Chapter 8
Life is a Willow
"Professor! Thank you!' Aoko said with glee.
"I'm glad you like it," came the professor's reply.
"What's this?" Kaito approached them.
"It's my new staff!" Aoko pressed a button and the thin cylinder in her hands elongated into a staff. "Pretty neat, huh?"
Kaito laughed. "It is, it is. And you're itching to use it, I bet."
Aoko nodded enthusiastically, and Kaito couldn't help but smile. He checked his watch.
7:20 in the evening
"Hey, I'm going out," he called. "Anyone want coffee?"
There was a resounding yes, so Kaito took their orders. Most of them requested he get their regulars.
"I'll come!" Aoko said, getting her bag. "You'll need help carrying everything back."
"I've managed before, but yeah that was a bit tricky." He laughed.
They left the building and turned to a small cafe. The same cafe where they first met. They placed their orders and stood to the side, waiting for the drinks.
"I'm glad you guys found me," Aoko said out of the blue.
"Technically it was mom who found you," Kaito replied, smiling. "But I'm glad too."
"I can now relate to my dad when it comes to work; doing his best, over time to get things done, putting food on the table all these years."
"I think you inherited that passion from him."
Aoko looked up at him and smiled. "I guess you're right."
"Hey do you wanna—" Kaito started.
"Yes,"Aoko replied too quickly.
"That was fast."
"I just feel like going with the flow now. Let life take me to where I ought to be. Cheesy I know, but that's what it feels like."
"Then do you wanna kiss?"
Aoko was caught by surprise. "I—"
But Kaito was already leaning to her, and kissed her deeply once.
He drew back and smiled like a cat who just caught a mouse.
"That was sneaky!" Aoko huffed, feeling her face gone all red.
"You said yes before so it counts as yes now," Kaito laughed at her expression.
The sky grew dark, storm clouds threatening rain to fall.
"We better go, the coffee is gonna get cold," Kaito said.
"Okay." But instead of taking a step forward, Aoko tiptoed to Kaito and gave him a peck on the lips.
"Race you back!" Aoko teased and made a run for it, balancing a coffee cup tray in her hands.
Kaito stood there for a second before his brain finished booting up.
"Aoko!' He yelled and laughed as he gave chase.
Aoko led a relatively simple life. If you count spy missions, undercover gigs, and occasional hacking, then it was a simple life indeed. She found a job she loved, people she loved, and a man she loved. (Thinking about the last one still made her blush.)
Aoko just finished eating lunch when Ai called her.
"Can you get info on the plate numbers of the following museum curators? The target is a painting this time," Ai reasoned.
Aoko nodded.
It was 1 o' clock. Plenty of time for her. She cracked her fingers and neck.
Time to get to work!
A/N: Thank you for following this to the end! Taylor Swift's song really inspired me! Please leave reviews, they keep me alive! Til next time!