Reaper's not sure what he expected, but it wasn't that.

His heart races and his ears ring as he makes his way through the sewer. His footsteps are heavy. Water splashes. His mind goes at a mile a minute. And in disbelief, he tries to dissect what he's just learned.

...The real Reaper. He can't believe he's still out there. And as that. He wouldn't even humor the thought if he hadn't been hit with the proof. It's unfathomable.

He'd picked up the Korosensei mission to try and get some money. That, and renown. To think that he'd been so close to killing his despised mentor… it makes his fist shake.

He's so different from the time he last saw him, and it's not just about appearances. He's goofy… protective- ridiculous. He'd told Reaper he was proud of him! And for what!? That's not like him.

He knows it's not. That's not the original Reaper. He's all sharp edges and ulterior motives. Ingenuity and lies. Whatever it is he's pretending to be… that's an act too.

Still, Reaper's mind wanders back to the students. The stupid, disposable students. Why had someone like that come to rescue them? Was he afraid of punishment, or…

(Does he care?)

He soon shakes the thought. No. He won't even think of it. As much as he'd like to embrace it, he's not that stupid. And besides… that's nothing to feel warm about! That's a reason to be jealous. What are those brats doing that he hadn't?

It only makes him wish he'd killed them more. He'd kept them alive to lure 'Korosensei' in, but it would have been so easy to kill them. He snapped that one girl's ribs, didn't he? Just a bit more and she'd have been finished.

Now that might have been able to unmask his master's true rage.

He clenches his fist… stares down at the ground. Eyes narrowed, he notes that he needs to decide what to do next. He was planning to leave Japan after this mission, but he hadn't even succeeded. And on top of that he's got to do something about 'Korosensei.' What, though? Make another attempt on his life? Or try and believe what he said-?

('No,' he thinks, shaking his head. He won't even humor it. As much as he'd like to think that that man's seen his worth, he simply hasn't.

It's too late for that now.)

Perhaps he'll go after the kids… or that woman. Now that would be nice. It's hardly useful in building up his portfolio as a killer, but he can treat himself every now and then, can't he?

'Don't kid yourself. They'll be on their guard now. You're not going to get a chance like this again.'

And something tells him next time his master won't be so merciful.

He's still mulling it over when he hears the footstep. The slightest sound and the shift of water. If he weren't so adept, he'd have missed it entirely... but there it is: another motion, and he feels his blood go cold.

30 feet from here there's someone waiting at the exit. He can't make them out, but he's sure of it. Who?

Another compatriot of the octopus, or…?

He creeps in closer. Readies his gun. If he's lucky, they still haven't seen him and he can make the kill from here. It's a longer distance than he'd usually prefer to take, but he's good at what he does, isn't he? He's got this.

He raises his finger.

"Now, now," a deep voice says. "I'm afraid there's no need for that. Put down the weapon, won't you? I'm just here to talk."

Reaper hesitates. Still unmoving, he asks, "Who are you? Are you with him?"

"No," the figure says, stepping in closer. "Quite the contrary. The man you just faced is my enemy. And you know what they say about these things, don't you?" A long, tantalizing pause. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. The name's Shiro. It's a delight to meet you."

Reaper wracks his brain. He swears he's heard the name Shiro before, but he's not sure where. Documentation from the government, or…?

Yes. That's it. This was the person leading the 'anti-sensei' efforts up until just a few months ago… wherein he disappeared abruptly. But why is he here now of all times?

"What do you want?" he asks. "Are you here to discuss my defeat?"

"No. No," Shiro says, holding up his hands. "I was actually here to disclose information… that is until those two beat me to it. You're The Reaper, yes? I was going to tell you what became of your mentor."

"I'm afraid I already know," Reaper responds. "...And so you're the one who did that to him?"

"Quick on the uptake, aren't you? Yes, I am. And to his compatriot as well."

"Well if that's all you're here for you're pretty much useless," Reaper retorts. "Don't waste my time."

"Now I never said that's all I was here for," Shiro responds. "I'm also here to make an offer. I was hoping to fan the flames of your hate first, but this will do, too. An intelligent man knows how to adapt. And besides… it seems my foe's already done quite an adept job."

"What is it?" Reaper asks, skeptical.

"Would you like some help defeating him? Surely you'd like him to suffer now that you know the truth behind his identity… but you're far too weak as is. He defeated you today and he'll defeat you again… as many times as it takes. But if I step in, we can change that. Even the playing field."

Reaper's admittedly intrigued, but he's not sold yet.

"How so?"

"Well, by making you like him," Shiro says with a shrug. "You see, he was my first experiment, and in that regard he's quite shoddy. But I've learned a lot since then… picked up many more subjects, and I believe I've finally mastered my craft." He steeples his fingers… nods. "I was hoping to make you my magnum opus."

"You see," he continues. "I don't want all the research I've done to go to waste. And so I figured I should perfect someone who's skilled enough as is. That way I can create a true ultimate weapon… someone not willing to back down."

"Hm," Reaper says, hand drifting up to his chin. "And so you want to make me… like that."

Admittedly, it's a tantalizing thought. He saw his mentor's abilities... superspeed. Invincibility. Instantaneous wound repair. With that sort of arsenal an assassin could do anything.

...And yet-

"What's in it for me?"

"What's in it for you?" Shiro repeats, tsking. "Why, you'd become invincible, of course. And not only that… you'd finally be able to succeed him. Do what he never could… be the superior version. Quite fitting for his protege, isn't it?"

"While I'd prefer to be the one to make the final blow," he continues, taking a step closer. "You'd be able to help kill him. Get your revenge! Take his place! Isn't that all you've ever wanted?"

"Hm…" Reaper, says giving it some thought. It's admittedly tempting… and yet something feels wrong. Why?

Is it simply that he doesn't trust this person? Or…?

No. It's something else.

He'd take Shiro's up on his offer in an instant in any normal circumstance. He'd sense that the guy was full of shit… that he couldn't trust him as far as he could throw him, but he'd still agree. In fact… he'd take him up on him offer with glee.

But something's stopping him. A reason to hesitate. A mental block.

Is it that…-? No. It's not that he likes Korosensei. And it's not that he forgives him, either. He doesn't even believe what he said. But all the same… his words from earlier are enticing, and Reaper's mind wanders back to them again and again.

("I'm proud of you," he says, staring with such kind eyes. "You did wonderful.")

'No,' Reaper thinks, biting down on his lip. 'Don't tell me you're seriously falling for it! It's a trick… nothing more!"

And yet he wants to hear it again and again.

That praise… it's all he's ever wanted. And fake or not he can't give up his chance of receiving it once more.

'Yes,' he thinks. 'Just one more time. And then I'll take care of him. But I don't need… I don't need-"

His gaze drifts to Shiro.

'This.'

So badly he wants to stop himself: step forward and do what he always does. But beads of sweat drip down the back of his neck and his gut twists with disgust. No. He can't make any rash decisions… not when there's so much at stake.

(Perhaps if he'd simply left. Then Reaper would agree. But he stayed back… explained. And that means the seeds of doubt are sown.)

He doesn't let any of his uncertainty show on the surface. Instead, simply shaking his head, he says "It's a fascinating offer, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn you down."

"What?" Shiro says. "Why?"

"I've already been used enough by one person," Reaper explains. "I'm not going to be used by you on top of that. At least… not yet." His lip twitches a bit. He gives pause. "I'll think it over, okay? If I want to help you out. But if I do it'll be on my terms. And either way it won't be today."

He can't make out Shiro's face, but somehow he gets the sense he's mad. A single red eye glints out from between his cowl… and he takes a sharp breath in.

"Dammit," he murmurs, voice raspy. "I knew that perhaps I should have picked you up while you were unconscious. And yet they stood in my way. Of course they did."

For a split second he looks ready to lunge, but he soon reigns himself in. Straightening himself up and wiping at his robes… his demeanor shifts in an instant.

"Very well then," he says. "I suppose I can't force you. I'm fortunate you're even considering it." He turns… not a bit of fear to his frame even as he looks away from the man known as the 'God of Death.' "In that case, I'll head out. It seems I've gotten my answer."

"However," he says, pausing. "Please do be aware that the clock is ticking. March will be here before we know it. And if you're not careful you could lose your chance to get your revenge."

"You think I don't know that?" Reaper asks, voice a growl. "I'm well aware. And I have a plan."

"Do you now?" Shiro asks. "Well… I suppose I'll take your word for it. And do remember my offer. As frustrated as I am you're not willing to cooperate as is, I suppose we have time." Another pause. "And who knows? Perhaps this could even be for the best. The longer you hesitate the longer you have to extract information from them. And the more I can use that to my advantage."

Reaper grimaces. Eyes narrowed, he notes that he's not going to be giving anyone a damn advantage here. He's the only one with the upper ground. And if this guy thinks that he can manipulate him then he's wrong.

All he's doing is giving Reaper an opportunity… a chance to play both sides of the field. And he will not let that slip through his fingers.

"Your number," he says, reaching a hand out. "I'll keep in contact."

"Wonderful," Shiro says, tossing him a business card. "I had a feeling you would."

Reaper catches it in one hand. He briefly considers letting out a retort, but stops himself. Now's no time to be acting like an insolent brat. A mouse has fallen into his trap. And if he's not careful he might lose that chance.

"Yes," he says, taking a deep breath of his own. "If anything changes… you'll be the first to know."

Shiro doesn't reply... simply wades through the water and gives a wave over his shoulder. He says "Very well then," and "I'll be seeing you around," but what Reaper hears is 'it's a deal,' and he swears he can make out a smile.

Then, as unceremoniously as he'd appeared the man is gone… leaving him alone in the sewers. He glances down at the business card- frowns.

'Kotaro Yanagisawa

Head of the Anti-sensei measures.'

...And so this is another foe of his mentor's. Hardly surprising knowing what kind of man he is. An ominous person, but he doesn't think he's particularly intimidated. No, if anything he's intrigued.

This is another path to possibly go down in the future. And for an opportunistic person like him that's gold.

Which means he's only left wondering about one thing as he pockets the card and finally exits the sewers. What still hasn't been explained to him, and might not be for a long while.

'They stood in my way.'

'You can extract information from them.'

'I'm Aguri. Someone who saw the best in Korosensei."

Just who was the woman his mentor had under his spell, and how exactly does she tie into the rest of this?


Slowly but surely after the Reaper incident, things return to some kind of normal. Aguri doesn't get the chance to visit Reaper yet- she wants to give him his space- but that's okay. She knows that he knows where to find them, and when it comes to everything else things are going well. Karasuma doesn't budge on his new resolve to be slightly nicer to Irina, nor resolve his to be slightly nicer to her. The classroom's got a much calmer environment, and despite what they've been through the kids seem in good spirits.

...Before she even knows it, a week has passed. And with that week rolls around parent-teacher conferences.

She's not even aware until Korosensei lets her know. But when he does, he nudges her- says that she should participate too.

"I'm sure that the parents would be delighted to meet you."

"Oh," Aguri says, rubbing her arm. "I mean… I'd like to, but aren't we a little…?" She drifts off.

Abnormal? Out of place? Supposed to be kept secret?

"You know?"

"You're right," Korosensei replies. "We are. However, Karasuma will be out of town for the week… and Irina's still far too unprofessional to deal with guardians. As such, the responsibility falls on our shoulders. And while I could handle it alone…" his voice goes up an octave as he lets out a coo. "I brought disguisseeeessss."

Aguri blinks as she stares at an outheld suit and blonde wig. Squinting a bit, she asks "And what are those?"

"Our Karasuma and Irina outfits," Korosensei clarifies, a wide smile still on his face. "Seeing as how we're supposed to be a state secret and 'dead' or whatever, I figured that we could dress up as the actual teachers enrolled here. Put on some wigs… fake a human skin tone and then… bam! Perfectly believable educators."

Aguri's dumbfounded.

"And so you're saying that you want us to… you seriously-?" She shakes her head… slaps her palm to her forehead. "No way! Irina would kill me,"

"Why?" Korosensei asks. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And it's not like she has to know. This'll be just between the parents, the students, and us."

What is it Irina's always calling the kids again? Gossipy little shits? Now Aguri's not sure she agrees with that, but she does know this will get out one way or another. And besides…

"Are those bra pads!?"

"I'm just- I'm simply trying to be authentic! THINK NOTHING OF IT!"

A grand prospect, but impossible with this guy!

Ultimately, she agrees to attend the parent teacher meetings if only to learn more about the students' home lives. She'd like to keep an eye out for any more red flags like what Itona was going through. That said, however… that's still gonna have to be a big fat no to the Irina costume. She'd much rather pretend to dress up like a normal person and just take Irina's name, thank you very much!

"Very well then," Korosensei relents. "We can simply touch up your regular disguise." A pause. "As long as I can keep my Karasuma disguise, that is. You're not going to stop me, right?"

"I-" Aguri sputters. "No. Of course not."

...Something tells him that she's not going to budge.

Thankfully, as insane as his act of identity theft is, he's still happy to help her gussy up her own disguise. He gets her a long sleeved shirt with one of her usual fun patterns… and thick gloves to help her hide her hands. He shows her how to shift her skin tone to something closer to normal... and he buys her a skirt that goes to the ground just to alleviate the risk of her tentacles being spotted. He does her makeup… hides her veins and shows her how to put in contacts. She has to wear a wig longer than she used to like her hair just to cover up her tentacles, but it's not terrible. And as she stands in front of the mirror for a second she almost feels normal.

'Why don't I do this more often?' she wonders, but then remembers.

...Oh. Right. It took hours of preparation to get this way. And besides, the longer she looks the more things look off. She's freakishly tall. She hasn't stopped twitching. And if she loses her focus for just one moment she's sure the color will fade from her face. This isn't sustainable as normal. She's not sure she'd want it to be.

(It's a pretty sick mockery, anyways.)

But she reminds herself that that's not important. What is important is meeting the parents. And when Korosensei walks into the room telling her she's looking good as ever she forces a smile. At least… until she sees what he's wearing.

Then she bursts into laughter.

Where he'd spent ages trying to pass her off as some semblance of normal, he hadn't even tried for himself. He's wearing an ill fitted suit… floppy blow-up arms and a poor quality wig. He'd at least managed to get the skin tone something close to right, but he's penciled in Karasuma's brows, for pete's sake!

"You can't seriously go in wearing that!"

"Why not?" Korosensei asks. "They don't know what Karasuma looks like. And besides… I think it's a perfectly passable costume!"

"Is it now!?"

Aguri can't argue for long. Instead, burying her face in Korosensei's shoulder as she bowels over with laughter, she tells him that he may as well keep it. There's no going back now. And besides… it's almost time for the meetings to start.

Some of the parents are surprisingly nice. Aguri's not sure what she expected… but she guesses that she thought a lot of them wouldn't care. It's clear that the E-Class doesn't have a support system most of the time. But here they are… actually asking her how they're doing.

Maehara's parents. Mimura's parents... they've got the right idea. Isogai's mom gushes over him and says she's so thankful for all the work that 'Karasuma' has done. Says that she knows this school is stressful on Isogai, but that she wants him to have a good future.

"Thank you for making that easier on him. Thank you for helping him enjoy that."

"Of course," Korosensei says, giving a nod. "Any time."

Other parents suck, though. Hazama's mom has a lot of unflattering things to say about her and shouts the whole time. Okuda's parents are uninterested- dismissive, even… and Kanzaki's parents seem more worried about curbing 'delinquent behavior' than about her grades, whatever that means.

Some don't even bother to schedule appointments. Korosensei had tried to reach out to everyone, but only about half have concerns. Karma's say that it's fine as long as he's passing and then more or less immediately hang up. Kataoka's parents say their schedule is far too packed. And then as for Itona and Akari, they don't even manage to ask.

Korosensei and Aguri still don't know who Itona's parents are or how to get in contact with them… and maybe that's for the best. Then with Akari, she says Dad's had no interest in her education before and he's not going to start now. She's not particularly interested in them phoning him up.

Aguri's a little bit relieved. She feels bad about it, but she's still nervous about talking to him. It bothers her that he hadn't tried to keep up on Akari's schooling, and it makes her wonder yet again if he even cares at all.

'Of course he does,' she says. 'That's your dad.' But the thought is wavering a little more with each day.

Maybe… she shouldn't tell him that she's alive at all. Maybe he'd be happier like that. Without the two of them. He certainly seems to be thriving now.

Korosensei must notice her waning spirit. She's exhausted by the time they return home at the end of the day, and offers to finish up the tail end of the parent-teacher conferences tomorrow.

"There's more?" Aguri asks, startled. She'd thought they'd managed to reach out to everyone with concerns.

"Indeed," Korosensei replies. "I believe it's nothing major, though. Just a few more parents with complaints and a request to try and transfer one of the students from the class."

"You won't let that happen though, right?"

"Of course not," Korosensei says with a smile. "No such thing will be happening under my roof."

"...Alright," Aguri says, and decides to take him up on his offer. She thinks she'd enjoyed today, but it was also a lot to take in… and she'd prefer to not have to get dressed up a second time. If it's just a few kids then she's sure everything will be fine.

"Excellent," Korosensei replies. "In that case rest up, won't you? You can spend tomorrow after class getting back some much needed energy."

"I dunno about that," Aguri says, scratching her back. "I've been thinking and I actually might check up on your apprentice."

Korosensei stares.

"It's been about a week now, right?" Aguri asks. "That's enough time for him to cool down. I should probably make sure that he's alright. That he's - uh- processing this."

"Alone?"

Aguri shrugs. "Why not? He… has a complicated relationship with you. I think I'd like to give him the chance to process his feelings in an environment away from you." A pause. "No offense. That, and let him know that I'm there for him, too… not just your sidekick."

"Are you sure?" Korosensei asks. "It's not your job to fix my mistakes."

"I… don't see it that way," Aguri says. "I'm not fixing anything. And I don't feel responsible, either. I just wanna help someone feel a little less alone."

"Very well then," Korosensei replies. "Just stay safe. You know that you have me on speed dial if you ever need me."

"Of course," Aguri replies. "Don't worry. I know."

And so that solidifies the plan. She'll go and reach out to 'Reaper' while the real Reaper wrestles with rowdy parents.

She feels a bit weird taking off her disguise at the end of the night. She removes her contacts, washes her face, and allows her skin to return to that sickly gray hue. She strips from her T-shirt, slips into pajamas, and stares at her malformed arm. Korosensei doesn't look away from her, however… simply giving a smile as he pats the bed next to him.

'It's funny,' she thinks, giving a small smile back. 'Even though I'm just now taking it off, he's looking at me the exact same way he did when I first put it on.'

What is it he said then? 'Looking good as ever?'

Her smile widens as she nestles into bed next to him. They still don't spoon, but that's alright. They both know what they're comfortable with, and what matters is that she's managing to think these things on her own.

Itona's lips upturn slightly as he watches them from the corner of the room. He rolls his eyes- mouths 'get a room,' but Aguri pays no mind.

(Real rich coming from the kid living in their house!)

The next morning she awakes bright and early. She gets out of bed a little past six- careful not to wake Korosensei. He still doesn't have to get up yet… she may as well let him rest.

Itona's still asleep, too, but Akari's waiting for her in the living room. She glances up from her phone as Aguri walks in.

"Oh. Hey," she says. "You're up early."

Aguri briefly considers bringing up her thoughts from yesterday- about what they should do about Dad, but soon decides against it. No, Akari seems in a relatively good mood. She wouldn't want to ruin that.

Instead, leaning over, she says "We've still got a bit of time before class starts, you know. Hey… Akari? Wanna do something fun?"

"Like what?" Akari asks, cocking an eyebrow. But it's clear from her tone that she's already in.

Ultimately Itona and Korosensei wake up to the scent of cookies. Something tells Aguri that if Korosensei had an eyebrow he'd be cocking it, too. That is… if he weren't instead salivating all over himself.

"Ohhh?" He asks. "What's this!?"

"Figured I should try and make something as a peace offering for your apprentice," Aguri says. "Who doesn't like cookies, after all? Don't worry, though… we made sure to make some extra for you. Chow down."

It's her first time really cooking at home since all of this went down. With Home EC classes she's finally feeling better about her motor skills. It still went a bit awkwardly, and she spilled some stuff… but more than anyone Akari is the person she feels okay being a bit of a burden around. She's patient with her… and she never once snaps.

Simply gives a polite nod and even bothers to mask her disgust as Korosensei rushes over to the table and demands some sweets 'now.'

The four of them eat cookies for breakfast. It's not exactly healthy, but it's alright just this once. After all… it's nice to see Korosensei happy, and Itona and Akari seem pretty content, too.

The school day flies by… and at the end of it Aguri and Korosensei split. She wishes him good luck with the parent teacher meetings as he re-dons his ridiculous Karasuma outfit… and he wishes the same for her as she totes her cookies under her arm.

"He's a stubborn person," he admits. "Dangerous, too. But… I do believe you've got this. Just be careful, alright?"

"Of course," Aguri says, giving a nod. "Don't worry about it."

She heads to the motel where Reaper is staying. Korosensei and her were able to get the location figured out last night by scent. Admittedly it feels a little bit creepy… stalkerish, even, but she reminds herself that it's for a good cause. And it's not like she'll just be inviting herself in. She'll knock. It's like looking up someone's address in the white pages. Just having to do that for a virtually untrackable serial killer. Different strokes for different folks and all!

('Okay. No. This is definitely weird,' she thinks, staring down the door. But there's no backing down now… and hey! ...She brought cookies?)

She knocks firmly on the door and waits for a response. When a few minutes pass with no such thing she knocks yet again; saying "Hello? Is anybody home?"

She wonders, briefly, if they've got the wrong place. They're kind of going off of assumption here, after all. Maybe Reaper's long since left. She hopes that she's not bothering someone else…

She takes a step back and frowns. But it's just about then that she notices a shuffling behind the peephole.

...No. Someone's definitely inside. They're just not responding to her.

"Reaper?" she asks. "This… is you, right? Hi. I'm sorry to stop by. You don't have to let me in if you don't want… but I just wanted to check up on you." An uncomfortably long pause. "How are you doing? I brought a gift!"

She's met with more silence, and for a minute she thinks she's not going to get a response. But after what feels like forever he speaks up… talking in a skeptical tone.

"Where's the other one?" He says, incredulous. "He's got to be hiding somewhere around here."

"Uh… no," Aguri says, giving a frown. "He's not. He was actually a little bit busy and so it's just me today. I'm- uh- Aguri Yukimura, by the way. I'm not sure I ever got the chance to introduce myself. It's nice to meet you."

A pause.

"This is- uh… usually the part where I'd ask for your real name, but I'm guessing you either don't have one or aren't willing to share? That's okay I guess. Just...- just Reaper works."

It's more than a little awkward considering what she addressed Korosensei as for well over a year, but there's no getting around it. This is what the person wants to be addressed by. She's not going to disrespect that.

There's another shuffling sound and a strange clicking noise she doesn't recognize. If she had to guess he's fiddling around with weaponry in there.

"Yeah," he says. "Reaper works. Now can you just tell me what you want? If the old man sent you, you can tell him I'm not interested in fraternizing with him. I don't need his help anymore. I'm the number one assassin now. And so if he's here to give handouts then it's pointless. He's by far missed the mark."

"Oh," Aguri says. "No. It's nothing like that. You're right, Korosensei really would like to talk to you, but that's not why I'm here. I mostly just wanted to get to know you myself… make sure that you were alright after all of that."

"After all of that?" Reaper asks, curious. "And what exactly do you mean by that? Last I checked I was the one who kidnapped you."

"Yeah," Aguri says. "I won't deny that. But… you were just faced with a pretty big revelation. How are you feeling about that?" A pause. "You were like… Korosensei's son, right? Are you doing okay?"

Another long moment of silence. But slowly… the door cracks open. There stands Korosensei's apprentice in all of his glory. He's got one hand on his hip and the other hanging down by his side. As always, there's a dangerous aura to him.

"Yeah," he says. "You're right. I was the old Reaper's lapdog. But as for how I'm doing… I'm more than fine. And if you'd really like to talk, then so be it." He gives a lazy shrug. "It's not like I have much more to lose. Just don't expect information."

He steps to the side. Splays his hands out.

"Come in."

"Alright," Aguri says, only a little bit hesitant. She feels like she's stepping into the lion's den, but reminds herself that she's more or less invincible. The only thing she's got to worry about is Reaper striking her. And if she keeps her distance she should be alright.

Especially when she further reminds herself that this is just an overgrown child she's dealing with.

He never looks away from her as he leads his way into the main room. It's a shitty, run-down place… and the smell of mildew wafts through the air.

"Uh… nice home you've got here," Aguri says, trying to be nice.

"Don't flatter me," Reaper replies. "It's just a temporary hiding spot. I was initially planning to be out of Japan by the end of the month, but all of this put a hole in my plans. Nothing more and nothing less. It's not like I'm particularly attached."

'Ah,' Aguri thinks. 'That makes sense. He must travel around a lot.' She wonders if it's always hiding out in rundown places and then burning the evidence.

"For the record," he says, crossing one leg over the other as he plops down on the couch. "The whole room's armed, and I've got a signal jammer set up. Don't try anything funny. I could have you dead in an instant if I wanted."

Aguri blinks. She'd like to think that's not true- that she has the high ground here… but even if it isn't somehow she gets the sense that she should agree with him.

"Don't worry," she says, awkwardly sitting down across from him. "I'm not planning anything."

"Good," he says, but doesn't seem to relax any. He's still staring at her with shifty eyes. "Now what was this about gifts? You said that you brought something?"

"Oh," Aguri says. "Yeah-! Cookies." She holds out the container. "Want some? They're still fresh."

Reaper squints, but takes the cookies anyways. Placing them to the side, he says "Perhaps after I test them. I'm not exactly interested in getting poisoned today."

Aguri shifts. She feels a bit uncomfortable being accused and all, but she guesses she is affiliated with Korosensei. She's not sure the old him would have been very much above poisoning his apprentice.

"Alright," she says. "Make sure to let me know what you think when you do. I'm pretty proud of them."

She gives a forced smile.

Reaper smiles back, but it's much more of a dangerous look than a content one. She genuinely can't tell if she's dealing with someone dangerous or just paranoid here. Is he an injured baby bird? Or is he playing with her like he would his food?

"So," he says, steepling his fingers. "If you're not here to interrogate me then do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I've been wondering about some stuff and you might just be able to help me clear that up."

"Uh… sure," Aguri says. "I can't promise I can answer everything, but I can certainly try."

"Good," Reaper says. "First of all: how'd you even meet this guy? You said you were 'friends' or whatever, right? What's the deal with that? Why're you running around doing his chores?"

"I told you," Aguri says. "I'm here on no-one's will but my own. But as for how I met Korosensei…" She pauses. "It was at work. I- uh… was affiliated with the scientist who made him how he is. We ended up hitting it off and became good friends. That's all."

"'That's all?'" Reaper repeats, cocking an eyebrow. "Doesn't sound like it to me. How'd you get like that? Were you lab-grown, or did the bossman turn on you?"

Aguri bites her lip. Averting her gaze, she says, "...Yes. My boss turned on me. Korosensei escaped from the lab because of something I told him, and… well…" A pause. "I ended up taking the fall. It's not a huge deal, though. It's in the past now."

That's not true even a little bit, but she's not going to express that to him. She barely knows him… and as much as she'd like to, it's clear right now he's trying to pick her apart.

"Mmm?" Reaper says. "Interesting. And so it seems he's screwed you over, too."

"Screwed over… isn't how I'd describe it." Aguri feels sick to her stomach. She knows what Reaper is trying to do, and she doesn't like it. She won't let him sew those seeds of doubt against Korosensei. As flawed as the man is, he genuinely didn't intend for anything to happen to her. "He just… didn't know that I was still alive. Didn't know what would happen to me if I was."

She almost adds on 'Just like he didn't even know where you were,' but manages to stop herself. No… that's not true. A lack of knowledge isn't why Korosensei didn't make amends with the boy. His situation is different from hers. Korosensei did deliberately avoid Reaper, and he did it out of fear . She can't let herself forget that.

'It's hard,' she thinks. 'Finding a balance.' She can't let him get in her head and has to stay true to her convictions… but she also has to have empathy for him. She has to believe in his experiences, but not necessarily what he's saying about hers.

'Just like the students,' she reminds herself. 'Back when they used to hate you.' All she needs to do is remind herself that his words aren't true. And then while still staying soft, manage to redirect in a way that's more helpful for him.

"Korosensei is the one who saved me," she explains. "He… rescued me from the lab and told me that he was horrified he hadn't known sooner. He's done everything in his power to help me… been patient and gentle and kind. I know that the Korosensei you know isn't like that, but the one I've met is a changed man. I truly believe that. He's confident, and caring, and clever…" she drifts off. "The best. He's the best."

She feels a bit awkward saying it in front of his victim, but she feels the need to stand up for him: remind herself why she trusts him. And besides… even if it's not exactly orthodox, she thinks Reaper needs some reassurance that his mentor did mean what he said to him the other day.

...He hardly looks convinced. Leaning back a bit, he says "Oh. I think I get it now. Okay, okay. Yeah, he's a real charmer." He gives another lax smile. "And so you aren't some misguided attempt at a replacement for me, then. You're no apprentice. You're just his trophy wife."

"Let's… not say that," Aguri replies, trying her best to hide her discomfort.

'This is just an abused kid you're dealing with. This is just an abused kid you're dealing with,' she reminds herself. 'He's...-'

(...Grown up into a truly difficult adult.)

She decides it's time to change the topic. Shifting a bit more in her seat, she says "And so how did you meet Korosensei?"

She regrets it just about as soon as she says it. She'd just been trying to make small talk, but who is she kidding!? She already knows how he met him, and it is not pretty.

Spotting the visible discomfort on her face, Reaper only seems to relax more. He gives another lazy shrug… says, "Oh. You know: the usual."

"He killed my father back when I was a kid. I still remember it vividly: him standing out on the balcony and then… woosh. A single swift motion and a rush of blood. That's all it took. He was dead in an instant… and I was enamored." He smiles. Licks his lips. "At the time I thought he was so professional- so good at his job. I wanted to be able to do that just like he could... and so I ran out after him: shouted 'Hey! Please teach me how!'"

There's a dark glint in his eyes, and Aguri averts her gaze… frowning. Briefly she wonders if maybe this person was just born evil. That's his dad he's talking about. How can he sound not distraught or angry but entranced? Maybe he…-

'No,' she reiterates, shaking her head. 'No. He wasn't just born evil. Even if he looks back on it that way now, he probably felt differently at the time.'

And besides… if he was truly evil then Korosensei wouldn't feel bad about what he'd done. There would have been nothing to corrupt. But Korosensei swears he'd seen a light in this person at some point, and so Aguri will, too.

"Oh," she says. "I'm… sorry to hear that."

"Don't be," Reaper says with a shrug. "Like I told you: I wasn't too particularly torn up about it."

Her next thought is to wonder if he's lying. He's… certainly a good actor, and he'd tried to lie to Irina about where he came from. Maybe he's… lying about this too. If not the circumstances, then how he reacted.

'No,' she thinks, silencing the thought. 'That's not right either.' She remembers hearing Korosensei tell her about how he met his apprentice. It was by killing his father, and the boy had seemed enamored from the start.

...A dissonance, then.

"Did you not get along with your dad?"

"Not particularly," Reaper admits. "The man was a tyrant. All 'we've got to do things my way,' you know?" He pauses… drifts off. His hand wanders up towards his chin. "In some ways I suppose that's what I thought all assassination would be… killing tyrants." His expression goes dark, but his smile doesn't fade.

He lets out a thoughtful 'tut tut.' "Little did I know everyone's a tyrant deep down. Monsters with enough inner darkness to wind up on the chopping block. No matter how you try and hide it, everyone's got some skeletons in their closet. Grizzly, gruesome and incriminating."

"I suppose so," Aguri says. She's not sure she agrees, but she'd also prefer not to argue with him. In fact… she'd prefer to drop the topic entirely.

She's busy looking away from him when she spots the flowers on the windowsill. She hadn't noticed them at first- it's hard to in the otherwise dim light- but sure enough, there they are... a splash of color in his life. Golden orange and deep crimson.

"So," she says, trying to change the topic. "What are those? I couldn't help but notice you've got something over there."

Reaper cocks an eyebrow, almost like he doesn't process what she's talking about at first. As his gaze drifts over to the windowsill, however… he relaxes some, and gives another lazy shrug.

"Oh? Those? Just flowers. I grow them in my free time."

"Wow," Aguri says, standing. "Mind if I take a look?"

She's not particularly a plant aficionado, but even she can appreciate that they're pretty. And besides, this is the first thing she's found out about Reaper that doesn't somehow involve murder. She's going to double down on that.

"I don't see why not," he says. "Just don't touch anything."

She makes her way over to the windowsill and crouches down. To her surprise he's got quite an assortment there. Plants with fuzzy red leaves and roses with thorns.

"That's castor," Reaper explains, right behind her. He points down at the fuzzy red plant… smiles. "Excellent for making poisons. Even a single seed can kill a person."

"Oh," Aguri says. "Wow." And so they're already back to the murder.

He continues to explain how the plants can be utilized in deadly ways… but her mind can't help but drift back to the roses. He's got an assortment of them: bright yellow, red and blue.

(...Roses can't be used for killing anybody, can they?)

"So," she says. "Do you just have these to help make poisons, or is it a hobby, too?"

"Bit of both," Reaper says. "I make my poisons by hand, but my green thumb also helps out with my alibi. I pretend to run a flower shop when I'm not killing people. Even make some nice cash on the side."

"Wow," Aguri says. "That's impressive. It must have taken a lot of work to get to that point." She leans in a bit closer… observes the plants. "They all seem really healthy. Good job."

Reaper looks shocked for just half a second, but soon shrugs the praise off. Crouching down beside Aguri, he says "It's not too hard once you know what you're doing."

"Mmm," Aguri says. "Still… it's more than I know." She pauses. "It's nice to see that you have other hobbies. Besides killing, I mean. For a second there I thought it was all you thought about."

Reaper gives another shrug.

"It is, mostly," he says. "All of this is just a distraction. Something worthless I get caught up in when I should really be doing my job."

"I don't think it's worthless," Aguri replies, giving the flowers another look over. "You can't do one thing all of the time. And besides… if no-one else, I'm sure the flowers appreciate it. They're depending on you."

Reaper's quiet. Cocking his head, he says "I suppose so."

"And so what are these ones?" Aguri says, pointing to a pot of pretty blue flowers. "The red ones are castor… and you said the white ones are lilies of the valley. But you still haven't explained these."

"Oh," Reaper says. "Those are just hydrangeas. Nothing particularly useful."

Aguri thinks for a moment.

"And so you wouldn't mind if I buy a pot, then?"

Reaper stares. "Pardon?"

"You said you run a flower shop, right?" Aguri asks. "Can I buy a few? I'll pay you full price."

Reaper's lip twitches. His hand drifts down to his hip.

"Now why would you want that?"

"Why not?" Aguri says. "There's not a particular reason. You just did a good job. They look pretty. I like them."

And she does! Though, truthfully, she just wants to encourage this person. Korosensei said he'd never praised him… right? Then she will. She'll… let him know that he succeeded in something, and in something nonviolent, at that. The act might seem small, but something tells her the perfectly manicured flowers are a lot closer to his heart than she'd initially expect.

"I don't get you," he admits, still not motioning to grab the flowers. "You do remember I tried to kill you, right?"

"Yeah," Aguri says, giving a shrug. "But it's not like you're the first. And you won't be the last, either."

"Your students, then. Why are you doing this for me? You realize it's my job to pull that kind of thing off, yes?"

"Yeah," Aguri says. "Of course. But all the same, that was Korosensei's job, too… and I trust him." A pause. "I understand that everyone makes mistakes sometimes. And while that's in no way okay, we beat you… no-one was hurt in the long run. And I have a feeling they won't be in the future, either. Not only do I think you won't go after us, but even if you do we'll be there to fight back. I'm not afraid."

A pause. "...Which isn't to undermine your abilities, of course. I think you're a really impressive fighter. It was cool how you managed to keep up with me and Karasuma at once. But no-one can fight back against 32 other people. You're outnumbered at best."

"You don't know that," Reaper insists, clenching his jaw. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"Maybe not," Aguri says. "But I do trust you." A pause. "And I do like the flowers. So let me take them off your hands. Please." She's quiet for a bit. "...Think of it as a peace offering."

Reaper sits there, chin in his hand as he shoots her a sideways glance. She can see the cogs turning… the confusion apparent on his face as he realizes she's serious. ' Why, though? What kind of person can think like that?'

It's clear he thinks she's crazy, but that's okay. She doesn't mind being seen as a little nuts as long as he realizes she's genuine. She wants him to know that there's nothing up her sleeve… that she meant what she said today.

"Fine," he says, scooping up the pot. "I still don't get what you're blabbering about, but who am I to turn down a sale? Enjoy." He hands it over… hops to his feet. "The hydrangea: a flower that represents frigidity and heartlessness. That will be 5,200 yen."

'A bit pricey,' Aguri thinks, but she's not going to complain. She's surprised she'd managed to get him to cooperate at all.

"Alright," she says, forking over the money and trying her best to ignore the bleak meaning. That's not what matters right now. What matters is whether or not they're nice to look at, and they are.

"For sure taking a chunk out of my wallet," she admits with an awkward laugh. "I don't usually get paid enough to afford this kind of thing. But I've got a feeling it'll be worth it just this once."

With that she waddles back over to the couch… cradling the plant gently in hand.

"Make sure to look up how to care for them," Reaper instructs, returning to his own seat. "If you end up killing the plant then don't come crying to me."

"Don't worry," Aguri reassures. "I will." She glances back down at the flowers… thinks it over. "I think a few of the girls in my class have a bit of a green thumb. If I have too much trouble then I can always ask them."

"Mmm," Reaper says, seemingly relieved to have a bit of the attention diverted from him. He kicks a leg up… cocks an eyebrow. "And so you're doing that too, then?"

"Doing what?"

"Teaching," Reaper clarifies. "It's not just him."

"Oh," Aguri says. "Yeah. It's the four of us: Korosensei, Karasuma, Irina and I. I got into it before the rest of them… recommended it to Korosensei, actually. I told him I thought it'd be good for him."

Reaper sneers a bit.

"Has it?"

"Yeah," Aguri says, unphased. "He's learned a lot about what it means to be patient. What it means to protect something smaller than himself." She gives a soft smile… strokes the plant. "I do wish that he could have done it sooner, but seeing as how he wasn't given the chance, I'm just happy with how much he has changed. He's come a long way."

"I don't see how you can believe in that," Reaper admits. "You said you became a human experiment because he screwed you over, yeah? What makes him any different now? He's good at hiding his feelings… deceitful by nature. How do you know he's not just planning something? Going to screw you over again?"

"Well, there's no way to know for sure," Aguri replies. "You're right about that much. But… he's been honest with me. He's told me about all sorts of things he wouldn't have any reason to. Things that he knows might change my perspective of him. Things that hurt him inside."

"What? Like his tragic backstory? That's classic trying to butter you up."

"Well… yes, that. But other things, too. Things that might make me feel far less sympathetic." A pause. "...Things like the way he treated you."

"Oh," Reaper says, blinking. "And so he really shared that."

"Not in an effort to discredit you or disclose something personal," Aguri clarifies. "It's just… I'm an abuse victim, too. He wanted me to know what I was getting into. Allow me to make the choice to want to be around him or not myself."

She still feels weird saying it… that phrase 'abuse.' But what else is she supposed to call it? She believes without a doubt that Reaper was abused- that Korosensei abused him, and she's trying to bridge the gap between them. She can't call it something else. Not in that context. That'd undermine what he went through.

"I think… that what he did to you was terrible," Aguri says. "And while I love him, that's not at all okay. That's something I'll always be a little bit jaded about… in the same way that I'll never be okay with the fact that you attacked the kids. Which isn't to put you on his level, of course. I guess I just want you to know that… that I sympathize with you. That that's part of the reason I'm here right now."

Reaper looks a bit skeptical. Rolling his eyes, he says "I think you've misunderstood. I'm not sure what sort of fucked up situation you came from, but I wasn't 'abused.' I simply-"

"Yes," Aguri interjects. "You were. I know that it's easy to try and soften the blow… that you think you're too good for that or that it wasn't that bad, but you were." A pause. "He told me that he used to hit you. How old were you when you became his apprentice again?"

Reaper shifts a bit. Huffing, he says, "That doesn't matter. That's just how life is when you're an assassin, alright? I don't hate the old man because I think I'm some victim. I hate him because he wasn't even a good teacher… because I've outgrown him, and now I'll never need him again. That's all. He's useless."

Aguri doesn't believe that for a minute. His expression is still, but his eyes are sad. And while there's certainly hatred in them, she's not sure that has very much to do with uselessness at all.

"Well... either way," she says. "I do believe Korosensei. Because he told me what he did even knowing I might see it as abuse." A pause. "That I would. He didn't have to do that. But I think that he wants to take accountability. That he feels bad for what happened. And… I appreciate that from him."

"Besides, you might not have seen it yet, but he's a lot less good at hiding than he used to be," she continues. "Korosensei, he's… a different person from the original Reaper. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Even when he tries to pretend to be stronger than he really is, his emotions are clear. They show on his face like he's some kind of open book."

"And even before that he had a tell," she says. "When talking about you, I mean. About anything that made him feel sad." She shifts a bit in her seat. "It showed in his eyes. He could fake a smile or a frown, you're right- but they were empty most of the time… at least until he started getting attached." A pause. "Then something changed. I know it did. Because he started smiling from ear to ear. And this time with his whole face."

"And so you believe everything he's said then?" Reaper asks. "About wanting to be a teacher? About caring for you?"

"Of course," Aguri replies. "And he hasn't just said those things. He's shown me with his actions. I don't know about everything else… but I believe that without a doubt. That he… is happy being here. And I believe what he said to you last week, too."

Reaper glowers. Thoroughly unpressed, he asks "You mean about…?"

He drifts off.

"About being proud of you?" She asks. "Yes. He's mentioned you a lot, Reaper. Both in the lab and outside of it. He regrets how he treated you… and he hopes that you can do better. That it's not too late for you." A pause. "No- he knows that it's definitely not. He believes that without a doubt."

"He wants to see you heal. Wants to… reconnect with you and do things right this time. I don't know if he can- that's ultimately up to you, but if there's anything I think he wishes he could say to you it's 'You're not born for evil. I… underestimated you. And so please don't give up, alright? You're capable of doing so many incredible things.'"

Reaper's lip twitches. Looking away for just a split second, he asks "Why isn't he telling me this himself?"

"I think that he tried," Aguri replies. "But you don't want to hear that from him right now, do you? You wouldn't believe it regardless of what he said." A pause. "And besides… I feel alright telling you that. Because those words are mine, too. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just predicting what he'd say and I'm entirely wrong. But I know what I think, and I think that too. For real. So… take it from me, alright? You're… still good. It's not too late for you at all."

Reaper's silent for a minute. Glancing towards the hydrangeas and then back towards his lap he bites down on his lip. For a split second Aguri wonders if it's going to bleed, but then she remembers it's dead skin.

"And so what's the expectation then?" He asks. "For me to come crawling back to him?"

"No," Aguri says. "I don't think that's the expectation at all."

Briefly, she's tempted to say she thinks Korosensei would be content to run forever. That he'd be relieved in some way if he never had to see his apprentice again. But she resists. No- that's not what Reaper needs to hear. And besides, she's not even entirely sure that's true.

Korosensei's scared, not content.

"I think the expectation is just to take his words at face value. You never have to see him again if you don't want to, but he wants you to believe in yourself. Accept that… the way he feels about you really has changed, and that he meant the kind things he said."

"But what if… I don't want to depend on that?" Reaper asks. "What if I'm already fine on my own? I don't need his- his dumb validation to feel good about myself! I know I'm good at what I do!"

"...Do you?" Aguri asks, cocking her head.

Reaper doesn't answer.

"Either way I'd like to see you try. And I'll be here to check in until you feel ready to confront him. That way you don't have to think about him defining your self worth, but you can still have someone cheering you on. That's not too bad, is it?" She frowns. "And I'm not just doing this as a favor or because I feel bad for you. I like you- I'd like to get to know the real you. What else you like besides assassination and gardening."

"Mmm," Reaper says. He looks unsure for just one more second… but soon shrugs it off. "Either way… I think you should probably get going. We've discussed everything we need to today."

"Are you sure?" Aguri asks. "That's rather sudden."

"Yeah," Reaper says. "I'm sure."

He opens his mouth as if to extrapolate, but just as soon shuts it. 'No,' she's sure he's thinking. 'Explaining is vulnerability in and of itself.'

"Alright then," she says, standing. She wishes that she could have gotten to talk to him more… but it's clear that he's exhausted. She won't push. She's lucky enough to have gotten to get through to him a bit at all. "I'll go now. Thank you for hearing me out."

"Mmm," Reaper says. "Thank you for stopping by. And for the purchase. You were amusing if nothing else."

"I'm glad to hear it," Aguri says. "Do you mind if I get your phone number? I'd like to be able to keep in contact with you in the future. Y'know… ask if I can stop by again."

Reaper hesitates, but does eventually retrieve a banged-up-cell.

"It's just a burner phone," he says. "So don't expect to be able to turn me in or track my location. But if you're really so insistent then I'm not going to stop you. Do whatever you'd like."

Aguri takes the phone… entering the number and then adding hers back to it just for good measure. She hands it back over to Reaper… giving a smile.

"Thank you," she says. "I'll let you know if I need anything. And you just let me know if you'd like to see me again too, alright?" A small laugh. "Maybe I'll stop by with brownies once you realize I really don't wanna hurt you."

"Hmmm," Reaper says. "I can't exactly say I'm interested, but I'm not going to turn down free food, either." He glances back over at the box of cookies. Starts to return his own fake smile, but soon peters off.

'That's okay,' Aguri thinks. 'He's got a lot weighing on him right now. Quite frankly the fact that he can't pretend is a good thing. And besides…'

Much like his mentor, whether he wants to hide it or not he smiles with his eyes.

"I'll be seeing you around," he says. "If you'd find use in that, I mean."

"Of course," Aguri replies. "I'll be seeing you again soon." She starts to leave, but pauses… stops in the doorway.

"For the record," she says. "I'd just like to say that I'm sorry you're going through this. It must be a lot to process. But… keep your head up, alright? I've got a feeling it'll all be for the best. After all, even if it's kind of nuts, at least you can finally hear what you should have a long time ago."

Reaper's quiet. Not responding, he instead simply says "...Be careful on your way home, mm? And keep an eye on the old man for me."

"I will. And- uh- I'll pass on your regards."

With that… she's gone. The minute she's out of there she feels her nonexistent knees buckle. She's exhausted. She hadn't even realized it until she'd gotten out of the oppressive atmosphere, but Reaper's room was suffocating. As happy as she is that she got to chat with him, he's a kind of sad person, too.

(Difficult. Impossible to navigate conversation with. Suspicious. Untrusting.)

It's going to take her a long while to get him to open up. She'd thought she was really getting somewhere for a while there, but his walls had returned. A shame, but she's not exactly surprised. How long did it take her again to get through to his mentor?

All she's got to do is keep trying. Keep making baby steps. And hopefully sooner rather than later he'll be able to accept Korosensei's support too.

She briefly remembers what he said to her: 'It's not your job to fix my mess.' And leaving the motel she dwells on that… she knows that for a fact, and her whole body aches, yet she doesn't mind taking this on herself. Why?

Because Korosensei can't do it? Because his protege simply won't accept? Or is it something else? Something that makes her feel like she has to fix him?

...She knows what it is. She'd meant what she'd said about wanting to know him. Not just because he's a part of Korosensei's family, but because they're one in the same. She sees herself in Reaper. And that's why she can't let him down. Why she has to help even if it hurts.

She never wants anyone to feel the way she did… pretending she was okay alone.

Everyone deserves a support system. Even scary, difficult people. And as standoffish as Reaper had been, something tells her he's not that difficult, after all.

After all, he's still young. And he'd been willing to sell her flowers at the very least.

Korosensei's on her the minute she's home. Looking nervous as hell, he asks how it went.

"Well, I think," Aguri says. "Well… not well- well, but… well." She holds up the pot of hydrangeas. "See?"

"Did he give you those?" Korosensei asks, cocking his head.

"No," Aguri says with a laugh. "I bought them. But still pretty cool, aren't they? I thought it could be a nice way to build up his confidence."

"Yes," Korosensei says, hand drifting up to his chin. "He always was interested in that sort of thing."

He's quiet for a bit… watching as Aguri places the flowers down on the table.

"Did he seem like he wanted to talk to me? Or was he… still distant?"

"I think he'd like to talk eventually," Aguri says. "But for now just give him time. He's trying to rationalize the fact that you've changed, and that's hard. But I think once he sees you more he'll realize. He just has to come to that conclusion on his own terms, you know?"

"Mmm," Korosensei says, stepping in slightly closer. "Well… thank you for checking in on him either way. And I'm glad he seems to have taken to you."

'I'm not sure about that,' Aguri thinks, but doesn't voice it. She's giving herself too little credit. She made some headway. She was never going to be able to do much more than that with the situation he's in.

"Me too," she says. "And what about you? How did the parent teacher meetings go?"

Korosensei wilts a bit.

"Okay... for the most part."

"For the most part?" Aguri asks.

"A… parent got into an argument with me. Seemed intent on pulling her son from the class regardless of what I said."

"You're not going to let her, are you?"

"No," Korosensei says. "Of course not. But all the same… I'm worried. There's very little I can do as an educator. All I can hope is that he stands up for himself. And that kind of thing is… difficult."

Aguri feels a pang of sadness. Briefly she feels bad for missing out… wonders if there's something she could have said. But she shakes it off, says:

"Well, there's still a few days before the trimester ends. We've got time to figure it out. You've raised some awfully brave students. I'm sure everything will be alright."

"Mmm," Korosensei says, and reaches out for her hand. "Though I must correct you on one thing: we've raised some awfully brave students. Give yourself some credit, alright?"

"Alright," Aguri says… leaning into him. That she thinks she can do.

She's exhausted for the rest of the night. She brings her hydrangeas into her room… sits them on the windowsill. She looks up their meaning, briefly, curious if Reaper was right.

Sure enough, they do represent frigidity and heartlessness. But there's a second meaning, too.

'Gratitude for being understood.'

...Aguri smiles.

She decides to leave them on the windowsill. They're a nice splash of color. And Korosensei's eyes drift to them, too, as he enters the room. He sits down on her bed… but doesn't fall asleep yet. Actually glances her way and says.

"You know… I believe I forgot something at the school. Want to come with me and grab them? It's not too late for a late-night fly."

"I don't see why not," Aguri says. She's had a long day. Getting to just relax with him sounds nice.

She gets to her feet. Though little does she know somewhere a torch has sparked… and this day hasn't ended quite yet at all.