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Realistic or Modern *᜶ABSCOND

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width: 100%; height: 100%; overflow: hidden; position: relative; [/class] [class name=desktop maxWidth=800px] display: none; [/class] [class name=moveimage] transform: translateX(188.25%); transition: transform 1s ease-in-out 0s; [/class] [class name=moveimage maxWidth=800px] transform: translateX(0px); transition: transform 1s ease-in-out 0s; [/class] [class name=hidetabs] transform: translateX(100%); transition: transform 1s ease-in-out 0s; [/class] [script class="imagefill" on=mouseenter version=2] (= currentimg (trim (getText))) (removeClass "hidefill" (+ currentimg "imgred")) (removeClass "hidefill" (+ currenttab "imgred")) [/script] [script class="imagefill" on=mouseleave version=2] (addClass "hidefill" "redfill") (removeClass "hidefill" (+ currenttab "imgred")) [/script] [script class="imagefill" on=click version=2] (= content (split (getText "array") ",")) (removeClass "moveimage" "imagearea") (removeClass "movetab" "tabcontentcontainer") (= currenttab (trim (getText))) (addClass "hidetabs" "mobitabs") (removeClass "hidetabs" (+ currenttab "mobi")) (if (contains content currenttab) (remove content (find content currenttab))) (if (== currenttab "hacker") (group (pop content) (pop content))) (if (== currenttab "partner") (pop content)) (if (== prevtab currenttab) (group (= content [ ]) (addClass "hidetabs" "mobitabs") (addClass "hidefill" "redfill") (= currenttab "derp") (removeClass "hidetabs" "abscondmobi"))) (= prevtab currenttab) (each content (group (addClass "moveimage" _) (addClass "movetab" (+ _ "tab")))) [/script] [div class="array"]abscond,hacker,partner,officer[/div] [div class="bg"] [div class="aspectratio"] [div class="maincontainer"] [div class="navarea"] [div class="button" style="background: #ff1e48;"] [/div] [div class="button" style="background: #ffda58;"] [/div] [div class="button" style="background: #39df73; margin-right: 3%;"] [/div] [div class="url"]localhost/abscond.php[/div] [/div] [div class="clickablearea"] [div class="thief imagearea thiefimgbw" style="order: 1;"] [div class="imagefill"] [div class="redfill thiefimgred hidefill"]thief[/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer thieftab desktop"] [div class="title"]thief[/div] [div class="subtitle"]ayase ikuma[div class="accentsub"][/div]27[div class="accentsub"][/div]male[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"]In theory, Ayase Ikuma should be perfectly ordinary. A man in his mid-twenties. A normal job. A clean history. Charming—just like millions of other men his age. In practice however, that is not the case. Close inspection would show there are several things...odd about the man. Despite him having a normal job, he is perpetually busy. Despite his history being clean, he is tight-lipped. And despite his charm, he is incredibly hard to befriend. Throughout the years, many have tried to "solve" this mystery, yet all have come away with little. If they just talked to each other however, they would realise they shared a hunch: maybe, just maybe, there is more to him than what meets the eye.

If only they knew he was the Phantom Thief.

-

Behind the smoke and mirrors, Ikuma is much simpler than people think. He is a realist and a pragmatist, and surprisingly blunt despite the lies he tells on a daily basis. He would truly be ordinary, if not for a singular demon that lurks inside him.

Greed: from birth the sin has followed him, first in his mother and then in him. For her, it was what drove her to rich men’s laps, and for him, it is his motivation to steal. As a boy, he watched his mother become a slave for it—watched her be degraded, suffer. Back then he did not understand, but eventually he did. Since then, he has learnt from her mistakes and done well not to repeat them. No, he would not suffer, but he would still indulge in his desires. Such thinking has led him to adopt the persona of the Phantom Thief, an entity to do his bidding.

Under a mask, the nation is his treasure trove and “taking” is a given. Though many would wonder how his conscience fares, Ikuma has always had one philosophy to set it at ease; who has time to think about morality when your room is filled with gold? [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="officer imagearea officerimgbw" style="order: 2;"] [div class="imagefill"] [div class="redfill officerimgred hidefill"]officer[/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer officertab desktop"] [div class="title"]officer[/div] [div class="subtitle"]satonaka hanae[div class="accentsub"][/div]25[div class="accentsub"][/div]female[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"] "Always be ready for anything." That's the motto that Hanae tries to live by, though her attempts to follow it have been dubious at best. With clumsy hands and an overenthusiastic heart, more often than not she ends up causing more trouble for her team. Some ask how she passed police academy, but those who graduated alongside her know she aced the academic section of the course. Unfortunately, her execution of the techniques they were taught leaves a lot to be desired. Despite these struggles, she does her best to accomplish the tasks entrusted to her and fulfill the duties she'd sworn to do. If nothing else, she's a core pillar of support at the precinct, ready to kick someone's butt into action when they need it.

Independence is practically synonymous with the young brunette. Her adoptive father was old and Hanae would take on tasks she deemed were too hard on his aged bones. That was everything from taking out the trash, to cooking, to cleaning and everything in between. If there was something that needed doing, she'd take on the responsibility. Her father had often told her there was no need to prove herself, but Hanae chugged along. In her academic years this was often to the point of burnout. A hint of desperation tinges her actions. Her birth parents leaving her to the foster system left a number on her psyche, but she buried it in her pursuit of being indispensable. Though she doesn't realize it herself, fear of abandonment fuels her need to be someone others can rely on.

This complex is part of the reason why she chose to take a career track in law enforcement. Asking Hanae directly, however, she tells of a story where a police man arrived just in time to deal with a house intruder. Since then, she's had a bit of hero worship towards the force. While there is some truth to the story, it simply directed how her need to be useful would manifest. Whenever she'd told she's unneeded or left to her own devices, her seemingly infallible smile falters. Hanae forces herself to bounce back despite the blow. After all, no one needs someone who'll just bring the mood down. [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="partner imagearea partnerimgbw" style="order: 3;"] [div class="imagefill"] [div class="redfill partnerimgred hidefill"]partner[/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer partnertab desktop"] [div class="title"]partner[/div] [div class="subtitle"]mizutani tetora[div class="accentsub"][/div]22[div class="accentsub"][/div]male[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"]It is a running joke in the police that the only thing more mysterious than the Phantom Thief is why Tetora is a cop. For even the kindest individuals, that is hard to refute. Delicate and meek, the young man seems to suit being rescued more than rescuing. In his short time as an officer, he has already become known as the Black Hole of Precinct 4, with such achievements as "placing last in every physical assessment," and "being the officer to fail the entrance test the most times". The only thing he doesn't lack is persistence—although, many are unsure if that's a good thing.

Unfortunately, being the butt end of a joke isn't something new to Tetora. From birth, he had been the youngest of seven—the runt. And funnily enough, no word has described him better. Physically, he was small and weak, and mentally, he was a pushover. Neither did him many favours, though when combined with the fact he wasn't very bright, he was always the first to get picked on. The experiences left scars on his soft heart, yet not without giving him strength too. For better or worse, his heart became elastic—easily bent, but never broken. His ability to carry on is unrivaled by many, and it is that that is his greatest strength.

The jeers have also not touched his kindness, of which he still has plenty to spare. Perhaps it is because he is fundamentally kind he still has the capacity to care for others, regardless of whether they deserve it. It is that very quality that led him to a career in law enforcement, although not in the way most would think. Truthfully, he never wanted to be a cop; in fact, the thought terrifies him. He is terrified of criminals, he is terrified of getting hurt, and most importantly, he is terrified of having such a big responsibility placed on his shoulders. Yet, after hearing his father's wish, his kind heart could not refuse trying to fulfill it. [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="hacker imagearea hackerimgbw" style="order: 4;"] [div class="imagefill"] [div class="redfill hackerimgred hidefill"]hacker[/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer hackertab desktop"] [div class="title"]hacker[/div] [div class="subtitle"]ueno eiri[div class="accentsub"][/div]31[div class="accentsub"][/div]male[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"]With a taste for the expensive and manners ingrained from his youth, it's apparent that Eiri hails from a wealthy family. But his current circumstances are a far cry from the cushioned lifestyle he must have once lived. When asked, he simply says he wanted some independence from his father's far-reaching influence. A hint of truth, but not quite the whole of it. Despite the disparity between his childhood and the present, the man presents an unfailing humor and a willingness to adapt. Maybe with a bit more absurdity than necessary, as people can't ask questions when they're too busy laughing.

In another life, Eiri's days were filled with lessons. Esteemed professors, decorated professionals and at one point, an awarded researcher. Only the best for the budding genius in the household. To say he was bored of it is an understatement. He actively sought means to amuse himself, which caused quite a few courtesy calls from local law enforcement. Stern scoldings from his father fell on deaf ears as the only authority figure in his life paid him little to no mind. Those days were rare and had no follow-up - he never really learnt to understand the long-lasting repercussions of his actions on a personal level.

One might think he's driven by logic considering his talent with mathematics and technology. Truthfully, he's the opposite. The computer whiz is driven by his own arbitrary whims. After all, he doesn't really need his share in the heists. Despite the estranged relationship with his father, Eiri knew for a fact that he was still heir apparent to the Ueno empire. But few things were more interesting than helping the Phantom Thief in his ventures. And by the hacker's book, that was priceless. [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="abscond imagearea abscondimgbw" style="order: 5;"] [div class="tabcontentcontainer abscondtab desktop"] [div class="title"]abscond[/div] [div class="subtitle"]glucose guardian[div class="accentsub"][/div]springtime[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"] Toukami is a city where life never stops. No matter what hour, something is always happening. The day is for the average joe. Crowds rush around the overpopulated streets, trying to get to their own destinations and goals. From the tops of the many towers that dot the skyline, people look like mere ants stepping all over each other as they carried on their marching orders. And to the select few who have that view, the ones on the ground might as well be. The capital city was home to the biggest corporations, and living alongside them, their grossly wealthy executives.

But in the city, the night comes early. The shadows cast by the skyscrapers hid the flipside of the coin - poverty. In those desperate corners one might find the darker side to the city. Anyone with any lick of sense knows not to stay out too late, lest you find your pockets lighter and your face sporting a new bruise. It's when the others might come out to play. They're the ones who have no problems skirting, or even outright crossing, the line of the law. And yet for all their grievous crimes, the media's attention has been caught by a newcomer to the city.

Midnight of April 3rd, a break-in at the home of one of the city's most prolific art collectors occurs. Investigations show that only one item is missing. The last painting of Inoue Sakura, a masterpiece valued to be in the hundreds of thousands. But the heist isn't the main attraction. It's who stole it that has Toukami's citizens glued to the morning news. The Phantom Thief, known to have done a string of robberies throughout the country, has finally hit the capital. Would Toukami's police force prove capable in finding the criminal, or would he prove to be the one sore spot for them in the generations to come? [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer mobitabs thiefmobi hidetabs"] [div class="title"]thief[/div] [div class="subtitle"]ayase ikuma[div class="accentsub"][/div]27[div class="accentsub"][/div]male[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"]In theory, Ayase Ikuma should be perfectly ordinary. A man in his mid-twenties. A normal job. A clean history. Charming—just like millions of other men his age. In practice however, that is not the case. Close inspection would show there are several things...odd about the man. Despite him having a normal job, he is perpetually busy. Despite his history being clean, he is tight-lipped. And despite his charm, he is incredibly hard to befriend. Throughout the years, many have tried to "solve" this mystery, yet all have come away with little. If they just talked to each other however, they would realise they shared a hunch: maybe, just maybe, there is more to him than what meets the eye.

If only they knew he was the Phantom Thief.

-

Behind the smoke and mirrors, Ikuma is much simpler than people think. He is a realist and a pragmatist, and surprisingly blunt despite the lies he tells on a daily basis. He would truly be ordinary, if not for a singular demon that lurks inside him.

Greed: from birth the sin has followed him, first in his mother and then in him. For her, it was what drove her to rich men’s laps, and for him, it is his motivation to steal. As a boy, he watched his mother become a slave for it—watched her be degraded, suffer. Back then he did not understand, but eventually he did. Since then, he has learnt from her mistakes and done well not to repeat them. No, he would not suffer, but he would still indulge in his desires. Such thinking has led him to adopt the persona of the Phantom Thief, an entity to do his bidding.

Under a mask, the nation is his treasure trove and “taking” is a given. Though many would wonder how his conscience fares, Ikuma has always had one philosophy to set it at ease; who has time to think about morality when your room is filled with gold? [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer mobitabs officermobi hidetabs"] [div class="title"]officer[/div] [div class="subtitle"]satonaka hanae[div class="accentsub"][/div]25[div class="accentsub"][/div]female[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"] "Always be ready for anything." That's the motto that Hanae tries to live by, though her attempts to follow it have been dubious at best. With clumsy hands and an overenthusiastic heart, more often than not she ends up causing more trouble for her team. Some ask how she passed police academy, but those who graduated alongside her know she aced the academic section of the course. Unfortunately, her execution of the techniques they were taught leaves a lot to be desired. Despite these struggles, she does her best to accomplish the tasks entrusted to her and fulfill the duties she'd sworn to do. If nothing else, she's a core pillar of support at the precinct, ready to kick someone's butt into action when they need it.

Independence is practically synonymous with the young brunette. Her adoptive father was old and Hanae would take on tasks she deemed were too hard on his aged bones. That was everything from taking out the trash, to cooking, to cleaning and everything in between. If there was something that needed doing, she'd take on the responsibility. Her father had often told her there was no need to prove herself, but Hanae chugged along. In her academic years this was often to the point of burnout. A hint of desperation tinges her actions. Her birth parents leaving her to the foster system left a number on her psyche, but she buried it in her pursuit of being indispensable. Though she doesn't realize it herself, fear of abandonment fuels her need to be someone others can rely on.

This complex is part of the reason why she chose to take a career track in law enforcement. Asking Hanae directly, however, she tells of a story where a police man arrived just in time to deal with a house intruder. Since then, she's had a bit of hero worship towards the force. While there is some truth to the story, it simply directed how her need to be useful would manifest. Whenever she'd told she's unneeded or left to her own devices, her seemingly infallible smile falters. Hanae forces herself to bounce back despite the blow. After all, no one needs someone who'll just bring the mood down. [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer mobitabs partnermobi hidetabs"] [div class="title"]partner[/div] [div class="subtitle"]mizutani tetora[div class="accentsub"][/div]22[div class="accentsub"][/div]male[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"]It is a running joke in the police that the only thing more mysterious than the Phantom Thief is why Tetora is a cop. For even the kindest individuals, that is hard to refute. Delicate and meek, the young man seems to suit being rescued more than rescuing. In his short time as an officer, he has already become known as the Black Hole of Precinct 4, with such achievements as "placing last in every physical assessment," and "being the officer to fail the entrance test the most times". The only thing he doesn't lack is persistence—although, many are unsure if that's a good thing.

Unfortunately, being the butt end of a joke isn't something new to Tetora. From birth, he had been the youngest of seven—the runt. And funnily enough, no word has described him better. Physically, he was small and weak, and mentally, he was a pushover. Neither did him many favours, though when combined with the fact he wasn't very bright, he was always the first to get picked on. The experiences left scars on his soft heart, yet not without giving him strength too. For better or worse, his heart became elastic—easily bent, but never broken. His ability to carry on is unrivaled by many, and it is that that is his greatest strength.

The jeers have also not touched his kindness, of which he still has plenty to spare. Perhaps it is because he is fundamentally kind he still has the capacity to care for others, regardless of whether they deserve it. It is that very quality that led him to a career in law enforcement, although not in the way most would think. Truthfully, he never wanted to be a cop; in fact, the thought terrifies him. He is terrified of criminals, he is terrified of getting hurt, and most importantly, he is terrified of having such a big responsibility placed on his shoulders. Yet, after hearing his father's wish, his kind heart could not refuse trying to fulfill it. [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer mobitabs hackermobi hidetabs"] [div class="title"]hacker[/div] [div class="subtitle"]ueno eiri[div class="accentsub"][/div]31[div class="accentsub"][/div]male[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"]With a taste for the expensive and manners ingrained from his youth, it's apparent that Eiri hails from a wealthy family. But his current circumstances are a far cry from the cushioned lifestyle he must have once lived. When asked, he simply says he wanted some independence from his father's far-reaching influence. A hint of truth, but not quite the whole of it. Despite the disparity between his childhood and the present, the man presents an unfailing humor and a willingness to adapt. Maybe with a bit more absurdity than necessary, as people can't ask questions when they're too busy laughing.

In another life, Eiri's days were filled with lessons. Esteemed professors, decorated professionals and at one point, an awarded researcher. Only the best for the budding genius in the household. To say he was bored of it is an understatement. He actively sought means to amuse himself, which caused quite a few courtesy calls from local law enforcement. Stern scoldings from his father fell on deaf ears as the only authority figure in his life paid him little to no mind. Those days were rare and had no follow-up - he never really learnt to understand the long-lasting repercussions of his actions on a personal level.

One might think he's driven by logic considering his talent with mathematics and technology. Truthfully, he's the opposite. The computer whiz is driven by his own arbitrary whims. After all, he doesn't really need his share in the heists. Despite the estranged relationship with his father, Eiri knew for a fact that he was still heir apparent to the Ueno empire. But few things were more interesting than helping the Phantom Thief in his ventures. And by the hacker's book, that was priceless. [/div] [/div] [/div] [div class="tabcontentcontainer mobitabs abscondmobi"] [div class="title"]abscond[/div] [div class="subtitle"]glucose guardian[div class="accentsub"][/div]springtime[/div] [div class="scrollboxcontainer"] [div class="scrollbox"] Toukami is a city where life never stops. No matter what hour, something is always happening. The day is for the average joe. Crowds rush around the overpopulated streets, trying to get to their own destinations and goals. From the tops of the many towers that dot the skyline, people look like mere ants stepping all over each other as they carried on their marching orders. And to the select few who have that view, the ones on the ground might as well be. The capital city was home to the biggest corporations, and living alongside them, their grossly wealthy executives.

But in the city, the night comes early. The shadows cast by the skyscrapers hid the flipside of the coin - poverty. In those desperate corners one might find the darker side to the city. Anyone with any lick of sense knows not to stay out too late, lest you find your pockets lighter and your face sporting a new bruise. It's when the others might come out to play. They're the ones who have no problems skirting, or even outright crossing, the line of the law. And yet for all their grievous crimes, the media's attention has been caught by a newcomer to the city.

Midnight of April 3rd, a break-in at the home of one of the city's most prolific art collectors occurs. Investigations show that only one item is missing. The last painting of Inoue Sakura, a masterpiece valued to be in the hundreds of thousands. But the heist isn't the main attraction. It's who stole it that has Toukami's citizens glued to the morning news. The Phantom Thief, known to have done a string of robberies throughout the country, has finally hit the capital. Would Toukami's police force prove capable in finding the criminal, or would he prove to be the one sore spot for them in the generations to come? [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div] [/div]
 
[export] [class name="body"] box-sizing: border-box; max-width: 1200px; margin: auto; padding: 15px 5%; text-align: justify; font-size: .9em; [/class] [class name="tag"] display: none; [/class] [/export][div class="body"]If there was a god in this city, Hanae was praying that they would bless her with a peaceful nap this morning. She and her partner would need to report back to the precinct later that day, but they'd been given the morning off to catch up on some sleep after the grueling night. Frankly, they both needed it. Though the jobs they'd been given would have been considered trivial in comparison to everyone else's, they required her and Tetora to be constantly on their feet. Even now, in the overcrowded bus, her feet were killing her. She was liable to fall asleep upright, but her eyes remained glued to the holographic screen in front of the bus.

'Last night at 2am, a break-in occurred in the house of an individual named Ito Haruka. Mr. Ito is known as a collector of art and his residence was home many great masterpieces such as...'

She listened to the details rattled off by the reporter despite knowing them already. After all, she'd been the one to relay said information to the press. Her ears still felt like they were ringing. At this point, she could recite everything they currently knew about the investigation verbatim. She exchanged a glance with Tetora as they neared their stop, pressing the button to signal the driver that they would be getting off at the next one. Inviting the him over to crash at her place became commonplace after long nights at work, as she lived much closer. When they got off, the brief five-minute walk towards her apartment complex was filled with comfortable silence.

The vehicle in front of the brunette's building caused her to stop in confusion. Two unfamiliar figures stood beside it, hauling what looked to be boxes of things. From in front, she could see a door open next to her own place. In the events of last night, she'd forgotten that her new neighbors would be moving in today. Her landlord had mentioned this last week. She turned to Tetora, quiet resignation on her face as she explained the situation.

"My bad, I forgot someone was moving in next door today." And with them, a whole lot of noise. Apparently her prayer had fallen on either deaf or nonexistent ears. She was starting to think it was the latter. "I can just make us some breakfast and if you want, you can head home for some sleep." She glanced at her watch, wincing as she did. "Admittedly, you probably won't get much sleep even if you leave now."[/div][div class="tag"] springtime springtime [/div]
 

Tetora couldn't say he was surprised something came up. After all, when you were him and prone to bad luck, something always came up. Nevertheless, he sighed. Defeat was evident on his face. He had been looking forward to an quiet rest. He listened to Hanae's words before shaking his head. His partner was too nice, really—especially since this was probably brought onto them by him. "If you're staying, I'm staying," he replied. "We're partners aren't we?"

The two continued across the carpark to Hanae's apartment complex. It was a short walk, although a quieter one than usual with rush hour over. The only immediate noise came from the two neighbours, bickering as they hauled boxes. As Tetora passed them, he took a glance. It seemed they were two men, one with dark hair and the other with lighter hair. They looked nice he supposed, nothing out of the ordinary.

Upon arriving at Hanae’s door, she unlocked it with a soft click and walked inside. He followed in after, not hesitating to put away his shoes and jacket once he was able to. The room was cool and dim—a stark difference from the outdoors. He helped pull the blinds and open the windows as he always did, letting in the light and fresh air of the morning. Once that was done, he met back with his partner in the kitchen to help make breakfast.

With Hanae behind the stove and Tetora standing by to pass her utensils, it wasn't long before food was well on its way. Eggs were cracked before being sizzled in the pan. Slices of bread were being browned in the toaster. As tired as Tetora was, the smell lifted his spirits a little. Frankly, he'd forgotten how hungry he was. It was only made better by the fact the people next door had been quiet thus far. Little did he know, that was just the calm before the storm.

As unexpected as the moving truck's appearance had been, a thud suddenly disturbed the peace in the room. Tetora, who had been in the midst of passing Hanae a plate, almost dropped it in surprise. He looked to his partner, and then to where the sound had originated from—the wall she shared with the new neighbours. "Surely they must've just dropped something, right?" he said—and hoped.
 
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[import]9420182[/import][div class="body"]"Maybe." The next minute was peaceful until it was followed by another thud, and what sounded like a box being dragged across the floor. A constant cacophony of sounds followed soon after. Despite the noise, the two continued to eat. With each sound, however, Hanae's patience wore thin. Less than ten minutes later, the young woman stood up without warning. Resolve was in her eyes. She marched out the door, uncaring if Tetora chose to follow after her. Without hesitation, she gave her noisy new neighbors three warning knocks against their door.

- - -

Inside, Eiri stopped unpacking his electronics. He exchanged a glance with his roommate, who'd been doing the same with his own possessions. With a sigh, he unbent, stretching as he did. Gray eyes studied the rather drab surroundings, a real downgrade from their previous shared abode. It was a little less than the size two normal units, sharing a wall and door connecting the two living spaces. At the very least, the place had its own basic bathroom amenities. He knew of apartments where the bathing area was communal or shared. He would have opted for something better, but considering Ikuma's "hobby", that was a bad idea. The more "normal" they were, the less likely they were to be suspected. After all, who would expect a couple of thieves to move in right next to a police officer?

He began walking towards the sound of knocking, gesturing Ikuma to follow after. "Time to say hello to the chosen one." He didn't bother checking to see who it was; he already knew it was their neighbor. That had been the plan in the first place after all.

Satonaka Hanae looked up towards him, surprise registered first, then determination. The unexpected backbone she had made him smile; she'd looked like a timid mouse in the employee photo in the police's database. Behind her stood her partner, a Mizutani, if his memory served. They hadn't hadn't chosen him as a candidate simply because he lived with his family. It was easier to get close to someone who lived alone. Reinforcing his smile with some charm, he greeted them. "Hello. You live here, correct? What can we do to help?"

- - -

Hanae waited impatiently for the door to open, tapping her foot to an unheard rhythm. When the door opened, she was temporarily taken aback. The brunette at the door practically oozed class, looking downright mismatched against the sodden facade of the hallway. She shrugged it off; regardless of what background or story he and his roommate had, that wasn't going to save them from the scolding on basic courtesy they were about to receive. She was thankful that the nice couple directly downstairs were out to work already, saved from the noise the newcomers were generating.

"I'm Satonaka Hanae. I live right over there." She pointed to the open door to her right to emphasize her point. "You're making too much noise. I understand that moving in is generally a very noisy activity, but the amount you're making is way over the top. I could hear you two arguing through the wall. Plus aren't you treating your things a bit too roughly? We thought we heard something crash in there..." The sermon continued for a few seconds more, during which Eiri made himself comfortable against the doorframe.

When she finally finished, the brunette bowed in apology. "Sorry, we didn't realize how loud we were. Our old place had thicker walls. We'll keep it in mind." Hanae nodded, pacified. Just as she was about to turn away, Eiri called out to her. "Do you mind if we borrow your kitchen for a bit? Ours doesn't work yet and the landlord isn't around."

Hanae was about to say yes, then thought the better of it. The image of them rummaging around the kitchen while she and Tetora ate wasn't a good one. With a reluctant sigh, she gestured for them to follow her. Tetora was with her, so she wasn't being stupid. Plus, she even if she was a clutz, she could definitely do all the self-defense moves she taught at the community center."I'll do you one better: I'll make breakfast. Consider it a housewarming gift... what're your names?"

The invitation took him by surprise, but Eiri quickly shoved his former stepbrother out the door and locked their apartment behind him. The distance to Hanae's place was a mere five steps. "I'm Ueno Eiri, and then this is my roommate..." He paused to let Ikuma speak his name. Hanae let them both inside first, mouthing an apology to Tetora about the unexpected guests as she closed the door behind them. The room was much smaller than the place the two shared, which made sense as the police officer lived alone.

Without preamble, she walked towards the fridge and began pulling out ingredients, quickly making simple egg rolls to be served with the toasted bread. As her hands moved, she made small talk. "Ueno and... Ayase?" When one of them confirmed, she continued. "Where are you two from?" [/div]
 

"Kannashi." Ikuma responded, sitting down at table. Since Eiri had taken the seat on the further side, he was left with the one facing the kitchen. "But really, we've been all over. We're photographers, you see." As he spoke, he shot Eiri a glance. "Don't you dare," it said. They were lucky enough to get a free breakfast; he'd be damned if he let him establish them as weirdos. God forbid he say something like they were members of a new host club and they get kicked out.

Besides, he was proud of this one. In the past, they took their jobs from the list of most common jobs for men, but the 9 to 5 facade was tiring to keep up. With photographers, not only would they have more freedom, but they wouldn't need to dress formally for appearances. He paused for a moment before continuing. His eyes had swept over two half-eaten plates of food. "What about you two? Quite late for breakfast isn't it?"

---

Tetora, who had been quietly following the conversation, looked to Hanae as her turn to reply came around. From where he stood in the kitchen, he could see she was as busy as ever. Of course she would be; she had to make breakfast all over again. Fearing she was tired, he replied instead. "We're... policemen." Those had been his first words since the neighbours' arrival. Ayase faced him with a polite smile.

"Both of you? Must be nice then—being a couple and working together too."

As if struck by lightning, Tetora jolted upright, his hands waving in denial. "Couple? No! We're not...! We're just friends!"

"Ah, so you're not! Sorry, sorry!"

Just like that, things became awkward.
 
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[import]9420182[/import][div class="body"]Hanae could only laugh at the newcomers' assumption. "Don't worry, we get that a lot."

With the cooking finished, she set it all on a serving plate and moved to the table. Plates and silverware were on a shelf just behind Ayase, so she reached over him to get a couple of clean sets. With a smile, she handed them to him to divide it between him and his roommate. Taking her seat, beside him, she picked up her fork and took a bite before resuming the conversation.

"Unfortunately, neither of us have the time to date." She took another bite, then continued speaking, using her fork to gesture. "Busy with work. Doesn't help that the Phantom Thief came to town. They gave us a few hours off since we were just called in, but it's still our actual shift later." The roommates shared a glance at the statement, but it had gone unnoticed as the brunette was focused on her eggs.

"If that's the case, we'll eat our breakfast and clean up; we'll clean up so you guys can rest." Hanae looked up towards the man named Eiri. She shook her head. "You're guests. I can clean." The expression on her face spoke of mutiny if he disagreed, and so he wisely kept his mouth shut. The two shared another look, but this time Hanae saw it.

"Then we'll eat quickly, and leave within ten minutes so you have more time to rest. Deal?"

A smile formed on her lips.

"Deal."


- - - - -


"Kuma-chan, good job on placing the bug in her bag. I didn't even notice you do it." After thanking and leaving Hanae's apartment, they'd returned to unpacking, focusing primarily on the electronics that would sync up with the devices in her room. They weren't heathens though; it was only audio, and only in the non-private areas of her apartment in addition to the one they'd slipped into her bag. If the police were investigating them, they needed an insider to stay one step ahead.

On one of the screens in front, several live feeds of the bugs ran their checks. Only the one in her bag was actively in use as Hanae and Tetora had left for work a few minutes before. The conversation wasn't of much use; looks like they would have to wait until the pair got to police headquarters.[/div]
 

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