three would have murdered me." Rei and Ryu hid a smirk as he said this. "And two," he went on, "I wanted to give you the photos as a Christmas gift."
Once again, the three were touched by his words. Just then, they realised a small detail and a rather embarrassed expression appeared on their faces. Shinichi noticed the change at once.
"Something wrong?" he asked with a hint of concern.
"No, it's just that. we.. I didn't get you anything." Shiho said softly.
Shinichi heard a mumbled "Me neither." coming from Rei and Ryu.
"Don't worry." he said and then he grinned. "I'll expect something big from you three next Christmas."
He looked at Shiho, Rei and Ryu and they all burst out laughing.
"By the way, who's the next in line to take a shower?" Shinichi said, when they calmed down, "It's getting late and Agase will get mad if we come late to his Christmas dinner."
"It's my turn." Rei said. Suddenly, she approached Shinichi and hugged him.
The boy blushed taken aback.
"Rei..? What the... ?" he stammered.
"Thank you, Shinichi." she whispered. Then, breaking the embrace, she headed to her, took a change of clothes and went to the bathroom.
Shinichi looked at Rei and then turned to Ryu.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"Let's see..." Ryu faked a look of concentration, "I think she wanted to thank you for the gift, for saying that she was part of your family and that she could consider your house as her own." He paused significantly. "But that's just a guess. Unless... oh God.. she hasn't fallen for you all of a sudden, has she? Please, tell me first: give me time to be jealous."
Shinichi laughed and Ryu grinned. Shiho's lips were twitching as she heard Ryu's explanation.
"By the way, Shinichi, I've got to thank you too." Ryu said, "You don't know how much your words and.. sudden crazy actions mean to me."
Shinichi, not knowing what to say, just smiled. Ryu went to his room, closing the door behind him, leaving Shinichi and Shiho alone.
The young detective glanced at the blonde girl who was standing near her room's door. Just, then he noticed that she wasn't wearing...
"Shiho?"
"Yes." she said looking up.
"Didn't you open the box?"
It took her a few seconds to realise what he meant.
"The box-shaped parcel? No, not yet."
"Why?" he asked, slightly confused.
"Well, my attention was focused on my sister's photo."
Shiho looked at him with mild curiosity: what was inside that box? She also realised another thing, right in that moment.
"Shinichi?"
"Huh?"
"Why did you give two parcels only to me?"
"What? Well, I... ehm..." he stammered, hesitating, and a thin blush spread onto his cheeks. Shiho didn't say anything: she enjoyed watching him embarrassed. She did the same when she was Ai. Some things hadn't changed..
"Well.." he finally said, "I've never bought you anything since we're together, so... I thought that I could take you something."
He smiled at her as red stripes appeared on his face again. Shiho blushed slightly too: his answer had caught her by surprise.
"A.. All right." she replied and went in her room and sat on her bed to unwrap the other present. She slowly took of the wrapping paper, revealing an engraved wooden box with a butterfly logo on it. Shiho opened it: on a blue velvet covering was a silver chain with a turquoise stone butterfly pendant. Shiho gasped softly, as she remembered where she had first seen the chain. She looked up at Shinichi, who was standing by the door with a smile on his face.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
"Yes but where did you find it?" she asked.
"The same place where you saw it." he replied and grinned as he saw her surprised face.
"The small shop we went to with the Detective Boys? But we went there months ago!" she exclaimed, "By the way, how did you notice that I was looking at this?"
"Well, I'd be a pathetic kind of detective if I didn't notice that your attention was totally on the chain from the moment you saw it." (A.N: I took this idea from Kumatenshi's "The Gift".)
Shiho looked at him with surprise: once again, she had underestimated his detective skills.
"But you like it, right?" he asked again. Shiho nodded and got up, holding the chain. She handed it to Shinichi.
"Do you mind putting it on for me?" she asked.
"No, not at all." he replied.
He unhooked the chain and leaning over her shoulders, he put it on for her. Shiho felt a wave of heat through her body as he got so close to her.
"Well, you're looking great.." Shinichi said, taking a few steps back. Realising what he had just said, he blushed. Shiho smiled shyly.
"Thank you." she replied. Then, quite unexpectedly, she approached him and kissed him lightly on the lips. Shinichi, if possible, blushed a deeper shade of red.
"And that was for...?" he managed to ask as she pulled away.
"For the photo, the chain and for everything else you've done for me since we have met." she replied softly, "For have given me... a person like me like, a chance. Another chance."
Shinichi looked at her and brought her into an embrace.
"Don't say that. You don't have to be so harsh with yourself." he whispered, "You are a wonderful person and you will always deserve a chance. I'll always give one to you."
Shiho didn't know what to say: a wave of gratitude washed through her. She buried her face on his chest, feeling comfortable and enjoying his affection.
They stayed in that position for a while until a muffled cough made them turn around.
A very embarrassed Rei was standing by the door with a towel draped around her shoulders.
"Ehm... the bathroom is free, Shiho." she said.
Shiho and Shinichi broke the embrace, blushing furiously.
"Oh, yes. Thanks, Rei." the blonde girl replied. She took a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom.
Rei turned to Shinichi and smiled apologetically.
"Sorry for the.. interference." she said.
"Don't worry." he said, "I did a similar thing, remember? We're quits now."
"Ok." Rei replied with a smile.
They left Shiho's room and headed to their own ones.
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Agase's dinner had been great, just as he had promised. There were so many dishes on the table that they five couldn't possibly finish everything in one night. The girls had managed to force Agase to take some food home but, as Shinichi had ironically remarked, they wouldn't have worried about cooking for a while.
That night, after having thanked Professor and bid him good night, Shinichi, Shiho, Ryu and Rei went into the living room. It was nearly half past eleven and the Christmas tree's lights were still on, so they sat down on the couch and on the armchairs, admiring the decorations. They stayed in silence for a while, enjoying the calm and rather pleasant atmosphere among them.
Rei was sitting on the couch with Shiho and absently glanced at Ryu and Shinichi who were on the armchairs. Just then, she noticed that Shinichi was wearing a thick black thread chain with a small silver star.
"Shinichi?"
"Yes?" he asked, turning to her.
"Since when you wear a chain?"
At this, Shiho and Ryu looked at him and noticed the chain for the first time. Quite unexpectedly, Shinichi slapped himself on the forehead.
"Oh God, am I a fool!" he exclaimed, "I forgot to give you them!" He received a blank silence in reply. "Ehm.. wait a second... I've got to go to Agase's place."
He got up and quickly put his jacket on and left the house.
Back in the living room, Ryu turned to the girls.
"That boy scares me when he does like this." he remarked.
"Yeah, you never know what's in his mind." Rei said in agreement, "But that's one of his best characteristics along with his stubbornness, we have to admit that.."
Shiho and Ryu smiled as she said this.
"I mean, who would work without rest for two days just to find a three old pictures?" she added with a smile, "Only Shinichi."
"Typical of his self-righteousness character." Shiho stated.
"I don't know how to thank him." Ryu remarked, "It's been five years since I've last seen a photo of my family."
"Same for me." Rei said, "It was strange to see Dad in his tuxedo again."
Ryu grinned, making the two girls stare at him.
"What's so funny?" Rei asked.
"No, nothing..." he replied, "I just remembered that my father often had to wear a suit for his conventions and he always protested when he had to wear the tie. You should have seen his face when my mother managed to convince him: he looked as though he was going to suffocate."
A small smile appeared on Shiho and Rei's face.
Just then, they heard the front door and Shinichi appeared.
"Here I am." he said, taking his jacket off and tossing it on the armchair. He was carrying a small bag in his left hand.
"What are you up to, now?" Ryu asked.
Shinichi smiled, drawing out a small box out of the bag and tossed it to Ryu. He took out two more boxes and gave them to Shiho and Rei.
The three looked at him blankly.
"What's this?" Shiho asked, sitting up.
"Open and see." Shinichi replied.
They opened the boxes and inside each of them was a small silver four pointed star.
"What's this?" Rei asked, repeating Shiho's question.
"I got this idea suddenly." Shinichi said, sitting down, "I was looking at the sky, the night I left: it was a clear night with plenty of stars, without the moon. Just then, I realised a thing.."
"What?" Shiho asked curiously.
"I don't know exactly how but I saw a star and it remembered me of us."
"Us?" Rei asked, "You mean the four of us?"
"Yes, we are working to bring the Organisation down, right? Actually, it seems that we have met with that only purpose... Our lives got entwined because of our involvement with the Organisation... so I thought..."
"Like a star shines in the sky fighting the darkness, we are like four points of light that fight against the darkness of the Organisation.." Ryu stated, understanding where he was coming to, " That's a good comparison."
Rei stared at the two boys.
"Now that was deep." she remarked, "I'd have never thought that you two would have such a philosophical mind."
Ryu and Shinichi grimaced at the comment.
"So, that's why you gave us these stars." Shiho said, "To remember our work against the Organisation."
"Not exactly." Shinichi replied, "It's a symbol."
"A symbol?"
"Yes. A symbol. As Rei said before, we've known each other better in these four months.
We're friends but also more... a kind of family: we've developed a close bond that, I hope, will last as long as possible. Mom told me once that to be part of family you don't have to have the same surname or blood: it's just a question of affection. People who stand by you and believe in you no matter what is the situation is your family. A family isn't essentially a person whose blood runs in your veins. The people who believe in you are your family.
So since we four don't have the same surname or the same blood, although we curiously have the same blood group, I thought that we needed something to testify our bond. Something that shines in the darkness and that seems small and harmless but is very big instead. That's why I chose a four pointed star. We are four shining points of the same star."
Ryu, Rei and Shiho had been silent while Shinichi spoke and even now that he had finished, they couldn't speak. They couldn't find the words. Shinichi must have noticed the awkward silence because he looked up at them.
"So, what do you think?" he asked.
Ryu got up, his bangs hiding his eyes but with a small smile on his face. He had found a thick black thread chain in his box: he hooked the star on the chain and put it on. Shiho and Rei put the small star on their own chains: their eyes were oddly bright. Shinichi smiled broadly.
They stayed in silence for a while, until Ryu turned to Shinichi.
"Shinichi, why did Agase have the stars?" he asked.
"Oh, he wanted to add something." he replied, grinning, "Remember when you gave Professor a few of your Dad's devices?"
"Yes, I gave him.. let's see... four or five of them. He said that he wanted to see how the devices worked."
"Right. He kept one device for his researches and put the other four on our stars. He said that in this way, in case someone else disappeared like I did, the others would be able to find him. It seems that Agase has managed to let the devices be traceable with the radars on our glasses."
Ryu turned the star around and, only then, he noticed a small transparent object applied to it.
"Wow, Professor is amazing at times." he said, "I thought my radar could be the only thing to find the devices."
"Never underestimate Agase." Shinichi remarked.
"Well, it seems that we don't have to worry about ourselves anymore." Shiho said, "Agase is always there to keep an eye on us."
"He's taking Matt's words really too seriously." Rei stated.
The four youngsters laughed lightly.
The big grandfather's clock in the living room chimed three times: it was midnight. They bid each other a whispered "Merry Christmas." and stayed there in silence.
No words were needed.
They just stayed there, enjoying their moment of happiness.
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Chapter 21 is FINISHED! I can't believe it: it took me nearly four months to write it. I hope you'll like it because I'm not so sure... I think I've hurried a bit in a few points since I wanted to finish soon.
Anyway, I wrote this chapter to explain the meaning of the title: took me a while, didn't it? It's probably one of the longest ones. I sincerely hope you'll like it.
By the way, if there are grammar mistakes, points that you don't understand or other things, please tell me with an e-mail.
Please, review. I'd like to read some of your comments: it could help to write. Speaking of reviews, thanks for all the ones who have answered my request. I wrote the note because I had a sudden idea and I wanted to know your opinion about it, too. Anyway, I'm still thinking of it. There still a bit of time before my story's first part ends. I'll probably know what to do by then..
Hope to hear you soon and, even though it's late, Happy New Year!
Bye!
A.N: Corrections made
