Through The Eyes Of A Dove. (Version two) (slow updates.)

3: Tell.

Mitsuhiko was the first to notice. He usually was, though Ayumi-chan nearly always voiced the observation first. Genta was too busy arguing with Haibara-san over what could be considered a healthy diet and Ran-san was too busy talking to Sonoko-san to notice. But... Conan-kun was acting strange. Even for him.

It was almost like conan-kun felt they were being watched, only he wasn't quite like that if they were, and that had the young freckled detective perplexed. No, his fellow detective was hard to read at the best of times, and Mitsuhiko was not stupid; he knew the other boy was hiding something from them; something big enough that it frightened the usually calm, overly mature boy.

Not even Haibara-san was that closed off from people. Oh sure, Conan-kun played with them, talked, laughed and joked with them, but there was always a sort of ...of distance he kept between them that made Mitsuhiko think they didn't know the true Edogowa Conan. The freckled detective may be wrong, but he just had a feeling that Conan-kun played down his intelligence.

(Which was a scary thought really. He was already well above average as it was. Mitsuhiko dreaded to think how utterly terrifying his friend would seem if the other boy actually used the full extent of his mental abilities.)

Ran-san didn't seem too worried though, and she was usually the best indicator of whether or not there was something wrong or up with Conan-kun. It was strange, seeing how the two interacted, and Mitsuhiko could never figure out if Conan-kun saw Ran-san as his Okaasan or just his Neechan. Especially when the karate champion started mothering the bespectacled boy.

They were all out at a café in Beika, one that Ran-san herself had recommended because of how close it was to the largest bookshop in the area. The Karate champion was treating them to lunch as a reward for getting top marks in their class (Mitsuhiko, Haibara-san and Conan-kun) and for trying their very best (Ayumi-chan and Genta.)

     Genta of course, was being greedy, having already eaten two bowls of eel on rice, and somehow Ayumi-chan and Haibara-san had begun discussing the best way to draw cats as they picked at their sandwiches. (Haibara-san's was better.) Sonoko-san was berating Ran-san for still waiting for 'her husband' who, as far as Mitsuhiko could tell, wasn't even Ran-san's boyfriend.

      (Because clearly, Sonoko-san had never seen Kudo-san and Heiji-niichan together. That had been only the second time Mitsuhiko had met the Heisei Holmes, and it was after the freckled boy had walked in on the two famous detectives holding hands. Before Heiji-niichan kissed Kudo-san on the cheek and bolted from the room.

     Ran-san had been just behind him, but she just cleared her throat and charged after Heiji-niichan with and angry About-To-Claw-You-To-Shreds cat sound that had Kudo-san going very very pale. Ran had returned dragging Heiji-niichan along by his shirt, the words 'sorry' and 'Kazuha' and 'kill you both' uttered as she stalked along, Kudo-san falling in step behind her looking almost scared.)

    "Mou, Sonoko. He's not my husband."

      "That's right Sonoko-neechan. Ran-neechan could do so much better than Shin'ichi-niichan." That tone of voice halted everyone's activities as they full on stared at the speaker. Conan just grinned a saccharine smile, causing everyone except Ran to shudder involuntarily.

     "Wha..?" Sonoko managed to spit out, not quite believing it. The brat was insulting Shin'ichi-kun? Chibi-kun practically worshipped the stupid detective nerd. Why?

     "See?" Conan held 'his' phone up, making sure only Ran and Sonoko could see. After all, it wasn't something the kids (or Haibara) should see...

     Sonoko's eyes widened comically as she digested the content of the text, turning stiffly to stare open mouthed and silent at Ran, who calmly popped a piece of cake in her mouth as if she'd seen it before.