Last update of the year :) I'll be back in the new year with more! Promise XD

Hope everyone enjoys their holidays!

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Chapter 21

"You did what?!"

"Shh… Keep your voice down," Misaki instructed.

Kanami stared at her like she was insane and all Misaki could do was sigh. She had promised her friend that she would inform her of the latest events, which happened to be the situation with NJ-629. They were discussing this at Kanami's place, due to the sensitivity of the information. Despite her reaction, along with November's reaction, Misaki couldn't place him in the hands of the government – not if she wanted to keep her conscience clear.

"Let me get this straight. You put your own career on the line for a Contractor," Kanami replied.

"Technically, yes, but he's only a boy."

"You are too soft. Where's your sense of justice? He wronged many people with his actions!"

"My sense of justice is perfectly fine, thank you. It's that sense of justice which disallows me from reporting him," answered Misaki. "He isn't like other Contractors. He felt remorse for his action; his sense of logic is that of a child, regardless of his Contractor abilities. They would only rip him to shreds to determine his secrets… If not train him to be a pawn… You know that."

"I guess," she said with a sigh. "Still, Horai is going to be on your case if you don't close it which you can't now…"

"That's fine. As long as he doesn't act out again, then it'll be fine. It's better than what they would do if I did close the case."

"At least next time, tell someone. You're not going to be so lucky next time," Kanami warned. "It's not safe for you to be out and about alone, even if you are an officer."

"Warning noted."

"So what happened to the kid anyways?"

"Well, I brought him home and told his parents that I found him wandering the street – which isn't a lie. They were relieved, yet angry at the same time. I left him in their care. I'm sure he got a good spanking, if nothing else," Misaki stated with a grin. "I'm sure he'll think twice before he acts out again."

"Did he tell you why?"

"Bullying… His family is poor. You know how ruthless other kids can be because of something like that… He wanted to prove to them that he could get the things that they had."

"Maybe we just need to deal with a better school system, where teachers are more aware of what happens outside of their classrooms," Kanami replied with a sigh. "Then maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"Maybe, but you know it has been like that forever… Even when we were kids."

"Which is why you wanted to be an officer in the first place," Kanami pointed out.

"Exactly. Justice isn't only for humans."

"If only other people thought the same way too and if only Contractors didn't act out the way they typically do."

"We do what we can," Misaki answered with a smile.

**********

Sitting alone in the darkness of his office, November closed his eyes as he remembered her words. He still couldn't understand how Misaki would willingly take the blame for the sake of a Contractor. Though he was still a child, he was still a Contractor. He didn't have anything against Contractors, but it was the fact that he had still done wrong, even if it wasn't as dramatic or horrific as murder. Essentially, he was getting off scot-free, regardless of what she said.

The other thing that continued to resurface from that evening was her gentleness and patience as she dealt with the boy. If it were him, he would have just thrown him in jail without listening to his story. Not her. She took the time to learn the boy's name, and set him at ease so that she could learn his reasons behind his actions.

It was the elusive softness to her that he had only seen when she was with her boyfriend prior to this. Though she must be tough on her subordinates, he couldn't imagine that she would be unfair. After all, she could treat a Contractor with fairness, her sense of fairness, when it was her duty to capture those who did wrong.

His mind recalled the event with a vividness that had seeped into his dreams – unhealthy dreams. Last evening had not helped in the slightest as he remembered staring at her slim figure while she was speaking on the phone, standing by his front window. If the boy hadn't been there, and if he wasn't despised by her still, he could see himself walking up towards her.

His arms itched to hold her close and his nose tickled to bury in her hair, breathing in the scent of her. Yet he was still no closer to doing that than he had been since day one. They had spoken briefly, her answers concise as she had kindly dropped him off by his car. She didn't even say goodbye or check that he was okay before she drove off.

Growling softly to himself, something was wrong with him. He was taking this too seriously. The point of the challenge was to make her fall for him. This was not the right way to go about the task. Even as he reminded himself of his purpose, he was nowhere closer to finding the right solution. All he knew was that he was going to have to try harder.

**********

"Hello?"

"Hi Yin, is Li home?" Misaki asked.

"Yes, just a moment…"

Misaki smiled as she heard her footsteps as she ran to get him. She had spent the evening with Kanami to update her on the status of the NJ-629 case. In the end, she had sent him home without even asking about his power or his remuneration. She supposed it didn't really matter what they were since he had promised not to use it again.

"He'll be here in a minute," Yin said as she returned. "You're still coming over this weekend, right? Oh, I have so much to tell you!"

"Yes, of course. I promised that I would. You know I wouldn't back out of a promise."

"You do sometimes," Yin grumbled. "When something happens…"

"Fine, fine. I wouldn't willingly back out of a promise then," Misaki corrected with a chuckle.

"Yin, you still need to finish your homework."

"Aww… Fine…"

"Hello Misaki darling," Li stated with a slight drawl.

"Oh please… Don't talk like that," she replied laughing. "You sound absolutely dreadful!"

"It's punishment for making me wait. How did things go?"

"Ah… There's so much to tell you."

"You know I have all the time in the world for you," Li replied with a smile. "So tell me absolutely everything. Start right from the beginning."

"Okay, okay."

Misaki started off by telling him about her wanderings thoughts, how she questioned if she should have trusted November in the first place, despite the fact that she was already there. She went on to tell him about the sound of breaking glass that had startled her and how she had seen him running out of the store.

She then went on to tell him about November's surprising appearance as he had captured NJ-629. The story continued with the fact that the Contractor was actually a boy and how they ended up at November's house because she wasn't sure what to do with him.

"What did you do anyways?"

"I let him go," Misaki admitted slowly, bracing herself for another outburst.

"And November caught him for you?"

"Yes… I don't know which surprised me more: the fact that he was only a child or the fact that November would actually show up at such a place. I mean, he already gave me the information to begin with."

"Which is how he knew exactly where you were, almost," Li pointed out.

"Still! Would you expect him to show up? Him, of all people!"

"No, of course not…"

"Exactly. I struggled with the decision for a bit. Kanami even called while I was with him since I put his case on immediate alert before this," Misaki explained. "But in the end, I just couldn't put him through it. You know, better than anyone else, what they're capable of… I couldn't possibly put him through that! So I took him home and let his parents deal with him for sneaking out."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"More than sure."

"Well, then what can I say? You know you're stubborn to convince otherwise once you get an idea in your head," Li stated with a grin.

"You don't think it's crazy?"

"It can't be any crazier than us being friends. So no, I don't think so. That is just how you are and we both know it. Contractor or human, your brain just doesn't seem to register that sort of thing."

"You make it sound like a bad thing," Misaki whined.

"Darling, of course it isn't! It's who you are – just the way I like you."

"Not again!" she complained.

"So tell me what happened with November," Li replied with a chuckle, steering the conversation to the more interesting aspect as he had seen that part himself.

"Nothing to tell there."

"He didn't try to do anything?"

"No, he just insisted on coming along when I was driving Ikeda-kun, that's his name, home. I know he thought I was crazy – I could see it on his face and hear it in the way he protested," Misaki said. "I even got that reaction from Kanami, at least initially. Then she remembered that I've always been like this. Then she had nothing else to say."

"That's it?"

"Pretty much… After I dropped off Ikeda-kun and spoke to his parents, I dropped off November by his car since we took mine to his place initially."

"You didn't look around at his house?" Li inquired.

"No, of course not. I was trying to decide what to do with Ikeda-kun. I didn't even think anything of it. Why are you asking all these questions anyways?"

"Because it's November! I mean, it just isn't like him at all! I'm still having a hard time in believing that he showed up there in the first place…"

"Oh well," Misaki replied dismissively.

"Fine, I won't ask anymore. Tell me more about the boy. This is the first time I've heard about young Contractors like this."

"There isn't that much to know. I didn't ask too many questions, but I will tell you what I do know, alright?"

"Sounds good to me."

**********

Li smiled as he hung up the phone, glad that Misaki didn't realize that he had actually been there to watch everything up until the point where she left with November and Ikeda-kun. He wasn't surprised that she had let him go. In fact, he had expected that after they had determined with certainty that he was only a child.

It was November who bothered him. He was going way out of his way to help Misaki. Though he didn't think that would win her over, it wasn't a good sign on November's half. It wasn't impossible for his type to fall in love, and he wouldn't be surprised if he fell for Misaki. She was the sweetest, most considerate person he knew and he had met plenty of people in his lifetime.

Thankfully, he didn't have to worry too much since she was oblivious to her own charms. The only downfall was that she wasn't observant when it came to the opposite gender – not when it came to relationships. As a result, he couldn't fully analyze November's state of mind; not unless they were actually meeting in person.

After this weekend was over, things should return to normal for their routine. He hadn't been able to pick her up as frequently as he had in the past. Perhaps he would get the chance to meet November again… He was looking forward to that. But before all else, he had his own agenda to see to as there was something that he needed to do; something that only he could do.

Glancing at the clock, it was getting late. Yin should already be in bed by now as they had already discussed the issue for well over two hours. Quietly making his way to her room, Li carefully opened her bedroom door to peek in on her. Like he had surmised, Yin was asleep, her butterfly nightlight turned on. Just as quietly as he had opened the door, he closed it and made his way to his own room to rest for the evening.

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A/N: No cliffhanger here! Thank goodness... Otherwise that would be so mean~