Accomplice__ Kudo Shinichi x Kaitou Kid, Kaito Kid x Kudo Shinichi

Part 47: Too close to me

[Strange... where did Kuroba and Kudo sneak off to again? After skipping class yesterday, their phones have been off. Don't tell me... they went off to investigate another case? Ugh, seriously, and why doesn't KID do something about Kudo? Kudo's always running around, always solving cases, solving puzzles, solving mysteries...... investigate, investigate, investigate.......]

Sonoko frowned, resting her chin on her hand. The phone call on her screen still went unanswered. She turned around to see Mouri Ran, her eyes filled with sorrow.

Ran sat in a corner of the Poirot Café, her eyes slightly red, holding a cup of coffee that had long gone cold. The sunlight outside was bright, but her mood was overshadowed by a deep gloom.

"Ran, I can't believe he actually..."

"It was me. I was the one who suggested we break up. Sonoko... did I... did I do something wrong?" Ran's trembling hands slowly covered her eyes, and though no tears fell, her cheeks were wet with invisible ones. She couldn't cry.

She had once thought that Shinichi would stop her when she said those words in anger, that he would stubbornly hold her hand as he had done in the past, clumsily but firmly expressing the deepest feelings in his heart.

But this time, when she looked into Kudo Shinichi's eyes, she could no longer see her reflection in them—only a blur, only confusion.

He hadn't hesitated, nor had he tried to stop her.

Would Shinichi have been the one to suggest breaking up if she hadn't spoken first?

Unable to continue the thought, Ran clutched the hot coffee cup, the searing pain burning her palms.

"Ran."

Ran looked up to see Sonoko's warm, determined smile, as bright as a sunflower. "What are you afraid of? With me here, do you really think Kudo Shinichi won't come back to you? Ran... this time, we'll find a way to win his heart back. Maybe he's just confused right now, too caught up in cases to realize how important you are to him."

Seeing the sincerity and concern in Sonoko's eyes, hope slowly began to sprout in Ran's heart. "Sonoko... what should I do?"

Sonoko put down her phone and waved to a waiter in the distance, ordering a strawberry parfait. "First, calm yourself down and think carefully about what to do next. Ran, you're usually too passive. My mom always says that men... sometimes they aren't great at expressing their feelings, so you need to show your charm and concern, especially at times like this."

Ran took a deep breath. "Thank you, Sonoko. You really made me feel a lot better."

Sonoko smiled. "Ran, we'll always be the best of friends, right? No matter what difficulties come our way, I'll be there with you. Waiter! Pen and paper, please!"

Sonoko's eyes gleamed with excitement and determination, something Ran had never seen before. "Next up is the Kudo Shinichi Strategy Plan."

—---------------------------

"Meitantei, feeling better? If so, join me for a game tonight—just three rounds."

Yet even with that accident last night, Kuroba Kaito chose to bury the matter, feeling indebted to Meitantei. Keeping this secret didn't seem like a problem.

Besides, Kuroba Kaito wasn't sure how to react. So, he chose the simplest course: don't think about it. The most logical explanation was that after the twists and turns of last night, the heartbroken Kudo needed some comfort.

Everything continued as usual. Kuroba pretended nothing had happened.

The one who got kissed didn't comment, but the perpetrator was unusually silent.