Cruel as the Grave — A Detective Conan Fanfiction

 

Written by: Hibbah & Valerie Chow

Disclaimers: Characters don’t belong to us. We just like to play with them. The story does though.

Warnings: Err…some angst? Slight language.

Note: “Bridlewood Manor” by Mitsugi has been a source of inspiration for a certain part of this fic.

Feedback: God yes! We live for them. ^_^

Send them to allied_literary_maniacs@hotmail.com

 

<Val> This story was all Hibbah’s fault. I mean, I had meant to just write a fluffy one-shot thing involving Ran and Shinichi. It took Hibbah just one chat session to con me into writing this. :sweatdrops:

<Hibbah> Hey, don’t you dare blame the whole thing on me! You had a hand in it too! :grins: But then, it just goes to show how much influence I have on you, doesn’t it? :smirks:

<Val> Whatever. But before we go on to the story, there are some people we would like to thank for helping us. Without whom this story won’t be in this final form.

<Hibbah> Yup. Ain and Victor, you guys have been a really big help. Thank you very much!! Now then, on with the story!

 

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Do not believe those persons who say they have never been jealous. What they mean is that they have never been in love.

---Gerald Brenan

 

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To: Kudo Shinichi  <Kudo_S@hotmail.com>

From: Hattori Heiji <H_Heiji@yahoo.com>

Date: Friday, 6 May 18.48.23hrs

Subject: Change of Email

--message begins--

 

Kudo.

 

Thank God you got my last email. I thought we were goners for sure when we got surrounded with no back up whatsoever. I am still going to kill you the next time I see you. What the hell did you mean to give me such a heart attack like this?

 

Yes I understand the need for security, especially now, but still, couldn't you at least give me a hint that you did receive the mail and had done something about it?

 

Which reminds me. My Dad set up this new server account for me. It's supposed to be fully secure and unhackable. You know what that means. Personally, I doubt it. Do you suppose you can get Neechan to help us test it or something? That would certainly piss him off enough that he would actually allow me to do something constructive instead of only letting me mess with the computers. I swear, he turned over-protective into an art form after the last time I got injured. By the way, I would never have figured Neechan out to be such a good hacker. Tell her thanks for the information you sent over. It helped lots.

 

So how are things over at your side?

 

Hattori.

 

--message ends--

 

 

To: Hattori Heiji <H_Heiji@OsakaPolice.com>

From: Kudo Shinichi <Kudo_S@hotmail.com>

Date: Saturday, 7 May 08.56.21hrs

Subject: Re:Change of Email

--message begins--

 

Hattori.

 

Tell your father, his so-called unhackable server system sucks. We don't even need Ran to hack into it. I did it myself. On the Prof.'s home PC. You need a more secure email.

 

Think about what I suggested.

 

Kudo.

 

--message ends--

 

To: Toyama Kazuha <Kazuha_T@OsakaMail.co.jp>

From: Mouri Ran <Ran_Mouri@u-tokyo.ac.jp >

Date: Monday, 9 May 10.21.33hrs

Subject: Re:We need to organize a Get-together

--message begins--

 

Kazuha-chan,

 

Yes, I agree with you. Those two boys are really just about to get on my nerves. I realize that what they are doing is very important and all, but having it occupy your time twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week is just too much. Can you believe that Shinichi was actually mumbling code words in his sleep this afternoon? And no, before you ask, he was fast asleep on the couch. GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!

 

I swear, if I didn't love him so much, I would murder him before the MIB got to him. And then the guards Father got stationed around me aren't helping matters much either. I think I am going to go mad soon. I need a break. A long break. Away from all this. I will work on Shinichi if you get Hattori-kun to agree.

 

I need to go now. The teacher is shooting me weird looks. Try not to go crazy okay?

 

Ran.

 

--message ends--

 

To: Mouri Ran <Ran_Mouri@u-tokyo.ac.jp >

From: Toyama Kazuha <Kazuha_T@OsakaMail.co.jp>

Date: Monday, 9 May 18.31.55hrs

Subject: Details

--message begins--

 

Ran-chan,

 

I'm so glad you agree. It would be a great!

I told Heiji about it and he just looked at me as if I was nuts to suggest this in the midst of all this, but I told him that was precisely what we needed. I am still working on him, but I think the earliest time we can have a get together won't be until the first phase of the operation is over.

 

Oh, and what is Kudo-kun doing on your sofa? Hm? *nudge nudge wink wink*

If you think your father is bad, what about mine? I thought I couldn't even go to the toilet on my own!

 

I'll write more later. I need to study now. You try to stay sane too.

 

Kazuha.

 

--message ends--

 

To: Hattori Heiji <H_Heiji@notify.mail.net>

From: Kudo Shinichi <Kudo_S@notify.mail.net>

Date: 15 May 02.52.33hrs

Subject: Phase One

--message begins--

 

Hattori.

 

I'm glad you took my advice. Now isn't this much better? Even Ran could not hack into this. It's not 100% secure, but it will do for the moment. Just don't write anything important in here.

 

Phase One will commerce as planned. I managed to get Megeru-keibu to accept the additional changes we discussed. He wasn't happy, but Father made him agree.

 

What is this about a trip I am hearing from Ran? Did you put her up to this? You were craping about a trip earlier. How many times must I tell you this is not the time?

 

Kudo.

 

--message ends--

 

To: Kudo Shinichi <Kudo_S@notify.mail.net>

From: Hattori Heiji <H_Heiji@notify.mail.net>

Date: 15 May 04.15.18hrs

Subject: Re: Phase One

--message begins--

 

Kudo,

 

Cut the 'I told you so's. I knew Dad's server was lousy. I even told you to get Neechan to hack in. And please don't think I am stupid okay? I know what to do and what not to do.

 

Things over at my side are progressing just fine. They will be ready when we start Phase One.

 

Contrary to what you think, I had absolutely nothing to do with the bloody trip. It was all Kazuha and Neechan's idea. Go complain to them if you don't like it.

 

It's now 4 in the morning. I need my sleep, unlike you.

 

Hattori.

 

--message ends--

 

 

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            Ran snuck a look at the sleeping Shinichi beside her. He was snoring away happily, dead to the world. As he should be. He never really had a full night’s sleep since they started this Phase One of Operation despite the best attempts of his mother and her. He shifted slightly in his seat and winced as his right arm got jagged by the hand-rest.  Ran nearly winced with him. His right arm was nearly broken in that last operation. He had made it to the hospital before he keeled over, scaring the jibbers out of her that time.

 

She didn't want him to go to Osaka for the trip as planned, but he had insisted. She had put a lot into this trip, so he was going. Even if he had to go with a sling on his right arm. Which turned out to be the case.

 

Ran sighed and lifted her hand to brush away her hair. Something twinkled and she lowered her arm, smiling softly as she did so. She looked down at her hand and the tiny blue turquoise stone seemed to wink back at her. Turning the ring absent-mindedly around her finger, her smile widened as she remembered how shocked she had been when Shinichi had proposed to her. She was so shocked she just kept staring at his face, even after she had accepted. So much so that she couldn't tell Shinichi what the ring itself looked like half an hour after she received it when asked by a laughing Shinichi to do so.

           

            There was still some time for a short nap before landing. She turned her head to the side. Their two so-called bodyguards were also snoring away happily in the adjacent seats. Ran bit back her laughter. Takagi-san and Satou-san had jumped at the chance to accompany them to Osaka. They had claimed that of everyone in the station, they were only two that knew Ran-chan and Shinichi-kun well enough to be friends, and so it would be easier to pretend that they were just four friends on a holiday rather than two young teenagers with their bodyguards. Or rather, Satou-san had marched into Megeru-keibu's office with Takagi-san tailing behind and stated her intentions.

 

            Personally, Ran thought the two of them just wanted to have an expense-free, fully paid holiday to further their relationship. It had progressed a little towards the positive direction ever since Satou-san finally erased Mastuda-san's message (they were going on regular dates while getting stalked by a well-meaning Yumi-san and the whole male population in the precinct who were not well-meaning), but still…

 

            Poor Takagi-san had to endure two weeks worth of practical jokes and sabotage from the previously mentioned male-population before the four of them finally left though, once news of what Satou-san had managed to squeeze out of Megure-keibu leaked out. Ran had her own suspicions about how that came about. With another sleepy yawn, she closed her eyes and was soon dead to the world like her companions.

 

            A few rows away, one gray-green eye opened, looked towards its target, then closed again.

 

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"Did Hattori-kun say he was coming to fetch us?" Ran asked Shinichi as they exited the customs with their two 'body-guards' tailing behind them. Well, they were walking behind them, but judging from the red blush on both their faces and the pointed way they were carefully not looking at each other, Ran wondered if they were really guarding them or were off in their own little world.

 

            “I'll dig it out of Satou-san later,” Ran had a gleam in her eye that normally accompanied her hacking efforts. One that made sane people get out of the way of what she wanted. Shinichi nudged her and she looked up. He had grown a few inches after he turned back to his real age, as if his body was trying to compensate for the one year it had shrunk. Not that she complained about it or anything, but she was still getting used to looking up to see his eyes instead of just looking straight at him.

 

            Now the pair of twinkling bright blue eyes she loved so much were looking down at her. "Now, why do I have this feeling that whoever is going to be at the end of that 'I-am-going-to-get-what-I-want-and-nobody-is-going-to-stop-me' look is going to regret ever being born on this Earth?"

 

            Ran raised her eyebrows. "The what? Where did you get that name? And what look are you talking about?"

 

            Shinichi grinned slightly and kissed her forehead. "Don't you know? That's what they call it at the station whenever you start hacking into one of those networks."

 

            Ran punched him lightly on his good arm. "They what?! And you didn't stop them?"

 

            "Why should I? I like seeing you that way. Reminds me of the times you tried to get me to come back to you when I was still Conan." His face darkened briefly as he remembered how he had caused her to cry.

 

            "Stop that. It was not your fault. I thought we already discussed that."

 

            A sigh was her only answer. Ran was prevented from rolling her eyes only by the sheer force of will. Her fiancé was really very good at beating himself up with tremendous loads of guilt. She had already lost count of the number of times they had this conversation. Well, no help for it then. When he gets like this, there was only one thing to do to shake him out of the funk.

 

            Turning slightly around, she grabbed Shinichi and kissed him. Hard.  

 

            Shinichi's eyes widened slightly then closed as his left hand came up to hug her close to him. Ran smiled inwardly. Well, can it be helped that she enjoyed this part of the discussion too? It had nearly given her father a heart attack the first time he saw them like this and it had taken both her mother and herself combined to pull him off Shinichi.

 

            Her musings were interrupted by a polite cough behind them. Blushing, the two of them separated to meet the laughing eyes of Satou-san. Takagi-san was also blushing slightly, but there was a smile on his face.

 

            "Get a room you two!" Satou-san laughed good-naturedly. "We are in public here!"

 

            Ran blushed even more. Oops. That little fact had slipped her mind. Shinichi just grinned back unrepentantly. Ran just caught herself from rolling her eyes. To think he was just looking so downcast a while ago. Her eyes widened a little. He wouldn't, would he? Meeting Shinichi's eyes, and the hint of mischief in them, Ran nearly growled. Of all the…! She didn't doubt that he really felt guilty about making her cry, but to…

 

            Oh well, she enjoyed it too. Not that she'll ever let on. No. He needed to be taught a little lesson first.

 

            "Ran-chan! Kudo-kun! Over here!" A familiar voice bade her to leave her thoughts alone for a while.

 

            "Kauzha-chan! Hattori-kun!"

 

            Four teenagers laughed, hugged and slapped each other's back in greetings while their 'body-guards' looked on in the airport's arrival hall. For now, all was all right in their world.

 

            For now.    

           

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            Heiji glanced behind for a second. The girls were totally engrossed in their chatter and were not paying much attention to them. Satou-san and Takagi-san were also conversing quietly with their counterparts in Osaka. Nobody was paying much attention to them for the moment.

 

            He slung an arm across Shinichi's shoulders, mindful of his friend's injuries. "So, any news?" Heiji asked in a low voice.

 

            "No. He disappeared. Totally. And we thought we finally got him too. But then, Megure-keibu got a tip before we left that he had connections with the Osaka branch of Operations, so it’s quite a sure bet that he would head over here."

 

            Heiji groaned. "It was too much to ask for you to come over here just for a simple vacation wasn't it?"

 

            Shinichi just laughed. "With us, is anything ever simple? Be serious Hattori."

 

            Heiji considered his friend carefully. He was looking far too happy for someone who was going after one of the most dangerous organizations in the world, and just discovered that one of the key players to the whole mess just turned up at his vacation spot.

 

            "All right. Spit it out. I want to know what exactly has you so upbeat!" His answer came in the form of Kazuha's squeal.

 

            "HE DIDN'T! LET ME SEE LET ME SEE!!"

 

            The two boys turned to see the two girls stop right in the middle of the pathway, one blushing madly and smiling happily while the other was nearly jumping up and down as she pulled the hand of the other towards her.

 

            Heiji just frankly stared. Then he noticed something reflect off Ran's finger. He wiped around to look at Shinichi. The large grin on his face said it all.

 

            "You bastard you! Why didn't you tell me??" And then he was laughing and hugging his friend hard enough to feel him wince and congratulating the both of them while Kazuha gushed over Ran's ring.

 

            It seemed nothing could spoil their happiness and joy at that moment.

 

            A dark-coated figure observed their actions from a nearby corner. Grey-green eyes took in everything before he took out a cell-phone and dialed a number.

 

            "They're all here. And I think there is something that might amuse you."

 

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            Kazuha was moping. Well, she was acting a little perky to cover up the fact that she was feeling dopey. It just wouldn’t do for Shinichi and Ran to find out that she wasn't feeling exactly up to the weather when they were just so happy to come to Osaka for a break. And were engaged.

 

The feeling had started after the whole group left for the small house they had rented for a quiet week away from trouble. After failing to persuade Takagi and Satou that they could leave them alone, Shinichi made an agreement with them to stay in the same house, but each to go their own way. Heiji, however, had completely discarded the two bodyguards who were protecting Kazuha and himself, saying that two bodyguards were enough for everyone. He then took them all to the small house they had rented for a week without running after the Organization. She hadn't counted on feeling like this. And of course she hadn't counted on finding Ran and Shinichi engaged…

 

            Truth to be told, that was a large part of the reason she was feeling a little off. Ran and Shinichi. Engaged. Happily engaged. She was sincerely happy for them. Honest! They had come so far, gone through so much to be together, and now, they are finally going to make it official. She was happy. Really. But still, there was this little part of her that was feeling very down in the dumps. She was feeling a heel for thinking this way, but she just couldn't help herself. She was only human after all. And a teenage girl to boot. So Kazuha, after giving herself a very thorough examination, decided that she was only reacting like a normal 19-year old female teen. It is not a big humiliation for her to admit to herself what she was really feeling. In fact, those self-help books she sometimes read when she was down even encouraged her to be true to what she felt. To recognize what she was feeling. So she did.

 

            Kazuha was jealous.

 

            Horribly and desperately jealous. Of her two friends who recently got engaged. Because she herself was getting nowhere in her own love life.

 

            Jealousy was a very horrible thing. It was a green little monster that starts out small and tiny, so small that you hardly noticed it. But as time passes, it slowly grows larger and larger, and begins to start eating you from inside out. That is when the large ugly emotions that you kept in check before erupt out of its hiding place where you had placed it. And when things start to go a little out of control. And in some entirely unexpected way that you will regret later. A lot.

 

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Laughter reached her ears from the living room, where the rest of the group was sitting. She quietly moved through the big doorway and stopped short. God, she couldn’t handle this, it was too hard. She couldn’t bear seeing them so happy while she was miserable. But she had to… For Ran’s sake… But what about me then? What do I really feel? Do I really feel jealous?!

 

"I can’t believe I’m really jealous…" Kazuha turned away from the happy couple and took a few steps towards the end of the room. She brought her hand up to her throat. Her hand was shaking, trembling from confusion. In her mind she formed a picture of Heiji and herself, always quarreling, laughing, sometimes in danger. She then replaced that picture with the scene she had just witnessed, the love Shinichi and Ran shared. The tenderness in his eyes as he looked at her, the pride in hers when she looked at him. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why couldn’t she have that kind of relationship with the one she loved? Why was she destined to have only friends but no lovers? She envied Ran her happiness, was even jealous of her…

 

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She hurriedly blinked away her tears, and turned to look into Ran’s worried face. "Kazuha-chan, is something wrong?"

 

"No, nothing’s wrong. I have to go shopping."

 

Ran frowned. "You want me to come with you?"

 

Kazuha quickly grabbed her handbag and headed for the door. "No thanks, Ran-chan. I won’t be gone long." She ran the remaining few meters to the door and ran into the street, leaving Ran to stare after her in complete astonishment.

 

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At 6 pm the streets in Osaka are usually crowded. This day was no exception. People were walking by the many shops, sometimes stopping to look at some of the products shopkeepers put on display in their shops. The restaurants were full with people, happy couples having a quiet candlelight dinner, as well as groups of friends having fun together. Kazuha walked in one of these crowded streets, sometimes entering a shop to buy something, but for the most just walking along with the crowd. Her mind was wandering far away from her, on to happier times, walking her around gardens filled with the roses of love, where there were no problems interrupting, and where she was always happy… Where she didn’t have to think about murders and bodies and weapons, but where she could think of him, and him alone…

 

Kazuha was jerked out of her dreams when something bumped into her. She turned around quickly to see someone hurrying past her. "Oh well, don’t say you’re sorry…" she mumbled. She turned around, intending to hurry up and complete the rest of her shopping. As soon as she did, something hit her so hard as to make her drop her shopping bags and fall to the ground. She felt a bit dazed from the shock, but tried to gather her wits about her and get up. Before she could, she felt a hand on her arm, helping her up from her very uncomfortable position. The hand pulled her to her feet, then started to pick up the groceries that had spilt out of the bags. Kazuha took a glance at the face that went with the hand. The man in front of her couldn’t have been more than 22 years old. He had dark brown hair, as well as brown eyes that took the colour of honey when touched by the golden sunrays. He was tall, well built but fairly thin. Furthermore, he was handsome.

 

Handsome as hell was her first thought as she looked at him, and a slight blush appeared on her face. The man straightened up, holding the grocery bags in his hand. He smiled at her. The smile showed a row of straight white teeth. His smile is soooo attractive… Kazuha blamed herself for these thoughts which kept popping into her head and made her blush even more. He extended the hand holding the groceries. "Sumi-masen! (1) I’m really sorry I bumped into you. I wasn’t really looking. Please accept my apologies."

           

His voice is soft and warm… Kazuha blushed even deeper, and quickly took the bags from his hand. "I'm really sorry, I wasn’t paying attention at all. Domo arigato! (2) Thank you for helping me." She turned away, but his hand stopped her.

 

"Wait. Let me make it up to you. I’ll buy you dinner."

 

She turned to face him, a look on surprise on her face. He let go of her hand.

 

"I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Fuji Tadashi." He put out his hand.

 

Kazuha stared at it, then brought her face up to meet his. Should she or shouldn’t she? Oh, what the heck… "I’m Toyama Kazuha." They shook hands. He smiled.

 

"So, you accept my invitation?" Kazuha smiled back.

 

"Okay, I will. So, where are we eating? I’m starving!!"

 

He grinned at her. "I think I know the perfect spot…"

 

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"Wow!! This is really great!" Kazuha looked around the restaurant, her mouth open, her eyes shining. It was elegant yet simple, a mixture of old and new, nothing very elaborate, but still beautiful enough to take your breath away. Tadashi smiled at her and escorted her to a table at the back of the restaurant close to a window. He pulled out her chair, and with an exaggerated bow begged her to take place at the table. She laughed and accepted the seat. He sat down in front of her. A waiter stood by their table as soon as they were seated. He bowed.

 

"Welcome, Fuji-sama. Here are the menus."

 

Kazuha took the menu from the waiter and took a glance at the different plates. Her eyes went from the food to the price list. Her eyes popped. She looked at Tadashi who was watching her with an amused look on his face. "Fuji-san, this restaurant is way too expensive. I can’t afford any of this, and…"

 

He interrupted her before she could say she was leaving. "I wasn’t going to let you pay. I’m paying. I told you I’d take you out, and I fully intend to pay for anything you order. Just take it as an apology, okay?"

 

Kazuha stared into the brown eyes that held an expression of worry that she might leave. She smiled. "Okay, I’ll stay."

 

Tadashi leaned back in his chair and let out his breath. Then he smiled. "So, let’s eat. What are you going to have?"

 

Kazuha turned her attention back to the menu in front of her. "Um… I think I’ll have the oshi-zushi. (3)" She looked at Tadashi.

 

"Good choice. I’ll have that too." He turned to the waiter. "Oshi-zushi hutats onegai-shi-mass. (4)"

 

The waiter took the menus. "As you wish, Fuji-sama."

 

Tadashi looked at Kazuha. "What do you want to drink?"

 

"I think I’ll have a coke."

 

He glanced at her in surprise. "A coke? I was expecting you to order something better, like wine."

 

Kazuha’s mouth dropped open in amazement. "Wine?? I’ve never even drunk wine before!"

 

It was Tadashi’s mouth that dropped open this time. "You’ve never even tried it?!" Kazuha shook her head. "Oh, but you must. Sumi-masen! Please get me a bottle of the finest red wine you have." The waiter bowed, and turned towards another table.

 

Kazuha looked at Tadashi with awe. "Fuji-san, you mind if I ask you something? Are you very rich?"

 

Tadashi laughed. "It’s that obvious is it? Well, I guess you could say my father is a millionaire."

 

"You’re not from Osaka, are you?"

 

He looked at her in amusement. "No, I’m not. I’m from Tokyo, but right now I’m here on business. So, Toyama-san, you’ve been asking me loads of questions, how about if I ask you some?"

 

Kazuha blushed. "All right. What do you want to know?"

 

"How old are you?"

 

"I’m 19. How old are you?"

 

He grinned. "A little bit older. I’m 22. My turn. What do you usually do, besides letting people knock you down in the middle of a crowded street?"

 

Kazuha laughed. "Not much. I guess I just argue wi-" She stopped. It was painful to say his name. She couldn’t do it. What am I doing? I’m not even supposed to be here! And Heiji… What would he say? What do you care what he says. He hasn’t showed you he cared anyway. And besides, you’re doing nothing wrong. Just try to enjoy this opportunity.

 

She glanced up at Tadashi to find him watching her with curiosity obvious in his eyes. "Argue with who?"

 

She shrugged. "With my parents of course." She smiled. "What were you expecting to hear?"

 

Tadashi looked straight into her eyes. "I was expecting to hear you say you were arguing with your boyfriend…"

 

Kazuha blushed and lowered her eyes to the floor. Her voice was soft when she spoke. "I don’t have a boyfriend."

 

Tadashi gazed at her in surprise. "No boyfriend?! A beautiful girl like you, and no boyfriend?? What’s wrong with the men in this city?!"

 

Kazuha’s blush became deeper, and she avoided Tadashi’s eyes. The blush was making her feel hot. She quickly grabbed a glass of water and started drinking, trying to take as long as possible. The hot feeling disappeared. She put the glass down, wishing fervently for the waiter to come. Her wish was answered, because the waiter chose that exact moment to appear with the wine. Tadashi turned his attention from Kazuha to the waiter, who put the big bottle on the table. He put a wineglass in front of each of them, then picked up the bottle and opened the cork. He poured enough wine to cover the bottom in both glasses, then retreated, bowing.

 

Tadashi picked up Kazuha’s glass and handed it to her. "Here, try this. I would have ordered sake, but since you never tried drinking before, I thought we’d start with this. Take a sip." Kazuha reluctantly took the glass from his hands, and raised it to her mouth. She took a small sip. The wine swirled around in her mouth for a few seconds before she swallowed it. She made a face.

 

Tadashi burst out laughing. "Well, what do you think?"

 

"It’s a bit bitter… And it makes me feel kind of light-headed."

 

He grinned. "You’ll get used to it. Here, have some more." He filled up her glass and his, then raised his. "I’m glad I met you, Toyama-san. I have the feeling we’re going to become good friends."

 

Kazuha smiled at him, and raised her glass to his before bringing it to her mouth, taking a small sip before putting it down again. She smiled at Tadashi. He coughed.

 

"Toyama-san… Kazuha… I’d like to get to know you better. I’m not expecting anything; I’d just like to meet you often so that we can talk. I feel comfortable with you… Please don’t say no…"

 

Kazuha was too shocked to utter a word. Tadashi was looking at her intently, waiting for her answer. She cleared her throat. "I’d like that, Fuji-san."

 

Tadashi looked up, obviously relieved. "Do you suppose you could call me Tadashi now, since we’re going to become friends?"

 

She smiled at him. "All right, Tadashi-san it is."

 

He grinned, and was about to say something when he was interrupted by the waiter who brought the food. "Mmm, looks good! So let’s eat!"

 

Tadashi smiled, but was happy to comply.

 

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It was already 9 o’clock when Kazuha finally arrived at the house. "I’m home!"

 

As soon as she shouted the words, Heiji came storming out of the kitchen.

 

"Aho! Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick about you!"

Kazuha’s heart gave a little jump. He was worried about me… "You were?"

 

"Of course! Neechan almost went crazy when you didn’t come home, and she’s been imagining horrible things happening to you, from an accident to getting killed by some madman!"

 

Kazuha looked at the floor. "I’m sorry I made you worry…"

 

"I wasn’t worried. I knew there wasn’t anything wrong with you. You always take too much time shopping."

 

Kazuha felt her hopes and dreams shattering. Her heart was crying for what could have been. Instead of giving in to her need to cry, she chose to shout to vent off her feelings. "Right, and why should you be, huh? I mean, you're not in the middle of an operation that might cost you, your parents, and me our lives, right?"

 

"What has that got to do with anything?! You are the one who got home late, not me!"

 

"Aho! And what if that Organization had caught me, huh? What would you have said after you found my body?" She shivered as she said it, and she suddenly felt remorse. "I'm sorry. I’d better go reassure Ran-chan." She walked quickly to the kitchen, where she found Ran and Shinichi sitting, the latter trying to comfort Ran, whose tear-streaked face showed only too clearly how worried she had been. Her voice became soft. "Ran-chan…"

 

Ran jerked out of her chair at the sound of her friend’s voice, and jumped towards Kazuha, hugging her in a tight hug that took her breath away. Ran started crying. Kazuha, who was overwhelmed, quickly put her arms around her friend. "I’m sorry, Ran-chan. I didn’t mean to make you worried. I didn’t realize it was so late."

 

Little by little Ran started to calm down. Finally, her sobs died completely, and she stepped out of her friend’s hug to look at her with an angry expression in her eyes. "Where have you been, you crazy girl? Making us worry like this!"

 

Meanwhile, Heiji had stepped into the kitchen. Kazuha gave him a cold glance. She decided to see if she could make him as jealous as she had been. She turned to face her friend. "I was out having dinner with a very good friend of mine, and I lost track of the time." She stopped to see the reaction of the three people in the kitchen. It wasn’t unlike what she had expected. The three were completely amazed at her cool explanation. She almost laughed out loud. What were they expecting, that I’d been almost eaten by cannibals?!

 

Ran quickly recovered herself. "A friend? Who?"

 

Kazuha looked her straight in the eyes. "Just a friend. He is from Tokyo, and his father is a millionaire."

 

Heiji’s face paled despite his tan. "He?!"

 

Kazuha looked at him defiantly. "Yes, HE. You got a problem with that, Hattori-kun? Now if you don’t mind, I’m tired. I’m going to bed." Having completed her mission, she quickly left the kitchen and headed for her bedroom. She hadn’t lied: she WAS tired, but it was more emotional than physical. However, once she was in bed, she couldn’t sleep. She was still turning and tossing when Ran came into the room.

 

"Kazuha-chan, are you awake?"

 

"Yes, I am." Kazuha set up in bed. Ran switched on the light, then went to sit on Kazuha’s bed. "So what’s this really about?"

 

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, Ran-chan."

 

"Oh yes you do. I’m talking about the dinner you had with your friend today. I think you told us on purpose."

 

Kazuha turned to look at her. "Why would I do that?"

 

"Maybe to make Hattori-kun jealous?" Kazuha lowered her eyes. "Come on, Kazuha-chan, you know you can tell me."

 

"Ran-chan, I would tell you anything, you know that. But please don’t ask me this, at least not now. I’ll tell you about it later, all right?"

 

Ran sighed. "I guess so. But you will tell me, right?"

 

"I will, I promise. Now go to sleep. Oyasumi nasai (5), Ran-chan." Kazuha closed her eyes, and almost fell asleep at once.

 

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"I’m going out!" Kazuha quickly grabbed her bag, and stuck her head in the living room where Ran was sitting. "I don’t know what time I’ll be back, but it won’t be later than 8 pm. Don’t worry about me, okay? Have fun today!" She left, and a few seconds later the door was slammed behind her.

 

Shinichi appeared from the kitchen and went to the living room. "What was that all about?"

 

Ran looked up at him, smiling. "Kazuha-chan just left." Then her smile faltered. Shinichi noticed and went to sit beside her. "What’s wrong? Why a gloomy face?"

 

She turned to look at him. "Shinichi, I’m worried about her. She hasn’t been herself ever since we came. She’s been acting weird. I think something’s bothering her."

 

Shinichi’s expression became thoughtful. "Now that you mention it, Hattori’s acting pretty strange too. I think their relationship isn’t working out very well. He tries to ignore her, and she tries to do the same with him. She goes out a lot too."

 

"I think she goes out with that friend of hers. I feel sorry for them. I hope it’ll work out…"

 

Shinichi hugged her. "Don’t worry about them. They may be stubborn, but I don’t think they’re stubborn enough to want to throw everything they have now away." He looked at her, his eyes overflowing with love and tenderness. She smiled at him, and he gave her a kiss, so tender that it brought tears to her eyes. He gently wiped them away. "Why are you crying?"

 

She looked him in the eyes, all her love for him making her face shine. "I love you, you know that?"

 

Shinichi grinned. "I should hope so, because I love you too."

 

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Meanwhile, Kazuha and Tadashi were planning to meet at an amusement park. When Kazuha arrived she found Tadashi waiting for her, tickets in his hand. "Hi! Hope I didn’t keep you waiting!"

 

He grinned. "Actually, I just arrived. Ready?"

 

"Yep, let’s go!"

 

They entered the amusement park side by side, laughing and joking, walking from one game to another, riding the roller coaster and the merry-go-round, eating ice-cream and hot dogs, and most of all having fun.

 

When they were finally tired out completely, they dropped onto a bench in the park. Tadashi turned to Kazuha with a smile. "So, how was that? Feeling ready to throw up yet?"

 

She grinned. "Just about. I need to take it easy for a while."

 

"Maybe you should…" Tadashi’s expression became slightly serious.

 

"Kazuha, there’s something I should tell you. I… Um, I’m… Damn, I didn’t know it would be this hard!"

 

"Huh?" What's wrong with him? She looked closely at his face. His cheeks seemed to be redder than before. Could it be… Was he actually blushing?!

 

"Kazuha, I… I think I’m falling in love with you." Kazuha looked as if she had been struck by lightening. Her expression was one of horror and surprise. He quickly continued. "We’ve been meeting for a long time, and I’ve grown very attached to you. I think it started when I heard you didn’t have a boyfriend. I guess something just snapped inside me. We’ve been getting to know each other for the past week, and I have the feeling I know you inside out." Kazuha’s expression had turned back to normal. Tadashi looked at her for a minute, then slowly lowered his head towards hers.

 

Kazuha knew what was coming. This was what she wanted, wasn’t it? Someone who told her he loved her. Someone who would hold her for ever and ever, who would cherish her, who would have her as the Queen of his heart… She closed her eyes, waiting for the kiss that she knew was coming. Suddenly she started to tremble. She opened her eyes. "Tadashi-san, don’t…" Tadashi sat back and looked at her in surprise. "Tadashi-san, I really like you, admire you even, but I’m not ready for this. I’m really sorry. I wish I was, but I’m not. Please give me some time to adjust. I don’t want to lose our friendship. Please, give me some time…" She looked into his eyes, pleading with him.

 

Excuses. Liar. Pretender. You're too scared to tell him the truth!

 

He sighed, picked up her hand, and brought it to his lips. "All right. I’ll give you time to adjust. I know this probably came as a shock to you, but I meant what I said. I love you. And when you have accepted that, we can talk about it."

 

She raised her head and smiled up at him. "Thank you, Tadashi-san. I’ll try not to let you wait too long. I have to go now; it’s late already. I’ll see you in a couple of days, okay?" She jumped up, and quickly ran in the direction of the exit before he could catch up with her.

 

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            Kazuha was feeling a little disoriented. The revelation from Tadashi had shaken her more than she cared to admit. Sure, she wasn't unused to attentions from other boys, but there was just something about this Tadashi that jarred her. She didn't know what it was, but it was just something about him, something that just made her feel a little bit uneasy around him.

 

            But on the other hand, Tadashi had been nothing but the perfect gentleman in the weeks she had known him. There was really no cause for her to feel any reservations towards him. Any other girl in her current position would have leapt at the chance. After all, he was charming, handsome, wealthy and in love with her. What was there not to fall for?

 

            In Kazuha's case however, there was a very large reason. Or rather, a very large person.

 

            Hattori Heiji. He was nice to her. He had saved her more than once during the long days when they were working against the Organization. Sometimes, she got a little careless and nearly got caught. And he saved her. He sometimes argued with her. Well. He argued with her. A lot. But she argued back. He sometimes teased her. He didn't do anything out of the ordinary that a normal friend wouldn’t do. And that was the sore point.

 

He didn't do anything to show that he was interested in her as a girlfriend!

 

He just kept that polite distance from her that signified louder than words that 'I'm interested in you as a very good friend from childhood that has grown up and nothing more'. Every time she tried to hint that she was ready to go a step further in their relationship, he either suddenly remembered he had a pressing engagement somewhere else or diverted the conversation so skillfully, she forgot all about what she was going to say. If only he wouldn't treat her so nicely! Then maybe she could forget him and just accept Tadashi. Heavens knows he treated her the way she wanted to be treated. But Heiji just won't. He won't make a move on her, but he won't let her give up on him either!

 

It had almost driven her to the point where she wanted to bang a head against a very solid wall somewhere. Specifically, one Hattori Heiji's. Repeatedly.

 

Normally, she wasn't this morbid. Maybe it was seeing Ran and Shinichi being so happy together that got her back up. She wanted what they had too. With Heiji. She wanted a relationship with the person she loved and be loved in return.  Was that really too much to ask?

 

Maybe…maybe he was acting this way because he really wasn't interested in her. Oh Gods. Please no. Heaven wouldn't play such a cruel joke on her, would it? It wouldn't make her fall in love with someone who didn't love her in return, would it? It wouldn't make her suffer for unrequited love, would it? It was a joke, wasn't it?

 

Kazuha wanted to laugh hysterically. That thought hadn't even occurred to her. Sure, she had seen it thousands of time. Among her friends, on television programs, in books. About unrequited love. She just didn't expect it to happen to her. It would explain exactly why Heiji was acting the way he was though.

 

It was a horrible thought.

 

Self-help books say at this point, it would be wise to talk to someone else. Someone who is utterly unbiased and would be able to offer her a different perspective on the topic. And she knew just the person to do it.

 

Her very nice friend who just got engaged.

 

Mouri Ran.

 

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Latte. Steaming hot. Heavenly bliss.  Kazuha nearly moaned as she drank. Never mind that the other customers were looking at her strangely. She loved it. Sitting directly in across the table in front of her and spotting a similar look of bliss on her face, Ran was also sipping her latte slowly. To make it last longer, Kazuha had heard her explain once. For herself, she would rather drown it down and then order another cup.

 

She was rather surprised when she found out that Ran was as much a caffeine addict as she was. Surprised and pleased. And a little awe since Ran-chan was the only one she knew that could beat her in the caffeine intake category. She was still trying to top Ran's record of twelve cups of black coffee in three hours. Without sugar or milk. Granted, she was working hard at hacking one of the more difficult networks of the Organization at that time, but still, Kazuha was determined to break it.

 

Coffee was one of the things that brought the two of them together. Whenever Ran was in Osaka, or if she was in Tokyo, they would always take the time to visit some nice little coffee house one or the other had discovered in the interim that they had been apart together. It was a very nice way of passing time and getting to know each other better.

 

A couple of high school detectives was the other thing that brought them together, and today, Kazuha was determined to discuss both with her friend. Since they had already discussed coffee, it was time to discuss that other thing. That and get some advice on what she should do regarding Fuji Tadashi.

 

Kazuha waited until Ran put down her cup. It wouldn't do for her to spill the coffee when she finally posed her question after all.

 

"Ne. Ran-chan, how did you know that Kudo-kun loves you?"

 

Oops. She had forgotten to wait till Ran had swallowed her mouthful of coffee.

 

As Ran frantically tried to clear up the mess she made on the table with the help of a nearby waiter and herself, Kazuha considered the question she had asked thoughtfully. Surely it wasn't such a shocking question? She wasn't asking her about her sex life or anything after all.

 

Finally, everything settled down again. Ran pushed her bangs away from her forehead and smiled wryly. "What on earth made you ask that question?"

 

"Well…" Kazuha didn't know how to answer. Suddenly, she felt shy. The idea, which had seemed so good the day before now seemed very stupid. How could Ran help her after all? She sighed. "Never mind. Pretend I never said anything."

 

Ran got this knowing twinkle in her eye that in Kazuha would have appreciated in any other circumstances but this. "It's about Hattori-kun, isn't it? Kazuha-chan. You know you can talk to me about anything. I can only try to help, or lend a listening ear, but first, you need to tell me about the problem. That and the fact that you seem to be avoiding him a lot lately. And then there is that new friend of yours. Kazuha-chan, you haven't told any of us about him at all in the weeks that you have known him. This isn't like you. I thought, we were friends at least that you would tell me about these things and not make me worry about you. Going out like that without a phone call back home or anything throughout the whole day!"

 

"Ran-chan! Ran-chan! Stop. Stop for a minute." Kazuha took a deep breath. This wasn't turning out the way she had thought at all. She only thought to ask Ran what she thought Heiji felt for her and what to do about Tadashi. When did things get so out of control?

 

She sighed. "His name is Fuji Tadashi. I met him one day on the streets. I was knocked over and he was the one who helped me," Kazuha smiled at the memory. "He was very nice and courteous to me and even invited me to dinner after that." She heard a gasp from her friend and rolled her eyes. "I know I know, it isn't really safe to go out for dinner with a guy whom I just met but he was really nice and since we were going to a very public place, I thought it wouldn't matter. Besides, I'm still here right now, aren't I?"

 

Ran sighed. "Alright. So he didn't mean any harm. I'll give you that. But still…Kazuha-chan! You should have been more careful!" Kazuha gave Ran a long-suffering look. Evidently, she had been grilled about the whole incident enough by them when she went home late that day and now would really not appreciate another 'talk' of that kind from her friend.

 

"Okay, okay, I won't grill you again on that score. But tell me more about this…this Fuji-san. Is he really as nice as you say he is? Is he handsome? What is he like? Tell me everything!"

 

Kazuha laughed. Her friend had just gone from her mother-hen mode to the gossipy and mischievous mode. It was truly amazing. The thing that really endeared her to her friend was the fact that Ran knew when to back off and when to show concern. Something Heiji just hadn't mastered even after knowing her for nearly two decades. That idiot. 

 

"He's well, he's a nice person. And...and he treats me really well. He brought me to this really nice and high-classed restaurant the first time I met him! There was wine and nice food and a really romantic ambiance and everything! Then for the next date, we went to the movies." Kazuha smiled at the memory. Tadashi had allowed her to choose the movie she wanted to watch, and had not even flinched when she chose a romantic comedy. She scowled. If it had been Heiji, more often than not, they would end up watching some action movies or mysteries. If she even suggested a romantic movie, Heiji would cringe theatrically and refuse to even consider it.

 

Kazuha shook her head. Why was she even thinking of Heiji at a time like this? She was telling Ran all about Tadashi for god's sake! "Anyway. Tadashi-san has deep brown eyes and short chocolate brown hair. He's really very handsome and nice looking and all. I think any girl who sees him would fall for him," Kazuha smirked. "Even you, Ran-chan."

 

Ran was looking at Kazuha with a slight smile on her face. "Everyone but you huh, Kazuha-chan?"

           

Kazuha blinked. "Huh?"

 

Ran's smile grew brighter. "Because you have Hattori-kun already. So you are not falling in love with the perfect Fuji-san?"

 

Kazuha just plain gaped at her friend who just sat back against her chair and idly took another sip of her coffee.

 

Ran looked up and grinned wryly. "Close your mouth, Kazuha-chan. You're letting the flies in." Kazuha shut her mouth with a snap. And sighed.

 

"I...I'm just so very confused Ran-chan. On one hand, I have Tadashi-san, who is kind, handsome, rich and loves me. At least, he said he loves me and wants me to be his girlfriend," here Kazuha blushed and then quickly plunged forward in her narrative. "Then, on the other hand, I have Heiji. I think I like him. Maybe even love him. I do know I have some feelings for him, but what about him? I don't know how he feels about me, let alone if he wants to go further with me! It's just so frustrating! I don't even know if he even likes me that way! He sure is giving me a lot of indications that he doesn't!"

 

Kazuha paused. "I think that, if given time, I could like Tadashi-san. Maybe even love him too, because after all, what's there not to love? And the important thing here is he likes me! Oh! I just don't know!  What should I do Ran-chan?" Kazuha buried her face in her arms and didn't look up.

 

She felt someone's hand smoothing down her hair gently. "Well, for starters, you can finish your coffee first. Its getting cold, not to mention it would make you feel better. Then, you and me will be going on a shopping spree to get our minds off those pesky problems that involve males. After that, we will have a nice little dinner, all by ourselves, while we brainstorm about how we should deal with all of this in a logical manner. What do you think?"

 

"One step at a time huh, Ran-chan?" Kazuha grinned and lifted her head. "I can live with that. Thanks Ran-chan."

 

Ran grinned back. "You're welcome. Now drink up. We still have lots to do!"

 

In short order, the girls had packed up and were ready to go. Just before they left their seats however, Ran looked at Kazuha thoughtfully. "If it's any comfort to you, I think Hattori-kun does have feelings for you. He just doesn't know it yet."

 

Kazuha gaped for the second time that day. "How do you know? He certainly hasn't done anything to make it look as if he likes me!"

 

"Well, for starters, I've seen the looks he shoots you when he thinks you don't notice. And then haven't he saved you on a sort of regular basis back when we were at Operation Phase One? And then, Shinichi thinks Hattori-kun likes you too!" Ran beams at her shocked friend.

 

"Wha-?! You and Kudo-kun talk about Heiji and me?" Kazuha boggled.

 

"Err..oops? I think you weren't supposed to know the last part. Just pretend you didn't hear anything okay?" Ran sweat-dropped and tried to sneak away from her friend who had suddenly sort of grown a few inches taller and was looming just a bit alarmingly above her.

 

"Oh no you don't! You are not going to get away that easily! Come back here Ran-chan! Explain yourself! What did you mean by talking about us behind our backs?!" Kazuha ran after her friend, laughing.

 

"Oh, so it's 'us' now, is it?" Ran grinned wickedly. Kazuha blushed again.

 

"Ran-chan!"

 

Laughter rang out loud in the little café as the two girls paid their bills and left. Unnoticed, a man sitting just behind them paid his bills too and silently followed them out.

 

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            "Ran-chan, I'm going out again. Do you need anything?"

Ran looked up to see Kazuha in front of her, dressed in a colourful dress that was a bit shorter than what she normally wore. Her hair was hanging loose around her face and shoulders, and she looked as if she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine. "Where are you going?"

 

            "Tadashi-san is taking me out for dinner, and after that he is taking me to his house, so I can meet his mother."

 

A small frown appeared on Ran's face, but was quickly replaced with a smile. "That's nice. I hope you have a good time, Kazuha-chan. But don't be home too late!"

 

            "I won't! Bye, Ran-chan!"

 

The door closed with a bang that caused Shinichi, who was working on his laptop in one of the rooms downstairs, to curse aloud. He burst into the room, and glared around. "Where is that mad girl who keeps slamming doors around?! Does she have to do that when I'm working?"

 

Ran smiled at him. "You aren't supposed to be working, remember? Why don't you leave your work for a while?" Her expression turned serious. "In fact, I have a very important matter to discuss with you…"

 

A frown appeared on Shinichi's face when he noticed how worried Ran was.  He walked towards the couch on which she was sitting, and sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. "Why the frown? Is anything wrong?"

 

Ran sighed. "I guess you could say that… It has to do with Kazuha-chan… And it has to do with Hattori-kun too…"

 

Shinichi's face became thoughtful. "What about them?"

 

Ran sighed again. "It seems that their relationship isn't turning out very well… Kazuha-chan is dating someone.  She says that Hattori-kun doesn't like her. Frankly, I think she might have given up on him, and I don't want to see that happen…"

 

            "Are you sure about this?"

 

            "Positive. She told me herself. She meets him almost every day, Shinichi, and Hattori-kun isn't helping. I think you should talk to him. He's your friend after all. I know he likes Kazuha-chan a lot, and I know you don't want to see them fall apart as much as I do…"

 

Shinichi sighed. "You're right. I think I'll have a talk with Hattori about this… In fact, I'll go find him right now." He stood up from the couch, and released Ran's hand. "I'll be back as soon as I talk to him, okay?"  Saying that, he quickly left the house, leaving Ran to worry over her friend's current state…

 

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            "Hattori?" Heiji looked up from his work to see Shinichi standing in the doorway of his father's office. "Kudo! What are you doing here?"

 

            "Never mind that… We need to talk, Hattori."

 

            "Just give me a couple of minutes, I'll just finish this and-"

 

He was stopped short by the serious look in Shinichi's eyes. "Guess not, huh? Okay, just let me tell my father that I'm leaving."

 

He left the office. Shinichi could hear him telling his father he was leaving. When he came back, he was wearing his jacket and his cap. "Okay, Kudo, I'm ready. Let's go."

 

Shinichi nodded, and they left the police station.

 

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They sat down in a quiet park. It wasn't a big park, but it gave you enough privacy. "So, Kudo, mind telling me what this is all about?"

 

Shinichi sighed. "I won't twist and turn, I'll just come straight to the point on this one…"

 

Heiji smirked. "That's a first!"

 

Shinichi glared at him before following up on his entry. "Hattori, how are things between you and Toyama-san?"

 

Heiji's face immediately closed up. "What do you mean?"

 

            "Well, Ran told me today that she was worried about her, and I can't help but agree… She's acting very weird lately, haven't you noticed?"

 

            "And what if I have? It's her life, and she can do what she wants."

 

            "Well, frankly, Hattori, the way she's acting has partly to do with you."

 

Heiji looked surprised at this. "With me?! What did I do?"

 

            "Ran talked to Toyama-san a few days ago. She told Ran about that friend she's meeting almost daily."

 

            "And what have I got to do with that?"

 

            "Toyama-san thinks you don't like her…"

 

Heiji looked at Shinichi in a strange way. "What has that got to do with her friend?"

 

            "She told Ran that that guy told her he loves her…"

 

Heiji's face became pale when he heard those words. Even his dark skin couldn't conceal the paleness that had come over him. "He told her he loved her? And what did she do?"

 

Shinichi sighed. "Look, Hattori, I know this is difficult, but-"

 

            "Stop beating around the bush, Kudo, and tell me what she said!"

 

            "She's thinking about letting you go, Hattori…"

 

The words came like a blow. Heiji was silent for a long time. His expression changed from shock to disbelief, then to anger, and from anger to sadness. He sighed. "You know I like her, Kudo. I just don't know what to tell her. I'm afraid to tell her how I really feel, because I don't want to find out if she doesn't like me…"

 

            "You idiot! Of course she likes you! Why do you think she's going out with that guy? She wants to make you jealous! And she succeeded too…"

 

Heiji's face became red. 'Who said I was jealous?!"

 

Shinichi grinned. "I could tell. I could also tell that Toyama-san was very jealous too."

 

Heiji frowned. "Jealous of what? I'm not going out with anyone!"

 

            "She's jealous because of Ran and me…"

 

Heiji's face lit up in sudden understanding. "Kudo, you're right! How come I didn't see it before?" His face turned thoughtful. "So what do I do now?"

 

Shinichi grinned. "Well, I think the best course of action would be to go home and see if she's back yet. If she isn't, we'll get the guy's name and address from Ran and see if she's with him. Maybe Ran even has his telephone number."

 

Heiji smiled. "Thanks, Kudo." Then he grinned. "So, what are we waiting for?"

 

He started running towards the edge of the park, then turned around. "Come on, Kudo, I have some business to take care of!"

 

Smiling at his enthusiasm, Shinichi started running after him, all the while being watched by someone he couldn't see… Someone who was hiding in the bushes… Someone with grey-green eyes…

 

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            "Ran, where are you?"

 

Ran came running out of the kitchen. She found Shinichi and Heiji standing in the living room, talking and laughing as if nothing was wrong. "Typical…", she thought. "I see you came back in one piece. I was expecting Hattori-kun to give you a few blows when you told him." Shinichi grinned, while Heiji smiled sheepishly.

 

            "Ne, Neechan, I was wondering if you have the name and address of Kazuha's friend?"

 

Ran's gaze turned thoughtful. "Well, I don't know his address, but I do know his name. His name is Fuji Tadashi."

 

Ran looked at Heiji and smiled. However, he didn't smile back.  His expression was one of complete shock and denial. A frown appeared on her face, and she turned to Shinichi to ask what was wrong, only to find his features a mirror image of Heiji's.

 

            "Ran, what did you say his name was again? Please tell me you didn’t say Fuji Tadashi…"

 

A puzzled look appeared on her face. "I did say that. What is wrong with you? Why are you so shocked?"

 

Heiji's voice was hoarse as he spoke. "Neechan, Fuji Tadashi is a member of the Black Organization…"

 

It was Ran's turn to stare at both of them in shock. "Wh-What do you mean??"

 

            "Ran, Fuji is one of the Osaka members. We have been watching him for a while, but we lost him a couple of weeks before we came here. We weren't expecting him to show up, as we thought he had left the country…"

 

Heiji turned to look at Ran. "Neechan, did Kazuha say where he was taking her?"

 

            "Yes, she said they were having dinner and then he was taking her to his house to meet his mother."

 

Heiji turned to Shinichi. "He's preparing for the last phase of his job. He's going to try to get information about our operation from Kazuha. We need to move fast."

 

Shinichi nodded. "I'll put in a call to your father to ask for backup, and after that we can-"

 

            "We don't have enough time for that." Heiji ran to the door.

 

            "Hattori, where are you going?"

 

Heiji turned to him with a determined look. "I'm going home to get some stuff I might need to find Kazuha. When you get his address, give me a call."

 

Shinichi made a move as if to go after him, but Heiji quickly pulled open the door and went out into the street. A couple of seconds later Shinichi and Ran heard his motorbike racing away.

 

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The phone rang loud in the silence of the house, only to be broken by a loud crash as Heiji banged open the door and ran into the room in his effort to reach the said object in three seconds or less.

 

            "Hattori."

 

            "Kudo."

 

            "I found her," the tiny voice from the phone receiver was weary and held a hint of something that Heiji really didn't want to know. He had a bad feeling that if he found out, something was going to break.

 

            "Where?"

 

            "Well, not found, but I think I know where she is. But before I tell you where she is, do you still have the automatic your father gave you for the Operation a few months ago?"

 

            "Yes. Why?" Heiji really didn't like the way the conversation was going.

 

            "Where do you keep it?"

 

            "What? Kudo, now isn't the time for this! Tell me where she is! Damn you!"

 

            "Where do you keep it!"

 

            "…In a drawer in my room."

 

            "Can you lock that thing?"

 

            "Kudo…" Heiji growled.

 

            "Can you bloody lock it?"

 

            "YES! Yes! I can lock it! Now TELL ME WHERE THE HELL KAZUHA IS!"

 

            "Good. Because I really don't want to visit you in jail, and I am not going to tell you anything until you lock your gun up."

 

            "KUDO! JUST TELL ME ALREADY! BEFORE NEECHAN FINDS HERSELF MINUS A FIANCE!"

 

            Shinichi told him.

 

            Heiji took a deep breath. "Kudo?"

 

            "Yes?" The tone was weary.

 

            "I am going to lock my gun up. But you forget. I still have my kendo skills. And I still have my fists." With that, Heiji slammed the phone down, raced upstairs and locked up his gun as he promised.

 

But he did take the katana (6). And before he left, he opened one of the other drawers. Inside it was a small pouch. He picked it up with trembling fingers, and slowly opened it to reveal the omamori Kazuha had given him so long ago. His fist clenched around it. "I hope this keeps us both safe…"

 

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            Kazuha looked around her in awe. Tadashi's house was grander than she had ever dreamed it would be.  The walls were paneled with rich cherry-wood. Its red-brown colour gave the living room a warm, comfortable feeling. The furniture was very extravagant, but still comfortable, so that when you see it, all you want to do is lie down on the big couch and listen to some music. There was a mini-bar in one of the corners, which was well stocked with wine, whisky, vodka, and gin. On the other side of the room there was a huge television set, with a stereo right next to it. All in all, it looked wonderful.

 

The sight reminded Kazuha of the Organization. Gin and Vodka. She felt a shudder as the feeling of insecurity overcame her for a few moments. But that insecurity was soon forgotten as her bright sapphires met his brown eyes.

 

            Tadashi led Kazuha to the couch, and sat down beside her. She tried to muster a small smile, but failed in doing so. She was feeling too awkward and she couldn't quite say why. On the contrary, Tadashi had a very handsome look on his face, and his smile showed his love for her as clearly as the sun. He made her blush very often, she realized. Her cheeks were tinged with a pink flush. It made her look like a beautiful young rose. She could hear her own heart beating faster and faster as the seconds passed by and her blush grew deeper.

 

Trying to sound casual, Kazuha asked the first question that popped into her mind. "So where's your mother?'"

 

            "She's probably out with some of her friends. She'll be back soon." He put his hand over her shoulder. "In the meantime, we need to have a little talk."

 

Kazuha shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't completely okay with the fact that Tadashi had just put his arm behind her. However, she tried to hide it. "Talk about what?"

 

            "About your friend…"

 

            "What friend?"

 

            "Your boyfriend."

 

Kazuha stared at him. "I told you, I don't have-"

 

            "Kazuha, don't lie to me. I know you do. I can see it from your attitude. And I checked too."

 

Kazuha turned pale. "You… You checked?"

 

Tadashi sighed. "Yes, I checked. I wanted to know who you hang out with, who your friends are. It doesn't matter how I found out, but I know all about your friendship with Hattori Heiji… That's what has been keeping you away from me, isn't it?"

 

Kazuha sighed. "Tadashi-san, I'm really sorry I haven't told you. Yes, he is the reason why I've been acting weird. I've known him for a long time. We've been friends from childhood." Her expression softened. "We argue a lot, but we have a lot of fun too. The problem is, he's always busy with this operation, and…" Suddenly she stopped. What in the world am I doing?! Telling him about Heiji's cases!!

 

            "What operation, Kazuha?"

 

Kazuha's eyes turned weary. Had she just seen a gleam in his eyes? She shrugged the thought away, thinking it must have been her imagination running away with her.

 

            "Nothing, forget I said that."

 

            "Kazuha, tell me about the operation. I need to know everything you can tell me."

 

Kazuha became very uncomfortable. "I… I can't tell you, Tadashi-san. I'm sorry. I'd better go now. Please apologize to your mother for me."

 

She stood up and walked to the door. A second before she put her hand on the handle, she felt Tadashi grabbing hard her other hand with a cruelty she hadn't seen in him before. "Tadashi-san, wha-"

 

"You're not going anywhere, Kazuha. Not before you tell me everything about the operation, especially about Phase Two."

 

Kazuha looked at him, too shocked for words. "How do you know about that?"

 

Tadashi smirked. "Because I am part of the Black Organization, Kazuha."

 

Kazuha's shock multiplied itself a thousand times, and Tadashi laughed at her expression. The way that she had seen, as her Prince Charming, had suddenly vanished. Instead, she saw the face of a monster, a killer, the face of the Devil himself. He pushed her on the couch, and locked the door. "Now, Kazuha, this will go a lot easier if you just cooperate."

 

Kazuha felt as if all the air had been sucked from her lungs. She couldn't breath, couldn't think. All she could see was Tadashi laughing at her. And only one thought was in her head. "Heiji…" She said it in a whisper. Tadashi hadn't heard her; he was too busy laughing. Merciless laughing that made her hair rise on its end. She wanted to scream, to shout, but her voice seemed to be stuck somewhere in her throat. She could see the satisfaction on his face when he saw her fear emerging from within her. Kazuha, get up! An inner thought woke her up from her paralyzing fear. Yes, I have to stand up to him!

 

Suddenly all her fear and shock turned into anger and determination. "You jerk, I'm not telling you anything! If you think I would betray my friends to someone like you, you got me wrong. I won't do it, you hear me? I WON'T DO IT!!!"

 

Tadashi gave her a cold glare. "Think really carefully Kazuha. I don't want to make a mistake. Please reconsider."

 

            "I won't! I am not telling you anything!"

 

Tadashi smirked. "Well, then you are useless to me." Kazuha felt a pang of fear at his words. He walked towards a cabinet in the room, and opened the top drawer. His back was to her, so she couldn't see what he was doing.

 

            Suddenly he turned to face her, and Kazuha noticed that he was holding a gun with a silencer.

 

            "Don't try to scream. It won't do you any good. There are hardly any houses close by, and the walls are sound proof. And I doubt that much sound will go out from the window… And even if it does, there won't be anyone to hear it. So, maybe you would like to reconsider?"

 

            Kazuha gave him a look of pure contempt. "I won't change my mind. Since you checked me out, you should know that."

 

Tadashi laughed. "Yes, I did know, but I wanted to make sure. Well, goodbye then, Toyama-san."

 

He raised the gun and removed the safety pin. The gun was ready to fire. Kazuha closed her eyes. She didn't want to see.

 

So this was it, then. The end. Her end. It shouldn't have been this way. Her heart screamed with all the things she knew she wouldn't have anymore. But she knew she had no way out. Gomenasai, Heiji… Please stay safe…

 

A deafening noise reached her ears, and her brain quickly analyzed it. That wasn't the sound of a gunshot… She opened her eyes. Her mouth dropped open in amazement. The window in front of her was broken. Tadashi was lying on the ground, and next to him was…

 

            "Heiji?!"

 

She rubbed her eyes, once, and then a second time, as a child would do after waking up from a dream and seeing that it was true. This was not merely an image was it? He came… When I needed him. When I called his name, he came to me… And it was at that moment that she knew that she loved him, and that he loved her too. The realization brought a smile to her lips. She could face anything, bear anything, as long as she had that in mind.

 

Heiji stood up with the help of a chair. There were pieces of glass on his clothes, but luckily none of the flying pieces had hit his body when he jumped through the window. He had been walking around the house, trying to determine Kazuha's whereabouts, when he had noticed the window and looked in. The scene he had witnessed had almost made his heart stop. He knew that he had to take a quick decision. It would take too long to go through the front door. He made up his mind, quickly put his arms up to guard his face from the glass, and jumped through the window. He landed on Tadashi's back, and rolled over a few times before bumping into the chair.

 

He now started towards Kazuha. A groan from behind him made him stop in his tracks. He quickly turned around. Tadashi had stood up, and was still holding the gun. Heiji measured the distance between their bodies. It probably wasn't more than a couple of meters, and Tadashi hadn't seen the sword. Heiji quietly took the katana in his hands. A shout was heard, and Heiji quickly jumped towards Tadashi, sword stretched out in front of him. He grabbed the katana a bit tighter before bringing it up and putting all his strength in the blow.  It hit Tadashi's hand. He shouted in pain, and the gun dropped from his hand. Heiji was still standing in front of him, half crouched and ready to fight again.

 

He was still holding his katana, ready to give Tadashi a quick blow in case he moved. He could give him a blow that would make him lose consciousness too, now that he was at it. But somehow it didn't seem fair. He was holding a katana, while Tadashi was not. A good fighter played fair, and noble. And besides that, Heiji had a sudden need to smash his face, to give this disgusting jerk something to remember for a lifetime, and to do it with his own fists.

 

He threw the katana aside, let out another shout, and jumped at Tadashi. He threw him a few hard punches in his face, but Tadashi blocked them easily. He retorted by giving Heiji a hard blow in his stomach. Heiji doubled up in pain. Tadashi took this opportunity to give him a hard turning kick on his face.

Failing to block it with his hand, the kick landed right on the left side of Heiji's face. Tadashi took the opportunity to give him a back kick with his left leg, striking Heiji in his chest. The kick had taken him by surprise, and he hadn't had the time to defend himself. Heiji fell to the ground. Kazuha screamed as she saw a trickle of blood dropping on the floor. She looked at his face, and found a cut on his lip, right where Tadashi had hit him. He was paler than she had ever seen him, and it looked as if he couldn't get up. Her heart clutched in fear. Heiji was no match for Tadashi. Tadashi was a lot stronger and more prepared, with the advantage of a gun. But Heiji was determined, and that could make all the difference…

 

            Tadashi moved towards him and pulled him up by his shirt. "So, we finally meet. I'm just sorry it had to be such a short meeting. Goodbye, Tantei-san." He started to laugh, and turned Heiji's face towards Kazuha, lifting his hand from Heiji's shirt to his neck, ready to break it. Heiji put his right hand in his pocket. His fingers closed over the omamori. He held it tightly and drew it out of the pocket. The clench on his throat was getting tighter by the minute. Heiji got the impression that Tadashi was playing with him, like a cat with its prey, waiting to see his fear, wanting to see him begging him not to do it, to let him go. Death was merely a game for him. You won't get what you want, you sick bastard. I will never be afraid of people like you, even if you had a gun to my head and had already pulled the trigger.

 

            "Let him go."

 

Heiji's eyes flew to the source of the sound. In front of him, standing up straight, her eyes spouting fire, was Kazuha, holding the gun Heiji had knocked out of Tadashi's hands in the beginning of their fight. She was obviously shaky, but her hand held the gun with a steadiness that surprised Heiji and almost made him smile.

 

Tadashi smirked. "Go ahead, shoot. If you dare… You wouldn't want to miss now, would you?"

 

            "I won't miss. You don't know what I can do when I'm angry, Fuji-san. And I have to warn you, I'm pretty angry right now. Let him go, or I swear I will shoot now."

 

Tadashi moved Heiji's body in front of him to make a human shield. Kazuha bit her lips in a sudden burst of fear. She couldn't shoot when Heiji was standing in front of him, and Tadashi knew it. What to do?

 

She looked into Heiji's eyes, looking for something, anything that might help them to get out of here. The glance in his eyes said it all. His eyes were smiling, and the message he was giving her was crystal clear. He was telling her to do it, and not worry about the consequences. But she couldn't do that, WOULDN'T do that. At least if we die, we die together…

 

            Heiji could see her determination fading, could see her hand slowly lowering the gun she was holding. He had to act fast. Using the last remains of his strength, he brought his elbow down to give Tadashi a harsh blow in his stomach. He wrenched away from him at the same time, and struggled towards Kazuha. Tadashi recovered quickly stood up to follow him. He dropped his hand to the end of his pants, and retrieved a small gun strapped near his ankle. Seconds later, a gunshot was heard, and a body was dropped on the polished floor of the beautiful house…

 

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            Heiji glanced from the body to the one holding the gun. The person on the floor was holding the wounded leg and groaning with pain. The person holding the gun seemed to be okay, except for one thing: the shaking hands.

 

            Heiji quickly stood up and limped over to where Tadashi was lying. He grabbed the gun from him and threw it away. He pulled up his head. " You are wrong, Fuji. It's you who is going to say 'Goodbye'." Saying that, Heiji pulled his hand into a fist, and slammed it into his enemy's face. Tadashi uttered a barely audible groan before his head dropped to his shoulders. He was out. Heiji turned his gaze away from him to look at Kazuha. She was standing, the gun still in her hands, her sobs shaking her whole body. And without a word, he walked towards her and folded her into a safe embrace. He was feeling quite shaky himself. But at least they were safe. For now.

 

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            Shinichi and Ran burst into the living room, quickly followed by Takagi and Satou, only to stop short at the scene that greeted their eyes.

 

            “Oh my god. Kazuha-chan! Are you alright?” Ran gasped, the sight of her normally strong friend in tears in Heiji’s arms was disturbing to say the least. But the two of them seemed fine, with just that cut on Heiji’s lip and a few bruises here and there. God, there wasn’t any internal injury or anything was there?

 

            Kazuha had raised her face from Heiji’s chest at the sound of her friend’s voice. “Ran-chan! Oh god! He…he was…he lied to me! He wanted to get information out of me! And he nearly got Heiji too! Oh my god! It was all my fault! We were almost killed!”

 

            Ran gently took the crying girl into her arms and hugged her tightly. “Its alright, Kazuha-chan. It’s all over now. Don’t cry anymore. It wasn’t your fault. Hush now…” she tried to soothe her distraught friend.

 

            Heiji looked just a little disgruntled to find Kazuha taken out of his arms so quickly, but he shook his head slightly. He looked at Shinichi who had moved towards him and smiled wryly.

 

            “You got here just after the whole show ended Kudo. What rotten timing you have.”

 

            Shinichi smirked. “Nah. I didn’t want to steal your thunder. And it seems you got him really good too. There wasn’t a need for me to interfere.” He walked over to the unconscious Tadashi and nudged him roughly. A pained groan reached his ears, but the man remained largely unconscious.

 

            “Yep. I’ll say you got him pretty good. And you didn’t kill him, which was a surprise. I thought you would you know.” Shinichi glanced at Heiji.

 

Takagi spoke up. “It’s a good thing you didn’t kill him, Hattori-kun. I don’t fancy having to accuse you with murder charges. Even if it had been in self-defense.”

 

            “I thought of it, but then, it was taken out of my hands and later on, it didn’t seemed like it was worth it.” Heiji sighed and looked over at Kazuha, who was still sobbing in Ran’s arms.

           

            Shinichi followed his glance and smiled slightly. “Well, at least she is safe now, and your father should be here soon with his men to clean up this place.” He slapped Heiji on his back.

 

            Heiji sighed. “I sure hope so.” He watched Takagi and Satou putting handcuffs on Fuji, who was still unconscious. But why do I have this feeling that things aren’t going to be so easy?

 

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            A few feet away from the beautiful house, in a dark alleyway, a figure shrouded in a dark coat and a hat pulled low over its face took out a cell phone and dialed. After a few rings, the call was put through.

 

            “He failed.”

 

            From the tiny mouthpiece of the phone came a cold voice. “Is that so? Well, it was to be expected anyway. He was a just a pawn, and a very inept one at that. Losing him won’t affect us much. Besides, he didn’t know enough to give us away. Report back to base in one hour. And don’t let anyone see you.”

 

            “E.T.A in one hour. See you.”

 

            As the figure put away the cell phone, a glimpse of gray-green eyes could be seen, flashing with annoyance before disappearing into the darkness of the alley.

 

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            Soon after the police arrived and the four of them were sent to the hospital to check over for injuries while Fuji Tadashi was taken into custody. Takagi and Satou had said they would handle the rest and bring the police up to date, just to convince both Shinichi and Heiji that they could leave. During the ride to the hospital, Heiji kept shooting worried glances at Kazuha who was curled up on one of the seats in the ambulance. She was being very quiet and still. Too quiet and still. Her face was still very pale, and if it weren’t for the rise and fall of her chest and the pair of blank looking eyes that blinked occasionally, he would have thought she was just a corpse or a human-sized Kazuha doll.

 

            Heiji clenched his fist. That bastard hadn’t done anything to her, had he? When he busted into the room, Kazuha had seemed just fine to him, well, as fine as he could see with a gun pointing at her head. Kuso! That bastard! He should have been there earlier! If he had done anything…he’ll kill him. And the law wouldn’t protect him this time! He snarled low in his throat, drawing Shinichi’s curious glance his way and shook his head slightly, to indicate to his friend that nothing was wrong. To him at least. For that Fuji Tadashi now, that was another matter…

 

            Kazuha herself was too lost in her own thoughts to notice Heiji’s snarl of rage. She had been doing some rapid thinking on her own and what she had come up with wasn’t making her feel any better with things. Looking back, she could clearly see that her actions these past few weeks were those of someone who was clearly eaten up with jealousy. Someone who was hurt and wanted to retaliate. If she was honest with herself, Kazuha knew she had to admit that she had primarily gone out with Tadashi to try and jerk some kind of reaction out of Heiji. Any kind of reaction. To see if Heiji himself would be disturbed by the thought of her going out with someone else other than him. And when the first time didn’t work, had tried again and again to make him angry. All those late nights out, trying to pretend she was having the time of her life with Tadashi, it was all designed to make Heiji jealous, just as she was jealous of the relationship Ran and Shinichi shared.

 

            Gods. She was such a despicable person. Even if Tadashi-san hadn’t been someone from the Black Organization, it would have been wrong to use him like that. Not to say that him being a member of the bad guys would have justified her actions, but what she had done, what had happened today, with Heiji nearly losing his life because her foolishness, it was all her fault. Her fault and no one else’s. Never mind that Tadashi had befriended her because he wanted information. Never mind that he had himself done the best to win her over. What she had done had put everyone in danger; put everything they had worked for the past few months in danger. It was all her fault and no one else. Kazuha had to admit to herself that it was just a stroke of luck she had spotted the gun where it had fallen after Heiji had knocked it out of Tadashi’s hand. She shuddered again, thinking how close the both of them had come to getting killed. And it was all her fault.

 

            My fault. My fault. All my fault. It was a litany she kept repeating to herself all the way to the hospital.  It was only with an effort that she managed to keep tears from seeping out from her eyes.

 

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            The doctor tsked disapprovingly as she looked Heiji over. “Really Hattori-kun. Do you have to get into so many fights every week? I swear, I can get rich just by treating you alone! I thought I told you after that last time, that if I see you here again, I would make sure that you regret ever knowing how the word ‘fight’ was written?”

 

            “Eh, now Takeshi-sensei, it wasn’t my fault this time! Honest! That guy had his fist heading for me before I even asked him his name! I didn’t do anything to antagonize him. Honest! OUCH! Watch where you are pressing sensei!” Heiji grimaced, then tried to smile charmingly at the long-suffering doctor who had been patching him up ever since he got involved with the whole Operation.

 

            Dr. Takeshi just humped and continued poking and prying, drawing loud yells and protestations from her disgruntled patient. She wasn’t stupid; she knew that Hattori Heiji was the son of the Head of the Police force in Osaka. She also knew that there were things afoot here that she didn’t know about. She had decided long ago that she didn’t want to know what it was about, but still, she thought of Heiji as the favourite younger, albeit, annoying brother she never had, and Kazuha as the younger sister who had since migrated overseas. She genuinely liked the two teenagers and worried about what they had gotten themselves into. And were still pretty deep in, by the looks of it. She hadn’t missed the anxious glances Heiji was giving Kazuha, or the slightly lost and haunted look in Kazuha’s eyes. The other two hovering teenagers, she hadn’t seen before, but had heard enough from Heiji that she easily recognized them as the ‘Kudo’ and ‘Neechan’ in his stories. She sincerely hope they would get over whatever that was bothering them.

 

            “There! All done!” Dr. Takeshi slapped the last bandage in place with just a bit more force than was necessary and hid a smile at Heiji’s pained cry. “That’s to teach you not to get into anymore fights Hattori-kun! Now scram! I have many more patients to take care of! And don’t let me catch you in here again!”

 

            “Owie! That hurts a lot you know?” Heiji gave her a cheeky grin. “Don’t you know? I get injured just so I can come here and let you patch me up. Because you are just so pretty sensei! I couldn’t resist!”

 

            Laughing, Dr.Takeshi pushed him and the others out of the room. “Sure. Ignoring the fact that I am ten years older than you or the fact you have Kazuha-chan already? Shoo now you! Get out!” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kazuha flinch at her last remark, and again, wondered what had happened. Well, they would work it all out, she was sure.

 

            As they filed out of her room obediently, she saw the way Kazuha was deliberately avoiding Heiji, her head hanging as she let all the others leave the room first before following. All right. She hoped they would work it all out. She really hoped.

           

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            Heiji paced agitatedly around his room. Damn it! It has been three days. Three days! Three days since that jerk had been taken into custody. Three days since Kazuha had nearly died at the hands of that bastard. Three days since he had thought he had lost her forever. And Kazuha was still moping in her room like someone close to her had just died. What was the matter with her? They were both alive now, weren’t they? They got away with only a few scratches, something they should be thanking heavens for, but she was still upset! He even got Ran to ask Kazuha delicately if that bastard had harmed her ‘that way’ or not, and had got a shocked ‘NO!’ that dispelled that notion entirely. Nothing anyone had done had gotten her out of the funk she was currently wallowing in, let alone getting out of her just what was wrong. It was driving him nuts!

 

            He stopped suddenly in the middle of his pacing when a horrible thought struck him. Kazuha couldn’t be really in love with the bastard now, could she? After all, he was handsome, and rich and from what he had gathered, had treated her like he knew she should be treated. It wouldn’t need much of an effort to fall for such a stunning package as him. Was that why she was moping around? Because the one she had fallen for had turned out to be a bad guy? Was she sad that she had to point a gun and shoot at someone whom she loved? Oh gods. Heiji flopped back on his bed. He hadn’t thought of this possibility. It fitted. It fitted perfectly. All the sighs, the sad, lost look that seemed to have taken up permanent residence on her face, the loss of appetite, the pale, drawn face…

 

            But Kazuha wouldn’t love that bastard, would she? She loved him, didn’t she?

 

            Heiji spent the rest of the afternoon, just staring at the ceiling. Rather predictably, it didn’t offer him the answers he needed.

 

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            Kazuha was wallowing in her blankets, trying to block out everything around her, block out everything that had happened. She was a wreck. She knew that, but she just couldn’t seem to dig up the urge to take an interest in anything. In her mind, all she could think of was Heiji in the hands of that…that Tadashi and all she could do was tremble with the gun in her hands. She had nightmares every night now, where she didn’t move fast enough, quick enough to save Heiji and he had died, and it was all her fault, her fault, her fault and no one else’s. Where she would shoot using the gun and it had hit Heiji instead and he had died and there was blood, so much blood and it was all her fault, her fault and no one else’s. My fault, my fault, all my fault… It was a litany that just won’t go away, no matter now much she tried to block it out.

 

            She supposed the others were worried about her, but she just didn’t think she was up to facing them yet. She had put them all at risk, and Heiji could have died! Died! Such a simple four-letter word, but the implications were horrifying. 

 

Heiji hadn’t tried to cheer her up after the first few times. He must be sick and tired of me by now. At the mess I have made of everything. At how I nearly got him killed. At how I risked everything on someone that turned out to be the enemy. She deserved the scorn he undoubtedly held for her now. She wished she were home.

 

            Suddenly, she felt her blankets being pulled off her and the last rays of the evening sun nearly blinded her. Kazuha groaned. “What the?”

 

            “Its time for you to get up Kazuha! Are you going to sleep until the day you die?”

 

            “Heiji?” Kazuha gasped, blinking blearily at the light. “What…what are you doing here? Leave me alone! And give me back my blankets, Heiji!”

 

            “No.” His voice was firm. “You have been wallowing in your own misery for long enough. It’s time for you to wake up and take notice of your surroundings. You can’t just continue this way! It has been three days!”

 

            Kazuha looked away from him. “Just leave me alone Heiji. I am tired. Get out of my room. I want to sleep.”

 

            “No.” Again, the firm voice. Darn him. He was serious about this!

 

            “Look Heiji. You don’t understand. Please. Just leave me alone. I have enough to think about without you trying to make me feel better. And…and…I’m sorry Heiji. “ Kazuha paused, took a deep breath before continuing. Even if he didn’t forgive her, she had to try. “I didn’t tell you this before, but I am very sorry I nearly got you killed and put the whole Operation into jeopardy. I made a wrong judgment and nearly cost you your life. I am very sorry about that.” She still didn’t look at him.

 

            Heiji paused. She was sorry? He was the one who should apologize! He had taken too long to tell her how he felt and pushed her into that bastard’s arms! He was the one that made her lose the one she loved! Wasn’t he?

 

            “Kazuha, don’t be sorry.” Kazuha looked up in shock. Heiji sounded so gentle and tender. In all the years she had known him, she had never heard him speak so gently. Not to her. Was he feeling sorry for her? She didn’t want pity!

 

            Some of what she was thinking must have shown in her eyes, because Heiji paused again before taking a deep breath and trying again.

 

            “It wasn’t your fault Kazuha. It happened. I know you are now feeling very miserable, but honestly, it wasn’t your fault entirely. It was my fault too! I was too careless and didn’t tell you who he was. I was too late to stop him. I’m so sorry. Please don’t blame yourself anymore.”

 

            Kazuha was shocked. More so then before. Heiji thought it was his fault? How did he arrive at that conclusion?

 

            Heiji lost his temper. It had never been too good anyway, and the way Kazuha wasn’t listening to him was irritating him. The soft touch didn’t work, now it was time for more rough measures. No more kid gloves.

 

            “Look Kazuha. Things happened that we didn’t want them to happen. There is nothing we can do about it now. It. Is. Over. The important thing to do now is to pick yourself up again, and make up for what we did wrong. That’s life. Because like it or not, we have to carry on until we die. All you are doing now, is feeling sorry for yourself! And I don’t think you can spend the rest of your life lying in bed anyway.  Now stop being an idiot and get up! Pull yourself together damnit!”

 

            Kazuha gulped. Was she really feeling sorry for herself? All those feelings of despair and misery and regret, all she was doing was really feeling sorry for herself? No! What he said wasn’t true! It wasn’t it wasn’t!

 

            “What do you know? It wasn’t you who nearly got everyone killed! It wasn’t you who nearly destroyed all we have worked for so hard! It wasn’t you who had to shoot someone!” Kazuha flared up. How dare he? How dare he mock her?

 

            “I may not know how you are feeling right now, but I certainly know that what you are currently doing is not helping anyone! It’s just hurting everyone that cares about you! Neechan is so worried it is a miracle that she isn’t hovering at the door right now! Kudo has been blaming himself for not telling me everything earlier and I have been telling myself that you need time, more time to get over this, but it has been three days! Kazuha, when are you going to wake up and face facts? When are you going to take charge of your life again? When are you going to stop blaming yourself for something that wasn’t your fault at all?” Heiji shouted back. But inside, he was nearly jumping with joy at this first spark of fire Kazuha had displayed since that incident. The lost and haunted Kazuha was a thing of the past now. The Kazuha before him had that fire and zest that had made him love her in the first place. He hoped she was here to stay.

 

            “You don’t know anything Hattori Heiji! Don’t you dare preach at me! You are no better yourself! How could you have not told me Fuji Tadashi was a member of the Black Organization? I thought we were partners in this! How could you keep something so important from me? If you had told me so in the beginning, everything would have been fine!” Kazuha was furious. How dare he! She was so worried about him when he had been in Tadashi’s hands, and now he dared to tell her all this?

 

            Heiji smiled. It was a real smile, not a smirk, not a sneer, not a grin, but a honest-to-goodness smile that was rarely seen on Heiji’s face. Kazuha was surprised and shocked to see it to say the least and the smile served to make her stop her ranting for the moment.

 

            “Yes, it wasn’t your fault. What happened was purely a mixture of misunderstandings, miscommunication and mistakes that could happen to any of us. Hell, if you really want to get to the bottom of everything, everyone has played a part to allow the incident to happen. I should have trusted you and told you the names of the suspects of the Black Organization... Neechan should have told us earlier who the guy you were seeing was. Kudo should have talked some sense into me earlier or told us what he knew. And you should not have trusted so easily. But don’t you see? It wasn’t your fault entirely. It was my fault, and their fault too. If you really want to blame someone, blame Fuji Tadashi, who tried to get information and caused everything to happen. Just stop blaming yourself for something that was just a comedy of errors. Please Kazuha?”

 

            Kazuha looked down. The way Heiji had said it, it did make sense. But still, she couldn’t entirely resolve herself of the guilt that plagued her. But she could try, at least, to get past it, and make amends.

 

            She smiled and looked up. “I’ve been a real idiot haven’t I, Heiji?”

 

            He grinned back. “Yeah, but that’s normal. Ouch! Hey!” He glared indignantly at Kazuha who had hit him lightly on his arm.

 

            “Don’t push your luck buster!” Kazuha took a deep breath and stood up. “I’m still sorry for what I have done, but still, as you said, it is time for me to grow up a bit, and start doing something to make things right again.” She grinned at Heiji. “Thanks Heiji. I really appreciate it.”

 

            “You’re welcome. Just remember this the next time you start to feel guilty. Don’t. Try to make up for it instead. It works better. And its more constructive too,” Heiji said solemnly.

 

            Heiji headed out of her room, then stopped, looking back at her inquiringly. Apparently, he was taking it for granted she would be going with him. Maybe it was time for her to leave her cozy room and go out to face the world. She did have two more apologies to make after all. But as she followed Heiji out, she wondered, just what Heiji thought of her after this. Clearly, he didn’t feel as angry and disgusted with her as she had expected. And he had been worried about her. Very worried. She could see the dark circles under his eyes and the lines on his face that told her he hadn’t slept very well the past few days. Because of her? Dare she really hope that he felt something for her? Something past the simple friendship that had been the norm between them for so many years?

 

            It was something for her to think about and ponder over, as she made her way down the stairs behind Heiji. It was almost guaranteed to give her many sleepless nights in the days to come. But in a good way. Suddenly, she grinned. Today didn’t seem so bad after all.

 

Owari

 

<Hibbah> You ever want to bash the heads of the two of them together?

<Val> No. But the urge to just stomp over to them and tell them to ‘Get on with it already! Kiss and make up!’ is very strong.

<Hibbah> …

<Hibbah> And you were the one who wrote them that way.

<Val> So? It doesn’t mean I don’t want to let them get together or something. It just…happened! It’s all Heiji’s fault!

<Hibbah> Yeah, sure. Just get them together soon.

<Val> I promise. In the next story. Or the one after.

<Hibbah>…

 

Footnotes:

We used some Japanese words in this fic, here are their meanings:

(1)   Sumi-masen : I’m sorry.

(2)   Domo arigato : Thank you very much.

(3)   Oshi-zushi : Osaka-style sushi.

(4)   Oshi-zushi hutats onegai-shi-mass : Two Osaka-style sushi please.

(5)   Oyasumi nasai : Good night.

(6)   Takana : Japanese kendo sword.

 

Also, for those of you wondering about the title, it was taken from:

            “Love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave”