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

Part 48: It can't be......right?

As time ticked by, the pace of the game quickened. The ball landed at Kudo's feet. He stopped it firmly, taking a quick glance at his teammates' positions. With an inside-foot push, the ball shot across the grass at high speed, slicing through the gaps in the opponent's defense, heading straight for the forward. But it was intercepted by a long, slender leg—

Kuroba Kaito.

"You always like to oppose me, Kid."

Kuroba sneered without replying. He suddenly stopped short, lightly tapping the ball with his heel, causing it to rebound quickly. Though Kudo was fooled by the first fake move, the following events happened too fast—Kudo spun around, quickly lowering his center of gravity, and stomped hard on the grass with his right foot, intercepting the ball with force.

Kuroba had no choice but to pass the ball back to a teammate. Seizing the opportunity, Kudo switched from defense to offense in one fluid motion, accelerating past Kuroba Kaito.

This split-second change of direction caused Kuroba to miss the best chance to intercept.

"Hahaha!Meitantei, trying to outsmart me?" Kuroba tilted his head, smirking coldly.

Kudo Shinichi dashed to the edge of the penalty area, anticipating the opponent's passing route. With ease, he evaded the interception and sent the ball flying across half the field.

When it came to soccer, this was Kudo Shinichi's domain. Relying on years of practice and training, his undiminished passion and love for the game, and the recent months of shifting focus from scoring goals to targeting criminals, Kudo Shinichi was confident he could win.

But there was one person he'd forgotten—the only one who could compete with him.

Kuroba accelerated like a leopard, his steps light but powerful. His shoes barely skimmed the grass, and for a split second, Sonoko thought she was imagining things—her beloved Kid seemed to defy gravity, soaring through the air to close the gap with the ball. His eyes were locked on the ball, his entire being like a drawn bow, ready to unleash a fatal strike at any moment.

He could have scored.

He could have won.

But that slender left foot wasn't aiming for the soccer ball—it was aimed at a volleyball that had flown in from who knows where.

Kudo Shinichi watched it all unfold, utterly stunned, as if time itself had slowed down. The teenager right in front of him, with cluttered hair, leaped over him. Kuroba's handsome figure cutting sharply into view. Just before the volleyball from the neighboring court could smash into his face, a foot sent it another away.

In that instant, Kuroba's left foot went numb, followed by a burning, tingling sensation. Kuroba Kaito barely managed to land on the ground, wobbling and instinctively reaching out to grab the nearest person—Kudo Shinichi.

With a loud crash, Kuroba Kaito found himself staring directly into the eyes of the detective, now pinned beneath him.

Kuroba Kaito was leaning diagonally against Kudo Shinichi's chest, his elbows resting on Kudo's collarbones, hands gripping Kudo's collar tightly. Meitantei beneath him looked up with a complicated expression, while Kuroba himself couldn't find any teasing or light-hearted words to defuse the situation.

Beneath Kuroba's palms, he could feel the hot, flushed skin and the wildly thumping pulse, so clear and undeniable.

Meitantei......you......are you really.......

No...... It can't be... right?

"Kuroba-kun! Are you okay?" Nakajima rushed over, pulling Kuroba off of Kudo with a strong tug. Even the PE teacher from the other class hurried over to check on them. Kuroba shook his head, adjusting his balance; fortunately, his ankle wasn't badly injured—just a mild sprain.