Timeline: Shuichi's dating Akemi.

Every now and then in life, we question our decisions, we evaluate our acts and situations then compare them to what we expected our life to be, unfortunately, most of the time we find that our life is going in a different direction from what we expected, different in a bad way.

Jodie looked around her apartment as she thought about her life and how much it's different from what she wanted it to be.

Her parents died when she was seven and the people who killed them are still living their life freely. The man she loves left her, its okay –she thought once she accepted the fact that he's in love with some other girl- she will get over him someday and she will meet another man, except that almost one year had passed and Shuichi never left her heart, she sees him in everything. Why can't she just forget about him? He must be having fun with Akemi right now as she thinks about him constantly, she bets he never thinks of her once with Akemi so why should she take the trouble of thinking about him.

She wanted him out of her mind but couldn't help but realized she was truly, madly, deeply in love with him.

Jodie took out the dark grey hoodie from the suitcase placing it on her bed, it was Shuichi's, she had it for years now, ever since they were dating but never dared to get rid of it nor to give it back. But now, It was the time for some change. She turned to face the door dragging the two big suitcases.

three weeks ago…

As Shuichi infiltrated the organization, there was a man –who worked as a bartender- he suspected to be part of them. He sent the report to James who assigned the mission to Jodie to keep an eye on him.

She parked her car outside the bar and waited for him to come out. These missions were always the worst for her, she'd invest so much time and effort with no much reward. She felt tired as sleep started taking over her lids, Jodie opened the last can of coffee she's been saving. Even the coffee reminded her of Shu, there was no escape from him, he is everywhere.

The young man finally left the bar and headed towards his car, Jodie followed him with her eyes preparing to start the engine but the man grabbed a little bag from his car and headed towards the alley on the bar's right on foot.

Jodie's eyes turned wide awake, she's been following him for a week and every day, he'd leave his job and head to his house and stay there all night, this was the first time she notices something suspicious.

She took some quick continuous sips from her drink before she left the car and walked towards the alley quickly, once she reached it, she slowed down.

Her paces were cautiously taken as she sticked to the wall on her right, she walked slowly, right hand reaching for her gun to check it was in its place in her coat.

It was dark, it was cold and the alleyway was spine-chilling. Jodie continued walking when she heard some steps behind her, she stopped, they stopped, she looked back… there was nothing, but then she was certain she heard them.

She started walking again hoping that the young man ahead of her won't notice her until she heard some sound behind her again, she stopped and looked back but there was nothing. Jodie started walking in the opposite direction back to where her car was parked, there certainly is someone behind her and to uncover him now would be better than having to face him in the middle of the long, abandoned alleyway.

She started walking back slowly, heart beating fast, hand on her gun inside her pocket. She reached a Garbage Can and to her surprise, there was a tall well-built man hiding behind it, a man with green eyes she knew too well, it was Shuichi.

Jodie looked over her shoulder fast to where she last saw the bartender but he was nowhere to be seen, she turned to face Shuichi again with an angry glare.

"what are you doing here?" she hissed.

"I'm here to watch him"

"you're not supposed to be watching him, it's my mission"

"I figured he might be dangerous, you might need some help"

"Oh thank you for your help, thanks to you I lost him," she said looking away from him as her face flushed in rage " I've been waiting for this opportunity for a whole week and now it's wasted because of you"

"Is this what I get for risking my mission because I'm worried about you?" Shuichi calmly said as he lit up a cigarette.

"I can take care of myself, and why would you care in the first place, You were the one who ended things" it was a typical thing from Jodie to say, she was always the type to mix all of the things bothering her and to let them out once angry.

Shuichi breathed through his cigarette as he looked at her, he thought she was going to say something else but no, she was actually waiting for his answer "because I was worried about you" he mumbled through the dark.

"when you ended things you didn't worry about me so don't pretend that you care now" Jodie snapped before she started walking out of the alleyway to her car.

"Jodie!"

No response

"Jodie!"

No response, she just kept on walking until Shuichi wrapped her wrist in his grip just before she took the turn pulling her back.

"I'm not pretending, I do care about you, otherwise why would I risk my mission to make sure you're safe" he loosened his grip a little as he continued "I didn't leave you because I don't love you anymore. I'm sure you know that, Jodie."

Shu let go of her, by that time, her anger disappeared as fast as it appeared, she turned to face him and took a moment of thinking before she talked "Are you still dating her?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Shu nodded his head before he took another breath from his cigarette.

"Just keep in mind that they are the enemy, that they are bad people, and that she is a bad person"

Shuichi threw the cigarette from his hand, pressing on it muscularly with his foot "don't say that Jodie, you know nothing about her" he said before he walked through the alley with wide paces, Jodie walked back to her car in the opposite direction.

Three weeks have passed as Shuichi didn't contact Jodie, it was the longest they never talked, Jodie didn't realize how critical what she said was until she reached her apartment, she regretted every word she said, what was she thinking? it was as if she begged him to get back with her, at least that's how she perceived it.

She felt awful for this, and for various other reasons which resulted in her decision.

As she dragged the heavy suitcases, she heard a knock on the door to her apartment. She opened the door exposing the man with the charming green eyes.

"Good morning," she said in a dry tone, blue eyes drifting down on his shirt from embarrassment.

" Good morning," Shu said as his eyes examined the place "so what I heard is true, you really are leaving"

"Yes," Jodie said taking three steps to where the suitcases are "I'm late, my flight leaves in an hour"

"You were going to leave without saying goodbye to me?"

"We don't really talk much anymore so what difference does it make!"

Shuichi got inside closing the door behind him, he aimed for the couch when he saw his grey hoodie placed on the bed in her open-doored bedroom. He walked inside and grabbed it only to boost Jodie's embarrassment, he was over her and dating someone else as she was keeping his clothes.

"I found it in a box under the bed, now you can have it back" she explained. Although it was kept in her closet, and it was one of her favorite things to wear once home alone "I should get going, you came just in time to give me a hand with the suitcases"

"Jodie, are you sure you're going to leave?"

"yes, I arranged everything for me in America, it's where I belong" she sighed.

"I don't understand, you were so determined to stop them so why would you suddenly decide to leave?"

"I want to start fresh Shu, I've had enough with them. Don't worry, it has nothing to do with you, really I just, I want to have a normal life"

Jodie really wanted to start fresh, Shu might have a little bit to do with this decision but it was mainly due to other reasons.

"You're gonna be a loss to us, you were always a great agent," Shuichi said. Jodie nodded, tears almost betraying her as they started invading her blue eyes "what about your parents?"

"You're a great agent too Shuichi, I'm sure one day you're gonna break them for my parents" Jodie took a quick glance at her wristwatch before she continued "Now I'm really really late, let's go, which one you're gonna carry?" she asked pointing at the suitcases.

"I'm not carrying anything"

"what!" Jodie asked, brows rising up.

"I don't want you to leave, why would I help you do something I don't want"

"Shu, it's not the time for your games, I'm seriously late"

"At least tell me why you really want to leave?" he said from his spot resting a shoulder on the doorframe of the bedroom.

"Carry this, I'll tell you on the way," Jodie said as she started dragging one of the suitcases towards the door.

"No, I want to know now" Shuichi walked to her grabbing the suitcase from her hand.

"Shu, give me the suitcase," she said as she tried to pull it from his tight grip helplessly "Shu, let go"

"just give me one good reason y-…"

"LET GO," she said.

"Not until you-…"

"it's because I'm tired okay! I'm tired of everything, of you and of the job and of the organization. I wish I was born in a normal family where my parents would be there to celebrate my birthdays as I grow, I would've dated a normal guy that I don't have to worry about him dying every single day" Jodie's voice cracked as she went on "why did I have to lose my parents? As if it wasn't bad enough, I have to worry every day about all the people I love, why do all of them have to be in a constant danger, even me. It was hard to live this as a child, but now I've had enough, I want to live for myself once, I don't want to worry anymore"

Tears came out of her eyes like water from a dam, ideas she's been keeping for years now and never dared to even think of were coming out of her mouth straight to his ear. Shuichi let go of the suitcases, he wrapped his arms around her tightly cupping the back of her head with his hand running it through her golden hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" he was sorry for her and what she's been through, for not realizing she was feeling all of this, for provoking her to go this far, for leaving her as she loved him...

"take me to the airport," Jodie said through her sobs, Shu pulled himself away to look at her, all the mascara she was wearing was now a black smudge under her eyes, he wiped it off with his thumbs before he reached to the two suitcases. After all, he can't deny any request for her now.

He took a long way to the airport, combined with the traffic that he for once in his life was liking, Jodie missed her flight. She bought another ticket for three days from now but it was more than enough time for Shu to convince her of staying.

half of the meeting are done, finally :D I hope you liked them.