Chapter One: The Mystery Number

Shinichi's POV

"Bye, Conan-kun. Bye, Ai-chan! Bye, Agasa Hakase!" Ayumi waved cheerfully before running out of the Professor's house.

I faked a laugh as I sat on the couch. At last, they're gone.

"You really sure can't be a good father," Haibara blurted out. I looked at her. She smirked. "You should sometimes not fake your happiness when you're with them."

I slumped to the couch and sighed. "Well, they're sure a pain in the ass."

"Yeah, sometimes but gets a lot of help. Anyways, I got something from you."

I looked up at her and saw her handing me a tablet. "What's this?"

"I've been experimenting these couple of days and found some juicy pieces of information that could help us get back to our normal body." Her eyes dropped to the tablet. "I upgraded it more than you think."

"How hours would it take?"

"Maybe a day," she answered.

"A day? You're not sure?"

She glared at me. "I wouldn't tell you that if I try it." Well, she has a point. "I want you to try this."

I took it and put it in my pocket. "I will once I need it," I said and dropped my feet to the ground. "Is there any information leaked about the Organization?"

She crossed her arms. "Heard that their troupe is still finding me and you. There's plenty of them too. Stocks of the APTX 4869 are also rapidly being exported and made, victimizing people. Many people were also missing and found no traces of their bodies were for the last two years. They got ahead of us."

"They crossed their lines."

"Nobody's getting in their way. It's the Black Organization after all. No one can stop them from finding us."

"At least we know some of what they're doing," I said and looked at her. "Anything else?"

"I heard they had a lot of doctors making experiments on different types of medicines they could use to make an experiment on other people."

"For example?"

"There's this--"

"Conan-kun!" We looked to see who it is and saw Ran right to the door, standing. She walked towards me with a smile. "It's midnight. Let's go?"

I looked at Haibara. She looked super irritated right now because our conversation cut off.

I nodded at Ran and wave goodbye to Haibara. I shouted goodbye at Hakase before I leave on a walk with Ran.

~~~

"Ottou-san! Stop drinking! That's enough!" Ran shouted as she grabs away the beer from Uncle Kogoro's hand.

Uncle's face was totally like a red tomato right now. His hair was probably messy. Tie was undone and blazer was open. One button on his shirt was undone.

Yeah, right.

"Just one more, Ran," he said slurry as his hand is reaching out to the beer bottle.

Ran smacked it away. "No more beers. Get out of the dining table and change clothes. Now." Ran pointed to the exit.

Yeah. That is how Ran manages to live that long with her Dad.

When Uncle didn't move, Ran stood up and picked Uncle's left ear.

"A-A-Aishh~ R-R-R-Ran, let go of my ear!" Uncle shouted as Ran dragged him out of the dining room.

I watched them disappear from my sight as I munched the rice in my mouth while holding a bowl of it.

Ran was now nineteen and looks much more mature. She is now using makeup products influenced by her friend, Sonoko. As much as I'm concerned, I don't like her wearing makeup but that yellow-headed hand band girl still insists. There's nothing I could do to stop it.

I finished eating my bowl of rice when Ran entered the dining room. She sat beside me and looked at me.

"Sorry, Conan-kun. I left you alone here," Ran said. She's still the Ran I knew. The soft and caring one.

I act like a kid. I shook my head. "It's okay, Ran nee-chan. I'm fine. I'm full now. See?" I joked.

She laughed as she grabs her bowl of rice and chopsticks. "You funny little Conan. You got me laugh," she said as she pinched my cheeks hard.

"A-Ah, Ran new-chan! It hurts!" I complied. She immediately stopped.

"Gomene, Conan-kun." She rubbed little circles on the itchy part. "Still hurts?" she asked softly to me.

I stared at her. Her eyes are looking at me softly. Her lips are smiling slightly.

I drag myself out of my dreamland and move back a little. I nodded at her and stood up. "Ran nee-chan, I'm going ahead upstairs."

I was about to turn my back when I felt her soft hand on my hand. I turned to look at her. "Please stay for a moment, Conan-kun, even if you are just in the office. Wait for me 'til I finished the dishes, hmm?"

And as a weak freak I am, I nodded and wait for her to the office. I sat to the couch and sighed.

I'm really head over high heels in love with her. No, I'm more in love with her more than the moon and back.

I shook my head and just played in my cellphone. It's been two years but Ran hasn't been knowing my identity. There are times she is sometimes figured it out but then, that conclusion will fade like a smoke. But thank god she haven't figured it out yet. She's safe.

I am looking at our old photos in my phone when a notification suddenly popped out the screen. I clicked on it and like a water wash through me as I read the message from a random number:

To: ++++++++++++

You shouldn't know by now that we are now keeping an eye on you. Oh, your love still didn't found out your identity yet?

Well, better tell her already because you will going to die soon...

Kudo Shinichi.

Fear crept on to me as I read the message over and over again.

Damn it! How did they know that I was hiding my identity?

"Conan-kun!" My eyes widened as I heard Ran's voice coming near. I calm myself down before I looked at her. "Conan-kun, you look so pale. Are you... okay?"

Do I really look pale? I nodded. "Y-Yes, I am. Maybe I am just tired for today, Ran nee-chan."

"Oh, that's what it is," she said, then smiled. "So... Let's go?"

I held her hand and together, and we walked together upstairs as we get into our respective rooms.