Chapter 1

The sun was shining. The light seem to have engaged in a fierce battle with the cold. During the winter, all of the signs lifted people spirit up.

"Mr. Shuichi, we're very glad that you accept our offer." The man in a suit said while shaking Akai's hand. "As you already know, N.S is a busy company, I expect you at work early tomorrow."

"I understood." Akai calmly said with a little smile. After the organization's demise, he retired as an FBI agent and a security consultant seem like the best position to build a family.

The meeting was brief so not more than an hour after, he arrived home with the smell of fresh baked cookies startling his senses.

"What are you doing?" He hugged his wife from behind, careful not to surprise her. Yes, she was his wife. It might be hard to believe that just a year ago he thought she was dead. Apparently, the woman who died in the bank robbery wasn't Akemi. And she had been hiding ever since. That person was no longer an unnamed demon anymore. However, the story was for another day.

The most surprising thing was the one who had been planning Akemi's death is no other than Vermouth (with some help from Gin, shockingly). Their departure was sudden, since then those names faded in the wind. Four year had passed already; maybe he would leave the ghosts alone.

"I thought that we could make something delicious and greet our neighbors." Akemi placed the cookies on a plate. They had bought a house in a quiet neighborhood. It was quite expensive but you can't put a price on peace. With the money Akai had been saving up in his undercover days and his new salary, money wouldn't be a problem. "Now, don't do that in front of the kid."

"What kid?" Akai asked, still didn't fully understand what was going on?

Akemi gestured toward the couch in the living room. Sat there, a little girl about 3 years old, watched the two adults in a quite a manner.

"Who is she?" Akai asked. He couldn't believe that he didn't know there was another person here, even if the said person was a child. He observed her closely. The girl had long blonde slightly curly hair with bright blue eyes. And she looked quite familiar, but his memory couldn't place her anywhere.

"My name is Kate, I live next door." She took a sip of tea and answered. Had you ever heard of a kid drunk tea voluntarily? He knew he hadn't.

"I met her while I was on the way home and she helped me a bit." Akemi explained, took off the apron. She was new and an adorable child offered to help her carry the grocery was most definitely welcomed.

She was cute, no doubt. But there was something odd about her. Something was bugging him.

"Oh, it's late. I have to go." Kate looked at her watch and panic. "My dad will yell at me. He's quite cranky." She then hurriedly ran toward the door without forgetting waving at Akemi.

Akai smiled at that. I am just being paranoid.

The house opposite of theirs didn't have a bell so they settled with a knock.

Guess who answered the door.

"Yes?" A man with long blonde hair, wore a turtleneck sweater said, with a cookie still in his mouth. Eyes met eyes. Both parties were too shock to say anything. The man slammed the doors in Akai's face and yelled. "VERMOUTH!"

Gin was sure that woman had something to do with it. There was no way she didn't know about this. After nearly twenty years working (and other stuff) together, Gin knew how powerful that woman really is. The world saw her as a cunning slimy snake that got away with everything. In truth, she was the descendant of the most ancient power full line. Her family was almost like the royal of all criminals. And the destruction of Black Organization was only a test to prove that she deserved the family name.

Vermouth calmly lifted her daughter up and smirked. "You know that it's rude to slam the door at the guest, right?"

"GUEST! You call that bastard a GUEST." Gin was fuming. No, fuming was the understatement of the year.

Vermouth put a finger on her mouth, made a face. "Shh! You're scaring her."

"What's wrong with him? They're quite nice actually." Kate curiously asked.

"You mean beside his ego." The giggle and ignorance only added more gas into the burning fire. "I take that you met them."

"Yes, Akemi offered me cookies." Then she turned her eyes to Gin. "Unlike someone." Her (regret to say) father was a great cook. However, he only made enough for himself and only when necessary. He would rather order pizza than cook anything.

"Stop that bullshit! Don't tell me that you didn't know." He finally lost it.

Well, game's over then. Vermouth said with an all-knowing smile. Oh gosh, how much Gin hated that look on her face. "You said you didn't want to know, remember?"

It was about a week ago. In the death of the night, Gin held the equally sweaty body closer to him.

"I heard that Akai is married." Vermouth suddenly mentioned. Gin got quite annoyed. He was very happy, not to mention satisfied until that name popped up.

"He can go to hell for all I care." Gin snarled.

"So you don't want anything to do with him then?" Vermouth said, inwardly smirking.

"You really have to say that." All he wanted to do was sleep. Was it too much to ask for?

That brought you back to the present.

"How could I take anything seriously?" He loathed that self-satisfied look on her face.

"Too bad." Vermouth's smirk only grew brighter.

"I hate you." Gin gritted.

"I know." She placed a victory kiss on the corner of his mouth while Kate made a sound similar to puking. "Go say something to him. Dinner's getting cold."

Gin was pissed off and annoyed. That woman got the nerve to treat him just like toy for her amusement. The door opened with a little more force than necessary. He glared at the newlywed couple, snatched the cookie basket from Akai's hand, took a minute to glare some more then slammed the door… again.

It took them a little time for everything to sink in.

"That…went well." Akemi timidly said.

"Gin is my neighbor."

She nodded.

"He has a daughter (a lovely one at that)."

She nodded again.

"And…He CAN COOK."

She covered her ear.

The wall was thin enough for the couple to hear all the yelling inside.

You could tell Akai to kill a fly from a mile away. He would do it perfectly. But if you asked him to make an omelet, well you could wish you stomach some good luck.

It seemed like Gin is not the only one with an ego problem.