#┕━ ❛ ⚔. modern »» 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗝𝗔〡i may be young and inexperienced but i fully intend to take over the iron spears like my father had before me.

[causalitylinked]

becoming fearless isn’t the point. that’s impossible. it’s learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it. Herja <--> Rindo {From here!}

        random quotes from tumblr. » still accepting!

    "'Learning how to control your fear', huh? That must take quite a while to truly master; in fact, I wonder exactly how you manage you do it, Kaoru-dono," Herja muses aloud while carefully regarding his gun. Of course, with Japan pretty much forbidding the average citizen to carry firearms, she never really managed to see one up close... hence why she had asked Rindo if she could end up examining it, if only due to the fact she was curious.

    "After all, a gun carries enough lethal force to kill someone, does it not? To that end, I bet being on the firing or receiving end of one must very nerve-wracking... therefore, overcoming your hesitation to pull the trigger is surely no easy feat," Herja adds, before carefully turning the gun around to study it at another different angle.

    "If you don't mind me asking, Kaoru-dono... what methods do you utilize in order to outwardly suppress your fear?" she then questions upon finally reaching the natural consensus Rindo must have taken very good care of it.

@enchantedbrew

[causalitylinked]

    Given the fact she was such a hopeless romantic, hearing Rindo confirm he meant it in a platonic way did admittedly sting, but at the same time, Herja believes it was for the best; after all, even if he did happen to reciprocate her crush on him, she probably wouldn't be able to juggle both work and romance at the same time. To that end, she'll then wave her hands this way and that to assure him it was alright. "I-It's fine, truly! I simply have a habit of getting lost in my delusions; besides, it was my fault for daring to get my hopes up to begin with," Herja insists before furrowing her brows and perching her curled fingertips beneath her chin in pensive rumination.

    "...Interesting. Then since there isn't a dress code, I shall wear what's most comfortable according to the weather at the time," she decides. Of course, aside from gym clothes or fitness wear, Herja didn't exactly have any outfits that weren't considered professional attire, but she figures as long as it wasn't too hot or cold, she could pull off a green wool pantsuit without drawing too much attention to herself.

    "Still, I never realized cafés were establishments that contained beds for customers as well. Why, it makes me wonder exactly how big Enchante must be if there's enough space to house both a dining area and living quarters... but I digress! Anyways, regarding the matter of location... would you be comfortable picking me up at a condominium apartment called Sadohara Flats? It's near Sotobori-Dori Road... though, if you would much prefer me emailing you the address, I have no qualms doing so." Naturally, she'll begin pulling out her phone just in case Rindo required an address, but held off on doing anything until he either told her he knew where that was or needed a proper address so he wouldn't get lost.

Rindo smiled sheepishly as she went through her outburst, preparing to apologize for using that word again. It was a little frustrating how he kept making that mistake knowing the implications it held to her. But that smile faded a touch when he overheard her muttering about returned feelings. He wondered if he was really leading her on with all of this, though he couldn't deny the way his own heartbeat seemed to quicken at the knowledge.

Even still, he knew better. Even if she was involved in his life now, he didn't want to get her deeper in than she had to be. And he lived a dangerous life. What was he going to do if he was killed on the field someday? What was she going to do if she lost him to a nonhuman...? Type 3 nonhumans were still a major problem in the world, even if their most recent debacle had been held with Type 1s. Or even worse yet, what would happen if he somehow ended up in the same situation as Shizuku...? He didn't even want to consider that potential.

Furthermore, there was also that to think about. Herja didn't know about Shizuku yet, and if they were to enter into a relationship she would almost certainly have to learn at some point about it. How would she feel about him then? Would she hate him? Would she demand he do something about it? What about Mikado? Would she do something to him, too...? He hadn't even hidden how he felt about Shizuku or her current form in front of Kotone. He certainly wouldn't do as much in front of Herja...

Even if he cared about her, even if he wanted to entertain the idea of a relationship, it was just too risky...

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I keep using that word when I know how it makes you feel. I do mean as friends, as usual, and I will endeavor to stop using it if I can. I don't want to hurt you at all. As for what to wear, you can choose anything you're most comfortable in. I myself will likely just be in something like this, since I'll technically be on work duty. Enchante is a classy establishment, but since everyone who frequents it lives there, the air is very casual. Next Saturday... Yes, I think that'll work just fine. I'll set up my calendar to make sure I'm going to be visiting on that day. Would you like me to pick you up from anywhere?"

[causalitylinked]

‘ you’re my best friend. ’ / kaen for herja or rana! whichever you like!

                      the inside outtakes. » still accepting!

     “Ah... I’m most pleased to hear that, Kaen-dono.” The corners of her lips would tug upwards into a soft, genuine smile... making it rather apparent that she wasn’t at all entirely unaffected by the sentiment of their words. “I feel much the same, however. In truth, I do not see you as a mere employer... but someone who is very dear to me, so I also confess to being very fond of you,” Herja then goes on to admit. “Hopefully, I can continue living up to that title... for there can be no greater honour than occupying that space in your heart as your best friend. Truly, I’m blessed to have someone like you holding me in such high regard.”

     Of course, it may be due to the fact they were closer in age, yet either way, there could be no denying the fact Kaen was always comfortable to be around. Why, for once, they made her feel like a normal girl, when all her life, she wasn’t exactly allowed to be one.

@strywoven

     .

[causalitylinked]

STARTER CALL » @dis--parity​ — 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕛𝕚 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕤 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟-𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕪 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕔𝕖𝕠 𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕.

      “S-Souji-dono! Why do you have a pack of c-c-condoms in your drawer?” Honestly, after Souji had told her his stapler was located in one of his drawers, Herja had only meant to rifle through them real quick so she could find it, but in the process of doing so, something... unfortunately managed to catch her eye, to the point where she would soon come rushing with jaw agape and hands clasped along her flushed cheeks.

     Granted, it was possible someone may have just left it there for safekeeping or her boyfriend may even have been sexually active before dating her at one point, but either way, she couldn’t help jumping to wild conclusions. Had Souji secretly been wanting to do... ‘that’ with her? Furthermore, how long was the pack of condoms even there for?

     “Were you intending on taking my virginity? I-I may not be entirely against such... amorous desires, but don’t you think it’s a little too soon to resort to that particular intimacy? We haven’t even been dating for three months yet!” she goes on to add in a loud yet scandalized tone, before dropping her hands from her cheeks in favor of pressing the tips of her index fingers together. “H-However... if you’ll promise you’ll take full responsibility, then I suppose tonight, we could...”

[causalitylinked]

    In the end, it seemed she hadn't needed to ask, because the next thing she knew, roses would visibly loom ahead of them, causing her to cease to a gradual halt. Honestly, even from a distance, the view was so stunning, Herja couldn't help but marvel at all the vibrant colours. Was this place always this beautiful, she wonders?

    "Yes, it's quite a sight to behold!" Herja finally affirms with a nod. By that point, a genuine smile graces her lips, which if nothing else, proves she was enjoying herself. "If it isn't too much trouble, Kaoru-dono, I think I would like to take our time, getting closer; after all, there could very well be roses with unique colours we haven't yet seen just yet."

    Sure enough, she then shifts her gaze towards a nearby photographer while waiting for the crowd to thin out so that they could tread further in. By doing so, however, she finds herself growing rather fascinated. "Ah, that reminds me... is it customary tradition to take pictures of the flora around here? Or is this merely tourist behaviour?"

Kaoru nodded and pointed up along the path they were walking to a line of hedge fences that were boxing in beds of roses. Crowds of people were stopping beside them and taking pictures of the roses and the greenery behind them, the wide open field with more sculpted bushes adorning the greenery.

"Right up there," he replied. "You can almost see all of the colors from this distance. Might be a little difficult to get in close at first, but as long as you're not in a hurry we can just hang around and wait our turn."

Since the subject had changed he didn't carry on with the previous conversation, but he appreciated it nonetheless. A younger Rindo might have actually pursued her given some time to get to know her. She was cute and capable, and she seemed strong in more ways than one. But he knew he couldn't do that now. He had to keep her as safe as he could, and that meant keeping his own distance from her.

He... really needed to stop teasing her so much, though. Flirting with Kotone wasn't a big deal because she never took it seriously, but Herja almost always assumed he was being serious.

[causalitylinked]

@dis--parity​ — continued from here ;;

    Naturally, upon hearing him confirm the daifuku mochi was still on sale, she’s quick to flash a relieved smile, for it seemed she had the most fortunate timing.

     “Truly? Splendid! In that case, could I please have ten in one bag?” Sure enough, she’ll amble over until she reaches the front counter before pulling out her purse from within the brown messenger bag she always carried with her. Honestly, considering she also had a kendo sword strapped against her back, Herja was certainly a customer that stood out.

     “Oh, yes, that reminds me -  I haven’t introduced myself yet, have I? I’m Herja... CEO of the Iron Spears. Souji-dono and I... well, I guess you could say we’re currently going steady.” Though the smile along her lips has yet to waver, a soft magenta hue could still be seen seeping it’s way through her cheeks as she admits to dating his boss.

    “But he talks about you a lot, so I’m pleased we finally get to meet face to face! It’s a shame Mamesuke-dono and Fujin-dono aren’t here, though... I was looking forward to seeing them again.”

[causalitylinked]

Her attempts to sneak up on her boyfriend were met with poor success, even in spite of her training - before she could even realise what was going on, Souji had grabbed Herja and flipped her over his head, landing them both (thankfully) safely onto the couch, a great display of her poor attempts to surprise him.

"You really oughta be a lil' lighter on yer feet, darlin'," he chuckles, head leaning over hers as ginger locks flow down to either side of her head. "'Cause I Herja comin' from a mile off."

                         unprompted. » always accepting!

     Up until recently, Herja was never quite fond of Halloween, as she thinks the tradition of putting on a disguise and playing tricks on other people happened to be a cowardly tactic, but Souji told her it wasn’t a ‘military drill’, so she had reluctantly adhered to the practice of ‘Treat or Treating’... and as luck would have it, today was her turn to sneak up on him! To that end, she attempts to silently close in on him from behind; only, it seemed Souji was much too astute than what she gives him credit for, because the next thing she knows, she was snatched away from behind and unceremoniously thrown onto the back of the couch, causing her eyes to widen as a startled cry elicits past his throat.

    Within mere seconds, it doesn’t take long for her cheeks to bloom a vivid scarlet hue, because his face was suddenly so much closer to hers... to the point where she was reminded again how much she had daydreamed about kissing him during work.

    “Urgh... w-well done, Souji-dono. I thought for certain I would get you this time, but it seems I still have a lot to learn when it comes to the art of stealth!” Sure enough, Herja manages a pout when it occurred to her she wasn’t as quiet as she had suspected she was. Still, the moment he utters out a pun, her hazel brown eyes were quick to blink. “...E-Excuse me? Was that meant to be an attempt at a joke?”

@dis--parity

[causalitylinked]

Souji is smiling as he's just stepped out of the shower - both looking and feeling rather refreshed indeed. He'd almost forgotten Herja was there to begin with - but it doesn't change his behaviour from simply walking around with the towel wrapped around his waist.

Does he know what he's doing? Absolutely, he does - and every now and again, he's looking over at his lover to get a glimpse at her reactions.

                        unprompted. » always accepting!

      Honestly, the whole entire time she was answering a text message sent to her by her subordinate, she hadn’t quite expected him to step out of the shower wearing just a towel. Why, Herja had assumed Souji was already dressed, so upon finally sending the text, she would eventually turn around to address her boyfriend, only to nearly drop her phone as her widening eyes beheld him in all his bare glory... or well, nearly all his bare glory anyways.

      “S-Souji-dono?!” Not long after that, newfound heat creeps through her cheeks. What in the world was he even doing, prancing around like that with so little clothes on?! Granted, Souji did look jaw-droppingly good, wearing almost nothing, but regardless, she soon finds herself throwing the phone off towards the side of the couch once he had successfully managed to capture her whole attention..

      “Why are you barely decent? W-Were you unable to find your clothes?” Herja then frantically questions before lifting both her hands to cover her eyes from view. Despite asking this, on the other hand, something tells her Souji was doing this on purpose because he knew it would fluster her, yet either way, she’ll slowly widen the gaps between her fingers to peer at him through them once she remembers they already had sex, the last time she visited. Plus, they were lovers, so with that in mind, it should be fine for her to ogle her boyfriend all she liked, right?

      “Wait... don’t tell me! Are you planning to seduce me all the way out here in the living room? I-If so, please hold a moment, Souji-dono! My body and heart isn’t quite ready yet!”

@dis--parity​

[causalitylinked]

    Truth be told, she had already figured that Rindo didn't exactly have the time to be in a relationship, but still, hearing him say it himself was enough to cause slight disappointment to course through her; after all, he had seemed so... dreamy. Still, it wasn't as if she didn't understand, so she'll end up shooting him a sympathetic smile in an attempt to make it rather apparent there were no hard feelings on her end.

    "W-Well, yes, I thought as much... of course, I'm probably nowhere near strong enough to handle the work you're doing that it's probably for the best we aren't romantically involved. But I hope you're right, Kaoru-dono... and very well. Since you granted me your permission, I shall do my very utmost in expanding your combat repertoire like my late father had before me," Herja states, using the most amiable tone she could manage.

    Before she could bother saying anything more, however, the server would soon saunter his way over with their food, causing her to instinctively turn her head to face him. "Here you guys go! Enjoy," came his cheerful urging, and within seconds, he'll set their plates down over their table. "Oh... thank you very much! What say you and I begin eating, Kaoru-dono? With how delectable it looks, I would hate for our food to go cold," Herja then picks up a fork, hoping Rindo would proceed to follow suit... even if he didn't happen to have much of an appetite.

Holy hell. She really had gotten the wrong idea. And he worried he might have to give her some bad news, but she seemed to have already accepted her fate before he even said anything. Still, he wanted to at least give her a reason. He felt bad when he let people down like this.

"Well, probably friends. Trust me, I'm really not someone suited to be anyone's lover. My work is too secretive and dangerous to have anyone like that in my life. And besides, I'm sure there are plenty of others out there that would be a better fit for you. That being said, I could easily come up with a place on my own, so you wouldn't have to worry about the details. Mm, but I think I'll take you up on that offer. I could stand to learn more of a combat repertoire."

Not that he thought it would actually help him. He would be dead if he ever let anything get that close to him. But it probably wouldn't hurt to learn anyway and at the very least he might be able to defend himself against people who would do him harm without resorting to his weapons. He probably could survive in a fist-fight, but wouldn't it be better if he had some real training?

[causalitylinked]

@s-talking​​ — continued from here ;;

    The moment he seizes her hand, hazel brown eyes would immediately widen, and just like that, Herja’s traitorous heart began to wildly race within her own chest. Wait, why in the world were his fingers suddenly clasping her own? Surely, it didn’t stem from romantic reasons, did it? Yes, on second thought, this man must have only been intending to ensure she didn’t fall again, due to the ice not exactly being the most... stable surface to linger over; regardless, that smile he wore and his next words has hearts comically swarming through her eyes, for he just seemed so very handsome at that very moment, she couldn’t help growing slightly weak-kneed around him.

     “R-Really, it’s quite alright... to tell you the truth, I didn’t even notice you were staring,” Herja soon finds herself idly stammering out before clumsily ambling after him as he subsequently guides her past the icy ground onto the pavement. “Oh, er... thank you, sir. I’m aware my footwear isn’t the most practical, so I appreciate you giving me a hand.” Of course, the whole entire time, she was internally panicking, for this gentlemanly side he exhibited only made her fall deeper in love with him. Honestly, at this rate, she was screwed... why, knowing her, she would not be able to stop thinking about this mysterious, debonair stranger once she gets home; in fact, she would likely continue pining over him for weeks to come.

     What he says next, however, made things infinitely much worse, because if it’s one thing that served as Herja’s weakness, it was receiving a compliment from another man, and the moment she registers every last syllable uttered past his lips, she’ll sheepishly shift her gaze downwards. “’My eyes’, you say?! G-Goodness... where on earth did you learn how to sweet talk a woman this well? I-I’m flattered, though...” she then brings herself to bashfully state. “And, um... before I forget, my name is Herja... Herja Busujima. If you don’t mind me asking, sir, what happens to be yours?”

[causalitylinked]

      “I-I know I shouldn’t be expecting anything just because I gave him chocolates, but... would it be so wrong of me to hope he hadn’t forgotten?” Honestly, now that White Day was coming up, Herja suddenly found herself growing nervous; after all, Souji was a busy man. Why, just because she had tomorrow off didn’t necessarily guarantee he would remember or have the time to procure her anything.

      Still, despite understanding this, she couldn’t help releasing a wistful sigh. Oh, how irksome it was, to be a girl in love!

[causalitylinked]

    "Yes, Saturdays should be fine! Since it's incidentally my day off, I'll have no problem, arranging that," Herja states more cheerfully than before... and honestly, this wasn't a lie either, because she remained a massive workaholic from Mondays to Fridays. Training, though, happened to be her hobby, so she was more than happy to help Rindo out, even if she couldn't be of direct use to him while he fought off whatever threats plagued Japan.

    "Trust me, you have already done more than enough to accommodate me; in fact, it's all thanks to you I feel less homesick here," Herja then goes on to reassure him while shaking her head. Why, had it not been for him entrusting the herb to this fellow named Canus, she probably would never have gotten to enjoy arctic thyme tea. "And we're friends, aren't we? The least I could do is impart the knowledge I've gained onto you!"

"Absolutely," already he was slipping his phone from his pocket, going through and checking his schedule. "There surely is a day that we'll both be free for it. Do weekends work for you? I think I could manage Saturdays, if we could schedule that."

Just the agreement was excellent news for him, though, so he wasn't too worried about it. It was an exciting opportunity so he would figure it out one way or another. And in any case, maybe this would be a good way to bond with Herja a little more that wasn't just these very risky dates. So much would get done all in one very efficient little setup.

"I'll be relying on you, so I'll do what I can to accommodate you."

[causalitylinked]

    As Rindo proceeds to explain, Herja would soon adopt a more thoughtful expression. "I-I see. Yes, given the fact you two both seem to be polar opposites yet still remain on relatively good enough terms with each other to continue talking, I have no problem believing you," she'll go on to concede. Of course, she had already suspected this was the case, but hearing him confirm it himself proved rather insightful, especially given how little she knew about Rindo's interpersonal relationships. "You said his name was Akira Mikado, correct? I'll be sure to remember it when next I ever have a proper chance to greet him face to face," Herja then nods, only to later pause upon hearing Rindo's subsequent invitation.

    By that point, her eyes would soon grow wide and against her better judgment, she'll furiously blush... even though realistically speaking, he probably hadn't meant it in that way.

    "A-A-A-Another date?! Kaoru-dono, are you quite possibly hitting on me?!" Herja exclaims before frantically shaking her head. "N-No, wait... this must be a mere slip of the tongue, isn't it? After all, there's no way my love could ever be reciprocated," she'll ramble away, and sure enough, she begins facing him once more with a look of rigid determination seeping through her features after managing to finally collect her composure.

    "I-In any case! I most certainly wouldn't be opposed to visiting Enchante and meeting this Kotone-dono you speak of; however, as this would be my first time frequenting a café, should I endeavour to wear something more nice... o-or casual? And would next Saturday during the afternoon be an acceptable time frame to meet?" Herja earnestly goes on to question. ...Needless to say, it seemed she was putting way too much thought into their little 'date' together.

Rindo laughed softly and shook his head, "No, nothing like that. His name is Akira Mikado, and he's the head of the research and development branch here and GPM. He's... an eccentric sort, and he can be more than a little obnoxious sometimes, but despite all of that he is... regretfully, a friend of mine. And while our history isn't quite into our childhood, we do have a rather long history together. He... He does mean well, he's just... Well, you heard him, I'm sure you can extrapolate what kind of person he is."

The idea of Mikado being his ex-lover almost sent a shudder down his spine, and somehow, he could only imagine his sister's amused face at the suggestion of it, making little quips at both of them about it. The thought was both warm and painful, and he quickly shut it out again without giving much hint to the fact besides a short moment of his eyes becoming pained and distant. When he jerked back to attention, his smile returned and he gave his full attention back to Herja.

"I would imagine that this approval is only a formality at this point, so might I extend to you an offer for another date? I would love to be able to bring you to Enchante and let you meet Kotone. I'm sure the two of you would get along quite well."

[causalitylinked]

    Honestly, that one instance where they had visited a park together was a memory Herja continued to cherish. Why, even if they hadn't exactly done much, it still happened to be rather nice, going out on a leisurely stroll with a fellow friend; after all, it made her appreciate the beauty of Japan just a little bit more, when previously, she would have only concentrated on defending a place rather than taking in it's beauty. Much to her relief, though, it seemed Rindo shared her sentiment as well, causing a far more gentler smile to grace her features; only, before he could completely finish his train of thought, yet another phone call would disrupt their conversation, and by that point, bewildered blinks soon began rolling off her eyelids.

    Who could it possibly be now? Sure enough, Herja then brings herself to whip her head around before squinting towards the direction Rindo had been focusing on... yet at the same time, she failed to detect any individual standing outside, leading her to wonder whether or not the unknown speaker was elsewhere somehow. Him subsequently raising his voice, however, has Herja immediately flinch, for this was the first time she ever heard him getting angry; as a matter of fact, she didn't know Rindo could even get mad. Either way, she's quick to cast a worried glance his way all while remaining silent.

    Of course, despite having many questions, Herja figures it would be way politer to wait for him to hang up before voicing aloud any queries, so it was only once the call ended did she finally part her lips. "N-No, you needn't apologize, Kaoru-dono! I mean, I too have moments where I have been frustrated at my subordinates, so it would be hypocritical of me to judge you for losing your cool like that," Herja finally shakes her head. "And don't worry, I never intended to in the first place," she goes on to admit.

    "Though, since you now grant me the opportunity to prolong my stay... may I ask who it was you had previously talked to? He seems to address you with a great deal of familiarity, but for some reason, I don't get the impression you two were childhood friends... or ex-lovers."

The comment drew a laugh from his lips, and gloved fingers curled around a thin stack of paperwork to lift and tap it on the desk. All of it was filled out now, adjusted and ready to go for whatever happened to come of this. The future they painted for themselves almost felt idealistic given the circumstances, but it was a future he wanted to hope on anyway. As much as he loved Kotone and the rest of the gang at Enchante, his life in isolation was something he didn't know if he could tolerate much longer. Spending time with Kotone had taught him that much, even if they had never really gotten much closer than friends. He still understood now the importance of caring for others and being cared for in return, and even if he did not wish to push this life onto others, he didn't think he could go on pretending everything was like it always had been.

Somehow he remembered Souan teaching him that very thing himself... If only he'd listened while the old man were still alive...

"To be honest, I think it would be fun to explore Tokyo as a man and not on business for once," Rindo replied, tucking the newly completed forms into a folder together. "There's so much you miss out on when you're having to deal with the supernatural. Everything is a catastrophe. Everything. I never get a chance to breathe, haha. But with you, I think I could enjoy a nice vacation... Hopefully, anyway. I should be receiving that email within the next couple of days at most, so I'll be sure to inform you whe--"

The sound of a ringtone cut Rindo off before he'd even finished his sentence, and he reached into his pocket to lift out his cellphone. Once again, that sour expression that he'd momentarily had when speaking to his bosses reached his face. Regardless of his displeasure, however, Rindo answered, the call, motioning for Herja to wait with an apology in his face.

"You know, if you really need something this badly, my office is right here," Rindo replied, jaw tightening as he gazed out of the door of his office. There was no one there, but his eyes seemed to focus anyway, as if he knew exactly where this call was coming from. "What do you want?"

The other voice on the line was not as those of Rindo's previous call this time. The man's voice was loud and dramatic, making Rindo tilt his head to the side to keep from hurting his ear while the other called in such a manner as everyone in the room could hear him.

"I'm offended, Rindo! I would think you'd be glad to hear from me in your hour of need! Why, I don't know why you wouldn't come to beg for my aid to begin with!"

"I can handle my own issues," Rindo groaned back into the receiver. "I don't need your help."

"Well, too bad! You know it's my job to look out for you now that--"

"What do you want?"

Rindo's voice and face snapped into something akin to rage so suddenly that the other was stunned into a momentary silence. Though, this unexpected outburst only seemed to halt him for a moment.

". . . I spoke on your behalf, you know," The voice was greatly toned down now, almost to a volume that couldn't be heard. "I heard about your mishap with the demon clan... I thought... Kotone doesn't deserve to be alone and... Neither do you. Please fill out the forms, Rindo."

And then the man on the other line hung up without giving Rindo a chance to respond.

Rindo was silent for a moment before tucking the phone in his pocket, clearly shocked from the sudden shift, "I apologize... Things never are quite peaceful around here. I suppose I can assume this to mean that my proposal will be accepted, so we can look forward to those days out in the future. If you don't have any more questions, then you're free to go whenever you see fit to do so. Ah, just... I suppose I don't have to tell you to keep all of this secret, yes?"

[causalitylinked]

    So the outcome wasn't quite set in stone just yet, which worried her immensely. Still, Rindo did say he was going to fill out the necessary paperwork, meaning if nothing else, he didn't at least intend on cutting any corners... a fact that has Herja gradually heaving out a resigned sigh. "...I see. Then if you would be so inclined, please inform me of what they say when next you hear back from them," she earnestly implores.

    Truth be told, Herja would much rather he call than text, but in the event he did text her, she wouldn't complain; after all, the most important thing was that he contacted her to begin with. Still, despite him already finishing his conversation over the phone, she would bring herself to remain patiently seated, due to how she wasn't yet officially dismissed. Once Rindo assured her he still wanted to correspond the natural way, however, the corners of her lips would twitch upwards into a soft smile.

    "Has anybody told you you're quite the smooth talker, Kaoru-dono? Still, I do believe you," Herja gently states. "It simply came as a shock is all... yet regardless, I do still want us to keep spending time together. Besides, you have yet to show me around more places in Tokyo."

He shrugged lightly and shook his head, "They said they would deliberate and send me an email. I'm putting my faith in my abilities, however, and filling out the necessary paperwork ahead of time."

A page turned and the pen returned to the paper, writing up information to fill out the forms. He would be saving himself some trouble if it worked out, and if it didn't he could always just keep them as a reminder of what could have been. Or... Maybe what he needed to avoid in the future. He didn't want to drag people into this life that didn't need it, and even though he was fairly certain Herja could take care of himself, if the organization deemed her incapable of keeping the memories, he would have to remind himself what fate he'd be sending any future friends into. He didn't like altering their memories. Losing them...

A deep breath and he turned the subject back to his work, "Just because I did all that research doesn't mean I don't want to do things the natural way, you know. I do want to talk to you, get to know you the way you want me to. I want to have long conversation and enjoy days out with you. It doesn't matter to me if it's information I might already know. I want to hear about you through your own words. That's something a bunch of documents cannot do, no matter how hard they try."

[causalitylinked]

    The more he speaks, the more a deeply troubled frown would etch it's way across her lips. Honestly, as much as Herja wished to interject, something told her she might only worsen the situation further if she had the audacity to defend Rindo over the phone; furthermore, it wasn't like she could accurately discern everything that was being said on the other end, so all she could do was pray he somehow had it all handled.

    From the sounds of it, though, whoever was addressing him must have hit a sore spot at some point, because sure enough, she could've sworn his expression appeared pained. Of course, she could only make out the word 'sister', yet still, she could at least surmise whatever they said about her must have soured his mood considerably; regardless, her shoulders would soon jolt upright once Rindo proceeded to finally insert the phone back into it's cradle.

    Had things ended on a somewhat positive note, she wondered? Or had he failed to successfully negotiate? Before Herja could ask, however, Rindo would suddenly address her, causing her hastily parting lips to snap back shut.

    "Ah... yes, from a professional standpoint, I can see your point. After all, had I been in your position, I would probably have reached a similar conclusion," came her eventual concession, for when it came down to it, Rindo was only doing his job. Even so, a sigh would end up issuing past her throat. "Still, I had hoped this information you gleaned about me would be unravelled in a more... organic manner and not learned through questionable means. But I suppose it's now a bit too late to wish we could have gotten to know each other as naturally as possible over tea or lunch."

    By that point, she would then manage a wry smile. "If you don't mind me asking, Kaoru-dono... what did your superiors ultimately decide at the end?"

Rindo shot her a squinting sort of smile, something between playfulness and apology but he focused on the phone call. The voice on the other end could be barely heard, but his demeanor shifted to match those stiff voices, being calm and stalwart in the face of the discussion. He patiently explained the situation and gave a brief report of the incident they had just left. He was cut off, but he remained calm and simply waited for his turn to talk again.

"Yes, I understand. However, I do believe this could be an exception. We have this individual on file, and I feel like this could be good for the organ-- ... No, not as a researcher. I think the connections would be sufficient... Ah... I... do have a relationship-- ... Yes, that's correct."

Suddenly his expression soured. Whatever was being said was hitting a sore spot, and it was either that she didn't qualify for keeping her memory, or something equally upsetting. In fact, Rindo was being reminded that his own sister had caused the last catastrophic disaster that the organization suffered. That because of him and his relationships, they had lost people and money to a drastic degree. The implication was that someone else that had a close relationship to him, being friends or family or lovers, would undoubtedly follow in his sister's footsteps and create chaos and destruction. Considering how out of left field his sister's actions had felt, it was a particularly painful insinuation.

His jaw set tight, but he replied with the same measure of calm as he had started the conversation with: "I understand your concern, but I would remind you that this single event has been an outlier in my time with the organization... No, I don't. I'll be happy to monitor her just the same as I do Enchante... Yes, I'll take responsibility I won't-- ... Yes, sir."

Having been completely cut off without a last word, Rindo sighed and lowered the phone back down into its cradle again. There was no point in talking about it. He'd been told they would consider the request and send him word through an email. But either way, he had a lot of paperwork to fill out as a new subject to monitor, so he went to work getting those ready instead. And though he knew he needed to explain what was going on to Herja, he chose to answer her previous question first instead.

"I think I should explain a little. My job is to monitor these entities, but my official position is Chief of Intelligence. I lead and manage the Intelligence Division here at GPM, and it's my job to have extensive knowledge of anyone that might become involved in my work. I obviously didn't start doing background checks on you after our first meeting, but when we continued to meed up and develop a friendship, it seemed more necessary. I took it upon myself to get as much information on you as I could, and, being a government organization, I can receive far more information than your average individual. I wasn't intending to invade your privacy, understand. I simply needed a better understanding of the kind of person I was... Admittedly allowing particularly close to this hidden world. I didn't want to risk a friendship if I didn't think you'd be able to handle being accidentally exposed. I... didn't think it would happen in this way, however."