DCSR392

Something about Sakura making people crazy...

Most of the class had drifted outside to eat, leaving behind soft laughter and half-eaten bentos scattered across desks. Ran was still seated by the window, quietly talking to a girl from the track team.

Shinichi, a few rows away, leaned forward at his desk, elbows on the surface, fingers slowly working the zipper of his satchel open just enough to reach something inside. He glanced once at Ran, then down again at the small pink box peeking out between books.

The sakura charm.

She’d admired it a few days ago on their way home. A soft "It's cute..." was all she said, but he never forgot. The implications of Sakura charm between, he couldn’t help but to purchase it for her.

He hadn’t figured out when or how to give it to her. He barely knew what to say. But he couldn’t just leave it hidden forever—

“Shinichi-kun~” a voice sang behind him.

He startled.

Sonoko was already peering over his shoulder. “What do you got in there?”

“None of your business,” he muttered, zipping the bag shut.

But Sonoko’s eyes were sharp and her fingers faster.

“Oho~? A box?” she chirped. “Looks like a gift box. Looks awfully pink?”

His blood froze. “Sonoko. I’m warning you.”

“Aww, what’s this?” she teased, already snatching the box with two fingers. “A gift for Ran, maybe?"

“Sonoko!”

She shrieked in laughter and bolted.

Shinichi was on his feet instantly, chasing her into the hallway and around the building in circles. She was light, quick, looping between benches and ducking past startled kohais.

“Sonoko, you’re dead!” he shouted.

“You’re romantic!” she yelled back.

By the time they re-entered the classroom, several heads turned. Shinichi was panting. Sonoko had the charm box in her hand and zero intention of giving it back.

“Ran! Help me!” she called out and without waiting, grabbed her best friend’s wrist and dragged her toward the far end of the room.

“Wait—what? What’s going on!?” Ran squeaked.

Shinichi stormed in moments later, eyes locked on the box.

“Sonoko. Give it back.”

“Nope.”

“Give it back.”

Sonoko smirked. “Why? You’re going to confess with it?”

He moved to grab her but with practiced ease, she stepped behind Ran, gripped both his wrists, and pushed Ran forward with her shoulder—

—and suddenly, Ran was wedged between them.

Shinichi stumbled, one arm slid under her armpit, the other draped over her shoulder, both wrists still caught in Sonoko’s grip. He went stiff as stone.

Ran’s breath caught, completely boxed in. “W-what…?!”

“LET. GO.” Shinichi growled through his teeth, squirming slightly but not daring to use strength, not with Ran trapped between them.

Sonoko hummed. “No way”

Shinichi panicked. Her fingers clutched the edge of the box. “Don’t crush it!"

“What? This?” Sonoko shifted slightly, adjusting her grip around his wrists. She opened her pinky and ring finger with precision, showing the pink box. “Relax. I’m a tennis player. I know how to grip.”

Internally, Shinichi cursed. She’s not kidding. Her grip’s deceptively solid. No matter how he pulled, she had his wrists locked just right, and moving too hard would just…

...press him closer to Ran.

Which he absolutely didn’t want. Not with his face now right near her temple. Not when he could feel her breathing.

Ran’s cheeks were scarlet. “S-Shinichi… calm down…”

“I’m trying,” he bit back, then looked down at her flushed face and muttered through clenched teeth, “Your freaking friend is a fuc—”

Suddenly, Sonoko shoved Ran’s body forward with hers, sandwiching her even tighter against him.

“Stop whispering to your husband and taking his side!”

Ran gasped. Their classmates burst into giggles and shocked laughter.

And Shinichi’s lips collided squarely with Ran’s forehead.

He jerked back slightly, tasting the faint copper tang of blood from his own lip.

He wanted to kill Sonoko.

“Pfft—” she snorted. “Not exactly the kind of ‘pounce’ you fantasize about, huh, Shinichi-kun?”

Laughter echoed through the classroom. A few students clutched their desks, others leaned in to get a better look. Shinichi’s jaw clenched so tight it clicked. His skin was hot, face, ears, even his neck burning red.

Ran winced slightly from the sting of the bump but tried to look over her shoulder at Sonoko. “Sonoko… whatever you took from Shinichi, give it back. It’s obviously important if he’s reacting like this.”

At her words, Shinichi’s stomach dropped. He looked down and saw her eyes, her expression. She meant it.

She doesn’t know what it is. She just wants to help.

He looked away instantly, face darkening even more. Behind her, Sonoko blinked, then chuckled to herself. Ran’s innocence somehow made Shinichi even more vulnerable.

But before she could reply, Nakamichi leaned over. “Oi, Suzuki, what did you steal anyway?”

“Yeah!” one of the girls chimed. “What’d you take from Kudo-kun that’s got him this worked up?”

Sonoko hesitated. Her teasing grin faltered for a split second.

“Ehh… secret,” she said with a laugh, curling her fingers tighter around the box. “He should be the one to give it. I didn’t think it’d get this dramatic.”

“Sonoko,” Shinichi warned through his teeth, shifting again—but her grip on his wrists tightened instantly.

“Still trying to move?” she teased. “You’re seriously going to crush your wife.”

More laughter.

Shinichi’s fist tightened, ready to combust.

But then Sonoko straightened a little, smiling mischievously. “Okay! Here’s a deal.” She leaned. “If you answer three questions honestly, I’ll give it back.”

“No,” Shinichi barked instantly. “You don’t get to—”

“You don’t have a choice,” she cut in sweetly. “You want the box back, don’t you?”

Shinichi’s expression twisted in panic. His eyes darted toward Ran—still red-faced, still very much trapped between them.

“Don’t worry,” Sonoko added with a wink. “I won’t ask you to confess. That would be too easy~”

She raised a brow. “But I’ll know if you’re lying.”

“Sonoko…” he warned again.

“First question!” she declared, ignoring him.

“Do you think Ran is a great person?”

Shinichi blinked, then got angry again. “What kind of fucking question is—”

“Just answer, Shinichi-kun!” Sonoko cut in, tightening her grip

His throat moved. “…Yes.”

Cheers erupted. A few people clapped.

“Second question!” Sonoko was beaming now. “Do you think Ran’s pretty?”

“S-Sonoko!” Ran yelped, trying to look at her.

“Shh!” Sonoko grinned wider. “Answer the question, Shinichi-kun.”

He gritted his teeth. Everyone was waiting. Ran’s shaking. His breath caught in his throat.

“…Yes.”

Louder cheering. Some students slapped their desks in delight.

Ran’s face was fully red now. She couldn't look at either of them.

“Final question!” Sonoko leaned in.

“Do you like her smile?”

Shinichi didn’t move. His head was tilted down, fringe shadowing his eyes. His breath was short. He didn’t say anything.

“Shinichi-kun?” Sonoko asked again in her annoying singsong voice, playfully tugging his wrist, pulling him just slightly closer to Ran, who gasped at the proximity.

Behind them, Nakamichi whispered, “C’mon… just say it.”

But then—

“…No.”

Silence.

The air shifted. Gasps all around.

Sonoko stared. “What the hell are you saying, Shinichi-kun?! I told you, I’ll know if you lie!”

Shinichi’s voice was low. Quiet. Firm.

“Then it just means you don’t know anything.”

Everyone froze.

Maybe it was Ran’s palm, still resting on his chest or maybe her breath against his neck, too close.

He exhaled.

“I didn’t like Ran’s smiles,” he said slowly, each word heavier than the last.

“I’m… crazy about them.”

The room stopped.

Even Sonoko’s grip loosened. Ran’s eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat.

And in that instant, Shinichi twisted his wrist free, snatched the box from Sonoko’s stunned hand, and shoved it into his pocket without a word.

He turned, refusing to meet Ran’s eyes, and stuck out his tongue briefly at Sonoko.

Then walked straight out of the room.

The moment the door slid closed behind him…

“KYAAAAAAAA—!!” the class exploded.

Cheers, laughter, whistles. Someone shouted, “I knew it!!” Another yelled, “Kudo-kun’s got game!!”

Shinichi slapped a hand over his face in the hallway, wanting to disappear.

Back in the room, Sonoko let out a laugh so loud it echoed.

“That sly detective geek…”

Ran stood frozen in place, the warmth of his voice still ringing in her ears.

A/N 1 - Hellooo everyone, imma back with a mini theater. Sooo it is basically my point of view of what went through when Conan received the hand-knit sweater made by Ran in chapter 237 - From the bottom of the heart.

A/N 2 - This portion was sooooooo adorable and heart warming, I just haddd to write about it!!!

Without further ado, please enjoy!! :)) <3

Conan had no idea when his walk had turned into a speed walk, then to a jog and the fact that he was now sprinting at full speed to Hakase's place.

He was running as fast as his short feet could carry him. It all began from the phone call he had recievd from Hakase.

"Aahh Shinichi-kun, Ran-chan dropped a package for you."

The distance between the Mouri detective agency and Hakase's place felt much longer today.

Is it really for me? Something for me?

Conan's muddled and insecure thoughts cleared up when Ran asked for the sweater from Araide-sensei.

Ahhh so she is into knitting these days.....

So that's the reason she is late these days....

I guess she is at Kisaki-sensei's place......

His unsettled stomach had considerably calmed down when he had deduced that Ran had not fallen in love with Araide-sensei and that was enough for Conan to find his peace but the phone call from Hakase had left him running blank and breathless, as his deduction and his heart made his emotions swing like a pendulum.

His hope and logic were constantly at the opposing ends.

"I...*huffs*... am.... *huffs*..... here.... Hakase....," said Conan.

"Here you go Shinichi-kun."

Hakase passed him the package with a grin, clearly having guessed what was inside.

However Conan was already busy with his deductions and rushed to the basement of Hakase's house and lowered the temperature of the radiator.

The lightness of the package, the compressibility of the wrapped objects, so sounds apart from the rustling of the paper packaging, Conan had his answer.

It's a hand knit sweater for me.

His throat constricted with emotion and he had to gulp several times before he could even proceed to unwrap the package.

Very slowly he took out the wrapped present from the paper bag and slowly undid the packaging to reveal a light blue coloured sweater.

Shinichi couldnt breath.

He held it up and studied the sweater in detail and in his minds eye he could picture the entire process. Ran selecting yarn of a colour which he would like. Reading up on the steps, watching tutorials and slowly giving a structure to a ball of yarn.

Conan studied every detail, including the meticulously made knits, the high neck collar, the raised block pattern, the cuffs, the shoulder length. He could sense every sincere and dedicated action Ran had done to make this sweater. Everything about this piece of knitwear was undoing his heart.

Feeling extremely overwhelmed by emotions, Shinichi hugged the sweater close to his chest and buried his face in the high-neck collar. The sweater obviously smelled of simple yarn, but even then Shinichi could feel that once the sweater was completed Ran had hugged this finished product as well. He did his best to take in even the most minuscule remnant of her.

The room had gotten colder now and Shinichi pulled it away and saw a paper fall from inside the sweater. It was Ran's handwritten note.

Remember to stay warm, it is getting colder these day - Ran

Shinichi read the note again and again and finally pressed his lips against the paper, kissing Ran's name.

How many more times must I lose my heart to you Ran?

Conan put the sweater on which was quite obviously big on him and even reached his feet. He was covered in it from head to toe, literally. He felt a little bittersweet as it would have been a perfect fit on 'Shinichi' but even then he pulled back the sleeves and gently kissed the cuffs and the high collar.

It was warm, soft and cosy, exactly like the heart of the woman he so dearly loved.

Feeling a bubbling sense of joy he looked at himself in the mirror admiring the knitwear all over again and completely failing to see his own flushed cheeks and the twinkle in his eyes.

Post his admiration he sauntered out from the basement still wearing it and walked upstairs to make a very important call.

They are soooo adorable <333

*****

A/N - Let me know if you guys like it!! and please forgive me for typos

And as always bonus Shinran pics.

A/N - The images are NOT MINE. All the credits to the original artists!

Once again. All the credits to the ORIGINAL artist!!

A/N 1) - To whoever that missed me :P I am back guysss. I wanted to write this fanfic but it kept taking too long and once I started writing it became waaayy too lengthy so please bear with me.

A/N 2) The fanfic is kinda inspired by this pic. Such cuties!!! <3

A/N 3) All the credits to the actual artist. This image is NOT MINE.

A/N 4) Please forgive the typos!

There are a few easter eggs in this fanfic. Let me know if you guys managed to find them :) Without further ado. Enjoy!

Shinichi was annoyed.

He clearly knew he was annoyed.

His gums were aching because he was clenching his jaw way too tightly, his hands were tightly fisted and he just knew for sure that he had a very ugly expression on his face.

Since he aspired to be a detective he had deduced why he was feeling this way but no amount of rational logic was helping him right now.

Meanwhile, the core reason for his irritation remained completely oblivious to his agony and was happily chatting away with him.

He sighed and went to his seat not like he could interrupt.

************

Shinichi's emotions were all over the place.

He glanced at Ran who was chatting with Fuji Kaname. The two of them had become acquainted when both of them were assigned morning duty and to make things worse a seat change had happened. Shinichi and Ran who were seated together previously were separated and that guy now occupied the seat next to Ran, meanwhile, Shinichi was thrown at the back of the class. Throughout his classes, Shinichi's eyes would wander towards them. He would have a strange churning in his stomach every time he saw them interacting. He knew what this meant. He has always known what Ran was to him.

The problem was the other boys were looking at her too. Back in elementary school they had a crush on her too but were too immature and childish to figure it out and acted like bullies towards her.

But now in middle school, these boys were trying to put in effort to talk to her and vie for her attention. He was well aware of the eyes on her, the interested, curious gaze, the infatuated look anytime Ran was around. Shinichi was almost glad that Ran was oblivious to the attention she was getting. At least she was not interested in them.

"Shinichi? What happened? Are you alright?"

Shinichi jerked up and came face to face with a pair of concerned blue eyes.

"R-Ran?? What's up?" Shinichi called out in surprise on seeing her.

"Oh I just wanted to confirm what time your soccer practice will get over today? Regional matches will be starting soon, right?"

"Oh it's just the usual time for this week, we will have extended practice from next week."

He answered her automatically.

"Hmmm." Ran had a look pondering look on her face. Meanwhile, Shinichi snuck a glance at Fuji who was staring at them and their eyes met. Fuji didn't turn his gaze away from them.

"Then I guess we can go back together. Is that alright?" Ran asked cheerily.

"Yeah, sure." Shinichi answered in a daze and Ran went back to her seat.

Shinichi felt a bubble of joy in his heart.

*******

"It sure has been a while since we walked back together." Ran stated simply.

"Ah..um."

"But I guess it is for this week only when our club practices will end together. Next week, I guess the soccer team will stay back for longer time."

"Hmm."

"Are you match-ups out already?"

"Hmmm."

"Shinichi?? Shinichi are you listening to me?? Shinichi??? Shinichi look out!!!!"

"Whaa..."

Shinichi couldn't get the image of Fuji and Ran out of his mind.

Should I ask her about him? Am I meddling? Will she become conscious of him if I ask her and start paying attention to him??

In his worries, he missed the steps in front of him causing him to tumble down and fall flat on his face. Thankfully it was not very high and just three steps.

"Shinichi are you alright??"

Ran crouched near him and checked up on him.

"What were you thinking?? You are hurt." Ran said softly wiping away the dirt.

"I am fine... I was just-

"Thinking about Sherlock Holmes." Ran finished for him absent mindedly while taking out a small first-aid pouch from her bag.

"No it was something else." Shinichi defended himself.

"Really? Shinichi are you capable of thinking of something else apart from Holmes and Scoccer, I didn't know that." Ran poked fun at him and chuckled as she cleaned his hands and face.

You, you idiot. I think of you. A little too much.

"So what got you in such a daze that you tumbled down like this?" Ran asked now bandaging him up.

Shinichi just stared at her in a daze. His eyes drank in her features, her hair, her eyes, her nose, supple-looking cheeks which were just waiting to be pinched and dare I go lower. Her lips.

NOOOOOOO!!!!! He felt his cheeks burn

Shinichi smashed himself mentally.

She just had to be the prettiest looking gal, didnt she. Shinichi almost resented her.

Cant you just stick to me? Like, forever? Why the hell is this Fuji guy making googly eyes at you!? Punch him away with your karate!

"Why is your face turning red? Don't tell me you have a fever too. You looked listless in the class today as well." Ran came closer to check his temperature.

"Enough! I am alright. Don't touch me so recklessly like this."

Shinichi couldn't stand this torment and before he knew it he was sprinting away from Ran as if set on fire.

Oh the pains of an awkward teenage boy with the girl he crushes on.

UGGHHHH!! What have I done!? She definitely hates me now. What do I do? I didn't want to behave like this. She must be hurt.

Panting heavily and completely out of breath Shinichi entered the house, ran to his room and slumped by the door.

He did not know how to handle this jealousy and worst of all he ended up being irritable towards Ran of all people.

I really need to apologise to her.

*****

"Shin-chan come down for dinner."

Shinichi's intercom buzzed.

The Kudou mansion was pretty big so they had intercoms in the rooms for easy communications.

Shinichi came down and took his place at the table and saw his parents share a glance.

"Ittedakimasu."

Dinner was strangely quiet and Shinichi observed the strange behaviour of his parents who kept glancing at each other and at him.

"So what is it you guys want to talk about?"

Yukiko and Yusaku looked at Shinichi though not very surprised with his observation.

"Well Shin-chan, your father and I were discussing a few things and we are deliberating the option of moving abroad, US to be more specific."

Shinichi was caught a little off guard by the statement.

"Nothing is final yet. We are just discussing and we would like to hear your opinion about it. I know it is a lot to take in right now but think about it."

"But why the sudden idea?" Shinichi asked slowly.

"It's not really sudden."

True, the US was a frequent family destination for them.

"As you know Yusaku's book on the Night Baron has become an instant hit and for research purposes, the US is a good option. The country has a broad spectrum of studies and case analogies."

The 'Night Baron' novel series was a very well-planned plot. Yusaku Kudo wrote individual crime thriller novels but it always had a shadowy and mysterious character who manipulated the protagonists in very subtle ways. Not something which would be picked in the first reading. After writing multiple novels with such a vague figure a lot of conspiracy theories were making rounds on the internet as to who this mysterious person was. Finally, a few weeks ago the first book In the Night Baron series was released which literally disappeared from the shelves within a day. The people devoured the book like crazy and it was still on the bestseller for six consecutive weeks already.

"Shin-chan, moving abroad will be a big change but I think living in the States will be good for you too. Think about it okay."

"Is that all?"

Yukiko and Yusaku looked at each other and nodded. Shinichi walked to his room and crashed on his bed.

He could only think of her.

Will I be able to leave Ran? Will she miss me? Will I become a distant forgotten childhood memory? Will she fall in love with someone and become his girlfriend?

Fuji's lovestruck face flashed in his mind and why just him, so many countless guys were infatuated with her. Who will win over her heart?

I-I- cant...

He had a vague idea of what he needed to do and for that, he needed to speak to hakase urgently.

****The next morning****

"Hakase? Are you up? Hakaseee??"

The door clicked open, "What is Shinichi-kun? So early in the morning?" Agasa- hakase said yawning and still very much sleepy.

Like a cheeky brat, Shinichi just pushed hakase inside and said,"I need a favour hakase and only you can do it."

"What is it?" Hakase asked a little more alert now.

Shinichi looked at him and deliberated for a moment but in the end hakase was best possible option.

"My parents are planning to move abroad hakase. I want you to take legal guardianship of me in their absence." Shinichi said in a blunt and straightforward manner.

"NANIIII??? Shinichi-kun do you have any idea what you are saying!?" Hakase was completely bewildered at the Shinichi's request.

"Please hakase, do me this favour! You and my father have been friends even before I was born, you have seen me since I was an infant and you just live next door to me. I-I have my reasons for not wanting to leave Japan and you are the only possible way I can convince my parents to let me stay here. Please." Shinichi deeply bowed his head in front of Hakase.

"Shinichi-kun!" Hakase was flustered by the sudden development and the request.

"Have you told your parents about it?"

"No, not yet." Shinichi said slowly.

"But why do you want to stay? Studying in the States is a wonderful opportunity, especially if you want to be a detective."

Shinichi looked up at hakase, his eyes showed a determined gleam.

*******

Feeling slightly better after talking to hakase Shinichi set off for school.

*****

Shinichi kept glancing at the clock and at the door of the classroom waiting for Ran to appear who had still not arrived. Ran was not late yet but it was later than usual time for her. Just then Ran walked in through the door.

Shinichi moved towards her but the moment their eyes met, a look of pain flashed in Ran's eyes and she hurried away form him to rush to her seat.

"Ohayo Mouri. It's rare for you to be this late." Fuji greeted her

Ran just passed him a sheepish grin and settled down in her avoiding Shinichi who was just left stunned in his place but quietly went back to his seat.

Of course, she is avoiding me, especially after how I behaved.

****

Shinichi tried multiple times to talk to Ran throughout the day but Ran successfully managed to avoid him and before he knew it she was sprinting out the door the moment classes got over. Shinichi felt dejected and was not sure what to do.

"Kudou?"

Shinichi turned and came face to face with Fuji and flinched.

You are the last person I want to see right now.

"I saw you were trying to talk to Mouri today."

"...."

"Arent you being a little too pushy? She is clearly avoiding you. Stop bothering her."

"Mind your own business." Shinichi frowned and shot back coldly.

"I will mind my own business after you stop bothering her," Fuji said haughtily, not backing down.

"It sure is a good play, playing innocent childhood playmates and taking advantage of that."

"Fuji-kun!" Ran called out horrified.

Shinchi and Fuji looked in surprise to see Ran standing there, looking at Fuji with hurt and disappointment. He paled under her hurt gaze.

"Mouri! I was just-" Fuji started now, stripped off his arrogance but stopped unable to say anything.

"Please never talk like that ever again," Ran said firmly.

"Let's go Shinichi."

She grabbed Shinichi's wrist and they walked away. Their footsteps sounded loud in the empty corridor but Ran refused to slow down as she was still feeling extremely annoyed.

"Ran calm down." Shinichi started slowly in a placating tone.

"How could you let him talk to you like that Shinichi!?" Ran glared at him feeling extremely agitated.

No Ran, I was actually just a second away from punching him in the face, you arriving there actually prevented a fistfight.

Ran was seething, she really thought Fuji-kun was a nice person. He was nice and polite as a seatmate, they got along fairly well but to think he had such a shallow opinion of her relationship with Shinichi.

Shinichi and her have been together since kindergarten, she has known him since she was four. All through elementary school and even now in the second year of middle school they have always been together. Also, Shinichi always had valid reasons for acting in a certain way and Ran knew for sure that none of his actions were ever meant to hurt her.

"I thought you were mad at me," Shinichi said slowly.

"I was a little annoyed but right now I am angry for a completely different reason." Ran huffed.

"Don't mind it, I don't think he really meant it anyway." Shinichi didn't want to defend him but he sort of understood where he was coming from.

"But even so." She mumbled.

"Gomen Ran, for yesterday," said Shinichi

Ran looked at him. The deserted corridor was dyed in an orangish-yellow hue of the setting sun and Shinichi's eyes were fixed on her with an unwavering strange intensity. They were so sincere, shaking almost shining. She felt a pang in her chest, it felt like a bittersweet ache. It didn't hurt but somehow it did, it felt warm and lovely. Ran felt a vague realisation. She has felt like this before but for some reason, this feeling was getting stronger with every passing day.

The moment Shinichi looks at me like that I will forgive him for anything and everything in less than a heartbeat.

A sweet smile blossomed on her face reflecting the warmth she felt in her heart.

"Shinichi is Shinichi no matter what." She said smiling. Shinichi grinned at her somehow understanding and not understanding the statement. She felt the same, the words that came out of her mouth were something which perplexed Ran herself but she didn't want to indulge much in these complex intense emotions for now.

This deduction nerd and her were walking back together, which made her happy.

*****

"Tou-san, kaa-san, please listen to me." Shinichi spoke with a deep breath.

Here goes...

"I wish to stay in Japan, I don't want to move abroad."

"But Shin-chan-"

"I spoke to Agasa-hakase, if you guys permit then he can take over my guardianship. He said that if you both agree to it then he will agree as well."

"What about wanting to pursue the path of being a detective?" Yusaku asked bluntly.

Shinichi clenched his fist and prepared to answer.

I got through to Agasa-hakase, I am sure I will get my intensions through to my parents as well.

"Tou-san, kaa-san, being a detective is my dream, and I wish to achieve and fulfil that with my own strength and efforts. Even if it takes a little longer, I want to remain in Japan. If in future certain conditions turn favourable I will think of going abroad, till then please let me stay here. Onegaishimasu!"

Shinichi felt a tense silence in the room but he looked at his parents with the same determination and desire which had won over Agasa-hakase in the morning.

"Fine then, I guess." Yusaku said cooly.

"Really!?" Shinichi shouted in surprise.

"But Yuu-chan!!" Yukiko whined but Yusaku managed to placate and reassure her.

Shinichi felt a sweet relief on getting acknowledgement from his parents.

I can do it! I will definitely become a great detective. I will be by her side. The girl who carries a first aid pouch for me. The girl who values the relationships of people around her. The girl who has me wrapped around her fingers. I won't have to part from her, for now, this is more than enough. For now, this will do.

*****

"Please it's alright. I really don't want to impose on your family time like this." Ran said flustered and distressed to Yukiko-san.

"Oh Ran-chan, don't worry about it. We really want you to join us."

Ran glanced towards Shinichi for help who simply shrugged his shoulders. Though fireworks of madddening happiness were exploding in his heart.

Good job mom!!!

"Alright then! It's a four-day trip and pack accordingly Ran-chan."

"Yes."

Ran was completely shocked to find that the Kudos had planned to move to America. She felt as if she had been robbed of her breath for a moment but when she found out that Shinichi was going to stay in Japan she felt a trickle of relief in her veins.

He is not going! He is not going to leave me.

As of now, she was in the Kudou mansion and was invited to Shinichi's parent's villa mansion in Karuizawa. The Kudos were planning to move to America at the end of summer vacation. They would be spending time with Shinichi in Japan during the holidays. Knowing that they would be leaving in two months Ran felt distressed about being invited to a family vacation but on Yukiko-san's insistence, she gave in.

Ran and Shinichi's eyes met.

Is this really ok?

Yes. Yes, this is perfect. Shinichi felt his face growing warm and looked away.

These kids really grow up really fast.

Yukiko's eyes gleamed with nostalgia and mischief as she looked at her son sharing a moment with her (future daughter-in-law?).

A ShinRan fic I've had in my head for a while. @sauk made a drawing not too long ago of Ran teaching Shinichi karate, and that served as an inspiration.

Mouri Ran.  Karate champion.  Master of self-defense.  Medal and trophy winner.  Olympic contender.  The list of descriptions goes on and on.  All of her friends would agree.  Ask a certain friend who’s more than a friend, and he’ll add his own list.  Angel, greatest woman on earth, the most beautiful person he’s ever known with a smile that steals the heart; someone who’s too good for him.  And Ran will respond by reassuring him that he’s the love of her life, he’s not going anywhere now, she’ll make sure of that, all the while a slight tinge of pink fills her cheeks from his adoration.  But that is how Kudo Shinichi treats Ran, his girlfriend.  He’s completely besotted.  And she is to him, and they both love that they’re in love with each other.  Since coming through a trauma both never want to go through again, they’ve been closer than ever.  But Ran wants to make sure it never happens again.  Promises of never keeping secrets, going with him wherever goes, especially when his detective sense is tingling (you can thank the detective boys for that terminology).  And her status as bodyguard comes in handy when a confronted suspect pulls a knife and ends up with a kick to the head.  Ran and Shinichi, as their friend Sonoko says, make quite the power couple.  But Ran wants to take it further.  She can’t do all the kicks all the time.  She’s taken the initiative of teaching Shinichi karate.  How’s it going?  Well…

symbolism

disclaimer: gosho's imagery is subtle and therefore often overlooked, so in order to highlight it, i'll be referencing the work of suzanne collins, an author who tends to spell out her metaphors more

sharks

chapter 882-884

how the case begins:

how it progresses:

this isn't gosho's first time exploring the theme of sharks in the manga:

chapter 311

both shinichi and haibara relate to sharks, they're self-admittedly drawn to blood and darkness. but why?

haibara was born into it, she didn't have a choice... and even though she's no longer a part of the black organization, she still carries the past with her.

shinichi on the other hand? he seeks it out. he directly confronts it, because he wants to defeat it. his unfaltering idealism is what pushes him to be a shark.

ran is very idealistic too, which i talk about here. so why doesn't she act like a shark?

"Finnick knows then what Haymitch and I know. About Peeta. Being truly, deep-down better than the rest of us." - Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire Chapter 19

the closest that gosho comes to spelling it out like this, is haibara's line about ran "i'm up against dolphin, one of the most loveable creatures in the ocean"

ran's defined by more than her virtuous nature, she's also unbelievably compassionate and sensitive. that's what makes her a dolphin.

her unmatched kindness is constantly displayed throughout the whole manga.

sometimes it irks shinichi:

chapter 787

sometimes it hurts him:

but most of the time it baffles and touches him:

chapter 258

now i'm going to say something that might be controversial: from what i've gathered, shinichi doesn't just appreciate ran's tender heart... he depends on it.

and i'm not saying that lightly, i'm aware that ran's caring nature affects a lot of dcmk characters - it's the reason why vermouth calls her an angel, why haibara refers to her as a dolphin and sees her as a sister figure, hell, it's the reason why kogoro's able to function most of the time.

but i'd still argue that nobody relies on it the way shinichi does, which brings me to the next symbol i want to analyze:

cherry blossom

flowers can represent a variety of concepts, depending on your source and in what context you use them for your writing. the same rule applies to cherry blossoms.

gosho's used it as symbol for justice in the past:

chapter 687

it's interesting to look at it through that lense, but i don't think that's what the cherry blossom represents for shinichi.

after doing some research, i came to the realization that cherry blossoms are widely believed to symbolize hope and the beginning of spring.

i think that interpretation makes a lot more sense for shinran. especially if we examine their first interaction:

chapter 924

shinichi shows ran his deduction skills to impress her... ironically he ends up impressing everyone but her. shinichi's condescension leads to a full-blown argument:

but then something completely unexpected happens... despite the fact that they don't know each other, despite the fact that shinichi insults ran, despite the fact that ran's completely put off by his arrogance, despite all of that... she offers him a cherry blossom and along with it the kindest smile he's ever seen:

and i just can't help feeling like ran's cherry blossom is symbolically very similar to suzanne's dandelion:

"I found him staring at me  from across the school yard. Our eyes met for only a second, then he turned his head away. I dropped my gaze, embarrassed, and that’s when I saw it. The first dandelion of the  year. A bell went off in my head. I thought of the hours spent  in the woods with my father and I knew how we were going to  survive.  To this day, I can never shake the connection between this  boy, Peeta Mellark, and the bread that gave me hope, and the  dandelion that reminded me that I was not doomed. And more  than once, I have turned in the school hallway and caught his  eyes trained on me, only to quickly flit away." - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games Chapter 3

"What I need to survive is not Gale’s fire, kindled with rage and hatred. I have plenty of fire myself. What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again. And only Peeta can give me that." Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay Chapter 27

and clearly, only ran can give that to shinichi...

let me further elaborate by revisiting the shark analogy:

the most beautiful dolphin in the sea sees a shark like him, calls him out on his bluff and instead of avoiding him, she actually welcomes him. ran shows him genuine affection, despite having so many reasons not to. how could he not fall for her?

for someone like shinichi, a cool shark who's able to recognize other predators in the sea from such a young age, seeing the innocence and warmth of a dolphin is pivotal for him, because it reminds him that there's so much more to life than constantly familiarizing himself with other sharks (in his childhood by reading and later by investigating them)... there's good too.

to summarize... shinichi sees a delicate cherry blossom, a gentle dolphin and holds on to her for dear life. he desperately clings to the promise of hope and spring, he depends on her affection and warmth. he needs ran, because without her winter would never end, he'd never escape to coldness of the sea, he'd freeze.

which explains why

a) he's so protective of her

b) ran's smile serves as a compass for shinichi throughout the whole story - while his mind is busy chasing sharks, shinichi's soul is persistently searching for the same smile that strummed his heartstrings all these years ago. which is why he immediately notices when ran's not okay (even though she's very skilled at concealing her pain) and why he always tries to make her feel better

and that's ultimately why

a) shinichi's keeping his identity a secret

b) he's so focused on getting his old body back

without ran, shinichi wouldn't have a constant inner conflict as conan, without her, he'd lack purpose and as a result, detective conan would be empty and lifeless.

ran's not just a love interest y'all...

she's the heart of the entire manga.

it's funny, because at some point ran asks herself a similar question:

chapter 305

and i just love the confused look on shinichi's face CAUSE SAME LOL

like this is shinichi kudo we're talking about. he may enjoy the benefits of his desirability, but don't get it twisted, he's absolutely enamored with ran:

chapter 1

more proof:

chapter 173-175

ran is feeling insecure about shinichi's "relationship" with asami and he's EXASPERATED:

because the thought of him entertaining anyone but ran is absolutely unfathomable for my son, which is why he rejects asami the second she confesses her feelings for him:

like i need y'all to understand that this man's sexual orientation isn't straight, it's RAN

chapter 311

two attractive girls in a bikini bump into shinichi and he's pretty much unfazed. he intuitively points at ran to show what his actual type looks like and HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT'S HER:

gosho consistently confirms that shinichi has zero interest in other girls:

chapter 876

sera, who has an obvious crush on shinichi, tries to figure out if shinichi likes her back and HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT SHE'S FUCKING TALKING ABOUT LOL

there's only one girl for him and it's ran:

so, to answer your question... do i think that shinichi could ever abandon ran for another girl?

Like imagine your parents divorce right, and each takes one. So you have a brother you're not really that close with

You grow up and you're super smart and solve crimes and stuff. Then, in one these cases you find you your brother is actually a big name in crime. Also your wife has acting lessons with him.

Then you decide to name him "Big Idiot Thief Child" as a joke and he finds it hilarious and actually uses it.

Then he fucking dies, oh wait but not really and is like. "Hey I abandoned my child to live alone" and youre like "cool! Same." And then the two kids have beef with eachother but don't really have any idea of this.

The flashback of the London confession in M27, unlike the original in which Shinichi confesses with a more Holmesian/indirect phrase, in M27's flashback Shinichi confesses to Ran directly: "I love you" ♥️

In January, Gosho announced that he personally drew this scene:

"Q. Please tell us the highlights of this year's movies.

Gosho Aoyama indicates that his favorite case is Memories from Sakura Class.

A: "I had already talked about this in the 30th anniversary book, however, I always felt that this story should be drawn".

A: "Shinichi is arrogant now but back then he was just a normal boy. I wanted to show that even perfect characters can have embarrassing moments"

A: "In this case, we also see how Ran's feelings for Shinichi arise. Initially, she is moved for him because of his kindness, even if he was not kind in the way she expected"

A: "For Shinichi, this was the first time he used his deductive abilities to protect someone. It was a crucial moment in his life".

A: "Also, for me, chapter 1000 is a must-see, in which Ran kisses Shinichi. After 20 years of serialization, the time has finally come"

A: "Recently, I also liked the story that volume 105 will include. It seemed like it was a story about the duel between Kid and Hakuba, but in reality it was a romantic comedy of Shinichi and Ran, which was conceived in a clever way"

Your favorite character: "Mori Ran. Always by Conan's side, she is an indispensable entity. Conan considers her to be someone he has to protect, the person he loves the most on earth. As Conan and as Minami myself I adore Ran. Not only is she super feminine, but even the gap between her strength and weakness is fascinating".

The case that made the most impression on you: "Memories of Sakura Class is the number one by far. I think it is a really important episode because it is the beginning of the story. I have been playing Conan for more than 20 years, and this is the first time I learned about his past. Shinichi has been in love with Ran since he first met her at preschool. The moment when Shinichi falls in love is so wonderful".

SPOILERS FOR MOVIE 26

i think, in total there are two significant shinran moments worth talking about

i enjoy certain elements of the first scene:

ran impulsively goes after a member of the black organization and puts herself in danger because he poses a threat to haibara. their fight is AMAZING, i love how ran dominates pinga despite him attacking her with a knife

something similar happens in the manga as well (chapter 434), so the writing for ran absolutely tracks here

chianti sees the fight and interferes by attempting to shoot ran - shinichi barely manages to save her in time

here's the thing: i absolutely hate the writers for often reducing ran to a damsel in distress in these movies, that's an issue i'll further analyze in a bit

with that being said, i don't mind shinichi saving ran in this scene. it's an impactful shinran moment, cause so far the writing is similar to the manga

the only difference between chapter 434 and this movie is the fact that shinichi actually sees what's happening and is able to actively protect ran. i don't have a problem with that, because that's what shinichi and ran do - they protect each other.

what i love even more is how shinichi decidedly urges ran to stay put, i think that's also very in character for him:

he wants ran nowhere near the black organization, for very specific reasons that i'll get into another post

so far, this is a well executed scene, right? it's a very realistic, high-stakes moment that we'd expect from the manga. so far, so good, right? RIGHT?!

no. cause this is where the movie writers fuck up:

W H A T

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! SHE ACTUALLY STAYS?! AND WHEN SHIN TELLS HER TO RUN, SHE RUNS?! WHAT?!

this is is supposed be ran??? no fucking way.

my girl is the definition of reckless and stubborn. she's not just the type of person who'll enter a burning house to save a girl she barely knows (chapter 174), she's also the type of person who refuses to waste a single second when human lives are at stake. no matter how much shinichi begs her to stay away.

chapter 640

and she does this in chapter 822 on the mystery train as well: shinichi yells at the detective boys, sonoko and ran, he tells them not to leave their room, no matter what. and ran repeatedly attempts to go against his instructions because she's worried about haibara, despite receiving a text message that she's okay, btw. ran's intuition tells her that something is wrong with haibara, so she's gonna fucking look for haibara!!!

i need the movie writers to understand that my girl is absolutely unhinged. she cares about other people very deeply, to the point where she's incapable of watching from the sidelines as they potentially get hurt

so how would i have written this moment? what would've been a more realistic version of this scene?

shinichi and ran get into an intense fight: shin desperately urges ran to stay put, she refuses to listen. and then there'd be two possible outcomes:

a) ran continues to go after pingo and dies in the process (remember, ran was fully prepared to die for haibara in chapter 434)

b) shinichi realizes that he can't stop ran and offers her a safer way to help. ran accepts and they work together as a team to get haibara back

why didn't the movie writers go for this approach? my theory: they don't want ran to take a bigger role in these movies, so option b) was a no-go for them. obviously it'd make even less sense for them to kill off ran, but like i already explained, there's no way ran would just give up on haibara in that moment

so why include this moment at all? what's the point of starting such a strong scene if you're not gonna progress the plot?

the point is ran being a damsel in distress.

which brings me to the second shinran moment in this movie:

ran goes after pinga again and he kicks her off the balcony, she's about to fall and get hurt

kuroda ends up saving her and shinichi feels inadequate

..............

AGAIN, THERE'S NO PLOT PROGRESSION, THE ONLY POINT OF THIS SCENE IS TO MAKE HER LOOK WEAK

idk who this woman is but this ain't ran

HERE'S RAN FUCKING MOURI FOR Y'ALL

a woman who's consistently depicted as strong, fierce and very capable of protecting herself:

chapter 43

chapter 169

and that's not to say that shinichi doesn't worry about her sometimes, ofc he does:

chapter 493

but that doesn't take away from the fact that she's a fucking badass who can defend herself

and it's not just that she's capable of protecting herself, she protects shinichi too.

chapter 5

..........

it's like the movie writers read the manga, took note of moments where shinichi comes through for ran but completely forgot that it's mutual, they come through for each other:

chapter 389

chapter 1050

the movie staff doesn't get ran, they seem to have no idea how strong or caring she is and i hate how much it's hurting the fandom's perception of her

in conclusion:

words of affirmation

verbal assurance in the form of compliments and (poetic) declarations

chapter 1

chapter 71

chapter 95

BE STILL MY HEART

chapter 143

i'm realizing that shinichi's primary love language is words of affirmation lol (after acts of service ofc, that's #1 for both ran and shinichi)

chapter 173

notice how shin's the only one to openly compliment her cake? lol i love him

chapter 258

OH STOP IT

chapter 260

chapter 409

context: shin can't speak because of his cold

THE FACT THAT HE EVEN PLANS TO SEND HER AN EMAIL LOL I CANT

chapter 428

THATS HIGH PRAISE COMING FROM SHINICHI

chapter 492

chapter 571

shinichi's biggest weakness: ran speaking his love language

chapter 653

btw i love how shin constantly gets teased by others for being such a poet lol:

chapter 752

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE CONFESSION OF THE CENTURY:

chapter 774

i love how he always goes out of his way to verbally express his appreciation for ran

chapter 863

chapter 924

AGAIN SONOKO MAKING FUN OF SHIN FOR BEING SO SMOOTH:

chapter 936

chapter 994

EVEN KOGORO KNOWS

kogoro may be self indulgent but he can be very observant lol

chapter 1005

shinichi thanking ran for the kyoto kiss:

my son's just so sweet yall 😭

chapter 1120

I'M HYPERVENTILATING

chapter 1121

ME TOO SONOKO, ME TOO!

BY THE WAY, shinichi's been fantasizing about declaring his love to ran since CHAPTER 1 YALL

i just love how shinichi's primary love language is words of affirmation and ran's is physical touch, because for most straight couples it's reversed! just goes to show how progressive shinran is and how well thought out their characters are!

shinichi's a detective and big nerd so naturally he's more eloquent than ran - she's a karate pro and jock, so it makes sense for her to be more physically expressive

This guy had begged the universe for a minute with Ran as his true self, just to be able to tell her how he truly felt the moment she had smiled so beautifully at him when they were kids

And then, finally, the universe heard his silent prayer and it happened when shinichi least expected it

Bonus:

gift giving

giving your partner tangible items that make them feel known, loved and cared for

chapter 48

shinichi giving ran mittens

we all know shinichi is a very observant and attentive guy, so naturally all of his gift are pretty well thought out... which is why i was confused as hell about the mittens, cause they seemed very random to me... until i paid closer attention and noticed something

THEY'RE NOT RANDOM AT ALL

HE GIVES HER MITTENS BECAUSE HE NOTICES THAT HER HANDS ARE FREEZING IN THE COLD

this ship is going to be the death of me.

chapter 237

ran knitting shinichi a sweater

IT TAKES HER A WHOLE MONTH YALL!

chapter 245

chapter 293-296

bonus: shinichi being appreciative!

chapter 307

even though she decides not to send him the cup, shinichi is still ecstatic about the gift. meanwhile in chapter 331-334:

both of them are hurting so much during this case. and here's my theory:

both shinichi and ran have a tendency to conceal or downplay their pain. ran says she didnt send the mug because it turned out bad, but i think that's just an excuse. i think not being able to give him the cup directly causes her a lot of anguish, which is why she ultimately decides not to send it.

but my girl is strong, so the first time she's confronted with a situation like that she's able to fool everyone. the reason why shinichi catches on to her during the valentine's case is because it's a romantically loaded day and this is the second time that she doesn't get to express her love through a gift.

she's tired of having so much love to give but the only person she wants to pour her heart out to is absent. she's understandably crushed. which ultimately breaks shinichi's heart as well. so he does this...

and i think that speaks volumes about shinran and the importance of gift giving in their relationship.

chapter 727

kogoro: mentions ran's cold at the beginning of the case

me: doesn't give it much thought

shinichi:

me:

chapter 884

chapter 743

(pinned & will be updated regularly)

proof that shinran is one of the most brilliantly written romances of all time

part 1 - love at first sight

part 2 - they complement each other

part 3 - they share a soul (my absolute fav post, pls give it a read)

future parts in progress!

shinran and the five love languages

acts of service - 1

gift giving (in progress)

quality time (in progress)

physical touch (in progress)

word of affirmation (in progress)

acts of service - 2 (in progress, also yes, there are so many examples that i started working on a second post lol)

random analyses or appreciation posts

shinichi dealing with ran's near death experience

shinran and first aid

shinichi using ran for his deduction

shinichi losing his shit when it comes to ran

shinichi being able to do a 180 when it comes to ran

Well, even a non-biased opinion would be looking at it just based on the series, where it’s clear that Gosho was always intending to make it clear Shinichi and Ran are romantically interested in each other, while the only relationship with Haibara is one-sided, and I’ve stated once before that I don’t even fully see her feelings as romantic. But for a full look…

Shin/Ran would still work best by default. The simple truth of that is because of emotions. People could argue that they’re only friends, but Shinichi was shown to want a full future with Ran from the very first chapter. He himself was on the immature side in the early chapters, so that could have been wishful thinking, but his feelings throughout the series have been clear. He wants to be with Ran, and he’d like to keep her as happy as he’s able to with his current situation.

Ran’s emotions and actions when it comes to concern for Shinchi could come from the fact that her parents are separated. She might be able to see her mother when she really needs to, but I doubt Eri leaving left Ran ‘okay’ with the idea of other people leaving her, which is why she’s so emotionally compromised when Shinichi seemed to have disappeared without a word. Unlike with Shinichi, she doesn’t have wild fantasies about marrying him, though to be fair, we don’t see that from Haibara either. Or really from much of any female character outside of Sonoko when it comes to any fantasies. Hers is a more general caring about his well being and happiness, but we do get signs from early on that she’s more self conscious about him (whenever he’s the topic of discussion in regards to her), and it’s not the sort of ‘stop saying that you know that’s silly’ and more of a ‘don’t bring that up’ that indicates a leaning past the ‘just friends’ role.

I’ve also said this before, but the biggest thing that makes their relationship believable is that they respect each other. They admire the other’s strengths, there’s no criticism aimed at weaknesses (except maybe teasingly but I can’t think of a time at the moment), and they support each other when the other needs it. It’s not just a ‘we’re friends but now I want to kiss too’, they admire traits in each other, already know each others flaws, and still show the signs of wanting to be with the other in the long term.

Co/Ai is a one-sided interest, or more realistically, fan admiration. Most of the times we’ve seen Haibara show feelings of possible attraction towards Conan, it was during, and a bit after, the Vermouth arc, when she was the most vulnerable and scared of the world. Conan had been very blunt about not approving of her the first time she fully introduced herself, and only accepted that she was a person in need of help after she broke down, he realized she’d been Akemi’s sister, and that she really wasn’t okay after saving herself by sheer accident when she’d meant to kill herself. She slowly developed an admiration of him, but he’s never felt the same in return. Even beyond first impressions, they just didn’t see eye to eye when it came to people. A lot of people like this as a ship based on their chemistry, but the only time they’re ever in sync with each other is in having the unique shared experience of being shrunken teenagers. He can push her to do things she’s not comfortable with, and give her some amount of courage…. but again, it’s not something reciprocated. The only thing Haibara can give Conan in return is plot information, paranoid advice, and hope for a cure. Conan impresses her. More than once, he’s been a hero. But there’s nothing emotionally that he’s gained from her, aside from maybe that being with a criminal organization doesn’t mean you would be a bad person. But he technically learned that from her sister, so. *shrugs* Sassy comments and snarky comebacks to not make romantic chemistry, even if they can work for a fine friendship. There needs to be more genuine give and take for anything truly supportive to form.

I will never be able to see Haibara’s feelings as anything more than her being a fan. Nowadays, we can see she forms that sort of attachment to people and things. She’s the biggest fan of Higo after getting attracted to his story and success, to a point people are also shipping her with him. She’s always been a fan of designer items, notably Fusae’s brand (even if she’s unaware that she met the creator of the brand). And she’d gotten attached to Yoko and her music, but that one hit trouble because being a small fan of Yoko doesn’t outweigh being a fan of Higo. So with the behavior we see now, I can’t see her attraction to Conan/Shinichi as anything but admiration as a fan. Just back then, she’d been cynical of the world and wasn’t opening up to other people, so her showing feelings for anyone had more impact, and the one who surprised her and made her drop her guard most often was Shinichi.

(this was going to be a very long post but because i couldn’t find a way to avoid the picture limit on text posts i decided to make this a series instead)

CLICK HERE FOR PART 2

love at first sight

chapter 921-924

from the moment they first meet, shinichi is completely enchanted by ran’s smile

they aren’t your typical childhood sweethearts that slowly develop a crush on each other as time passes. shinichi treasures ran since their first interaction. his feelings for her aren’t comparable to something as silly or shallow as a “crush”. it’s like when she smiled at him for the first time gravity moved, suddenly it wasn’t the earth holding him there anymore, it was ran. this isn’t just evident in his awestruck gaze but also in his actions following their first interaction (I’ll get to that later in the series).

we don’t know for sure when ran fell for shinichi, all we now is when she actually realized her feelings for him (new york case, chapter 354). I assume it was a few days after the first time they met, when she realized he wasn’t trying to bully her but trying to protect her from bullies.

this expression speaks for itself… but who knows, right? that’s just my theory 👀