A/N: One thing I noticed these days: I've been writing a lot of pieces with kids involved recently.

Haa, I just hope I get back into my KaiAo-mode already and get my other fics up and over with. *raises hands to heaven* OH DIVINE INTERVENTION, INTERVENE! (lolwhat? XD)

Anyway, here we have what I wrote for Poirot Cafe's Prompt Exchange #3, the prompt being Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi induct Shinichi to become the new Detective Boys leader (or a member) after Conan 'leaves'.

Enjoy~

Disclaimer: Detective Conan is not mine. The aforementioned prompt is by dragonsandmagic.

Okaeri

Returning back to Kudou Shinichi permanently meant saying goodbye to his double life. But what would he do when Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi drops him a visit to recruit him as their friend's replacement? Maybe then he'd come to realize they're not the only ones who missed Conan severely. And maybe there's a reason why they approached him at the first place. Friendship/General/Mystery(?).

When Shinichi—now permanently back to his seventeen-year-old self—welcomed Hattori Heiji to the Kudou Mansion a week after the so-called "Final Face-off," frankly speaking, he was expecting him to check if he's recovering well, not escorting three first graders into his house…

More accurately, three first graders who wanted to recruit him as Conan's replacement.

"What? You want me to be a member of your detective group?" asked Shinichi after he almost choked on his tea. From across the living room table three pairs of pleading eyes look up to meet his gaze.

Shinichi took a glance at Hattori to find him smirking knowingly. The Osakan simply shrugged and said, "Welp, why not? Y'can always spare time fer some not-so-morbid fun, ayt?"

"Plus you get this super-cool detective badge too," said Mitsuhiko, raising his badge as he did. Genta and Ayumi did the same.

"It was Ayumi-chan's idea," hollered Genta. To this, said girl's cheeks noticeably turned pink.

Shinichi brightened up and exclaimed in fake surprise, "You did, Ayumi-chan?"

Genta gave the younger child a gentle nudge on the arm. Sheepishly, Ayumi stuttered, "Conan-kun was very smart, and he looks up to you and Heiji-niichan."

From there, one after another, the kids spoke, continuing each other's sentences.

"Ayumi thought we could learn from the people Conan-kun looks up to—"

"And since Amuro-no-niichan is no longer at Café Poirot , and Subaru-san moved away—"

"And Heiji-niichan's going back to Osaka—"

"And Sera-no-neechan's always with Ran-neechan and Sonoko-neechan—"

"We thought we could get you to be Conan's replacement," said Genta finally.

Shinichi raised his eyebrow at the trio. "Replacement?"

I can't be Conan's replacement! I'm Conan, thought the high-school detective in question, but shrugged it off with, But of course you guys don't know that, right?

"Then, what did Conan-kun and Ai-chan say about this?" asked Shinichi finally.

The three exchanged worried glances before Mitsuhiko said, "Ai-chan is okay with it, but…"

A deafening silence enveloped the room. The mere utterance of the name 'Conan' made every person in the room feel dejected.

"Conan-kun's…" muttered Ayumi, a hint of misery in her voice.

"We haven't talked since he moved away," said the freckled boy as he glanced at his now lukewarm cup of tea. Needless to say, the distress in the kids' voices were unmistakable.

"We told him to keep in touch—"

"Wasn't it on Fez-booker or something?"

"That can't be right, Genta-kun!"

"Ayumi told Conan-kun we could video chat…"

"Ai-chan said she can't get in touch with him too—"

"We're starting to think Conan-kun's never coming back."

For some reasons, Mitsuhiko's last statement disturbed Shinichi a lot.

Was it because that was the truth? Conan never coming back also meant he can't hang out with these kids like he always did before. That truth was uncomfortable to deal with. After all, even if Conan wasn't real, even if half the time his classmates were a nuisance to him, his friendship with them is undoubtedly true.

For an entire minute, The Detective of the East stared at his Western counterpart in search for answers, but all her found were the exact same things his mind kept shouting at him.

"Conan's never coming back. These kids will never see him again… ever."

"Hey now," Heiji cut in joyfully once he noticed the children's upset expressions, "I'm pretty sure he's got a logical explanation fer all this… Maybe he's busy catchin' up with his parents or somethin'. He's gon'ta talk with ya guys soon I guarantee it."

The teenagers exchanged glances once more. Heiji's encouraging emeralds pierced through Shinichi's uncertain sapphires… and somehow, that lightened the burden a bit.

Just a bit.

Because a part of Shinichi is still doubting this turn of events… (And that's besides the fact that Hattori's probably in it)

"So are you gonna join us or what?" half-lidded Kojima Genta questioned.

"I don't know. I…"

From behind the couch, Heiji rolled his eyes and groaned before stomping behind Shinichi's place and saying, "D'ya guys miss him a lot?"

The grade schoolers nod in sync at Heiji's query. Shinichi let out a long heavy sigh before sinking on his couch and rubbing his temple. From directly in front of him, gray feminine eyes gazed in expectation.

"Shinichi-niichan? Please?" Ayumi pleaded.

Shinichi knew this can't go on any longer. He can't tell them the whole truth, but he can say it in a much simpler, non-promising way. Shinichi heaved one more time before he stood up and paced to the fireplace.

"Look, I can't help you with Conan," he told them straight-out, as if the entire 'Conan-matter' lies on his shoulders (it technically does, but of course the kids don't know that).

He turned to their direction and continued, "But I'll join you."

Collective gasps of excitement, then…

"You mean it, Shinichi-san?!"

"Really?!"

"YAY!"

Just seeing his old group happy—prancing and dancing and singing and bouncing gleefully on the carpeted floor—made Shinichi smile. Inside his head, his adventures with them played in repeat—from the moment the group was born, to the addition of Haibara, to the cases the kids proudly solved without his help… up until his nonexistent counterpart said goodbye to friends who'll never see him again.

And for the first time since that curious dream where his shrunken self became seventeen, Shinichi missed being Edogawa Conan… He missed his friends, their misadventures, their near-death experiences, heck even their moments of mindless fun. Not that he would admit it in front of Hattori, though.

"Just… you kids better not go looking for trouble," he added as an afterthought.

"Then, Shinichi-san," said Mitsuhiko once he got his companions to settle down again, "please meet us at Agasa-hakase's tomorrow."

Shinichi blinked blankly at that.

"W-what?!"

With an ear-to-ear gleam, Genta exclaimed with both arms open, "We're gonna have an infection!"

Thankfully, before either of the teens reacted, Mitsuhiko corrected, "Induction, Genta-kun."

"Oh right."

"But-but tomorrow Ran and I—"

"Oh, we'll invite Ran-neechan too," Ayumi interrupted, and before Shinichi can say any more, the grade schoolers said their thanks and quickly ran out of the room.

"W-wait, what just…"

That was when Heiji burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"Hattori, you're not helping!" Shinichi screamed, as he made his way to the window to watch the kids go. Sure enough, Genta, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi made their way across his lawn, past the big tree and out to the street. He watched as the only girl in the group yelled at the two boys before he dutifully closed the gates…

That was when Shinichi's suspicion kicked in again. Once he realized it, he hid himself with the curtains and watched it all happen.

Ayumi's reprimanding look turned into that of sadness as she closed the gates and, even before either of her friends noticed, she pulled a pair of glasses from inside her jacket… The glasses Shinichi recognizes as Conan's spare. Ayumi gripped it tight, took one last look at the Kudou Mansion, slipped it back in and ran off as if nothing happened.

Does… does this mean she…?

"Would ya lookit that, Kudou!" Heiji cried as he approached. "With those kids around, ya very well have yer own Beika Irregulars."

"Baker Street Irregulars," Shinichi corrected with an eye roll. To this, the Osakan raised his hands in defense.

"Whoa, sheesh! 'Kay, sorry, touchy subject…" said he, and was about to go on babbling about it's just about Holmes if he didn't notice Kudou in deep thought.

"What's wrong?"

"So it's Ayumi-chan who suggested I join them…?" the Detective of the East asked to no one in particular.

"Among those three she's the one most attached to Conan, after all. Izzat really surprisin'?" was the dark-skinned teen's reply.

"What do you think, Hattori? Was it the right thing to do?" queried the other as he started pacing back and forth. "I mean, if they hang out with me a lot they'll know eventually."

"Nope," said Heiji in nonchalance.

Putting both hands in his pocket, he continued, "What ya should really worry about is gettin' Ayumi-chan ta keep yer secret a secret."

Shinichi's orbs widened in shock. He gaped at the other for a full half-minute before frantically saying, "So it's not just my paranoia kicking in? She really knows? Why didn't she tell me anything?"

Contrasting Kudou's panicked state was Hattori's calmness… which up until now was always the other way around.

"Haaa, Kudou…" sighed Heiji with a head shake. "Don't make me repeat the exact same thing I told ya some nine-ish months ago."

Nine months ago, Edogawa Conan was shot in a cave by a trigger-happy murderer. Back then he had suspicions that Ran found out he's Shinichi, and those suspicions were confirmed when his childhood friend offered her own blood to save him.

Back then Hattori told him she's just waiting for him to say it himself, to explain his situation to her, which he would have done if Ai didn't suggest taking a temporary antidote…

This time, though, even if the situation's the same, he can't exactly revert back to being a first grader.

"So… what do you suggest I do? I can't exactly tell her—"

"Actually, y'can…" his confidante told him as-a-matter-of-factly. "If, even when knowing yer Conan, she still entrusts ya with her obviously still oblivious best friends, then y'can trust her to keep yer secret."

"We can't know that for sure," said Shinichi, to which, he got another shaking of the head.

"I know that fer sure cos she told me. Now if ya still don't believe me ask her yerself."

"I'll think of something."

"Well ya gotta think faster," suggested Heiji as both he and Shinichi walked out the room and onto the porch. "Don't make someone else wait fer long. The last time ya did you and the people around ya got hurt."

"Hattori…"

By the front door, Heiji gave Shinichi a meaningful look, placed both hands on his shoulders, tapped him a few times and told him before facing the door, "M'just lookin' out fer ya, man."

"So you're leaving for Osaka now?"

"Yep. Gotta get back to the neechan's, grab my stuff and catch my train. See ya soon, Kudou."

Without giving him one last look, Heiji put his cap in place.

"Oh," the Osakan paused, then looked back at the novelist's son with a small smile, "And welcome back! Just realized I haven't told ya that yet…"

Shinichi curved a satisfied grin and uttered, "Yeah. Thanks for everything, Hattori."

As Heiji reached for the doorknob, the superintendent's son said with a chuckle, "Also, the kids are expectin' Conan-kun ta call. If they're friends to ya, y'should let 'em know yer okay, 'kay? I'll call ya when I get back."

For the first time in almost a year, Shinichi curved a serene smile.

"Sure."

The next day, Shinichi's induction continued as planned, complete with misspelled "Welcome to Shounen Tanteidan, Kudou Shinichi-san!" banners, poppers, lemon pies and curry.

Of course, as planned, Ran was invited and, as part of the package, Sonoko and Sera as well.

It could have been a very orderly event if it wasn't for Genta getting a stomachache halfway through, Ai-chan bugging Agasa to watch what he's eating and paper hats shaped like deerstalker hats. Unlike most inductions, the food went first (because Genta can't help himself and everyone thought he'll end up eating everything). But when the time came to welcome Shinichi to the crew, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi were done taking care of the mess (thanks to Ran and the others), Genta's stomachache finally settled down and Ai contented herself with glaring daggers at the poor old man.

"Congratulations, Kudou Shinichi-san!" Mitsuhiko declared, projecting every single word like how a politician would. "You're now an honorary member... and appointed leader of Shounen Tanteidan!"

Shinichi positioned himself so Mitsuhiko can put a makeshift sash over his head. When he did, he replied with a (seemingly fake but trying not to seem obvious) gleeful voice, "Wow, thank you!"

Everyone applauded, before Ai stepped up and pinned the Detective badge on the newcomer's shirt before saying, "Here's your badge, Tantei-kun!"

"Hey, look at that, it suits me well," exclaimed Shinichi. He then raised his suit to show Ran.

The room boomed with another round of applause before the group dispersed into idle chatting.

It was when Shinichi finally took his seat on the counter (and get back to his half-eaten lemon pie) that an oddly shy Ayumi approached him. Resuming to his whole acting scheme Shinichi greeted her kindly with a pat on the head, asked her what's wrong, and watched as the little girl muttered something under her breath.

The detective leaned closer and asked, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Ayumi just… wants to say…"

She bit her lip, looked him in the eye, smiled the most angelic smile she can muster, pulled something from behind her and placed it on him.

Shinichi didn't need to think twice as to what that 'something' is… Conan's spectacles hugged the bridge of his nose like it remembers its owner.

Ayumi placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, pulled back, told him, "Welcome, Shinichi-niichan!" and ran off.

Shinichi sat there for a good minute or two, just watching the little girl with the headband move about. There was something curious about the way she said her words to him. While her mouth opened to say "welcome," her eyes sparkled as if saying "welcome back."

Well, let's just say he now knows what his first case as Shounen Tanteidan's new member is: finding out how Ayumi knew about him.

A/N: I dunno about you but I like it to end that way so... The End. (and besides I'm trying to create another multichaptered fic while I haven't updated any of them in FOREVER! I'm a mess. I seriously need inspiration, I swear!)

Also, for the record this this my first shot at writing Shinichi. I hope I wrote him well :D

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this fic. Reviews are LOOOOOVED!~

-neonquincy1217