Saturday after school. The empty classroom was slanted with the orange light of the setting sun. A single note lay on the desk. In neat, precise handwriting, it read only: *3:20, behind the science lab.* There was no sender's name, but it didn't need one. "[cold]I wondered what I'd do if you didn't come." Deep in the science lab, in the dim corridor between the prep room and the main room. The sharp smell of chemicals stung my nose as Haibara Ai stood leaning against the wall. Her white blouse stood out starkly in the gloom. Memories of last night surfaced. The living room, filled with the scent of black tea. The words, *"I'm in love with you."* And my reply: *"I won't let it be for nothing."* A slow heat spread deep in my chest. "[serious]Hey, Haibara. Calling me out to a place like this—what do you want?" I tried to keep my voice as normal as possible. But the slight tremor at the edge of my words probably gave me away. Haibara slowly pulled something from her pocket. My bow-tie voice changer. One of Agasa Hiroshi's inventions—a device that can freely alter your voice. "You forgot it, so I came to return it." Her slender fingers toyed with the dial, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Hey, Kudou-kun." What came out of the voice changer was Haibara's adult voice—the voice of Miyano Shiho. A little lower, a voice that clung to the ear, rich with allure. "[whispers]With this voice... won't you whisper your love to me, and only me?" My breath stopped. She was laughing as if it were a joke. But her eyes weren't laughing. The terror of the Organization, the agony of being trapped in a small body, and—her feelings for me, direct and unwavering. "[angry]Don't screw around—don't make me say something so disgusting!" I reached out to snatch the voice changer back. But Haibara was a step faster. She stretched up on her toes and pulled me closer by my necktie. Her face drew near, right before my eyes. The fragrance of black tea drifted softly around us. "[whispers]I'm serious. No matter who you're thinking of, I want you." That voice was so earnest, it was like she was a different person from the cool, cynical girl I knew. Ran's smiling face flickered through my mind. —But. The weight of Haibara's loneliness and resolve, right in front of me, pierced my heart. We'd both been shrunk by the same drug, carried the same secret, lived in the same fear. She was the only one who knew my real name, my past, and the enemy I was fighting. I stopped resisting. I pulled Haibara's slender shoulders toward me and pressed my lips to hers. They were soft. Our first kiss, lasting about three seconds. Haibara's lips were a little cold, and they carried the scent of Earl Grey. When our lips parted, Haibara lowered her eyes and murmured quietly. "[whispers]This is my poison. You won't be able to break free now." Guilt churned violently deep in my chest. But just as strongly, there was an irresistible sense of relief. The shadow of the Organization, the lies of everyday life—here, I could forget all of it. This secret relationship was an antidote that made the fear fade away. But at the same time, it was an addictive poison I could never escape. ———— It was nearly evening by the time we returned to the Agasa residence. The ticking of the wall clock sounded unnaturally loud. The professor still hadn't returned from his trip. It was just Haibara and me, alone in the living room. Haibara stood at the kitchen counter, brewing tea as she always did. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I looked at the screen. Mouri Ran. A sickening feeling crept up from the pit of my stomach. "[cold]Aren't you going to answer that?" Haibara spoke without turning around. Her voice was lower than her usual coldness, with a timbre that sounded like she was suppressing her emotions. I pressed the call button. "Hello?" "[excited]Conan-kun, how are you doing? What are you up to at the professor's house?" Ran's voice over the phone was bright and innocent. That, in turn, made my chest tighten painfully. "[serious]Yeah... I'm helping the professor with his inventions. I'm fine, Ran-neechan." Choking on my words, I piled on the usual lies. Haibara set her cup down, sat on the sofa, and pretended to read a book. But her profile was fixed on me, watching intently. "[gentle]I see. Make sure you don't cause him any trouble, okay? When are you coming back over here? Dad's been lonely without you." "[serious]Got it. I'll call you later." I said just that and hung up. I placed my phone on the table. As I hung my head, clutching my stomach, I heard the sound of Haibara turning a page. "[cold]Did you not want to hear Mouri-san's voice? Was I in the way?" Her tone was barbed. The color of jealousy seeped through, impossible to hide completely. "[serious]...That's not it." Words failed me. The pain of continuing to lie to Ran. My relationship with Haibara made it even heavier. All of it was true. Haibara closed her book and looked straight at me. "[cold]It doesn't matter to me. No matter who you're thinking of, I'll always be by your side." In the depths of her eyes as she declared that, a sharp light glinted, saying, *I won't forgive you.* ———— Around midnight. The professor had returned from his trip and was fast asleep in his second-floor bedroom. It was just Haibara and me in the living room. Haibara sat on the sofa, a blanket over her lap, drinking tea. The steam rising from her cup dissolved into the soft light of the indirect lighting. I'd been organizing case files in the professor's study, but I couldn't concentrate and came back to the living room. "[gentle]Can't sleep?" Haibara looked up. The coldness from the daytime was gone, replaced by a voice tinged with her soft, true feelings. "[serious]Yeah, well." I sat down on the edge of the sofa. Silence flowed between us. After a while, Haibara suddenly asked a question. "[gentle]Hey, Kudou-kun. Do you regret what happened today?" I thought for a few seconds—then shook my head. "[serious]I don't regret it. It's just... I feel sorry for Ran." Haibara lowered her eyes for a moment. Then, still with the blanket over her shoulders, she leaned her body toward me. "[whispers]You're all I have. Being hunted by the Organization, living in this body—it's agony. Every time you think of Mouri-san, my heart aches—but even so, I can't let you go." Tears welled up in her eyes. Unable to say anything, I just put my arm around Haibara's shoulders. Her body heat seeped gently into my arms. The scent of black tea, mixed with a faint trace of sweat. The sensation of being alive. Our secret relationship quietly took another step into depths from which there was no return. That night, I couldn't sleep a wink. I stared at the living room ceiling until nearly dawn. The guilt toward Ran and the desire for Haibara churned together in my chest, a tangled, chaotic mess. ———— Sunday morning. Soft morning light streamed into the living room of the Agasa residence. "[excited]Ahh, last night was so much fun! It's great to talk with fellow inventors!" Agasa Hiroshi was in high spirits, munching on toast and talking about his trip the night before. His gray-streaked hair was more disheveled than usual, and his eyes behind his round glasses were smiling. He didn't notice a thing. Not a single bit of what had happened between us. "[gentle]Would you like more tea?" Haibara stood in the kitchen as usual, picking up the kettle. The tears from last night, the jealousy—all of it had vanished cleanly from her profile. After breakfast, when I stepped away to the bathroom. Haibara picked up my phone from the table. She unlocked the screen with the passcode she'd casually glimpsed before. On the display, an unread message from Ran. *Conan-kun, how are you? When are you coming back over here? Dad's been lonely without you.* Haibara stared at that message for a few seconds. Then—with her fingertip, she tapped the delete button. She put the phone back where it was. When I came back from the bathroom, she was drinking her tea with a perfectly composed expression. "[gentle]Your phone's battery was getting low." "[serious]Oh, thanks." Without suspecting a thing, I slipped my phone into my pocket. Still unaware—of the first step of Haibara's quiet madness.