"

Seventeen-year-old Shinichi Kudo, known as the great detective of the East, lay slumped against a wall. He clutched at his right side tightly, and his breathing came in ragged gasps. After he solved a gruesome murder, the culprit had actually shot at everyone gathered, and Shinichi had taken a bullet to the side getting the gun away from him. While the police were focused on cuffing the suspect, he'd slipped out of the area, and was walking toward the hospital. But the bullet wound was sapping his strength, and he couldn't keep walking. He now lay slumped against a wall in an alleyway, not focused on anything, not even the notorious young thief that landed in front of him.

"Meitantei-san?" Kaito Kid knelt in front of the teen detective, staring at him questioningly. His heart nearly stopped when Shinichi looked up and he caught a glimpse of his eyes. His eyes were listless, pain-filled; as if he were crying for help.

"H-hey, what happened?" Kid's voice was full of concern. Shinichi chuckled, but his pain was evident.

"Some criminals don't want to go without a fight, Kid," he said, his voice painfully distorted. "And this one…just happened to have a gun." Shinichi took his hand away from his side, and Kid's eyes widened in shock at the blood smeared on his hand and streaming from his side. The young thief wasted no time as he swung the young sleuth into his arms. He let out a quiet moan of pain.

"Hang in there, Meitantei-san; I'm going to get you help, even if I get myself caught!" Shinichi looked at him, stunned.

"You…you'd risk your freedom to save me?" There was a note of incredulity in the other boy's voice.

"Meitantei-san, if I just left you here to avoid being caught, it would be the same as killing you. You know that the one thing I would never steal…is a life." Kid took off running, ignoring the cries of shock from the people around them. At last, the hospital came into sight.

"We're almost there, Meitantei-san, just hang in there!"

"I'll…try…" Shinichi gasped. He was getting weaker by the second, and Kid knew it. He quickened his speed, until a bright spotlight beamed down on them from above. A helicopter!

"Kid! This ends now!" Inspector Nakamori! He and his men surrounded them from all sides, aiming their guns right at Kid.

"Put the boy down, Kid," Nakamori barked. "It's over."

"Idiot!" Kid screamed back. "Shinichi's been shot! He's dying!" The officers froze in shock. "Is catching me really more important to you than someone's life?"

"How…how do we know you're telling the truth?"

"Look!" Kid held up Shinichi's blood-smeared hand, and showed them the bullet wound in his side. "Would I make something like this up?"

"Then tell me, why risk your freedom to save your rival?" Kid growled impatiently. At this rate, Shinichi would die!

"If I had left Shinichi to die, it would be the same as killing him myself. And you all know that I would never take a life. Now let me through!" Nakamori stared at Kid for a moment, and then waved off his men. Nodding quickly, Kid ran past them and into the hospital. Once a doctor took Shinichi to the OR, Kid vanished in a puff of pink smoke.

One night, three days after a surgery that saved him from the brink of death, Shinichi looked toward the window of his hospital room…and froze. Kaito Kid was perched on the windowsill.

"How are you feeling, Meitantei-san?"

"Swell, except for the aching in my side. That guy really got me. They say I was on the brink of death when you brought me here."

"I'm glad you're alive."

"I owe it to you, Kid. Thanks."

"Does this mean you won't be trying to stop me from stealing anymore?"

"Don't press your luck. I'll catch you one of these days." Kid grinned at that. His Meitantei-san was back to his old, feisty self.

"I'm glad to hear that. It wouldn't be any fun without you there."

"Is that so?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly. Kid turned bright red, his heart starting to speed up. He slipped into the room and approached Shinichi slowly.

"Shinichi, when I saw all that blood, I thought I was going to lose someone I really cared about. I know this might sound really weird but I love you, and I always have."

Shinichi raised his head and kissed Kid straight on the lips. He pulled away a few moments later to see Kid wide eyed and blushing.

"Kid why would that sound weird to me?" Shinichi asked. "After all, I've been in love with you for quite a while now."

A smile slowly spread across Kid's face, and he leaned closer to Shinichi. He finally had the treasure he had been after for the longest time: Shinichi's heart.