Shiho entered the password to the electronic Keypad. She unlocked the door to her apartment and walked inside with Dai behind her. She threw her purse on the couch, took off her coat, and headed to the kitchen.
"What do you want to drink? I have some wine…Orange juice... and…"
"Water's fine." Dai answered as he took off his jacket. He certainly did not want anything to do with alcohol when with her.
Shiho grabbed two empty glasses from the cupboard. She filled hers with wine and Dai's with water. Shuichi was standing next to her floor-to-ceiling window, enjoying the view of Tokyo from the high rising building.
"I've been here a couple of times but I never told you that you have a very nice view." He said with his back turned on her, facing the city.
"Now that I think of it, you only come here to fight." The closeness of her voice when she answered caused Dai to turn to face her. She handed him his glass.
"Yeah, that seems like the case." He replied, recalling the few times he visited her; one time after she'd left with Gin and he came to talk some sense into her and they ended up fighting, and the other time was after she'd kissed him and that did not go well either.
"To peace?" She raised her glass of wine.
"To peace!" Dai repeated, raising his water and clinking her glass.
Shuichi drank all of the content, Shiho just took one sip. She joined him to look out of the giant window.
"I was thinking about moving out." She said.
"Why?"
"Nothing particular. I feel like I need a change."
"The only change you need is that of a boyfriend."
Shiho looked at him from the corner of her eye, Dai was staring at the city underneath them. If changing boyfriends were to be a simple thing, she'd certainly choose him to be with her.
She felt so tired, so sad and hurt, and desperately needed someone to heal her. But every time, she had to suffer all by herself in this empty home. She wished she could take a step closer and lean on Dai's shoulder. She was sure he could take all of her pain away but he was not hers, he was Akemi's, he is the one meant to heal Akemi and she couldn't be greedy to take him away from her only sister.
"How did you start dating him?" Dai suddenly turned to face her, and his greens were enough for her heart to fasten its beats.
"I don't wanna talk about it." She said, turning towards the couch and taking a seat. Dai joined her in the living room.
"If you don't wanna talk then why'd you invite me up here?" He asked, taking a seat in an armchair.
"There are lots of things to discuss, Dai san, just not that particular topic."
"Okay. What do you want to discuss then?" He asked, keeping his eyes on her and holding his hands behind his head.
Shiho looked into his mesmerizing eyes. She wished she could tell him everything, all of her anger and sadness and pain, but she just couldn't. She wanted to inhale his distinguished scent and to hug him for so long to heal her wounds but it was inappropriate, especially after the last incident between them. She did not want to discuss Gin with him but somehow, it was the only thing on her mind right now. She didn't feel like talking about anything else.
"I don't know" She sighed.
"I think you need someone to talk to. Bottling up your emotions won't get you anywhere. You could always tell Akemi and she could help."
"No, Dai san, I can't."
"Why?" He brought his hands down from the back of his head.
"What do you want me to tell her? That I've been seeing Gin behind her back? Or that I'm…" Shiho stopped talking. Tell her that she's in love with her boyfriend? Hell no!
"She could help you."
"I don't want her involved. I don't want her to worry about me."
"Sometimes it's okay to let people worry about you. You're going through a tough time so the least you deserve is someone else's support. If you continue on keeping everything to yourself you'll end up suffering like you are right now."
"I'm not suffering."
"Stop lying to me, Shiho. I already know everything so there's no need to do that anymore. You don't have to hide it from me, I'm not here to judge you, I'm just trying to help."
"I can't tell her." Shiho whispered. She was convinced that she doesn't deserve Akemi's support. How could she ask for it after betraying her?
"Then I guess you're the one who's impossible." Dai said as he got up from his seat. Shiho followed up and got to her feet. Why this fast? She thought.
Knowing he was about to leave, Shiho felt a part of her gone. She wished he could stay with her for the whole night but she knew it was impossible. What she knew too is that once he leaves, her house will turn cold and empty and she'll lose every feeling of safety.
"I gotta go now, take care." He just said and aimed at the door.
"Wait! Dai san." She called.
Shuichi stopped in his tracks. He looked at her over his shoulder questionably.
"Can I… Can I hug you?" She asked, a bit embarrassed. She decided to take her chances despite everything that happened for she desperately needed that.
The agent hesitated for a while before turning to face her. "Of course."
He was happy that his speech worked on her since this is the first time she actually reaches out for someone to give her support.
Shiho approached him with fast steps while he extended his arms. In those few seconds, it was like nothing else existed, no Gin, no organization, her mind was crystal clear. She finally reached him and she threw her body against him wrapping both of her arms around his torso and holding him close. Shuichi did the same, he lifted his head up sheltering hers under his chin. It was a nice, warm, bear hug that Shiho wished would go on forever. She could feel her wounds already healing.
Now Shiho didn't raise her hopes, she expected Dai to end it fast but to her surprise, he did not. He just kept her close sending her all of the warmth and safety she needed, she could feel his long arms encircling all of her body and pulling her close. It felt wonderful!
They stayed like that for a long moment until he decided to pull back. Shiho felt like she'd lost something with him and she felt empty again.
"Will you be okay?" He asked with a husky voice.
"Yes!" She nodded, but it was a lie, She's going to break down soon as he leaves.
"Alright. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!"
(~)
After a long day at work, Akemi couldn't wait to go back home and rest. She left her workplace and finally got home. To her surprise, she found Gin waiting right next to her apartment door. Seeing one of the organization members could never signify good news, but being the cheery girl she was, she welcomed him with her trademark smile.
"Ah, hey, Gin! What brings you here?"
"I came to tell you something, won't take long of your time." Gin replied.
"What?" She asked with a hint of worry.
"I came to tell you about your boyfriend. He's been screwing other women behind your back."
"No wait, that's impossible." She giggled as she unlocked the apartment door. Akemi trusted Dai unconditionally. She just deeply believed that he's not the type of man to cheat.
"You think I'm joking with you?" Gin sternly said, wiping away the smile from her face. "He's been screwing Vermouth for a while and I didn't mind it until I found out about his other affair."
Akemi frowned. She gestured for Gin to go inside and closed the door.
"What? What are you talking about? Dai kun would never do that!"
"Well boohoo, he did! Turns out, he's been screwing your sister too."
"No!" Akemi shook her head in disbelieve. "No way!"
"It appears you're not as bright as your sister, no wonder she's the one pursuing a career in science." He smiled at her, bringing out his phone and showing her a picture of Dai and Shiho entering the latter's apartment building with Dai's hand on Shiho's back. "You see that?"
"That doesn't mean anything." Akemi shook her head. "He could've just gone there to-…"
"To screw her." Gin interrupted, nodding his head with satisfaction. "You're just in a state of denial, you'll get to it over time."
"That can't be true." She shook her head again. Akemi felt her heart tighten, she couldn't believe anything of what Gin was saying.
"Did he ever tell you about his visits to her apartment? Because he's been visiting it quite frequently."
"Ah, no. But that doesn't mean that what you're saying is true, Dai kun would never do that." She stopped and swallowed hard. "Shiho would never do that to me."
"You need to wake the fuck up, people do shit to each other all the time. I caught them both in the act."
"No way!" Akemi said. "Just… what's your gain of telling me this? Even if it's true why take the trouble to come here and tell me?"
"Oh! She didn't tell you, did she?... Shiho and I have been dating for years now. I'm a little insulted that she did not tell you about me but well, it's all over now anyway. I caught them doing it in her apartment just now and I beat them up for it, I thought you should know about it too."
"You're lying" She whispered.
"Watch your language. I'm not even going to bother with you, you're Pitiful as you are. Just think about it, if she kept our relationship from you for years, what else could she be keeping?"
Akemi placed her hand on the wall for support, she felt like she was going to fall. Gin turned around aiming to leave.
"One more thing, She actually knows he's been cheating with Vermouth, I'm surprised she didn't tell you that either." Gin said before closing the door behind him, leaving Akemi standing in disbelieve.
(~)
Akemi walked back and forth restlessly. When she heard the key turning, she stopped and turned all of her focus to the door.
Dai appeared, he glanced at her and turned to close the door. The first thing she noticed was that he was wearing the same clothes that appeared in Gin's picture. This is not a good sign!
"Hi." He greeted.
Akemi walked towards him. She was going to tell him about everything that Gin had told her until she spotted some scratches on his neck. Could those mean Gin really did beat him up? Could what Gin had said actually be true?
"What's that?" Akemi asked, pointing at his neck with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
"It's nothing. I got them in training." Shuichi answered. He certainly did not want to tell her he fought Gin because she's going to ask why and he didn't want Shiho's secret exposed.
Akemi just glared at him. Could he really be playing her for a fool?
"Hey, you okay?" Dai asked.
She just continued glaring. He approached her to inquire what's wrong but to his surprise, Akemi grabbed his black shirt and lifted it up exposing his abdominal muscles and the multiple bruises on them. She raised her eyes up to meet his.
"Was this part of the training too?"
Shuichi sighed. He took his shirt back from her grip, sliding it down on his bare skin.
"Alright! I got into a fight. I didn't want you to worry… How did you know?"
"A fight with who?" Akemi still stood in her place, not allowing him to move forward to the living room.
"This is turning into an interrogation." He calmly said. But on the inside, Shuichi felt worried. She's acting really strange. Could it be she exposed his true identity?
"Just answer my question."
He sighed… "You don't know him."
"What's his name?"
"Why do you care about his name?"
"Dai kun?" She glared.
"It's Daiki, satisfied?" He said before preceding her to the living room. Akemi turned around and followed him.
"Alright. And where have you been all day?"
"What is it with you tonight, Akemi?" Dai asked, a bit annoyed.
"Just answer me!"
"I told you I was in training."
"You've been there all day?"
"I was there all day."
Shuichi was really in training. The organization's training facility was located next to the lab, it was a perfect location since the area was isolated. But that was before he'd met Shiho and Gin in the parking lot.
"Are you sure you were in training? Weren't you at Shiho's? And the person you fought with, you sure it's not Gin?"
Shuichi's eyes grew wider for a second. How did she know? It's Gin! It has to be him, he must've come here and told her. He surely did not see this coming. Now lying will be pointless, nevertheless, he needed to be careful with his words to protect Shiho's secret. Shuichi took off his knit cap and threw it on the coffee table, he passed his fingers through his long hair pushing it back.
"I did fight with Gin… The last time you heard I fought with him you gave me a hard time, I just didn't want us to go through that again. I didn't want you to worry." He said, referencing the time he first met with Gin, Akemi kept nagging him for days because of that incident.
"And what did you two fight about?" Akemi asked, her voice shook at the end of the sentence, she was scared of hearing the answer.
"It's about work... Baby girl, you-"
"Don't call me that." She suddenly raised her voice, leaving Dai startled. It was the first time she ever yells at him. "Why did you go to Shiho today?"
"It was for work."
"Then why did you say you were in training all day?"
"I stopped by her house but I didn't stay long, I thought it's not worth mentioning."
"How come it's not worth mentioning? I didn't even know you knew her address."
"Well, it's for work, Akemi."
"How do you expect me to believe that after you lied to me about the fight and about where you were? I just asked you two simple questions and you lied about both of them"
"Wait... Are you saying that something is happening between me and Shiho?"
"You tell me." This time, her voice fully broke and tears streamed down her cheeks, but she tried to keep her composure. "It happened before between you and Vermouth so why not Shiho as well?"
"What? That's not true! Did Gin tell you that?"
She nodded with trembling lips.
"That's not true, he's lying to you. How could you just believe him? Don't you trust me?"
"That's what I told him at first, I told him that he's lying until you came here and lied to my face about everything…"
"No, that's different" Dai shook his head.
"What's different? You lied..." She sobbed "I was so stupid I didn't believe him, so I called other members from the syndicate to ask…" She stopped and sobbed again. "They all said there's something going on between you and Vermouth… But my sister Dai kun? My sister? How could you do this to me?"
Dai cursed Gin for causing Akemi to believe that. He knew how manipulative the other member was, this is probably how he managed to keep Shiho by his side for years, by manipulating her like this.
"None of this is true! This is just a huge misunderstanding... Look Akemi, I have never cheated on you with Vermouth or any other woman." Shuichi said softly, approaching her and placing his hand on her shoulder, she brushed it away.
"Don't touch me...I can't believe you anymore, Dai kun." She whispered through her tears.
"I can explain-"
"Don't, just get out…"
"...Akemi!"
"Get out!"
(~)
Shuichi left the apartment with his blood boiling. He brought the pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lighted one up, inhaling it deeply. He got to his car and drove around hoping to calm himself, but he failed to. He was enraged about how things went. All because of that manipulating bastard.
When he realized his attempts to calm down weren't working, he decided to head home. He parked his Chevy and walked inside the elevator. The place was empty, no one was around in the parking lot.
Shuichi pressed the button but before the door could fully close, a hand stuck to the inside opening it again. A man with a black coat and dark sunglasses appeared. Shuichi can't recall seeing him in the apartment complex before. The two men rode in silence till they got to Shuichi's floor. The agent took a step forward to leave the elevator but before he could do, the man grabbed him and placed a chloroform soaked rag on his nose. Shuichi struggled to escape the man's grip when the other lifted his elbow and plowed it to the agent's head to silence him. By that time, the chloroform worked its effect and Shuichi fell unconscious before he could feel any pain...
Next chapter: Shuichi is abducted? Akemi faces Shiho.
