It was lunchtime, and everyone at Kira's office had agreed to order Ramen. Even the new manager. Kira, who was busy lately, hadn't met him yet. Since yesterday she was thinking about the talk she had with the other SWORD's Leaders.

"So Kira you haven't seen the new manager. He is totally hot. Big shoulders, Dark hair, brown eyes, and he is so tall." an office lady said.

"No, I haven't. I will today. I have to give him the latest project." she notified them.

"Manager is Hot stuff!" another office lady added.

A chubby man entered the office with a box. He placed the box on Kira's desk and started randomly placing the bowls with ramen on her desk. "Alright! I think these are all that you have ordered," he said.

Kira looked at the bowls all over her desk "No, don't leave them here!" she said with a loud tone gazing at the man.

The man looked at her and smiled "Kira?"

"Kumai. What are you doing here?" Kira quizzed, she jumped up happy to see an old friend.

"My kid opened a new restaurant around these parts. I'm helping him these days. And why are you here?" Kuma wondered.

"I work here. Part-time. But it's the work I always wanted to do." Kira said smiling as she was looking at the bowls.

"Shin didn't tell me you were back." Kuma told her as he was closing the box and lifted it up.

"He is busy lately. I think something must be up. But you know dad, he wouldn't ever tell us if it has to do with the Oedo family." she replied.

Kuma nodded "That's Shin. He was like that since High School."

Suddenly the office door opened and the manager came in. He walked over were the Ramen was. Since it was lunchtime he came to get his bowl. Although that's not what he found. He found an old friend that he had not seen for ages. "Ki-chan?" he asked.

Kira lifted her gaze up, seeing the tall man with dark hair. She tilted her head, there was only one person that called her Ki-chan. "Yamata Ryusuke... Ryu-kun omg" she almost screamed. She jumped up. Flipped her chair and hugged him. "So many years." she added with a big smile on her face.

In Japan, people rarely hug each other. Though those years Kira lived in the Big Apple* gave her few foreigner's habits. Hugging was one of those. She hugged only people she could trust and thoughts as close friends.

Kuma with the rest of the office looked at them puzzled. It was rare for Kira to act like that around her workspace. But most were surprised that she knew Yamata. "You know each other?" asked the lady from before.

"Yes. we are childhood friends. Best friends" Kira went on saying loudly. "But Ryu-kun being here?" she asked him.

Yamata didn't manage to answer any of her questions yet. He was more than surprised. He never thought he would meet Kira again (Or at least not like that). "I work here" Yamata answered simply.

"You work here. Since when?" Kira rubbed her head.

"Yes." Yamata responded with a big smile on his face.

"He is our new manager!" another person added.

"Aw you are the new manager," Kira said and stepped back trying to lift back the chair she was really happy to see him. Kira, Kuma, and Yamata spend together the lunch break talking about the previous years. They haven't seen each other for a long time. And Kira until now never knew why Yamata stopped contacting her since he went to college. She would ask him soon. For now, she was just happy to see Yamata and Kuma.

---

That evening, Kira went to Yamata's office to deliver the project. There was not much to do. She had only to show him the main points. Ryusuke took his time checking on the project. Everything was well done.

"I didn't expect anything less. Ki-chan gives always her best!" Ryusuke said proudly about Kira.

She smiled and leaned against his desk "Of course I do." she agreed with a slight smile on her face. She was really happy to see her old friend. "But Ryu-kun how did you end up in Graphics. I thought you would be a pc geek by now!" she .

"That I like Graphics, doesn't mean I am not a geek any more!" he answered proudly. He loved spending hours on his computer. Hacking was his world. But since he grew up he would avoid getting in any trouble.

"Ne! Ryu-kun. If I give you a video link will you be able to find the IP address?" she asked. Kira was thinking about yesterday talking with the five leaders. She was happy to see Ryusuke and Kuma. But in the back of her mind, she was still thinking about the attacks.

Ryusuke nodded "Possible yes.. But it depends. Maybe they uploaded from a random net cafe. It could be helpful."

"Anything would do. I will send you the links later." Kira said as she stood up almost ready to go.

"Why do you need the IP for?" Ryusuke wanted to know.

"There have been some attacks around a friend's area. We need to find out who is behind it." Kira explained.

"Friend?" Ryusuke asked.

"Yes. You remember Naomi."

"I do. Alright. I will look into it soon." he said.

"Ryu-kun that will be really helpful. Okay going then. You should visit the home. Aniki would want to see you." she told him before leaving.

"I will. If you have some free time, we could go for a drink." Ryusuke offered her to spend some more time together.

"I am going to visit Naomi today. You can drop by if you have time," she said with a smile on her face. She surely wanted to see Ryusuke and spend time with him.

Ryusuke agreed at once "Sure, tell me only where it is and I will meet you there."

Kira grabbed her mobile phone and send him an email with the Itokan Diner address and the video link. "Okay. Send the place, and the video link. Your contact info hasn't changed right?"

He nodded "Still the same. See you there then."

---

That night at Itokan Diner Kira showed up after work. The place was crowded like most of the time. Naomi and Nikka were busy with so many orders. Yamato ended up helping them.

"I have to hire a second person. We need help!" Naomi noted as she was pouring some drinks for Nikka to pass around.

Yamato admitted also that Naomi should get some more help "It gets busier every day."

"If it's after 7 pm hire me," Kira said as she was sitting in the middle of the counter astonishing everyone. This time she was dressed as a girl. She didn't bother to go changed in any male clothes. She wouldn't have Cobra use that secret on her. She made up her mind. She couldn't lie anymore. Those people slowly became her friends. And she hoped no one at home would notice her new neverland.

Yamato recognized that the girl dressed in jeans, with the white shirt was Kira. "Naomi, why does Kira have ies?" he was shocked.

"Because Kira is a girl," Naomi answered fast. She was really busy with work and couldn't go on the handle with Kira's immature games. "And Kira if I hire you, you have to drop the troublemaker act." Naomi made it clear.

"Wait, what? Kira is a girl?" Dan suddenly appeared from nowhere asking.

"Seems like that. I thought she was a girl. To pretty to be a boy." Tettsu (Hoodlum Squad Tettsu) added.

Chiharu giggled "Cobra-san will be in shock when he finds out."

"Why will I be?" Cobra coldly asked as he was sitting at the corner close to the counter.

Kira cracked an embarrassing smile saying "Cobra already knows."

Few seconds a silent took over, as everyone tried to process the fact that Kira was a girl. And a very attractive one. They all scanned Kira for few more seconds before they went on talking. What puzzled them, wasn't only that Kira was a girl. But everything that had happened the previous days. Seeing her now as a girl, few things seemed funny. Some other actions seemed odd. But what stood out most was her ability to stand her grounds. She surely was something different.

"Well, Kira is Kira. Doesn't matter if she is a girl or boy." Yamato said as he tapped Cobra's shoulder. Cobra glared at him because Kira for him was still bad news.

"But surely she has her way to find troubles." Tettsu considered.

"That punk can destroy your day in a second," Cobra mumbled as he gave her a quick glance.

Kira faced him not liking him bad-mouthing her. "Stop calling me a punk. And I never destroyed anyone's day!" she uttered clearly.

"Not sure about that.." said Yamato as he remembered few of Kira's "events"

"You are walking trouble. And that is a fact." Cobra mocked her confusing the rest. They were sure, they had never seen Cobra mock or tease around like that.

"Ki-chan...Did I come a bad time?" Ryusuke asked (who had entered a moment ago). It took him some time to find the place. And he was really surprised that Kira would wander around these parts. The Kira he knew, was a sweet caring friend. He had seen her a bit out of character when she was in high school. But nothing like the way Cobra, the Sannoh members, and the four leaders had seen her.

Kira jumped up and walked over grabbing him. She dragged him where the rest was "No way! Ryu-kun come to meet Naomi and the rest." Kira said with a bright light in her face. She went on introducing everyone to Ryusuke.

Cobra took a noticed of the new person, but mostly the change in Kira's behavior. Kira acted like a sweet girl, all pink and happy. 'What's going on with that punk?' Cobra thought as he tried to avoid gazing at them.

"That's how Kira is normally." Naomi hummed as he passed by Cobra to serve some drinks to the customers.

"I looked into the links. I found the IP address. It's from a random internet spot. You cannot find who it was. But I send you the place, just in case you want to check it." Ryusuke said as he took a seat next to Kira.

Kira pulled her iPhone out and looked at the email. She forwarded it to Cobra. Cobra grabbed his phone and gazed at the place info, then he looked at Kira confused. "What is that for?" he asked her.

Kira pushed the chair back and went over-explaining "Ryu-kun found the place from where the videos were uploaded."

"The attack videos?" he asked her seriously.

Kira nodded as he already was sitting next to him "Yes. Ryu-kun said its a random spot."

"But It's a start. I will send it to the others," he added and passed it over to the other 4 leaders explaining what it was for. Then he signed at Ryusuke "Arigato (Thank you)!"

"No, problem. If it's for Ki-chan. Anything." he said and smiled at Kira.

Cobra rolled his eyes ' Ki-chan... Ki-chan... That "punk" Ki-chan, sure' he bore in mind. Kira was for Cobra "that punk" who brought only troubles. Now there she was acting all girly, and being called "Ki-chan". Not sure why, if he found Kira annoying. He surely couldn't stand her friend.

The rest of the night went like that, as Itokan Diner emptied. Kira, Ryusuke and the rest drunk a lot. They had so many stories to say from their childhood. Memories, funny moments everyone was adding something. Only Cobra remained out, drinking and observing.

"You knew Kira was a girl, and you didn't say anything," Yamato whispered at Cobra as he was sitting next to him drinking.

Cobra tried to act cool once again "There was nothing to say. I don't want anything to do with that punk."

"I see that." Yamato made fun of him "Whenever Kira is around...in a mysterious way... you end up together."

"That's what I mean. She is always causing problems around me." Cobra voiced up annoyed.

"And you don't like that." Yamato laughed at his friend making Cobra only more pissed.

"Okay, Ryu-kun sees you tomorrow at work then," Kira yelled loudly getting Cobra's attention as Ryusuke was saying goodnight and left.

"Are you both working together?" asked Naomi as she was pouring few more drinks around.

"Hai (Yes)! We are. He is our new manager." Kira explained as he waved goodbye at him.

"They surely are from a different world than ours!" nodded Yamato causing Cobra only to drink a bit more.

It didn't take a long time and everyone had drunk a bit more than they should. Cobra also drunk a lot and was intoxicated by alcohol ready to fall on his drunk mood.

"You guys don't respect my Inoki, do you?" suddenly Cobra asked as he was gazing at his drink. Everyone gazed at him and took a step back. They knew exactly what that meant. They only one that didn't was Kira.

She titled her head and gazed at Cobra. Kira seemed to be also a bit tipsy. "Who is?" The guys slowly left the shop, and Naomi with Yamato hid in the back yard. They loved Cobra, but they would keep as far away from drunk-Cobra. "Wow, where did everyone go." Kira added as she turned around noticing the empty store.

Cobra stood up and staggered where Kira was sitting. He leaned towards her and with a fun voice he asked her "Inoki Bombaye or Inoki Ganbare?"

Kira turned, she leaned also close to him gazing with her big wide eyes. She blinked confusing "Eh? Inoki?"

Cobra nodded with a smile as he was losing his balance "Inoki Bombaye or Inoki Ganbare? Which one?" he asked her again.

"Em?" Kira scraped her head "Inoki Bombaye of course." she answered surely and loudly.

Cobra pointed at her "Correct. You are the first one finding the right answer." he murmured proudly that someone got it right.

"Of course. I knew the right answer." she admired herself as she tried also to stand up.

"I will share my love for Inoki with you." Cobra edged close to her ear and whispered.

Kira giggled happily "Okay. But you only can share it with me."

Cobra nodded "Only with you. You found the Inoki Bombaye. It can only be you." he made it clear as he placed his arm around her hugging her close.

"Okay. We need to make it officially then." Kira added as she followed Cobra out of the Itokan Diner. It was almost dawn and those two happy started walking to an unknown direction talking about their Inoki love. Naomi and Yamato, rely to find them already gone.

"You think they will be into trouble." Naomi asked worried.

"Not sure. But close the store and let's go look for both of them." Yamato agreed "Both of them drunk it can end up badly."

Naomi locked the store and they both started their search. But Kira and Cobra had already passed the Sannoh district and were now wondering towards the center. Still hugged and happy they were talking loudly trying to find a way to make official their Inoki love.

"We could sign a contract!" said Kira as she was thinking of ways to make it valid. She was still all over Cobra and this time Cobra wasn't annoyed at all.

"We need a lawyer. I don't know any." Cobra said with a puzzled funny face, that Kira had never seen.

Kira thought "I know a lawyer... Dad ... Ie Ie (No)" she shook her hand in front of her face only thinking of Shin's reaction. "That cannot work. We need another way." she added.

Cobra paused and leaned against a wall. A few steps away was a wanderer selling rings, earrings, and other fake jewelry. "Agreed on my Inoki love... needs another way to be official," he said still smiling at Kira.

Kira jumped up the air "I know. We can marry our Inoki love." she suddenly announced.

Cobra didn't wait at all he grabbed her hand and dragged her away "Let's do that then. Let's get married."

"Yatta... Let's go." she yelled as she let Cobra dragging her away she only pause at the stand. "Wait wait we need a ring," she mumbled as she looked at the rings.

"I will buy you one later. Let's go and get married first." Cobra said as he was trying to pull her away.

"No." she refused showing him her fingers "How can we get married without a ring. You are mean!" she whined.

"Don't be sad." Cobra with puppy eyes hammed and lifted his arm up "Lady, we will buy a ring."

"Really!" Kira said as her face lights up again and she started looking for a ring. "They look all so pretty"

Cobra pulled out from his pocket an amount of money yelling "Give us all the rings. What Inoki love would it be then!"

Kira with a smile bigger than ever jump on him and hugging him tightly "I got the right Inoki love." she added. After buying all the rings they went on walking around the city. They bought flowers, even a pink fluffy long skirt that Kira wore. As they were "ready" to get married they ended up in the city hall. It was already 7:30 am and the city hall had just opened.

"We need to fill the form first!" Kira yelled as she pulled back Cobra that was ready to go towards the city hall clerk.

They took some time, but they ended to fill the form correctly. They waited in line. And soon they were facing a middle-age woman that worked there. They gave the form as they looked at each other happy with a lost balance.

"We want to get married!" Kira uttered at the lady that was looking at the form.

"You need a witness for that. The rest of the form seemed to be correctly filled," she said at them.

"You have two of them. Me and her," said Cobra still drunk and happy pointing at himself and Kira.

"No, it has to be someone else," she said and gave them back the form.

They both upset stepped back gazing at each other, as they were thinking who to call. Although in their drunk mind they knew it couldn't be someone they knew well.

"I know. I will call a friend from work. But we have to act more serious." said Kira as she grabbed her phone and called a random person from work. The girl came and she filled the form. Although she noticed that both didn't look exactly sober but she didn't really care.

The form was now filled and both of them waited from the clerk to stamp it and make it official.

(( upcoming chapter ~ Act 8 ~ ))

---

Note:

+ Big Apple is a nickname for New York City. It was first popularized in the 1920s by John J. Fitz Gerald, a sportswriter for the New York Morning Telegraph. Its popularity since the 1970s is due to a promotional campaign by the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau, known now as NYC & Company.

Inoki Bombaye or Inoki Ganbare It's a question that Cobra uses when he is really drunk. It started in elementary school as he uses wrongly the word Bombaye instead of Ganbare.