Why couldn't her date (yes, she called it a date) with Shinichi ever ended normally without people dying. Ran sighed as she wiped away any traces of tears from her eyes. No matter how often she hanged out with Shinichi, she'll never get used to seeing all the bodies.

Well, look like she wouldn't be able to visit Tropical Land without thinking about he rollercoaster case for months. The terrifying image of the headless corpse gushing out blood like a geyser will haunt her dreams.

Arriving at her home, she quickly made sure to rid of any lingering evidence of tears. She didn't want dad to get worry. Dad had become very protective of her for the last two years since he came back. He will started a manhunt for Shinichi's life. As much as Shinichi deserved a good hit on his thick skull, Ran needed him alive for a while longer...at least until she finally had the nerve to confess.

"Hey, dad. I'm home."

"Welcome home."

The older gentlemen, Mouri Kogoro, father of Ran, ex-cop, and the private detective of the agency muttered in response as he worked through paperworks of today. Pile of paperwork stacked neatly by his left. An empty plate Ran left for him on his right which made her happy.

While, she was happy to see him working hard. She is even happier, gleaming even, to see the empty plate. Dad alway seems to have little to no appetite for the last two years. But Ran was glad to see him eat anything, as long as it is not unhealthy junk foods.

Ran took the plate to the small kitchen in the back of the agency. She took notice of cleaned tea-cups on the drying rack. Dad must have had a lot of clients today. If mom was here, she would have been proud of dad.

With fresh cup of tea, Ran set it on her dad's desk.

Kogoro thanked her before he took a sip. He sighed in content, feeling the warm liquid soothing down his throat.

"Any good cases?" Ran asked, looking over the stack.

"...have you been crying?"

Ran startled to see her dad staring straight at her with intensity. She nervously shifted under his scrutinizing gaze. Before she could denied, he gently grabbed her face in one hand. He large hand held one side of her face, his palm gently caressing against her cheek as his thumb tracing over the nearly faded tear marks under her eye.

Kogoro knew something was off. When Ran was standing in front of the door for a little longer than she should. Almost as if she need to fix her appearance. Why would she need to fix her up for her father? If it's for that boyfriend of her, then that make sense. But she just came home from her "date". Then there was something in her voice when she talked to him. Finally, when she get close enough to give him his tea, he saw the tear marks.

Kogoro grew angry, "I am going to kill that cocky brat."

"Wha-wait! It is not what you think!" Ran chased after her dad who grabbed his coat and ready to storm out to hunt down Shinichi.

"That brat made you cry! What else can it be?!"

"That idiot didn't made me cry!"

Ran had to physically restrained her father, by putting him in headlock and forced him to listen. After long explanation, Kogoro finally relaxed and not going on a murderous rampage to avenged Ran's innocence.

"God, dad. He only peek at my underwear ONE time, and now you think he some peeping Tom!"

"He is a teenager and a boy. Mix unhinged inhibitions and hormones, you have trouble." Kogoro defended his reasoning. Ran gave him a scowl.

"As if you were a saint when you were his age! You used to peek on mom like that too!" She retorted.

"Uuuuuuh." Sheepish, Kogoro looked away and take a sip of his tea.

Ran huffed. Then her expression softened, speaking of Shinichi, she haven't heard from him since he chased after those men in black. She hoped that he is okay.

A hour passed, Shinchi still hasn't called back after she left a voice message on his answering machine earlier. And he is still not picking up his phone. Ran hovered anxiously over the office phone and the bad feelings from earlier didn't lessened.

"He is probably having dinner with his novelist father." Kogoro watched his worrisome daughter with bored look. He sipped what's left of his tea.

"Impossible! Shinichi's parents left for America three years ago! So Shinichi have been leaving alone ever since!"

Kogoro flinched. "O-Oh."

Not wanting to wait anymore, Ran decided to head out the mansion. "Sorry, dad. I got to go!" Ran snatched her jacket off the coat rack and a umbrella off the wall. She rushed out the door before her dad could stopped her. Kogoro watched her running in the rain. He sighed, she will catch a cold from all this worrying. That arrogant brat better appreciate her.

When Ran arrived to Shinichi's home, she was preparing for everything. Shinichi covered in mud and rain, getting himself sick or bringing some fangirl to his place. Either way, she was ready to bashed that idiot's thick skull for making her worrying.

...but she didn't prepared for this…

"T-This child."

Ran stared down at the six-years old version of her childhood best friend (her secret love) she held in her hands. Shinichi is a child now...a very cute, child with cute baby cheeks.

Must. Resist. Pinching those sinful cheeks.

She snapped out of it when Agasa-hakase made ridiculous claim of how Chibi-Shinichi is related to him. And the child seem to go along with him and even gave her a fake name.

Did they really think I was stupid or blind?

"Shinichi, I know it's you." The child started to protest but Ran cut him off by pulling out three fingers.

She closed one finger.

"One, we have been friends since were in preschool. Did you really think I would forget what you looked like as a little toddler….plus, you mom gave me copies of your baby-books before she left for America." She closed one finger.

Shinichi's eyebrow twitched. That woman-child did what?!..so that explain why Ran was giggling like an moron that time.

She closed second finger.

"Two, I can read the author's names behind you, moron." Ran pointed at the "Arthur Conan Doyle" and "Edogawa, Rappo" behind him. "So it is obvious you just pull the name, Edogawa, Conan, out of your ass…"

She closed the third finger.

"Three, Hakase, you are a lousy liar."

Ran glared at the elderly man, who sweated nervously. "Tell me. If this boy is your distance relative, then how is it possible that he look more like Shinichi's dad, Kudo, Yusaku-san?"

"Uh well."

"You and I both know that Shinichi's dad would never cheat on his wife and have affair with one of your relatives of whom you never mentioned or talked about. So please explain how a carbon copy of Kudo Shinichi existed and NOT related to the novelist?"

Neither "Conan" and the old man could said anything. Because Ran is right. She is really is Kisaki-san's daughter. Ran's mother was as sharp as a dagger with sharp tongue to match. Both are also dangerously relentless. Nevertheless, Shinichi was impressed, he forgot that Ran is pretty smart on her own and observant. She could make a good detective one day.

Mmm, a Detective Karate Captain. Sound so cool.

"So..." Shinichi and Agasa gulped, fearing the dark look on Ran's face. They inwardly prayed for their lives and a painless death.

"Just to get this out of the way before I freak out." Ran took a long deep breath. Shinichi and Agasa relaxed slightly, she seem to be taking it well.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPEN TO YOU?!"

And, she is freaking out.

After a good explanation, Ran wracked him on the skull. "Ow! Idiot, that hurt!" Shinichi complained, rubbing his aching head.

"You deserve that! You shouldn't have gone after the bad men on your own!"

Shinichi grumbled under his breath, then he panicked when Ran picked him. He hated it how easily Ran picked him up, as if he weight nothing more than grapes. He paused when Ran pulled him in a hug…..her breasts pressing up against him.

...hehe, her breasts are big and sooooft.

Shinichi has a goofy grin on his flushed face. But a sob caught his attention followed by few teardrops landing on him. He was surprise to see Ran crying above his head.

"You could have actually died! AndI don't know what I would do if I never seen your stupid face again!" Ran sobbed, burying her face in his soft hair and holding him so tight, knocking all the air out of him.

Shinchi felt guilty, he never meant to scared Ran like this. He struggled to reach for her neck with his tiny arms, and hugging her back. He promised himself not to make Ran cried again. He instinctly snuggled in her arms, he doesn't know why but he felt safe, warm, and comfortable. This new body probably felt instinctly safe in Ran's arms, Ran is like a big sister to all the little kids. So his new body probably felt the same, much to his embarassment.

"Heh, you have tiny baby arms."

And the moment is over.

Annoyed, Shinichi glared at her and pout. Which Ran couldn't help but poked those puffed cheeks. She giggled.

"Your mom wasn't kidding about how cute you were as a kid." Ran teased, gently pinching his puffy cheeks. "You are so adorable."

"Oi, oi, oi!"

Agasa chuckled, "Maybe, he can stop bad guys with his cuteness."

"I hate both of you." Shinichi said in deadpan.

But things become serious when all three realized one obvious fact. The Kudo's household isn't safe for Shinichi anymore. If Shinichi was supposed to be dead, and yet his body wasn't found. There is a chance those men in black will notice and started investigating on Shinichi's whereabout. Shinichi's family and friends will be in danger.

Ran agreed with Professor, Shi-no...Conan-kun will live with her and her dad. Since her dad is a detective, he might find clues related to those men.

Ran and Conan waved goodbye to Agasa as they left.

Ran is holding Conan's hand like a doting big sister, both walked down the street in awkward silence. Ran's umbrella hanging by her side since the rain has stop. The night is slightly cold and damp. Conan wore in his old kid clothes, but they were in good condition and kept him warm and snug against the January's cold.

"Hey, Sh-er-Conan-kun."

No answer from the somber child, Conan was lost in thought that he didn't notice Ran calling out to him. After couple time, he finally noticed. He is no longer Shinichi, he is Conan now. It is something he need to get used to.

"Eh-sorry, Ran, this is still all new to me." Conan apologized, looking sheepish.

Ran gave him sympathic smile, "It's okay. I...this is all weird for me too...oh, also, it is best you should started calling me Ran-neechan."

Oh god, it just got even weirder.

Ran blushed. "At least in public! Y-you gotta act like a little kid, after all."

Conan blushed. "R-right."

Another long awkward silence.

"...anyway, um...how will we explain this to my dad?" Ran spoke out. They are walking through Ran's neighborhood, they are getting close to her home.

"...we could tell him that I am a distant relative of hakase-"

"He is not going to fall for that, moron. He is not an idiot."

Conan couldn't help snort in disbelief. "I beg to differ." He almost stumbled on his feet when Ran turned abruptly. Conan gulped in fear by the heated glare aiming at him, making him feel small….well, smaller.

"You haven't come over for the last two years since he came back! Dad isn't like how he was before!"

"Still doesn't change the fact that he abandoned you in the first place!" Conan retorted hotly. "Then out of the blue, he crawled back to you and your mom as if nothing had happen!"

Ran really don't know how to respond to that...after all, he wasn't wrong.

But her dad isn't the same man she remembered. He wasn't the same man before he got up and aban...left her alone five years ago. Mom was furious, Ran could understand that. It was one thing to be unfaithful, but to abandoned their daughter behind was unthinkable. Eri was on a business trip when she got a call from crying Ran and furious Yukiko. Ran had been staying with the Kudos since she didn't want to be alone. Ran wasn't going to lie, she was hurt and angry too. But when he came back after her trip in America with Shinichi. He looked so...different.

Without another word, the continued on their finally arrived to the three-stories building where she and her father lived. Mouri's Detective Agency is on the second floor above the Cafe Poirot. The third floor where she and her dad lived in. It is a nice neighborhood. Conan observed.

I bet the old man had a hard time getting clients.

And speaking of the devil, running out of the office was the Private Detective himself. The old man stumbled and he fell down the stairs, landing on his face.

"Dad! Are you okay!?" Ran exclaimed in worry. She kneeled toward her father but the old man sprung back on his feet, unfazed despite small bruise on his face.

"I'm fine!" Kogoro tried catching a cab.

Conan was surprise on how different the old man look. He has a beard and long hair now?!

"What's going on?" Ran asked.

"No time, got a case! Ack! WATCH IT, ASSHOLE!" Kogoro screamed at the cab that nearly run him over.

Conan was surprised, while Ran beamed. "A real case?! Really?! What is it?"

"An daughter got kidnapped by a man in black!" Kogoro blurt it out just as he grabbed a cab.

Conan and Ran turned pale. A man in black?!

Conan rushed in the cab with the old man with Ran barely catching up with him.

Inside the cab, Kogoro finally noticed the other passengers. He was surprised to see Ran riding with him.

"Ran?! Why are you here?!" Then Kogoro noticed the child sitting between them. He frowned. "And who the hell is...wait….wait wait wait…."

Kogoro stared into the child's familiar blue eyes. Conan grew nervous, sweating under the old man's glare. Don't know why he has the sudden urge to crawled into Ran's arms and hides his face in her chest.

...and totally not thinking about nestling in her chest…

"...Ran."

"Y-Yeah, dad?"

"Can you tell me why your boyfriend is now a small child?!" Kogoro whispered at her in disbelief.

Conan shocked, how the hell the old man figured it out too?!

Ran gave him a smug grin. Under her breath, she explained everything to her father. Kogoro listened intently while keeping an eye out on the cab driver. His expression was blank after Ran finished. Conan couldn't make out from the old man's stony face.

Kogoro was silence for a minute before he finally spoke.

"So that explain why you two are here….since I mention a man in black, you two thought it was the same person who did….[this]." Kogoro gestured all over Conan.

"Yeah...oh, and his new identity is Edogawa, Conan now."

"...seriously? He couldn't come up with better common names? Those names will stick out." Kogoro snorted.

Conan scowled at him, but the old man wasn't wrong. And is it weird the old man took it all in relatively well..or he is good at hiding his surprise. But still...

"How were you able to recognized me, Old man?"

Interestingly, Kogoro gave him the same 'are you serious' look that Ran gave him back at his house.

"It is not hard to noticed the striking resemblance of Kudo, Shinichi and his father, Kudo Yasuku." Kogoro grumbled. "It is highly unlikely he was cheating on his wife and have an illegitimate child."

...mmm, true. Dad isn't the type to cheat on mom...he isn't brave or stupid enough to do something like that. He is too smart.

"Plus, I was at least around when you and Ran were toddlers. I can recognized the Arrogant Sherlock-otaku brat anywhere."

"...okay, I am not a toddler!"

"But you are tiny, cute, and helpless~" Kogoro sneered. Conan glared at him, eyebrow twitching.

"I hate you."

Conan couldn't wait to get his hand one the man in black and get his body back!