CHAPTER THREE: Enigma

A/N: Is this really necessary? As I sit here suffering from back pain caused by sitting for hours finishing two Chapters in a day and Sipping on my Vodka mix, It dawned to me that since CoAi has officially sunk on the canon, I think Rei and Shiho might actually be a good pairing as well. Of course, I'm also open to the possibility of Ai just finally loving herself at the end as she deals with her issues but I just can't stop hoping for someone to love her back. Come on, the girl has been giving love all this time even though it hurts her. It's about damn time to give her back some Gosho Aoyama.

Disclaimer: He owns this masterpiece.

Rei

She laughed.

For the first time since I knew her, I finally heard her laugh. Raw and Unguarded.

Something about her pulls at my heartstrings. I've never told her that I knew her family still. At first, I thought that must be it- the connection that pulls me to her. But I don't entirely believe that as well. There's something else.

Maybe it's the familiar look in her eyes when she thinks she's safe enough and no one is looking. A look at I recognize everyday as I look at myself in the mirror.

The look of loss and loneliness.

She probably hated me. I became her hunter, but I could never kill the child of Elena- san. I never intended to kill her in the first place.

And looking at her now, laughing and teary eyed. I feel an odd sense of peace.

"What? You know, for old times' sake"

She tried to ease up her laughing and carefully dabbed a few stray tears on her eyes. "Okay. Give me that. " she said while pouting her lips to the bottle of sherry.

As we sit here on a blanket that I brought, a few steps away from the car, he noticed how her eyes seem to gleam against the darkness of the night. He can't help staring as she stare off the distance. She seems lost on her own reverie and he wondered what she was thinking about.

An Enigma, that's what she is or atleast what she is trying to portray. A very difficult person to read. They all wear various masks that he knew from personal experience. How do they take off the mask though? How do they let down their guard and make themselves susceptible? How can they be truly themselves? Their masks keep them safe and it is very hard to let go of security.

She took a swig of sherry from her bottle and turned to him with a mocking look.

"Want some sherry?" she said with a dangerous smile on her wine stained lips.

I shook my head. Not because I refuse her offer but mainly to hide the faint warmth which creeped its way into my face with her innuendo-ridden remark.

This woman will be the death of him.

"Will you be willing to give me a taste?" he answered with the same amount of haughtiness.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Huh. Modesty is indeed a luxury nowadays. You can always feign innocence. Some girls still actually believe and find it charming."

"Says you?" he said in a teasing tone.

She actually snorted. "Innocence would have gotten me killed. Naivety can only take you so far until you get to confront the harsh truths of life and realize you have been living inside a bubble of an elusive perfect life, and that you came unprepared."

"So you think we have to raise children and open their eyes to the cruelty of the world as early as possible?"

Her eyes glazed over and focused somewhere again. Then like she's totally lost in her thoughts and unaware of herself, a small genuine smile slipped through her natural pessimistic persona.

"I thought of that too for as long as I have lived. But lately, I've been reconsidering. I've found people whose innocent and simplistic view of the world, I don't want to taint. Let them enjoy it for a while, long enough for kindness to foster."

"Kindness" I repeated.

"Such a trivial thing, Isn't it?"

"And what is kindness to you?" I asked. I like conversing like this. It has been quite a long time since I had someone to talk about such things. 'They're all dead' I thought.

A smirk formed in her face. "I could ask you the same question. To be honest, I'm still figuring it out. I've always been logical, always relying on the rationality of actions. A few years ago, I wouldn't have taken a bullet or a hit for someone. Survival is the most important thing; heroism is almost the same as idiocy."

"I would have been willing to manipulate and sacrifice people, even those close to me, for the sake of my mission." I bashfully admitted. And it is true. I have deceived and pushed so many people to do my bidding, whether they're aware of it or not. It's not that I didn't care but to me the mission always takes precedence.

"We take pride in our intellect but we act single-mindedly. A definition of an idiot if you ask me." she said as she laughed quietly.

"Glad to know that insulting my intelligence makes you happy" I noted sarcastically.

Her amused eyes again settled on me as she gave me a sexy smirk. "There are so many things that make me happy? Want to know what?"

I know she's only teasing me but I just find her she's just alluring to look at.

The way her naturally strawberry hair glimmers against the darkness of the night and the city lights behind her from afar. The turquoise of her irises are bright with mischief at the moment, staring at them seems to just pull you in and not let go. For the first time, he saw why she was given an alcoholic codename reserved only for high-ranking officials of their now disbanded organization.

Sherry, when she puts in her act and actually uses her weapon, is a dangerous woman.

He must be staring enough because she's now frowning at him. "Take your mind off the gutter boy!"

Feigning shock, I gasped." You did NOT just call me a boy."

"Hmm. What if I just did?"

Got ya. "You have to prove it then."

She laughed and shook her head seeming to realize that she walked in straight to my trap.

I flashed her crooked grin before getting up and walking back to the car.

I returned to her carrying one more brown paper bag. This earned me a suspicious look from her. Sitting down beside her, I pulled out another bottle of bourbon and sherry.

"So you were really planning on getting me drunk on the guise of a challenge?" she deadpanned.

"Yep"

"My my, dear bourbon seemed to forget that I, too, is a member of the same organization with its fascination with alcoholic beverages. What do I get out of this?"

Her confidence that she could beat me in this is rather cute but I am quite sure I have this in the bag. I did not drown my liver in liquor for years for nothing.

"Let me see..'" I said while touching my chin to pretend that I actually have any Idea. In the end, I just shrugged. "Bragging rights. I guess."

This earned me a funny look. "Do I really seem like the type to brag?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Not very much. But you don't seem to be the type to back out of a challenge either. Or are you just scared to lose, sherry?"

I know this would spark something in her and as she slowly smirked, I knew I got her once again.

Another hour later, we're lying side by side probably both regretting succumbing to our pride. The skin of arm gently glides to mine as she shakes with laughter, her other hand waving a nearly empty wine bottle in front of her.

"You look like there's a mop which has been unceremoniously dumped on your head! Whoever gave your idea to dye your hair to match the color of you car deserves a slow, painful death. " she said between giggles.

I turned facing her and propped my upper body with my arm. I glared at her. She seems to be having so much fun in making fun of my looks. If thought that Ice cold Shiho is rude, then unbashful and honest Sherry is just plain horrible.

"I do NOT look like a floor mop! I don't know about you but GIRLS actually find me attractive"

She snorted while still laughing. Seriously, this is getting offensive.

"In case you haven't noticed.." she said while pointing at herself " I am a girl and I still think that ( pointing to my bleached hair) is such a tragic mistake."

I frowned some more. "No, you're different. You're not a normal specimen of a female. You don't seem to find any man attractive!"

"Wrong" she confidently replied. "Of course I can appreciate men. Beauty is beauty. I can recognize it if I see one" she added a shrug for added effect.

"Now you're just hurting my feelings" I scoffed.

In which she laughed some more. I don't know how kudo lasted so long with this conceited woman. I was about to form another retort when she faced me- Eyes, tearstained from laughing too much at my expense and a playful look in her face.

She let the empty bottle fall to the ground and reached towards him, her fingers gently brushing off my fringe away from my eyes.

" Awww, Did I bruise your ego too much?" she continued as she threw me a mocking look.

"Insufferable" I huffed.

Now, I know that I might be overacting a bit about her remarks but she made me second guess my looks and I have always been secured that I looked damn good. No woman has ever called him ugly and had the audacity to laugh at his face.

" Aww.. okay then let me make it up to you then" she said mischievously.

' hmm, two can play this game' I thought.

" Okay, kiss me then" I said as I stared straight into her eyes with a smirk. A direct challenge.

Of course he knows that she wouldn't do this. That's his goal anyway, to make her blush to confirm that he has indeed an effect on this unfeeling woman and tease her to death about it.

She seemed to falter a little bit. 'Good' he thought.

Then she leaned further forward, closer to his face with an undiscernible gleam in her light blue eyes.

'Well, let's see how far you can go' he inched his face forward without taking his eyes off hers.

They're so close now, enough to feel her breath on his face.

She paused and held her face steady- a damning confirmation that she's bluffing. However, their current proximity is undeniably unnerving and doing things to his alcohol hazed brain.

She continued to smirk. "So you think that this little game can prove something and restore your ego, huh?"

Warm Breath. I can feel her warm breath against my lips.

I looked at her again, trying to discern her next move.

She bit her lower lip and smiled.

Then her warm moist lips met mine.

-End of the Chapter-

A/N: Nobody might even see this. This is just me, enjoying my inner monologue while One hand in my pocket by Alanis Morissette plays in the background.

To the unfortunate soul who happened to get himself/ herself here. See ya on my next update!

p.s : Should I write one for Ran as well? I don't know any karate terminologies though seeing I'm as sporty as a stick. I don't hate her, I don't like her enough to do .( insert evil laugh here)