Shyness gave way to embarrassment once the detective finished his song, then turned to mortification when he realized that the response from his companions hadn’t been a standing ovation or stricken with awe – Hattori and Kuroba were laughing. And not just any laugh, but the riotous, falling over each other sort, each holding their sides and each other as their howls competed with their lungs for oxygen.

To be honest, Hakuba wasn’t sure what he’d expected to happen after his performance, or what had possessed him to go up onto the stage in the first place. It was so completely unlike him, particularly in front of his associates that he felt absolutely helpless as he stepped away from the mic and dropped down to the ground level next to the orchestra pit. They were there to investigate the multiple death threats that had been lodged against the band’s lead vocalist, not to live out a silly little fantasy. 

Blush burned into his cheeks and mouth fixed in a tiny frown, he brushed past the heckling pair of hyenas and strode off to make his escape. Let them laugh, he thought coldly, ignoring their calls after him. We’ve work to do.

He was at least grateful that there were few people in the auditorium, minimizing the damage. He needed to find the stage manager for questioning…

“Oiiiiii! Hakuba! Wait up!”

Hakuba turned back to find himself looking at Cona – aka his rival, colleague, and idol in disguise – and blinked, expression guarded. Great… now Kudou wants a turn to stab me right in the heart. 

“How’d you learn to sing like that?? That was really good!" 

"Y-you… really think so?” Hakuba stammered the question out before he could stop himself, letting the praise steamroll right over conventional politeness. “Ah, I mean…”

Conan nodded, eager and child-like as he often was when in public or on the case. It seemed that he slipped into the act naturally as anything, but the child-like wonder added a certain charm to the compliments. “Yeah! I had no idea you could sing! Great detective and vocalist?”

It was almost too much. The blond shuffled from foot to foot, thrusting hands into his pockets in a sheepish display of humility. “Ah, thank you…. My mum was a music major in university – concert piano – so I’ve been involved in music since I was quite young. Choir, piano, violin…" 

"Ehhh?? You play the violin, too?”

The boy smiled in that way that he did when he was particularly impressed under cover – or trying to hide something. It felt genuine that time, at any rate, and Hakuba couldn’t help the warm contentment that always overcame him with such adorable displays. 

“I do, yes… I understand that you do, as well, don’t you?" 

"Yep!”

“As an homage to Mr. Holmes?”

“Of course!”

Hakuba laughed, pleased and amused and alltogether quite proud to mentally file that tidbit of information away with all of the other details that made he and Kudou Shinichi a complementary pair. The others may not have appreciated his talent, as inappropriate as its reveal was, timing-wise. 

And, really, that was good enough for him.