A/N: Wow, I have so many WIP fics it's not even funny, but here's another? So far, I've written for ShinRan and KaiAo already, and now it's HeiZuha's turn, with a side of ShinRan, of course. Updates might be slow though, since I usually have a harder time writing Heiji as a POV character (it's my first time, too!) and 30 days is kind of my priority...

Conan's spidey senses were tingling.

Nothing escaped his notice-keen eye for details, one truth prevails and all that-and when Ran had picked up a call from Hattori, giggled about it for a solid ten minutes to loud Osakan protesting (loud enough for Conan to pick up, from the next room. Jeez, it's a miracle Ran wasn't deaf yet), he knew, just knew, beyond all reason that something was definitely not right.

If anything, the visit two days later confirmed all of his suspicions. Hattori came all the way to Tokyo, a suspicious lack of Kazuha behind him, and ignored Conan when he'd told him that Kogoro Mouri wasn't home, choosing instead to brush past the kid, an exasperated look growing on his face. That meant it wasn't about a case, and Hattori simply didn't come to Tokyo when there wasn't a case.

Conan was nothing if not curious, and this particular mystery was too good to pass up, even if Ran scolded him for eavesdropping later.

So he found himself a nice little corner tucked just behind the kitchen counter in the doorway adjoining the living room and poked his head out. Ran had already brought tea at that point, so there was no danger either she or the detective of the west, growing more and more distressed by the second, was going to notice him.

"So you mean to say, that girl you met in Kyoto…"

"Yeah. It was her all along."

"...but if you're sure, why don't you just tell her?" Conan caught the tail end of Ran's sentence.

"...the time just isn't right."

"Hattori-kun, the time is never right."

"No, I meant the time isn't right as in everytime I try to say something, someone gets murdered. Besides," Heiji put his head in his hands with a groan. "Kudou confessed in front of Big Ben in London, didn't he?"

"Eh?" Ran's cheeks went bright red and her voice raised by an entire octave. "Uh….how did you…?"

"Kazuha told me about it when we were at that house. The ahou was going on and on about something and wouldn't finish the story so I went to ask Ku-I mean, Conan-kun-about it because I figured he probably knew something. You know, since he's pretty close to Kudou."

Ran laughed awkwardly. "Hattori-kun, I don't think Shinichi would tell Conan-kun something like that anyway…"

Conan facepalmed.

"The point is," the detective of the west continued, almost as red as Ran is, "Something that important...I can't just say it." Studying his hands as if they were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world, he continued. "It has to be special."

Jeez. Who knew Hattori was this much of a sap?

Ran seemed to think so too "That's...really sweet."

"And there's also the fact that I can't let Kudou outdo me." Heiji puffed up his cheeks.

Conan sweatdropped. Since when did it become a competition?

"...Shinichi's confession involved a reference to Sherlock fact that it occurred in front of Big Ben was more an accident than anything. I don't think it'll take much to outdo him."

Oi, Oi. Conan rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, the thing is, I really want to tell her at a...romantic...location. But I couldn't think of where to take her." The dark-skinned teen shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "So here I am."

"I hate to say this, Hattori-kun...I don't have much experience with romance myself. I... wasn't the one that confessed, you know."

"I'd go to hell before I go ask Kudou," Heiji grumbled. "And I need all the help I can get. The last time I tried to tell her, we were interrupted by a zombie extra."

"...maybe stay away from movie sets, Hattori-kun."

Conan chose to burst out from his hiding spot at that exact moment, shouting at the top of his lungs in his best spoiled kid voice. "Can I help? I want to help Heiji-niichan!"

"Conan-kun!" Ran pivoted on her heel toward the sound of the voice and put her hands on her hips. "What have we said about eavesdropping?"

She looked mad, but having known her for seventeen years and then some, Conan could tell that she was also highly amused.

"Sorry, Ran-neechan!" He said dutifully, already running toward the sofa where Heiji was sitting, "But Heiji-niichan looked worried and I wanted to help!"

"Kudou-"

"Still calling him Kudou, huh?"

Conan froze and Heiji smiled sheepishly and ducked as if by reflex.

"I don't blame you," Ran cut in quickly, noticing the sudden drop in the temperature of the room, "Conan-kun does remind me of Shinichi a lot." She bent to lift him into her lap, smiling. "Isn't that right?"

If only she knew. He laughed nervously and scratched his head.

"Two heads are better than one," Ran continued, pausing momentarily. "You wouldn't mind terribly if we let Conan-kun help, would you? Even if he does remind you of Shinichi?"

As a matter of fact, Heiji did mind very, very much. But he couldn't very well refuse without blowing Kudou's cover and subsequently risk the lives of everyone they know and love.

Damn. What had he done to deserve this?

Conan smiled smugly from where he sat. "What are we helping Heiji-niichan with, Ran-neechan?"

Heiji glared.

"Hattori-kun's got something very special to say to Kazuha-chan, and he wants it to be perfect. So now we have to think of a place," Ran said, tapping her chin, oblivious to the secret looks being exchanged between the boys. "A nice restaurant? Maybe one of her favorites in Osaka?"

"It can't be somewhere as casual as that. I have to beat Kudou after all."

"I see. Somewhere she hasn't been yet, then?"

"Say, Heiji-niichan, wouldn't Kazuha-neechan thinks it's suspicious if you just took her some place nice out of the blue?"

"Oi," Heiji turn his glare to the child-sized detective. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Conan put his hands up, laughing nervously. "….nothing….." Aside from the fact that it's extremely out of character of you...

"Ahou. It's not like I didn't think of that. Her birthday's next week." It's like Heiji saw straight through him.

"Hmmm…" Ran was still deep in thought. "Somewhere she hasn't been yet...But, we've toured most of Japan together, mostly during cases. In that case, wouldn't you take her overseas?"

"...I suppose."

"If you're going to go overseas though...since you're going to tell her about...that..." A dreamy look had entered Ran's eye. "Why not go to Paris?"

"Eh?"

"Why not? There must be a reason they call it the City of Love after all…"

Conan slid off of Ran's lap while the girl was suitably distracted by whatever romantic fantasies involving France and a certain mystery otaku her brain had concocted, and tugged on Heiji's sleeve with a smirk. "So you've finally worked up your nerve, huh, Hattori?"

"You're one to talk. Say, you still haven't given me the full story about you and Nee-chan."

"As if I'd tell you." Another smirk. "Oh, and if you're thinking of doing it in front of the Eiffel Tower, I'm copyrighting confessing in front of famous European architectural structures."

"Tch. Stingy." Heiji accused.

"You really are like brothers, aren't you?" Ran cut in, smiling ear to ear.

"Hehe...I guess, Ran-neechan."

The "I'm so innocent" act was right back on Conan's face, and he scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile to seem extra childish.

"Two-faced brat," Heiji muttered under his breath. It was hard to live in a world where only he knew that beneath the adorable exterior of one Conan Edogawa was a terribly smug and evil ahou known as Shinichi Kudou.

"What was that?" Ran turned.

"Uh...nothing." Heiji scratched his head, grinning sheepishly, much like Conan had done just seconds prior. "But, like you were saying, Paris sounds nice."

"Copycat." Conan leaned with a knowing smirk.

"Why you little-" The dark-skinned teen grabbed the sides of Conan's cheek and pulled.

"Ow ow ow-Agh, Heiji-niichan, stop-"

Conan rubbed his (now sore) cheeks, glaring. Heiji smirked. Served the damn brat right. "Still," he said as he leaned back with a sigh, mostly to himself, "I suppose Paris is out of the question now…"

"Don't worry," Ran said with a placating smile. "After all, you've still got a week to decide."

Somehow, knowing that he had a mere seven days to pull something amazing out of his ass didn't comfort him.

Not one bit.