"Pleeeease, Kaito!" Aoko began dragging a reluctant Kaito in the opposite direction of their school. "Please! Everyone's going!" She pleaded, tugging on his shirt once more.

"I'm not going." Kaito gritted his teeth while trying to pull away from Aoko's iron grasp. "You can go with Momoi-san."

"She's at home with a cold."

"That's too bad. I'm busy today."

Aoko frowned. "You're never busy, BaKaito."

"Well, today I am." Kaito avoided the death glares his childhood friend was sending his way. Busy planning for a heist.

"We never seem to hang out anymore." Aoko let go of his shirt and looked at the ground, clearly upset. Like a scared, little puppy. She switched tactics, automatically changing from angry to begging.

Kaito rubbed his neck. "Ah, don't do this, Ahoko."

"But it's true!" She clenched her fists. "I just wanted to have fun with my best friend but..." She sniffed for added effect. "...But, you hate me!"

People walking by shifted their attention to the sobbing teen and the boy who made her cry (from their perspective). Kaito sighed. He wanted to plan out more traps just to see if he could make Mentantei-chan flustered, but that would just have to wait.

He shoved a victory sign in Aoko's face. "I'll go for two hours, so stop crying."

"R-Really."

Kaito sighed. "Yeah, really."

Aoko smiled childishly, recovering from her crying extremely quick. "Yay!" She cheered and grabbed his sleeve, dragging him in the direction of the new Ekoda mall.

Kaito tripped trying to keep up with Aoko's insane speed. "Oh, I can already tell this is gonna be fun." He said with a dry laugh.

Aoko held up two dresses. Kaito sat on a red chair and looked at them, unable to understand why she couldn't just pick one. "Ne, Kaito. Which one suits me better?"

"Both."

Aoko huffed in annoyance. "You don't understand anything." She threw a short, blue one at him. He caught it as Aoko turned, showing Kaito her back. "I'm going to try this one on." She held up a casual orange dress and made her way to a dressing room.

Kaito threw the blue dress over the chair and sighed. I just don't understand-

"- why your so picky about the dresses." A staid tone finished Kaito's thought for him. He turned to the familiar voice only to see Meitantei-chan, a few chairs away from him. She held a bored expression while talking to that other girl, Mouri Ran.

"Geez, Shinichi. You don't get it, do you? I really like this red one, but I don't look good in it." Ran whined.

Shinichi sighed, but oddly enough blushed at the same time. She leaned her head against the wall and mumbled, "You look great in anything."

"What was that, Shinichi?" Ran asked, unaware of the compliment Shinichi just gave out.

Kaito smirked and said before he could stop himself, "She said you'd look great in anything, Ojou-chan."

Shinichi whipped her head in his direction, surprised by his sudden words. Her face turned beet red, embarrassed he had caught that. "Kuroba-san?"

Kaito mentally slapped himself. What are you doing, he asked himself. You're talking to your rival here. Your incredibly intelligent rival who could figure out your identity within minutes.

Ran looked to the spiky haired teen and back at her childhood friend. "You two know each other?"

Shinichi shook her head. "I met him at that cafe we were at yesterday. Just as I was leaving."

Ran smiled and held out her hand. "Well either way, it's nice to meet you. I'm Mouri Ran."

Kaito snapped out of his trance and shook her hand. "Kuroba Kaito." And he made a red rose appear out of nowhere. He cursed himself the second the red petals came into view. Ran reminded him too much of Aoko and he made a rose appear out of habit.

Ran blinked, but accepted the flower nonetheless. "H-How'd you do that?"

Kaito glanced at the silent Meitantei-chan, hoping she wasn't getting suspicious. "My dad taught me. I'm a magician, just like him." He flashed a toothy grin, making sure it didn't hold as much mischief as usual. "You just reminded me of someone and I just sorta..."

"Kaito." Aoko's voice rang out, causing him to avert his attention to her. She was in the cute orange dress. Kaito had to admit, it looked pretty good on her. "Who're these people?" She asked with a nervous smile.

Kaito coughed. "Uh, this is Mouri Ran." He gestured to the brunette teen. "And this is-"

"Wow!" Aoko cut him off. She excitedly walked up to Ran and shook her hand. "You look just like me!"

Ran turned to a mirror. She found herself looking at both her and Aoko's reflection and having a difficult time telling them apart. "You're right." She said in awe.

Shinichi looked from Ran to the girl and found the only different factor to be their hair. Ran's was more tamed and flat, while the girl's was spiky and somewhat wild. They both were cute in their own special way.

"Oh," the girl blushed, "I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Nakamori Aoko."

Shinichi looked at Aoko in shock. "Nakamori?" She questioned. "As in, the daughter of Nakamori-keibu?"

Aoko looked at Shinichi with a grin. "Yep! He's never home, but that's okay. He's needs to work hard to catch that no good thief Kaitou Kid!" Kaito swallowed hard at the name of his alias.

Shinichi looked in the opposite direction and murmured, "I sorta see the resemblance now."

Ran, hearing what Shinichi said, elbowed her, making Shinichi bite her tongue in pain. "Now don't be rude, Shinichi." Ran said slightly peeved. "You still need to introduce yourself."

Aoko blinked, confused why her new friend elbow the quiet girl. She brushed it off as affection, just like how she would chase Kaito around with a mop.

Shinichi composed herself quickly and held out her hand. "I'm Kudo Shinichi. It's a pleasure to meet you Nakamori-san."

Aoko shook her hand, but said, "Please, call me Aoko. Just Aoko."

Shinichi smiled warmly. "Then, I'll ask you to call me Shinichi, Aoko."

Aoko blushed at the girl. She was just so... so... poised. Like she was in complete control, making everything she did come off as mysterious and elegant.

"If you're calling Ahoko, Aoko," Kaito jumped into their conversation, "then don't call me Kuroba-san. Kaito is fine."

Shinichi smirked. "Then, I guess it's going to be Aoko and Kaito."

Kaito nodded while Aoko frowned. "Don't call me 'Ahoko' in front of Shinichi and Ran-chan!"

"Why not, Ahoko?"

"Stop it, BaKaito!"

"Hey! Don't call me that so loudly!"

"Then, quit calling me Ahoko!"

Ran and Shinichi laughed awkwardly, unsure what to do about the bickering friends. "Um, guys?" Ran attempted to appease their argument.

"Yes, Ran-chan?" Aoko asked, now choosing to ignore Kaito.

"Do you wanna turn it down a bit?" Shinichi advised, pointing to the other customers who were staring oddly at them.

Aoko blushed and nodded. "Sorry." She smack Kaito's shoulder.

"Ow! What?" He asked.

"Apologize." She commanded.

Kaito sighed and bowed to Shinichi. "I'm truely sorry, Ojou-chan." Shinichi paused, wondering why she felt like what he said was deja vu.

("Then, I deeply apologize, Ojou-sama.")

She stared hard at Kaito, blue orbs piercing his skin. He stiffened under the gaze. "You seem to remind me a lot of-"

"Hey, Ran, Shinichi!" Sonoko had exited the dressing room with impeccable timing. "Do you think Kid-sama would like this? Ah, who're these two?" She gestured to Ran and Kaito.

Shinichi held back her laughter as Ran turned red and yelled at Sonoko, "I'm Ran! You've never met Aoko-chan yet!" She pointed to Aoko, who was giggling next to a shaking Shinichi.

"Oh, sorry! Y-You two really look alike, y'know!" Sonoko laughed and turned red out of embarrassment. "Ah, so you're Aoko?" She asked, facing the correct look alike.

Aoko nodded. "Nakamori Aoko! It's nice to meet you!" She gave an innocent grin.

"I'm Kuroba Kaito!" Kaito pushed Aoko out of the way and held out his hand. Sonoko was about to shake it, when Aoko shoved Kaito back.

"That was rude!" She stuck her tongue out at Kaito and turned to Sonoko. "Sorry about him."

"Um, no problem?" Sonoko let out an shaky laugh, still holding out her hand.

"Anyways," Aoko shook hands with her, "I didn't catch your name."

"I'm Suzuki Sonoko." Sonoko grinned.

Aoko stared at Sonoko, puzzled, for a few minutes. "Suzuki... Suzuki... Oh!" Her eyes widened. "Suzuki Branch! The people holding the Kaitou Kid heist tonight! You're part of their family?"

Sonoko nodded. "My uncle's really set on catching him."

"So is my dad!" Aoko eyes sparkled.

"So is Shinichi!" Ran lifted Shinichi's arm up, cutting into the conversation. Shinichi stood there, unsure what to do.

Aoko, on the other hand, seemed overjoyed. "Really!?" She asked with a smile. "Oh! Are you the one my dad was talking about before?"

Ran let go of Shinichi's arm, letting it fall back to her side. "I-I guess?"

"Then, I'll-" she abruptly grabbed Kaito (who had been silent throughout their whole Kid conversation) and excitedly added, "we'll be seeing you there!"

"Ah, Aoko-chan and Kaito-kun are coming?" Ran asked.

Aoko nodded. "Yep! I wanna help catch Kid!" She quickly pouted. "But Kaito just wants his autograph."

"Autograph?" Shinichi questioned. Kaito broke any eye contact he had with her.

"Kaito is Kid's 'Number 1 fan.' It's mostly because Kaito's also a magician." Aoko replied.

Ran nodded. "You're really good at it! Or at least that one trick!"

"What trick?" Sonoko asked, feeling like she's missing something.

Ran smiled and blushed, remembering the trick. "It's the one where you make a rose appear in you hand." She handed him back the red rose. "It was amazing! Do it again!" She begged.

Kaito sighed and looked at Shinichi. Might as well do it with a bang. He faced her and made a whole bouquet of blue and red roses appear. "For you, Shin-chan~" he grinned, liking the new nickname he just gave her.

Shinichi blushed, but she made no attempt at taking the roses. Ran, Sonoko, and Aoko clapped, clearly impressed with his magic.

But, Shinichi remember the horrible dream from earlier.

("Shin-chan~")

"No way..." She muttered. He was just like him. The magic. The way he talked. Hell, he even looked like him. She looked into his eyes again, before he looked away. They were the same blue-violet color she remembered seeing contrasted against his white hat.

"Huh?" Kaito asked, deciding to play innocent.

Shinichi shook her head. "Nothing." She accepted the bouquet. "Just... Just remember what I said about detectives and thieves." Kaito began to sweat in his school uniform.

"When exactly?"

Shinichi smirked, arrogantly. "When we met."

Kaito gulped. "A-And, just when did we meet?" He pushed further.

Shinichi leaned forward, closer to him. She made sure her eyes told the truth while her mouth blurted, "At the cafe, of course! Where else?"

I'm screwed, was Kaito's only thought.

Shinichi grabbed Sonoko and Ran's blazers and began leading them to the checkout. "You will be at the Kid heist, right." Kaito knew that it wasn't a question.

"Ah, yes!" Aoko answered.

Shinichi smirk grew. "I expect to see you both then. Goodbye, Aoko! Kaito!"

"See you guys at the heist!" Sonoko waved.

"Bye Aoko-chan and Kaito-kun!" Ran smiled.

"Bye!" Aoko called back.

And Aoko and Kaito were left by the dressing rooms. "Wasn't it weird," Aoko began, "how Shinichi suddenly smirked at you. It was like you two were sharing an inside joke. Right, Kaito?"

Kaito stared ahead at his Meitantei-chan and finally realized, she definitely lived up to her name. "Yeah, Aoko. An inside joke..."

A/N: Well, I'm 30 minutes late (by my time zone) in fulfilling my promise to KuroichiRukibara. I said I would have this chapter out by tonight. It's 12:28...

Kaito seems too cautious in my story... Oh well. I tried QvQ