'Want another one?' Jun asked, pointing to the brown bottle before Ken.

Picking it up to show the liquid level well above half, he smiled back continuing to nurse his drink. They'd practiced this deception for years now. The bottle contained non-alcoholic ginger beer. Ken didn't drink, at all. He couldn't given his status as Gatchaman and constantly being on call.

'I'm right for now,' he returned with twinkle in his blue eyes.

'You could always come back here,' Jun indicated her side of the bar, 'and pay for it with services rendered.'

Making a display of turning out his empty pockets, Ken kept the joke going, 'not today, but can you add it to my tab?' A running joke between them, both their cover stories had always been financed through creative ISO accounting. 'I have a mail run this afternoon to fill these,' he teased lightly.

'Likely story,' Jun smiled back.

Her attention caught by another customer, she turned and walked away. Watching her stride towards the other man, Ken admired everything about the beautiful woman. He'd always been fascinated by dark haired girls. He guessed it came from is attraction to Jun. Trying several short term relationships, Ken soon realised his heart wanted only one person. No matter how much the body warming his bed resembled his Swan, so far none had been able to take her place.

Strange, Ken admired Jun flirting with her customer as he lifted the bottle to his lips. Only Jun knew he didn't drink. Only Jun knew of his loneliness. Only Jun seemed to understand him and the massive responsibility he carried on his shoulders. And yet, his mind supplied, only Jun is stopping us forming any kind of relationship outside of the team. People think it's the other way around. Joe believes me to be emotionally stunted and oblivious. Ryu can't believe I don't see what's before my eyes every day. Junpei tries at every opportunity to make me see his sister as a love interest. Don't any of them realise its Jun who's not attracted to me. She sees me as an older brother, someone to confide in, to trust, and to keep her safe. Yes, I know she cares me, as a member of her family. If they asked, I'd have to tell them exactly how much I love her. That I'm in love with her and always have been.

Ken couldn't help recalling the one time he'd tried to take things further. At the end of a particularly hard mission, he dropped by the Snack J. Taking Jun in his arms, he'd tried to kiss her.

Pulling away she'd asked in an irate voice, 'what do you think you're doing?'

'I'm sorry, I thought,' Ken stammered, hurt shining in his gaze.

'Well you thought wrong,' Jun fired back, anger in her green eyes.

'It won't happen again,' he'd promised and it hadn't.

'It had better not.' Softening her tone, Jun added, 'I think of you as my brother, Ken. That's all you'll ever be to me. I'm sorry.'

Things had been a little strange since then. Koji came and went. Ken suspected Jun actually fell for him. They'd regained their closeness after that but the relationship still remained the same between them. Watching as Jun moved to yet another customer, he admired her fluid grace.

This, he mentally berated, is all I'll ever have of her. I have to make it be enough. No matter how I try, I don't think I'll ever find anyone to match my beautiful Swan.