Masks

Epilogue : Hello there, Meitantei

A/N : beware, fluff everywhere!

- Friday, 08.40 P.M. Kudou Residence, Kudou Shinichi's Room -

Knock-knock.

This is the first time he had to knock upon entering his own room.

After hesitating and unconsciously circling outside his room for about quarter an hour, making a zero-like shape of foot print while scratching his head, he finally decided to do the inevitable. Taking a deep breath, he turned the handle down and pushed the door open.

There, lay his belov... cough-cough... his childhood friend on his bed -accompanied by Kazuha, mind you- smiling at seeing his face; his real face this time. He unconsciously smiled too, followed by a very warm and tender gaze towards her –that made even Kazuha blushed at just seeing how sweet his face had become- before he sat in other side of his bed. He examined her carefully, from the bruise on her cheek that being patched on, a little crack on the edge of her mouth, scratched wounds here and there, until he landed his gaze at her bandaged arm. The bullet hit through her right arm and grazed her left thigh, and only a millimeter away from her right cheek. He gripped his hands until his knuckles become so white while he bent his head, turning away his closed eyes and gritted teeth from her face. Silent filled the room.

Being sensible, Kazuha had permitted herself, saying she'll let Kudou-kun takes his turn to nurse her. Then that way, she believed Ran will feel better and heal quicker.

"Mou, Kazuha-chan!" was all she could say with a blushing face that she replied with a wink and a 'Good Luck!' whispered on her ear.

After they were left alone, Shinichi finally lifted his face and looked into her eyes again. She could see the pain and guilt in his reflection, and before he could open his mouth to say he's sorry, she had stopped him by placing her forefinger in his lips.

"It's not your fault, Shinichi. I did it by my own will" she said with a really tender smiles adorned on her face

"But... I'm the one who..." he said with a forlorn expression

"I have choices. And I'm the one who choose to do it" she said firmly, wanting to get all of his guilt out of him

Upon seeing him not reacting, she continued l"Say, do you remember that day when you lost your match on our 3rd year of middle school?"

"Huh?" he wasn't sure he heard her right as she absurdly changed the topic

"Even when you lost, you looked so cool back then" she smiled shyly as she recalled his appearance in her memory

"Uh... Huh?" it made him more confused, but the joy mixed in, made it more complicated for he wasn't sure how to feel towards the news. This was the first time she had said it, right into his face.

"And that day when we went to LA but get mixed up with the killer in NY instead" she asked while looked into his eyes, which "Yeah?" is the only thing he could muttered confusedly

"Even though I only remembered it recently, that time when you said 'I don't know what reasons people have for them to kill each other, but there's no reasons needed for people to help each other' carved into my heart deeply" she said as she recited his words while smiling and continued "You know, Shinichi? You're always there for me. Your words and action has always penetrated my heart when I'm lost. Even when you weren't by my side, you always held me up" as she said those, she could see Shinichi's eyes widened "I don't know if I could, but I wish I could do the same for you, Shinichi..."