If I'm able to escape from the organisation, will you go out with me as my real boyfriend?

When the FBI finally decided to send one of their agents abroad to infiltrate the organisation., they had four reasons to pick him. Firstly, he was of Japanese descent, he wouldn't stand out too much. Secondly, he was one of the younger agents, making it more likely for Akemi Miyano, who had just turned 20, to be interested in him. Thirdly, he had the necessary skills to excel in the organisation. Fourthly - and maybe the most important reason - he had volunteered.

Most things could be learned, but one had to have the right mindset, the determination and willpower to successfully carry out an operation of this magnitude.

A furious Jodie was already waiting for him when he came home that evening. "Why haven't you told me beforehand that you want to do this mission? Do you realise how long it could take? Not months, but years. What about us, Shu?"

Her anger was understable. He had wanted to tell her, but he had been afraid that she would try to talk him out of it. She was the only one who might have been capable of that and he couldn't risk it. This mission was the reason why he had joined the FBI in the first place. If he managed to infiltrate them, he could take revenge on the people who had robbed him of his father. "They killed your father too," he reminded Jodie and she relented.

The FBI invested two months to prepare him.

Crafting his cover story was relatively easy. Since he had no prior experience as undercover agent, they decided to stay as close to his real life as possible. No one knew how long this mission would take and it would make it easier for him to stay in character. In addition, the similarities to Miyano's life could make it easier for him to create a connection with her.

Dai Moroboshi was a stoic man. He was half-japanese, half-british. His family had moved around a lot in his childhood, which turned him into an outsider and loner. After a short stint in the military that would explain his proficiency with weapons and in hand-to-hand combat, he had moved to Japan to start a new life.

At the airport - against his better judgement - he promised a tearful Jodie to return to her.

The first week was relatively uneventful. He settled into the small apartment provided by the FBI, got to know the area and started working as a mechanic at a garage. It was an entry-level job and because he had always been interested in cars, it would be easy enough to get used to it. It also helped to expand his cover-story. He played the role of someone who had moved to Japan as an adult, so he supposedly still struggled to write kanji which made it difficult for him to find a well-paying job. Desperate to earn a living in an overpriced city, he wasn't opposed to breaking the law if necessary.

He used his remaining time to study everything they had on the Miyanos. The youngest had caught the attention of the FBI - there weren't many 10-year old foreigners who excelled at advanced chemistry. With her studying in the States, they had more authority to investigate her and find out that she had a secret benefactor who funded her education. They had been able to trace the origin of the money back to a company they had long suspected to be a cover for the organisation.

Oddly enough, it hadn't been difficult to gather more information on her family. The parents had managed their own clinic, which they gave up fourteen years ago to start working for a company that officially didn't exist. According to different testimonies from former patients, neighbours and acquaintances, Atsushi and Elena Miyano were kind, but reserved.

It did not fit the reputation of a mad scientist Atsushi Miyano had in the scientific world. But at least Shuichi had an exhaustive folder on him and his life. The folder on the wife, Elena, was almost blank, except for her first name, age and job. He wondered whether the FBI truly hadn't been able to find out more about her, or if they intentionally withheld information from him.

After they had joined the organisation, information about them became sparse. It was suspected that they had lived somewhere in Tokyo as their oldest daughter went to school there. The younger one must have been during that period. On the last page of the report the FBI had added a newspaper article describing a terrible accident; some sort of research facility had burned down. Human remains had been found, but they were never identified. The following day, Akemi Miyano had been pulled out of her school and transferred to a different one. Afterwards, she never stayed long in one place. A few years later the younger Miyano was registered at a school for the first time.

They could only guess - based on what they knew about her education - what exactly Shiho Miyano was doing for the organisation. But she was important enough to receive a code name. The FBI wanted to get closer to her to find out more about the research department in the organisation. Since she was too well-guarded, they chose her sister that lived a relatively normal life as a target.

Finally he got the go-ahead to approach Miyano. She might not be a high-ranking member of the organisation, but she grew up around them, so he still had to be cautious. Their first meeting had to seem accidental, and what better way than to stage an accident? They had practised it beforehand so he knew how to brace himself for the impact of the car, but she hit him harder than expected. At least the concussion made it seem like a genuine accident.

Her file had indicated that she was surprisingly kind and caring, so he wasn't too surprised to find her by his bedside when he woke up. He had even counted on it. As soon as she noticed that he had opened his eyes, she started apologising profusely for hurting him. She appeared genuinely upset and after a brief introduction she asked him if she could do anything for him. It was almost too easy.

"Could you show me a nice café in the area?" The question startled her and he was glad that he hadn't asked her more directly for a date. Otherwise she might have run out of the room. "We don't have to go together if you don't want to, a tip would be enough. I just moved here and I haven't been able to find a decent coffee yet. Thought you might know a good place."

"Oh, don't worry, I'll gladly take you to my favourite café, it's the least I can do after everything. I only hope it can live up to your expectations."

He blamed both the concussion and the acting lessons when he couldn't help himself and smiled back at her. They exchanged phone numbers and he had his foot in the door.

He waited three days before contacting her to not seem too eager. In his text he mentioned that he was finally off the pain meds by now - a little reminder of his injuries surely couldn't hurt - and was craving a good cup of coffee.

Apparently, two could play that game. It took her half a day to respond, but at least they had a date the next day. He arrived earlier and hid in a building from which he could keep an eye on the entrance. He had a feeling that she wasn't as innocent as she seemed on first glance. Additionally, if he was supposed to seduce her, he had to get a better understanding of her mannerisms. She arrived 10 minutes before their agreed upon time. She semed nervous or worried, he couldn't tell for sure, and was constantly glancing at her watch and scanning the area. After also checking the time, he decided to cut his observation short. He had to make a good impression and letting her wait would have the opposite effect.

Talking to Miyano was more difficult than expected. After they had gotten the pleasantries out of the way, the conversation quickly began to falter. With the personality they had chosen for Dai Moroboshi it would seem strange to be too talkative, especially when getting to know a stranger. And even though Miyano appeared approachable, she was unwilling to share too many information about her personal life. Considering the childhood she has had, it wasn't really surprising.

The minutes were ticking by and he was beginning to run out of ideas how to advance the conversation. Just like in the hospital it was Miyano who gave him the perfect opening.

"You know, you were pretty bold in the hospital."

He merely raised his eyebrow and waited for an explanation. "Ordinarily, I should have invited you somewhere as an apology for putting you into the hospital. Not the other way around."

For anyone else she would have seemed amused with the way she tilted her head to the side, but he hadn't missed how her eyes had narrowed slightly or how her voice had changed. She was suspicious of him.

"Well, you accepted my invitation, didn't you? I would have regretted it if I hadn't asked you out." He took a sip of his coffee. "I apologise if I came off as rude. It wasn't my intention to offend you It's just …. I didn't grow up in Japan. Sometimes I still struggle with proper etiquette." He let his eyes roam across the café, purposefully avoiding her eyes to seem embarrassed.

His admission surprised her and had the desired effect, she eased up a bit. She began asking him about his childhood and his reasons for moving to Japan. His answers were curt - someone like him would naturally be uncomfortable talking about his past. Still, it was enough for them to get lost in the conversation. He could see the growing sympathy in her eyes. He had carefully chosen the stories he would tell, picking the ones she would relate to the most; his british mother, the early death of his father and his feelings of not belonging anywhere.

She insisted on paying and he in turn offered to pay the next time. She blinked three times, before smiling, this time earnestly. "Deal."

Throughout the next month they met up once a week. He didn't want to seem obtrusive and she was busy with university and her part-time job. After he had opened up a bit, she too began sharing small snippets of her life, mentioning her sister once in passing. She made him laugh with stories from her childhood. He made her blush when he instinctively brushed a strand of hair out of her face during a stroll trough a park. After their third date she hugged him for the first time.

It had caught him off-guard and later he reprimanded himself for being this stiff.. He was supposed to seduce her, a hug shouldn't throw him off this much. Next time he made sure to be the first to wrap his arms firmly around her. It was surprisingly easy to get used to this feeling. He should have recognised it as his first warning.

The second was when be began thinking of her as Akemi and not Miyano.

He needed to be more careful as she had already proven herself to be quite perceptive. Since he couldn't do it himself, he requested additional agents who would discreetly follow her to see if she were to contact anyone in the organisation. Nothing out of the ordinary happened, her life appeared completely normal. He tried to direct their conversations in the right direction by hinting that he was looking for a different job, that he needed money and would be willing to do almost anything. She didn't take the bait and merely offered to help him look for a new job. It became clear that she wouldn't tell him about the organisation on her own volition.

It was time to stage a second accident.

Of course he had noticed the other watchmen, completely clad in black, that occasionally followed her and subsequently him too. Her guards had a strict routine that made the next part easier.

He decided to pick her up from her lecture on Tuesday evening. It was late, he happened to be close-by and he wanted to see her and make sure she got home safe. The last comment made her blush. They walked down the street in the direction of her apartment, their fingers interlaced.

They turned a corner into a narrow alleyway and were immediately ambushed by three men who had their faces covered by masks and were demanding all their valuables. He protectively moved in front of her. One of them injured his arm with a knife, but he still managed to overpower all off them and they quickly hurried away. Internally he cursed his colleagues because the use of the knife hadn't been agreed on.

He refused to go to the hospital, so Akemi insisted on at least treating his wound herself. It was the first time she had taken him to her apartment. It was larger than expected - probably funded by the organisation, he thought - but on first glance nothing seemed suspicious.

"I didn't know you could fight like that," she said while getting the first aid kit, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"I've told you that I was in the military." He watched as she gently cleaned the wound and applied some sort of cream. Her eyes kept wandering to the exposed skin of his chest, but despite her distraction her movements were steady and skilled.

"Good thing you happened to be by my side today," she whispered.

He shrugged and decided to quickly change the topic.

"I didn't know you could do this," he said and pointed his head towards her hands that were busy wrapping the bandage around his arm.

"My parents were doctors," she said, her voice sorrowful. She stood up and began putting everything away, all while avoided to look at him. "When I was young, I spent a lot of time in their clinic. They've taught me the basics."

He didn't push her for more. Instead he walked over to where she was standing, whispered "Thank you" and carefully placed a kiss on her cheek. Her tears stopped and were replaced by a warm smile.

On his way home he tried not to think about how pleased he was with himself for being able to cheer her up. It was his third warning.

At least the little stunt had been a success. The next day the two men he recognised as Akemi's guards approached him on his way home from work.

"What do you want?"

"Why do you spend so much time with Miyano?" The man who asked that question was a bit smaller than him, but burlier.

"It's none of your business," Shuichi said disparagingly and tried to push his way through the two. Each of them grabbed one of his arms and pressed him against the wall. He could have freed himself if he wanted to, but he let them have this small victory. The other one, who had been quiet so far, pushed his trenchcoat a bit to the side to reveal the hidden gun on his waistband. "Just answer and we'll let you go," he hissed.

"Guys, I don't want any problems. We met on accident, I thought she's cute and we hung out a bit. I had no idea she is already taken." It was reasonable assumption for someone who had no idea that the organisation existed.

They exchanged a glance and let go of him. He shook his arms out and looked from one to the other. "Can I leave now?"

"That depends," the one with the gun said. "We heard you are broke."

He didn't bother asking them how they knew. A normal person would assume that Akemi had told them, he on the other hand had wanted them to check his background. They hadn't faked that many documents for nothing.

"Why do you ask? Do you have a job for me?"

The next time he saw Akemi was at her apartment again. She had cooked for him because according to her his eating habits were horrendous and he was supposed to eat better to make his wound heal faster. Afterwards they were sitting on the couch and watching a movie. She was leaning against him and he had his arm draped over her shoulder.

"I thought you didn't have any family left apart from your sister," he said casually.

He felt her whole body stiffen. "What do you mean?" Her voice was tense.

"The other day two guys approached me. They seemed protective of you, so I assumed they are distant uncles of yours."

She stood up and paced through the room all while chewing on one of her nails. He had wondered if she knew that the organisation had watchmen following her and now he had his answer. It was telling that hadn't asked him for a description.

"What did they want from you?" she finally asked.

"They asked about my intentions with you." He watched her closely for her reaction. "And they offered me a job."

She froze. Her eyes were wide open and skin seemed several shades paler. "Please tell me you declined," she whispered.

"I told them I would think about it." He got up and walked over to her. "I guess they are not part of your family. What is going on?"

He could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes and fought against the sudden instinct to wipe them away. Slowly it was becoming a habit for her to cry in his presence. She bit her lip and avoided his eyes.

"I can't tell you. But you have to trust me. Don't accept their offer. You don't want to get involved with them."

"But -"

"NO!" She stumbled back, further away from him. "You have no idea what they are capable of. But I do." Her voice broke. "Believe me, it's not worth it."

He remained silent, unsure what to say or how to calm her down. He had never seen her this agitated. Her hand was shaking when she brushed it through her hair. Then she took a deep breath and lifted her head to look him in the eyes, her expression desperate. "I'm sorry, Dai. I should have known that this would happen one day. But whatever this is between us is, it has to end. I can't risk losing you to them too."

He tried to close the distance between them, but she moved further away until her back touched the wall.

"It's not just your decision," he said when he was finally standing in front on her. He lifted his arm and rested his left hand on her cheek, wiping the tears away with his thumb."I will not let you go this easily. You are too important for me."

When he had prepared for this mission, he had dreaded the physical aspect of it. How was he supposed to make her believe he had genuine feelings for her, to treat her like he would a partner? Apparently it was easy and it should have been his fourth warning. He didn't even hesitate to lean down and press his lips against hers.

For a second he wondered if he had gone too far when she didn't react. He began to pull away and was already preparing the right words to apologise, when her hands wrapped around his neck, stopping him. Her lips found his again. In his imagination their first kiss was always tentative, uncertain, shy. Not like this - frantic and desperate, with her whole body pressing against his and his hands buried in her hair.

He had no idea how much time had passed when they finally broke apart.

"We'll get through this together," he said out of breath, trying to ignore the little voice in his head nagging him that he was losing control. Their foreheads were still touching. "But you have to tell me what is going on."

He managed to get her back on the couch and she began telling him about the organisation. She was still hesitant and only gave him a rough impression of them. It's a widespread organisation, a major player in the underworld that used murder, torture and blackmail among other things to increase their influence and wealth. Her parents had started working for them without realising how dangerous they were. It had cost them their lives. Afterwards the organisation had cared for Akemi and her sister. In exchange Shiho had to work in their research department and continue their parents work.

Of course he already knew all of that, but Dai didn't and he spent the evening comforting her as best as he could. She tried to make him promise that he wouldn't get involved with them, but she had accidentally mentioned that she herself sometimes completed assignments for them and he used it to justify his own actions. "I won't go too far," he promised. It was the second promise to a woman he wouldn't be able to keep.

Thank you for reading. All feedback is welcome!

Honestly, while writing this I spent far too much time thinking about Akai's Japanese skills. I mean, his father was Japanese and he taught his sons the language, but did he also teach them kanji? Or did Akai only start learning them in Japan? Maybe that's why he missed the mistake in Jodie's code in file 1062.

The next chapter will be more heartbreaking.