DISCLAIMER: I do not own Detective Conan. All characters belong to Gosho Aoyama

Chapter Summary: "…If you saw a problem in my way of answering questions, would you please not giving me anymore questions?"

Words: 1885

Author's Note: Well, I am going with a new English chapter when I have known that I have not finished 'Because you are not mine-English version'. I think I am going to finish the Indonesian version first before continuing the English one, hahaha…

Oh yes, and this new story will go as multiple chapters, maybe only for 2 or 3 chapters. I just couldn't manage to finish the story straight in one chapter. Ok then, enjoy reading XD.

Bittersweet Coffee

Chapter 1

If loving you is something that I could never do, then I guess I would like not to see you anymore…

"So, how are you doing today?" asked the man while carrying a small cup of hot coffee. He just had finished making his own favorite beverage and added a little sugar.

Another long day had passed and he just wanted to enjoy himself with a cup of nice coffee while sitting on a jade colored couch. He blew the hot steam coming from the not-very-strong black coffee.

Looking at the slowly vanishing hot steam, intuitively he also saw the black color of his drink; dark, deep, and mysterious. Just like the old times, he never could understand the blackness of black. Although he had finished the lifeline of the biggest crime syndicate known in the world quite a long time ago, he could never understand it…

…Yes, five years is not quite a long time to understand such a difficult thing, is it?

"I am doing just fine…Living a monotone life is not that uninteresting for me," a melodious voice answered his question. Hearing the answer, the young man chuckled and put his cup on the coffee table in front of him. He leaned his back against the couch and his eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Not uninteresting, you said?" he gave one more chuckling. "You know what? Your answer sounded different in my ears…"

"And what did my 'another' voice say to your ears?" that melodious voice asked back, now with offensive tone. Besides that voice, he also could hear sound of tinkle which he guessed coming from a spoon the person used to stir something.

"It said 'I am the most bored human being in the world!' and 'I have had enough of this, it will be okay if someone can put my life to an end now,'" the young man finished his lines with laughter.

The person he talked to was sighing. "Guess what, Mr. Detective? You did not sound that funny to my ears," now the voice sounded to keep its temper and the spoon's tinkle sound was not there anymore.

"Oh, come on, Shiho! It was a joke and you can't angry that easily!" the young detective turned his head so he could look at the slender figure standing in front of the kitchen table. He showed a grin on his face, trying to ensure the woman that he really was just kidding.

He then stared at the mature woman after she turned her body away from facing the kitchen table. A young scientist stood there, with all the graces God has given to a living being called woman; soft strawberry blonde hair still in her short style, green-grayish eyes that always looked so calm, sleeveless maroon t-shirt and light blue short pants covering her matured body, her white smooth skin and long slender legs with a pair of house slipper. He did not even believe that he had known her for years.

The figure he called Shiho, stood while holding a regular-sized red ceramic cup. She stared him lazily, clearly showing that she was in no mood for his 'jokes'.

"A few minutes ago, I thought that it would be nice to have someone to talk to this evening, while I would be doing some analysis on my report. But, now I have changed my mind…" Shiho replied sharply. The detective was flustered.

"I am going to the basement. Enjoy yourself, Kudo."

Shiho walked with a hand still holding a cup, passing the couch where Shinichi was seating on.

"Stay."

"What?" Shiho stopped her steps and turned her head towards Shinichi. She found Shinichi was staring at her deeply.

"Stay here with me…"

Shiho gulped and felt some uneasiness on the man that just asked her to stay. Thinking that just stood on her now position would not ease her heart, she walked hesitantly, closed the distance between them and sat on the couch's hand.

"Are you afraid of me?" Shinichi asked amusingly.

"Why should I?" Shiho asked back quickly.

"Then, why are you sitting on the couch's hand? This is your property and your house, Shiho. You should be the most comfortable man in this place," Shinichi tried to assure his stubborn partner. Shiho, did not care for what Shinichi had said, was taking a sip of her still hot black coffee. For her, it would be best to keep their distance just like this.

"Oh, come on, Shiho!" Shinichi scratched his head, having no idea about her behavior. The strawberry blonde woman put her cup on the coffee table, trying to pay no attention to Shinichi's reaction.

Feeling dejected, Shinichi grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand. He pulled her just with appropriate power, so she would not bump too hard on the couch. She fell smoothly right on the couch with her head slammed softly on his chest.

"It is a nice position to have nice little talk, isn't it?" Shinichi lifted her chin slowly and stared at the jade eyes.

Shiho stared back to the blue eyes and smirked. "What do you want to talk about, Mr. Flirty Detective? I can assure you that I will listen to you carefully if you let go of my hand."

Shinichi burst out laughing and released his partner's chin after he had calmed down. Still holding out his laughter, Shinichi raised his right hand which is gripping Shiho's left hand.

"Alright, alright…here," Shinichi released Shiho's hand and finally stop laughing. "Then, you will listen to me, won't you?"

"Just tell me, already. There are still many things to do tonight, so please make it quick," Shiho reached out her right hand and was about taking her coffee cup.

"Well, I'll tell you." Shinichi cleared his throat and continued. "Mmm, Shiho…I think…I am getting married-!"

CRASH!

"Shiho!" Shinichi shouted, took back Shiho's hand that unconsciously loosed the cup from its grip. The cup scattered on the floor into pieces, along with the black coffee.

"Hey, are you alright?" asked Shinichi with concerned voice.

Shiho bent her head down, eyes hindered by her long bangs. Somewhat, she felt an odd feeling that she had never felt before. It was like a pang that you would feel when you stepped on a nail; a pang that becomes an ache. Then, it becomes a pain that will be still there even though it has actually lost the scar. Strange, she really had never felt this way before. She asked around her mind, tried to find the reason of sudden ache deep in her heart.

What was it?

Why did it feel so damn painful?

"Shiho? Shiho!" Shinichi shook her shoulders slightly, jerked her from her own thoughts.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" now Shinichi was worried about the young woman sitting beside him very much; face looked flustered and eyes stared blankly. Shiho who had aware of Shinichi's raising voice, turned her head and tried to answer Shinichi. Husky voice was all that came out from her lips.

"…No, I didn't…I mean-," her lips parted slightly, trying to catch her breath while the pang in her chest didn't seem to disappear soon. Shinichi narrowed his eyes, watching Shiho's expression carefully to understand her reaction just before.

"When?"

"Huh?"

"When…are you getting married?" she asked now with a firm voice.

Shinichi gasped while his hands were still on Shiho's shoulders.

"Did you just asked, when I am getting married?" Shinichi asked, gaping at the strawberry blonde. "Instead of asking who I am going to marry?"

"What for? It has been clear who you are going to marry. Everyone knows about that," Shiho put a little sarcasm in her answer and forced a smile on her face. Shinichi showed a wide grin.

"Wow! I don't know that my behaviors could show everyone who the one is I really intended. I am surely a clueless man. Somehow, I feel a little embarrassed."

"…Yes, you really are…you really are clueless…"

Shiho rose from the couch and walked to a closet near the kitchen to get a plastic bag, dust shovel, and a broom. She got back to the place where the cup pieces were scattered and kneeling down to clean them. Shinichi just looked at Shiho as she was doing her cleaning.

"Need some help?"

"No, I can manage it myself."

There was an awkward silence between them for awhile.

Shiho had just finished the cleaning and stood up to throw away the garbage she just collected. After put the cleaning equipments back to the closet, she walked to the kitchen table, making another cup of coffee.

"Are you making another one?" she heard Shinichi asking, flustered.

"Yes, I am. What? You want another one too?" she asked back without turning her head.

"No…"

Again, Shinichi felt another terrible silence took place in the room. He gulped, trying to calm himself from the unknown gloomy aura.

"Mmm, Shiho?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am."

He felt a slight of untruth in her answer. Shinichi cleared his throat.

"…You look unhappy…"

"I am not. That's just how you feel…"

"But, you answered my questions briefly."

"It is always the same way I answer any questions, not only for your questions. See a problem?"

"Yes."

Shiho's right hand that was stirring her new-made coffee, stopped abruptly. A loud cling heard in the silence. She inhaled a deep breath before throwing another sharp argument to the young detective in the living room.

"…If you saw a problem in my way of answering questions, would you please not giving me anymore questions?"

Hearing the question, Shinichi didn't answer anything. He just stared the back of that twenty-three years old woman blankly. For a short time, he wished that he didn't say anything about that damn marriage thing.

Seeing no reaction from the strawberry blonde, he sighed and stood from the couch, taking his coat and walked silently to the front door.

"I guess there's no more necessity for me to stay here. I am going home…Shiho." Once again, Shinichi stared at the woman's back, hoping that she would turn her head and said a simple 'good bye' or 'good night' to him. But, nothing happened. The blonde just stayed at her place without even moving slightly.

Shinichi took the door's handle in his hand and threw a smile to his friend, although he knew that she would not know that he was smiling.

"Good night, Shiho…Don't stay up too late."

A click of the door's locking was heard in the woman's ears. Yes, the detective had a duplicate key since quite a long time, just in case that she was overslept in the morning and he need to wake her up to go to work.

But, she was not thinking that he would even bother to come the next day to wake her up…again.

When Shiho was sure that the sounds of the detective's steps were no longer been heard, she walked to coffee table. She just wanted to take the small cup Shinichi had his coffee in before, when she realized that Shinichi didn't finish his coffee as usual.

Her hand that held the cup was trembling slightly…and a tear fell off her pale cheek.

That night, three cups of coffee had been gone to waste…

To be Continued