A Case Of Identity

Revelations

"You could choose no other place, could you?" Shinichi asked as the Sakura blossoms swirled in the air and around them, "This is romantic. Why am I even here? You could have introduced me at some café, or something. Watching the two of you get cosy – along with Hakuba and his girlfriend – is going to be awkward. What am I? The third wheel? Fifth wheel? Seriously, Ran..."

"Shush, Shinichi!" Ran hushed him, "I'm not asking him out today, only introducing the two of you and let you make your deductions. Free rein, see?"

Shinichi sighed.

"Besides, you'll get along really well with Hakuba-kun, I know," Ran paused then, "Oh. I keep forgetting you've already met him as Conan."

Shinichi grinned, "Yeah, I have, but meeting him as Shinichi is going to be different. Still, did you have to choose such a grand place?"

"Getting jealous, Shinichi?" Ran teased, "Or is it disdain? Thinking it doesn't match up to the Big Ben?"

"Naturally," Shinichi puffed up his chest proudly, winking at her, "My grand gestures are always breath-taking, you must admit."

Ran giggled, "I definitely enjoyed the Tropical Land fountain that activated when we stood at the centre and the car ride in New York with your mom took a few years off my life, but the Big Ben was pure coincidence. Coincidence, I tell you!"

"Was not!"

"Definitely was! And Kuroba-kun is just as keen on big gestures as you are!"

"Already thinking about where he's going to confess?"

"Mou, Shinichi! I told you that this is not certain. That's what you're here for, right? To see if he likes me that way..."

"Hai, hai,"

The two of them came to a stop under a huge Sakura tree, the meeting spot that had been decided upon, waiting for Ran's friends to arrive.

***

A girl, looking bizarrely like Ran – Nakamori Aoko, Shinichi's mind supplied – was chasing a teen who looked quite like Shinichi. That, the Heisei Holmes realised, must have been Ran's crush.

'Ao-kun' was laughing as he dodged away from his childhood friend's swinging fists, running up to them and ducking behind Ran. Keeping his hands on her shoulder, he peeked out, sticking out his tongue at the girl.

"Ran-chan, get away from him!" Aoko growled, "I'm going to throw him into the koi pond!"

"Nooo, Aoko, anything but that!" the boy pleaded, mischief dancing in his eyes.

Already, Shinichi felt uncomfortable. He also had the sudden urge to tell the guy to get his hands off Ran, which was absurd because he no longer liked her that way and if all went well, Ran was soon going to enter a relationship with him.

"Maa, maa, Aoko-san," Ran placated, "What did he do this time?"

"Dyed my hair green," Hakuba said, making his appearance at last.

And Shinichi couldn't help but stare, because, truly, it was green. Hakuba Saguru's blond locks were green. Green.

Shinichi snorted.

As everyone's gaze suddenly turned upon him – Aoko's mouth doing a passable imitation of a fish's, while Hakuba looked like he was visiting his worst nightmare – Shinichi bowed politely.

"Two Kuroba's?" Hakuba muttered faintly, "Good God!"

"Ah," Shinichi chuckled, "not quite. Allow me to introduce myself; I'm Kudo Shinichi, a detective."