Dime was running along the smooth green yard of the soccer field, with Ginoza chasing far behind. He was calling after his old dog, which still ran like a pup.

"Dime! Come back here!" Ginoza shouted while waving a frisbee.

He wanted to play catch with his dog, but his dog had other plans. Because of the agility and speed of the dog, Ginoza ran like he was chasing a train, and tripped on his shoes. He fell face-down on the grass, much to his disappointment. He really hated it whenever it happened to him. It made him look like a loser. Also, he was hoping Akane would not laugh at him. He turned his head up and looked at his dog far away.

"DIME!" he screamed in frustration. His face had been distorted into one of annoyance. The dog came back to its owner and licked the man's hair. It also licked its owner on the face.

Meanwhile, Akane, who was seated on the bleachers, had her vision far away towards the lights in the soccer field. She did not notice Ginoza tripping and Dime running back to lick his owner. Her thoughts were far, far away, perhaps already reaching far beyond the mountains, or into the sea, or anywhere where she thought that Kougami would be.

Teardrops started to fall from her eyes as the pain of losing him choked her like a tight necklace. His betrayal was enough to make her wear a mask where she could hide her tears or leave them unshed while looking into the eyes of her colleagues with a bright and sunny smile. Inserted between her index and middle fingers was a lit cigarette, letting some smoke waft towards her face. Beside her was a pack of SPINEL, and the lighter was on her other hand. It was true when Shion told her that the scent of someone could provoke memories.

The scent of the cigarette lingered in the air, being picked up by her nose, and tattooed into her mind. Even after Kougami would smoke, when he would take some time before lighting up another joint, his clothes reeked of the smell, and it became something so familiar to Akane. She knew that smoking, or inhaling its smoke, was bad for the health, but it was this killer that was making her alive during her times as a rookie Inspector. But now, this killer was an addictive reason for her to hang on.

"Kougami, why?" she whispered.

The pain became unbearable, and she wished she had not met Kougami to start with. As far as she knew, Kougami was someone who took her attention in just a day of interaction. He had that charisma that had her totally falling head over heels for him. And for her, Kougami Shinya was her first love. Is this the pain of first love?

"Kougami-san, I don't wish to meet you at gunpoint, when I had to kill you by orders. I am faithful to my duty to protect citizens, but please do not make me hate you," she murmured out loud.

If Ginoza had been beside her, he would have heard it. But no. By now, he was the one being chased by his dog.

"Kougami-san, I want to see you again. I want to see you in a neutral state, where neither of us have to eliminate each other. No, please. I love you so much that it hurts me," she went on.

The ashes of the cigarette butt began to fell slowly, until a small portion of the butt remained. But knowing that society hates littering, Akane took out an ashtray from the pocket of her small sling bag that she had with her. After extinguishing the last of the cigar, she retrieved another one and lit it up. She just wanted some reminder that can help her think of Kougami. She could not help it, nor does she want to admit it, but Kougami had her addicted to him.

"Tsunemori! Help!" Ginoza screamed from the center of the soccer field before bursting into laughter.

The scream shook Akane from her trance and looked far ahead. Ginoza was lying on the field, his dog pawing on his chest and licking him on the face. Akane pushed the butt of the newly lit cigarette into the ashtray, and put the tray down on the seat. Hastily, she descended from the bleachers and ran all the way to "rescue" him.

"Are you all right?" she asked in worry, though she needed not be. She just found out Dime was playing with his owner.

"Could you please carry Dime off of me first?" Ginoza begged.

She hadn't notice at all that Ginoza had been very messy because she was in her thoughts, but after his scream for help, it was the first time Akane saw this side of her Enforcer. Ginoza, who was stiff in the office, could be cute and adorable like this. She nodded and placed her arms around the huge dog, then pulled him off from his owner. Dime whimpered and wiggled under Akane's grasp, but it struggled and ran free from her grip.

"Dime!" she shouted at the dog.

She looked worried as the dog ran in circles and coming to a stop to bite the frisbee, which was left on the other side of the field. Then, her gaze shifted back at Ginoza, who was staring at her while panting.

"Thanks," Ginoza remarked before catching his breath.

Akane stretched out her hand so he'd grab her, but Ginoza shook his head.

"No, I am full of Dime's saliva, and I'm a mess," he replied before catching his breath. "Damn, that dog sure is free like the wind."

Free like the wind.

Just like Kougami, Akane thought.

Her thoughts flew back to Kougami as she watched Dime still biting and pawing at the frisbee, that she did not notice Ginoza helping himself to his feet. She only noticed he was up on his feet again when he ran over to the other side of the field to chase his dog. Him looking like that elicited, for the first time, an amused and genuine laugh from Akane. My, my, it had been weeks, probably, or months, since she laughed like that.

~~.

Dime was already exhausted, so Ginoza carried his beloved dog inside of the car. The moment the dog hit the backseat, it closed its eyes to rest. Ginoza's shoulders slumped, and a sigh escaped his lips. Akane's watchful eyes looked at him before her lips open for a remark.

"You look so cute with Dime," she told him.

A small smile was painted on Gino's face as he opened the door for her.

"The word 'cute' doesn't suit me. It suits you, Yayoi, and Hinakawa," Ginoza replied.

It elicited another laughter from Akane, and to Gino, it was like soft snow fell down from the heavens and gently landed on a scorched earth.

"Thanks for accompanying me, Tsunemori," Ginoza told her.

"Akane," she said. "Call me Akane when we're out of duty."

"Okay," was Gino's laconic answer.

Akane's lips curved into a smile before getting in the car. Ginoza went inside as well and started his car.

"Akane, I hope you don't mind, but I'll be transferring over to my otousan's cubicle," Ginoza informed her, sounding nostalgic.

Akane gave him the go-ahead signal. It must have been hard for him too, she thought. She was wrapped up in her own misery that she never noticed that those left behind were also coping with the losses in their own team.

"Please be all right, Ginoza-san," Akane told him.

"Why?"

"Now that you've mellowed, you sometimes sound like your father, giving advice, looking after me," Akane said.

"I was the head of the team before my fall from grace," Ginozan replied, bitterness peppered in his words.

"Please don't say that," Akane told him, soothing his bitterness. "I still need you."

Those words sounded like a promise from her, like she promised that they will look out for each other.

"Thanks," Gino replied with a smile.

"But a part of you is still you, Ginoza-san," Akane told him. "You are obsessed in keeping my Psycho-Pass clear."

Gino smirked, his green eyes glancing at her for a bit before turning his attention back on the road.

"After I drop you off, sleep well, okay?" Ginoza advised her. "This is not coming from an Enforcer to an Inspector, but as someone who's concerned of you."

"Ginoza-san…"

"And don't light up a stick tonight, I implore you," he told her. "At least, when you sleep, please forget about Kougami."

Much as she didn't want to, but Ginoza's advice was sound.

"All right…"

~~.

Akane kept her promise. She did not light up a stick. However, thinking of Dime and Ginoza happily running around the soccer field made her realize she could have a therapeutic technique of her own, to clear her mind of Kougami.

If lighting up a cigarette is forbidden to her, she might as well use another mean to distract herself: exercise. So, in her little room, she did jumping jacks while listening to the music provided by her holo jellyfish.