The café was quiet that morning, sunlight slipping lazily through the half-drawn blinds. The air smelled of roasted beans and warm bread, the low hum of a ceiling fan mixing with faint chatter from two tables away.
Ryu sat near the window, her plate half-ignored as she rested her chin on her palm. She toyed with her fork, stabbing at a croissant crumb.
Across from her, Echo lounged with a casualness that looked practised. He was dressed head to toe in white, his hoodie neat but plain, the bear mask still in place. He tugged the zipper just enough to slip a bite past, the mask grinning all the while.
The mask tilted slightly as if mocking her with its permanent smile.
Ryu arched a brow. "That mask of yours… strange taste."
He paused mid-sip, shoulders stiffening.
"Better strange than forgettable." His tone was flat, but the faint flush at his ears betrayed him.
Ryu's lips curved, almost into a smirk. "Forgettable suits assassins better."
Echo chewed, then looked at her, the sliver of his mouth visible through the small opening.
"You'd rather I blend in? You already stand out enough for both of us."
The silence stretched, broken only by the clink of cutlery and the hiss of milk steaming behind the counter.
Ryu leaned back, crossing her arms, her sharp eyes fixed on him. He shifted in his seat, as if her gaze weighed heavier than a blade.
"You're awfully chatty today," she muttered.
"Coffee does that to me."
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.
"Nervous about the mission?"
For a moment, he met her eyes before turning to the window, where a child pressed his face against the glass outside.
"Not nervous," he said, but the way his fingers tapped against his mug betrayed him. "Just… distracted."
Her smirk faded. She tilted her head, watching him through the steam rising between them. For a heartbeat, she wanted to press further, but instead she bit into her bread, chewing slowly, letting the silence hang heavy.
Finally, she asked, her voice low.
"Give me details now?"
His eyes curved with amusement behind the mask.
"I thought you would never ask."
Ryu groaned, setting her mug down harder than she meant to.
"Very funny. I think I should rest, then?"
He leaned forward, elbows brushing the table's edge.
"Nope, just joking. I'll tell you, but you need to be careful. It revolves around the police."
Her brows knit together.
"Our organisation is dealing with the police now?"
He chuckled, the sound muffled through the mask as he sipped his coffee.
"No, stupid. We've always dealt with those pests. But…"
He dragged out the pause, a smirk tugging at his mouth.
"Information has been leaked. They're passing details to the HETANS."
The words hit, heavy as stone.
"So, all you have to do is see who's double-agenting, pass the info, and then let my lovely apprentices clean up the rest? That's the job."
She didn't flinch. Instead, she speared a piece of egg and ate it with deliberate calm.
"Hmmm… sounds like something you should give them to do. Not me!" Her lips pressed thin.
"Oh, man. Calm down," he said with a glint in his eyes.
She leaned back, frustration settling into her shoulders.
"You told me you needed rest," he continued, almost excited.
"So I arranged your schedules aligned with the targets' schedules to give you fun time. Travel a little, go to a party, maybe even make friends. You need it."
"Shut up." Heat flushed her cheeks. "You never give me rest!"
He set his mug down gently, his voice softening in a way that slipped under her skin. "I'll tell you one discovery, if you agree to listen."
Ryu narrowed her eyes. "…What?"
"The boss suspects captains have betrayed us."
The words struck harder than she expected. "Who? Which captain?"
He shrugged, lifting his mug again. "Just a rumour. You know the drill. Never doubt within the organisation."
"So… no one knows for sure?"
"Nah. But the captain's in trouble once proof comes out."
Her throat tightened before the word left her. "Which one are you doubting? Is it… Eel?"
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yup. And to prove it, you're being sent."
"Okay."
The word came too fast, too firm. "I accept."
Echo raised an eyebrow, almost startled. "This fast?"
She held his gaze.
"Eel is the most loyal of them. He wouldn't move a muscle unless told. I don't think it's him."
"So, you think Gera can?... Fine then." He pulled a folded paper from his pocket and slid it across.
"Your plane is booked. Just monitor. Any doubts, you know who to call?"
"You?" she asked, her lip twitching.
"Nope," he said with a grin. "The dumb broken bitch. I'll send your information to Gera."
Her stomach twisted at the name. She pushed her plate away.
"…I should leave now. But answer me this. Why did you pick me and this mission? You get free choice of tasks."
For once, he froze, staring at the table, tracing the faint scratch marks in the wood.
"Because the consequences aren't something you'd want him to suffer. Even though he's the one who brought you in…"
"I know," Ryu said quietly.
The silence between them turned heavier than the café's hum.
Echo leaned back, tilting his mask.
"Guess we haven't talked properly in ages. I like it. There's a lot I'd tell you, but you're always hiding in your blanket fort."
She shot him a glare. "Where do you get that idea? What do you want to tell me?"
His gaze lingered before he finally said, "I've got my eye on a girl. She lives a normal life. I don't want to ruin it for her."
Ryu blinked, caught off guard. "Do you like her? Or does she like you?"
"She doesn't even know I exist." He gave a crooked smile, exhaling softly.
Ryu scowled. "Then stay away."
"Nah." He sipped his coffee again, too casually. "I'll disturb her life anyway. Got a lot of money, need someone to spend it on. You've got plenty too, but you still walk around like a beggar."
Her chair scraped loudly as she stood. "Shut up."
She turned and headed for the door.
But his voice followed, steady, low.
"You're still too young, Ryu. Learn to live a little. Your parents would've wanted that too."
She froze mid-step, lips tightening, then let a faint smile slip through.
The door's bell chimed as she pushed it open.
Outside, the air was cooler, sharper, and for the first time in a while, home didn't feel so far away.