Author's note: beware, this has a high rating for a reason. Also Claude I hate that this story you prompted me to write is still haunting me 5 years on.

The Sleepover.

The spare room was normally bare. It was one of numerous rooms that were hardly to rarely used by the present Suzuki family members. Most of these empty rooms found some use as a guest room or a recreation room from time to time. Others were used by the household servants.
This room however was, on this special night, placed in a position of honour.

It was being used for Sonoko Suzuki's impromptu sleepover party!

A couple of Futons were hastily plonked into the corner of the room as the younger daughter of the family readied the more important elements of the evening. The Flat Screen Television quickly found a socket in the wall, and her DVD player soon joined it. Beside it she piled a couple, okay, maybe a double dozen of DVD cases, music CDs and VCDs. After a long hesitation, she rushed out and swiftly returned with a box containing a games console, games and a play mat in tow. One never was too safe, and if ever the talk of boys or interest in chick flicks died out, a good game of Dance Dance Whee would always be welcome to bring back the fun... And the dating simulations couldn't hurt either.

She squealed as she noticed a scroll in the box. Obviously she had been looking for it everywhere but there. As a mark of pride, she swiftly pinned it up on the wall, not far from what had till that day been the only furnishing of the room: an old calendar. Considering that the image on the calendar suited the painting on the scroll, Sonoko decided against taking it down. Kid the phantom Thief and a pretty picture of the moon? It would be a crime to separate them!

But of course, a sleepover party was nothing without snacks, and she deposited a mountain of crisp bags, popcorn, and cold drinks on a small table in a suitable corner of the room. She might ask one of the housemaids to prepare some sandwich foods a bit later.

But now for the finishing touches. Sonoko had been thinking about these ever since she had had the idea of organizing the sleepover. She randomly grabbed some pillows from all the spare rooms and cupboards, as well as from her own, and neatly arranged them on the floor, keeping three to one side.
Once this was done, she took the three, one red, one blue and one fawn, and she placed them on top of the folded futons. A small, sweet smile came upon her face as she pulled over a shopping bag she had kept aside till then. The words "Plushie Kingdom! Order your own customized toys!" could be read on the side, as she reached in to pull out its contents.

"Hey there, clumsy clogs!" She said, as she pulled out a stuffed toy made to look like a bespectacled teen, wearing a Teitan High uniform. She gently sat him on the fawn coloured pillow, before winking at it, satisfied as to its appearance.

"As for you..." Sonoko continued, pulling out a second doll of a Teitan High student. "Your role tonight is to stop being a jerk and comfort Ran whenever she remembers that you are one, okay, Shinichi-kun?"
The Shinichi toy was put onto the red pillow, and was gratified with Sonoko pulling out her tongue at it. There was a very simple reason why Sonoko could never understand why so many girls liked to fangirl the teenage detective.

"And now last but not least!" One last stuffed teenager was now pulled out of the bag, this time one with a tan and dressed in a white Karate Gi. The young woman looked at it with sad, lonely eyes as she traced the sewn on shape of a plaster on the toy's left eyebrow.
"Makoto," she whispered. "I miss you."

And as if to remind herself of him, that she wasn't alone and could count on him and her friends in her times of need, she cuddled the toy tightly against her breast and closed her eyes, remembering all the times she and the karate champion had been together, had talked, had written to each other.

It took her a good five minutes before she found the strength to put the plush toy of her romantic interest on the blue pillow, but by then she was back to her smiling, energetic self again. She blew a kiss at the doll and left the room to find the shower. She only had an hour or so left to prepare for her guests after all.

Shiho Miyano sighed as she picked up the chemistry sets and put them away: typical of undedicated teenagers. As soon as the bell rang the end of their session, they would forget everything about how to properly clean up a test tube or fold away a microscope. She couldn't help but grin though, as she was helped by one of the remaining students who had had the kindness to stay behind in case help was needed. Quite a few of the Science Club members seemed to be promising students, and were very much into creative thinking, a must for anyone who wanted to do research. All they lacked was discipline and a few years worth of intensive learning.

"Thank you," she said to the girl. They had just finished clearing the room, and Shiho gave her a smile as she locked the cupboard, indicating that she was free to go. The girl mumbled embarrassedly, bobbed her head and then hurriedly left, leaving the newly elected science club responsible to shake her head in amusement. That student reminded her of someone through some aspects of her personality and appearance... But of who? Shiho pondered this as she picked up her own satchel and jacket. It seemed all so long ago now.

What she remembered most vividly was the hair. Yes, long dark and silky hair, that would flow within one's grasp. Twirling her own locks, she couldn't help but look sadly at nothing as she recalled their differences... A time before life had meaning.

"Hey! Miyano-san!"

Shiho was startled, as she stopped in the doorway to blink at the boy who had called out her name. Kudo Shinichi gave her a cheeky grin.

"You know, it's ironic that we live right next door to each other now, and I still have to hunt you down at school to talk to you."

She did not deign to answer that comment with more than a cynical smile and a short reply.

"Talk away."

Shinichi followed her as she, without waiting for him to continue, picked up her satchel and jacket. Even though she pretended not to, she couldn't help but notice her friend had a slight limp as he started after her.

"So... I hear you're head of the Science Club now? I must admit I never thought you would sign up to Teitan High-School, let alone join the Science Club. Aren't you qualified to work in some research joint or something?"

"It was that or die of boredom. As fun as chemical experiments in the professor's lab are, it doesn't beat interaction with other people my age." She grinned, purposefully ignoring the last bit of his response. She had no wish to have people boss her around on what she should be researching any more. "I thought you told me you had quit the Football Club?"

At this she stopped. They were in front of the lockers, and she was ready to put her scuffs away. But she didn't. Shiho had stopped to look at Shinichi, at the mark on his face. She had seen some of the youths in the football club. It didn't take much imagination to figure out what had caused the red scuff mark on his cheekbone.

"I heard that Sonoko has invited you to sleep over tonight?" Clever sidestep of the topic, Kudo. Clever.

"Now where did you hear that I wonder?" It wasn't a topic she felt like talking about, much. She slammed her locker door and slipped on her shoes.

"Ran told me."

Ah.

"She seemed so thrilled that Sonoko had invited the two of you over. I hope you're not going to disappoint her by not turning up..."

Now what was that supposed to mean? As if it mattered to him, whether she got on with his girl and her friend or not... She turned to ask him as much, but remained careful not to show the true motive of her unwillingness to go.
"What do you care? And even if I don't show up, I'm sure Suzuki-chan has lots of other friends coming over... It's not as if I'd be missed."

"Ran is..." Shinichi stalled, obviously realizing he didn't want to use whatever approach he'd just began. He quickly chose another one. "Let's just say that Sonoko isn't like that okay? She may seem like the kind to organize big parties, but more often than not, she only invites people she really trusts home. Believe me I've been confused about this before. Everyone knows she's the daughter of the rich Suzuki Corporation, but I don't think half the girls in the class have ever been to her home... Except that once for her 13th birthday, but that turned out to be a-..."

"Alright, alright! I get it!" If she hadn't interrupted him, who knows how long he could have gone on for? Shiho remembered some of his rants on the Suzuki's daughter from when they had been Edogawa and Haibara. Sometimes she wondered what could have caused such active sniping in between the two.

"Now if you've finished patronizing me?" She said, pulling out a handkerchief from her pocket. "You need to stop that bleeding on your cheek. You look like someone's been at you with a knife. Not that it'd be the first time, mind you..."

"Tch... Don't worry." He grinned recklessly as he brushed at the cut on his face. He was good. He hardly winced. "I should have known that with Hondou in the Football session there would have been flying shoes involved. For once I got my own back though!"

Shiho did not want to find out the details. Shinichi's smirk was scary enough.

The two were spared a lull in their conversation by the sound of Shinichi's phone vibrating. Apologetically, he answered the incoming call. The name of inspector Megure was all Shiho needed to understand what the call was about... And for once, she had the choice on whether she should get involved or not. She took the obvious option and waved a goodbye at Kudo as she left the building.

As she was walking home to professor Agasa's house, she idly wondered whether there had been some ulterior motive in Kudo's wish to talk with her. Maybe there'd been some topic the phone call prevented him from broaching? Please let it not be something to do with the black organisation, again. Chances were he would try to come and see her to discuss it later that evening. That did not sound like an appealing program.

"Maybe..." She thought out loud. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea for me to go over to Suzuki-san's tonight."

She hadn't planned on going, due to various issues. It was, however, a much more appealing prospect to spending an evening talking about the criminal organisation she was so busy trying to forget. Especially since most of the key members were either dead or behind bars by then.

Miyano Shiho checked her watch. Good, she should have the time for a quick shower before going over.

By then she had forgotten about her memories of long flowing hair.