I spent the next three days recovering. The memories of me fighting that army girl were still fresh in my mind.

Misaki had not called on the two of us since the ambush, and it was peaceful.

I counted the days when I first started working with Pori. I guess it was since Halloween 2020. Had it really been over just a month and a week?

I feel like so much had happenned since then. I went from being afraid of Pori to him now being a dear friend.

The warehouse was getting colder inside so I decided to take a bath to warm up a bit.

While I sat there in the tub I let my thoughts wander.

I wonder how dad is doing? How about my colleagues at work I hope they're getting paid more? And as for Pori, does he consider me a friend?

My mind lingered on the last question even after I dried my hair from the bath. I stepped out of Pori's room and saw him sharpening his sword on the couch.

It glistened brighter with each stroke and looked like it could cut through stone.

"I think it's sharp enough."

He paused for a second before continuing to sharpen it. I had noticed that ever since what happenned on the 4th he hasn't really said much.

He's been less eager to talk and only speaks when he has to. Trying to understand him is so hard.

I sighed in disapointment and went to sit down at the kitchen table. I looked down at my knife belt with my new gun pocket attached. Misaki delivered it to me as a reward for my work so far.

I haven't been paid much and every time I check to see how much I only have about $5,000. I need to work harder if I wanted my payroll to go up.

I had just pulled out my gun when Pori's phone rang. I turned to him as he answered it.

I couldn't understand it because it was in japanese again. It ended pretty quickly and the look on Pori's face was annoyance.

"We have 5 jobs to get done by the week's end."

"What?! 5?! That's crazy!"

Pori said nothing as he headed to his room to change. I looked down at my tshirt and shorts I has changed into.

I don't really have anything to wear for the cold or heavy jobs like this.

I opened my shopping bags laid out on the living room floor and slipped on the Silent Ninja pants, and put on my dress over it. I put the cargo shoes on my feet when Pori stepped out with his usual outfit the only difference being a cloak and a scarf wrapped inside on top of his ninja mask.

"You don't have anything warm Pori?"

He looked at me before taking off his scarf and handed it to me.

"Oh thanks. This is all I need."

I wrapped the fuzzy scarf around my neck and slung my knife belt with gun around my waist.

Pori sheathed his sword and had a suitcase around his waist for his machine gun.

"Ready Pori?"

He nodded and put on his dark eyes mask. And we headed out into the freezing night.

As we drove off through the backroads in the city the cold wind blew through my face making me shiver.

"It's p-pretty cold today."

Pori didn't comment.

"Where is the next job?"

"Takeda Electric Warehouse in the outskirts."

"That's a long drive."

Pori merely sighed as he continued driving.

I went quiet not knowing what else to say. I just tried to stay warm without falling off the motorcycle.

Pori turned to me slightly and when I noticed he looked away.

"Pori what's up with you?"

"Nothing is."

I sat there on the moving bike in disbelief.

"Then why aren't you talking to me? I thought I was more than your work partner at this point?"

"I don't want to talk."

"Is it because I failed the last mission?"

Pori instantly stopped the bike right on the snow and turned to me quickly making me flinch.

"It has nothing to do about you failing. I want to focus on the mission. Not about last time."

"But is it bothering you?"

Pori froze and avoided eye contact. Even through his mask I can feel his conflicted face on the other side.

"Feelings don't matter Paty. When you kill people doing our job is what counts."

I wanted to say something else but his statement made me rethink it. I looked down as he looked forward again and drove us off.

His last words staying stuck in my mind as we headed to the outskirts.

Feelings don't matter?

I guess Pori doesn't see me as a friend after all. I feel like a fool.

Why did I even think I would be ever more than that? I'm just an accomplise simple as that.

"Paty?"

"Huh?"

I looked up in surprise to see we had stopped again.

"We're here."

"Oh right."

I got off the bike after him as he pushed it off the road to hide it. Our shoes crunched in the snow as it continued to fall.

The wind picked up and I started shivering again. Pori found a small rock enclosure and hid the bike under it.

"So what are we doing first?"

"There are several camps laid out in the woods to protect the facility. We take them down and infiltrate next."

Pori said as he pointed to the facility above us on the mountain top. No wonder we stopped here in the middle of the woods.

"Easy enough. Let's go."

I said as I pulled out my gun and we headed in the direction of the first camp using the smoke from a fire as our guide.

It wasn't long before we reached it and we spotted the first guard leaning against a army cannon.

I was about to shoot my gun when Pori grabbed it and held it down.

"Stay quiet! You want to give us away?!"

"Fine you kill him then!"

Pori pushed me into the shadow of the tree to hide me from view. He then jumped up and he started climbing it. I watched him from the ground as he went up.

Before I could start wondering what he was doing he jumped from the tree to the next one and the next one until he was right above the guard.

I watched him quietly crawl back down until he was right behind him. Before the guard could react he pulled him into a choking grip and slit his throat with his katana sword.

He set the body down before climbing back up the tree to repeat.

I stood there dumbfounded as he killed every single one of the guards the same way and we only had to kill the ones in the center of the camp.

But this time I had an idea. I crawed closer until I could get a better look of the camp while still being hidden.

I looked around for anything flammable until I spotted a gasoline tank right beside the fire where the rest of the men were unknowingly eating.

I saw this as my chance and I pulled out my gun and shot the gasoline tank. In a matter of seconds the tank exploded and the remaining men got burned in the fiery explosion.

"Lights out."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and my instincts kicked in and I pulled out my knife ready to strike. But I halted when I saw it was Pori.

"Your reaction are improving."

"How do you think I did?"

Pori turned to the men screaming in burning agony behind me.

"Noisy. What if the rest of camps heard that?"

"They didn't."

"Hopefully not."

We walked away from the campsite in the direction of the facility.

After about 10 minuted passed it was now standing tall right in front of us. But then we noticed swarms of army men camped out in the bulk of the facilty.

"How are we going to get inside?"

I asked and turned to Pori to see him examining the area below.

He nodded in the direction of the window right above a small metal door.

"Can you fit in window?"

"I'll try."

I said as we quietly crawled down the rocks and we approached the door. When we reached the wall Pori bent down so I could stand on his shoulders. After I placed both my feet down he gave me a boost up and I reached my hands out to grab the edge of the window and pull myself up. I almost reached it when I started slipping and I fell backwards.

Before I could fall back Pori stopped me with one hand on my lower back. He pushed me forward to regain my balance and it was enough for me to reach the window and pull myself up.

I was waist through the window when I realized I had to twist myself so my dress skirt wouldn't get stuck. After a little manuvering I slid through and landed down gently. I heard a jump on the other side and I stood there in shock as Pori easily flipped through it and landed gracefully beside me.

"You have to tell me how you do that one day."

"Work first. Train later."

"Alright."