It's cold...

A week had passed where Taylor had been staying in the hospital and Eve was too scared to visit her father, the image of him unconscious on a hospital bed already makes her anxious. Chifuyu being away from home often for investigations doesn't help, he was Eve's only source of security and comfort else than her father, and Chifuyu went out to investigate that day, leaving Eve alone in her house. Eve was dazing out the window of her room, lonely despite the birds on the roof in front of her were singing under the afternoon sun.

"I can't be a brat... but being alone just made me think of the bad things..." Eve thought as she breathed a long sigh.

"Why the long face?"

"AAAA! Chifuyu-kun?!!" Eve fell backwards when Chifuyu's face suddenly appeared from the top of the opened window, and Chifuyu laughed in satisfaction before jumping to sit on the stool of the opened window.

"Did I scare you that bad?" Chifuyu had a net-windowed bag strapped on his shoulder, "Lucas isn't here today, isn't he?" he asked Eve as she stood up and patted her short gown, with a pout on her face.

"It's his day off today, and he's really busy taking care of the younger ones at the orphanage." Eve responded.

"Right, the orphanage..." Chifuyu seemed to forget that Lucas still lives at the orphanage until now, "Here, I want you to meet my friend." Chifuyu unzipped his bag as he kneeled down to the floor, then a black and white sable ferret jumped out to sit on his right shoulder.

"A ferret...?" Eve was surprised, "I didn't know you had a pet," she was curious of the animal.

"His name's Maru," Chifuyu gently scratched the ferret's head, then placed the ferret on the floor to let it slowly approach Eve.

"'Round'...?" Eve understood the meaning of the name, as she extended her hand for the animal to sniff.

"Yeah, he likes to round up when he sleeps, that's where he got his name." Chifuyu snickered, "He's very vocal, he squeaks a lot and he dooks loudly, he even snores when he sleeps." He turned his ferret on its back to rub its belly, and Maru began laughing instantly.

"Why did you bring him here?" Eve was confused.

"I rarely had time for him since I had to investigate until your old man recovered, so I thought Maru could keep you company here instead. I brought his food, potty container, and toys with me." Chifuyu responded as he played with Maru using his hand, the ferret was squeaking joyfully. "Don't worry, he's well trained. Just keep the windows and closets of the room I'm using downstairs closed, if you do lose him in there, just shake his food container and he'll come." Chifuyu explained as the ferret jumped to sit on his shoulder.

"Are you sure that's okay?" Eve was doubtful.

"Of course, you can talk to him and play with him if you're bored. I can set up everything in the room if you want," Chifuyu stood up and walked out of the room with Maru on his shoulder and Eve following behind him. Chifuyu closed all the cupboards and locked the window shut, then placed the carrier down next to the bed and arranged Maru's potty bucket and toys in the room. "There, you can just come in here if you want to hang out with him." Chifuyu finished with a grin, as Maru yawned near his ear with a mild squeak.

"Okay," Eve smiled back as Chifuyu approached her.

"You can bring him around the house if you want, but make sure he stays in your arms or on your shoulder." He placed Maru on Eve's shoulder, and the ferret stayed to sniff Eve's ear as she touched the ferret's back. "I'll be off to continue my investigation now, I'll see you later." Chifuyu smiled as he scratched Maru's head for the last time before walking out of the room and back to Eve's room.

"When will you come home?" Eve made him stop in front of the opened window, turning to her with a confused look.

"I kept your words last night in mind, okay? Don't worry, I'll be back sooner than you expect." A sincere grin rose on his face, "Au revoir, milady." He bowed to her before giving her a mischievous smirk, then jumping out the window and out of sight of Eve.

"Au revoir, Chifuyu-kun." Eve was calm, a gentle and grateful smile was on her face.

A few hours have passed and Eve received a call from the hospital, informing her that her father had woken up and is recovering very well. Eve just ended the call when she heard the front door open and close, immediately making her run down the stairs.

"Chifuyu-kun!" Eve's eyes were sparkling in joy, making Chifuyu confused as he was holding his lower right arm with his left hand.

"W-What's wrong?" he was clueless.

"Dad's woken up and he's recovering, let's go and visit him." Eve gleamed, showing her joy.

"Alright, let me get ready first." Chifuyu walked pass her, and Eve's eyes paused when she saw blood drip to the floor.

"Chifuyu-kun, are you hurt?!" Eve took his arm and saw he was covering a deep cut wound, that continued dripping onto the floor when his hand was removed. "What happened?!" Eve was frantic.

"Calm down, Eve. I was just handling 5 armed bandits at once, but this is all I got out of it." Chifuyu tried to calm her down.

"5 armed bandits at once?!" Eve's reaction made him realize he said the wrong thing, "Sit down," she made him sit at the dining table and she rushed to get the first aid kit in the house.

"E-Eve, there's really no reason to panic-" Chifuyu fell silent instantly when she returned with teary eyes, allowing her to roll up his sleeve and treat his wound in the silence. "Ow-" Chifuyu flinched when Eve tied up the gauze dressing.

"S-Sorry, just stay still for a little, okay...?" Eve was swallowing her urges to cry as she finished treating Chifuyu's wound, while he was gazing at her with calm eyes.

"You can cry if you want, your throat is hurting, right?" He spoke with a mild voice to not scare her, placing his hand on her head. His touch made Eve melt; she rested her forehead on his chest before her tears started to drip from her emerald eyes.

"I... I hate blood..." Eve's voice was coarse and shaky, "I was here worried thinking about Dad, and you're outside getting yourself hurt. Are you trying to make me more scared?" she asked him, but Chifuyu smiled as he let out a light sigh.

"You really remind me of my little sister, Eve." He spoke with his gentle tone, a comforting tone that he always has when he understands someone's struggle and showed that he is presence to hearten.

"Huh?" Eve didn't expect his words.

"Chiyaki was her name, she's two years younger than me and she's very attached to me. She's always protective of me and always comes to me first for comfort instead of our parents, she would cry and tell me why she was sad, and she would get mad at me whenever I hurt myself. All it takes was a hug, she would forget everything and fall asleep in my arms, then wake up as her normal cheerful self." Chifuyu was caressing Eve's head, "She was always fearful of things and I was the only 'security' for her, she wouldn't want me to leave her alone and would hope for my presence whenever she's scared." He continued with a mild smile on his face.

"Chifuyu-kun..." Eve lifted her head, and her eyes met with his calm blue eyes.

"Could it be, that you don't like being left alone too?" Chifuyu tilted his head with his smile remaining on his face, his silver chain earring swaying and reflecting the afternoon light from the window. Eve was silent for a few seconds, emerged into Chifuyu's captivating warm eyes that showed sincere mild affection, showed how much he loved his sister. But Eve left his eyes shortly, looking down to her lap and clenched her fists.

"You big dummy..." she mumbled, but Chifuyu chuckled since he heard her because of the close distance between them. Eve rested her cheek against Chifuyu's chest, listening to his heartbeat while Chifuyu patted her head, closing his eyes with the same mild smile on his face. "I've been lonely since Mom passed, and I rarely get to see my friends... But since you came to my window, I wasn't lonely anymore... Somehow, I was quickly attached to you..." she was deep in her own thoughts, the early days of Chifuyu visiting her window repeating in her head.

"There, there, Miss Evening..." Chifuyu said mildly.

"Why are you like this? Why am I so comfortable around you? Why do I feel so safe when I have you with me?" Eve was questioning herself in her mind, "I don't understand Chifuyu-kun at all... But I guess, I know how you felt, Chiyaki-san." She took a few deep breaths, before moving away and wiped her tears away.

"Feeling better?" Chifuyu gave her a smile.

"Yeah..." Eve finally smiled, "Thanks, Chifuyu-kun." She had calmed down.

"Let's visit your father then, shall we?" he lightly pinched her cheek as he snickered.

Eve and Chifuyu entered the hospital to visit Taylor, but Chifuyu stopped on his spot when he saw Jeffrey at the receptionist.

"Oh no..." Chifuyu thought as he slowly stepped backwards, but Jeffrey turning his head to him made him freeze.

"You're here, Tsuguha." Jeffrey had an evil smile on his face, "Stop right there!" he sprinted to Chifuyu.

"Eh?" Eve was confused of Jeffrey's reaction, doubled when Chifuyu grabbed her shoulders to hide behind her.

"You little chicken! You can't hide behind her!" Jeffrey appeared to be mad about something.

"I already told you, I don't have it anymore! Why don't you ask your men to search for it?!" Chifuyu was bending his knees to hide entirely behind Eve, who was 15 cm shorter than him.

"As if! You have to be responsible, you little runt!"

"I told you it's around the south of the police office! Nowhere further than that!"

"Well, if it's not far, why won't you be responsible and find it?!"

"No way in hell! Find it yourself, Jerry!"

"It's Jeffrey!!" Jeffrey and Chifuyu were shouting at each other.

"U-Um..." Eve was overwhelmed, placed in the middle of the two. "Can someone tell me what's going on here?" Eve was hoping for an explanation.

"Your boyfriend over here stole my 700 euro watch out of my hand a few hours ago and hid it somewhere in the police office area! I already had my men searching and they haven't found anything until now!!" Jeffrey was frustrated.

"Hey, that just means you need to improve your search horrent, idiot." Chifuyu said with his lower lip pushed up.

"What did you say?!" Jeffrey clenched his fists.

"B-B-Boyfriend?!!" Eve was busy in her own head with her face bright red, distracted by Jeffrey's misunderstanding of her and Chifuyu's relationship.

"Anyway, I just met Detective Anderson, he's already awake-" Jeffrey stopped when his flip-phone rang and took it out of his pocket, "This is Jeffrey Neilson of the Investigation Department, Paris Police. How may I help you?" he answered the call quickly.

"Detective Neilson, we have found your watch, it was thrown in a pile of dry leaves." The person at the other end of the line was one of Jeffrey's men, and Jeffrey glanced at Chifuyu to give him a sharp look.

"Alright, thank you, I'll be right over." Jeffrey responded with a somewhat sour tone, then ended the call. "Today's your lucky day, Mister Personality. Just remember to stop stealing from others," Jeffrey grumbled in annoyance before walking away, while Chifuyu straightened his bent legs with a stupid smile on his face.

"Mm? Eve, are you okay?" Chifuyu tapped on her head gently when he noticed she was paused, breaking her daze.

"Err, um... Let's just go and see Dad," Eve grabbed Chifuyu's hand and dragged him to the direction of her father's room.

"Hey, Eve, Tsuguha-kun." Taylor waved to them with a smile, but Eve approached her father with a pout on her face. "I'm so sorry, Eve. I worried you, didn't I?" Taylor quickly apologized.

"It's okay, Dad..." Eve sighed before smiling to her father, giving him a light hug. "I'm glad you're okay," she was genuinely relieved, and Taylor patted her back.

"Thank you for taking care of Eve, Tsuguha-kun." Taylor gave Chifuyu a smile, "Was she naughty?" he asked her, and Chifuyu's mischievous smirk emerged on the 17-year-old's face.

"Your daughter nearly burned the kitchen while trying to make breakfast, but she's fine most of the time." Chifuyu responded confidently.

"Hey, I thought you're not going to tell!" Eve was embarrassed, and Chifuyu chuckled as Taylor smiled.

"It's okay, Eve." Taylor turned to his daughter with a giggle, "Oh, I also heard you've been handling so many cases lately, Tsuguha-kun." He added to Chifuyu.

"Yep, I nearly finished 20 cases for you." Chifuyu smiled proudly.

"20 in the past few weeks?!" Taylor was shocked, "U-Um, aren't you overworking yourself...? Your role from the start is a consultant, remember? Isn't that what we agreed...?" he was confused, but his questions made Chifuyu fell into a long silence.

"Is it? I've forgotten already..." Chifuyu tilted his head, then giving a big grin.

"He's..." Eve was speechless, even in her head.

"He's not even getting paid, yet he does further more each time." Taylor smiled as he thought so, feeling the warmth Chifuyu radiates from his smile. "Each day goes by, and there's so much more to him that I don't understand yet..." Taylor took a deep breath as he remained smiling.

"By the way, old man, how are you feeling?" Chifuyu changed the topic.

"I'm feeling fine, I might be able to get out in a few days." Taylor nodded, "Jeffrey told me you're doing unexpectedly well on your own, but I can't wait to work with you again." He told Chifuyu.

"Yes, sir." Chifuyu saluted with a grin.

"You both should go home and rest, you can come again tomorrow." Taylor told them.

"Right, I have an investigation planned." Chifuyu nodded his head, remembering he arranged plans.

"Again? Just, don't overwork yourself, kiddo..." Taylor felt bad for him.

"Don't worry, old man, this'll be my last one where I went investigate all out." Chifuyu winked, assuring the detective.

***

Eve was watching news on the small television in the living room, watching about the recent chaotic robbery while waiting for Chifuyu to finish getting ready to visit Taylor again. Chifuyu just finished washing the dishes and rolled down his sleeves as he passed the living room with Maru on his shoulder, but he stopped when he heard the news and stood not far from the television to watch.

"That's a really chaotic robbery, everything's all over the place..." Eve sighed.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Chifuyu smirked as he scratched his ferret's head, Eve froze for a few seconds before turning to Chifuyu.

"It was you, wasn't it?!" Eve jumped up.

"Hey, keep it down. There's no need to make a fuss about it," Chifuyu calmly responded.

"H-How-W-What-Why?" Eve was stuttering in confusion, "What were you up to? I thought you don't rob houses like that?!" she asked him, pointing at the television that showed the chaos of the house.

"You're right, I don't." Chifuyu approved her statement, "The house I broke into belongs to a criminal I'm currently investigating, all of the chaos was part of my plan that I arranged with Jeffrey. Jeffrey's probably doing his part of the investigation right now," he explained and smiled at the end.

"You broke into his house...?" Taylor immediately questioned Chifuyu as soon as he and Eve arrived to his room at the hospital.

"I'm currently working on an illegal weapon marketing done by Keith Wickers; I didn't know where he would've kept the stock of weapons so I purposefully went to rob his house in wild Alabaster style. It's a plan I had Jeffrey work with me in," Chifuyu had a proud smile on his face.

"Um... 'wild Alabaster style'...??" Eve doesn't know what he meant.

"It means robbing in a chaotic style, I turned his house upside-down and threw everything around like I was searching every inch." Chifuyu began to explain, "I wanted him to have a panic attack, if it goes according to plan, Keith Wickers would go to check on the stocks of illegal weapons. Jeffrey is doing his part right now; following the man to wherever the stocks are and will arrest him on the spot, I'm waiting for his update." He continued.

"You sure are amazing, aren't you?" Taylor sighed as Chifuyu turned to walk to the door.

"Where are you going?" Eve asked him curiously.

"Do you always have to know where I'm going?" Chifuyu sighed before turning his head to her, "I'm going to buy a drink," he replied.

"A drink?" Eve tilted her head, and Chifuyu let out another sigh.

"Don't worry, milady, I'll get some for you too." Chifuyu turned back to the door and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Chifuyu-kun seems quitter than usual..." Eve was dazed in her own thoughts, staring at the shut door. "Did something happen?" she was asking herself in her head.

"Eve," Taylor made Eve turn to him, "Is he okay?" he asked his daughter with a somewhat concerned look.

"Huh?" Eve was confused, as if he knew what she was thinking about. "I-I'll go ask him," she knew what she had to do, and ran out to find Chifuyu. Eve found him quickly, but he was approached by two men that made her stop on her way to him.

"You're Japanese? What are you doing here?" one of the men questioned Chifuyu as they cornered him to a wall.

"You lost or something?" the other asked, while Chifuyu clenched the plastic bag in his grip with his lips pursed.

"Please move," Chifuyu was trying to be patient and polite.

"We're in a hospital, so a few broken bones won't be bad, right?" the first man sneered.

"It would be, because nobody's going to help him." The other had an evil smile on his face.

"Leave him alone!" Eve stomped to them, making them turn to her.

"Eve?" Chifuyu didn't expect to see her.

"This your chick or something?" the man approached Eve, followed by the other.

"You're cute, why don't we take you on a walk?" the other sneered to Eve, reaching to grab her shoulder but Chifuyu stopped him by grabbing his wrist with unexpected force.

"Listen up, bastards." Chifuyu's voice turned cold, his blue eyes were menacing enough to frighten the two men. "Don't even think of touching her, you're sickening." His grip strengthened, frightening the man he's holding even more.

"L-Let go of me!" the man was trying to pull his hand out of Chifuyu's grip, but the boy's grip was unexpectedly strong.

"We're in a hospital, so a few broken bones won't be bad, right?" the look in Chifuyu's cold blue eyes made the two men fear what he is capable of. Eve was speechless, all of his warmth and gentleness turned into chilling terror, she could feel his genuine hatred at the moment. "Get lost," Chifuyu threw the man's hand yet releasing him, allowing the two to run away. There were a few seconds of silence, and Eve's eyes were dazed at Chifuyu's back, who was standing in front of her.

"I've never seen him this terrifying before..." Eve thought before Chifuyu turned around with a normal expression, all of his resentment had disappeared, or was sealed away in Chifuyu's blue eyes.

"Sorry about that, Eve." Chifuyu smiled, but Eve immediately knew his smile was fake, as if hoping she would forget what she saw. Eve remained silent as she reached to place her hand under his bangs and on his forehead, they exchanged eye contact, Chifuyu was clueless yet Eve was concerned.

"Are you okay?" she broke the silence in the empty hallway.

"Huh?" Chifuyu was bewildered.

"You're so quiet today, you're not sick, aren't you?" Eve asked him as she lowered her hands, making his eyes slightly widen. "Or did something happen? Please tell me, I'm worried about you." She begged to him with a mild voice, but Chifuyu lowered his eyes as he remained silent for a few seconds.

"It's nothing, Eve. I'm alright, just a little tired." Chifuyu responded, with another forced smile.

"Liar," Eve quickly said with a persistent gaze, giving him a strong look that he didn't expect.

"Don't give me that look, Eve." Chifuyu tapped the side of his right hand on her head as he sighed with a smile, but he was quickly silent with an emotionless expression on his face as his hand lowered, followed by his head and his body bending down, in the end resting his forehead on her shoulder. Eve was silently confused on her stand, her mind went blank from his wordless action as the sky of the fall morning slowly turned gloomy, casting a dim light through the big windows into the empty hallway. "It's cold..." a frail voice from Chifuyu broke the silence, his words struck Eve immediately. He had given up on hiding his true emotions and his warmth turned cold once more, yet this chillness is a bitterness of sorrow and misery. Eve slowly moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him, patting his back as Eve slowly felt his sorrow in her.

"Is it still cold?" she asked him in a whisper, resting her cheek on his upper chest.

"Thanks, Eve..." Chifuyu let out a mild long sigh, then wrapped his arms over hers and around her body, keeping her closer to him as a small smile rose on his face. "Can you stay for a little while...?" his tone of voice was unlike the others Eve had heard from him before.

"Sure," Eve responded softly, and the two of them stood still in a warm embrace in the empty hallway. "Chifuyu-kun is really mischievous and tough on the outside, but he's warm and gentle on the inside. He acts all strong, he secretly likes being pampered nevertheless, I guess ..." Eve smiled as that thought went through her head, feeling Chifuyu's warmth slowly restore on its own.

"You're short, aren't you, Eve?" Chifuyu snickered.

"Hey!" Eve was embarrassed, and Chifuyu chuckled as he loosened his hug, releasing her. "Are you going to tell me? Why are you cold, exactly?" she asked him in concern.

"I just had a nightmare last night; my family's murder was repeated in that dream." Chifuyu's smile turned into a frown in an instant as he looked away, "It happens sometimes..." he sighed with a heavy heart, and Eve gently pats his head to make him look back to her.

"Don't worry, you've got me now." Eve gave him a smile, "Just come to me whenever it's cold again, okay? And I'll warm you up as much as you need," her smile was showing sincere, restoring Chifuyu's smile from the frown.

"Yeah, thanks again, Eve." He thanked her with his mild tone, as it started pouring down rain to the unsheltered grounds.

"What took you so long? Did something happen?" Taylor asked them as soon as they came back.

"I's nothing, old man. The wait was long, that's all." Chifuyu grinned.

"Jeffrey just gave me a call; he said the plan was a big success and they caught Keith Wickers." Taylor told them.

"Isn't that marvellous~?" Chifuyu snickered as the rain slowly stopped pouring.

A few hours later, Chifuyu went to walk back to the Andersons' residence with Eve. It was in the middle of the day, yet the gloomy sky made it seem like it was the afternoon and like it was going to rain sooner or later once more. It was silence between the two, and Eve kept glancing to Chifuyu once in a while.

"You're sickening," Chifuyu's words towards the man at the hospital repeated in Eve's head along with his menacing appearance.

"Why do I feel like, he has a distinct hatred towards men like that...? He doesn't get that terrifying towards other Paris people here, he behaved much better with friendly ones like Lucas, Charlotte, Mr. Alexandre, Dad, and Victor." Eve began to think in her head, then had a sudden realization as she slowed her pace. "That's right... I wouldn't know, because I know nothing about him..." she looked down to the sidewalk with her fists lightly clenching, while Chifuyu stopped a metre away from her to turn around.

"Eve, something wrong?" Chifuyu asked her.

"Huh? I-It's... um..." Eve stuttered, hesitating to question him. "C-Chifuyu-kun... Do you have a distinct hatred towards flirty and ill-mannered men?" she asked him, and she looked up to see his shocked eyes. Chifuyu looked away before turning around, silent as Eve clenched her fists in doubt.

"No," his respond was short, yet it tells Eve it was a topic he refused to give a truthful answer to. It was hushed for a few moments as the cold wind blew their hairs and Eve watched his chain earring sway, "Why are you asking that? I hate all Parisian, remember?" he finally turned to her, yet with another forced smile.

"Oh, right..." Eve looked back down, Chifuyu gazed at her for a few moments before turning around again. Chifuyu knew she doesn't buy his excuse, but he didn't bother to question her about it, since he still doesn't want to be truthful to her. "Why... Why are you such a liar, Chifuyu-kun...?" Eve clenched her dress, frustrated and sad at the same time, like the sky that is waiting for its chance to rain.

***