A requested story set after 1.4 update, enjoy
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"So, you're gonna need to talk to Zhu Yuan" The younger feminine voice of Belle spoke first arms crossed on the sofa of their back office, "Cause that apology in the parking lot isn't gonna cut it"
"Wha-" Wise gasped mirroring her positioning on the sofa, "Why does it have to be me, really it should be you, I smoothed it over with our parking lot chat, and besides you'll be a lot smoother than me" Wise chuckled nervously.
It was a few days after the death of Bringer and the massive operation in the port Hollow, and thing's had begun to settle back down, overall things had worked out quite well, however the Senior N.E.P.S Officer Zhu Yuan who after a series of unfortunate events was able find out about their secret identities.
"Haha, nice try with the compliment but name the last time I hung out with her that wasn't a serious situation?" Belle cocked her brow to him, "You on the other hand...".
She holds up her hand, "Who did she spend her first day off in ages with, who did she trust to take her hand the first time and may I ask who she asked first to spend an entire night watching what can only be described as the biggest collection of naughty video tapes I have ever heard through our uncomfortably thin walls here" she emphasised raising a finger with each statement.
"And don't even get me started on the number of times she has been allowed to rest inside you room late in the evening cause she was, and I quote 'working late at a job nearby'" she over did the quotation marks to get her point across the older sibling, "Of the two of us bro, you're the one she wants to hear an answer from".
Wise sighed scratching the back of his head trying to find an answer, "Well those where just a kindness... because of all she did for us and what she's had to go through..."
"Wise..." Belle touched his shoulder smiling kindly, "You...watched...all...night...long, if there isn't a bond between the two of you from that, then reality as I know it is fake" she shoved his phone into his hands before standing up.
"Trust me it's you she'll want to hear from so text her and go for coffee, or noodles, or just whatever just make sure she okay, and that she one our side alright!" Belle threw her hands around almost comically before leaving the office mumbling about dense Wise could be.
The boy sighed opening his phone finding Zhu Yuan in his recent contacts, he touched her icon and looked over their past messages briefly glancing through them knowing he now had little choice in what came next.
He selected the bottom bar watching the keyboard appear, his thumb hovered over the keys trying to think of how to even open this.
'Good morning, Off-'
'Morning Zh-'
'How's it go-'
He slapped his phone to his forehead knowing none of this sounded right, "Ugh why couldn't Belle just do this..." he muttered to nothing leaning back to look at his phone as he thought about Zhu Yuan, "How would she like to be informed...".
He pondered a moment staring at the screen before the simple idea popped into his head, quickly he typed.
'Let me explain it all, no more secrets, are you free for coffee?'
Simple and to the point, all it needed to be for someone like Zhu Yuan, but what caught Wise of guard was withing two minutes his phone lit with the response.
'My break is in an hour; I'll meet you at the Lumina Square Cafe'.
Wise smiled slightly and nodded grabbing his sling back and heading towards the door, knowing he'd have just enough time to drive up and park before meeting her, "I'm heading out to meet Zhu Yuan" he called to Belle who was stocking some shelves.
She didn't look back as he moved to the back door, but did call back "No probs have fun on ya date, and don't forget Miyabi's advice!".
Wise rolled his eyes at her antics shaking his head as he left already trying to think of an opening line.
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Zhu Yuan had arrived first, having taken a seat on the top floor overlooking the river, a small cup of coffee was sat beside her as she idly drummed her hands on the table having only been waiting a few minutes.
The soft steps behind her immediately earned her eyes darting towards it, from the ramp Wise emerged smiling awkwardly, "Apologies Zhu Yuan, I couldn't find anywhere to park" he excused walking up to her, "May I sit?".
She indicated to the seat with a small nod watching his settle in his own coffee he placed beside him, a silence immediately took over as the averted their gazes looking over the river not sure who needed to start this conversation.
Though it was more a battle of who would break first in needing to know an answer and this time it was Zhu Yuan, "So why didn't you tell me?" she asked trying to sound causal turning to look at him.
Wise was taken aback before straightening up and leaning on his knees, "I'm sorry, I really wish I had, if I knew this is how you would take it Zhu Yuan" he apologises again, "Me and Belle just didn't want you to get mixed up in this, you're a N.E.P.S officer after all as I said"
"But as I said Manager... Just because of who I am doesn't mean I follow the rules to the letter!" she said back still in a disapproved tone, "If you told me I wouldn't have said anything just like Qingyi didn't, you're my friend and besides as you said you don't do anything bad in the first place, it wouldn't be the hardest thing to turn an eye from".
Wise sighed rubbing his face again a nervous habit he seemed to be gaining, "It's not just that, you're our friend too and we wanted to say something it's just that...' Wise paused to find the right words as she leaned in closer to hear, "We didn't want you to get into trouble..."
It was Zhu Yuan's turn to go wide eyed as she shook her head "What? Why?".
"Well, you tell me how it would look if someone else found out, the video store on your patrol route that you spend a lot of time with turns out to be a large Proxy that you knew of their operations, it would ruin you and your career to boot, we couldn't do that you any of you" Wise looked to her eyes to get his point across.
"Everyone else we work with has no offical connections, but you do, we couldn't do that to you Zhu Yuan, you matter far too much to us as a friend, so much so that we just couldn't put your career and life on the line for our secret...".
"I-" she wanted to retort but couldn't find the right words, "I guess I do understand..." she muttered leaning on her knees "It's just I don't understand why, why would you become a Proxy?".
She looked back to him pleadingly, "Please just tell me Wise, no more lies, just be honest with me, why are you doing this?" the tone had shifted from disappointed to now upset and that sound of betrayal he had heard when she first found out.
Wise sighed knowing there could be no more hiding from Zhu Yuan, he had to come clean just like Miyabi, "Zhu Yuan, me and Belle are students of Helios academy, we studied under Carole Arna..."
Zhu Yuan audibly gasped but didn't interrupt, "That day the first hollow appeared; she was taken bythat same white hand that Section 6 fought but even though she was kidnapped she was still blamed for it all".
"Me and Belle have a mission, to gather as much Hollow data as possible to return to Helios and find out what really happened, and to clear her name more than anything else, and so we became Proxies, it is the only way" he sighed leaning back in his chair, "That's everything just as I promised... or well maybe one other thing...".
She cocked an eyebrow beckoning him to continue which he reluctantly agreed with a sigh, "Our first account was none other than Phaethon, that's who we still are though under a new name" Zhu Yuan looked away placing a hand to her forehead trying to process it all.
The uncomfortable silence returned between them, Wise unsure if he needed to say anything blurted out the first thing he could think off, "I'm sorry Zhu Yuan".
She quietly laughed before standing to lean over the nearby railing, "I just don't know what to say this time Manager, if you were just a casual Proxy, I was happy to just let it go, no harm or foul, but you're Phaethon the most famous Proxy to exist!" she returned throwing a hand in the air as she turned to look at him.
"No wonder you were so skilled helping Miyabi" she muttered under her breath, "Do you know how high you are on the N.E.P.S most wanted list, arresting you is every young officer's dream, possibly one of the biggest busts they could make and here I am with him having coffee!" she scoffed shaking her head.
"But then I've lost count of the amount of time you've helped us, Me and Qingyi in the hollow, and the missing bangboo case, helping lost civilians escape and even with the strange new ethereal and Belobog you were there helping... So... I just don't know what to do" she grimaced heading falling into her hands.
Wise watched her for a moment shuffling uncomfortably in his seat fearing it was his doing they were in this situation, maybe he shouldn't have said so much, but it was too late now, he just had to think of a way out.
It was then a seed planted inside Wise's head begun to sprout, it was what Miyabi had said to him a while ago now, the best way to persuade Zhu Yuan, though if he could pull it off was another matter.
He looked to her as she just looked to face him again, "Manager... I really don't have many choices here..." she muttered sadly her hands slowly touched the small cuff pouch on her side.
Seeing no other option Wise spung to his feet relying on instinct and hoping it would work whatever it would be.
Her eyes widened as he sprung closer so suddenly though unexcitingly his hands stretched out grasping onto hers holding them between their bodies, "Zhu Yuan..." Wise muttered breathlessly their faces inches apart now having gotten closer than he had planned, "Before you decided please just listen to me...".
Her cheeks had turned red as she nodded allowing him to continue unable to pull away, throwing all caution to the wind Wise poured his heart into every word, "I never wanted to hurt you Zhu Yuan, I meant it when I told you how much you meant to me, and to know you feel that I've betrayed you hurts me more than you know" he whispered to her, the responses he received however were little more than squeaks from the red faced officer.
"If there were any other way to find the truth about our teacher, I would have taken it I swear but, in this world, there are no other options but please hear me out" he continued to whisper leaning even closer, "We have given no illegal help to the bad people we refuse it even; we only help those in desperate need, it could even be seen as an aid for over worked N.E.P.S taking in the little jobs they can't deal with" he smiled as sweetly as he could.
"We only wish to help in our endeavours, I beg you Zhu Yuan, give us a chance to prove it to you, you can visit me whenever you wish and watch our work, if you truly then believe we are bad people than you can cuff me then and there but just let me prove it to you" he continued to whisper her face redder than a tomato at this point but seeing how deep he was Wise panicked unsure if he'd done enough.
Thinking quick he was sure he'd seen this is some movie before and there was one last move he could pull, letting go of her hand he reaches up to cup her cheek and pull her closer his lips grazing her ear, "Please Zhu Yuan, just give me a chance...".
And that was the final blow, steam exploded from the officer as she let out murmurs of gibberish as Wise had to support her before she fell hard to the floor, helping her settle back into a chair, "Uh Zhu Yuan, are you okay?" Wise asked panicked as he snapped his fingers to get her focus back.
"I thought this would happen, good thing your sister asked me to follow along" the robotic voice of Qingyi appeared walked up to the two, "I must be honest Proxy, for someone as dense as you, that was pulled of perfectly" she smirked stopping in front of him.
"Q-Qingyi? Belle asked you to come?" he asked in disbelief.
"Indeed, I believe she was worried you would say the wrong things and make it worse" she answered in her usual brutally honest tone looking between the two.
"Wait a minute she told me I had to be the one to speak to Zhu Yuan, if she didn't think I could do it why bother at all?" he rebutted getting very confused.
"Oh, it had to be you Wise there was no doubt about that" she mused looking at their still connected hands, "It was more she thought you may need a nudge to do what you had to do to; though evidently, I wasn't needed".
Wise furrowed his brown in confusion before looking back to the still red and unresponsive Zhu Yuan, "Is she going to be okay, I hope I did the right thing, I only followed what Miyabi suggested?".
Qingyi looked at the wide-eyed Zhu Yuan, "She will be fine, if you hadn't noticed she's an easily flustered person, and the face-to-face closeness is a great way to put her on the back foot, but it really breaks her when it comes from the guy she fancies, as just proven..." she muttered looking him up and down, "The whisper in her ear was I believe as the saying goes, the cherry on top, a really good idea".
Wise chuckled rubbing his head nervously, "Oh really, I just remember it from one of the movies we have on stock it wasn't..." his eyes widened as the words sunk in, "Wait did you say fancies!".
A gasp from Zhu Yuan caught both their attention her focus finally returning, "Fine Wise..." she shouted lounder than clearly planned as she shook her head to look at him, "I-I'll trust you... your secret is safe with me" she said seriously her cheeks still tinged pink her grip tightening on his hand.
"Z-Zhu Yuan... thank you..." he smiled kindly hiding the pain of her iron grip, "I won't break your trust again, I promise".
Zhu Yuan smiled and nodded back, slowly standing dragging Wise up with her, "I'll come check in with you next week just to be sure, as you suggested" she nodded her officer look returning.
"Of course, whenever you like, my door is always open" he smiled kindly back, as a small pink tinge returned to her cheeks.
"Y-your door..." she murmured.
With a sigh Qingyi turned to walk away, "Let me know at least when you intent to visit him, I'll get his sister out the house for a few hours so you two can... be alone..." she teased placing her hands behind her head.
"QINGYI!" Zhu Yuan exclaimed her red face returning as she left leaving the two alone, "I swear I'll get her back for that" she grumbled before looking back to Wise, "Manager, thank you for trusting me".
"It's okay, I'm just happy you're not going to arrest me" he chuckled jokingly as she gave her own light chuckle, "Though to be frank, may I ask you let go of my hand, you're kinda crushing it" he asked trying to keep a straight face through the immense pain.
Zhu Yuan gasped immediately releasing her iron grip, "I am so sorry Manager, are you okay!" she exclaimed stepping closer to him again.
"No, no it's fine really" he leaned up a smile back on his face, "I must say though, when it's just the two of us like this, please just call me Wise...".
Her cheeks reddened again as she stared wide eyed at him, "O-Okay uh... W-W-W-Wise..." she muttered rubbing her arms bashfully as a silence took them over for a moment before Zhu Yuan looked at the time on her watch, "Oh I should be getting back now Ma... Wise... Thank you for the coffee and for everything else" she nodded her head in a small bow and giving him a kind smile.
"It was no problem, Zhu Yuan, thank you for hearing me out" he smiled back giving his own nod back and then she turned and left a bit quicker than he had expected but he couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips with things now fully returning to normal.
Back as he took his seat again to finish his coffee his thoughts trailed back to what Qingyi had said, "Fancies... could Zhu Yuan really..." he ponded this all the while until he finished his drink and he too departed.
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Finally returning to the office Zhu Yuan threw her face into her hands and charged past her teams' desks and into the women's restroom earning a curious glance by a few members around.
"Is the Captain, okay?" Seth looked over to Qingyi who was the only one not focused instead enjoying a small cup of hot water.
"Hmm... oh she is quite alright..." Qingyi simply muttered only glancing over to the doors, "She merely swooned over the video store manager Wise a moment ago, a tad embarrassing to do Infront of your crush".
"Huh?" Seth exclaimed snapping his head back to Qingyi.
"QINGYI!" the shout came from the toilets.
"Excuse me Seth but I believe I need to depart rather urgently" swiftly she stood and made way towards an exit just as Zhu Yuan threw the bathroom doors open.
"Qingyi get back here!" she shouted after her swiftly going after the misbehaving officer.
"HUH?!" Seth reiterated more confused than ever before relenting, maybe this time it was best he stays out of it.
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Thank you for reading