Undeniably Yours

23: Confession.

*****

Again, an eerie silence enveloped them. Shiho secretly observed Shinichi's face with the limited illumination. It was getting darker now. Only the streetlights and the headlights from passing cars light their way. She looked around, familiarizing the place.

They were walking for a time now, well, him dragging her was the right term. They were several blocks away from the university already. She was getting impatient, not that she hated being with the detective. As much as she hates to admit, it felt nice with Shinichi by her side, though she was feeling a bit giddy. But at the same time, she was being consumed by fear...fear that this should not happen. She should be away from the detective. She tugged her hand in a slight force and stopped walking. Shinichi, who was walking ahead of her, also stopped and looked back.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"Your five minutes is up, detective." She said casually.

Shinichi stared at her in bewilderment. He squeezed her hand tighter before making a face.
"Screw that five minutes. We haven't even talked seriously yet." He said with gritted teeth.

She shrugged..."Well, if you just tell it all to me instead of dragging me to God knows where."

"Gods, Haibara! Can you please act seriously just for once?!" he pleaded.

She smirked, her voice teasing. "I. Am. Serious."

"Right! Your definition of serious is like this! Enough with the sarcasm already." He shook his head in annoyance. 

She stared at him for a few seconds before she pulled her hand away from his grasp.
"Whatever. I'm done with this. I'm gonna call Nicholas." She said as she attempted to fish her phone in her coat's pocket.

But before she had the chance to dial Nicholas' number, a hand grabbed her phone away from her. She glared menacingly at him.

"No...d-don't call him or anyone for that matter..." His voice trailed off.

"Seriously Kudo-kun! What is wrong with you?! You're creeping me out." she asked as she shivered slightly, exasperation now evident in her voice.

He clenched her phone tighter. She had difficulty seeing his face with the limited light. In addition, his bangs hides his cobalt orbs from her prying eyes.

He covered his face with his free hand. "I-I'm jealous." He softly stammered, his confession almost inaudible, but the young scientist heard him anyway.

It took her a minute to reply. "W-What?" she stuttered.

He faced her properly, and she was surprised at what she saw. His face just looked so serious...and red. It seems like all the blood in his body rose up to his face. Her mouth went agape.

She wanted to believe she misheard what he just said. She doesn't want to assume. Gods, what he was saying and the way he was acting is igniting a spark of hope in her. Which should not be.

'Impossible. Is he really...?'

He took a step towards her. She automatically stepped back.

"I said I am jealous." He slowly said, not stuttering this time.

She just stared silently at him. He continued to walk towards her. A string of panic surge through her.

"Haibara, I l—"

"Don't!"

The detective sharply looked at her, silently asking an explanation for her sudden outburst.