Hell Hath No Fury

Fools Rush In

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread: foolish people do not usually understand when a situation is dangerous, so they are not afraid to do things that would frighten more sensible people.

Ran's an angel, and Sonoko isn't portrayed as the smartest person in the series

ヽ(*'∀')ﾉ┌┛

"I can do this," muttered Ran to herself as she walked down the hallways. "I can do this." She repeated the mantra again and again, in the hope that she'd convince herself it was true. Only eight hours since she'd been cleared by Hikaru's personal doctor, and Ran was beginning to feel a little skittish. She'd missed the last four days of school, devoting all her time to searching for Conan. Maybe a handful of those hours were spent on long walks around the park with Hikaru in order to de-stress, but Hikaru insisted it was necessary.

"Fresh air and sunlight will help you physically and emotionally," he told her when she began fretting over Conan again. "Talking helps, too. Tell me about Conan-kun. What's he like?"

The walk was nearly four kilometers, but talking with Hikaru made it feel so much shorter. Ran told him everything. How Conan had shown up, how he wore his glasses day and night, and how he'd made such good friends with the Detective Boys. He acted strange, sometimes, but he was Shinichi's cousin. If Conan's parents were anything like Shinichi's, then you could guess what sort of upbringing Conan was accustomed to.

As Ran answered Hikaru's questions, she drew comparisons between her two little detectives aloud. "Shinichi was always a little odd growing up, but he was cocky and arrogant. Like any other boy, I guess, Shinichi always wanted to be cool. Conan couldn't care less about that. He avoids most of the other kids his age. The teachers say Conan rarely raises his hand or his voice, while Shinichi used to shout the answers before anyone else had the chance to. They're both strange in their own right, and I love them for that," she concluded with a smile.

"So you're in love with Kudou-kun?"

Ran choked on a gasp. At her side, Hikaru waited with a smirk for her to respond. "N-no, I'm not," she protested. "Hikaru-kun, they're like my brothers. I can't be in love with them," she argued.

She ignored the sickening feeling bubbling in the pit of her stomach, the memory of Shinichi's lips on her own.

He laughed. "I'm joking, only joking. You're too easy, Ran-san."

"You're too mean," she retorted, bumping into him. "I don't tease you about your friend. What's her name again?"

The humor faded from his eyes as a blissful, faraway look took its place. "I call her Ei. She's never told me her real name, and I've never pushed her for it."

Tilting her head, Ran frowned in thought. "You're in love with a person whose name you don't know? I don't know, that doesn't seem too likely."

Hikaru snorted. "Ran-san, does that not mirror our own relationship?"

Ran groaned, and Hikaru laughed out loud again.

Now that Conan had been found, some part of Ran worried that he'd leave her to go solve real cases, work with people who actually needed a policeman to solve her problems. She vaguely remembered talking about it to Hikaru as he drove her back to her house.

He'd been silent for a few minutes before responding, hands gripped firmly on the wheel and eyes set on the road. "I won't be around for a few days," he said shortly. Ran's shoulders fell, and he caught the movement from the corner of his eye. Softening, Hikaru added, "I have responsibilities to fulfill because of my other work, but that doesn't mean I want to leave you alone. I promise I'll come back."