"Are you going to tell me now?"

Hana felt her jaw writhe in pain as she tightened her jaw, not bothering with replies by now.

Dae-Hyun threw his hand out to point at the door before them, "Well we're right here; this is pretty much your last chance to quell my worries, as it were."

They stood face to face with the door leading into the apartment denoted in the note Katsura Sugita had left with them. Saturday evening had fast approached, though the two had spoken little since the incident: Dae-Hyun not for lack of trying, and Hana due to his incessance. Still, they were both expected to be here, leaving the two of them meeting up only for Hana's patience to be immediately tested, and the two of them had been silent for most of the trek up here.

"On my way," came Katsura's voice from the doorbell.

Dae-Hyun pleaded, "Hana, tell me what you're thinking. Please!"

She shot a glare at him, "Nothing. We were invited to a meal with a fan, and here we are."

"Oh yeah, and that explains the absolute radio silence this week," came a lament from her agent, his shoulders faltering for a moment, "You're not actually thinking about agreeing to join that army project, are you?"

She shrugged, not even able to unwind her shoulders before Dae-Hyun groaned like a child refused dessert, "Hana!"

"What's the big problem? So what if I want to say yes?" she questioned sincerely, "Since when do you get to tell me what to do?"

"Uhh, since I became your agent," Dae-Hyun shot back with pithy dour, "How many internationals are we gonna get you to if you're dead?!"

Hana sighed, trying her damndest to remain calm before dinner, "They said all safety-"

"That's bullshit and you know it," came the accusation, "Coyote's up in shit right now; you know he dropped out of the fall tourney in three weeks. What's wrong with you? Seriously!"

Her brow coursing forward, Hana asserted plainly, "I don't care!"

"You know, your brother-!"

The door clicked open, forcing Dae-Hyun's lips to seal shut, even though the two's stances clearly indicated a row of some sort. Katsura watched with concern for but a brief moment before clearing his throat.

"Welcome," he nodded, stepping back to allow the two inside, "My daughter is in the living room; one second, please."

Whatever ill will had been between the two dissipated quite readily upon stepping into the engineer's home. Awed as they were by the clash of styles, a combination of Japanese and Korean accouterments and decor which seemed to have been collected and brought here in some haphazard trove before recently being half-organized, the two guests strode about lazily while their eyes examined all that now surrounded them.

"I knew smart people were disorganized, but I thought it was just in their heads," Dae-Hyun muttered quietly, "There's even some more moving boxes over there."

Hana groaned, "It's impolite to pry."

"I'm not prying, I'm admiring the craftsmanship. It's not every day you see posters tacked onto the wall without frames," he pushed himself up onto his toes while leaning to peer deeper into the hallway, "or Squeezemallow pets in such abundance."

Immediately foregoing her own criticism, Hana hopped to his side, pushing herself up as best she could to simulate his own prying motions, "What? Where?!"

Nearly pushing him to the floor with her insistent movement, Dae-Hyun pushed her back upright just as they heard the voices of their hosts coming through the opposite end of the house.

"Your first real experience with fan interaction!" Dae-Hyun exclaimed in a low tone, tapping Hana's shoulder with his elbow, "How do you feel?"

She shrugged, "Like normal?"

"Nuh uh," her agent instructed, straightening up her appearance with quick hand motions, causing Hana to chuckle as she pulled back, "You use gaming to propel you to stardom. This is the stuff that keeps you at the top, alright? One fan event, get you on some podcasts; pretty soon you're in television shows like those ones in the U.S. where twelve men vie for your attention."

Hana pushed him away, smirking as she loosened a scoff, "Shut up."

"Maybe even a movie or two," Dae-Hyun noted with a tinge of longing.

Unable to help the sparkle in her eyes, Hana bounced back to attention as Katsura stepped into the living area, looking over his shoulder.

"She'll be right-"

"What's the surprise, dad?!"

Hana Suguta burst out from the hallway with a zealous exuberance, her blank expression immediately bursting into one of terror as she realized who was standing in her home. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, eyes wide like saucers.

"Oh- Oh my god!" she turned to her father, now whispering, "That's-"

He nodded, earning the room an timid "eep!" from the teen from behind her clenched hands.

Hana Song gave a friendly enough smile as she raised an open hand in greeting, forcing Hana Sugita to turn to her father once again, "She waving."

He smirked, only with the most meager of movements, "That's usually what happens when two people meet, isn't it?"

"I know, but-" she paused, "What if she's different from on stream?"

Her earnest demeanor shone through, affording her patience from the two guests, even as her father assured her, "I suppose you'll just have to chat with her and find out, then, won't you?"

Hana Sugita eyed Hana Song skeptically, only perking up Dae-Hyun dug his elbow into the gaming prodigy's arm, forcing Hana to growl at him in recoil, "Hey!"

Her agent shrugged, "Dude, it's super awkward. Can't you feel it?"

Dae-Hyun turned to Hana Sugita, waving a wayward finger around to nobody in particular, "Can't you?"

Sugita giggled, though her eponymous counterpart was much less jovial, grabbing at Dae-Hyun's arm and yanking him around in place to retaliate. With her revenge proffered, Hana Song groaned, shaking her head toward the two hosts.

"I apologize for my agent."

"And friend," Dae-Hyun reminded.

Hana rolled her eyes, "Sometimes."

With a youthful exuberance, Hana Sugita quaked with laughter, reminding Song to step forward to offer her hand in greeting.

"Hana Song."

Sugita nodded with excitement, "I know. I've seen all of your matches since last year!"

She began counting absently on her fingertips, "I remember all your wins, K/D's, everything! That Busan Invitational finals match was extraordinary!"

Hana Song's brow fell, "I wish other people remembered such things…"

Becoming of a nervous constitution, Dae-Hyun could only eye the wall while scratching the back of his head.

"What all have you, I guess, studied about my play style?"

Nearly bursting with reckless abandon, Hana Sugita lined her voice with an intense excitement, "Everything! You remember your match against AJX13?!"

Hana Song's eyes went blank, "I, uh-"

"You made a critical decision at three-forty that sealed the match! Your main force was sent out, but you left a few in reserve, coming in in handy at twelve-eleven when arming your counterattack!"

Hana's eyes remained placid, leaving the excited Hana's expression to fall as though she had inadvertently said something wrong, "S- Sorry, I-"

"Oh, no!" Song assured immediately, raising her hands open in apology.

Sugita groaned, "I know I'm weird."

"Oh, please. Dae-Hyun is weird; you're fine. I was just taken aback by how much you knew; I was told you were a fan, not a genius."

Smirking, Sugita giggled mutely, "To be fair, my father isn't-"

She trailed off, forcing her father to admit begrudgingly, "I know much, but whatever it is you kids do is often beyond my understanding."

Katsura shrugged, continuing with a trace of awe in his voice, "I knew my daughter was excited about this stuff, I just wasn't aware it amounted to being so crucial to somebody in your trade."

"It's no different from other athletes," Dae-Hyun nodded, "Strategy, understanding your opponent, split-second decision making. There are plenty of advantages knowing how you play, and how to lull your opponent with that information before changing things.

"I try to be serviceable, but," he nervously attempted to admit, "I'm an agent for a reason, not a coach."

"Coach or not, I've grown to admire your brand of enjoyment quite a deal more than just last week," explained Katsura rather simply, "I've spent many hours the last week watching what -what was it?- egamers do. It's quite astounding."

Impressed, Hana Song asked, "Well, if you're as knowledgeable as all that, I would love to hear your thoughts on how I might improve for our next tournament."

"Your next tournament?" questioned Sugita, her father listening with intrigue.

Dae-Hyun chuckled, nerves reverberating through his chest, "We're just trying to find the funds to get there, but there's that big Worlds event in Europe. We're hoping to place in the top five, but the competition will be tough."

"I'll bet!" Hana Sugita exclaimed, "But I'm sure-"

While the teen and Dae-Hyun went on, Katsura leaned toward the elder Hana with a nod, "I'll finish up dinner. You two make yourselves at home."

Smiling in reply, Hana gave the same nod in answer as her host vacated the room, leaving the three to meander around for a place to sit, with Hana Sugita leading the others to the kotatsu that say in the middle of the room to create something of a centerpiece amongst the rough-hewn clutter pushed into some semblance of organization.

"We haven't really unpacked still," came a nervous explanation from Hana, "but we still managed to set this up. The heated floors kind of defeat the purpose, but- It's nice nonetheless."

Dae-Hyun admired the piece of furniture, rubbing his chin with an approving hum.

"Has it been with you since you were born?" Hana Song wondered.

Smiling brightly, Sugita answered in a bright way, "Yes! Some of my earliest memories center around sitting with my mom and dad underneath this blanket. It just feels like home, you know."

Hana Song laughed with a nervous timbre that only Dae-Hyun could have caught, he being the only one to know about how tumultuous a topic that was for the two of them.

"I tried my best to…" Hana Sugita thought for a moment, "I tried to learn about Korea before our move, but- There's just so much. It's a bit overwhelming. I don't exactly-"

She stopped, eying the two as if silently judging their strength of character, biting her tongue before explaining, "It's difficult for me to…learn things, remember things."

Hana Song widened her eyes, "That's surprising, actually, after all that back there."

"Oh, well, with things I love, it's easy! Just…things like multiplication tables or routine activities that are boring…" Sugita attempted to explain, cautious in her watch to see if her two guests were understanding, "Ever since I was a child. But that's why I enjoy watching you so much."

She smiled, doing little to hide her crimson expression besides merely turning her head away slightly, "Trends and tactics… They change, so it's exciting. And you're very unpredictable, so it's fun…to see what you'll do next, I mean."

"Well, I hate to call it instinct," Hana Song explained, looking away while wearing a smirk, "I just do what feels right at any time. My brother was always unpredictable, so I guess I needed to learn to do the same to beat him."

"Brother?" Sugita wondered in a shock, "You could have invited him too!"

"No, was," Hana chuckled for a nervous moment, "He passed on a few years ago."

Terrified her misstep might have ruined everything, including the fabric of reality, Hana Sugita covered her mouth, eyes thrown wide as she immediately apologize, "I-! I'm so s- sorry! I didn't-!"

"It's okay," Hana Song assured as gracious as she could muster, "It's nothing, now, that I can't handle."

She perked up, "You would've liked him, though. He was even better at games then I was. He'd take the three of us to internet cafes after school and we practically lived there."

"That's probably where you got so good at being adaptive," Dae-Hyun chuckled while scratching the nape of his neck, "You never have a clue what type of keyboard or mouse you're gonna get at one of those places, or especially what your ping looks like. She still got really good at just picking stuff up and playing like a girl on fire. Chuwon, though, was just- wow. He was on another level, but egaming wasn't really a thing then."

He shrugged, his melancholy grin stretching thin, "Then, he never really did it for sport. I think it was just for us- what we were into. He just happened to be pretty baller at it, as the kids say."

Hana Sugita smiled, "He sounds pretty amazing. I don't have any siblings, but he makes it sound incredible."

"Oh, he was still a brother," Hana Song groaned, rolling her eyes in sardonic bravado, "A pain in my ass most of the time, swapping out my school lunches with some American gas stop junk instead of my noodles, giving me noogies that put craters into my scalp-"

She shook as if to ward off those terrible memories coming back to her before sighing, "He was also our parent when we had none, I guess. Made sure we were where we needed to be- school, appointments. There to help lull me back to sleep when I had nightmares about our parents."

Dae-Hyun chuckled, "So horrible."

"I said a pain in the ass, not horrible," Hana clarified with a simple retort, "Big difference."

Hana Sugita hid a giggle behind her open palm.

"Not really, tiny rabbit," Dae-Hyun teased, preemptively recoiling to avoid Hana's swipe.

Hana fell back into order, rather begrudgingly, in an attempt to remain somewhat proper, though Dae-Hyun merely chuckled like a school boy having stolen from a cookie jar.

"That's a cute pet name," Hana Sugita commented between giggles.

Song seethed, doing her best to reply politely, "It's not a pet name…"

"Chuwon called her that constantly, just to get a rise out of her," Dae-Hyun laughed while explaining, "Hates it to this day."

The younger Hana began in singsong, using the Japanese term as though to avoid offense, "Usagi~ Usagiii~"

Snickering to himself, Dae-Hyun fought the urge to mention Hana Song's infuriating association with her tiny size, though whatever minute sound that did come from him still served to force Hana to reach out and punch his shoulder, rather hard, actually. He recoiled while laughing, causing Hana Sugita to do much the same, the scene of wayward chaos catching Katsura's attention as he peered around the corner.

"Dinner is ready," came the announcement while his eyes tensed forward curiously, not bothering to ask before disappearing once again.

Hana Sugita excitedly hopped in place for a moment, her explanation coming with rampant joy, "Oh my goodness, you're gonna love it! My father's meals are always excellent!"

"Nice!" came Dae-Hyun's own excited reply, composing himself now that Hana Song was doing the same, "What's the menu?"

Hana's eyes went blank in an instant, lost in the space between the two of them as though her mind had just switched off. Dae-Hyun watched her for a few moment, unable to keep from showing his visible confusion for a hair's breadth of time before recognizing her current challenge, feeling guilty that he had allowed such a moment to pass by. The slight had forced him into awkward air, and he bit his lip as Hana Sugita went on in her mind, displaced from reality as she struggled to comprehend either the word or the menu itself.

"Food, dumbass," came the relieving voice of Hana Song, who smacked her agent's arm, "Now make way; I'm hungry."

As though in shock, Dae-Hyun progressed suddenly to where Katsura had disappeared, leaving the Hanas there, Sugita groaning with some placid relief as though having been freed from a prison of her own intelligible construction. Hana Song smiled as if in understanding, gently patting the teen's shoulder.

"Sorry," came a weary voice from Sugita, hanging her head low.

Song chuckled, "Sorry for what? We're all weird."

Catching a wire-thin smile, Hana Song waved for Sugita to follow along, "Well, come on now! You said dinner was gonna be awesome!"

Her small laugh hidden behind her smirk, Sugita followed along behind her eponymous twin into the other room where Dae-Hyun was already hard at work arranging his place setting to best suit him, much to Katsura's noticeable chagrin.

"Do you have those wooden chopsticks?" he asked without moderation, "These aluminum ones are murder on the knuckles."

Katsura rolled his lips between both sets of teeth before nodding dutifully and returning to the kitchen. This allowed fair passage for Song and Sugita to find their own places at the table, sitting joined by a corner on the small piece of furniture that barely sat four. Hana Song took the chance to examine the new surroundings, catching note that the kitchen and dining area were quite neat compared to the living area they'd come from. It appeared to be far more lived in; despite its cleanliness, she saw the marks of such things. The neatly hung hand towel was stained with use, as were the minimalist oven mitts that seemed a choice Hana had made instead of her father. So eclectic was the dichotomous decor that Hana Song had thought each room had been made as though they were not beholden to another.

"Thank you," Dae-Hyun commented in Japanese once Katsura had left him a pair of traditional sticks,

Their host nodded before setting down an earthenware pot with his other hand, filled to the brim with a chorus of ingredients, all of which caught the two guests' attention.

"Oh, wow," Hana Song marveled, "it's a hot pot, right?"

"Yosenabe, yes," Katsura nodded with a dutiful explanation, "You'll find chicken cutlets, mushrooms-"

"Cabbage, carrots, tofu, mirin," Hana Sugita took over with delight, "All the best ingredients!"

Hana Song and Dae-Hyun both hid smirks at the thought of such a serious man as Katsura being such a doting dad.

"Yes," Katsura concurred with his daughter's recounting, "As well as some gyoza beside the rice cooker. Help yourselves."

With a timid start, Hana Song nodded toward him with a smile, "Thank you."

He waved it off humbly enough before taking his seat, "You're the one doing me a favor. Don't mention it."

The four began to serve themselves from the hot pot amidst a minor bit of chatter amongst their movements, picking their choice of ingredients from the pot of broth.

"As healthy an appetite as always," Hana Song commented wryly as she eyed Dae-Hyun availing himself of Katsura's invitation.

He shrugged, "It's the ultimate compliment, isn't it? It all looks so good!"

Katsura dropped his head while preparing his dish, "Being more reserved and communal might be more polite, actually. After the Omnic Crisis, austerity became a way of life."

He shrugged, noting with a hint of surprise, "I was rather shocked when I arrived in Korea and saw things were more normal. My countrymen seem to have adopted an overly-cautious attitude to the Crisis, but Korea seems more-"

He tied his tongue down, attempting to avoid insult, though the two guests seem to have picked up what it was he was putting down.

"Yeah, but to be fair, your country seems to have taken the brunt of much of the Omnics. Korea has been fortunate that coastal security measures have been largely effective due to how few invade here," Hana Song noted simply.

Hana Sigita anguished in her seat at the discussion, shaking her head, "I hate those scary things! I'm so thrilled not to have to worry about them as much anymore."

"It'll be okay, sweetheart," Katsura smiled across to his daughter, "Just keep eating your dinner."

Fishing for a segue, Katsura cut through a bit of pork while bringing up, "I do appreciate you both showing up."

"Yes!" came an exclamation from Hana Sigita, "It's been so incredibly fun to see you!"

She eyed Dae-Hyun with nervous eyes, "O- Of course, it's been great meeting you as well!"

Loosening a scoff, Dae-Hyun assured her simply, "Oh please; don't worry, I know who the real celebrity is."

Song rolled her eyes before returning to her food with the intention of ignoring her agent.

"Is that your ultimate goal?" Katsura tilted his head in questioning, "To gain fame, that is."

Hana Song sat in place with a twisted face though, as though deep in thought while also reducing just how much of herself to reveal. Despite Dae-Hyun's outbursts to the contrary, Hana hadn't been totally sold on the idea of this being the final meeting between herself and Katsura Sugita. Sure, that machine appeared a monstrous beast, and yet, the prospect of doing something her brother might have marveled at still enticed her.

"I mean," she shrugged, "To some extent, I suppose. Not for any narcissistic endeavor, but more for longevity. Once I'm done with gaming, what will be there to support us, you know?"

Hana Sugita's brow rose, "You mean the both of you? Like-"

"Oh, god no!" Song shouted in distaste while Dae-Hyun began to laugh, "No no! We've just been friends our whole lives, I-"

She groaned, feeling compelled to explain herself further now, revealing more than she had bargained, "We're both wanting to give my brother a proper tombstone."

Hana Sugita's look of glee from Dae-Hyun's laughter immediately fell as even Katsura lowered his head reverently, no longer drowned out by the agent's incessant chuckling.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Katsura offered lowly, as though struggling to fully express his compassion.

She shrugged, "It's no big deal. It's kind of silly, if anything; he probably wouldn't have wanted one anyway."

Suddenly, failing to adequately read the room, Hana Sugita inquired below a reverent tone, "How did he die?"

For a moment recoiling ashamedly from his daughter's inadvertent slight, Katsura quickly leaned forward to proffer something in the way of an escape, "Not that you need to answer…"

He had noticed Hana's face darken, her demeanor growing even more sour before Dae-Hyun raised his voice to answer, "Car accident."

Katsura's eyes jumped toward him for a moment, recognizing the lie, though refusing to deny the explanation. He simply nodded, thankful that it appeared to suffice for his daughter's misplaced curiosity.

"I'm so sorry," frowned Sugita warily, "So you two have been like siblings?"

Dae-Hyun chuckled, "We gave it away so quickly, huh?"

He took a bite of food, continuing with half-chewed mastication that he simply swallowed with a gulp of water, "We've been joined at the hip ever since we were kids, I guess. My home life wasn't good, and Hana's family was so welcoming; after her parents died, we both kind of decided to hoof it on our own. I work at a downtown eatery, part time, schooling, and agent work for our tokki here. Luckily, her winnings are often pretty large."

Katsura nodded while wiping his lips with his napkin, finding himself properly presented before replying, "Life isn't so easy when you're young, but that's when you play your cards right, hopefully find some ease for your later years."

Hana Song eyed him, "Have you found some ease in your later years?"

The question was rather out of left field causing Dae-Hyun to eye his companion with wide eyes. Instead of taking offense, Katsura returned Song's stare, turning away only to glance upon his daughter's softened face.

"In many ways," he answered in a chilled breath before turning back down toward his meal, repeating with a lowered to me, "Many ways."

Hana Song's eyes narrowed skeptically, though she decided not to pry. She had divulged too much, and simply given the man's disheartened retort, she had figured the two of them were now even in that respect.

It was in this silence that one of their cell phones began to chime awake with a large, blaring note of emergency only a handful of seconds before the rest of them suddenly joined in. Katsura's eyes jumped up toward his daughter, who had already taken to staring at him with wide eyes at the alarm.

"Omnics on the third sector," Dae-Hyun noted via his phone, glancing up toward Hana Song with a wary face, "Shelter in place in effect indefinitely."

The silverware shook, forcing the two's attention as Hana Sugita grabbed hold of the wooden lip of the table as her eyes began to water, fright so plainly smeared upon her face. Her body began to convince as though fight, flight, and freeze coalesced into a fourth, more debilitating state of response, leaving her on the verge of a panic attack.

Katsura immediately took to his feet and rounded the table as Hana and Dae-Hyun watched in worry. The father quickly held his daughter's cheeks, a set of fingers spreading down to her neck, presumably to examine her pulse, before reaching for her back to gently stroke her shirt in abnormal circles.

"Hana, it's alright," he coached with a gentle voice, "Just breathe, okay?"

He raised his hand as though to better visualize each step of the process of deep breathing, even as Hana seemed to break even further into a panicked state as tears fell down her face.

"In… Hold… Out…"

She failed to do as instructed, only succumbing further down that spiral of anxiety.

Katsura swiftly pulled her chair free from the table, turning to their guests with a hastened assertion, "I'm sorry. Make yourselves at home; she'll be alright."

The two nodded as Katsura exited the room, careful to spin sideways while entering the hallway to protect his daughter's head. He pushed open her bedroom door and took her to her plush-strewn mattress without turning the lights on, only settling her into her dark sanctuary before falling to his knees beside her. Hana refused to pry her hands away from her father, forcing him to remain awkwardly settled as he stroked her head with his hand.

"It's okay to be scared," he reminded gently, "I'm here. I'll keep you safe."

Soon enough, Hana's mental lock broke open, her emotions suddenly crashing into the room as she tugged ever tighter at her father who only succumbed to her desperation, allowing her to act in whatever way required in her overwhelming hunt for reassurance and relief.

"Nen, nen korori yo, okorori yo," Katsura began in a low, comforting tone, his Japanese words almost lulling Hana back to her childhood in weighted contrast to the Korean she often heard in her new home. This felt so much more like home to her.

Her father continued, still grasped close to Nana's body as she lay there in clutched desperation, "Bōya wa yoi koda, Nenneshina…"

Katsura felt his daughter's arms gradually loosen as she came down from her heightened anxiety, slow in her recognition of her own self and surroundings. His voice was grave, yet held a deep paternal resonance that Hana was so often devoid of in their day to day life. So focused was this man on protecting his daughter, he had forgotten his daughter proper.

"Bōya no musume wa, Doko e itta~"

Hana surrendered her grasp, though her tears continued. Her father hastened his movement, pulling himself up so that he could embrace his daughter's head against his chest.

"M~ Mom's gone…" Hana whispered behind a tremulous timbre in her voice.

Katsura buried his face against her scalp, eyes closed as he reflected on the woman he loved so long ago. Before his life had begun to seep free from beneath his sternum.

His mind drifted to that glass of tea on his desk.

Suddenly, he lost the ability to breath, as though his nostrils were pinholes.

Withdrawing deeper into his paternal façade, he hid well the fear creeping up within his own self.

That fear of drowning.