Chapter 7

To all my reviewers: Thanks for all your support and precious reviews, I just wanna apologize for taking such a long time to update. Can't blame me…..school starts and all the teachers kept giving us assessments and stuff…..groans…..but don't worry, I try my best to update as soon as I have the time to. So, plz continue to support me…..

I yawn and rolled over to my side unconsciously snuggling up against a soft and cuddly thing.

My eyelids opened slightly and revealed a brown teddy bear in my arms. I slowly sat up and stretched my arms in the process. I stared at the lifeless teddy bear and held it up highly. I closed my eyes as memories flood through me…yeah….this teddy bear reminds me of my tenth birthday…..

'Flashback'

"Heiji, are you coming for my birthday party?"

"Birthday party?"

"Yeap! I'll be ten years old this Saturday. So, can you come?"

Heiji unconsciously lifted an eyebrow and looked at the sideway indicating that he was thinking.

"I'll see about that."

"Come on, Heiji…it's my birthday party……."

"You know I have a lot of cases to solve…I'm a detective, remember?"

"Cases? Or do you mean the puzzle sets that Aunt Shizuka gave you?"

"Hey, I still have to use my brain, right? Feh, you girls don't know a single thing about case-solving…"

"Ahh…whatever…so, are you comin'?"

"You will probably cry your eyes out if I decline. Bah, you girls are so troublesome."

"Yeah! That means you are coming right?"

"Do I look like I have a choice?" said Heiji while looking at Kazuha half-mooned eyes.

I squeaked with happiness and ran off the park calling over my shoulder. "Remember to come at 6! There will be a lot of your favorite food there. Ja ne!"

"Don't expect a present from me!" Heiji shouted back.

I ran all the way back to my house happily. I can't wait for the party to come.

Four days later……

Today is my birthday party. Almost every of my female classmates have arrived. I tilted my head and look from side to side but I couldn'tt see the one I have expected to come the most. Heiji. Then the doorbell rings. I skipped happily towards the door and opened it. Heiji was standing outside with his hands jammed inside his pockets. I gave him a wide smile and welcomed him.

All the time during the party, Heiji just sat at the corner, flipping at magazines while silently sipping his orange juice. I looked at him from the corner of my eyes. He looked bored. I'm feeling guilty. All of the guests that I invited are almost girls except Heiji; mostly because he was the only boy I consider as a close friend. Sigh…a heavy burden is slowly begun to form in my heart.

"Kazuha, isn't that's Heiji?", I whipped my head around to see one of my girl friend, Naomi.

Some of the girls beside us turned their attention towards Heiji. I eyed him behind my shoulder and replied.

"Emm…yeah…"

"Oooo…it's your little hubby…"

"His not my hubby…" a tinge of red appeared on my cheeks upon hearing the comment.

"So, what kind of present did he give you?"

"Umm…actually…"

"Come on tell us…"

"He didn't bring any present…but it's all right, he told me that he won't buy anything for me…" I said sheepishly while eyeing Heiji.

"What? He didn't buy any presents for you? He's so mean!"

"Daijoubu, I wouldn't mind. At least he cares enough to come to the party…"

"Feh, guys…they just don't have a single clue on how to treat a wife right…"

"Mayumi! He's not my hubby!"

"Yeah right, whatever…"

I turned my attention towards Heiji. I really don't mind of not receiving any presents from him. I just want him to be here on my birthday, my special day. I smiled inwardly; I do know that he cares. If he doesn't, why would he even bother to come which he knew that there will be nothing for him to do except sitting at the corner, flipping through magazines because there was none other than girls to talk to.

The party finished at nearly 9.30 at night. After making sure all the guests have left, I closed the heavy pine wood door silently. When I turned around, I was surprised to see Heiji leaning against the wall.

"Heiji? You're still here."

"Emm…uh…here, take this!"

Heiji thrust out his hands that he was hiding behind his back moments ago. I stared at the object in his palm and looked up to his face. He was looking at the side ways while blushing? Heiji? Blushing?I must be sleepy…I thought. He thrust the nicely wrapped gift into my arms and I caught a barely audible 'Happy Birthday' from him. I looked at the present that he just gave me.

"Thanks Heiji. But, didn't you say that you wouldn't bring any gifts for me?"

"You actually believe that? Which kind of baka wouldn't bring presents to someone's birthday party? You're such an AHO!"

"Then, why didn't you give it to me just now?"

"Hello! How am I supposed to pass you the present with everyone around?"

"Why not? Everyone does that."

"Because…it was embarrassing for a boy to give presents to girls! AHO!"

I turned blank right after hearing Heiji's confession. We stared at each other for a few minutes until I couldn't hold on any longer; I clutched my stomach and snickered trying to hold back from laughing out loud. Heiji stared at me slightly annoyed.

"What's so funny?"

"Aww…Heiji…I didn't know you're so…hehehe…shy…hmph…"

"It's not funny at all! Fine, I going home." Heiji turned around and left. However, before he reaches the door, I stopped him by grabbing his arm. He turned around, lips slightly pursed.

"Chotto Matte!"

"What do you want now?"

"Thank you, Heiji"

I lift myself up tiptoed and angled my head giving him a slight peck on the cheeks and grinned. Heiji seems to be out of space for a while before turning around and left quietly. I whispered a goodnight to him and not sure whether he heard it or not. I closed the heavy pine wood door slowly and headed to my room with the gift grinning as if I'm insane along the way.

I sat on the foot of my bed and unwrapped Heiji's present. I looked at the fluffy, brown thing in my arms. It's a teddy bear but this teddy bear is no ordinary fluff. I remember seeing a commercial on the TV about this particular teddy.

This teddy couldn't be bought in any shops, any stalls or anywhere. To get this teddy, one has to collect at least one hundred Fizz's ice-cream sticks in order to exchange one of these teddy bears. Moreover these teddy bears are limited edition. I frown. One hundred ice-cream sticks? How the hell did he get it? Ahh…now I remember…Heiji was sick last week and when I asked Mrs. Shizuka, she told me that Heiji got his stomach upset and could not go to school for five freaking days. When I asked Heiji what he ate that would upsets his stomach so much, he just gave me a stupid answer of eating my bento. I even remember of giving him a whack on the head for that but now I when think of it; I felt guilty. He actually ATE all the ice-creams he could buy just to collect those sticks to get the teddy for me. I was greatly touched that I wept silently for almost an hour in my room clutching the teddy close to my heart.

Ends Flashback…

I looked at the teddy in my arms for one last time and sighed before settling it down on my bedside. Those were my unforgettable memories about Heiji. From that incident onwards, I knew that at the very corner of Heiji's heart, there was a little space for me to fit in. Although it is very small but still, I felt grateful tohavea little place to call my own,especially when that tiny little space is Heiji's heart.

Finally I finished this chapter. I wanna apologized to everyone because I focus too much on Kazuha's memories in this chapter. Well, is it ok? Good? Or…bad…? (/. .'') I'm kind of afraid that this chapter is spoiled because I focus too much on thoughts rather than the events that are suppose to be continued in this chapter but this idea kind of plopped into my mind. Moreover, I have wanted to write a soft side of Heiji for quite a long time but couldn't find the chance to do so. So, I hope for more reviews from all of you who care enough to spend your precious time to read my fic. All of your reviews meant a lot to me although I couldn't reply. (Ps: Because banned me from replying to reviewers.) Arigatoo…bows down…