OMG. Guys you won't believe it. I just looked at the ranking of this book and noticed it had dropped lower in a few categories-
Wanting to check out the competitors, ya know, to see where I can improve, I checked one of the rankings and was baffled. My book didn't drop to any else author.
All my books claimed the rank 1 to 10 on #meitanteiconan. I'm soooo proud!
Thank you so much for your support!

Nakamori-keibu sat within his office, going through the last few heist reports. Something, he needed just one little clue! But KID was perfect. He had never left any single hint and the Keibu was afraid.
Afraid if KID would leave again.
The gap of eight years had taken his entire will to continue being a policeman. And yet, once he saw lonely Kaito's and Aoko's blossoming friendship, it gave him new strengh to continue.

There was nothing more painful than the loss of a family member, a true friend or a challenging rival.
Nakamori-keibu couldn't go through this again. And now, what did this fear do to him?
He found himself crumbling each and every heist note KID sent, declaring them as fake in front of any news cameras he could find. Since KID had been shot two weeks ago into his leg, the Keibu couldn't help himself.

***

"Kogare-keiji! One more coffee, yes?" one of the office members asked the passing officer and received a smile in return.
"Of course."
KID, masked as Kogare Waku, had slithered into the police department like a snake. He was honestly both pissed off and curious at the same time. It wasn't like the Keibu to deny any heist note of KID.

Even if, what did it matter? Wether imposter or not, KID would always show up and had never cancelled any heist. Retreated, yes, but he always showed up.
"Kogare-keiji, can I have another one?"
KID sighed. He knew his chosen role had a sweet and submissive character, one to always be helpful whereever he could. But that his colleagues would take so much advantage of him?
It kind of annoyed the thief. Kindness was to be responded by kindness, not with abuse.

The whole day he had been running around for errands, most of them containing to fetch coffee for various members of the task force.
Much to his surprise, Hakuba stepped in after lunchbreak and froze shortly as he came face to face with KID.
Right.
Hakuba had become a member of the KID task force not too long ago. KID honestly felt like bolting right away but pushed that thought aside as Hakuba's lips curled up into a gentle smile.
"Kogare-keiji? Could you fetch a coffee? I need to hold on until late evening."
KID wanted to groan out loud but nodded again with his genuine smile and walked off to the cantine. By now he trusted to find that path with tied limbs and a blindfold.

KID returned to the office with a new coffee in hand and steered towards Hakuba's desk. It was so unusual to see the proud halfbrit all cramped up inside a booth with that small nameplate at the front.
Suddenly a sharp pain bolted through his leg and his muscles gave in with a defeated sigh.
He landed on the ground with a painful whimper, the coffee spilled over his uniform. Within a second on each side a pair of arms hosted him up and into a chair, Hakuba being one of them.

"KID are you alright?!" they gasped and KID froze on his chair.
"K-KID?!" he exclaimed with a highpitched voice and wanted to jump up, only to be pushed down again by one of the younger members. Hakuba raised his injured leg onto one of the cushioned office chairs and pushed the fabric up to inspect the bandage he shouldn't have known about, much to KID's confusion who voiced another surprised squeak.
"W-what is going on?"

The young thief stared into at least twelve worried faces.
"Geez, we pushed you too hard..."
"Sorry, KID."
KID had no idea what was going on. His disguise was perfect! His voice too! Did he miss any kind of unique traits?!
"Y-you... eh... w-what?!"
Hakuba snickered and patted the magician's shoulder twice.
"KID, you might have missed it out, but Kogare-keiji went into parental vacations yesterday. He became father. The only one with a disguise that perfect and the nerve to waltz right into the police department is certainly no one else but you."
KID shrunk in his chair and stared back at the cops surrounding him. Perhaps if he could just activate a smoke-
"Relax, we aren't going to arrest you."
"I- what? Why? I'm vulnerable, I'm in your territory, I'm literally right in front of your nose and you choose to do nothing?!"
One of the older ones grinned.
"Exactly."
"But don't take that for granted! Just this once we'll press an eye shut. Next time we see you, we'll be on your heel again!" another one growled at the shrinking thief.

"The bullet wound is okay so far... But you really shouldn't push yourself so much, KID," Hakuba scolded as he raised himself again and rested a bag of ice on the injured magician's leg.
"Y-you were the ones shoving me around to bring you stuff. By the way, it's not nice to treat your colleagues like that," he argued back and one of the younger ones averted his eyes with a quiet grumble.
"Not our fault you make a damn good coffee. You should think about coming to us."
"It was kind of a revenge, too. But I'm glad you're still okay."
KID had a blank expression on his face while he allowed Hakuba to try saving the fake uniform with napkins.
"Uh... KID?" one of them finally asked, nervous. It was unlike the magician to be silent and this expression was the least to say, scarily empty.
"That's it. I'm dreaming," he finally declared, throwing his hands up.

"You're definitely awake, Kaitou KID," a voice snarled from the head office and KID paled an instant. Nakamori-keibu stepped out of his room, rubbing the bridge of his nose in attempt to calm down the rising annoyance.
"N-Nakamori-"
"Quiet. Now I'm the one to ask questions."
KID swallowed heavy and watched with unease the Keibu approaching him, until a hand fell down onto his shoulder, startling him. Nakamori's expression softened up.
"How do you feel?"
"...eh? I-I... Well... It hurts but isn't bad..."
"Good to hear. Why are you here?"
KID puffed up his cheeks which reminded the surrounding officers of a sulking child.
"Why do you ignore my heist notes?!"

Surprise reflected back at him until they all started to giggle. KID felt only more humiliated by that. Of course they knew he hated it to be ignored, his purpose was to tickle reactions out of his opponents and audience. Looking like this, with puffed cheeks and his bottom lip pushed up in an adorable pout, they recognized in the usually majestic thief a spoiled brat.
"KID, we won't allow you to hold heists."
The thief couldn't believe his ears.
"What?"
"I said, we won't allow you to hold heists. No heists anymore until you are fit again. Rest. We won't accept any heist notes until one- n-no, two whole months passed!"
"Yeah. No heists anymore!"
Nakamori-keibu looked serious and Kaito felt his jaw dropping. Hakuba chuckled and nodded to support his supervisor.
"Exactly. Give up and go home, KID."

"But-!"
"No complaints. I don't want to loose you for real just because of a fucking injury. Hakuba-kun!"
The addressed male stood straight almost automatical.
"Make sure KID gets home."
"Yes sir. Lean onto me, KID."
KID opened his mouth to protest and yet his voice died out within his throat as Hakuba assured him to drive only somewhere he would feel comfortable with. Sighing, Kaito finally handed him an address and buckled up next to the blond.
"I assume this is one of your emergency addresses for only KID's use?"
A nod was all he received.

KID stared out of the car window, shuffling cards to keep himself busy. He couldn't figure out why the task force was acting like that and especially Nakamori-keibu and Hakuba had been a riddle today.
A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Like overprotective mothers.