Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Detective Conan (Case Closed)

Author's Note: Beware, it's probably out of character since I've only watched a few horribly subbed episodes on Adult Swim.

Rating: G.

I had been looking at her, seeing her hastily picking up trinkets around the house as she got ready. She had taken a long bath and spent a couple of hours styling her hair and doing her make-up. Finally, before seven, she came out of the room. Her hair was tied back in a loose bun, a few tresses of her dark brown hair fell in curls at the height of her shoulders. A light make up adorned her face. Her lips were tinted red making them look fuller and for some reason much more tempting. A knee high, strapless, light lavender dress with a very revealing cleavage adorned her shapely body. She was holding a pair of high heeled black shoes which she quickly placed on the genkan before calling out to her father and me.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked twirling once to show of her silky dress.

"You look very beautiful, Ran." Kogorou said, standing up to hug her. "Don't you think so Conan-kun?"

I had been sitting on the couch, staring at her sternly, waiting for her to explain where she was going and who she was going out with. Plus I wanted an explanation as to why I had not heard anything about this until now.

"Well, what do you think, Conan-kun?" Ran's voice disturbed my train of thought. A betraying blush invaded my cheeks as she leaned in looking at me straight in the eyes. The soft scent of her perfume overwhelmed me. "Do you think I look pretty Conan-kun?" She asked again.

"Er… yes… you do…" I said turning away from her gaze. She giggled softly as she ruffled my hair.

She turned to her father and said, "Jason will be here in about fifteen minutes, dad. I'll be in my room. Call me up when he gets here." She disappeared into her room leaving me thinking.

Jason, who is this Jason?

I heard Kogorou sigh and say, "They grow up so fast," as he vanished into the kitchen, probably to get a beer. I walked to Ran's room. Her door ajar, I saw her move around the room as she hummed softly. I knocked on the door and startled her.

"Oh, Conan-kun!" She put a hand to her heart. "It's only you. Is Jason here already?" She looked around.

"Um… no he's not…" I said entering her room and sitting on her bed. "Where are you going Ran-neechan?" I asked as innocently as I could.

"Don't you know? I could have sworn I had told you." She sat next to me. "Well, Jason invited me to a Christmas party at his house ."

"Oh…I see…" I said softly, my heart began pounding rapidly in my chest. "Who's Jason?" Her face lit up as she heard his name.

"Jason is a new student at school, he just transferred here from England about two moths ago. We're together in the Karate Club. He's a black belt like me, you know." She spoke in a dreamy voice as my heart kept sinking.

"Um… Ran-neechan… Is he like…" I began fiddling with fingers. "Is he your boyfriend?" I finally asked softly, hoping silently for her to deny it. She blushed deeply and giggled.

"Um… well…not really…at least not yet," She cleared her throat.

"Not really?…" A sharp pang in my heart made me cringe.

"Well, he asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend a week ago, but I told him I had to think about it…um… yea…" She cleared her throat again.

"So you said no." I said relieved, sighing.

"Well, I haven't given him an answer yet." She said softly. My heart sank once more.

"But you're surely going to say no." I said obviously, but she stayed quiet. "Right?" She didn't deny it. She cheeks turned a deeper shade of red.

"It's hot here isn't it…" She said dismissively moving from the bed and grabbing a paper fan.

My eyes stung, I blinked a few times trying to stop the irksome tears that were for an unknown reason threatening to spill.

"What about Shinichi?" My voice cracked, I cursed under my breath for letting any emotions show.

"What about Shinichi? He's my childhood friend, that's all. I have to admit I did feel something for him before." She was looking out her widow as she spoke. I couldn't see her face. "He's been gone for too long… and I… I have to let go." She was quiet for a moment her voice was softer when she spoke next. "I can't wait around for him to come back. What if he never truly comes back?" She moved sat on the bed once more and took my hands in hers. They seemed so small compared to hers. I looked up into her eyes and was astounded to find a few tears in her eyes. "You have to understand. We have to let go." She said even more softly, looking intently into my eyes as if willing me to understand something unspoken.

She knows… She knows that I'm Shinichi.

"How? How did you…" I asked. She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, Shinichi, I know…"

"But…" I said softly.

"I'm sorry… but I don't want to wait around, blindly hoping for you to find a cure. I'm sorry Shinichi," Her voice cracked.

I did have to let her go. I could be so selfish and deny her happiness. I had to let her go even if it hurt so much. She was right, what if I never found a cure? What if I was stuck in this form for the rest of my life? She was right… but it hurt because I had truly loved her. I hated myself for never telling her that I loved her when I had had the chance.

"I understand…" I said softly.

"Thank you." She kissed my cheek. "Thank you for understanding."

The door bell rang then. She looked out the door and wiped the tears from her cheeks. I could hear Kogorou's voice from the entrance, greeting Jason. Before she said anything else I looked at her and said, "Go, don't make him wait too long." I smiled, taking off the glasses and wiping the tears away with my sleeve.

"Thank you." She said once more. She rose from the bed and walked up to her mirror to fix her make-up.

I stood up as well and walked to the door.

"Conan-kun…" She said softly walking up to me and kneeling before me. "Thank you, again." She kissed my forehead and hugged me. I laughed casually.

"Ran, Jason's here!" Kogorou yelled from the living room

"Coming!" She yelled out.

And she let go.