Chapter 7: Interlude

It was the day before Kaitou KID's heist when Mouri Ran's phone rang. It was approximately seven in the evening and she was alone in the house. Her dad was out playing pachinko and Conan was at Professor Agasa's playing with Ai-chan. She figured he'd at least be safe there.

She looked at the caller ID and she got excited when it was Shinichi's name that popped up on her screen. She greeted him with a smile.

"Shinichi!"

"Hey Ran," Shinichi's voice filtered through the phone.

"You sound funny, are you okay?" He laughed a bit and then she heard a sniff.

"Yeah, I'm getting over a cold," the detective replied.

"You should take better care of yourself, you're always sick when I see you," she chided and he chuckled.

"Yeah, I'll try."

"So? I'm not complaining but it's rare for you to call me first, is something wrong?"

There was silence before a deep sigh was heard on the other side, "actually, Ran, there's something I want to tell you."

The next night after the police had deciphered the code, they found that the heist would be set at 23:50 and would last for only ten minutes. KID had even taunted them and said he would make it easy for him to be caught if they were smart and they had 10 minutes to do it.

Sonoko was in the crowd screaming and cheering and Ran was beside her, quiet.

"Ran! What's the matter?" Sonoko asked as she noticed her friend's pensive look, "you've been quiet all day."

"It's not something I can talk about now!" She shouted over the roar of the crowd.

"I am a detective, Ran," Shinichi's voice came through the phone, "I seek the absolute truth in any situation, even if the truth is not something I want to hear. Although this is the case, I can never seem to apply those same principles to myself."

Her eyes widened as she listened to him speak, "I have gone around and around with you, unable to speak the truth myself but I'm tired of doing that. It's time I became truthful."

He paused and she heard him inhale deeply, "I love you, Ran. Truthfully. I was not able to confess these emotions to you because I was never really sure of them myself but being in the situation I'm in, I am finally able to see things clearly. It's relieving."

"Shinichi, I-"

"No, just listen," the detective interrupted, "I wanted to confess this to you because I had the intention of being with you. I saw myself marrying you, having a family with you, I never wanted to let you go. This is no longer the case."

She inhaled sharply, and he sighed, "this situation I'm in, it's dangerous, and truthfully, I may never get out of it. I don't want you to keep waiting for something that may never come. I don't want you to keep waiting for me. I know that it's unfair for me to do this to you but I need you to move on from me. This is my one request. I'm sorry Ran, for all of this."

"Shinichi, you idiot!" She screamed into the phone, "this is stuff you tell me in person! And what do you mean? You're not coming back? Just what kind of danger are you in?" She gripped the phone tightly and a sob escaped her throat.

"Oi Ran, don't cry," his voice was worried and full of pity.

"How could you say these things to me and then ask me to move on from you?"

"I'm sorry. I wanted you to know how important it is for you to know my feelings for you so that you could be at ease and know that I returned yours. Although I cannot act upon these emotions, you deserved to know."

"Shinichi, please tell me what's going on! Why can't you come home? Please, if you're going to put me through this turmoil, please tell me what you're doing? If it's that case you've been working on, can't you give it to someone else to handle?" She grabbed her hair in frustration, "they don't need you there, you're needed here! There are people who love and miss you here!" Shinichi went silent on the other side and she sniffled, "please, Shinichi, just come home."

"I'm sorry Ran," she could hear the smile in his voice, "but I can't, and at this point, I don't know if I ever will."

"Shinichi, please."

"For now, this is goodbye."

"Shinichi!"

She heard the click and she choked on a sob.

There was a moment of quiet as all of the lights in the surrounding area around the building hosting the target went dark and then a single light shone at the very top.

Small sparklers began to shoot out from the light and came down like glittering snow before disappearing into the atmosphere.

The people outside were in awe at the light show and Ran stared up at the sky as well but she was surprised when she felt tears run down her cheeks. She wiped her face and bit her lip. It was so beautiful.