A Case Of Identity

Confessions

"You're Conan-kun, aren't you?" Kaito's grip on his shoulder tightened almost painfully then, "Aren't you? Tantei-kun?"

Shinichi snapped out of whatever trance he was in at those last words. Grabbing hold of Kuroba's wrist, he dragged the other teen into a near-by alley – this was not a conversation he needed to have out in the public, but an alley would do for now.

Kuroba, for his part, complied immediately, not even questioning Shinichi as he led him to the deserted street. It only further confirmed Shinichi's thoughts; Kaito had truly realised who he was.

Shinichi had noticed Kuroba among the customers of the café, but as he'd been pulled into a case almost immediately, he'd decided to let him be. Then, just as he'd wrapped up the case, Haibara had texted him, telling him to come home immediately, since the kids were here.

The Shounen Tantei-dan were excited to meet him – for the first time since he'd left for college – and Shinichi had agreed. He could talk to Kaito later; he was here for the whole summer holidays, after all. Shinichi did not know what to talk to him about either, really, after having met so abruptly in the middle of a murder case! Besides, it had seemed to him as if the magician was deep in thoughts when Shinichi had left the café. Only now did he realize what those thoughts might have been.

And while Shinichi was curious, really curious about how Kaito had reached that conclusion, he refrained from asking. What mattered now was that Kuroba had found out – and so blatantly saying it too, almost as if he were confessing to his own double identity as KID. Or was the former-thief even thinking about it? Or had the realisation that a tiny kid was actually a grown adult completely stupefied him into incoherency?

Only one way to check then. And one way to confirm. They'd have to lay all the cards on the table.

Time to confess.

***

Kaito knew that Kudo suddenly leading him away to a private place meant that he was right. He was right! This was him – Tantei-kun!

And he didn't know how – Kudo Shinichi and Edogawa Conan, the same person? Hakuba had reached to somewhat a similar conclusion a few weeks ago, but chalked it up to fatigue and tiredness. Hakuba thought he'd been going mad, but Kaito already knew he was mad – madly in love!

And Kami-sama, wasn't that cheesy? But Kaito couldn't keep the joyous grin off his face as he followed Kudo into a deserted alley.

Kudo turned to face him and his face showed none of the surprise he'd felt earlier, but Kaito knew masks very well. And Conan-kun's masks? Oh, intimately. Just like Kudo knew Kaitou Kid's.

And that was the first thing that came out of the detective's mouth.

"KID," Shinichi said, eyes narrowed, basically confessing his identity as Conan by recognising Kaito's other self.

"Yes, Tantei-kun?" Kaito smiled back fondly.

He'd already decided long ago to tell him his identity. And Kudo had likely deduced it himself before Kaito could tell him too, Kaito didn't doubt. But unlike with Hakuba, Kaito didn't evade the accusation – perhaps because it was not an accusation, only a form of address, as it always was with Conan – but instead, he confirmed it.

Yes, he was KID.

This was the man – Edogawa Conan, Kudo Shinichi – he'd trusted his life with, trusted to bring down the Black Organisation, and he would surely trust his identity as KID to him.