Stay! By My Side

Chapter 6

Ai's POV

So it was a dream, after all. When I see him the first time I open my eyes, I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Kudo-kun"

So you're alive. I can still feel it unktil now, the feeling when I see Gin's shooting his gun right through your head. It's frightening me right now. It's just a dream, Shiho, it's not a kind of premonition whatsoever.

"Haibara? Hey.. you awake?" I heard his voice and I feel warm inside my heart in instance.

"Of course I'm asleep. Don't flatter yourself" I answer coldly. Try to hide my shivering body behind those words.

I feel someone's approaching me. It's Yukiko Kudo, Kudo-kun's mom. So she's here this whole time. I didn't recognize her presence and I feel bad about that.

Not long after that, she leaves the room and I lost in thought. It must be nice to have a warm family surrounding you everyday. And it would be hurt when that warmness riped apart by death. I wouldn't let that happen. I need to find a way to turn down the organization. But what could I do? Kudo-kun has all the help he can get. He got access to the FBI and so on.

My head keeps hurting when I think about this. And I'm not in the mood to get back to sleep. The moon is alluring tonight, if only I have an ordinary life, I could say this is the perfect night to stargazing with your loved one.

"What's in your mind, really?" He breaks the silence while giving me a warm and soft glare. These kind of attitude always give me both happiness and sadness at the same time.

"I'm thinking about the moon. Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody"

"Who are you quoting from?"

"Mark Twain"

"I never knew that you favor his work"

"Do you have to know everything, Mr. Detective?"

He's squinting his eyes and stopped talking for a moment. Then he said something ridiculous that widen my eyes for minutes.

"Say, Haibara. Why don't you let me know everything about you. We can start today. "

"I beg your pardon, Mr. Detective. You sounded like an upset boyfriend. I told you already, don't flatter yourself"

"Do I have to be your boyfriend to know everything inside your mind?"

Okay, now he's getting nowhere. I need to change the direction of this conversation. Immediately.

"Is it because you didn't have any murder case these past days that you're starting to find amusement in this helpless lady? Go home, Kudo-kun, you're talking nonsense"

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Shinichi's POV

I don't know why I said that. She's right, I was talking nonsense. But it's getting on my nerves. She could just spit out anything, her fear, her sadness, her uneasiness, her damn everything. Mom's right, she shouldn't be worried about her safety since we faked her death the last time Bourbon and Vermouth tried to kill her. Since then, I never see her get tensed again until yesterday.Right now, I have the urge to take away those fears from her mind.

I thought we've gotten closer to the point she had nothing to keep from me. The moonlight shines on her face. She's always been beautiful. If only she was a girl with a normal life, there wouldn't be any loneliness on that pretty face right now.

"You're avoiding my question." I break the silence, insisting to keep the conversation on the track.

"Because that question is ridiculous from the start. And why should I answer that?"

"You're starting to have a nightmare again. You're supposed to be fine until yesterday you started to lock yourself away from everyone again. If this is about the organization, of course I would care to know what is going on. At least give me a clue on that. Are you trying to be secretive right now? When you afraid, you usually search for my protection. But you didn't do that this time. You just stay shut, even from me."

I start cornering her with my rage and frustration. I don't even understand myself why am I behaving like this. But knowing she's hiding something to the point that makes her in this condition, I don't think I should let this slipped. Down in my heart I'm scared that she would try to runaway from all of us. She did that before and I'm not buying that any longer.

"I'm just having a nightmare. That's all"

She finally answer after a long pause. She still not looking at me while talking. And I'm not contented.

"That's all you say? What kind of nightmare is that? You couldn't just say it just like that while I know you're crying on your sleep"

"I told you, right? I'm not crying because of you"

"I didn't say you're crying because of me. Ah, so that's it. So something's happened to me in that dream of yours. So what is it? Do you see me die?"

"Shut up!"

She suddenly hissed me and the fear in her eyes is getting clearer. So she really dreamed about me being death.

"I'm sorry. It's because you won't say anything, Haibara, that I'm being like this." I tried to calm her with my words, and put her at ease to realize it's just a dream. "It's not a premonition, you are a scientist as far as I know. Not a fortune teller"

I throw her a teasing smirk hoping it will lighten her up. But I can still see her shivering in fear. So I jump up her bed to sit beside her.

"Hey, I promise you I wouldn't just die at their hands. I wouldn't leave my partner alone to deal with the kids,right?"

She smiled. Finally! It's a weak smile but still, a smile is better on her face.

"Didn't I tell you to behave like a grade schooler? When are you gonna learn? Geez"

I put my palm on the top of her head and my other hand is caressing her cheek. A slight of red colour spreading out of her face. She could be cute when she's willing too. Nah, her usual self is perfect already.

"Kudo-kun, you're too close. What would the girl from Detective agency thought about us being like this? You're so insensitive" she slapped away my hand in her usual cold manner but gently. I feel dissapointment showering my heart right now.

"What are you talking about? What's with her?" I seriously couldn't find any relation of this with Ran right now. And why are we talking about Ran out of the blue? Heeeehh, I guess she just being shy right now. At least she is now at ease.

______________________________________

We didn't sleep at all last night. And I totally forgot about school. She's getting better today, which put my mind at ease. I ended up not going to school at all, until Agasa's showing up being annoyed.

"Shinichi, and what makes you also skip school? The kids were bombing me with questions."

I smiled in apology. "Sorry, professor, I totally forgot about that." Besides, it's not like I need to go to school, after all. Right now my priority is Haibara. "So what did you tell the kids?"

"I told them you're in immediate vacation with your parents outside the country. And Ai-kun is following because lately she's not being well and vacation would be better for her health." That kind of excuse would make another problem. But never mind it, as long as the kids didn't show up here. Haibara would be as restless as ever.

"I wouldn't bother to explain about that later. That's your responsibility, Kudo-kun" said Haibara who is now reading a fashion magazine brought by Agasa.

"Yeah.. I'll do something about that"

The rest of the day is spent nice and calm. I'll just make sure she wouldn't overwork herself for the antidote. Oh and I also have to order Agasa to give me immediate report when something wrong happened to her.

Also, I need to see Akai-san after this.