Child

                                    

                                          
A/N: Hello! Here's another update, but it will be a short one. I'll post the next chapter in a few day's time. Originally I want it to be a longer chapter but I realised the content of the next few chapters will might have mature content already. 
                          
So please take note: On the next update, I will put this story on Rated M. Do look it up on rated M from then on. 
                          
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(A few days back, right after the chess game)
                          
"Besides mysteries, have you ever tried other genres?" Cedric asked, as they were sitting on the rooftop of the Agasa residence. 
                          
"I never really thought about it, but I guess no. Romance novels seem a bit too cliche for me," Conan answered, rolling his eyes at the word "romance". 
                          
The other boy shook his head, "it doesn't have to be romance. You should try psychological thriller or horror. It does a number on your head. Stephen King or Edgar Allan Poe would be nice."
                          
"I don't really have the leisure of time to read books though. Maybe movies," Conan said, sighing at how he had limited freedom left. 
                          
"There's this thriller called Black Swan, now that's a great movie. A little on the rated M side, but I guess you can handle that," Cedric smiled a little, "it's about a girl who loses herself into the darkness in the midst of searching for perfection."
                          
"Isn't that what we all are? I'd probably consider that," Conan replied, a little too morbidly. It made the golden-haired boy burst out laughing. 
                          
"What are you laughing at?! You stupid!" the bespectacled boy exclaimed, flustered. 
                          
"It's just that serious face of yours! And you sounded like a protagonist of an angst novel. But jokes aside," he said, while wiping a tear from the laughter, "I kinda wished I had met a friend like you way back in childhood. Things might have been different back then. Reading mystery novels alone was pretty depressing."
                          
"-and with no one that really understood what you've read to even talk about it-" Conan whispered. 
                          
"Hey... you're tearing-"
                          
"Am I?" Conan was a little startled. He placed his fingers on his left cheek -it was slightly soaked. There really was a tear. 
                          
What was he upset about?
                          
"I didn't know-" Conan muttered, perplexed by it. He didn't feel wary or upset at that moment, and yet, there was a small tear. But that's just it. 
                          
"Maybe I'm just tired," he reasoned, shrugging it away, as both looked up at the moon. "But Jodie-sensei and Akai just arrived. We're just waiting for the rest. They are going to arrive soon, I bet. I'll just go on ahead first. You're probably tired too."
                          
The other boy didn't face him, but answered barely audible, "yeah... maybe I'm tired too."
                          
A tear escaped from the green-eyed boy's cheek. 
                          
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(A few days back) 
                          
"Sonoko, take my kids with you, but I'm not going," Ran suddenly announced, just before they were about to take a private jet (in support of the Suzuki company) to meet Hidemi Hondou, a CIA agent that was formerly undercover with the codename "Kir". 
                          
Sonoko was stunned, "eh?! But didn't your husband tell you that you and your children should be with someone safe?" 
                          
"I know..." Ran said, biting her lip, "but I can't stay put knowing that there are people that I care about whose putting their lives in danger. My husband... I don't want him to die, I know he's up to something. It's so familiar... Shinichi was acting the same way whenever he was hiding something."