Chapter Three: The Red Invitation (Part Five)

Shinichi's POV

We stopped on a wide balcony located outside the wide room. I put my hands in my pocket as I don't let myself to be consumed by pure nervousness.

Ran's back is facing me. Her hair is dazzling in the light as it flows down her back. She is wearing a red dress, going down her ankles.

I sighed. "So, what are we going to--" She turned around and suddenly, she pounced at me and hug me. I stilled in my position. "R-Ran..."

"Idiot, why did you appear now? You're really an idiot!" Her hug is tightening by a second. "I missed you. I really, really missed you so much, idiot," she said. I could feel wetness in the crook of my neck.

I'm still shocked. "Ran..."

She looked at me. Her eyes are red now. Tears falling down her eyes. "I missed you, idiot."

I looked at her intently. I jsut realized that I'm oblivious to what she feels this past two years without any Shinichi by her side. I am always there for her, but as Conan only. I suddenly felt jealousy on Conan. Why could I just be back to normal?

I wrapped my arm around her waist and dry her tears. "Shh... Don't cry. I'm here now."

"Of course I will cry! You didn't appear in two years and now, you're here," she sobbed and a smile formed on her lips, "I'm glad I see you again."

"Ran..."

"How is your case in States?"

"G-Good," I lie.

"Why did you come back to Tokyo? I thought--"

"I came back to Tokyo a year ago," I lied once again. "My case was finished there. I jsut wanted to come back here."

"But why didn't I see you came back on your house?"

"I am living in an apartment," I lied again. "Y-You can't visit there. The place is dangerous. I don't want you to be hurt."

"Okay. I won't go there," she said and leaned into me. Our lips was an inch closer. "I love you, Shinichi."

That made me smile. "I love you too, Ran," I said.

She kissed me on the lips. It was just a couple of second before we pulled away.

She laughed. "Well, that's unexpected," she said and put her head on my chest. "Shinichi," she called.

"Hmm?"

"I understand you." She looked at me in the eyes. "I understand why you left me. I know I'm being too selfish for myself. I wanted you to be only by my side. I guess it kinda hurts wuen you told me that you'll come back but it takes two years for you to be here." She chuckled bitterly. "I wanted you to choose between me and the case you're on but I onow you'll not choose me because you're a detective, right?"

I sadly looked at her. "Ran, that's not tr--"

"It's the truth, Shinichi." She smiled. "I know you love me but you love your career more. I know it's not that you love money. You just love yoyr work and that's it. I understand. I really do. *Her eyes are becoming glassy again. "I will understand you over and over again even though it hurts me emotionally."

"Ran, I--"

"I did not get tired thinking of you day by day, Shinichi. I really love you that much. I'll make a fool of myself if I stand in front of you right now, being cold because you never appeared in those two years. But, I'm glad that you appeared again." She caressed my cheek and gave small circles on it with her thumb. Hee eyes are looking at me so softly. "You really made me the victim, Shinichi. You made ne the victim of your love and you're the culprit who stole this victim's heart."

"So, I'm a thief now huh? What about like this? You are the thief who stole my heart and I am the officer who caught you and locked you in my prison."

She laughed. "Now, that's corny."

"Hey, I am just trying to make you laugh."

"You do?" she smiled and gave me a peck on the lips. "Well, you sure did it."

Suddenly, what Kid said flashed in my mind. "Ran," I called her.

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Ran, in the past two years, the truth is that I--"

Suddenly, the whole place became pure black. Even the balcony we're in is completely blackout.

Third Person's View

"Damn it!" Heiji said as the lights turned off suddenly. Worried filled him when he thinks of Kazuha. "Kazuha! Kazuha!" he shouted as he stayed in his position. Damn it. Where are you, Kazuha?

While on the other hand, Sonoko, Makoto, and Sera are all calm when it became all dark.

"Eh? The lights turned off? Did they turn off the lights for some reason?" Sonoko asked curiously as she looked up.

Her eyes widened as a hand covered her mouth and pulled her to the the darkness.

Makoto and Sera were oblivious of what happened. They kept looking cautiously to the dark room.

"Heiji! Heiji!" Kazuha shouted. Kazuha kept on shouting Heiji's name until a hand suddenly wrapped around her wrist.

She suddenly became alert. She puts her hand in the mysterious person's hand and twisted it. Her eyes widened as she heard the groan of the mysterious person. She quickly pulled her hand away as the person slowly became clear to her sight.

"Heiji," she called and ran towards him. "I'm so sorry. So sorry."

"Damn it. You're one of a hell alert girl, Kazuha," Heiji said and groaned as he tried to move his right hand. "Great. Now, my right hand could not move properly because of you, idiot."

"Hey, it's your fault! You suddenly grabbed my wrist!" she exclaimed and she became worried as she saw Heiji groaned again. She looked at him softly while she carefully caressed Heiji's, wrist. "Is it really hurts?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry. I'll handle it once the lights turned on," Kazuha said, still caressing Heiji's wrist softly. "Don't move it too much. It might damage your wrist if you keep trying on moving it."

Heiji could only nod in response. He is still perplexed of Kazuha's sudden mood. He just let her be as she continues to caress his wrist. Suddenly, he heard a torn of some fabric.

"W-What are you doing?" he asked.

"Don't worry. I just ripped off my fabric's dress," she answered as she wrapped the fabric around Heiji's wrist. "We have no aids in here so this should do it temporarily." She tied it. "There. Perfect."

"K-Kazuha, will you be alright? I mean, your dress are torn now."

In the darkness, Heiji saw Kazuha smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. The dress is cheap and it is the least of my concern. For now, what's important is your condition, Heiji."

Heiji knew the dress is not cheap. They bought it together. It is really a good quality dress. Kazuha really has her own guts.

"Osaka Boy!" someone called from the distance. Heiji and Kazuha looked to see who is it.

"Kid!" Heiji called.

Kazuha's eyes widened. "Kid?! Is he really the--"

"There's no time to explain, miss," Kid said as he handed two eyeglasses like what proffessors use. It has a green lense. "Put that on," he said as he put one on to himself. "It's a night vision. It could help you see in the dark."

They both nodded. Kazuha put the eyeglass to Heiji's and put the eyeglass to herself.

As Kazuha puts it in her eyes, her vision suddenly became clear in the dark. She is seeing the whole room brightly that you could not even notice that a blackout happened.

~~~

Ran felt someone grabbed her hair and she was being pulled back away from Shinichi. Her arms automatically swapped away on Shinichi's neck.

"Shinichi!" is the first thing she shouted as she tried to get her hair out of the person's grasp.

In the dark, Ran glanced that the person is carrying a knife in its hand.

She reached for her heels. It doesn't have any clips in it that could lock to the ankles. She took one of her heels and move fast on targeting the hand of the person which is holding her hair. She never been so much alert when she felt that her hair is falling free down her back again as soon as she stood up properly.

She saw the person stopped running and turned to look back at her. She couldn't see the whole image. She could only see the blurry body of the person and its eyes looking at her, shocked. The knife in the person's hand was now gripped tightly and was ready to pounce it to her any minute.

Ran closed her eyes and stay alert as she readied herself to defense once the person attacks. And she was right.

She felt a pressure on her left, making her flutter her eyes open and put her arm on the side right away. As soon as she felt the person's arm, she grab its wrist and twisted it. The knife fell and the person groaned as it stepped back.

Ran still remained on her position and closed her eyes. She felt the pressure in the front. Her eyes flutter open and forze for a second when she saw the person's facd clearly. She immediately jumped ti the side and let the person fell to her previous position.

She shouted as she twisted her left foot and turned. Then, she curved right like a hook and stretched it forwards when it reached the person's nape. Still shouting, she add pressure to the kick. She heard the person groaned in pain.

She stood straight and feel the pressure again to see if she left the person unconscious or not. Once she was sure that the coast was clear, she walked but abruptly stopped when she just saw pure darkness in front of her.

On that time, she felt afraid. Her knees are wobbling in fear. She wanted to cry but she is holding it back. She wanted to whimper but she bit her lip. All she did was shout her childhood friend's name.

~~~

"Shinichi!" Shinichi heard Ran shouted after a many minutes of silencd

"Ran! Where are you?!" he shouted back. He is using the light from his phone as he ran back and forth towards the darkness. Shinichi could not felt fear right now. He is worried about Ran. "Ran!"

Shinichi didn't hear an answer. The fear he had for Ran is increasing. Damn it! He is now frustrated that he could find Ran.

He continued to walk through the dark when he suddenly tripped. Chest first before his forehead. His phone is still in his hand luckily. He immediately stand but soon head down when a foot attack attacked him suddenly.

"Yeeks!!" he exclaimed as he felt the fast movement of the foot up on his head. His hair was barely cut by the heavy foot.

"Ah, Shinichi." He looked up to see Ran looking at him. Her foot is still on the air. "It's you."

"Yeah, right. You almost got me there." He looked back and flashed the light to where he tripped. He was petrified when he saw an unconscious man lying on the floor. He looks at it questioningly.

As if Ran reads his mind, she answered, "That's the person that grabbed me. He attacked me so I just defend myself."

Shinichi's jaw dropped. "You did this?"

"It's no big deal actually." Ran shrugged. "I just hit the vital parts, Shinichi. It just made him unconscious."

"How much hours will he be like that?"

"Maybe six hours or so. If he could take it well, he might even be unconscious for the last couple of minutes, but looking to it, he looks lame and weak for that attack."

"Yeah, yeah. You are the great one in karate now, Mouri Ran-chan," Shinichi teased. Ran glared at him but he didn't notice it because he looked on the darkness around them. "We need to find the others." He looked at her. "Use your phone's light and..." He lend her hand in front of her. "...hold my hand."

Ran nodded and took her phone out of the bag she had. She turned the flashlight on and together, they walk to the darkness with their only light.

~~~

Kazuha, Heiji, and Kaito ran towards the position of Sera and Makoto. Heiji go to Makoto while Kazuha go to Sera.

"Sera-chan!" she called. Sera, without any night vision eyeglasses on, turned to look at her without hesitation.

She saw her frowned. "Friend of Ran?" Sera asked. "How did you get here?"

"Kid," Kazuha called Kaito in a whisper and lend her hand to him. Kaito nodded and took out one of the eyeglasses. He gave it to Kazuha. She put it on to Sera. "There. That's the reason why I got here."

"This has a night vision," Sera said and looked at Kaito. "Wait. Kaito, right? Maybe the old man made this."

Kaito's eyes widened to the statement of Sera. How did she know? Kaito laughed nervously. "A-Ah, y-yeah."

"Where's Hattori-kun?" Sera asked Kazuha, completely looking at her.

"He handled Suzuki-san's boyfrined. For now, let's--"

Kazuha's statement cut off when the lights suddenly turned on and a shout was being heard to the left top of the room.

Kazuha, Heiji, Kaito, and Sera took off the glasses at the same time as they looked up. Their eyes widened as fear crept over them.

Damn it! Sera and Heiji cursed to their minds.

"Suzuki-san!" Kazuha shouted.

"Sonoko!" Makoto shouted.

Kaito looked to Sonoko. A drop of sweat fell to his forehead. This is bad. Metantei, where are you when we need you?

Suddeenly, as if it is a magic, Shinichi and Ran appeared to that spot. Their eyes were focused to Sonoko and the person who is holding her.

Sonoko opened one of her eyes and looked at Ran. "Ran... Help me..." she said faintly, could barely talk by the way the person's arms were wrapped around her neck.

"Sonoko," Ran whispered as she looks so worried to her friend.

"Kazuha!" Heiji called. "You know what to do."

At first, Kazuha frowned but then umderstood what Heiji and nodded. "Ran-chan, Sera-chan," she called the two girls. They averted theur gaze to Kazuha. "Let's go."

"For what?"

Kazuha go to them and whispered, "Let's take a sudden attack."

"I heard you." Kazuha, Sera, and Ran turned their heads at Kaito. He has a grin on his lips. "Well, it is interesting though."

"Kid," Kazuha whispered, enough to not hear by the two girls, "Can you lend a help at least? Like shooting the man or something."

"Oh, I would be glad to do that, m'lady," he said and bowed before looking at Kazuha with a knowing smirk on his lips. "Bye." Then, he left to run to the bathroom.

"What's that boy's problem? Eavesdropping to our conversation," Sera complained, crossing her arms.

"No time for complaining," Ran said and looked at Sonoko, whose still in the brink of her death. "We need to go upstairs as much as possible."

"Aah!!!" A shout being heard from the distance. Their group looked to see what is it. The woman looks terrified lookin to a corpse lying near her. "My husband," she murmured before she snapped unconscious.

There's another shout and another and another and another. Heiji's and Shinichi's ears were too sharp to catch those shouts.

"There's five shouts..." - Shinichi

"...and five corpses lying on the ground." -Heiji.

Shinichi looked at Heiji and the latter nodded. "I think our hunch is certainly wrong, Kudo."

"Two women and three men died. That means every gender needs to have three people being killed. Three for women, three for men," Shinichi explained.

"Three men died but there's only two women found dead," Heiji complied. Their eyes slowly widened as they look to each other with the same thought. "It can't be..."

They looked at Sonoko who's still struggling to get out of the killer's grasp.

Suddenly, a smoke popped out of nowhere near the ceiling. Shinichi knew it so well that someone pulled a trick upon their sleeve. As the smoke slowly minimized, a man dressed in white appeared.

Shinichi formed a smile on his lips. Popping up the chandelier huh, Kid. He thought.

As soon as Kid stepped onto the thin part of the chandelier, he slowly looked to the man holding Sonoko, thinking of a plan to shoot him perfectly and to make the three girls make their move.

Alright. Let's get this show started.

"Yo, killer!" Kid greeted to the person holding Sonoko.

"Kaito Kid," the person said. "Never expecting you would appear in the scene. Why are you here? Stealing another jewel?"

"Well, yes," he answered, making Shinichi confused. Does he knew something I don't?

The person smirked. "Then, I should give you a good luck then."

"Well, perhaps I would say thank you..." Kid pulled his gun to the side and target it towards the killer. "...if you hand me over the jewel."

All people stayed silent as they watched them. "W-What are you talking about?"

He smirked. "You know what I mean," he said. "The jewel that I am trying to steal tonight..." He slowly pulled the trigger of his gun. "...is Suzuki Sonoko!"

The card bullet shoot rapidly towards the person's arm wrapped around Sonoko's neck. It burns a lot on the skin like a real bullet just hit your skin. The culprit pulled his arm away from Sonoko's neck, making Sonoko shout as she felt the pressure pushing her down.

She closed her eyes tight as she waits for her death to come until someone wrapped their arms on her back and legs. She fluttered her eyes open and saw her boyfriend.

"Makoto-san," she said, tears starting to form on her eyes.

Makoto smiled at her. "I'm here now."

Sonoko's eyes filled up with tears. She hugged Makoto. "It's scary, Makoto. It's scary," she said, her lips are trembling in fear as she felt the fear crept into her so late. Then, she fainted.

Makoto carried her towards the nearest seat and made her sit there. He guarded her while looking at the scene.

"Go!" Kaito shouted as he made the culprit left empty of a victim.

The three girls take their move. Ran was the first one to move. She shouted first before running fast to the killer.

The killer pulled a gun out of his back and target his gun towards Ran. He shoot a bullet on her. Ran was quick to dodge it.

Shinichi told her many things like how much hour would a bullet been through a person based on the gun they used.

Ran came to the killer quick and kicked the gun out of the killer's hand. The killer dropped to gun to the floor and became unbalanced.

The killer looked to the other side and Kazuha was so near to him. He plunged his knife towards Kazuha but she was to quick to dodge hus attack. She grab his wrist and twisted it, then she put the person in the air and immediately get busted on the floor.

The killer groaned but immediately got up and ran towards the stairs. Sera had been waiting for the killer to come. She twisted her foot and attacked but soon, she found herself being dragged away from her position and trashed her to the floor.

"Damn it!" Sera shouted as she punched the ground. Her side is hurting pretty bad because of the impact.

Kazuha and Ran ran towards her. "Sera, sre you okay?" Ran asked.

"Yeah. Just a little pain in my side but I'm fine," she said. "Go! Get the killer! He might escaped!"

The killer ran away. He descended to the stairs as he grabbed another knife from his back. "Move away!" he said as he swayed the knife on the air.

Ran and Kazuha ran down the stairs as they followed the killer to the crowd. Many people made a path for the killer, feared they will die once they interrupt. But one woman is walking passed the path that was made by the crowd. She is oblivious of what's happening.

She is wearing a cocktail dress with her hair flowing down her back. She is holding a wine glass on her hand when the killer suddenly ran towards her direction, making her looked at him and abruptly stopped in front of him with the most innocent face in the world.

She screamed as the killer suddenly pulled her by the arm and choked her neck. He put the knife near the skin of her neck. The wine glass made a shattering sound as it fell down the floor neae the woman's feet.

The woman puts her hand to the man's arm and tried to escape. "Let go of me, you bastard!" she shouted. She forcedly trying to get the man's arm out of her neck. "You are choking me, jerk!"

"Don't move! All of you!" The man said, ignoring the woman's statement completely, as he pointed the knife towards the people. "Don't make a move or else..." He puts the poijt of the knife back at the woman's neck. "...or I'll kill this girl."

On the other hand, Kaito froze to where he is standing. He could barely breathe as he saw the victim on the killer's hand. His fist clenched.

"Let her go!" he shouted at the man. The man only grinned at him while he is looking pale.

"Oh, the thief is concerned. Perhaps, this is your wife?" The killer move the knife more closer to her neck. "Should I kill her?" He chuckled. "But it was no fun if I would not see your palce face right now, Phantom Thief. Never thought that Kaito Kid will be weak in one woman."

Damn it! Kaito's fist clenched even more. His nails are digging deep to his white gloves. He could feel its sharpness through his skim nut that's the least of his concern now. He must save the woman.

The woman looked up at him. Eyes were begging for him. "Kaito..." He could not hear what the girl said but he perfectly knew that she just said her name.

His eyes is just looking to the girl. "Aoko..." he whispered. "Hang on."

He saw Aoko smiled and weakly nod in response. Kid looked at Shinichi.

"Metantei!" he shouted at him, making Shinichi snapped his head to Kid. "Do something!"

At that time, Shinichi came out with a plan. He looked at Heiji, who nodded at him. He nodded back and looked back again to monitor the killer and Aoko.

Heiji, on the other hand, sneakily grabbed one of the mops in the janitor's. "Let me borrow this one for a moment. Thank you," he said before running towards the killer.

The killer looked at him with wide eyes as he ran towards him. The killer was about to slit Aoko's throat when he saw Heiji disappeared from his sight.

"W-Where is--"

"Yo, killer." The killer's body run cold as he heard the boy's voice behind. He was near. He's literally near.

The next thing he knew, he felt a strong impact in his nape, making his head snapped back and made Aoko escaped from his grasp.

Kaito immediately jump to Aoko's position and was able to caught her in his arms. Aoko looked at him and smiled. "Kaito... You saved me."

"Owe it to Osaka Boy, Aoko," he said as he caressed her in a bridal style. "He saved you."

Aoko rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, that you're here." Kaito didn't answer and let Aoko rest.

While on the other hand, when Heiji snapped back the killer's head, Shinichi followed through. He used Conan's belt to access a soccer ball and without the power shoes, he kicked the ball forcedly towards the killer's face.

The killer's face turned sidewards and lay to the floor afterwards, unconsciously.

Shinichi sighed and smiled. Now, it's done. He looked at Sonoko and Makoto. Sonoko is conscious now. He looked at Kaito and Aoko. He smiled as he saw Kid is taking care of his girl.

Hmph. The cold Pahntom Thief jerk is really taking care of a woman now in front fo my eyes. He shook his head while the smile is still not leaving his lips. Unbelievable.

"Shinichi," he heard Ran called to him. He looked at her. "Why are you smiling like an idiot there?"

"N-Nothing," he said and cleared his throat. "Ran, could you call the Megure-kebu and an ambulance? This place need an analysis."

Ran nodded. "Sure," she said and then, took out her phone to call the police department and the hospital.

Kaito's POV

"Hey, Kid!" My whole body shivered as I heard the inspector's voice coming near. I looked back to see him running towards us with his subordinates.

"This is trouble," I whispered as I looked nervously at Aoko, whose frowning while looking at me right now.

"Kaito, what are you-- Aah, w-wait. What are you--"

"Hold tight, Aoko," I warned her. She looked at me confusingly. I didn't wait for her response and opened my hang glider and fly towards the large glass window.

"W-Wait a minute, Kaito!" She wrapped her arms around my neck immediately as we getting nearer to the glass window.

I am hearing the running footsteps of the Inspector Nakamori so I glanced back to see him running, with his subordinates, to our position.

I smirked at him. "I'll steal your daughter for a moment, Inspector Nakamori. Ja ne (Bye)," I said.

"Get ready, Aoko, and hold tight." Aoko hold tighter to my neck as we compleltely passed through the glass window. It broke. Luckily, the hang glider is now immortal to scratches and pointy objects.

As we fly in the midst of the night, the full moon shined bright as me and Aoko smiled as we looked at each other.