"Ridiculous, so that's the reason why he's here?" asked Jin. Hazama...Terumi...whoever he is, nothing good can come out of it.
"You need to clarify this a bit more. I'm at a loss even with Hakumen's explanation." Sighed Sodia. "Nine Fell Arms and Nine Nox Nyctores...even that part is confusing to me." She said.
Jin paused, looking back at the young captain. "I don't think it should concern you very much. But that person who took one of those Fell Arms from us is closely related to my past. And according to Hakumen, he is one of the Six Heroes as well." He frowned.
"Well, it's not like we can do much about anything right now." Replied Sodia, shaking her head. Once Jin reached the entrance to Halure, she watched him pause as if deep in thought. Rita, Sodia, and Witcher are busy arguing about certain things she didn't bother to know more about with Ada just watching them. Hakumen, Repede, and Duke are doing mysterious things like the mysterious people...and a dog that they were, while Adecor and Boccos returned to Zaphias, seeing as they weren't really needed that much.
This, of course, left Jin and Sodia alone for now.
"Let me ask you one thing, captain." He said suddenly, turning around to face her with those piercing green eyes. Sodia had the urge to just look away, though she didn't...even though his gaze caused her to feel just a little bit of fear. Does he have that effect on people or something?
"Go on." Sodia replied, pretending not to be intimidated by her lieutenant. Of course, it wasn't exactly intimidation that she felt with the way he looked at her.
"It's nothing." He continued, turning back around. Maybe it wasn't that important...that, or he just wouldn't dare tell her about something else. If it involved his past, Sodia at least knew it wasn't something he was proud of. But if he gave her the details, maybe it could be too much to know.
"Well, I have something to ask you as well." Frowned Sodia, twirling her fingers a bit in one of her braids. "Umm it's a bit embarrassing but..."
"And you're telling me this, why?" Jin interrupted, not exactly concerned about anything she might say next.
"Just be patient. I would have asked the Commandant if he were here though I probably would back out of it if I did." She said quietly. "You did notice the flowers blossoming here in Halure right? There's a festival about to happen here." She said.
"I never really did like flowers. But why tell me now about this festival?" smirked Jin.
As that grin crept onto his face, Sodia paused. So...he probably knew what she was going to ask, right? "Don't misunderstand. I just...wait, can you give me a moment?" she asked, turning around and walking away from Jin for a few steps.
"Useless." Sodia whispered. Even with him, she can't go through with it. This always happened...but no, she can't let this keep interrupting what she wanted to do. It was against her principles, and she was only about to use him for an experiment of sorts at least.
'Come to think about it, I've never gone on a date before.' She thought to herself without realizing it. She sighed again. That's the problem. Even if she were to get Jin to go on a date with her for a little bit, she couldn't come up with any plan that wouldn't end in his boredom. And why did she want him to be her first date in the first place? Briefly, she looked back at Jin. "That's why..." she muttered, being reminded of Flynn.
"Is there anything wrong?" taunted Jin. He was still smiling in a mocking way, but judging by how he moved, he was getting bored.
"No." Sodia replied, approaching him.
'Fine, I'll leave this to luck. I'll take him around and hope he enjoys himself. Who knows, I may even get to like him.' She thought as she approached. Well, Sodia thought the plan had some weak points, but she made up her mind so that's what she's going to do. It's not like she had any other ideas while they waited for Tarqaron to rise again so she was going to entertain him today until he gives up.
"If it wasn't obvious already, usually couples are going to be found here soon once the festival starts. In other words, I'm saying let's go on a date. How about it?" Sodia asked swiftly. Ugh, that was horrible.
Immediately, Jin's smile disappeared, only to be replaced with a puzzling frown. "I don't understand what you're saying. Can you give me a concrete description?" he asked, even less happy. "I'm willing obey and do what you want even if I wouldn't normally do such a thing but please explain to me what you mean by going on this 'date.' Even though I am familiar with this world now, I still don't understand what you wish to accomplish with this." He frowned.
"I just wanted to hang out with you. Get to know you a bit more than the others." Sighed Sodia. This was getting too complicated.
"I understand the meaning of the word, but I do not understand your intent. What is your reason for doing this?" Jin continued to ask.
"Don't be so stupid!" a voice called out, Sodia turning around towards the source. Rita, Carl, and Witcher were...listening in? How much did they hear?! The mage approached Jin, grinning to herself. "Listen, if you haven't figured it out already, a date is a way for the one who asked to appeal to someone they like. You're the last person I thought she would fall for but you won't just say no are you?"
"She's getting the wrong impression..." Sodia muttered to herself. It's not that she liked Jin that much, she just wanted to use him as a bit of a stepping stone before Flynn. Though if she likes him enough at the end of this date, then....
"Very well, I accept." Jin answered. "But only for one day."
"Date's are only one day events, idiot." Rita replied, walking back to Carl and Witcher. "Which reminds me, I never had a date before either. Which means..." she looked at Carl and Witcher. Witcher, there was no way she could tolerate him. Carl was polite and she can easily make him do certain jobs she didn't want to do so...
"Ah!" cried out Carl, beginning to run away, but Rita grabbed his cape and pulled him back. "Lucky you." She grinned.
"Poor Witcher, he doesn't have anyone to go with." Sodia laughed softly before looking back at Jin. He still had the same expression as always, though she could detect a faint smile on him. "Well, the festival isn't until a few hours from now so we should probably just rest for a little bit."
"Tell me again what we're doing on our date?" asked Jin, walking past Sodia as he headed back to the inn.
"I haven't really thought about it that much really." Apologized Sodia. "It was a last minute decision and I was just hoping we do the basic things and hope we enjoy ourselves."
"It's your first date as well, isn't it?" asked Jin.
"Yes." She replied simply right as they reached the inn. Before they could open the door however, Hakumen stepped out, followed by Duke.
"There isn't much to do at the moment so for now, do whatever you want." Said Hakumen, barely turning his head to look at Jin.
"Tch, whatever." Jin replied, entering the inn with Sodia. He didn't go to one of the rooms of course. It was far too early for that. Instead, he sat on a chair close to a window, Sodia sitting on the opposite side of a table.
Looking at him, Sodia realizes how crazy she's being right now. Asking somewhat like that on a date, her Lieutenant as well. ...Well, in short...her mind starts to twist, realizing that they're going on a date soon. And she's getting really nervous. Sodia took a deep breath, trying not to let Jin notice, though there wasn't a problem there. He was looking away from her.
Her heart jumped. The Jin sitting in front of her was a Jin she didn't know. In the light of the window, he didn't look as cold as he always was. But still, just that makes her realize that Jin was 'different.' She calmed herself and shook off her weak spirits, breathing out and preparing herself.
"You look nervous. Is something wrong?" asked Jin.
The sudden voice, snapped her out of the trance as she stared right back at him. "Sorry, I was just thinking whether I prepared enough for this." Replied Sodia.
"You did say it was a last minute decision. So relax, it won't matter if it ends up a disaster anyways." Jin said in an almost light-hearted tone. "But I'm going to guess that after this, you'll be confident enough to ask the Commandant in the near future?"
"You're thinking too far ahead." She answered. "I just figured that if I can impress you, then maybe I can get the Commandant to notice me."
Jin shook his head. "You've impressed me enough already. More than other people I know at least." He said. "But you will still need to tell him what you told me."
"I know." Replied Sodia. "But you need to be there as well if I tell him." She continued, looking up at him with almost pleading eyes.
Immediately, Jin looked away. "Somehow I feel you deserve to know more about what I didn't tell you. It's only fair, after all you did tell me your greatest regret in your life so far." He said quietly.
"It's still just part of the past now. And I'm not going to force you to tell me the details." Sodia replied, sighing in response.
"After our date then." Said Jin, closing his eyes. "Once that's over, you'll be the first one to know about my past more than anyone else."
"Jin..." Sodia whispered. Why was he going that far? She said she wasn't going to force him to tell her. She wanted to know about his past of course, but his willingness to talk about it this quickly was a surprise. Was it because she asked him out? Looking at him again, she realized he wasn't as cold as he appeared to make himself look. Different from them, yes, but he was nice enough now...at least to her.
"By the way..." Jin said quietly, his eyes still closed.
"Yes?"
"Thank you." He replied.
"For what?" asked Sodia.
Jin opened his eyes, lazily staring back at her. "When I first found out that I was in this world, I wanted nothing more than to return and leave this place to its fate. I never actually cared what happened, even with Hakumen around. But..." he looked at her intently, "The fact that you're going through all this trouble of making me feel welcome is something that I have to repay at the very least. Maybe staying here in this world isn't such a bad thing after all."
"Is your world that different from this?" asked Sodia.
"Very much." Jin answered, "It's what this world would look like if we fail to stop the Black Beast."
"I should be thanking you as well." Said Sodia. "At least I can tell you my problems if I have any." She continued.
"Only if they're serious enough that you don't want anyone else to know about them. I'm not just someone you can dump everything at." He replied, standing up and walking over to her. "Come now, Captain. Don't look so down. After all, you did ask me on this date." Jin smiled, holding out his hand.
"But the festival didn't even begin..."
"Date's don't have to be at the start of a festival. And besides, it's better with an early start." He replied, Sodia taking his hand and standing up as well. "So I heard."