Chapter Text
~ Third Person Pov... ~
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Yukari looked at Ayano with silent scrutiny, but she was very intrigued by his response...
"Interesting... I thought you'd be, happier about the fact I found nothing on those people." She asked him. However, Ayano sighed silently, glancing towards the side, before finally making eye contact, saying;
"Under normal circumstances... I would be, but..." Keiji paused, sighing once more before continuing what he was going to say before: "My masters... There's no way men like them don't have any sort of past tied to them. Which means. They're likely hiding it."
Yukari calmy stared back at him, thinking to herself;
'I thought he'd be upset given what he said... But, this feels more so like disappointment.'
"Well... What will you do now?" She slowly asked him;
"Given the fact that, even a woman of my resources couldn't find anything about them." She added. However, Ayano didn't say anything for a few moments. He simply looked down at the table...
"I... I think I'll trust them, for now..." He finally said, not looking up from his plate.
Yukari blinked, surprised by the resolution in his tone... There was no hesitation, no tremble of uncertainty and calm acceptance, as if he had already thought this through long before she brought it up.
'Hmph... I figured that he would have already made up his mind...' Yukari pondered.
“So... You’ll trust them?” She repeated, softly, almost disbelieving still.
Ayano nodded: “They’ve done nothing but push me beyond my limits. Brutally, sure—but never maliciously. If they wanted to hurt me, they could’ve done it a hundred different ways by now, trust me.”
His fingers tapped absently against the table, slowly, thinking about how she should approach this case...
“Besides… something tells me they’re training me for more than just survival.” He suspiciously added. “I have a feeling that, there’s a reason for all of this. A reason I haven’t seen heard, yet...” And, that was the truth.
Yukari looked and crossed her arms, letting her gaze soften just slightly.
'I'm annoyed at how weak I am to his, coercions...' She thought.
“Still... I don’t disagree with you, not completely.” She said, voice calm: “But, I don’t want you to confuse any sort of shared purpose, with shared loyalty. Just because they’re pointing you in the right direction at the moment, doesn’t mean they’ll always be on your side...”
Ayano hearing this, gave her a faint smile, still looking down: “You sound just like my...” He stopped himself, before saying: "Heh... Never mind..." He was about to say his instincts, however he couldn't nor didn't want to make her any more cautious than she was right now. Not only that, he knew deep down that she was right, even if partially.
'This system, of mine... It might not have the intent to actually harm me, but since I'm dealing with humans now, and not just increases to my attributes. Then, they can change, or even have ulterior motives. It never guaranteed to me that the allies I have now will even remain my allies in the future. All I know is that at this specific moment. I can get benefits from them all...' Ayano pondered.
On another hand, Yukari's brow slowly arched upward “Well... I’m beginning to think whoever it is, and I would get along just fine.”
Ayano shrugged, saying: "...Maybe."
They both chuckled lightly-brief, but enough to break some of the tension in the air...
After a few quiet seconds, Yukari stepped closer towards him, then rested her hand gently on Ayano’s shoulder. It was rare for someone like her to offer touch, let alone comfort, but it wasn’t empty... It felt like a quiet shield, a promise she’d be watching him, even if he wasn’t.
“Alright then...” She said: “If this is the path you’ve chosen, I’ll stop digging for the time being... But, if you feel that anything is off-even just a little-I want to be the first person you tell... Understood?”
Ayano finally looked up at her with eyes much steadier than before, saying;
“I, understand... And, thanks for trusting me Yukari, it means a lot, believe me...” He truly meant it. He technically didn't have anyone else in this world. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it. Yukari was slowly beginning to fill the emptiness of his new home. She gave him a sense of, comfort in her own way.
Before he realized it, Yukari gave him a kind hearted smile: "It's, no problem at all... However, for now, they must not under any circumstance be made aware of my existence." She couldn't afford for such a thing to happen. She knew nothing of them at all. And Yukari didn't particularly like not knowing about something, especially of something with this level of importance.
Ayano nodded, his expression much more stern than before: "Of course, not a single soul will know about it. I promise."
She sighed, tiredly: "That's good... But, that wasn't exactly all I wanted to speak with you about.." She murmured.
Having slightly heightened hearing, the words didn't exactly escape Ayano: "Hmm...? What do you wanna talk about?" He asked back.
Yukari braced herself against the counter, slowly responding to him: "It's about my... It's Chisaki... I, haven't exactly heard from her since-"
"-The argument between you two...?" Ayano added, whilst finishing her sentence, before quickly continuing: "If your question was about me knowing if she's ok, then, I don't... I haven't really heard from her since either if I'm being honest with you. I kind of just assumed you both sorted it all out already, and that she likely needed her own space... It's been nearly two weeks after all." He explained.
Yukari looked to the side, then back before asking: "You're, right... I, will need to make some calls... Otherwise, I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner." Yukari smiled, before heading upstairs... However, Ayano could tell that Yukari was very worried and concerned. If he were in her position, he knew he would've reacted the same way too.
'It's a shame... I can't even help her... Still, maybe I should've just reached out to Chisaki since that time...' He thought to himself. However, he stopped, knowing he couldn't do anything to mend it now.
He slowly got up, and picked up their dishes and washed them all before heading off to both bathe and then rest for the night...
~ Third Perso Pov, the next day... ~
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"Hrghhnn~" He yawned, stretching.
He got up and headed out of his room to do his needed due-diligences...
When he opened his door, he saw a small note on the floor, picking it up, he realized that it was made by none other than Yukari herself... it read;
"I wanted to say in-advance that, I am sorry for not being able to say anything to you... It was, urgent, and when I get the time, I will explain everything to you... I don't know how long I will be gone for, but please be careful with your training, and yourself... Thank you for your understanding."
Ayano's eyes narrowed, wondering what this situation could really be about... And then, he had suddenly remembered the somewhat brief conversation they had last night... About, Chisaki. He looked back down towards the paper, thinking;
'I bet she did all this way to not worry me...' He slowly surmised. Even though he had a great hunch of what the situation could be, he still wasn't completely sure what it was.
'I guess, I should just respect her wishes... Still I shouldn't, it's time to practice the mind Pal-' He quickly stopped himself... Sighing.
'-Oh, yeah... She isn't here to stop me going into that trance.'
When he practices the mind palace technique, he realizes that he enters a sort of trance like state after a certain period of time. Realizing this the first time around, he had asked Yukari to time him each morning when he practiced since, so that he doesn't remain in it. The causes of it was unknown at the moment, but the benefits he gained from prolonged trances were nothing short of immense.
"...It looks like I'll have to scrap that idea for the day. *Huff* I just can't take the risk with practicing it alone. Unless... no... I'd still need Yukari to see if that method would even work at all." He mumbled to himself, a bit annoyed by his current predicament.
'I guess I'll have to just practice my master's teachings with the time I have, and then head out... Speaking of heading out. Those bastards at that damn Casino should be open today. I've been robbing them all blind lately, and not only that, I can tell they don't seem to like me coming very much either, which means, I'm close.' He thought.
Unknowingly, Ayano had smiled... He knew it'd only be a matter of time before he met the ring-leader behind it all. It's one thing all these Casino owners don't like to be, and that was being a loser. Losing cash/ profit to them was the same as taking their life, and what do men do when one is attempting to take their life? Fight back.
'Either way... It should be time... Today might even be that very day.' He thought.
Without wasting anymore time. He began practicing his forms...
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END