from skybluescramble:

Okay, so I told you in my profile page that I'm putting this story on hiatus because my laptop with all the finished drafts was stolen.

But then I had a second thought.

And I decided that maybe, MAYBE, I can still continue this piece.

Because, you know, this kind of writing style (using a compilation of one scenes to make the whole story) makes it easier for me to jump in from what I've left.

So here it is, the seventh chapter.

Enjoy.

DISCLAIMER:
名探偵コナン/Detective Conan
Gosho Aoyama©1994

:: Tea for Two ::

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CUP #7:
Goal (First Half)

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SHE knew. Haibara Ai always knew that the young detective lazing around on his big couch in front of the TV was fond of his own parents. Their relationship, especially. Edogawa Conan—or you know, Kudo Shinichi—tended to have this particular urge to copy Kudo Yusaku and Yukiko's love life, trying to redo what they had done decades ago as though those two were his living Bible when it came to romance. Ai had heard it almost a million times, back then when Conan was still head over heels toward Mouri Ran—now Araide Ran—about how he was going to propose to her in the same restaurant where Yusaku asked Yukiko to marry him. She also heard that the only reason why 'Shinichi' never once confessed his feelings to Ran and asked her to be his girlfriend because Yusaku also never did such a thing. His parents were never 'officially' dating. They just spent lots and lots of time together, developing strong feelings towards each other, and suddenly BAM! Yusaku proposed. Yukiko said yes. They got married when they were twenty and still lived happily until today. Just like what Shinichi hoped for his own relationship with Ran. Though unfortunately, life didn't go as ideally as he had planned.

Life happened. And people changed.

But maybe Conan didn't change much. Because, as much as Ai hated to admit, their relationship status wasn't clear either. They weren't 'officially' dating; he never told her so. After all that happened between them, not once did Conan ever introduce her as his girlfriend to others. Sure they were strong partners, but… hello? He kissed her—and if Ai may remind the world, Kudo Shinichi never got the chance, or simply never had enough guts, to actually kiss Mouri Ran. They protected each other; Ai often put her life at stake to support him, and in return, Conan always gave his all to make sure she was safe and sound. They were also practically living together, for god's sake. Two adults living under the same roof.

And still, they weren't 'officially' a couple.

Ai wasn't complaining, no. She was not that kind of girl who was pushy about relationships and all. Sometimes, she just wondered why.

Yes, sometimes. When she let her mind wander. When she wanted to run away from something more important, she let herself get distracted by petty stuff.

Like now.

Ai breathed out a sigh, burying her face in both palms before moving them upward to push her hair back. Staring blankly at her laptop screen, Ai nibbled and chewed at her lower lip until it almost bled.

"Okay, that's it." Raising his hands up in defeat, Conan pressed the mute button on the TV remote and sat straight up facing her direction. He had been stealing quick glances at her and simply couldn't take anymore of her restless looks. His eyes were curious. "What is it actually that you're doing?"

"Schoolwork." Ai told him. "I have to submit a journal and I'm stuck. My professor said we can use any topic we want. The deadline is just a few hours away. It's giving me a headache."

"Nonsense," Conan retorted. "You are already a scientist and deliberately picked Chemistry for your university major. Those tasks should be easy-peasy."

"I've been rummaging through my unpublished old journals since forever," she replied, sighing for the umpteenth time. "I couldn't decide what to submit because I don't want my marks to be unbelievably high. Sure I want good marks, but not too good to make my lecturers expect too much and put bigger responsibilities on my shoulders."

"Bigger responsibilities? As in what?"

"You know," Ai shrugged nonchalantly, "becoming their assistant, for example."

"When did your professor give you that homework? It's not like you to be a deadliner."

Ai grimaced, an expression of guilt all over her pretty features. "Last week. Your stupid serial murder case completely distracted me. And don't forget the bank robbery case four days ago." She referred to last crime they worked on together, when she volunteered to be a hostage in order to save the civilians held inside.A bluish mark around her wrist was still visible, left by one of the bad guys who gripped her hand so tightly her blood circulation nearly stopped.

Conan chuckled. "If I may ask," he began, "why did you choose Chemistry in the first place? You studied all that crap in America, didn't you? As far as I know, they are more advanced than Japan in that field. So… why?"

"Chemistry isn't crap, Shinichi." She shot him a death glare; it was crystal clear she was pretty offended by his statement. The use of his first name proved so. Apparently, Haibara Ai only called Conan 'Shinichi' in two scenarios: when she was pissed at him and when the situation called for it. This, undoubtedly fell in the first category.

"If I may remind you," she continued, imitating his earlier words and tone, "it was all thanks to 'that crap' that you are considered a hero by FBI, CIA, and National Police Agency for taking part in shutting down the Organization. You even got the big privilege to be MPD's investigation consultant since we were in junior high. Sure you were good as Kudo Shinichi, the high school detective from the East, but your reputation would never be FBI-good or CIA-good if my damned drug wasn't involved."

"I'm just kidding," Conan said sheepishly. "Sheesh… you're really in a bad mood, aren't you?"

The strawberry blonde-haired girl slowly kneaded her temples using her knuckles. "I have a deadline approaching at a lightning speed. And in today's morning talk show Higo just said that this weekend's match is going to be his retirement match. To make it worse, I haven't gotten a ticket because it's sold out everywhere. So Kudo, don't mess with me right now. My fuse is short."

And I just remembered that my actual love life isn't any better than my fangirl life, she added mentally. How sad is that?

"You still didn't answer my question." Conan pointed out.

Ai rolled her eyes and continued to scrutinize rows of documents in her laptop. Then, without looking at him, she said, "Because if I take a major that I'm already good at, I can have more time to help you solve cases. Assisting you is my current top priority. Now please shut up. I'm thinking here."

Conan looked taken aback for a couple of seconds. Perhaps her answer was far from what he'd imagined.

"Well," Conan spoke tentatively, as though he was afraid Ai's mood would worsen. When she didn't snap, his voice turned confident. "Let's say I can make you happy this instant. Will you stop fussing over one assignment and just choose from whatever stuff you've written before? Oh, I know a better idea—I'll do it instead. If the next thing I say can change your mood, you will let me pick a random file for you to submit."

That, obviously, tickled her interest. Shifting in her seat, Ai turned her head to him with narrowed eyes. She doubted him, clearly, but at least she was listening. "Is that a challenge?" Ai asked, one eyebrow raised.

Conan nodded. "Yeah. You in?"

Ai changed her sitting position. "So the challenge is: if you can change my mood then I have to give you the liberty to decide the fate of my marks? Is this one of your unfunny jokes, Shinichi?"

"I'm serious." He gave her a straight look. "And Ai, please, you'll be alright."

"Okay." Finally, she relented. "I don't have much time left anyway. Shoot."

Grinning from ear to ear, Conan reached down to pick his wallet from his worn jeans' pocket. He pulled out two small pieces of paper, eyes glinting both in mischief and triumph, and showed them to the girl sitting only a few feet away from him.

"I asked Hattori help to get these," Conan said, crediting the Kansai detective. "Two tickets for Big Osaka vs. Yokohama F. Marinos, best seats. Nissan Stadium, this weekend."

It was truly to his own amusement that Conan watched Ai's facial expression go through so much within seconds. Initially looking perplexed, colors seemed to drain from her face for a moment Conan almost feared she was about to faint. Then those clear, turquoise eyes turned glassy with tears as Ai's hands quickly clamped her mouth to prevent herself from screaming out loud, and his heart swelled with satisfaction and pride.

Conan smirked.

"Fancy a football match date?"

Ai lurched forward, giving the bespectacled detective a sudden, supertight hug with an unbelievable force that caused their bodies to bump harshly against each other. He stumbled backward, falling down from the coach onto the thick carpet, with Haibara Ai mumbling her numerous "Thank yous" against his chest.

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Goal (First Half) - end.

PS: Leave me some reviews, please?