MFL: Chapter 5

[yatsuiko_chan]

Title: My Fair Lady
Chapter: Chapter Five: The Enemy's True Colors
Pairing/s: Daiki x Umika
Genre: AU
Summary: As she sets off in her first job, she learns more and more about the members of the Family and about the ways by which Hikaru's group moves.
Note:
* I died a painful death and came back painfully too, while trying to fend off Thanatos a little bit longer. (whats. That's as clear an explanation as I can give so don't think about it)



Umika woke up to the sound of the doorbell ringing three times. It was already 7:00 in the morning, so she was sure her two housemates were already up. "Mmm..." She yawned as she stood up to fix her bed.

"Excuse me for intruding~" It was Iroh's voice.

Daiki groaned. "It's too early for a visitor, let alone an annoying one." Even though he said that, there was no anger in his voice. He was probably smiling.

"You say that but your morning got brighter after seeing me, riiight~" Iroh chuckled.

She immediately glanced at herself on the mirror and combed her hair before getting out of the room. "Good morning." she greeted the two boys sitting beside each other on the couch.

Iroh stood up with a huge smile on his face, walking to her side and placing an arm around her shoulders. "I was just asking if you're already awake. I need to talk to you."

Sighing, Daiki also stood up and pulled Iroh away. "I told you already. Hands off."

"Because she's yours?" Iroh asked with a smirk.

"No." Daiki answered, showing annoyance. "Because she's..."

Umika stared at him with wide eyes. "I am... what?"

Daiki looked away, walking back to the couch. "Nothing." He took out his papers and placed it on the table. "If you want to talk to Umi, talk here in front of me."

"Hai, hai." As if sensing danger, Iroh admitted defeat and sat in front of Daiki, gesturing for Umika to sit beside Daiki. "I actually need to talk to the two of you." He took out a picture from his pocket. "Do you know this guy?" It was a picture of Hikaru Yaotome sitting on the bar.

"Eh?" Umika looked surprised as she picked it up from the table. "Yaotome Hikaru..." She looked at Iroh, a curious expression on her face. "He's our target."

Iroh smiled and nodded. "As I expected." He said, laughing a bit. "He had a picture of you so I thought he was your target. He was muttering creepily about you being interesting..." He looked at the picture and muttered "Such a waste, being creepy with that cute face."

Daiki laughed out loud, finding something amusing in the situation. "So he's your type?" He pointed at the picture. "Then, I'll ask boss to let you in this project. What do you say?"

Probably due to excitement, his eyes sparkled as he nodded. "Sure!"

...

Iroh was long gone and the three Miyamotos were sitting around the dining table eating breakfast. Umika glanced at Daiki, eating quietly and simply observing the older guy.

Catching her stare, he smiled and asked "What is it?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking what kind of plan you are brewing, getting Iroh-kun involved."

He chuckled, expression showing that he had everything planned out. "He knows what to do. He'll be our emergency exit when Hikaru corners you."

Not quite understanding him, she changed topic. "Iroh-kun said he had my picture. That must mean our plan worked?" She smiled a bit, contented with the thought.

"Un." He continued eating, just showing a small smile of approval at her. "That means we could move to phase two."

Hana, who has been cooking their breakfast, sat down with them after placing the plate of hotdog and eggs on the table. "Phase two is...?"

"Another date, of course!" Daiki shows a thumbs up. "We chose strategic places around the tea house, so we could lure them into believing that we really are a perfect couple."

"Heh... Interesting." Hana laughed. "Onii-chan, you're enjoying this a lot, aren't you?"

"Shut up."

"After all, you don't always have the chance to walk with such a pretty girl." Hana smirked.

Daiki pouted a bit. "Hana, you're being-"

"Hana should not say things like that." Umika interjected. "Dai-chan is more handsome than those men at that shop, for sure."

Not expecting that, Daiki's face turned scarlet red while Hana's eyes grew wide in shock. "Umi-chan... could it be..."

"Hm?" Umika still had a blank expression on her face.

Hana then shook her head. "It's not possible. Not at this point, at least. Umi-chan is still too high up there for you, nii-chan." She patted him on the back. "Don't get your expectations too high."

"Don't show me pity!" Daiki glared.

Umika simply continued eating her breakfast.

...

Daiki took her hand into his as they walked around the shopping center. Their only task for today was to act as lovey-dovey as possible while trying to get the tea house staff's attention.

Hana was doing yet another information gathering job at the places around the tea house as well.

It was still not enough just to hold hands, Daiki thought, so he opened up a conversation. "Ne, Umi-chan, how was your family like? Before I met you and your father, I mean."

Placing a finger on her chin while thinking (Daiki found that cute, really) Umika wondered where to start. Daiki knew about how strict her father was, she was sure of that. Honestly speaking, she did not have much memories of a 'family'. Her father was always someone high up, someone you would not call a father. She frowned, getting depressed by the thought. "Father... has always been cold. I do not have any memories of my mother. She died giving birth to me."

Daiki felt pain in watching her like that. It was as if she was trying so hard to find a positive thing to say but she could not. Her family situation has always been empty and depressing. "Did you want to have siblings?"

She smiled, thinking about how she played with her doll and acted as if it was her little sister. She once thought she had a sister; she heard of a rumor before, but soon enough she realized it was just a black propagada against her father. It was disappointing to hear them say that she was and will always be the only Kawashima heir. "I wanted to have a little sister. Reporters once made up news about my father having an illegitemate child so I hoped I could meet that little sister. But it turned out she never existed."

Something flashed in Daiki's expression, but was immediately gone. He looked away, nodding. "Hmmm. So you wanted a little sister. I wanted a little brother too but my mom..." His expression hardened and he left it hanging there.

Umika was scared to ask further. Daiki looked so... she couldn't find the exact word to describe it, but it had so much darkness in it. "Ah, shall we buy some snacks?" She tugged at his hand and looked at him with a smile.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "Let's go buy some ice cream then."

...

They sat down on a bench outside the ice cream shop to rest. Sitting in silence, they continued eating. Umika was feeling curious and wanted to know more about Daiki's family. Somehow, she knows she can never be a real part of the Miyamoto family if she doesn't know where Daiki and Hana came from. But as she was curious, she was also scared. If she asks, she was sure they wouldn't answer. And then she'll know that she is not trusted, that this is just her fake family, that she is and will always be a Kawashima. It was too much for her, that fear. She did not want to be rejected again.

Daiki glanced at her with a concerned expression. "Are you okay?" He touched his forehead with hers. "Hmmm"

"T-too close..." She muttered scooting away, a small blush appearing on her face.

"Eh~ So you're conscious sometimes too, after all." His voice was amused. "I just thought drama characters did that a lot so I wanted to try." He smirked, enjoying the fact that FOR ONCE Umika noticed his advances. "Ah there's one other thing I wanted to try." He leaned forward and licked her ice cream. "Delicious!"

She frowned a bit, seeing just how much he enjoyed doing that. "Kyaa, you're too much, Dai-chan." She squealed girlishly, looking down in mock-embarrassment.

He stuck out his tongue, whispering "Somehow that doesn't suit you."

She blinked. "Acting like this?" She laughed, easy and free and definitely not heiress-like. "It is because I am not like this in reality. Do you find it awkward?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Not really. I just thought you were becoming more like us?"

A blush covered her cheeks for some reason. "Eh..." She looked more embarrassed than ever. "That is... That is..."

"Eh?" Daiki's eyes widened a bit at her reaction. Understanding why she was like that though, his expression softened. A feeling of pride erupted inside him as he stared at her flushed expression. Rather than getting embarrassed for things that girls usually would be embarrassed about, like his flirting for example, Umika was more the type to get embarrassed for things like this, for compliments that makes her feel safe and at home. She wanted a family, and Daiki was giving her one. The thought fills him with such joy. "Yosh! I'm hyped up now! Let's go to the tea house for the finale?"

"Un!"

...

"One wallnut cake please." Umika stood in front of the take-out counter with Daiki beside her. Looking around, the two noticed that Hikaru was nowhere in sight. Taking the bag of cake with one hand, Daiki looked around one last time before pulling her away. "Let's go."

She nodded and followed, but she was a bit curious as to why their object of investigation was nowhere to be found.

Halfway through their walk home, however, they found out exactly why. Someone was trailing them. It was not Hikaru, but they were sure it was he who sent that person. Realizing what this entails, Umika looked up at Daiki with a worried expression. "What should we do?" she whispered.

He placed his index finger on his lips and leaned to her ears. Anyone around would think he was just flirting with her. "Come with me until the house, okay. I'll do something."

She nodded resolutely, full of trust for him. Up to now, he had only done good things for her, and she was sure he will not fail.

Daiki took his cellphone and typed up a message to someone as they continued walking, trying hard not to look back at the suspicious person following them.

When they finally reached the house, Daiki stopped at the doorstep and looked at her with what she could only describe as seductive eyes. He had a small smirk on as he pulled her to the side until her back was to the wall. He placed both hands on the wall at each side of her head, successfully trapping her between him and the wall. He moved in closer until their foreheads were touching. "Umi-chan, I-"

BANG!

The door suddenly opened, revealing a smiling Hana. "Onee-chan!" She glanced at the bag Umika was holding. "You brought cake- Wait, onii-chan!" She pouted. "Stop flirting! You promised you'll help me with my project!" She glanced at Umika then winked. "Is it okay if I borrow my brother for now?"

"Ah, ah..." Umika's mind was whirring, trying to understand what kind of scenario they are playing at. "Sure. But..." She looked at Daiki with a feigned longing look.

"Y-you left something at her house, right?" Daiki said, looking at Hana. "Why don't we all go there?"

Hana grinned widely. "Okay! I asked Horu-kun to write something for me~"

Horu-kun... Hornet? Umika blinked. Ah... so that's it. "Horu would be glad to see you. Onii-chan wanted to see Hana-chan too." She smiled at the younger girl and patted her on the head.

Daiki looked pleased at the two. He pulled at their hands and walked forward.

When they were already in front of Falcon's house, Umika glanced at the two and realized that they probably has all of this under control. They are professionals, after all. "Come in," she said, opening the gate.

Hornet opened the door. With a large smile, he greeted, "Oh. Welcome back Umi-chan!"

"I'm back~" Umika smiled as well as she went inside. "Is onii-chan here?" She asked.

Hornet laughed and nodded before closing the door.

When they were sure the person outside was not going to get any closer, the four of them sat around the living room. Daiki sat beside Umika while Hana sat across them. Hornet sat on the other couch.

"I think we should go home." Hana said, smiling at Umika. "The person outside will expect us to go as soon as possible, right?"

Daiki nodded. "I leave Umi to you, okay? You should let Mirai sleep over too."

Hornet laughed, patting Daiki on the back. "Of course we will. Don't worry about your little wife."

"We're safer to be with than you, for sure." Falcon got out from his room, walking to them with a teasing smile on his face. He sat beside Hana. "So I'm the big brother, our father is in the US and our mother is dead. How's that for a scenario?"

There was a confident smile on Daiki's face. "They're amateurs so that much is enough. I could almost read their next moves. We'll be able to find the drug den sooner than Boss expected."

Hornet raised a hand. "How about me and Mirai? I guess I can be a... cousin from Osaka. I've been dying to try a Kansai accent."

"And Mirai is your girl friend still." Umika finished for them. She smiled. It was nice talking with people who had everything planned out, but still looked free and adventurous. It was so unlike the people she knew from business school who were rigid and cold. "You all think alike." she said as a-matter-of-factly.

Hornet and Hana laughed as Falcon shook his head profusely. "Them? At my level? You're kidding." But he was laughing seconds later like the two. Daiki watched them, chuckling as well. "We've been working together for years already, that's why. Five years?" He looked at the others for affirmation.

Falcon nodded. "You were just a brat then who looked so protective of Hana. Hornet came a year later, right? Saaya was-" His eyes widened as he clutched his head in pain.

Acting quickly, Hornet half-jumped, half-ran to Falcon to catch him and make him sit. "I think you need sleep." He simply said, frowning.

Umika watched this with curious eyes, taking in how worried everyone looked, but also how calm, as if this was normal, as if Falcon was just the type to blurt out something before blacking out.

The two guys walked to the room, and moments later Hornet came out with a calm expression. "Don't worry, Umi-chan. He's been coding for more than 24 hours so he's just tired." Umika takes note of the fact that she was the only one being reassured. Hana and Daiki knew more than she did. There was a pang of hurt inside her chest as she digested this fact.

"Who is Saaya?" she ventured to ask. She was afraid they would say 'you don't have to know' or 'it's none of your business'. She wondered when they met this Saaya. Was she related to Hornet? Who was she to Falcon? Endless thoughts came streaming inside her mind.

Instead of completely rejecting her question, Daiki took her hand as if to reassure her. As if he knew that she was being troubled, as if he was saying that she was important. It was a little gesture, but it meant a lot to her. "Saaya is a friend."

Hana nodded, smiling. "Mirai-chan knows her more. You should ask her."

"We're not really entitled to say anything else but... well, she's like family to us." Hornet added. He seemed a bit disturbed by the topic. He was tiptoeing away from the name. He was afraid of something Umika has yet to see.

"A family member just like you." Daiki squeezed her hand and it made her feel at ease. He lets go and stood up, motioning for Hana to follow. "We really should be going. Send me a message when he moves." He gestured to the man outside who seemed to be waiting for something. "Be safe."

Umika smiled, and it took all her willpower not to hug him there and then, because he has been the best date she has ever been with (not that she's dated much) and he is just the most sensitive person she has ever met (she's been around cold people for as long as she remembers). It was a brief and ordinary date, for sure. But those little things he said and done really made her day such a good one. Of course no one would figure this out for now, and she was sure she would not tell Daiki this. Instead, she walked with them to the door and whispered a "Thank you" as she opened the door.

Daiki caught this and looked extremely pleased. "You're always welcome." He whispered just as quietly as she did. They share a quiet look of happiness before he turned his back and walked away.

"You looked like a real couple, just then." Hornet said as he continued munching on a bag of chips. They were watching TV, a reality show where people are racing through an obstacle course of some sort. Umika thought they all looked stupid, but Hornet seemed to be enjoying so she kept her mouth shut. Rule no. 4 of her father's business philosophy was "Be kind to your host, because they shall be of service". It sounds so inhuman, but so did the rest of her father's beliefs anyway.

She was lost in thought and she did not understand the question Hornet posed at her so she looked at him and asked "What was that?"

He lowered the volume before he spoke again. "I said you looked like a real couple earlier." He grinned naughtily, like a boy who just found out one of your secrets.

She shrugged, and said "That was the point."

Chuckling, he ate and watched and let her be for a full minute. But then he seemed to be still curious. "Even here? You're not worried about him touching your hand even though you're not a real couple?" He was not teasing anymore. He was purely curious.

"We're family" The word is foreign to her tongue and it takes a while before she could speak again. "Families are close."

This caught him by surprise. "Family, huh..." He mulled over the word, keeping quiet once again as the contestant fell on one side of a bridge and into a pool of goo. "Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing for Dai-chan."

"Hm?" She asked. But he did not answer. He continued watching his reality show. She continued keeping her silence.

Falcon wakes up just in time for dinner. Umika cooked a simple tempura dish and sauteed whatever vegetable was in the refrigerator. The two guys are ecstatic. They haven't eaten a home-cooked meal for weeks.

Mirai arrived just as they were finished setting up the table. She smiled upon seeing them. "Wow. Someone actually cooked."

Umika smiled, welcoming her friend and asking her to sit beside her. It was always a pleasure to see Mirai. She was such a lovely presence, full of pep and enthusiasm.

"I think we should keep Umi-chan." Hornet joked, pleasure evidently etched on his face as he smelled the aroma of the newly cooked meal.

"We should. Mirai just isn't enough." Falcon nodded, feigning seriousness.

Mirai took a small bit of carrot from the top of the bowl and threw it at Falcon. "Shut up." She laughed. "I bring you beer. Isn't that good enough?" She raised her arm to show a plastic full of beer and snacks.

"Awww. You know just what we need." Falcon laughed as well. "We should keep you two here to serve us."

"Maids?" Hornet's eyes lit up with the idea. You could almost see his imagination flying somewhere away. He was probably thinking of what sort of maid uniform would fit the girls.

Umika pulled Mirai to the seat, seeing as she was too busy laughing around to actually sit down. She watched as Mirai pouted and sent another flying carrot, now at Hornet's direction. Umika wonders if this is how normal households with lots of children would look like. It seems like so much fun.

"Now, now, Mirai-chan, stop wasting food. It's Umi-chan's dish, you know." Falcon said, scooping some rice into his bowl. He took Hornet's bowl and filled it as well.

Mirai playfully took a piece of cabbage from the sautee and ate it. Her face showed surprise. "I didn't know you knew how to cook so well! You should have cooked for me and 'nii-chan!"

Umika shook her head humbly. "Hana taught me how. I still am not that good."

"Oh but you cook better than me, for sure." She said, laughing.

Hornet nodded vigurously, eyes showing mischief. He probably ate some of Mirai's homecooking before, and it was obvious that it was not a good dish. "You do! You definitely do!" By now, his mouth was filled with the tempura he just ate. Mirai threw her handkerchief on his face and he shut up.

Falcon was quiet for a moment, just muching on his food and watching them. But as the bickering of the couple stopped, he spoke up. "You know Hideo?"

"Know?" Mirai giggled. "More than you do, for sure. They were friends since elementary, as long as we were."

A soft blush covered Umika's cheeks. She still have not gotten over her teenage crush for him. He was such a nice contrast to the boring days she spent inside her mansion. He was exciting and fun. "I know him" was all she could reply, not even being able to react to Mirai's teasing.

"Uh-oh." Hornet mouthed to Falcon's direction. Umika caught this but was not sure what he meant. Falcon smply shrugged.

"Hideo's a pretty good person, for a cop, I guess. Still on the other side of the field though, still an enemy." Falcon glances at Mirai and shows a peace sign with his right hand. "No offense, miss spy."

"None taken." Mirai shrugged.

It is awfully quiet in this small room, Umika thinks. It reminded her of home, the one back in the mansion. She was alone again, sleeping on her own. She almost laughs as she realized that it has not been over a week since she started living in the Miyamoto's apartment. It felt like forever to her. Memories easily flooded her mind, and she wonders if the mansion had that much memory. Maybe she answered her own question. She lived eighteen years there. Surely she had lots of memories in there. But not as fond as her memories of the apartment. Memories that stays and memories that don't, it's the clear difference.

She hears a soft creak as she saw her door open just a bit. Mirai's head poked in. She was in her pajamas, looking comfortable despite this not being her house. "Can I stay here?" she asked, smiling a sisterly smile she usually shows Umika when they're together. "You sleep with Hana-chan, right?"

Umika nods, relieved that Mirai was here. "It seems I have been too accustomed to being around people. My heiress self is slowly slipping away, is it not?"

"Oh but your language is as... princess-like as usual?" Mirai giggles. She sits on the edge of the bed and Umika scoots over to the other side to give space. Mirai placed her pillow down before speaking again. "I'm glad you're getting used to your new house though. I thought you would have a hard time." She pat her on the back with a proud smile.

Shrugging, Umika lies down. "It is not hard to get used to Hana, or even Daiki. They are good people, and almost everyone here are... how do I call them... warm, I guess?" She looked up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. "Warmth easily transfers from a hot surface into a cold one. That is the mechanics of heat transfer, right? That also means they are so much more warmer than how cold I am."

Mirai laughs at this, laughs at how mechanical, how scientific, how completely not-warm, Umika's explanation is. But Mirai thinks it's okay, since it's a slow process after all. Umika's heart is inside one big block of ice, and it takes a long time to thaw. "So you're warming up to Daiki?" Mirai wondered what kind of news it will be for her, good or bad. She has always dreamt of the time when Umika will become her real sister. Umika was destined to marry Hideo, Mirai thought that for a long time.

"Yes." Umika's tone is foreign to both of them. It is full of excitement and hope.

This is the thing Onii-chan wanted to do, but was never able to. Mirai sighed, and her mind carefully rearranges her dream situation. Umika was slowly changing, and Hideo was not the cause. Daiki was, and will be the cause from now on. Despite her earlier apprehension, Mirai can't really feel bad about this. Daiki is a good person, mysterious and hiding too much darkness, but still a very good person. He's part of Mirai's family too. Mirai resolved to feel happy for this new development. "Do you like Daiki, then?"

"I like him as a partner, I think. He is a precious partner. Almost like a big brother." Umika yawned.

Mirai raised an eyebrow. "You like my brother more?"

"W-what?" It comes out high pitched and girlish. "Hideo-kun?"

Laughing, Mirai said "You have a weird heart, after all. We'll understand it slowly, okay?"

Umika nods but it was obvious she did not understand what Mirai was saying. She closed her eyes, and a few seconds later, she was asleep.

"Sweet dreams, Umika."

Umika dreamt of the apartment and Hana's delicious breakfast, and Daiki's warm morning smile. She dreamt of warmth and the welcome feeling of home.

She woke up in a foreign room. She looked at her side and saw Mirai sleeping. For a moment, she was struck by incredible fear. She wondered if she was back in the mansion, locked up in a small room because of her misconduct.

But then memories came rushing back in and she sighs in relief. She is safe and sound in Falcon's home. "Good morning" she muttered as she stood up quietly. She went to the bathroom quickly, to prepare herself for the day. She wondered how she could get more clothes. She can't just get out of here wearing the same clothes.

As she was combing her hair, she heard the door bell ring. She rushed to the living room and was about to get out when a hand held her back by the arm. "You can't. It's the spy guy Hikaru sent." It was a sleepy-looking Hornet, eyes still heavy lidded. "I'll go. Mirai has clothes in the guest room, check if you can wear some." He gently pushed her to the side and went out. The guy outside straigtened up as if scared that he will do something wrong. He greeted Hornet with a nervous voice and continued talking in a slightly hush voice.

Seeing as she could not hear anything, she went over to the guest room to change her clothes.

Wearing a yellow shirt and black shorts, Umika sat down on the couch beside Mirai as Hornet placed a piece of paper on the table. Falcon was still asleep, obviously tired. "What is this?" she asked, peering at it. She saw a bunch of questions written on it, and also answers which were obviously lies. "They tried to look like the census?" She concluded after reading through it.

Hornet sighed tiredly and nodded. "A bunch of idiots."

"I'm embarrassed at how amateur they are." Mirai sighed as well. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm glad this isn't my mission. Yuno would have slapped the guy and tortured him until he spills out who he's working for."

Umika wondered who Yuno was for a second, but she had other things to ponder about. "We know for sure this is Hikaru's plan. He will try to reach me and make me fall in love with him through the answers here."

"Memorize this." Hornet gave her the piece of paper. "And bait him by walking near the tea shop. That was Daiki's orders."

She blinked in confusion. "Daiki's? He talked to you about this?" She wondered how much Daiki hypothesized about Hikaru's plans. He seemed to be the type to guess everything right.

He nodded, smiling a bit. "He knew someone would come. He guessed someone will go near him today too. So he said he'll move on his own."

Mirai seemed impressed. "Calm and not getting completely involved, ne?" She nodded. "A real professional. Well, at this job anyway."

"I just have to shop around there, then?" Umika wondered out loud, mentally making a map of where she would go for the day.

"I'll go too!" Mirai seemed pretty hyped up about all this. "I need to buy something too, so I'll tag along."

Umika simply nodded, still making plans inside her mind.

An hour later, Mirai and Umika walked side by side into the shopping district. Mirai had said that she was planning to buy flowers for a friend. Umika did not have much plan so she decided to go with her before heading to the tea shop after. "Who is the flowers for?" She asked, not really curious, just to open the conversation.

What Mirai said took all of her interest though. "Saaya-san." She said it in such a quiet voice that was packed with loneliness. "She's in the hospital."

"And she is Falcon's...?" Umika wondered if Mirai wil answer. It seemed too personal.

"Fiancee." It was a straight answer. There was no hesitation. It was no secret. "But that's as much as I can tell you for now. I'm from another group and it's dangerous since we're not working together. I'll consult Boss when she comes back." There was complete trust in the way she said the last statement.

"I understand." Umika did understand, even though she still felt a bit hurt. It was hard to be staying on the line between 'enemy' and 'ally'. She was neither the two. As of now, she seems more like the neutral ground in between. Umika wanted to hear Daiki's voice again, to say she was part of his family. She shook her head. It was irrational to think that way.

Mirai smiled and clasped her arm with Umika's. "Anyway, let's talk about exciting stuff until we reach the flower shop, okay?" She grinned. "How is Onii-chan different from Dai-chan?"

Umika frowned. "They do not have much similarity." was her simple answer. "Hideo-kun is..." A faint blush on her cheeks. "A good person."

"And Dai-chan isn't?" Mirai raised an eyebrow.

The heiress shook her head, a little confused. "He is not completely good, but..." She left it hanging for a few seconds, thinking deeply. "I still do not know him, that is what I feel. He seems near, but always far."

Mirai wonders if being called 'good' is better than being thought of so deeply like how Dai-chan is being thought of by Umika. "Do you want to stay as a Miyamoto?" she whispered this, afraid that the topic might be too dangerous.

"I am not sure." Umika said, expression still full of confusion. "I really am not sure."

"Hm. Seems hard." She pats her on the back and stopped questioning her.

After buying the flowers, Mirai left Umika in front of a bookstore. Umika decided to buy a book, just in case she has to stay in Falcon's house a bit more. She felt bored just sitting around watching. She walks through the shelves, looking through the business manuals she was so familiar with. She drifts off to the magazines section and looks through the covers. Handsome men and sexy women adorned each cover, enticing anyone to buy. She frowned. She did not know anyone on the pictures. She should ask Hana to teach her more about the commoners' interests.

"Ah, Umi-chan." Earlier than expected, Hikaru called her out from the entrance. He was wearing a red t-shirt underneath a black sweater. The tattoo on his arm was easily seen when he waved at her. "Looking for a magazine?"

She shook her head, trying to smile pleasantly despite how unpleasant it was to have him stay so near her. Their arms were touching when he stopped by her side. "Just looking around. I am looking for a novel to read, actually."

"You like to read?" He asked, glancing around the magazines.

She nodded, taking a travel magazine with her right hand. She reads through the cover, and sees her father's name at the side. One of their hotels was being featured again. She puts it back quickly. "I will just go to the fiction section." She excused herself.

Before she could go though, he held on to her left arm and made her stop. "I'm worried about you." he said in his gentlest voice. It was quiet and almost sounded sincere. If she didn't know he was an enemy, she would have believed him right away. "You don't even know what that Dai-chan is doing right now. Did you break up?" He was frowning and looked really concerned. Umi thinks he's a great actor.

"What?" She feigned surprise, eyes wide and mouth slightly gaping. "We did not break up. We are doing quite fine, thank you very much." She snapped and withdrew her arm.

"But I just saw him with this tall and really pretty girl..." Hikaru fumbled for his cellphone, opened it and showed Umika a picture. "They were at the tea shop."

She took the phone from his hand and stared at the picture. It was definitely Daiki and a pretty girl. They looked pretty cozy. "Who- Why-" There really wasn't much effort needed to sound incoherent. She seriously did not know how to react. Though perhaps, she should look more jealous or angry, even though she felt neither.

"It's okay... Maybe they're just friends? Should we check?" He looked uneasy. Umika wanted to clap at his performance.

"Let us just look a moment." She said, trying to sound like she is on the verge of tears. She really had no acting skills to be proud of. She wonders how long it will take before Hikaru realizes that she's just acting this way. "Are they still there?"

Hikaru nodded, deadly serious. "They are."

At the same moment, Daiki was indeed eating out with this pretty girl. "You said your name was Mariya?" He watched as she sipped her tea gracefully. She was a lady, and she sure acted that way. She had the face and the figure of a model. "Are you sure it's okay not to pay for that?"

"Oh don't worry." Her voice was light, befitting her overall look. "This cake is enough. I've always wanted to eat here, you see. But it's always full of couples so I can't go in."

After hearing this, he was sure who this girl was. It was too much of a coincidence if this girl was not part of Hikaru's plan. He decided to bait her in more. "You're single?" He feigned surprise.

She giggled. "Sadly, yes." She looked right through him. She had calculating eyes, the type that feels like it would swallow you whole.

He glanced at her cake and noticed how slow she was eating. Was she waiting for something? Hmmm. "I'm really sorry. I wasn't looking where I was walking. Good thing you had an extra shirt."

"Don't worry about it." She laughed again. "I always bring extra clothes since..." She looked down and played with a piece of chocolate she took from the top of her cake. "Well, you look like a trustworthy person." She looked up with a small smile. "I'm actually the daughter of a famous actress. I somehow always get entangled in... bad things. So I bring a lot of things to cope up." She looked so small and fragile.

Whoever made this set-up was smart, that was for sure. Guys had this instinct to help out girls who were in need, who showed their raw weakness. Unfortunately for Mariya, Daiki was not like this. He was the exact opposite. He liked strong girls who pretended to be stronger than they are.

Despite that, he tried to sound entranced. He placed his right hand on top of her left on the table and he looked her in the eye. "That must be hard." He said softly.

Slowly, tears fell from her eyes. Daiki had no choice but to move his seat near hers so he could comfort her properly.

Umika and Hikaru stood side by side beside the door of the tea shop, watching as Daiki hugged that pretty girl. It did not look like he was enjoying it or anything. He had a pretty blank expression, actually.

But Hikaru looked at her as if he was expecting her to cry. So she looked away and pretended to wipe a tear from one eye. "That is enough." She said. "I cannot..." She turned her back from him. "I need to go home." She walked away and this time, he did not stop her.

Her mind was whirring with ideas as she walked down the road, out of the street. So this was their way? She thought, a little impressed. It was hard to figure out how Hikaru would make his move from here on, though. She had a very good guess of what happens next though, so she simply continued walking until she reached her temporary home.

As expected, Hornet was in the living room, coding something for Falcon. Mirai was still in the hospital. What Umika did not expect though, was the person cooking inside the kitchen.

"Yu-san?" She exclaimed, surprised. "Why...?"

Yu was standing in front of the stove, mixing something that smelled delicious. Upon hearing Umika, she placed down the wooden spoon and faced her with a motherly smile. "Oh I heard you were here. Riida needed to talk to Falcon-kun too so I thought I should cook for you."

Umika looked to the side where Falcon's room was. The door was open so she could see Riida sitting on a chair beside Falcon. "Is it important business?" she asked as she shift her gaze back to the kitchen.

"Hm, yes." Yu went back to mixing sauce in the pot. "Boss is coming back next week."

"Oh." Umika still wondered who this person was, and why he was so important to everyone. But she kept quiet for now, and sat down behind the kitchen counter, watching Yu cook. To start another conversation, she asked "Have you seen Hana?"

"She's still searching for-"

Before she could finish the sentence, Hana came running towards them. "Big news~!" She had a huge smile on her face.

"What is it?" Umika asked, a little bit curious.

"Hikaru, ne, I just heard from his co-workers." Hana walked to Yu's side and kissed her on the cheek before taking a candy from a can on the side of the ingredients. She sat beside Umika. "He's not an employee there. He's more like... a guest. He works there when he wants, because he's friends with the owner. Seems like he's a big shot."

"Big shot...?" Umika frowned.

"He's the son of a politician." Hana said. "That's why he's so confident in doing all these."

Somehow, hearing that made Umika irritated. Just because you have a famous father, doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. That brat. "Did you hear their next plan?"

"Oh, the tea house doesn't have anything to do with the drug den." Hana replied, munching on the candy. "They don't even know about it. But I heard from someone that Hikaru asked his friend to gather data of a certain girl." She grinned at her. "Someone came here, right? I bet Hikaru would find your contact number easily."

"Regarding that..." Hornet, who seemed to be listening since earlier, appeared at the side. "Falcon made you a fake Facebook account. We made it a year old, so you should read through it and memorize a bit."

Umika nodded, still amazed at how planned their actions are.

"Oh, and Daiki said he met the girl spy from Hikaru's side." He added.

She almost laughed. "Yes. I saw them hugging earlier."

"Hugging?!" Hana asked, surprised. "With my brother?"

"Yes." Umika simply nodded, face showing an amused expression.

Hornet frowned. "Umi is an alien, isn't she?" He asked Hana.

Hana nodded in agreement. "She is."

Yu laughed, watching them. "Now, now, just help me arrange the dinner table. Stop talking about that." She smiled fondly at them before waving them off to take the plates.

Mirai was sitting in a hospital room, staring at the woman sleeping on the bed. She looked so peaceful, so happy. "Why did it have to happen to you...?" Mirai's voice was sad, and also full of longing. "We miss you, Saaya-san. Come back."

"She doesn't hear you, you know that." A voice commented from the door. "She's in a comatose, Yuki. Stop dreaming."

"Ayame-chan." Mirai regarded her with a small smile. "Don't call me Yuki. We're not in a mission."

"Don't call me Ayame-chan." The girl frowned. "Ayame died when Yuno was born."

"Oh don't talk like that." Mirai took a chair from the side and tapped it, motioning for her to sit. "Boss would hate it if she hears you speak like that. Ayame is Ayame, no matter what."

Ayame sighed. "Hai, hai. You're really Boss' number one disciple, aren't you?" She sat beside Mirai and placed her bag on the floor. "But you're too optimistic. We aren't sure if Saaya-san will wake up." She seriously said.

"Don't say such sad things!" She said with a small smile. "You shouldn't lose hope!"

Sighing again, Ayame shrugged. "Whatever you say, Yuki."

Um. Long time no see? Also. Yeap, long chapter, isn't it?