Leaving the black market was far easier than entering. Tanami did not have to worry about getting patted down or having the tip of a blade pressed against her back. She did not have room to worry about being stabbed while walking out. Especially after what happened at Arcane's shop, she was rejecting all mission offers for the rest of the week. She was going to make Decadence take them, whether zie liked it or not.

The teenager's short heels silently clicked against the stone road. Shadows veiled her tiny form, disguising her from anyone who may or may not want to get the jump on her. Not that they would be able to. The fluorite would inform her long before the thought crossed their minds. And even if they did, she did have a new katana to test out. Surely Chamaeleon would not mind a slightly used weapon as long as it did not dull.

Traversing through the darkness, the alleyways that curved around her were nothing more than a fun game. She had already memorized the quickest way to get out of there. However, she was confident that she would not catch anyone this early in the morning. Light from dawn was beginning to slip through the horizon. No one wanted to get seen coming out of the black market. On top of that, the way she left was not the only way out.

Personally, Tanami liked this entrance where the alleyways twisted and turned like a maze not because of the troublesome walk but because there was a convenience store nearby. She could grab as many red bean cakes for the week. Or at least she hoped it lasted the week. Chamaeleon and Decadence were more than happy to steal her snacks. She could not even be mad because she had not hidden them well enough.

Still, she had a right to be angry about it. At least they both gave her truffles and macaroons later on as compensation.

After a few more minutes of walking, Tanami arrived at the dead-end where she stored her backpack. Kicking the cardboard box aside, the black backpack she hid before going into the Deep made itself known. She stepped back in disgust, grimace filling her features as a bit of muck clung to the tip of her shoe. Her lips pressed together as the edge of her brow twitched. "Just great."

She glanced around her, wondering if there was anything she could use the wipe it away. Unfortunately, the only things that could work were the clothes she was wearing and the clothes tucked away in the backpack. It did not help that she was particularly fond of this outfit. Decadence presented her with the folded clothes with so much glee that it was contagious. The grin on zir's face was enough for Tanami to drop her walls entirely. And frankly, she did not want to dirty the few gifts she had received from the Empyreans.

Tanami's fingers were quick to undo the buttons of her trenchcoat before slipping the article of clothing off of her body. Shoving it inside the backpack alongside the medium-sized briefcase, she withdrew the grey jacket from inside. The fedora and mask she wore were tucked inside the bag as well. Hooking the straps across her shoulders, her eyes fell to her shoes, and a frown stitched onto her lips.

If she was going to take a trip to the convenience store, she might as well buy wipes. However, she preferred to spend the five-thousand yen in her pocket on snacks. The girl's head drooped, and the strips of enstatite clunked against each other. It looked like she would have to give up dorayaki for now.

Besides that, another problem had arisen. She had no clue as to what to do with this katana. Okay, perhaps she had not grown that intelligent over the past year. Split-second decisions still seemed to haunt her after all. Her brows furrowed. She supposed she could say that she was practicing kendo... at five in the morning. Not the best excuse, but good enough. What minimum paid student would care what the hell she did after all?

Sunrays cascaded down from the sky, bathing the outskirts of Kyoto in its glorious light. The warm sensation coated her skin, revealing the exhaustion that plagued her face. As she fell into a steady pace, it was only then that Tanami began to feel the aches settling into her joints. Experimentally, she curled her fingers and was met with the same soreness. She would have arthritis by the time she was twenty-five, was she not?

Brisk air filled her lungs. Her shoulders fell forward, her tense muscles loosening the further she got from the market. She sometimes allowed herself the reward of gazing around at her surroundings. The street she walked along was void of people except for the occasional car strumming along. Otherwise, the neighborhood was peaceful with no sign of chaos. Before she knew it, she sighed in disappointment.

Sooner or later, a Villain would end up here and wreak havoc. Whether it was later today or tomorrow, it did not matter. Destruction was indeed to come. No matter how hard Heroes try to prevent it, there will always be someone with bad intentions, whether it be for selfish reasons or fun. Civilians were left in the middle of fights, and casualties could never be avoided entirely.

No wonder Tomohiro hated citizens throwing themselves into harm's way for stupid reasons. They got in the way and never thought of the consequences. A twinge of sadness enveloped her heart. Since when did she become such a pessimistic person? Thoughts fluttered through her mind at random intervals. Some were memories of the past, while others were fleeting ideas that could never become a reality.

Her fingers looped around the edge of her hood before tugging it on. She pulled the strings to tighten it as the automatic doors slid open in front of her. Stepping inside the store, she was met with a delicate chime announcing her arrival. Grabbing the handles of a red basket, the girl quickly picked it up. The lazy stare of the female at the register inspected her, although it was mild and with little to no interest. The worker did not even appear fazed at the fact that Tanami was carrying around a katana.

It was less work for the crystal to explain anything, so she found it in her favor. Gave her fewer things to worry about. But then again, the worker probably did not get paid enough to care.

Yawning, Tanami rubbed the side of her cheek with her shoulder. She blinked a few times, trying to rid herself of the sleep that wanted to grab ahold of her. Her footsteps fell into a tandem, walking through the isles with little enthusiasm. She glanced around, briefly scanning the items on the shelves. The crystal stopped at times, looking at random things but ultimately, it was not worth buying.

It took a couple of minutes for her to find the wipes, mostly because she was too lazy to look up at the signs on the ceiling and preferred walking through every aisle slowly. Not the best plan, but it was not like she had anything else to do. The vials of Trigger were tucked safely away in her backpack. Who would suspect that a teenager would be carrying around a dangerous drug after all?

Tossing the wipes in the basket, she ignored the thud it emitted. Tanami glanced down at it, green eyes inspecting the object. She threw three more inside. She never knew when she was going to need them, and she had a feeling that she was going to need more than one. They were not expensive, but that did not stop her expression from turning sour.

Yeah, she definitely was not buying any dorayaki or anmitsu. Fine, then she will have to bring more money next time. That did not mean she was happy about it. Her hard-earned money was being wasted away. Well, not exactly hard-earned because she was a vigilante and not a Hero.

Creases decorated the girl's forehead as the wrapper of a red bean cake crinkled in her fingers. She flinched at the sound, disturbed by how loud it sounded in the empty convenience store. Withholding a grimace, she quickly dumped packages of mochi, monaka, and isobeyaki. To her left was a wall of refrigerators and she quickly opened the door. She picked a plastic container filled with purin. It wobbled inside its container.

Finally, Tanami shook her head before placing it back in the refrigerator. A cold breeze splashed her face as the door slid close. She walked around a bit longer, browsing at nothing. The tranquility inhabiting this small shop was soothing. Stuck in a self-constructed transience where she did not have to worry about a knife digging into her spine. Such a thing seemed rare nowadays.

How easy it was to take everything for granted.

The fresh scent of baked goods wafted into the nine-year-old's nostrils. Relishing in the sweetness of the aroma, Tanami momentarily halted to gaze around. She could only look at the detailed patterns on the beige metal chairs before Tomohiro tugged her hand lightly. Her feet skidded slightly, short legs trying to catch up to his long ones.

For a brief moment, she silently cursed herself for being so short. It was not fair. Akihiko already was half a foot taller than her despite them being the same age. Why did he get to be taller while she ended up being short? But she could not complain that much, could she? Before her thoughts could settle, Tomohiro had stopped walking and fell in line with everyone else. The next thing she knew, the ink-haired man had picked her up by the waist and held her close to his chest.

"What do you want?" Tomohiro readjusted her in his grasp while gesturing to the signs with the written baked goods.

Tiny fingers curled around the fabric of his navy blue long sleeve while her head twisted over to what her father was talking about. She would not have been able to read them if she was still on the ground. Tanami smiled softly at the gesture.

Pretty pictures of sweets and delicacies littered the plastic signs above, displaying the names and prices in a delicate font. The child squinted, slowly reading through them all. As they drew closer to the front counter, Tanami was busy figuring out what to pick. Pressing her lips together, she tilted her head.

Tomohiro walked forward to the counter, but his brows furrowed before he even opened his mouth to say his order. "Kazuhito-san?"

Snapping her attention away from the signs, the girl glanced at the person behind the counter. Rectangular metal glasses sat on the bridge of the woman's nose, which barely hid her aqua irises. She lightly tilted her head, a few strands of silver with blue ends falling onto her cheeks. It did not take even a second for her to remember the man in front of her as recognition flashed across her face. "Mochizuki, I didn't expect someone like yourself to enter such a small bakery. From what I remember, you aren't a fan of sweets."

"I'm not, but my daughter is," Tomohiro said as he gestured to Tanami.

Unsure of who the woman was, all Tanami did was wave slightly at Kazuhito. If the child looked close enough, she could see the edges of the woman's lips quirking up. However, that action disappeared as fast as it arrived. The crystal was not even sure if she saw it right anymore. But if Tomohiro greeted Kazuhito in a friendly manner, could she be an old friend? Then again, there were many people that her father knew that he never spoke of. Aqua eyes fell on the kid's form, but the woman did not say anything. Whether it was out of respect or something else, Tanami was not sure.

"I was wondering where you want after you retired, but I never expected it to be a bakery." The ink-haired man adjusted his grasp on Tanami. "You seem out of place here."

"You're not the first of my old colleagues nor acquaintances to say that." Standing on her toes, Kazuhito peered over the man's shoulder to see if anyone else was in line behind him. Luckily, the day was going slow, and no one else had entered the bakery while they chatted. "Is it so absurd for someone such as myself to bake bread? Knowing the recipes is not hard when you have perfect memory."

"Well, I'm certain you have no trouble. Can I have a medium-dark roast, two decafs, a small strawberry lemonade, and a small chocolate frappe?"

Pale fingers skid across the screen on the register, hastily typing in the order. Brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Kazuhito's gaze lifted to reveal a blank stare. "Anything else?"

"Tanami," the girl perked her head up at the sound of her name. "What do you want?"

The crystal's lips formed an 'O' before she nodded vigorously. Extending her arm forward, she jabbed her index finger at the menus above Kazuhito's head. "Cornet and daifuku!"

"Her Quirk... sugar-related, is it not?" the silver-and-blue-haired woman inquired while picking up a styrofoam cup. With a marker, she scribbled Tomohiro's name across its surface. A noise of confusion trickled out of Tanami's lips in surprise. How did that woman know that? It sounded like she was taking a guess rather than being certain.

"Your detective skills haven't dimmed in the slightest, Kazuhito-san."

Kazuhito chuckled lowly in response as she picked up a plastic cup. "It would be depressing if my skills vanished after I retired. I'm not losing my memory just because I left the job. It's not like I could ever forget. I'm certain my memory won't dim even in old age."

—the slide of automatic doors opening instantly caused the girl to snap out of her thoughts. She blinked a couple of times, trying to regain her composure. Her teeth lightly gnawed against each other as she shook her head, dismissing the old memory. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the handle of the basket tighter. Memories were cherished deeply but were a distraction. Distractions can lead to a single swipe, and she does not want to know her fate afterward.

She can lose herself in her thoughts when she gets back home. Tanami swallowed the thick saliva pooling in her mouth. When she got back to the base. A place that felt like home but with a different family. But a family nonetheless. Unbeknownst to her, she felt her lips tug upward in a smile. Almost chuckling to herself, she could already envision the petty arguments. She should not waste any more time now.

Pale fingertips dragged across the remaining items before her nails felt the jagged crinkling of plastic. She paused, eyes flickering to whatever she had touched. Her lips parted in the slightest. Circular pieces of bread with red paste oozing from a few cracks were seen inside the packaging. Red bean cakes. The thing she wanted in the first place, and she had forgotten about them. She quickly grabbed a few alongside some dango and threw them inside the basket.

Her feet dragged across the tiles, eyes peering at nothing until she made her way to the register—the thought of dumping the contents on the counter swirled in her mind but instead placed the basket on it. The worker gave her a blank stare before reluctantly picking up one of the red bean cake packages and scanning it. At the same time, Tanami shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled out a wad of Yen.

"Four thousand and six hundred." The girl grumbled as she bagged the sweets and wipes in a plastic bag. Shifting through her bills, the crystal quickly handed over the right amount of money and tapped her foot against the floor. She still needed her receipt.

"You-?" A disembodied voice vibrated against the air. It sounded so full of disbelief and directed right at her. That was not good.

Pressing her lips in a firm line, the female turned her head around and nearly dropped her bag. Her breath lodged in her throat as the world seemed to stop, even if it was for a moment. Standing a few feet away was a familiar face. One with curled black locks that fell into his face in wisps with magenta irises swirling with confusion. That expression of shock did not look like it should be written on his face.

Before Junpei could even try to get another word out, Tanami had already latched her fingers around the shorter male's wrist. The plastic bag filled with sweets and wipes crinkled around her elbow while her hand still held the katana. He dropped the package of onigiri in his grasp as the girl tugged him out the door. Her ears picked up the rapid scrapes of Junpei's shoes, but she did not bother to slow down. Looping around into the alleyway, she lightly threw his body against the brick and watched him release a slight grunt. The crystal pointed the end of the scabbard at the male's throat.

The pink-eyed teenager's head tilted back, exposing his neck for Tanami to slash if she wished. "First time I see you in a year, and your first reaction is to try and kill me. I've had worst interactions, to be honest. But I never expected you to be the one wielding the blade, Tanami."

"How did you find me?" Her eyes narrowed, suspicion swirling in her green irises. She did not drop the katana but did not push it further. "And it better be a good excuse."

Chuckling lightheartedly, Junpei allowed a smile to grace his lips. A hum drawled up his vocal cords. "A good excuse? I didn't actively search for you. A mere coincidence is what brought us together. That would be a different story if it were a year ago."

"If?" the girl echoed. "You say that as if you have not tried."

Junpei's hand gripped the white scabbard but did not remove it from his throat. A curl fell onto his visible eye. "Naturally, your brother and father would want you back. Or have their emotions been rendered useless in your eyes, Caeli?"

A sharp breath was drawn in through Tanami's nostrils. She did not need to avert her gaze as her peripheral vision was flooded with a similar purple glow. However, it was not the same emitted by her amethyst hair but the remnants of a purple butterfly crumbling away. It was not a surprise. The shorter male used his Quirk whenever he could. She was no exception.

"You haven't met Junri in quite some time." A look of sorrow flashed across his face, although she thought it was a trick of the shadows. Were her senses dulling, or did that never happen? Whatever, it was none of Tanami's concern.

"The less time I interact with her, the better. Holding a conversation with that woman is the last thing I want." The crystal paused, and a second later, her brows furrowed. "Why do you sound like you know that name well? As far as I know, only the Inscribe Agency is familiar with that person?"

Drumming his fingertips on the surface of the scabbard, Junpei allowed a smile to grace his lips. "How about you stop threatening me in an alley, and I'll tell you, Mochizuki."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

The enstatite that veiled Tanami's once amethyst hair clunked together at random intervals. It seemed like the wind took much joy in stirring the strips of hair that created her bangs. An irritating noise escaped her lips before she bit down on one of the red bean cakes she had bought. Chewing slowly, her tastebuds savored the sugary taste emitted from the paste. At times, the flavor of nuts settled on top of her tongue before it was overwritten by sugar.

The soles of her boots were pressed against the lower metal bar of the low fence while she sat on the upper portion. Leaning against her calf was the katana. Her green eyes drifted over to the item as she swallowed the dessert. Perhaps it was not such a good idea to buy it even if Arcane had given her a discount. She never expected to be carrying it around. But Arcane was pushy in her way when she wanted to be. Averting her attention, she watched with mild interest as Junpei bit into a dango she offered him.

Though he accepted it with glee, Tanami did not miss the way his eyes lingered on the wrapper longer than they should have. Skepticism was what she drew it up to. She did not feel offended or anything. Maybe if this were a year ago, she would have, but now, she had no time to get offended by little things. Emotions were a luxury in the underground, and it was one that she could not afford. Not now, at least.

But that did not stop her from feeling selfish by saying, "how's Akihiko doing?"

"Depends. What answer do you want?" The words were spoken more straightforwardly than in a circle. Like it was such a simple answer that could be swayed with whatever she wanted. She did not like it.

"Why are you so...?" Tanami trailed off, unable to form the correct sentence. Her jaw tightened but only for a moment. "Not surprised?"

Stuffing the rest of the bean cake in her mouth, the crystal internally cursed herself for such an awkward response. This was what she got for staying up all night. She was not even making sense anymore.

"Oh, you wanna know why I'm not shocked about your situation?" the shorter teenager smirked. "Ask your little boy toy."

Tanami swallowed the dessert halfway through chewing before spatting bits out of her mouth. A series of coughs rumbled across her chest while she lurched forward. Deep breaths followed afterward as she solidified a glare at the smiling sixteen-year-old. She wiped the back of her hand across her mouth, ridding herself of any crumbs or saliva that stayed behind.

"You have no boundaries with that Quirk of yours."

"Boundaries are for humans. I'm far from that with this makeshift body of mine. Like the crane inscribed with words as my heart, you must abide by your own words. But mine has loopholes and can be destroyed. But just having my body killed wasn't a fun experience."

"I see you've gone through my memory of me trying to burn that paper crane."

"I commend you on your efforts. You think it being paper would be easy to light on fire, but no, those pieces of origami are harder to destroy depending on the words."

The crystal shook her head as she opened up another wrapper. Confusion grabbed hold of her features with the package still in her hand. "Wait, killed?"

All the shorter male did was smirk. "Aww, you're worried about me now? I'm so grateful!"

She should not have asked. It was surprising that she had an actual conversation with him for so long. Tanami bit back a lie. "I want facts, not to give you sympathy. I don't have the opportunity to have those. You never answered me."

"What exactly do you want to know? Your brother or how I'm connected with Junri? Why? Is the curiosity killing you?" Junpei took a bite out of one of the spheres. He chewed slowly as if he were taunting her, which could be true.

"Simple. Follow the rules I've given you, and I won't hurt your family. You'll also learn much from Decadence. It's a fair trade. Just make sure you don't make the wrong one."

"Junri. You mentioned something about having a paper crane as well." The female plucked another cake and fiddled with it in between her fingers. A part of her did not want to eat it since she was frightened she could choke again.

"Oh?" The pink-eyed teen hummed softly. The girl found it strange that his expression had no ounce of amusement. Her grip on the bean cake tightened, and bits of paste squished themselves out. "Ignoring how your brother is in favor of a stranger? How selfish of you."

Her brow twitched. A sudden flare of anger curled in her chest. "I'm anything but selfish!"

Liar, her mind echoed with a teasing laugh. You're selfish, and you know it. Stop trying to fool yourself.

Tanami gnawed down on her bottom lip and ignored the metallic taste of blood sweeping over her tongue. Forcefully, she twisted her head the other way to hide the quivering of her eyelashes. "She's been messing with me since the beginning. Don't think otherwise. Cashire updates me on how the class does sometimes anyway."

"Whatever you say, Caeli. You remember those dolls Junri crafted in your image?"

Unwillingly, her hand crushed the treat. Red paste alongside pieces of crumbs clung to her fingers, yet she made no move to wipe them away. It felt disgusting.

Junpei placed a hand underneath his chin. A smile danced upon his lips, yet it was void of emotion. "She made me. I'm a mere doll that managed to escape her influence. But don't think I work with her. I despise that woman. She would be better off dead. She would probably like it."

"Are you going to tell anyway that you saw me?" Yanking one of the wipes free from the package, the crystal began to clean herself. Her steeled gaze never tore away from the male.

Laughter chimed and vibrated against her eardrums. Junpei playfully tugged at one of his curls as his eyes narrowed into slits. "If I wanted to out you, I would have when he showed up. But I don't feel like doing that. Far too much work if you ask me. Oh, however, I'll leave you with a piece of advice. Don't do anything stupid. You do want to go back home, right? Avoid someone called Esoteric."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Author's Note:

I swear it's not my intention to make most of Tomohiro's friends female. It just happens, and I don't realize it until later. Neither is me always having a conversation while eating food. I swear long and deep conversations happen while my OCs are eating, and it's never intentional, but it happens anyway. -_-

Also, I find it funny that no one likes Junpei. Like everyone who's read about his character despises him in one way or another, and it always makes me laugh. But you know, his character isn't supposed to be likable despite him being such a significant character in PMO.

Character Spotlight:

Name: Junpei Sayori

Quirk: Wings of Deduction

Likes: Popcorn