To Hold a Dove

The Peculiar Date

Chapter Fourteen:

The Peculiar Date

SHINARA POV

Shinara woke up around eight that following morning. She took a shower, brushed her teeth, ate a small breakfast, and even worked on some homework by the time ten rolled around. When the doorbell rang, she sped off, reminding herself not to be too overly excited as she opened the door and frowned when she saw not Kaito, but an older gentleman with a letter in his hands.

"Are you Shinara Kudo?" he asked her.

She nodded, curious and concerned as she took the letter he offered her. Without another word, the man turned and walked away as she shut the door behind her and took the letter inside to the table read.

Dear Shin-chan,

I know I said I would be picking you up at ten, but something came up last night that led to an unfortunate affair. I am currently...indisposed. That being said however, I would very much like to spend the day with you still. If it wouldn't be any trouble, I have listed my address. Please come inside if no one answers the door. I will be on the second floor on the left.

If I am sleeping, please wake me up. I sent this to Jii early this morning, so I don't know if I will be awake or not when it reaches you. I know this sounds like a strange way to have a date, but I will explain when you arrive.

Until then, all my affection,

Kaito Kuroba

She didn't spare a moment as she grabbed her bag off the counter and slipped it over her shoulder and headed out the door. While the letter didn't say much, she did know it told her a lot of things as well, something only she would pick up as a detective. That fact that he would be asleep at home was a big one. It meant something was wrong with him. That something happened last night meant something happened at heist he had hosted. The fact that he still wanted to see her...well that definitely made her happy.

When she reached the door of the house he had indicated in his letter, she knocked twice. When no one came to the door, she entered inside, hesitant as she was afraid perhaps she had the wrong place. However when she went up the stairs to the first door on the left, she opened it just a crack and was both relieved and worried to see him sound asleep on his back, laying in bed with the blankets pulled up around him so that only his head was poking out. His face was moist looking from where she could see it and he looked rather pale.

Reaching out a hand to his head, she was shocked to find it burning up. Without even bothering to wake him as he had told her to, she whipped the blanket off of him and was horrified to see a large white bandage on his side, a deep red stain leaking through.

"What the heck happened you stupid thief", she whispered aloud.

She was surprised when a hand touched her hair, gently caressing a few strands between his fingers. She looked down at the slightly open glassy eyes that were staring at her, a small smile on his face, barely hiding the grimace that came along with it when he shifted even an inch.

"S-sorry I'm an idiot", he whispered, his eyes once again closing as he fell back to sleep.

She was shocked he had admitted to her statement, but she figured it was more likely due to the fever he most definitely had. He probably wouldn't even remember waking up in the first place, she thought to herself, as she gently pulled the bandage back to see his wound. It was definitely a deep gash, but from what, she wasn't sure. It looked ragged, not like a knife and not a bullet, so broken glass or metal perhaps?