2008, March 28; 10:34 AM
It was an unusual meeting; Miyako had called Ryo and Aiko extremely early without explanation. The office was bathed in dullness as the morning rain turned the sky grey. The usual sounds of chirping birds were absent, replaced by utter silence.
“Do… you know why we're here—" Aiko began, his voice barely steady.
“No,” Ryo quickly cut in, his tone tense.
Both of them had been waiting in Miyako’s office for nearly an hour, growing more anxious by the minute. The tension in the room was thick, and neither knew why they had been summoned so suddenly. Each had their own theories, but the sound of the door opening behind them shattered their spiraling thoughts.
Miyako walked in, her demeanor calm and collected as if she hadn’t just left them waiting. Without acknowledging their presence right away, she hung her overcoat on the rack and took her seat behind the desk, finally turning her attention to the two.
“You both performed well the other day,” Miyako started, sifting through papers before focusing her gaze on Ryo. “I was rather surprised by the appearance of a signatory, but you handled it well.”
She turned to Aiko. “Anyhow, there will be a new addition to Division Special.”
At that, both Ryo and Aiko visibly tensed. A new member, especially an incompetent one, could ruin the division’s dynamic—and worse, their reputation.
“She should be of some use. B.S.A. operatives picked her up after your fight with the Anarchy Signatory last week.” Miyako’s tone was measured but left no room for doubt.
Before either of them could process the news further, Miyako’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it, frowning slightly. “One moment,” she said, grabbing her flip phone and stepping outside, leaving Ryo and Aiko to exchange uncertain looks.
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2008, March 28; 10:42 PM
[Miss Miyako, she’s arrived.]
…
“Ah, good. Tell her to go to the tenth floor, my office,” Miyako said to the young operative on the phone before hanging up. Just as she was about to re-enter the room, another call came through. She sighed and answered, it was the Board of Directors.
[Miyako, we just received the report you submitted regarding last week.] the voice said.
“Mmm, what about it?” she asked, leaning against the wall.
[You say the Anarchy Signatory might have been involved?] the voice pressed.
“Mhm," Miyako replied casually. "If the board would like, I can have Division Special go after it.”
Murmurs echoed faintly from the other end before the voice returned. [Yes, that would be ideal.]
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A small smile formed on Miyako’s face as she ended the call. With a quiet, confident air, she stepped back into the room where Ryo and Aiko were still waiting.
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2008, March 28; 10:48 PM
The door opened, and Aiko and Ryo both jumped slightly in response. Miyako calmly walked in and sat down, her movements deliberate as always. “She’s here; please treat her as you would any other operative,” she said, her smile soft but inscrutable. The two men tried to read her expression but came up with nothing. There was no hint of what Miyako was truly thinking.
Then, with a simple gesture, the door swung open again, and Miyako’s voice was almost too calm as she announced, “Please say hello to your new Junior Operative.” Aiko’s reaction was immediate and loud.
“YASUKA?” Aiko’s disbelief echoed in the room. Meanwhile, Ryo rolled his eyes, clearly not as surprised but just as resigned. Yasuka stood in the doorway, still looking a little shaken from her ride to the office. She responded quickly, trying to compose herself.
“Y-Yes!” she stammered.
Ryo wasted no time raising his concerns. “Miss Miyako, she doesn’t have any experience as an operative,” he pointed out, his voice steady, but Miyako’s retort was quicker, shutting him down before he could say more.
“Mhm, which is why I asked you to treat her as you would any other junior, Ryo,” she said, her tone sharp and final. Ryo fell silent, casting a glance at Yasuka but saying nothing more.
Aiko, however, wasn’t done. His mocking tone rang out, challenging her directly. “Do you even have any signatures with a manifesto?”
Yasuka gasped in offense, her posture stiffening as she shot back. “YOU think I DON’T?” Her indignation was palpable, but Ryo sighed, clearly tired of the back-and-forth.
“Guys, be quiet,” Ryo cut in, his voice authoritative enough to make both of them stop, their arms crossing in unison like two kids being scolded. Miyako, watching them, gave a small, approving nod.
“Lovely,” she said simply, satisfied with the silence.
Without missing a beat, she moved the conversation forward. “Recently, the Board has requested the removal of the retrieval of the Anarchy Manifesto and its signatory.” Her voice was calm as she reached into a drawer, pulling out a folder.
Yasuka’s nervous voice followed, breaking through the air. “Board wants US to take out THAT guy?” She was clearly unnerved by the news. Aiko and Ryo glanced at her, and then back to Miyako.
“How long do we have?” Ryo asked, his tone as measured as ever. Miyako looked up briefly, calculating.
“Mmm, a month or so,” she replied, as though it was no big deal.
The trio, however, shared a look of shock. Aiko was the first to speak. “A MONTH? TO FIND THAT GUY?”
Ryo stayed composed, his response steady and sure. “It’s more than enough time.”
Miyako watched them with a small, satisfied smile. “Wonderful,” she said, standing up and opening another drawer. “Now, I’ll be handing you three 50,000 Yen, use it to relax tonight. You did well.”
Ryo accepted the money first, his movements smooth as he took it. “Thank you, Miss Miyako.”
“Thanks Miss Miyako!” Aiko chimed in, his tone noticeably more cheerful than before.
“T-Thank you, Miss Miyako,” Yasuka added, still adjusting to the situation.
Miyako waved her hand, dismissing them with a gesture, signaling it was time for them to leave.
…
Outside, the atmosphere between them shifted.
“S-So um…where do you guys want to go?” Yasuka asked, her voice still timid, her eyes darting between them.
“Huh…” Aiko barely responded, his mind clearly still elsewhere—either on the money in his pocket or Miyako.
“Idiot…let’s just go out; we’ll find a place eventually,” Ryo murmured, sounding ready to get the night over with, his eyes set ahead.
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