Fated Friendship

Sherlock and Mycroft

The next weekend, the newspaper included a contest form with it. A form that, if filled correctly, would offer the participant a chance to go on a three day trip with other Sherlock Holmes fans, to private weekend retreat. Heiji had been about to dismiss it, as he'd always been more of an Ellery Queen fan, before remembering that Kudo was one – a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes.

"Hmm...there might be a possibility of his presence at this Sherlock Holmes Package Tour," Heiji muttered to himself, "He'd win a spot at it for sure. But, the questions here seem quite easy. Even I could answer them, and I've barely read his books once..."

"Heiji! Has the morning paper come?" Shizuka called out, "Your father's almost ready to leave for work!"

"Aa, I'm coming! It's here!"

Heiji handed the paper to his father as he settled down for breakfast, filling out the contest form with a pen he'd picked up on the way.

"What's that, Heiji?"

"A contest form, Okan," he replied absently, "for a package tour next weekend."

"Can you afford to go?" she asked as she served her husband, "Don't you have to study for school? If I recall, you missed two days this week because of that robbery and murder case that landed you stranded in that mansion across the city without any return routes!"

Heiji finally looked up from his writing, "Okan! I'm at the top of my class! And I already know what they're teaching in class, the only marks that the teacher can cut are due to lack of attendance. You know that!"

Heizo snorted softly at his son's arrogance, "Leave him be, Shizu. My son's a genius. What trip is this, anyway?"

Heiji, who'd raised his chin in pride at his father's compliment, suddenly scratched his head in slight embarrassment, "Ah, it's a Sherlock Holmes Package Tour."

"Sherlock Holmes?" His mother sounded surprised, "I thought you liked Ellery Queen's works."

His father gave a booming laugh and stood up, mussing his son's hair lightly as he made to leave, "I'm sure Heiji's tastes in detective fiction haven't changed. This has more to do with a certain 'Detective of the East' that he's been talking about the past week, I'm sure."

Heiji batted his father's hands away from his hair as his mother giggled, "Don't tease him, Heizo! My baby's just making new friends!"

His mother's words brought Heiji's actions to a halt. Friends? Was that what he thought of Kudo? They were rivals for sure, but friends? No...not yet. He'd barely known the guy, seeing him all for an hour at max. Then he'd disappeared and Heiji had no idea how to get in touch with him again.

But, wasn't he trying to do so now? Win a spot at a Sherlock Holmes Tour because he thought Kudo might be there?

His only true friend had been Kazuha – the sweet, strong girl he'd played with as kids and grown up with. Kazuha had seen him at his best and worst, shared his joys and sorrows in a very literal way.

He was a genius in the true meaning of the word and thus found it very difficult at times to connect with others. He got along well with his classmates and kendo club mates, but that had been it. He was popular in school and well loved by his teachers and the students, but it was impersonal.

No one was as close to him as Kazuha was and he doubted there'd ever be someone like that. Kazuha understood him even if she couldn't keep up with him. She accepted him and didn't think of him as weird for actually wanting to look at dead bodies or crime scenes.