Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.
"Rinka-chi, please don't overwork yourself! Now that you have school and assassination and hero work, you must learn that sacrifices are necessary!"
Hayami was packing her bag for school, which would start a few days earlier than it was supposed to. They weren't told what to bring, but got her standard stationery and notebook just in case they were told to write something down. She was pretty sure they were called back early to prepare for the assassination of the creature anyway.
"Tikki," Hayami began, then sighed. "I'm not sure what to do. How can I do everything at the same time? And I can't give up any of them."
Tikki picked up a pen and tossed it in Hayami's pencil case. "Then you'll have to reduce the time you spend on each of those three things. Maybe your daily patrols can be reduced to patrols every two days?"
"What if something happens at night and we're not around?" Hayami questioned.
Tikki gazed at Hayami with big, understanding eyes. "What if you collapse from exhaustion? That can happen too."
There was a deep silence and Hayami pinched the space between her eyebrows. "I'll consider shortening patrol," she muttered.
The kwami flew up and patted Hayami's head in a motherly way. "You know you can always rely on me for support. So do your best, but it hasn't to be the best!"
A small smile quirked up on Hayami's lips. "Thanks, Tikki."
"Also, Rinka-chi, it's time to try to make some new acquaintances this year. I don't know much about assassination, but I believe teamwork is an essential part," Tikki lectured as if she was a teacher. Well technically, she was Hayami's mentor.
"You're right. I have to step out of my comfort zone," Hayami mused.
"How about you try to start with Chiba?" Tikki suggested with a smile.
"Why him?"
Because I want to see you two married, Tikki thought, but she said, "You know you and Chiba-kun work well together. How about you try to extend that to a friendship?"
Hayami tapped her chin. "We're kind of friends now, but I think I can try to be closer to him in the following year."
She reached for a bottle of perfume on her desk, and placed it solidly in front of her. Kwami and human read the label curiously.
"Do you believe this can cover up your scent?" Tikki asked.
"I hope it can." Hayami frowned at the bottle then sprayed a bit of perfume in the air. Tikki flew through the perfume and back in a zigzag way. "It smells like flowers."
Next day, with fresh perfume on her skin, Hayami walked to school. She went past some sakura trees and a few petals fluttered on her head. They reminded her of that night with Black Cat, and she smiled.
She had talked with Black Cat last night about shortening patrol but they hadn't come to a conclusion yet. Though they both agreed some changes had to be made.
Hayami's phone buzzed and she saw she had received a new message from Nakamura. Nakamura said she was going to be late and told Hayami not to wait for her.
"That's so Nakamura," Hayami muttered under her breath. She wasn't bothered by it though; she knew mistakes could be made.
Hayami wondered how her following year could change. How would training be like? How would their classes be? Would they even have normal classes?
She turned and the base of the long stairs leading to the campus came into view. Even after spending two weeks at the 3-E classroom before break, Hayami still felt self conscious when she saw the stairs. It was a constant reminder of her failure and her lower status.
Hayami glimpsed a lone shadow walking up the stairs. It was her classmate Takebayashi, the one who had been akumatized a few days ago. From his slumped pose, Hayami suspected he was still as gloomy as ever, making him fodder for akumatization. Heeding her duty as Ladybug, Hayami approached him, but the moment he heard her footsteps, Takebayashi's pace quickened. He evidently didn't want anyone to talk to him.
Hayami understood. She wanted to be alone at times too. But still Hayami decided to keep an eye on Takebayashi for the time being. It was the least she could do.
Takebayashi seemed to be a bit similar to her too. They were both hardworking students and they were unable to accept their failures. But, Hayami thought, Chiba was even more similar to her.
He was silent but dutiful. They never talked much, but Hayami wondered if they could someday share a connection due to their close personalities. Chiba's eyes were always covered by his bangs, so she had no way of knowing what he was looking at, but sometimes, Hayami would get the odd feeling of a stare heavy on her back. When she turned around, that feeling would vanish, but she could always see Chiba around her for some reason. Maybe he liked to look at her, which was strange. But it wasn't exactly a pervy once-over à la Okajima. It felt more of a curious observation. Kind of how she, as Ladybug, liked to look at Black Cat...
Don't tell me he likes me. That's weird. Hayami muttered to herself. I'm just overthinking.
Perhaps Chiba was also pondering whether they could be good friends or not. He was probably too shy to make a move.
"Good morning, Hayami."
Ah, speak of the devil.
Hayami tilted her head to see Chiba behind her. She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she hadn't sensed his presence. "Good morning," she gave a courteous reply.
Chiba had been so busy during the holidays due to investigating the moon's explosion with Ladybug. He hardly had any time to think about Hayami, and he was foolish enough to believe he'd gotten over her. But the moment he saw her, that old, jittery yet ecstatic feeling crashed over him, like strong waves that refused to recede.
He wondered what she would do if she knew about their assassination mission. But, taking her personality into account, she probably would just accept it and try her best to kill the creature.
Chiba noticed that Hayami had been staring at the staircase for some time with no apparent reason. "Are you waiting for someone?" he asked.
Hayami instinctively checked her phone. No new messages from Nakamura. "No," she replied, sensing the growing awkwardness between them.
"Oh." Not knowing what to say, Chiba shuffled his feet.
Hayami didn't want to stay at base of the staircase any longer, so she spun her head and went up. Chiba followed after her, their footsteps oddly echoing in sync. It was another reminder of how similar they were.
He wanted to know more about Hayami, but he was afraid that might affect their working relationship. And he didn't want to creep her out.
Plagg had also told him to be a bit more open that year. Something along the lines of "be more assertive and make more friends". Chiba knew it was a difficult thing for him to do, but he'd managed to become friends with Ladybug last year. Surely he can create new friendships now.
When he reached the campus, he saw Mimura at Sugaya's desk. Both of them were excitedly chattering, looking unusually chirpy for two teenagers in the morning. Chiba dumped his bag on his desk and felt it wobble. Well, what did he expect in a such a rundown campus?
"Good morning, Chiba," Mimura greeted. "Hey, you wanna see what's Sugaya drawing?"
Chiba hesitated for a second, then he walked to the boys and peered over Sugaya's head. Sugaya was doodling geometric patterns in a notebook. Chiba's eyes widened in awe when he saw the neat, symmetrical lines that criss-crossed with each other in perfect patterns. It was so aesthetically pleasing to him.
"...and as I was saying, doodling this kind of stuff can help you relax." Sugaya's ink smudged hand gracefully slid across the smooth paper.
"This is amazing," the words slipped from Chiba's lips. He wished he had the time to improve his drawing skills, but with his combined student/ assassin/ hero duties, it was near impossible.
"You know, this is supposed to help you de-stress, but for me, trying to perfectly draw this intricate pattern just adds more stress," Mimura remarked. His hands were planted on his desk, his eyes never leaving Sugaya's drawing.
Sugaya hummed. "I guess everyone has their own ways to relax."
"Oh look, it's Okajima." Mimura raised his head to look at the student that had just entered.
Oh no, it's Okajima, Hayami thought, but immediately reprimanded herself. She shouldn't say bad things about her classmates. But she still wished he wouldn't bother her too much this year. She didn't want to be in Okajima's class for three consecutive years, but there was nothing she could do but accept it.
"Good morning," Okajima yawned, stumbling to his seat. "Does anyone have their math homework? I forgot to do a few sums."
Chiba automatically dug out his completed math assignment from his bag, and handed it to Okajima. "The sums are probably wrong," he said.
"You say that every time, but you never make mistakes." Okajima took the book, a grin on his face. "Thanks, bro."
After Okajima sat down to do his homework (or more appropriately, copy Chiba's), he lifted his nose, a funny look on his face. He sniffed the air as if he was a dog. "Hmm, why do I smell some… flowery scent? Is it perfume?" He started to move, eyes darting across the classroom. Hayami stiffened. So it wasn't just the weird creature having an incredible sense of smell. Okajima, a mere human, had somehow acquired that ability too.
"Perfume?" Mimura asked in interest. As if they were twin brothers, he and Sugaya raised their noses in unison. It looked comical to Hayami.
"Who would wear perfume here?" Okajima continued to say. He paced around his desk, looked up, and made eye contact with Hayami. In that moment, she knew he knew she was wearing the perfume. Hayami gulped, and jerked her head away, acting as if nothing had happened.
Fortunately for her, Okajima had some decency. "It's probably some funny cleaning agent," he lied. "No perfume."
The muscles in Hayami's arms relaxed. Okajima wasn't going to expose her. Even though there was technically nothing wrong with wearing perfume, Hayami didn't want everyone to know.
After Okajima finished his homework, he chatted with his friends at Sugaya's desk. Out of things to do, Hayami looked past Okajima's seat, and saw that the class idol, Kanzaki, who was on Okajima's right, was reading a book. Judging by the book's simple cover and thickness, it looked like the kind of book Hayami would enjoy reading. She, however, felt overwhelmed by the idea of talking to Kanzaki, let alone ask her about her book taste. She was practically a goddess in some people's eyes.
Like what had Tikki said, Hayami knew she should open up to more people.
But right now, she just wanted to stay safely in her comfort zone, in her own little desk among the sea of other people.
On the other side, Sugaya was teaching his friends to draw those aesthetic patterns. Okajima was the least patient out of them all, and nearly broke his pen in half when he realized he'd made the same mistake for five times.
"Ugh, if I get it wrong again, I'm going to kill someone," Okajima grunted, squinting angrily at his piece of paper.
"You'll get it if you try and try again," Sugaya calmly told him.
Chiba privately thought Okajima's bloodlust could be useful for assassination.
After his sixth mistake, Okajima gave up on drawing, so he observed his friends. Chiba was drawing slowly and carefully, making sure each line was perfect.
"Hey, dude, relax!" Sugaya exclaimed as he craned his head to look at Chiba's drawing. "It's not schoolwork, so it doesn't have to be your best!"
"I always have to do my best," Chiba muttered in reply.
Okajima hovered around Chiba as he admired the drawings. When Mimura and Sugaya began to talk in their own little bubble, a rather ignored Okajima leaned closer to Chiba and whispered, "Hey, did you do something about your cheese smell?"
Cold sweat beaded on Chiba's forehead. "W-what cheese smell?" he managed to say.
"Well," Okajima looked a bit uncomfortable. "Ever since I'd met you, you've always had this cheesy kind of smell. It's not particularly unpleasant, but it doesn't smell really good either, it's just… there."
Chiba didn't realize Okajima had such a sensitive nose. Thankfully, Okajima had never been too close to his alter ego. Chiba was somewhat worried Okajima could figure out Black Cat's identity just by using scent.
"Ah, I just changed my detergent. The smell wasn't very noticeable, was it?"
Okajima shrugged. "People always say I have better sense of smell than average, so I can't really judge. But I don't think the smell was very noticeable."
Chiba didn't know how to reply. "Okay," he said simply. He wished Plagg, who was in his pocket, would feel some degree of guilt. In his opinion, Plagg deserved it.
More classmates slowly filed in the classroom. 3-E may be called the "delinquent class", but about everyone was on time. Chiba was sort of glad that Karma wouldn't appear that day, seeing as he was still terrified of who they dubbed as the "school devil".
The second the bell rang, a tall, stoic man entered. The class sensed the man's authority and went as quiet as a tomb. Tension was ringing in the air. Chiba recognized the man as Karasuma, the government officer he and Ladybug had met with before. Karasuma's red eyes passed over Chiba briefly, and Chiba suddenly hoped Karasuma couldn't see he and Black Cat were one and the same.
"Good morning. I am Karasuma, representing the Ministry of Defense. I have an important announcement to make…"
As expected, 3-E spent the entire morning panicking and doubting themselves.
"But we're just kids! We can't do that!"
"How can we become assassins?"
"What do you mean the world is coming to an end?"
In the midst of confusion and fear, Chiba was glad he'd known this piece of information beforehand. It gave him a bit of mental preparation, but nothing could prepare him for the chaos the class would descend into. Just seeing his classmates' various reactions was more than enough to unease Chiba.
Karasuma had been patient enough with the class, and did his best to answer their questions. Before lunch break, he told the class they would start training in the afternoon, and they would continue on the following two days. When asked about the training, he replied the class would be trained to use knives and guns.
Lunchtime was as hectic as the morning prior to it. There were no more cliques or groups in the clas;, everybody was bonding over this situation that was forced onto them. Most people were so preoccupied by talking about the assassination, they didn't eat much, even though Karasuma told them they needed energy for the rigorous training later.
Chiba's mouth was dry as he forced the tasteless rice in his mouth. His friends had been talking non-stop for twenty minutes. Sugaya was talking about enlisting Ladybug and Black Cat's help, while Okajima was still panicking. Mimura was presenting more practical problems, such as hiding this secret from their family, and perhaps having extended school hours due to their special case.
"Chiba, what's your take?"
Chiba lifted his head from his bento to look at Mimura. Mimura was surprisingly the one conducting their mini group discussion, and Chiba thought he had some decent leadership skills. Chiba chewed his rice slowly to buy time for an answer.
"It's definitely shocking and unexpected. But I believe we should do what we can do. After all, they've placed this responsibility on us, and we have to do our best to fulfill our duty."
"That's a very… you thing to say." Sugaya wagged a chopstick at him. "Instead of losing your cool or worrying about your loved ones, you choose to focus on your duty."
"I wish I can say the same," Mimura said. "All I can think of is how disastrous this situation is."
"The world is ending," Okajima muttered, head in his hands, obviously distressed.
"But we have a year to fix it! We'll be heroes, and we'll get a huge sum of money!" Sugaya thumped his back. "So cheer up, Okajima!"
"And we'll learn some cool assassination skills as a bonus!" Mimura added.
Okajima lifted his head. "Thanks, guys," he said gratefully. "I mean, we might not be able to survive, but at least we'll learn badass knife moves."
"Those sound dangerous," Sugaya commented.
Mimura sent Sugaya a teasing grin. "So says the guy who carves wood in his spare time."
"You carve wood too?"
All eyes landed on Chiba, the one who had just spoken. Chiba rarely talked, and when he did, it was usually about serious business, not small talk such as wood carving. Despite the popularity of his alter ego, Chiba still felt uncomfortable with all those gazes directed at him, and his heart skipped a beat.
"Yeah, I do," Sugaya replied carefully, almost as if he was treading on a minefield. Evidently he was also surprised at Chiba's sudden involvement in the conversation.
"That's cool. Some time ago, I wanted to be a carpenter."
Okajima had to physically tilt his head down to avoid his raised eyebrows being seen by Chiba. Was that the Chiba Ryuunosuke he knew, the aloof, silent boy who never spoke, let alone share his dreams and ambitions?
If he was shocked, Sugaya didn't show it. He just nodded placidly and said, "Carpentry is fun. It's extremely satisfying to see a block of wood come to life due to your own handiwork."
Chiba nodded. "That is exactly how I feel."
Mimura and Okajima watched the conversation bounce between Sugaya and Chiba, as if they were watching a table tennis match. Privately, they were glad that Chiba was making efforts to be more social by discussing his hobbies.
"Oy, Mimura!" Maehara's voice sounded suddenly. Mimura spun to see Maehara and Isogai walking out of the door. "They're teaching us knife skills outside. Let's go and check it out!"
Hurriedly packing their bento boxes, the boys stood up and followed the class out to the lawn next to the campus. Stern-faced instructors were there, flexing their muscles, along with crates of green, rubber knives. Hushed, but excited whispers arose from the crowd of teenagers.
Okajima shivered. "These dudes look scary," he muttered to Mimura.
"Really? I think they look really cool." Mimura shuggered.
Some of the more assertive students, like Maehara and Nakamura, were already stretching and talking to the instructors. While most of the class ran to the knife training instructors, Chiba took a step back, a bit overwhelmed. He looked at his surroundings and his eyes were inexplicably drawn to an unoccupied training site for shooting. There were pistols, rifles, and even sniper rifles at the site, with a few instructors. Chiba watched as Karasuma waved the gun instructors over, and sent them to the knife training site. They were probably short on hand because about every student wanted to learn knife skills first.
Chiba had never professionally handled a gun before. The most he did was shooting his siblings using a Nerf gun, and that probably didn't count as experience. But there was something deadly yet attractive about guns, that drew him like a moth to a flame. Knives were fast, but bullets were faster. They could kill efficiently even from a distance. Plus, everyone was learning to use knives, so someone should learn to use guns to balance the class's overall skillset.
Unnoticed by most, Chiba crept down to the makeshift shooting range. A little confused by the selection of different guns, Chiba cautiously observed each of them, before he picked up a simple-looking rifle. It somehow felt natural in his hand, despite Chiba having never held a rifle before. Somewhat clumsily, Chiba felt the surface of the gun, running his hands over the bumps and gaps, and rested his finger against the cold trigger. He aimed it at a painted bullseye, and tried to press the trigger. Nothing happened. Chiba repeated the action.
Eh? Is the safety on? Should I wait for someone to teach me?
As if handling an explosive, Chiba laid the rifle down gently, and turned it over, trying to make sense of it. The blowing of wind brought the distant chatters of his classmates over, and Chiba wondered if it was a good idea to deviate from the norm. Standing out in his first few days of class was definitely at bottom of his bucket list. He sat awkwardly in silence, not knowing what to do.
Plagg chose that exact moment to burst out from Chiba's pocket. "Hey kid, you should consult a professional," Plagg advised his holder.
"They all seem very busy." Chiba stared at the instructors which were correcting and demonstrating various poses. None of them noticed the lone boy at the shooting range.
Plagg snorted. "When I said 'professional', I was talking about me." The kwami grandly gestured to himself using his small arms.
Chiba couldn't help but chortle. "You?" he asked incredulously.
Plagg hovered above the rifle in circles. "Kid, I'm the god of destruction. I'd witnessed more wars than written down in history. I definitely know all about guns." At that point, Chiba thought a hint of something flickered through Plagg's eyes. Was it sorrow? Anyways, whatever that was, it disappeared as quickly as it came.
Plagg was a surprisingly good shooting teacher. Chiba always knew Plagg, a god, was knowledgeable, but due to Plagg's usually lazy attitude, he never really thought of his kwami as wise and experienced.
Chiba raised his rifle somewhat stiffly, his eyes fixated on the red bullseye-
"No, no! Your position is wrong." Plagg zoomed around Chiba and nudged his arm. "And steady your breathing, kiddo."
When Plagg finally deemed his position as acceptable, Chiba fired. To his delight, the BB pellet didn't completely miss the target.
"Wow, that's actually good for a beginner," Plagg mused. He glanced up at Chiba. "You're getting it really well. Maybe you inherited my knack for destruction."
"Excuse me?" Chiba put his gun down and peered at the hole in the target. "I'm learning to use guns so I can kill the creature that'll destroy the world."
Slowly, with Plagg's tips, Chiba began to familiarize himself with shooting. He tried to control his breathing, but his arm was still shaky. Slowly but surely, Chiba's bullets started to hit the target more often. A little happiness bubbled inside Chiba every time his bullet inched closer to the bullseye. It felt like his hands couldn't stop as they automatically fired round after round, desperate to hit that sweet middle.
Chiba was so occupied in his shooting, he didn't notice Plagg swiftly zooming in his pocket, nor did he sense a pair of gazing eyes on him.
Hayami was admiring Chiba from a distance, silently in awe of him. Hayami too felt like guns suited her more than knives, and while she was waiting for her friend Nakamura, she caught glimpse of her quiet classmate at the shooting range. Assuming Chiba was a beginner in gun handling, his shots were rather impressive. She watched as he experimented with different shooting poses, ranging from sitting down, standing up, to lying flat on the ground. It came too late to her that what she was doing was creepy and stalker-ish, but she comforted herself by thinking she was simply learning from observing his skills.
"Psst!" Tikki whispered from inside Hayami's pocket. "Let's talk to him! You want to know how to shoot, right, Rinka-chi?"
"Shouldn't we wait for an instructor?'
"They all seem occupied now. Maybe Chiba-kun knows something about guns that can help you."
Step out of your comfort zone, Hayami reminded herself, her fingers twitching nervously. She shot another brief look at Chiba. Hayami didn't want to interrupt him. He looked like he was taking his practices seriously.
(Actually, Hayami still couldn't read Chiba accurately because his eyes were never visible. But from what she knew of him, she assumed he was serious all the time.)
But Hayami did say she wanted to get closer to Chiba, and practicing their shooting skills together seemed like an ideal way. Besides, Chiba was one of the few people Hayami genuinely enjoyed working with.
Hayami discreetly made her way to the shooting range, green eyes sweeping over the different types of guns. Like Chiba, she was similarly fascinated yet confused by the guns. She paused for a second, took the pistol closest to her, and approached Chiba. Chiba was taking a water break, but even as he rested, his eyes never left the target in front of him, that was now riddled with bullet holes.
Hayami coughed. "Hello, Chiba."
Hearing Hayami's voice out of the blue shocked Chiba, but he didn't let it show. Instead, he smoothly spun around and greeted her.
"Those were some remarkable shots," Hayami complimented. She sat down cross-legged, and attempted to pull her skirt over her knees. "I hope you don't mind this, but… can you teach me how to shoot?"
A slight blush dotted Chiba's cheeks at her words. "Oh, sure, but I'm an amatuer at shooting. I'm not trustable."
"Ah." Hayami glanced at his target, the holes suddenly like medals of honour more than anything else. "But you seem to have a talent for it."
"A talent doesn't mean anything if you don't work hard," Chiba replied modestly. He didn't have the faintest idea why Hayami would walk away from the norm and join him in their pathetic little shooting group, and he was even more baffled by her reaction to his shots. He might had been proud of them, but it didn't mean a thing to professional assassins.
Hayami fiddled with her pistol. It was clearly a different breed from the rifle Chiba was using, and she wasn't sure if Chiba knew how to operate a pistol, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. "How do you use this?" she asked in her curt, straightforward way.
Oh no. She believes I'm a great gun user, but that's only because of Plagg. Chiba didn't know what to say, but he knew he had to help Hayami. After all, she asked for his assistance. He had to trust himself and his gun instincts.
He reached over and took the gun from Hayami. To his credit, he didn't instantly become a blushy, bumbling idiot when his hand brushed past hers. Still, that sweet, warm feeling that he'd always gotten when he was around her greeted him like an old friend, reminding him he still had a really big crush on her. Chiba wondered if his feelings were shown too obviously.
(But in reality, Hayami couldn't sense that at all. In fact, she thought Chiba was being very cool and stoic.)
"I think you have to pull this." Chiba's fingers touched the surface of the gun as he inspected it. "And you put your finger here. I'm not sure; take this all with a grain of salt."
Hayami took the gun back and hesitatingly aimed it at the target next to Chiba's. "Is there a specific stance?"
Chiba decided it was prime time to use the knowledge Plagg had passed down to him. "For starters, you have to coordinate your breathing. Then you find a stance that feels natural and comfortable to you. Using a rifle is different from a pistol, so I can't say I know a lot."
Hayami practiced for a few times. Her shots weren't as accurate as Chiba's, so she aimed (pun unintended) to at least reach his standards. As Hayami tested out her skills, Chiba sat behind her, busily whispering to Plagg on how to operate pistols.
Plagg grinned, smugness evident in his glowing green eyes. "You better thank me; I'm your wingman now."
Chiba gave him a deadpan stare, which unfortunately wasn't visible.
Thanks to the cat kwami, Chiba gave Hayami a few more pointers. Hayami nodded seriously and continued to practice. Seeing that Hayami was getting more familiar with shooting, Chiba picked up his gun again.
Hayami shot Chiba a swift look. "Do you mind it if I practice next to you?"
"Ah." Something fluttery blossomed in his stomach. "Of course not."
Even though Hayami liked to work alone at most times, she didn't mind working with Chiba. He was more informed about guns than her, and he could help her (if he wanted to).
As Chiba returned to practicing, he suddenly was extremely conscious of the fact that Hayami was right next to him. They were alone and she was right next to him.
Which meant she could observe his shots and possibly judge him, and if he somehow screwed up she would see it all, plus if Plagg wasn't careful, his identity would be blown. But if he did a good job, he could possibly make an even better impression on her.
Breathe. Breathe.
He ordered himself to calm down, as his fingers locked themselves into that familiar shooting position. As he aimed, a flash of peach hair fluttered in his peripheral vision. Hayami was so pretty with her hair down. His heart stuttered and so did his hands. Helplessly, he watched as the bullet grazed past the edge of the target. It was clearly more off-mark than any other of his shots. Chiba winced.
Hayami knew she should be focusing on her practice, but she couldn't help but look at Chiba's target. She could see if she was near his standard, and how she might try to improve. So she was a bit shocked when she noticed his recent shots were not as good as his old ones. Keeping a calm facade, she returned to work, unease twisting inside her.
Like her, Chiba preferred to work solo. And that was how he had been until she had suddenly barged in to practice with him. She was probably stressing him out, and that was why his shooting skills had a sudden decline.
It was the same old pang of guilt. Hayami hated to inconvenience anyone. Even if she needed help, she would do her absolute best not to bother anyone too much. That time when Chiba bandaged her hurt arm when she was Ladybug had made Hayami feel bad for weeks.
Chiba glimpsed Hayami looking at him, and his muscles went stiff. He pretended he hadn't seen her at all and continued to aim, but again his shot went off-target.
Hayami frowned, and knew something had to be done. Disappointment in herself settled inside her. And she was bold enough to assume that they would work well together in assassination. She lowered her pistol and turned to Chiba.
"I'm sorry. Maybe you work better on your own," she said curtly. "I shouldn't have disturbed you."
Chiba's heart went cold. "It-it's not like that…"
But he couldn't say another thing as she quickly packed her things and went away. His dazed eyes followed her backside until she disappeared from view.
She definitely felt let down by him. Maybe she thought he somehow disliked her or something, when, in fact, it was all because he had a stupid gigantic crush on her.
Chiba felt terrible, but he couldn't exactly go to Hayami and say "hey I was nervous because I like you a lot". Trapped in his own pit of gloom, he picked up his gun and shot again and again, hoping the repetitive actions could wash his dejection away.
Karasuma was rather content with the kids' performance. Even if they were lacking foundation, they were willing to try until they got it right. As with every group of soldiers he had supervised, the most athletic ones stood out. For this class, it was the male class representative and his orange haired friend.
Karasuma's eyes left the sparring training grounds for a while to see if there were students using guns. He observed that the shooting range was rather empty. I suppose these kids do feel closer to knives.
He distinctly heard a gunshot and Karasuma immediately pinpointed where it came from. He walked to the origin of the sound and found a girl using a pistol without adult supervision.
Hayami's pistol felt strangely cold in her fingers. She found a shooting spot far away from Chiba, and practiced some more. Without Chiba giving out advice, she wasn't sure if she was doing it correctly.
"You there!"
The sudden, strong command made Hayami jump, and her pistol clattered to the ground. She stiffly turned and saw the serious Karasuma glaring at her.
"I-I'm sorry…" Hayami stuttered as Karasuma strode to her. Her heart felt like it was beating a million times per second.
"You're not supposed to use guns without a trainer," Karasuma said icily.
Hayami was practically frozen with fear. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I won't do it again."
She could already see her future in her mind: being scolded by Karasuma, then expelled for disobeying the rules, and she would have to go to a random, lower level school, disappointing herself and her mom, then she would go to a lower level university and get a lower level job-
"Although this is a foolish action, I admit you seem to be capable of handling these airguns in a non-dangerous way." Karasuma crossed his arms and stared hard at Hayami's target. After several seconds of studious observation, he asked, "What is your name?"
Glad that Karasuma wasn't going crazy with her at the moment, she replied, "Hayami."
"Hayami-san, I would like to see you shoot. Just for a few times. No need to be nervous."
Unfortunately, the last sentence just made Hayami's anxiety levels skyrocket. But she forced herself to calm her breathing. She raised her (thankfully not trembling) arms and pointed the pistol at her target.
Three gunshots echoed through the small area. To Hayami's satisfaction, she didn't do too badly. There was a pause as she waited for Karasuma to say something, perhaps even just give a grunt of affirmation. But there was nothing.
The girl wondered if she should shoot more. Four bullets later, Hayami deemed it was enough to give Karasuma a first impression. As Karasuma was a highly respected senior, Hayami politely waited for him to comment on her performance.
But curiously enough, Karasuma didn't say a word.
The atmosphere turned funny, but Hayami had a feeling that Tikki, although silent, was edging her to be more assertive.
Hayami carefully worded her thoughts. She turned to face stoic man.
"Karasuma-san, could it be I failed to do something?" she finally asked, making sure to keep her tone formal and courteous.
"For starters, your pose is a little off," Karasuma began straightforwardly, and demonstrated the proper pose. "And your aim is not steady, but that can be corrected with practice. But overall, not bad for a first-timer. I especially appreciate that you took the initiative to speak. That thirst for knowledge, and dare I say, courage, is admirable."
Hayami decided to stay as formal as possible. She gave a short, stiff bow. "Thank you for your comments."
As the girl stood up to her full height, her eyes met with Karasuma's. Karasuma noted her cool, serious eyes, so different from the typical teenager's. This girl knew what to do, and when to do them. She was aware of consequences, and knew what she could do to help.
… In fact, she kind of reminded him of Ladybug. Odd how he met both teenagers recently. Karasuma glanced at Hayami, but didn't a mention a word.
Karasuma tutored Hayami on shooting for a while, and decided to teach her the basics of operating a sniper rifle. Hayami had naturally been a bit overwhelmed with the different parts, and she was afraid of the damaging the rifle, but with Karasuma's help, she quickly got the hang of it.
As Hayami concentrated on practicing, Karasuma heard a commotion back near the school building. He suspected someone had been hurt. "I'm needed over there. Excuse me," he said curtly. He shot a swift look at Hayami. "I trust you to behave. Also, if someone practices here, please keep an eye on them for me just for the time being."
"Yes, sir." Hayami added that "sir" just in case. A little triumph blossomed in her: Karasuma trusted her with the other students! Which meant she was doing an okay job!
Once Karasuma vanished from view, Tikki popped up and grinned. "Wow, Rinka-chi, great going! I'm so proud of you!'
"Thanks," Hayami flashed her kwami a quick smile. Sh stared at the target in front of her, and a familiar face floated in her mind. Chiba. Now she had time to run it through her mind again, perhaps he wasn't bothered by her. After all, it was hard to tell his expressions and feelings from his half-covered face. Maybe she was just overthinking as usual.
Hayami decided it was time to stop fussing over things. She walked to where she'd last seen Chiba, hoping to find him.
The untidy grass tickled her ankles as she strode to the other side of the field. The spring breeze ruffled her hair, and she was pondering if she should tie it up, despite her possible resemblance to Ladybug. She squinted and saw pink bullets on the ground, a used target, but no Chiba.
"Hayami."
For the second time that day, Hayami jumped and turned to see Chiba right behind her, standing too stiffly.
"Sorry if I startled you. I was looking for you."
"Ah. I was looking for you too."
They stared at each other, knowing they both had something they wanted to tell the other, but was too polite and passive to make the first move.
"You first," Hayami gestured to him. At the same time, Chiba said, "You first."
An awkward silence ensured and they both looked down. Hayami fidgeted with her fingers. The seconds dragged on. Chiba suddenly began to regret every one of his life decisions.
Somewhere, a bird cawed.
Chiba cleared his throat. "I'm sorry that I acted a bit awkward earlier. It has nothing to do with you, I promise (at least not in the way you think). It was my problem, not yours."
Hayami was relieved. "Alright, nice to hear that. Karasuma-san just taught me how to use a sniper rifle, and I thought maybe I can teach you too," she said.
"Is that allowed?"
"Karasuma-san said I could help other people while he was away."
Chiba's mind was spinning. A learning opportunity with Hayami? A chance to get closer to her and yet do something productive at the same time?
"Oh, okay, I want to know how to use a rifle," he managed to get out, hoping his overexcitement was concealed. It probably was, as about everyone told Chiba they couldn't read his expressions.
In a way, Chiba was glad not much people knew what he felt. He was a very private person, and would hate it if everyone could read him like a book. But on the other hand, he did feel misunderstood at times. People thought he was cold and uncaring when he was just bad at expressing himself.
Ladybug seemed to have a better grasp of his emotions when he was Black Cat, but he was sure it was only because of his fake cat ears that moved according to what he felt. And Ladybug happened to be really good at understanding cats. So it wasn't like she really knew about him; she just read physical cues that weren't visible when he was a civilian.
Which was sad, really, as Ladybug was his closest friend, but she didn't even know who he really was.
The duo went to a nearby sniper rifle. Hayami crouched down and fiddled with the rifle. Chiba didn't know what to do, so he just observed Hayami's movements. In a non-creepy way, of course.
"See if you can see the target through the scope," Hayami said.
"Okay." Chiba bended and peered through the scope, his bangs swaying in front of his vision. He stayed motionless for a few seconds, then he straightened his back.
"Uhh, I can see something, but I don't think it's the target." Chiba scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Ah." Hayami observed Chiba with a critical eye. "... Perhaps your hair is blocking your vision?"
Chiba could sense a hesitant tone in her voice, and he knew Hayami was aware he didn't like it when people talked about his hairstyle. It was nice that she tried to make him less uncomfortable.
"It doesn't seem like it…" Chiba was pretty much accustomed to his hair and it hadn't caused him any viewing problems.
"Come here." Hayami was again adjusting the scope. Chiba briefly admired her seriousness, then realized what she had said, and crouched next to her. Together, their heads leaned close to the scope. If either one of them shifted, even just slightly, their cheeks would brush, which made Chiba excited and grossed out simultaneously. Chiba's breath hitched at the extreme closeness to Hayami. It wasn't just because he had a big fat crush on her, but it was because he didn't usually come into close proximity with another person (Ladybug was the exception).
What was he thinking? He and Ladybug got awfully physically close with each other during akuma fights, and that was his duty, so why would he mind being right next to Hayami for practice?
Chiba moved his head to get a better view, and he could practically feel Hayami's face right next to his, and he hoped she couldn't sense the heat radiating off his cheeks.
A light breeze tickled their skin and he caught the scent of something flowery and sweet, but it dissipated as quickly as it came. Instinctively, his curious nose twitched, not unlike the way cats did.
Approximately half of a second later, Chiba realized he was probably smelling Hayami's shampoo. And he was behaving in a very weird and sketchy way.
Get a grip on yourself! Don't be like Okajima!
The guilt was a heavy knot in his stomach. He was supposed to focus on sniping, not on a (confessedly attractive) girl! Frustrated with himself, Chiba forced his eyes on the scope again. This time he could see the target through the scope.
Hayami taught him how to fire and he tried it out experimentally. Due to the wind, his bullet missed the target completely.
"I guess assassinations like this one depend on the weather," Hayami remarked.
"We'll have to take the wind speed and direction into account," Chiba mused.
Just as he was talking about the wind, a stronger breeze swept past the two, and Chiba's bangs fluttered up. That triggered his body alarm system. His hand jerked automatically and he hastily patted his bangs down. Pretending he hadn't just basically freaked out, Chiba resumed his practice, breathing deeply to steady himself.
He didn't want to imagine what would happen if Hayami saw his eyes. Memories of his ex-classmates' various reactions flashed right before his vision, and Chiba gulped. He recalled the weird stares and cries and the way they all avoided him like the plague, and even though he was a teenager and had outgrown those years, it still left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Chiba?"
Hayami's voice cut through his dark thoughts like a bright beam of light.
Wishing he hadn't just sprouted poetry about Hayami, Chiba answered, "Yes?"
"You have a leaf on your head."
Chiba reached out an arm in an attempt to get it off, but he probably missed as Hayami said, "Wait, I'll do it for you."
He felt her quickly sweep the offending leaf off, and from where her hand touched his hair, a sudden but familiar spark of sweetness shot through his body. Strange happiness blossomed inside him, and he was confusedly elated. He realized that sensation was exactly the same as the one he felt when Ladybug petted his head.
His cat instincts were getting the better of him. Chiba bit his lip and forced all those unrelated thoughts away.
When Chiba understood the basics, Hayami moved to a spot next to him and they both practiced, occasionally swapping tips that helped them. The cheerful sound of bullets hitting targets filled the area.
"Working with you is nice," Hayami commented.
"Yeah." Chiba just nodded, and the corners of his lips quirked up.
He didn't say it, but he hoped he and Hayami, who both had some shooting skills now, could assist each other and do what the other couldn't do. Practicing seemed more interesting and productive with Hayami present.
After the training sessions, Chiba didn't get a lot of chances to learn knife skills, so he decided to ask Plagg. Which resulted in Chiba trying to perform some sick knife moves in the confinement of his room, while Plagg yelled at him, the little god's mouth stuffed with Camembert.
"Left! Right! No, your right! And now that wrist movement!" Plagg instructed. It looked especially hilarious how a small, catlike kwami was giving directions to his human holder, who was way bigger than him.
In the midst of the rigorous practice, Chiba's foot slipped and he thankfully crashed into his bed instead of the floor, but he still created quite a commotion.
"Oniichan! Are you okay?" his middle sister Fumiko yelled.
A grunt. "I'm fine."
"By the way, dinner's ready!" she called.
Chiba hurriedly collected himself and flung his rubber knife in a drawer. "Coming!"
After dinner, as Chiba put the dishes back into the kitchen, his phone vibrated. Thanking the gods that his dish duty wasn't today, he sprinted back to his room and checked his phone. As he had expected, there was a new akuma on the prowl.
"Plagg, claws on!"
He transformed in a flash and leapt out of his window. The sky was dark so he used his night vision to quickly navigate the roads (or more accurately, the rooftops). Streetlights and the beeping of cars swept past him as he stealthily followed the akuma.
"Got you," he hissed and he pounced on the akuma, who tossed him away. Undeterred, Black Cat did a somersault and leapt back to his feet. He threw a punch at the akuma, and he would've hit the mark if the akuma hadn't suddenly vanished with a cheeky grin, leaving Black Cat in confused shock.
"A teleporting akuma?" a familiar voice spoke from above. It was Ladybug.
"It'll take time to track the akuma down." Black Cat had already opened the map in his baton. Ladybug swung herself down and inspected the area to see if the akuma left behind any hints. Embarrassingly for her, her stomach growled.
"Haven't had dinner yet?" Black Cat asked.
"No, but I'll manage," Ladybug muttered, cheeks pink with mortification at ungodly belch that sounded from her.
Black Cat wanted to suggest Ladybug to get a bite, but he knew she wouldn't do that. Ladybug was extremely focused on work and would even neglect her own physical needs to complete her duties.
"Crap! The akuma's holding hostages at the bridge!" Ladybug exclaimed. She tossed her yoyo upwards and dashed to the bridge, Black Cat following suit. And thus began an hour long search for the akuma, and when they finally caught the akuma, it was already nine in the evening. The heroes were both exhausted, and in Ladybug's case, hungry.
After their customary fistbump, Black Cat zoomed away. After all that pent up frustration and adrenaline from hunting for that akuma, he wanted to do something wild. He wondered what sort of impact his superhuman abilities could inflict on his assassination skills.
He ran on the roofs, freely swinging the rubber knife grasped in hand. He obviously had better reflexes and agility when he was transformed. He knew he and Ladybug had agreed to only help the class (read: his class) if they asked to, so he trained himself to prepare. The superhero stabbed imaginary opponents as he practiced under the blanket of stars.
Meanwhile, Hayami was still hungry. Her mom told her on a late notice that she wasn't coming home that night. Hayami had expected her mom to bring home some takeout, so now, Hayami had to prepare her dinner. As she pondered what to do with the groceries in her home, the akuma appeared and she had to deal with it. After the akuma fight, she was finally free to eat, but most shops and restaurants were closed. Which meant Hayami had to resort to eating cup ramen, as she was too tired to cook.
Her home was quiet and dark when she returned. Hayami comforted herself that at least she still had Tikki with her. With a flick of her finger, the lights turned on, illuminating the too neat living room. She kicked her outdoor shoes off and trudged into the bathroom. Tikki's bright eyes followed Hayami's backside into the bathroom, and the door shut. The little kwami zoomed into the kitchen, opened a cupboard, and dragged a cup noodle out with her tiny arms. She flew to another drawer and took out the pair of chopsticks she knew Hayami ate with.
It's the least I can do for Rinka-chi, Tikki thought. With certain difficulty, she peeled the cover of the cup noodle off, and poured hot water from a water boiler.
Hayami squeezed the water out of her hair and put on comfy clothes. A fluffy towel around her damp neck, the girl stepped out and found a steaming cup noodle waiting for her. Her eyes widened slightly, and then she saw Tikki, a wide grin on her face. Indescribable warmth filled Hayami's heart like a river of hot cocoa.
"Thanks, Tikki." She petted Tikki's head fondly and slipped her a cookie. "You're the best."
Cup noodle and chopstick in hand, she went outside on the balcony from her living room. The night was calm after the ruckus of the akuma attack, but Hayami could still hear the faint flow of traffic. Twinkling lights lit up buildings, and if Hayami squinted, she could see a couple of bright stars in the inky sky. She lifted her chopsticks in her mouth and savoured the first taste of the noodles, but then a familiar shape on the floor caught her eye.
A knife.
It wasn't just any knife. It had the words S. A. A. U. S. O. on it, which meant it was the specially created knife that could kill that mysterious creature. Hayami was sure it wasn't hers, and the creature was supposed to be an international secret, so why was it lying innocently on her balcony?
Her questions was answered two seconds later when a dark figure dropped right before her eyes, upside down and dangling from the skies.
Instinctively, Hayami took a step back, somersaults twisting in her stomach due to her cute superhero partner/ crush's intense green eyes that appeared out of nowhere and now piercing straight into hers-
Wait.
"What are you doing here?" Hayami asked loudly, quite forgetting a) she was not Ladybug at the moment and therefore b) she should treat Black Cat with formal respect.
Black Cat was still frozen with surprise, his black hair upside down and cheeks flushed with exercise. His hand was stretched upwards, presumably to hold on to something to maintain his upside down state.
The soft light from her apartment cast dramatic shadows over his face, and Hayami idly observed that he had some pretty nice cheekbones. She was too occupied with admiring his jawline that she failed to realize he was, in fact, speaking.
Stop ogling him! Hayami scolded herself and attempted to keep down the loud pounding of her heart.
"So sorry," Black Cat stuttered awkwardly. Hayami felt like she was going to die. He performed a backflip and landed on the railing of her balcony, teetering a bit due to his nervousness.
He was just practicing (read: getting high on his fighting abilities) on rooftops and then his knife flew out of his hand. He searched for it for a while and then discovered it lying on a balcony, but he had acted too rashly and just extended his baton and hung himself upside down to fetch it. Little did he know it was actually Hayami's balcony and she, innocent civilian, was literally standing in front of him, with damp hair and rosy skin and wide eyes and Black Cat felt like he had been zapped by electricity.
Hayami approached him cautiously and pointed to the knife. "Is this yours?"
"Yes, thank you." Black Cat took the knife and bowed to Hayami. "I apologize for scaring you and intruding your house. It was my careless mistake."
Hayami nodded. "It's cool."
Black Cat did think Hayami was very cool. Nine out of ten teenage girls would've screamed (in excitement, not in shock) if they found him on their balcony.
"So," Hayami stared hard at the rubber knife. "You know about that creature too…"
Black Cat's muscles stiffened and it felt like an icy bucket of water had been dumped over him. Even though she was in his class, she wasn't supposed to know that much about superheroes or that creature yet! It would only put her in danger.
"Ahh, so you're from that 3-E, yes?" Black Cat asked if he didn't know that already.
"Yup. Are you and Ladybug joining the assassinations?"
It felt weird talking about her alter ego in third person, and asking questions she knew the answer to, but she had to put on the facade of a "clueless civilian" or else it would seem suspicious.
"No unless the class- I mean, your class, request us to."
"It must be exhausting," Hayami said. "You've just finished fighting the akuma and you have to train."
"We have to constantly improve our skills so we can protect this town." Black Cat was quite liking this conversation. "After all, this is our duty."
He glimpsed the cup noodle in her hand. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?" he asked hastily.
"It's fine; I like talking to you," Hayami replied, her eyes soft in the dim light. She wondered if she was revealing too much to a guy who should be a stranger (and he would be if she hadn't happened to be a superheroine), but she felt at ease with him.
"Nurufufu~"
An eerie but bizarre chuckle sounded from behind the two, gradually surrounding them like sound effects in a cinema. Hayami nervously shifted, cursing herself for not always bringing weapons with her. She instinctively felt her earrings to make sure they were there. Meanwhile, Black Cat brandished his knife, other hand at the baton on his belt. "Who's there? Show yourself!" he ordered, his back facing Hayami so he could use his body as a shield for her.
There was silence, then a shriek of "CUP RAMEN!" was heard. Hayami felt cold wind whoosh past her, and all of her cup noodle literally disappeared in an instant. Hayami stared, not comprehending what had happened. When her senses finally came back to her, she jumped and her empty cup nearly fell out of her hands.
"FOODFOODFOODFOODFOOD-"
This time, Black Cat could hear where the annoyingly familiar voice came from. He swung his knife at the blurry yellow figure, who dodged it at Mach speed. Hayami gasped and tried to follow the creature's movements, but her helpless eyes couldn't keep up. If the creature were to steal their miraculouses at that moment, they were doomed...
"Oy! You shouldn't eat her food with permission!" Black Cat reprimanded as he continued to attempt to stab the creature, but ended up hitting thin air everytime. The creature's giggles flew past his ears almost mockingly. "That's stealing!" Black Cat yelled.
"Aww, but I was really hungry!" the creature whined. Hayami's bangs fluttered up as the creature dropped something in her hands and replaced her old cup noodle. "Here, as compensation, I'll give you a special limited cup noodle which has this really tasty beef and broth! It's a big hit and I can guarantee it tastes delicious! I'll even cook it for you!"
Right before her eyes, Hayami could only watch as a kettle materialized from nowhere and the creature poured steaming water into the cup. She had to admit, this new cup noodle looked way more attractive than the cheap one she used to have. But having her food stolen right under her nose by a superhuman creature wasn't a very pleasant experience, and she wouldn't want it to happen again.
"I replaced her food. Is this okay?" the creature grinned at Black Cat, who was panting and leaning against the railing. Black Cat regarded the creature with suspicion, but nodded.
"Also, Black Cat, since you have attempted and failed to kill me, there will be consequences…" the creature warned ominously, evil cackles sounding from its mouth. Dread crept down Black Cat's spine, and he subconsciously stepped back and gripped his knife tightly.
Air invaded Black Cat from every direction and something prodded his hair. The boy attempted to ward off whatever that was with his hands, but a squishy and soft thing wrapped themselves around his wrists. Before he knew it, the creature was standing in front of him, different hair styling tools in yellow tentacles, complete with an aggravating smile.
"I've given you a makeover, Black Cat. You look so cool in this! Kya!" The creature's face turned pink as it proceeded to fanboy over him (again).
"...?"
Black Cat hurriedly felt his midnight hair, which was now gelled up in spikes. In fact, it reminded of the hairstyle he used to have when he was rocking it out with his bandmates in his second year. Embarrassed by the memory, cherry red flushed his face as he tried his best to pat his hair down with no avail. The creature must had used a strong hair gel.
Then he heard melodious giggles. His head snapped towards the source, which was Hayami. Her charming smile lit up her face like colourful fireworks, and his heartbeat accelerated when he saw her very cute expression.
Black Cat's confusion and blushy cheeks had been too adorable for Hayami. Gods, how she craved to pet his head and see his ears twitch! The light and bubbly feeling that flowed through her veins was like the champagne she once tried at Nakamura's, and it was filling her up until it was overflowing and bursting out of her, so she couldn't help but giggle to let it all out. And not to mention, he looked so cool and handsome with that hairstyle. Now, instead of the "dorky but friendly neighbourhood superhero" persona he usually put now, he had the look of an "elusive but wildly popular (and attractive) rock star". And she liked both of those looks immensely.
Hayami looked up and was surprised to find his eyes staring warmly at her. They were so mellow and full of fondness, unlike the cool, stoic way he glared at akumas. Hayami's heart skipped a beat as she felt her breath being taken away by those gorgeous "heart eyes". And for one shining moment, it was like eternity as they lost themselves in the wondrous world of each other's eyes, searching and finding what laid behind the cold walls they put up.
Black Cat blinked, and the dreamy magic faded away like soapy bubbles. "I- my hair is weird, isn't it?" he asked hesitatingly.
Hayami's jaw dropped. How could he, a near perfect human, say that? If he was "weird", then she must be an old hag standing in her dumpy homewear. "No, no, you're…" she struggled for a word, "...cool. Very cool."
And beautiful. And adorable. And gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Hayami secretly added those in her head.
His lips lifted in a half-smile, indescribable giddiness blossoming inside him. "Oh, really?' he asked, his face glowing with joy.
Too overwhelmed by him, Hayami could only nod and bashfully say "yes" in face of the (her?) superhero.
Unnoticed by the duo, the pink-faced creature was grinning and happily jotting down notes in a notebook. "Ah, young love…" it sighed blissfully then quickly zoomed away.
A beat passed. Black Cat ran his hand over his spiked hair again, and looked awkwardly at the town. "Uh, umm, I think I should go now." To his mortification, his voice cracked.
"Y-yeah, you should. Sorry for bothering you," Hayami muttered, pink blotches on her cheeks and she self-consciously tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Bye!" Black Cat waved and jumped off the balcony, using his baton to propel himself into the night.
For quite some time after he left, Hayami stared. She was motionless, but an odd fire was raging inside her. It was him, always him; Black Cat, with his bright eyes and gorgeous hair and adorable smile that caused somersaults inside her like no one else did. She absentmindedly stuffed the noodles in her mouth. To the creature's credit, it did taste really good.
"Rinka-chi, you really like him, huhh…" Tikki popped out and said, a thoughtful look on her face.
Hayami turned to her and studied the kwami. "... Is that a bad thing?"
"Not necessarily. You can't control who you fall in love with."
At the mention of the word "love", Hayami's face turned bright red again.
"It's not love!" she protested. She used a finger to lightly push back Tikki's head. "It's just a crush at most!"
"Sorry sorry," Tikki giggled. "I'm just used to my old holders being in love. They were so cute!"
"Ah." Tikki didn't talk much about her past experiences, but that could be due to Hayami never asking her. "How are your old holders?"
Tikki smiled, but there was just a slight hint of sadness to it. "A lot of them had passed away," she confessed. "The ladybug earrings holder before you is an old guy now. And to think I met him when he was a teenager… time really flies for immortal deities like us. That's why I always push you to do things- you'll never know when you'll have a chance again. Especially with the possibility of the world ending next year."
"That makes sense." Hayami thought how hard it was for Tikki to watch her holders age and eventually die, while she remained the same as ever, unchanging as the guardian of the ladybug miraculous. She swallowed, and wondered what sort of memories Tikki hid under her cheerful smile.
After her dinner, Hayami went back inside the apartment. She stifled a yawn and found that she had received a few new messages from Black Cat. With a press of a button, the messages popped up.
Black Cat: Hi, I've thought quite a bit about our patrol problem
Black Cat: Ever since we'd appeared, the crime rates in our town and the neighboring towns have dropped a lot; I'm sure the police can handle most of the cases
Black Cat: As for akumas, Kochou sends them out at random, and akuma rates don't especially go up at night. We definitely should be alert at all times, but we shouldn't sacrifice all of our free time. As you know, our job can be stressful.
Black Cat: I was thinking of patrolling 3-4 days per week? Not sure which days to patrol though.
Ladybug: I think we can use an online randomizer every week to see which days to patrol
Ladybug: That way, people can't figure out our pattern
Black Cat is typing…
Hayami oddly found herself looking very forward to what he would say, even she literally she saw him everyday, and they were just discussing work.
Black Cat: That's a smart solution. I think I can find a randomizer and I'll send you the dates every week :D
Ladybug: Thanks :)
Black Cat: Are we meeting tonight?
Ladybug: I was thinking of starting our new strategy next week. What do you think?
Black Cat: It's fine for me
Ladybug: See you later! ≧ω≦
As the clock slowly ticked towards midnight, Hayami reflected on her first school day. She'd made pretty good progress with working with Chiba, and she liked to think that she would become a good gun user in the future if she worked hard. The future didn't seem as bleak as it did, even with the prospect of literally everyone dying.
"It's time, Rinka-chi," Tikki mentioned after a quick glimpse of the clock.
"Yeah, it's time," Hayami agreed. "Tikki, spots on!"
The transformed girl leapt out of her apartment to face the nighttime streets, as she embarked on another journey to face her many other obstacles.
A/N: *rises from grave* AAHHH IT'S ABOUT TIME I UPDATED
Sorry for the late update; school's been taking a toll on me. I had no idea school would be this time and effort consuming. To be honest, I don't even know when I'll update but I guess you can follow me assclass-conspiracies on tumblr because I do post Which Partner stuff there sometimes :D
I swear, miscommunication is going to kill these two sooner or later, even without all that love square stuff. And congrats to Karasuma for being the first person that's not completely blind. Also, sorry for the OOC in the balcony scene but aaaaaah I love Hayami/ Black Cat fluff so much :D
The new Miraculous Ladybug Season 2 episodes did reveal a bit on the way miraculouses work, but since I developed this story before I knew about all the info, miraculous lore here will slightly deviate from canon. I'm sorry for the confusion, so here are some ground rules in the Which Partner? Universe:
1. Current miraculous holders can never be akumatized. But if they renounce their miraculouses, even temporarily, they will be at risk.
2. Miraculouses (eg. the earrings, the ring) cannot be akumatized items.
Here are also some of my headcanons for the butterfly miraculous that apply to this story:
1. Multiple akumas can exist at the same time if their akumatized items were not destroyed.
2. Therefore, Kochou can control multiple akumas at the same time, but it is very energy draining for him.
3. Creating akumas and making them follow his orders tire Kochou out, and that is why he doesn't spam create akumas. Additional, Kochou may have difficulty controlling akumas with strong independent will, which is dangerous.
4. Akumas will not lose their powers if Kochou detransforms while they were akumatized.
5. Kochou cannot communicate with akumas while he is detransformed.
Also, for those who wonder how did Tikki pour water in the cup noodle, there's a kind of water boiler (?) which stores hot water and if you press a button some water just goes vertically down into whatever you place below it. (I based this on an appliance in my kitchen, lol.)
And here we have replies to reviews! Thank you so much for them, it's absolutely lovely to see you guys here! Thanks for supporting me!
foxchick1: Well… you never know who's Kochou… he can be *coughcough* anyone *coughcough* I think Gakuho makes a really good butterfly miraculous holder. He's brilliant at discovering strengths and weaknesses of people, and he's really skilled at emotional manipulation :0
Autistic-Grizzly: Thanks! You're so sweet :) I checked your profile and you seem to really love superheroes :D Glad that you like this fic! I'm not really stressed over writing, it's just school… which sucks… but thanks for your concern!
Guest: Haha thanks! Yeah… I've been waiting for Island Arc and its… content ;) for too long… lol
DreamDuelist: Hehe, I always thought Mama Asano would be OP like her husband and son. Also yeah, our protags here will be/ are already under quite a lot of pressure. It's lovely to see you thinking ahead about the bomb incident :D I'll address it probably next chapter. Again, thanks for your long and thoughtful reviews!
ToadetteIsMyCaptain: yeeeeee tumblr! Aaah thanks for your comments! Also ChibaHaya forever XD
Also, we've reached 5000 views! Thank you so much! Thanks for waiting for this chapter, and please tell me what you think! XD