"Why were you…looking into her background?" Jin could feel his heart racing as he ran trembling fingers through his hair again and again. He was sitting on his bed in the motel room, the afterglow of waking up with Neneko quickly fading. All traces of bliss were replaced with a sense of absolute dread and panic.

If Shigaraki finds out about her quirk, he'll want her. No way! Her quirk's lousy! I can't let anything happen to her! I promised I wouldn't let her get hurt again! It's not that dangerous! Gritting his teeth, he slouched. "No…"

Giran, totally unfazed by all of this, continued. "It's pretty messed up, Bubaigawara. Honestly, I think I'd break it off before you get too close."

"Stop. Just stop talking!"

"Huh? So you don't want to know?" He sighed in mock-resignation. "I guess I read you wrong. I thought you were pretty serious about that girl, but I guess not. You don't even want to know her background."

To anyone else, it would seem like Giran was baiting him. After all, he was saying how messed up Neneko's past was, but then going on about Jin not caring. Jin, however, was a little too trusting when it came to Giran. He saw him more as a friend than a broker and legitimately thought he was looking out for him.

"Fine." He reached for his cigarettes and lighter, guilt already making his stomach twist in anxious knots. It was a heavy sort of guilt; combined from feeling like he was invading her privacy as well as hating himself for not wanting to know.

"Did she tell you she was quirkless? Because she told me she didn't have a quirk. I did some digging and found out she's got a pretty powerful quirk they call "melancholy voice". She raises her voice too much and it hits a pitch that makes everyone in earshot start feeling pretty depressed. You know the phrase "she's a black widow"?"

Jin stared down at the floor as he lit a cigarette. "No."

"Okay, I'll just put it out there. Every guy she's dated is either dead or they had to be hospitalized because of her quirk. Imagine going at it and she goes to make a noise and-"

"Stop it. Please." The last thing that Jin wanted to think about was Neneko being with someone else. Even if it was in the past. It just hurt too much to imagine her with another guy.

"Well, anyway, there's that. Then there's the other shit from her past. Her old man basically bought her mom off her grandparents and forced her into the marriage. They say she killed her dad, you know. What else? There was a bunch of kids that had to be hospitalized from her middle school. A few of them from her high school that were pretty traumatized after hearing her raise her voice."

He reached over to the little table next to his bed and picked up the handkerchief she had given him the night they met. Staring down at the blood-stained, flower-printed piece of fabric, it was hard to imagine any of this being true. Kuroiwa Neneko was soft-spoken, kind beyond words. To think her past was so gruesome was just unimaginable and he hated to think of her going through so much pain.

"It's…not true," he finally spoke.

"Huh? Are you saying I'm making this all up?" Giran sounded annoyed now.

"She wouldn't…hurt anyone. Neneko isn't like that at all! It isn't true! It's definitely true! No! Neneko…wouldn't…hurt anyone! I know her!"

"Look, you might think you know her, but I'd still keep a safe distance. She's dangerous."

"Giran, she isn't like that!" Jin was starting to sweat, getting frustrated and panicky. He knew what Giran was going to say. It was inevitable. He can't say anything to Shigaraki! If anything happened to Neneko, I'd die! I don't want to live without her! I'd die if she dies! It's not that serious!

There was a brief pause before the broker spoke those words that Jin absolutely dreaded. "She'd make a pretty powerful villain, don't you think? Maybe I'll mention her to Shigaraki."

"Don't do that! Neneko isn't a villain! She's too nice! I don't…want anything to happen to her! She's my soulmate! Don't tell Shigaraki!" he blurted out. Putting a hand over his mouth, his eyes narrowed down at the floor and he gritted his teeth to stop himself from speaking again.

"Heh. I knew it was serious. Fine; I won't say anything to Shigaraki right now. I can't make any promises in the future though."

Shift P.O.V

Neneko sneezed and frowned, murmuring a quiet apology and bowing slightly. The second time that I've sneezed in the past few minutes. Almost as if someone may be talking about me. Though who that could be, I am uncertain. I doubt that I am interesting enough to gossip about.

"Allergies?" The man across the table appeared almost smug.

"No…simply a sneeze."

"Sure it's not a cold? Your voice sounds rough."

She frowned and resumed her task of translating a letter from Japanese to English. All the while, she chewed at her bottom lip. "Though, I suppose, if you suspect I may have a cold…it may be best for you to leave, Kurono-san. I could send the document to you through email. After all…if Chisaki-san were to know that you remained in my presence, despite suspecting I may be ill…well…I have a feeling that Chisaki-san would be quite displeased."

Across from her, Kurono slowly tilted his head. A half-smile formed on his lips, but the amusement it held was malevolent. "Guess I was imagining it."

Neneko knew he had no desire to leave any time soon. After all, this was a special time for him. He could sit there on her couch, drinking tea and eating whatever snack she provided, petting the cat when it wandered into the tea room. Enjoying a bit of simplicity before he had to go back to work.

To call them friends would be an insult to friendship. This was more like the sort of relationship a wildebeest has with a bird. The wildebeest lets it eat the bugs from its hair, which benefits the wildebeest. The bird offers its services of eating the bugs, which benefits the bird. A relationship of convenience.

She glanced toward her phone as she worked. Try as she might, Neneko found herself thinking about that morning. Each time she thought about it, she felt her face heating up to a warm pink. It was proving difficult to focus on the translations.

Waking up with Jin, being held by him so securely, feeling his warm body beneath hers. It made her heart race and she had to cover her mouth to hide a smile. Neneko could not remember the last time she felt so happy. Even if it had been a little intimate, considering the two were not even dating at this point.

Unfortunately, Kurono noticed her glancing at her phone and quirked an eyebrow. "Expecting someone?"

"No…not exactly." She knew that if he knew about Jin, it would definitely reach his boss's ears. If Chisaki Kai knew that such a distraction existed, it could end very badly. One such incident had already occurred in the past.

"Hoping to hear from someone," he corrected himself.

She ran her fingers through her dark hair, pushing a stray lock behind her right ear. Her eyes narrowed on the papers spread out before her and her frown deepened. Neneko spared him a brief glance. "I hate to sound rude, but…I've noticed that Chisaki-san's visits have grown few and far between. Additionally, these translations are becoming rather…peculiar…"

"Kai's busy with his own business." Kurono's eyes lit up as he heard a meow from the doorway. He turned his head and watched as the cat trotted over to his couch, every muscle tensed as if he was having to really restrain himself from moving to greet the cat before it reached him.

"I see…" Neneko finished up a page of translations and turned to the next, pausing to chew at her thumbnail. Her gaze lifted and she watched as Kurono lifted the pale cat onto his lap. Yori, I must remember to thank you later. Perhaps I could express my gratitude with some catnip treats. Honestly…his eyes leave me so unsettled. I always feel as though Kurono-san is waiting for me to do something wrong.

The pale-haired yakuza lifted the cat a little so they were at eye level and his lips curled slightly. "What's wrong? You miss Kai?"

"Miss him…? His business with me is strictly that; business."

"I guess." Kurono leaned back, making himself comfortable for the first time since he had arrived an hour ago. He held the cat's dainty paws, moving them a little and seeming to marvel at the feline's patience with him.

He abruptly seemed to remember something and looked from the cat to Neneko. "Kai wanted me to get some of that tea from you. You still have the kind he likes, right?"

Shift P.O.V

Other guys. Of course, he knew she had been with other guys. It made sense; she was probably really popular with guys. She was cute. At least, he thought she was cute. She's not cute. She's beautiful. She's the cutest thing ever! Jin lit a cigarette and leaned his head back against the bricks as he inhaled.

He should have felt great. He had slept in her apartment, holding her. He got to wake up to her sweet, sleeping face near his. Jin could feel flickers of that happiness, but the idea of her being with someone else threatened to snuff out that joy. He rubbed at the scar on his forehead as he tried to calm himself down now. Getting upset would only make him act rashly.

Everything would have been fine if Giran could have just kept his research to himself. There was no reason for Jin to know about all that stuff. He had no wish to know about it. He had even told Giran, bluntly, to stop talking about it. Now it was all he could think about. Although, it was less about the gossip about her hurting people and more about her love life.

What kind of guys does she like? She probably goes for smart guys, like that kid that works for her. She's totally into guys like me! I'm her type! Jin's heart raced at that thought, but he knew it made no sense. Why would someone like her…like someone like me? She deserves someone better. She's head over heels for me! We're soulmates!

"…soulmates…" He slid down the brick wall and crouched in the alley, running his fingers through his hair and trying to soothe himself. Trying to imagine it was her digits, her warm fingertips skimming over his scalp. He was so familiar with the scent of lavender and chamomile by this point that he could conjure it to mind at will.

Jin dug in his pocket for his phone to check the time. It was early afternoon. Definitely too early to go back to her apartment; he would be bothering her. She had a lot of work since she was so good at her job.

She should be with someone smart, he thought as he released a frustrated sigh. He stood and rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to decide what to do with the rest of his day. It had taken him this long just to summon up the willpower to leave his motel room. Staying in there just meant being trapped with his thoughts.

She should be with someone smarter. Some guy with a good job. Nah! She's way better off with a guy like me! I can't even take her out anywhere. She deserves better. Jin spotted someone familiar and raised an eyebrow. He stepped closer to the opening of the alley, trying to get a better view.

The college student was smiling and carrying grocery bags. He paused in his steps and pushed up his glasses before checking his phone. Seemingly satisfied with whatever he had looked at, he continued on his way in the direction of Neneko's apartment building.

It was by no means the young man's fault. After all, he and Jin had never actually interacted. He only knew the young man by his appearance, from seeing him come and go from Neneko's building. However, this being the case, Jin had also never seen him interact with Neneko. He had no way of knowing the dynamic of their relationship, but he found himself growing jealous as soon as he saw the boy.

Jealousy made him walk behind the young man at a distance. As hard as he tried to not think about Neneko being friendly with this stranger, Jin could not help but wonder how the guy felt about her. If this young man had a crush on her. If he ever thought about holding her or falling asleep next to her. If he had plans to tell her that he loved her.

His cigarette was finished rather quickly before he had to light another one. Jin kept his distance, but his heart was pounding. Sweat beaded on his skin as he found himself glaring at this simple college student that was Neneko's assistant. For a moment, he considered snatching her groceries from him and taking them to her apartment himself. It would definitely surprise her.

Jin's pace quickened as they neared her building, unsure of what exactly he would do, but knowing he had to do something. When he was just a few feet behind the younger man, he scrambled to think of what Neneko had said his name was. Was it Kenta? It's Kita! He blurted out the name, drawing the young man's attention.

Pushing up his glasses, the younger man tilted his head. "Ah. Yes? Can I help you?" he greeted Jin.

Trying to keep his expression light, the villain approached. "Maybe…"