disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan.

i

"Ai-chan! Why don't we make some cupcakes today?"

Ai slowly looked up from her fashion magazine and regarded the six-year-old, excited girl with impassive eyes. After a while when she realized the girl was serious, Ai tilted her head to one side. "You're not kidding," she stated drily.

Ayumi's eyes brightened. "Of course not! It'll be fun. Genta and Mitsuhiko and Conan agreed to help-"

"Conan agreed to help?" Now that was a bit suspicious. Even though the seventeen-year-old-teenager-turned-six-year-old boy had tried his best to act appropriately like a kid, Ai seriously doubted that he would willing want to offer his help in this particular case. Cooking was definitely not the man's forte.

But Ayumi was bobbing her head happily. "Yes!" She was giggling. "Took some convincing but he said he'd do it."

"What's the catch?" Ai asked.

"There's no catch," answered Ayumi, a bit confused.

"I see." Ai returned to reading her magazine.

"Soo you're going to do it, right?" There was hopefulness in the little girl's voice that Ai couldn't turn her down. At last, she sighed, closed her magazine and turned to Ayumi, awarding her with a rare, small smile.

"I'll do it."

ii

- Later at Professor Agasa's house -

"Conan, you're not doing it right!"

Conan let out a slightly agitated sigh as he held the icing tube and tried to draw perfect swirling circles on top of a vanilla cupcake.

Ai smirked at the man's dismay and went back to her work. Her cupcake was chocolate with vanilla frosting and coconut sprinkles. Everyone could pick different flavors that they wanted to work with. Ayumi chose strawberry with vanilla icing and some tiny marshmallows for toppings. Genta was indecisive on what combination to use so he picked random ingredients and mixed them all together. The end result… well, let's just say that as long as it satisfied his own desires then nothing else mattered. Mitsuhiko chose to make a chocolate cupcake with strawberry frosting and chocolate sprinkles.

"This is hard," Conan was saying as he focused on getting the lines straight. Ayumi was chiding him on his holding techniques and Ai was looking on with amusement written all over her face.

"What are you smirking at?" he asked ruefully, looking at her through half-lidded eyes and she shrugged.

"Oh nothing much. It's just not everyday that I get to see the great detective get lectured on baking." Then she regarded him with a mysterious look that held laughter within. "Perhaps before you marry your girlfriend, you should let her know that you're an incapable man when it comes to cooking," said Ai.

Conan blushed for a second before composing himself and letting out his usual "ha ha ha, very funny" reply.

iii

It was late when they finished. All five cupcakes were laid on the dining table in front of them and the kids were exclaimed happily about their satisfying results. Ayumi was even clapping her hands.

"I can't wait to eat it!" she said merrily. Her eyes shone and brightened.

Ai chuckled. "It's a bit late, don't you think?" she said, looking at the group. "It's not good to eat sweet things at this hour before you go to bed. Why don't we all save it for tomorrow's lunch?"

Everyone nodded their consent.

At that moment, Agasa came down from his room for a cup of tea and saw the kids putting away the baking bowls, measurements, powders and all sorts.

"Are you guys done?" he asked, smiling.

Ayumi nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Professor! Do you want to see our products?" And with that, she quickly took his hand and led him to the dining room where the cupcakes laid on the wooden table.

"Ahh, how delicious," remarked Agasa with a glint to his eyes. Ai knew the professor too well to understand what that glint meant.

"Professor," she said coolly, sending a chill down the old man's spine. He nervously looked at her. "That cupcake isn't for you," she continued nonchalantly. "Too sweet for your age and digestive system."

"Ah come on, Haibara," Conan said, waving his hand dismissively. "Give him a break. It's only once in a while…" His words caught in his throat when he saw her daggers look, and he involuntarily swallowed.

When Conan and Agasa's eyes met, the former showed true, undeniable sympathy in his bright blue orbs.

"Ah, it's getting late," Mitsuhiko said, glancing at his watch, "our parents will be worried. We should get back soon."

"Agreed," said Genta as a yawn escaped his lips. "I'm actually pretty tired…"

"Alright, big guy, let's go." Conan said with a grin. Turning to say good-bye to Ai and Agasa, he caught the former's eyes flit between the cupcake and the house next door. His house. Shinichi's house. Where he no longer lived but another soul did. Subaru Okiya.

"You know," Conan said suddenly when the other three kids and Agasa were already at the door putting on their shoes and laughing. Only he and Ai lingered behind. She looked at him curiously. "I told you before that he means us no harm, right?" By the way she flinched slightly, he knew she was surprised that he was so observant as to catch her in the act of simply looking and contemplating. Conan continued because she didn't say anything.

"You got to trust me on this, Haibara." He was grinning at her, flashing his perfect white teeth. "If you just come over to say hi, I'm sure he'll be very happy. After all, he doesn't know anyone here and pretty much is a loner. He could use a friend." At that, he winked at her and she blinked at him.

"Oi, Conan!" Genta was calling from the door. "Hurry up! It's getting darker."

"Yeah, I hear you!" Conan called back. Giving Ai a comprehensive nod, he made for the door and soon joined the others out in the street, heading for their homes.

As Agasa and Ai stood in front of the gates to the professor's house, Ai stole a look at the house next door and a smirk slowly tugged at the corner of her lips.

A loner huh? That makes two of us.

iv

A/N: This is my first time writing a DC story so please tell me what you think eh? Thanks for reading and double thanks for leaving a review :)