"Truth or dare?"

"Dare!" Kaito Kuroba declared as he pounded down on the table, causing pieces of paper to flutter into the air and then settle down again. There were many things he did not want the brunette in front of him to know, but he was confident that no dare could ever daunt him. He was the legendary Kaitou Kid after all! There is nothing I can't do. Absolutely nothing!

"Kiss the fish!" Aoko Nakamori said simply.

"Nani?"

"Kiss. The. Fish," Aoko reiterated, deliberately accentuating every word.

Kaito looked down at the dead, stinking, LARGE fish in her hand and shuddered. There IS something I can't do after all. Darn okasan! How can she betray me, her very own son, and tell Aoko about my only weakness?

"Um, is there any other alternative?" Kaito asked meekly. Aoko grinned deviously. Somehow Kaito felt that Aoko had planned this all along.

"There is something else you can do, actually," Aoko replied, a mischievous glint playing in her eyes.

Uh oh, I have a bad feeling about this.

"I want you to go skating with me tonight!" Aoko exclaimed. Kaito practically fell from his chair. Skating happened to be the single other limitation he had, and he was not particularly eager to mortify himself in front of his secret crush. Does she HAVE to know so much about me?

"This is so unfair!" he protested, sulking.

"Ok then. I guess you would prefer to kiss this fish…" Aoko taunted as she thrust the fish slowly up to his face. Kaito gulped as the fish approached him, its thick fleshy lips seemed to pucker. Beads of perspiration materialised on his forehead.

"Fine fine!" he surrendered, unable to ignore its nauseating stench any more. "I'll go skating with you! Just tell me where and when!"

Aoko beamed triumphantly at her victory. It was not often that she trounced Kaito.

"Ekoda's skating rink. 7 o'clock tonight."

Kaito sighed glumly. It's going to be a long night……

--

Kaito's watch's hand seemed to swivel at the speed of lightning and before he knew it, it ticked 7 o'clock.

"Sickening watch! It must be broken!" he grumbled and leaned on a wall. He had already dressed for the occasion – fur-lined blue jacket, ear muffs, woollen gloves and most importantly, skating boots. He tapped his fingers against the wall impatiently. Where is she? I just want to get this over with!

"Gommen, I'm late!" a voice chirped. He looked up. Aoko was waving as she sprinted towards him, her purple scarf trailing behind her with her long, wavy hair. She looked adorable, her fur cap framing her delicate features and her glass-like azure eyes sparkling in the cold. Kaito's heart skipped a beat.

"It's ok," he said lamely, all his anger dissolving as she linked her arms in his.

"Let's go!" Aoko urged and towed him into the mildly crowded skating rink, Kaito following dreamily behind her. He was still fantasising about Aoko, which, immediately discontinued when he slipped on the ice, nearly dragging Aoko with him as well.

"Itai!" he cried out, massaging his bruised butt. Aoko giggled at his dishevelled state.

"You're really terrible at this, aren't you?" she teased, revelling in the moment when she, the typical high school teen girl, outshone him, the star pupil and most popular –not to mention attractive – adolescent at school.

"I'm leaving," Kaito pouted and started to get up, only to tumble down again. Another fit of chuckles ensued.

Kaito crouched to a corner and crossed his arms tetchily. He was even incapable of leaving! But then, he knew this would happen. But why must SHE be the one to see me in this awful shape?

Aoko ceased her chortling at his look. She smiled gently.

"Come on, Kaito. I'll teach you how to skate," she coaxed and offered a gloved hand to him. Kaito turned his head away with a huff. Aoko knelt down beside him.

"Come on! Be a sport," she pressed on, rocking Kaito. He yielded. He could never resist Aoko's pleading voice.

"Oh, alright. But I warn you, if you laugh at me one more time, I'm leaving," he acquiesced petulantly.

"I promise," Aoko said and repressed a smile at Kaito's childish attitude. "Now take my hand."

Kaito took her hand in his and rose up, delighted to find that he was no longer tripping.

"Slowly, take a step out," Aoko coached.

Kaito followed her instructions. He extended a leg, only to start wobbling. Intuitively, he clutched Aoko's hand tightly to balance himself. Both of them blushed marginally.

"I, er, I'll try again," Kaito hastily stuttered. Loosening his grip on her hand, he took another stride, this time more stable. Encouraged, he paced on, quickening his footsteps, Aoko gliding beside him.

"You've got it, you've got it!" she cheered enthusiastically. "Now, try sliding on the ice for some time before taking another step."

Kaito did as he was told, never releasing Aoko's hand for fear of stumbling. He slid, further and further and suddenly – he realized he was skating!

"Aoko, I did it! I did it!" he shouted exuberantly. He, the dunce at skating, was actually sliding on the ice as if he had been doing it his entire life! In his ecstasy, he pulled Aoko towards him. Surprised, Aoko pirouetted straight into his lap.

Her breath hitched, feeling Kaito's excited heart hammering against her and she withdrew from him instantly, slithering a few inches away. Now the both of them were reddening furiously.

"I, um, that was-" Kaito stammered. Sure, he had seen Aoko's underwear thousands of time before, but their torsos had never been in that close proximity before. It was a strange – but amazing – sensation.

Aoko shivered.

"Are you cold?" he inquired anxiously, skating towards her. "Here." Kaito wrapped her in his warm embrace, much to Aoko's embarrassment – and bliss. She did enjoy Kaito's warmth and his strong limbs around her trembling figure.

"Doumo," she murmured softly. An awkward silence proceeded as it began to snow around them, white miniscule flecks resting on them and therefore coating them. The other skaters started leaving.

"Uh, Kaito?" Aoko finally said when she had mustered up enough pluck.

"Hmm?"

"Truth or dare?"

Kaito looked down to the quivering girl in his arms. An exquisite snowflake rested on her dark brown bangs, rendering her all the more endearing.

"Truth," he whispered, finally ready to divulge something about himself to her.

"What do you feel about me?" Aoko mumbled in a barely audible voice, but Kaito could hear her very clearly. He lifted her head and gazed profoundly into those mesmerising cerulean orbs, watching as her whole visage flushed beet-red appealingly.

"Ah… Forget the ques-" she started saying but was abruptly halted by a finger on her cherry lips.

"But I want to answer," he said, never breaking eye contact. He magicked a crimson rose out of thin air, inclined down, brushed her silky strands away and placed the rose behind her ear.

"I love you, Nakamori Aoko," he whispered into her ear, his hot breath prickling Aoko's chilly skin. Kaito fidgeted a little, suddenly unsure of himself. It was not easy for him to say those words out loud.

A charming smile blossomed on her face. She searched in Kaito's eyes, as if not sure if he was telling the truth. Kaito had always been a lady charmer.

At last, she seemed assured at the sincerity shining in his pure blue eyes.

"I love you too, Kaito Kuroba."

The lovers closed their eyes as they sealed their lips together, snow encircling them.

For that moment, Kaito did not feel like anyone extraordinary such as Kaitou Kid. He was just Kaito Kuroba. A simple teenager. A boy who clowned around. A boy who flipped a girl's skirt. A boy who played magic.

A boy who was madly in love with Aoko Nakamori.