The girl who was frozen

Rika waltzed into Shiori's place to find Mimi looking alert and chipper.

"Who are you!?" Mimi asked.

"She's the one that brought you here a week ago," Shiori grumbled.

"Hey, Mimi. It’s me, Ri-chan," Rika smiled somberly.

"Huh? HUH!? B- but no way you could disguise yourself as a child!" Mimi protested.

"I didn't, I grew up."

Mimi's eyes widened and tears began to well up inside of them. "Not again. I still haven't gotten over last time. VIVI! MILLE! What about- "

"Long dead. Sorry. It's been almost a decade since you were frozen again," Rika sighed.

"Is the world still the same?" Mimi trembled.

"Denmark's still Denmark."

"At least that's the same, but now I'm alone. Wait! Did any of my other teammates turn up?"

"No clue, sorry."

"Why? Why am I still here? If they're dead, then why am I still alive!?" Mimi sobbed.

"You're way too young to just die. Aren't you only 18- well 18 as you are now."

"But I don't know what to do. Everyone's gone, everything's different, what am I supposed to do!?"

"I'm still here. Though we didn't know each other for long, I owe my life to you for saving me back then and setting me on the right path. I'm sorry you were practically gutted to save a brat like me."

"But you were young. Now you've grown into a beautiful spy thanks to me saving you. Me? All my friends are now bones."

"You don't know for sure. We never found your friends Hylda, Eluf or Katrina. Maybe they survived."

"But I don't want to spend my days searching aimlessly."

"That's why I want you to come to my place, its warm and loving and you can make new friends."

"...?"

"You told me I should try being a chef, and I was able to dabble in cooking thanks to it. Now I'm a top chef and I've got a restaurant and boyfriend."

"YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND!?"

"Well, not quite, but he's slowly learning the ways of the heart. So wanna be a waitress at my place? We just opened and don't have any other staff, though I plan to do a mass hiring when I can. You don't need to worry about cooking, just serving."

Mimi closed her eyes before reopening them and smiling. "Sorry I wasn't my cheery self. I'm happy to work with you, Ri-chan."

"You've been healed to the point where you can do that, but no acrobatics for at least another month. You're lucky your physiology appears to heal quickly. Though do you really have no idea who your family is?" Shiori asked.

"I was orphaned at a young age," Mimi stated.

"You're probably going to need to come back to me exclusively for checkups considering you don't appear to have any legal documentation on you."

"Huh? Don't I have my ID on me?"

"What do you mean? You did have a wallet, but I didn't see any form of identification besides this card," Shiori shrugged as she presented Mimi her Danablu ID card.

"Oh, that's my official ID," Mimi smiled as she grabbed the card.

"HUH!? Like hell that will pass! Guess this means you'll need a new ID card. Rika, you still have connections to Klepto?"

"I saw him right before I enrolled at Tabemono," Rika replied.

"Better than nothing. Have him give her a REAL ID."

...

"You don't need to do all this for me," Mimi said as Rika knocked on the door of Klepto's hideout.

"No, you deserve better. I can tell you've been through far more pain and suffering than I'll probably ever know. You deserve to at least live out your days happy and carefree," Rika smiled.

. As the door opened, the girls were greeted by a fat middle-aged man in a tracksuit. "Here for IDs? You got the goods?" he asked.

"All 1,000,000 yen and an order of fried chicken, though I could easily make far more delicious fried chicken," Rika said as she handed over a large bag.

"Splendid, so the ID?"

"It's for her," Rika nodded as she pointed to Mimi.

...

"Well now I got two IDs," Mimi smiled as she stared at her new ID as she walked with Rika.

"Just make sure to show that one instead of your Danablu one if you're asked to show official documentation," Rika nodded.

Mimi nodded and pocketed her ID cards. "So, is everyone at your place a spy?" she asked.

"No. Just you. Though technically you're an ex-spy now," Rika said.

"But aren't you a full-fledged spy now?"

"I told you a thousand times, I'm not a spy. Though guess I'm now an ex-assassin. But don't mention it to anyone. I haven't told anyone about my past yet."

"In that case no need to fear. I never sell out my friends."

"Glad to see you smiling again. Oh, and Masaru's MY man."

"Don't worry. I won't try and steal your guy."

As the two entered the restaurant, they saw Helga confronting Masaru. "As I said before, if you are not here to eat, get out," Masaru glared.

"Hell no! I'm not leaving till I give that bitch what for!" Helga glared.

"HYLDA!" Mimi shouted as she tearfully leaped at Helga and embraced her in a hug. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! BUT YOU'RE ALIVE! I'M SO GLAD! I LOVE YOU! I'M SORRY I KEPT YOU WAITING FOR 40 YEARS! WAAAAH!"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!? GET OFF ME YOU FREAK!" Helga shouted as she shoved Mimi off her.

"Huh? Your hand. It looks natural," Mimi stated as she gazed at Helga's right hand.

"Of course, it's natural. Seriously, who the hell are you!?" Helga glared.

"Ah, Codename: Laks aka Mimi from Danablu. Are you Codename: Hyldeblomstsaft?"

"Don't know a weirdo that comes from Danish blue cheese so no."

"Do you not remember anything?"

"I remember everything. I'm Helga dammit, not Hylda."

Mimi then frowned when she realized her error. "Sorry, I guess your hand is real. You really do look just like her though. Are you related? Sister? Daughter? ...Granddaughter?"

Helga was taken aback by the somberness in Mimi's eyes. It completely deflated the animosity she had built up towards Rika. "Forget it. It ain't right to just go off on you infront of her. Just looking at her makes me feel miserable. Next time I come, your ass is dead though," Helga glared at Rika.

As Helga left, an elegant gentleman walked into the restaurant. Upon seeing Mimi, he froze. "Mimi," he uttered.

"Um sorry, but I don't know any old guys," Mimi somberly smiled.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!"

"Huh!?"

"Sorry to keep you waiting, but now I'm well past being an adult."

"Uh, you're creeping me out geezer."

"It's me!"

"I don't recognize you."

"Codename: Kammerjunker, Eluf."

Upon hearing the name, Mimi's eyes teared up. "It can't be. You were just a boy."

"Sorry, I know it's been years, but I'm glad to see you again. I'm so glad you're alive!" he smiled as the two embraced in a tearful hug.

"Do you know if anyone else-"

"No, everyone else has sadly perished, though I refuse to believe Katrina is truly gone. She MUST have transplanted her consciousness into something."

"What do you mean?"

"I found her corpse... It was inhumane what was done to her, but she told me herself she'd break out of there one way or another back when I last saw her!"

"What happened to Hylda?"

"Hylda was grievously wounded and died shortly after childbirth. I only found her in her final moments. I could not find her child though. Sherry is unknown, though Vivi claims she was killed."

"Um, I hate to interrupt a touching reunion, but could you discuss things at a table?" Rika awkwardly asked.

"Yes, yes, of course."

...

After an emotional roller coaster of catching up, Eluf began to leave.

"If you're lonely, I can always live with you. I don't mind the age gap, even though I'm technically the older one," Mimi smiled.

"Sorry, I told you a thousand times back then, I'm only into women that can rob me blind, and you're 40 years too early for that," Eluf smiled as he tossed Mimi her ID cards before leaving.

"Huh!? You little shit!" Mimi glared.

"Hmm? Did he say what I think he said?" Rika thought.

"Rika, what was going on?" Masaru asked.

"Oh, good timing, that girl over there's the girl I wanna hire," Rika smiled as she pointed at Mimi.

"HUH!? B- but she was embracing a man nearly triple her age!"

"Uh, he was just my guardian. My name's Mimi Hanazawa and I moved here from Denmark. However, I've been recovering for years after I was injured saving Rika from falling off a cliff. Though now my private doc says I healed up better than she thought said I could work," Mimi smiled.

"I see. Do you have a culinary background?”

“I’ve worked in a diner before.”

“So, you have the minimal experience. I’m honestly don’t see any value in you, but considering how strongly Rika wants you to work here, and the fact that you saved her life, I'll approve the hiring. Hostess only, no cooking," Masaru sighed.

"Now you have a place where you can live out your days smiling," Rika smiled.

"Thanks. But I don't have a place to live though," Mimi sheepishly smiled.

"I'll work something out. Just spend the night at my place tonight. Oh, and Masaru, could you make sure to keep Mimi's past secret?"

"Of course, I will. That's something an employer is not supposed to blab about," Masaru grumbled as he retreated to the kitchen.

Rika then heard her phone vibrating and looked at the message she received. It was from Dastard. "Your debt is cleared. You didn't fulfill my original request but seeing an old friend whom I long thought had passed, alive and well satisfied me. Don't hurt her though or I'll unleash the blackmail I have. Now make sure she lives a long happy life. Though should you ever wish to live the ways of the thief or commit a pick-up heist, you know who to call," the message stated.

"Heh, guess he isn't so bad after all," Rika smiled.