Chapter Twenty-Nine: Second Life (2nd Encounter)

Haibara's POV

"You knew Kudo Shinichi-san?" Mina-san asked as she took out her shoes to the shoe locker.

The sky is orange and the sun rays lightly get through the windows of the school. I nodded as I put the shoes in my feet slowly.

"Who is this Kudo Shinichi-san you knew?" Mina-san asked.

I frowned as I turned to look at her. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I saw you two talking while hiding in that hallways. I also heard the entire conversation talking about Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko... Is it that?—Yes, I guess that is the name of the person you're talking about," she said and smiled at me with a knowing look.

I sighed and stood up. "I'll tell you the details while walking," I said.

She quickly stood up and replied, "Okay."

Footsteps of students going out of the school's premises gradually became silent as we got farther away from the school.

"Kudo Shinichi-kun is my detective friend I'm talking about in my previous life," I answered her.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock. She stopped in her tracks as she ran in front of me. "Really?! The famous detective was your friend?!"

"Yes, the famous detective is my friend. He saw me through this body even though I knew for sure that this is Ominuwara Airika-san's body," I muttered and started walking again.

"But, it is really lucky for you to be friends with him. I mean, you get to know each other as friends and you also shared some personal things with each other," she said gleefully as she followed me.

"Lucky, huh?" I muttered. "It seems like it but no, it's not. I was lucky to be saved by him and the professor but I'm not lucky to be friends with him. My feelings and his are not that mutual but we still manage to get through all that we encounter."

"Hmm... It looks like you have trouble in love in your previous life, haven't you?"

"H-Huh? What are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about is your feeling towards Kudo-san and the fact you admired him unconsciously simply says you loved him. But let me guess, you still have another person in your mind, right?" I didn't reply to her question. "See? It's the fact. You are confused about your feelings. Neither it will be towards Kudo-san or the other person? Think and I guess you'll find out," she said and walked pasts me. She glanced at me with a smile. "I know the answer and I think you'll also know who you will choose between them."

At that time, I was confused and dumbfounded at the same time, thinking about what does Airika's friend mean to this what-so called confusion and who will I choose.

~~~

Several days had passed and the thought of choosing between to people in what so-called 'war' is still on my mind.

It has been bothering me and ever since Mina-san always teased me about it while talking about it with a few confusing paragraphs.

"The path you'll take will forever be your road to continuation. Well, it doesn't make any sense if you might think of, but it is really had a deeper meaning, Miyano-san," Those words of Mina-san keeps on repeating like an old tape.

I sighed and looked up to the orange sky. It was Sunday afternoon and I'm strolling a walk by myself. I could my chest became heavier and heavier as my head clouded with thoughts of that 'war'.

How can I suppose to choose between two people I loved? It doesn't make sense.

"So, you are finding it hard to choose between Kudo Shinichi-san and that Tsubaraya Mitsuhikp-kun, right?"

I stopped in my tracks and jolted a little as I suddenly heard Okimunawara-san's voice beside me. I sighed and glared at her.

"What? I'm just asking," she said innocently and flew in front of me. "Our minds linked. You are in my body and so, your mind is also like mine so I know what you're thinking. Mina really makes a lot of sense you see. You just don't get it."

I frowned but then, I sighed. I continued walking while still thinking of it. I pushed a rock by my shoe's sole but then my deep thoughts were interrupted by a sound of rushed footsteps.

"G-Gomene!" My eyes widened as I heard the voice and at the same time, I saw a soccer ball stopped its acceleration in front of me. I looked to my side and my body was frozen as I saw that familiar face once again.

"Tsubaraya...kun..." I muttered quietly as he picked up the ball. He looked at me and lets out an awkward smile while he puts his hand to his head.

"Gome! Gome! Are you hurt?" he asked worriedly.

I stared at his eyes. Those eyes still have that firing flames in them. I sighed and cut off our eye contact. I gripped my arm and looked over the grass. "I-I'm fine. A-Arigatou, Tsubaraya-kun."

He frowned. "Tsubaraya-kun? How did you know my name?" he asked. My eyes widened as I realized what I just said.

I turned my back on him and my left hand gripped my right arm so tight. Damn it! I just slipped his name through my tongue!

"You'll sure get in trouble, girl. He seemed pretty fetch on how do you know his name," Airika teased as she glanced at Tsubaraya-kun.

'Shut up, Ominuwara-san!' I scolded her through telepathy and bravely looked at Tsubaraya-kun. "Look. First of all, I'm sorry if I have mistaken you to be my friend. You are almost look-alike and with the same last name—"

"I didn't say that it is my last time," Tsubaraya-kun cut me off. The frown is still there.

My eyes widened and looked away from him. I pouted, "At least try to consider it as a mistake."

"No. I will not take it unless I have no evidence yet," he said while hugging the soccer ball to his right arm.

Detective-based freak! "Well, don't be because what I said is the truth—"

"What's your name? What year? Age?" he asked.

I pouted again and this time, I'm pissed. "I'm Ominuwara Airika, first year high school. I'm fifteen years old and your age must be?"

"I'm Tsubaraya Mitsuhiko, second year. Seventeen years old going to be a police officer someday. Nice to meet you, Ominuwara-chan."

"Ai," I blurted out while still pouting.

Tsubaraya-kun stilled for a moment but then, he smiled and lets out an awkward laugh. "Ominuwara-chan, I can't do that."

"Is it because that's the name of your late friend—no, perhaps, your dead love?"

"H-How did you—"

"The news a month ago. She is that girl, right? You were in the place where she died yet she didn't saw you to the last second she closed her eyes."

"Haibara-san, what are you trying to—"

"Ai Haibara a.k.a. Miyano Shiho, the former scientist of the Black Organization who has her memory been erased by an antidote named 'The Pandora', who also caused one friend of hers to also completely lost her memories and was now in a hard time."

"A-Are you talking about—"

"Yes, I'm talking about Mouri Ran-san, daughter of Mouri Kogorou, the former famous detective in such a short time. You seemed pretty much curious why I know all pf this information."

"Kid, you can't just hack somebody's status!" he shouted at me with a frightening look. "Don't be bad for something you want—"

"Want? What do I want anyways? Money? Fame? Or was it even the satisfaction to hack? No, I did not hack. Perhaps, you could investigate my laptop and cellphones. But yes, I know all of the people I'm talking about. Why? Because, they're my friends."

"Friends? We don't have friends like you? We don't have a psychotic mind like you!"

"Psycho?" I glared at him with my cold eyes. "That hurts, Tsubaraya-kun. It was like a spear dragged down deeply to my heart." I sighed. "Well, I guess you could not even remember who I am the way I speak to you. And besides, my voice is not that anymore so preferably speaking, you can't tell who I am nor can't trust for who I am now. It's sad but it's true."

Mitsuhiko's POV

Her eyes shined through the orange afternoon skies. Her hair danced with the wind.

Her stare... It was familiar to me. The sadness in her eyes.... The gritting of her teeth.... She seemed like Haibara.

She turned her back on me and clenched her fist. My eyes widened by her actions. It was shocking to see that a middle high schooler could react such for just a short time.

She was like having a resentment for a long time and she's pouring it on me now.

"Ominuwara Airika-chan, right?" I called her name, making her flinch.

Her shoulders loosened and glanced at me from her back. "Yes, it is."

"You want me to call you 'Ai-chan', right?"

She turned to look at me with the same cold eyes. "What makes you think to change the way you talk to me? Don't be if you're not comfortable enough to—"

"Ai-chan," I cut her off, making her eyes widened. She looked away and saw her blushed. I smiled and looked at her. "What is your hobby?" I asked her.

"Why did you ask?"

"You seemed pretty smart," I said. "Do you like science? You looked like my former friend."

"Oh, uhm..." Her hands suddenly played around with each other as her cheeks blushed even more. "U-Uhm... Yes, I do, and what a coincidence I found you here!" she exclaimed and hurriedly took something on her jacket's pocket and put it onto my hand.

She ran away after she gave me that leaving me dumbfounded. I looked at the thing she left to me. A heart container in the movies—like the container in love potions but the name says, "REVERSE MEMORY".

"Give that to the detective's lover!" I heard her shouted. I looked up at her but I saw her running away.

As she ran away from me, I stared at the container she left for me. I felt some kind of tingles on my stomach as I smiled underneath the orange afternoon.