DECEMBER 20

Kyohei almost dropped the soufflé when he turned around and found Takane standing behind him. Sei had asked her to spend Christmas in Tokyo, keeping an eye on him and Amy while Sei, Jo, and Meg went to America.

But that didn't mean he'd expected her to come to Love and Happy's kitchen/classroom. "Jeez, Takane!"

"Sorry, Kyo," the Osaka cop drawled, her boken's hilt peeking over her shoulder. "Didn't mean to scare you. Just want you to know I'm here."

"Thanks, Takane. I appreciate you helping out. But it'll be a while yet. You can wait in the lobby."

"All right." She started to turn away, but her eyes were locked on the food. She smacked her lips. "That said, if you need a someone to act as a taster-"

"Takane."

"Fine."

After Takane had left, Kyo realized he had Shiho's attention.

She sniffed, "So I guess it's a bare midriff that does it for you? I had no idea. Of course some of mind the cold."

"What!?" Kyo said.

Shiho ignored him and returned to her work.

'Well, at least she's talking to me,' Kyo thought. 'That's an improvement over yesterday.'

/

/

"So where's your boss going?" Hayao Ichimonji asked as he and Kyo left the boy's changing room in their street clothes.

"A small town in America," Kyo said. "Amy said it was Sumter, South Carolina."

"What's there?" Hayao asked.

"I have no idea. It's all been very hush-hush - well, more hush-hush than normal…" Kyo trailed off as they entered the elevator lobby. Shiho was seated on the bench by the picture window. The blonde girl Shiho was addressing couldn't have been more unlike her in dress and deportment. Wearing a low-cut top, miniskirt, and leather gauntlets, Akiko Togakure had been abducted by the giant crow the night before Shiho had; the two girls had become friends while recovering in a Bailan medical facility, even though Akiko might have fit in more with the girls or with Takane (who was leaning against the wall to one side). Akiko had started auditing classes and hung out with Shiho after school.

"…nothing to talk about," Shiho was saying. "And I really don't want to go into it."

"Ha!" Akiko said. "So there was something…" She spotted Kyo out of the corner of her eye, then said: "…or someone! I bet you got mixed up in a secret mission from Kyo's employer, didn't you? But you were captured by cyberoids, and you had to be rescued by a handsome member of the Yakuza. You threw your arms around him and pledged undying love only unto him." She laughed. "As if you'd be so-"

Shiho's phone rang. She answered it. "Hello?…I'm sorry, you have the wrong number…Yes, but I haven't applied for a position as a personal chef…" She listened and her back stiffened as she became alarmed. "Wait, how do you know Kyo?…You want me to look out the window?"

Shiho half turned around, looked out the window and gasped. Kyo strolled up behind her and peered over her head.

Jei Kokuren was standing across the street, leaning on a black sports car that - as far as Kyo could tell - was the exact same make and model Sei had. He had the phone in one hand and was waving with the other. He seemed to be smiling.

Shiho slowly brought the phone back to her ear. "Yes, sir, I'll be right down." She hung up, got up, and shuffled past Kyo to the elevator, ignoring everyone else in the room.

After the elevator had closed on Shiho, Kyo looked up at the smaller blister in the ceiling that housed the security camera. "Takane, when we get to the trailer, don't mention this to Amy. She gets upset if anyone but her can hack the cooking school's security system."

"Uh…ok, Kyo."