"Funny how it takes one word to begin a conversation. Funny how it takes one word to end it. Funny how hard it is for some to say either one."

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His eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were curved into a deep frown. Anyone who met his deep, piercing maroon eyes that night either jumped away from him in fear, or glared right back at him. But whatever the reaction was, they just moved away from his warpath.

He made his way to the phone booth with quick steps. He stepped inside, closed the door swiftly, and fished his pocket for loose change.

He grabbed the receiver, slipped the coins into the slot, and proceeded to dial -- nay, punch -- a number. But at the last digit, his finger stopped a mere millimeter from pressing the button.

Just press the button, his mind urged him. His jaw clenched as he struggled. Honestly, he thought that he must look like an idiot, standing there frozen, and looking furiously at the phone as if it was a threat to mankind.

Just press the freaking button!!!

Finally, there was ringing on the other end.

C'mon, pick up, pick up! He mentally demanded.

He didn't get yelled at by his (occassionally irritating) travelling companion, yell back at the said companion, storm out of the house, brave the biting cold, weave through a throng of people, squish his legs into the snow, realize that the companion was indeed right, and fight with himself to dial a number just to call an empty house! That'd be just freakin'---

"Hello?"

He blinked.

It was just one word. One simple word anyone would say to anyone else who could have called at any time. One simple word said in no special way.

But it robbed him of all ability to speak.

So much for his determination.

"Hello?"

"Aiko, who is it?" came a voice in the background. He recognized the voice to be that of her sister. Aiko didn't say anything in response. He imagined she must have shrugged.

"Helloooo?"

Just say "Hello" back, his mind told him. It was just simple word, and this was Aiko. Just Aiko. So what if he hadn't seen her in half a year? So what if he hadn't had any kind of communication with her for half a year? It was just Aiko. No biggie. And it was just one simple word of five letters and two syllables. How hard was that?

But he found it to be so very hard.

He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. As she once again pronounced that word, he closed his mouth in defeat.

There he was. A man who interrogated strangers if they could help him find what he was searching for. A man who ran towards goons and dodge their bullets so he could kick their guns right from their very hands. A man who fought the evils of the world.

A man who couldn't hold a decent phone conversation.

But it was then that he remembered why he had called in the first place. It wasn't so he could have a conversation with her. Having a conversation with her meant that he had to talk, for surely she was going to ask about his adventures (or, rather, misadventures). But he didn't want to talk. He just...

He just wanted to hear her voice.

How selfish of me.

For a moment, there was silence, and he was sure she would hang up if he didn't say anything soon. To her, he was probably just another prank caller with nothing to do with his life.

That's why her next quiet question took him totally off-guard, causing his eyes to snap open.

"Kaji?"

His mind whirred, and at the same time, it seemed to stop working. His grip on the receiver tightened. What now? What the hell was he supposed to say now?

"Kaji, that's you, isn't it?" He heard a slight shake in her voice this time, as if she was scared to ask.

Swallowing, he closed his eyes again as he leaned his forehead on the glass wall of the phone booth. And he listened.

"Kaji, say something... Please..."

Something inside him broke at that pleading tone of her voice. He could imagine her now: her head bowed and with tears streaming down her cheeks. If she wasn't crying, then she was at the verge of it. If not, then she was at least sad in one form or another.

And he hated himself passionately for making her sad at any degree, indirectly or no.

Slowly, his hand moved until his fingers almost touched the plunger.

"Kaji," came her voice again, making him freeze. "I... I know that whatever it is you're doing right now must be important. I know you wouldn't have left like that -- without a good-bye or even a note, I mean -- for no reason. So I'm not going to ask you to come back as soon as you can. Take your time... Just-- Just take care of yourself, OK?"

There was silence for a few moments as she waited for him to respond.

"So... So I guess... Till we meet again, right?"

There was uncertainty in her voice. She must be starting to doubt if that was really him, after all.

Again, silence.

Until she emitted a small "Bye."

And he pulled at the plunger almost instantly.

A moment passed.

He replaced the receiver, and stepped out of the phone booth.

Then, for the first time in days, he smiled.

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From the Author:
Whoa. I dunno where on earth that came from. Maybe it's from reading all those Detective Conan fanfics when I'm taking a break from my thesis. Phone booths and separated couples. Gotta love 'em, yeah?

It's been so long since I last wrote anything! So please throw anything you want at me. Love and encouragement (or even tomatoes) are most welcome.

If you have NOT read my previous stories, then please tell me your opinions. I had wanted this to seem like it was part of a bigger story, but still be able to stand alone. Please tell me if I got it right.

I had also wanted this to be comedic at first, then bittersweet (but still slightly comedic) towards the end. I didn't even want this to be uber mushy. Just a simple Kaji-missing-Aiko, Kaji-fighting-with-himself one-shot. Did I get it right?

If you HAVE read Blue Star, then you must think that this is a sequel.

Well... Sort of. Although I wrote this pretty randomly, I think it's pretty consistent with what's going to happen to Kaji after the Blue Star timeline (or at least after the last episode, before the epilogue). Note, though, that even though I have started planning the sequels, I have not started writing any them due to academic obstacles. Therefore, this is not an official sequel... Maybe.

Oh, and PLEASE tell me if Kaji and Aiko were both in character.

Thanks! I love you guys for reading (and reiewing)!