Author's note: Thank you all so much for 50 reviews! All the encouragement, critiques, hints, thoughts, suggestions and feelings made me happy and really kept me going. Honestly, thank you for sharing all of that with me! (*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

Recommendation: Have a tune that makes you sad? Then load your player with it. It might fit the the second half of the chapter.
Nothing beats a sad violin instrumental in that regard (at least for me) but this time, in addition, I found a great song that got me into the right mood and I can only recommend it for this chapter: Hurts like hell by Fleurie. I recommend not only the original (female) version, but also the 'male' version by YouTuber Picture Anime (I like the male version even better).

So get ready and please enjoy!

"Wow, wasn't he sweet? I wonder if he's a college student."

Ran was on her way home from school. Sonoko was sick and needed to stay home this week, so walking by herself and in lack of distraction she listened to the other student's talk, unconsciously.

"For sure. He was so mature and handsome. I was so surprised when he talked to us. I thought he was gonna hit on us."

"Me, too. What a shame that he just asked for Kudo-kun."

"True. But talking about him, I wonder if he'll ever come back to class... Did you know I once put a love letter into his- "

"Excuse me!" Ran interrupted the two girls. "I'm sorry but did you say someone asked about Shinichi?"

The girls turned around and recognized the brown-haired girl that had always been hanging out with the high school detective. "Well, yes. Some guy asked about him at the school gate. Maybe he's still there…"

"Thank you!" Ran turned around and ran back into the direction of the school gate.

"... Say, wasn't that..?"

"Yes, it was her. I always wondered if those two were dating."

"Kudo-kun declined every love letter he had ever gotten, so he's surely crazy about her… no wonder with that chest!"

-'.- - * - -.'-

Ai was preparing some tea, when professor Agasa came into the kitchen, holding their house phone. "Ai-kun, you've got a call."

She turned around, surprised. She had parted with her little classmates an hours ago and they hadn't made any plans to spend time together today, so she didn't think it to be one of them. And Shinichi always called her on her mobile phone. "Who is it?"

"It's Hattori-kun. He wants to chat with you since you became friends the other day, he said."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Chat? Friends? She instantly got a strange feeling in her belly. Of course, Heiji and herself were associates to some degree, as the osakan was one of the few people knowing about Shinichi's and her secret, but the word friends was a rather far-fetched. Without letting her concern show in her features, she nodded and took the phone from the professor.

She waited until he had left the kitchen and then asked into the phone: "Hello Hattori-kun. Did something happen?"

There was a pause before the osakan answered. "Haibara-chan, long time no see. How are ya?... is how one should start a conversation." He laughed. "Ya people from Tokyo are rather blunt, aren't ya? I always thought it's the people of Osaka who have that reputation. Ya not originally from kansai by any chance?"

His tone was cheerful although she could immediately tell that something was off. But she played along. For now. "No, not even close. Sorry. But Hattori-kun, isn't that a rather lame try to flirt with me? I'm a simple girl. An invitation to a nice, expensive restaurant and a big bunch of red roses and we have a deal." She grinned. No situation failed to provide her with the opportunity to be playful about it. Almost none.

Heiji was startled at first but recovered rather quickly. "Oh, so ya interested? Sorry, but I fear ya have to step to the end of the cue. I'm rather popular, ya know." He laughed confidently. It sounded fake.

"Oh, right, I forgot. You already have something going on at the moment, haven't you? Of course, I would never try to come between you and that special person." She waited, grinning.

This time Heiji didn't recover as fast. "Wha-... ya... who do ya mean?"

"Well, your sweet friend with the ponytail, obviously. She's your girlfriend, isn't she?"

"Well, no... she's... uhm... just a friend..."

"Oh," Ai interrupted him, faking embarrassment in her voice, "I'm so sorry. When I saw you the last time, I could have sworn you were freshly in love, head over heels... My mistake."

Silence. The short scientist had a hard time not to snicker and instead bit crunchily into a cookie.

"Well, that's..." Heiji cleared his throat audibly. "A-anyway, I just called cause I wanted to ask a little favour of ya, Haibara-chan."

All of a sudden, Ai became serious again. So something was going on. Enough to worry the happy-go-lucky osakan. "Okay, then tell me what's wrong, Hattori-kun. I'm listening."

-'.- - * - -.'-

"That stupid idiot! Gosh, he's so dumb! I'd like to punch him in the face!"

Hirohito paced up and down his hideout. He had just received a call from his 'friend' who told him about the outcome of his task. This good-for-nothing fool. Babbling all over some sweet girls instead of doing as he was told. Well, whatever. The bait was out and he was rather sure it would reach him, one way or another.

But he was also concerned about the behaviour of that osakan pillock. Hirohito had been sure that by now he would have been running to him to cry out for help. Or at least to warn him. But it didn't seem that way. Was this dork really so overconfident to think he could find Hirohito on his own?

The young, pale man took a glass of water sitting on the table and looked at it, displeased. He pressed it until it cracked and then, with an angry, savage move, threw it against the wall where it shattered with a loud sound. Slowly, he went to the place where it had broken into countless little shards and stared down at them. Then he looked at his hand. It was bleeding from a small cut. He sighed. He deeply breathed in and out and his anger vanished. It was his own fault. How could he had anticipated that this goof would react as planned, when all he ever did was stupid nonsense. He would need to be guided. Hirohito grinned. Maybe it was time to invite him for a little chat...

-'.- - * - -.'-

Hattori [4:46 pm]: How are ya feeling today?

Kudo [4:50 pm]: Bored. How is the case coming along?

Kudo [4:50 pm]: Is it a murder btw?

Hattori [4:51 pm]: It's a missing case and it's developing slowly.

Kudo [4:52 pm]: Sure I can't help you?

Hattori [4:55 pm]: Come on, give me some credit. I can handle it. We just need to do a bit more leg work. There's no mystery in this.

Kudo [4:55 pm]: If you say so... Then you will be occupied the coming weekend, I guess?

Kudo [5:05 pm]: Hattori?

Hattori [5:06 pm]: Why do ya ask?

Kudo [5:06 pm]: Well, as I already told you, I'm bored...

Hattori [5:07 pm]: So?

Kudo [5:07 pm]: Come on, don't play that game.

Kudo [5:13 pm]: Hattori!

Kudo [5:20 pm]: Okay then... I would be less bored if you could visit me again... And maybe I'd also like to see you...

Kudo [5:20 pm]: But a case takes always priority!

Hattori [5:21 pm]: I'll be done with it by Friday!

Kudo [5:21 pm]: Look who's confident all of a sudden.

Hattori [5:22 pm]: Big pot! But I'm not bluffing. I'm saving the aces and then I'll go All-In!

Kudo [5:23 pm]: ...You're getting weird!

Hattori [5:23 pm]: (; ω ; )

Kudo [5:24 pm]: And there are the kaomoji again...

Kudo [5:28 pm]: Shoot, I got a visitor. Sorry, I have to be off.

Hattori [5:29 pm]: Who is it? (´･ω･`)?

Kudo [5:33 pm]: Haibara...

Hattori [5:34 pm]: At least, ya won't be bored any longer. (＾ワ＾)b

Kudo [5:35 pm]: That's for sure. (￢_￢;)

Kudo [5:35 pm]: Gosh, that's so stupid! Why do you use these?

Kudo [5:35 pm]: Really off now. Call me tonight!

Hattori [5:36 pm]: I will. Have fun! (⌒ ω ⌒)ﾉ

-'.- - * - -.'-

"Another blood sample?" Shinichi asked surprised.

He had led Ai into the living room and served her some soda. He was a little nervous again, as he had been frequently whenever he had to face the quick-witted girl since the "Heiji-thing" had started. But he couldn't deny to welcome the distraction. It never got boring when Ai was around. At least her presence would stop the walls from drawing nearer. This empty house had started to suffocate him.

Ai nodded as she took out a small cloth bag. "Yes. As you are taking a drug I made for using on a frequent basis, I need to check your blood level development and the apoptoxin's behaviour. After all, we don't want any side-effects, do we?" Her eyes seemed to sparkle in amusement for a second. "Or at least no unwanted side-effects."

There she was again: Evil, straight-from-hell Haibara! But Shinichi just snickered silently. He began to get used to it. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm more of guinea pig for your latest concoction than your 'patient'."

"I don't know. Persecutory delusion, maybe?"

They grinned at each other.

"I don't really think that it counts as being paranoid if your assumptions are true."

"Well spoken, Mulder."

"Who?"

"Ah, never mind." She laughed. "But speaking of paranoia... how was your weekend?"

Shinichi looked a little baffled. "What's that to do with paranoia?"

As an answer Ai just grinned, which confused him even more.

"It was... nice?"

"Well, you seem to be rather in demand considering all the guys visiting you."

Shinichi blinked a few times with wide eyes. "Haibara, I really don't know what you mean? Besides Heiji, nobody has visited me. No wonder since nobody knows I'm here."

Ai started to unpack the utensils for taking the blood sample. Casually, she said: "Oh, I thought I saw this strange guy hanging about your house." She looked him in the eyes as if asking a question.

"Was there? I surely didn't see anyone."

The young scientist seemed somehow relieved. "Good," she mumbled to herself and before Shinichi could ask anything, she went on: "Then I must have been mistaken." She shrugged her shoulders. "Now give me your arm, big sis needs some blood!" To underline her statement, she held up the syringe with a Mephistophelian laugh.

The pale man was so surprised by it that he didn't press the matter and laughed instead. "Today, everyone seems to be a little strange." He sat down beside her and rolled up his sleeve.

"Oh, did someone else already demand blood from you?" She looked down in fake sorrow. "And here I thought we had something special..."

Shinichi laughed again and patted her head. "Don't worry Haibara. If it's about unhealthy amounts of blood taken from me, weird experiments on my body or evil remarks on my private life, you're the only one for me!" He smiled and winked at her.

Ai felt her heart unwantedly skip a beat. She began to see the appeal Shinichi could emanate. Now she really regretted not being able to be a fly on the wall when Heiji was around. She sighed deeply, partly fake partly honest, and put the needle carefully on the detective's arm. While she concentrated and carefully pushed it underneath his skin, she asked: "So, do you have any plans today?"

Shinichi's eyes were on the slowly filling syringe, while he answered in a flat tone: "Whatever could I have planned? You banned me from leaving here or did you forget?"

The young woman fixed the syringe and twisted the tube off. "I need two," she explained and reached for the second tube waiting on the table. After she had equipped the syringe with it, she smiled at him. "You're already bored, huh? Although we both know it's necessary for you to hide, I feel for you. So I decided to stay here, tonight. Aren't you overjoyed?"

He looked up, tilting his head to the side. "Come again?"

Ai pulled out the syringe and pressed a little piece of cotton on the place where she had punctured him. "Press!" she ordered him and packed away the tubes after labelling them and then took out a small band-aid. While she put it on his arm, she again smiled at him. "I said I'm honouring you with my presence today." She stood up with the cloth bag in hand. Playfully, she patted his head the same way he had done before. "Ain't you the lucky one?"

Shinichi shook his head in disbelieve but also smiled. That didn't sound too bad. "Okay."

"Buuuut first I need to bring these to the lab and start the analysis." She pointed at the bag with the tubes in it. "I'll be back in a few minutes. You can bring out the board games in the meantime if you like." She grinned and went for the door.

When she passed the window, she looked outside and then stopped all of a sudden. Shinichi stood up to see what had drawn the young girl's attention but Ai held up a hand to stop him without turning around. "Stay!"

Shinichi stopped hearing her grave tone. "What's wrong, Haibara? Who's there?"

Ai slowly went a little to the side so she couldn't be seen from the outside. "Someone who absolutely mustn't see you."

-'.- - * - -.'-

When Heiji entered the police station, Inspector Otaki came directly to him, appearing joyful.

"Hei-han! Good thing ya here. I've got new information."

The young osakan dropped his bag on a chair and looked at the other expectantly. "Finally! What is it?"

"Well, I've got a pal in the traffic enforcement, responsible for the region around Osaka station. He still owed me a favour so I requested of him to ask around if anybody had seen Matsumoto." He shook his head lightly and shrugged his shoulders. "I honestly didn't think that he would find out anything... But one of the station staff actually remembered him."

"What, really? Why?" Heiji was now excited.

"He attracted his attention because he came to him, asking about a certain train departure, many days in a row. The employee had wondered how such a young man could keep forgetting the departure time."

Heiji knitted his eyebrows and put a hand to his chin. "He asked on multiple days? And he always asked the same employee? That's odd..."

"Yeah, maybe he's not the brightest or we're just lucky. But now we know at least where he's most likely been to in the last months."

"Ah, right! Which train was it?"

Otaki actually hesitated to answer the question. He cleared his throat a little before he finally said: "Tokyo."

Heiji gaped at him feeling his stomach tighten a little. "What?"

The inspector talked casually but he knew what that information could imply. And how it would affect Heiji. "It seems as if he had travelled to Tokyo on a regular basis in the last few months. I asked for permission to check his credit card information, but as he is not wanted for anything, I have no hope there. Maybe we could ask his parents if they can give us the information, although..."

The high school detective didn't really listen any longer as his mind was pondering about why Matsumoto had travelled to Tokyo... no, actually he knew. It troubled him. This was a bad sign...

-'.- - * - -.'-

Ai still stood behind the curtain, peeking outside. "Damn, go away already," she mumbled. "This could be a problem..."

"What do you mean, Haibara? Who's out there?" Shinichi asked again. Although he wanted to know, he didn't go near the window. What was going on?

The short girl looked at him with an troubled and almost angry look on her face. "Kudo, did you tell anyone you're here? Be honest!"

"No!" he answered insistently. "Nobody! The only people who know are Heiji, the professor and you."

Her eyes inspected his face a few more seconds but then she eventually looked away and sighed. "Damn..."

"Would you please tell me already who's out there?"

Before Ai could answer, a phone started to ring. Shinichi looked at his mobile phone lying on the living room table. He went there while Ai looked outside again. "Seems like you'll find out in a second."

When Shinichi picked it up, he wondered who the caller could be, with Heiji knowing he had a visitor and Ai being here with him. Not many people had his number anyway. But one of them was... "Ran!"

"Yep," Ai confirmed from the window. "She's calling you while staring at your house."

"Ran? Ran's outside?" He sprinted into the direction of the window, the ringing phone in hand.

"Stay back, you idiot! Do you want her to see you?"

He stopped and then slowly shoved himself near the curtain to look through it from the side.

Ran was standing at the sidewalk in front of the gate to his mansion, still dressed in her school uniform. She looked to the house and seemed troubled. Had she noticed someone was inside? Did she call to confirm it being Shinichi? What should he do? If he said he wasn't home she surely would call the police or come in. But if he told her that it was him...

The phone stopped ringing. He looked at it and then back outside. Ran's eyebrows were knitted as she frowned. She seemed to sigh and then held the phone back to her ear. At that moment the phone in Shinichi's hand started ringing again.

"Take it," Ai ordered. The detective looked at her, feeling indecisive. "Now come on, take it. She doesn't look like she's giving up anytime soon. Talk to her before she tries to come in here."

Shinichi still hesitated. Ai was right but she didn't understand. What should he tell her who was in here? He needed to come up with a lie... A lie, again... And suddenly it hit him: he was afraid. He was terrified to face her, even if it was only on the phone. Why did he feel so much fear all of a sudden?

"Pick up already!" Ai demanded in a louder voice that made Shinichi snap out of his thoughts.

So he breathed in deeply and finally answered the call. "Hey Ran. How are you?"

Ai sighed and watched Ran from behind the curtain. She had heard the waver in his voice. She hoped that Ran hadn't.

"Shinichi..." Ran whispered. Whenever they talked on the phone, there was this short moment when she went silent and took a deep breath, seemingly fighting down the joy to hear his voice again. And the sadness. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Oh, uhm, busy. As always. This case is still tough. But I will solve it, believe me."

She laughed a little. It sounded hollow. "Yeah, you surely will..." She paused for a moment. "Say Shinichi... are you home?"

Ai and Shinichi saw her look up to the house again and both ducked a little more behind the curtains.

"No, I wasn't in months. Why are you asking?" He could feel his heartbeat in his throat as his anxiety rose more and more.

"Oh, I don't know... I just had a feeling... ah, never mind." She laughed embarrassed but Shinichi could see her sad smile even from the distance.

"Hey now, don't you think the first thing I would do after coming home is to say hello to you? I'm not that cruel, you know. I would definitely tell you if I was back."

Ai's eyes shot to the eastern detective. How could he tell her something like that in this situation? She saw him clenching his fist. His face seemed like he was in pain.

"Okay, make that a promise." Ran laughed again. This time it sounded a little more honest.

Shinichi felt sick as he answered: "I promise... so don't be sad, okay?"

"I'm not sad. I just don't trust you anymore."

Ai heard the other suck in his breath.

"Naw, just kidding. But don't you forget your promise."

Shinichi pressed the phone harder. "I... won't."

Ran smiled and looked up to the house again. Then her eyes widened. "Oh, uhm, there's something I wanted to tell you. I almost forgot. That's why I called in the first place."

"What is it?"

"Say, do know a Takemura-kun? Takemura Akifumi?"

Shinichi was surprised. He searched his mind but that name didn't sound familiar. "No. I don't know him. Why do you ask?"

"Oh well... I don't know but he was searching for you at school, today. I talked to him. He's a college student and he was very friendly. He wouldn't tell me why he wanted to meet you, but he said it was some kind of pressing matter. Hm, although it seemed strange..."

Her last remark was very silent but Shinichi had heard it nonetheless. So there was more to it. "What was strange, Ran?"

"Well... no, it's probably nothing." He saw her shake her head.

"Come on, just tell me. You're a good observer. I've told you before, haven't I? And that's a compliment coming from me, you know." He laughed cheerily. It sounded real. Only Ai could see that it was fake.

Ran smiled and blushed a little. "Uhm, then... He said it was a pressing matter but he didn't seemed concerned in the least... And I found it strange that he didn't seem to know who you are in the first place. I mean, although he asked about you he didn't even know that you're a high school detective. Because I thought it was about a case I offered him to take him to dad to solve his problem. But he just looked at me puzzled. He said that he didn't need a detective, he just wanted to meet 'a Kudo Shinichi who's going to this school'."

"Did you tell him anything?"

Ran hesitated because Shinichi voice had gotten serious. "N-no. I just told him that you were away for some time and he probably wouldn't be able to meet you anytime soon. But then I thought I at least need to tell you..."

The line was silent for some time while Shinichi was thinking. Who could that Takemura be? Why was he looking for him when he didn't even know about him? Could he have to do with the Black Organization?

Only when he heard Ran's voice again he came back from his thoughts. "Uhm, shouldn't I have said that? I'm sorry, Shinichi..."

"No, Ran, everything's fine. You did good. It was probably a misunderstanding. Don't worry."

He heard her breath out relieved and looked at her through the window again.

"Good, I started to think... but that's good." She smiled happily. But suddenly her smile froze on her face. It now seemed like a mask.

"Ran?" His voice was quiet and concerned.

"I'm sorry..."

"Ran?" he repeated, pressing his eyelids together to focus his vision.

"Ah, don't mind me, I'm just behaving a little stupid all of a sudden..."

Ai saw the tears that started to run down Ran's cheeks. And by the pained look in Shinichi's eyes, she knew he saw them, too.

"Ran... what's wrong? Please, tell me." His voice was soothing and quiet while his knuckles on the hand holding the phone turned white.

"Haha, I'm just silly..." she sniffed a little and tried to pull herself together but the tears didn't stop. "I... it's just that sometimes..."

Ai held her breath. Seeing the young, brown-haired woman standing there, crying in front of the house where her loved one used to live, not knowing that he was just a few steps away, touched her deeply. And she couldn't even imagine how painful it must be for Shinichi to watch her.

"I'm still waiting, you know... I... I really miss you, Shinichi. I miss you so much!" She eventually lost her self-control and started crying heartbreakingly. Her voice and body was shaking under those strong emotions and she leaned against the metal gate, holding onto it as if she would fall down otherwise. As if she was on the verge of breaking. "I miss you... I miss you... Please come back soon... I try to be strong but... I just miss you... so much..." she wailed between sobs.

"Ran... please don't cry... pleas-" His voice broke.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Shinichi..."

Shinichi grabbed his shirt in the height of his heart firmly. He was shaking and leaned back onto the wall. He couldn't see her like that. It hurt. It hurt so much. He felt as if his heart was tearing. His stomach was tightening and he felt nauseous. Why did he hurt her so much? Why couldn't he dry her tears?

"I'm so sorry, Ran... Please forgive me..." His voice was barely more than a shaky whisper.

Ai stood there, petrified. This was almost too much to bear. She clenched her fist and didn't know what to do.

"No... don't be... I know, you're needed where you are..." Ran sniffed a few more times and her breathing started to get steady again. She wiped away the tears and tried to smile. Shinichi couldn't see it but even without, he knew she was forcing it.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost it. I really don't want to make it hard for you... Sorry. But I'm fine now. Please don't worry about me."

Now she was trying to cheer him up? Shinichi felt pathetic. And contemptible.

"Ran..."

"Enough with crying." She laughed, quiet but almost sounding like her old self. "Just do your best and solve that stupid case, so you can come back soon. You have so much homework to do when you come back. I will have to tutor you for months."

"Ran, I... I'm actually..."

Ai's head shot into Shinichi's direction. He couldn't want to tell her that he was here? She was about to say something when her words got stuck in her throat by the sight he posed. She felt her heart tightening. Kudo...

"It's alright, Shinichi. Just don't forget that there are people waiting for you, okay?"

"...I won't."

"Oh, I should be going now. I still need to buy groceries for dinner. Dad will get grumpy if I don't hurry." She laughed a little embarrassed. "Thanks for listening to me. And sorry for... you know. Take care!"

"See you soon, Ran."

She smiled with joy. "Yes, see you soon. Bye!"

Ai watched the girl outside leave the street, her steps being energetic and almost happy. She admired her strength. If it had been her, she had long but dumped that idiot. She turned her head to said idiot. Or maybe not, she thought to herself on seeing him.

Sitting on the floor, the phone still in his shaking hand, tears were running down his cheeks. He made no sound. But Ai could hear his pained scream within her heart.

-'.- - * - -.'-

Heiji said goodnight to his mother who was washing their dinner dishes and went to his room upstairs. His father hadn't been home this evening so he had no chance to talk with him about the latest developments in this special case.

He was still worried. The new information he had received from Otaki troubled him. What if Matsumoto had seen Shinichi in Tokyo? What if he had found out where he lived? Was he there right now? Maybe hiding in a dark corner, watching the house?

The thought frightened and angered him at the same time. He was glad he had been so far-sighted to let Ai in on the situation. She had willingly offered to keep an eye on Shinichi for him and, even more importantly, on his surroundings. If she was as worried as him, he couldn't tell. She was hard to read. But she took the situation seriously, so it didn't matter in the end. He knew he could count on her.

Tomorrow he would look into it more. He would find that creepy bloke. And he would smack some sense into him if nothing else would help. He felt a little more confident by that thought, even if he didn't really plan on hitting the guy. Well, maybe he did at least a little...

He smiled. Everything would turn out fine, he was sure. And when he had dealt with this, there was also the invitation of Shinichi. He felt as if their relationship was developing, slowly but steadily. It seemed that there was hope after all. The eastern detective hadn't rejected him, he even had played along when Heiji had told him about what he wanted to do. He had messaged him more frequently. He even seemed to miss him. He wanted Heiji to visit him again.

By that thought, Heiji felt like floating. Butterflies danced in his belly and his chest seemed to fill with a warm, comforting sensation. Yes, he still needed to call his friend. He changed into his sleeping clothes and after he had laid down on the bed, he reached for his mobile phone on the night stand.

He had decided to lie as little as possible and to tell Shinichi as much of the truth as he was able to. That he was engaged in a case of a college student that had gone missing. There was no suspicion that a crime had taken place so far but he needed to be found. And as the police can't do much in such a case, they had asked Heiji to look into it. So far there would be almost no lie involved. He hoped for his fellow detective assuming that the student's friends or family had requested to search for him without asking Heiji about the specifics. That way he even could discuss some of the details with Shinichi without him suspecting anything.

He smiled again. He could already picture Shinichi getting pumped as always when he was involved in solving a case, mumbling his thoughts, brainstorming ideas, holding his hand in front of his mouth as it was his trademark thinking pose. And the moment when everything was clear to him, the resolve in his features, that specific sparkle in his eyes. The thought alone stirred Heiji's blood.

Feeling completely happy and also a little nervous, he dialled Shinichi's number. He tapped a joyful beat with his fingers on his thigh and didn't even realize that it took the other a rather long time to answer his call. So when he finally heard the eastern detective's voice on the other side of the line, Heiji just felt a rush of happiness running through him.

"Hattori..."

"Hey Kudo! Sorry, it's gotten late again," he greeted him jolly. "But I thought, since ya stated ya have nothing much to do, ya would eagerly await my call, haha."

"... I..." Heiji waited a little but Shinichi didn't speak on.

"Oh, sorry. Is Haibara still with you? I don't want to disturb ya two if ya having fun." That was a joke. He could imagine Shinichi being already a little bothered by her, knowing how she could be. Or rather always was.

"..."

"...Kudo?"

"...She's home right now. She needed to start a blood analysis. But she will come back, later." Something was strange about his tone of voice. But maybe he was just tired.

"Oh, so ya throwing a nice pyjama party? Aw, I'm jealous to not be invited. Sounds fun... although, if it's Haibara we're talking about..." Heiji laughed. Shinichi didn't tune in. In fact, he didn't make any sound. It confused Heiji. "Uhm... Kudo?"

"...still here..."

Something was very strange. "Kudo, is everything alright?"

Silence. Heiji didn't know why but he started to feel unwell. When he was about to repeat the other's name once more, Shinichi finally answered.

"...no. Actually not..."

Heiji was surprised by that. "Kudo, did something-"

"We can't see each other anymore."

It were just words, but to Heiji it felt like someone had punched him into the stomach although he didn't even understand yet. "What?"

"... I said, we won't see each other anymore."

"What... do ya mean, Kudo? What happened?" Heiji's fingers started to feel numb. A cold sensation spread from his chest into his limbs.

"I can't do this anymore. I... just can't..." He sounded exhausted, jaded.

The osakan couldn't believe his ears. Something must have happened. Something he could sort out. This couldn't be happening. "But... why? ...I mean, just yesterday-"

"It's over, Hattori, do you understand?" Shinichi interrupted him with a now louder, more passionate tone. "I don't know how any of us could have thought this could work out. There's just no freaking way. It was stupid. From the start it had been stupid... and foolish..." His voice died down.

Ice. Every inch of Heiji's body felt like ice. His head swirled and he felt nauseous. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't bring his voice to obey. He didn't know what to say anyway. His mind had gone blank.

After a while he heard Shinichi's voice again, now sounding sorrowful. "...I'm really sorry, Hattori. It's my fault for raising your hopes, when I should have known from the start..." he went silent again.

There was a long pause in which none of them spoke. Heiji didn't know how long they just held their phones without talking. Time seemed to have lost all meaning. How many minutes to destroy all his hopes? How many moments to deconstruct and shatter his heart? A second? An eternity? Did it matter in the end?

When Shinichi finally broke the silence, Heiji heard him as if he spoke through a thick wall of glass to him.

"It's... nothing you have done, you know... it's just..." he breathed in shakily, "...hopeless."

Heiji wanted to say something. Anything. But the words didn't come. He didn't even know what he wanted to say expect of Please, don't...

Shinichi sighed sadly. "I will hang up now... I'm-"

"No! Don't! Kudo, please I... don't know what I've done but I... I really lo-"

Shinichi hastily interrupted him. "I know, Hattori!" He sounded as if he was in pain. "I know... I really do... but..."

A sob was heard. Heiji was at first confused where it came from. Until he realized that the sound came from his own throat. That he was crying.

"Hattori..." Shinichi breathed in deeply, sounding as if he had to fight his own tears back. "I'm sorry... I'm honestly sorry..."

Heiji wanted to argue, to debate, to fight... but on hearing the finality in the other's tone, he lost all energy to even say a single word.

"...I will hang up now. I'd like to ask you to not call or text me. At least for the next days..."

No answer.

"I'm really sorry, Hattori... I will be in touch... in a while."

Still no answer.

"Goodnight, Hattori... and... thank you..." He hesitated a last moment. A last deep and agonized sigh. Then the line was dead.

Heiji still held his phone to his ear. He didn't hear the beeping tone of the disconnected line. He didn't feel his body. He didn't see anything before his eyes. He just felt the cold pressure on his heart. The numb pain under his skin. The hot tears running down his cheeks in an endless stream.

Over. It was over. It hadn't really started... and now it was over. All hopes and dreams he had nourished in his heart shattered.

And as they did Heiji just said: "But I... love you..." And then he cried his heart out.

Beta-Reader: Tojatic - I love how you feel for Heiji (and this time also Ran) and slag Shinichi off! XD

Special thanks to sunset1215 for giving me the courage and needed push to finally bring Ran into the story. (˶^ з^)

This chapter took me longer to write than the ones before as some of you may have noticed. *winking at Ilive4ShinichisandConansBlush*
I had trouble with this chapter. Not because I didn't know where I wanted to go or end but with the feelings I wanted to evoke.

Hopefully, my efforts paid out in the end. Please let me know!
Thank you for reading!