Life After War ( CoAi)

Chapter 4

As Ai walked into class the next day, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew that her secret relationship with Conan was now out in the open, and she wasn't sure how her friends would react.

But as she took her seat at her desk, she tried to put on a brave face. She fixed her expression into a cool, queenly gaze, determined not to let anyone see her vulnerability.

She was relieved when the first few minutes of class passed without incident, but as the bell rang to signal the start of class, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. She knew that it was only a matter of time before someone brought up her relationship with Conan.

Sure enough, as soon as the teacher turned his back, Their friends leaned over to whisper in Conan's ear. "So, what's the deal with you and Haibara-san?" they asked, a sly look in their eye. "Are you guys really dating ?"

Ai fixedwith a cold, poker-faced gaze, determined not to let her emotions show. "Conan and I are just friends," she said, her voice dripping with ice. "There's nothing more to it than that."

Ayumi raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Come on, Ai," she said. "I saw the way you guys were looking at each other. There's definitely something going on between you two."

But Ai refused to be swayed by Ayumi's arguments. She knew that she and Conan had a special connection, but she wasn't ready to reveal the truth about their relationship to her friends.

"I'm sorry, Ayumi," Ai said, her voice firm. "But Conan and I are just friends. There's nothing more to it than that."

Ayumi looked at her skeptically, but she didn't push the matter any further. Instead, she turned her attention back to the lesson, a disappointed look on her face.

As the days passed, Ai couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. It seemed that her friends had finally accepted her explanation, and she was grateful that the drama had died down.

But despite her relief, Ai couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness. She knew that she was hiding a part of herself from her friends, and it weighed on her heavily.

But as she looked over at Conan, sitting next to her in class, she knew that it was all worth it. She loved him, and she was willing to keep their relationship a secret in order to protect him.

And as they shared a smile, Ai knew that no matter what challenges they may face, as long as they had each other, they could overcome anything.