Chapter Seven: Until next time...

Shinichi's POV

"Shinichi... Shinichi..." I groaned as I heard somebody calling my name. "Shinichi... Shinichi..."

I can hear you. I wanted to say that but I can't speak. It was like my body was tied shut in a black hole. Damn it!

"Wake up, Shinichi. Please," the voice said softly. It was too familiar to be mistaken as another human.

Ran... I'm alive. I'm fine. I wanted to say that but I can't move my mouth. My brain is working but my body felt too numb. I can't move it like I was used to do.

I felt her hands on mine. I felt her wet lips pressed on the back of my hand. "Shinichi, I need you to wake up," I heard she whispered. I heard her sniffed. "Don't leave me, Shinichi. When will you wake up?"

It's been two days since Ran came back and forth the hospital's room I'm confined in. I could still remember what the doctor said.

"His head was severely damaged due to the accident. I might say he's in a coma but the response in his brain was quite fine. You could talk to him but his body was shut off."

"Is he alive, Doc?" Ran asked.

"Yes, he's alive. His body was just sleeping," thfe doctor answered. "We can't determine whether his body will start to respond again to his brain. For now, his senses are completely open."

I wanted to talk to Ran. I wanted to hold her in my arms and said that I'm fine. I wanted to kiss her forehead and tell her not to cry anymore. But I can't do that. My goddamn body won't move. It doesn't respond to what I was thinking to do.

"Shinichi, open your eyes please," Ran said as I felt her hands clasped tightly on my hand. "I missed you, all of you so please, wake up. Please, please."

I wanted to move, even once. Even if it is only my finger. Even if I just mumbled her name once. Even if my eyes just moved for just a minute. I want her to notice that I coild respond to what she is saying. To tell her that my soul is alive. That I am in my inner mind.

Move. Move. I forced myself to move my body. Move. Move. I froced myself to move rven just my hand that Ran is holding. Move. Move please.

Suddenly, as if there's a miracle happened, my finngers moved even just a second. "Shinichi?" I forced my fingers to move again. It moved. "Shinichi! Oh my gosh!" I felt her hands leave my hand. I heard a click and Ran shouted, "Doc, doc! Edogawa Conan, Room 405. He moved, Doc!"

I forced myself to curve a smile on my lips even just a little. But then, I was shocked when my body felt alive again. I opened my eyes slowly.

"Do, doc! The patient opened his eyes!" Ran shouted once more.

The background felt blurry. I just saw a light and it's blinding me but it soon faded when someone blocked it.

"Shinichi, the doctor and some nurses will come to check you up. Can you hear me?" she asked. I just moved my hand in response. She sighed in relief. "What a relief."

My sight slowly became clear and I saw Ran's face close to mine. Our eyes met and I saw the happinness shining to it. "Ran..."

"Shinichi... You heard me..." She suddenly hugged me tight that my body almost felt numb again.

"R-Ran... M-My body... N-Numb..." I stuttered, making her unwrapped her arms on my body.

She swept her tears. "Gomene. I just got carried away," she said and help me got into a sitting position. She puts a pillow behind my back.

"A-Arigatou, R-Ran," I said, finding it hard to speak.

"It's fine. And also, don't speak too much. Your body just wake up from its humble sleep," she, said. I just nodded.

The door suddnely opened. A doctor and some nurses came to us. Ran stood up and turned to the new arrivals.

"Can we check Mr. Edogawa-kun?" the doctor asked. She nodded. So, she used Edogawa Conan huh?

The doctor came to me with his nurses behind him. "Edogawa-kun, answer me if I asked you, okay?" I nodded. "What's your name?"

"Edogawa Conan," I lied. Normally, doctos believe what the patients said.

"Okay. Did you know who's that woman?" he asked, pointing at Ran. I nodded. "What's her name?"

"Mouri Ran," I answered.

"Okay. Now, I'm going to ask you about the incident. Will that be fine with you?"

"Ok--" Suddenly, I felt something's squeezing my chest so tight. I groaned in pain.

"Shinic--I mean, Conan-kun!" Ran shouted and was about to run towards me when the nurse blocked her.

"Sorry, miss, but you can't touch the patient until the doctor--"

"Let me in!" she shouted and force herself to go through. She held my hand. "Shinichi... Fight it. Please."

"Ran..." A groan escaped my lips again as I felt the excruciating pain in my chest. My whole body felt hot like lava. Beads of sweat are coming out of my body. I felt like being soaked in a boiling water. "C-Can't... H-Hot..." I muttered as I looked at Ran, barely seeing her as my vision turned blur.

Ran's hand moved far away from me. I reached it out but I got pushed into the bed. I don't who pushed me. My body fell into the mattress and suddenly, my eyes popped out of its socket when I felt a sting in my right arm. I looked to see what it is.

A syringe... with a medicine on it. It was being pulled out and the pain I'm immediately faded. My breathing was so heavy as I felt my eyelids are slowly dropping down again.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Not now!

But my body wouldn't cooperate once again. The medicine that whoever-it-is stung me weakened my body.

My eyelids are giving in to the medicine as I saw stars behind my eyes until I found myself in darkness again.

Ran's POV

Three hours later...

"Slowly..." Shinichi groaned as he forced himself to keep pace as I slowly lift his body up. He just wake up a couple of minutes later. I put a pillow behind his back before grabbing the bowl of soup in the coffee table beside the bed. I scoop one spoon and put it near Shinichi's mouth. "Here. Eat."

He opened his mouth without any hesitation and eat the food until he finished eating without me, being hard on him. I also assisted him to drink his medicine. After that, he dozed off again. It was the routine all the time until visitors suddrnly came.

"Shinichi nii-san!" Ayumi-chan ran towards Shinichi's side as soon as the door opened. She hugged Shinichi tightly.

"Ayumi-chan, it's Shinichi nii-san, not Conan-kun now," Mitsuhiko said.

Ayumi-chan go away quickly and looked at me apologetically. "Sorry, Ran nee-chan. I don't mean to--"

"You know that Conan-kun is Shinichi?" I frowned. "How?"

"Of course! We're Shounen Tantei ! (Detective Boys)" Genta exclaimed. "We know every--Ow! Mitsuhiko! That hurts!"

I tried myself not to laugh when Mitsuhiko elbowed him. "Hey, hey. Genta-kun is boastful now," Mitsuhiko said but then, he cleared his throat and looked at me then said, "Ran nee-chan, Haibara-san showed us a video about Edogawa Conan-kun's farewell, hence, we knew his identity now."

I looked to Shinichi and glared at him. "So, you give your identity to these kids and you didn't even tell me?"

"Ran, they need to know. Besides, they've been living in a lie for two years."

"Says who'd been hiding his identity to me and making me worried for so long," I mocked.

His face flushed red. "I-I can't help it. I need to protect you for a while." He sighed. "Haibara," he called suddenly. "Come here."

"No," Haibara said. I looked at her and our eyes met. She smiled at me. "Yo, Mouri-san. I think now, you know my real identity, am I right?"

"Woah! I can't believe it!" Ayumi-exclaimed and looked at me with sparks in her eyes. "Cool!"

"Of course, it's obvious that Shinichi nii-san told Haibara-san's identity to Ran nee-chan."

"Haibara-san... You should call her nee-chan, right? She's a lot older than you, Mitsuhiko-kun."

He shook his head. "Haibara-san said that she eill nto going to go back to her own life anymore."

"She's staying with us, Ran nee-chan," Ayumi-chan continued. She suddenly loked down and looked at me with that sullen expression.

"Ayumi-chan, what's with that face, hmm?"

"Ran nee-chan... uhm... well, er..."

"Hmm?"

"I love Shinichi nii-san!" she shouted. My eyes widened. In a second, I felt my body went numb. My ears became deaf. My brain went shut. I can't process what she just said.

"E-Excuse me? W-What did you say again?"

"I-I love Shinichi nii-san.. Uhm, Conan-kun is the one I love, actually," she said. Her cheeks flushed red as she looked down.

"Ayumi-chan..."

"Gomene, Ran nee-chan!" Ayumi-chan bowed at me. "For falling in love to Shinichi nii-san. Gomene! Hountoni gomene!"

I shook my head. This kid... Apologizing for loving Shinichi. "Ayumi-chan," I called her.

"H-Hai?"

I smiled at her and put my hand on her shoulder. Her shoulder went up. She's really tense. "I forgive you."

"E-Eh?"

"There's nothing in falling in love, Ayumi-chan. Many people are falling in love in an unexpected way. There are people that sometimes, they fall in love to a person because they did something good to them or they are just good looking. Many people have many reasons to fall in love, Ayumi-chan, so you have no fault that you loved Shinichi as Conan-kun. It's fine. And you tell me the truth, so it's now okay."

I suddenly heard someone chuckled. I turned to look and it is Haibara. I frowned. "Ai-chan, why are you chuckling?"

"What a coincidence, Ayumi-chan. I have feelings to Kudo-kun too," Haibara said.

"Haibara, you love me?" Shinichi asked while having a shocked expression. "Since when?"

"Since you starting to protect me," she answered. "When you started caring for me, protecting me, saving me, I instantly felt some kind of unknown feeling rushed through me so whenever I see you, I got panicked inside."

"Why aren't you showing any signs of it?" he asked, frowning.

She smirked. "Isn't it obvious?" She looked at Shinichi intently. "Kudo-kun, you're a detective but you can't deduct if I'm hiding something or not. I hide my feeling well, Kudo-kun. I hid it so well you didn't even notice it." She scoffed. "But I'm an idiot. A selfish woman, wanting you to be mine..." She smiled sadly. "...but I know you won't be mine because Mouri-san is the one you love, right? I'm just an evidence you want to use and protect so you could finsih the case. Then, when you used me well, you could throw me off. I'm like that to you, right, Kudo-kun? I'm just an assistant to you, a normal friend and a Dr. Watson material."

"Haibara... Sorry if I don't feel your love for me. I'm truly sorry," Shinichi said. I felt his sincerity.

Haibara shook her head. "Don't say sorry, Kudo-kun. Don't say sorry to me. I was the one who hid my feelings too well. It was me whom always force myself to just be a friend to you." She smiled. "Those labels between us are fine, Kudo-kun. The friendship relationship... It's fine. I really love that you still consider me in your life even though I am not the one who takes the huge position in your heart."

My heart twitched in pain. Ai Haibara-kun is a good woman. I know that. And she also fall in love to Shinichi.

I looked at Haibara and said, "Don't say sorry. Don't apologize. Judt don't." I gritted my teeth. "Ai-kun, love is everywhere. As I said, you could love anyone but you could just love them. If you're lucky, then go. If not, then say thank you."

"Y-You're not mad? But I was--"

I shook my head. "I heard your opinion why you love Shinichi. He is a good man, funny and smart too. Also, a detective geek too."

"Hey!" I heard Shinichi said but I ignored him.

"You're just a woman." I shrugged my shoulders. "It's just normal to feel those things, Ai-kun. But let me ask you one thing, do you still love Shinichi?"

Haibara glanced at Shinichi, then she looked at me and smiled. She shook her head. "No. I loved him. But I can't force myself so I manipulate myself to not love him as I want to. I love him as a friend now."

Shinichi's POV

A month later...

"Shinichi nii-san, go here fast!" Ayumi-chan shouted.

"Yeah. I'm going now!" I shouted back as I ran towards them. "Geez. You're making me tired, Ayumi-chan."

"I don't care. We need to take a picture," she said and stuck her tongue out. She looked at Haibara. "Ai-chan!"

"Hmm?"

"Go beside Mitsuhiko-kun," Ayumi-chan ordered.

Haibara's cheeks flushed red. "I-I'm fine here," Haibara said and looked away, hugging herself as if it is cold outside.

"Ai-kun, please go beside Mitsuhiko-kun. We need to take a picture. The camera man is waiting," Ran said.

It's been a month ago since the accident happend. After all the confessions we all made to each other, our bond becomes much stronger.

Ayumi-chan has a new crush on school. Haibara and Mitsuhiko... well, er... Is having a mutual understanding to each other? Yeah, sort of like that. Genta doesn't change at all, he's still the food eater in the group. And, Ran and I, we became much open to each other and not keeping secrets.

Sonoko also knew my identity now, closing her to danger. She's aware of that and she made sure she's safe. For now, she's being treated like a princess.

"Are you all ready?" the camera man asked.

"Yeah!" we all said in unison.

"Okay. I'm going to take a picture now. 1..."

"Let's make a pose," Ran said. We all nodded.

"2..."

We made different poses.

"3! Say cheese!"

"Cheese~"

The picture was being taken and it was being put in a frame. Ayumi-chan kept it. She said that she want to reminisce the moment whenever she felt alone so that she won't be sad anymore. We all agreed.

We enioyed all the rest of the rides, mini games, and foods on the Tropical Land

Little did we know that that was the last time we were going to experience it...

Third Person's View

"Eh?! That's a lie, right?" Ayumi exclaimed as she went near to her phone's camera.

"Haibara-san, Will Shinichi nii-san really leave today?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"Hey! He promised to treat us some foods before! How an idiot he is!" Genta shouted.

"I heard it on Agasa Hakase. What will we do?" Haibara asked.

The four members of the Detective Boys are video calling to each other right now.

"We need to go!" Ayumi suggested. "We might not see him if he leaves."

"Haibara-san, where will he go?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"I heard he will take a flight to America," Haibara answered.

Their eyes widened. "America?!" the three said in unison.

"Yeah. America," she repeated boringly.

"I suggest we should do Ayumi-chan's suggestion," Mitsuhiko said. "We might not really see him. He'll be too far."

"Shinichi nii-san is still Conan-kun. If he leaves, our group will not be completed," Ayumi said.

"And Mouri-san would be left," Haibara added.

"Let's go see Shinichi nii-san, minna-san," Mitsuhiko declared.

~~~

"Shin-chan, faster!" Kudo Yukiko shouted to her son as she held a big box with the things Shinichi had in Mouri's Agency. She descended the stairs and put it into the back compartment.

"Hai, hai, obaa-san (old lady)," Shinichi said as he descended down the stairs. He's still wearing his small suit back when he's still an immature detective boy.

Yukiko stopped arranging the things in the back compartment and looked at Shinichi. "Shin-chan..." Her voice is threatening. A vein popped out of her forehead. "Take back what you said..."

"I won't," Shinichi said and ignored his mother. On the other hand, Ran is looking at Shinichi so sadly.

"Shinichi..." she muttered making Shinichi looked at her. He smiled and walked towards her.

"Yo, Ran."

"Are you really going, Shinichi?" she asked. Her eyes becoming teary.

"Yeah. I need to go in America for me to go back to my normal body."

"Why could you leave now when I just had found out your real identity?" She can't stop her tears from falling down her cheeks. She felt the pain again when Shinichi is going to leave her once more.

"Ran, I'm leaving for a reason, but I promise, I'll come back for you," he said. Sincerity is on her voice. "Ran, this is not an empty promise. Ten years from now, whether I still remembered you or not, step forward and come to me, okay? Promise me, Ran. You will do it."

She nodded without any hesitation and she sniffed. "Yeah. I'll do it. I promise," she said.

Shinichi smiled. "Ran, if I don't remember you after ten years, go to the place where we first met."

She nodded. She knows where that place is. Sje smiled as she remembered the first time they met. Shinichi was not the person she knew before.

"That place is where the cherry blossoms bloomed," Ran said while keeping her smile on her lips. "I remembered. I promised I'll go there. So, please, I just wanted you to promise on thing."

Shinichi nodded. "Sure."

"Be careful there, Shinichi."

"Hey, that's just it? Of course, I will! Just for you."

She shook her head. "No, not just for me. For the Detective Boys too and also for Ai-kun."

"Shin-chan, come on! Stop flirting with Ran-chan and go inside the car now!"

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then," Ran said as she wiped her tears away.

"No, it is not a farewell yet. Idiot, I'm not yet goinng to die to say goodbye," he said smugly.

Ran chuckled. "That's right."

"Shinichi nii-san!" Ran and Shinichi both looked at Ran's back and from the distant, four kids are running towards their direction.

"That four kids... They really love you, huh?" Ran teased Shinichi, that made him smiled.

"Yeah." When the four kids stopped in front of him, Ayumi gave him a frame containing their picture in Tropical Land. He accepted it. "This is..."

Ayumi nodded. "Yeah. The picture that was taken in Tropical Land a month ago. I'm giving it to you now, Shinichi nii-san."

"Ayumi-chan, this is the picture you treasured the most. What if--"

"Shinichi nii-san, I thought of giving it to you so that you could remember us all the time. When you look at the picture, you could remember all the fun things we did and that what makes Ayumi happy, for us to be happy." Ayumk held his hand with the picture frame. "Shinichi nii-san, no, Conan-kun, I treasured the picture the most. It is really the most important thing I had but I'm giving ut to you because we all know you needed it."

"America, right?" Mitsuhiko said. "America is a great place to go. I wish we could got there together but we still have no passports" He chuckled. "Shinichi nii-san, stay safe in your flight."

"Ne, Shinichi nii-san," Genta called as he stepped forward. "Here. A bento full of rice eel, tempura, and takoyaki."

Shinichi accepted it. "Thanks."

"Geez, Genta-kun. Even in this moment, all you think of was foods," Mitsuhiko complained.

"Hey! I'm not the one who suggested that! It's my mother, idiot!"

Shinichi smiled as he looked at the faces of the people he will missed. His eyes stopped at Haibara whose looking at him intently. He smiled at her.

"Haibara," he called her. She just hummed in response. "Protect Ran for me."

"You don't need to say it to me twice. I will protect her, Kudo-kun. The Detective boys will protect her in any cause," Haibara said.

"And also, vice versa," Ran added. "I'll also looked up on Haibara. Our lives is in the brink of danger anyways."

"Arigatou ne, minna-san, for everything."

"As always, Kudo-kun," Haibara said.

"Shin-chan, get on the car now. We don't want to be late, do we?" Yukiko shouted.

"Coming!" Shinichi shouted back and give them one last look. He smiled. "I guess this is the end of our chapter. Until next time, everyone."

He turned his back on them and got onto the car. The engine started to roar and the car slowly disappeared in the sight of his friends.

As the car drove to the airport, Shinichi's mind had one name in mind.

Mouri Ran.