"Welcome to my place," said Miki as she opened the door to her apartment.

"Nice place you live in," Akama commented. He was pretty surprised that Miki lived in such a high-end area. It looked like an exclusive apartment building and her unit was at the top level, the penthouse.

"You sounded disappointed." Miki noticed from Akama's voice that he didn't expect her to live there.

Akama chuckled. "No, it's just that I've always thought you're the type who would live a simple life."

Miki couldn't help but felt rather offended at the comment. "It doesn't change who I am just because I live in such place."

Akama noticed the hint of resentment in her voice, he quickly said, "No no, don't get me wrong. I'm glad to know you live well all these times." He gave her a light nudge on the shoulder. "Don't be so sensitive."

Miki rubbed her shoulder. "Sorry. It's just that I've known some people, especially guys, who feel rather intimidated."

"Ah…I see. I wouldn't blame them," Akama said cheekily.

"Chief!" Miki protested.

"Sorry sorry!" He quickly apologised before she got mad at him again.

"Actually, you're partly right. I do feel a bit uncomfortable living here at the beginning. After my gymnastic career took off, I suddenly had all these funds, mainly from sponsorships and endorsements. I didn't know what to do with them. My accountant suggested I should invest in a property," she explained.

"Wise decision," Akama agreed. "There's nothing wrong with enjoying life when you can afford it. You've worked hard to get here."

Miki smiled again. "Thanks for the approval. Means a lot coming from you."

Akama laughed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Miki couldn't be bothered explaining. She knew Akama was the type who did not care about material things. He always thought of other people first and foremost before he thought about himself.

"Come on in." Miki hopped to the nearest table and leaned against it to make way for Akama to come in and bring in the bags, crutches, and wheelchair.

Akama observed the apartment. It was spacious and….pink. Soft pink walls, white couch with bright pink cushions, pink rugs, pink tablecloth and a lot of pink knick knacks around the room.

"You do love pink, don't you?" Akama teased.

"Uhm…" She looked around her place. "It's that obvious, huh?"

"I knew you were Goggle Pink, but I didn't realise you love the colour Pink this much," Akama went on.

"Well, that's what happened when you're exposed to same colour day in and out. It becomes part of you," Miki reasoned.

Akama laughed again.

"Can you stop laughing at me?" Miki pouted. "Pass me the crutches please."

"Sorry," said Akama as he handed her the crutches. "I can't help it, you're adorable," he said as he lightly pinched her cheeks.

Miki pouted some more although inside she was rather happy being called adorable.

"Let me show you around," she said as she hopped along.

"Don't worry about it. You need to rest your ankle," Akama said worriedly when he saw Miki hopping around.

"Well, at least I need to show you your room," she said.

"Let me carry you," he said as he lifted her up before she could say anything.

Miki giggled and put one arm around Akama's neck. "That way, Sir," she said as she pointed to the direction of the bedrooms. "You're not fair. You wouldn't let Aoyama piggy back me but you keep carrying me."

"Well, I don't drop you on the floor like he did, do I?" Akama said.

"Tsk, why are you so mean to him?" Miki teased.

"I'm not. It's the fact that he can be rather careless at times."

"Pfft. Sure, Mister oh-so-careful Goggle Red who read gossip magazines," Miki teased him some more.

Akama shook his head. "Want me to drop you?"

"No no! Thanks. This way, please," Miki said grinning.

Akama paused at the hallway when he saw a large framed picture of the five of them which was taken way back during their sentai days hanging on the wall.

"Wow," he said admiring the photos.

"You guys had never stopped being a big part of my life," Miki said.

Akama nodded and moved along.

"You can put me down," Miki said when they reached the spare bedroom. It was a neat room with a double bed, a small table and a chair, and a built in wardrobe.

"Sorry, it's rather dusty, no one ever lived here before so I hardly come in here to clean it," Miki said.

"No problem," said Akama as he put her down on the bed.

"There are some linens in that wardrobe, just help yourself. Bathroom is just next door. And my bedroom is just across. I'll let you settle in while I go and change," she said hopping to her own bedroom.

"Need help?" Akama asked automatically.

"With changing? No thanks," she said as disappeared to her own room.

"I didn't mean that…," Akama muttered to no one in particular.

Akama walked over to the window and opened the curtain to let some sunlight in. He gasped at the beautiful scenery from the window. He could see Mount Fuji at a distant which reminded him of his climbing journeys. He reached inside his jacket's pocket and took out an envelope, the letter he wrote for Miki at the top of Mount Everest. He glanced at the envelope for a little while and sighed before putting it back into his pocket. He decided it still wasn't a good time to give it to her. He would wait until she gets well.

"Like the view?" Akama turned around to see Miki leaning at the door frame, already changed into a comfortable white shirt and pink pyjama pants, and pink slippers. He was grateful that the spare room wasn't pink dominated.

"Love it."

"Change into something comfortable and let's have lunch," she said before disappearing.

"Take it easy on that ankle!" Akama yelled from the room and shook his head. He quickly changed and raced outside.

"Miki!" he called as he saw Miki was busy chopping things in the kitchen. "Stop. Go sit down, let me do it."

"But you don't know where things are…and can you cook?"

Akama dragged a chair to the kitchen and dragged Miki away from the chopping board.

"Hey hey hey, I haven't finished with the…"

"Sit down," he ordered and took the knife off her. "Now tell me where things are and I'll make lunch. Yes, I can cook, thank you very much."

As Akama was making lunch, Miki sat down nearby giving him instructions. She found it frustrating that she couldn't move. It was a lot more tiring talking than doing things herself.

Akama, sensing her frustration, said, "Why don't you go and watch some TV? I will figure things out around here."

Miki gratefully left and rested on her couch. She turned on the news and watched for a little while until it talked about the qualifier yesterday.

"Oh, Michiko made it. Good on her," she muttered. Then the news talked about her. "Ugh," she complained. "I hate seeing myself on TV."

"Why?" Akama asked.

"It's just weird," she said. "And when you fall like that, it's not exactly nice." She switched off the TV. "They just keep rubbing it in. I know I fell already."

Akama laughed. "You're famous, they can't help it."

"Which reminds me…show me that stupid magazine," she said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want to see."

"Okay." Akama left the kitchen to get the magazine in the bedroom. He tossed it to Miki as he walked back to the kitchen.

Miki saw herself on the cover. It was her looking serious wearing her gymnastic outfit. Must be taken during one of the competition, she thought.

"You look pretty sexy on the cover in your leotards," Akama teased from the kitchen.

"Oh shut it, will you?" she dismissed him. She flipped the pages and widened her eyes in shock. She was number one in the top 10 hot female. It was written there, "Momozono Miki, 21 years old. Single. Japan's most beautiful and most talented gymnast. Well known for her quiet and mysterious, if not rather cold, personality which a lot of guys find rather appealing."

"What rubbish is this? Who in the world wrote this? Does he or she even know me?"

"They just write anything on those types of magazines," Akama responded.

"Do I really have that reputation?" Miki asked curiously.

"Well…I do know a lot of guys who fancy you," Akama replied.

"How could they fancy me when they don't even know me?" she asked.

"Let's just say, they're fans."

"Right."

"Why would they like someone who's quiet, mysterious, and cold?" she wondered.

"People like the unknowns as it leaves a lot to the imagination," Akama explained. He noticed Miki had not changed much. She could be so naïve sometimes.

Miki shuddered thinking what these guys might imagine about her. "Good thing I'm retiring. I don't think I can live in the public eyes like this."

"Seriously, Akama, why do you read this kind of magazines?" she still couldn't understand how Akama who valued justice and truth highly could read something with a lot of lies in it.

"Only because you're in it," he replied. "I did monitor news about you even though I lost touch with you. I never stopped caring about you, you know."

Miki was touched. "Thanks, Chief."

She decided to put away the magazine now that she had read what she needed to read and just relax. She observed Akama from where she was sitting. A warm feeling washed over her. She never had anyone else in her apartment. It was quite nice to have a man around. Her thoughts wandered and she started daydreaming. It would be nice if he lived there permanently. He could make her breakfast in bed, she could cook nice dinner when he came back at night and they would eat together on the dining table. She hardly ever ate on her dining table as she mainly just sat on the couch and watched TV. She liked the picture of her life with Akama in her imagination. She didn't realise she was grinning and starring at Akama at the same time. Akama saw this but did not say anything. He just smiled.

Suddenly the phone next to her rang. She nearly jumped. "Hello, Momozono's speaking," she picked up the phone.

"Miki, it's me, Kuroda. I tried to reach you at the hospital but they said you've gone home. I have bad news."