Here we are, everyone! The last chapter. Thank you all for being so supportive of this fic! It's really special to me.

I don't own dc.

These are the days where he's at his lowest.

He's good at acting 90% of the time, fooling everyone into thinking he's fine and laughing about shit that he shouldn't laugh about and making a fool of himself in front of everyone.

He's very good at deceiving people.

Nobody even knows that he picked up his drinking habit after Eri left, that he started to smoke more and get more stressed without her. Nobody knows that he struggled to even smile sometimes, but he does for the sake of getting people not to worry about him.

He hated that the most. People worrying about him.

It made him feel small and vulnerable, a feeling he despised because that means he could easily get hurt.

...But that's how he feels right now.

Staring outside the window of his office, having one open for the sake of some fresh air, he sipped his beer and watched the pedestrians walk around. He noted that there were a few cute girls, as he usually did.

(That girl with the grey scarf and blonde hair always waved at him with a bright smile, and he always waved back.)

But this wasn't enough to make him feel better. The cool breeze and a cute girl waving wouldn't be enough.

It hasn't been enough for the last 10 years.

He had given up on Eri a long time ago, as much as he didn't want to, but he had to. She obviously didn't want him back.

"Who would?" Kogoro snorted to himself, smiling despite having just degraded himself. He took another sip.

He spun in his chair, staring at the ceiling.

Today was one of his lowest days.

All he had on the mind was better ways to insult himself, better ways to put himself down, things he should do to stop bringing his kids down, ways to convince them to get away from him because he's such a horrible-

"Dad!"

Kogoro jumped. "R-R-Ran?!" He shouted, clinging to the armrests of his chair. "Don't just come out of no where like that!"

Ran crossed her arms. "I've said your name over 6 times now."

Kogoro rubbed the back of his neck. "A-Ah, My bad! I was spacing out and..."

"Probably thinking about some beautiful girl." Conan's snide remark came from next to him, and Kogoro turned to see the brat had been standing by his chair the whole time Ran was here.

Kogoro frowned. "Anyway, what did you want?"

Ran smiled all of the sudden.

Kogoro knew this smile all too well.

"Well, if you would direct your eyes to the date..." Ran pushed a calander toward him and pointed at the day.

Ah.

Maybe that's why he was so upset.

He remembered the day, in the back of his mind.

His wedding anniversary.

"I'm not going out with Eri." Kogoro immediately said, frowning at his daughter, who protested with a loud "Ehh?! Why not!"

Kogoro didn't answer her. He didn't wanna see her. Not today.

(As if she'd ever want to see me, anyway. His mind bitterly added)

"...Then, will you call her?" Ran asked, looking timid and sad. Kogoro sighed.

"Yes, Ran, I will call her." Kogoro stood up, walking to the door and grabbing his jacket. "I'm going to go out for a bit. Be back later."

He left without another word.

Ran frowned, looking at his feet. "He's always like this today."

Conan looked up at Ran. "Maybe he just doesn't wanna remember? It's been a long 10 years, hasn't it?"

"I guess you're right..." Ran played with some of her hair. "I just wish he didn't look so sad every time he left like that. You can tell when he's got something on his mind."

"...Let's do something for him."

Ran blinked. "What?"

"Let's do something for him! Buy him something, I dunno!" Conan shrugged, a slight tint of pink on his cheeks, embarrassed that he suggested that.

"You know what, You're right!" Ran nodded, taking a determined stance. "Let's do something for him!"

And so, they did.

Kogoro was buzzed.

It was stupid, he hated it, he hated himself, he hated Eri, he hated the world, he hated today...

But, He mostly hated himself.

Ha hated his forced incompetence, he hated his failures, and he would never get over them.

Eri didn't pick up, after 6 times of calling her and leaving messages.

Maybe she really DID hate him.

Trudging up the steps, unlocking the door to the apartment, he walked to the living room.

His thoughts were deafening in the quiet darkness of the room.

He was about to give up and go to sleep, intent on sleeping away his sorrows and ignoring them completely (like he usually did), but something caught his eye.

On the table was a piece of cake accompanied by a fork, a book about horse racing, and a small note.

We saw this earlier and thought you might like it! Also, there's more cake in the kitchen. We bought a big one so go crazy.

(But not too crazy)

-Ran and Conan

The note finished with a small doodle of their faces, and a heart. (Ran's doing, probably.)

"Maybe I'll stay up a little bit longer..." Kogoro said slowly, sitting down and unwrapping his cake from the cellophane, and took a bite.

Kogoro smiled.

He had the best kids in the world.

And that's the end. I hope you all enjoyed Quiet Rooms and Loud Thoughts and I hope to see you all in the future!