Nozomi (english)| Detective Conan ff | Heiji (Kazuha)

Pain From The Past

At the next morning Heiji woke up earlier than usual. As he got up to make himself some coffee when he heard little steps on the floor coming closer. When he saw the tired face of Nozomi he became uncomfortable.

Her eyes were red and she tried to hide her sobbing. He was worried so he came to her. "Hey, why are you crying? Everything's alright." he tried to calm her down.

As he said this he was ready to beat himself as that was the most stupid thing to say. Everything's alright? Really Heiji?

She rubbed her eyes and sobbed again.

"I was scared, because I didn't know where I were. I miss my mum." Her high voice shattered as she explained her fears. So she started to cry again under the emotional pressure.

She hold on Heijis shirt tightly and leaned her face against his chest. He was a little overwhelmed by that... After all she was a child of a stranger that he had whatched after for less than a day. "If I come back to my mum then uncle will surly make something terrible with her!" she suddenly screamed into his chest.

Something terrible? Who was this gyu?

Why did Nozomi feared him so much? Heiji was suspicious.

He hugged her so she would stop to cry.
" So Nozomi... Your uncle...", he paused." does he hold your mum captive? "

He asked carefully.

He felt how she suddenly stopped crying like if she freezed and hold on even tighter. After some seconds she let him go.

"She is never allowed to go outside. When he isn't at home he lockes all the doors and even all windows. He doesn't allow my mum to bring me to the kindergarden. It's scary. Please, you have to save her." she screamed with tears in her eyes.

She really loved her mother that was clear. For Heiji it became painful to see this child like that." I promise I will find her", he said while wiping her tears away with a tissue. "But first we will eat some breakfast okay?"

She sat at the table while Heiji was looking trough the empty shelfs, when he finally found some toasts and fruits. Not really much but at least a beginning. Because usually his life was so busy, that he never took breakfast at home.

After eating they both went back to the detective agency. Nozomi was full of energy and motivation again so she run to the table. There she noticed a picture and grabbed it to see the image on it. "Wow that's a cute girl, who is she? She looks like my mother, but just a little because she also has green eyes and brown hair." she smiled.

At the same time Heiji was about to find the notes the police officer gave him last night so he was able to understand the program for the identikits.

But her question hit him like an arrow right into his heart, so he suddenly lost his orientation. Hecticly he looked to Nozomi. The picture she was holding, was a photograph of Kazuha from the time they both went to high school.

"Her Name is Kazuha." he answered as short an quiet as possible with the hope she would not ask anymore questions about her. He defently wasn't in the mood to think about his painful past right now. Not so Nozomi.

"Is that your wife? Well, but she looks very young on this picture. I didn't saw her today! Isn't she at home right now?", she asked to many questions at once.
But she was only a child so Heiji decided to tell her at least something about her. He know how it felt to be so curious about something.

Heiji sat next to her and grabbed the picture with a dreaming expression. He felt how his chest started to shatter as he thought of the time 6 years ago. "Yes, she is my wife. We were friends since when I was in your age. Our whole life we were best friends. One beautiful day we started to date and finally married. This picture was taken 8 years ago."

He doesn't realized how he held the picture tighter and tighter.

" Where is she now? I would really like to meet her. " Nozomi asked with shining eyes.

Heijis face became sadder. He don't liked to talk about it, at all. Especially not with a young child. " That is impossible.", he said quiet.

"Why not?", she asked a little dissapointed.

"One month after mirage she suddenly disappeared. Gone. The Police came to the conclusion, that she must have to be dead. I searched for her for 6 years now, but she is gone. Lost without trace."

He felt the pressure of tears coming up. Well actually crying wasn't like him at all. But if it was about Kazuha he wasn't able to ignore the pain. 6 years he lived with the feeling of emptiness. Not a single day has passen in that he hasn't thought about her. Every day he imagened how it would be, if she suddenly came though the door as if it was a normal day and nothing ever happened. He imagined how he would see her beautiful smile and shining green eyes again.

But his searches were hopeless. He did everything he could to find her but she wasn't anywhere. The thought that she was suffering all the time never let him go. After one year he felt into deep depression, but Shinichi, Ran and a professional treatment helped him out. He never lost his hope to see her again, even if the police declared her most likely to be death. Even if it was in 50 years. He was ready to search for her hos whole life. Because he was sure that she was alive. He felt that.

Nozomi noticed how Heiji stopped to talk and got a sad face so she looked away with a guilty expression. "I am sorry. I didn't know. I didn't meant to make you sad.", she said feeling guilty.

Heiji smaled at her and and put the photograph next to his Computer again.

"You don't have to feel guilty. It is not your fault. Our highest priority now is to find your mother.", he told her with an optimistic voice to cover his sadness.

He turned on the computer and started the program, while Nozomi waited patiently. The she startet to talk quietly
" You know... When we find my mother, I promise you to help you to find your wife Kazuha."

Heiji looked at her surprised. Even it was clear that this girl wasn't able to bring him just one step forward att all, his heart felt so warm as she said that. She would defently grow up as a very nice and caring person.

They started again to create the identikit, but this time it worked very well. Maybe she was too tired the night before. He must confess the result really looked a little like Kazuha.

Heiji printed the picture and send it to the Police department. Now they knew whom to look for. The newspaper also published an article about Nozomi and a demand for the parents to inform Heiji. He just hoped that somebody would call him that day. Regardless of the very small chance to actually meet that women.