You were actually happy. Everything was taken care off, you've told Ran, and she understood. After a few days, the cure will be made.

Even Haibara seems to be in a much more uplifted spirits these past few days. She smiled more often. And sometimes even laughed. She called Ran, "Ran-neechan." She was becoming more and more, like the child she was never allowed to be.

When she finished the cure, she had smiled at you and patted a flower on your shirt pocket after you had transformed back to your age. You'd ran out the place with a grin so wide as soon as she dismissed you with the wave of her hand.

You didn't even get to notice—... You didn't even get to notice she was already saying her farewells.

Inside your pocket, was a lone sweet pea.

sweet peas, after all, are for goodbyes

By the time your hype and adrenaline had vanished, she had also gone.

You tried looking for her, of course.

And really, even if you hadn't...

Well. You did it even then. You just couldn't help it. Sometimes, when you're solving a case, you couldn't help but look around and ask for advice from someone who wasn't even there in the first place.

You were partners.

So it really irritated you to no end—

And you began your search for her.

But every leads were a dead end.

Until she, herself had sent you something.

A yellow tulip.

And you understood.

yellow tulips for love unrequited

You decided not to look anymore, but habits die hard and it took you some getting used to.

Maybe you just missed her.

But then you realized: you'd already hurt one girl enough in your lifetime. Maybe you should let the other live.

It was a sad day when you and Ran both realize, but it wasn't wholly. You both knew it was coming, after all. She had her own dreams, as do you.

When you two ended things with each other, it wasn't raining. In fact, the weather was nice, extremely so. The day was a holiday, even.

She'd merely smiled as you two talked at Poirot, as you told each other that yes, you still do both love each other (first love never dies), but it... it just wasn't the same anymore.

That night, as you walked home, you saw a white camellia on the road, wilted and dying.

and for waiting, white camellias

Mouri Ran. The girl who waited, who waited for you, waiting no longer.

A few years after, and that woman was already a famous pharmacologist, travelling in different countries. She's known for going to countries who couldn't afford medicine, giving them something to help them.

At one press conference, from the company she works on, you hand her a tulip, colored red.

"For fame," you have said, but gave her a look that means something else entirely.

because a red tulip might have meant fame in japan, but in the west, it means eternal love

She gingerly takes the flower from your hand. You notice it tremble, but she gave you a nod. You say nothing as you go back to your seat with the press.

She still does have a job to do, after all.

END

A/N:If anyone finds an error in spelling/grammar/punctuation please inform me by the comment box below. Please review if you have the time too. Thanks and thanks for reading!