"Don't you think the Major's been acting strange lately?"

"Yeah that old man's become more serious…more like an old man."

"It's good that the Major is taking his work more seriously."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the newcomer."

"Huh? Hinomiya?"

"Did something happen with him?"

"No, but the way the Major acts towards him is kind of weird."

"How so?"

"Well it's like he's…."

…

"What?!"

"Aren't you overthinking things?"

"Yeah, Momiji-neesan! There's no way –"

"But, look!"

…

"…."

"When you look at it like that…."

"It does look as if he…."

"Since when does the Major invade people's personal space…?"

"What are you three talking about?"

"M-Major!"

"Is there an issue, Magi?"

"No, Major. We were just talking about…."

"….Something private." Momiji added cheerfully as Kyousuke looked at them.

"Hm? Even for me?" Kyousuke smiled, his hands in his pockets.

They looked at him and he sighed, waving it off, "They grow up so fast…."

"Hey we're not kids anymore old man!"

The man who had raised him just smiled and walked back to his companion, who was staring in curiosity.

"What was that about?"

"Apparently those three are keeping a secret from me."

Kyousuke said in amusement as he took a sip of milk as the blonde girl behind the counter blushed.

"Oh, well everyone has a secret or two."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

Andy stared as the other man's gaze seemed to have become sharper. "Well, yeah." He answered carefully.

"How so?"

"How….isn't that a secret in itself?" Andy turned away. "To have experienced needing to keep a secret…."

"Hmmm." Kyousuke smiled and leaned in closer.

"Anyway," Andy said. "If it's something they can't tell you, maybe they're talking about you?"

"Why would you think so?"

"Well, they were looking at you just now."

Andy said and got up from his seat, walking away as Kyousuke called out, "Where are you going?"

"I'm hungry, so I'm going to get something to eat."

"Me too. Well, let me lend you a hand."

Andy stared at the hand on his shoulder. "No it's fine, I can just walk there."

"What, don't you want to eat together just like old times?" Kyousuke said teasingly.

Andy grimaced then gave a wobbly smile as he pushed the other man's hand away.

"No, considering the one time I ate together with you, you gave me poisoned food."

Kyousuke looked as if he was reflecting upon it, but then smiled brightly. "Let's go get a popsicle then."

"Huh?"

"I feel like eating a popsicle." Kyousuke said as if that explained everything.

"And what does that have to do with me…?" Andy said warily.

"You're coming with me of course."

"Hah?! But I was going to go to the cafeteria –" Andy stopped as Kyousuke's hand landed on his arm. "Wait, seriously?"

"Be grateful you don't have to swim across the sea again."

Kyousuke said smugly, then snapped his fingers and they were gone.

"….."

…

Only Patty's muffled giggles filled the silence in the air as the three members of P.A.N.D.R.A. stared at the spot where their Major and newbie had been standing.

It was Yoh who finally broke the silence.

"Wait….are they going on a date – hey Patty?!"

…

…

P.A.N.D.R.A. was acting weird.

P.A.N.D.R.A. was always weird for a criminal organization, but they had become even stranger.

Not only had their leader, Hyoubu Kyousuke dragged him on an – outing to eat popsicles in the nearby town (and not in the ship where his dinner had been waiting for him), his three trusted subordinates had been staring at him as if acknowledging him for the first time.

"What do you think of the Major?"

"W-Wha!" Andy yelped as he stumbled back on the deck of the ship. "W-Where did you come from?!"

"Oh, did I startle you?" The woman's eyes shone at him.

He stared at her, and she glanced back before smiling at him again, leaning close towards him.

"C'mon, tell me. What do you think of the Major?"

"W-What does Hyoubu have to do with anything?!"

Andy leaned away, trapped against the rail by the teleporter woman as he turned his face away from the sight of her female assets.

"And you're too close!"

"Well, I think he likes you plenty!" She declared cheerfully as she flicked the limiter around his neck, then leaned back and stared at him appraisingly.

Realizing she wasn't going to let him get away without answering, Andy said awkwardly, "He's fine….I guess."

"In what way?"

"What way….he's a fine guy, better than I thought at least. But he's also really annoying! He always appears out of nowhere and he likes to toy with me…that old man!"

"He's just teasing you!" Momiji said with a smile that befuddled Andy.

"Hah, must be because I'm the newbie huh. He doesn't do that with any of you…"

Andy paused as Momiji's eyes twinkled at him.

"…What?"

"Nothing."

Sighing and deciding espers were indeed troublesome, Andy spoke.

"What's with the sudden question anyway?"

Instead of answering him, the blue haired woman patted his shoulder.

"Just curiosity. But you sure are clueless, newbie!"

"Huh?! Hey, what did you mean by that?!"

Andy yelled but she winked at him and skipped away. He sighed, then turned –

And yelped again, falling back as another member of P.A.N.D.R.A. invaded his personal space.

"Oi, newbie."

"What is it this time?!"

P.A.N.D.R.A. had a penchant for avoiding questions, and Andy wondered if they got it from their leader, Hyoubu Kyousuke, as the red head had him in a headlock and gasping in pain.

"Ow-ow ow owow! What the hell?!"

"You sure have guts, going on that date!"

"Huh?!"

"Damn it, you better have been the one who paid!"

"What are you talking about?!"

Yoh released him and walked away with a scoff and Andy stared after him, only for his attention to be drawn by someone else.

"Yuugiri…?"

"Major…"

"Ah you're looking for Hyoubu? He's not here."

The little esper girl shook her head, confusing the brown haired man.

"Amusement…park…."

"Amusement park? You want to go to one again?"

"Major…"

"Oh, you want to go with Hyoubu." Andy deduced with a smile. "Why don't you let him know?"

But Yuugiri shook her head again, and Andy blinked.

"Major….and you."

"What?"

"Fun….amusement parks are fun…"

"Right…."

"The Major….looked like he was having fun."

"…With you."

Yuugiri murmured, her cheeks pink. Then she turned and ran away as if embarrassed at her own words –

Leaving Andy staring after her and deciding indeed P.A.N.D.R.A. was definitely acting strangely.

…

…

"What did you do that for, you bastard?!"

- Yes, definitely acting strangely.

…

Andy thought. He had just been standing minding his own business when the leader of P.A.N.D.R.A. had kicked him into the pool again –

Only to be kicked by someone else after as when he had surfaced, he was pushed into the water again by another weight –

Which he soon found to be Hyoubu Kyousuke's, whose eyes stared into his as he laid upon Andy in the water, looking as surprised as Andy felt.

And Andy could only stare, for it was the first time he had seen Hyoubu caught off guard and looking almost vulnerable.

Then Hyoubu gasped slightly and scrambled off him and the trance was broken as Andy stuttered, "S-Sorry!"

He didn't know why he was apologizing, for it wasn't like he had pushed Hyoubu into the water (in fact that was what Hyoubu had done to him) and wait – why was Hyoubu in the water?

He soon found the answer to that as he blinked the water away from his eyes to see Hyoubu drilling his fist into his surbordinate's head.

"Ow ow owow old man! It hurts!"

"WHO THE HELL IS AN OLD MAN?!"

"Wah, looks like you're back to your usual idiotic self are you trying to save face – OW OWOWOW!"

"WHY DID YOU KICK ME INTO THE WATER, HUH?! DO YOU THINK IT WAS FUNNY?!"

"I-It was a joke old – owow ! I mean, Major! Don't be so mad!"

"Um….."

Andy managed as he stared at the comical scene produced by Hyoubu of all people, and Hyoubu stared back.

"What?"

"Ah it's just that…." Andy gestured. "You seem….different."

Yoh took Hyoubu's silence to pipe up, "Don't look so surprised, newbie. This is his usual personality, he's just trying to act cool – owwwww!"

"What did you just say….Yoh…?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!"

"Major, you should dry yourself or you'll catch a cold."

"Here, you should change your clothes."

"Thank you Magi." Hyoubu smiled pleasantly and Yoh took the chance to escape from his grip. "Momiji."

"But…how did you know I would need a change of clothes?"

"…..!"

"Ruined!" Yoh slapped his hand to his forehead and Hyoubu smiled sharply.

"I think I need to have a nice talk with you three…."

"Uh Major, that is –"

Andy didn't know what Magi was going to say as he disappeared along with the other three, leaving the brown haired man behind in the pool.

…

…

"Hey Hyoubu."

Andy said in the afternoon, and blinked when Hyoubu started and turned around as if seeing him for the first time.

"H-Hinomiya!"

"Y-Yeah." Andy said. He jerked his thumb –

"I've been sent on an errand to get popsicles again, apparently. So I was wondering if you could teleport me there like yesterday? I've been in the water once already today."

He said jokingly, and Hyoubu blinked, then seemed to draw away.

"Ask Momiji."

"Yeah I did, and she said to ask you."

Andy said, and was puzzled when Hyoubu blanched.

"Hyoubu?"

"I…I have somewhere to be."

Hyoubu muttered, not looking at him, and Andy said –

"I see. Well anyway you want one too? A popsicle I mean."

Hyoubu still did not meet Andy's sharp gaze. "No it's fine."

Andy cocked an eyebrow.

First he had witnessed Hyoubu Kyousuke looking vulnerable, then he had witnessed Hyoubu Kyousuke comically angry, and now he was seeing Hyoubu Kyousuke withdrawing almost timidly.

And rejecting a popsicle.

Something was definitely going on, and the investigator was determined to find out what –

Especially as he had the upper hand over Hyoubu for once.

"What's up? Your face is red. Do you have a fever or something, Hyoubu?"

"No." Hyoubu said, and moved away when Andy tried to get close.

Andy stopped, and looked down. But his limiter was turned on.

"…Does my presence make you feel bad?"

He asked despite that fact for he could think of no other reason for Hyoubu to be looking almost warily at him.

"That's not it." Hyoubu said, but he still looked as if he wanted to escape. He placed a hand on his heart and averted his gaze.

"I just….have to go."

He said and disappeared in a flash, and Andy stared as the wind blew his brown locks, then left as fast as Hyoubu had.

"….."

Whatever had been affecting his subordinates was now affecting Hyoubu as well – though unlike Momiji and Yoh who had taken to being in close quarters with him, Hyoubu had uncharacteristically kept his distance from Andy when usually it was the other way around.

Scratching his hair, Andy shrugged and turned, wondering if Yoh had lost his hostility towards him or he would have to be submerged in water for the second time in the day.

"Seriously….what is wrong with them?"

…

…

…

I finished watching the Unlimited and I just had to write a fic! I'd be glad if someone enjoyed this :)

And I seem to have a thing for amusement park dates lol. I love both Kyousuke of the Unlimited and of Zettai Karen Children so I'm trying to combine both his cool and dorky side 3 Yes, he really is quite comical in ZKC~