"Chad-san!" The grumpy officer turned but smiled like a proud father when he saw Kei and Nina

- Kei being gawked at, Nina being waved at - sweeping around the corner of the hall. He chuckled.

"Well, hello you two. What're you here for?" His brow scrunched. "Hope yer not here for the

Benriya. That pair ain't here - " Kei waved him off as they approached.

"Oh, we're not here for them, Chad-san. We brought something ni-ice," She sing-songed, holding the

basket up with a grin.

"Brownies!" Nina shouted, and a majority of the staff looked up with little-kid smiles, rushing over to

check out the goods. Kei placed it on a table, smiled beatifically at several stuttering men, and turned

to give Chad-san an affectionate hug like a daughter. Nina giggled.

"Enjoy, old man." The 'old man' grumbled, but helped himself to several steaming, gooey brownies and

began to stuff himself.

"K-Kei-san?!" Kei spun around to see Cody, blushing and holding an enormous load of paperwork,

struggling under the weight. As he set it down on a nearby table, she squealed and ran at him.

"Cody!" Cody replied with an audible 'oof!' when she glomped him. "Ooh, I missed you!" Kei gave him a

friendly kiss on the cheek. "How are you?" Nina gasped, scandalized, and darted off to a group of laughing,

kindly older women.

"U-uh, I'm great," He stammered, cautiously hugging her back. When he got no negative reaction, he gave

a nervous smile. "I thought you were an angel when you turned around - ack!" Poor Cody realized that he

had just spoken his thoughts aloud, and steam poured out of his ears.

Oh dear Lord what did I just say

"Aw, that's very sweet, Cody," Kei giggled, touching noses with him before pulling away with a twirl.

"Thanks!" Relieved that his secret was safe, Cody chuckled and rubbed his arms. He felt a tug on his jacket

and looked down to see Nina, holding up a plate of brownies with a mischievous grin.

"Brownie?" She offered, innocent as a lamb. He smiled and said thank you very much, and reached out to

take one, but she yanked it away, laughing. "You hafta pay, Mister Cody!" He blinked.

"Pay?"

"Yes!" Nina cried. "You have to - um - uh - give Kei a kiss too!" He turned fire-engine red.

"W-what? But that's - she won't consent!" He glanced at the said girl. Kei cocked her head.

"If it's on the cheek or something, then I'm fine." Nine cheered.

"Yay!"

"But -"

"Come on, let's just humor her." Kei looked up at him. "Unless you'd prefer not to -?"

"What? No! I'd love to!" He shouted, then clapped his hands over his mouth. Crap, he'd done

it again! But Kei thankfully just chuckled and tapped her cheek with one finger.

"Go ahead, Cody." He blushed one more time before leaning forward.

"... /"

"Eek!" Nina shrieked, and covered her eyes. Cody pulled away quickly.

"Uh, sorry." He apologized, rubbing the back of his neck. He ignored the death glares that the

other men were shooting at him, including his boss.

"You better be," Adkins muttered, then gulped his coffee down.

"It's not such a big deal, Balfour. Lighten up!" Kei shoved him a little, laughing. He brightened up.

"I guess so… "

"Well, let's go! It's over, it's done! C'mon!" Nina pulled at Kei's arm, impatient. Kei shrugged at the

officers.

"Let's take our leave then. It was nice seeing everyone!" They took back the now lighter load of

baked goods, and were given a sad but warm goodbye.

"Ugh, I'm so jealous of Nicolas-san… " Cody sighed, plopping down into a chair, but popped back up

when he sat on a half-eaten brownie.

"Hey! Who put that there?!"

"... I swear to God, Cody...!"