Early February, 1963

New York, the United States of America

"Mr Braginski, I am your representing lawyer. My name is Arthur Kirkland." He started, sitting down on a cheap plastic chair inside the prison cell.

"Mr Kirkland, it's a pleasure to see you." Ivan greeted, with no hint of fear or worry. He was seated across the wooden table, only a few rays of sunlight managed to crawl in the cell.

"Mr Braginski, please tell me everything you know so I can help you cleanse your name." He spoke dully, as if it was a routine to ask his clients the same questions.

Silence. Ivan didn't speak, only turning his head to face the little barred window at the highest point of the tiny cell. Arthur trailed his eyes to follow Ivan's gaze. All he saw was the few rays of sunlight, but apparently Ivan saw otherwise. "Now I understand why the sunflowers tend to follow the sunlight." He finally spoke, words deeply accented that gave off a exotic feeling.

"I'm sorry, come again?" He asked, knotting his brows together as he saw the engrossed look on Ivan's face. What was so bloody interesting about the sunflowers?

"People are the same. We tend to follow what we think is right; we tend to follow what we think are dreams. But how are we so sure we aren't mistaking the sunlight for moonlight? Just because it shines doesn't mean it's the one we should follow." He stated, finally tilting his face over to meet Arthur's widened emerald orbs.

"I am different, I'm afraid. I follow who I work for, and now I work for you; not the government." He said, aligning his fingers together and gesturing Ivan.

"That is why you're following the moonlight." Ivan smiled, not a cheeky one, but a genuine wise one. This feeling made him remember the one he was waiting for back at home. The one person who always gave him wise advise and the one person that didn't see him as a heartless monster. His love, Wang Yao. "I can see that you're not happy with what you're doing. Is it because you're defending a Russian? Or is it because you never wanted to defend anyone in the first place?"

There was a painful silence, but broken by Arthur. "Mr Braginski, you will have to go to court two months from now. Is there anything I should know to help this case?"

"All we both must know is we both are innocent." He said, not losing the smile. The side of his face was highlighted with a pale yellow, the other side mysteriously shadowed. Yet, Arthur didn't feel any threat from him, he even felt some warmth. Even in the coldest of people, there was a way one could emit their warmth.

"Both of us?" He inquired, slightly leaning forward to have a closer view, as he placed his still aligned fingers on the table.

"You're defending a Russian, I'm pretty sure the intelligences from all over the world would be on your case." He gruffly said it, as if he was ashamed to admit the fact that he endangered someone who was helping him, even though Arthur was reluctant, he was at least trying because of his professionalism.

"Mr Braginski... Do you perhaps, have a family?" His question was plain and simple, but it had huge impacts on a lot of people.

"A family... I have two sisters, one is staying in Ukraine, and the other..." He trailed off, eyes travelling to the ceiling, as if hoping they were seeing the same sky, sort of. "My younger sister had gone missing many years ago. I don't know where she is, I don't know whether she's alive. All I know that she is a lovely girl called Natalia and was suddenly missing when she was six."

"Natalia, you say? I can help you track her with my authorities, if you like. Natalia Braginski?" He asked, leaning close while supporting his jaw with his fists.

"No, we were all born by different fathers... I don't even remember her surname... What a pathetic brother I am." He chuckled bitterly before looking out a tiny window again.

"Then, do you have a girlfriend or a wife, perhaps?"

There was a brief pause, unsure how to place his words. "Not a girlfriend, not wife; but a special someone waiting at home."

Arthur was slightly...amused with his statement. This man was a homosexual? How was he so open minded about it? Homosexuality was still considered a criminal offence in some countries! "Is that special someone in New York?"

Only a vague nod bobbed his head slightly, not even using any force.

"Yes? How long have you been residing in the States?"

"Maybe... My whole life?" He asked himself, pondering, as if reflecting his life in America. The air was stuffy, the room was dark, only illuminated by the same few rays of sunlight.

"Your while life? How? I thought you couldn't leave the Soviet Union without a legitimate reason."

"That's because my father lied to the government. He was a respected general, some even gave him the nickname, 'General Winter'." He theatrically enlarged the words of 'General Winter'. "One day, he told me he couldn't stand the life of living in Russia, so he pretended to tell the government that he was going on a mission in America. And that was how he secretly brought my mother and I over. Sadly, we couldn't find Natalia during the shipping and she..."

"I'm so sorry for Natalia. How about your other sister in Ukraine? Did she come?"

"If she could she wouldn't stay there. Her father didn't allow her to come with us, and Natalia's adopted. So we're all by different fathers."

"Ah, I see." He said, nodding to himself. An awkward silence soon started to suffocate them. Finding no need to continue this session, Arthur quickly dismissed them. "Terrible apologies but I have to run some errands. I will see you soon, Mr Braginski."

"Yes, Mr Kirkland." He answered, before adding, "And please, call me Ivan."

All of a sudden, he remember the silly wish he made when he was 12. That he wanted to be 'Mr Arthur' rather than 'Mr Kirkland', that he didn't want to be a fool to follow the footsteps of his father. The true dreams he wanted to follow, the genuine happiness he had... What happened? Since when did he take on the law firm? Since when did he start dealing with petty clients? Since when did he start defending people who he thought wasn't worth defending? But after hearing Ivan's saying about the sunflowers, after hearing Ivan's past, he felt so enlightened, so awake. What has he been doing these years?

But there was something he was sure of: he wanted to defend Ivan Braginski, because he did nothing wrong. This was perhaps, the true purpose of his job in the first place.

"All right, Ivan." He said, running the name of his tongue for a test, before adding, "Then please, call me Arthur."

"Very well." He said. "Arthur."

Arthur finally got home, stressed and somewhat relieved to know that he was doing the right thing - defending an innocent man. All this while, people on the streets have sent glares and looked at him with the corner of their eyes, all because they thought he was betraying the country. But now, he understood Ivan's saying as well. He was going to follow sunlight, he will follow his will.

"Darling, would you like a cup of tea?" Lili called from behind, resting her palms on Arthur's shoulders and gave him a little massage.

"No, thank you. I just had some trees today, and I think that's enough sugar for a day." He smiled, placing his hand on one of Lili's hands, allowing her to stop. She then followed his wish and say next to him on the couch.

"You had tea? With who?" She inquired; on the surface it looked like a jealous fiancée, in actually fact it was because she had a gun in her purse. Yes, she was a spy too. It really felt pitiful because she gave Arthur genuine happiness, but she was doing this just for the fact that he might spill some information while drunk. She had a secret lover she parted from before coming to Arthur, and she sincerely hoped that Arthur would find his true love. Every time they kissed, every time they hugged, she was felt guilty for spitting false 'I love you's and embracing the one she didn't really love. She had a lover, back in Liechtenstein. She had a lover, who wasn't a man.

"Don't worry, love. Just a childhood friend of mine. We're practically like brothers. His name is Alfred, and I'll introduce you two on our wedding, all right?" He said lovingly, caressing her face while gazing deeply into her eyes. As he gazed, he somehow saw Alfred's eyes flash by. How it was the same shade of blonde, how their eyes resembled... Maybe he really did choose this girl because he reminded him of Alfred - his long lost other half. Well, at least, five years long.

"Alfred... Oh! Yes! Someone named Alfred called while you were gone!" She gasped, gripping her skirt in realisation. "He left a message! If I'm not wrong, he wants you to meet him at the 'old place'? I believe he also mentioned a football field?"

"A football field, you say? I think I know where it is. Did he ask for a time to meet him?"

"He said to go at sunset. Isn't it strange? Do people still use terms like this these days? Why couldn't he just give a specific time?"

"Did he say today? It's almost sunset." He said casually, peering out the window as the skies turned into the shade of sepia.

"Yes, dear. You better hurry!" She urged, as Arthur got up and put on his coat. Really, right after he got back, he had to head out again.

"I might not be back till late, so don't get worried, all right?" He smiled warmly before heading out, leaving Lili alone in the well-lit townhouse. Her eyes snapped from the door to her Swiss army knife she took out from her pocket of her A-line skirt. The little knife her brother gave her before she was sent to the mission.

"Kill him if necessary, Lili. He's dangerous." His voice was strained, tired and exhausted. Honestly, she was expecting a barbarian, but she had actually developed feelings for this gentleman. Well, platonic feelings. They shared the same hobbies, had the same tastes in art; they were really a perfect 'couple'. Unfortunately, she couldn't get over the rough, manly girl back in Liechtenstein. In fact, she was Hungarian.

"Elizabeta, I must go. I have joined the Swiss intelligence." She muttered, eyes not daring enough to meet Elizabeta's eyes.

"What? You're not even Swiss." She commented, forcefully wincing back her tears, biting her gums to prevent her from screaming in frustration.

"I'm half Swiss. My mother is Swiss, my brother is Swiss." She stated, trying to sound as flat as possible. A swoosh of wind flew past them, in the backyard of Elizabeta's house. The grass was prickling her foot, her blonde cap of hair tickling her cheeks, as twilight came upon them.

"Your mother may be Swiss, your brother may be Swiss; but I know I fell in love with the girl who was from Liechtenstein." She said, trying to close up the distance between them. But as she did so, Lili abruptly took a step back to remain the distance. The words that flown out of her mouth only reminded Lili how wrong their love were; how sinful, yet so rewarding...

"No, you're wrong. I don't have the pure blood of Liechtenstein." Her voice was low, but low enough for Elizabeta to hear. "I'm part Swiss."

And that was how she mercilessly tore away from her secret true love; venturing into danger, venturing into darkness, and venturing into her life as a spy.

To be continued...

A/N: Again, apologies for such capsule sized chapter, I'm endeavouring to elongate further chapters. Thank you for following the development of this story.