…

…

…

"W- what?" spluttered Tanaka, paling dramatically. "What do you—"

"I already knew that," she repeated, unperturbed by the genuinely shocked stare Saru was sparing her. "Since we're on the subject of intense revelations, though, I might as well pitch in, uh? Let me tell you a little secret, Tanaka Sho: Saru is not the one who killed your father—" She suddenly lifted a gun she had picked up earlier, making him freeze as she aimed it as his head, a somewhat feral grin gracing her lips. "—I am."

"Ame—!"

She fired without a second thought. The hollow noise echoed like a crack of thunder for a few seconds before Tanaka's eyes rolled back in their sockets and the man collapsed on the ground. After a second or so, though, the black-haired girl snorted, lowering the gun.

"Don't make that face, Saru. 'Twas a blank, ya know? He just passed out 'cause of da shock."

The man let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, taking a better look at their now unconscious foe. As told, saved for the injuries caused by the explosion, there was no gunshot wound in his head nor a puddle of blood growing under him. Clicking her tongue, the girl threw the gun aside, rubbing her somewhat dirty hands on the dress she was still wearing.

"… how long have you known?"

Saru's voice was uncharacteristically subdued, and she heaved out a sigh, running a hand through her now loose hair and trying to find her words. She hadn't expected the night to turn out that way, but she probably should have seen it coming.

"I found out about a year after you took me in," she then admitted, offering him a dry, resigned smile. "I'm not stupid—one of the many reasons why you took an interest in me in the first place, uh?—and I thought it strange that you would put so much effort into a brat like me. I already had my suspicions, but I couldn't just ask directly, you know? So, one night, I snuck into the archives and found what I was looking for."

"… the mission."

"The mission," she confirmed, her voice softening as she lifted her eyes to the night sky. "Even if I kind of knew already, it was a shock. Not finding out about the assassination, no, but finding out that the only reason you took me in in the first place was to repay a self-imposed debt."

"Your parents were good people," he murmured, lowering his head. "They were at the wrong place at the wrong time, and they became a loose end that our client couldn't afford to let go. At the time, the Zodiac was still struggling to climb the power ladder of the Underworld, so we took any mission that was offered—even the worst ones."

"I know. I read the entire report, remember?" she replied, faint amusement edging in her voice. "As much as I loved my parents, though… I don't really remember them, to be honest. I was so young when it happened… I barely have a few memories, and the only reason I haven't forgotten their faces is because of the pictures Obaa-san kept." Biting her lower lip, she finally reported her attention to her Leader. "Saru… I don't hold you responsible. In fact, I never did. I was hurt because you lied to me, but… the truth of the matter is that, in all of those years that we've known each other, you basically became my family, you know? You and everyone else in the Zodiac are amongst the people I cherish the most and, well, yeah, the circumstances that brought us together suck, but there's just no point in lingering in the past." Unable to help herself, she crossed the distance separating her from Saru and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened, but she didn't let go. "I don't hate you, Saru. If anything, I'm thankful to have you in my life—even if you did kind of made me an orphan for that to happen."

He choked out a disbelieving laugh, hesitantly wrapping his own arms around her. "You're such a weird girl, Ame… We really made a mess out of you, haven't we?"

"Maybe," she shrugged, unable to fully deny it. "I doubt I'd be the same person had my parents been there. But, well, I wouldn't have had my family at the orphanage, and I wouldn't have met any of you guys, and I certainly wouldn't have ended up in the E-Class with the most amazing classmates and the greatest teachers, you know?" Looking up, she grinned. "I may be a bit messed up, but I like my life as it is now, and I wouldn't trade it for the world."

At that, he finally relaxed a bit, chuckling as he tightened the hug. "Glad to hear it. And glad to have you back, Ame."

"Glad to be back."

Naoki Ame's parents were assassinated under the guise of a car accident when she was four-year-old. So, when she cried, she cried because she cared, yes, but mostly because she was afraid of being alone. Once she got used to living with her grandmother, though, the fear subsided, leaving place to the sheer desire to repay her in any way she could for her kindness—for not leaving her alone.

When she was six-year-old, she started pickpocketing. Nothing big, of course, not enough to get noticed, but what she hadn't counted on was for someone else to be watching over her. And, a little while after she turned seven, she met Saru face-to-face for the first time. He told her that she had talent, that she was special, and that he wanted to offer her a job. And, well, she first suspected him to be a pedophile (which led to a hilariously awkward debate) before she finally agreed, and next thing she knew, he started training her as a future member of the Zodiac.

When she found out about the assassination mission, Ame was pissed and hurt. She had thought Saru had taken her in because he had seen her potential, because he had told her she was special, but she now realized that it really was just because he felt bad and wanted to assuage his guilt, in one way or the other. However, she didn't say anything and, as the years passed, she realized that it wasn't entirely true.

She rationalized that, had her potential actually not been worth noticing, he would have simply settled for watching her from afar. As it turned out, though, he offered her colleagues she could get along with, friends she could count on, another family that genuinely cared about her—and she simply couldn't hold his decision against him when looking at all of the good that came out of it. So, she simply decided to forget about it and move on with her life.

As it turned out, it was probably the best decision she ever made, and she would do it all over again if she was given the choice.

Saru and Ame met up with the rest of the Zodiac at the bottom of the tower, just outside. The guests were slowly starting to wake up thanks to the antidote created and administered by Hebi, and all of the members of Coup de Grâce were cuffed and unconscious. When they arrived downstairs, the Leader was quick to throw Tanaka Sho's body to Yagi, who grunted but got to work on the man's injuries anyway.

"Ame!"

Relieved, Hebi was the first to run up to her and bring her into a tight hug. Laughing, the teen was quick to return the embrace, as relieved at her. After what, well, it was pretty much a round of hugs, pats on the back, or hair ruffling, depending on the member. Hell, Same offered her a very bland smile, and she bumped fists with Ondori—in other words, two of the members who actually disliked her acted civilly, and it gave her the creeps.

All was explained when Saru revealed that he had told them the truth about the first Inu.

"Thank God we decided to play all cards on the table and that no more secrets were allowed within the organization, uh?" drawled sarcastically Karasu.

"Now, now, you're just bitter because that's the first time you didn't know something," teased Uma, poking his cheek.

"I am not!"

Ame laughed, shaking her head. "Ah, I missed you guys. And to think you'd team up with the E-Class, too! Though, what's going to happen now?"

"Well, we already told them the truth about the organization," shrugged Tora. "We've told them about the Zodiac's purpose, we showed them our faces, and they know you've been a member for a few years, now. The only thing they don't know is our real names and our personal backgrounds."

"So they know everything, then," she sighed, rubbing her temples.

"It was a unanimous decision to seek their aid and reveal the necessary information in order to get them to cooperate with us," assured Usagi, offering her a small smile. "Plus, now that they know, it'll be a lot easier to work with them, right?"

She couldn't help but smile back at that. "Right. Speaking of the E-Class, though… Where are they?"

"At the hotel, down at the beach," answered Ryu, patting her head. "They're a stubborn bunch—wouldn't leave until we promised that you'd join them. They must be waiting for you right now."

"We'll finish cleaning up here," added Uma, winking her way. "You go ahead, and we'll catch up properly once we're back to our headquarters, alright?"

"Right. Then- then, I'm going!"

She suddenly felt restless, impatient to properly meet up with her classmates. Now that no more secrets clouded her relationship with them, it felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and all she wanted now was to meet up with her friends and celebrate: the traitor was gone, Coup de Grâce was no more, and she didn't have to lie to them anymore. Plus, after two days of captivity, all she wanted was to run wild and do as she pleased. So, with a cheery wave of the hand, Ame kicked off her heels and started running.

She didn't get very far, though.

"Hello, Naoki-san! So good to see you!"

"Korosensei!" she gasped, grinning from ear to ear. "I never thought I'd see the day, but I really, really missed you!"

"Niryufufufu. I am glad to see you as well—eh?"

He stayed frozen in place as Ame hugged him tightly but, much to his surprise, she didn't try anything like she usually would. After a few seconds, she pulled away, still smiling.

"What? No assassination attempt?" he teased, half-curious.

"No, not tonight, Korosensei," she chuckled, shaking her head. "I think everyone had enough action for one day. I'll kill you tomorrow, alright?"

"I'll hold you to that, Naoki-san. Now, let us join your classmates, shall we?"

"Right!"

To say Ame's return was eagerly awaited would be an understatement. Every single one of her classmates was waiting for her in the common lounge and, as soon as she stepped foot inside and greeted them with her usual aloof smile, all hell broke loose. Most of the girls broke down in relieved tears as they suffocated Ame in a group hug, and the black-haired girl spent about ten or fifteen minutes just reassuring them and helping them calm down.

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Scaring us like that!"

"Don't do that again!"

"Waa, we were so worried!"

As relieved as everyone was, though, there was no denying that everyone was tired. Now that the stress and adrenaline had worn off, all of the students were positively exhausted, and it was a unanimous decision to wait until they returned to school to ask questions.

While the students made their way toward their rooms, though, Ame lingered behind. She waited for a few minutes in the common hall until two figures finally stepped inside.

"Karasuma-sensei, Bitch-sensei!"

"Ooh? So you made it out after all," mused Irina, placing a hand on her hip. "Good for you."

"It's thanks to you and everyone else." She bowed deeply. "Thank you. I owe you my life."

Karasuma offered her a brief smile. "I certainly didn't sign up for this, but I suppose it couldn't be helped. Try to stay out of trouble from here on out, alright?"

"No promises," she replied, grinning a bit. "You've got to admit, your life would be pretty boring without me in it, uh?"

"Am I to concluded that having a deadly explosive attached to your neck for a few days wasn't enough excitement for you, then?"

A bead of sweat formed on her brow. "Right. Point to you."

They spent a few minutes catching up, mostly with Karasuma explaining how he and Irina, along with Azrael, had handled the threat that was Chamuel. As it turned out, the cheerful and somewhat goofy man was also the most dangerous, since he used a special type of drug to enhance his physical strength—with the said drug having the side effect of making him lose his mind, turning him into the perfect killing machine. However, after having spent so many months trying to deal with an actual monster… well, needless to say, Chamuel didn't stand much of a chance, and he was truly doomed once Azrael decided to switch sides.

"That being said, why, exactly, did he jump ship?" then asked Irina, frowning.

"Oh, they were using on him a variant of the drug that Chamuel used, though it was against his will. Raphael was pretty dumb despite his genius—it wasn't all that hard to switch some products around. Since I had that stupid necklace, they didn't really bother with extra security, so I was pretty much free to do as I pleased, so long as I didn't cause trouble." She shrugged, not really knowing what else to say. "In the end, their arrogance was their downfall. To be frank, I wasn't expecting Azrael to actually help us out—if anything, I was hoping he'd simply make use of the commotion to run away—but I'm glad he stuck around."

Karasuma narrowed his eyes at her. "You're thinking of recruiting him, aren't you?"

She simply smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

.

.

Returning to the usual routine was both a relief and a shock, for Ame. After spending over three days in captivity with her life being constantly on the line, the stress finally got the best of her and she crashed for two entire days, not waking up once. When she did, though, it was to find her life… pretty much just like she left it.

The children had been overjoyed to see her after an entire week and, though relieved, her grandmother had scolded her for disappearing for days without even leaving a message. She had been told that Ame had been spending the night over at Rio's and that they had been intensely studying with some other of their classmates in order to prepare for the end-of-term exams that were approaching. So, even if she was a little put out to not have been warned directly by Ame, she was glad to see that her granddaughter was finally taking her studies seriously.

Once she rested properly, she met up with the entire Zodiac once again to properly clear up everything that had happened. She briefed her fellow members about what had happened during her captivity, along with all of the information she had managed to pick up while she was at it, and they then explained to her the entirety of the plan that had been put in motion with the help of the E-Class. With everything that had transpired, she had now been granted special permission to share information about the Zodiac with her friends, and it wasn't a privilege that she was going to take for granted. While she no longer had to lie to her friends, she wasn't about to just spill everything about their organization, either—the other members trusted her more than ever, and she wasn't about to betray that trust.

Tanaka Sho was arrested, but the other members of Coup de Grâce went MIA. Karasu stated that, following the awakening of the guests, the confusion that had taken over the entire Citadel had created enough of a commotion to allow for a swift escape, and that the now missing members had, most assuredly, used the panic of the crowd to their advantage. However, Ame wasn't worried. From what she had seen in the few days she had spent with them, they weren't a tight-knit group like the Zodiac—in other words, they wouldn't come after her to avenger their leader. Plus, her name had now finally been taken off the Dark List, so that was a plus.

With all of the secrets finally out in the open, both inside and outside of the organization, and with head now target-free, Ame finally felt like she could actually breathe. From here on out, she'd be able to pursue her studies in a semi-normal manner, without having to worry about assassins coming after her, or traitors in their midst, or classmates asking too many questions to which she wasn't allowed to answer.

From here on out, she could just… be free.

With that thought in mind, it was with a bounce in her step that she actually walked to school the following day, for the first time in months. By her side, Itona was already exhausted by the seemingly endless energy of the usually aloof black-haired girl, but he couldn't really bring himself to put a damper on her spirits. It was a pretty rare sight to see her acting so genuinely carefree, after all.

.

.

They now had exactly four months left to assassinate Korosensei, and Ame was already scheming. Now that she was free to move around as she pleased, it was time to get her head back in the game and get started on the real work!

… or so she thought, until she realized that they had some actual school work to do.

"Sheesh, I completely forgot about those…"

Career counseling was a normal step to take toward the end of their last year in high school, but Ame hadn't really paid much thought to her future, up until now. At the beginning of the year, she simply didn't care and was planning to become a full-time member of the Zodiac. But then, Korosensei happened, and it put everything into perspective.

A second blade, uh?

And now, with Saru's plan to make her into the new Leader of the Zodiac, things were only getting more complicated. Of course, she wouldn't give up her membership for the world—she liked that job, despite the mild immorality that accompanied it—but there were now other options to consider: did she really want to become the Leader? Could she actually do that? And if she really followed down that path, then her future wasn't the only one she needed to think about—she needed to think about the organization's future, as well.

Ugh, and here I was hoping for a simple life…

"Ooh? Is that octopus seriously doing career counseling?"

Ame looked up from the still-blank form that was on her desk, and she almost choked at the sight that greeted her, much like most of her classmates.

"Bitch-sensei…!"

"In regular clothes!?"

"Right, regular, old, cheap clothes," confirmed Irina, clicking her tongue. "Just trying to match your regular old world." She quickly grew unconfident at the continued silence, though. "What? You want me to show more skin after all?"

"No—hiding it has actually made you sexier…!" choked out Okajima, blood pouring out of his nose.

"In- in a way, you've grown!" gasped Mimura.

"Oi, Nakamura-san!" suddenly exclaimed Nagisa, jumping to his feet. "You wrote this! Why would you warp a person's career path like that!?"

"Men's work doesn't suit you," teased Rio.

"Nurse or maid, uh?" sweatdropped Ame, reading over Nagisa's shoulder. "You're pretty mean, Rio. Give the poor boy a break, would you?"

"Maa, maa, you know I'm right," grinned the blonde, unperturbed. She then noticed that Ame's form was still blank. "You haven't written anything?"

"Well, I can't exactly write down that my plan for the future is to become a full-time member of an info-broke gang, can I?" drawled the black-haired girl, glaring a bit at the blank sheet. "If I tell the school board that I stalk people for a living, they'll have my hide."

"Are you planning on going full-time as soon as we graduate?" then asked Karma, walking up behind them and holding two flyers. "If not, let's hit Thailand or Morocco together!"

"What, two trips on a paradisiac island wasn't enough of an adventure for you?" mused Ame.

"Well, contrarily to someone, I don't consider breaking into a highly protected tower, fighting armed men, and rescuing classmates from imminent death a vacation," he deadpanned.

"What can I say? It's not a real vacation unless you get to let loose and beat up a couple of thugs," she replied, half-meaning it.

They bantered for a bit, with Rio joining in at some point, while Nagisa simply focused on erasing the dumb answers the blonde girl had written on his form. As she chatted with her friends, though, Ame couldn't help but pay attention to the blue-haired boy. She had an inkling as to what he was planning to do, and why he hadn't written down anything, and she didn't really know how to feel about it.

If my guess is right, then he'll come to me before the end of the day.

"Oh, Ame-chan!" Kurahashi suddenly called out, entering the classroom. "It's your turn!"

"Alright, coming!"

With a quick wave to her friends, Ame then made her way out of the classroom, and in direction of the teachers' office. Since Irina was in class, and since Karasuma was still busy cleaning up after the Zodiac and the E-Class, it meant that she would be alone with Korosensei. She somewhat doubted his abilities regarding career counseling, what with being an extremely dangerous and volatile creature that was threatening to blow up the Earth in four months, but who was she to tell, really?"

"Korosensei? I'm here," she called out, knocking lightly on the door.

"Come on in!"

She did as told, closing the door behind her before going to take the seat in front of the yellow octopus. She handed over her empty form, and he simply nodded.

"I take it you are planning on becoming a full-time member of the Zodiac, then?"

"I am."

His eternal grin stretched a little wider. "Yet you're having doubts."

"… not about my membership, per se," she admitted, leaning back in her seat. "I want to stay a member of the Zodiac, I want to keep going on jobs with them, I want to keep working with them and… and I guess that, eventually, I want to rise up to Saru's expectations and become the next Leader of the Zodiac." She bit her lip, a tad frustrated. "It's a lot of responsibilities, though, and I just… I don't know if I'll be able to really answer to those expectations."

"Hm, I see. In that case, let me ask you one thing: what if, instead of looking at it as 'What can the Zodiac do with me?', you should look at it as 'What can I do with the Zodiac?'."

She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're currently doubting your ability to rise up to the expectations the organization has towards you. However, in any aspect of life, becoming a leader isn't merely about following others' expectations—it's about rising up to our own, and guiding other people to meet them. In your case, if you are truly planning on taking up the mantle that your Leader is offering you, then I believe you should first question yourself on what, exactly, you want to do once you receive that title. What kind of changes do you want to bring? What kind of purpose will guide you? How do you intend to redefine the Zodiac?"

"Change? Redefine?" She chuckled nervously, crossing her arms over her chest, shaking her head. "I'm not planning anything that grand, Korosensei."

"Yet change is bound to happen, whether you like it or not. No matter how you might try, you will never be the same Leader as Saru is," he replied, a tad sharply. "You are your own person, Naoki-san and, as such, you will eventually become your own kind of Leader. And, when that happens, the Zodiac will fall in step with you. Now, that being said, toward what kind of future do you intend to lead them?"

Ame didn't have an answer, and he didn't press for one. Quietly thanking him for his time, the young girl then left the office, her heart in turmoil and her mind blank.

Instead of returning to the classroom, Ame stepped outside and went to sit on the stairs, deep in thoughts. Korosensei's questions kept on popping up in her head, making more and more of a mess as she tried to think things through and find the correct answer.

"Toward what kind of future do you intend to lead them?"

As they were now, the Zodiac was nothing more than another yakuza gang amongst so many others. And sure, they were considered the elite amongst all other info-broker groups, but what was their purpose? Their goal? It had always been to strive in this world that had rejected them, to lift themselves up when they were pushed down, to find somewhere to belong to… That was the kind of future Saru had promised them and, staying true to his word, that was the kind of future he led them to.

"Yet change is bound to happen, whether you like it or not. No matter how you might try, you will never be the same Leader as Saru is."

Then what kind of Leader was she supposed to become? Or rather… what kind of Leader did she want to become?

"Ame-san?"

She startled a bit, looking up. Beside her was now standing Isogai, who offered her a smile and a juice box. Surprised, she accepted it with a small smile, and he sat down next to her.

"What brings you out here, Isogai-kun?" she asked, curious. She gestured to the grey clouds slowly gathering above their heads. "Surely not this lovely weather we're having."

"We saw you rush outside a few minutes ago, and we were all a little worried," he admitted, scratching the back of his head. "After all, even though we now know what's going on, you still haven't told us much… and, well, with everything that's happened—"

"I intend to stay a member of the Zodiac. Become it's Leader, in fact, if everything goes like Saru planned," she admitted, her stomach fluttering a bit. She still hadn't gotten used to speaking so freely of the organization, and it made her immensely happy. "But I don't know what I'll do once I claim that title. I guess I just came out here to clear my mind a bit."

"Leader, uh? Sounds like it'll be a lot of responsibilities," he mused, seemingly unperturbed by the notion of one of his friends becoming a yakuza Head. "But if anyone can do it, it's certainly you, Ame-san."

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged. "Well, you've got a way with people, I guess. Even when we didn't trust each other completely, or even when we didn't see eye to eye, you still managed to convince us to follow you, you know?"

"Follow me where, though…"

"Uh?"

At his confused expression, she sighed. "It's something Korosensei told me. It's all well and good to become a Leader, but what happens after that? What will I accomplish then? The Zodiac initially came together as a foster family, so to speak—so that people like us would have a place to call home, you know? And now that we've climbed the social ladder of the Underworld, now that we've gained our renown, now that we've established our power… well, I don't really know what's left to do."

Isogai stayed silent for a moment, seriously thinking over what she just told him. It was one of the many reasons why Ame had found herself warming up to the boy. Not only did they share numerous similarities, but he was also a mature and reliable guy, and a good friend. She wasn't exactly asking for advice, but he was still willing to offer some, while seriously thinking over her plight and figuring out a way to help her.

He's really too much of a nice guy, uh?

"Well, what do you want to do with that kind of power?" he finally asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"You said that the organization had already established its power," he repeated, tapping his chin. "So, what do you want to do with it?" Noticing her somewhat blank expression, he decided to try another approach. "Look at it this way: had the Zodiac not been an option, what would you have done with your future? What kind of career would you have chosen? What kind of person would you have become, and what goal would you have sought to achieve?" He offered her another smile. "Outside of the Zodiac, you're your own person, Ame-san. So, as your own person, what do you want to do?"

This time around, it was Ame's turn to fall silent, though she was mostly left speechless by the ease with which Isogai had narrowed down on the problem and seemingly offered her a viable solution. She hadn't thought about things that way and, now that he had asked those questions, it felt as if her future had just become a little bit clearer.

"What kind of career, uh…?" She'd never thought about it before, it had always been about the Zodiac, after all. Smirking a bit, she glanced back at him. "What kind of career would you have seen me pursue, Isogai-kun?"

"I'm not sure. Nothing as mundane as a teacher or a secretary, you'd get bored too easily," he pointed out, a tad teasingly. He glanced up at the greying sky. "Probably something to do with public relations… A diplomat, maybe? A detective? Or maybe a lawyer?"

She couldn't help but snort. "A lawyer? Me? The girl who respects everything but the law?"

"But if you became a lawyer, you'd no longer have to go against the law—you'd just find every single loophole in order to exploit it to the maximum," he replied, before offering her a mildly sheepish grin. "Now that I've said it, though, the thought of you becoming a lawyer is terrifying—no offense."

She chuckled at that. "None taken. When you put it that way, I guess I kind of get your point. If I was to become a lawyer, though, I'd probably go into Criminal or something."

"And being an info-broker, you'd easily find dirt on any of your opponents, uh?" he chuckled.

"Well, now you're just tempting me, Isogai-kun."

They shared a laugh at that, but their peaceful moment was soon broken by a crack of thunder. Ame rose up to her feet, stretching her arms.

"Well, we should head back inside before it starts pouring," she remarked, still smiling. "Thanks for the help, Isogai-kun."

"I- I didn't really do much, though…" he replied, averting his eyes.

"You listened to me. And then, you gave me good advice. As far as I'm concerned, your help was the most precious." She patted his shoulder, before walking away toward the building. As she reached the door, though, she glanced back and offered him a grin. "And thanks for the juice box!"

As she disappeared inside, Isogai stayed rooted on the spot, his eyes wide and his heart beating a tad too fast. For some reason, the grin she had just offered him had made the rainclouds part and the sun shine through.

"As far as I'm concerned, your help was the most precious."

Ame-san…

'CRACK!'

Thunder echoed again, and the cold downpour almost instantly drenched him from head to toe, effectively snapping him out of his daze. Shaking his head, he then quickly returned inside, a tad troubled by whatever feeling he had just experienced.

.

.

"Ame-san, can I talk with you?"

Having expected it, Ame nodded and gestured for Nagisa to follow her. Since it was raining outside, they found their way to an empty hallway where they wouldn't be disturbed by the other students, and she leaned against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest.

"So? Decided to become an assassin?"

He chuckled nervously at that. "You're really perceptive, aren't you?"

"Part of the skills you pick up as an info-broker." She stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "The Zodiac is, first and foremost, a group of info-brokers. Sure, we have a few members who are assassins and who take individual contracts on the side, but it's not the primary focus of the organization. If you really intend to become an assassin, I'm sure we'd be able to open up a spot for you once you've finished your training… but I don't know if it's the kind of life that would suit you, Nagisa-kun."

"And yet, my only talent is in assassination," he replied, a tad bitterly.

"There's no denying that, out of all of us, you've got the greatest potential and skills when it comes to assassination," she nodded. "But it's not your only talent. You have many others, but you just haven't learned to properly exploit them." Her expression darkened a bit. "Becoming an assassin… it's not the kind of decision that you can back out of. As soon as you've killed someone, it stays with you for the rest of your life. Are you really sure you can carry that burden?" He didn't answer, and she reached out to pat his shoulder. "Just because you're good at it doesn't mean you should do it. Life is all about overcoming obstacles and showing the middle finger at adversity, right? So, even if it's troublesome, look a little deeper into it, and think a little harder about it. If by graduation, you've truly made up your mind about becoming an assassin, then I can promise you a place in the Zodiac, in the future—but know that we won't welcome a half-hearted member with a half-assed determination. You'll have to be absolutely certain, alright?"

At that, he nodded, smiling a bit. "Alright. Thank you, Ame-san."

"Of course."

.

.

It's barely a day later that Nagisa gave her a definitive answer. After a small, fiery, and assassin-ish incident with his mother (the crazy woman had tried to set the E-Class building on fire, only to be interrupted by an assassin who was targeting Korosensei), the blue-haired boy appeared before her with a newfound resolve.

"I'm thankful for your offer, but I'll have to decline."

"Good," she simply replied, her lips quirking up as she ruffled his hair. "As talented as you are when it comes to assassination, you're just too cute to be a killer."

"Too- too cute!?" His shoulders slumped in despair. "You sound like Nakamura-san…"

She laughed. "Don't mind, don't mind~."

But, while Nagisa's struggles with his own future were seemingly dealt with, Ame still had her own demons haunting her. Both Korosensei's and Isogai's words kept on running in a loop in her head but, no matter how many times she thought about it, she simply couldn't find an answer.

What the hell am I supposed to do?