Chapter Two: Araide Tomoaki's Obsession

Shinichi's POV

"Mom, I told you so many times that I am fine here," I replied as I kept hearing my Mom's whines.

Kudo Yukiko, my Mom, always makes me a baby whenever there is a chance and one of the chances is this to prove my Mom's overacting worries.

"But, Shin-chan, I think you should really come with us for you to be back to your normal state. Ran-chan is probanly worried these days that she hadn't been receiving calls from Shin-chan."

I snorted. "Yeah, right. As if I would let that happen," I said with sarcasm. I am in my room right now.

"Oh, so you called Ran-chan everyday?"

"No. I am calling her once or twice a month," I lied.

I've been really calling her once a week for her to lessen her worries about me. And I really make sure that she didn't even notice that I was Shinichi all along that was stucked in a little boy's body and was staying with her all along as Edogawa Conan.

"Oh, really?" There's a silence on the line for a moment. "Sorry, Shin-chan. Me and your Dad track something here in America. Hope we could figure out of how to make you convince to come here."

"Mom!"

"Okay, fine! I get it! You want Ran-chan to be safe! I peefectly knew your reason! But be careful, honey. You might get in trouble."

I frowned. "Huh? How did you even know?"

"I just know. I'm Kudo Yukiko after all. I don't have a Kudo on my name if I don't have any knowledge about what my son is doing in Japan."

How does that makes sense to our last name?

"Shin-chan, about the calls you are dealing with Ran-chan, I suggest you should call her once or maybe twice a week. There's no way that Ran-chan could not be dating any boys out there."

"Mom, Ran only likes me."

I heard Mom clicked her tongue on the other line. That clicked was joking but at the same time, held something. "You're not sure in that department, Shin-chan. Ran-chan is a beautiful woman..." Yeah, I know that. "...and there's no way that someone will court her. I'm sure Kogoro just met someone for his daughter."

"And tell me, Mom, why Uncle Kogoro would agree to that man who will court to Ran?"

"Ooh~ Jealous, aren't you, Shin-chan?"

I sat straight in my bed and lean on the headboard. "Just tell me, Mom."

" 'Cause you've been making his daughter wait for you in more years." That sentence struck me into the heart. I manage to be silent. "You' ve been hiding to the Balck Organization for so long, dear, that you haven't even been noticing Ran-chan's feelings. All you did was planning for the upcoming war between you and that organization."

I sighed. "Mom, I never abandoned Ran's feelings. It's just-- I want to keep her safe from those black guys. You know me. I would do everything to protect my childhood friend."

"You're in love with her, Shinichi. You're in love with her. That's the correct term. And there's nothing wrong in falling in love, Shin-chan. Just use it in times when your lover gets on hard times, okay?" I heard a faint voice and a slam of a door from the other line. "Oh, gonna hang up now. Your father just came back from a restaurant and we're going eat now. Bye." Then, she hang up the call.

I sighed as I throw my cellphone away, beginning to think all what my Mom said to me. Will Ran really be willing to agree that a man will court her except for me? Will she agree to hold hands with him? Will she accept the fact that courtship is normal? What if they go together and left me? What if her heart changed for good? What if--

I got up of my bed and raked my fingers to my hair. That's impossible. Only Ran loves me. Only me!

Suddenly, I heard some footsteps outside my room. I got out of my bed and open my door a little to peek through. I saw Ran closed the door.

Where is she going?

I opt not to bother but my curiosity is killing me. I found myself closee the door and walked down the stairs, barely near to Ran's distance.

From what I am observing, she is fully dressed with one little shoulder bag dangling on her shoulders. She's wearing pants and some nice top. Her hair was fully neat in sight and had accessories to match the outfit.

It is too early in the morning. Barely 6 o'clock if I was right.

She's going straight down. I instantly go inside the office and open the wide window in there. I saw her still walking without a stop not until someone with a pink hair appeared in front of the cafe below, waving at her with a smile on his lips.

I clicked my tongue as I slowly starting to feel my blood boiling up. So, she would have a date this early huh?

Ran's POV

I stopped as soon as I saw a man blocking the road. He is waving at me with a smile plastered on his lips.

As I got nearer, I instantly familiarize the face. "Araide-sensei," I greeted. "Ohayo."

"Ohayo too, Ran-san," he greeted back. His smile never leaves his lips. "Where are you going today?"

Weird. "Why do you want to know, sensei? Is there something up?"

"Oh, I just want to borrow a little breakfast time with you if I may," he said politely.

Araide Tomoaki, Araide-sensei in short, was much older than I am. Even there's a huge gap between us, I could still feel the comfortable aura of his. He's an easy-going person to talk with and everything was really on him. But something was really up.

"Araide-sensei, are you courting me?" I asked him. His smile faded instantly making me nervous. "Sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"It's okay. You're right," he said and raised his hand as he sighed in surrender. "I am here to talk to your Dad."

My eyes widened at his answer as my lips gape in awe. "So, you'll really will court me? Araide-sensei, you know that--"

"I know, I know." He sighed. "I just wanted to try it out..." He slowly looked up to me. "...if I could be him. You've been wating too long for him to come back, Ran-san. Are you sure he will come back? Maybe he is just playing with you."

No. I know him. Shinichi's never going to do that to me. He will not be in my side for this long if he doesn't have a reason.

"I believe in him," I said as I gripped the handle of my shoulder bag. "Araide-sensei," I looked down, "sorry but you need to stop this nonsense this instant." I saw his shocked face. I bit my lip. "Araide-sensei, sorry but even if you try, there's only one person in my heart and that's him. No matter you say, it will always be him."

Araide-sensei suddenly laughed and then, grinned like a bobcat. His aura changed. It was really threatening. It's dark.

"I'll not stop, Mouri Ran-san. I'll make sure I will court you, hook or by crook," he said as he took one step. I moved backward. "Him, you said? What a lame choice, Ran-san." He gritted his teeth as he took one threatening step again. "Kudo Shinichi is just a detective, Ran-san. He didn't even have an allowance for you to live in a living. He is just a one useful detective that could be throw away in an instant once you used him."

"Gome, Araide-sensei, but I think you got it wrong," I said.

"W-What?"

"Shinichi is my childhood friend. Yes, he doesn't have allowance for now but what about in the future? I'd like to see if he could surpassed your money."

"You really are going to commit with that boy?"

"That boy was Shinichi. You are not Shinichi. Even if you became Shinichi, I would never choose you because I knew to myself that I will not be blind in appearances and money."

"Committing with that boy is a--"

"Is a what? A sin? A regret? A downfall? Or a victory?" I cut him off. "What I don't want is you are crossing the line. We're talking about the courtship, not Shinichi. Don't ever accused my childhood friend like that, Araide-sensei."

"Ah-le-le~ Araide-sensei is here." I looked down to see Conan beside me, head tilted slightly while looking at Araide-sensei.

"C-Conan-kun," I stuttered and sat in level with him. "What time did you come here?"

"Just the right time to hear all of your saving words for me, Ran," he said.

I'm shocked when Conan's face changed too. His more like being... Shinichi. And wait, what did he just call me?

"Conan-kun--"

"Why are you here?" he asked while looking at Araide-sensei. His gaze could really kill.

"I'm just here to talk to Kogoro-san about some matters. It's no big deal." Yes, it is.

"Matters about what?" Conan asked.

"Kogoro-san called me to check his health if it was okay." He shrugged of his shoulders. "Wanting to check his blood pressure too."

"Oh, really?" I saw Conan's lips curved into a smirk. "If so, why don't you have a bag that could held the apparatus you needed to take blood pressure? Where's your evidence that Uncle called you?"

"Conan-kun, don't meddle with other people's business," he said.

"And don't lie to other people's faces," Conan backfired. "Araide-sensei, I have a little bit of respect lefr for you, but I might say an accusing word so please forgive me in advance. You are really lame in lying."

"W-What?"

"Your acting skills didn't surpassed my taste, Araide-sensei." Conan clicked her tongue. "Do another one to impress me."

"What are you saying, Conan-kun?"

"Let's just say that you needed to tell the truth if you want to impress me. Game?"

"Are you playing with me, boy?"

"What do you think so?"

My eyes go nack and forth as Conan-kun and Araide-sensei fought with words to words.

Araide-sensei looked tense and could explode in any mimute. His face was slowly turning red. While Conan-kun was calm, hands on his pockets while looking coldly at Araide-sensei.

Conan-kun's aura is the same of what I feel when Shinichi is serious. Maybe, Conan is... No! Shinichi and Conan-kun are two different people. This is just a coincidence.

I calm myself down as I watched the two still fighting words to words.

"Conan-kun, you're still a little kid. You're just being protective of your Ran nee-chan," Araide-sensei said between laughs. "Ran is turning adult now. She could handle herself well. She doesn't need your protec--"

"She still needed it," Conan-kun cut off. "I know she still needed it even though she's turning twenty. Ran nee-chan is precious like a diamond. I can't just let you touch her."

"Conan-kun..." I was so mesmerized by how Conan dodge every words Araide-sensei told him like it doesn't affect him at all.

I heard Araide-sensei scoffed. "Conan-kun, Ran nee-chan is a big girl now. Let her be."

"Ran nee-chan is only for Shinichi nii-san," Conan-kun chimed, making my eyes widened. "Ran nee-chan protects Shinichi nii-san so I will protect Ran nee-chan from exchange."

"Let her go, Conan-kun," Araide-sensei said. "Are you out of your mind? You're just being overprotective. What a brat."

I frowned as I heard those words came out of Araide-sensei's mouth. "Conan-kun isn't a brat. He's not a jerk either. What an awful mouth you habe, Araide-sensei."

"Go now," Conan-kun said with a hint of threat. But Araide-sensei didn't listen.

"You don't know what love means," he blurted out. He chuckled coldly. "How could you know if you are just a little kid? Conan-kun, if you only knew what I feel--"

"Obsession," he cut off. Araide-sensei forze and looked at Conan. "What you feel isn't love, it's called obsession. You're obsessed with Ran nee-chan that you had mistaken it as pure love but no, it isn't. It is a pure fake love, Araide-sensei."

"W-What are you saying, Conan-kun? I love Ran! I love her!"

"And Shinichi nii-san is in love with her," Conan-kun said, making Araide-sensei froze again. "You love Ran nee-chan but does she loves you? You love her but did she reciprocate it? The answer is no. So, how could you fight for your love for her if she doesn't fight for you?" Araide-sensei looked down. "In this world, you can't just take all the things you want because you love and want them. Bring that to your head, doctor."

I found myself being dragged away by Conan-kun. He pulled me up to the stairs and pulled me in to the office. He locked the door while he looked at me coldly.

"Did you enjoy his company?" he asked.

"Huh?"

I saw a sad smile on his lips. "Looks like you did," he said and then, left the agency's office.

I frowned as he leaves me confused with his question. But I know one thing and the answer to his question was no.

But still, why does he act like that? It doesn't even makes sense.