Kaito just stared and blinked for a moment. Hakuba took it the wrong way in the worst meaning possible. “Yes, he is safe.
“Let’s leave it like this, if you’re so annoyed with my riddles. He leads a double life because he, I think, managed to piss off similar people that are after KID. He is not who you think he is. Conan Edogawa does not exist in birth records or school records before a certain year.
“It may not be prudent to reveal others’ secrets, but circumstances dictate it’s more prudent now.” …Particularly with that Bourbon guy lurking around. It was still why Kaito kept avoiding the agency, too, even though that guy wouldn’t recognize him. Hakuba barging in would be unwise, as Kaito honestly had no idea of what the situation inside was and that could end with Hakuba getting shot. “Let’s just say that time has reversed for him physically, but not mentally. He appears much younger than his real self.
“He is the Azure Dragon. He is Hattori’s detective counterpart when keeping in mind the whole of Japan. He is your detective counterpart in Tokyo. Understand now, detective?”
There was very clear relief on Hakuba’s face when Kaito was able to confirm, at least, that Edogawa Conan was not, in fact, the victim of a case of domestic abuse. This relief dwindled, however, as the other teenager continued on.
Hakuba listened quietly, patiently, assembling each tidbit of information as he received it. These were processed and set in position similarly to best-guess numbers in a Sudoku puzzle, and left to ruminate while he collected more information. No decisions were reached, no conclusions made.
But even with his mental processes ticking away at profiling and tagging each piece of puzzle, the detective’s body reacted as if he weren’t such a rational, logical, human being. He tensed, jaw setting firm, and stared at Kaito with a fierce intensity that betrayed the slowly boiling horror in the back of his mind.
Oddly enough, it was the dragon comment that snapped the whole picture into place and it clicked like a light switch. The resulting audible gasp was one that Hakuba had absolutely no capacity to hold back.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words – of which there were thousands, all competing for a chance to be set loose – didn’t manage to make it out. Hakuba tried again, mouth moving not unlike a koi begging for feed, and finally closed his mouth tightly, one hand lifting to cover it, such was his shock. And surprise.
Everything suddenly made sense. Mostly.
The detective looked to Kaito, wide eyes pleading for some kind of… answer? Reassurance? But he had no words. None that he could form into any sort of coherent sentence, question or otherwise.
And thus, Hakuba was rendered completely speechless.