Rina and Semi sit back up on the floor. “When did you started killing?” Rina continued to probe Semi questions.

“This is such a funny question.” Semi find it amused that they are talking about such topic. “When I was eleven, some bastard broke into my house in the night, stole my parents’ money, and wanted to take me away. My parents fought back to save me but had their lives taken away by him. I saw my parents being killed alive, I can’t do anything but run away. I swear to revenge for my parents.” Semi revealed a really sad pair of eyes. Rina kept quiet by his side and listened attentively to him.

“I wanted to become stronger, so I can kill him with my own hands one day. I started learning combat techniques from my master, I learned how to use the knives. One year ago, I saw that bastard, the one who killed my parents. I followed him to a dark alley and finished him off with my own hands. Then I realized someone saw what I just did, I was about to kill her off, but she went praising at how good my skills were.”

“OH! Don’t tell me she’s Momo from the shop?” Momo is a slightly plump girl who is the owner of the shop in the red light district. Rina and her know each other through a mutual acquaintance since they does similar jobs.

“Yeah, then she started pestering me to become a professional killer. I couldn’t stand her and that’s how I ended up doing this.”

“Her high pitch voice is seriously----annoying!!” Rina totally understand.

“YES!! And she goes screeching forever!” Semi finally found someone who understands his torture.

“Oh ya, I almost forgot to pass you your earnings for yesterday’s job.” Rina went to her desk and took out an envelop from the drawer, and passed it to Semi.

“Wow, this is thick and heavy.” Semi’s first thought when he took the envelop.

“Yeah, it’s 2 million yen.”

“What?!?!” Semi got a shock, this is really so much higher than what he usually gets from Momo’s jobs.

“I didn’t take a single cent, you can check.” Rina’s free service trial was still in place.

“I trust you.”

“Hehe, maybe you can treat me to some mentaiko onigiri?”

“Just how much do you love mentaiko onigiri?!?!” Semi seriously can’t stand this mentaiko onigiri freak girl.

“Don’t be so stingy!!” Rina refuted back.

“I’ll sign contract with you.” Semi brought up the topic.

“Ok… Wai...t… WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!?!” Rina wasn’t sure of what she just heard.

“CONTRACT, I’LL SIGN IT.” Semi said it loud and clear.

“But! You still have free trial service period! Are you sure???”

“Yes, to be honest I don’t need that much money too, you can take some as your commission.” Semi had no desire for anything, he is just living his life day by day.

“Semi…” Rina with her teary eyes again.

“What again?” Semi quite like how Rina always call his name.

“Can I give you a hug??”

“W..h..a..t… Are you...” Rina didn’t wait for Semi to finish his sentence and went up towards him and gave him a big and tight hug, “Thank you, my saviour.” Rina spoke really gently into Semi’s ears.

“You’re… Welcome…” Semi stayed still while being hugged by Rina. It was warm, the hug was warm, how long has it been since he felt such warmness? He can’t recall, not at all, he wanted to stay in her arms…

“Semi…” Rina broke the silence.

“Hmm?”

“Why do I feel so comfortable with you? It’s weird… Right?” Rina was straight with her feelings as usual.

Yes, Semi felt weird too, why does he feel so too? This is the first time he have such feelings for someone. “I don’t know too, but, why not?”

“Hehe…” Rina moved away from Semi, “Semi, when is your birthday?”

“You switch topic so easily…”

“Tell me…” Rina look deeply into Semi’s eyes.

“...... May… 9th”

“Oh! It’s next month!” Rina got excited suddenly.

“Hey…” Semi couldn’t bring the words to his mouth.

“Yes??”

“Yours?”

“Mine?”

“Yes yours…”

“My… What?” Rina was trying to tease Semi again, she knows what he is asking but she wants to make him say it out.

“...... Your birthday… When is it?”

Rina was pleased, she smiled and said, “December, 30th…”

“I see…” It’s still far from now, Semi thought.

Since Semi had agreed to sign contract with Rina, Rina prepared the contract the next day for Semi to sign.

“Yosh! It’s done, so you are now officially hired under me!” Rina was more happy than anyone else, not because she could get money, but she would now be able to see Semi more often.

“Provided I don’t get caught huh.” Semi jokingly said.

“I’ll save you from the prison if you do get caught.” Rina wasn’t joking.

“Haha, what can such a weak lady like you do?”

“Semi…….” Rina walked up to Semi, and suddenly her hands reach out to his waist and started tickling him.

“AHh!! HAHAHAHAHHA!!! STOP STOP!!! STOP IT!!!” Semi couldn’t stand it anymore, he grabbed Rina’s hands and pushed her against the wall.

“Arara, why are you giving me a kabedon?” Rina saw this move so much in dramas and movies, she didn’t thought it would happen to her too. (*kabedon, one pushing another onto the wall, an intimate position)

“Because you are stupid…” Semi’s nickname for her.

“Stop calling me stupid, you have not yet once call my name before…” Rina showed a displeased face and looked away from Semi.

“Stupid…” Semi lean his forehead against Rina’s forehead, the short distances between them allowed Rina to look deep into Semi’s eyes, she saw his gentleness, totally different from the Semi when she first saw, the cold, ruthless and heartless Semi.

“Call my name…” Rina requested again.

“...... Rina…” Semi said it really softly.

Rina was really happy, she smiled widely at Semi, and hugged Semi suddenly again.

“Wait! You!” Semi got a shock from her again.

“Don’t… Talk…” Rina hug Semi tightly and lean her head on his shoulders.

“......” Semi loves the hug, subconsciously his arms begin moving up Rina’s back, and pushed her nearer to him. Time seemed to stop at this moment, silence was what they want, just having each other was enough…

Few days later, Rina have a new job order for Semi and called Semi to her apartment.

“Good Afternoon Semi!!” Semi wonder why Rina is always full of energy.

“What’s the smell?” Semi smelt some burnt smell as he walks into the apartment.

“ehh, nothing! I was boiling some soup and it got burnt.” No, Rina wasn’t boiling soup, she was trying to learn how to bake a cake. She wants to make a cake for Semi’s birthday.

“But that doesn’t smell like…” Semi was having doubts but Rina cut her off, “It is! Come sit down!” Rina was afraid that Semi would find out what she was doing.

“This is your target this time.” Rina took a picture and passed to Semi. As Rina was explaining the job order to him, he was looking at her face and found something sticking on her face. Naturally his hands reach out to remove the dirt off her face.

“WOW! SEMI! What are you doing?” Rina got a shock by Semi’s actions.

“You have dirt on your face…” Semi took a closer look at his hands, and her face, and his hands again, “wait...no...this is not dirt, it’s flour…”

(Rina OS: OH NO would Semi find out what I was doing?!?!)

“What were you cooking exactly?” As far as Semi knows, flour isn’t a necessary ingredient for soups.

“I…” Rina went speechless, “was trying to make gyoza!” Rina lied.

“Gyoza?? Wow! And I guess you failed terribly?” Semi could guess from the burnt smell.

“Yeah…” Rina got a bit depressed. She was worried that she wouldn’t be able to bake a proper cake by Semi’s birthday.

“Stupid, no one can cook from the start, it takes tries and experience to do up a proper dish.” Semi was trying to comfort Rina.

“I know… Anyway, have you got my explanation regarding your new job order?”

“Yes yes, you are so long-winded. Just leave it to me.”

“Ok! Give me a call after you are done! Or…” Rina started blushing, “you can come here to inform me personally…”

“Stupid…” Semi found Rina so cute, “I’ll go first… see ya…”

“See ya!” Rina bid Semi farewell with a great smile.

Semi finished his job within the next few days and came to Rina’s apartment again.

“Hi Semi!!” Rina was full of smiles again.

Without saying anything yet, Semi went closer and closer to Rina, Rina moved back slightly as Semi got closer… “Why do you smell like a cake?” was Semi’s question.

“Ahhh!!” Rina thought it was over for her, Semi’s gonna found out!

“Not bad huh, you treated yourself to cakes and not onigiri.”

(Rina OS: Phew…)

“Yeahhh! Thought I can have a change of taste sometimes…” Rina followed along Semi’s misunderstanding.

“Here’s your earnings this time!” Rina handed over yet another thick and heavy envelop.

“Wow! So thick again!” Semi was impressed again.

“Yeah! I told you I will make your onigiri worthwhile right?” Rina was proud of herself.

“Yeah right…” Semi smiled…

For the next two weeks, Rina was focusing on perfecting her cake and didn't have new job orders for Semi.

On 8th May, Rina called Semi around 11pm, “Semi, I have an urgent job for you! Come to my apartment now!!” No, Rina doesn't have any jobs for Semi, she wanted to celebrate his birthday for him.

“Whats… at this timing? And do you know what day is it tomorrow? You are asking me to kill on my birthday?” Semi had no plans for his birthday, neither does he want to kill on this day.

“I’m sorry, the client gave me last minute order…” Rina continued with her lies.

“Ok, I’ll be there in 45 minutes.”

“I’ll be waiting!”

Semi reached Rina’s apartment around 11.45pm. Rina was explaining on a fake job order to Semi while waiting for 12am to come.

Soon, it was 11.59pm, Rina used her remote control to off her apartment lights.

“Ah! Blackout??” Semi got a shock at the sudden situation.

“Rina, are you alright? Where are you??” Semi was getting a bit worried as he can’t see where Rina has gone.

*bang* “AH!!” Rina screamed after a loud bang.

“RINA?? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?? WHERE ARE YOU??” Semi tried to walk in the darkness looking for Rina.

“......” Silence continued for a few seconds till Rina started singing, “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Semi, Happy Birthday to you!!” Lights came back on, and Rina was holding a cake with lighted candles in her hands.

Rina’s image entered into Semi eyes, he was speechless, he linked up all the weird things that happened, burnt smell, Rina smelling like a cake, and then calling him at such timing. It was all meant as a surprise for him. He felt a burning pain around his chest area, “she’s such a stupid woman,” he thought. Why does she do so much for him? He doesn’t deserve all these, he had killed so many people, he thought he won’t be happy ever again. But at this moment, he is happy, very very happy…

“Why are you so stupid as usual?” Semi wasn’t good at expressing his feelings.

“Make a wish!” Rina ignored Semi’s usual question.

“...” Semi stood still, “Quick!!! Make a wish!!!” Rina prompted again.

“Alright…” Semi made a wish, his first wish in so many years, is that this lady beside him would stay by his side...forever…

“Blow the candle!!” Rina voiced was heard again.

*Blows* Semi blew the candles, “YAYY!!!! Let’s cut the cake!!!” Rina handed a knife to Semi.

“It’s been so long since I’ve used knives other than for killing…” Semi joked, yet it’s true and sad.

Rina pat on Semi’s head, smiled and said “stupid, then let this be the first, and it won’t be the last…”

Semi smiled, and cut the cake.

“Try it!!” Rina hasn’t reveal to Semi that this cake was made by her, neither does she know that Semi already knew.

“Ok…” Semi already have evil thoughts in his mind now…

“How is it???” Rina asked Semi for his opinions.

“AHH, why is it so salty??” Semi joked.

“HEH??? DID I MISTAKEN SALT FOR SUGAR??” Rina got a huge shock, she can’t believe she made such a stupid mistake.

“Yeah, from that reaction, did you bake this cake?” Semi was laughing in his heart.

“Yes… I’m so sorry, I failed again…” Rina got depressed again.

“Stupid… I was joking with you… It’s a very nice cake, not too sweet, yet fulfilling.” Semi was thankful of what Rina had done for him.

“AH! You lied???” Rina pretended to be angry.

“HAHA~ Because you are stupid!”

“SEMI!!!” Rina jump onto Semi and started fighting with him again, but Semi quickly grab hold of Rina’s hands, turned her around to back face him, and gave her a hug from the back.

“Thank you… I have not celebrated my birthday for years, I’m really happy today…” Semi’s voice was really soft, “and I love strawberries, thank you for the strawberry shortcake…” Semi was probably blushing really badly now, but at least Rina couldn’t really see his face now as he is hugging her from the back.

“You’re welcome…” Rina turned around slightly to look at Semi.

*kiss* Semi gave a light peck on Rina’s cheeks. Rina face turned red and felt her heart beating so fast.

“Do you… Wanna stay here for the night? I think there’s no transport for you to get back already…” Rina wanted Semi to stay over.

“Stupid, aren’t you scared what I might do?” Semi sounded evil.

“You can hug me to sleep!!” Rina turned back to look at Semi, smiled widely, “but with clothes on!!!”

“You’re seriously stupid!!” Semi laughed at this silly girl.

That night, both of them slept in each other arms, it was a long, warm and comfortable night...