The time the sun finally rised, a little boy was already running behind a jewelry shop. Rocks in his hands, he eagerly threw them to one of the windows. Not too strong enough to break them, though.

One rock was thrown. No reaction. A second rock was thrown, still no reactions. The time he threw a third one, the window suddently opened, showing the very sleepy face of a young girl. Well, of course she received the rock right on her forehead.

" Oh my Heaven what the... ! "

Now fully awake by the hit, she rubbed her face with her hands, groaning. She then looked outside of the window.

" Nathan ! "

The blond-haired little boy started so smile sheepishly, feeling guilty as charge.

" Sorry, Gab, but you weren't already up like you promised " , apologized Nathan, stroking his hair. " I thought something probably happened to you. "

" No, no, I was already up " , she corrected him with a little smile. She looked tired. " I was just finishing a little something. "

Interested, Nathan started jumping around. He was short and already excited.

" Oh ! Please tell me what it is... "

" No. " She immediatly rejected.

" Aw. " He pouted in silence.

" But~ " , Gab added with a little smirk and closed the window.

While Nathan kept on looking on the window, the woman changed quickly her clothes, rearranged her hair, stepped out of her bedroom, went downstair and opened the back door of the shop.

" ... But what ? " finally asked the blond haired boy.

A smile as a single answer... Before she gently threw a rock on his hand.

" Hey ! That hurts ! "

" Don't exagerate, I didn't even threw it at full force. Just a little payback. "

After the daily departure of Nathan, the brunette finally got the time to prepare herself before the opening of the shop. Weeping the floor, organizing the products, making her long hair in a ponytail, braiding her brown-degrading-blond unique streak of hair, she was already done.

She then went upstairs, in her parents' room. Her mother was still sleeping on the bed. Gab poked her mother's forehead.

" Hey-oh! "

Only a groan has been heard. She was a heavy sleepy. The daughter then tried to shake her around.

" Wake up, mom ! I won't open this jewelry shop all alone ! "

" ...again... 5 hours... " groaned in silence the sleeping mother. Gab sighed and then whispered in a more serious tone.

" Lucille, they are there. "

She woke up fast and stoop up on the bed. Well, this sentence sure has worked again. Lucille actually began to panic.

" Oh no, oh no, oh no " she muttered. " They can't be here right now to collect the monthly money and nothing has happened so far- "

" And I stop you right there, the client isn't there. " Gab stopped her. " You sound like if we were full of debts, which, technically speaking, will never happen ever. "

Noticing the absurdity of the situation, she started to giggle.

" Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie. I just had a weird dream of that kind. " She smiled and pat her child. " So I guess I'm late on opening the shop ? "

" Oh, no, don't worry, I did the dirty job before waking you up. " Gab smiled sheepishly. " I also got a visit from Nathan. "

Lucille suddently had a disapproving face. Gab quickly caught on a thought.

" Mom ! It is not like that, I swear. " She furiously blushed of shame. " A little bit more and he would destroy the window for the second time this month ! "

" That was not what I was thinking about, sweetheart... "

" Stop with those nicknames, it's embarrassing. " Gab silently cut her.

" I was about to say that you should be careful. You do know he must not know anything to keep him safe. "

Gab nodded in agreement. Of course he shouldn't know that.

" But he told me something interesting. " Gab suddently remembered about what he told her earlier that day.

" I'm listening. "

" He told me... " She started with a grin, because she found a reason to flee that awkward situation by looking at the clock. " He told me that it's 10 minutes away from the opening and that you aren't ready, mother. "

" Oh crap. "

Lucille always was a hard-working lady, taking care of her only child. She has an unbreakable love for her husband, which was from a arranged marriage but turned very right, and her now-adult daughter. The jewelry shop was an inheritage of her own mother and she had her own way to create her accessories. Naturally, all of that went in Gab too (as of her appearance), with a little talent of drawing the designs to please the clients and being a perfectionnist on this matter. Almost working like twins in perfect harmony.

" 5602... 5612... "

Lucille started counting her money while there was no clients, hours after the opening. Generally, it was the people either in medium class or in high class going to her, knowing her products are on point. As for the gold, it was all thanks of her dear husband Takumi. He works at a faraway mine and brings all the best things for the family, at the cost of him leaving very early and coming back very late.

" So... " Lucille started to break the silence.

" Yes, mother ? " Gab wasn't looking at her. She was too concentrating drawing a design of a necklace for a client.

" Tell me, what did he really said ? " She finally asked her child.

" Back at him, hum. " Gab kept drawing next to her, then suddently muttered. " For Heaven's sake, how do you want me to find an interesting way to assemble several gems without messing up the context of simple ? "

" The client who asked us to change three times the design because it was too 'extra' for their wife ? " The mother wondered.

" The client who asked us to change three times the design because it was too 'extra' for their wife. " The children repeated while groaning. " I will make you sure that if he comes back to me to tell me to change again... "

" Gabriella dear. " She called her out before she even started to swear. " Language. "

" Yes, mother. " Gab apologized.

Awkward silence.

" And stop avoiding my question. What did he said ? "

" Well, he said that recently 2 of his neighbor disappeared. The town is starting to get worried. "

" Oh, I heard that. " Her mother looked around. " I don't think it's enough to report to them, thought. I'm pretty sure they're old enough to come back and we're not the town's babysitters. "

" But... They're children.. " Gab looked at her mother, her left hand on the bracelets she always wore. " I think we should call the Order. "

Lucille sighted. " Look sweetie, I know that you're trying to be cautious about the situation, but... "

She stopped when she noticed that her daughter was obviously worried about it.

" I've just got a horrible feeling about it, mom. "

The mother considered the option and finally sighted. She can't say no to that face.

" I can't believe I'm about to do this... " The old lady finally answered, to end with a muttering " And I bet the Church would want its daily money and accessories. "