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."
"But Ran! We can't do anything much! This is beyond our expertise. I'm not really sure what is entirely going on, but my uncle mentioned that it has something to do with a criminal syndicate. Get it? It's criminals with guns and whatnot. You might be good at self-defence combat but if you are reckless, you're going to get yourself killed! Then? You know what's going to happen? Your kids will be motherless, or worse, orphans," her best friend cried. Sonoko was aware her words were harsh, but she needed to hack some sense to her best friend's brain, because this was a suicide mission.
Ran was on the verge of tears. "I know that! You think I don't? But... that night when I have waited for Tomoaki to come back... it scared me. I don't want to wait. I need to be there for him... Also, there's a case Tomoaki wants to solve. It's about Shinichi. Sonoko... We both think he's still alive and I might be a step closer to figuring out the truth," she lamented weakly.
Sonoko was in disbelief, shaking her head, "Ran, you've got to be kidding. Shinichi... well, sorry to say this... but don't you think he's been a jerk to you? He's been hiding from you and the fact that he's still alive, that would mean he lied to you. He deceived all of us! Never mind about the fact that you two never got together, but at least he can't even be a friend? I'm your best friend and never once, have I lied to you."
"I know... I know... That thought crossed my mind a million times," she replied with her head hung low, "but maybe... he had his reasons, real ones. So much so that he had to lie. Right now, I don't understand anything. Only that Shinichi got involved with a huge criminal syndicate. Which is why I need to go." Ran turned to leave.
"Ran! You do not owe him anything!" Sonoko rebuked, "I'm sorry to say this, but he's not your son, or your little brother and definitely not your spouse. You do not need to have an obligation to clean up his mess or understand what he has done. He has hurt you, for many years now. Heck, he was so stuck-up back then that you were the only real friend he ever had!"
Ran's eyes softened. "That's why..." she said sadly, "Sonoko... I don't know if you've noticed it but he was socially bullied."
"What-?"
"I didn't know what to call it back when we were teens, but now I know..." Ran looked away, "I don't even think Shinichi was aware of it. Or maybe he was, but he ignored it."
"Please explain-"
Ran started, "Shinichi spent his childhood reading mystery novels, even before we've met him. He didn't bother to go out and play with the other kids. He played soccer alone. Don't you think it would have been difficult for him to converse with other kids, especially with his knowledge back then?"
"Come to think of it..." Sonoko recalled, "they'd always blank out when he delved into elaborated reasonings. Up until high school even."
"Precisely. Even I get lost in the midst of his ramblings at times. It would have been difficult for him to make friends from the start, given his interests," she explained, "he'd always mask it that loneliness with arrogance. Yet deep down, I can see a yearning for someone to be of similar wavelength as him. Alright, maybe he was a tad proud of being more intelligent than the norm, which I think there's nothing wrong with that... but that's the second mistake he made."
"It is a fact that his pride was rather annoying," Sonoko scoffed, looking at her polished nails.
"Sonoko... nobody could stand it. The boys may greet him and play soccer with him, but that's it. They may put on a friendly face yet they'd go about gossiping about him, saying that he's a show-off and whatnot. They admire and envy him simultaneously," she went on.
"So the boys can't help but want to be like him, yet they dislike him because they are unable to imitate him. Plus the fact that he seems to have no qualms in demonstrating his skills with confidence makes the matter worse. But there's a lot of schoolmates who wants to talk to him, right? Especially receiving loads of love letters in his locker?" Sonoko asked.
"Yes, they do adore him," Ran continued, "but his mail inbox only explodes when there are projects and assignments. And the girls... he seems to be flattered by the attention but it is all just superficial. They just idolize his popularity and appearance without putting the effort to really know the real Shinichi."
"And..." Ran hesitated for a moment, "I've always been afraid that he'll think I'll be like one of those girls. Which was why I was hesitant to tell him straightforwardly my crush for him. Sonoko..."
"Ran, you can't be serious-"
"Sonoko, I can't turn my back on him," she said, her blue eyes blaring with determination.
"He's still my friend. I turned my back on him once, I can't afford to do that again. If I did, I'll be in no different than those other girls," she added.
"I want to support you Ran," Sonoko pulled her best friend to a hug, "but you've been too kind and sometimes I think you're not thinking rationally. I'm afraid you'll get burnt for holding the torch to keep others warm. For once, I saw you really happy with Tomoaki Araide. I can tell that you've been so happy with your married life and you love your kids. It pains me to see you cry."
"I know... I might get hurt... Or end up dead. But at least I know that I tried to help others. I've already found my happiness, now it's time for Shinichi to find his. There is someone that I think that can give him that peace, but I think he's too stupid to realize it yet. I want to help that girl too, I want to embrace her as if she's my little sister," she finished.
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(Moments later)
After bidding Sonoko farewell, Ran took out a pair of glasses.
"I'm so glad I got Professor Agasa to comply making me one, similar to that of Shinichi's glasses," she said to herself.
Ran had placed a small tracking device on her husband's phone. From there, she would be able to track his location. It was so unusual for her to sleuth around, it was even unfamiliar for her, but she was still willing to take the risk. She hopped onto a rented vehicle that was readily parked nearby.
"Where do you think you're going, Miss?"
Ran jumped a little, but was composed when she saw Hidemi Hondou.
She asked, a little stunned, "how did you-?"
"Knowing you, it will be no surprise for you to take matters to your hands and risk saving others," Hidemi interrupted her.
"What about Sonoko and my children?" she asked, alarmed now.
"Don't worry, I got 3 of my subordinates to take them to a safe place and look after them. It's best if you don't know where they are, even I have no clue about it. Just in case either one of us gets captured and they have some sort of method to make us talk," she informed while getting onto the vehicle.
The CIA agent noticed Ran's glasses, "your appearance is deceiving. I never expected you to actually find a way to track Doctor Araide. He should be in the same place as my brother's. I do wish you can be careful. I cannot guarantee your safety," she said, while Ran drove the car away.
30 minutes have passed. The eerily silence between the two women was making Ran uncomfortable.
"Hidemi-san? You've been so quiet," Ran broke the silence.
Hidemi hesitated for a moment. She appeared composed, but her eyes were in high alert.
"Keep driving and be calm. There's a violet car tailing us-"
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A/N: Apologies if there aren't many CoAi interactions. This fiction will not just have solely CoAi moments, but also the progression of the story and development of other characters.
I hope you guys aren't inflamed that the whole chapter was about Ran. I do think she's still important to the story and I would like to portray her in her true canon personality. I know some CoAi fanfics that depict her as a very jealous obsessive lover, but not in my book.
Knowing her, she would want to risk her safety to save others.
Also, I am unsure what Shinichi's canon childhood is like, but I highly think that if this was in a real case, there's a possibility that Shinichi's an object of BOTH admiration and hatred in his school. Most "almost perfect" students do get admired for their multi-talented skills, but they can also be the target of envious people. And pretty much Shinichi displays an arrogant outer personality which confirm will ignite some sort of dislike, especially from other boys. You might disagree with me, but I've noticed that the only friend he ever has in his high school that cared about his disappearance is Ran. So perhaps this is the reason.
I know it isn't shown that Shinichi seems troubled by this, but Shinichi is dense and would rather be rational. It is a possibility that he would push these thoughts away, only to tear up a drop when Cedric mentioned it. Hence, wishing that he had a friend like Cedric that could understand him. But it is too late, Shinichi practically grew up with a bit of loneliness because no one shares the same interest as him in terms of being a detective.
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.