A Case of Identity

[Mouri Ran]

Disappointment washed through her. Whether it was because that boy was really not Shinichi after all just when she thought she found him again or because if he was indeed her childhood friend, that he kept lying, she didn't know.

Just as Kaito-kun pointed out, she deserved the truth. But mixed with her desperation of finding him, could one really distinguish what was real from what was made out of wishful thinking?

It was ironic though. Shinichi was surely not telling her something. For someone who had always wanted to seek the truth, it was rather ironic for him to keep one from coming out. Maybe that was why Ran was angry at him. Her anger though, was shown in a funny way right now. Now that she found "Shinichi" again, why was she crying instead of giving him the well-deserved punches and kicks?

But now, face to face with him, he was saying that he wasn't Kudo Shinichi. How could that be? What are the odds that someone would look so much like someone else, even when they weren't related in the slightest ways? Why was he doing this? There better be a good enough reason, reason that she intended to find out even on her own. For now...

"I'm sorry, Kaito-kun." Ran said while trying to put a smile on her face. "You got pulled into this just because of that Detective Freak. But how could you not be him? You look the same, you act like him, and sometimes, even say the things I know he would. You live in his house, you go to his school, the same class..."

[Kuroba Kaito]

It was still February, and it was still cold. The wind blew and Kaito felt his hand going numb with the iced lemonade in his hand, one that he had bought on a whim. He remembered what Aoko said- Sweet but cold- and suddenly wondered if it was true.

Ice cream.

He wondered what Shinichi was. Iced lemonade?

What did Ran see in him that pushed her to the verge of tears?

God, he can't deal with crying women, he's panicking inside. What do you do, what do you do-

The woman in front of him forced a smile and Kaito's heart sank- he suddenly wished she would punch him, anything, rather than push the frustration down and maybe cry in to the night. He wondered if he should tell Tantei-kun to look after her, to cheer her up, he's a tactful kid- but that's all he was, a kid. A genius kid, but Kaito wasn't sure if his emotional maturity was up to that point yet.

Had Ran actually accepted that he wasn't Kudo yet? No, her next sentences indicated that she did not. He pushed down mild irritation when she said he acted like him-

Really? Kudo Shinichi was a pompous git, Kaito was sure he wasn't even in the vicinity of the same species as the guy.

He shrugged. " I live in his house because Yukiko-san invited me over, and she told me that I could attend Teitan high. Your class had a few seats empty. That's it.

"And Ran-san, I really don't know Kudo-san, but I really hope not the acting like him was a joke, he seems to have an ego the size of the galaxy. I was unfortunate to be mistaken to be him several times already, trust me, I don't want to look like him."

... and that would be true if he wasn't KID, but he was, so it actually all worked out pretty well.

"As for my words, I'm just trying to tell you that you deserve better than false hope."

[Mouri Ran]

Ran laughed.

There was no way in the world that Shinichi would admit having an ego the size of a galaxy (unless he was so determined to stay in character with this Kuroba Kaito thing). The way Kaito-kun was talking about how people compared him and Shinichi, Ran thought that he felt insulted in a sort of out-of-the-many-guys-in-the-world-why-him thing. She didn't know if she should agree or be annoyed that he seemed to be saying that Shinichi was not an ideal person to be compared with. She would have agreed due to the fact that the boy failed to see the bigger picture sometimes, but annoyed because she knew despite those little things Shinichi did, she knew that he was still something more. Someone who was worth idolizing in some aspects. Sometimes, it was those little quirks that added up to the things she actually liked about him in the end.

I'll die first before Shinichi hears that from me, Ran thought.

"You're right. There's no way Shinichi would say that about himself." She shook her head. "I'm sorry again, Kaito-kun. The whole situation was just too suspicious, you see." And Ran looked at the house beyond the gates.

But Ran wondered if the boy really had no connection with Shinichi. How did Shinichi's mom knew him anyway? Wouldn't that mean that he would have known about Shinichi somehow? She wanted to ask, but Kaito might not like that anymore. Instead, she sighed. What in the world was that idiot up to now anyway?

"Say," Ran perked up a little. "Didn't you say Yukiko-san invited you here. Is she home now?" Because I really, really need answers...

[Kuroba Kaito]

"Don't be," Kaito said brightly, waving away the apology as he took a sip from his lemonade and shivered. Cold lemonade on a cold winter day. Yum. He only knew Kudo Shinichi from the news, and the one time he had trailed him to get a glimpse of his personality; he had disappeared afterwards before he could check in with him again. But from what he had seen- yes. Kudo was a git. He would say it again and again.

He grinned as Ran let it go, even if there was still that suspicion that she still didn't believe him. She would be skeptical for a while, but he could rest easy for now. He poofed a rose from his hand, offering it to the teen with a wink and skipping to the door-

"Yeah, she's home- or I think she is, I was out for a while. Come on in!" He said, opening the door with his key. He could see the questions running across her mind.

"Yukiko-san, I'm home!" He shouted, "And I brought a guest!"

[Kudo Yukiko]

After having finished researching on Sharon for the day, Yukiko had retreated to her favorite part of the house: the entertainment center that had a giant flat screen television, where she began to watch a film. The volume had been low, having been keeping an eye out for when her two houseguests would return. She hadn't even decided on dinner yet, but she knew one thing: she was not cooking!

It was when she heard Kaito's voice echo through the other side of the wall. Turning off the television, she got up and went to greet them. It was when she turned the corner and saw Ran that she wondered what exactly this was about. Normally, Ran didn't visit Yukiko on a just-came-to-check-up-on-you basis.

"Oh? How'd things go at the Professors, Kaito-kun? And Ran-chan's here?" Yukiko was a bit skeptical, having recalled the last time that Ran had visited the Kudo manor when she visited Beika City.

[Mouri Ran]

Ran stared at the rose, blinked, and raised her right hand to take it from Kaito. All she could think about at that moment was that he could no way in the world be Kudo Shinichi. No way. He would never give her a rose like that. And then before she could utter a single sound, a thank you or anything else, the teen was already walking back towards the familiar manor. She hurried to follow him.

Kaito, like any other sensible person, called out to the large house to let the people inside know that he was back. Ran quietly removed her school shoes to use one of the slippers neatly stashed inside a cabinet. The rose still in one hand, she stepped forward and tried to gather her thoughts for when Shinichi's mother arrived.

What was she supposed to ask her? Well, she knew what she was going to ask, but how was she supposed to say it without seeming so desperate for answers? She couldn't just directly blurt out a question asking Shinichi's whereabouts, right? That would be rude.

Yukiko-san appeared around the corner, seemingly surprised to see her there as well. Kaito did say that there was a guest, though.

"Good afternoon, Yukiko-san," Ran greeted with a smile. "Sorry for coming unannounced."

What else was she supposed to say? Hey, do you know where Shinichi is? Who exactly is this guy living here? And so much more.

[Kuroba Kaito]

"Prof. wasn't there," Kaito said, frowning. He had gone to check, and he had been meaning to check before he had went in the house too, but Ran had been standing outside the door, sooo....

Hey. Rule of thumb, keep it simple.

"And yeah, I met Ran-san outside the house, and it really was just impolite to let a woman stand for too long, you know, Yukiko-san?"

He said, happily skimming over the details with a small smile at Ran. Kaito could be mannered if he wanted to be, and he figured there was no reason not to be on his best behavior for the evening.

Cursing Kudo Shinichi in his mind was free game, though.

Kaito could see that Ran-san had questions- better leave, then. He wanted to be on good terms with Ran- it was one of the only relationships he actually cared about, considering he really did not Kudo Shinichi's death cloud hanging over him every other second of the day.

"Well then, I'm going up to my room- Ran-san, you can join me if you want."

He called, going up the stairs.

[Kudo Yukiko]

"Nice seeing you, Ran-chan," Yukiko greeted, her feeling's of discomfort invisible. "It's not an issue."

When Kaito spoke, Yukiko laughed a little. He was definitely different than Shinichi, who probably would have just left them standing uncaring if they entered or not. Yukiko truly believed that being Conan did him a lot of good, even providing him a second chance to be a child again.

"Well alright, Kaito-kun, just make sure you go over there later this evening to double-check! Do you know if the kids are on an outing with the Professor, Ran-chan?" Yukiko asked, although she wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

"And if you want to head upstairs with Kaito-kun, it's alright too!" Yukiko insisted, hoping that she could retreat back to the entertainment center and praying that this was just a casual visit. After all, since the house was now occupied, Ran's cleaning services were no longer needed—why else would she be here?

[Mouri Ran]

Ran nodded at Kaito's invitation. She would definitely follow that guy upstairs after she had a little chat with Yukiko-san. After all, she wasn't thoroughly convinced that he wasn't Shinichi. All he did was say a few words Shinichi wouldn't utter to her. But people change from time to time and maybe that mystery loving freak had learned a thing or two, acting being one of them. Her mother was a famous actress for one.

But then again, there was that rose trick outside the house. Shinichi would never do that.

She shook her head at Yukiko-san, "No, I actually wanted to talk with you about something." More like someone...

"But about the kids: Conan-kun didn't mention anything about an outing with the Professor and the others. I haven't seen him today since we separated for school, too, since I came here after class."

Once again, she took a glance on the stairs that leads to the second floor, wondering if Kaito-kun really had gone up and all the way to his room by now. He wouldn't be the kind to eavesdrop on people's conversations, right? Nonetheless...

"About my reason for visit, Yukiko-san," she started with a lower voice, just in case. "You see..."

How exactly should she phrase it?

"Kaito-kun... He said he was staying here for a while. He's attending Teitan High School, too, and in my class." Biting her lip, Ran hesistantly asked, "don't you think he looks a lot like Shinichi, though?"

[Kudo Yukiko]

Here it comes, Yukiko thought to herself irritably as she observed Ran's decorum. It was the mention that she came here right after school that confirmed her suspicion, as she had never went to visit her before like that.

Yukiko sighed deeply as she listened to Ran's question. Shin-chan, you owe me a lot. Yukiko inwardly groaned.

"Yeah, that's right," Yukiko confirmed, deciding to explain Kaito's presence sooner than later. "Kaito-kun's the son of Kuroba Toichi-sensei—my disguising teacher—and he lives in Ekoda. You remember him from when you were little, don't you? Toichi-sensei used to visit us quite a lot. His mom's in Paris right now and since Yuusaku needed a magician's help with a book, I let Kaito-kun stay with me."

"But you're right, they do look similar." Yukiko laughed, and that's what really worried her. What if that organization that was after Shinichi mistook Kaito for Shinichi, just as Ran apparently had? "Toichi-sensei looked a little bit like Yuusaku when he was younger, so I bet that Kaito-kun got his looks from his father. Kaito-kun's personality is completely different than Shin-chan's though, Ran-chan!" Yukiko insisted.

"Unlike Shin-chan, Kaito-kun's very outgoing and hates detectives. Even when he was little, Kaito-kun used to perform magic tricks that he learned from Toichi-sensei. It was so cute!" Yukiko was still fond of that memory, regardless of whether or not Kaito had called her an old lady.

"If you need confirmation Ran-chan, I can give you Chikage's number." Yukiko shrugged. "I don't have any photos with me to show you."