It had been a while since Shin had seen you. Ever since his escape from the JAA, you two hadn’t spoken. It was weird not having you in his life when he had grown so accustomed to it. It was five years ago when you both were assigned on a mission with the legendary Taro Sakamoto that you two had met and become friends. Five whole years then spent together, side-by-side, going on assassin missions together, and even just hanging out as friends when you were off duty.

But it just stopped. The day he started working at Sakamoto’s store was the day you both stopped talking.

Why? Well, after his disappearance, you hadn’t texted him, or called him. Every time his phone buzzed he half expected it to be you, only to be met with disappointment each time. Shin supposed it was his fault, he left without so much as a warning, but the fact that you hadn’t reached out since made him feel a little insecure. He knew he should’ve said something, but after waiting this long he figured it’d just be weird reaching out now.

Even if he missed you, he wasn’t going back. He had found his place in Sakamoto’s store, his family was with Mr. and Mrs. Sakamoto, Lu and Hana. But, it still didn’t feel like home without you. Every day at dinner, when everyone gathered to eat, he felt like the picture was incomplete without your presence.

And seeing the life the Sakamoto’s led, it only reminded him of the life he had wanted to build with you one day. He couldn’t help but worry that his dream would remain a dream, considering you both hadn’t spoken in months.

But when you walked through Sakamoto’s doors one day while he was cleaning, he couldn’t believe it was really you. No text, no call, no warning. He felt almost emotional, like he could cry as if he was sure he’d never see you again, as silly as that was.

“What are you doing here?”

Was apparently the first thing his brain thought to ask.

“Everyone knows you can’t leave the JAA unannounced.”

You responded, and Shin knew what you were here for. You were here to kill him. That was cruel of the JAA to demand, but he knew you didn’t have a choice. JAA assassins can’t turn down jobs assigned to them.

But if he left, so could you. Shin didn’t care you were here to kill him, he was just happy to see you in person, in stead of late at night, through old pictures on his phone. He wanted you to leave behind the assassin life and stay with the Sakamotos; stay with him. He didn’t want to go back to no contact. He missed his best friend.

“What are you doing here?”

You asked him the same question, and Shin knew you deserved an answer.

“I work here. Being with the Sakamoto’s is my life now.”

It just sucked you weren’t in it anymore. He was really hoping that would change, now that you were here, in front of him.