Shiho was half-sleeping when her head was bounced up a bit. She was about to realize what was happening that she heard a groan. 

Gin was awake. 

Shiho stayed silent, she wanted to see how he reacted to the situation, she guessed it would also be panicking to him. He first just stayed still, probably looking around. Then, she felt him moving, then he groaned again: 

- Urgh... what the hell? - Gin sounded angry. After that, he felt back to silent, looks like he was observing the place around him. Shiho tried not to move a muscle as well as keep her breath steady, he hadn't noticed her presence yet. He was too occupied with the situation, his breath was heavy. 

- What is wrong with me?- He whispered, still very angrily.

- Stupid! - He growled - You're STUPID, Gin! You know it would explode in seconds but you decide to run after a ghost it like a FOOL! FOOLISH!! 

Shiho froze as he yelled at .. himself. She carefully slip lower, away from his shoulder to see what would he say next. Gin didn't usually talk to himself like this. Maybe he had done it but this was the first time she saw it.

- SHERRY WAS DEAD!!! You know she was dead and she can't be here..! - Gin growled again, not noticing Shiho has nearly had her heart raced, he bend his head and sighed. After another silent moment, he started to move and asked himself:

- Now how can I suppose to getta f*ck outa here?

- Well... I've tried but.. I bet you can't either. - A soft, feminist voice answered.

She could hear his wide shocked eyes seeking for her in the dark. 

- SHERRY?! - He rose his voice, she could tell that he was definitely in shock. She felt his big hands searching for her, he touched her hair then slowly studied her face.

- I .. I thought you were... - Gin trembled.

- ... dead, right?- Shiho calmly cut his words. 

- It can't be... you was gone on that train..., Bourbon confirmed your dead! - Gin sounded a bit angry and confused. Bourbon was indeed a caring person as well as Gin, he knew what he saw and there was no way he lied unless he was a betrayer.

- I escaped, I fooled both Vermouth and Bourbon, I was playing dead all this time, of course, I have a little help from a few friends - Shiho spoke plainly, seems to emphasize the word 'friends'.

- Sherry, you... - Gin took a deep breath and calmed himself - Looks like you've successfully out of the Organization's reach - his stolidness had came back, somehow it shown a flash of annoyance.

- But.. why come back? - Gin lowered his voice.

- I must save a person - Shiho spoke coldly - he's also a victim of the organization, he was poisoned and if I don't come back for the formulas to treat him, he'll die soon. 

- You must care about him very much, huh? - Gin's voice moved away.

- Yes, he and his friends have helped me since I got out of the gas chamber. I owned him a lot. - The man can feel a slight smile in her story. 

- Well... worth saving, then. - Gin spoke tiredly, he stirred and probably decided to get up. 

But as soon as he pressed his hand on the floor, a shooting pain fell across his muscle and he nearly scream off. 

- Don't move, you're injured! - Shiho quickly grabbed Gin's sleeve - it would bleed if you-

- Does it matter to you? - harshly said Gin, clearly still in pain - I'm nothing to you, why'd you even care a shit ?!

- Gin... - Shiho loosen the grib - Calm down.

- I CAN'T !! - Gin shouted - Did you even think how it would turn out when they find me like this?! Well, OR I would be captured by the FBI! OR WE WOULD END UP STARVED TO DEAD HERE!! What drives your foolishness, Sherry?! Risking your life all the way here and pull me into THIS !! You care so much of that..that.... that lil BRAT !!? I thought you were a smart girl , but looks like I have to consider... - Shiho almost heard his cries - I shouldn't have had run after you. 

Shiho sat frozen at his migrant. She knew he was a short-tempered and self-controlled person at the same time but she had never witnessed him being so nervous and ... lashing out like this. 

Shiho watched him in the darkness, although it was just a shadow but she could tell that his face was darker than the darkness around him. Again, Gin fell silent. Shiho couldn't come up with any more replies.

Their minds were bothered with unanswered questions.

Gin examined his wound out of consciousness. There were cloths wrapped tight around his arm and belly. He heard the young woman finding her way to lean against the wall as the sound of rubbing dust and sand on his left side. 

- So...you're ok, right? - He spoke quietly, nearly a whisper. 

- Ya, I'm fine, just scratches, no big deal - She just answered coldly. She'd always been that cold.

- You know... - Gin sighed -  I umm...ugh - and then just shrug and hissed away - Tch, saying such things now just makes no sense.

- What is it? - Shiho turned to him, confused.

- Nothing, I'm tired - Gin turned away - Just ramblings... Hey, if you're tired you can lean on my shoulder, it's better than the rough wall.

- Ah... thank you- said a shy voice - So you're still hurt? - asked Shiho - The cut on your stomach, it's quite deep...

- I can take it - Gin hissed.

Shiho let out a small 'ugh', her heart raced at the tension coming from Gin. 

- Why'd you even CARE for me? - Gin questioned - Why not just let me bleed to death? Why saving me? Why, Sherry? - his voice raised higher and higher - Answer me! 

- ANSWER ME! - He grabbed her jacket. 

- Stop it, please! - She shouted - What is wrong with you!? You're losing your cool.

Although it was dark, Shiho still could imagine Gin's face tensed up. His grip tighten for a second and then loosen.  Gin sighed, let go off Shiho and moved away from her.

- Not this time, how can I suppose to calm down when I know you've been faking your death after all this time?- Gin sounded tired.

- Is it my being that important to you? - Shiho crawled towards him until she felt his warmth nearby.

Gin didn't reply, a scary howling of wild windswept somewhere above the surface, the silence had never been so creepy in such darkness and narrow place.

- Sherry...- Gin spoke in his hoarse, low voice - Your death..., your betrayal, your escape, do you know how much I suffer?

Suffer? 

Had she just misheard? 

- This may sound non-sense, but if you had known, you would have understood my anger over you - his voice had been softer - However, I don't blame you, I did terrible things to you, it's obvious that you can't figure it out.

______flashback_____

Shiho looked up from her dish, Gin was staring at her. It was rather awkward of him to stare at her like that, his greenish eyes filled with deep thoughts and concentration, as if he was scanning all her facial details. 

But just a moment after her eyes were also facing his, Gin immediately looked down onto his dish, his hat brim and curtain of silvery-white hair covering half of his upper face. Somehow, Shiho could detect a bit of blush on his face. 

_____endflashback____  

- Huh !? - Shiho removed her hand of his shoulder, gasping and her voice trembling - Gin, you really... you..you... have...

...

- Exactly-  Before Shiho could finish her line, he nodded.

...

A reply with assertion. She had no doubt any longer, his voice was clear and loud enough for her, yet, she still hoped that she had misheard it.

______Flashback_______

- Why are you so nice to me? It's not easy to find a perfect flat in Tokyo, also by the look, I can tell it's very expensive, why? Did the boss tell you to treat me well so I would be more loyal to the Organization?- Shiho randomly asked while they were having dessert.

- Maybe - Gin firmly said - I think it's best for you.

- But did he really go into details like that? - Shiho raised a brow.

- No, I did that because I love you - Gin smirked.

- Uh.. what? - She felt her heart lighten up for a bit. Was he serious? She doubt it since he spoke with a despicable smirk.

- Haha, just joking - Gin picked up the red wine glass - He told me to find a better place for you, but you know I'm a perfectionist, this is the first time I got to pick something for you right?

- Oh, right... - Shiho looked down. Of course.

- It took me 2 weeks cuz the flats are all occupied or neither a safe place to hide your identity, he also told me you are a very important person -  he bottomed up the glass - I  suppose this one was just found by luck. 

- Oh.. - Shiho looked up, smiled - Well, but still a big thank you. 

Gin smirked and leaned back, shooting his gaze out at the view outside the window.

_____Endflashback_________

- So... at that restaurant, you WERE not joking,.. right? - Shiho placed a hand on his shoulder.

- Ah, you do remember what I told you? - Gin chuckled.

Shiho felt a warm, big hand gently stroking her hair. 

- Yes, it wasn't a joke, the following words "Just joking" was actually a lie - Gin chuckled, in pain - But what can I tell? Even if I spoke those words, you would never gonna accept such a horrible person like me, heh?

- Gin I.. - Shiho mumbled. 

- I'm literally around 10 years older than you, y'know? - Gin removed his hand off her hair - It's not a right thing to think of you making stuff with me on the bedsheet..

- No, not like that! - Shiho voiced - I just wanna know... how long have you been...?

- Ah? You meant the feeling?- Gin shrugged - Since the first time you were handled for me. I immediately felt something special from you,  strange and irresistible. 

Again his voice sounded so truthful that her heart warmed up. 

Shiho sat still. She had no more ideas to talk about. Only his and her heavy breath soothing the air.

_____________________

- You are that tired? - Shiho gently asked as she sat down beside him on the sofa, in her new flat.

- Yea, I didn't get enough sleeps these days - answered tiredly Gin.

- Missions?

- Yup, took me forever. Without them, I could have brought you here earlier - He threw his arm over his forehead, cover his dark circled eyes. 

- Oww... - Shiho bend her head - I'll get you something to drink, you can rest here as long as you want -  standing up away from the sofa, smiling over her shoulder as she walked into the kitchen. As Shiho walked pass the door, a shy knock sounded. She opened it to see an old lady whose hair was curly and white. 

- Good evening dear. If you not notice, I'm Kazumi ,the landlord, may I ask you how your apartment going?

- It was perfect, I love the view and everything - She smiled brightly.

- Ahh~ The lady also smiled - You may wanna thank that boy who chose it for you. 

- Eh- Shiho shrugged at the thought of Gin - It was just his job.

- Isn't he your lover? - Said the lady - He was so carefully to the details, sometimes I could hear him mumbling "Don't know if my dear would love it".. Then I thought it was for his..

- Ah no no no - Shiho shook her head - Maybe he was just joking - It can't be, Gin never joke around strange people, he always that cold and scarily murderous.

- Well, I only say what I witnessed - The lady nodded and turned half-side - I wish you a nice day, dear.

___________________

- What were you looking for? - Gin asked, breaking the silence.

- Um? - Shiho looked up from her thought.

- The poison you said, was it the APTX4869 ? 

- Huh? - a sudden fear ran across her mind when she heard the name of it - How..?

- Just what I thought - Gin smirked - I remembered Vodka told me about a detective boy who was killed came back on a Halloween ship. I don't remember who he was but I remember poisoned him when he spying on us. 

Shiho was rather worried about his tempting.

- It was that boy who helped you, right?- Gin lowered his voice.

Shiho nodded in silence, although he couldn't see her nodding but he could tell she did.

- What's his name? - Shiho felt a slight touch on her shoulder.

- I can't - Shiho tensed up - Please don't kill him..

- You see, I can't do that now - Gin soften his voice.

- But you will if you ... - Shiho trembled , then stayed quiet. Gin sighed.

- Still don't trust me?

- It's difficult to - Shiho bend her head down.

- Okay.. I get it - Gin gently pulled Shiho's shoulder closer to his chest. She seemed not resisting. 

- You can tell me whenever you want, it doesn't matter - Gin wrapped her in his arms - Now, let's take it down and have a rest. 

Shiho let out a soft "uhm" and lean her head against his broad chest, the cold- blooded murdered had never been so warm before.  

(To be continued,...)