It doesn't always start with love

Day 0

Sighing for the utmost time, Aoko closed her eyes. The wind was blowing harshly through her hair, the speed boat rocking wildly on the waves. The sun was shining hot and if Aoko hadn't felt so desperate, she might have actually enjoyed a few days at the sea. But as things stood, she didn't think she'd enjoy much of anything for who knew how long. Also, the company could be better.

"Who would have thought that one day a day would come I couldn't be any happier to see your ugly mug, Kid." Aoko expressed crossly but actually only half meant it. And really, his face was far from ugly. "Can you imagine that I simply can't bring myself to hate you right now?"

Aoko opened her eyes to scowl at the fat grin plastered on Kaitou Kid's face. At least, thinking about him and how she was supposed to hate him made her stop thinking about her problems.

"I am quite surprised myself, Ojou-sama. But it sure makes things easier for me."

Aoko pouted and turned her head around again. "I hope you do realize that that woman will pin this whole thing on you? She will make it as though you kidnapped me and the whole country will be after you. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to kill you."

As much as she hadn't cared about the thief before, Aoko couldn't stop the worry spreading inside of her. This was just her mess, she didn't really get herself into it but at least, Kid had nothing to do with it but now he had and he had painted with a bright red color the bull's eye on his chest and it simply didn't sit right with her. Sure, she was more than glad that he had come for her, saved her from her unstoppable ending. And end her life would have. But having to answer for a kidnapping he never committed was wrong.

Sighing again, Aoko righted herself and looked behind her.

"You shouldn't worry your smart pretty head about me, Ojou-sama. I've had others take their shots at me."

Aoko scowled again. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? That I am the reason you end up on more people's hit lists?"

Kid sighed loudly, freely showing his frustration with her. "No, that's obviously not what I meant, Ojou-chan. What I meant is that I know how to take care of myself. One enemy more or less, it really doesn't matter."

Aoko huffed in her own frustration and trained her look back on the sea behind them. "I'm sure they'll catch up to us soon. How long until we hit land?"

Kaitou Kid was facing the front of the boat, his cape flying wildly behind him and with his hair all in disarray and fluttering around like that in the wind, she could somewhat understand why all the women fell for this man. He sure wasn't unattractive and the way he had saved her, the way his cape had fluttered back then, too, surprising everyone with his sudden appearance, her heart had fluttered, too and she'd never been happier in her whole life to see someone really, much less this thief clad all in white. But really, she had much more pressing problems right now than a maybe attraction on a Kaitou Kid – which she'd never admit out loud (not even in silence).

"Give or take another 30 minutes and we should land. I'll take you to the hotel we'll meet Kuroba-kun at. I'll leave you in his capable hands after that." He gave her another one of his reassuring grins, and somehow it worked, calming her down a little.

"Kaito, huh? Kaito is there?"

"Yeah. Your father only asked me to get you out of that situation, not to protect you. It'll be his jobs from there on."

Aoko frowned in worry. "But school will begin soon and Kaito needs to attend. Also, being with him won't just solve my problems."

"Would you rather be alone, Nakamori-chan?"

Aoko looked up sharply at the comment and watched the thief observe her blankly. Sometimes, she wished to know what was going on in his head.

Looking away, Aoko sighed again and fisted her hands in that way too white and pretty and fit wedding dress she was wearing right now. "No. I don't want to be alone. But how could this possibly end for me? There really are just two options for me and neither are anything I want. Kaito being there won't change anything – it'll just get him in trouble he doesn't need to face."

"Think of it like this, Nakamori-chan. Were it not you but Kuroba-kun who got into this mess, would you – as his friend – be able to stay at home and do nothing?"

"Of course not! I'd do anything in my might to help Kaito."

Kid smiled wistfully. "See. It just might be the very same for him."

Aoko deflated and paused. "Do you think he'd marry me?"

Kid started. "What?!"