Hi everyone, guess who's back after sooo many years hahaha. I completely forgot about this story but then again, I want to get this story back and let life experiences and delusions take over hehe. Hope you enjoy

Chapter 2: The Confession

Ran sighed, lost in thought as she read Mitsuhiko's Christmas card from last year. It reminded her of how the Detective Boys had disbanded and gone their separate ways. She placed the card back in her drawer and murmured, "What an inconsiderate boy."

"Who is?" Shinichi's voice came from behind her, making her jump slightly.

"Conan Edogawa, of course," she replied, her irritation evident. "He never said goodbye to his friends. Haibara had to break the news to them about his departure. He promised he'd keep in touch, but he never did. Do you know how much time they've wasted hoping for a message from him? If I could reach him, I'd tell him how much his friends were willing to do just to hear from him again."

Shinichi tensed, feeling the weight of Ran's words. "You can't blame the kid. His parents were the ones who took him away suddenly. He did send them an email when he arrived in America, right?"

Ran's frustration boiled over. "That email gave them false hope. They thought they would hear from him again, but it turned into nothing. It hurt them deeply."

Shinichi felt a pang of guilt. He had tried to make up for it by supporting the kids in their new endeavors, but it wasn't enough. "Ran, there's something you need to know."

Ran looked at him, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "What is it?"

Shinichi took a deep breath, his heart pounding. "Conan Edogawa... was me. I was Conan all along."

Ran's eyes widened in shock. "You... you were Conan? All this time?"

Shinichi nodded, feeling the weight of his secret lift slightly. "Yes. When the Black Organization drugged me, I was turned into a child. I had to live as Conan to stay safe and find a way to become myself again. I never meant to hurt anyone, especially not you. I was focused on becoming Shinichi again so I could be with you."

Ran's mind raced, recalling all the moments with Conan. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why did you keep this from me?"

"I wanted to protect you," Shinichi said softly. "The less you knew, the safer you were. But I should have trusted you. I'm so sorry, Ran. I never meant to cause you pain."

Tears streamed down Ran's face as she processed the revelation. "I understand why you did it, but it still hurts."

Shinichi reached out and took her hand. "I love you, Ran. I always have."

Ran nodded, wiping her tears away. "I love you too, Shinichi. But this is a lot to take in."

Shinichi took a deep breath. "I know. And I promise you, I'll muster up the courage to tell the kids the truth. I just need to find the right timing."

Ran looked at him, her expression softening slightly. "They deserve to know, Shinichi. But I understand. Just make sure you don't keep them waiting for too long."

--

Later that evening, Shinichi and Ran attended a party. Shinichi spotted Ayumi, now a sophisticated young woman, chatting with her friends from New York. He decided it was time to make amends.

"Ayumi, can we talk?" Shinichi approached her, his heart pounding.

Ayumi turned, her eyes widening as she recognized him. "Shinichi... or should I say Conan?"

Shinichi nodded, feeling the weight of his confession. "Yes, it's me. I owe you and the others an explanation."

They moved to a quieter corner, and Shinichi explained everything—how he became Conan, why he had to leave without saying goodbye, and how much he regretted the pain it caused.

Ayumi listened intently, tears welling up in her eyes. "It hurt, Shinichi. We missed you so much. But I understand now. Thank you for telling me."

Shinichi felt a wave of relief. "I'm so sorry, Ayumi. I hope we can all reconnect someday."

Ayumi smiled, wiping her tears. "We will, Shinichi. We will."