Strangers

007

It felt strange, but Shinichi Kudo cannot help but be gravitated towards Shinoba Hailey, the woman from New York. It was odd but he found himself being magnetized every time he sees her, and he can’t help but to feel a sense of familiarity. She just reminds him so much of his missing partner, wherever the hell she might be. Or is it possible that this stranger is actually her partner?

‘No way.’ He told himself. The thought was incredulous. ‘But possible, right?’ his mind countered.

'If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth..remember?'

He cussed in his mind. It was possible, but really? Yes, behind that glasses, Shinoba Hailey had that same turquoise aquamarine eyes, but her straight ash brown hair is a contrary to Haibara’s auburn blonde.

‘You have what you call hair dye, dummy.’ His mind argued again, and he can’t help but grimace at how absurd he is right now while talking to himself.

“Can it really be true?” he whispered to himself, as he ruffled his hair in frustration. He walked to his window to observe the city lights beneath him. He closed his eyes and a scene from the past unconsciously passed through his mind.

Three years ago
Narita Airport

Shinichi Kudo panted as he run toward the boarding station in the airport. Several guards are following him, and he dared not to look back for he knew he was their target. He paused for a second to look around, but there was no sign of the girl that he was looking for.

“Haibara!” he said hoarsely, his voice cracking. He had been shouting her name in vain for some time now. He can feel the guards closing in.

“Haibara!” he called again as he tried to sprint towards the plane’s entrance. The guards however caught him just in time, and dragged him out. He felt so tired and dejected to even resist. He can feel his throat slowly tighten and the corner of his eyes begin to sting as he watched the plane slowly took off, taking away that girl from his life.

“No…” he whispered, as he felt a lone tear fall from his eye. He roughly wiped it off with his free hand while still struggling to get off the guards’ grasp. He wanted to shout, and punch someone because of too much frustration. She’s gone. Haibara Ai, the girl that serves as his partner is gone. He was late. So very late in understanding his own heart.

He was such an idiot.

***

Shinichi massaged his temple as that scene played in his mind. It seems like a thousand times already, like it was a constant reminder of how big of an idiot and coward he was.

Three years. Three long years had already passed yet the memory of her walking away from him was still as vivid. He was hoping that within those three damned years, with no form of communication or whatsoever from her, will help him in forgetting her, but instead the feeling of longingness intensified. He wanted to see her. To hold her in his arms…to tell her that he loves her, not as a partner or a friend, but as a woman.

He sighed again, and stared longingly at the window glass as if hoping to see the image of a certain auburn blonde. He did not really know how, but he just discovered that the love that he thought he had for Ran wavered. He thought he’ll be happy when he came back as Kudo Shinichi, but when Ran confessed to him, he felt uncomfortable…and even empty. He thought that moment would be the best time of his life. But it turned out, it isn’t. Of course, it took a long time for him to figure out what exactly is wrong with him, and by the time he realized his true feelings, the woman of his life is already gone.

And now, three years had passed and gods, he still can’t forget her.

“Haibara…” he whispered. He felt his heart constrict.

“Shinichi?” a voice interrupted his reverie, and he sharply look at its source, half hoping he would see her there. Instead, his childhood friend stood at his door. He smiled sadly as he turned to face her.

Ran must have felt something is wrong for she stared at him rather longer than usual. He averted his eyes to avoid her prying eyes.

Ran sighed. Knowing the detective for a long time enabled her to know what is going on in his mind, and she knows he’s thinking again.

‘He’s thinking of her again.’ She thought as she observed him. She knows about existence of the woman who supposedly captured his heart, but she did not know her. Shinichi just told her about her after she confessed. Of course, it had broken her heart, but she knew it was not the detective’s fault. We cannot choose the person whom we fall in love with, after all. But it still hurts her to know that he does not love her in that way anymore.

Three years, after she confessed, and she was slowly picking her broken pieces. They were still the best of friends, but anyone who knew them since they were kids can tell that something had changed. Well, she already accepted the fact that they will never end up together, but it still pains her when he sees Shinichi like this. He seems empty, and very sad.

She approached him slowly. “Are you alright?” she asked as she smiles at him.

Shinichi smiled back. “Yeah…I—I’m alright.” He replied after several seconds, and Ran instantly knew that he was faking it.

She took a step and stand beside him, her eyes on the citylights that he was observing a while ago. “You know, you can tell me everything Shinichi.” She whispered.

He fell silent, and observed the outside too. Everything seems to be so small down there.

“Is this about her?” she asked when she couldn’t wait for his reply.

Shinichi looked rather surprised at her question that Ran would have laughed if not for the seriousness of the situation. The detective continued to gape at her.

“Don’t act too surprised, Shinichi. I know you. The only times you were this silent is either when there is a difficult case or when you are thinking of her.” She explained. Shinichi looked away, as if in guilt.

“What’s the matter?” she inquired again.

“Shinoba Hailey.” He whispered.

Ran stared at him confusingly. She inched an eyebrow to ask him to continue.

“She…Shinoba-san reminds me of her.” He elaborated. “So much.” He added in a whisper, and looked at her. Ran’s eyes softened at the detective. He looks like he was in a lot of pain.

“But she’s not…you know, Miyano-san?” she asked hesitantly.

Shinichi brushed his hair up. “I don’t know, Ran. She does not look like her, but…she—she behaves so much like her. Even her voice and personality is alike.”

“Have you tried to ask her? You said she entered the witness protection program. You never know but she may have changed her identity.” She pointed out.

“I know.” He stated. “I asked her but she cut me off saying I’m mistaking her for someone else. But…” the detective hesitated, “I don’t know what to think anymore, Ran.”

Ran just stood there and observed him. Shinichi looks really frustrated. She walks near him, and pats his shoulder.

“It’s going to be alright, Shinichi.”

***

Mouri Ran can be a lot of things, but being a detective isn’t one of them. She hated crimes and even the scene of blood can make her skin crawl. But because of the nature of his father’s job and his childhood friend, she finds her situation quite tolerable. But she still avoided cases as much as possible, so it was odd that the young woman wanted to investigate. But she can’t seem to shook that look in his childhood friend’s face away. She wanted to help him.

Fishing her phone out of her pocket, Ran sighed as she swiped it open. She scrolled her contact list and smiled when she had find what she was looking for. She tapped the call button. It rang a few times before someone's voice rang out.

“Hello, Hattori-kun?”

***