Bare Necessity
"So what do we do?"
"The members of the CID's Unit One were all gathered in the analytical lab, discussing their latest case. A botched robbery had resulted in the murder of one man and the injury of several others. They were still in the middle of the investigative process, trying to gather evidence from eye witnesses.
Most people involved at the scene of the crime had stayed behind until the emergency response crews arrived – all but one man, Akihito Honda. When they were reviewing security footage, he was identifiably in the room and had been seen fleeing the location several minutes later, prior to any crew's arrival. Street scanners hadn't registered negative signals from him, but he obviously had something to hide.
It wasn't even their case, but the Chief had assigned it to them after she had been alerted about the missing witness. With his hands tied, Ginoza had no choice but to accept, even when he really thought the other team should handle it; it was still their case, so why split and waste man power like that?
With a clear image of his face on security videos, it should have been an easy task to track him down and bring him in. Karanomori had quickly pulled up his personal details. Yet when they had arrived at his registered address, there had been no answer. Furthermore, his neighbor had come out to inform them that he hadn't been around for the last month, if not more. The housing agency didn't have any complaints because the payments were still being made in a timely fashion.
Akane looked around helplessly as none of her teammates responded to her question. It was the first time she had been involved with a missing person's case; she didn't have the experience to know what their next step should be. It seemed she wasn't the only one as no one spoke. Kougami stood off to the side with an uninterested expression on his face, already vocalizing his disregard for the task. Next to him, Kagari scratched at his head, but otherwise gave no reply.
Their team lead had a stern expression on his face, even harsher than normal, his annoyance regarding the situation quite obvious. Masaoka who usually had some insightful comment to make was unusually quiet. Lastly, next to her on the couch was Kunizuka who looked the same as always – calm and aloof.
The only noise in the room was created by Karanomori who continued to work at her computer, like she wasn't part of the conversation. Upfront, she had mentioned that there was a lot of work to do; that she didn't have time to waste on this wild goose chase of theirs.
"Well, looks like you'll have to do this the old-fashioned way," she suddenly stated.
"What do you mean? You found something?" Nobuchika demanded.
"Yes. He frequents a club outside of Sibyl's jurisdiction called Caldera. Your dominators would be useless."
"Eh? You found all that?" Akane asked in disbelief.
"Just who do you think I am?" she retorted.
"Alright, so we should head down there. Tsunemori, you stay here."
"No, no!" Shion protested. "All of you going would be too suspicious. It's really quite simple."
"… What do you know that you aren't telling us?"
"Like any man, he has a weakness – a beautiful woman."
All eyes in the room turned towards Akane who just sat there, oblivious to their scrutiny. She was definitely not what one would call beautiful; not to mention that she was barely a woman, still underage. Collectively, they turned their attention back to Shion, clearly not buying into this idea.
"He's a leg man," she added with a smirk, knowing what they were thinking. "I suppose I could go in if you really wanted me to, but isn't there someone else fully qualified to go undercover?"
To make her point more obvious, she turned her gaze to Yayoi, everyone else's gazes following hers. The men just blinked in surprise, quite simply forgetting they had a female enforcer on their team. She rarely made her presence known and they had never looked at her in that light.
"Oh! That would be perfect!" Akane exclaimed. "But… She can't move about on her own. She would still need to be escorted by an inspector. If it's a club, I can't possibly go with her."
"I didn't expect you to when there's another who's equally perfect for the role."
At this, they all turned to gaze at the only other inspector in the room. Ginoza caught the way Karanomori smirked at him and a frown pinched his features. She was having too much fun with the situation when it was a serious task. Even so, he could only push his glasses further up his nose before saying he would go with her.
"Right, but remember, you'll be undercover. We wouldn't want him to bolt, so… The two of you will have to pretend to be lovers," Shion said gleefully.
"What?!"
"Why else would a man and woman be alone together at a club? At the very least, dress the part."
"… Then what about Kunizuka-san?" Akane ventured to ask. "She couldn't possibly go the way she is now."
"Don't worry! I'll take care of that. So tonight… Now is your best bet if you want to get this done and over with."
Sighing in response, Ginoza gave each of them a stern glare before he excused himself from the room. Except for Akane and Yayoi, all the others had looked at him with varying degrees of amusement; from Kagari's outright laughter to Masaoka's know-it-all grin. Undoubtedly, none of them believed he could pull off his role of pretend lover with Yayoi.
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Re-gathering in the lab after work hours, Yayoi was sitting quietly on the couch with Shion next to her. The others stood to the side, except for Ginoza who had yet to make an appearance. All of them wanted to see how things would pan out prior to their departure. After all, Yayoi would have to undergo some sort of transformation to turn her into a beautiful woman.
Knowing her handiwork had turned her lover into exactly the woman they needed, Shion grinned before she tilted her to the side, motioning to Yayoi that she should show them the final result. Nodding slightly, she stood up and approached the others. Despite her appearance change, the expression on her face remained the same as usual.
As she faced them, Kagari's mouth had dropped open while Kougami and Masaoka looked on in disbelief. She hadn't thought much of it even when Shion told her to look in the mirror, but apparently, the results were astounding. The only one to show a reaction beyond stunned silence was Akane as she rushed forward with a broad smile on her face.
"Kunizuka-san, you look so beautiful!" she said excitedly, after walking around her to take in the full effect. "I almost didn't recognize you."
She was dressed in a long-sleeved, floor length gown that seemed to be molded from her shoulders to her hips. There was a panel of fabric cut out from the front across her chest and another across her back. Considering Shion's insistence that Honda had a weakness for a woman's legs, the long, flowing skirt appeared counter-productive.
That was true at first glance, until she started walking towards them. A long slit along the right ended at her upper thigh. In contrast to the color of the dress, she flashed her leg with every step, her skin a creamy white against the unending black. Her legs looked endless with the extra height added by a pair of strappy black heels.
On top of that, Shion had done her makeup to the extreme; smoky eyes paired with wine red lipstick. The only thing that remained of the Kunizuka they knew was the hairstyle; it was still tied up in her signature ponytail. All in all, the way she looked now was nothing they could have imagined.
"Now if only her escort would arrive," Shion grumbled. "I can't wait to see how he looks."
As if on cue, the door to the lab opened and Ginoza strolled in to join the group. He had gone home to change for the evening, just returning from the trip. His eyes widened in surprise as he spotted Yayoi, clearly with the same mindset as the other men had. Eventually, he cleared his throat and schooled his features as Shion had come over to inspect his outfit.
Exchanging his work suit, he had put on a double-breasted jacket in black with fine silver pinstripes, six-buttons in total. Beneath it, he wore a crisp white shirt and a wine red tie. As Shion stared at him, Akane had come over to examine his wardrobe as well. Equally impressed with his appearance as she had been with Yayoi's, she didn't hesitate to tell him her opinion.
"This is really great," she said. "You both look amazing and even match!"
"… Right, so get going before you run out of time," Shion added, finally finding her tongue. "We'll be here as back-up."
Acquiescing to her instructions, Nobuchika approached Yayoi and held out his arm to her. When she glanced at it without making any other responses, he lifted her hand, stepping beside her as he slipped it around his arm. Her hand rested lightly on his forearm as he quietly escorted her from the lab, leaving behind the remainder of his team.
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When they arrived at their destination, they had parked the vehicle a fair distance away since it didn't match with the image they gave off. He could control what he wore, but he only had a company car at his disposal. Since they had to walk the remainder of the way, Ginoza stepped beside her and resumed the position he had taken as they left the office.
There was a bouncer at the door, but he didn't bother to check their ID and waved them in. His eyes had already assessed their value to the club based on the cut of their clothing. If they were there to freely spend money, he had no reason to turn them away. It was the ones who looked like they might cause trouble that he had to keep an eye on.
Once inside, Ginoza's eyes swept across the interior as he analyzed for all the escape points. Beside him, Yayoi didn't say a word as she glanced at the bar. She was only here to act as bait and as harsh as he seemed, she knew Ginoza would not slack off and allow any harm to befall her. He took his responsibilities the most seriously out of all of them.
"Let's go. I'm going to leave you at the bar," he whispered in her ear.
With that, he did as he said, walking languidly with her at his side. He would prove Shion wrong and play out his role perfectly. When they reached the bar, he allowed her to pick her own seat and didn't release her arm until she was comfortable. Slipping a hand into his inner pocket, he pulled out a stack of cash and counted out several bills for her which he placed on the counter. The rest of it went back into his pocket.
"Be careful," he murmured. "I'll be close by if you need me."
His hand had rested on top of hers while he spoke in such a manner that only she would hear. Finished with what he had to say, he allowed his hand to linger while he slowly straightened up. Then, he turned away from her and headed into the crowd. Yayoi instinctively turned to watch him and while it may have seemed to be a longing glance to an onlooker, she was actually just checking to see where he would be.
When he was out of sight, she turned to face the bar, crossing one leg over the other. Waiting to catch her attention was the bartender who had seen the exchange, along with the bills of cash placed in plain sight. Eager to relieve her of some, he put on his best smile before he inquired as to what he might serve her.
"Whisky on the rocks."
"Yes, right away miss," he replied.
It had been ages since she had last been in a club, bringing with it a sense of nostalgia. The response to the bartender's question she had answered with was the first thing that popped into her head. He was back in a flash with her order, waiting anxiously while she took her time in tasting. She swirled the golden liquid before she brought it up to her nose, lightly breathing in its scent. Bringing the glass to her lips, she took a small sip. Allowing the drink to sit in her mouth, she slowly swallowed, savoring the taste.
"How is it?" the man asked eagerly.
"It will do."
"If you have anything else you desire, please let me know."
Placing the glass back on the counter, she waved him away. Now that they were here, it would be a waiting game. Abandoned by her date, she didn't think men would hesitate to approach her once they saw that he was gone for an extended period of time. Just to help the process of luring out their target, she shifted in the seat so the bare leg crossed over the other was clearly visible.
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Half an hour into the operation and onto her second drink, that was when she had her first encounter. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky that it was their target. Instead, it was a man who had one too many drinks and wasn't put off by her cold demeanor. The alcohol he had consumed had loosened any inhibitions he might have possessed because he stood much too close for her comfort.
"Hey there beautiful," he greeted with slurred speech, his chest pressing against her back.
Disgusted by the close proximity, she struggled to maintain her cool, even as she could smell the overpowering fumes that wafted from his breath. She needed to handle this in a manner that didn't blow their cover, yet the guy seemed pretty persistent. He kept leering at her even as she pointedly ignored his advances, showing zero interest.
"Aw come on! Don't be like that, baby," he said. "You've been alone all night. Come dance with me."
"I'm comfortable where I am."
"Come on," he urged, refusing to take no for an answer.
His fingers skimmed along her bare leg and Yayoi shuddered even as she grabbed at his groping hand. He gave a small yelp of pain when she twisted his finger backwards. Maintaining the composed expression on her face, she motioned for the bartender to come over, which he did immediately. A scowl touched his features when he saw the man hovering behind her.
"Is he bothering you?" he inquired, despite the obvious answer.
"Yes."
"Hey you. Scram!" he told him. "If I see you bothering the lady again, I'll have you thrown out."
When he made no indication that he would leave, Yayoi increased the pressure on his hand and his face contorted with pain. He didn't provide an apology, but uttered that he would leave her alone. Only then did she release him and he scampered away as she had the bartender at her beck and call. Quickly apologizing for having such rude customers, Yayoi waved away his concerns; instead, commenting on the sad state her drink was in. It had become diluted as the ice melted during her encounter with the drunk.
"Ah! I'll have it replaced, straight away."
As he scurried away to make her a fresh drink, another man slipped into a seat next to hers. She gave him a brief glance, but otherwise showed no interest in him – despite the fact that he was their target. He didn't say anything to her, instead waiting for the bartender to return. Placing the drink in front of her, he gave the two a quick glance to understand the situation between them.
Since Yayoi didn't say anything to indicate her displeasure, he turned to the man. His standard question was answered by him saying he would take the same drink as the lady. Nodding in reply, he went to make a second one. Neither of them spoke while he was away, Yayoi gently nestling the glass between her hands.
At first, he pretended he wasn't interested in her, taking the time to taste his drink. Clearly, he had witnessed the encounter she had with the first man, now trying to formulate a plan that would get him what he wanted. All she had to do now was bide her time. She might not be interested in men as a whole, but she still understood how their minds worked.
"It's surprisingly decent," he finally said.
The only response she gave was to glance at him, neither interested nor disinterested in what he had to say. When she didn't speak, he held up his glass to indicate that he was discussing the drink. At this, she shrugged and turned her attention away from him. He had taken the bait, but now she needed to think of a way to get him to leave with her willingly, without putting herself at risk.
With her experience in clubs, she understood well enough that his goal was to get under her dress and every club had some place for that activity where they didn't even need to leave. Whatever the case, she couldn't stay cold towards him the entire time, needing to reel him in. At the very worst, she knew Ginoza was looking out for her and he would step in if need be.
"You know…" he started to say, leaning in like he was telling her a secret. "It's pretty hot that you don't drink cocktails."
"What's the point in masking its taste when it's fine the way it is?"
"Well said. Both beautiful and intelligent I see," he murmured, staring into her eyes.
"Hardly," she replied, downplaying his compliment.
She purposely broke the eye contact, slowly lifting the drink to her lips. As she sipped it, she could feel him watching her, trying to think of his next move. At least he was trying to be a smooth-talker, unlike the other one who had only stepped in and groped her. How was he to know that his tactics would never work since she wasn't interested in men to begin with?
"I mean it. You're classy, unlike some of the sluts running around this place."
"Oh? I don't know how to feel when you insult my fellow women like that."
"Beautiful, intelligent and sensitive – I like that."
Rather than replying verbally, she lifted her drink in salute to what he said. Grinning at her, he did the same and lightly tapped it against hers before they both took a sip. At this point, she wasn't sure what she should do. It was such a strange feeling, trying to seduce a man when she already had a lover; a lover who happened to come up with this very scheme.
"You're getting low. Let me get you another one."
"… Alright," she answered, glancing downwards.
He waved the bartender over, quickly ordering another round. As he pulled out money to pay for it, Yayoi carefully folded up her own and slipped it down the front cut-out of her dress, nestling it in her bra. She had left enough to cover for the first couple drinks she had ordered.
While they waited for the bartender's return, he turned to face her. He didn't speak. Instead, he gazed at her with a smile like he was completely infatuated with her. That was what he was showing on the outside, but she knew he was mentally keeping a tally of how many drinks she had consumed; trying to determine how much longer it would take before he could drag her to a dark corner and have his way with her.
The wheels in her mind spun, keeping track of that exact figure. She hadn't drunk like this in a long time, so she knew she wouldn't be able to last much longer. She was already feeling tipsy and it would be much worse if she were to move. He was definitely going to try and convince her, but she would resist him when the time came.
They continued to chat while they drank, discussing topics of generic and inconsequential value. Yayoi sipped at her drink, warily watching him out of the corner of her eye. It appeared like he was drinking with her as he would occasionally lift the glass to his lips, but in actuality, he was preoccupied with eyeing the level of her drink. When she finally emptied it and placed it back on the counter, he changed his tune.
"Come dance with me," he coaxed, standing from his seat and holding his hand out to her.
"Mm… I think I'll stay here."
"Just one dance. It'll be fun."
"I can't. I'm with someone," she replied, not a hundred percent sure what kind of expression she was showing him.
"It'll be fine," he insisted. "He hasn't been with you all evening."
Despite his urgings, she remained adamant in her refusal and his patience snapped. No longer pretending to be the gentleman that he wasn't, he grabbed her by the arm, yanking her off of the stool. Protesting against his rough treatment, she found herself standing beside the seat she had been occupying.
Even as her body swayed from the unexpected movement, she was relieved to find she wasn't actually as drunk as she thought she would be. Her unstable motions were due to her unfamiliarity with the high heels more than anything else; only able to walk steadily all evening due to Ginoza's careful support.
"Let go of me," she protested, struggling to break free from his hold.
He mistook her wobbling for drunkenness, his grip on her not as tight as it should have been if he meant to overpower her. Thanks to Shion's planning, she had been on a careful diet prior to leaving – consuming a lot of liquids and light proteins to help counteract the effects of the alcohol. Because of that, she had better control over her body than if she had blindly consumed all that hard liquor.
"No," she shouted, ripping her arm away from his hand and giving him a shove.
Stumbling backwards from the force, he steadied himself before he turned on her. His face was contorted with rage, all signs of the man he had pretended to be thrown out the window. Approaching her once more, curses and insults dripped venomously from his lips.
"Bitch!" he spat out. "What the hell is your problem? Acting all high and mighty, getting me to buy you drinks and chat with you, yet you won't even give me one shitty dance?"
His fist came flying at her face and she was ready for it, or thought she was ready for it, knowing to dodge – except she found she didn't have to. An arm snaked around her shoulders, pulling her out of harm's way as another shot out to catch Honda's wrist. She didn't have to look to know that her back was pressed against Ginoza's chest.
"Who the hell said you could touch my woman?" he demanded, tightening his grip on the man.
Knowing she was safe, she felt the tension leave her body and she snuck a glance at her inspector. His face was twisted into a scowl that seemed much fiercer than his typical one, his tone of voice downright menacing. Relieved that he was on her side, she turned her attention back to their target, allowing him to take control of the scene.
Inebriated, the alcohol had started to take effect on Honda, even though he didn't realize it. A sense of indestructibility had come over him, no longer registering the other man's threatening tone; or recognizing the fact that he was facing a man who had not consumed one drop of alcohol, still in full control over his mental and physical capacities.
"Hell… She's the one who came onto me," he retorted, trying to yank his arm free. "You're the prick who left her alone. Maybe you should keep a better eye on her."
"What I do is none of your damn business. Besides, what makes you think you could possibly satisfy her?" Ginoza sneered.
Having thrown the man's arm down out of his grasp, his gaze had been cold and unforgiving; his eyes sweeping condescendingly down from his face to his shoes, and slowly back up again. When their gazes clashed, Ginoza smirked, tightening his hold on her as he had Yayoi held protectively against him.
The provocation worked as he was doing it on purpose, challenging him to try his luck once more. When Honda came at them again with his fist, Ginoza easily caught it, showing no mercy. At the same time that he had stepped forward to twist his arm behind his back, his other arm had slipped down to Yayoi's waist, shifting her to give him better freedom of movement.
As Honda cried out in pain, he was unrelenting. Instead, he ignored the cries for mercy and turned his attention towards his companion. Lips pressed close against her ear, he inquired about her well-being. When she told him that she was fine, he pulled his face away from hers. Even so, he didn't release her.
Unexpectedly, she felt his free hand back up around her chest, his fingers brushing along the expanse of skin that was exposed by the dress. Before she could even say or do anything, his fingers were stroking beneath the fabric along her breast. He tugged at the bills she had stashed there and she couldn't help wondering how he had been able to see that. When it came free, he pressed it into her hands.
"Count out a few bills and pass it to the bartender," he instructed.
She did as he said, handing back what remained. Yet rather than pocketing it, he made a grand show of returning it to where he had retrieved it from. Only then did he slowly release her completely, allowing her to slip behind him and approach the bar. The bartender came over, still somewhat speechless at the scene in front of him, but readily accepted what Yayoi pressed into his hand.
She was leaning against the bar to give it to him and while she had done that, Ginoza had shifted his hold on their target, his arm still pressed painfully against his back. Thinking they were done for the evening, Yayoi was startled to feel his hand resting possessively at her hip as he leaned in to speak to the bartender.
"Think of it as compensation for any damages made. We'll take this outside."
Nodding enthusiastically in response, he let them go, knowing full well that there were no damages. There had been a brief altercation, but nothing of a physical fight. Gently guiding her away from the bar, his hand remained where it was the entire time, such that she was glued to his side. His gentle touch was such a stark contrast to the way he was handling Honda who was in front of them – barking out orders and propelling him forward.
When they reached the entrance, his hands were full so he waited for the door to be opened for them. Pulling Yayoi in closer, he quietly told her that the security detail that had come to collect Honda was parked around back. They didn't want to create a scene, anymore than they already had. In their eyes, it was a dispute over a woman and not actually a scenario where the authorities were involved.
She inclined her head to acknowledge his update, all the while wondering if he had to go through all this detail. They already had the man in their custody; he didn't need to keep up the act of being her lover. Once they were beyond the club doors, he should have pulled away, yet he didn't – seemingly quite comfortable in escorting her the entire way there.
Reaching the security car, he finally released his hold on her to hand over their witness. The officer took control of him and quickly shoved him into the back of the patrol car. Neither of them spoke as they watched it pull away from the curb and gradually disappear into the distance. Only when it was truly gone from sight did Ginoza turn his attention back to her.
"Alright, let's get out of here."
"Yes sir."
Despite his words, he casually took her hand in his, slipping it around his arm before he started walking. She followed along helplessly, unable to determine why he was still behaving this way. Their mission was a complete success; there was no longer a need for them to pretend since no one was watching.
"Ginoza-san, I can walk on my own," she pointed out.
"Stop fussing. You can barely stand in those shoes of yours and you're drunk, even if you're pretending you aren't."
"Oh…"
Falling silent after his explanation, she didn't think he had noticed. On the job as an enforcer, she no longer wore fancy high heels or high heels in general. One never knew when she would need to give chase after a criminal. At one point in her life, she might have been into it along with fashion, one aspect Shion still held onto, but not anymore.
Wordlessly, the pair walked back to the car which had been parked in the opposite direction. Ginoza's mind was preoccupied with the forms and reports he would need to fill out; especially when he had used cash as part of the mission. Next to him, Yayoi found herself with an unexpected quandary.
Over the course of the evening, she had found herself in close contact with three different men. Yet why was it that she didn't feel that nauseating sense of disgust with her current companion that she had with the other two? In fact, he had taken more liberties with her body than they had, still able to recall the sensation of his fingers brushing along her skin. It wasn't to say she had felt anything because she hadn't, but that in and of itself was a major step up from her previous reactions.
She glanced at him, but he didn't even notice as his thoughts were internalized. Staring at his profile, she supposed he could be considered a handsome man. Frankly, she had never bothered to think of it. Besides, why would it matter to her when he was a vocal enforcer hater? She might be female, but she was still an enforcer which should trump all else in his mind; yet none of his actions tonight aligned with his usual perspective.
Once they arrived at the car, he stopped and turned towards her. The moonlight lit up her face and she found herself under his careful scrutiny. His eyes examined every detail like he was searching for something. He didn't speak as he reached for her, both hands resting on her shoulders. Gently, he brushed his hands along her arms until he could grasp hers and lifted them towards his face. For a moment there, she thought something had come over him; that he was going to kiss the back of her hands, but he didn't.
"What are you doing?"
"You didn't get hurt?" he asked in response.
"No, I'm fine."
"Good, but I still want to check just in case. Karanomori is going to flip out on me if she finds any damage to her dress," he muttered. "Not to mention Tsunemori…"
"Akane-chan?" she questioned, not sure where the other inspector fit into the equation.
"She already gave me an earful about my duty in protecting you; that…"
His voice trailed off and his head popped upwards, an arrested expression on his face. Suddenly, he began to scowl again before he fell silent, even as he continued his bodily inspection. It was one thing for Akane to get on his nerves like that, but what was he thinking to blab his every thought to Yayoi of all people? Thankfully, she didn't speak again as she allowed him to finish his self-appointed duty.
"Let's go," he said unnecessarily gruffly when he finished.
"Okay."
Though he seemed to be in a foul mood, he still opened the door for her and helped her into the car; his actions in contradiction to his words. It closed behind her and she turned to buckle the seatbelt while waiting for him to join her. As he sat down, his face had taken on the expected Inspector Ginoza expression and Yayoi just shrugged slightly before turning to gaze out the window. The trip back to headquarters was made in silence which was normal for them anyways.
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AN
If it weren't for the fact that she's a lesbian and that he despises enforcers, I think these two would actually make a cute couple. They've been working together for a while since she's recruited to the team, back when Shinya was still an inspector. During the entire series, she was mainly paired up with Ginoza, along with Shuusei, whenever they split up their team. And overall, he didn't have any issues with her that we knew of (besides the obvious "enforcer" thing). haha, so the story's completely suggestive just due to the nature of their cover! XD Injecting a little fantasy into the situation? -shrugs-
Anyways, the whole idea was triggered when I heard the song "Legs" by ZZ Top on the radio. It wasn't the first time I've heard it, but at the time, the line "She's got legs, she knows how to use them" just created this mental image of Yayoi in the role of sultry seductress. But of course, she can't run around freely due to her status restrictions, so who better to counter-balance her role than our hunky megane tsundere?