pulsing color | prologue.

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Looking up from the book she had been focusing on for the past hours, her face scrunched up a bit as she observed how Genta-kun still kept up with the video game he recently found an obsession at.

It was a silly game as far as she was concerned. Even Mitsuhiko-kun, who is now curled up on one side of her bed, fast asleep, will find it ridiculous that the other teen is still concentrating on the game this late at night.

Yes, she knew of the famous saying that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but this game is just getting that statement too far.

He's playing the role of a girl whose main task, apart from growing her farm, is to find a husband, make him fall in love with her, and marry said husband-to-be.

The mechanics of the game, as far as her maturing mind is concerned, is foolish: as soon as you're done with your farm duties, you can head to town, talk to your groom of choice, give your groom of choice the items he loves—like firewood, milk, and grass, among others—and catch him in the right place at the right time to get your so-called 'heart events' which are supposedly indicators that said groom-of-choice is getting the hang of falling in love with you.

Preposterous, she silently scoffed. It's only on games like Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town where you can find men falling in love with you because you fed him grass and have babies who no longer grow when they reach a year old. Obviously, life—and love—is not as simple as that.

She was tempted to hit Genta-kun with her fountain pen, but seeing how she would turn up biased when she allowed Mitsuhiko-kun to sleep and not give him his version of a break, she decided against it and stepped out of her room instead.

She was no longer the wistful, naïve girl most of the people knew before. That naïve girl must have been so easily dissuaded by the promises of the game Genta-kun is playing right now. A lot has changed about her in ten years—but she was glad that it had changed her for the better.

Though in her case, it was not age that mellowed her down on her concept of love, but heartbreak.

Sighing a little, she proceeded to the kitchen as she planned to prepare more snacks for the three of them to keep them more awake and focused on the real task of their gathering.

As a responsible young man, Mitsuhiko-kun can be easily roused from his short break with proper sustenance. Of the trio, he was the guy-to-lean-on, and the silent, unassuming genius. It's this sense of mystery around him—and his lean, tall and handsomely chiseled looks—that earned him his steadily growing fan club.

Genta-kun, on the other hand, is of a different personality, and thus, it would take her to utilize a different strategy to encourage him. He is the loud and overly friendly pal who enjoys a prank or two and does not stay in one place—and who is thoroughly obsessed with video games. His interest in athletics—and being great at it—gave him his own circle of fans as well.

With a personality like Genta-kun, it's not his wakefulness she had to address in times like this, but the subject of his concentration. Especially how to get him to surrender that video game so he could salvage his already decreasing grades.

Suddenly, she remembered a cute bespectacled boy of seven years who exuded such an imposing aura one can't help but take notice, including her besotted self. She clearly remembered, in times like this when they cram for their exams, how the boy could easily dissuade Genta-kun from his unhealthy habit of video games and focus on studying instead. He was just so serious, so assertive, so mature for his age and so sure of his actions that the best course to take with him was just to follow him.

But now, Conan-kun is gone. Had been gone for almost ten years, without even leaving a trace for them to follow through. Not even a note to reassure them that he is well in some part of the continent where they could not track him at all.

She smiled wistfully, then suddenly realizing where her mind had wandered, she forced herself to make the smile wider as she carried the tray of food and hot drinks to her room, intent on making sure the three of them would get out of their exams alive and successful.

But as she tucked the game console away from a grunting Genta and woke a grumbling Mitsuhiko to continue their studies, she couldn't help but think and hope a little inside.

If only making people fall in love was as easy as the game. But she was also kind of glad that that wasn't the case in real life.

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"In our life there is a single color, as on an artist's palette,

which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love."

- Marc Chagall

Some notes before I sign off:

I am not bashing Harvest Moon, even if it may sound as such with this entry. But really, one has to agree…you give a piece of log to a guy every day and give it a month or two, he falls in love with you? Had I known tree trunks were that effective aphrodisiacs…my point is, in this story, I'm trying to campaign for my concept of love, which must include some sort of emotional attachment and all that jazz.

My imagination of the possible dynamic of the trio in ten years' time is based on the animated movie 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time'. Mitsuhiko is Kousuke, Genta is Chiaki, and Ayumi is somewhat of a mellower Makoto.

My knowledge of this series is based on the few summaries and fics I read, which are not extensive enough (but did not stop my Muse from blurting nonsense that I should write this ASAP and finish it ASAP before I forget all about this). If you find some moments OOC, my only excuse is that ten years did pass, you know? Some changes must have happened then.

In this story, Ayumi is 17 and Shinichi is 25. I know this does not stay loyal to the manga and anime, so my immediate apologies.

This story is dedicated to IHFK who unknowingly inspired me to write Detective Conan fics, especially the AyumixConan/Shinichi ship. This one is for you and thank you for all those lovely fics!