"Woah, you've spent lots of time with Shu-nii back then.", Masumi told Amuro as they walked side by side in the Amusement park.
Two days had passed since the Jet Black Train case, and Amuro had asked Masumi to hang out together in the park today. He spent most of the time telling Masumi about his days with Scotch and Akai, without revealing too much details, in order to convince her with his lies, and he could tell that he perfectly succeeded, for she did not question anything he said nor look at him suspiciously.
"Enough talking about Akai, why don't you tell me more about yourself?", Amuro asked with a smile, 'I hate talking about him already…'.
Masumi seemed taken back for a second as she muttered, "M-Me?".
"Yeah, and something other than mysteries and your family. I want to get to know you better.", Amuro nodded before he frowned, noticing how Masumi remained confused, to the point that she stopped walking.
Amuro stopped walking and asked her, "Did I say something wrong?".
"No, it's just… Look, I don't think I'm an interesting person… it's I only talk about the cases I solved and my family, I don't have anything special in me.", Masumi mumbled uncomfortably.
"What are you talking about? Have you looked in the mirror lately? You're beautiful, smart outside the whole mystery thing, cute, funny, and you're pretty goddamn strong.", Amuro said with a wide smile, "Ran-chan had told me about how you both took out the bomber, and how you ordered the squad to enter the agency and arrest him. That's something, Masumi!".
Masumi face blushed deeply, and she felt her heart beating fast, as she her green eyes locked with Amuro's, and for the first time since they've met, Masumi felt that Amuro was someone special in her life, in her heart.
He was not a friend like Ran and Sonoko, nor a brother figure like Subaru.
He was something else, entirely.
'I… I think I'm falling for him…', Masumi thought and her blushing deepened once Amuro placed a hair strand behind her ear before he said with his charming smile, "Come on, let's go.".
"T-Tooru!", Masumi called, making him pause in his tracks and look at her curiously.
"I… I… Thank you…", She stuttered.
"For what?", He asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion, but he did not fail to notice how the way Masumi looked at him entirely changed. There's a new glint in her eyes right now, when she was looking at him.
"For being in my life.", She smiled, 'Not yet… I may be just infatuated with him… Nothing serious.'.
Amuro blinked, and for the first time since he started this mission, he felt guilt. He thought that this was going to be easy, that he was capable of not falling or even liking the girl during all of this, but he did.
The times they've spent together, the late night talks and texts, they've all made him like her genuinely, and he was genuinely concerned about her back on the train.
For the first time since his mission started, Amuro hated himself, and yet, he did not decide to quit nor change his mind, but he found himself telling her the truth for the first time.
"I.. I should be the one thanking you for being in my life.", He replied with a faint smile.
"So, we're even then!", Masumi laughed, and Amuro just gave her silent nod, his guilt eating him inside.
'How could you dare hurt such an innocent person like her? You know how this will end, don't you?', His consciousness spoke into his mind, but he ignored it.
Or to be more exact, his ego and pride ignored it. He had to find Akai, and hand him to the Organization to avenge Scotch, and raise his ranks. That was essential.
~*~*~*~
Later that night,
Amuro sat on the floor in his apartment, strumming on his bass guitar aimlessly, his eyes staring ahead.
He ended up strumming the wrong chord, which made him wince, and made his only audience present bark in annoyance.
Amuro looked down at the only person he had in his life, his puppy; Haro.
"Sorry, Haro… My mind was occupied with something, I ended up playing the tune wrong.", Amuro apologized as he ruffled Haro's head.
Haro barked happily before he looked at Amuro with his head tilting to the side, curious about what was wrong with him.
"Honestly Haro, I don't know… I got myself involved in something, in order to achieve my goal… But I'll end up hurting a good person in the end, a pure person… a person who now cares about me… I don't know what to do.", Amuro sighed heavily.
Haro barked curiously, wanting to know more about this person Amuro was talking about.
Amuro grabbed his phone off the side table and opened up a photo for Masumi, before he turned his phone for Haro to see.
Haro moved closer to the phone, before he wiggled his tail, a wide smile on his face as he barked a couple of times happily.
Amuro chuckled at Haro's enthusiasm, "Alright alright, I'll let you meet her someday. I didn't really think you'd be that interest from just one image.".
'And now Haro likes you… how can I hurt someone Haro likes?', Amuro thought to himself, 'What are you doing to me, Sera?'.
~*~*~*~
Meanwhile,
Masumi stood outside of the hotel she and her mother in, and pulled out her phone, dialing Ran's number.
'Mama won't be helpful in this since she cares about the antidote more than anything…. And Sonoko really can't keep a secret… My only option to talk to is Ran…', Masumi thought as she waited for Ran to pick up the phone.
After a few seconds, Ran answered, "Moshi moshi?".
"Hey, Ran-kun, how's it going?", Masumi asked with a smile, "The area around you seems quiet.".
"I'm fine. Conan-kun is out with his friends while my father is out playing Mahjong with his friends… Some guy really.", Ran grumbled.
"Say, can I talk to you about something?", Masumi asked straight to the point, seeing that Ran was now alone, so she can speak to her as she pleased.
"Does it have to do something with Amuro-san?", Ran asked curiously.
"H-How did you know?", Masumi asked in disbelief.
"He is the only guy you ever mention next to your two brothers. I figured something was going on, when did this start anyways?", Ran pointed out.
Masumi then explained to her how she met Amuro and how he used to know her brother, and how often she would hang out and talk to.
"My god, Sera-chan, you two are falling for each other!", Ran cried amused.
"Nah don't be silly, I'm sure it's just a crush or an infatuation.", Masumi scoffed.
"Maybe it started like that, but it looks to me like it's becoming something else.", Ran chuckled.
"Ran-kun… How do you know that you're in love? Or that someone else is in love?", Masumi asked curiously.
"Sera-chan, have you noticed the way Sonoko's eyes would gleam and brighten whenever she would talk about Makoto-kun? Or the way I would be when I Talk about Shinichi?", Ran said, "It's all in the eyes, Sera. The eyes never lie. As for how you would know if you've fallen in love, listen to your heart. What does it say when you think about Amuro-san? Do you feel butterflies in your stomach when you see him? Do you randomly smile while thinking about him? Stuff like that.".
"That sounds like a hassle…", Masumi sweat dropped, feeling like she did not understand a single word from Ran.
"No one ever said love is an easy thing.", Ran lightly chuckled before she said happily, "But it's all worth it when you find the right person.".
Masumi frowned, knowing that Ran was talking about Shinichi. She was over her crush on him, but she knew that he was lying to Ran about who he was, and if his interaction with Hattori was anything to go by, then he probably knows.
From Masumi's point of view, Shinichi was not, or to be exact, will not be a good boyfriend, especially after the stories she heard from Sonoko about his arrogance.
"I don't understand how you still love Kudou, the guy is away and you don't know where he is. I have a feeling other people know but you don't.", Masumi voiced part of her thoughts, "You deserve better.".
"That's the thing Masumi.", Masumi blinked at Ran's gentle tone while saying her first name, since she expected Ran to get angry at her.
"People often tell you that you deserve better, but your heart only sees that person.", Ran said, "I think I've already told you how my parents still love each other but it's their pride and ego standing between them.".
Masumi remained silent, not convinced. She did not have such examples, in fact, she had awful examples of romance in her life. Her eldest brother never told her anything about his life, her second brother is waiting to get his seven shogi titles, which is why his girlfriend dumped him.
And her parents… Her father left her mother before she was even born.
To Masumi, love was dangerous, if you trust the wrong person, you could end up destroying your life and your future children.
But Ran here is telling her the opposite of what she believes, that love with the correct person can be the best thing ever.
"I'll think about that, Ran-kun. Thanks for the talk.", Masumi said.
"Anytime! You know you can talk to me about anything, see you tomorrow!", and with that, Masumi ended the call.
'Now… What is Amuro-san to me…?', Masumi thought, and she found herself smiling once she thought of him, which made her shake her head in denial.
"He's an infatuation. That's all he is.", Masumi mumbled to herself as she entered the hotel.