The next day Fuuko roamed the City as usual. Feeling that she won’t bump into #980 anymore, she walked into the Restricted Quarter—a luxury building believed to belong to a wealthy millionaire who’s known by the name Mr. Stouffer.

It’s rumored, however, that Mr. Stouffer not as what he seemed to be—in fact, he’s supposed to be the other Agency Fuuko’s agency trying to fight off. Mr. Stouffer’s Agency sold pirate CD and VCD versions of Japanese anime at New York and also—gasp—porn.

Fuuko looked up to the building. No name on it—figures. It is supposed to be unknown by people. She had a battle inside her mind, and her evil side won. Going into a boutique, she bought a corporate suit—maroon in color—and paid for it. Going into a local mall’s bathroom, which stinks and sucks, she changed into the suit (and ripped off the tags in force, of course) and went to Restricted Quarter.

Stopping in front of the Stouffer’s building, she put on a shade. If she’s lucky, no one will be able to spot her for a 90 Quarter’s agent. Entering as slowly and as silently as she could, she walked without looking back, nose high in the air.

No one spotted her yet. This could be her lucky day. If she finds out where the next selling location is, it could be her lucky bonus day.

Trying to look like she belongs, she peered into every room that may look important. She has to find the main meeting room. She’d join that room and find out what’s their next plan.

“So, what we’re going to do next is—”

“I have no time for this, Puerile,” a sharp-voiced man said, causing the man who had spoken before to stop. “I say we should proceed to the next plan—”

Ah. So this is the main meeting place. Fuuko entered the room coldly and pretended as if she belongs there. She sat down at one of the empty chairs, looking around. “Well?” she asked icily.

“May I ask you who are you?” a man sitting at a high-chair at the end of the table asked.

Fuuko raised her eyebrow. Okay, think. “I’m agent 761, of course!” she said, sounding crossed. “I’m a very important agent in another high-class ranking Agency, y’know?!”

The man looked a little aghast. “Ah, well, I’m sorry—miss 761; I didn’t expect you to be here… I thought that...this meeting is as of no concern for you, seeing it as such a small meeting. I’m 000, welcome.”

Fuuko nodded coldly. Hah! They bought it! Fuuko thought. “Continue. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the plan. 87 told our Agency this’ll be an important meeting.”

The man flushed with pleasure and embarrassment. “Ah, well…” he drawled on. From the looks of it, he’s probably Mr. Stouffer Fuuko longed to see. “Anyway. Back to the matters at hand. I say we’ll send a few women instead of men—that wouldn’t be too suspicious.”

Fuuko, skimming the room, raised a hand. She noticed that she’s the only woman in the room.

“Yes, Miss 761?”

“Well, it’s a little unfair, isn’t it?” Fuuko said airily. “To use women as baits for your records or—whatever it is,” she continued disgustedly, waving a hand in the air.

Again, the man flushed. “I didn’t mean disrespect, 761,” he said. “I’m only saying it wouldn’t look as suspicious. Don’t you agree?” he asked the other board members. The others just nodded, seeing that most of them are men.

Making a disgusted sigh, Fuuko just nodded. “Very well, then,” she said. “Only don’t make them wear hentai clothes,” she warned scathingly. “If I do find them in that state, you’ll find all of your secret agencies’ secrets busted.”

The man just nodded. “Fine with me, 761. You seem to be quite disagreeable.”

Fuuko glared at him through her shades. “Are you trying to mock me?” she asked.
“No!” the man said. “By all means, no! You know that we here at our Agency respect #87 profoundly! You’ll find that we dedicated almost all of our lives to him!”

“Her,” Fuuko corrected. In her mind, she likes the boss to be a woman. Though not a woman who involves herself in this kind of things… Ugh.

“Why, of course,” the man said, looking quite taken aback. “Her! Of course it’s her! How silly of me!”

Fuuko nodded contentedly on how well her devious plan worked, until—

“Hey!”

All of the board members, the man and Fuuko looked at the doorway. A furious woman is standing there, looking quite bullish and strong, and glaring at Fuuko. “Why is she in my chair?” she snarled.

The man looked at Fuuko, and then looked at the other woman, stuttering while speaking. “But—what’s the meaning of this?” It finally dawned into him and his face as he looked at Fuuko, in her shades, in her business suit, while the woman’s wearing a hentai suit which would go better with a business like this. Men, thought Fuuko, disgusted.

“You!” the man snarled. “You are a spy!”

The board members turned to look at Fuuko, and Fuuko felt herself getting up, preparing to make a runaway. She quickly dodged a few men and security guards trying to block her and did a quite remarkable gymnastic, a few back flips to get out of the room.

Once out of the room, Fuuko ran as fast as she can for dear life, not looking back. Okay, if she gets caught, all of the things that she heard are useless! Come on, legs, run! Pump up!

Fuuko couldn’t believe it when she made her way out of the building and into a store selling baby stuffs. Okay. She’s safe, and there’s no one chasing her. At least, a few of the security guards who are chasing her are running in a different direction rather than into the baby stores.

One point for Fuuko, Fuuko thought, grinning as she got out a tape recorder and stuffing it into her business bag.

***

ID: 162
Password: ********

Fuuko clicked the “Enter” tab on her computer and fell back on her bed, sighing. It has been a long successful day, and it couldn’t be better. She faced her laptop again and in a box, she typed:

Re: Their Plans
Message:
Snuck into the Restricted Quarter today—found out something interesting. Using women instead of men (Men! How disgusting are they?!) to plant Japanese & hentai anime. Suggesting a raid to every market which they had chosen.

162

Fuuko send the message and closed her laptop computer. She took a towel and opened her business suit, which has suffocated her so, and wrapped the towel around her. Entering the bathroom, she took a long peaceful bath until she heard a beep on her laptop computer.

“Damn you!” she shouted while she was in the bathroom.

Getting out, she opened her laptop again and realized that she’d gotten a new message before she could even say “000”. Clicking on the title, she skimmed the whole thing over.

Re: Act Immediately
Message:
I was under the impression that the Restricted Quarter is restricted, which is why it’s given its name. However, I’m pleased that you found us some information.
I understand that you are revolted with their acts of using women (and that’s saying something, as you loathe most men) and we will take act immediately. Also notice that our Agency is full of men. *ahem ahem*

007 (Changed my code; don’t want that damn bastard’s code)
Fuuko fumed at 000’s (now 007, she supposed) message. Furiously, she typed all she could think of, telling 007 that women is often discriminated and that if there is no stopping the use of women, she will put a personal stop to that, arguing that women are the best sexes any sexes could have. She sends it in and got an immediate answer saying that: “you needed a rest, and I’ve expected you would answer that, so I prepared an argument for it.” Fuuko didn’t read the argument though. She rolled her eyes and tightens her bathrobe around her body. She is serious about putting a personal stop to women’s enslavement.

“Okay. I think that’s enough action for today, Fuuko-chan.”

Gasping, Fuuko turned to the one who’s talking—Mikagami.

“What are you doing here?” Fuuko shouted, running into the bathroom with pajamas. “Are you crazy? This is the second time you’ve break in my suite, and if you don’t stop doing it—”

“Relax,” she heard Mikagami said. “You don’t need to make up more arguments, do you?”

Walking out of the bathroom with her pj’s on, she glared at Mikagami. “Did you peer in my personal mail?!” she shouted.

Mikagami just shrugged, to Fuuko’s utter annoyance. “And you peered into my personal meeting.”

Fuuko gaped at Mikagami, unable to decipher what he’s trying to say. “Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she hissed. “But I’m serious—if you don’t stop breaking into my suite, I’m going to sue you. Kill you even. You don’t wanna get on my path, Mikagami Tokiya.”

Mikagami glared at her. “Don’t tell me that you don’t know what I’m talking about,” he snarled. “You wanted to make my business your personal business, don’t you? Walking in the meeting like that—boy, you’re lucky I was able to stop them without appearing to!”

Fuuko just looked at Mikagami as though he’s lost his mind. “What are you talking about?!” she shouted, stamping her foot. “You’re delirious. You know what? The meeting has finally fried your brains. I don’t know what you’re talking about, honestly!”

Mikagami stared at Fuuko for a while and then sighed. “You didn’t notice I was there, then.”

Fuuko narrowed her eyes in suspicion, and threw her hands in the air. “Oh, of all nerves, breaking into my suite just to throw some accusa—” She stopped her sentence as she understood something. She looked at Mikagami and the guilty look on his face confirmed it.

“Oh, my God!” Fuuko shouted, enraged now more than ever. She never thought that Mikagami would be so disgusting and so low! “Oh my God, you were in that meeting?! You are cooperating with those—those clowns?!”

Taking a step backward from Mikagami as he took a step ahead, opening his mouth, Fuuko hissed at him, “I didn’t know that you could stoop so low, Mi-chan.”

“Listen to me!” Mikagami shouted above Fuuko’s screaming. “I did not associate with them—”

“Who are you trying to fool, Mi-chan?” Fuuko spat at him. “I’m an agent, and I’m not as a fool as you think I am!”

“No, no, you got it all wrong!” Mikagami hissed. “Okay, if you’re going to keep that ‘I’m-an-agent-secret’, you better shut up and listen to my explanation!”

Fuuko stopped talking, but she muttered something under her breath that Mikagami doesn’t quite like to hear. “Shut up,” he said, glaring at her. “You don’t understand. I’m an agent too.”

Fuuko’s mouth fell. She opened her mouth, and then closed it again.

“Yes, I’m an agent too,” Mikagami said. “I thought that you’re on the bad side when you first revealed that you’re an agent too. I got, you know, kind of suspicious. But I don’t really care—because I found out that you’re not really on the bad side after I heard your conversation with 007.”

“You son of a bi—”

“Okay, hear me out here, Fuuko,” Mikagami said, sighing. “Anyway, I wasn’t under disguise today at the meeting. Because you know why? The bastard was my dead uncle’s friend. I was able to dig out a few secrets from him—idiot didn’t know I was an agent for another Agency.” At this, Mikagami laughed. “Anyway, I didn’t cooperate with those guys, so don’t dream of it.”

Fuuko was shocked, to say the least. “Well…since you’re not on that bad guy’s side…” she said listlessly, “whose side are you on?”

Mikagami just gave Fuuko a cold stare. “Well. Since we’re thriving for the same thing, I’ll say that we’re enemies.”

“But—”

“I mean, to be logical, we both wanted to be the best.”

Fuuko shut her mouth. It’s true. She does wants to be the best. She bit her lip and sat down on the couch. “Well,” she said. “What gave my act away?”

Mikagami laughed, sitting on the computer desk’s chair. “Are you kidding me?” he said. “Well, obviously I was the only one that realized you’re not from one of these people—at first I thought you were, so I didn’t object, I want to observe you with those idiots—because the others doesn’t seem to notice.”

With that, Mikagami laughed again. “Of course, you’re the only woman who’d say anything in defense against the women,” he said with a twisted grin. “And besides, a woman on the board? They wouldn’t wear a reasonable suit, you know? You saw the actual woman who was supposed to be there today.”

Fuuko wants to retort on this, but she just sighed and smile. “Oh well,” she said. “And the fact that I said ‘hentai’ gave it all away, didn’t it?”

“And this is the first time I’ve noticed it, but since when did you dye your hair blonde?”

Fuuko blushed. “Shut up.” She touched her hair instinctively. “I didn’t really dye it. It’s a One-Night-Stand kind of thing.”

Mikagami look a little disgusted, and Fuuko shouted at him for being so perverted. “Not that One-Night-Stand you okama!” she shouted. “It meant it washed off after a while! I kept applying and reapplying it. After all, I loved my purple hair.”

Fuuko expected Mikagami to be mad when Fuuko said he’s an okama, but all he did was laugh and smiles in amusement, which was certainly what he wouldn’t do before. He’s changed, in a way. And so does she. In a lot of ways.

“Now, since you are my enemy,” she said testily, “I suppose you should be hurrying out now. And if you dare reveal any of my secrets to anyone—including my secret about the meeting today—I’ll kill you. I swear to god, I will. Don’t you dare give any information on me to your boss.”

Mikagami raised his arms in the air as if to surrender. “I won’t if you won’t. I don’t want those people to turn against me.” He started to leave when he stopped and looked back at her. “Did you know that there was an actual Agency with a boss named 87 or did you just made that up? The bad guy really respected a #87, so it seemed.”

Fuuko grinned. “My secret,” she said. “And hey, I’m a professional agent slash spy.” And with that, she closed the door.

***

The next morning, Fuuko still haven’t gotten over the shock that she and Mikagami are going to be enemies from now on. They were at least a team in UBS, but now…well, to be a complete enemy, that’s hard. Especially if you’ve been through some horrible things with the guy.

Yawning, Fuuko decided that indeed Mikagami was right. Yesterday was packed with action, and she’s done with that for today. All she wants to do today is rest and hang out at the pool. Taking her bikini, she changed into it and took her yellow shades, she hang a towel on her shoulder and walked off to the pool in the Three-Leaves Hotel.

Stretching, she got out of the blue bathrobe and puts on her shades, rubbing suntan lotion on to her body. Feeling blissful and happy, she stretched out again and puts her arms under her head, enjoying the sun. A perfect day to get a tan.

“Whatcha doing here?”

Fuuko looked up to see a black-haired guy grinning at her peevishly. She turned back to the sky. “Just getting a tan, if you don’t mind,” she said dryly.
“Oh, I don’t mind,” the guy sand, sitting down on a chair next to Fuuko’s. Fuuko just ignored him and his stares. She felt her face burn (and not from the sun) as she felt the guy skimming her body. Getting up from her comfortable chair, she pulls off her sunglasses and dived into the pool as fast as she could, trying to avoid the nasty guy.

Unfortunately, the guy seemed to follow her every move. Diving into the pool, he tried to keep up with Fuuko’s fast, furious pace. “Slow down, will ’ya?” he called out, panting and out of breath.

Fuuko didn’t answer. She kept swimming, determined to get the guy lost. Before she could do another lap, though, the guy grabbed the back of her bikini pants and pulled her toward him. Fuuko screamed but was pulled underwater. Trying to fight off the guy’s strong grip, she kicked at him and was satisfied when she finally hit his youknowwhat. Gasping for breath, she swam to the nearest edge of the pool and rested her arms there for a second.

Getting out of the pool, Fuuko tried to kick the guy’s hand once again as it had tightened around Fuuko’s ankle. Falling to the ground, Fuuko screamed at the deserted pool (as it was in the morning and it is an exclusive hotel). “Let go of me, you idiot!” she screamed shrilly, but to no avail because every time she pulled and pushed and kicked, the guy seemed to be getting closer.

Her vain yells soon attracted Mikagami though, who was just walking across the garden into the pool area. “Fuuko!” he cried. Seeing the state she’s in, he rushed over to her and kicked the other guy’s face and helped Fuuko to stand. Fuuko was crying—which surprised Mikagami—and was clinging to Mikagami as hard as she could.

“Are you alright?” Mikagami asked as he held Fuuko close to him and kicked the guy’s shin at the same time. The dark-haired guy flew across the pool and hit the other edge. Slumping at the other edge, he saw that he was no match for two skillful fighters, and he ran off in his Speedo.

Sobbing, Fuuko nodded meekly. He could hear her mutter “thanks”, “oh my God” and between other things “sonofabitch nearly—gulp—killed me!”

Stroking Fuuko’s wet, damp hair, Mikagami brought her to her chair and wrapped a towel around her. “That’s okay, that’s okay, ssh,” he said soothingly. Clearly he was panicked, as he had never saw Fuuko cried. Crying was the first sign of weakness, as she always say or quoted.

“Okay, let me take you back to your suite, okay?” Mikagami said softly. “Are you sure you’re all right? Can you walk?”

“I can walk!” she snapped, and then she was back to sobbing again. “I just need help,” she stammered through her sobbing.

Realizing that he was attracting some attention from the servicemen and servicewomen, he hurriedly collected Fuuko’s things and carried it off with Fuuko in his arm to Fuuko’s suite.

Stumbling while she’s opening her lock, Fuuko made it into her suite and wrapped herself tightly around herself. She was trembling by the time she has sat down on her made bed.

Mikagami shut the door softly and sat beside her. “Are you okay?” he asked gently.

“Of course I’m not okay,” she cried, “how can I be okay?” Crying, she hugged him. “Oh my God, you should’ve seen him… Tried to kill me, probably tried to rape me in the process…”

Awkward as he felt, Mikagami hugged Fuuko closer and puts both of her legs on his lap. With Fuuko still crying, he tried to sooth her, putting his arms around her shoulders and raking his hand into her hair.