𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

file 025 | talking and reminiscing under the moonlight

When Suzume was ten years old, her parents decided to put a skylight in the ceiling of the library. She never asked for the reasoning behind it because she enjoyed being able to stare up at the skylight and watch the stars through it whenever she couldn't sleep and decided to hunker down in the library for the sleepless night.

It brought her immense comfort that she could never understand, and maybe she didn't want to understand why she felt that way. Maybe it was just a mystery that needed to remain unsolved, which was an irregularity in Suzume's life as a teenage detective.

On this night, however, she found that the skylight had another unique use: it allowed Kaito Kid inside her house without much trouble. Something she is just now finding out as she stands across the room from the Phantom Thief with wide eyes, book clutched in her hands. Thankfully, she hadn't changed into her pajamas yet.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him with a frown once she got over her shock.

He pouted at her playfully, slouching in her father's desk chair. "Can I not visit my favorite detective?" he asked.

"I thought that would be Saguru," she said as she moved to stand in front of the desk, setting down the book and crossing her arms. "He's attended more of your heists than me after all."

He let out a loud groan. "He's no fun!" he whined like a child, crossing his arms with an actual pout.

Her lips twitched up into a smile as she shook her head. "Do you always act like a child, or am I just special?" she asked, saying the last bit sarcastically.

She could tell if her sarcasm just went over his head or if he was ignoring it as he looked like he was trying to figure out how to answer her question.

"Both?" he answered, sounding unsure.

She tilted her head and glanced over her shoulder. "You should be glad Hikaru isn't here," she mentioned, earning his attention. "If he knew you were here, you'd probably get shot."

"He has a gun?"

"He has multiple guns throughout this house," she corrected with a happy smile, taking joy in the full-body shiver he experiences. "He's a little paranoid like that."

Note to self: don't piss off her housemate, he noted to himself miserably, not entirely looking to get shot any time soon. "And yet, you're still talking to me," he pointed out.

She shrugged. "You broke into my house," she reminded him. "I wanted to know why. If I broke into your house, wouldn't you want to know why?"

"I suppose," he sighed. "It's nothing interesting, I can assure you."

"Nothing more interesting than you knocking out Kogoro-san at a service station and leaving him in the bathroom?"

He laughed awkwardly at the reminder of their recent encounter. "More like something I overheard and want to confirm for myself," he clarified.

She raised an eyebrow. "Confirm what?"

"A little birdy mentioned that you and that best friend of yours are in a relationship," he said.

"And why would that make you curious?"

He was silent for a moment. "Dunno," he eventually answered, surprising her. "Just wanted to know, I guess."

She stared at him for a moment before remembering something she had thought about a while ago. "I don't think the Black Star was our first meeting," she mentioned.

He perked up at that. "Oh? Do tell."

"Remember that clock tower heist a year ago?" she asked, earning a nod from him. "Remember the bottom corners of the tarp getting shot?"