Dazzling Smile (open)

[Lanza Riva]

Lanza walked down the street, having decided to run a few errands for herself a while ago. Her bodyguards protested her going out on her own at first, but after she shot them a glare and told them that, if she was to disguise herself and try to stay on the down-low, she couldn't have a bunch of armed suits following her all the time, they let her go. Not that she wasn't packing her own heat, but that wasn't the point. The point was she couldn't be seen with them. However, she knew fully well that they were likely following and watching from a distance, just to be safe. That was fine. If it made them, and her father, feel better about things, it was fine.

As she walked, she glanced down at her clothing and sighed, feeling kind of exposed and uncomfortable. Once again, she was wearing a girly blouse and a skirt with her hair loose and flowing freely across her back like a waterfall of copper, and a small black ribbon tied neatly in a bow at the back for decoration. She almost never wore the women's clothing her father bought for her, but it seemed as though they'd finally be seeing more use, with all the threats to her family. But, it wasn't as if it was completely a bad thing. After all, the last time she went out dressed like this, she ended up having what more romantic people would have likely called a "fateful encounter". Not that she believed in that stuff.

The last time she wore clothes like this, she ended up stepping up to help a girl and a young man, who had both been victims of this thug-like man's temper, and saved them both. It was a good thing she stepped in when she did, though. The young man she had saved was pretty beaten up, but if she hadn't come in when she did, he could have been seriously hurt, if not beaten to death. She wouldn't have put it past that brute to do that, either. But, as it turned out, there were certain rewards for coming in like a heroine and saving the young man's life. She had somehow managed to gain his trust after she rescued him and, after finding out just how alike they were, he allowed her to help him in his revenge, even accepting her as his new fighter in order to do so. She got a distinct feeling that he wouldn't have taken just anyone as his new fighter, so it was an honor she wasn't about to waste, even though her father wasn't entirely a fan of the idea. But he didn't matter. She wanted to help, and he trusted her enough to accept her help. It was that simple.

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen or heard much from the young man, Kouichi Osaka, since he had called her out to the cemetery to pay respects to his former fighter, and lover, Yuuki. "I wonder how he's doing..." she murmured, thinking aloud a little bit as she glanced up at the sky, hoping that he'd call her again if he ever wanted or needed her for something. That was, after all, her job as his fighter, and she wasn't going to be of much use in helping him catch Yuuki's killer and get his revenge if he didn't call her. But it wasn't as if they weren't bonding at least a little bit. Even she could feel the small bond that had formed between them, born at first from their similarities and mutual empathy toward each other's pain, and then from the time they were in the cemetery when she wiped away his tears when he cried. She couldn't forget the look on his face when she wiped his face, though, and she really felt good about it. She, someone who had the social graces of a rhino, had been able to help him, and that's what mattered to her.

Just as she thought that maybe it would be good if she called Kouichi and checked on him, something caught her eye and she stopped to look at it curiously. It was a poster advertising an upcoming summer festival and, being a foreigner, she had never been to one before. It sounded fairly interesting, to be exact. She had heard about them from her younger brother, Sheeka, who had been living in Japan for much longer than she had and other various online sources, but never actually seen one. However, from what she heard, people go to festivals like this wearing a yukata, right? It probably wasn't possible for her to wear one. First of all, she didn't know anything about putting one on, let alone where she could get one in the first place. Besides, she felt weird enough just in a skirt, so she could imagine how awkward a yukata would be, especially for a foreigner like her. But... she still wanted to see the festival...

Then it dawned on her. Lots of people attend festivals, right? Then maybe... just maybe... their target would be there, too. It was a long shot, but it was worth a shot. She pulled out her phone, flipped it open, highlighted Kouichi's number, and was about to press the call button when she stopped herself. How was she going to invite him? She wasn't good at speaking what she wanted, after all, and she usually ended up saying the wrong thing to people or gave people the wrong impression. Sometimes, she really did hate being so awkward and bullheaded, but she didn't know how to be any other way. She stared at the number on the screen of her phone for a few moments before she snapped the phone shut with a sigh. She simply didn't know how she was going to go about it, and she really didn't want to end up screwing this up. "...Such an idiot..." she muttered quietly, cursing her indecisiveness under her breath as she let her hand, still clutching her phone, drop to her side.

[Mika Chirou]

Mika sighed as she plopped herself in the grass, just a little ways off the path. She had decided to wear a sundress today, a pretty one with flowers on it. Her hair was also down for once, and it fluttered in the pleasant breeze. She hoped that maybe she would get something out of her partner, but it was a no-go. Guys don't really pay attention to such stuff, she knew, but in the bottom of her heart she wished that maybe he'd start liking her a little more as a girl, and not just like one of the guys. She couldn't help it. She was a born and raised chameleon. She traded shapes and colors to fit in, even if it wasn't really her. She hated to be hated, and she felt weak for it. Pathetic.

Mika tried not to feel the oncoming surge of sadness, the urge to cry. It was stupid. She thought to herself. 'You shouldn't be crying over something so trivial. So what he doesn't think of you like that? Life goes on.' She wiped her eyes, and pouted slightly. Today was one of those days. Where you just read a thousand shoujo mangas and relate to it all. Not wanting to pout anymore, she got up and started walking.

She had mostly been looking at her feet, but the shine of copper not to far from her caught her eye. 'How pretty.' she thought to herself. She watched the girl for a minute, feeling sad. 'Oh how I know that feel.' She watched the girl close her phone and hold it to her side. 'Nope. Nope.' Mika then made her way to the girl, and it dawned on her. 'Ah crap. What am I going to say to her? "Hey I've been watching you... you look sad. What's wrong?" I sound like a stalker! Graaah!' Mika hadn't realized how close she got to the girl, when she gave herself a smack to the forehead.

Her eyes opened wide and she blushed heavily when they made eye-contact. 'Well sh-' "H-hai.." Mika blushed heavily even more so and cursed herself to oblivion. She wanted to be cool, waltzing up to the girl and giving her some cool speech that makes her feel like she's invincible. But no. She had to be awkward. Extremely. The blush on her face and ears showed it. 'Why am I such a loser?'

She didn't want to pry, but she couldn't help feel like she'd been there before. The want to call someone, but fall short. Not having the confidence to speak, afraid they will feel bothered, or even not knowing what to say. She pushed her bangs out of her eyes and decided for the blunt, direct approach. "You should call.. You know?" She nodded to the girls phone. "If you don't... You'll regret it later." She hid her face in her hand, and peeked through her fingers. "Sorry.. That was rude of me. I couldn't help but relate. I know I'm a complete stranger, and this is weird, but, if you need someone to talk to... I'm here." She sighed to herself and put her hands to her side, her fingers clutching her dress skirt slightly. "My name's Mika Chirou. It's nice to meet you."

[Lanza Riva]

Lanza didn't get much time to curse her inability to find the words or courage to call Kouichi and tell him about the festival, as she quickly sensed the presense of another person. Tensing a bit, she turned and looked in the direction of the newcomer, only to find herself making eye contact with a brown-haired girl, who had seemingly approached her before thinking things through, and had gotten herself all flustered for some reason. "H-hi.." she girl managed before her face practically exploded as she blushed a lot more. What was going on? Why was she so flustered? Lanza furrowed her brow in confusion as she continued to stare at the girl, eventually turning her body so that she was now facing her.

Then the girl seemed to come to a decision on what she should say. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and nodded toward Lanza's hand, which still clutched her phone, as she began to speak. "You should call.. You know? If you don't... You'll regret it later."

Lanza couldn't help but blink a bit, her eyes widening a fraction as she listened to the girl's words. She would regret it if she didn't smarten up and just do it? Somehow, she didn't doubt the girl's words one bit. If she didn't speak up, she would lose the chance to go to the festival with him, and if his true fighter was there... Well, she'd hate herself for it, that was for sure. But, before she could properly react, the girl quickly hid her face with her hand, seemingly ashamed, and peeked through her fingers. "Sorry.. That was rude of me. I couldn't help but relate. I know I'm a complete stranger, and this is weird, but, if you need someone to talk to... I'm here." She sighed and pulled her hand away from her face, choosing to clutch at the skirt of her dress instead. "My name's Mika Chirou. It's nice to meet you."

Lanza stared at the girl for another moment, and then looked over at the phone in her hand. She was exactly right; if she didn't talk to Kouichi about the festival, she would regret. But it wasn't as if she wasn't still planning on calling him. She just... wanted to sort out her thoughts first, is all. "Ah, thank you. I was still planning on calling, but I just wanted... to have a better idea of what I'm going to say, is all. I've never... done this before..." she admitted, sagging a little bit as she looked away. Then she caught herself and turned her attention back to the girl, not wanting to seem rude at all. "A-Ah, and that's okay. I don't want to trouble you. But... thanks." A small smile had curved the corner of her lips a slight bit upward as she spoke. This girl was nice, and even though it was very awkward, she felt herself relaxing a bit with her. "Nice to meet you. I'm Lanza Riva. Please feel free to call me whatever you like. In return, may I call you Mika?"

[Mika Chirou]

"Ah, thank you. I was still planning on calling, but I just wanted... to have a better idea of what I'm going to say, is all. I've never... done this before..." The girl sagged slightly as she looked away. Mika breathed a sigh of relief as the girl quickly turned back to her. "A-Ah, and that's okay. I don't want to trouble you. But... thanks." The girl smiled slightly as she spoke. Mika's eyes widened and she giggled slightly. This girl was really nice!

Mika covered her mouth slightly with her hand as her face broke out in a huge happy grin. "It's okay!" Mika nodded cheerfully, her bangs falling in her face. She pushed them back again as she spoke. "It's natural, to be confused. It's best to be honest with yourself, and speak from your heart. My mind sucks with coming up with stuff, so I usually tend to go with how I feel. Sometimes it gets me into trouble.. But I find that if you don't speak how you feel, you end up regretting it later and kicking yourself for it." She blushed with her outburst and giggled softly at herself. "I hope that makes sense? Sorry- I ramble." She laughed slightly at herself, the blush not fading from her face.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lanza Riva. Please feel free to call me whatever you like. In return, may I call you Mika?" Mika's eyes watered slightly as the girl spoke. The urge to hug Lanza was immense, but she held it back in fear of scaring her, or even making the situation more awkward. She blinked back her tears and giggled happily. "Mmhn! If it's alright, I will call you Lanza?" Mika almost broke out in a dance. She made her first female friend! She felt really relaxed, therefore that happy stupid grin stayed plastered on her face.

[Kouichi Osaka]

Kouichi sighed, staring at his phone as he sat at his brand new kitchen table. He hadn't managed to get up the nerve to call Lanza since he'd taken her to Yuuki's grave on April first, even though he'd intended on inviting her to go house hunting with him, and now it was mid-way through summer. Honestly, he was terrible. He'd talked more to Shiru than he had Lanza, as bad as that made him feel. Glancing down at the table, his eyes fell on the reason he'd been sitting there with his phone for the past hour. A flier was sitting innocently on the table-top, next to the remains of his brunch. On it was pictured a girl in a pretty summer kimono, but he wasn't interested in the girl. It was the text, advertising the upcoming summer festival. He hadn't gone since before Yuuki had died, but he'd gotten a new yukata for it with the intention of inviting Lanza. Still, how was he going to go about inviting her?

Groaning, the man thunked his head down on the tabletop, wig fibers grinding into his forehead as he shoved his phone into his pocket. He wasn't going to get anywhere just sitting there, bemoaning his awkwardness about a simple phone call. Slowly, he lifted his head, then stood, gathering his dishes and placing them in the sink to do later. He needed to go for a walk or something.

If he were to be honest with himself, he knew that the phone call he wanted to make wasn't so simple. Sure, he wanted to invite Lanza to the festival, but it was more than that. He wanted to invite her to move in with him. The place he'd gotten was too big to live in alone, with a total of five bedrooms, two on the ground floor and two larger rooms on the top, and one in the converted attic space that was probably meant to be an office, but he'd turned it into a third guest room. The living room was also outfitted with a sofa bed. It wouldn't be the most comfortable thing to sleep on, but it was extra space, for if Lanza's body guards wanted to be close to her.

Shaking his thoughts off, he went through the living-room to the entrance hall, shoved his feet into his shoes, then grabbed his keys and left the house. The place was in money land with bigger houses (most converted into apartments of sorts to save on living space by this point), and glancing around, he decided he didn't really want to walk around in that area. He did need to do some shopping, needing a few more things for the house before it was ready for anyone to move in. Shinjuku would be a good place to start, and so he locked the front door, then headed for his car. The drive wasn't all that long, and soon enough, he was in Shinjuku proper and looking for a place to park. He could walk around and do his shopping, then haul anything he bought back to his car easily enough.

An hour later, and several bags looped over his arms, he spotted something familiar out of the corner of his eye and stopped to look. Was that... Lanza? Sure enough, a pretty girl with long copper hair was standing, staring at a poster, her cell phone in hand. He'd only seen her the once in such feminine clothing, but he still recognized his fighter. Before he could make his way over, a brunette girl approached Lanza, and Kouichi automatically tensed, hurrying closer, in time to hear Mika introduce herself. He canted his head, taking in the scene. Mika didn't appear to be a threat, though he was still tense. He knew Lanza, being mafia, had enemies. This girl could be a problem, but as suspicious as he was, he didn't want to think that of perfect strangers. Still, he'd let his guard down before and it had gotten his mother and Yuuki killed.

Swallowing down the pain the thought brought, he forced himself to relax, approaching the two girls slowly. The brunette seemed to be almost dancing in place, her eyes shining with what looked like unshed tears. Weird, but she seemed really excited and happy. Perhaps not a threat at all. Still, he needed to keep his guard up. Kobane Nozomi had seemed harmless as well. Breathing a silent sigh, he stopped just shy of his pretty, copper-haired fighter and the brunette, Mika Chirou. "Good afternoon, Lanza-san," he greeted with a slight, semi-forced smile, stepping around so that she could see him without having to turn her back on Chirou.

[Lanza Riva]

Lanza watched curiously as the girl in front of her giggled and then broke out in a huge grin. Whatever she said seemed to have a real positive effect on the other girl. Sure, she was awkward as all belief, but she helped the girl, somehow, though she didn't really think she said anything special. Maybe the girl was just weird. Well, she did just randomly walk up and offer advice to a perfect stranger, so that was likely it.

"It's natural, to be confused. It's best to be honest with yourself, and speak from your heart. My mind sucks with coming up with stuff, so I usually tend to go with how I feel. Sometimes it gets me into trouble.. But I find that if you don't speak how you feel, you end up regretting it later and kicking yourself for it. I hope that makes sense? Sorry- I ramble," she said, having managed to yet again fluster herself somehow, but at least she was laughing this time.

"Ah... Yes, that makes sense. I'm just not terribly good at it. I've never... really had anyone close to me that wasn't related to me in some way, so I've never... needed that skill, I guess?" she replied, tilting her head to the side slightly as she continued to watch the girl.

She looked more than happy after Lanza introduced herself, and it looked like she was going to dance or cry, or maybe a little of both, she wasn't sure. Either way, she looked happy, and that tickled Lanza a little bit. She liked knowing that she did something to make someone happy, though she wasn't about to admit anything of the sort anytime soon. "Mmhn! If it's alright, I will call you Lanza?"

Lanza almost laughed at this. Almost. But her small smile had grown somewhat. Whatever it was that bit this girl, it was almost infectious. "...Ha. You're weird," she said, unable to hold back a tiny giggle at the other girl's expense. "I already said you can call me whatever you like."

However, her merriment was to be cut a little short, as she sensed the approach of another person. However, she didn't put her guard up one bit. The presense felt familiar, and her back tickled slightly. She had a good feeling that she knew who it was, and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard the voice behind her, and saw the man said voice belonged to step around them. She turned her head to look at him, her eyes wide with surprise, and she tightened her grip on her phone before she shoved it back into her bag, knowing she didn't need it anymore. He was here already. "Good afternoon, Kouichi-san," she greeted in response, nodding her head to him. "You look well. That's good."

[Mika Chirou]

Mika's eyes widened in disbelief. Lanza...Never had any friends before..? Well not anymore. Mika nodded to herself. "Then..If it's alright with you... can we become close..? Lets be friends!"Mika smiled, her cheeks pink with excitement. Having friends was one of the best parts of life. To Mika anyway. You laugh and cry together, you fight through the hardships. It's something to live for.

"...Ha. You're weird, I already said you can call me whatever you like." Mika laughed. It wasn't the first time she'd been called weird. Sure, she had been bullied for it in the past, and even left out of groups at school. Had a hard time making friends. But she felt like she would rather be herself and have people around her who liked her for it rather than have to pretend. "That's not the first time someone's said that to me, I got it quite frequently back in America. I think it makes life more interesting! Plus, it makes people laugh, so I figure why not?" Mika giggled at herself again and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Mika looked up from her new friend and saw a man walking towards them. He looked tense, and a little worried. She tilted her head at the new arrival. She gave him a smile in greeting. From the look Lanza gave him, and the sudden disappearance of her phone, she figured that he was the one she struggled to call. How cute. They obviously have a mutual thing going on. 'Maybe I should stop playing all those dating sims...' Mika thought to herself. She got a happy daze to her eyes as she drifted off thinking about otaku things, like that hot guy in the anime she watched the other day.

She shook her head, coming back to the real word. "Oh!" She made herself jump in surprise when she realized she wasn't alone. She giggled to herself and rubbed the back of her neck. Her ears twitched anxiously. "Sorry! I drifted off thinking about stuff. It's nice to meetcha! I'm Mika. I'm guessing you two know each other?"

[Kouichi Osaka]

Kouichi eyed the brunette woman as she seemed to zone out for a moment before returning to reality with a jolt of surprise. Had she forgotten she was with other people? He then sighed, glancing at Lanza before looking back at Chirou. "Mm. I heard you introduce yourself, Chirou-san," he commented, then shook his head slightly. She wasn't a threat. Not with how scatterbrained she was. "My name is Osaka Kouichi, and Lanza-san is... a good friend of mine," he then said, glancing back at Lanza. He hadn't been expecting to see her, so it was actually a pleasant surprise.

At that moment, he spotted the poster almost right behind her, a slightly bigger version of the flier he'd left sitting on his kitchen table. '...well, if that's not fate, I don't know what is. She had to have seen that,' he thought, his smile a little less forced looking now. "Lanza-san, may I ask you something?" the red-eyed man asked, though his gaze was still on the poster, barely actually seeing Lanza or Chirou now, with how focused he was on just asking. He could invite her to move in with him later, when they had a moment to just talk. He didn't want to ask in front of a complete stranger, after all.

[Lanza Riva]

"Sorry! I drifted off thinking about stuff. It's nice to meetcha! I'm Mika. I'm guessing you two know each other?"

Lanza nodded, staring at Mika somewhat strangely, and it seemed like she wasn't the only one. Even Kouichi was giving her a bit of a look before he sighed, apparently letting it go at that as he glanced over at Lanza, which immediately drew her attention and she stared at him curiously. "Mm. I heard you introduce yourself, Chirou-san," Lanza heard him say matter-of-factly as he shook his head a bit, some hidden tension seeming to evaporate away. "My name is Osaka Kouichi, and Lanza-san is... a good friend of mine." He glanced at her again, and she felt her face suddenly get hot. Very hot. She had to quickly turn her eyes away, or she wasn't going to be able to take it. She was happy. Very happy. She had two friends now, which was something she wasn't really used to, but still, it made her very happy to know that both of them considered her a friend. Especially Kouichi.

"I-It's... as he says," she said, managing to find her voice again. She took in a breath to settle herself and then peeked up at Mika. She felt more than a bit awkward, but at least something positive was coming out of it. "Kouichi-san is my... good friend." She really wanted to just come out and say he was her partner, but there was a certain etiquette one held when you weren't sure whether if someone was a unit half or not. More often than not, it was best to keep your mouth shut about such things. "You may be my friend too. I don't mind, Mika-san."

It was then that the redhead noticed that Kouichi was now looking past her, at the wall. Wondering what he was looking at, she turned to look... only to see the poster again. So he noticed it too. Well, it would save her the pain of asking if he was reading the poster himself. Now she could only hope he would decide to go. She wanted to go to the festival, and she didn't want to go alone, nor could she trouble her newfound friend Mika to accompany her. Besides, if they went together, they could get working on the revenge plot they had set forth to carry out. It was killing birds with one stone.

"Lanza-san, may I ask you something?"

His voice caused her to whirl back around to face him, her eyes wide and curious as she fixed them on his face. What was he going to ask? He wasn't even looking at her, either. Instead, he seemed to be still staring at the poster. Slowly, a thought bubbled up from within her and her heart began to race. Was he... thinking the same thing? She was almost eager to find out, now. "Yes, go right ahead. Ask me anything," she replied, her voice clear and direct, with all traces of her earlier awkwardness gone. All she focused on was him and the question he was about to ask.

[Mika Chirou]

Mika looked back and forth between them. Growing a knowing smile, she hid it behind her hand with a little giggle. How cuuuute~! They were just too adorable! Feeling sort of like a third wheel, she whistled and looked past them at a bird hopping about on the ground. She gave Lanza a comforting pat on her shoulder and walked past her. "Mmhn. I'm going to get some drinks~ Is there anything in particular you want Lanza, Kouichi-san..?" She giggled, and turned. She put her hand up, hiding her face from Kouichi, and gave Lanza a knowing wink. "It might take me a little bit~ So I apologize in advance for the wait~" Mika then walked with a hop to her step to find a vending machine.

[Kouichi Osaka]

Red eyes drifted back to Lanza's face, and he was about to respond when Chirou spoke up, apparently offering to go get drinks for them all. He frowned a bit at the usage of his given name, but honestly, it wasn't worth the trouble. She clearly wasn't from Japan, judging by her accent. "No thank you, I'm fine," he replied, then waited a moment for the brunette to leave before he focused his attention back on Lanza.

One hand lifted, motioning to the poster. "Well, honestly, it's more two questions. Firstly, have you ever been to a Japanese festival before? And second, would you like to go?" he asked, glancing back at the poster. "...with me, I mean," he added. "I feel like we haven't really spent enough time together, even though we're partners now..." He sighed softly, rubbing the back of his head.

[Lanza Riva]

"Mmhn. I'm going to get some drinks~ Is there anything in particular you want Lanza, Kouichi-san..?"

Lanza looked over at Mika, who was behaving rather strangely. Well, not like that seemed to be much out of the norm for her, but it was still rather strange. To make matters worse, she seemed to have gotten something in her head about them and acted as if she knew what was going on. Unfortunately for Mika, Lanza was lost as to her intentions, or just what that knowing smile was all about. "Um, I'm not really all that thirsty, but thanks, Mika-san," she replied, her brow furrowing in confusion as she watched Mika wink at her and then take off after making another declaration that she might be a while. Just what was that girl up to...?

Shaking her head with a sigh, she turned and followed the movement of Kouichi's hand, and then looked at the poster before she looked back at him. "Well, honestly, it's more two questions. Firstly, have you ever been to a Japanese festival before? And second, would you like to go? ...with me, I mean," he asked, rubbing the back of his head. She stared at the sacrifice, having not expected him to make the offer. "I feel like we haven't really spent enough time together, even though we're partners now..."

It sounded as though he felt bad for not contacting her all this time, and wanted to make it up to her by taking her out to the festival. Was she right about that? Still, it was perfect, and more than a bit of a relief for her. She also couldn't help but let out a small hint of what could have been called a chuckle before she looked back up at him. "It's kind of funny that you'd ask, Kouichi-san. I've never been to a festival before, and I have to admit that I'm kind of interested in seeing for myself what it's like. I heard about them from Sheeka, and I've read about them, as well, but still there's a difference between hearing about something and actually seeing it, so I... was thinking of asking if you wanted to come with me. Looks like you thought of the same thing," she replied, an amused tone colouring her voice. She knew they were alike, but even down to certain thought processes? That was almost too much. "So, I would like to go if you wanted to, yes."

[Mika Chirou]

Mika shuffled off, not really wanting to leave for good, but enough time to give them the privacy to talk. It was obvious to her that Kouichi felt uncomfortable talking to Lanza with her around, and Mika didn't want to ruin that for her. She wasn't so dumb as to not get the jist. She wandered, looking for something to do. Something to pass the time. She sat under a tree and watched a family of ducks pass by. Too bad they were all pretty much grown. She loved it when the ducklings wandered off and came by to say hello. She was not so thrilled, however, when the mama duck came by to retrieve her baby. That was not so fun. Those bills are really deceiving. She learned on her own that ducks do indeed have teeth. The scar on her ankle was proof of that.

She had wandered farther than she thought. She looked back and could barely make out their shapes. Whether that was due to her lack of vision, or the actual distance, she would never know. She sighed to herself and put her chin on her folded arms. Her eyes were tilted up, looking at the clear sky. Her eyes closed and she started to drift off.

[Kouichi Osaka]

Kouichi actually laughed quietly, the sound just a breathy huff of air, but he was startled by it none the less. When was the last time he actually laughed and felt like it wasn't forced? Shaking his head, he glanced to the poster again before focusing his attention back on Lanza completely. "...what's the saying? Great minds think alike?" he asked, shaking his head again, looking faintly amused. "I would like to go, yes. I got the flier in the mail the day I moved into my new place. I'd been meaning to call and ask you about it for a while, but I've been busy settling in and getting the house set up..." he trailed off there, looking away as he thought of the other thing he wanted to ask Lanza. How did one even go about inviting someone to move in with them? He didn't really know, and the thought of bringing it up was stupidly nerve-wracking. He wanted her close, so he could protect her, but how would she even take the invitation? Would she be happy and accept? Or would she get upset and flat out reject it?

[Lanza Riva]

Lanza blinked as she heard this huff of air come from Kouichi, her ears twitching slightly. What was that? It wasn't a sound she was used to hearing from the sacrifice. Whatever it was, it seemed as if it caught him off guard, as well, but it wasn't for long. He quickly shook it off and then looked at the poster again before he focused on her completely. "...what's the saying? Great minds think alike?"

"P-Pfft!" She just couldn't take it anymore. There was no holding it back now. She cupped a hand to her mouth and turned away, her shoulders shaking a bit as she braced herself against the wall with an arm. It was already pretty amusing that they were so much alike, but this took the cake. It seemed as though he thought so, as well, as his face looked like he was pretty amused, himself. After a minute or two, she caught her breath and then straightened herself, taking in a deep breath to calm herself, still kind of giddy from the fit. It really had been a long time since she was overwhelmed by a fit like that, and she had to admit that it felt good. "Ha... Our minds really must be great, because this is happening quite a bit, or so it seems..."

"I would like to go, yes. I got the flier in the mail the day I moved into my new place. I'd been meaning to call and ask you about it for a while, but I've been busy settling in and getting the house set up..."

Oh, that's right, he wanted to get his own place, didn't he? He would have been more than welcome to stay with her in her hotel suite, if he wanted. There were other beds available, but he had decided to leave and get a place of his own. She had respected his wishes and let him leave, but something about it had bothered her since. She supposed that it was her fighter instinct all up in arms because her sacrifice was so far away where she couldn't protect him, but was it really? She wanted to protect him, yes, but more than that, she wanted to be near him. "Ah, so you got your place, did you? Is it nice?" she asked curiously, canting her head a little bit. To be honest, she kind of wanted to see his new home, sometime, but she wasn't about to just come out and ask just like that. That would be rude.

[Kouichi Osaka]

Kouichi blinked, then stared as Lanza burst into a fit of giggles. He hadn't been expecting her to be quite that amused by his comment, but he found himself smiling slightly at the sight and sound of her laughter. He liked it.

Once she'd calmed enough to reply, he couldn't help but let out another little laugh. She was right. They did seem to be pretty well in synch. It was nice, though.

When he brought up his place, though, she seemed interested, asking him about it, and he nodded. "It's nice enough. Would you like to come over some time?" he asked. It seemed like a pretty good opportunity to ask her to move in. He'd give her the tour, and then mention that he actually got such a big place with her in mind. And then he'd invite her to move in. It wasn't the perfect plan, but honestly, it was the best he had.

[Lanza Riva]

There it was again. That small sound coming from Kouichi. Well, he seemed to be smiling a bit, so was it... a laugh? Had he ever laughed for her before? She couldn't remember if he had or not, so she was willing to bet that he likely hadnt. After all, she still couldn't get much of a true smile out of the sacrifice, but she'd definitely take a small laugh! She wasn't one to be picky about small victories after all.

After she had asked him about his place, she watched as he nodded, indication that it was indeed a nice place he lived in. Possibly not as nice as the mansion she lived in back in Italy, but probably nice enough by his standards. She found herself getting more and more intrigued by this new place of his, and really wanted to go see it. So much, that it was almost like a godsend when he asked her if she wanted to come over sometime. It was all she could do to curb some of her enthusiasm so that she wouldn't sound too excited or interested. She wanted to convey the point that she was interested, but she didn't want to look creepy.

"Yes, I'd like to," she replied with a nod before she glanced away, trying to find the right words to say. "As your fighter, and co-conspirator, I thought it would be beneficial if I saw your place. That way, I would know where you would be when you're at home, and I can come running if you'd ever need me." It still bothered her to think he may be a ways away from where she was staying, but she'd never say that. She couldn't. He was already feeling bad enough for leaving her alone for as long as he did. She didn't need to add to it.

[Kouichi Osaka]

The red-eyed man nodded again. What she said made sense, though he kinda hoped that wasn't all there was to her desire to see his place. He shifted in place, looking away as he adjusted the bags on his arms, which were starting to feel rather heavy. "Well, Lanza-san, I was actually on my way home... if you want, we can wait for Chirou-san to get back, then I can take you to see my place after," he offered. Naturally, he wasn't rude enough to just ask her to leave now, when the brunette woman had made it clear she'd be coming back, though he wasn't going to ask her to come along. He didn't want perfect strangers knowing where he lived, innocent-seeming or not. Maybe if Lanza invited her after moving in... if she moved in, that was.

[Mika Chirou]

The sun shone bright as the clouds passed by and Mika's eyes opened with a blink. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her legs lazily. 'How long have I been asleep?' she wondered to herself. She shrugged as she layed back, and watched the clouds meander by lazily in the sky. She figured she might as well go back, she had shopping to do before she got home. She got up and brushed herself off, and headed toward a vending machine to get herself some tea.

She popped it open and sipped from it as she walked. She took her time returning, and when she did she offered both of them a smile. "Sorry I took so long. I got lost." She offered a lie with a smile and shrugged. "I gotta head back now though, I've got someone waiting for me at home and I gotta get shopping done." She bowed and pulled a piece of paper from her dress pocket. She wrote her phone number in it and handed it to Lanza. "Call me if you ever need to talk, or want to hang out. I'm almost always free, and it's nice getting out of the house and having some girl time." She gave her a smile and nodded at Kouichi. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Sorry if I seemed rude, Osaka-san. I forget sometimes that using first name basis isn't really normal around here for people you first meet. My apologies." She also gave him a friendly smile, and a bow. Mika then straightened herself and gave them a salute. "Well, I'm off! See you soon!" She giggled and made off in a rush.

[Lanza Riva]

"Well, Lanza-san, I was actually on my way home... if you want, we can wait for Chirou-san to get back, then I can take you to see my place after."

Lanza had opened her mouth to reply to Kouichi's offer, finding it reasonable, but was cut off as she saw the aforementioned brunette walking up, almost as if on cue. "Sorry I took so long. I got lost," she said with a shrug and a smile. Really? She was scatterbrained, and more than a little strange, but if the redheaded girl thought about it, there were a few vending machines not terribly far away. Did she really get lost? If it was true, that was so pathetic it was almost sad. "I gotta head back now though, I've got someone waiting for me at home and I gotta get shopping done." That, on the other hand, made perfect sense. Most people had someone to return to, and it seemed as if Mika was no different. Then, she rummaged in her dress pocket and fished out a piece of paper, upon which she wrote down her number before handing it over to Lanza. "Call me if you ever need to talk, or want to hang out. I'm almost always free, and it's nice getting out of the house and having some girl time."

Lanza took the paper and looked at it curiously, but then almost cringed at the mention of "girl time", but she managed a bit of a small polite smile instead. "Thank you, Mika-san. I'll keep that in mind," she said softly. She really hoped "girl time" wasn't on the agenda the next time they met. After all, she was a tomboy who was only dressed the way she was right now because she needed a disguise and nothing more. She watched as Mika then apologized to Kouichi for using his given name without permission before bowing and then saluting. This girl really was strange.

"Well, I'm off! See you soon!"

Lanza opened her mouth to respond, as well had lifted her hand to wave at Mika, but then quickly shut it again, seeing as the girl was already rushing off at full speed. Were most other girls like this? She knew Shiru wasn't, but she still couldn't help but wonder if they just simply weren't normal. Then again, Mika did say that she got called weird a lot before... Yes, she was simply the weird one.

Sighing softly, she turned to Kouichi and offered a small tired smile. "Well, that fixed that problem rather fast, though somehow I'm feeling a bit tired after watching her... There must be such a thing as too much energy," she said quietly, shaking her head a little before she looked up at Kouichi again. The bags on his arms looked rather heavy, though she was sure he wouldn't admit it too soon. Deciding to relieve him a bit of his burden, she reached out and snatched a bag off of each arm without even giving him a chance to protest. "Well, shall we go? I'm sure you want to put these bags away soon, and I'm starting to get rather curious about your new home."