Chapter 2: Rest and work.

The first thought that came to Sherry's mind when she woke up was that she wasn't at her apartment. Maybe it was how different the sheets and blankets felt, the way sunlight timidly came into the room and clashed against her closed eyes, or the faint sounds coming from the other side of the walls. Either way, she knew it. An answer quickly floated up to the surface of her half-asleep, half-awake mind – she was in a hotel room in a little island where she had been sent as part of a mission for the Organization, and that was the second morning she woke up on that very bed. Now in the contentment of knowledge, she slowly opened her eyes and waited for them to adapt to the dim light.

An inevitable blush rushed up to her cheeks when she recognized the figure that curled up only a few inches away from her as being Gin's. Her pulse quickened at the realization, but it got back to a more relaxed pace when a stream of memories flooded her mind with the answers she needed. She recalled the awkwardness of the first night as the blushing two of them lay on the bed and fought to fall asleep, trying to ignore their racing hearts…

Sherry got off the bed and walked into the clean bathroom without looking back at her sleeping boyfriend. The water felt cold as she washed her face, but she didn't really mind. At least, it might help her handle with her seemingly burning cheeks…

She heard Gin wake up some minutes later, while she finished brushing her teeth. His feet made an unmistakable sound as he got up and walked around the bedroom, seemingly trying to clear his drowsy mind. Sherry spit the foamy toothpaste and turned at the door of the bathroom.

'Good morning.'

'Good morning,' the boy answered, turning at her voice and hinting a smile when he finally saw her. 'You woke up early today.'

'It's been about three minutes,' she replied with a shrug. 'And today is going to be a busy day, isn't it?'

Gin sighed and scratched his head, getting his silver-looking hair only messier than it already was.

'Indeed,' he agreed. 'Today is our first big day. We had to wait – otherwise, it would have looked too suspicious.'

'"Too suspicious" this, "too suspicious" that…' Sherry complained with a grin. 'I have lost count of how many times you've said those two words in the last few days.'

'Our target isn't someone we should underestimate,' the boy argued. 'She escaped the Organization and has hidden from them for over a month – don't you think she would easily tell if two strangers started following her right after coming out of nowhere?'

'I'm not saying she has no brains,' Sherry retorted, 'but don't you think you may be worrying… a little bit too much?'

'I'd rather worry too much than see her escape right under my nose,' he claimed, raising his ash-blonde eyebrows at once. 'You know I'm a cautious lad.'

'And one with a notable pride, too.'

'Sometimes, the reasons aren't what really matters,' he argued. 'So? Should we go have breakfast before we get started with the first phase of our mission?'

She nodded and gave him a smile.

Fifty minutes later, Sherry walked out of the hotel into the cool, cloudy day. Gin, who had been chatting with the clerk, ran up to her and made her a gesture, to which the two started walking down the lonely street.

'Was that necessary?' she questioned as she arched an eyebrow.

The boy at her side opened her eyes wide and made an offended look. Sherry simply sighed and looked away.

'Of course it was!' he replied. 'Friendly people are regarded as less suspicious than the average. Besides, clerks and this kind of workers are often treated indifferently or rudely, which makes them value those who are nice to them.'

'So you're virtually buying their silence.'

Out of the corner of the eye, Sherry saw her boyfriend give her a side look. She let out an amused smile and held his hand – Gin, being caught off guard, blushed a little at her touch.

'Don't be so cynical,' he complaint, his cheeks now of a pale red.

'You know what I'm like,' Sherry objected with a shrug. 'Go find a more suitable partner if you don't like cynical people. You have my blessing. Invite me to the wedding, though – I am sure you would look lovely in a wedding suit.'

The boy giggled quietly and tightened the hold of his hand on hers.

'Yet another reason I love you,' he hummed.

'Oh, you do?'

Gin laughed again, louder this time, and then placed a quick peck on her cheek, to which she couldn't help the roguish smile that appeared on her lips nor the blush that colored her face for a brief moment.

'The clerk warned me about something, by the way,' he spoke after a while, breaking the shy silence that had been born between the two. 'Apparently, there's a storm coming up. A big one.'

'When, exactly?'

'In two days' time at the most,' he informed. 'Sadly, it may interrupt our investigation.'

'But that's actually good, isn't it?' she commented. 'An in-between pause will take our target's guard down – and then, when she's relaxed and weak, we'll hit again and finish her.'

Gin smiled and nodded his head in approval.

'Now you're playing the game. However, I'm afraid I may need to get your feet back on the ground.'

'Why?' protested the girl.

'It doesn't matter much. Being a scientist, it's only natural that you-'

'To the point, Gin.'

'I don't think it'll take us two days to be ready to "finish" her, to use your words,' he explained, turning his face at Sherry as he talked. 'If it did, I would deserve three times the money I earn.'

'How long will it take, then?' she asked. They walked around a corner and found themselves in a slightly more crowded street, even if that meant that the only people apart from them were half a dozen of elders having a morning stroll or carrying bags of food back and forth.

'Four, five, six days – it depends on many factors,' Gin finally answered. 'And there's the storm and the delay it may mean, plus how long we've been in the island already… Eight days altogether, at the most.'

'So?' the girl inquired. 'Eight days will do it?'

'At the most.'

'Sounds nice.'

'For the time being, let's focus on today's work,' he pointed. 'It's better to take these things one step at a time.'

'And today's mission… don't tell me… consists on stalking her. Am I right?'

'"Stalk" is a harsh word,' he protested, though Sherry's gaze caught the hint of a smile on his lips. 'I don't "stalk" people…'

'You do, and so are we going to,' the girl retorted. 'We're going to follow her throughout the day (as discreetly as we can, that is), aren't we?'

'We are.'

'There's a word for that.'

Gin chuckled and released Sherry's hand, only to move his arm around his waist and move her closer to him. Still with a smile on his face, he turned and kissed her on her lips. The girl, after her initial surprise, kissed him back and gently pressed her body against his. Even through the layers of thick clothing, Sherry could feel the warmth he gave off, surrounding her like a balmy coat in the cool air of the morning.

When the kiss got to his end, Gin and Sherry kept still, looking at each other in the eye for a while. Finally, hand in hand, they resumed their stroll down the long, quiet street, perfectly aware of the happy, wrinkled faces that smiled at them.

Author's notes:

¡Hola! Hello! Hallo! こんにちは! Salut! Here comes Sherry Furude once more, ready for attack!

First of all, thank you for reading this far! It honors me that you find my work to be worth your time. I hope you're enjoying reading this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Here we are one week later! As you see, I have come back to my common publishing hours. Actually, the only reason I published this fic's first chapter so late is that I hadn't really planned to publish it at all. I had uploaded it to the doc manager just in case, but then I thought to myself 'Why not?' and simply published it. I guess I'm glad I did it - I was dying to share this story with you. Are you glad, too? I hope so! I'm sorry if I made you wait too much for this fic.

Once again, let me encourage you to tell me if you find any kind of mistake (be it of grammar, punctuation, spelling or whatever). I want to improve my writing as much as I can! As you may know, English is not my mother tongue. And oddly enough, as time goes by I'm getting more and more used to writing fics in English rather than Spanish! Also, I would be more than glad to read your opinions on this chapter. Thanks to the anon who sent me a review on the first chapter - you're lovely!

I don't think I have much more to say - so this is it! Thank you again for reading and see you next Sunday!

Lots of love!

Sherry Furude