KudoEdogawa presents...

""Always""

Chapter 1

The ringing of the doorbell echoed throughout the detective agency, although she expected her father to answer the door, she knew it wasn't possible. The bell continued to ring. Ran stepped out of her room, there is her father, as always, drunk and sleeping. But for once, she didn't mind, because her parents have finally reunited, just like Shinichi and herself.

"Ran-chan! The door!" The mother shouted from the kitchen, and Ran was happy...her mother's cooking are actually edible now. Ran stayed where she was and continued watching over this scene---this is it, what she has been dreaming of ever since she's a little girl---a perfect family. There is only one person who can make this better...

"Ran!! The door!!" Ari sounded a little mad now; not wanting to start an argument, Ran answered the door.

There he is, in his usual blue suit, holding a bouquet of flowers, and looking a little tired, it's him, the one missing person in that now-perfect living room---her boyfriend, Kudo Shinichi.

"Shinichi!" Ran was shocked. "Why...how...gaah! Don't you have work to do?"

"Well," the man said, it has been so long since Ran had heard his voice. "It's been a while since I last talked to you, so I decided to push work aside and come spend the evening with you." He handed her the bouquet of flowers.

"Thanks...they're beautiful..." Ran said while looking for a vase.

Hearing voices, Ari stepped out of the kitchen to see what's going on.

"Shinichi!" She was just as shocked as Ran was. "My, I haven't seen you in ages! You don't look so well, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright." Shinichi answered. "Just a bit tired from the work load recently." He looked at Ran, who was at the bookshelf, placing the flowers in a magnificent blue vase. Ran gave him a little smile.

"It's great that you're dedicating yourself to your work." Ari said and glanced at Kogoro, still fast asleep. Slightly annoyed, she chucked her slippers at Mouri, waking him up. She turned back to Shinichi and continued, "but you still have to take care of yourself, okay?"

Mouri gave a great big yawn and decided to go back to sleep.

Ari glared at him, and talked in a threatening tone. "Get your butt up and clean the table, we have a guest." Not daring to disobey his wife, Mouri got up rather reluctantly and cleaned the messy dining table.

Ari turned at Shinichi again, "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Sure, dinner would be great." Shinichi smiled, he would never give up a chance to spend time with Ran and her family.

Dinner was wonderful. Due to Shinichi's company, Ari worked extra hard on the menu. Soon, the wooden dining table was filled with sushi of every type, delicious miso soup, teriyaki chicken, and even soba noodles. There were lots of laughter, lots of conversation. Shinichi sat next to Ran, and every now and then they would glance at each other, blush a little, smile, and think:

This is the perfect life...

But neither of them are aware of the devilish giggles Fate was letting out as he looked at the couple...

The subject of the conversation has now shifted to Shinichi's job, and the Mouri family questioned about his current status.

"Well, my current case involves some things in England, that's why I have to pay the Great Britain a little visit. In fact, I'm leaving tomorrow." Shinichi said casually. But somehow, an uncomfortable feeling hit Ran.

Oh, Shinichi, look how I quake with fear.

It's okay...Ran told herself. It's just a business trip, it's not like Shinichi's gonna get shrunken again, right? Right?

The rest of the dinner continued in a merry atmosphere. The only change was Ran, who, for unknown reasons, is really uncomfortable with Shinichi's going away. She sat there lost in her own thoughts as Fate look from above, plotting the disruption of this "perfect family."

~After the dinner~

Ari was in the kitchen, washing the dishes, while Kogoro went back, yet again to sleep. However, Fate was more interested in the young couple who were at the park...

Holding each others hands, Shinichi and Ran strolled around the park. They sat down on a bench in front of a Cupid statue, who has his bow and arrow pointed at the bench, and whoever is sitting on it. Ran laid her head down on Shinichi's shoulder, and Shinichi wrapped his arms around her.

They held that position for quite a while, observing the two love doves resting on top of the Cupid statue. Ran broke the silence.

"Look at them, Shinichi." She said, directing Shinichi's attention to the birds. "Do you think they truly love each other?"

Shinichi was silent for a while, and then answered. "I believe so, why do you ask?"

"No reason...I was just thinking..." There was another pause. The couple looked up at the night sky, and Ran wandered aloud, "I wonder if Venus is there tonight?"

A longer pause. The doves have left the statue; they flew off, circling around each other, like a little dance, and settled themselves onto a nearby tree, and there they slept.

"Shinichi?"

"Yes, Ran?"

"Do you truly love me?"

"Oh, Ran." Shinichi said. "That is a foolish question to ask; of course I truly love you. You will always have my love, and I mean always, no matter what happens, I will always give my love to you, and may life end when I end loyalty, for I vow that my heart is yours alone."

"Oh, Shinichi." A single tear trickled down Ran's face. And for a while they looked at each other, beholding each other's beauty. Then Shinichi kissed her. They wrapped their arms around each other, and as dawn's first light opens the eastern gate, only one thought was in each other's minds:

I love you.

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Well...what do you guys think? It's my first romance fic, and I think it's a bit mushy 'cos I added some Shakespeare stuff into it...

Well...please review!