Four long hours later, the two, tense teenagers sat in the cinema watching the movie Heiji generously let Kazuha choose while trying hard to ignore all the kissing couples around them.

Kazuha had managed to find something to wear after all but it had taken her longer than planned. However, Heiji had waited patiently for the additional half hour that had made them almost late for the movies. While Kazuha was impressed that he didn't complain about her being late with even one word, Heiji was occupied by thoughts of how nice she looked tonight and that maybe he should take her out more often if she always got this pretty for him. He really loves the sound of that, her making herself even more pretty only for him.

Under the watchful eyes of Toyama senior they had left her place. Later, Kazuha told him that her father had been elated when she had told him they were going on a date but Heiji had never felt more uneasy around him than at this night while waiting in the same room with him for her to finish.

On their way, he told her, blushing and with quiet voice, how nice she looked tonight, causing Kazuha to smile at him broadly. This time taking the initiative herself, she had tentatively reached out for his hand without saying another word. At that point, both had felt perfectly at peace with the world...whereas now...

Kazuha flinched a little as a moan errupted from behind her. Embarrassed, she sank more fully into her chair and tried to ignore the sounds of the other couples. Secretly she scolded herself for not chosing to watch the new Disney movie because the chance to encounter amorous couples there was certainly close to zero.

Heiji glanced inconspicuously at her a couple of times. He could feel her tension and uneasiness almost physically. He had to admit all the background noises were more than disturbing but he was more concerned about her. It was their first date, after all. She was supposed to have fun tonight and enjoy herself so much she would consider going out with him again but if this went on...

Not paying much attention to the movie, his mind was working hard to form a plan to make her feel more comfortable while at the same time trying desperately to stop thinking about kissing her. But that was a really difficult task because kissing Kazuha was something he had now wanted to do for a very long time and at the moment, the urge seemed unbearable. Also, the more he forced himself to not think about it, the more he did. The couples around them didn't really help ease his desires down and he caught himself a couple of times staring at her lips.

But, like during those other times he didn't seem able to muster the courage to do so and it made him crazy, for usually, Heiji was not scared of anything! He was a detective after all! If Kudo knew about this... Heiji shuddered. Let's just say, it was certain that he was never going to live that down.

After half an hour of watching her sit there awkwardly and trying to get in motion, he sighed dramatically, giving up. He slid closer to her on the chair and she raised her head to look at him surprised. Carefully but in one fluid and smooth movement as so not to lose his nerves, the arm facing her rendered itself useful for the first time and placed itself around her shoulders.

Heiji held his breath in anticipation, only now realizing that there was a possibility she could refuse his attention and even get mad at him. But before panic had the chance to make him run out of the cinema screaming and fumbling with his arms like a madman, he felt the air knocked out of his lungs as she smiled at him beautifully and leaned her upperbody against his side. Turning back to stare at the screen without really watching what was going on there, the detective smiled, for the time being really proud with himself.

The rest of the date went by way too fast but extremely pleasant for both young adults. The remaining of the movie had been bearable as they didn't leave their new found position, both enjoying the closeness between them. Afterwards, Heiji invited Kazuha to dinner, then walked her home and they didn't fight one single time.

A little more confident but still with heated cheeks, he had taken her hand along the way and was ecstatic when she didn't pull away but laced her fingers through his. All in all, their date turned out to be as perfect as he had hoped it would be. It seemed like it couldn't get any more perfect.

At least, it would be perfect if he would finally make the move and kiss her! This thought was occupying his head completely and thus making him appear more 'thoughtful' than he usually was which left Kazuha wondering if she was doing something wrong.

Therefore, it was not surprising that when they finally stopped in front of her door like they had earlier that day, both unexperienced young people were pretty tense, uneasy and confused about the further process of the evening. They stood there awkwardly, looking around and only occasionally at the other and when their looks met, they'd blush and look away.

His head was screaming at him to just get it over with and kiss her if he ever wanted to achive inner peace while a different part of him told him that he was a huge idiot and would probably ruin everything and make her want to never talk to him again. Either way, he was trapped.

"Eh..." Heiji started to break the silence that was filled with tension neither of them could bear any longer. The problem was that he had no idea what to say. Slowly, he let go of her hand and turned his body to face her. "W-well, I probably should...i-it was a really nice evening."

"Yeah, I enjoyed it very much. Thank you." Kazuha said quietly, feeling her cheeks darken and looked at her feet as she thanked him for more than just the invitation.

"You are welcome." He looked over her head and then back at the ground, hands balled to fists in his pockets.

'Kiss her, kiss her!' his mind was screaming but he was too terrified of the consequences. But since when was he such a horrible coward? HE? The famous detective of the...oh what the hell.

"I guess... I'll see you tomorrow." He said in one breath and forcefully made his legs move one step backwards instead of forward like his body was invisibly pulling him to.

A heavy ping of disappointment coursed through her body but she flashed him a smile and nodded. She didn't want to appear ungrateful or leave him worried because of her selfish wish to kiss him.

'But why didn't he kiss me?'

"Yes. Good night." As she looked at him standing there with his hands in pockets as usual, trying to look cool but not able to ban the nervousness from his eyes and expression, she couldn't help but find him adorable and thus, gift him with a real smile that shone through her.

Heiji was compelled to react to her radiant smile that he was sure could melt stones in a heartbeat. He nodded, his own happy smile now apparent. "Good night."

They stood there for another, long moment, smiling at each other until the situation once again became awkward. Without saying a word, she raised her hand to wave to him and slowly walked up the few stairs to the door. Quickly pulling his right hand out of its hiding place, he waved back and retreated slowly. She opened the door and shot a last look at her childhood friend who was walking home now, his feet kicking at something on the ground.

Kazuha quickly walked to her room, a happy feeling in her insides warming her up the whole time. She was incredibly happy about the amazing time she had spent with Heiji today but couldn't help wondering why he hadn't kissed her and couldn't help being disappointment. However, she knew he sometimes took longer for certain things so she decided not to worry about this and hoped he would gather his guts someday.

She quickly changed into her sleeping outfit that consisted of a soft grey, satin blouse and matching pants, washed her face, brushed her teeth and went back to her room. The date had left her in a romantic mood and she lit the violet lamp near her window as the only source of light in her room. Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she looked at the lamp a little before stretching her arms high up in the air and then falling backwards on her bed with a happy sigh.

Meanwhile, Heiji was almost at home, walking grumpily while constantly railing himself for being such a damn coward. The vision of her smiling face seemed to be irrevocably engraved in his head. He really wished he could kick his own ass.

'It would have been a perfect ending for the nice evening!' his heart told him for what seemed like the hundreth time.

'I know, I know!' his mind argued back half heartedly for the millionth time. 'But I couldn't!'

'Why not?'

'Easy! Because she...because I...b-because we c-couldn't...well...'

Heiji stopped in midstep, shocked at the realization that suddenly, every reason he had used before seemed totally stupid and irrelevant. Like a lame excuse he made up to not do it because he was scared.

Scared? Hattori Heiji? W-what???

His eyebrow twitched. He turned around and started running back where he came from, his heart smiling with a triumphant expression that clearly said: I told you so!

A couple of minutes later, Heiji was standing under what he knew was Kazuha's window and he was relieved to see a small light behind the curtains.

The way her father looked at him this evening, as if he was stealing his most precious possession right from under his nose, still very vividly in his mind made him think over his original plan to call out her name until she heard him and opened the window. He looked around him and bent to collect a few pebbles. After the sixth small stone collided with her window, she drew back the curtain to look down at the street.

He could see her eyebrows raise in surprise as she pulled back to open the window before sticking her head outside. "Heiji? What are you doing here?"

"I just...I..." his eyebrows drew themselves together. Before he could change his mind and back down again, he took a hold of the low branches of the tree right under her window, rather convenient as he found, and climbed up to her. The last time he had done this was a couple of years ago. They had loved to play with the tree when they were younger. Whenever she was grounded for something that he did, Heiji would come and keep her company to make up for it. Sometimes they would even sneak out this way to go to play.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternal, neverending way, he had reached her and climbed up the last bit to come face to face with his childhood friend. Holding on to the trunk of the tree and one branch, he grinned at her cockily.

"Hi."

"Eh..hi. W-what-?" She started confused but he cut her off.

"I just forgot something very important." His grin never left his face.

Kazuha only continued to look confused at him. "What? I don't remember you forgo-"

Before she could finish what she wanted to say, he cut her off, again. But this time, he didn't use words. He just pushed his body forward and pressed his lips to hers before she could react.

The detective felt uneasy as the only reaction he got from her was that her body stiffened. But then he had to supress the urge to thrust his fist in the air in triumph and scream out delighted as she leaned her head down and kissed him back.

It was their first, real kiss and it was sweeter than either had dreamed of. It ended way too soon and Heiji slowly pulled his head back, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. His eyes met hers and he noticed with satisfaction the equally happy smile on her face.

"Well, that's it then. Goodnight." He meant to climb back down, his eyes already searching for the next branch to step on but she held him back with a sudden outburst of his name. He looked at her confused, only now noticing that his own cheeks were burning and probably as red as hers.

"What?"

She beckoned him closer with a motion of her finger, a small grin apparent on her lips. He grinned in return and leaned again upwards to meet her easier. "Yeah?" he asked teasingly.

Kazuha giggled and with tender fingers took his face in her hands, her soft smile and heavy eyelids clearly mirrored by his face. Maybe she should say something, like how long she had waited for him to do that or how often she had dreamed about this but this moment felt simply perfect and romantic, even without words. Also, she believed that their looks of bliss said more than any large amount of words could.

She leaned down, catching his lips tenderly with hers in an endless sweet motion. Her heart started singing as she felt him lean into the kiss without a second of hesitation. Some time later, she pulled back, the grin still there.

"Good night then." she whispered, his face still securely in her hands.

He smiled and nodded slightly. "Sweet dreams."

Communicating mutely, they leaned in for a last, quick but endless gentle kiss, both enjoying the moment and each other to the limits.

As they pulled back, she let go of his face and straightened up a little. He gave her a last grin, then started to climb down. She watched him with a smile and wondered what he was doing when he suddenly climbed back up.

"Kazuha?" he burst out with her name quietly, his gaze a little troubled.

"Yes?" she answered.

"We can do this again, right?"

A gentle smile came over her features. "Yeah."

It didn't bother them that he hadn't specified what he was talking about, either. If he meant the date or the kiss since both belonged to their happiest memories so far. He flashed her a brilliant smile, nodded and this time climbed down the whole way.

Hands in his pockets in his cool manner, he turned a last time to see her look after him, waved with his hand, the superior smile still there and, as he found out, it wouldn't leave his face for a very, very long time.

Hattori Heiji, scared? Never!