File One Hundred and Seven: Under the New Moon
"Alright… Alright…"
It wasn't much later that Conan found himself stumbling forward a little, groaning under the ridiculously bag the bomb disposal team had carefully lowered for them. He settled it gently on the floor ─ roof? ─ before assuring them he had got it just fine.
What he did not know was if they would get out just fine.
You never know until you try, he told himself, kneeling in front of the bag and opening it. I guess...
"One minute from now we'll turn off the lights in the elevator, so put on the infrared scope," he could hear, loud and clear, from the handheld transceiver Takagi was holding against his ear. "When it gets dark, take off the cover to the right of the mercury lever. Be sure not to touch the mercury lever."
Wouldn't dream of it, mentally decided, digging through the bag until he finally fished out the object in question. Okay, here it is.
He gave the infrared scope a long look, frowning all the while. I'm really doing this, aren't I?
Sighing to himself, and effectively giving up to his destiny, he put the infrared scope on himself.
It… can't be that hard, can it?
Good thing he didn't voice that question, because he definitely wanted no answers for it.
"S-So." Takagi wasn't any calmer than him, the kid could tell. "First, we take off that cover, right?"
"That's right. We're turning off the lights now."
True to his word, his surroundings went completely dark just after finishing his sentence. Knowing that it was time to act, and that there was no way out of it, the child carefully lowered to the ground, and observed the bomb for a few seconds.
It looked scary up from close, Conan noted with a small shiver.
"Did you hear all that, Conan-kun?"
Even though Takagi's voice woke him up from his stupor, pushing his body back in motion, he didn't bother answering him and instead focused on taking off the cover.
Slowly, he reminded himself. Gently…
To his immeasurable relief, it was off with not much of a struggle.
"Conan-kun?" Because Takagi had never gotten an answer, he continued calling him. "Can you hear me?"
"Yeah, I can hear you, so keep going," he answered. "Next comes the photosensitive trigger, right?"
"Eh?" Conan held back a sigh ─ what was this man hesitating so much about, anyway? "Uh, yes, I think so…"
You think? he would have retorted, yet ultimately kept it to himself. Instead, he focused all his attention on the interior of the bomb, where his gaze was met with a load of weird, and intimidating in a way, devices. Where-? He paused, noticing a certain white thing near the top.
There! he cried in his mind, pliers ready in hand, moving closer to the cord that connected it to the rest. This is the one…
He stopped just before doing it, however. Is it? Frowning to himself, the boy retired his hand, making sure not to touch anything on its way. What if I'm wrong?
"Detective Takagi," he called. "Which one is it?"
Takagi had fallen silent, but he could hear him shuffling the papers in his hands, muttering to himself all the while. Now, Conan could understand why the detective was this unsure of how to proceed ─ he wouldn't be sure how to explain how a photosensitive trigger looked like to an elementary student like himself, either. But that didn't mean he wasn't growing exasperated.
Especially when he could see the time in the LCD display, slowly but steadily tickling by.
"Detective Takagi." So he called his name again, louder this time. He heard him twitching, but he paid no attention to it. "Which one?"
"W-Well-"
"It is near the top."
That new voice coming from the handheld transceiver was all that it took for the annoyance cursing through his veins to fade out, leaving space for the surprise to shine through. Dad? he thought, blinking all the while, but emitting no sound at all.
"Do you know what a photosensitive trigger looks like, Conan-kun?"
"I think I've seen photos before…" He paused, giving the strange device a wavering look, before adding. "But how do I know I'm not messing this up?"
"You're not messing up," assured the man calmly. "If you believe that is the one, I'll trust your judgment."
Good to know that someone does… between the two of us.
"Do you trust me?"
His father's question took him aback. "Yeah," but at least he could answer that full-heartedly, without hesitation. As much as it annoys me, he reasoned. Dad is always right.
Most of the time, the darkest parts of his mind would add, but he pushed them back with a firm shake of his head.
"That device you have your sights on is the photosensitive trigger," said Yusaku. "Don't hesitate cutting its cord."
He didn't like it ─ not even a bit. Yet, seeing no other option, the kid pressed his lips, nodding slowly ─ even if he knew how useless that action would be, considering his father could not see him ─ and gripped the pliers once more.
A quiet click announced the wire was cut, yet his eyes closed shut, waiting, with a bated breath, for anything to happen...
Which never did. Surprised, Conan opened one eye to discover that everything was alright.
He took the infrared scope and settled it right on the floor beside himself. Wiping the sweat that had collected on his brow, Conan sighed in relief, delighted that nothing had, well, exploded in his face.
"That's one down," the kid declared, unfastening the wristwatch as he talked ─ light wouldn't be a problem anymore, he reasoned. "What's next?"
Holding the gadget with his teeth to see clearer, Conan settled his gaze back on the bomb. I'm already sweating up a storm, he realized with a dry chuckle. And this is just the beginning.
Without being prompted to, Yusaku continued giving instructions to the little kid, taking over completely over Takagi's role, who never complained in the slightest over it. Maybe it was because this man proved himself to be fairly better than him in his impromptu job.
Or, maybe, was merely too fascinated by the scene in front of him to even think of complaining. It was true that this man was good at directing the young boy, but he wasn't making any particular effort to simplify words or terms for an eight-year-old to understand.
Yet, the boy had no qualms about doing it. He understood everything and executed each instruction flawlessly.
Conan was something else, Takagi had known that for a long while now. But seeing him now…
It was almost disturbing.
"Woah, that was close," Conan said at some point, gazing at the multimeter sitting next to him, in a shaken burst of laughter. "It's taking power."
"Look for the plastic stopper inside the bag," said his father. "That should help."
Looking for it was no problem at all, neither was putting it, yet, as soon as he did that, all his movements stilled. Stopper. The word had stuck in his mind, for some reason. Come to think of it, the code…
His forehead scrunched in thought. What was it like again? He mulled over it but, even though he could somewhat remember how that riddle was, he couldn't recall the exact words ─ which was pretty important in stuff like this.
Nevermind. Conan tried to shake it off. I can figure it out later…
Or Dad. He must have decoded it by now.
Despite what he was trying to convince himself about, his mind said otherwise. Stopper… Stopper… It wouldn't shut up ─ neither would his gut, who whispered that he should figure it out as fast as possible.
Aware that his brain would refuse to focus on something else until he could remember that, Conan sat up, inched reasonably far from the bomb, and plucked his phone out of his pocket.
I'll just check this thing out real quick, he told himself, typing out the password to unlock it. And I'll be good to go.
His surprise was enormous when he saw that, instead of his ordinary home screen, it had opened up to an internet search.
Oh, I remember. I was looking for something this morning…
What was I looking for, anyway? He glanced at the search bar. 'Casualties of Touto Tower Attack at Tanabata'?
Conan knew ─ he knew he should have closed the tab and get this over with as soon as possible. But, triggered by sheer curiosity, his finger moved on his own, scrolling down.
Before freezing in place.
"Tell me when you're finished that part," Yusaku resumed, oblivious to the violent widening of eyes his young son was experiencing. "You'll have to be careful not to touch anything else in the next step, so I'll need you to-"
"Dad?"
He faltered ─ Yusaku didn't fail to notice how unusually small his voice had sounded just now.
"My hands… They're shaking."
His father's forehead creased in both confusion and concern. Shaking?
Yusaku could not explain it ─ the boy had seemed fine until now, or so it had seemed to him. Granted, he had not been in optimal condition, considering the tight situation he was at, and the place he was in, but all in all, Conan had displayed an astounding amount of focus and determination that had made Yusaku believe it would turn out alright.
But now, knowing that his youngest was shaking, he was truly perplexed ─ what could have triggered it? He was nowhere close to the place of the incident, which made things even more puzzling.
"Conan-kun?" Takagi was growing worried, too. "What's wrong?"
"I… I can't do it." Conan's voice quivered. "I…"
"What are you talking about?" The detective was trying to sound as encouraging as possible. "You have been doing great until now, Conan-kun."
When Conan failed to respond, Yusaku decided it was time for him to step out.
"Conan, listen to me," he said firmly. "You have to-"
"Don't tell me what to do!"
That had effectively shut his father up, but the child didn't realize until a full second of silence. Realizing that he had snapped on him, he lowered his head and mumbled, "I'm sorry…" A small, weak smile crossed his lips. "But I can't." He gazed upon his trembling hands lying on his lap and grimaced.
And when that red shade he knew well enough started to crawl all over his open palms, he decisively looked away.
"With my hands like this, I'll just get Detective Takagi killed too…"
"Too?" he heard Yusaku repeat, confused.
Unable to understand what his youngest had uttered, Yusaku stood there, transceiver in hand and eyes fixated on the Touto Tower in front of him. Something eventually clicked and almost stole a gasp out of him. Could he have-?
If he had, that would not bode well for anybody. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but stopped himself right before saying a single word ─ all too aware of the inquisitive stares in the back of his head, coming from the entire bomb disposal squad, and the fact that Takagi and the bomber could hear every single thing he said.
One thing was for sure ─ he needed to calm Conan, for he was the only one that could prevent the explosion from occurring. It was clear, however, that none of his words would reach, as much as it pained him to admit it.
The only voice that would be able to reach him… Yusaku gritted his teeth. It's probably Shinichi's.
But it was evident why that could not be ─ but there had to be someone else. He racked his head for another option. Maybe he could get Conan's friends? They had proved particularly helpful in that regard, and that little girl that had come from the Organization certainly could talk some sense into him…
No, that wouldn't help. Conan needed more than support, he reasoned. More like… comfort.
Finally, it fell on him. Wasting not another second, he roughly passed the transceiver to the clueless bomb squad member beside him, taking his own phone out.
All the while, Conan had not moved an inch. He didn't dare to move closer to the gap he had crawled up from, fearing that he would see that look that Takagi was certainly sending him from inside the elevator. Instead, he sat there, eyes fixed on the phone he had set in front of him, safely on ground and not in his trembling hands that could accidentally drop it in any given moment ─ thus activating the bomb he had fought to defuse for a while now.
The words on the screen were still there.
"Victims of this tragedy have been confirmed to be civilian Masuyama Yuji and the infamous phantom thief, Kaito KID."
He turned his head away, almost disgusted. Not a chance, he tried to convince himself, no matter how useless that was. There's no way KID would… No, there's not…
Except there was. He had been right there to see the blood trailing down his pristine white suit. To witness him dropping like a fly, victim to his wounds, to never be seen again.
Right there. In the very same tower he sat at right now.
In his memories, Kaito's hand stretched to him. Conan's grasped his shirt, right where his heart was ─ his chest was burning. Eyes scrunching shut, he tried to all his might, block out what he knew was coming ─ the inevitable sound of a gun discharging, along of the sight of crimson red, that he also knew he would see if he got a glimpse of his hands, and-
His own ringtone broke through, drowning any other sound in his mind. Slowly, his head turned to the source, and a quiet gasp escaped his throat at the sight of the name on screen:
"Mouri Ran"
Too stunned to even move, Conan merely watched it ring.
The name never disappeared, and the phone continued to ring, over and over again.
"Go ahead." There was a touch of something akin to gentleness ─ so unusual it was that Conan didn't know for sure, but it was notably different to the tone he had used before. "Pick it up, Conan."
A hesitant, wobbly hand eventually reached out to the phone. It immediately went silent as the boy picked up the call, placing the device against his ear, waiting, even if he was not sure of what he was expecting to hear. He didn't say a word ─ not that he actually believed he could, with this tight knot on his throat that threatened to stay there forever, unshielding to his mental pleads.
"Conan-kun?" Sure enough, he heard it. That soft, gentle voice reaching his ears, stealing a muted gasp out of him. "Conan-kun, are you there?"
He swallowed, hoping to soothe his dry throat, "R-Ran… neechan…" and managed a feeble whisper out. "Why-? Weren't you-?"
"The principal called me over to his office in the middle of my test," she replied, keeping her tone calm. "He explained everything to me and told me to call you."
Conan's brain was definitely slower doing his job today, given that he needed over an entire second to properly process what she had just said, and to wonder how the principal had learned everything ─ had it been in the news or something? But then, he realized that no, there was no way the media knew this much, with his father there...
Dad. Of course it had been him. But even so, it was even the more disturbing, since that meant that between the moment he had stopped hearing his father's voice and Ran's name had appeared in his phone, the man had called her school, explained everything principal who, in turn, had to explain it all over again to Ran, so that she could call him now…
How long have I been freaking out for? Beads of cold sweat were trailing down Conan's temples. Time had passed without him realizing…
Meaning…
"T-The bomb-"
"Don't look at the timer." She stopped him before he could do so, firmly, yet never letting that kind undertone of her disappear. "Just listen to me, okay, Conan-kun?"
Conan nodded slowly, "Okay…" then muttered, realizing that she couldn't see him.
"First of all, think you could breathe for me?" she instructed. "In, then out, Conan-kun."
He… guessed he could do that. So he did, closing his eyes and sucking as much air as he could, before letting it out ─ quivering, but it rushed out, nevertheless. "See, you're doing great, Conan-kun," she soothed, as he attempted the same again. "Good, good."
And it went like this, for nearly ten minutes or so ─ and all that time, Ran continued there, praising him, thus constantly reminding him she was still there, on the other side of the phone. He didn't know why, but just knowing that, it helped him breathe easier.
Before he knew it, the pressure in his chest was completely gone.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Conan could swear he could hear her smile. "Now, look at your hands again."
He raised his hand in front of his face. "They aren't shaking anymore," he stated, shocked at his own observation. There is no blood, either…
"Such a relief!" sighed Ran, in utter relief. He turned at the phone, pressing his lips against each other. "Seems like you're now good to go, Conan-kun-"
"Don't go, please."
Those words dawned on him, along with the realization that they had come out of his mouth, several seconds after he had blurted them out. Ran made no comment immediately after, understandably shocked into silence, so Conan worried, clamping a hand to his own mouth, eyes widening in horror. Why did you just say that? he chastised himself. What's wrong with you?
It was not the time to be acting like a spoiled kid, he mentally screamed. Had anyone been there to see, they would have most likely seen his face glowing in the middle of the darkness. You already troubled Ran-neechan so much, why-
"I'm not going anywhere."
Conan blinked owlishly at her response. "You… aren't?" came his response, softer than originally intended.
"Of course not!" Ran was making her best to sound offended, but even Conan could notice a small giggle escaping her. "I'll be right here until you're finished, I promise."
"But… Your test…"
"You're worried about that?" She couldn't help but laugh at that point. "Conan-kun, you're much more important than a test."
The kid bit his lip ─ he really, really wanted to protest. Logically, there was no reason for Ran to stay there, because he was the one who ultimately had to cut the wires, so he could not see why she should be kept away from her test to be with him… But could not voice it.
As much as he reasoned with himself, a selfish, childish part of him wanted her to stay. Felt somewhat safer ─ as illogical as that sounded, since she could not protect him from so far away ─ with her by his side.
"I'm here, Conan-kun," said Ran, silencing all other thoughts banging on his head. "Just like you have always been for me." The kid's eyes widened just a bit, but said nothing at all. "You don't have to go through this alone."
He didn't exactly… dislike that idea.
Conan stayed still, mulling over it, sitting there and staring at space with such a shocked expression painted all over his face for who-knows how long, yet eventually, he nodded ─ more to himself than to anyone else because, again, nobody there could see him.
Renewed with determination, he put the phone on speaker and placed it back on the floor.
"Sorry for the wait." Yusaku was elated to hear his son's voice brimming with confidence once again. "I'm ready now."
"I understand," his father said. "Let's resume from where we left off, Conan-kun."
Even though she remained silent after that, allowing the boy to do his work, Ran stayed true to her word. She did not leave, and stayed there as a pleasant presence for the kid who would, unbeknownst to her, pause from time to time, note that her name was still on screen, and continue with what he was doing.
It went like that for a while and, before long, there were only a few wires to cut before Conan, and everyone else by addition, could breathe freely again. Tired after the ordeal, the kid allowed himself a moment to rest, wiping at his forehead with his sleeve, and took another look at the almost disarmed menace in front of him.
His eyes fell on the stopper he had placed a while ago.
Ah, right, the stopper. Had forgotten about it. The code…
"Conan-kun, ready to continue?"
"Ah, yeah!"
He lowered himself to work again, but the word had returned to his head, refusing to leave again. Stopper… Conan didn't dare to touch his phone again, knowing what he would see ─ and, besides, he had already wasted a lot of time, so he wasn't looking forward to a repeat. So he had no other option but to rack his head to remember.
It came to him after a moment.
'Even if you prepare a good stopper, it won't help you,' was it?
Being good would mean having a good ERA. With a soft click, another wire was cut. But why the Major Leaguer? This is Japan ─ he could have just written pro baseball player.
This time, he stopped.
"We're almost there, Conan-kun," said Yusaku. "First the yellow cord from the LCD display. Next, the white cord from the mercury lever, and the black cord to the remote detonator and cell phone. And it's over."
Despite what he was saying, Conan was too preoccupied with this newfound problem to feel glad about what his father was saying.
Extra innings. ERA. Turn around. Major Leaguer…
His eyes, once again, found themselves on the name in his phone's screen. But this time around, it paralyzed him. He sat back up, horrified at what had just crossed his mind, opening his mouth to say something.
When he noticed that there wasn't a countdown on the LCD display anymore, but an actual message:
"To the brave policeman.
This is a prize for your courage. A hint about the location of the much bigger, game-ending, firework will be displayed three seconds before the explosion.
Good luck."
So, after a full second of plain staring and gaping, he closed his eyes and gathered the phone.
"Ran-neechan."
"What is it, Conan-kun?"
"Thank you for everything." A soft smile adorned his face. "But I hope you can forgive me… for this."
Poor, oblivious Ran never got a chance to find out where all this was coming from, mostly because Conan did not want to hear it, so he promptly hung off. In silence, the boy sat, gazing down at the bomb with a severe frown.
"Say, Detective Takagi…"
"Huh?" Takagi blinked, surprised to be actually addressed. "What is it, Conan-kun?"
"There's something I need to talk with you about."
Yusaku paused at it, wondering for a second what they could possibly need to discuss, until it hit him like a brick.
"Conan-kun," he said, interrupting the boy before he could even speak. "Don't even think about it."
If it was the same bomber from three years ago, there was no doubt of what Conan was talking about.
"You have solved it, right?" Conan asked his father. "What the code says."
"Yes, that's why-"
"Then you must understand how important this clue is. Not even you can know where it is without it, can you?" Conan smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, but I'm not budging."
His father frowned profusely. "Conan, don't."
"Conan-kun." By the tone of Takagi's voice, Conan could tell he guessed what kind of answer he was going to get. "What is what you want to tell me?"
Thus, Yusaku was forced to listen through what he knew was coming ─ his young son reading out loud what he had seen on the display, relying to the detective what his plan was and, to his dismay, Takagi actually considering it.
"What's going on there?!" Sato basically tore the transceiver from Yusaku's hands before he could hear his response. "Takagi-kun!"
"To the brave policeman…"
The man watched the woman's expression gradually shift from confusion to horror. Yusaku had quite the good idea of what the young man had told her ─ and it made him sick.
"I wish I could at least get Conan-kun out of here," Takagi said. "But to prevent the greater tragedy, Conan-kun will look at the hint and I will tell you the location of the other bomb by phone."
"Takagi-kun…"
"There is no other way. Sorry about this." He smiled sadly. "But… I know you understand."
Before she could even have a say about this, Takagi just hung up on her. As realization of what had just happened struck her like waves, she merely stood there, unable to look away from the Tower…
Or rather, the Death God she could clearly see, peeking out from behind.
Too focused on it she was, she barely registered the figure walking right past him. "Wait!" At least, until one of the members of the bomb squad stopped him. "It's dangerous."
"Let me pass," said the man, with a severe tone.
"Even if it's you, Kudo-san, I can't let you pass anyhow!"
Finally, taking her gaze away from the building, Sato managed to get a glimpse of the man, and was thoroughly shocked.
Kudo Yusaku was gritting his teeth, clenching his fists, and gazing upon the tower, sporting the same distressed expression she had seconds ago.
"Eh? So that's what the code really meant-?"
"Shh!" Conan hissed, holding a finger to his lips. "If you talk too loudly, the bomber will hear us."
Realizing his mistake, Takagi stepped back and clamped his mouth shut. Conan barely minded at all, chuckling lightly at the scene, craning his head to glance backwards, where the bomb rested, far from their position. The countdown hadn't stopped yet, Conan could see from his position.
Not that it mattered, since he had explicitly said his dad had figured out the code. Yet, without the hint, it was impossible to do anything, so he guessed they would still be safe.
"But there are more than 400 places in Tokyo like that," said Takagi, keeping his voice lower this time around.
"Yep. Searching them all and locate the bomb without the bomber noticing is impossible," Conan noted, swinging his legs, almost childishly, despite what he was saying. "And if we tried to evacuate the people from all 400 places at once… Knowing the bomber's character, he'll just push the detonation switch. Therefore, the only way to ensure the safety of everyone is…"
"… to look at the hint, do a pinpoint search at the right place, and locate the bomb," finished Takagi with a confident nod. "Just like Detective Matsuda did, right?"
"Well, look at the bright side. After your heroic sacrifice in a few minutes, you can finally stand a chance with Detective Sato."
Takagi let out a nervous laugh. "Does that even matter if I'm dead?"
Conan laughed softly as well, raising his head, contemplating something on his mind before speaking. "Sorry about this, Detective Takagi," he said. "But she might be there ─ one of the most important people in the world to me. I can't let her die."
"Oh, it's okay…"
Besides. He couldn't help the smirk from blossoming in his lips, but kept his thoughts to himself. If I let her die, I would never be able to face him again.
I need to protect her… in his stead.
"Say," Takagi was apprehensive. "That man from before… was Kudo Yusaku-san?"
"Eh? Ah, yeah."
"And… you called him 'Dad' earlier."
Conan blinked. Did I? He hadn't realized it, but he didn't find it impossible that it had escaped him before. No answer was uttered yet, surprisingly enough, Takagi did not force one. His eyes continued fixed on his form, sharpening, as if searching for them in his own heart. The boy waited, impassively, for him to finish.
"Say, Conan-kun… Tell me one more thing."
Conan tilted his head.
"W-Who on earth are you?"
The question hung in the air for what seemed hours, yet Conan knew for a fact that it hadn't been too long because the bomb had yet to explode. It echoed in his ears, over and over, until it finally dawned on him what he had been asked. Takagi's hesitant, yet powerful gaze was still fixated on him ─ for some reason, it made a cocky, amused smirk to the surface.
"Oh, well." Before the detective's eyes, the boy's smirk broke into a bright, childish grin. "If you want to know, then I'll tell you."
The child then added, with an unsettling amount of cheeriness coating his voice.
"In the next world!"
"Those two have still not been rescued and there is only one minute left!"
Ai's eyes flickered away from her window to the radio, widening at the instant when the true meaning of those words finally sank in her mind. Don't tell me… Her breath stopped, air freezing in her lungs as she attempted, to the best of her capabilities, to process that recent bout of information.
"Wait!" Mitsuhiko's screams did not take long to cross her ears. "What does that mean?! Conan-kun and Detective Takagi are still in there!"
Chiba, behind the wheel, tried to stutter a response, yet failed horribly.
It didn't help that the woman on the radio continued, "The order for the Mobile team to take shelter has been issued!"
Naturally, none of them would take it lightly. Mitsuhiko paled considerably, looking as if he would be sick, while Genta took a more extreme approach, going as far as to wrap his arms around Chiba's neck, threatening to choke him if they didn't go back to Touto Tower.
"I-I can't do that!" Chiba struggled to keep his eyes on the road and breathing at the same time. "It's dangerous!"
"Take us back! Hey, Chiba, take us back!"
Throughout it all, Ai remained absolutely silent. Soon, she had schooled her expression back into indifference, and turned her attention back to the road ahead.
They have heard it, she thought. The whisper of the demon, just like three years ago.
Noticing something moving from the corner of her eye, however, Ai allowed her gaze to shift in that direction to satisfy her curiosity. Ayumi had moved closer, hand clutching the seat in front of her, and an absolutely crestfallen expression all over her face as she contemplated, unwilling to believe it still, the radio on the front.
Something clicked in her mind and went back to her seat, quickly lowering her window and sticking her head outside. The Touto Tower could still be seen, if just barely ─ and smaller and smaller it became, as the car continued to drive by, regardless of their friend, that remained trapped in there.
Conan's smile flashing in her mind brought forward the tears ─ did that mean they wouldn't see him again? Her lip quivered.
"Even without me, you still are the Detective Boys, right?"
Ayumi couldn't help it. "C-Conan-kun!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, even though she knew her voice would never reach him.
And when her sobs filled the air, Ai did nothing but to lower her gaze to her lap. She had not realized, until that moment, that her fists, resting over her lap, were clenching with all her might.
She bit her lip.
You idiot.
"Fifteen seconds left," announced the boy, crouching right in front of the bomb. "Detective Takagi, are you ready?"
"Yes." It was impressive, observed Conan, how all that hesitation and anxiety had seemed to retract somewhere in the back of Takagi's mind. "I've included all of your solutions to the code in the mail. I just have to send the hint you read to me."
Not that he thought it was vital for him to write his previous deduction since his father was there, but didn't feel the need to comment on it. Mostly because there were only five seconds to the explosion.
So, he took a deep breath, and nodded to himself. He could do this ─ he had to.
"Here it comes… The alphabet characters: 'E'... 'V'... 'I'... 'T'..."
Conan's eyes widened ever so slightly.
Get away, please get away…
Even minutes after the call ended, Ran's phone still stayed there, clutched against her own two hands, pressed against her ear as if she hoped, somehow, that he would say something again to her.
The principal stood there, looking worried but scared to do anything at all. Not too long ago, she had been sobbing uncontrollably, yelling the young boy's name over and over, as if it could somehow get him to answer the phone again, no matter how useless that could be.
The tears had yet to stop ─ Ran could not help it.
"I hope you can forgive me for this," he had said.
Forgive him for what? Ran decided she did not want to know ─ no, she wanted to see him instead. She wanted him to be there, breathing, alive.
"Get out, Ran-neechan!"
Ran's phone slipped from her hold, clattering on the floor as it fell.
Rather than crouching to pick it up, she rushed, almost stumbling, to the window. Just now, she could have sworn she had heard Conan's voice, but probably, she had just imagined it.
Her hand pressed against the window, eyes unable to look away from the Touto Tower standing in the distance, and all of a sudden, she could hear herself screaming, even though her lips were actually sealed close, that name again. She would feel the warmth of his blood, and the unsettling coldness ─ Shinichi's icy cold skin as she pressed a bloodied hand against his cheek.
That day, she had almost lost him ─ in that cursed place.
Conan-kun…
She didn't want to lose Conan there too.
"C-Conan-kun," stuttered Takagi when the boy had gone silent for a while now. "Hurry with the next-"
But the words got interrupted by a startled shriek of his own, back flushed against the elevator as he witnessed, to his horror, the little boy jumping down from the roof and landing right in front of him. The entire elevator shook, and the police detective wasn't afraid to admit he had scrunched his eyes shut, expecting the whole place to blow up…
Which never happened.
Confused over the fact that he was, in fact, in one place despite everything, he opened one up to Conan's dull, almost bored gaze.
"What's with you?" asked the boy, eyebrows raised and everything.
"E-Eh? But… The vibration… The bomb… Huh?"
"It's scary to die after all," said Conan with a shrug. "So I cut the remaining cords."
That made sense, thought the man for a second, until it really sank.
"EH?!"
"Sorry." Conan barely blinked. "It was in the middle of the hint, too…" he added, making sure to speak as loud and innocently as possible. "With just 'EVIT', we can't figure out the location of the second bomb."
Oblivious of it all, Takagi sighed. "Well, it's too late to help that," he said, standing back up. "Let's call a rescue team and get out of here."
"Sounds like a plan."
Thus, he waited until they were far from the bomber's ears to tell Takagi that the entire truth about it all. Though he had appeared really astonished about what he had heard, he had recovered in record time ─ nodding, with a focused frown, and going straight to Sato to tell her everything, as soon as they stepped out of the building.
Everyone was cheering, noticed Conan right away. Probably the fact that they were both outside, unharmed, was proof enough that the bomb had been successfully defused. Realizing he really didn't care, he raised his head to observe the broad sky over his head.
Never before had Conan realized how pretty the clouds were, or how good it felt, the fresh breath of air filling his lungs ─ being outside was, just, plain amazing. He took another breath, as if worried that this feeling would subside soon, and looked back to the front.
His father was looking straight at him, eyes just a sliver bigger than usual, as if he was just seeing the boy for the first time. Conan tilted his head in confusion ─ because that was stupid, he thought ─ watching as the man took a step forward, closer to him.
Something blocked his sight ─ a microphone, realized Conan, blinking rapidly.
"Let's get a comment from the boy!"
A woman he had never seen in his life crouched ─ a reporter? ─ down in front of him before he could fully grasp what was happening around him. Lots of people were crowding around him, too, which, honestly, was beginning to get on his nerves.
Was it that nobody there knew what 'personal space' actually was, or were they just a bunch of insensible idiots? Because, hey, he was a little child who had just walked out of a potentially traumatizing incident, so he guessed he had the right for some peace and quiet.
"Was it scary?" asked the reporter.
A bomb almost blew up on my face. Conan had to bite his tongue not to speak out loud. Draw your own conclusions.
"Yeah!" He decided, however, that a more innocent approach would get him out of this quicker. "But the policemen explained exactly what to do, so it was simple."
Finishing with a cute laugh, Conan was hoping that they would just leave him be for now ─ and get that camera away, for goodness' sake ─ but the woman did not make any attempt to leave. Conan took it as a bad sign.
But before anything could happen, Conan felt something landing on his head.
"I'm truly sorry." It was his father's voice, alongside the realization that his hand was resting on top of his hair, what made the kid groan, eager to show his displeasure. "But this young boy over here has to leave ─ he still has a statement to give at the police station."
The reporter's eyes lit up the moment they fixed on Yusaku's form. Conan could very well predict what was going to happen.
"Kudo-san!" As expected, all microphones ─ plural, because there was a crowd of reporters around them right now ─ went to the man in question. "Would you please-?"
"I was requested by the police to cooperate on this case, and I accepted," replied the man before she could even finish her question. "But I'm afraid that, since the culprit hasn't been found yet, I'll have to cut this interview short, or they will get away."
Smirk still perfectly in place, the man raised his head, looking around for a second. "Ah, there," he said. Curiously Conan glanced that way, and found it strange that his dad was, of all things, smiling at a car parking close to them. "Detective Chiba will gladly answer all of your questions regarding this case."
Sure enough, Detective Chiba was stepping out, just in time to see all gazes suddenly failing at him. Conan watched him break in a cold sweat, probably guessing this could not bode well for him, then step backwards with a startled yelp when the entire crow started to move closer to him.
Maybe I should feel bad for him…
Yet, considering he would be the one with the camera at his face otherwise, Conan couldn't bring himself to. As it was, he merely let a dry laugh out.
One thing is for sure. Dad is a genius when it's about keeping the media away.
It all stopped, however, when he noticed all the windows on the car lowering.
First was Ayumi's teary face, then Genta's and Mitsuhiko's pale, yet equally concerned, faces. Ai was the last one to appear, barely peeking out with an eyebrow raised, as if internally wondering all of his life choices ─ Conan would be lying, however, if he said he couldn't see a soft, barely noticeable smile on her face.
Conan managed a timid one of his own in return. Wasting not a second, he took a step forward, towards them.
"Before you go," his father said before he could do anything else. "Care to talk for a minute?"
There is no way out of it, is there? The child lowered his head, sighing all the while, allowing his father to gently steer him away, turning his face away from his expectant friends. In silence, he continued to walk, guided by the man's large hand on the back of his head.
It didn't take long, since the designated spot was just a reasonably large truck, belonging to the bomb squad, guessed Conan. Yusaku did not try to explain anything, just walked around it, having the boy confusedly follow.
There, blocked from the prying eyes of the media all around, the man kneeled down in front of his son. Conan momentarily wondered why he was doing that, since the truck was still enough to hide him from everyone, yet decided it wasn't important enough to ask out loud.
So, instead, he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I refuse," he said, all of a sudden.
His father did not respond.
"Listen, I don't care if you came to the conclusion that this place is 'too dangerous' after almost two years of not showing your face."
Conan's eyes slid to the side and away, involuntarily dodging Yusaku's strange gaze ─ because, yeah, he wasn't able to tell what was wrong with it, besides being, somehow, odd.
"This place is my home! So, if you dare ship me off to America, let me just warn you, I will find a way back to Japan… somehow. Therefore-!"
All words died down in his throat ─ every single thought he had possessed, every carefully thought argument he had practiced over and over inside his mind, just gone. Slowly, his wide eyes shifted back to the front, and was beyond stunned to realize what was going on.
An arm crossed over his back, gripping his shoulder tightly. Fingers digging into his hand, gently pressing his head closer to a broad chest. Conan's eyes went even larger at the prospect, and promptly froze, unable to accurately discern what he was supposed to do next.
His father… was hugging him?
"Dad?" he mumbled against his father's shoulder, once he got his voice back. "I thought you knew…"
He heard him chuckling from close.
"I did," he all but whispered. "After panicking over getting Detective Takagi killed, the thought of you suggesting he sacrifice his life for the greater good is inconceivable."
The child wasn't surprised, yet it didn't mean it explained anything at all. His father's hold had tightened, marginally as it was ─ Conan, still unable to get his body to move, blinked repeatedly.
"But you had a second, maybe even less," continued Yusaku. "If you failed to cut the remaining cords in time, if you were just a bit slower… You could have died there, Conan."
Gradually, Conan's eyes softened. He let all the air he didn't know he had been holding all at once, feeling his body finally ease at the realization that, maybe, this time around, he could understand. His arms rose, then stopped mid-air, as if he was actually considering this again. Closing his eyes softly, he decided that, yes, he was doing that, and proceeded.
Conan hugged his father back. Yusaku smiled gently in return.
"Ah, there he is!" Conan flinched violently when he heard Mitsuhiko's voice. "Conan-kun!"
Realizing that his friends were nearby, the boy pulled back almost instantly. Rather than being upset about it, Yusaku laughed lightly, and watched, alongside his son, as three children rushed towards them.
Still crouched down next to him, Yusaku smiled. "By the way," he whispered to his son. "The reason we have been trying to contact you as soon as possible wasn't what you think."
Conan frowned, confused. "It wasn't?"
"We just wanted to give you some advice." His smirk grew dramatically wider, for some reasons. "You shouldn't believe everything you see on the internet."
And, just like that, the man stood up. Conan stared after him, confused all the while, as he left, and his three friends finally reached him.
By the time he had completely disappeared from sight, Conan's confusion had dimmed. Ah, he thought, in surprise. I see.
"Conan-kun!" He was snapped out of it when Ayumi suddenly threw herself onto him, clinging to his neck and crying tears of joy. "I'm so glad you're saved!"
For once, none of the other boys glared, or looked remotely close to jump at his throat either. That threw him a little off the loop.
"That's my worthy follower!" Genta proclaimed instead, a confident smile on his face, crossing his arms over his chest.
That stole a nervous laugh out of Conan.
"That was too reckless!" said Mitsuhiko next. "Don't do that again!"
Conan ducked his head. "I'm sorry…"
"Promise you won't do it again!"
"I will… try not to do it again."
"That doesn't work!"
"Ah!" Ayumi suddenly stepped back from Conan, as if she had just realized something. The boy privately wondered if it was that she had been occupying his personal bubble for so long. "That man hugging you just now was your dad!"
He figured he had been wrong, but wished he hadn't. "You… saw that?" he said in a whisper, shifting uncomfortably.
Ayumi's hands went to her face, horrified at the prospect. "Does that mean you're leaving tomorrow?!"
It took a moment for Conan to properly process that. "Ah, no," he said, scratching the back of his head. "He didn't even mention it."
The girl looked hopeful. "He didn't?"
"I know, strange, right?"
In fact, he couldn't even begin to believe it either. Why hadn't he brought that up when he had the chance?
"Wait a second," said Genta suddenly. "Where's Haibara?"
Mitsuhiko looked around, confused. "That's weird," he commented. "I could have sworn she was coming with us."
"But she was with us until a bit ago." Ayumi's forehead creased. "Where did she go?"
Conan's head tilted somewhat. He couldn't, for the life of him, imagine what she was up to.
Things had turned just fine for a change.
And truly, Kudo Yusaku could not be more glad about it. Such a relief it was, that not even himself could keep himself from smiling, as lightly as it was, while he walked away from his son, leaving him alone to enjoy his time with his friends for a little longer ─ until he had inevitably to leave to the closest police station to give his testimony about what had just transpired.
He had long disappeared from his sight, but either way, prompted by a feeling not even he could deduce where it came from, the man backtracked a bit and peeked around the truck. Conan was laughing, awkwardly, about whatever his friends had been talking about, then had turned his attention back to the girl who had been hugging him.
Yusaku had certainly heard a lot from his wife about this group of kids his son was now a part of, and had seen them a couple of times. Even so, he had to admit he was a little shocked. Maybe it was the girl's still teary face and the boys' pale expressions out of genuine worry.
Or maybe it was how strangely relaxed Conan seemed to act around them.
"Kudo-san."
The young, female voice behind him caused him to turn around, and was therefore surprised to see a small girl. Strawberry blonde, cold penetrating gaze. Just by that alone, Yusaku would instantly recognize her as the prodigy scientist that now went by the name of Haibara Ai ─ and of course he would, since his eldest had requested him to forge some documents for her sake not that long ago.
"Ai-kun," greeted the man casually. "Can be of some help?"
The girl had barely moved from her spot, meaning that she had further intentions than merely greeting him. Soon his suspicions turned to absolute certainty when she seemed to drop her head, as subtle as it was, and press her lips together. But she said nothing else, just stood there, quietly still.
Yusaku waited for a little more. "Then," he said with a shrug, going around her to leave. "If you have nothing to say-"
"Wait!" she suddenly shouted.
Yusaku turned to her, and she opened her mouth soundlessly, as if she had just realized what she had been doing. Following it, she averted her gaze again, yet this time around, a troubled frown decorated her features.
"Isn't…" Before long, she spoke. "Isn't there another way?"
"Another way?" Yusaku repeated. "You mean about Conan?"
She nodded slowly. Honestly, the man wasn't a bit surprised the boy had overheard him and his wife talking the other day ─ in fact, he had even doubted he had been sleeping, after he left so suddenly ─ or that he had told his friends about it.
With a long sigh, the man contemplated the girl in front of him for several moments more. "You know them well." He didn't miss the way Ai flinched. "And what they're capable of. You, out of everyone, must know that best."
Ai didn't reply. Yusaku waited for an answer, then, determining that she would not say anything to that, decided that it would be better to just leave her be.
"I don't want him to leave."
Surprised, not even Yusaku could keep himself from blinking. The girl had raised her head, looking right into his eyes ─ they were glimmering with an unshakeable, if unnatural in her, passion. She stood straighter, feet firm on the ground, and opened her mouth again.
"This place is Conan-kun's home." It was as if the hesitation from before had never been there to begin with. "And here is where he truly belongs."
He was a little shocked to hear those words out of that mouth, but it receded eventually. A chuckle escaped him, and he crouched down right next to her. Even though she looked ready to, the young girl never backed up, and admirably stood her ground.
"That's quite the statement you are making," said Yusaku. "But I'd like to know what you suppose is the best step we should take instead."
Again, the girl kept her lips sealed. "Or is it…" So, the man continued. "... that, when they appear once again…" His eyes narrowed, and suddenly, the ghost of the amused smile from before vanished. "... you will protect my son from them?"
Her eyes went big.
"If you don't promise me that, my decision won't change," he said. "Will you protect my son, if the necessity ever arises?"
Eventually, her shock dimmed, but her lips did not attempt to move. Yusaku saw her hands closing into fists, frowning to herself as if she considered it, over and over.
Before long, she took a deep breath.
"I promise."
Yusaku couldn't stop the smile from caressing his lips. Nodding at the girl once more, thoroughly pleased by her response, he stood back up and finally turned around to leave.
"Ai-chan!" he could hear Ayumi say, but he did not look at all. "So this is where you were!"
Ai, on the other hand, almost jumped out of her skin, hand over her heart, as if attempting to keep it from leaping out of his chest. Conan walked closer, followed by Genta and Mitsuhiko, and stopped right next to Ayumi, who stood there, blinking in confusion at her friend's unusual reaction.
Conan stared at her for a little, then raised his gaze over her head to see the retreating figure of his father. It greatly confused him.
"What were you talking with my dad about?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.
But all the answer he got was a long, scrutinizing look coming from the girl. She searched through his soul to her heart's content, before suddenly turning away, hiding her face from his sight ─ as if annoyed, the kid dared to say ─ and marching directly to Chiba's car.
Conan felt as if he had missed something important.
His father had yet to say anything about his departure to America.
The boy's first guess was that it had slipped from both his parents' minds after everything that had transpired today, but he quickly discarded that idea because his father would never forget to mention something like that. Conan had been avoiding both of them like the plague, meaning that someone like him would grasp whatever chance to tell him the news before he would scurry away.
While being unaware of what their true plans were made him anxious, the need for some peace won out. So, when Yusaku claimed he wanted to have a word with Ran alone outside Shinichi's room, Conan barely protested. He had just allowed it, sitting on his brother's bedside and watching Ran give him a puzzled look ─ to which he shrugged.
With a soft click, the door closed.
And, only then, did Conan realize how ominously silent that room was.
That was, if he didn't take into account the constant beeping from the machine right next to him. No matter how hard he tried to block it out, it would continue, restlessly drilling into his skull in a reminder that, despite how it would look like, he wasn't actually alone in that room.
Conan gazed down to the occupant of the bed next to him.
"Sorry for coming so late," he spoke out loud, even though he knew his voice wouldn't be heard. "I was busy… But I wanted to see you."
He leaned forward, resting his torso on the bed with a tired sigh. "All I can say is that I'm never going to Touto Tower again," he said next, scoffing lightly, placing his chin between his arms. "That is, if the staff doesn't end up banning me anyway for being a bad omen ─ at least nothing exploded when I was there, so I guess that's something, right?"
A giggle lingered in the air, weak-willed as it was. It was drowned by the silence in a matter of seconds, leaving Conan to gaze at his brother, without even thinking of moving from his spot.
Before long, the smile had faltered, but he kept it up.
"I made Ran-neechan cry," he admitted, in a frail whisper. "She told me I really scared her back there ─ between sobs, mind you. She almost crushed me in a hug when she saw me, you know?"
His eyes drifted back to an empty corner of the room. "My friends scolded me for a while, too. Genta said he was mad that I made Ayumi-chan cry. But I think I worried him too." No answer, as expected. "Ai-san was acting oddly after that… Though, somebody like her wouldn't… worry that much, would she?"
A snort escaped Conan, "Even Dad, can you believe it?" but it was bitter. "He hugged me, telling me he thought I was going to die… Seriously, our Dad. I'm not lying."
Taking a moment to reflect over everything, he allowed his gaze to drift back to his brother.
"I might have stirred a bit of trouble for everyone. But since I didn't die, it's not a big deal, is it?"
Shinichi slept through all that. Conan watched him, a grin still hung on his lips as he waited.
Waited for what? The boy had no clue, yet it didn't stop him from sitting beside him, looking eagerly at his brother.
His smile gradually vanished until there was nothing but a pained grimace left.
"This is wrong." He couldn't help his words thereafter. "You should be mad."
Conan inched closer, a frown taking over his features.
"I made Ran-neechan sad ─ don't you hate that?" His tone rose a little above normal. "I rushed there without thinking. I could've died…" Conan trailed down. "The life you-"
His voice had broken in the middle. I can't, he reminded himself while biting his lower lip, hoping it would stop quivering soon. Hold it in… Hold it in.
Need to be strong… Come on.
Without realizing it, his hands had latched onto his brother's arm, squeezing hard enough to hurt ─ but of course, his brother made no sign of discomfort.
"I won't say a word. I'll endure it, even if you scold me and rant for hours… I don't care, so please-"
Please, wake up… Please.
Leaning forward once more, Conan scrunched his eyes shut, pressing his forehead against his brother's shoulder.
Had he been watching, he would have probably noticed it ─ a finger twitching, almost unnoticeably, before going lax again over the pristine white hospital sheets.
What he did notice, though, was a chilly breeze caressing the back of his neck.
Conan sat back up with an annoyed groan. Who left the window open? he wondered, growling all the while, knowing that he would have to close it, or risk himself ─ or Shinichi, for that matter ─ catching a cold. He really did not need one right now.
So he stood up and turned his head to the window.
And halted.
The black curtain weaved with the summer breeze, restlessly dancing under the dim street lights that did their absolutely best to cast away the shadows of a moonless night. No. It took a while for Conan to realize that what his own two eyes were seeing was not, by any means, a curtain, but a cape.
A raven black cape fluttering gracefully under the night of the new moon.
But, he did not even have the time to be alarmed over that black figure standing on the windowsill, because he caught sight of the top hat the figure was bringing closer to his face, or the familiar shark-like grin he flashed him right afterwards.
"Like I said before…" That voice, the same one that resembled his brother's, made his eyes grow dramatically wider. "Even if you cannot see the new moon…"
The figure gracefully landed on the floor, but Conan made no attempt to move.
"It does not mean it is not there."
He stood in front of the child, grinning. Probably amused by the way the kid blinked, repeatedly, until something finally seemed to click, and everything vanished again.
Conan rolled his eyes.
"Black doesn't suit you, KID."
KID let out a very offended gasp. "I beg your pardon, Tantei-kun?" Conan barely batted an eye. "Black looks absolutely stunning on me."
"But it isn't as flashy as you'd like, I assume."
"Black is best to cruise through the sky unnoticed at night," he replied, strolling around the place as he took a look around. "That's what comes with being publicly dead, as you might know."
Finally, the magician stopped. So sudden it had been that Conan nearly asked if something was wrong, but refrained himself just in time. That was because the teenager was standing right at Shinichi's bedside, gazing down at him with a tight frown on his features. So, the kid allowed it, merely lowering his head, keeping his mouth shut all the while.
"It's so unlike you," Kaito said next. "Jumping to conclusions."
Conan stared, just now realizing he was the one the thief was talking to.
"I'm pretty sure you said he was dead," he replied, smirking. "And let me tell you, you are scary with a gun, Tantei-kun."
Once his words were fully processed, the boy looked away.
"I heard he almost didn't make it, but ultimately did," added the magician with a shrug. "Bad weed never dies, I suppose."
"You heard?" Conan asked, thoroughly confused.
"Yeah, your mother told me."
The young boy gave him a pretty blank stare, which the magician held with astounding ease ─ not breaking in a grin, or twitching in the slightest, nothing. Before long, however, his eyes widened, mouth hanging open at the realization he wasn't joking.
"Hey, hey…" he mumbled, unable to snap out of the shock clouding his brain. "Where have you been all along?"
"Me? Home."
"You were… home," he repeated, slowly. Kaito nodded. "All this time you have gone MIA, you were, just, home."
"We just stated that, didn't we?"
"But… you were shot."
There was no way he could be wrong about that ─ he had seen him falling backwards after pushing him out of the way, no questions asked.
"I was," he answered, tapping his chest lightly. "Right here. Punctured my lung and everything."
"And somehow, you got all the way from Tokyo to Ekoda." Right after the words left him, the small detective paused, as if contemplating something inside his mind, until his eyes went wide. "Wait. It wasn't my mom, was it?"
Kaito seemed confused at first, "Oh, no, no," he shook his head as soon as he understood it, and Conan felt like he could breathe properly again. "She just helped convince the Organization I was dead."
Ah, right… Wait, what did he say?!
"I dragged myself to an alley, hoping that I could hide from people ─ you never know who's on it, after all." He supposed his questions would wait for the time being, because Kaito continued regardless. "I suppose I passed out, because next thing I knew I woke up to my mom smiling at me."
"Oh, I see…" A sigh escaped his lips. "So it was your mother who saved you…"
"Not exactly."
That was something he definitely had not expected. Raising his head to him, the kid noticed the thief frowning to himself, gaze drifting to the night sky outside, completely lost in his own memories.
"Maybe I was just dreaming," he admitted. "But, just before fainting, I could have sworn I saw something."
Conan grew curious. "What did you see?"
But the troubled look the magician gave him afterwards made the kid regret ever asking it.
"A crow."
Conan's breath hitched at the sentence.
Out of everything that could have possibly come out of the thief's lips, that was definitely the least he had been expecting. As the true meaning sunk into his slow-working brain, his eyes began to wide, and his face lost color.
In the distance, he could distinguish the dreadful squeaking of a crow.
"Tantei-kun?" Conan wouldn't admit it, but he jumped when he heard it. "Are you okay?"
"Eh? Ah, no…" He tried to laugh it off. "I'm a bit tired, that's all."
His eyes drifted away from Kaito's unconvinced frown to his hands, and only then did he realize he had been gazing, longingly, at the same black feather he had given him a while back.
He allowed himself to breathe out. Kaito Corbeau, he realized, taking into the magician once more, or rather, the raven black suit he now donned.
There was a striking resemblance. Conan wondered why.
Before long, Kaito focused back on the feather. "I believe-" He stopped himself with a shake of his head. "I know my dad is still alive."
"Kuroba Toichi-san?" Conan raised his eyebrow. "How can you be so sure?"
It was Kaito's eyes, full of conviction and looking straight at him, what made him halt.
"I woke up at some point, but I was still out of it," he said. "But at that time… I felt his presence."
Conan did not make a sound. Kaito shrugged at that, finally making eye contact.
"Well, you must be thinking I was just delirious." He sighed dejectedly. "You wouldn't understand what I'm talking about…"
"I…" whispered the boy. "... actually do."
At first, Kaito didn't understand. But, when he turned to the boy, noticing that he wasn't looking at him, but gazing down at his sleeping brother with such an odd glint in his eyes, he finally got it.
But did not comment on it. Just moved back to the window he had come from.
"Now, I believe I should take my leave," he declared, gaining Conan's attention once more. "Tell Meitantei I said 'hi' when he decides to wake up, okay?"
"Wait, KID…"
True to his wishes, KID stopped in his tracks, giving him a look from over his shoulder. Clearly, Conan hadn't thought this through, observed Kaito, given that he had yet to say anything at all even if an entire minute had passed by.
Conan's mouth opened and closed, and he whipped his head to the side. He muttered something that Kaito didn't quite catch.
"Maybe you should speak louder," said Kaito with a grin. "Tantei-kun, don't be shy. I'm sure that-"
"Thanks."
He must have gotten it wrong, surely decided Kaito while blinking owlishly. But, if that was the case, he couldn't understand the faint blush spreading over his cheeks, or the fact that he still hadn't looked at him.
Then, it fell on him. Oh, Tantei-kun. He smiled a little. There's nothing to thank me about.
Conan looked at Kaito, surprised to see that he was right in front of him.
"I owed you one."
"Wait."
His call had made both brothers stop in their tracks and turn around to give him equally confused gazes.
Little Conan blinked owlishly when Kaito smiled softly and approached him. "Conan-kun, right?" The boy nodded, staring at the older kid that kneeled down in front of him and stretched his palm at him. "Can I see that coin, please?"
The kid nodded and obediently gave it to him. "Head or tails?" At the strange question, the boy tilted his head. "It's alright, just choose one."
"Tails?"
"Tails it is." He turned to the girl beside him, then to the other boy. "How about you two?"
Aoko blinked, but still replied, albeit hesitating a little. "I'd go by tails, I suppose, but..."
Shinichi, unlike her, wasn't nearly as cooperative. "What's all this about?"
"Choose one ─ it's not that difficult."
In response, the older Kudo rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever. Heads."
Kaito nodded briefly at him, glanced at the coin, "The answer is..." and flipped it. The four children watched as the object turned on the air several times until he caught it again. He smirked a little, drawing his hand back to reveal the result. "None of the above."
Conan couldn't help but gasp, eyes widening at the realization that there was nothing there. "Oh, look!" And his surprise only increased when the boy put his hand behind his ear and brought it back, allowing him to see the small coin between his fingers. "You had it with you the entire time, you little thief."
He winked at him, before standing back up, watching as the little boy stared for a moment, until he beamed. "Wow!" he exclaimed, waving his hands around. "You're amazing, Kaito-niichan!"
"Hardly," scoffed Shinichi, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "All he did was to let it slide inside his sleeve when he pretended to catch the coin."
Conan looked at him, curiously. "You can do that?"
His brother twitched. "O-Of course I can-"
"Can't."
Only when Aoko giggled again did Kaito wake up from his stupor and smirk at the older Kudo, offering it the coin to try it himself. When he so obviously failed, lacking the proper hand-coordination Kaito had been trained at as ever since he could remember, he retrieved it again, showed them the coin, before turning his hand over. When he did it again, the coin was gone again.
Amazed, little Conan beamed again, yet this time around, Kaito wasn't nearly as surprised as before, just smiled and continued his improvised magic show for the boy. As the young child clapped excitedly, Kaito couldn't help himself ─ he placed a hand on his chest and bowed.
Just like his father would bow to his dazzled younger self a long time ago.
"Hey, what are you-?" He heard the boy gasp. "Hey, stop it! Get your sweaty hands off me, you lousy thief!"
"You realize I'm wearing gloves, right, Tantei-kun?"
"Still-!"
But rather than retiring his hand, where it posed on top of the boy's head, he simply patted him.
I'm just glad you're okay, he thought, laughing at the annoyed groan coming from the kid. Conan-kun.
When the feral growl became louder, and the kid's hand moved to his wristwatch, Kaito wisely jumped back.
"Easy, easy." His annoying, to Conan anyway, grin never left his face, however. "Or I'll have to ask your neechan to put a leash on you."
Conan felt his vein pulsating with pure irritation. "Just wait until next time," he scoffed. "I'll wipe that stupid grin out of your…"
But trailed into silence, realizing now for the first time he could not say those words anymore, and dropped his head, almost dejectedly. Seeing that, Kaito could not help himself, and let out a chuckle.
"No need to be disappointed," said the magician. "After we get things back in order, Kaito KID will make a glorious return from the fauces of death."
Conan's face lit up. Kaito wasn't sure if to venture himself to say it was hope twinkling in those round, blue eyes of his, but it was something of that sort at least.
"So you better provide an entertaining show next time." Kaito smirked. "I'll be looking forward to it."
And, sure enough, that same confident smirk ─ the one that could only belong to him, his one and only rival ─ drew itself on the child's features. Contented by his reaction, Kaito tipped his hat forward, and climbed up onto the windowsill again.
"Make sure to visit Aoko-neechan too," said the boy, just before he left. "She was worried about you."
"Tantei-kun, Tantei-kun, when will you learn?" Kaito shook his head with a sigh. "I'm always a step ahead of you."
Another day had passed, and she still had not heard a single word about Kaito.
A sigh escaped Aoko, as she leaned forward, resting on her windowsill. Her eyes, without fully wanting to, had drifted back to her childhood friend's house again, and a frown had taken over her entire facade.
She had never gotten to see the woman ─ she assumed female because of the voice, but it could have been anyone, really ─ again after the other night, but guessed she had left somehow when she wasn't looking. But had not let that bother her, and just had gone out of her way to knock on her friend's house, with little to no success.
Aoko figured it would be okay, she could try again later. It did not make any difference.
Before long, it had begun to be mildly concerning, but held on hope that either the news of KID's death had been fake, or maybe Kaito wasn't KID after all. So she tried again.
And again. And again.
Aoko buried her face in her arms. It was hard to keep on believing, she lamented. With each day, the possibility that Kaito had been shot down at Touto Tower was becoming, much to her dismay, more and more plausible.
Where was he? She wanted to scream, but couldn't. What had happened to him?
Just a sign… Anything would be enough for her to keep on believing ─ believe that Kaito was alive.
So, she hoped. Hoped with all her heart that it would come to her.
A gentle breeze on her face made her look up. Making no sound at all, something landed on her windowsill, causing her to take a step backwards, mind drowning in shock.
All because it hadn't been a bird resting their wings after a long time flying.
It was a boy, wearing black and a cheeky grin spread all over his face, hopping off the window to stand right in front of her.
Her eyes went wide. It wasn't a dream ─ he was real.
"Long time no see, Aoko."
She couldn't help herself. Aoko clung to him, sobbing hysterically in his chest.
And, with that, the phantom thief finally left.
"Like I said, Sonoko, everything is fine," said Ran, for what might have been the fifth time in that conversation already. "I was worried about Conan-kun and I left without thinking, that's all. The teacher said I was allowed a second chance tomorrow..."
"But, Ran…"
A sigh left her lips. Sitting cross-legged in her bed, wearing her pajamas, Ran cast a glance at the bright red LED numbers on her desk, and couldn't help but shake her head.
It was roughly two in the morning and still talking with her best friend over the phone. And was nowhere close to convincing her that everything was, just, fine.
Well, not that she had given her plenty of reasons to be doubtful.
"I'm just worried!" said the girl on the other side. "You did the same at Tanabata, and haven't been the same ever since! You said you would explain it."
Her head lowered, but said nothing.
"Even the brat has been acting oddly ─ even by his standards anyway," she heard her friend pausing, as if she was thinking over her next words, before speaking again. "Something has happened to Shinichi-kun, hasn't it?"
Even though Ran wished she could be surprised, she really wasn't. It was clear, after all, that if there was something in this word that could have both Conan and herself worried to that degree, it had to be about him.
"I'm sorry, Sonoko," she said in a whisper. "I wish I could tell you more."
She heard Sonoko sigh, and wondered if she had sounded like that when Shinichi told her the same thing.
Ran wondered, too, if it had been just as painful for him as it was being for her.
"I won't ask anything," said Sonoko, probably seeing there was no point indulging any further. "But Ran, promise me you won't dwell on something dangerous…"
"Sonoko-"
"Promise me, Ran."
Ran licked her lips. "I'll try," was all she said. "See you tomorrow, Sonoko."
Reluctantly, her friend also bid goodbye, and the call ended. Leaning back into her bed, phone against her chest and eyes fixated on her ceiling, Ran lied, unmoving, contemplating the absolute darkness that surrounded her whole.
She hated it ─ she absolutely hated it. But she had no choice. Sonoko had nothing to do with this.
Privately, Ran wondered when she had started to sound this much like Shinichi.
I wish I could have promised you that. She turned on her side, still frowning at herself. But that is not possible.
"Don't go, please."
I can't leave Conan-kun alone, she decided, placing her phone back on her nightstand. I want to be there for him…
Even if she had to sink in the most excruciating darkness, she would still extend her hand to him.
She had promised it to Shinichi, the first day she had come to visit at the hospital, even if her words had not been properly received.
She had promised it to his father, too, when he had pulled her apart to talk.
Also, she had promised it to Conan, when he had been talking to her through the phone, terrified out of his mind. Ran worried, though, that this same fear would not allow him to stretch his hand forward, and accept her help.
Her ears caught on a certain noise, alerting her mind for a second, until it subsided when the realization came. The sound was just barefoot steps resounding through the silence of her house.
It stole a dejected sigh out of her ─ it had to be Conan, rushing to the bathroom again to wash his face after those nightmares that didn't seem to leave. He thought he was being so sneaky, waking up so silently and moving through the house with nobody noticing a thing, but he wasn't. Ran heard it ─ every single night.
She had tried to intervene in the past. It would end with the boy flustered, swearing that he was okay ─ which he was not ─ and making the entire ordeal worse than it was before.
If only…
But she stopped her own thoughts at the realization that the steps were not heading towards the bathroom. Confused about it, Ran lied there, paying close attention to them, wondering all the while where he was going this time. He couldn't be thinking of heading out? Her eyes went wide in alarm. Could he?
She wouldn't put it past him to go out at that hour.
Not that she got to do anything about it, because she heard her door creaking open, just a little. Surprised, her eyes shifted to that direction, just in time to see a figure ─ a tiny one ─ flinching, all but hiding behind the door, staring at her without uttering a word.
For a moment, Ran contemplated the boy's small head peeking inside, or the way his small hands gripped the knob, like dear life. Surprise soon dimmed enough for a warm smile to paint her lips.
Wordlessly, the girl moved a little closer to the wall, folding the sheets up, inviting him to come inside.
And the boy did not hesitate. Ran didn't even care that he had forgotten to close the door when he entered, or that he was clinging to her nightshirt like dear life, in his desperate pursuit of comfort. She made not a single comment about it, and, tenderly, began to stroke his sweaty hair, closing her eyes as a soft humming echoed in the room.
If he noticed she was using one of those catchy songs from Okino Yoko that had been stuck in her head for weeks, courtesy of her father, as a lullaby, he did not seem to care.
Face still snuggled against the warmth of her chest, and encouraged by Ran's gentle voice, Conan allowed his eyes to flutter close.
Not a single crow visited his dreams for the rest of the night.
A/N:
Sorry for the long chapter. There was a lot to address…
CherryGirl 21-6: Yeah, you did ;) And thanks for telling me about it!
F. C. Meyer: I have been considering it for a long time, actually, but I wasn't sure if it would be alright, I was a bit too far off. But I decided that, if I didn't do it now, I wouldn't have the opportunity again… I can't deny that seeing the trailer for Movie 25 didn't play a role when making up my mind xD And don't be sorry, thanks for letting me know!