They arrived at the store, hand-in-hand, at about 10:45. Yohji
was waiting at the door,
expectantly. When they walked in, he chuckled.
"That's the face," he whispered to Ken, "they obviously had a lot of fun last night."
"No, you don't think...?" He was baffled, but he looked at Ran and Aki and how giggly and
happy they were acting. Like, how he'd poke her and she'd tip his nose, or how he would hand
her a flower and she would smile. "Yup."
"Yup what?" Omi asked them. Yohji chuckled again and slapped the boy on the back.
"When you're older, boy, when you're older." His voice trailed off.
"Yohji! I am older!" Omi yelled and stalked off. They heard a jingle and all turned to see Manx
walking in.
"Ran, Aki? If you would, follow me?" She led them down to the basement.
"We have some info on where the target will be later today." She looked at their inter-locked
hands, smirked, then went on, "He, somehow, gained free access to an exclusive pool. Aki, you
could get in easily. Ran, you'll have to wait outside the premises.
"What if he rapes her there? I need to be there." He looked at Manx with such intense emotion,
Manx was taken aback.
"Yeah, I will need my swords when the time comes. Can't you get him in?" Aki asked hopefully.
"We already pulled quite a few strings to make sure Kritiker agents were there. Mostly
unattractive so you'll stand out Aki." Aki nodded at her sullenly. Ran looked over at Aki,
reassuringly squeezing her hand. Manx let out a little cough.
"Well, here's the place. Aki, your pass is in there too." She handed Ran a folder. Manx turned
around and left the two on the couch. Aki buried her face in Ran's shoulder. He brought his hand
up and played with her hair.
"I'm nervous, Ran. I'm so close, what if I choke?"
"It'll be okay, you'll do just fine. Besides, I'll be there right outside the window." Aki took
Ran's free hand and held onto it.
"Thank you."
"I love you, Aki. I won't let anything happen to you." Ran said gently. I won't... ever.
expectantly. When they walked in, he chuckled.
"That's the face," he whispered to Ken, "they obviously had a lot of fun last night."
"No, you don't think...?" He was baffled, but he looked at Ran and Aki and how giggly and
happy they were acting. Like, how he'd poke her and she'd tip his nose, or how he would hand
her a flower and she would smile. "Yup."
"Yup what?" Omi asked them. Yohji chuckled again and slapped the boy on the back.
"When you're older, boy, when you're older." His voice trailed off.
"Yohji! I am older!" Omi yelled and stalked off. They heard a jingle and all turned to see Manx
walking in.
"Ran, Aki? If you would, follow me?" She led them down to the basement.
"We have some info on where the target will be later today." She looked at their inter-locked
hands, smirked, then went on, "He, somehow, gained free access to an exclusive pool. Aki, you
could get in easily. Ran, you'll have to wait outside the premises.
"What if he rapes her there? I need to be there." He looked at Manx with such intense emotion,
Manx was taken aback.
"Yeah, I will need my swords when the time comes. Can't you get him in?" Aki asked hopefully.
"We already pulled quite a few strings to make sure Kritiker agents were there. Mostly
unattractive so you'll stand out Aki." Aki nodded at her sullenly. Ran looked over at Aki,
reassuringly squeezing her hand. Manx let out a little cough.
"Well, here's the place. Aki, your pass is in there too." She handed Ran a folder. Manx turned
around and left the two on the couch. Aki buried her face in Ran's shoulder. He brought his hand
up and played with her hair.
"I'm nervous, Ran. I'm so close, what if I choke?"
"It'll be okay, you'll do just fine. Besides, I'll be there right outside the window." Aki took
Ran's free hand and held onto it.
"Thank you."
"I love you, Aki. I won't let anything happen to you." Ran said gently. I won't... ever.