A/N: This is a sort of sequel to a story I wrote called Disappear. It would probably make more sense if you read that first...

Koemi's lips twitched into a smile. She struggled to remain serious, but the confusion etched onto Takigawa's face as he tried to interpret the note that Koemi had written was so hopeless that she couldn't help it.

"Bou-san," Mai giggled. "Koemi had to teach this to me for weeks before I remembered it." She scooped up Koemi's new kitten and rubbed his ears between her thumb and index finger.

"I should know this," he complained, throwing the paper on the ground.

"It's a mix of Theban and Malachim." Koemi said. "So no. You really shouldn't know it."

"But I should!"

"Just because you want to know it doesn't mean you should." Mai reprimanded him. "Anyways, it's our secret code. Even if you knew the different alphabets, you'd have to be able to crack—."

"Nonsense. You'd have to crack absolute nonsense." Koemi interrupted. "Which is why it took so long for me to teach to Mai. I had to teach both alphabets AND the code."

"Teach me," Takigawa begged, reaching for Mai's shoulders.

"No way!" Mai dodged his outstretched hands. "It's a secret!"

"So you two have secrets now?" Yasuhara strode into the office, adjusting his glasses mischievously "How are you guys today?"

"Good," Mai and Koemi chimed together.

"Ready to be better?" He wiggled his eyebrows at them as he undid the collar to his school uniform.

Both girls regarded him suspiciously. "I don't like when you speak like that, Yasuhara," Koemi informed him.

He chuckled, claiming a seat beside Koemi and taking her hand. "Oh come on, it's a good surprise. Close your eyes."

Mai blinked as Koemi hesitantly obeyed. "This isn't going to be one of those close your eyes and open your mouth or hand pranks, is it?" Mai teased.

Yasuhara winked at her. "Unfortunately, no. It's a serious surprise."

Koemi's face lit up as he helped her stand and approach the door. "Is it a puppy?"

Mai scoffed, stroking the kitten. "Don't listen to her, Takeshi. She loves you the most."

Yasuhara grinned, leading her around the coffee table and to the door. When it swung open, Mai and Takigawa barely contained their excitement. Yasuhara put a coy finger to his lips and led Koemi's hand onto a shoulder.

"What am I touching, Yasuhara?" Koemi demanded, squeezing the shoulder and shaking it. "Am I touching a person?"

"Open your eyes," the shoulder's holder murmured.

Koemi's eyes flew open at the recognition of the voice. "Oliver!"

He smirked down at her, his eyes as unreadable as ever. "You cut your hair," he touched said hair hanging by her chin.

"Surprise," she grinned, hugging her arms around his waist. There was an infuriated hiss from Takeshi and he clawed at Oliver's foot viciously. "Oh, and we got a cat."

Oliver looked distastefully at the creature. "Vermin."

"Be nice to Takeshi. He doesn't like sharing," Koemi gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek and turned to Eugene, giving up Oliver to the others. "How was it being home?"

Eugene beamed at her, taking a hug. "It was fun," he tapped her nose and backed up. "We ran into David and Rose and had a nice chat. They had a lot of questions about you."

"How were they?" Koemi picked up Takeshi and stroked his glossy black fur absently. "They should drop by."

"They were good…excited. I wouldn't really call traveling from London to Tokyo 'dropping by', though." he scratched his head and dragged his suitcase out of the way of the door.

Koemi hummed in agreement and plopped down on the couch. "Did you guys figure out where you're staying?"

Oliver settled down in his chair at the front of his coffee table. "Lin is making arrangements for when he flies in. We're staying here tonight."

"Oh?" Koemi eyed the couches. "Comfy…"

He scowled and laid his head back, sighing. "How was your brother's place?"

The teen's face lit up. "Oh! I actually rented out a place and Mai and I split the cost."

Mai broke in brightly, "you could stay with us for a while. It's a big apartment. There's a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room with a kitchen and two whole bedrooms! It's massive! We're renting it out from Kazumi-san, and the rent is pretty cheap."

Eugene joined Mai, looking shocked. "Are you sure you'd want us as guests?"

Takigawa rolled his eyes and sat beside Koemi on the worn leather couch as she answered. "We wouldn't mind. After all, it's been like two months since I've had any alone time with Naru."

Oliver closed his eyes. "It sounds better than these couches."

Koemi stood protectively in the center of her living room, eyeing the SPR crew. "When we invited the boys to stay, we didn't mean to invite all of you."

Masako hid her smile behind her sleeve, linking arms with Eugene. "You can't keep them all to yourself, Ayumu-san."

Oliver concealed a yawn and rubbed his eyes. "Ko, could you show me where your room is?"

Koemi skittered towards him, settling on the couch beside him and leaning her head on his chest. He shifted, wrapping his arm around her.

"You know the best thing for jetlag is to stay up all night," Koemi reminded him. "I can fix up some coffee if you want."

He glared down at her. "It will fix itself if I can get some sleep."

She straightened and gave him her own icy stare. "I'd rather deal with grumpy you for twelve hours than for a week."

"You can't make me," Oliver shrugged away from her and stood. "But I can sleep in Mai's room just as easily."

Mai sweated, pointing down the hall obediently, "She's the second door to the left."

"God damn it, Mai," Koemi snapped at her roomie. "Sorry, John," she offered the Catholic exorcist. "But still! Mai! He's going to be absolutely wretched for the rest of the week if he can't adjust to the time zone."

Takigawa snickered and elbowed Ayako. "Look at them, they're like an old married couple."

She rolled her eyes and swatted him away. "At least they're actually acting like a couple. To think they went for over a year without displaying any affection…"

Koemi blinked at the two. "It's because we hate each other." To display this, she punched him in the arm.

He stumbled a step and cast her another irritated look before striding to her room. Koemi yelped and pursued him, yanking at his sleeve childishly. "Oliiiiiver. Please, you're so mean when you're tired!"

He pulled her into the room, wrapping his arms around her waist. "How do you plan to keep me awake until bed time?"

Koemi's eyes widened slightly before she looked up at him with hooded eyes. "Mmm," she tilted her head thoughtfully and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm sure we can come up with something."

"Koemi!" came a voice at her bedroom door. "Koooemiiiiii! Wake up!" The door flew open to reveal an irritated Mai wearing crumpled night clothing. The first thing she saw was Oliver's smooth, bare chest above the blankets tangled around his waist. His arms barely concealed Koemi's naked body.

Mai squealed with horror, covering her eyes with her hand. "Ohmygod."

Eugene peered over Mai and shook his head at the two teens.

Oliver sighed and shifted, cracking his eyes open to look at his assistant and brother. "What do you want?"

Eugene flushed at Koemi's now exposed chest, averting his eyes. "A client is scheduled to meet with us today at noon. It's almost ten."

His twin sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. "Of course." He nudged his girlfriend, pulling the covers up to cover her. "Wake up, Ko." He yawned. "We need to get ready for work."

Koemi groaned and pulled the covers over her head, rolling onto her stomach "Nooo."

Takeshi tilted his head and pounced towards her, yowling indignantly at Oliver.

He pulled the blankets down to her waist and rubbed her back gently, sliding the kitten away with one hand. "Stop acting like a child." Taking notice of the others in the room, he snapped, "this doesn't require an audience."

Mai flushed and backed into Eugene, yelping with surprise and closing the door to scurry away.

Oliver returned his attention to Koemi. "Get up," he stood and dressed himself in yesterday's close, a pair of slacks and a cozy black turtleneck.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, her short hair a nest of tangles. "Do we have to?"

The now dressed teen turned towards her with closed eyes. "I know it's unpleasant but bear with me."

She slid out of the blankets and stretched, fully exposed to her boyfriend. "Fineeee." She crawled over to her closet and sluggishly dressed herself in a bright purple shirt and blue jean shorts.

Oliver smiled slightly as he buttoned up his black shirt. "This is the first time I've seen you in color for a long time."

"You could at least stop with the mourning clothes," Koemi fixed her hair in the mirror and peered back at him. "You don't need to be sad anymore."

"I'm not," he replied. "It's just that it's all I have."

Koemi stared at him blankly. "Are you kidding me?"

He shrugged, fixing his color before turning towards her. "I have to keep those fools in line."

She rolled her eyes and picked up her discontent cat. "Shh, Takeshi-kun. Momma's here."

Oliver closed his eyes. "How are you?"

She heard the shift in his tone and didn't look at him. "Just fine," she told him, thinking about Mao. "I'm just fine."

He nodded tersely, saying, "good."

She stroked Takeshi. "Takeshi-kun is our baby now, Kazuya-chan."

Oliver huffed in brief laughter. "Whatever you say."