OooO Epilogue OooO

Shinichi begins to talk animatedly with Megure, Ran leaves the room for a bit to find Shiho, who had gone into the kitchen area. She found her there making tea but apparently lost in thought as she added more and more tea leaves into the pot. Ran softly clears her throat, but it still startles the scientist.

"Sorry, Shiho. Do you want help with that?" she smiles and gestures to the tea.

Shiho comes back to herself, frowns down at her handiwork, and takes a step to the side with a sigh. "If you would, Ran-san. I don't think it would be drinkable this way."

Taking some of the leaves out, Ran chuckles, checks the water, adds some, and pours it into the pot once it is boiling. Shiho watches her the whole time.

"You are very good at that," she mumbles.

"Thank you," Ran says. "I often did it for Shinichi when he came over to make him more comfortable. I got the idea from his uncle, who does the same. Though I guess that won't be necessary anymore, now that he can use magic. Well," she shrugs, "I guess I will stick to it - it has something calming about it."

She turns when she still feels Shiho's gaze on her. "What?" she asks, suddenly self-conscious.

"You care a lot about Kudou-kun; I noticed that from the beginning. When will you tell him?"

That point-blank statement makes Ran blush deeply. Confessing to Shinichi was something she wanted to do - had planned to do for some time now. But…

"I think he has enough on his plate right now." She looks away and rubs. her upper arm. "I mean, what if he doesn't feel that way? It could destroy our friendship, and I think he needs every friend he can get. Especially now. So…"

Shiho huffs, unimpressed. "So you're telling me you chicken out because he might not reciprocate, which honestly is highly improbable from what I have seen. But let's humor that thought for a while. What if he doesn't love you that way? Would you push him away and abandon him?"

"No, of course not-"

"Do you think he would hate you? Ask you to leave?"

"Shinichi is not that kind of guy! He is not that shallow!"

"Then what are you afraid of? Sure, it could be awkward, but if both of you care about your friendship, you will pull through. But if you ask me, you have nothing to worry about," Shiho says while she takes out some cups and places them on a tray.

Ran is not sure if she should feel offended by her uncalled and blunt advice or be grateful. Shiho did put her feelings for Shinichi in a new perspective, and maybe Ran had needed that push because it was true. No matter what, she would always be there for Shinichi as long as he would have her, and she knows him long enough to be sure that he would not turn his back on her.

Resolve made, she straightens up and wants to go back to him when she realizes that he is still speaking with Megure.

"A bit later will do," she says and fumbles a bit to gloss-over her nerves. Her hand finds Panacea in her pocket. "Oh, here." She pulls it out and hands it to Shiho. "Thank you so much for letting me use it. Who knows what would have happened without Panacea's help."

Shiho thoughtfully looks at the gem and turns it in her hands. "I have often wondered what to do with it. As a family heirloom, I always wanted to keep it, but at the same time, I knew that it was selfish. This gem could help so many people - just as it helped Kudou-kun."

"But it could fall into the wrong person's hands," Ran points out.

"That's why I will give it to someone with a pure soul, who always puts others first." Her lips curl in a lopsided smile, and she takes Ran's hand, placing Panacea in her palm.

Ran gasps. "You want me to-"

"Panacea already chose to work with you, and I trust its judgment. You will find a way to make use of its power without exploiting it." She takes the tray, now with the tea ready, and heads to the door.

"That is a lot of trust," Ran says, looking up from the stone.

Shiho smiles. "I know," she answers and gives a short knock before entering the other room, leaving a stunned and bemused Ran behind.

OooO

When the police finally leave, Shinichi sinks back against the pillows behind him. His uncle has insisted that he stays the night at Shiho's to be sure everything is fine and then had ushered everyone out of the room to let him rest. Though Panacea has helped with Shinichi's recovery, the events of the day left him exhausted. His life has just been changed around completely. Again.

He had only come to terms with using magic, and now he holds the possibly most powerful magical artifact in his hands. Well, not in his hands but details.

He still expects something to go wrong. That Pandora resides inside him peacefully is hard to believe, but whenever he tentatively reaches for his core, he is met with its contempt. He reaches for the cup of tea next to him and takes a sip, only to discover with a grimace that it has gone cold.

The door opens almost silently, and he smiles as Ran peers through the crack. "Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" she asks.

"They told me to rest, but my head is still spinning with all the information. I doubt I could sleep even if I tried."

"Thought so," Ran says and comes in with a new cup of steaming tea. "Shiho suggested a sleep spell, but I didn't think you would appreciate that. So I asked her if she has any herbs to brew a calming tea." With a soft clink, she sets the cup down and sits next to Shinichi on the bed like she had done many other times when he was sick, placing her purse on the blanket. "Be careful; that stuff is potent," she grins.

Shinichi eyes the tea warily but is grateful that Ran intervened with Shiho's plan to put him to sleep with a spell.

"So," Ran begins, almost hesitant. She seems to want to start a difficult conversation but then changes her mind. "What did Megure tell you? I haven't heard much about Kumoshiro and the others."

Looking at her, Shinichi knows that that wasn't what she wanted to ask but lets it slide. "Kumoshiro and his helpers will have to face a judge and a whole tribunal soon. I think it is safe to say that they won't go free for quite some time and never hold influential positions ever again. Professor Amuro, though not completely willingly, helped a criminal. He will not get Pandora's powers anymore, which makes him an achromatic, and he loses his teaching license. Hideaki is still a minor, so I guess he will get away with some social work."

"Hmhm…"

He squints at her. "What has you so distracted?"

"Nothing, nothing!" She waves her hands at him.

Shinichi inhales deeply. He made a promise to himself after all, and he thinks that his playing a not-so-small role in preventing Kumoshiro's plans counts as well-performed.

"Okay, so listen. I-" he interrupts himself, running a hand through his hair. "I am not good at this, I am afraid, and maybe this is not romantic enough for you to even consider me, but I…" he trails off, the words suddenly stuck in his throat.

Will he ruin everything between them? Is his selfish wish worth risking their friendship?

Ran's hand on his startles him out of his doubts.

"You?" she prompts, eyes wide and cheeks red.

"I-" His gaze sinks into her eyes, and he only finds acceptance and hopeful expectation in them. Maybe destiny will let him be lucky twice today.

He takes the plunge.

"I love you."

Her beaming expression is so bright he can't help but break into a grin as well.

"That is what I wanted to say," she laughs. "You are the worst distraction ever!"

Shinichi blinks. "You also wanted…"

"Yes!" she says. "I love you, too."

"Oh, thank God!" He falls back again, hands on his face. His breathing is unsteady and his pulse races. It is the most blissful feeling he ever had.

"Shinichi," Ran chides him, and her tone brings him back from his high, dreading he somehow did get it wrong. Her eyes are mischievous, but he can tell from her lips, which she is biting, that she is nervous. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"I do?"

Now she rolls her eyes, shakes her head, and leans forward, catching his lips with hers.

Oh… Oh!

His wide eyes close slowly to savor the moment to its fullest.

Their first kiss.

They were a couple from now on. He didn't think life could get any better.

They break apart after a moment, both a bit shy and beet-red. Shinichi is a bit torn between 'I am still lying here, looking pitiful. How embarrassing.' and 'I couldn't care less."

Ran squeezes his hand she is still holding. "Get out of your head. It is fine; the odds are standing good for us." She holds up her other hand and counts the points off with her fingers. "We know each other for basically our whole life, so there is nothing you can shock me with. Your uncle loves me."

Shinichi chuckles, but Ran ignores him and continues. "I can save your reckless butt with my healing magic."

"Hey!"

"I was in love with you for some time already and, apparently, so were you with me. We both are holders of magical artifacts."

"Yeah, we make quite a pair. Wait. What?"

Ran takes Panacea out of her pouch, the light catching on its surface. "Shiho gave it to me. She said it chose to work with me and that I would take good care of it."

"She is right."

"Maybe," she says, turning the stone in her hands thoughtfully. "But what if I screw up?"

Shinichi gives a short huff. "If anything goes wrong, I am sure it won't be your fault. I mean - who is the one with a potentially destructive ancient power residing in his core?" He places a finger under her chin and turns her face to him. "You will do great. And if anyone should ever try to take advantage of you, he will have to go through me first. And as I just said, I have some reinforcements with me all the time."

Ran smiles and leans against him. "I hope we don't have to fall back on that plan. Pandora doesn't like conflicts, so try to stay out of trouble."

"Right, right," Shinichi gives in, laughing. He pulls her closer, just because he can do that now. "Are you going to tell Megure?"

"I don't know yet," she sighs. "But it is true that not using it would be a shame. The possibilities. We just have to come up with something that will protect Panacea from all the greedy people out there, and some support from the police could be helpful. If it is inspector Megure…"

"Hmm…"

They sit there in silence for a moment, trying to find a solution.

Then Ran sits up a bit straighter. "Oh! What about Heiji-kun? You didn't say anything about him. Is he alright?"

"Hattori is just fine. His magic was depleted, just as Hideaki's by the way, but some good rest took care of that. He is already back home, probably being loud again already."

"He didn't even drop by to see if you are okay?"

Sympathy is written over Shinichi's face. "Megure told me that his father wasn't too happy about the whole disaster and dragged him home the first chance he got. But I am sure we will hear from him soon."

Ran looks at him questioningly.

"Well…"

OooO

"Shinichi! Stop! Don't run that far ahead!"

A dark-haired young man turns back to his girlfriend, still skipping from foot to foot, his face a beaming smile. His cheeks are red, both from running and a little from anxiousness, and in his hand, he holds the certificate that confirms his enrollment into the Beika Police Academy.

In only a week from now, his first classes will start, and he can't wait for this next part of his life to begin.

"Come on, Ran! Keep up! Or do you want to be the last at the station? Slowpoke?" he teases, knowing damn well that Ran can outrun him. He also knows how to wake her competitive streak.

And sure enough...

"Oh, you're on!"

Laughing, panting, and occasionally bumping into each other, they run down the street to the train station. When they arrive, the train has already pulled in, and the passengers are getting off. It doesn't take them long to find the boy they are searching for.

He grins at them, waves with outstretched arms, a heavy-looking bag beside him. In one hand, he holds a rolled-up piece of paper.

Ran turns to Shinichi. "Tell me again how that happened?"

Shinichi shrugs. "Needed a change of air, he said. If you ask me, he only wants to be out of his father's reach for some time."

Hattori has reached them and drops his bag with a thud to have both his hands free to enroll the paper. "Hey, guys! This is going to be awesome!"

Looking at the sigil of the Beika Police Academy, Shinichi smiles. His future education will be anything but boring, for sure.

OooO The End OooO


AN: And that wraps it up! Finally!

Started as NaNoWriMo project 2019, it took me longer than I expected. Now, I can finally turn to something new. Kidding! :) My next project will be a continuation of this one. I have a vague idea and still have to plot it out before I can even begin to write, so please don't expect me to upload it any time soon. But I hope you had fun reading 'Red to the Core' and I hope to see you again!