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Relative Truth
by Becky Tailweaver
File 9: Shuffling the Deck
The silence was deafening.
The girls continued to stare for several seconds, wide-eyed, each at the complete stranger she had accosted, then at the young man she had been intending to address. The two males wore near-identical expressions of apprehensive surprise, and the moment seemed to stretch into an eternity.
As usual, it was Kaito who gathered the wits to speak first. "Uh...hey, Aoko...what's up?" he began with a nervous half-grin and a slight wave.
The shorter girl blinked at him, looking past Shinichi to meet his eyes. "Kaito? But then...who's...?"
Ran's shock was quite evident, and Shinichi's surprise was akin to deer-in-the-headlights. Her abrupt reminder about Conan had made him realize he'd totally forgotten about his childish alter-ego--and this could get extremely messy if he wasn't careful.
"Shin...Shinichi...? But...what are you...?" Ran managed to say, stepping away from Kaito with a wary glance at the other teen.
"Ran! Um...heh, this is a surprise..." His smile appeared, somewhat exaggerated and noticeably strained.
Still looking rather astonished, both girls pulled back a little more, glancing at each other cautiously as well. Confused, Aoko gaped at the two boys for a second more before fixing her eyes on Kaito.
"Just...just what's going on here, Kaito?" she demanded, half bewildered and half insistent, raising a finger to point at the lookalike. "If you're you, then...who's that?"
"Oh, him?" Kaito's half-grin turned whole, though no less nervous, and he slung a companionable arm around Shinichi's neck, dragging him over in a familiar manner--and startling all three of the others. "I'd like you to meet my cousin, Shinichi Kudo. Kudo, this is my friend Aoko Nakamori.
Shinichi--who was still rather dazed, both by Ran's arrival and Kaito's arm around his neck--gasped and glared at Kaito. "What are you doing, baka? Don't tell them--!"
"Your cousin?" both girls blurted in disbelief, making the boys step back.
Angered that Kaito was being so open with what he still considered "family secrets," Shinichi roughly shrugged his way out of his cousin's hold and shoved him in the shoulder. "Hey, I told you not to--!"
"What do you mean, your cousin?" Aoko shrilled, stepping around Ran and at last coming to Kaito's side. "You cut class just to visit with him?"
Ran recovered enough to approach her target as well. "Shinichi, I didn't know you had a cousin that looked that much like you...except for Conan-kun..."
Shinichi jumped in quickly. "Oh, well...uh, we haven't seen each other in a long time--" --try ever-- "--so when we ran into each other we thought we'd just hang out for a little while--"
"But you didn't even call me and tell me you were back!" Ran protested, silencing his little white lie. "And now I can't find Conan-kun anywhere--I called around, and Ayumi-chan told me he left with some guy named Kaito to have a snack--"
Aoko glared at the second youth. "So where is this 'Conan,' huh?"
The boys shared a glance--one stumped, the other panicked. The words Big trouble! seemed to pass between them audibly. Kaito suddenly smiled, winked at his cousin, and turned to Ran. "That'd be me--I'm Kaito Kuroba. Conan and I went out for a snack, and then we met up with Kudo, here, and when it started getting later we took him back to Professor Agasa's so Kudo and I could spend some quality time. Guys should stick with guys, and all that..."
Lame, lame, lame! Shinichi thought, even though he had to smile and nod along with the story. She'll never believe that if she's--
To Shinichi's surprise, Ran smiled in relief. "I'm so glad," she sighed, shoulders visibly relaxing. Her gaze shifted to Shinichi, and although she spoke to Kaito her eyes never left his. "Here I was all worried that Conan-kun had completely vanished," she said with a pleasant look. "I was scared that something might have happened to him. Thank you, Kuroba-san."
Wait...what...? Does she believe it or...oh no-- Shinichi's eyes widened slightly as his jaw tightened. God, she knows, she knows...!
"Aw, don't mention it," Kaito said with a wave and a shrug.
Aoko stepped up to tug on his sleeve. "So...Kaito...has anyone ever told you that your cousin looks just like you?"
The teen thief smacked his forehead. "Sheesh, you too?"
Aoko actually began to giggle, followed shortly by Ran, who was listening to them--ignoring Shinichi's half-panicked stare. "Well, he does," Aoko continued.
"If you think those two look alike," Ran piped up pleasantly, stepping forward, "you should see what Shinichi and Conan-kun look like--and they're only distantly related. Must run in the family." She smiled. "Hi, my name's Ran Mouri."
Aoko returned the smile and the greeting. "I'm Aoko Nakamori--but I think you already heard that, and this big dope already introduced himself. Nice to meet you."
At her bow, Ran bowed as well, then elbowed Shinichi to do the same. Her eyes widened, coming to a sudden realization. "Oh! Kuroba-kun, you're the guy I saw in Shibuya--the one who looks like Shinichi!"
Shinichi blinked, frowning. Yeah, was that--no way, was that him we saw?
Kaito grinned mischiveously, noticing Shinichi's tension and directing his attention to the other girl. "So you're the 'Ran' that Kudo keeps talking about," he said smoothly. "'Ran'...hmm...y'know, I think I have just the thing..."
He stepped up to the long-haired girl, one hand raised with a quick intricate move that produced, quite suddenly, a perfectly-shaped purple orchid from out of nowhere. "For you, my lady," he said, offering Ran the flower with a flourishing bow. She took it with a blushing thanks.
Why you smarmy little...! Shinichi stewed from within, his tension focusing into a glare at his cousin--the other knew good and well there was nothing he could say without blurting out his feelings for Ran, the slippery thief! He ever-so-discreetly stepped to Ran's other side, positioning himself between her and Kaito.
"How did you do that?" Ran asked with almost childlike wonder, cradling the flower.
"Oh, he thinks he's a magician," Aoko replied, elbowing the showoff with a shrug of long familiarity; she knew Kaito was just being Kaito, and her next words were laced with faint pride. "But he's pretty good at it, isn't he?"
Ran smiled again. "That was amazing!"
She missed Shinichi's scowl entirely, while Kaito preened from the praise and grinned at the girls. Aoko elbowed him again, then paused to think. "Hmmm...Kudo, Kudo...why does that name sound familiar...?"
"He's the famous detective from Teitan High School," Ran replied. "He's pretty well-known around Tokyo, and he's solved lots of cases."
Aoko set her fist in her palm. "That's right!" She smiled eagerly at Shinichi, startling him out of his funk. "You're the one my dad talked about--you're the boy who almost caught the phantom thief!" She giggled aloud, surprisingly excited. "My dad was so mad; you almost beat him to the punch! But you did a much better job than him, and you actually almost got Kaitou Kid!"
Now it was Kaito's turn to be...irritated. The boys shared another glance, and this time it was Shinichi who preened a bit. "Oh, that was nothing," he admitted with a shrug. "Kid planned things well and kept ahead of the cops, but his tricks were just too simple--easy to see through if you keep a level head and don't get caught up in the smoke and mirrors."
Why you arrogant little...! Kaito steamed silently, glaring at the teen detective as his hands fisted tightly--the other knew damn well there was nothing he could do to defend himself, the sneaky jerk! He moved around to put himself between Shinichi and Aoko, glowering all the while.
Shinichi's grin communicated his opinion quite clearly: Turnabout's fair play, pal.
It took both of them by surprise to realize the girls were laughing at them. Their grinning and glaring came to a halt, and their startled eyes watched Ran and Aoko lean on each other as laughter overtook them.
"It's just incredible!" Aoko managed to giggle, wiping at her eyes. "He grins just like Kaito does!"
Ran snickered into her hand, especially when she caught Shinichi's boggled expression. "And Shinichi glares just like that whenever he's mad!"
"Hey, what are you laughing at?" Kaito grumped, scowling at the girls.
"It's just really funny..." Aoko began, chuckling.
"...because you're both..." Ran continued when Aoko's voice lost to the laughter. The girls managed a breath, then finished in unison. "...exactly alike!"
While the guys glanced at each other, perplexed, the girls dissolved into giggles again. Amidst the laughter, girlish chatter began to emerge as they started to share little points of similarity between their two boys--from their appearance to their personalities, and even to the identical way their blue eyes stared in bafflement at that very moment.
Mystified as to what was so utterly hilarious about it, Shinichi and Kaito shrugged at each other. The answer was universal, an enigma no detective could unravel, a puzzle no thief could unlock. Women.
"Well," Kaito said with a rather confused cough. "At least they hit it off well."
"Yeah..." Shinichi gave his cousin a wary glance. "How long will it last?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean how long 'til we get read the riot act?"
Kaito looked a bit worried. "Um, no clue...Ran has a pretty short fuse, doesn't she? So does Aoko. Once the giggles wear off..."
Shinichi snapped his fingers, then clapped Kaito on the shoulder. "We better keep them in a good mood. You do know what that means, don't you?"
"Spare me...of course I do." Kaito sighed. "Miserable as it is, it'll save our hides. Let's go."
"Go where?" Aoko asked--and the boys froze, realizing that the giggles had already stopped.
Ever the good actor, the teenage thief pasted a happy-go-lucky smile on his face and spoke with perfect innocence. "Oh, um...anywhere! We're all here now, so maybe we could...go...do something!"
Ran and Aoko immediately lit up. "Shopping!"
With long practice, the boys hid their wilted frowns behind willing smiles. "Sure," they both piped brightly.
"I don't mind at all," Ran said, stepping closer to Shinichi. "It's been so long since you've been home, and now that I know Conan's alright I think it'd be fine if we had some fun."
"Heh...yeah!" Shinichi offered with a weak grin. Damn, if she keeps talking about Conan... All right, Kudo, let's get it together; you call her "Ran-neechan" even once and she's gonna bust your secret wide open--not to mention put you through a wall...
Aoko shook her finger at Kaito. "You ran off in the middle of class, buster, and I came all the way out here to drag you back home, but..."
"But?" Kaito did his best to look absolutely blameless.
Aoko's scolding turned to a smile. "But since you put it this way, I'll let you stay and play with your cousin a little longer."
"All right!" Kaito kept up a wide grin for her benefit. Dang, but this is the worst--and the best timing Aoko's ever had. We can't talk about anything "sensitive" while the girls are around, but Ran won't get on Kudo's case while Aoko and me are here--and maybe Aoko won't screech at me while we're with "company." Hell, this could be fun!
With the girls giggling and chatting as if they were old friends, the four teens set off down the sidewalk back in the direction the boys had come--back toward the denser section of town and the shopping plazas therein.
Ran and Aoko indeed hit it off well, sharing and getting to know each other quickly and openly. The most important thing they had in common provided their strongest link: Their two best friends were cousins--and they hadn't had a clue in all the years they'd known those silly boys! What a happy twist--and by some coincidence, the girls shared many similar qualities and experiences as well. With Shinichi, Kaito, and mutual similarities the topics of the hour, their talk was eager and friendly.
The guys followed along behind the conversing girls, watching them, occasionally sharing a grinning glance with each other. With the arrival of the girls, something had changed; there was new tension, but it was not directed at each other. Now they protected each other's secrets, and the lingering nervousness stemmed more from what the girls might say or discover than from any wariness or hostility towards each other.
Now they were allies, maybe even friends; their girls were with them, and neither wore any masks or disguises. They both felt oddly invincible in those moments, free and safe to be themselves for one short evening, even to share it with the two people who meant the most to them.
Shinichi and Kaito felt like a pair of princes that night; they were on top of the world with Ran and Aoko beside them and the whole evening ahead of them. Nothing could go wrong tonight.
Shop-til-you-drop was an understatement.
The girls, pleased as punch to have the undivided attention of the two boys, went from store to store trying things on and wandering through the womens' sections without particular aim. Aoko was happy to have Kaito apparently willing to accompany her without complaint; he was being surprisingly noncombative--probably trying to avert her wrath from earler, but she didn't particularly mind. Ran was just overjoyed to have Shinichi back, even as surprising as it was; she was so excited that she wanted to go everywhere and do everything, but as far as she knew she only had this one evening.
And, as an added bonus, the boys had actually agreed to go shopping with them. Actually agreed. It was as rare as a blue moon--and with the four of them together it was almost a double date. "Exciting" barely began to describe it--at least in the girls' opinions--and they were going to milk this for all it was worth.
During the shopping trip, Aoko and Ran secretly held their own private contest to see who could get the best reactions from the guys with the clothes they were trying on. Several stops at different department stores brought out interesting responses indeed, depending on the apparel modeled; from simple blouses and stylish jeans at one point to a pair of evening gowns that neither girl really intended to buy--they just wanted to see how the boys handled the sight of them.
Amazing how a little "What do you think?" could so completely stun two such intelligent young men.
After that one, the girls retreated to the fitting room, giggling madly as they dressed in their own clothes again. They had to call the game a tie--Shinichi and Kaito were so much alike that their blushing faces and gaping mouths were hard to judge separately; they both stuttered with equal noncoherence when asked to comment on the dresses.
Still laughing at their own little secret, the girls thought they should give the poor guys a break--men never did handle shopping very well. So when Kaito weakly suggested they might go get something to eat, Aoko and Ran agreed with big smiles and secretive giggles.
A pleasant evening of shopping must always be concluded properly--and that requires dinner at a casual-yet-nice restaraunt. The girls chose and agreed upon the location for the meal, then blushed themselves when the boys graciously offered their arms as they were shown to their seats. Shinichi offered to pay for the entire meal--he had his parents' credit card with him. Privately, he figured they owed him a lot more than an expensive meal for keeping secrets from him--he still felt anger and resentment when he thought of his father's evasiveness and lies, though he couldn't tell Ran why he suddenly grew silent and pensive...
With the shopping out of the way, the menfolk were finally free to express themselves as well--and surprised the girls with the amount of chattering they did over the meal. The boys took one side of the table, and the girls took the other; while Ran and Aoko continued their quiet conversation, Kaito and Shinichi shared boisterously about their favorite things, from skiing and soccer to deduction and magic--and far beyond. Their discussions were rapid and intricate, and soon even the girls quieted to just listen to them, amazed by the pace and scope.
Ran smiled faintly as she watched the childlike expression on Shinichi's face--mirrored by Kaito--that was just so much like Conan. Her recent wonderings about the little boy she knew and the youth before her now were scrambled once again; she'd begun to think that they were the same person, but here was Shinichi, back again, large as life. And meeting Kaito...the incredible resemblance proved that it was possible for cousins to look so much alike.
The only problem was that she'd been to Agasa's house that afternoon, and there'd been no sign of Conan and she hadn't seen Shinichi or Kaito near there...had she merely missed them, all three of them...?
"They're really something else, aren't they?"
Aoko's voice interrupted her musings, and she looked over to find the auburn-haired girl regarding the guys with a reflective gaze touched with faint amusement. Ran smiled as well, nodding with a light laugh as she realized that she'd been staring at them just as Aoko was.
Aoko turned to her, speaking quietly, almost conspiratorily. "It's sort of funny, isn't it? It's like putting them together has created a monster. It's incredible; they share logic puzzles like most guys share jokes. I've never seen anybody keep Kaito this engaged."
"I know," Ran agreed. "Usually when Shinichi's excited about something, and he gets going like this, it's all I can do just to understand him. I'm amazed that there's someone who can keep up with him like this."
"They've gotta be cousins, no doubt about it," Aoko sighed. "I never knew there was another guy like him...I always thought Kaito was sorta one of a kind."
"But...you know...I'm glad there's a pair of them," Ran put in softly. "Shinichi's never had a friend like him at our school--all the other guys are just interested in girls and sports and stuff like that. He's so smart and so quick that the other guys really frustrate him."
"I know what you mean--poor Kaito's starving for a friend, even though he's never bothered to get acquainted with any of the boys at our school. He says they're stupid..." Aoko sighed yet again, making Ran glance at her. "He's such a people person, but then he's such a loner...and I can't be the same kind of friend that Kudo-kun apparently is--I sure can't keep up with those two."
Ran giggled. "They're fun to watch, though. Shinichi just lights up inside when he's this happy--I just love seeing him like that. The only time that happens is when he's on a case..."
"...or when he's performing his toughest magic tricks," Aoko added, referring to Kaito. "And now this. This has got to be the very first time anyone's ever--jeeze, listen to them..."
"They're almost talking in shorthand, and finishing each other's sentences," Ran observed with a half-smile. "You're right, it's a first. No wonder they're so excited about visiting each other--I don't think Shinichi's ever had this with anyone else..."
"We should be honored they consider us commonfolk their friends, huh?" Aoko almost giggled. "I just wonder...why didn't Kaito tell me about his cousin?"
"I've been thinking the same thing. I've known Shinichi since we were little kids, and he never mentioned anything..."
Aoko winked slyly. "Maybe they were worried that we'd each think the other guy was better, and we'd like him instead."
"Oh...!" Ran nearly burst out in giggles. "That's just wicked of you, Aoko-chan."
"They're two of a kind, so what's to lose?" Aoko smiled playfully. "Kudo-kun seems much more polite and level-headed than Kaito--want to trade?"
With a faint blush, Ran shook her head. "No thanks. I don't think you'd know what to do with Shinichi sometimes--he's a total Sherlock Holmes nut, and after he reads a good mystery novel he just can't stop talking about it; he runs off at any chance to go solve a mystery and prove how good he is--"
Aoko ticked the facts off on her fingers. "Kaito is a complete magic fanatic, and after he learns a new trick he'll babble for hours, and he runs off at the drop of a hat 'cause he's a Kid fan but he also wants to prove his magic is better..."
The girls stared at each other for a moment before they finally burst out laughing--loud enough that they earned puzzled looks from the two on the other side of the table as their conversation came to a startled halt.
"What's so funny?" they both asked, near-identical voices, faces, and expressions united in near-identical harmony.
Aoko waved a casual hand, even as she giggled. "Oh, nothing."
Kaito spared her a withering glance. "With you, it's never nothing."
"Don't worry about it," Ran seconded, trying to keep a straight face. "It's girl talk, okay?"
Shinichi looked a bit worried. "Um, it wasn't about me, was it?"
"Or me?" Kaito asked.
That got another burst of laughter from the girls, while the boys began to look just a little concerned. Trying to divert the girls from any guy-bashing that might be going on, Kaito piped up quite suddenly. "Hey, Aoko, did you know that Kudo can fly helicopters and airplanes and stuff?"
"No kidding?" Aoko chuckled. "That must be fun."
Shinichi glanced at Kaito, wondering why the conversation was taking that kind of turn. "Just simulations, actually--I've only flown for real a few times."
"Don't sell yourself short, Kudo." Kaito nudged his cousin playfully. "All I know is magic tricks--you can do everything."
"But Kaito, you can ski and do fireworks too," Aoko protested.
"But I can't ice skate, and I'm scared of fish..." Despite his complaining tone, Kaito's eyes remained fixed on Ran--and Shinichi realized just what his cousin was aiming for. He was just about to derail that train when Ran spoke up primly.
"Don't put Shinichi on too high of a pedestal," she said. "I'll have you know he couldn't skate very well either, and he's utterly tone-deaf--can't sing at all, and he couldn't carry a tune in a tin bucket."
"Really..." Kaito grinned unrepentantly in Shinichi's direction.
"Hey, I can too skate!" Shinichi protested huffily.
"You're a wizard on a skateboard," Ran corrected with a raised eyebrow, "but if memory serves, you were a total clutz on ice skates until about two years ago. Don't you remember the time I spent practically living with you at the ice rink until you finally learned to stand up?"
"So it was her who taught you," Kaito snickered, earning a glare from Shinichi. "Hey, if you could do it, I could learn too!"
"No chance, Kaito--you're hopeless," Aoko teased. "Kudo-kun's just lucky to be a little smarter than you."
"Hey! I bet I could skate better than him in three days if I really wanted to!"
Ran shook her head ruefully. "I don't think so, Kuroba-kun. It took Shinichi three days to learn to stand up and skate--but within a week he was doing all sorts of stunts and he's much better than me now. Once he understands something there's no stopping him from mastering it."
"Damn..." Kaito frowned, then cocked an eyebrow slyly at his cousin. "But I guess that means there's hope for me after all. Skating may be tough--but I could do it. And hey, you know what? I can actually sing."
Shinichi sat back with folded arms and a pout. "At least I'm not scared of fish," he jabbed defensively.
"Oh? So what are you scared of, Kudo-kun?" Aoko asked, with a wink at Ran.
"Nothing!"
Kaito snorted. "I bet he's one of those intellectuals who's scared to death of something but uses his superior mind power to overcome his fears."
"I said I'm not scared of anything!"
Ran smiled widely, then leaned over to whisper in Aoko's ear. Aoko began to giggle, followed quickly by Ran, and whispered a reply to the dark-haired girl. That left Shinichi and Kaito gaping across the table at them, mystified--and worried by the prospect of having their secrets shared by the two females.
"I think they hit it off a little too well," Shinichi commented in a whisper.
"We've created a monster..." Kaito moaned.
By the time the four teens left the restaraunt, it was getting rather late in the evening. No doubt their parents were beginning to wonder about them; they'd been having so much fun laughing and talking together, even after the food was consumed, that time had seemed to fly by like a Shinkansen train. The moon was high and the streets were beginning to empty as they exited the eating establishment, satisfied and in high spirits.
This time, as they headed for home, their positions had changed. Kaito and Aoko strolled side by side just behind Ran and Shinichi; gentlemanly, the boys walked on the side closer to the cars, symbolic of their protective manner toward the girls. The time of boisterous, playful exchange was over, and now the four teens conversed quietly in their individual pairs, taking the opportunity to reflect on and respond to their evening together.
Strangely, there was a lot less talking going on between the two in front; Shinichi and Ran were rather quiet, only speaking once in a while to comment on something or other that had happened during the evening. Mostly, they were content to walk beside each other, hand in hand and shoulders nearly touching, sharing silent feelings--it was wordlessly understood that this evening was somehow special, and neither wanted to ruin it with talk that would inevitably lead to questions, answers, demands, excuses...
For Shinichi, holding Ran's hand wasn't anything new. When he was Conan, she pulled him along all the time when they went places. It was his leash, an emblem of his weakness--and of the child-body prison he was forced to inhabit. But he didn't regard her handhold as unpleasant; it meant he was close to her, that he mattered to her, even if it was Conan's little hand she held--she cared for him and wanted to keep him close, to keep him safe from the big, hazardous world they ventured out into.
But now the symbolism was reversed. He knew what her hand was like, but this time his was the larger hand, his was the hand enfolding hers--he was the one shielding and supporting her. His hands would keep her close, keep her safe from any dangers they might meet tonight. Even if it was only for this one night, he would protect her--because he was truly able, for the first time in so very long. He only wished that it could last forever.
But tomorrow Conan would return, leaving him once again in her hands...
Aoko and Kaito were a bit more animated in their conversation; they saw each other every day, so tonight wasn't special in any way--or at least it wasn't as far as Aoko was concerned. She was just happy to have met Kaito's cousin, and to have made a new friend in Ran Mouri. She was in an unsinkably good mood, even brave enough to needle Kaito about the times that Kudo-kun had caught him off-guard during their banter in the restaraunt. It was rare that anyone was as quick on their verbal feet as Kaito Kuroba, and seeing her friend cornered into speechlessness once or twice was an uncommon treat to giggle over. Kaito didn't hesitate to leap to his own defense, but his pouting face did little to assuage his good humor--his grin was quick to resurface when they laughed together.
After a particularly giggle-prone bit of repartee, Aoko quieted briefly to watch the two ahead of them. Following a moment of silence and a strange sigh, she leaned over to whisper to Kaito. "I'm glad I finally met him, you know--your cousin."
"Yeah, so--" Kaito cut himself off abruptly with a flash of a scowl. Damn, I almost said, "So am I." Zip it up, Kuroba! "So you think he's okay, huh?"
"Sure, of course he is. You two get along so well, you're almost like brothers." Aoko smiled thoughtfully, gazing at Kudo's back. "I've never seen you have so much fun with anyone before...I'm surprised you don't get together more often."
"Eh, well..." Kaito fished for a legitimate excuse--besides the fact that they'd never really met before this week and that they used to be enemies. "We're both sorta busy..." Nice and lame, Kuroba. Busy, hell... He shrugged once more, helpless to explain. But she's right. Damn, I wonder...Kudo and I, we both might be completely different people if we'd known each other all our lives. He's the first person I've ever met who's...well...anything like me. I couldn't talk to anyone like I talked with him tonight--I swear we both forgot all about Kaitou Kid and Conan Edogawa; we were just...guys hanging out. He found himself smiling faintly, reflectively. I guess this is what we missed, huh Kudo? Growing up alone like we did...
"He really is a lot like you." Aoko's words brought his attention back to the present; she glanced at him again, her mouth quirking teasingly. "But he's much more polite than you are, I can tell."
"What? Who says I'm not polite?" Kaito huffed, drawn out of his half-pensive reverie. "I was a perfect gentleman the whole time."
"This time, you mean," Aoko retorted with a giggle. "I know you way too well, you big baka. And I bet Kudo-kun is a perfect gentleman all the time, not just when he's with strangers."
You'd be surprised, Aoko. He's as big a jerk as me--takes one to know one... Hiding his own grin, Kaito merely shrugged. "Whatever. Kudo's had a soft upbringing," he defended shortly. "He's a spoiled rich kid."
"And you're not spoiled?" Aoko watched the pair ahead for another moment, a shy blushing smile building on her face. "Whatever you say--but I think he's a lot braver than you."
That definitely got Kaito's attention. "What? That little--!" He closed his mouth before he said something incriminating, settling instead for indignant glowering. "Whaddya mean he's 'braver?' I don't recall him ever..." He noticed her wistful look and quieted, curious.
"They make a cute couple, don't they?" she whispered, blushing faintly.
Slightly startled by her off-topic query, Kaito blinked and regarded the pair ahead. "I guess," he replied quietly, watching them.
Aoko's eyes dropped to the sidewalk and stayed there, even as they kept walking. Kaito looked from the couple to Aoko and back again, thinking hard--when something clicked and the red on his face suddenly matched hers.
After an instant's hesitation his hand dipped, caught hers, and held it gently but firmly. She gasped, flushing crimson as her hand tightened reflexively on his, her eyes glued to the sidewalk in shy nervousness. He watched her for a moment before turning his gaze back to the couple ahead. "Now who's braver, huh?" he muttered almost inaudibly, twin spots of red high on his cheeks.
Something must have caught Kudo's attention from up ahead; the teenage detective glanced over his shoulder curiously, one eyebrow quirking even higher when he spotted the pair holding hands behind. Blushing even more, Kaito glared guiltily and stuck out his tongue, daring his cousin to comment--but Shinichi merely gave him a strangely understanding smile and faced front, declining to make any remark.
Time, however, was still running like that Shinkansen train. Almost too soon, they were approaching the street corner at which they'd go their separate ways, and both small groups grew solemnly quiet as they came to a halt under the single forlorn street lamp that marked their parting. For a few moments they just stood there in silence, and two identical blue gazes met, full of meaning.
"Well...guess this is it," Kaito said at last. "I had a great time--hope we can do it again soon."
"Yeah..." Shinichi agreed, something painful and longing in his eyes. "I'll be...going back tomorrow so I don't know when...if ever..."
Trying to brighten the suddenly-dismal little foursome, Kaito grinned as he spoke. "Say, want me to come see you off?"
"No, that's okay," Shinichi replied with a faint smile--fully aware that Ran was watching him in concern. "I'll be alright."
You're sure? Kaito's gaze seemed to ask, but the teen thief didn't say anything further on the subject.
"I'm glad we met," Aoko said, with a secretive smile as she turned to Ran. "This was so much fun, Ran-chan--call me when Kudo-kun comes back, 'cause we've got to drag these guys out again. Or just call me any time!"
Ran's eyes were so very sad--but she pulled her gaze away from Shinichi to brighten and reply to her new friend. "Sure thing! I'd love to. We'll get together again soon--and I'll introduce you to my friend Sonoko; I'm sure she'd like to meet you!"
"C'mon, don't get hung up on girl-chatter again," Kaito grumbled, fidgeting at Aoko's side. "I don't want to have to explain to your dad--"
"Oh hush, you!" Aoko scolded before turning back to Ran and Shinichi. "Bye, you two! It was nice meeting you both!"
"See you around, Kudo." Kaito waved at Shinichi as he led Aoko away, grinning with a mischiveous wink at his cousin.
Shinichi remained silent and almost melancholy while Ran waved a cheery goodbye to the retreating couple. When Kaito and Aoko were out of sight, she gripped Shinichi's hand again and leaned closer to him, her expression dropping to worry as she noticed the gloomy look on his face.
"Hey...why so glum?" she asked, nudging him. "We just had a wonderful evening with Aoko-chan and Kuroba-kun...what's the matter with you?"
He twitched out of whatever far-away world he'd been in, glancing down at her only for a moment. "Sorry....I just...miss this. Being...with you, I mean." He heaved a deep sigh, turning to lead her down the street, away from the direction other two had gone--heading for the Mouri Detecive Agency and the end of their evening together.
"I miss you, too," Ran responded, barely above a whisper. "Can't you stay? Please?"
His breath caught, his hand tightened on hers--and even without looking at him she could feel pain and guilt coming off him in waves. "Ran...I...don't have much choice. But...until I have to go back..." He finally looked at her, his eyes so full of longing. "I want to be with you. Tomorrow...I don't have to leave until the afternoon so...do you want to do breakfast? And maybe lunch? I don't have much time left to spend with you..."
Her eyes were wide with startled concern. "Goodness, Shinichi...you make it sound like you've caught something terminal! We've got the rest of our lives if we want, you know," she said with a blush, "just as soon as you finish that silly case of yours."
Finally, his features softened into a sad, wistful smile. "Yeah...just as soon as I finish it..." But I don't have that much time, Ran. Tomorrow I'll be Conan again...and the Black Organization will still be there, waiting for me. I may not have the rest of my life...hell, my life may be shorter than I want. And now Kuroba's involved, and we could both end up...
Has he stopped to think about that? Shinichi wondered to himself. He could get killed, same as me--and for almost the same reasons. But he's so carefree--we're alike but we're not, too--I wonder if he's even thought of her. Doing what he does...if someone ever found out, they'd come for her--and if he was killed, Aoko would cry just like Ran...has he thought about that...?
He has to, there's no way he couldn't have--I saw how he looks at her...but...it's got to be that Poker Face he mentioned--he'll never let anyone see his grief, his pain, his fear. I could barely catch a glimpse...but maybe that's why he refuses to let anyone see he cares about her--he's so guarded, but tonight, somehow...that must have been the first time he's touched her like that--she was as red as a cherry. But he knows--if she's too close, she's a target...he knows, and he's trapped like me...
He finally noticed that Ran's hand was waving in front of his face--and with a blink, he looked at her in surprise. "Huh?"
She giggled faintly at his confusion. "You were somewhere far away again," she told him. "Are you worried something will break on your case without you?"
"No," he sighed, shaking his head to clear it, managing another smile, this one half-genuine. "I was just thinking about tomorrow--and how I'm going to spend it with you."
She was beautiful when she was like that--her breath of anticipation, the sweet flush on her cheeks, the sparkle in her eyes. He loved that look, so he loved to please her just so he could see her shine for him. Like when he'd promised to take her to Tropical Land--damn Gin and Vodka to Hell for picking That Day to be there!--and when he'd given her the gift of a rainbow amidst the fountains...
She seemed to walk even closer to him as they made their way down the last couple of sidewalks that led them to the Detective Agency. They were silent; this evening was far too perfect to ruin with mere inadequate words. When at last they stood at the doorway of Ran's home, he couldn't bear to let go of her hand--that would mean the evening was over, and tomorrow...
Tomorrow this would all end--and his insufferable half-life as Conan Edogawa would begin again.
But right now, with her hand in his and their eyes meeting in silent honesty, tomorrow seemed so very far away. He could just stand there with her forever, holding on to the moment--time might stand still, and tomorrow would never come...
Ran's nerve broke first; red-cheeked, she dropped her eyes from his penetrating gaze, squeezing his hand before releasing it. "I...I guess I'll...see you tomorrow, Shinichi."
With her eyes on her shoes, she missed the instant of agony and loss that flashed across his face when her hand slipped out of his. She was still so close--if he reached out, he could touch her, hold her and keep her from going... Swallowing hard, he managed to croak a reply. "It's a promise. Ran...I'll be here, no matter what--until I have to go..."
"I know." She glanced up at him for a moment; whatever she saw in his eyes--longing, regret, desire, bitterness, sorrow--whatever it was, it made her flush and look away again, her hands wringing as she stepped back. "I know..."
Somehow, he forced himself to step away as well. "Good night, Ran."
"Good night, Shinichi." She turned to head up the stairs, leaving him alone on the sidewalk.
For a moment, he watched her go, but then he couldn't bear it--he whirled and began to stride away, jaw clenched so as not to betray his emotions by any expression other than dull anger. He'd barely made it ten feet when her sweet voice rang out, forcing him to turn.
"Shinichi!" She'd come back down, and was leaning out of the doorway to call to him. Her cheeks were crimson but her eyes were bright with determination. "Shinichi...tomorrow...will you keep your promise? Your other promise?"
He blinked, startled, as he remembered that telephone conversation--and the incriminating evidence it contained that had nearly exposed his little alter-ego to Ran. But that wasn't what she remembered about it--that wasn't what she wanted... His mouth twitched to a smile, unable to hide the red hue that touched his own face as he replied. "I will."
Her face lit again--God, she was more beautiful each time she smiled like that! Her eyes shone for that moment before she disappeared into the doorway again, probably to run all the way inside; she could be so bold, and still so shy...
But his own smile faded as soon as she was out of his sight; with a sigh, he turned to head for home once more.
It was over.
Tomorrow would merely be one last desperate, ineffective grab at his former life, a drowning man's final gasping chance to live--Kudo's Last Stand, as it were, hopeless and futile under the inexorable force of APTX 4869...before his Shinichi-self would suffer that hot, agonizing death once more, and Conan would be born again from his ashes.
He wasn't running home in the rain, he wasn't confused and hurting and disoriented, and he wasn't shrunken unexpectedly into the body of a helpless child--but still, his eyes burned, his throat tightened, and his breath came short. It was sheer torture, getting a taste of his real life only to have it snatched away from him again--only to have her snatched away from him again...
Not for the first time, he cursed the drug and the men who'd inflicted it on him, hoping beyond hope that he could go to sleep tonight, wake up, and the next afternoon discover that Conan would never, ever return.
It was late enough to cause parental concern by the time Kaito arrived at his own home, having seen Aoko safely to her door and avoided her overbearing father's wrath. He came inside with a quiet announcement of his entrance, not wanting to wake his mother if she happened to have gone to bed early. With a yawn, he carelessly kicked off his shoes and headed into the living room, wondering if he'd need to put seed out in the feeder for his birds--or had his mother done it for him, given his lateness...?
He was surprised to hear his mother's voice, speaking softly and urgently--but there were no strange shoes in the hall, so she had to be on the telephone in her bedroom. He proceeded in her direction, but as the words of her conversation became clear, he froze in shock.
"...I didn't tell him anything, I swear to you. I knew he was following in Toichi's footsteps, but how could I--? ... I thought he didn't know--I didn't expect him to actually tell--! ... I understand, but he didn't tell me anything--how could I know--? ... I...I don't know what to do now--I had no idea it was that bad..."
His mother must have heard him, or else she just happened to glance up at the door that stood ajar--her eyes met his through the small opening, and she paled sharply. "Listen, he's here. I have to go."
She hung up without waiting for a response. "Kaito, you're back," she said, forcing a smile. "I wondered what was keeping you. Were you out with Aoko?"
No use hiding now. Kaito stepped through the door, his face set and serious in a way it seldom ever was--more unsmiling than even his most stern Poker Face. "I was with my cousin. Shinichi Kudo. You might remember him...?"
Fumiyo Kuroba gasped, covering her mouth. "Kaito...!"
"Jii told me everything quite a while ago." Kaito gave a faint, ironic smile. "That was Ojisan on the phone, wasn't it? I bet he's pissed."
His mother's eyes were welling with tears--it actually startled him to see that, but he refused to give way because of it. "Kaito...you don't know what you've done...!"
"Oh yes I do," Kaito retorted, his tone harsh but strictly civil. "I got sick of secrets, Mom. I know you know what I'm talking about--I won't pretend you don't know about me being Kid. So don't you pretend you don't know about any of this. You know it all--about Ojisan, about my cousin...you knew all this time. I had to corner Jii and force him to tell me...and Kudo never knew. You should have seen Kudo--Shinichi when he found out. Did you know Ojisan never told him anything? Yes, of course you did--you were in on it too. He was devastated, you know--he had no idea he's been living a lie."
The tears broke loose, tricking down his mother's cheeks.
"I wonder if Ojisan thought about that--about what he was doing to his family, keeping secrets like that," Kaito continued, almost conversationally. "You haven't seen Shinichi since he was a baby, huh Mom? You should meet him now; I think you'd like him. Shinichi's a better man than me...he's lots more honest and polite, and he's a good student. He hates breaking the law. He told me his father taught him how to be a detective so he could catch criminals--murderers and thieves and people who hurt others. We were enemies because of that, you know...he could always solve my riddles, and he almost caught me several times! He's always searching for truth; he's lived his whole life believing that Ojisan would never lie to him like this--and now he's found out that his name, his family, and his past are all lies."
Fumiyo rose from the bed, stepping toward him. "But...it was to protect all of us...Kaito, they would have killed everyone...I'm always worried because you're still in danger, being Toichi's son--and even more now that--"
"We're after the same thing Dad was," Kaito told her, his face hard and stern. "We both want to see that syndicate shut down for good. But I think...no, I know we're different from Dad and Ojisan. We're going to work together. Listen to me, Mom--we're friends now. Despite everything. We talked, and we laughed, and we had a good time tonight. He and I, we sat down man to man and we worked it out ourselves, so now we understand each other better. 'Cause you know what? We're family too, and we both decided to help each other."
Fumiyo tried to reach out to him. "Kaito...please, you can't--not just two boys all alone..."
"I won't be alone, Mom," Kaito told her, his tone softening. "'Cause we're gonna be in it together. Shinichi and me. Neither of us will run and hide--not when we can rely on each other. We're gonna beat the guys who killed Dad. I promise you that."
"Kaito...!"
At last, he let his mother embrace him as she cried. He didn't reject her; after all, she'd been alone all these years too--she'd missed his father just as much or more than he had. Plus Ojisan and his wife--they'd been her friends too, and she'd lost them as well...she had to be lonely too...
"Mom, we'll be okay," he promised, awkwardly wrapping his arms around her--gosh, he hadn't given her a real hug in so long... "I promise that, too--I won't let anything happen to Shinichi, and I'll always come back to you, no matter what."
She held on to him for a long time, crying out years' worth of secrets, cares, and sorrows. He offered clumsy, boyish reassurance, a pale shadow of what his father could have given her--and that only strengthened his resolve to make those men pay for taking Toichi away from her. He was only able to promise her that he knew it would all be alright, because he'd met his cousin now and he knew that the two of them could overcome anything. Because they were together now, just like him and his mother--they were as one, a united front, joined into a single force.
They were a family.
To be continued...
AN: Eep, sorry this took so long, everybody! I'll try to keep the chapter turnover to a week or less, as best I can. No guarantees, given my erratic schedule... -_- ...but I'll try! Next File, things are gonna start heating up. There's only one truth...and is Ran about to find out...?