When Pandora bleeds... (Shinkai)

Encounter

Kaito spent the following days of his small vacation lingering in front of the cemetery- at night, mostly. Not only was he more comfortable being outside at this time of the day- his days as moonlighting thief had really taken a toll on him- Kaito also didn't want to cause any suspicion by continously returning to the cemetery.

I want to go in... I want to say goodbye...

Like an idiot, Kaito had built up the strengh to march up to the gates of the by a large fence surrounded cemetery, only to freeze in front of them with every cell inside his body wanting him to turn and leave again. Kaito felt torn by his fear to enter this place and the need to go see whatever was there, waiting for him.

Something was off about this cemetery and Kaito sensed it perfectly. Something which wasn't natural, something which wasn't supposed to be there. It was kind of weird but his curiosity grew more and more with each hour passing.

"To see even the great Kaitou KID so obviously fazed by his death..."

The voice was quiet, closing in from the left. Kaito successfully managed not to jump- had he been so deep in thought? Innocence written all over his face, Kaito turned and opened his mouth to argue his identity, yet his mouth went dry as he recognized the woman in front of him, teablonde coloured hair, a bare twitch of her lips twisted into some sort of small smile and eyes that had seen far more than anyone her age could have comprehended.
Haibara Ai let out a chuckle, detensing the situation. She had just wanted to give her former partner a tiny scare.
"I haven't awaited you to lack a response. Thief got your tongue?"
Kaito narrowed his eyebrows and stared at the woman for a moment, then made the effort to turn back towards the cemetery, not dignifying her with another glance.
"I was just surprised... You must be mistaken. Why are you striking up a conversation, Ojou-san?"

Haibara breathed out a deep sigh, following suit and letting her gaze wander instead over the cemetery beyond the gates. She knew it wasn't going to be easy and she didn't know either how she had even gotten the idea that this stranger used to be the Kaitou KID, yet she knew.
"His death shook us all... I was the first one at the hospital. He had already been determined as dead."
Kaito resisted the urge to swallow down the lump building up inside his throat at the news. He certainly acknowledged her guts to keep talking to him with the positive knowledge who he was instead of insisting for him to admit it to her by himself. Kaito was wary of her- yet Haibara Ai seemed everything but hostile at the moment and likely wasn't going to make any move on blowing up on him.

"I... I appreciate your attendance, KID. You came to settle with everything at his grave, didn't you?"
Kaito eyed the female from the corner of his eyes; the scientist didn't look any bit at him. All he gave was a small nod but she didn't seem to mind.
"We could go together" she finally offered, turning to him with an encouraging expression, yet the male who had been next to her had vanished into thin air. Haibara blinked twice, then sighed, deeply frustrated she hadn't seen this coming.

Alone, Haibara smiled up at the gates, then took the last brave steps to cross the line and enter the graveyard. It was annoying to say the least; KID had had his cap pulled too far into his face for her to make out any positive features she could use to locate him again- and what if he had been wearing a mask? Haibara honestly doubted Kaitou KID was just running around in Beika with his real face out for all public to see.

Said one didn't know what to make of this encounter with the scientist he had cosplayed as a favor for his Meitantei. Did she saw who he was? Kuroba Kaito, worldfamous magician?
The retired thief stared down at his gloves and sighed. This time he had chosen brown gloves to wear since he didn't want anybody to associate his white gloves with KID.
He didn't know what had given his identity away but Kaito sure as hell was glad he had been able to sneak away.

Haibara hasn't changed at all... She still looks like the same strict, funkilling and mean girl she used to be. Just a bit more mature.

Deep in thought, the magician headed towards his hotel room, deciding to call it a day. He had two nights left to pass before he would be flying back again to continue his world tour. Deep down inside his mind, Kaito honestly doubted he was ready to enter the graveyard by this time.

Maybe I should extend my stay? But that would be noticed by public.

Kaito slipped the key card into its lock and pushed open the door to his domain, closing it just as quick behind himself. He made his way into the bathroom, sat down in front of a big mirror, and began to unstick as careful as possible the mask of Kuroba Kaito from his face. The red skin appearing underneath made Kaito grimace and close his eyes, skilled fingers slipping carefully underneath the latex in a procedure he had gotten used to way too fast. Slowly but surely, he had become unsettled by the fact he was wearing more masks than he had ever worn, yet the thought of loosing his own identity over this had been as ridiculous as always.

I can't exactly forget myself if I'm wearing a mask of myself.

Kaito wanted to convince himself that this was something different but in all honesty, as he opened his indigo eyes to come face to face with his horrendous reflection, sadness pooled into his guts at the realization he was most likely never able to go out in public as himself ever again.

Author-chan is positively pissed. Schools are closed now which means Author-chan has to work those days where she would have been in school.
I'm going to die. I hope the chief goes easy on me with the amount of work...