Work Text:
Deducing Floriography
Kudo Shinichi collapsed onto Mouri Kogoro's bed, exhausted after a day of running around with the Detective Boys and getting dragged into yet another case. Since Kogoro was away for the weekend with his friends, Shinichi had the room to himself. The mattress felt unusually spacious beneath his small body.
Apparently, he was still stuck as Edogawa Conan.
Half a year had passed since he'd been forced to swallow APTX 4869, the experimental poison that had shrunk him into the body of a six-year-old. Despite everything, he still had no idea when—or if—this nightmare would ever end.
For the past six months, he'd been living with the Mouri family while secretly searching for the organization responsible for the drug. His best hope of regaining his true body lay in obtaining the complete research data on APTX 4869 so that its creator, Miyano Shiho, could finally perfect an antidote.
Shiho, herself another victim of the drug, now lived under the alias Haibara Ai in Professor Agasa's care. Together, the two had spent months developing prototype antidotes, but none had proven reliable. At best, they restored Shinichi to his true form for only a few hours before his body developed immunity once again.
The only bright spot in his life was that he still got to stay close to Mouri Ran, his childhood friend and the girl he'd been hopelessly in love with since kindergarten.
Against all odds, their relationship had continued to move forward despite his predicament. Somehow, between temporary antidotes, hurried confessions, and stolen moments together, they had become a couple.
Shinichi smiled to himself.
Ran was his girlfriend.
Even now, the thought was enough to make the corners of his lips curl upward.
He was about to fall asleep when his phone started vibrating. It was his ‘Shinichi’ phone.
Very few people knew this number—his parents, Professor Agasa, his fellow detective and best friend Hattori Heiji, and Ran. That meant any message or call on this phone usually fell into one of four categories: an emergency, an update on the antidote, a new case... or his girlfriend simply missing him.
Shinichi bolted upright, eager to find out which one it was.
Hattori Heiji created the group "OG Detective Boys."
Hattori Heiji added you, Toyama Kazuha, and Mouri Ran
Hattori Heiji is typing...
Toyama Kazuha is typing…
Mouri Ran is typing…
"...Seriously?" Shinichi sighed.
Only Heiji could make him brace for an emergency, only to start a group chat instead.
Kazuha: There are two girls in this chat
Shinichi: Why are we stealing the kids' group name?
Ran: Mina!!!! 😊
Heiji: Because we’re the originals
Heiji: There are two girls in the Detective Boys 🙄
Ran: I think it’s cute
Shinichi: that’s not helping Ran
Kazuha: You spent five whole minutes thinking of that name, didn't you?
Heiji: Three
Shinichi: That's somehow worse
Shinichi smiled.
This wasn't so bad.
For a moment, the playful banter made him feel like an ordinary seventeen-year-old again instead of a detective trapped in a child's body.
Never mind that Kazuha now had his number. It wasn't as though she'd call him out of the blue or hand it out to anyone else.
Shinichi: What’s with the group chat, Hattori?
Heiji: ***attached a picture of Kazuha holding the bouquet of 100 red roses***
Heiji: Told ya I'd make our first date memorable 😏
Kazuha: Heiji! You didn't have to send this to the group! 😳
Heiji: Too late
Ran: Awwww!! Kazuha, they're beautiful! 🥹🌹
Ran: Heiji, I didn't know you had it in you
Kazuha: Neither did I 😂
Kazuha: Your turn, Kudo-kun 😏
Shinichi: Huh?
Kazuha: Can't let Heiji be the only romantic detective around here 😏
Heiji: Oi! Don't drag Kudo into this!
Ran: Kazuha! 😂
Shinichi: ...Who said we're competing?
Heiji: Sounds like something a loser would say.
The teasing continued until the conversation eventually drifted into plans for going out together—or a "double date," as Kazuha and Ran insisted on calling it.
Naturally, the topic soon turned to the inevitable question of whether the date would even go as planned, considering Shinichi and Heiji's tendency to attract murder cases wherever they went.
Although Shinichi wasn't actively participating in the banter, it was still nice reading them.
It reminded him of what he'd been missing—the simple, ordinary moments with his friends that he had taken for granted before becoming Conan.
Over dinner, Ran still couldn't contain her excitement for Heiji and Kazuha. She showed Conan more pictures that Kazuha had shared with her privately and told him all about the hundred roses Heiji had bought—the way he initially tried to give her only one dozen before she discovered he had been hiding the rest out of embarrassment over his impulsive decision.
Apparently, Kazuha's mother had even needed to find three vases to hold all the flowers.
Ran also told him about their date at Tsuyunoten Shrine, her voice filled with genuine happiness as she described how much fun they had.
Shinichi could tell how sincerely happy she was for her friends. And as he watched her smile, he felt a familiar tug of guilt and frustration.
He wanted to do those things for her too.
He couldn't sleep that night.
He kept thinking about Ran's smile earlier, about how happy she had been for Kazuha. He wanted to see the same radiant smile Kazuha wore in that photo on Ran's face—not because he was competing with Heiji, but because Ran deserved to feel loved too.
He wanted her to feel butterflies in her stomach, to feel her cheeks warm with happiness, and to hear her heart race with excitement. More than anything, he wanted to remind her that even if he couldn't always be there the way he wanted to be, she was always on his mind.
His gaze landed on the calendar hanging on the wall, and he found himself thinking about all the days he had been away.
All the days Ran had been waiting for him.
Then he noticed the picture printed on the calendar—a field of blooming tulips. The sight immediately brought him back to a memory from years ago, when he and Ran had visited Showa Kinen Park together.
"I like tulips the most," twelve-year-old Ran had said.
"Really? They're kind of plain," he had replied.
"They're not. They're so colorful and cheerful."
The memory suddenly became more vivid. Shinichi could still see Ran's smile from that day—her wide blue eyes filled with wonder as she admired the flowers blooming before them.
She was just like a tulip blooming in early spring: vibrant, full of life, and full of hope.
Shinichi reached for his phone, a plan already forming in his mind. He began browsing, determined to find the perfect surprise for Ran.
Ran was woken up by the ray of sunlight peeking through her window. It seemed she had overslept; the sun was already high in the sky.
She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and immediately bolted upright.
“Aa, yabai! It’s nine in the morning!?”
It was a Sunday, so there was no school. However, she still needed to prepare breakfast for Conan and pick up groceries for lunch before her father came home.
As she moved to get out of bed, something caught her eye.
Her body froze.
She blinked once.
Then twice.
For a moment, she wondered if she was still dreaming.
But the breathtaking sight before her didn't disappear.
Tulips filled her room.
Red, white, yellow, orange, pink, purple—every color covered the floor, transforming her bedroom into a garden blooming in spring.
Her phone rang.
Ran looked down at the screen.
It was Shinichi.
A blush immediately spread across her face. Somehow, without needing to ask, she already knew where the flowers had come from—and who had sent them.
She picked up the phone with a smile. "Moshi moshi, Shinichi."
"Ohayo, sleepyhead."
Usually, Ran would have immediately complained about the teasing, but she was too overwhelmed to react.
She looked around her room, still unable to believe what she was seeing. "Shinichi... this is... beautiful."
She paused, still staring at the flowers filling her room.
"...This is... a lot," she added, a laugh escaping her voice. She was half smiling, half marveling at the fact that Shinichi had somehow managed to turn her bedroom into a tulip garden.
"Aren't you going a little overboard trying to one-up Hattori-kun?"
"Baro... you really think I'd do all this for that idiot?"
"Then why?" Ran asked, her voice softening. "Am I missing some special occasion?"
"Because you like tulips," Shinichi said, as if it were the most obvious answer.
Ran blinked. “I didn’t know you knew I like tulips.”
“You told me. When we were twelve, at the Showa Kinen Park. You said they were colorful and cheerful.”
“I can’t even remember that.”
"Didn’t I tell you," he said, a small smile in his voice. "I remember everything about you."
Ran felt her cheeks warm.
"That's it? All these…just because I like tulips?"
Then the warmth spread through her chest.
It had always made her feel special how Shinichi would remember the tiniest details about her.
This time, he remembered something she herself had forgotten.
"Because you're my girlfriend..." He paused, his voice gentler. "And I haven't given you flowers before."
For a moment, Ran found herself speechless...and breathless.
His girlfriend.
Even after everything—the waiting, the distance, the unanswered calls—he still said it so naturally, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
"Thank you, Shinichi..." she whispered. "I really... really love them."
From the other side of Ran’s slightly open door, Conan stood quietly watching her.
An earpiece rested in his ear, and he held his voice-changing bowtie near his mouth, allowing him to speak as Shinichi.
For a moment, he simply watched her smile and blush.
She was beautiful.
Her eyes, her smile, her heart...everything about her.
And even from the other side of the door, even while hiding behind a form and voice that weren’t his own, Shinichi felt grateful that he could still make her this happy.
“I need to go, Ran. But I’ll talk to you again later.”
Ran's smile softened. She didn't want the call to end, but she knew they both had things to do.
"Okay," she replied quietly. "I'll be waiting."
After exchanging their goodbyes, Shinichi lowered the voice-changing bowtie and let out a small breath.
For a moment, he stayed there, watching Ran hug herself as she looked around the room, overwhelmed by the flowers surrounding her.
She looked so happy.
And for once, Shinichi allowed himself to believe that maybe, despite everything, he was still able to give her moments like this.
A few minutes later, Conan peeked into Ran's room. "Ran-neechan?"
“Conan-kun." She turned around, still wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
His gaze swept over the sea of tulips filling the room. "So this is what Shinichi-niichan was planning."
Ran blinked. "You knew?"
Conan nodded. "He called me early this morning and told me a flower delivery was coming. He asked me to let them in without waking you up."
Ran looked around the room once more, her smile growing. "So that's how they got in here..."
Conan smiled. "I thought it was a surprise for your birthday or something." He scratched his cheek. "I didn't know it was going to be... this many."
Ran laughed, the sound bright and genuine. "Neither did I."
"...Shinichi-niichan really went all out."
Conan looked around at the sea of tulips filling the room.
Even though he already knew, even though he had watched her smile through the doorway, seeing her standing there with tears of happiness in her eyes made his chest tighten.
She really was happy.
And that was all he wanted.
Heiji's name flashed across Shinichi's phone before he had even finished his morning coffee. He was alone in the Mouri living room. Kogoro had left early to meet a client, and Ran had just headed out for school. The moment he answered, an indignant voice exploded through the speaker.
"You never let me enjoy a victory, Kudo!"
Shinichi frowned. "Good morning to you too."
"I finally do one romantic thing right, and you go and top it overnight!"
"...What are you talking about?"
"The tulips! You couldn't even wait a day?"
Shinichi paused. "...Oh. So Kazuha told you."
"I bought a hundred roses!"
A dramatic pause.
"YOU BOUGHT TWENTY DOZEN TULIPS, KUDO! Two hundred and forty! Do you hear yourself?!"
"I wasn't counting," Shinichi replied. "I just wanted enough to brighten the room."
"Enough? Kudo, you filled the room!" Heiji said between laughs "How did you even get them in there?"
"I had them delivered early in the morning. Ran stayed up late talking with Kazuha and Sonoko about your roses and the date."
Shinichi took another sip of coffee, remembering that morning.
—FLASHBACK—
He had been barely awake when the doorbell rang at seven. He opened the door expecting a delivery.
Then one bouquet was carried inside.
Then another.
Then another.
And there was still more.
The delivery person stared at him. "Are you sure this is the right address?"
Conan looked at the growing mountain of tulips. "Unfortunately... yes."
When the bill was handed to him, he nearly missed a step. He hadn't realized just how much twenty dozen flowers would cost.
The delivery person hesitated when Conan handed over Shinichi’s card and I.D.
"It's my brother who ordered them. That's him on the card, Shinichi-niichan"
The delivery person glanced between the card and the small child standing in front of him. "...Your brother?"
"Yep," Conan said, forcing a smile. "We look so much alike, don't we?"
The delivery person stared at him…then at the card...then back at him.
A long silence passed.
"...Genetics are amazing."
"Yeah," Conan replied immediately. "Amazing."
—END OF FLASHBACK—
Heiji's voice pulled him back.
"I spend all that time figuring out one hundred roses, and you go and carpet the room with tulips."
"I wasn't trying to outdo you..."
"Sure you weren't."
"...and I didn't carpet the room. They're just... her favorite."
"That's not the point!"
"I think that's exactly the point."
Heiji clicked his tongue.
"Kudo."
"...Fine. It was a lot of tulips."
"A lot?"
"The florist actually called to ask if I was decorating for a wedding."
Heiji burst out laughing. "So you admit it!"
"I admit I made an impulsive financial decision."
"An expensive financial decision."
"...Very expensive."
"Then why?" The teasing in Heiji's voice faded slightly.
There was a brief silence.
Shinichi leaned back in his chair. "Ran told me about your first date. Kazuha had told her everything."
"Hm?"
"She sounded really happy for you two…happy enough that I wished I could give Ran something she'd smile about too."
Heiji went quiet.
"And then I realized..." Shinichi scratched the back of his neck. "I've never really done something like that for her."
"So you panicked."
"I did not panic."
"You absolutely panicked."
"I made a purchase."
"An expensive purchase."
"...A very expensive purchase."
Heiji snorted.
Shinichi sighed dramatically. "You keep saying I won."
"You absolutely did."
"Hattori, I want you to look at this from my perspective."
"I'm listening."
"I'm practically broke because of you."
"Huh??"
"The florist called after the delivery just to thank me again... then wished me good luck."
Heiji burst into laughter.
"I'm serious! While you were probably getting a hug and a kiss for those hundred roses, I got a four-hour phone call."
"A four-hour—"
"Last night. Four. Hours."
"What did you even talk about for four hours?"
"It started with the flowers, somehow turned into childhood memories, Sonoko interrupted twice, we argued about soccer, she laughed at me for buying too many tulips, and then she thanked me again before hanging up."
Heiji couldn't stop laughing.
"Kudo..."
"I'm exhausted."
"You spent enough money to bankrupt yourself and got boyfriend duties instead of a kiss."
Shinichi groaned. "So tell me again who's the winner."
Heiji wiped a tear from his eye. "...Still you."
"I wasn't trying to compete, Heiji."
"...Yeah."
"I just thought..." Shinichi hesitated. "Ran deserved to be spoiled once in a while. Flowers, gifts...stuff like that. I've spent so much time making her wait."
The joking tone disappeared for a moment.
Heiji looked out the window. "...Yeah."
"So no competition."
"No competition."
"...Good."
"...Even if your timing was terrible."
"My timing was romantic."
"It was expensive."
"It was very expensive."
They both laughed.
"...By the way," Shinichi added casually, "what did Kazuha think?"
Heiji froze. "...What?"
"The roses."
"They were... well received."
"Well received?"
"...Yeah."
"So you did get the hug and kiss."
A pause.
Shinichi blinked.
"You didn't?"
"No."
"...Oh."
Heiji smirked. "Don't sound so disappointed, Kudo."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
"I'm just surprised."
"She liked the flowers."
"And?"
Heiji looked away, suddenly quieter. "She said something."
"What?"
"She said she likes it when I come back to her after solving a case."
Shinichi went silent.
"...Oh."
"Yeah."
A small smile tugged at Heiji's face.
"That was better than any kiss anyway."
For once, Shinichi had no argument. "...Yeah."
A moment passed.
"Still spent less money than you."
"Shut up, Hattori."
Heiji laughed.
"I'm hanging up."
THE END