#“kuroba kaito” just as much of a character as “kaitou kid” in the sense that kaito is both of them but neither are fully him

[schro4444]

Idk abt pained but that anon's right!! There's just something about the way you draw kaito's smiles that feels like running headfirst into a brick wall - it's great!!

On that note though - I'm absolutely obsessed with the bit "he’s got an expression of scrunched-nose focus on his face that looks, for some reason, incorrect—like it’s not how his face actually looks when he’s concentrating, but the emotion underneath is the same. A mask of a feeling to obscure the same feeling, entirely purposeless"

because like! YES! That's EXACTLY it!! Kaito LOOKS like he's super expressive, emoting with his whole face and body, and then you just - get punched in the face when you realise, OH, he feels like neither him nor anyone could ever get out of the shadow his dad casts, OH, he DOES remember the clock tower meeting, this whole ringmarole was to save it, OH, he was trying to get Aoko to act more natural, OH, he was playing the fool at billiards (I GENUINELY doubted for a moment whether he Actually sucked at billiards or just cheated for the poetic justice)

It's a bit sad, to be honest, that Kaito can never put his masks down no matter what face he's wearing - even if it is his own. He said he's a fan of Lupin but imho he'd do well to reread the first book - there is a line there about disguises and ceasing to know yourself Kaito would do well to remember, bc I very much he's taking the time to rest, eat and become himself again between disguise and disguise.

THANK YOU!!! genuinely that’s such a huge compliment ajfjdhd

THANK YOU! AGAIN!! AND YES YES OKAY—I was going to say I have an essay on this, but I think ditto IS my essay, lol

BUT IM GONNA TALK ABOUT IT MORE ANYWAY!!! I won’t get into all of it now but Gosh I think so much about expressions. kaito appears to be an extremely expressive character, and it’s not that he Isn’t, but more that it’s Very intentional, like you’re saying—he’s a magician, he lives for misdirection, he’s always misdirecting and deflecting and reflecting.

moments like these Haunt Me!! he’s very clearly Being Kaito, enough that everyone around him believes him, but he’s also just… totally lying, in every single image. I really really want to capture the energy of these panels in writing and art, lol

LIKE. how good of an acting job did he do here that he managed to convince aoko that he didn’t want to see a magic show. lol.

THE POOL CHAPTER I think about that all the time. what an establishing moment for kaito. first of all because of what it reveals about how he is

(thank you toichi)

and second of all because I was also!!! bamboozled!!

the way he is portrayed when he starts winning in this chapter is Very interesting, because I feel like it comes across as kaito more,,, like,,, settling into the role. he’s not really actively trying to do anything, he’s following what he most naturally wants to do, which is somewhere between “be silly so that people don’t look too closely” and “I’d really like to see the people around me laugh and be happy.” once he starts being able to Perform, he succeeds. and yet we as the audience are still left doubting what really happened!!! kaito misdirects the audience just as much as any of the mk characters!

oooo I really need to read the arsene lupin books. but like YEAH! EXACTLY! kaito never really made space for himself to Not be acting. the closest he gets is with Jii, and maybe his mom. relevant to my OTHER ramble about how, in deciding to become kid, kaito ended up creating a character out of himself, a character that he Has To Be most of the time. and it’s WILD, because it’s a version of himself that’s fundamentally missing a lot of who he is, but nothing that anyone would actually know to miss.

[akai-anna]

HEY THERE MY LOVELY MUTUAL <3 <3 (I love when you reblog and queue my posts ur actually amazing ily so much I love reading your tags hugs hugs hugs <3 <3 <3 im in love, giggling kicking my feet everyday)

SAW THE CHARACTERS OPINION BINGO U REBLOGGED 👍 I GOTCHU

TAKAGI. BABY BOI OF DCMK (I remember seeing a poll rolling around somewhere about the most dcmk baby girl and Takagi won)

I will also have to have to ask you about Kaito HAHAH (my fav blorbo i will admit)

ok the thing is im from australia. choose an australian animal of your choice bc i am Intrigued. im not too sure how the bingo would translate though hahahah I don't think it would work very well

(feel free to also ask me anything or talk to me and about this bingo too >v0 b)

wait you know what i forgot LOL WE GOTTA HAVE THE PROTAGONIST DUO SHIN/CONE AS WELL. PLS

*LIGHTS UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE* MY DEAR MUTUAL, HI CYN, HELLO!!!!

Firstly: WE'VE NEVER TALKED BEFORE BUT LET ME TELL YOU, I WAS (still am) SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT WHEN I SAW YOU SEND IN AN ASK! Yes, I keep track and i'm always happy to see you in my activity and my dash! (I'm also really happy to see we mutually share that feeling; I relate to the giggling kicking feet sentiment a lot.) I'm happy to have this chance to interact with you, in a sense, face to face! Bless you, darling, and I'm sending hugs right back at you.

Secondly: YOU HAVE EXCELLENT TASTE AND YOU HAVE MY ETERNAL ADORATION ESPECIALLY FOR ONE TAKAGI WATARU, he always needs more love, I FREAKING ADORE THAT MAN.

Thirdly: warning notes apply, as stated in previous asks:

I tend to interpret things liberally: only my own rules apply, which means ->

I check everything that makes sense to me, even if they might seem contradictory

The Character Opinion Bingo in question

Prepare for endless ranting. And as a certain someone says: さあショーの始まりだ わ!

I. Takagi Wataru

The Babygirl and Malewife of My Heart Personal Special Tag: #takagi is a good man

Points that I feel need a little elaboration:

I am so normal about them: I use the word "normal" as a synonym for "utterly obsessed with" and "absolutely love and adore". (I don't like the word in itself, hence, the only context I use it in, is this. But that is another story.)

*puts them in a salad spinner*: as in, the salad spinner is my brain, and he keeps rotating in it at high centrifugal force.

Canon isn't real if I don't look at it and That's a solid design right there: Detco Canon is... As much as I love it, I think we can agree it has its shortcomings/issues, and one of them is coming up. These two points go hand in hand at this moment because LOOK AT HIM!!! LOOK AT HIM!!! THIS MAN IS A BABY!!! LOOK AT HIM, HE'S PERFECT!!! THE SPIKY HAIR!!! THE SHAPES!!! THE COLOUR PALETTE!!! HE'S SO CUTE!!

I resonate with this particular video: his new design in the anime (partly thanks to the general Square-and-Pointy-fication) is just... THEY HAD THE PERFECT MAN. IT'S A CRIME. Bless that he is at least still cute in the manga, even if not the same way as in the early anime. The sharp cheekbones and soft looking hair have their charm.

My point is: THIS!!!! MAN!!! IS!!! A BABY!!!!

Literally I would kiss them and I want to BITE them: he makes me go FERAL with LOVE, and makes me feel like I want to gnaw on something or eat a whole fridge or scream endlessly into a pillow. I wouldn't do it to HIM (I'll leave that to Satou Miwako), but generally, the feeling is there. (Okay, I'll be honest, I would totally give him forehead, cheek, or hair kisses.)

To close his section, have one of my favourite bits about this Baby Of A Man. That poll was absolutely right about him, THE ULTIMATE BABYGIRL (and Malewife TM).

⊱✿⊰

II. Kuroba Kaito/Kaitou KID

The Local Mischief and Chaos Bringer Personal Special Tag: #the magical agent of chaos

LOL I DIDN'T EXPECT TO GET A BINGO, EVEN WITH THE FREE SPACE HAHA

Some points are the same as for Takagi, but here is elaboration on the ones that don't match:

Bastard, A Beast Unleashed and They didn't get bullied enough: let's be real. He's an Absolute Menace. And I sort of love that about him. Highly competent (competency makes me go weak), and if that is not scary (and hot) I don't know what. And sometimes he also goes too far (lifting skirts is not okay at all, Kaito) and needs someone to put a leash on him (or kick a soccer ball at him/chase him in a classroom). I feel that sometimes he needs a bit of bullying a challenge, to think about things. And again, honesty: I love seeing him suffer a bit, I love his Panic Moments LOL. Not in a mean way. But I also love how kind he is; the baseball chapter in the MK manga has my heart, and the Clock Tower Heist, and the Red Tear chapter... Not to mention the Nightmare arc. He cares about people and making others happy. I feel I went on a tangent here. Onto the bastard bit: he CAN BE SUCH A BASTARD AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM TOO. Two of my favourite bits of Bastardry from him include 1) HOW HE DISGUISED AS RAN AND HOW HE BAITED SHINICHI AT THE VERY END OF THAT ENCOUNTER and 2) THE WAY HE SENDS SHINICHI CAREENING IN THE SIDECAR LIKE IT'S NOTHING (but also Shinichi getting right back at him and setting fire to the fckin fuel.) Pure Bastard Energy.

I want their gender: I love the way he is just so free-spirited about how he dresses/disguises. And I love the thought of him and Aoko doing outfit swaps (I blame that competition in MK for these. Also look at these delightful posts on the topic).

Canon isn't real if I don't look at it: I have... issues, with canon, you could say. Like the way he has no support system, especially bothers me. I would like to see his character treated with more care (be it MK or DetCo). I live for good character development, and I crave that for him.

To close this section, have one of my favourite conversations between these two menaces of nature.

⊱✿⊰

III. Australian Animal of Choice: Koala

Fun fact: I've been in love with koalas ever since I got a keyholder plushie from relatives in Australia when I was like... in kindergarten? Or early elementary? Also don't worry, *puts on sunglasses* I wouldn't have mentioned animals, if I thought I couldn't work with them.

Elaboration is needed here I feel.

I am so normal about them: I'm not as obsessed as I used to be but I'm eternally fond of koalas. Did you know their fingerprints are so similar to us they could be mistaken for human fingerprints? Or how they spend most of their time sleeping because the eucalyptus they consume is toxic? Or how they can actually swim well? Or how they are literally surviving by being Dumb As Shit because Being Dumb Saves Energy? Yeah, I'm totally normal about them.

*projects onto them like a mf* and I want their gender: Oh to be a koala, just existing, sleeping, sometimes waking up to eat some eucalyptus, then going right back to sleep. I want that.

That's a solid design right there: HAVE YOU SEEN THEM? SO FLUFFY LOOKING!!! WITH BIG CLAWS!!! THE BIG NOSE!!! SO SHAPED!!! NOT TO MENTION THE EARS!!!

They are so silly and They Sure Do Exist: how did this animal even come into existence? Weird lil creatures. THEY ARE JUST SO SILLY. THE NOISES THE MAKE. Like oh my god.

Literally I would kiss them: THEY JUST LOOK SO SOFT, HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO BURY MY FACE IN THE FUR?

⊱✿⊰

IV. Kudou Shinichi/Edogawa Conan

*Prof Agasa voice* He has many nicknames, like Gremlin Child, Absolute Menace, Ultimate Baby, Lil Nerd, Walking Encyclopedia Son, or Disaster Child. I think I call him as many names as I do my dear Rosie, so that is quite telling LMAO Personal Special Tag: #the detective gremlin

HDSBSKDB DOUBLE BINGO (AND ALMOST 4 BC HE'S ALSO DET'S FAV, SO ALMOST CROSSED OUT PROXY TOO KSJNVKSVNJS OK, my love for him is showing, I guess)

EDIT: FCKIN TRIPLE BINGO AS @vampirecatsw POINTED OUT oh my god, I'm blind

Again, some thoughts on relevant bits.

*projects onto them like a mf*: THIS CHILD IS SO FCKIN NEURODIVERGENT, AND I FCKIN RELATE, ALSO HE LOVES AND CARES SO DEEPLY IT HURTS AND I RELATE SO HARD.

A Beast Unleashed: another MENACE OF NATURE. You cannot let him roam free, he finds trouble like it's Breathing. Also love it when he goes ballistic. Or when he shows how competent he is. Like GOD. HE'S AMAZING, and he's a danger to criminals and himself, mostly.

Everyone else if wrong about them: not EVERYONE, just... some people. We agreed with a friend that some of our issues in portrayal lies with the fandom sort assigning him traits that Hakuba has, but not Shinichi (Hakubification). Of course, people can have their fun with it, but it's not for me and have my own opinions on the matter.

Canon isn't real if I don't look at it: again, DetCo has issues. Like the lack of continuity/ erased character development, or not bringing up issues ever again, and the like. Early DetCo was GOOD at these, and I miss those times.

That's a solid design right there and I fuck with this aesthetic so hard: HE IS!!!! SO SHAPED!!!!! SO ROUND!!! (or at least used to be) THE GENTLE CURVES OF HIS FACE!!! THE SILLY HAIR!!!! NOT TO MENTION HIS FCKIN WARDROBE!!!! I'M OBSESSED WITH HIM!!! Also, I have a huge thing for blue eyes and dark hair combination, not to mention the glasses... I'm fckin weak for glasses... god. He just hits all the right spots in my heart and brain. (Not to mention his personality, I WANT TO CRY I LOVE HIM SO MUCH-)

They didn't get bullied enough: I live for others teasing Gremlin Child. It's not quite bullying (never HURT HIM FOR REAL, I'LL CRY), but he needs to be TEASED MORE FOR SURE. I guess Bastardry also fits into this, that's good too.

SQUEAK: sometimes he is just so DUMB I want to SQUISH HIM HARD OR SHAKE HIM. I LOVE HIM, I SO DO, even if he is an idiot at times. God. I love him.

Literally I would kiss them and I want to BITE them: HIS CHEEKS ARE SO PERFECTLY ROUND I WANT TO CHOMP ON THEM. ALSO ALL THE KISSES TO HIM!!!!! BABY BOY!!!! GIVE HIM ALL THE KISSES!!!! AND HUGS TOO!!!

Bastard: the way he FCKS WITH SOME CRIMINALS. OH MY GOD. THE WAY HE IS SOMETIMES A MENACE ON PURPOSE. THE WAY HE SOMETIMES GETS SO ANNOYED HE JUST GOES FOR HIS WATCH. Also the way he is an absolute bastard to KID. His attitude is just so. *chef kiss* Love a menace of a child, HE'S AMAZING. HIS RAZOR SHARP SMIRK, THE MISCHIEVOUS CHILD FACE.

I have way too many favourite bits related to this boi. So. Have these random screencaps from my DCMK folder.

I hope you have fun reading this madness, Cyn! I HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST, YOU HAVE MY ETERNAL LOVE, may you have an absolutely blessed day, dear.

[balancingdiet]

Civilian

Characters: Kaito/Shinichi, Aoko Words: 11.2k LMAO!!! (recommended to open new browser tab before clicking “Keep Reading”) Note: 9 months ago I made this prompt, and I finally did it. Sort of, or at least closely related enough hahhaha Other reading link: AO3

Investigating a supposedly abandoned building shouldn’t be too much of an effort for Kaito, that is if he didn’t have to try hiding his identity from a certain detective as well.

//"It looks so difficult and complex," Kaito lied and heaved a sad sigh. "But I think I can try to unlock it, even though I'm obviously just a normal civilian."

"Aren't you a magician?" Shinichi drawled. "Don't you know how to unlock things?"

"Oh— Yes. A civilian who happens to be a magician." Kaito gave a thumbs up. "That's why I THINK I can do it."//

---

Kaito's life had been flipped upside down more than a hundred times, but if he had to choose the one that remained constant, it would be Aoko's inquisitive senses.

She was easily fascinated in nature. Feisty too, much to Kaito's chagrin. But to be fair, he did leverage on her curiosity plenty of times for his heists' sake, and because of that, he hadn't figured how he would explain all his wrongdoings to her after his life as Kid ended.

So taking one step at a time towards that possible path of forgiveness, he tried by agreeing to most of the things she asked him to do, like trespassing into their high school in the middle of the night, joining that stupid Kid Capture Brigade club she created…

And now this: accompanying her to investigate an abandoned building for their university's student newspaper.

If Kaito had to complain, it would be how far the building decided to abandon itself away from town; the travelling already took them a bulk of their afternoon. But comparing this to the other requests Aoko made in the past, this was no biggie for Kaito. He could already imagine how the day would play out; probably a couple of self-paranoia scares, some trips and bumps over the old floorings, and maybe having someone joining in their investigation—

Wait.

What?

Kaito's life had been flipped upside down more than a hundred times, and one of the reasons was his uncanny luck to meet the people he didn't wish to see right now.

Aoko gasped, just two seconds slower than Kaito's realisation to their new visitor.

Standing by the broken door in his iconic unbuttoned blazer and pants was Kudo freaking Shinichi.

If newspaper articles and television didn't count, it would be three years since Kaito last saw the detective (in his other smaller form). And frankly, Japan wasn't that big, so Kaito should consider that quite a miracle. But compared to those 2D prints, seeing Shinichi in real life struck a heavier chord in Kaito's memories, and there was an equal balance between the fond and not so desirable ones…

Bullets. Blood. Debt

"This isn't an illusion, right?"

Kaito snapped out of his thoughts and glanced at Aoko over his shoulder. He hadn't wished for something so bad since he checked the gem for Pandora last week, but there was no point in trying to delude himself, or Aoko, when standing right there in the flesh was definitely that detective.

But before Kaito could confirm it, Aoko was already standing in front, her lips pursed to bite back her giggly excitement (and maybe to stop herself from exposing her scrapbook filled with Shinichi's articles and whatnots).

"You're Kudo Shinichi!" Aoko clicked onto her pen rapidly. "Like the Kudo Shinichi? Right? Detective of the East!"

"Just Kudo Shinichi." The said man afforded a small smile. "I'm quite over with that alias."

Alias… hah, Kaito thought wryly. And what about the others? Like the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes, Silver Bullet, once-upon-a-time Edogawa Conan and also the Kid Killer—

"Nice to meet you!" Aoko placed a hand over her chest. "I'm Nakamori Aoko."

Kaito inwardly groaned.

"Nakamori?" Shinichi clarified.

"Yes."

"…Is your father a Police Inspector?"

"You're right!" Aoko's face brightened as she nodded. "He's the Inspector of Kaitou Kid Task Force."

"What a coincidence."

"How did you figure it out? Nobody ever says I look like my dad." Aoko tilted her head. "Is it by my name?"

"That's half of the reason." Shinichi pointing to her belongings. "I noticed you have an interesting Anti-Kid charm, and also the pen you're using was a gift to commemorate the founding anniversary of the Metropolitan Police Department. Only people affiliated to the police will have that."

"As expected of the detective," Aoko said in awe. "I really can't help but admit I'm a big fan of your work!"

Kaito couldn't roll his eyes any further behind his head. "Oi, Ahouko…"

"Sorry." Aoko hastily gestured over at Kaito, as if remembering his existence. "Anyway this is Kuroba Ka—"

"Kuroba is fine."

Aoko snapped a disapproving look and nudged Kaito in the ribs. "Can you sound any less rude?"

"Maybe it's a symptom whenever I'm close to any detective."

Obviously hearing their conversation, Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Symptom?"

Kaito shrugged. "Like allergies."

"I guess it's better to say he's allergic than repulsive," Aoko muttered.

Shinichi shook his head. "That's fine; it's normal for some people to be repulsive against this line of job."

"Yeah, and maybe because Kaito is also a magician—"

"OKAYYYY that's too much information given. And you also just revealed my name, Ahouko." Kaito tugged Aoko's sleeve, pulling her a step away from the door Shinichi was still standing by. "We're here to do your work, not to chit-chat. Much less with strangers."

"What work?" Shinichi asked, and at the moment Kaito felt like he had fallen into the hole he dug.

"I'm currently helping to write a column for our university paper and I asked Kaito to accompany me," Aoko replied. "There seems to be some rumours going around about this abandoned building so I thought it'd be an interesting topic."

"And those rumours might be?"

Aoko parted her lips, ready to say everything because she was so easily pulled into any conversation like that, but Kaito cleared his throat, stopping her.

"What about you?" Kaito gestured a hand to Shinichi. "What are you doing here?"

Aoko looked excited to know Shinichi's answer too.

The detective, however, shook his head, but at least he had some kind of heart to explain after witnessing Aoko's shoulders fell. "It's police matters and not something I can share with the civilians."

Kaito cheered at the thought of Shinichi regarding him as a civilian, but the first part of his sentence sent a feeling of uncertainty to his gut. Police matters?

"If it's police matters, I'm not sure if the rumours we heard are going to be helpful." Aoko laughed sheepishly. "People said they heard some kind of activities happening at night here, and they think there's… ghosts."

Shinichi finally entered the room, one arm crossed while the other hand touched his chin. "Ghost, huh..."

Aoko tilted her head. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Mulling for a while, Shinichi spoke, "There are many things one would wish to have a choice to not believe."

Kaito blinked.

Right. Having been shrunk by ten years from ingesting a pill, even Pandora's myth would have a hard time competing for the first place of bullshits that Kaito wished he had a choice to not believe in…

The room had grown too quiet for Kaito's taste. He glanced at Aoko knowingly; she looked lost in her own thoughts too.

He wondered what she was thinking, yet at the same time, he was a little afraid to know.

Kaito cleared his throat, snapping the other two attention back to earth. "Since we have nothing to do with each other and we're about done, shall we go home?" he said to Shinichi and then to Aoko.

Aoko glanced at her pink notebook and clicked her pen absently. "But we haven't been to the remaining floors. And there's also the roof too."

"We've seen nothing new for the past three levels." Kaito waved a hand around. "I bet it's gonna be the same — old and dusty."

"I would also advise you to leave as soon as possible," Shinichi said, stopping Aoko's attempt at a retort. "And if you don't mind, I have a couple pictures of those floors and the roof for you reference. I can send them to you via email."

"Really?" Aoko beamed. "That'll be nice!"

"Why do you need Aoko's email? Can't you just send via Bluetooth now?" Kaito drawled, though Ask was already scribbling down the details on a paper from her notepad.

"My battery is dead." Shinichi fished out his phone, because it was in every detectives' blood to show the evidence no matter what.

Whatever. But at least Shinichi did something right by advising Aoko to leave as soon as possible, and Kaito couldn't help but be thankful for it.

While the two were fussing about the email exchange, Kaito slipped half of his body out of the room and stared at the growingly dark corridor that led to the stairs up the next floor.

Kaito didn't feel it earlier, but after all the things Shinichi said, he wondered if he had been missing some signs.

"Thank you!" Aoko snapped her notebook shut and kept her materials back into her bag, her handmade Anti-Kid charm dangling loudly. "Are you also leaving too, Kudo-kun?"

"Not yet. I still want to explore this room."

"Alright! Take care." After Shinichi acknowledged her words with a nod, Aoko skipped towards Kaito.

"Thought you'd never leave," Kaito said with an eye-roll.

Aoko stuck out her tongue. "Let's go. And don't call me heartless because I remember the promised ice-cream treat after this."

It was never for the ice cream, but he grinned anyway. "Good."

As Aoko walked out of the room, Kaito gave Shinichi a last glance.

To his well-kept surprise, Kaito found Shinichi to be watching his conversation with Aoko, but when their eyes met, he turned away, showing only his broad (and albeit a little lonely) back for Kaito to see.

What a reunion, Kaito thought, before he finally turned on his heels, leaving the man tied to his many forgotten memories behind.

.

.

In the next three days after that chanced meeting, Kaito poured more time researching about Kudo Shinichi than he ever did for his project assignments in his entire university life.

The detective did appear on the media sometimes when he solved murder cases that shook the nation, but other than those, he was often in the back shots or nowhere to be found in the pictures; and easily counting these numbers, he had appeared much less periodically compared to the time before the Organization he dealt with fell apart.

But there was nothing Kaito could find — not from the recent news or about Shinichi — that would make the detective turn up at that abandoned building.

Was he there for his private investigation? What if it was related to the not-so-fallen Organization? A supposedly undetected rat that then grew an army under the sewers?

An email pinged on Kaito's computer, showing a notification about the student newspaper Aoko was a part of being published. It could serve as a small distraction for now (but he knew those thoughts would always be on the back of his mind).

Kaito clicked on the link and kept scrolling till he reached Aoko's column.

"Building lies abandoned, or not?"

As expected, Aoko had mostly written about the things she shared on their train ride back home. The building was abandoned, yes. And it looked too run down to be inhibited by anyone, yes. But what Kaito didn't expect was the way she concluded the mystery with a quote:

"There are many things one would wish to have a choice to not believe."

- A renowned detective who preferred to not be named.

Kaito rolled his eyes.

He guessed the pictures wasn't the only thing Aoko asked from Shinichi, and he wondered if they talked about anything else. Like the weather? How Hakuba sucks? Or…Kaitou Kid?

Kaito sighed and resumed browsing through his 'research', scrolling through pictures of different angled Shinichi looking back at him…

"What am I even doing?" Kaito said aloud to himself and shook his head. "Why should I even care about this, him, and that stupid building? I have my own problems to worry about."

Willing himself, Kaito shut his computer and headed to bed (not while spending the next intervening hours thinking about everything more than once every ten minutes).

.

.

As a reward for completing three assignments and his heist (though it wasn't Pandora) in a night, Kaito decided to give himself a break and take a solo trip to the abandoned building.

(There was no denying he needed to find better ways to spend his free time.)

Kaito parked his bike under a tree, a short distance away from the building's front yard. He usually planned six steps ahead, but given this unfamiliarised environment, he might have to improvise his decisions and timings along the way, which meant trusting the periodical public transport wouldn't be a wise choice.

Twirling his bike keys, Kaito kept them inside his pocket. He skipped past the cracks and rocks and arrived at the front of the building. It looked exactly like how it was, but without Aoko's blabbering and presence, there was nothing to distract him from the sudden unsettling feeling in his gut, like Kid's instinct; a phantom's sense…

Or maybe it was just Kudo Shinichi's fault.

Slipping past the cracks of the door, Kaito entered.

The building had five stories, but due to its extremely high ceiling and long stairs, its true height was way taller than such. Maybe ten? Perhaps. Even at his pace, Kaito was heaving a little when he reached the fourth floor, where Aoko and him didn't explore. He decided to start from there.

Kaito didn't ask Aoko to send him what Shinichi gave her, not that he didn't want to see what it was. He was afraid of her follow-up questions to his curiosity, and if she happened to figure out his intention of revisiting, it would do no good for him or her; he couldn't afford to risk her safety for anything.

But anyway, everything seemed perfectly normal for now. Normal in a sense that Kaito hadn't whipped out his card gun and smoke bombs and started running down the corridors for his life. This was also the fifth room he had explored so far on the fourth floor. Nothing much different from the others he had investigated... except for its size.

Kaito frowned at the new discovery, wondering if he was imagining it before he checked the windowpanes. Yes, definitely smaller. The other rooms had nine windows, but this only had seven. His attention grew high on alert as he looked at every inch of the room more carefully—

Kaito squinted his eyes at the top of the wall. "Is that a switch?" he wondered aloud. The old, cracked paints and cobwebs had covered it well.

Even with the biggest jump, it was still an impossible height for Kaito to reach the switch. He glanced around the room, trying to improvise, but there were only a couple of broken chairs, glasses and debris, which Kaito couldn't make out what they were.

Nothing useful.

If Aoko was here, he could imagine her pulling out her selfie-stick and calling it her secret weapon. But Kaito came just as prepared too; he just wasn't sure if his secret weapon liked to be called in the middle of its napping time.

Adjusted his arm to a right angle, a dove popped its head out of Kaito's sleeve.

"Hello Mochi." Kaito grinned.

It cooed, and if Kaito didn't know better, he would have missed the dangerous intent in its voice. He quickly took out the secret weapon for his secret weapon — some sunflower seeds. Thankful, it worked as Mochi finally came out of its den and flew to his wrist to get its little treats.

"So easy to please..."

After it was done, Kaito pointed at the wall. "Ok, go and flip that switch for me."

It would be a joke if it only switched on the lights or something lame like that, but everything was worth a try.

Mochi fluttered its wings... before flying past Kaito's head and towards the door behind him.

"Oi!" Kaito yelled and ran after it.

Secret weapon or not, his doves could be erratic at times, especially Mochi, which was why he decided out of all his doves, he would bring it with him so they could have a better bonding time—

Kaito froze by the door.

Standing in the middle of the corridor was Kudo Shinichi, his body tensed as Mochi settled on his shoulder. He glanced up, his stunned face turned into a scowl when he noticed Kaito.

"You—" Shinichi snapped, "Is this your dove?"

What on earth... "Fancy seeing you again," Kaito managed to say without giving away the feeling of wanting to jump off the building.

"Get it off me."

Biting back a smile, Kaito pulled out another fistful of sunflower seeds. "Come back Mochi, I'm the real owner with treats here."

Knowing its bargain, Mochi flew away from Shinichi and onto Kaito's wrist, pecking its beads on the seeds.

"You greedy little pig," Kaito muttered.

Shinichi closed their distance, his face still plastered with the disapproving scowl. "What are you doing here," he asked.

"And what are you doing here too?" Kaito shot back.

At least Shinichi was mature enough to not play the I-asked-you-first game. "I'm reinvestigating the scene."

"You've been coming down since?"

"No, I was busy. I'm only free to come down today."

Oh right, Kaito suddenly remembered the news (coincidentally, and not because he was searching up Kudo Shinichi again) about a series of murders that happened all around Tokyo, though those cases were solved within a day or two. At that rate, it got to be Shinichi doing the work.

Definitely very busy for Shinichi.

And definitely very unfortunate, for Kaito, that of all the days to come, he just had to choose the one when Kudo Shinichi was free.

"Your turn."

Kaito blinked. "My turn to?"

"Answer the question."

"Oh." Kaito scratched the side of his nose. "I lost something and came back to find it."

Shinichi eyed Kaito, in a way that brought him back memories of the earlier days when there was nothing but doubt and uncertainty during the beginning of their temporary truce and partnership.

(Kaito wondered how those memories came to him when he thought he had forgotten them all.)

"And you realised it only after two weeks?" Shinichi deadpanned.

"Yes," Kaito said, totally free of the irony.

"What did you lose?"

"Something." Kaito stroked Mochi's feathers when it showed signs of agitations after finishing the seeds. "But please don't mind me. I'm sure your investigation is more important than my lost item."

Shinichi obviously didn't seem satisfied with his answer, but he said nothing else as he walked past Kaito and into the room (while glancing warily at Mochi). Or maybe the detective wasn't even feeling anything in the first place, and those furrowed brows were becoming a default expression of his.

Kaito stood by the door, hesitating. Should he just leave? Then what about his so-called lost item? And more importantly... Kaito stared at the wall where the almost-hidden switch was. He still hadn't figured what its purpose was.

Heck it.

"Anyway, what is there to investigate here?" Kaito entered the room and inconspicuously followed Shinichi around. "I thought you've been to the upper floors already."

"I haven't."

"You haven't?" Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Wait, does that mean you lied to Aoko and I that day?"

Kicking over a debris, Shinichi didn't hesitate to admit. "It was late and dangerous for two civilians to continue loitering around."

Still regarded as a civilian, huh? Kaito grinned to himself at his appointed identity. "Then those pictures you sent—"

"Were duplicates from the lower floors."

"What a liar," Kaito said, though he couldn't help but inwardly wince a little at his own hypocrisy. "I'm gonna tell Aoko and smash your reputation."

"But you didn't hesitate to ride on the lie either." Shinichi raised an eyebrow back in a form of challenge. "You wanted to leave too, no? I helped you."

I wanted to leave because you were there, Kaito thought drily.

But Mochi cooed, as if agreeing out loud for Kaito.

"Oi." He scowled at his dove. "Are you—"

Kaito's little chiding had stopped him from noticing Shinichi halting in his tracks, causing him to knock into the detective's back. Kaito jumped away quickly, hoping their accidental contact didn't change Shinichi's mind in any way about his identity... (He might be getting a little paranoid.)

But Kaito's worry was unnecessary as Shinichi looked too preoccupied with his new finding to care about the bump — he, too, had noticed the switch.

"Oh! What an interesting switch you found, detective!"

With narrowed eyes, Shinichi glanced at Kaito before staring at Mochi on his wrist. "Were you going to ask your dove to help you with the switch earlier?"

"What? Of course not. How would I, a civilian, even notice the switch in the first place? Mochi is here only as my companion."

The side-eye continued. "Then I suppose you wouldn’t know if your dove is capable of flipping the switch on command?"

"Are you asking me, a civilian and his very normal dove, to help you with your investigation?”

"My question only requires a yes or a no."

"I'll take a maybe. Because we'll never know unless we try." Kaito chuckled, turning away from Shinichi and whispered to his dove, "Please don't embarrass me."

That said, Kaito raised his hand and Mochi flew up on cue and towards the wall. It hovered over the switch for a second, head tilting curiously before giving a peck.

A hiss, like a rush of escaped air, came from behind a large cracked mirror hanging on the wall. It turned unhinged on the side and swung open, revealing a secret compartment behind.

"Damn," Kaito breathed out, and this time his surprise was real.

Done with its task, Mochi landed and settled on a debris on the floor, watching.

Shinichi took out his phone and turned on his flashlight. There were stairs leading all the way further up, but it was too dark to see where it led to. Shinichi took a step in.

Kaito followed.

The detective turned, shining his light onto Kaito's face and nearly blinding him. "Aren't you busy with finding whatever you've lost?" Shinichi asked, with a hint of contempt that Kaito couldn't blame him for, given his previous dismissal to Shinichi's concern for his missing item.

"I figured this might be a little bit more interesting." Kaito grinned in reply. "And who knows, maybe you'll need my help again?"

"If I remember correctly, it's your dove that did most of the job."

"I raised it with my blood, sweat and tears so that has to be something."

Shinichi gave a mild roll of his eyes and finally shone his phone away and towards Mochi's direction. "Is your dove not following?"

"Mochi hates confine spaces."

"Hm." Shinichi made a noise that sounded neither happy or upset and continued his way up the dark stairs.

At the last second, Kaito ducked out from the compartment and scattered more sunflower seeds on the ground. "Stay here okay, Mochi. Don't go around finding any poisonous worms."

Mochi was already busy eating to even acknowledge whatever Kaito said.

He just prayed it understood and hurried to follow the light; to where Shinichi was.

.

.

The long stairs eventually led to a room, which was pitch black at one second but lit up the moment Shinichi first stepped inside; the ceiling lights switching on one by one.

Kaito squinted his eyes, trying to get use to the sudden brightness. "Judging by the sensors, does it mean we're the only one here?" 

Shinichi didn't answer, but he stood there, as if waiting for something to happen.

Kaito was almost tempted to hum just for the sake of it.

"I can't guarantee that," the detective finally admitted when nothing seemed to be able to confirm his speculations. "But keep close to me, in case anything happens."

Kaito considered feigning scared, but he didn't want Shinichi to legitimately think he was and send him out of the secret hideout. "Ok, detective."

"And don't touch anything."

"Yes yes."

Shinichi kept his phone and surveyed the room while Kaito quietly did his own.

The room looked way more decent than any of the ones outside; there were signs of people staying here, or been here, keeping the dust and cobwebs away. In the middle were three chairs surrounding a large table, and on it were two ashtrays full of burnt out cigarettes, a couple of files and some empty water bottles.

Shinichi pulled out a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on before picking up a file. His frown deepened every time he flipped to the next page.

Kaito strained his neck, trying to peek at the file's content. "What's that?"

"Records on some trades they made, though it's in codes so I have no idea what the trade is about, for now," Shinichi muttered. "The most recent trade happened last week. It also states another one is happening in three days."

"Maybe it's drugs?"

Shinichi stiffened.

"Or weapons." Kaito quickly added.

"Either is likely." Shinichi shut the file and placed it back where he found it. He left the table and began scrutinizing the shelves against the walls, though there was nothing but rubbish on them, as far as Kaito could tell.

Kaito looked back at the file, contemplating. Giving his civilian status, he couldn't possibly ask whether everything here was related to the Black Organization...

"Is this the police matter that you've talked about?"

Shinichi hummed. "Not what I expected."

Huh? "What do you mean?"

"...Besides the ghost rumour that Nakamori mentioned, there were others that were circulating and keeping people away."

Is he changing the topic? "Like what?"

"Witchcrafts, curses, or... experiments." Shinichi paused. "Witnesses claimed they saw the lakes that goes downstream from this building turned black or green a couple of times."

Kaito was almost tempted to believe in those rumours if he didn't know Akako was currently in England with Hakuba right now... Unless she knew some spells that could teleport herself back and do her weird things here. But given the evidences of these illegal trades and whatnots, Kaito trusted Akako enough to know she wouldn't be a part of it, despite how creepy she could be sometimes (he was still dumbfounded to this day to why Hakuba was willing to accept her like that).

"So... What were you expecting in the first place?"

Shinichi stared at Kaito over his shoulder.

Seconds passed so long it felt like minutes. Kaito cleared his throat. "Uh... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing." Shinichi glanced away.

"You didn't answer my question."

"I don't see why I have to tell you either.

Kaito inwardly sighed. "Fine. Whatever it is, maybe there's something more we can find in there." Kaito pointed at the rounded corner of the room that led to another door.

Shinichi abandoned the crushed soda can on the shelves and followed the direction to where Kaito pointed. There was a door like Kaito mentioned, but it was passcode lock; not as easily accessible as it was to the room they were in.

"It's locked," Shinichi grumbled out the obvious and leaned an ear towards the door. "I can't hear anything from here either."

"Let me try." Kaito bent down to the glowing keypad. Ha. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. He recognised this system like the few museums he had broken into before. He just needed to disable it and it should do the trick.

The only problem was Shinichi's intense gaze on him.

"It looks so difficult and complex," Kaito lied and heaved a sad sigh. "But I think I can try to unlock it, even though I'm obviously just a normal civilian."

"Aren't you a magician?" Shinichi drawled. "Don't you know how to unlock things?"

"Oh— Yes. A civilian who happens to be a magician." Kaito gave a thumbs up. "That's why I THINK I can do it."

"Ok," was all Shinichi said (and Kaito thanked heaven for that). He pulled out another pair of gloves from his pocket. "Use this."

"Thanks." Kaito accepted it, though he had his Kid's gloves on him as well.

He made a show of trying to put the rubbery and sticky gloves on that Shinichi grew bored and went back to the shelves to inspect those soda cans again. Taking the opportunity, Kaito whipped out his tools from his sleeves and began his habitual tinkering.

Ten seconds. Three dying beeps. The glow disappeared.

"Done."

"That's fast," Shinichi commented when he returned to Kaito's side.

"Beeeeeecause luck is on our side." Kaito laughed. And not waiting for Shinichi to say anything more that could risk his identity, Kaito pushed open the door.

The sensors acted again, lighting up the next pitch-black room and revealing rows and rows of guns, grenades and boxes of bullets. And on the other side of the large room were piles and piles of blank paper, which were going to be used for creating counterfeit money with the big printing machine behind. Next to the machine were big bottles of black and green ink.

"I think this should explain everything," Kaito said.

They headed to different direction; Shinichi checking the weapons and Kaito looking at the papers. Kaito had to admit these were of good quality and the criminals would definitely reap what they harvested from their investments. But too bad their dreams were gone and they would be spending at least twice of their lifetime in jail for all these smuggling and counterfeiting crimes—

Make that thrice if Kaito count in the fake paintings and jewels too.

At the blind spot of the room, Kaito found a high stack of famous paintings, and next to them on the floor were at least three dozen of Big Jewels encased in a large transparent glass box. Being more familiar in this line, he could tell with one look they were all fakes.

"Jewels?"

Kaito jolted from his squatting position, his heart nearly leaping out of his mouth. He half turned, scowling. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Why? Are you planning to steal something?"

Kaito tried to look offended. "Of course not."

"Are they real?" Shinichi gestured his head at the gems.

"The answer is obvious, isn't it?" Kaito muttered (whilst trying not to choke on his nervousness). "If they are into the business of printing counterfeits, these stuffs got to be too."

Shinichi looked amused. "A nice deduction."

Kaito scowled at Shinichi's head after he turned away. Is he being sarcastic or what?

Whatever. Kaito whipped out his phone and took a couple of pictures. Regardless if Shinichi were to bring down these bad guys or not, he should at least keep a note on these forgeries; if a similar jewel came up on the news, he would double check its authenticity rather than holding a heist for nothing—

A sudden slam from the door.

A series of gasps.

Kaito turned.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!"

Remaining in his squatting position, Kaito crawled across the room and peeked his head from behind the money printer.

Aw crap.

Two men. Two guns. Both pointing at Shinichi.

"I SAID WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!" and "RAISE YOUR HANDS!" were both screamed at the same time.

Shinichi obeyed the second command while keeping his lips sealed.

No Soccer ball this time to save your life. Kaito thought mockingly as he ditched his rubbery gloves.

One of the men turned to his partner. "You know what, let's just shoot him before the others find out that someone came—"

A flick of his wrist and with his card gun in hand, Kaito shot at the ceiling lights.

The room turned to an abyss.

"What the?!" A cocking sound from a gun.

"Oi! Don't shoot! Unless you want to accidentally set the grenades off, idiot!"

Memorising every position, Kaito rushed out from his hiding spot and grabbed what he knew was Shinichi's wrist, pulling him along as he made a dash towards the door.

Before the lights in the first room flickered back on, Kaito shot them out again; they weren't needed anyway. He continued running past the table and out of the room, the only comfort he could find amidst this havoc was the warmth of Shinichi's wrist and his mint-scented breath—

"Shit." Kaito clicked his tongue, staring at the darkness on the other end of the stairs. "The mirror door is closed."

"Look." Shinichi flashed his phone's light to their right. "There's another stairs here."

"I guess it's a risk we have to—"

Multiple gun shots rung in the air, and Kaito thought he felt a bullet flew past the top of his head.

No words were needed as they rushed up to wherever the stairs led them too. But like the other stairs in the abandoned building, it was long and seemingly endless. Kaito was two seconds away of giving up when he felt a faint wind brushing his cheeks before the pale light from the dark sky touched their skin.

They reached the roof.

Slipping his card gun up his sleeves before Shinichi noticed, Kaito panted, "Now what?"

Another gunshot rung in the quiet night and the echoes of the thunderous footsteps continued, only that they were getting louder.

It was Shinichi's turn as he pulled Kaito's wrist, dragging them to the roof's ledge; five level of floors but with the height of ten. Kaito gulped, his surprise turned wary as the tip of their feet inches away from nothing. There was no way they would go without at least a broken spine if they jump down.

Unless...

Shinichi grabbed the front of Kaito's shirt.

"Use your damn glider."

"Uh— Huh?" Kaito blinked rapidly. "My what?"

"Kaitou Kid's glider! I'm sure you have it on you now!"

Shinichi was right on the mark, but what Kaito didn't understand was how he figured about his identity? Did he notice the card gun?

But there was no more time to think or waste.

Two sounds of gunshots.

It was do or die.

Kaito knocked his left shoulder, sending his hidden cape flying out from the back of his shirt before solidifying into wings. Aoko's weight worked before, but Kaito wasn't sure if Shinichi's would. He kept the hesitation to himself and showed a smirk.

"Bridal style?"

Shinichi scowled. "Are there other options?"

"Nope."

Scooping Shinichi up, Kaito jumped off the roof and glided his way towards the forest that stretched infinitely beyond the dark horizon.

But Kaito's worry wasn't unwarranted — the glider indeed couldn't manage both of their weights. And Mother Nature hadn't been kind too. The wind's direction was going against their favour, and before they knew it, they flew down instead of straight after a distance and went crashing into the forest below.

.

.

"Thanks. I owe you one."

"My only request is don't meddle with my future heists anymore, little detective."

"...Ok." .

.

Kaito had no idea how long he passed out, or maybe he didn't and felt like he did, but no matter the case, the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Shinichi, his face dark and earnestly serious as he stared at whatever that was in front of the bushes they were currently hiding in.

It was one of the men earlier.

"So did you find anything?" the man said into the walkie talkie.

A static. "I found a bike. Maybe it belongs to Kid and his accomplice."

"Get rid of it."

"Of course. And what about you? Found anything?"

"No. The ground's all messed up and I can't tell what any of the marks are."

"...Why do you think Kid is here anyway?"

The man shrugged, as if his partner could see it. "Maybe he wants to find a new hideout? But we got it first."

A static laugh. "Anyway, should we tell this to the others?"

"No. What if they pretend to make a big fuss and use this opportunity to cut our shares in the profit?" The man lowered his voice. "It's not like that thief can report us when he's a criminal himself."

"You're right."

"Let's forget about it." The man gave his surrounding one last look. "I'm going back to the hideout right now."

"Ok. I'm coming back too."

Until the sound of the man's footsteps was completely gone, Kaito heaved out a sigh of relief.

Shinichi did too, but more discreetly. "The coast is clear." He glanced at Kaito. "And you're awake."

"So I did pass out."

Shinichi nodded. "You landed headfirst."

Kaito groaned, the thumping headaches coming as if cued. "No wonder."

Shinichi brushed the leaves away from his face and stepped out of the bush, not without checking the direction where the man left once more. He put out a hand for Kaito.

"Thanks for the offer but I can't move," Kaito admitted much to his reluctance. His entire body was aching so much that he had trouble lifting his arm.

Surprisingly, Shinichi didn't complain. He bent forward and pulled Kaito up by the arm, but now all of Kaito's aches turned to jolts of pain.

"Ow, ow." Kaito made a dying whale noise as he struggled to keep his balance. The last thing he wanted was to fall on Shinichi.

"Your leg is bleeding." Shinichi widened his eyes. "I didn't notice it when I drag you behind the bushes."

"Bleeding? It must be just a scratch— Oh damn I am bleeding." Kaito sighed. He couldn't tell from the darkness, but he could feel the dampness of his blood soaking the bottom of his pants. "This sucks.”

"Clearly."

"For your information, my landing is always perfect. This is the only exception."

"I didn't ask."

"Just thought you should know."

Ignoring him, Shinichi helped Kaito out of the bushes and set him down on the forest floor. Kaito didn't notice before, but when the sky cleared and some light miraculously managed to cast through the forest overhead, he spotted a bruise on Shinichi's right cheek.

He didn't go unscathed either.

"Are you okay though?"

"Nothing as bad as yours." Shinichi unclipped Kaito's cape.

"What are you doing? That's our only mode of transport."

"Based on the current circumstances, there is no point for the glider now." Shinichi put out a hand. "Give me a pen knife. Or whatever tool you have to cut your cape."

"Why?"

"A bandage for your injury."

Jii would be so mad, but was there really a choice? Kaito sighed and flicked his wrist, producing a penknife like what Shinichi wanted.

There was no warning or whatsoever when Shinichi began wrapping the cape around the opening of Kaito's wound. He dug his fingers into the ground and suppressed a groan. He needed a distraction from the pain, but Shinichi wasn't giving him any either so Kaito had to find it himself.

"He— Hey, how did you know that I'm Kid?"

"Why don't you guess?"

"Don't you love to show off their deductions?" Kaito mumbled. "Just enlighten me."

"I don't mind seeing your confused face."

"What you're seeing now is my super-in-pain face, not confused."

"Sorry," Shinichi suddenly said, which ironically made Kaito confused.

"For what?" Kaito asked warily.

"For this."

Shinichi finished the bandage with a tight knot and it almost sent Kaito's soul out of his body. He grabbed the remaining cloth of his cape and pressed it into his face, muffling his groan.

"Okay, I'm done."

"You— You're going to kill me first before I even bleed to death," Kaito snapped. When Shinichi ignored him and returned the penknife, Kaito continued, "Was it my card gun that gave it away?"

Wiping whatever off his forehead, Shinichi slumped onto the floor next to Kaito and heaved a sigh. "It's before that."

"So that jewel question was a taunt?"

"Yes."

Kaito gave Shinichi a withering look. "Then was it the lock? When I managed to disable it so fast that even the Detective of The East couldn't believe it."

Shinichi rolled his eyes. "Before that too."

"What?" Kaito sighed irritably. "Just tell me already."

"I can consider, if you tell me why you came back to the building in the first place."

Kaito blinked. That was an unexpected trade. "Didn't I say I lost—"

"You and I clearly know that I don't believe in the lie at all."

Kaito scoffed. "Why do you want to know anyway? I'm there for my own business."

"Did that man hit the jackpot?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow. "Are you really looking for a new hideout?"

"No."

A tug played at the corner of Shinichi's lips. "But that's the only reason I can think of for you to be there."

The question suddenly got Kaito remembering about the unspoken reason to why Shinichi was there, too. He said it was police matters, but it all didn't turn out to be what he expected...? Since Shinichi already knew his identity, Kaito supposed it was alright to be frank:

"Are those people related to the Black Organization?"

Shinichi's face turned into a blank. "What?"

"The Black Organization, or whatever that you used to call them."

Shinichi lowered his gaze. "No. But maybe they are inspired by them. Who knows?"

That didn't sound comforting. Kaito frowned. "So were you investigating if these jackasses are part of the Black Organization?"

Shinichi nodded, much to Kaito surprise — Not by his answer, but his willingness to admit it so quickly.

"I've never stopped finding any possible traces of them even after their downfall," Shinichi explained. "So when I heard the rumours, I thought it might be plausible... with the experiments and all. But seeing their operations — the sloppy hideout and the way they handle their trades — I figured it wasn't them, though that doesn't mean they aren't my concern too."

Hah. That was why. Kaito nodded. Shinichi's reason totally made sense, and now Kaito only feared for his embarrassment if he explained his. So why was he here? Because his gut senses told him there was more to the abandoned building. But why did he care? Because Kudo Shinichi was also investigating this. And how did that matter?

Kaito honestly didn't know.

But it was more important to make sure Shinichi didn't know.

"Speaking of which..." Kaito jabbed a thumb towards the direction of the building. "What are we going to do about them? Do you have your police mates to call for backup?"

"I lost my phone."

"It's okay, I have—" Kaito's grin faded as he stared at his cracked and black screen after fishing his phone out of his pocket.

Shinichi didn't bother waiting for Kaito to finish his sentence. "We might have to stay over the night and figure it out tomorrow."

"Isn't it too late?"

"Their next trade is three days later; there's still some time before anything goes out of their hideout."

"So are we gonna stare at each other until the sun rises?"

"You should sleep," Shinichi suggested after glancing at Kaito's bandaged leg, his face, and then his leg again.

"I don't need sleep," Kaito said, and shook his head. "Or more like I can't sleep with you around me."

"I'm not interested in you."

"Touché. But what I meant was because you know I'm Kid."

"I'm not going to do anything about your other identity." Shinichi crossed his arms. "I promised you, didn't I?"

"Thanks. I owe you one."

"My only request is don't meddle with my future heists anymore, little Detective."

"...Ok."

Ah. The realisation came a little late, but now Kaito remembered it and not as a dream. The blurriness of the memory and the throbbing pain in his head definitely didn't help, and maybe sleep was really what Kaito needed.

"Are you not going to tell me how you figured my identity out?" Kaito tried for the last time.

"No."

"Fine. The conversation is now boring and I'm really going to sleep." Kaito scooted his butt and laid on his back, not before gathering his cape and crumbling them into a ball to use it as a make-shift pillow.

After getting comfortable in his position, Kaito glanced at Shinichi, who was still sitting cross-legged by his side. "Anyway, it might be tempting, but don't watch me sleep."

"That's the last thing I'll ever do."

"Before you die. So it means you'll rather watch me sleep than die."

Kaito turned on his side, back facing Shinichi as he began pretentiously snoring.

It was nice to have the last word in.

.

.

"Kid."

Kaito — Kaitou Kid — glanced away from the night view, his cape flapping wildly as he made a suave turn to his new companion on the roof.

"Hello, little detective."

"It's all done," Edogawa Conan said.

With all that scuffle earlier, it was amazing to see Conan only with a bandage on his cheek. Even Kaito suffered worse when he wasn't the main star of the show; he managed to temporarily fix the large gash on his right arm after stealing some supplies from a nearby hospital, though Kid's costume covered his imperfections perfectly.

"Is that Shuichi guy alright?" Kaito asked, while keeping his tone nonchalant for the better part. "He received quite a nasty shot in the stomach."

"He's fine."

"That's good."

That Shuichi guy was one of many people Kaito disguised as per Conan's request during the final showdown with the Black Organization. But even though Kaito didn't interact or personally know him, it would still disturb him if something bad had happened to the person he copied his face from.

"So... it's really done, that Organization of yours."

Conan nodded, his face remained solemn. Even after three hours had passed since everything, he still seemed stuck in that war.

"Are you going back to your original self soon?" Kaito smirked, trying to dispel their current mood to a better one. "I'll miss staring down at you like this. And also, a pity that I can't disguise you so freely anymore."

"Funny," Conan sneered.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me instead?"

That put things back into perspective for Conan. He gave a resigned smile. "Thanks. I owe you one."

"My only request is don't meddle with my future heists anymore, little detective."

"...Ok."

"I guess this is the last time we will ever talk like this." Kaito tipped his hat up. "Don't miss me."

"On a serious note," Conan said, looking very seriously so. "If you ever need my help, I'm willing to give it to you, just as much as you did when I asked."

"Thanks, but as a Kaitou, I prefer to do things alone."

"My offer still stands."

Kaito raised two fingers to his eyebrow as a salute. "Take care, little detective."

He leaned back, falling off the roof with grace before his cape turned to wings.

It was an amazing exit.

But most important of all, his landing was perfectly done.

.

.

"...roba. Oi Kuroba. Wake up."

"Ugh, give me five more minute…"

A sigh. "The two men seem to be on the move."

Kaito flung open his eyes.

Everywhere was still dark—

Like on that roof.

"De— Detective?" Kaito blinked, staring at Shinichi's face above his. "You've grown... bigger."

Shinichi frowned, moving his face away from Kaito and stood up from his squatting position. "What are you talking about?"

"Uh, nothing." Kaito sniffed and sat up. "What happened?"

"I said the two men seem to be on the move." Shinichi gestured his head over to the building's direction. "I thought to ask you to come and... see." He suddenly looked hesitant as he glanced at Kaito's bandaged leg. "I hope your sleep rejuvenated you a little."

"Yeah, I'm feeling better now," Kaito said, which was the truth. "But I need a hand."

Shinichi stuck his arm out for Kaito to lift himself off the ground. He dusted his legs and attempted a stretch. The bleeding had stopped for now, but it still ached when he tried to move, though it was nothing that Kaito or Kaitou Kid couldn't endure.

Shinichi took the lead as they manoeuvred their way down the forest path and towards the building. The sun hadn't risen, but there were signs of activities from the birds and bugs in the forest. It made Kaito wonder how long he had slept.

"Have you been keeping a lookout the entire time?" Kaito asked.

"Yes."

"You didn't sleep?"

"No." Shinichi gave Kaito a glance. "Your snoring was too loud for me."

A second ago Kaito was feeling bad, but he wasn't anymore. "I can sue you for defamation."

"By all means—" Shinichi stopped and raised his hand (and this time Kaito was quick to realize before he knocked into Shinichi again).

They were a few steps away from the end of the forest.

Exchanging a silent signal, they crouched together before making a dash out of the forest, past a small field, and towards the row of thick bushes that surrounded the side of the building. Ignoring the pain from his leg, Kaito kneeled on one knee to elevate himself better and observed from behind their hiding spot.

True to what Shinichi said, the two men were standing in the front yard outside the building, one looking at his watch while the other was on his phone.

"Are they waiting for something?" Kaito whispered. "Do you think they changed their trading time?"

Shinichi shook his head next to Kaito. "They don't have any goods with them, but I can't say for sure."

The sun was slowly rising, taking shadows and darkness away with its light. Kaito used the opportunity and peeped at Shinichi. He looked tired but focused, but what Kaito couldn't believe was how his hair remained the same throughout the entire day and night.

Life's fair like that.

"There's a van."

"Huh— Oh, yeah. A van." Kaito regained his composure, acting as if he totally wasn't distracted and thinking about Shinichi's hair three seconds ago. He looked over just in time to watch the said van driving into the front yard of the building. After parking, three men got off; the driver twirling with the key like how Kaito did for his bike.

Aw, Kaito missed his bike.

"I think they are changing shifts," Shinichi said.

"If only there is a way we can get onto that van." Kaito pulled out his card gun from his sleeve and checked his cartridge. "Hm, I only have two shots left. Should I try?"

"No," Shinichi snapped. "You're injured. They are armed. Or at least two of them are. It's a risk we can't take."

"Is that concern I hear, detective?"

"It's dread." Shinichi sent Kaito a disdainful look. "I don't want to carry your dead body back."

Kaito kept his card gun grudgingly. "Then now what?"

Shinichi touched his chin, thinking. "We can—"

"What the hell!"

In sync, they looked at each other before raising their heads like two rabbits looking out of their burrow, trying to detect the cause for the yell.

Kaito gasped.

Mochi?!

Failing for who-knows-how-many-times, the driver's comrades tried to swat Mochi away as it flew up, out of their reach, before swooping down to peck the driver's face again and again until he finally dropped his key onto the ground. Before they could react, Mochi snatched the keys with its beak and angled its flight towards Kaito and Shinichi's direction.

It dropped the key onto Kaito's hand and flew away again.

"Wh—Who is there!" one of the men exclaimed, noticing Kaito and Shinichi's heads above the bushes.

"Shit, is it Kid?"

"Kid? Like Kaitou Kid?!"

But their conversation didn't continue, and neither did they manage to pull out their guns to start a war, because at the very next second, they were all swarmed by a flock of birds; their hands too busy trying to protect their face and eyes from being pecked on.

"Mochi!" Kaito exclaimed to the sky. "Our life saviour—"

Shinichi grabbed Kaito's wrist, pulling him up. "Let's run already!" he yelled.

Registering the chance, they jumped over the bushes, sprinting across the front yard and towards the van.

One of the men was a little smarter than the rest — he suddenly laid flat on the ground, his face briefly away from the attacking birds as he whipped out a gun from the back of his pants.

But Kaito noticed it too. Before he pulled his card gun out, he tossed the key to Shinichi and then shot, hitting the man's gun away and out of reach.

As if realizing what they missed, more birds swooped down and attacked that man.

"Get on!" Shinichi already started the van.

Kaito did.

As Shinichi reversed the vehicle to get back on the road, Kaito unrolled the window and whistled a special tune only his trained doves would recognise. A flutter of white, and in a second Mochi flew into the van and settled its wings on Kaito's headrest.

Shinichi sped off.

Kaito let the silence fully sink in before ruining it with a heartfelt sigh.

"What a fantastic morning exercise." Kaito waved his card gun in the air. Maybe he should save his last card shot as a memento.

"…How many doves do you own?" Shinichi asked.

Kaito watched the wing mirror. The birds were still attacking, but after Mochi left the group, some started to disperse, as if the fun was over for them.

"12."

"That looks nowhere close to 12," Shinichi retorted. "The number's got to be at least three times of that."

"None of them were my remaining 11 doves." Kaito laughed and patted Mochi's head. "Mochi probably made some friends in the forest and gathered them for help."

Shinichi looked like he wanted to comment on something but didn't in the end.

"Oh." Kaito snapped his fingers. "I know the answer now."

Shinichi's eyes remained on the road. "Know what?"

"It's Mochi, isn't it?" Kaito grinned. "Because clearly, only the amazing Kaitou Kid can raise a dove so smart and well. That’s how you figured my identity out."

"I won't deny that your dove is smart, but no. It has nothing to do with it."

"Can't you just tell me already?" Kaito grumbled.

Shinichi shook his head, but a small smile danced across his lips until they disappear. "Why don't you be useful and find me a phone. I need to call for backup before they take everything and escape."

"Oh, right." Kaito straightened, deciding to focus what was more crucial on hand. He leaned forward and patted around the bottom of his seat, trying to feel for a secret phone. But remembering Shinichi's opinion about these men in comparison to the BO, he opened the glove compartment, revealing a dozen of phones, probably stolen.

"Nice," Shinichi said, which was a little funny because it sounded like what Kaito would say instead.

"Lady Luck is really shining on us." Kaito picked one out and switched it on. "The day can't get any better."

Shinichi gave Kaito a side-long glance. "Your leg is bleeding on the seat."

"...Damn. I almost forgot about that."

.

.

"Abandoned building discovered to be a criminal hideout." (Click More to Read)

It had been two days since that crazy night and three hours since an official statement was released to public. And given that time gap in announcement, there were more rumours than legitimate news online, but Kaito read them all, even though the details were either repetitive and the same.

And that was good, of course. Because what he feared more was finding something new, like the possibility that one of the criminals mentioned Kid was at the scene or something.

But so far there was none; either these men had completely forgotten about his existence and blamed the birds for their downfall or Shinichi had kept everything perfectly under wraps—

"Kaito!"

"Aoko?" Kaito scooted himself to the side of the campus bench so his childhood friend could sit beside him. "What are you doing here? Don't you have lessons now?"

"It's cancelled and I'm on my way back to the dorm." Aoko tilted her head. "And what are you doing here?"

"I finished my assignments so I'm just chilling outside." (He had been in bed all day yesterday because of his leg and he needed a breather.)

"Oh— Did you change your phone?"

"Yeah." Kaito twirled his new phone around for show. "I accidentally broke my old one." Though luckily, he had everything on cloud, including the photos he took yesterday.

"I see that you're also reading the recent news too; I was actually going to text you about it." Aoko stared at Kaito's phone screen, snorting. "Finally something that isn't about Kaitou Kid."

Kaito grimaced and tilted his screen away. "I have the freedom to read whatever I want."

Aoko stuck out her tongue, but her cheeky expression didn't last when she returned her attention to the news again. "Anyway, who knew the abandoned building we explored just two weeks ago would house such dangerous people! Gosh."

"Well—"

"Luckily we heeded Kudo-kun's advice and left." Aoko rubbed the side of her arms nervously. "Although it would be a great scoop, the risk is too much."

"In case you forgot, it was I who suggested to leave first."

"Fine, fine, Bakaito. Don't be jealous." She gestured her head to his phone. "I'll leave you to your reading and we can text later. I'm going back to finish up my projects first."

Kaito still had a lot of things to say, and one of the things was that he was not jealous. But he arranged the priorities in his head and pulled Aoko's bag, stumbling her back again.

"Wait, I have a question."

"What?"

"You and that Kudo detective exchanged emails, right? Did you tell him any weird info about me?"

Aoko raised an eyebrow. "What is there for me to say?"

"I don't know. Just— Anything. Did you tell him anything?"

"I didn't. In fact, we didn't talk much. He only sent me the photos and I asked for his permission to use his quote."

"Really?" Kaito frowned. "That's it?"

The glint in Aoko's eyes made Kaito a little uncomfortable. "Is there something you want me to tell him for you?"

"No."

"Or you can tell him yourself if you want. I have his email address—"

"Bye Aoko." Kaito waved her off and pretentiously stared his phone, as if it contained the answer to the existence of the universe.

Aoko chuckled. "Bye Kaito." She waved and skipped her way towards the direction of her dorm.

Kaito glanced up, watching Aoko's back disappear behind the school building.

Besides worrying if Kid's presence at the abandoned building would be exposed, Shinichi's early discovery about his identity was also bugging him as well. He had been betting all on the chance that Aoko had mentioned something crucial to Shinichi, but if she didn't, then how on earth did he figure it out?

A chime came from Kaito's phone and he almost didn't recognise it as his ringtone since he just changed it. He looked at the caller ID.

Unknown number? Kaito frowned, alert on the rise.

He picked up the call. "Hello?"

"Is this Kuroba Kaito?"

Kaito blinked, his heart lurched. "...Detective?"

"We found your bike."

"Holy shit." Kaito flung up from his seat, earning curious stares from other students. That was two surprises in a row, the first being receiving a call from Kudo freaking Shinichi. "You serious?"

"Do I sound like I'm kidding?"

"I thought it's a goner," Kaito said. "Or even if it's not, it'll be kept as an evidence to prosecute Kid."

"I've settled the Kid problem. Don't worry."

"Oh." Kaito managed to hide his third surprise well. "Thanks for that."

"When are you free?"

The question got Kaito a little more flustered than he should be. "Why?"

"You need to come to the headquarters to fill in some forms before you can take your bike back."

"Right, of course." Kaito was tempted to slap a hand over his forehead. "I can come over now." He paused. "But are you free? Is your murder magnet not activated today?"

Kaito could perfectly imagine Shinichi's eye roll. "I'm free now."

"Okay. See you later."

Cutting the call, Kaito made his way towards the metro station (and till this day he wasn't sure if he was actually excited to reunite with his bike or at the thought of meeting Kudo Shinichi in a while.)

.

.

Even if all the other officers around them were busy shouting around and finding clues to solve their cases, there was no telling who would be watching, listening or both. So during the entire documentation process, Kaito burrowed his face deep into the papers while Shinichi silently watched across the table.

And it didn't help when their faces looked alike—

That thought gave Kaito a new guess.

So the moment when they were alone and standing at the parking lot outside the headquarters (and also after Kaito had spent three minutes cradling his bike and looking for scratches), Kaito spoke:

"I know the answer now, and this must be it."

Shinichi stuck a hand into his work pants, eyebrows raised. "You're still guessing?"

"Duh."

"Didn't you mention there are some things that are best to remain a mystery?"

It was such a long time ago since they had that conversation during one of his heists, and Kaito briefly wondered how Shinichi remembered his words so well. Kaito cleared his throat. "That doesn't count when the mystery involves my identity and my ability of hiding it."

"Fair point," Shinichi said. "So what's your guess?"

Kaito pointed at Shinichi before tapping a finger on his own cheek. "It's because we have the same face."

Shinichi blinked.

Did I get it right?

Shinichi took a step back and scrutinised Kaito from head to toe. "To be honest, I don't see how we are that similar..."

Kaito wrinkled his nose. "What are you talking about? I don't need to put on a mask to disguise you and fool everyone."

"Yes, but no. This so-called similarity of our faces wasn't what that made me figure out your identity," Shinichi said, before he muttered almost incoherently under his breath, "besides, it's not only you that have the same face as me. That Okita..."

"What?"

Shinichi sighed and run a hand through his hair. "It's not the answer," was his final verdict.

"I officially give up." Kaito stuck his hands into his pockets. "Please. Just tell me already." (He barely refrained himself from admitting how he had been thinking about this the entire time.)

Shinichi bit his lip.

A pause.

An intake of breath.

"It was the way you stood when I saw you and Nakamori that day," Shinichi said. "It screamed to me that you're Kaitou Kid."

Kaito was too dumbfounded to even speak.

"Even the way you stand now." Shinichi gestured a hand over at Kaito, continuing, "You look just like the first time I met you as Conan and the last time I met you as Conan, too. You've been Kaitou Kid for years, Kuroba. You're not just Kaitou Kid; you've become Kaitou Kid — his essence and everything."

Kaito straightened, feeling extremely conscious with all the movements he was making now. "Just.. from this?"

Shinichi nodded. "It was the first thing that ignited my suspicions. The following things that happened only continued to confirm my theory... Especially the lock. Your acting is ridiculous."

Kaito scowled, whatever tension in the air he felt vanished. "Wow, thanks."

"Are you satisfied with my answer?"

"Of course not," Kaito muttered. Raising a hand, he copied one of Kid's signature wave movements. "But I always made sure there's a difference in whatever I do as Kid." An ace of heart between his fingers and gone the next. "Kid is still him. And I'm still... me."

"So Kaito is Kaito after all!"

He recalled Aoko said that to him after that stupid Sun Halo incident a long time ago. Kaito clenched his fist and stuck it back into his pocket.

Could it be that she also...?

"You may not notice, but those differences you created have turned into a part of you now." Suddenly, Shinichi looked tired as his eyes drooped at whatever memories that flashed across his mind. "It took me a long time before I got rid of Conan's manners and routines; I understand what it feels like."

Kaito crossed his arms. "But what if I don't mind it?"

"Given that you're good friends with Nakamori, I don't see why you'll be. Unless you're planning to admit your identity to her anytime soon." Shinichi lowered his voice. "She's honestly smarter than you think."

There was nothing Kaito could say to argue back.

"To stop the change, you have to stop being Kid." Shinichi face turned solemn, almost a replica of the Edogawa Conan that Kaito met on their last encounter:

"If you ever need my help, I'm willing to give it to you, just as much as you did when I asked."

"My offer still stands, you know." Shinichi finally said.

The arms around Kaito's chest tightened, and his thoughts stretched as long as the growing silence. Even after so many years, Kaito never failed to wake up every day and wonder if he could ever bring Snake down, avenge his father or even find Pandora; he still had some trouble putting trust in himself that he didn't see a point to put it in others.

But there was something about the way Shinichi stood before him, looking so determined as if he was born to be, and it made Kaito think, crazily, that if he really had to choose one person to put his trust in, that person would be...

"Regardless, I've said what I wanted to say." The determination in Shinichi's eyes faltered and he looked... deflated? Kaito couldn't tell, or understand, why the detective would be feeling that too—

"How is your injury?" Shinichi said instead, already changing the subject.

In return, Kaito observed the fading bruise on Shinichi's cheek; he supposed he didn’t have to ask back the question.

"This is definitely concern I’m hearing, right detective?" Kaito smirked, though Shinichi remained unamused. He wiggled his leg for show. "As you can see, I'm better now."

"Good."

Kaito leaned against his bike, hoping for both physical and mental support. Every second that passed was making it harder for Kaito to return back to that moment...

He bit his lip.

A pause.

An intake of breath.

"Thanks, detective."

"...For what?"

"For that offer of yours again." Kaito nodded. "I'll think about it."

Shinichi blinked, surprised.

But just when Kaito thought it was the end, Shinichi smiled, and it was completely unexpected that Kaito almost thought he imagined it.

"You know where to find me."

Kaito needed a while to regain his composure. "…But how will I know if you're free for me to find, murder-magnet?"

"Given your lovely intel, you should know better."

This time, Kaito allowed Shinichi to have the last word in, and he only grinned back in return.

.

.

Even though Aoko knew Kaito since childhood, it was still hard for her to understand him completely at times, especially given his erratic behaviours and attitude. But at least out of everything, Aoko did know one thing consistent about him, and it would be his love for his dad, magic, and doves...

And a specific bench on their campus too?

As usual after Aoko was released from her afternoon class, she spotted Kaito sitting alone on that same campus bench again, helmet by his side and phone in his hand. It wasn't as if he didn't have a dorm to rest in or friends to find, but then again, this was just another behaviour of his that Aoko didn't understand.

(But maybe it was partially her fault, because she never found the need or courage to ask Kaito for answers too.)

Aoko slowed her pace, trying to tiptoe her way towards the bench and give Kaito a scare. But when a white figure swooped down from the sky and landed on his lap, she was the one that got a shock instead.

A dove!

"Kaito!"

Kaito glanced up, his eyes widened and mouth parting about to speak.

"Wait!" Aoko raised a hand, stopping him before pointing at his dove. "Let me guess. Is it Pocky?"

Kaito grinned. "Nope."

"Mochi?"

Mochi cooed.

"Impressive. Not bad for your second try."

Aoko showed a peace sign and sat next to Kaito after he shifted in his position. "What is Mochi doing here?"

Kaito indirectly answered her as he pulled a string and unrolled the note that was tied to Mochi's foot.

Aoko leaned over, trying to see what was written on the note. But besides catching a glimpse of the neat handwriting, she couldn't derive anything else as Kaito turned half of his back towards her and covered the note in his hand.

"Please respect my privacy, Ahouko."

"But I want to know what that is!"

"No."

"Why?"

"Not going to tell you."

Aoko snickered. "Is it a love letter?" 

Kaito rolled his eyes. "Whatever you want to think." He stood up, taking his helmet and releasing Mochi back into the sky. "Anyway I have to go. Say hi to your dad for me when you visit him over the weekends."

Given the recent announcement of Kid's upcoming heist, Aoko wasn't sure about the plan anymore when she knew her dad wouldn't be at home much, but she didn't bother telling Kaito either. "Where are you going?" she asked instead, watching him from her seat.

"Finding the sender of the love letter."

Aoko crossed her arms with a huff. "Really?"

"Really."

"Fine, if that's the case. Please help me to tell that person I said hi too."

Kaito grinned. "Sure."

With that, he sped off. /end

[mintchocolateleaves]

Emogust - 07.08:  In which character A. is searching for a cat, and character B has found a cat around their windowsill // @sup-poki - A college!AU.

“What is that?”

Saguru squints across at his roommate, feels tempted almost to throw his textbook over at him, and decides against it. Kuroba is just being his strange self again, trying to distract him from his criminal law dissertation.

“I’m sure it’s very interesting,” Saguru sighs, trying to focus back on the legislation he’s researching. All very boring, important yes, but oh so very boring. He half considers procrastinating. “But not right now.”

“Oh please,” Kuroba says, “I’m pretty sure everything is more interesting that the legislation that’ll only be relevant to a single sentence of your report.”

Saguru hums. There are some interesting elements to researching his dissertation piece, but Kuroba is right that this isn’t really one of them. And it’s not even a major part of the research, just something he’s including because it will give him a higher grade.

Beside him, Kuroba shifts, unfolding himself from where he sits cross-legged on the sofa. He moves with a grace that Saguru catches from the corner of his eye, distracting in a criminal sense.

You know what, Saguru should probably be doing a dissertation on how his roommate is the Kaitou KID, there would be no shortage of articles and literature on the thief, and he’s got his own research he could add.

Then again, Kuroba would probably end up deleting his dissertation the day before submission if he did that, so… probably for the best if he doesn’t.

“I thought maybe it was a racoon, or a ferret,” Kuroba says now, and despite himself, Saguru glances up. He’s been successfully distracted. “But it’s a cat.”

Saguru lets out a sigh, pushes himself up, and follows Kuroba to the patio door that leads out to their balcony. It’s small outside, barely larger than a prison cell, but sometimes on hotter days, Saguru will study outside, dragging out one of the deckchairs from the cupboard.

“I’m sorry,” Saguru says, as he stares through the door – it’s opaque, and when he moves forward to unlock it, it slides open. “But do you even know what a ferret looks like?”

Kuroba huffs, crossing his arms. He says, “Out of the corner of my eye, it looked like it could be a very large ferret.”

“That doesn’t really answer my question,” Saguru says, and then, slipping his phone from his back pocket, he brings up a photo of said animal. Turning his screen around, he says, “That cat looks nothing like one of these.”

Kuroba does what he usually does whenever Saguru goes to show him something, and that’s steal his phone and swipe through the page without a care. Saguru rolls his eyes, steps out onto the balcony and glances at the cat.

“Ah, ferrets are kind of cute, aren’t they Hakuba?” Kuroba says. Saguru, feeling a headache coming on, decides to focus on their visitor instead.

Practically a bundle of fur, but almost elegant, the cat is easily recognisable as a Norwegian forest cat. Tufts of orange and brown fur mixed together against white fur, makes it look like the sort of pet someone would showcase in a pet beauty competition.

“Ah – Ah – Hakuba – look this one’s got a little hat on!”

Saguru takes a moment to glance away from the cat, offering Kuroba the driest look he can muster. It’s a mixture of exasperation and- nope. That’s pretty much it.

Let the man realise that even after all these years, even knowing that he’s capable of outrunning the police and committing crimes without being caught, Saguru still thinks of him as an idiot.

“You’re an idiot,” he says, just to make sure he gets it.

“How can you be so mean to me,” Kuroba says, “knowing that when you sleep each night, I’m only a room away?”

Saguru rolls his eyes. He turns back to the cat and finds himself squinting at it. Almost nervously, he reaches his hand out, as if questioning whether the animal will allow him to smooth it.

Glancing around, it isn’t too difficult to see how it got up here. Their apartment is on the first floor, so they don’t typically see anything other than birds up on their balcony, but there is a cherry blossom a little to the side of the apartment and it’s not impossible for a cat to climb to the edge of the branches and make the jump.

“Don’t be the demon roommate Kuroba, it’s too much of a cliché.” Kuroba huffs, and Saguru successfully places his hand against fur without having claws turned against him. The cat lets out a small purr, a low grumble and Saguru can’t help but feel satisfied by it. “Should we be looking for who owns this cat?”

He can practically feel the eye roll he receives. “Why do we need to search down the owner?”

“…Well, it could be lost, couldn’t it?”

“No, no,” Kuroba says, and now he moves forward, shuffling out onto the balcony as well, grabbing the back of Saguru’s shirt, dragging him backwards. “No, we’re not searching for the owner, it’ll find its way home eventually.”

“Wha–”

“We’re not doing this again,” Kuroba says, ignoring the incredulous eyebrow raise Saguru sends his way. “No – don’t give me that look. You know what I mean.”

Actually, Saguru doesn’t. He says as such.

“I refuse. Hakuba, dude, we go searching for the owner of this cat, and we’ll only meet someone who’s lost it. A weirdo, someone insane – deranged. Whatever. I’m not doing it.”

Saguru frowns. He says, “I think that’s a bit of a reach, don’t you?”

“Please,” Kuroba says, “it’s the truth.”

“No, you’re reaching.”

“Oh puh-lease,” Kuroba taps his fingers against his elbow, arms crossed as he shakes his head. “You haven’t realised? You attract crazy Hakuba, it kind of just flocks to you.”

Saguru frowns. He squints.

“I mean, I don’t really know why,” the thief continues, “but my working theory is you’re just so boring, that the crazies flock to you because they think you’re hiding some of it.”

“I don’t attract crazy people.”

“I mean, I’m your roommate,” Kuroba shrugs, scrunches his nose. “That’s one example.”

“You’re an anomaly in the statistics,” Saguru says. “And even then, you’re not crazy, you’re just…”

He doesn’t know what to say so he simply waves the man up and down. Kaito huffs again, breathing through his nose, the side of his lips moving up in a half-grin. More amused rather than annoyed.

“Uh, sorry,” – Kuroba snorts, lets out a low laugh. – “but you do. I mean, don’t you remember Yue-san?”

Saguru winces. Alright, so maybe Yue-san, the student they’d met during the previous years summer social had been a little insane, but they’d not known that at the time. And to be fair, the woman had hardly been crazy, just a cultist who was pursuing a sociology degree and…

Okay, no, yeah, considering the fact she’d tried to indoctrinate them both into her cult, it’d kind of be stupid to deny her… issues.

“Another anomaly.”

Kuroba groans. He sighs, goes to say something else, lips parted slightly for words when a knock echoes from the other side of the door. Saguru turns, arching his head back indoors.

“I’ll get it,” he says, because Kuroba is the kind of person who’d rather wait and say he’s not answering the door in case a murderer is on the other side. Which, well – there are so many issues with that.

“Hope you don’t die!” Kuroba says, which is pretty much confirmation that he isn’t expecting anyone.

Opening the door reveals a woman with deep, plum coloured hair. She looks concerned, worried, as she stands in front of him. For a moment, Saguru watches as she fiddles with the sleeve of her blouse and then, he blinks and reminds himself that he’s being rude.

“Uh,” he clears his throat, “hey, can I… help you?”

“Oh yes,” her voice is not hard, but there is a strictness to it, something that leaves him standing a little straighter. “Sorry, I don’t presume you’ve seen a cat around recently.”

Saguru blinks.

Well that’s easy, isn’t it. Now they don’t have to go searching for an owner.

“Ah, well, yeah I have actually.” He turns ever so slightly to look inside his apartment, to where Kuroba is now rubbing the belly of the animal in question. “A… Norwegian forest cat, yes?”

“This one?” The girl asks, and sure enough, when she shows him a picture it’s an exact likeness to the one on their balcony. “I’m quite worried about his absence.”

Saguru can understand that, how nervous someone can be when a cat is roaming around for a long time, without being seen. He says, “yeah, he’s uh – just through here. If you want to get him?”

She tilts her head, half agreeing, half thankful. Depositing her shoes by the entrance and continuing with just her socks, she waits until Saguru has closed the door and then, follows him to the balcony.

Kuroba glances up at the sound of their footsteps, and after the initial surprise at seeing a stranger in their apartment, he offers a smile. That polite one he practises for people he doesn’t know how to read yet.

“Ah, Hakuba, who is this?”

You know, maybe Saguru should have asked first. Oh well, no one ever said his social skills were very good.

“Oh, of course, I haven’t introduced myself,” she says, “my name is Koizumi Akako. It’s a pleasure to meet you – and you’ve met my cat, it seems.”

Eyebrows raised, Kuroba nods, turning back to the cat that’s nibbling now at his fingertips in an attempt to draw his attention back to him. He says, “Oh, this little guy is yours?”

“Indeed, he is,” Koizumi says.

She steps forward, scoops the furball up into her arms. The cat leans against her, immediately comfortable. It’s seems an odd sight to see – it puts up no argument, offers no movement, other than the slight curl of its tail, swishing back and forth beneath her arm.

“And what is this little guy’s name?” Kuroba continues.

Koizumi offers them a smile, soft and content as she glances down at her pet. She says, “this is Lucifer.”

Oh? What an original name.

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Kuroba’s eyebrows fly up his forehead so quickly it seems almost like he’s waxed them off. It’s practically invigorating watching his roommate bite down his tongue in an attempt to not say anything.

“Is that so?” Saguru says.

“Yes,” Koizumi nods, adjusting her hand on the cat to scratch behind his ears. “This cat harnesses the spirit of the satanic majesty Lucifer himself. A drunken mistake made by myself, but we’re getting used to being roommates, I like to think.”

Kuroba jerks. It looks mildly, beneath the initial mask he wears around new company, like he’s in pain.

Maybe he’s having an aneurysm.

“But,” Koizumi continues, “he’s quite a docile little fallen angel as long as I give him tuna every so often, isn’t that right, Lucifer?”

Lucifer purrs.

Kuroba, predictably, jerks again. His lips force into a slightly larger smile than usual – it makes him look almost psychopathic, but hey, maybe it’s just because Saguru sees KID in a smile like that.

“He must love the tuna then,” Saguru says, and Koizumi nods.

“If you’ll excuse me though,” she says, voice lowering, “Lucifer and I should probably head back. We’re having a ritual dinner tonight, and I’d hate to be late.”

“Ah,” Saguru blinks. “Yes, of course. I’m glad we could – give you your cat back?”

Koizumi offers him a smile on her way out, her thanks slipping from her lips on her way out. Saguru closes the door after her and then, slowly turns around to face his roommate.

Kuroba looks almost like he’s waiting for something. He rolls his wrist, his hand waving in a way that urges him to speak. He says, “…well?”

“She seems nice.”

For a moment, all Kuroba can do is blink. Then, thrusting a hand out to point at Saguru, he says, “that’s what you’ve taken from this? She seems nice?”

“Well yes,” Saguru says, pausing. “What else am I supposed to think?”

“She’s – fucking crazy.” Kuroba lifts his hand, brushes it through his hair. It makes his hair even messier than it usually is. “She thinks her cat is the devil, and that she’s placating him by giving him fucking tuna, and all you can think of is that she’s nice?”

“I mean,” Saguru pauses, “I think a lot of cat owners say their pet is the devil.”

Kuroba takes a long breath, heaves it out with so much force that it feels like his body shakes from the pressure of it. He says, “I don’t know who’s more insane. That Koizumi girl for believing that, or you, because there aren’t any little alarm bells ringing in your head.”

[penprp]

On P5/DCMK...

I saw a very interesting post earlier that compared P5 and Detective Conan/Magic Kaito, drawing parallels between Hakuba and Kasumi, and between Akechi and Shinichi. (Not reblogging because the OP does not need my word vomit clogging up their dash.) I’m going to have to say that honestly, I see it the other way around-- Akechi is Hakuba and Kasumi is Shinichi. I suspect the OP has seen a bit more of the Royal trailers than I have, of course… but I’m gonna do a bit of a deep dive into Hakuba and Shinichi’s character evolutions first, and then explain the way I see the correspondence. I know the OP was focusing almost totally on their relationships to Joker... but I’m going to nerd out a bit further.

Okay, so it all starts back in the late 80’s with the manga Magic Kaito. Aoyama’s first manga series, if you can believe that. Magic Kaito introduces us to Kuroba Kaito, teenage magician, prankster, and occasional pervert. (It was manga in ‘87, that was practically required.) He slapsticks his way through a school day, and then discovers that his father, long dead in an accident, was the legendary thief Kaitou Kid! But Kaitou Kid is holding a heist tonight! Kaito crashes, dressed in his dad’s old costume and learns that his father’s accident was actually murder, and swears to bring the culprits to justice. So right away, we’ve got the tone set-- a lot of slapstick and silly humor, with the occasional dramatic suckerpunch hitting when you don’t so much expect it.

That goes on for two volumes, with mostly silly stories about Kid escaping an army of robot surveillance cameras, Kid helping a little boy deal with bullies, Kid dealing with an honest-to-god witch who’s attempting to put him under her spell, Kaito and Aoko hunting ghosts that turn out to be a teacher trying to hide his research into hair growth formula… you get the idea. Then in 88, Kid went on hiatus, as Aoyama had moved onto his next manga, Yaiba!

Then we hit 1994. Yaiba has just ended, as has a short baseball-themed series called Yoban Saado, and so Aoyama comes back to Kid. His drawing style has evolved and so has his storytelling-- seven years of continuous work will do that to you. There’s still a lot of slapstick and silliness, but the drama has tightened up its act and is now setting snares for you instead of just punching you and running off laughing. It’s in this period of time that we meet Hakuba Saguru.

I should pause at this moment to say that Aoyama Gosho has some of the strongest special interests I have ever seen in a mangaka. The man loves Sherlock Holmes, Arsene Lupin, stage magic, and baseball, not necessarily in that order. He also loves working in a semi-unified world. Yaiba ended with a character announcing that “Kuroba and Nakamori,” IE, Kaito and his best friend Aoko, were finally going out. The new volume has a chapter in which Kid goes up against Yaiba in one of the most ridiculously slapstick things the series has done at this point. Remember this for later.

So into this mess comes Hakuba Saguru, transfer student. Hakuba’s role, as suits the slightly more focused and dramatic tone of the series in this volume, is to be an antagonist slightly more competent than Nakamori. His initals make him a reference to Herlock Sholmes, but as he’s half-British, reading his name in the Western fashion does evoke Sherlock Holmes. Really, at this point, Saguru is not narratively one particular reference as he is The Detective-As-Antagonist. He’s handsome, smug, confident, charming, brilliant, and basically a rival to Kaito in every arena, from school to romance to their nightly activities. His very first appearance has him ignoring the trick that the rest of the police fall for, forcing Kid to step up his game. Not long after that, he actually manages to realize that Kuroba Kaito is Kaitou Kid, and comes up with a clever plan to prove it. Unfortunately, he’s still in the Magic Kaito manga, and thus is thwarted by a witch riding in on her broom. (It makes sense in context.)

It’s towards the end of this volume that Kid learns of the gem Pandora, the reason his father was murdered, and vows to find the gem himself and destroy it. At this point, Kid switches from stealing various interesting baubles to targeting gems and only gems.

… And cue Detective Conan, which has been running for, as of this writing, twenty-five years. (Dear God.) This introduces us to Kudou Shinichi, detective and Sherlock Holmes otaku extraordinaire. One of the first things we learn about Shinichi is that he is incredibly privileged. (He’s also a huge dork, but I digress.) He’s handsome. He’s rich. His parents love him, but they’re out of the country, leaving him to live on his own with a ridiculous degree of freedom. He has cases to stimulate him. He’s a brilliant detective whom the police and media adore. The kids at school love him, though none can really be considered his friends except Mouri Ran, his best friend. Shinichi’s biggest problem in life is that Ran has a nasty habit of cracking concrete with her fists when he says something insensitive. Later flashbacks and retcons tell us that Shinichi, while he can be hugely thoughtless, is nevertheless instantly ready to throw all of that power and privilege behind protecting the weak and the innocent. He’s just… better with victims and witnesses than he is with normal social interaction.

Contrast this with Hakuba, who while, yes, he’s rich and charming and his father has enormous social and political pull as the Superintendent of the police... he’s still half-white. And thus will always be, on some level, an outsider. Neither manga does a lot with this, but it is still there.

Then he witnesses a drug deal, gets shrunk into an elementary-schooler, and it all goes down the tubes. Shinichi starts off as being very much like Hakuba-- or rather, Hakuba was a sort of proto-Shinichi. But Shinichi has twenty-five years of appearances and is the protagonist, so he gets the kind of character development Hakuba could only dream of. Shinichi loses almost everything and has to build it anew, without the privilege he had to begin with. In the process, he grows and changes, becoming more thoughtful and more appreciative, with less smugness and ego.

Into this world, Gosho decides to do one of his usual things, and drop Kaitou Kid in for a story. Holmes vs. Lupin, it’ll be fun, right? The fans ate it up, and so Kid became a regular guest star. After that, when doing Sunset Mansion, a story loosely based on Young Kindaichi’s “House of Wax” story, which involves a detective gathering, Hakuba Saguru was a natural choice. And here we come to one of Hakuba’s issues as a character.

It’s now the year 2000. Detective Conan, always more serious in tone than Magic Kaito, given the rampant murders, has progressed in the past six years. The art is better, the storytelling is more dramatic… And Hakuba’s previous narrative slot has been filled by Shinichi. What does Gosho do with him? I think a lot of the characterization that follows was Gosho trying to get a handle on who Hakuba IS, in a world where all the characters he played off of have changed so dramatically. In Sunset Mansion, he acts more like James Bond than either Herlock Sholmes or Sherlock Holmes. He’s handsome, charming, and dangerous, and while he’s not convinced of Kid’s essential benevolence, he is adamant that Kid is no killer.

Fast-forward to 2006. Hakuba shows up again for the Tantei Koshien, a detective competition that seems designed to play up the differences between Hakuba and Hattori Heiji, Conan’s best friend and fellow detective. This is quite possibly the most characterization Hakuba gets, and he’s… not shown in a great light. He’s scornful of Heiji’s impulsive nature and rash action, and lets his focus on thefts and frauds mislead him into identifying the wrong culprit. He takes his correction rather graciously, but hasn’t appeared in Detective Conan since.

And now it’s 2007. Kid is rabidly popular, enough that Gosho puts out another volume’s worth of Kaitou Kid chapters. Now that we’re back behind Kaito’s eyes, we see a combination of the goofy prankster in the earliest chapters and the smooth gentleman thief we’ve come to know in Conan’s tales. These stories are more tightly plotted, with more danger and escapes, the magic tricks used to set up a central “howdunit” for the chapter, and there’s a bit more character development. Kid also evinces more detective skills, as there’s often a mystery for him to get to the bottom of, as well as his own tricks for others to decipher. Hakuba makes a guest appearance, calling Kaito to give him information when he’s going head to head with another kaitou over a rare gem, and then shows up when Kid is threatened by a murderous thief named Nightmare. At the end of this case, he agrees with Kid in deliberately hiding the truth of Nightmare’s identity, as the man is dead and the truth would only hurt his family now.

Hakuba is still charming, flirty, and confident, and to be honest, still kind of smug. But now he’s being shown as someone capable of empathy, not a detective concerned only with the law, or even the truth. He’s come to understand that justice requires mercy. But we don’t get to see any of this happen, and he’s still only in a few pages in two stories out of five.

Hakuba and Shinichi both have complicated relationships with Kid that can’t be boiled down to “rival” and “enemy” quite so easily. The biggest difference, in my opinion, is that Hakuba is chasing Kid to catch and stop him, while Shinichi really sees Kid heists as a chance to match wits with an intellectual equal. Hakuba is concerned with Kid’s breaking the law, while  Shinichi seems to consider that mostly a non-issue, being focused more on beating Kid as almost a matter of pride. He’ll give it back and nobody died, no big deal. … That said, Hakuba’s characterization in spinoffs such as the Magic Kaito specials is leaning a bit more towards actual rivalry, but that’s because in that continuity, he has bigger spiders to fry.

So why did I go into all that? We don’t know much about Kasumi, but we know a lot about Akechi, so I’m going to start with him. Visually, he resembles Hakuba much more than Shinichi, with the perfectly pressed appearance, light hair, and visually adult fashion choices. He’s a media darling, and is incredibly charming. Beyond that, in all his interactions with the Phantom Thieves before his reveal, he is apart from them, even when assisting them. His outfit is brilliant white and gold, rather than the blacks and reds of most of the team. He even tells them that while he will help them clear their name of murder, they have to stop thieving. This is all very Hakuba. Of course, it’s all a mask, but even so… he wants to stop the Phantom Thieves. He’s tied into the forces of law and order, both in his mask persona and as Yaldabaoth’s pawn. (Law and Order being two different forces here… although maybe not so different as they seem.) He’s strongly drawn to Joker and winds up helping him, despite what his position and duties would suggest.

Kasumi is… well, we don’t really know. Visually, however, as a thief, she strongly resembles Joker. We’ve seen that she seems to act as a Phantom Thief, even if she’s quoted as saying that she doesn’t believe in their justice. (“Thieves are boring,” Conan scoffs, right before meeting a nutter in a white top hat.) A lot of her visual shots are set up to suggest a strong parallel between her and Joker, and there’s a possibility of her being yet another Wild Card. Kaito and Shinichi are canonically said to resemble each other strongly, and while this is probably partially Gosho making fun of the fact that all his hot teenage boys look alike… he’s said there is a deeper reason for it.

This is all speculation, of course. We won’t really know until the game comes out. (Can we get a Switch port Atlus? Please?)

[animenutcase]

Should You Fight This Character?: Detective Conan Edition

Kudou Shinichi/Edogawa Conan: Shinichi, yes. He’s a giant nerd, so as long as you keep anything he can kick away from him you’ll be fine. Conan, though, absolutely not. Even if you manage to remove all of his gadgets and overpower him, you will only incur the wrath of not only his parents and martial arts master girlfriend, but both of her parents (also both accomplished martial artists), her best friend and her boyfriend (a walking death machine wearing glasses), Hattori Heiji (who knows how to use a sword in an age where most people don’t), Toyama Kazuha (aikido), Agasa Hiroshi (who made the aforementioned gadgets and could probably make something much more lethal if he applied himself), the scientist who managed to leave the organization and lived, roughly half of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Force (who I’m pretty sure are all required to be able to take a suspect in a fight), and various other police officers from around Japan (most notably the ones from Nagano), several FBI agents (including fucking Akai Shuuichi), at least one MPD, a CIA agent, Sera Masumi (Jeet Kune Do), her mother Mary (seriously, pretty sure this woman can kill you no matter what her size is), Kaitou Kid, and fucking Vermouth herself. So yes, you can fight Edogawa Conan and possibly even win… But is it worth it?

Mouri Ran: Honestly? Go right ahead. You’ll lose, but at least you’ll get to say Mouri Ran kicked your ass.

Mouri Kogoro: He’ll kick your ass too, but honestly he needs to get punched in the face occasionally.

Kisaki Eri: I wouldn’t recommend it. Not only will she also kick your ass, but then you’ll have to deal with her husband and daughter, and no one wants that.

Kudou Yusaku: Should you fight the man who makes his living by thinking of ways to kill people? Use some common sense. Do not fight Yusaku.

Kudou Yukiko: It’s a hit or miss with Yukiko. You might win, but you’ll end up pissing off her husband and son.

Agasa Hiroshi: What the fuck is wrong with you!? Do not fight Agasa! Now go sit in a corner and think about what you just said.

Haibara Ai: You might win the fight, but she will win in spirit. You can’t win. Give up.

The Detective Boys (Kojima Genta, Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko, Yoshida Ayumi): You could probably win if you fight them individually, but I’m pretty sure they can take you if they team up. You’d be surprised at what kids in groups are capable of.

Suzuki Sonoko: Oh, you’ll absolutely win. But see that guy in the nerdy glasses over there? The one who just beat the shit out several armed criminals and brought down a building pillar by punching it? That’s her boyfriend. Good luck! Speaking of which…

Kyogoku Makoto: Hahahahaha. No. Makoto is too OP and needs to get nerfed.

Hattori Heiji: Go for it, man. You’ll lose, but do it anyway. You only live once.

Toyama Kazuha: Only if you’re willing to deal with Hattori and Ran after she kicks your ass.

Kuroba Kaito/Kaitou Kid: Who even cares if you can beat him!? Do it. Fight Kaitou Kid. Punch him in his stupid face.

Hakuba Saguru: Same deal. Even if you lose, he deserves at least one punch in his smug face.

Nakamori Aoko: If you can get anything she can use as a weapon away from her, sure. Go nuts, asshole. I’m sure Kaito and her dad won’t mind. (That is a sarcastic joke. Do not attempt to engage Nakamori Aoko in combat.)

Koizumi Akako: Akako won’t even let you have a proper fight with her. Need I remind you that she can use actual, honest-to-God magic? What can you do? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Nakamori Ginzo: Please don’t. The man regularly has to put up with Kaitou Kid. He doesn’t need to worry about kicking your ass too.

Megure Juuzou: Remember that this is the man who took a metal bat to the head with only a hat as a shield. His wife is a former delinquent and still has the temper. Do not fight Megure.

Takagi Wataru: You can try and maybe even win, but I’m pretty sure Satou will kill you.

Satou Miwako: Nah. She’ll kick your ass and then you’ll have to put up with not just Takagi and the rest of the male policemen at Tokyo Metropolitan.

Shiratori Ninzaburou: I say go for it. I doubt you’ll win, but you never know. Fight Shiratori.

Chiba Kazunobu: Why? Why would you want to hurt this man? Get out of my sight.

Miyamoto Yumi: Nope. We have seen nothing that hints that she’s a fighter, but I have absolutely no doubt that she would kill you if the need arose.

Miike Naeko: Honestly, I’m not even sure what you’re trying to accomplish here.

Yokomizo Sango (or Jugo): Meh. Maybe. Don’t count on it, though.

Yamamura Misao: Probably the easiest fight on the list.

Yamato Kansuke: This is the man took on a large group of people with only Hattori, Yui, and Conan for back up. What chance does your scrawny ass have? None, that’s what.

Uehara Yui: Nope.

Morofushi Takaaki: Can’t say for sure. Go ahead and try.

Kuroda Hyoue: You’ve seen this man, right? He’s practically a giant. He’ll probably crush you before you even have a chance to try punching him.

Kobayashi Sumiko: A fairly easy fight, but Kobayashi of all people doesn’t deserve it.

Hondou Eisuke: An even easier fight, you disgusting monster. Like, he’ll just end up knocking himself out anyway. Trying to harm him serves no purpose and will only serve to piss off his CIA agent sister. Incidentally….

Mizunashi Rena: You’re asking if you can take a woman who went undercover into the Black Organization and then went back? I think you already know the answer.

Haneda Shukichi: Ah, see? This is how you get Yumi into a fighting mood. At the same time, however, I doubt you’ll get to have a proper fight. This man is extremely intelligent and will probably find a way to maneuver himself so you end up knocking yourself out. Do it. Fight Shukichi. Fight him in front of his family. Now you are dead. Do not fight Haneda Shukichi.

Sera Masumi: Why not? You’ll lose, but at least you’ll be able to say you lost to Sera Masumi.

Akai Shuichi: Do it. Fight Akai Shuichi just to say you fought Akai Shuichi. He’ll probably let you live and maybe make some nice curry for you as Okiya later.

Jodie Starling: No.

Sera Mary: Do you have a death wish?

Amuro Tooru: He’ll also probably let you live, but if you give him reason to think you know Akai’s whereabouts, he probably won’t simply let you go even if he spares your life. Winning is not an option for you.

Wakita Kanenori: Look, even if he doesn’t turn out to be Rum, the man regularly handles knives for a living. Use some common sense.

Wakasa Rumi: Absolutely not. You’ve seen how she fights? You’ve seen her scars? This woman has seen some shit and you do not want to be on the receiving end of what it’s taught her.

Literally any member of the Black Organization: Like, even if you find yourself in a situation where you actually have to fight any of these people (because you don’t actually WANT to fight any of them), they won’t give you a proper fight. They’ll just fucking kill you and erase any trace of their presence. Don’t even bother trying.

[bleachpanda]

Watching Detective Conan again

How long has it been since I watched it I wonder? I'm not even sure when I stopped tbh, but I do remember stopping because Anime-Conan stopped subbing it. After a bit of deliberation and encouragement (from the brother that wants to watch it too), I decided to watch everything again from the beginning. Well, my brother told me to start from like episode 200 but I think I've missed out and forgotten too many things. Oh, and I don't like starting things from the middle haha. I'm currently up to episode 75. I want to watch the next episode so so badly because it's the first appearance of Kaitou Kid but I need to wait for my brother to finish his nap first lol. Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved Kaitou Kid, there's this thing about mysterious Phantom thieves that attract people haha. Like how I used to love Dark in DNAngel. But Kaitou Kid is special I guess. He doesn't appear all the time, but when he does, it's always a very fun, interesting and engaging case. Kid himself also makes it very enjoyable since his personality is fun. I've always loved his magic haha. Another character that I always look forward to seeing would be Hattori Heiji, I always used to just remember him as the Osaka guy haha! But I really loved his unique accent and funny personality. I love how he and Shinichi are such buddies hahaha. He's a cool guy that I always liked as well. I also like how Kaitou Kid (Kuroba Kaito), Hattori Heiji and Kudo Shinichi all have a childhood sweetheart which respectively are Aoko, Kazuha and Ran. It's kinda funny and might even be considered laziness on the author's part that they're all like that but personally, I really love that it's like that. They all have that one girl that is special to them and despite what they all say and do, they love each other very much. It also helps that they all have parents that are super busy or carefree and thus cultivating their relationship as one of love and of family. They're practically family hahaha and I guess that's what I love about their relationships. It's still blossoming but they're solidly placed in each other's lives. They might not be "official" but they practically are. (Although I was watching an episode and apparently Shinichi confessed to Ran in front of the Big Ben or something so I'll have to look forward to that one!) I like how they all start from similar circumstances (childhood friend, aikido and karate etc) but they're all very different as well and that's why I enjoy all of their relationships. I also really like Mouri Kogorou hahaha, not because he's an idiot but I think ever since that episode where he went to his University judo club reunion and one of his old friends killed a friend in the club as well, I've always thought that this is probably what Eri (ex-wife, Ran's Mum) saw in him. It was definitely a memorable episode. Especially when Shinichi respected Kogorou's desire to be the one to discover who really killed the victim, since they were all his close friends. You could really see how difficult it must have been for him. He was also really cool when he did an over arm throw on the culprit saying he didn't want to understand what drives people to kill others. He was really really cool. I like these episodes when Shinichi helps him grow as a detective and guides him to solving the case instead of just putting him to sleep. I still remain envious of Conan for having all those little gadgets to help him! Those shoes are so useful and those glasses to track people dangg. The voice changing bow tie is still so cool too. Gotta love his whole iconic outfit aye haha. But it's kinda crazy huh? It's been like 22 years and yet I can still relate to Conan very much and love the cases. Gotta say the anime original cases are much easier to figure out than the manga ones haha! Not a fan of the Detective Boys episodes but I know it's needed and the appeal of it. Luckily, they're not that frequent. Another memorable episode would have to be the Beethoven Moonlight Sonata case. I'm not sure if I've watched it before but the first movement of Moonlight Sonata was so beautiful, I couldn't help but fall in love with it! Oh, and I love Shinichi's parents hahaha! I like how they planned a whole little mystery for him to find clues for etc, that episode was funny because I remembered it was them haha. I also found it cute that Shinichi didn't want to go overseas with them, not only because he wanted to catch the Black Organisation himself but because he didn't want to leave Ran. Now that I think about it, it's not hard for me to still love Detective Conan after all, since I watched it before. Kinda like Rurouni Kenshin, I've been exposed to it already so it would in a sense be more difficult for me to not like them hahaha. 1994 aye, they're so old but still so relevant. I've been watching Kenshin too btw, I'm up to the Kyoto arc and I'm starting to think that the live action movies definitely did an awesome job on the costumes and makeup. They also did a good job on casting! Kenshin was great, but Soujiro and Saito Hajime were really good as well. But the best thing was definitely the actor for Kenshin (Satoh Takeru?) and the costumes! The iconic costumes were replicated beautifully. Haha, I derailed. Nevertheless, I hope I will catch up to all 846(?) episodes of Detective Conan soon. It's long, but that's the history of two decades right?

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Reflection 12 (FINAL) | Netjuu no Susume 1 | Mahoutsukai no Yome 1 | Code:Realise 1 | Kino’s Journey (2017) 1 | Dynamic Chord 1 | Houseki no Kuni 1 | Anime-Gataris 1 | Idolmaster Side M 1

Kekkai Sensen seems to be off limits, even when I try to comprehend the relevant JavaScript after dodging region lock. Grr…I spent and hour and 30 mins just trying to figure out that code!!! Oh well (dejected tone), at least I have Classicaloid…

Reflection 12 (FINAL)

Oh please, X-On. Fighting fire with fire is the worst thing you can do. Haven’t you learnt that over the course of this show?

Gahhhh! Finally, the magical girls have arrived! Thank you, Stan Lee!

Wowee, that was some concentrated sound, so to speak.

Well, that’s just original, y‘know? Pyramid. In the desert. Whoop-de-doo.

Rule number 14138008 of crime-fighting: Always make sure you have a backup in case someone uses yorur kryptonite against you. Or in this case, a superpower-stripping technique.

I don’t think X-On’s become one with the Darkness yet. He has some flippin’ plot armour on his side, after all. Why haven’t any of these guys succumbed to the ageing process yet?

Well, I got my answer to my previous question, but how did vision!Eleanor appear, anyway?

Wait…wait. I knew he had plot armour! Argh! X-On! What the heck did you do to deserve plot armour???

Oh, the magical girls are part sentai and part actual magical girl. Notice they have kanji across their chests for their associated element.

“Why won’t you accept Darkness’s darkness?” – Okay, “Darkness’s darkness” is a bit too redundant, y’hear?

Wait…wait. Ninth Wonder only had 4 members??? Wat. Then Ian goes and undoes all their hard naming work by calling them by their real group name, dangit. You ruined a perfectly good magical girl show, Ian.

They didn’t even put in the crack on X-On’s helmet…head…thingy.

Okay, I am so confused…Guh. Thank goodness it’s over.

Netjuu no Susume 1

I like the rare stories where a girl transforms into a boy for non-hentai reasons. This is the closest anime I’ve gotten so far to that concept, so…yay, me?

“Recommendation of the Wonderful Virtual Life” and “Recovery of an MMO Junkie” mean two very different things on the same topic. What was happening in the localiser’s mind when they created this title for the English-speaking audience???

That scene where Moriko collapses on her bed…for some reason, someone was watching a show with the Moonlight Sonata in the background, so now I think MMO Junkie is sad. (Which is probably wrong.)

Oh, by the way. The –juu in Netjuu gives the word a special kind of connotation. A riajuu is what’s known as a normie, or a non-otaku, non-gamer sort of person. A netjuu must therefore be a net addict. Kiznaiver taught me that.

“I chose the NEET life.” - I know that feel, Moriko.

Oh, they even gave Moriko’s character Saiyan hair for a moment, LOL.

Okay, here’s a pun. Mori (forest) is 3x ki (tree) and hayashi (grove) is 2x ki. That’s using the kanji, though.

The guy with the glasses looks like a dude from Occultic;Nine. I have bad memories of that show because of Ryouka…er, big knockers girl.

Owee. I once joined an RPG because of some IRL friends but I forgot to ask them what group they were in, and so I was a solo quester…so I know that feel, Moriko.

This is based on a Comico manga, so the designs are simple to draw and they were originally in colour, so they just needed to be reworked for animation. See? Backing Comico in my Superstar wa Nemurenai days wasn’t such a bad idea, now, huh?

Himeralda? For a guy character? Well, that broke the gender barrier.

Christmas is a holiday for lovers in Japan, so I suspect it’s something to do with that.

Lawson -> Cowson, LOL.

Despite all the obviously still motion shots, I’m really enjoying this. Why does it have to be 10 eps??? (By the way, why didn’t I get Kekkai Sensen??? Dangit, Funi!!!)

Oh, this is so adorable! Lily even dressed up and Moriko got her chicken! It’s such a heartwarming Christmas for these guys.

These transitions, while not original, I find are really cool. Not Disney-level, but still inventive. Also, that green dot is definitely Hayashi and the pink one Lily.

LOL, Lawson was a sponsor this ep, it seems. Had I paused a little later, I would’ve missed its credit!

This is a keeper for sure. I’m just disappointed about the short ep count (due to the nature of Comico)…and Kekkai Sensen, uwu…

Mahoutsukai no Yome 1

Le hype. That’s all. I’ve been watching 1 – 2 eps per day (for these first eps of the fall season) and since the weekend is so full of good shows, I don’t know how people can watch entire seasons like this…As for my take on this show, it’s pretty and well-received after the OVA and advance screening, so hopefully this will deliver. I’m not an AMB manga fan by the way.

It’s normally a bad sign to start with an OP, but it shows off the animation, so I’m not complaining.

The English title shows how interconnected the world is these days…it’s kinda scary, actually.

Chise looks lke a bride here, or she’s on her deathbed. Both symbolic meanings are applicable.

I never thought Japanese people would be able to capture Western elegance so well.

The chibi-ish style doesn’t suit such a serious show. Are these chibi-ish sections also part of the manga?

I thought the woman with the bonnet was called Silky? Not Silver? The promo materials all say “Silky”, and the OVA did too IIRC.

I think the biggest descriptor of this show is “whimsical”.

Historically, fairies lure people into Fairyland like the stereotypical portrayal of sirens, and they’re not as benign as my portrayal of them in One Wish They Never Wanted.

The irony of a dog-face skull calling you his puppy. It really brings an odd sense of humour to this show.

Welp, that’s another safe keeper. I’ve being quite definite about my choices, as you might have noticed, since the weekend is positively overloaded with shows (as I mentioned earlier).

Code:Realise 1

It’s an otome game adaption. They don’t always go down well, but it’s worth a shot.

Isn’t it “London Bridge is falling down”?

CR seems to have forgotten to title this ep “London Steam” on their site.

Well, they’re guards. Y’think lowering their guard would’ve been a funny pun, at least if this were dubbed in English (which this will be…eventually).

Ooh, so this plain bishie is Arsene Lupin? Me likey.

Like, seriously, Where are this tiny spark-star-thingies coming from?

Impey…who? Update: Google (plus previous spoilers) tell me that Impey is Impey Barbicane, accomplice to Lupin.

LOL, I’ve watched me too many Kaito Kid heists. Me likey, once again. However, the thing I don’t get is the voiceover. Couldn’t Lupin have actually said these lines instead of putting them on voiceover???

Gahhhhhhh! This eyecatch’s bishie has such horrible eyes that they burn mine! Get me out of here!

How does Impey know Cardia’s name??? Update: You’ll get the answer later…

It’s a few generations too early for a man to go to the moon, LOL. Poor Impey.

Victor…well, I never. Anime really does cover everything. Plus, Frankenstein ain’t his monster in this one, which would make Mary Shelley proud.

Hey, Kaitou (Phantom Thief) Lupin is one thing but using your real name as your kaitou identity is taking it a bit far. Sure, there was Kaito Kuroba, but at least he was Kaito Kid as well.

Sheesh, the Horologium sounded like nuclear power before Lupin explained it was Cardia’s heart…that would’ve been tonnes scarier, had Cardia been a nuclear monster.

LOL, Lupin’s so tsundere! Hahaha…

Oh please. Don’t let the vampires steal away Cardia (LOL)!

Victor being pegged as a terrorist has something to do with Isaac, right?

Lupin’s so effin’ short. No wonder he stands in high places when he lords over the British Army, haha.

Smol corgi with cyborg leg is probably my new dog aesthetic, haha. Plus top hat. I like top hats.

Shouldn’t the corgi have died when Cardia grabbed it though, or was that because of its leg?

The rainbow transition was a bit much, but okay. I can live with it.

So smol corgi is called Sisi? What a weird name.

It’s…not bad, I could probably watch until the end. However, the colour scheme seems to be “bright” with these recent female games (see Sengoku Night Blood for another example of what I mean). Well, since I said that, it’s a keeper. (I think the random James Bond-esque scene involving shooting guns then being in front of an explosion in the ED sealed the deal though, LOL.)

Kino’s Journey 1

I’m a noob to the world of Kino, so please don’t spoil me on anything you’ve seen in the previous adaptations! All I really know is the shtick: Kino is neither a guy nor a girl. They stick around in a country for 3 days then leave. They have a talking motorbike named Hermes…that’s pretty much it.

Lerche? On Kino? Y’think someone else could’ve done it better? I feel like a washed-out, subdued feeling would suit this show best. However, these words are coming from a Kino’s Journey noob, as I just said, so disregard me if you want.

Mori no naka de…b? What’s the “b” for?

A few times when they say “country”, I imagine a sea. That makes sense, considering it’s the sea that separates a lot of us.

How does Hermes talk???

Hermes is CGI. Trust my eyes, they’ve seen a lot of CGI for their time.

The gun is called Cannon? Wuh? The other gun is called the Woodsman? Wuh wuh???

A motorrad appears to be a motorbike, but…okay. It’s a BMW make of motorbike. Like a Ford Gran Torino.

*Kino points the gun* Whoa! What a fakeout!

Kino is CGI sometimes, too, it seems.

Those cows seem to be angry at Kino for some reason…

Why does no one question the talking motorbike???

Oh, I see. That was what I suspected from the moment the rifle was shown in the store. Public order is good here because people simply turn a blind eye.

I think Kino hopping behind Hermes should’ve been 2D. It’s not fluid enough in 3D…not quite yet to convey a proper sense of action, but enough to create a sense of disquiet. (Which is what I believe the show wants, so I’ll take my words back for the moment.)

“Ow!” is an understatement, considering it (the arrow) must’ve severed a muscle or two.

Ah, loophole. I didn’t see that coming.

Whoa. What dramatic irony.

I swear they recycle parts of this footage over and over again. I’m getting dejavu.

Hahaha, that crepe ending was funny. It wasn’t an ideal way to finish such an unsettling episode, but it was a good punchline.

Well, I think this is going to be really repetitive, so I’ll put it on hold and roll the next show up.

Dynamic Chord 1

More Ume. As an Ume fan, I’m spoilt for choice this season.

Cherry blossom opening is probably a bad omen. It’s probably the most cliched opening you could go for.

Holy eye colours, Batman! “That yellow should not exist as an eye colour,” is all I’m saying.

Honestly, this is the least gripping band/idol anime I’ve tackled all season. If they’re just going to be angsty in the rain, they should’ve been one season earlier because I would’ve taken this over The Reflection or In Another World With my Smartphone, laser eye boy be damned.

Wait, is pinkhead in the car or out of it? Update: He’s in a convertible. So it’s a yes and a no.

That metronome transition was pretty bad. Really hamfisted.

That transition away from the metronome, I couldn’t even tell that was a transition!

Aw gawsh, spare me. This looks like one of those ads you see play between shows on TV channels without company sponsorship. Or an only-half-decent MV.

I think they’re trying to be Dark and Edgy (TM) in comparison to, say, TsukiPro, but that was better than this.

Extended Pans for No Reason Whatsoever (TM)! Also, Bumblebee car. I’m having fun ripping this show apart, man. Now I see the real quality of Hatewatches (with a capital H), but it’s only been 5 minutes...

Dual eye colour boy (Reon), oi. You really didn’t do anything. Don’t give yourself unnecessary credit.

Bumblebee boy has way too long eyelashes, by the by. Did I ever mention that?

At least they justified the previous shots. That one there, at about the 6 minute mark, was not justified.

Based on Dai Murase (Ume’s role in TsukiPro), I thought the Kyohso doppleganger was gonna be Ume, but he thankfully got someone more attractive (Kuro of apple polisher). I still don’t like the name apple polisher though, how the heck did that name “get popular overseas”???

The camera shakes sometimes for no reason at all.

Reon seems constantly grumpy for some reason…

C’mon…this production is visually quite junky. Admit it.

Please don’t make this another ad fakeout. Only play your cards once for a certain trick…

Pink and blue eyed boy looks like a villian, but he’s probably a “hero” in this story.

This is probably a music video, but if I wanted a music video, I’d go to YouTube. Not an anime, unless it were an anime musiv video (a proper one, not an amateur effort YouTube Poop).

Wait, they spent 5 minutes just showing us a music video? It was pretty bad, so of course I noticed it in a bad way.

What is up with black and blue guy’s hair? I thought bumblebee guy was bad enough.

Sometimes removing the volume is all you need to figure out if an anime is good, since if they cared about their visuals and plot enough, then they wouldn’t be relying on shots of dudes rocking backwards and forward so much.

I get not all band people are singers, but still…bumblebee boy, if you’re so willing, why not you take Reon’s place?

Wait, so pink-haired convertible boy is the famed Yorito??? Dorito, more like it!

If the animators for this show were any good, they’d animate the fingers when the guitarists play. I’ve seen people play the guitar before. I used to take music classes. Geez, Pierrot. Stop skimping.

Another Skimping Technique (TM) – Speedlines in Replacement of Actual Motion (sic).

Too bad Dorito’s skipping practice, eh, Reon?

C’mon, Dorito. First it’s an angsty rain scene, now it’s an angsty shower scene? You don’t even look half hot here. Or half wet, for that matter.

I know anime is meant to look flat, but these sections I’ve been calling “music videos” are…superflat, to give them a name. They look like paper overlaid on the anime background, with little to no real animation being done, and that’s why I’m giving this show such a bad rap.

All that angst…for this? It seems a little anticlimatic, is all I’m saying.

Well, I made it through one episode. It’s probably not as bad as I made it out to be, but I do hatewatch picks for my own pleasure and this just became one of them. Onto the drop pile it goes…

Houseki no Kuni 1

This is the last debut of the fall season, at least until someone hands me Kekkai Sensen. Okay, here’s the story about why I’m here: I heard good things about Steven Universe in my home country, so I went on a trip and tried some Cartoon Network there. Thing is, Steven Universe didn’t resonate with me as much as I thought it would. Therefore, to take the concept and turn it into a real anime – would that do it for me? Let’s find out.

Hmph, I had the sound on this time and I had the feeling all the gems were voiced by women. Like Steven Universe.

When they said “sunspots”, they…uh, kinda meant it.

I feel like Master Kongo’s VA is a bit too soft. Otherwise, this show is pretty good.

Whoa. Seeing Phos shattered like this and still conscious must be freaky. Makes for some good body horror, eh?

Well, this show has some excellent worldbuilding. That’s something I haven’t said in a few seasons…in this simulcast commentary, that is. Made in Abyss has good worldbuilding too. The only problem with this is…where did Phos’s gloves come from?

The eyecatch seems to be in English. Like Princess Principal last season.

The echo, I think, had a worse effect this time than when Kongo destroyed Phos.

“Don’t use that hand!” - LOL.

So Cinnabar’s poison creates amnesia and (an indirect need for) amputation, eh? What a duo of afflictions.

Well, it’s…actually pretty good. Let’s press on.

Anime-Gataris 1

I actually wanted to pass on this, but after seeing Karandi pass judgement on its second episode and seeing a Haruhi reference, I decided I would pass a judgement on it too. Well, it’s an anime about anime. What do you expect, really?

Hahaha…Oarai is known for being popularised by Girls und Panzer, so Galtan is short for Girls with Tanks.

Haritaro = Hamtaro, Dezumon = Digimon, PreFae = PreCure. Haha, it’s an anime watcher’s paradise of parody anime!

“Double riding is illegal.” - I think that’s a reference to the first episode of Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun and the tandem bike.

Fish??? Wuh???

Aw. That fakeout, I was hoping for it to be A Certain Magical Index or something.

Geez, typical School Council Pres with optional Ethereal Glow. Now available in Blonde too, it seems.

Sebastian Michaelis right there.

The teacher just did the flippin’ Ringo (from UtaPri) intro! Holy gender-barriers, Roppongi is a man??? Why I don’t react like that to Ringo, I’ll never know.

The “I should go by myself” bit is also from UtaPri, IIRC. The bit where one of the boys reveals he’s actually the star Haruka likes.

Obvious Chuunibyou with extra Fake Magic. Geesh, if it weren’t for the anime references…I really wouldn’t be covering this…

That’s my face when people talk about anime, LOL. Hero School = Boku no Hero Academia while R:Zero is Re:Zero.

Shika = deer, hence the weird deer. I don’t know what the references around the Shikabari one are, though, including the fence jump.

You picked a fight with the wrong anime lover, Anime-Gataris (I specialise in recent anime, for obvious reasons)! Tamukeda = Tanakeda (Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge) and Toramiko = Kumamiko. Clearly someone doesn’t remember that Kumamiko was a controversial flop, anime-wise.

Bakusou = Bakuon. Therefore, Shikabari is probably…Kiznaiver? No, it’s Kabaneri. That’s the best match, considering we’re talking about spring 2016. Time Travel Shonen = Time Travel Shoujo. Still don’t get the fence jump though.

Kyou Kara Sessha Wa!! = Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!, where “sessha” is an pronoun for…I think it’s older males. Angel Story = Angel Legend (Angel Densetsu).

The OVA references went over my head again…

Gachiemon = Doraemon, naturally. Nobue = Nobita and Karashi = Takeshi (Gouda). Well, while looking for the Gachiemon movie, I found Reddit spoiling it all for me. Refer to it if you don’t want me doing it for you, because I’m going to...ignore it! Haha, you thought I was going to use it as a crutch now, didn’t you? I like this challenge.

The dog one is A Dog of Flanders, Everstrike is Evangelion. I thought the Cinnamon Roll one would be the not-often-mentioned Powerpuff Girls anime  but Reddit says it’s Dragon Ball??? Autumn Wars = Summer Wars.

Light music club = K-On, classical literature club = Hyouka, NJ club = GJ Club.

The cover of this magazine appears to be Newtype or Animage, which I think both started around the 70s or 80s. That’s definitely Urusei Yatsura on the front, though.

The Girl who Slept Through Time = The Girl who Leapt Through Time and Replica…Paprika, perhaps? (Think I was recalling Reddit there.)

Is that…a Boueibu reference?! Or is that just a cliché…? (If it’s a cliché, I’d feel sad, man.)

I feel like the video quality seems to warp a little at infrequent moments. It’s quite disappointing for a 2017 anime to be suffering from strange visual problems like that.

There’s a KonoSuba poster…sort of.

Maria Clara doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen although it does kind of look like Hatsune Miku or Elsword.

Dang that fakeout, I thought she meant the beret.

I feel like this is best binged to get at all the references, so onto the on hold pile it goes. I think its plot will be cliché but its references are the best thing about it.

Idolmaster 1

Time to thin out the herd! This’ll be tough, since all the contenders I’ve kept have the potential to be great.

The pun here is that 315 (saikou) can mean “the highest”, or in this case, “the best”.

The eyeless producer (and Saito, by the by) was probably a bad idea.

Hey, it’s a 315 business card!

The cardboard boxes say “Bear Mark Moving Company” (Kuma no Ma-ku no Hikkoshi Kaisha).

Ooh! I like ponytail boy. I have a thing for bishies with ponytails.

“Handwriting” is probably the wrong word for a typed contract, CR subbers.

An odd juxtaposition between lawyer (or any other job) and an idol. That’s what piqued my interest about this idol anime specifically – because there is clearly going to be some dirty stuff that comes to light once characters have debuted as idols, and the more disconnect between the past and the present, the more the paps are gonna eat it up. At least, that’s my thoughts, having written Half-Paid Heroes. (I’m currently not sure if I should continue on HPH though, since I had a fight with fellow Honeyfeed writer Aura…).

Nice shirt, Teru (LOL).

When Kaoru broke the cheery atmosphere, Teru’s shirt suddenly said roiya (“lawyer” in katakana, transposed to hiragana).

Dandou literally translates to “male way”. It’s actually hilarious since it sounds really macho…in a bishie show intended to capture a female audience.

“I want us to work together…”

Does this producer have a name? I get the feeling he doesn’t. Maybe, instead of that woman producer they were hinting at at the end of Side Jupiter (was that a woman?), it was this guy.

Sakuraba’s being kind of awkward on the side with his fistpump. I like him.

“Then from now on, the three of you…”

If you know me from Boueibu, you’ll know the line Saito says should actually be “Boys be ambitious”.

The board up the back of the Dramatic Stars’ party says “Celebrate! Dramatic Stars’ Formation”…or something like that, anyway…(Happoro beer, LOL.)

Oh, it’s Hokuto, Shouta and Touma from Jupiter.

It’s this shot from last episode. Oh, okay. It’s kinda like Death Parade in that there are two backstories leading to the same ending shown in ep 1.

What’s with those 17 badges, guys???

This frog mascot looks kinda funny in a (LOL) sort of way. I think Ume’s character will be in a unit with the shota that likes this frog mascot, so…good on me.

At least “Drive a live” doesn’t sound as bad as “Burny!!” or “Crazy Baby Show”, namewise. It does, however, sound like a slogan for a drink-driving government prevention scheme.

I think Ume’s character is the guy behind the counter, although I’m a bit sketchy on that. We’ll see in a few eps.

I think I’ve probably been missing out on something by not listening to the trio with the music. Even though I threw the others out based on visuals and plot, an idol/band show is nothing without its music, so I’ll put Idolmaster on hold so that I don’t become too attached to any of the trio and maybe someday I can evaluate TsukiPro vs Idolmaster better.

[balancingdiet]

Comparison

Detective Conan & Magic Kaito Characters: Kaito/Shinichi & Heiji Words: 1700 ish Required Fic: Tabula Rasa Extra: (1) (2) (3) (4)

“So... is it safe for me to say I’m your best neighbour too?” 

“Yes, I will. Okay— I promise I’m gonna do it now.” Kaito closed the kitchen tap and clamped his phone in between his cheek and shoulder before heaving the filled watering-can out of the basin.

“Thank you, Kaito-botchama,” Jii said on the other line, but Kaito recognised more exasperation than satisfaction in Jii’s tone.

“I’mma hang up now, see you later.”

Cancelling the call, Kaito carried the watering-can in one hand and stumbled out to his backyard, and with his other hand, he went to his clock app and set three alarms.

Well, Kaito really couldn’t blame Jii for his worries and reminders these days, especially after Kaito recently got so distracted with his own things and nearly missed the hour of his heist; and Jii was almost desperate enough to act as Kaitou Kid then.

And this didn’t just happen once, but twice.

Standing in his backyard, Kaito glanced over to Shinichi’s house.

There were indeed loads of distractions lately.

Kaito ambled over his rose plantations and began watering them, as what he normally did.

“Wow, you have plants.”

Kaito blinked, glancing towards the fence that cut between his and Shinichi’s house.

Rather than the owner of the backyard, Kaito found the other dark-skinned detective — Hattori Heiji — the man that wasn’t easy to forget, given his reputation and the incident that nearly scarred Kaito for life.

Hattori was looking around Shinichi’s backyard in amazement, as if it was the first time he’d ever seen a patch of grass with two pots of plants... Or maybe it was the first time he’d seen Shinichi’s backyard, and knowing that Shinichi was plant-stupid in many sense, the two potted plants must be as impressive as running a country.

And speaking of first time, this was also the first time Kaito saw Shinichi ever had any visitor, well, save for Mouri Ran, the only unexpected and uninvited one.

All of the sudden, Hattori turned, spotting Kaito from where he was.

“Eh, your neighbour’s there too.” Hattori gave a wave. “Hello!”

Right there and then, Shinichi stepped out of his backyard door, his face looking all frozen and awkward.

This could be fun.

Kaito grinned and waved back; but of course this wouldn’t be enough to consider fun. Putting the watering-can down, he walked towards the fence, and with every step closer, Shinichi looked more and more disgruntled...

Eventually, Shinichi pinched the bridge of his nose, looking absolutely done with Kaito, or Hattori, or basically the entire situation.

“Nice to meet ya,” Hattori said as he put a hand over his chest. “I’m Kudo’s best friend and greatest rival.”

“And his name is also Hattori Heiji,” Shinichi mumbled before gesturing weakly over Kaito’s face. “And he’s my neighbour, Kuroba Kaito,” he said to Hattori.

Best friend and greatest rival... Kaito propped an arm over the fence. “Is it safe for me to say that I’m your best neighbour too?”

Shinichi couldn’t look any more resigned than this. He turned away, ignoring Kaito and attempted to tug Hattori out of his backyard. “Ok, anyway—”

“Wait a minute.” Hattori’s eyes narrowed at Kaito suspiciously, and Kaito felt a shiver ran down his spine. “Why does it look so familiar?” Hattori added.

Kaito blinked, barely holding back the urge to touch his face, and it took a much greater effort to stop himself from giving a nervous swallow too.

The fun sure lasted shorter than Kaito expected.

But it wasn't just Kaito that was stumped; Shinichi’s eyes looked like they were going to fall out any moment.

“What?” Shinichi spat.

Hattori scratched his chin, and he looked like a curious monkey when he did. “I’ve seen it before…”

Shinichi stepped a little closer to the fence, as if trying to block Hattori’s view of Kaito. “What are you talking about—”

“That shirt, ya.” Hattori pointed to Kaito’s chest. “I’ve seen you worn it before.”

Kaito looked down.

Crap. He certainly played himself this time; he hadn’t realized he was wearing Shinichi’s shirt today, the one Shinichi changed him out on the night he bled a mess out of his Kid’s clothes.

He nervously glanced up, coincidentally meeting Shinichi’s eyes before turning to Hattori, who still had the same squinty look on his face.

“Uh,” Shinichi began. “Yes, what a coincidence that my neighbour has the same shirt as me.”

This was the stupidest thing Kaito ever heard, but he doubt he could complain about the excuse when he didn’t have anything better to say. He tried to add a laugh, hoping it was enough to ease the situation.

But then again, Hattori wasn’t named the Detective of the West for nothing. “Right—”

“Anyway, there’s nothing in my backyard besides the two plants, so let’s head back in,” Shinichi said. Hattori was obviously not listening as he was still scrutinising Kaito and the shirt, but he didn’t have the opportunity to comment anything else as Shinichi successfully dragged him back into his house.

The backyard door closed.

A cooing sound made Kaito turned as he stared at his two doves—Touma and Curry—perched one the other end of the fence.

Kaito scorned. “You two... enjoying the show?”

Curry cooed.

Shaking his head, Kaito headed back to his watering-can.

—— 

After Kaito finished watering his plants, he walked out of his house, played with his own mailbox latch for a bit before heading to Shinichi’s one.

No bird poop stain.

No reason for Kaito to be here then.

But that wasn’t going to stop him from doing what he wanted. Kaito leaned against Shinichi’s mailbox, fingers drumming across the top. Shinichi’s car was still parked at the usual spot, but Kaito was sure he had heard Shinichi’s front door opened and closed beforehand. He stared down at the empty street, the only path Shinichi could take to go to the train station, or anywhere else; Kaito’s house was on the end of the block anyway—

And Kaito was right, as he spotted Shinichi’s returning with both of his hands tugged deep inside his pockets. Hattori was nowhere in sight.

Kaito placed his elbow on the mailbox and rested his chin against his palm. As Shinichi got much closer, and clearly already spotting him from the distance, Kaito spoke, “You haven’t answered my question.”

Shinichi looked confused, but he expressed that with a frown. “I don’t remember any question,” he replied, stopping his tracks before Kaito.

“So...” Kaito grinned. “Is it safe for me to say that I’m your best neighbour too?”

Shinichi rolled his eyes. “What do you think?”

“Yes?”

Kaito expected Shinichi to not reply, but he didn’t expect Shinichi to return to his house so soon when their conversation barely started. Kaito stared at Shinichi’s back and observed the slump on his shoulders, which Kaito didn’t notice earlier in the backyard when Shinichi was mostly tensed the entire time.

He wondered what Hattori was here for, and what they had talked about in the house. And if... it had anything to do with Mouri Ran.

Then, to Kaito’s surprise, Shinichi suddenly stopped and turned, looking at Kaito over his shoulder.

“What?” Shinichi muttered.

Does he have eyes on his back? “Nothing.” Kaito said.

Kaito knew what it was like to have his problems meddled with when he didn’t want it to be, and Kaito wasn’t going to be that hypocrite. Like what Shinichi said a long, long time ago, if he wanted the answers, he should wait when the time was right, or let the answer eventually come to him.

And if Shinichi didn’t want to talk, or do anything about it at the moment, there was no point for Kaito to force anything.

And maybe he didn’t have the rights to do it too.

Having nothing else to say, Kaito dusted his hands and returned to his own home.

“Wait.”

Kaito stopped.

“Uh.” Shinichi glanced at his mailbox.

“My doves didn’t shit on it this time,” Kaito said, which was true, yet deep down somewhere in his gut, he somehow wished they did.

“Yes, I can see that,” Shinichi answered back.

Kaito tilted his head. Shinichi sounded almost annoyed, but Kaito couldn’t pinpoint the main reason for it, just like the cause for the slump in his shoulder too. Kaito stayed silent and waited for Shinichi to continue.

“When are you planning to return my shirt?”

Huh. It’s for this? Kaito tugged onto the shirt, wondering. “Do you want me to take it off now?”

“Don’t.” Shinichi looked even more annoyed, but Kaito was much familiar and better with this annoyance; the one that seemed only Kaito was capable of making Shinichi feel.

Kaito grinned.

“Just give it back to me next time,” Shinichi added.

“Ok.” That is, if Kaito remembered and not wear it every time after he finished washing it. “Is there anything else?”

“No. I guess not.” Shinichi was about to turn again. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

“...Wait.”

Oh God, even Hakuba wasn’t this fickle-minded with his words, and that was one hell of a comparison that Shinichi was forcing Kaito to make. “What now?” he said as he swung his arms up in the air.

“Do you... I mean, are you free?”

“Certainly not”, Kaito was about to say, but he held back his tongue and tried to ignore Jii’s reminder and chiding words echoing in his head. Rather than a yes or no, he said, “Why?”

“By any chance are you cooking later, like fried rice?” Shinichi looked awkward, and Kaito almost saw some resemblance of that awkwardness he saw in Mouri Ran that day. “Can I pay for you to cook an extra plate for me?”

Pay? Kaito wanted to shake his head, to mock, and maybe to laugh, but he considered himself reaping more benefits from the act of cooking that meal, more than what Shinichi could ever pay with him in money.

“I can do it for free,” Kaito said, and he found his cheeks aching from the smile that spread across his cheeks. “But in exchange, you have to answer my question: Is it safe to say that I’m your best—“

“Yes,” Shinichi interrupted with a sigh, but his gaze looked a little amused at the same time. “Yes you are.”

[balancingdiet]

Tabula Rasa

Detective Conan & Magic Kaito Characters: Shinichi/Kaito Words: 3100 ish Chapter: (1) … (17) (18) (19)

Shinichi always finds his neighbour weird. But he didn’t expect to find his neighbour lying on a patch of grass and donned in Kaitou Kid’s costume, too.

Shinichi had experienced a fair share of pain—both physically and emotionally—to understand how some of them could feel familiar. But he never knew pain could be nostalgic too.

The sudden, sharp pain hit between Shinichi’s brows again.

It came in a set of three, a cooing sound, and then another...

Shinichi opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was white, but it wasn’t the culprit that was pecking his forehead. Tamago, or whoever that dove was, had flown away once Shinichi stirred and woke up, and the whiteness he saw was the rumpled bedsheet he had laid his head and accidentally fell asleep on.

Shinichi straightened away from the side of the bed and on his chair, and it was only after a second then he registered Kaito’s bed was empty. 

Widening his eyes, Shinichi spun around in his seat, and he found relief when he saw Kaito standing on the balcony (his navy blue shirt camouflaged him well against the dark sky, but his white pants exposed him bright). He was facing the street and dangling his bandaged hands over the railing.

When Kaito fainted in his arms, Shinichi thought of bringing him to the couch in the living room, like what he did during that incident long, long time ago. But he decided to carry Kaito up to the bedroom, thinking it would be a better place to rest for him. Turns out, the clock on the wall now showed an hour before dawn, meaning Kaito woke up not long after he fainted. 

And what a plot twist, it was Shinichi that rested instead.

Shinichi stood up from the chair, not realising the existence of the blanket over his shoulder until it fell off and pooled on the floor. He stared at it for a moment longer than necessary before picking the blanket up and looking at Kaito’s back again.

He didn’t feel as though he deserved this.

Shinichi placed the blanket back on the bed. And now that he could properly look instead of fussing over Kaito’s comfort and tending to his hands previously, he noticed the bed was small. Or rather, it was small because of how sparse Kaito's bedroom was; there was nothing much, besides the bed, a corner desk, and a wardrobe.

To think that Kaito had make this home permanent… The first floor definitely fooled Shinichi well. 

Tentatively, Shinichi walked to the balcony and slid the glass door aside. It was breezy, and the moisture in the air smelt thicker than Shinichi last remembered when he first arrived home. 

”You’re awake,” Kaito said as a greeting.

Shinichi closed the balcony door shut and approached the railing. “Same back at you.”

“You snored.”

This was the last thing he expected the conversation to start with. Shinichi scowled. “I did not.”

Kaito laughed. “You don’t need to feel embarrassed. Your snore is pretty soft anyway.” 

"Don’t change the subject," was what Shinichi wanted to rebuke, but he pursed his lips, unable to form any words as he continued to stare at the side of Kaito’s face.

There was no subject, or anything, for Shinichi to say in the first place—

“How much do you know?” Kaito suddenly said as he continued to face the dark streets below.

“...What?”

Kaito pulled out one of the fragments of the shattered red gem from his pocket, which Shinichi had gathered from the backyard and placed them all on Kaito's desk. 

“For starters,” Kaito said as he fiddled the shard with dull interest. “Do you believe there’s a gem that can shed tears of immortality?” 

Immortality?

Shinichi stared.

For someone who once shrunk by ten years of age, it was hard for Shinichi to say he didn’t believe it, even if he didn’t want to. But in this context and from the way Kaito asked, he wasn’t sure what the correct answer should be.

“Maybe,” Shinichi said instead.

Kaito squeezed the shard in his fist before pounding it over the railing. Shinichi winced.

“To be honest, I don’t,” Kaito said. “But if I don’t, I don’t have anything else to pin on for all the sacrifices that had been made.”

From Kaito's reactions and the evidence in his hand, it was clear all the countless heists Kaitou Kid had done wasn’t to obtain this so-called tears of immortality, but to destroy it. 

But why?

And what sacrifices?

As though Kaito read Shinichi’s thoughts, he spoke, “Kuroba Toichi, my dad, was the first Kaitou Kid.” 

Shinichi widened his eyes.

“He died at the hands of the people who were seeking for this same gem, but I didn’t know anything back then. I’d thought he died due to a magic accident.” Kaito cleared his throat. “And so, the first Kaitou Kid disappeared from the surface of the Earth.”

It wasn’t hard for Shinichi to construct the timeline calculations in his head, and his heart swelled at the realisation of another horror in Kaito’s past. 

He was only eight.

“Years later, I found a secret basement that my dad left behind. I didn’t think much of the consequences but only wanted answers, so I decided to be the ghost of the Phantom Thief.”

“…Why are you suddenly telling me all these?” 

Kaito tilted his head. “After all that earlier commotion, I figured you'd want to know.”

Shinichi hesitated. “But not at the expense of your feelings.”

Kaito chuckled, yet nothing about his laughter sounded real to Shinichi at all. “It’s okay,” he said.

”How is this okay?” Shinichi wanted to yell back, but all the thoughts and words and sorrows of the entire moment were stuck as a lump in his throat. What’s more, this was just the start of Kaito’s past. How could Shinichi, much less Kaito, be able to bear it if they continued to delve deeper into it?

And about Aoko…?

Kaito regarded Shinichi for a while. “It seems as if you know something.”

Shinichi inadvertently glanced away, only proving Kaito’s suspicion right.

“Back to my first question.” Kaito turned around to lean his back against the railings. “How much do you know?” 

Shinichi pursed his lips.

“Tell me,” Kaito urged.

“…I happened to chance upon a few things and made my own guesses.”

“What are they?”

As the wind started to pick up and howl in the originally silent night, Shinichi reluctantly explained the things he thought he would carry to his grave—about Kaito’s unconscious apology to a person named Aoko, the hospital conversation, and the blue rose he found in front of the clock tower. But it wasn’t just unravelling Kaito’s secrets that made Shinichi horrible; having to see the weight pressing down on Kaito’s shoulders as he continued made everything much worse.

By the end of everything, Kaito finally nodded. “As expected of the Detective of the East, you’re right,” he said. “Aoko… She died three years ago.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

“I know.” Kaito raised a hand. “Just let me bring some humour into this conversation, can you?”

Shinichi returned a wry smile. It seemed the least he could do.

“Those people you mentioned earlier,” Shinichi began. “Are they some kind of organization?”

Kaito nodded as he pocketed the shard back into his pocket in silence.

“Are you pissed because you were expecting my answer to be… something exciting? Like, maybe someone from a deadly, criminal organization was hunting me down because I’m a threat to their secret plot?”

So it wasn’t just a taunt Kaito made back then. There were some truth in there too.

“The organization—"

“Done and dusted like yours,” Kaito said. “In fact, I believe it was led by a member that worked under the Black Organization you destroyed. Everything slowly fell apart after you finished them.”

Shinichi said nothing, still struggling to get his feelings towards Kaito’s response straight. There was relief for another end of a criminal organization, but there were some things that didn’t make sense—like why Kaitou Kid still existed if everything was over—and also the guilt, that if Shinichi had brought the BO down sooner…

“About Aoko.” Shinichi swallowed, not sure if it was right to call her name like this. “Did she die in the hands of the same people who killed your father? Before their downfall?”

Something flickered in Kaito’s eyes; it was so brief, yet impactful enough to send even more guilt towards Shinichi’s way.

“It was before, but no, it wasn’t because of them,” Kaito said, and he raised his head to stare at the sky above them. There was a heavy pause, then he added, in a lower tone: “She died because of me.”

What?

“Since Aoko was young, her mother hadn’t been the best of health,” Kaito continued looking at the sky. “Just a few months after her family moved into my neighbourhood, her mother fell ill and had to be admitted into the hospital. Aoko visited her every day of the week, and I accompanied her several times. But after battling the illness for a year, Aoko’s mother passed away.

“Years later after we reached the eligible age, she signed up for a volunteering program in the hospital. And I followed too. Since then, it became our weekend thing; I would perform magic performance for the patients and visitors and she was my assistant. But everything changed after I started becoming Kaitou Kid.

“Life got busier for me, but I still managed to squeeze in some time to attend at least two sessions a month. Aoko obviously noticed the changes, but rather than questioning me about it, she was still grateful.” Kaito suddenly gave a bitter laugh. “She was always grateful.”

Shinichi nodded understandingly.

Kaito continued, “But things changed even drastically after those men that killed my father confronted me, while revealing they were searching for Pandora—the alias of that immortality stone. Since then I started planning and focusing on stealing gems. While hoping to find Pandora first, it was also to lure them out so I could bring them down easier.

“A year or so later, I discovered a rumour that said the Pandora was in Japan. I tripled my heists' activity and worked like hell to find it, and as a result, I’d severely neglected Aoko and missed all the volunteering sessions I should have gone.

“Then, on the night of my heist, which was also the night when Aoko went to the hospital to volunteer, a fire broke out at one of the facilities.” Kaito glanced at Shinichi. ”I’m not sure if you remember or know, but it was on the news.”

Shinichi frowned. “The hospital you invited me to?”

Kaito nodded.

“I… I don’t recall.”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to.” Kaito licked his lips and took a deep breath. “Well, a fire broke out, but…” 

“...”

“But, sh— she...”

“She didn’t make it out in time,” Shinichi whispered, finishing the sentence Kaito had trouble completing. 

After a long while, Kaito nodded again. But he wasn’t exactly calm. 

He was simply�� gone.

Shinichi parted his lips, ready to explain how the fire was an accident, and that it wasn’t Kaito’s fault. But as Shinichi took a breath to speak that, he knew Kaito had probably heard those words over a thousand of times, and beyond that, they weren’t the things Kaito needed at the moment.

So all Shinichi did was raising a hand and reached out for Kaito’s shoulder, giving it a light pat.

But that pat was like a wrecking ball, because the next thing Shinichi realized, tears welled up in Kaito’s eyes, like a gush of water bursting out from behind the broken glass walls. 

And those waves surged Shinichi, sending him in a swirl of his own tsunami too.

“The gem I stolen that night wasn’t even fucking Pandora, and those scums didn’t appear during that heist either,” Kaito choked out before pressing the palms of his bandaged hands into his face. “So in exchange for that wasted night, Aoko died.”

Shinichi felt a sting in an eye before rubbing it away. 

“Maybe she was lost on the floor. Or maybe she was trapped behind some damn door. But one thing I know for sure was if I wasn’t doing some fucking heist that night and was there with her for the volunteering session, she wouldn’t have died,” Kaito continued to blabber, “I couldn’t save my dad the last time, but I believe I could have saved Aoko.”

“Kaito—”

“And what else?” Kaito interrupted as he swung his arms back to his side, showing his slightly swollen eyes. “Oh, yeah. Sometimes when I’m flying, I’d see a vision of the burning hospital. I usually could control it, but on the night you found me, I had to stab myself in order to gain back my senses and flight control because the panic attack was too overwhelming—”

All of the sudden, Kaito grabbed the front of his blue shirt and heaved. 

Shinichi held onto Kaito’s elbow. “Hey, are you okay?” 

"I’m good.” Kaito sniffed and afforded a quick, reassuring smile before his face grew serious again. “Do you remember the time you told me to take a break? I actually did before, for two years.”

“The period you suddenly disappeared,” Shinichi said.

“Yeah. I stopped being Kaitou Kid after their downfall, but... I didn't think it was enough to account for the sacrifices.” Kaito patted a hand over his pocket. “Pandora owed me this much.”

Sacrifices...  

“Did Aoko know you’re Kaitou Kid?” The words rolled out of Shinichi's tongue.

During the seconds as Kaito mulled over the question, Shinichi started to panic, wondering if it was a wrong thing to ask. But before he could retract his statement, Kaito left the railing and walked back into the bedroom.

Shinichi followed, closing the glass door behind him.

By his desk, Kaito pulled out the first drawer and took out a blue notebook. He caressed the cover with a form of gentleness that Shinichi never seen him had before—not even when handling those million-dollars’ worth gems he’d shone under the moonlight after his heists. 

Then, Kaito passed the book to Shinichi.

Shinichi tentatively accepted it. “What is this?”

“See for yourself.”

Suspicious, Shinichi flipped to a random page.

Dear Diary, Today, Kaito and I went to Tropical Land. I know I should at least be a little bit happier—

Widened eyes, Shinichi shut the book and snapped his head back at Kaito. “This is Aoko’s diary?”

Kaito nodded. “Her dad, Inspector Nakamori, gave it to me.”

“Inspector Nakamori?” Shinichi froze once he realized the connection. “Isn’t he the head of the Kaitou Kid Task Force?”

“He was,” Kaito clarified. 

Shinichi had to take a moment before the words sunk in. "They were related..."

Kaito gave a half-smile. “Life’s just so funny sometimes.”

“Then…”

“He’s now retired from the Force and helping his brother with the ski resort business in Niigata,” Kaito said. “After Aoko’s death, I told him everything; it’s the least I could do.”

“What did he say?”

Kaito chuckled, though it sounded hoarse at the end. “He told me I should get on with my life.”

But it didn’t work out, Shinichi’s silent words hung in the air.

“Then, before he moved, he found the diary and gave it to me, hoping I could find closure or something," Kaito added.

That didn’t work out either, Shinichi thought bitterly again.

Shinichi fumbled with the book. It was light, yet weighted heavy with the history of Kaito and Aoko’s life journey together, at least till the point when the fire took her away…

“I don’t think I have the rights to read it,” Shinichi eventually said.

“You were mentioned in there though.” 

Shinichi blinked. “What?”

“Edogawa Conan, the Kid-Killer.” Kaito smiled, and there was finally a tint of genuine brightness in his eyes. “You were her idol.”

Shinichi scratched a finger on his temple. “Um…”

“Actually, I think you two could’ve been pretty good friends; Both of you are quite similar—Always all about justice, fun to tease, and Tamago...” Kaito’s voice broke off a little. “Tamago loves... loved her too.” 

Shinichi swallowed, staring at the diary in his hand. “I wish I could meet her," he said, with all the truth he could ever put in a sentence. He looked up at Kaito. “Is there... anything else I can do?”

“No. You’d done more than half of my job when you took down the Black Organization.” A tug pulled at Kaito's lips as he rubbed a thumb over the other bandaged hand. “Besides, you’ve been... a very good distraction...for me.”

Shinichi wondered if he could agree the same.

A low rumble came from the outside, and through the view of the balcony glass door, Shinichi could see the trees swaying in the distant. 

“You should go before the rain pours,” Kaito said.

“Are you sure you want me to read this?” Shinichi asked again, lifting the diary.

“The truth is, I’m rather tired right now.” Kaito popped the second button of his blue shirt and slumped onto the bed. “It'll probably answer the remaining questions you have.”

In all honesty, Shinichi was never intent on needing an answer, but if Kaito wanted him to have it, he really had no reason to go against his wishes. He held the book to his chest.

“Do you want me to stay—”

“If it’s for any other circumstances, I would say yes.” Kaito grinned, though barely passing the mark. “But for now I want to be alone.”

“Ok.” Shinichi nodded. “I’ll go.”

“Thanks.”

Shinichi turned towards the door.

“He told me I should forgive you, that’s how I can lessen my pain.”

He wrapped a hand around the knob.

”And you. Only if you know I forgive you, then it will lessen yours.”

(Then what if the only person who could forgive you, was no longer around?)

“Tabula Rasa.”

Opening the door, Shinichi took one last glance back, watching as Kaito wearily climbed under his covers. 

“You know... there’s a difference between hiding and starting anew.”

Shinichi still hadn’t figured out which one fitted Kaito more, but at least for now, he knew Kaito wanted to be alone.

Closing the door behind him, Shinichi left for his own home.

[balancingdiet]

Tabula Rasa

Detective Conan & Magic Kaito Characters: Shinichi/Kaito Words: 2000 ish Chapter: (1) ... (15) (16) (17)

Shinichi always finds his neighbour weird. But he didn’t expect to find his neighbour lying on a patch of grass and donned in Kaitou Kid’s costume, too.

The distance between Beika Street and Kuroba’s old hometown was considerably near, but it wasn’t the case between the latter and their current residence. And the distance only amplified when Shinichi didn’t have his car and had to walk to take the public transport.

But despite how Shinichi had to change a couple of metro lines before he finally reached the station to get off, he didn’t find the journey very long. Perhaps it was because he was lucky enough to get a seat in every cabin he entered, or that he didn’t bother to check the time on his watch or phone…

Or maybe because his mind had been so preoccupied about the scene at the clock tower the entire way home.

Shinichi originally wanted to bring the blue rose for reasons he wasn’t sure. As an evidence? For safe-keeping? But in the end, he didn’t. He only stood in the same spot when he first saw the bench and stared at the rose for a long, long while before deciding to head home. The rose’s presence was already enough to prove his intuitive sense correct, and he found no rights for him to touch the rose, much less remove it from the place it was meant to be.

“It’s a gift for someone.”

Hands in his empty pockets, Shinichi walked out of the station and down the familiar streets. This was also the first time he noticed the large space and distance between each of the street's lamppost, making the residential area darker than the others. Nonetheless, it was again another observation he made when he wasn’t driving in his car, but for the first time, he wasn’t sure what to make do with this random information he had—

Ah... At least now he knew if any of Kuroba’s doves ever went missing, the best time to find it would be during the night; from a distance away, Shinichi could already spot a white dove sitting on his mail box.

“Hey you,” Shinichi called out as he approached.

The dove stared at him.

Shinichi looked over at Kuroba’s house. There were no lights on. “Where’s your owner?” he asked.

It cooed.

Shinichi sighed, not at anything but himself for his idiocy of trying to get an answer from a dove, again.

Deciding an alternative method of communicating, Shinichi unfastened the latch and tentatively took out his mail, and at the last moment, he waved it in front of the dove. But besides looking at Shinichi with its beady eyes, it showed no reaction.

“Since you didn’t steal my mail, I supposed he’s fine? ” Shinichi glanced at Kuroba’s house again. “Or maybe he hasn’t even reached home yet.”

The dove cooed.

“Thanks for the reply,” Shinichi mumbled as he began flipping through the mails. There were bills, bills, another postcard from his mother…

“Hey,” Shinichi said as he stuffed the rest of his uninteresting mails back into the mailbox and leaned a little closer to the dove. “Do you happen to know who this person named Aoko is?”

“…”

“It isn’t hard to know this person is important to Kuroba, but I also have a feeling that she’s…” Shinichi bit his lip, feeling the end of his throat tightened at the thought of the word. He lowered his gaze and stared at his hand—the hand he remembered Kuroba clung so tightly onto during that night he fell.

“I’m so… so sorry.”

Shinichi tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but that pain and tightness didn’t go away; it moved to his chest instead.

The dove cooed.

Shinichi glanced up. “Yes I’m alright—“ He blinked, staring questionably at the dove for a few seconds. “Uh, were you asking me if I’m alright?”

It cooed again.

“I think I’m going crazy.” Shinichi rubbed a thumb between his brows. “Anyway, who exactly are you? Hiro? Curry? Or Tama—”

“It’s Tamago.”

With how fast he turned his head, Shinichi thought he might snap his neck.

“You—” Shinichi backed a few steps away from Kuroba and scowled. “Why did you creep up behind me like that?”

“I didn’t,” Kuroba said as he took a bite out of the chocolate bar in his hand. “Don’t pin the blame on me when you’re a scaredy-cat.”

“I’m not a—” Shinichi shook his head; he had much more important questions on hand than replying Kuroba’s insults. “Since when were you behind me? And how much have you heard?”

“Now I’m curious.” Kuroba tilted his head. “Should I have heard something?”

“No.”

“Huh.” Kuroba glanced between Shinichi and Tamago. “Did you two badmouth about me?”

“If that would satisfy you, then yes, we badmouthed you.”

Kuroba gasped and theatrically placed a hand over his chest. “I thought I’m your best neighbour,” he said, before looking at Tamago. “And I just fed you your favourite sunflower seeds less than half-an-hour ago. Is this how you repay me?”

Half-an-hour ago? Shinichi glanced at the snack in Kuroba’s hand. “Where did you go?”

“I went to get myself some treats.” Kuroba raised his half-eaten chocolate bar before revealing his pocket full of other sweets. “You want one?”

“No.”

Shinichi figured if he continued to pry about how much Kuroba had heard, he would only be digging his own grave throughout the conversation. But it was hard to figure out the answer from Kuroba’s reaction, or rather, from the lack of it. Not to mention when Kuroba's side hobby and talent involved disguising as people on a casual basis too…

Kuroba raised an eyebrow after he finished stuffing his sweets back into his jeans. “Are you okay?”

Shinichi blinked. “Why did you ask?”

“You look constipated.”

“I’m not.”

“If you’re not constipated, then I guess it’s one of the three reasons that make you act like you’re constipated.” Kuroba lifted a finger. “One, you’re upset about the aftermath of a case; but I didn’t see any news about murders today, so I guess not.”

“I—”

“Two.” Kuroba gestured to the mailbox. “Tamago didn’t poop on it. So that’s out.”

“Hasn't pooped sounds better," Shinichi warned. "Since you fed it half an hour ago, it might happen anytime soon.”

Kuroba rolled his eyes, but his face grew serious again as he showed the third finger in the air. “Three.” Kuroba paused. “It is because of Mouri Ran?”

Shinichi stared back in silence.

“So it’s about her.” Kuroba lowered his hand. “Have you gone to find her?”

“Speaking of which.” Shinichi crossed his arms in defiance. “You didn’t tell me that she came.”

“I couldn’t possibly break the promise I made with a fine lady like her, can I?” Kuroba grinned as he took the last bite out of his remaining chocolate bar before crushing the wrapper in his hand. “So, since you know about this, it means you did find her.”

“Yeah.”

The scrunching sound in Kuroba’s hand stopped. He looked perfectly still— almost like a statue.

“Then,” Kuroba began, “did she forgive you?”

Shinichi nodded.

In an instance, Kuroba’s face split into a huge smile, and it was filled with so much relief and bliss that for a moment, Shinichi almost forgotten if it was he or Kuroba that was forgiven by Ran.

“That’s great!” Kuroba said.

Shinichi nodded again.

The excitement in Kuroba’s face died away as fast as it came. He furrowed his brows as he observed Shinichi. ”Shouldn’t you be feeling happy about it? What’s with your reaction?”

“What reaction?”

“Like this.” Kuroba then drooped his eyes and showed a pursed lips.

Shinichi frowned. “I don’t look like that.”

“You need a mirror.”

“No.”

“It’s not a question.” Kuroba whipped out one from his sleeve and showed it to Shinichi’s face. Indeed, Shinichi looked exactly like what Kuroba had mimicked, much to his annoyance.

“I’m fine.” Shinichi pushed the mirror away.

Kuroba scoffed before looking at Tamago, who had been sitting on the mailbox silently all these while. “Looks like somebody is moody.” Kuroba not-so-subtlety pointed at Shinichi.

But Shinichi wasn’t going to react or rebuke to Kuroba’s taunts; there was actually nothing else for him to say, because in truth (and how strange that Kuroba got it right), those three reasons should be the only three reasons that could ever make Shinichi upset, but there was a fourth one—one that Shinichi could never let it be known.

At least not to Kuroba.

Besides how time doesn’t heal all wounds, words can reopen them too.

So how could Shinichi possibly tell Kuroba that he knew everything—about his unconscious apology, the hospital conversation and the blue rose in front of the clock tower—and that he was also upset and frustrated at himself for the lack of his abilities to pull Kuroba out of his sad, sad misery?

He didn't want to be that guy again.

“Um…” Kuroba leaned back and cast Shinichi a side-long glance. “Are you really pissed though?”

Shinichi rubbed a hand down his face, hoping to wipe whatever expression Kuroba was seeing to think of that thought. “I’m not.”

Kuroba nervously hummed, before pulling out a candy from his pocket and gave it to Shinichi. “Maybe this can help?”

Knowing it would do better to accept than reject, Shinichi wordlessly took Kuroba’s offer and popped the sweet into his mouth.

”Feeling better?” Kuroba asked.

Shinichi had to swallow the sweet, to stop a sudden lump that was threatening to rise in his throat again. He looked at Kuroba’s curious and unblinking gaze, and wondered why, even when his own life wasn’t exactly full of sunshine, Kuroba could still be concerned over Shinichi, and even foolishly offering a sweet so it would make him feel better.

More than that, Kuroba even talked to Ran.

And he encouraged Shinichi to talk to Ran too.

“Thanks, Kaito,” Shinichi said.

(And it wasn’t just for the sweets.)

It was as though the world stopped for a second, and then Kaito blinked. “Di-did you just call my name?”

Shinichi smirked; it felt like a privilege to hear Kaito stutter for once. “I did.”

Kaito fished out a handful of sweets from his pocket and laid them out in his open palm. “Are these poisoned? Or are they actually drugs?” he muttered.

“They are nothing but diabetes,” Shinichi said.

Kaito looked at him, askance. “You’re being really weird today. Did Mouri Ran hit your head or something?”

Shinichi ignored him and gestured to the sweets. “You shouldn’t eat these junks at night.” He turned to Tamago. “Try to control your owner if you can.”

Tamago cooed.

Kaito narrowed his eyes at his dove and grudgingly shoved the sweets back into his pocket. “Betrayal.”

“I’m heading in.” Shinichi walked past Kaito and towards his house.

“Are you sure you don’t want to check your head?” Kaito yelled at Shinichi’s back.

“No,” Shinichi answered over his shoulder. “But you should check my mailbox after your dove flies off. I have a feeling it’s going to shit on it soon.”

As if cued, Tamago suddenly stood up, waddling its butt around for a while before departing off to Kaito’s balcony.

Kaito stared at the mailbox. “Oh.”

Just one word was enough to make Shinichi laugh.

“Do you need company?” Shinichi asked, but he didn’t wait for Kaito’s reply as he’d already turned and started walking back to the mailbox.

“Wow, how kind of you,” Kaito muttered. He then pulled a cloth out of one sleeve and a bottle of water from another.

Again, like always, the supposedly simple clean-up that wouldn’t last more than five minutes somehow turned to fifteen and eventually dragged to thirty. And in between, there would be jabs, laughters, and if Shinichi was a little lucky, he would get to know another random, yet surface-level thing about Kaito that day.

Maybe Shinichi didn’t have the power or ability to relieve Kaito’s pain, but maybe he didn’t need to do anything either. All he had to be was simply Kaito’s neighbour, the one whose mailbox got shitted on a lot, the one who needed reminders to water his plants, and the one who would agree to eat fried rice at each other’s house.

And maybe being just like the way they always were was the one and only best thing Kaito could ask ever for.

[balancingdiet]

Tabula Rasa

Detective Conan & Magic Kaito Characters: Shinichi/Kaito Words: 1700 ish Chapter: (1) ... (8) (9) (10)

Shinichi always finds his neighbour weird. But he didn’t expect to find his neighbour lying on a patch of grass and donned in Kaitou Kid’s costume, too.

The pain on his forehead felt like an ant bite at first; a sharp pinch that went away as quickly as it happened. It wasn’t very strange given he had woken up to all kinds of migraines in his life, but Shinichi had never gotten one that came in a set of three. Three attacks, a cooing sound, and then three—

Shinichi winced, attempting to peel open his deadweight eyelids. But it wasn’t just his eyelids that felt heavy; something was weighing his face down, and he couldn’t quite breathe properly too. He blinked, staring at the white ceiling above him… except that it wasn’t a ceiling.

Fluttering its white wings over Shinichi’s face, the dove pecked his forehead three times again.

“You little—" Shinichi swatted a hand over his face and flung half his body off the floor. 

The dove flew away, joining another that was perched on the top of the huge television set; one that Shinichi clearly didn’t have.

He wondered which was more ridiculous: the fact it only just occurred to him this wasn’t his living room, or that he felt he’d slept better than he ever had on his own bed. 

Shinichi grudgingly rubbed his forehead.

Ah, he’d figured what was the most ridiculous of all.

His right hand was still holding onto Kuroba’s.

And vice versa.

After Kuroba managed to calm down last night, Shinichi slowly unclasped Kuroba’s grip and tried to wake him up, but no sooner his hyperventilating fits returned and persisted for a while, and only when Shinichi took his hand again, he would return back to normal. 

It was a continuous cycle, but that method always worked without fail. 

Realising he couldn’t leave Kuroba lying on the floor the entire night (it was an option, but not a good one), Shinichi dragged him to the couch. He sat on the floor next to Kuroba, observing his breathing patterns closely to determine if it was safe for him to leave him alone. Who knew he would fall asleep too. 

Judging from the light outside, it must be way past dawn. Or worse, late morning. But it was fine anyway. His report was already done, and the cases he had on hand weren’t of much priority, though Inspector Megure would definitely appreciate if he could solve them as soon as possible.

Holding his breath, Shinichi slowly unclenched his hand from Kuroba's one finger at a time.

Thankfully, he didn’t stir. 

Shinichi stood up, letting out a quiet sigh and glanced across the living room. Now that he had the time and focus to notice, the layout of Kuroba’s house was similar to his, the only differentiating factor was the furniture. Most of what Shinichi had at home belonged to his great-uncle, saved for a few others that his mother bought to spice up the house. But it was the opposite for Kuroba. The sparse space in between his furniture emphasised the lack of the latter, and if he really wanted to move, he could do that in less than a few hours.

Was it really for the 63 doves?

Coincidentally, a dove cooed, breaking his mind tour around Kuroba's house. Shinichi blinked away and stared at another dove—which he didn't notice before—sitting on the back of the couch.

Shinichi narrowed his eyes, suddenly remembering about his mail. “Alright,” he whispered to the dove and at the ones that were still perched on the television. “Which one of you stolen my mail?”

A dove cooed.

“…What the hell?”

Shinichi froze. He slowly turned, looking at Kuroba who was now propped up on the couch with his elbow. 

“What are you doing here?” he muttered, eyes equally wide as Shinichi’s.

There was a slight painful tightness in his chest, like the few seconds before the APTX antidote truly kicked in, but he guessed the only difference was he wasn’t going to shrink or expand this time. “One of your doves stolen my mail,” Shinichi said, and he was thankful he didn’t stutter.

Kuroba frowned. His eyes were a little droopy from waking up, but there was no sign of weariness in his tone, “So you trespassed into my house?” he said, fulling sitting up on the couch.

“Your door wasn’t locked.”

“So you trespassed into my house?”

Shinichi bit his lip, unsure if he should risk saying this one: “I tried warning you, but you didn’t answer.”

“So you trespassed into my house?”

Shinichi cast Kuroba a dark look. “You’re sounding like a broken recorder.”

“This is my house. I can be whatever I like.” 

“Fair point.” Shinichi put out a hand. “Give me back my mail and I’ll leave.”

Kuroba stared at Shinichi’s hand before a glint of amusement lit up his eyes. “Don’t you feel a sense of Deja vu in this?”

“Funny,” Shinichi deadpanned. “My mail, would you please.”

“I don’t know where it is.”

Shinichi couldn’t blame him for that. “Your dove flew into the room that has a balcony. It might be in that one,” he suggested.

“Hm.” Kuroba stood up from the couch and nonchalantly brushed some feathers he found on his pants (it must have happened quite commonly). “So you trespassed my house so early in the morning just to get some mail? It must be important.” 

Like what Shinichi guessed, it seemed Kuroba had no recollection of what happened last night, but he wasn’t sure when it would last till bits of his memories returned. He chose a safer route and didn’t answer.

Kuroba didn’t seem to regard anything odd to Shinichi’s silence. “Is it a fan-mail? Or a love letter from Mouri Ran?”

A heartbeat.

Shinichi's hands squeezed.

“No.”

The words came instantly before Shinichi could register himself saying it, and Kuroba looked at him, obviously noticing something was off, not just from Shinichi’s tone but probably the entire geography of his face.

For an instant, Kuroba seemed guilty, but Shinichi felt no satisfaction from it. “Ok. I'll go find it,” he awkwardly murmured before approaching the stairs.

Just when Shinichi was glad the whole conversation was over, he noticed Kuroba stopped in his tracks, his shoulders hunched in a tense way that wasn't so ten seconds ago. Then, with his back still facing the living room, Kuroba glanced at the floor, and something told Shinichi it wasn’t a coincidence that it was the spot he found Kuroba lying last night. 

Despite turning just half of his body, Shinichi could see the clench in Kuroba’s cheek and the slight distant look in his eye. There was something about the way his fingers curled slightly into a fist, too. 

He remembered, Shinichi thought, and he wondered how he managed to read him, as though he knew him since a long time ago.

Yes, for Kaitou Kid. But not for Kuroba Kaito.

“You came last night,” Kuroba said, more of a statement than a question.

There really wasn’t any other way to go around it. “…I did.”

Without another word, Kuroba headed up the stairs.

Shinichi never really liked Kuroba’s doves, be it the one that just pecked his head or the one that always shit on his mailbox. But as he waited in the living room alongside with the doves, he was strangely comforted by their presences.

A sound of click and footsteps after, Kuroba returned, passing an envelope to Shinichi. He recognized it as his mail and accepted it, before finding a Band-Aid underneath. 

“It’s for your head,” Kuroba explained.

“Oh.” Shinichi brushed a finger past his forehead, feeling the prick from the pecked wound. “Thanks.”

Kuroba pursed his lips. “Don’t thank me.”

Well, right. Of course Shinichi shouldn’t thank him when it was his damn dove that did it. But he decided to account this another time—

“But thank you,” Kuroba added, beating Shinichi's attempt to say something else in reply.

Shinichi was used to an ungrateful Kuroba, the cheeky Kuroba and the annoying Kuroba, but he certainly wasn’t prepared for a thankful one. He spent the silence pocketing his Band-Aid before gesturing to the doves. “Do you let all of your 63 doves out?”

Kuroba blinked, looking a little confused for the change of topic, but he didn’t voice any reason to not continue. “No. Only the obedient ones.”

“Clearly a lack of better judgement when you let the one who caused this to be free.” Shinichi pointed at his forehead. He noticed Kuroba’s lips slightly tugged, and strangely, it was satisfying to know he was responsible for it. Shinichi continued, “But you shouldn’t thank me either. Thank the dove that stolen my mail, whichever it is. I think it lured me in to find you.”

Then, a heartbeat or two later—

“That’s it?” Kuroba asked, the crispness of his voice breaking the silence. “No more questions?” 

“What?”

Kuroba walked towards the couch and pulled out a packet of seeds from his white pants. “You’re at least 500% less curious and persistent than the first time,” he said.

Shinichi shrugged. “Given the few expected answers, I don’t think I’m in any position to ask.”

The two doves from the television set joined the one at the couch. They started bobbing up and down, clearly awaiting for Kuroba to pour the seeds out, but he seemed too distracted in his silent thoughts to notice or do so.

Shinichi then plucked the packet from Kuroba’s loosened grasp, and said, “But I guess the only way for me to confirm my answer is to wait when the time is right. Or let the answer eventually come to me.” 

Once Shinichi poured the seeds into his hand, the three doves immediately flocked to him, taking turns to feed. With his other hand, Shinichi resealed the zip and tossed the packet back to Kuroba, which he caught without battling an eyelid. Once the short feast was over, the doves scattered back to their positions, bobbing up and down again and eyeing on the packet in Kuroba’s hand.

“You should take a break,” Shinichi advised. He didn't expect an answer, and neither did he need one, so he turned, heading out of Kuroba's house.

But if Shinichi had waited longer and been more perspective, he might have heard Kuroba whispering, “I’ve already taken two years,” right before the front door closed behind him.

[balancingdiet]

Tabula Rasa

Detective Conan & Magic Kaito Characters: Shinichi/Kaito Words: 1000 ish Chapter: (1) ... (5) (6) (7)

Shinichi always finds his neighbour weird. But he didn’t expect to find his neighbour lying on a patch of grass and donned in Kaitou Kid’s costume, too.

There were lots of things running through Shinichi’s mind, but by the time he could untie the knot in his throat, Kuroba was already done with his gemstone-check. A quick flick of his wrist and the gem was gone, and he brushed past Shinichi and towards the backyard door.

Shinichi followed Kuroba into his kitchen too. “You... stabbed yourself?” he said to Kuroba’s back.

Kuroba glanced at him, askance. “I thought we’re never going to speak about it again?”

“I just want to clarify, in case I’ve heard it wrong—”

“Yes, I stabbed myself.”

Shinichi quickened his steps, cutting Kuroba’s path towards his living room. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Then what would make sense?” Kuroba crossed his arms.

“You tell me.”

Tilting his head, Kuroba scrutinised Shinichi for a brief moment before he suddenly burst out laughing, but there was something dry in his voice, making it all hoarse and painful for Shinichi to hear.

“Are you pissed because you were expecting my answer to be… something exciting?” Kuroba gestured his hands around, pretending to be shooting with his finger-gun. “Like, maybe someone from a deadly, criminal organization was hunting me down because I’m a threat to their secret plot?”

Shinichi pursed his lips. Honestly, that guess did cross his mind, but it was definitely not an answer he hoped, not just for the sake of Kuroba or Kaitou Kid, but for the safety of all the innocent people that could be implicated… The last thought brought back some memories Shinichi didn’t want to remember, and he squashed them all like bugs.

“I’ve never thought like that,” Shinichi muttered, his voice hardened like his features.

Kuroba’s stare turned unnerving, as if trying to detect the lie in Shinichi’s words. But he must have failed to find anything, because after a while he simply turned away and treated the whole moment as nothing but a breath of air.

“Then you jolly well accept my answer,” Kuroba drawled.

Shinichi frowned. “It’s really the truth?”

“I may be a good liar, but I will always honour my words,” Kuroba said, walking around Shinichi without glancing once back. “I never break a deal once I agree to one.”

Kuroba slammed the front door shut, leaving Shinichi standing in his living room, suddenly and painfully aware he was alone…

Shinichi sighed, pulling out his phone from his pocket. He browsed through his photo gallery, deleting everything that involved proving Kuroba as Kaitou Kid.

“Done,” he muttered, even if no one could hear.

Both of them—Kaitou Kid and Edogawa Conan—were equally good liars in their own role, but in terms of honouring words, Kuroba definitely won that title; Besides lying, Shinichi had broken so many promises that he sometimes wondered which one did he exactly done more.

But either way, he didn’t want to add on to those numbers, even if it was a promise he made to a thief.

And maybe Kuroba was right. Or half-right, to be exact. When his answer didn’t fit in with anything that Shinichi had guessed, it did piss him off. But no, it wasn’t at Kuroba. It was at himself—Because if he had expected that answer, Shinichi would never have asked.

There wasn’t just a fine line between curiosity and concern; there was an even finer line between curiosity and inquisitive.

A momentary image of Kuroba’s downcast eyes flashed across Shinichi’s mind.

More than crossing a line, Shinichi might have torn Kuroba’s wound even bigger.

And he hated himself for being that guy.

----

In the next five days that passed since Kuroba stomped out of Shinichi’s house, they hadn’t talked, much less mentioned the incident again; be it about the stabbing, Kuroba’s other identity, and everything that happened in Shinichi’s backyard that night. Shinichi would consider it as keeping to the deal, but Kuroba seemed to be making the extra effort of avoiding him altogether.

But it wasn’t an easy feat, especially when they were living right next to each other, and the fact that Kuroba’s doves were just as bothersome as him.

Shinichi sighed, staring at the drips of bird poop stain on his mail box. It had been the fourth time this month, and for the three previous occasions, Shinichi had cleaned them off himself, just because he didn’t want to cause any unnecessary tension or trouble with Kuroba Kaito, who he thought was a normal, Japanese citizen that had some fetish for birds.

But now that he knew these doves belonged to the Kaitou Kid, Shinichi didn’t feel like letting this matter go anymore. If the thief could train his doves to spy on people and deliver secret messages, asking them not to poop on his mailbox should be as simple as breathing—

Or maybe, Kuroba had been instructing his doves to poop on his mailbox after all.

Putting his mails back so he could get them later, Shinichi stomped over to Kuroba’s house. Coincidentally, an old man was standing by the front door with some keys in his hand, just like the dozen other times when Shinichi spotted different men and women entering Kuroba's house.

“Oi,” Shinichi yelled. “Kuroba.”

The old man turned, watching nervously as Shinichi approached him.

“Excuse me?” the old man said, his voice low and soft and so, so in-character that Shinichi couldn’t help but admit he was always secretly impressed with Kuroba’s ability to change his voice. Like now, obviously.

“I know you’re in a disguise, so don’t bother.” Shinichi jabbed a thumb towards his house. “You better ask your doves to stop shitting on my mailbox, or I’m going to—”

The door opened.

“Jii-chan?” Kuroba said, before his face turned all stony when he noticed Shinichi’s presence.

“Kaito-botchama?” The old man gasped, his eyes turned wider than his round spectacles. “H-He knows?”

Shinichi blinked.

Kuroba managed a smile.

The old man didn't look happy.

“I’m… going to go first.” Shinichi cast an apologetic glance at Jii before slowly backtracking away from the door, but he stopped, suddenly remembering why he was here in the first place. He scowled over at Kuroba, who still seemed too muted to say anything. “By the way, if you’re not going to control your damn doves, I’m going to get a cat.”

Shinichi left.

[mintchocolateleaves]

Hello! For the angst prompt, can I ask for #13 with kaito and the character of your choice? :3 you are an amazing writer and I hope this summer has been good to you~ \('u'\) \('u'\)

I can definitely write this. Yes, yes. I chose to make this a gen-fic between Toichi and Kaito. Because well, Gosho stated that Toichi is actually alive, and I wanted to explore how that would go. Hopefully this is worth the wait, anon!

13 - “I hate you, but I think I hate myself more.”

Kaitosupposes it’s only natural that he’s wearing red, because he isbleeding.

Notin a physical sense. He’s not punctured skin, hasn’t harmed himselfphysically. The suit is naturally red – he’s abandoned the blackjacket, is standing only in a blood red shirt, collar slightlyraised, – and maybe it’s fitting. Maybe, when Aoko had picked outthe suit he’d wear for dinner tonight, she’d known that thiswas going to happen.

It’sunlikely, but Kaito feels like it’s his subconscious that’s beenwarning him this whole time. He’ll have to apologise later to Aokofor being unable to make dinner, but… Something more important hasforced it’s way into his life.

Orrather: back into his life.

“Kaito?”

Hebristles at the voice. It’s been such a long time that, withintheory, he shouldn’t recall it. The way words are formed, the waysome words are emphasised more than others. But well… Kaito’s hadrecordings and he’s listened to all of them over the years, countlesstimes – he’s repeated them over and over until words are searedinto his memory, a white scalding pain that’s never quite healed.

“I’m…”Kaito turns his eyes away, “I’m going to be late for dinner. WithAoko.”

It’san excuse, mumbled because he can’t find the words for what he’strying to say. Hesitation gushes from his words and maybe he shouldbe wearing a poker face, maybe he should be following theadvice of a man he’s admired all his life but well… he’s not.

KurobaToichi clears his throat – nervousness? Or irritation? Nothingshows in his expression – and Kaito realises that his advicedoesn’t matter. Everything Kaito had thought to be true about hisfather isn’t, so how can he trust the advice not to be false?

Hecan’t; So he sheds his poker face and decides to be just Kaito.

“Aokowon’t mind if you’re late,” Toichi says, as if he knows. As if he’dstuck around long enough to learn enough about Aoko’s developmentinto a woman. He doesn’t even know his own son, how can Kaito trusthim enough to know how Aoko will feel about something?

Theanswer: He can’t.

“Don’tspeak for her,” Kaito says. He feels like he should be snapping,but… his anger isn’t blinding, isn’t some boiling lava settling inhis stomach, threatening to bubble over or erupt. His anger is muted,faraway and unapproachable. It’s cold, as if he’s found his way intoa blizzard and is lost, unable to find any sort of outlet for howhe’s feeling. “You don’t know her.”

Toichi– Kaito can’t even come to think of him as Dad. He buriedhis father years ago, he’s not about to exhume him now – crosseshis arms. He takes a step towards Kaito, but stops when Kaito backsaway. This man… this man isn’t who Kaito remembers.

“I’ma good disguise artist,” He says, “and part of that requiresknowing people.”

Kaitosuppresses a snarl, decides that he can’t just let himself come offas wild and as affected as he is. Instead, he mimics his father,crosses his own arms over him and pretends he’s applying pressure toa wound as he digs nails into his arms.

“You’renot that good.”

“Youwere young when I acted as KID,” Toichi says, and he’s flippantwith his responses, almost uncaring. How he’s so calm – ha, Kaitocan’t believe that he’d even thought his father wouldn’t be. That wasall he ever really was when he’d been a child. Detached, wearing thesame old poker face. “But I was very effective at what I did.”

“Peopleare unpredictable.” Kaito uncrosses his arms, doesn’t want tomirror someone who’s lied to him. Instead, he finds himself mimickingHakuba’s stance from heists when he’s stood waiting for KID toarrive. One foot in front of the other – only slightly, but withboth feet a reasonable distance away from the other. Alert, ready torun at any moment, but comfortable.

Howstrange; Right now Kaito feels like he can trust Hakuba morethan his own father, and the former has never faltered in his plan tocapture him.

“Notwhen you know enough about them.” Toichi says. “Everyone reactsin set paradigms that depend on their personalities, you know that. Itaught you that.”

No,Kaito bites the inside of hischeek, your recordings taught me that.

“Youcan’t predict how someone will feel about things.” Kaito says. Ithad taken him a long time to realise it. Even with his smarts, andhigh IQ. Even with his understanding of people and his night-job asKaitou KID. He’d only realised when Aoko had learned the truth, whenAkako had mixed hate and a crush together.

“Ofcourse you can.” Toichi says. “I predicted you’d be hurt whenyou’d find out I’m alive. A little angry. And look – you are.”

Despitehimself, Kaito laughs. It’s dry, bitter. The sound of a man who’srealised everything’s a lie: His motives to steal. He’d broken hisown morals because he’d thought he needed some sort of vengeance,some revenge. And now – he’s spent years trying to stealback something that had never been taken from him in the first place.

“Alittle angry?” Kaito’s voice is like ice. It’s cold, sharparound the edges. Everything is a lie. “I guess you’re stupidparadigms have failed you, because I’m not just a little angry. Tryagain.”

No– it’s not just anger. And hurt.

Itis betrayal squeezing onto his intestines, leaving him feeling likehe wants to disappear. There is regret fusing with confusion. Painand isolation mixing together with joy. A kaleidoscope of emotionsthat only seems to spiral down, forming one emotion that he dwells onthe most.

“Sothere’s more anger than I’d assumed,” Toichi says, “but I’m notwrong.”

Kaitoshakes his head. He bites his tongue until he tastes blood, so thathe’s actually bleeding and not just feeling like his is. Heswallows, and while he’s only swallowing air, it lodges itself in histhroat. And it hurts. “I’d hate to explain to you what youalready know, seeing as you know me so well, but it’s notthat.”

Toichiarches an eyebrow. It’s about as much of a response that Kaito’sgoing to receive.

“I’mpretty sure that right now, I hate you.” Kaito says. And heswallows again, refusing to say any more. It’s not until he’s turnedaway that he even lets himself think the rest. But I think I hatemyself more.