[ Old ] Crossroad 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 27 - To face

Jinpei stared at Yoko, who wasn't moving, still leaning against the door. She couldn't stay like that, although he knew she had something to be afraid of.
He moved closer and stood at her level, staring at her.
-You can't just sit there and moan! It'd be amazing if that kid with glasses was with those two guys in black. I've seen him sticking his nose in everything for a while now.
-...
-If you think he's with them, we'll see. But it is not left there to cry that it will change something.

The girl gently raised her head to her tutor. He was right... She had to stay strong. And not just for herself.
-S... Sorry... You're right...
She got up with difficulty, staggering a little before regaining her balance.
-And sorry that you have to put up with my complaints...
She gave him a smile.
Unlike him, she complained about her situation. But she wasn't the only one who lost a lot. She had to stop. She had to stop being so scared for a bit. To be so afraid of a simple interpretation.

-Why do you apologize ? Asked the policeman raising his eyebrows.
-I felt like it... I'm going to hurry to make a meal! Before I go to shower !
Without saying another word, she headed to her room, looking for clothes.
Jinpei got up and went to the living room. She didn't want to give him a real answer. She knew things about him, that was for sure. Sato must have explained this incident to her. Since the two had spoken, he felt that the look she had on him was different. At least she left him alone with that, not trying to ask him questions.

Yoko had missed school. She hadn't wanted to go. Anyway, she wasn't missing much, since she already knew what the others were learning. Besides, she didn't want to face Conan. She couldn't.
In order to occupy her day, she therefore watched television, which rarely happened to her. She also went out a bit to take pictures, so as not to be totally bored.

Then evening came. Jinpei walked in and was surprised to see that the table was already set with food on it.
- Is the meal already ready?
-I had time today, so I prepared a lot of things.
He looked at her and sat down at the table.
-You didn't go to class, if you had time.
The girl gasped. She didn't want him to know, but she had missed it.
-Ye... Yeah... Sorry... I didn't mean... And then I'm not missing much...
-You can't avoid the kid with glasses forever.
-Haha... You understood... Laughed nervously the former high school girl. I didn't feel ready to face him yet...
- Avoid running away. Simply answered the policeman while eating.
- But I'm not running away! I'm just getting ready...
-You can always try to talk to him...
She turned her head to her plate. He wasn't wrong. Communication was important after all...

Yoko was in front of the school, against the wall towards the gate. She was staring at her feet while waiting for her friends to arrive even though she was very apprehensive about this moment.

When her friends arrived, she pulled away from the wall and forced a smile.
-Hi. She said with a slightly happy tone to camouflage her mistrust.
-Ah! Yoko-chan! Why weren't you here yesterday? Ayumi asked directly.
-I didn't feel too well so I rested but I'm better now.
In the middle of her sentence, she couldn't help but glance at Conan. The latter did the same.
- Are you coming to class? Mitsuhiko asked.
Everyone nodded and entered the establishment explaining to the former high school student what she had missed.

Kobayashi entered the class, all the children calmed down, the lesson began. The kid with the glasses wasn't really listening, and hoped that on the one hand it wouldn't show. She didn't really want to be interrogated.
She was lost in thought. She didn't know how to talk to Conan, or when. Finally if, after school would be the ideal, but how to ask him? She didn't dare speak to him face to face...

After a while, she took a sheet and started writing something on it. Communicating by giving him a sheet will be the easiest.
When she was done, she reached for her pencil, pretending to have accidentally dropped it. So she got up to pick it up and took the opportunity to put the paper on Conan's table, which was not far from hers. Then she returned to her seat. Genta, Ayumi, Mitsuhiko and Ai didn't seem to have noticed her gesture. She didn't want to have to answer their questions and that was even why she had given it now to the boy with glasses.

The young boy was surprised to see his friend place something on his table. He took the sheet and read "Could we talk after class?". He turned his gaze in the direction of Yoko, who was looking out the window.
-What did she give you? Ai asked suddenly.
-Eh? Ah, she just wants to talk to me after school is over. I think it's about what happened the other day...
-She has the courage to talk to you because of how you scared her... If she didn't pretend...
Conan sighed.
- It's not one of them... I already explained it to you yesterday... She wouldn't have agreed...
-Who knows...
-You never felt anything from her though.
The redhead looked at the boy. There, he scored a point.
-Afterwards, let's wait to see the info she gives us. If she gave me that note, it's because she's telling us certain things.
-Edogawa-kun, Haibara-san, could you stop talking? Kindly took them back Kobayashi.
The two glanced at each other before focusing back on the lesson.

The end of the day arrived. All the children left school. Yoko was a little behind, to apprehend the moment when she would speak to her comrade. But she couldn't back down. She was just trailing a bit behind the group.
-... Eh ?
She looked up when she saw that Conan had approached.
- Sorry about the other night. We accompany them and we will talk.
-... OK...
His voice was like the one from two days ago. She was far from that of a child. So was his tone and expression.
The young girl hoped that she wouldn't regret it, that nothing would happen to her.