Memory

Azalea went out to see a client. Then afterwards made her way to the market. She wants to buy fresh ingredients for their dinner tonight. She didn't make it to lunch this afternoon and she was worried that her husband didn't eat much because she wasn't able to cook lunch for him. She is very busy in her shop and the other paper works that Uncle Long and Carlton thrown at her today. While on the street she saw a familiar face staring at the busy streets.

"Excuse me". Azalea was trying to catch the woman's attention.

The woman shifted her gaze to her and gave her a warm smile. "What is it?".

"I think we have met before". She saw the woman narrowed her eyebrows. "At a beach resort... I was crying back then". Azalea is trying to make her remember where did they meet.

"Oh, I'm sorry... My memory is not that great, I don't remember people easily in a one time meeting". Her words sounds honest and true.

"It's okay, as long as you don't think I'm crazy, barging in and ask things, its fine really". Azalea smiled awkwardly. "Anyway I came because I want to thank you, the advice that you gave me, it really helped me a lot". She is being grateful to her for being there at the right place at the right time.

"Whatever I did back then that I can't remember but helped you, don't mention it. I'm glad that I helped you". She gave Azalea a wholeheartedly smile.

"By the way, my name is Azalea". And she handed her a personal calling card along with her hand.

She took the card and read it. "My name is KC, nice to meet you". And shook Azalea's hand that still waiting.

"Are you a photographer?". Azalea was staring at her professional camera and she can tell it's one of the expensive type.

"I'm a freelancer actually". KC knows she is a fast observer and a quick learner and most of all she's always aware of her sorroundings.

"Ah, do you have any studio nearby?". She was thinking of seeing her work in person.

"No, I move a lot. I only have a rented room". She said to her then took a snap on a walking child selling some street food.

"I think your quite busy..... I'll go ahead". She tried to leave but she heard her say something.

"Are you going to buy some fresh ingredients?". She looks at Azalea then smiled at her. "I know where to buy some, you'll love it". She walks ahead without inviting her.

Azalea saw her walking away from her heading inside the busy street. She feels comfortable with her and decided to follow. There's a lot of alleys and a lot of turns before she sees big aquariums with living and still breathing fishes and other living things that came from the sea. Her eyes grew wide in disbelief and joy, she's never been in this part of the market.

"Wow!... These are so fresh, how did you know this place?". She was surprised and grateful that she brought her there.

"I do a lot of walking around because of my job". She simply said to her. She was staring at her calm and peaceful face that fulls of life and joy at this moment. She wonders how small things can make a person like her glows in happiness.

"You have a very cool job". She even raised her two thumbs to her.

KC laughs at her then shook her head. She looks like a kid when she does that. She was staring at her innocent eyes and saw the kindness in them. She off the flash and shutter of her camera and took some stolen shots of Azalea while she's looking and picking the live fishes. She caught every angles of her that shows different emotions. And she loves them.

"Look!". Azalea showed her all the fishes that she bought they are bag with water.

"You should asked the owner to clean it for you". KC don't understand why she bought them, still alive. "Are you going to clean it yourself?".

"No!.... I don't think I want to kill them". She pity them and she can't see herself killing those powerless fishes.

KC laugh again wholeheartedly this time and she caught everyone's attention. She can't believed her ways of thinking. Azalea's eyes shows an innocent care for the lives of those small animals very different from the day she saw her took a life of a man to save her husband.

"And what are you planning to do to them if you don't want to kill and cook them?". KC is very curious. She never felt this kind of curiosity in anyone except for her now.

"I think I'll throw them back to the sea". She said candidly to her.

"They will die if you do that, they don't know how to feed themselves anymore. They all grew up in those aquarium and been fed for a long time. They've been sheltered for so long they forgot how to live in their own home". She explained it to her like how a mother explains things to a child.

"Oh, is that so?.... Then I'll buy them an aquarium so they can live there". She said innocently. She has no other options anyway.

KC who is taller than her patted her head like a child. She can't explain why she looks like a little sister to her. She noticed Azalea didn't budge or stopped her from touching her head she just looked at her and smiled genuinely. She have a unique ability to make other people like her, she thought. This is probably why she is very special to him.

The two went on their own way and KC didn't argue about Azalea's idea of letting those fishes live. She learned from her that even a small living thing still have the right to live even if the choice was given by other people.

Shin Tower.

Jack is about to leave his office, he is ready to go home when suddenly Corbin came in with a woman. She handed him a big envelope and Jack took a peek. When he is not satisfied he scattered them to his table. It was all his wife's picture and the shots are very astonishing. It captured well the things that he sees in her that he thought nobody does. He was delighted.

"Ocean told me your one of his best". He keeps looking at his wife's photo one by one. "Then I should expect the best from you too". He stops in one photo of Azalea while she tries to catch the little fish that jumps. The corner of his lips curved up.

"I will only live with your expectations, Master". She is still lowering her head and not meeting his eyes.

"You know how much she means to me, do you?". He is separating his wife's photo according to his liking.

"Yes Master, I was brief about her". She waits again for his question.

"You were in that mountain, am I right?". Jack is now holding an up close photo of his wife's face. It was almost a side view and he can see her perfect skin and the unique color of her eyes. She looks like a child waiting for the candy she bought.

"Yes Master, I was". She honestly replied.

"But you didn't help us..... Did you only watch us die?". Jack is now looking at her face. He is giving her a very cold stare.

"Ms. Son's people are also in the vicinity and I know that they are all capable people that's why I remain from where I am that day". She told Jack what she told her captain on her report.

Jack furrowed his brows. He got confused with her words. From what he remembered it's only Lukas who came out of nowhere and saved them. "How many people are in there?". He is curious.

"About five people since the time you came to the land". She remembers everything that happened and even the faces of those men because it is her natural gift to remember everything her eyes sees.

"Ocean didn't mention that in his report".

"Captain Ocean don't want others to be concerned with the things that doesn't need any concern yet". That's the words she heard on her Captain's mouth when she also asked about it.

"And also he didn't mention to his report his thoughts about my wife's behavior that day". Jack knows she saw his wife pulled a trigger to a man that caused him his life. And if it's true, what he says, that she is one of his best that means she knows that Azalea can be considered a pro in handling guns.

"She saved your life Master, there's nothing wrong with that". She knows what he meant but she keeps it to herself. If Azalea can shoot a gun just to save her beloved husband, for her there's nothing wrong about it. She will close her one eye shut, about it.

Jack looked at her and studying her whole. There's something about her that makes him uncomfortable but she took her wife's photo with full of interest and enjoyment that means she is comfortable with her. He needs to make a thorough check about her background but for now he will let her be Azalea's guard.

"You're dismiss". He saw her bow and walked out of his office.

"You're not comfortable with her, are you?". Corbin can sense him and almost can read his thoughts.

"Anything about her?". Jack knows Corbin is prepared.

"She became a White Hound under Ocean when she was sixteen. One of his best. They call her MEMORY because she have a photographic memory and Ocean utilized her gift the way he always do. When she turned twenty one she asked to leave and marry the man she met on one of her mission but he died a sudden death a year after. She came back but became the aloof hound. She never howl or asked for help in times of danger. She do things on her own". He gave his full report about her. Corbin only got this before she came.

Jack now is in doubt. She seems to be holding onto something in her past and her past might become a problem someday. He don't want to gamble her wife's safety but he needs to test her ability first.