Stay! By My Side

Chapter 10

Ran's POV

After all the troubles, we didn't find anything suspicious yesterday. We searched everything through Conan-kun's stuff but it was just all a plain elementary school necessities. I was so disappointed that even Kazuha-chan gave me a pity look. Well, she promised to continue our detective games without Heiji-kun's knowledge.

While I don't have any club activities today, I should straight to Professor's house after school. I wonder if Ai-chan's getting better. I feel sorry for her, she seemed to be in real pain that day in the hospital.

"Ran! Hey, Ran! Class is over.. Geez.. are you sleeping with your eyes open now?"

Sonoko wakes me up from my deep thoughts. Ah, so the class is over.

"Sorry, Sonoko. I wasn't paying attention to the bell." I smiled apologetically.

"What were you thinking? Is it about that dumb boyfriend of yours again? Hmmmm... Are you missing him so badly that his existence is the only matter in the world right now?" Sonoko teased me as she used to do.

"No... Sonoko... I was thinking about Ai-chan."

"Aaah.. that sarcastic little girl. Is she still not well?"

"I supposed so. Conan-kun hasn't home yet. He's looking after her from the day she was still in hospital. He even prevented me to let the other kids know about this."

"Hmmmm, he really treasures her isn't he? Huuh, he's acting so much of a boy at his age. Being romantic and all."

"You think so?"

"Is she his girlfriend? I bet he's feeling guilty right now that his girlfriend is sick. And I wonder if they have somekind of love quarrel because you know, that boy is always so full of himself just like your husband. So he's staying beside her and wishing she would forgive him and they're back together. Geez.. kids these days"

Sonoko keeps blabbering as always, but this time I can't help to think what she said was all true. Everyone would think that Conan-kun had some feelings to Ai-chan. And if Conan-kun is Shinichi, and Ai-chan is...

"Say, Sonoko, have you ever thought that Ai-chan is not acting like her age?"

"Hmmm... It's true that she could be bossy sometimes. But I think there are kids with this kind of personality too. Take Conan for example. It's good that they're a couple. Their personality matches one another."

"Well, I'm going to see Ai-chan right now. I'm also planning to make her some porridge. You wanna come?"

"Sure. I have nothing to do, after all."

So we walked together towards Professor's house. And to our surprise, we can hear Conan-kun's yelling from inside the house.

"How many times must I told you to not stay to long inside that damn lab, Haibara!"

"There,there, don't be too hard on her. She was just trying to keep up with her work. You can't blame her, when you're focus on your work you kind of loose track of time"

Looks like they're really having a quarrel just like Sonoko guessed. I was trying to ring the bell but Conan-kun's yelling again.

"But it's cold down there, professor! With her condition right now, it would lead to something even worse. It would be funny if she's dead because of her work, while I'm here giving all I had to protect her from the bad people. What's the meaning of this if she's gonna be dead after all?"

Bad people? Dead? What's with this conversation? And what work did he said Ai-kun has?

"What are you doing, Ran!" Sonoko lost her patient and ring the bell by herself. And we hear someone's approaching the door in a hurry, and open the door with shock.