Day 5. Secret: One Rainy Afternoon

There are secrets that need to be revealed to move forward. [CoAi] [ShinShi]

Part 2. One Rainy Afternoon
"Maybe I..?"

"Jeez, Kudo-kun, you're making this more uncomfortable than it should be!"

Miyano Shiho asks herself why she's subjecting herself to this torture. Then she remembers the kids. She decides she's just annoyed at the squirming and fidgeting detective with her. "Stop being weird! You idiot!"

"What?! I'm not being weird!"

"Then stop fidgeting and come closer!"

"We're fine! This is fine! I'm carrying it well already!"

Shiho wonders why, of all days, today it had to rain, and today the professor had to forget the kids' diorama, and today, the only one who could help her carry the entire thing from the parking lot to the school without it being wet is this godforsaken idiot who probably thinks she'd molest him if he went within a 10-meter radius. Just because she told him she liked him a bit. Well, she didn't say it that way exactly… but it doesn't change the fact he's being a complete idiot right now!

She replies acerbically, "No, you're not carrying this well! Get under the umbrella, moron!"

At this, he blushes, and almost squeaks, "I-I'll be fine, I don't get sick quick…"

Shiho, incensed, practically shouts, "Who cares about you? The diorama is getting wet!"

Even more embarrassed now, he shouts back, "Well, who cares about you too?!" He scoots closer to her.

Almost too close, for both of them, but neither notice. Their arms touching, cheeks heating up, it's suddenly silent except for the sound of rain around them, and against their umbrella. But is it really the heavy pitter-patter of rain, or something else pounding? They continue walking, just looking straight ahead.

Did the walk last long? Or short? They don't know themselves but soon they find themselves reaching the lobby where they're supposed to meet the kids and professor. Wordlessly, they get in the shelter. Shiho places the bag with the tiny models for the kids' display on the floor, then closes the umbrella and puts it on the rack. Shinichi places the diorama down and stretches his arms—and tries to calm himself from whatever that was that just happened by wondering what the hell the kids used for it to weigh so heavy.

Thinking himself calm enough to look at her-seriously, even he doesn't know what's up with himself—he turns to see that she has picked up the bag again, and is now checking on the status of its contents. Her right side is completely drenched. He feels like an idiot not walking beside her closer sooner. It's just sharing an umbrella. Nothing to feel so bothered about.

"Haibara, your hair," he says.

"Hmm?" Eyes wide, she replies, as if she had been lost in her thoughts and just remembered he was there.

"It's—well, just let me." He gives up trying to point the locks of hair the rain has disheveled and reaches towards her. She takes a half-step backward, but he reaches her first, and pats down her hair.

He does it a few times, and then some more—not because he likes it! It's just for good measure!—before he steps back and admires his work with a smug smile. When he does, he sees Shiho staring intensely on the floor, with cheeks so pink, biting on her lower lip, and he's just—

He can feel the blood rushing to his head. Something's wildly beating in his chest, and he can't hear the rain anymore.

"A—a—ah-choo!"

Shiho and Shinichi, startled, both still red-faced, turn towards the source of the sound—behind the lockers. There, Agasa-hakase is smiling knowingly, and Ayumi and Mitsuhiko are glaring at Genta, who has snot coming from his nose after he sneezed.

Shinichi reacts first, "Right. Gotta go. Nice to see everyone!" He runs outside, and the view of his back gets smaller and smaller until his figure has disappeared from view.

Shiho rolls her eyes, and mutters under her breath, "Idiot."

The sky is laden with heavy clouds. Rain continues to fall.

But it's warm inside.