Rogue

Chapter 3

"So, why can't I call you by your first name?" Akira munched down on a croquette, Izumi's favorite food which he insisted she tried. Izumi scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit awkward eating with this girl in public. It looked like they were on a date which was totally not the case! Plus, they had all these shopping bags with them... People must think she's a spoiled girlfriend.

"It's part of the culture here in Japan. You call people by their last names out of respect." Akira wrinkled her nose in confusion. "And calling people by their first names is a bit intimate. It's typically reserved for family or," the boy shifted his gaze from her wide, green eyes and covered his flushed face with his hand, "significant others."

The girl hummed in acknowledgment and continued eating the lunch that he had graciously bought her.

"So, is your Commander gonna give me some kind of job to do so I can earn some of my own currency?" Izumi straightened in his seat.

"How long are you planning on staying here, exactly?" He watched as her shoulders slumped. Her appetite had suddenly vanished at his question. She chose to set down her croquette in order to wrap her arms around herself out of comfort. Her bright lime eyes dulled a bit as she stared at the corner of the table they sat at.

"I don't know," she mumbled. Although he knew he was making her a bit uncomfortable, he had questions that he wanted answers to.

"When you got here, you said you needed protection. Who are you running from?" Akira scowled and stood up from her seat, prompting the boy to follow suit.

"I don't feel comfortable answering that right now."

Izumi led her out of the cafe, her bags in his hands. A thick silence had settled over them. There was clearly tension with this subject, but she had to start talking or there would be consequences.

"You know you're gonna have to tell us about it all eventually. Maybe you should start with me." The girl crossed her arms and leered at him, receiving a sheepish grin in return. "I mean, I'm willing to listen without judgment like the other guys. And hey, maybe I can help you out."

Akira narrowed her eyes at him as she tried to determine if he was being sincere or not. He had a gentle grin on his features but she couldn't exactly read him. Either he was an honest, boyish guy who really was as relaxed as he came off... Or, he was a really good liar, playing a role to draw her into a false sense of security and get information out of her.

He seemed to notice her trying to analyze him and stopped walking. "Hey," he coaxed. "I promise I'm a nice guy. Yes, as a Border agent, I do want information from you. But at the same time, I'm showing you hospitality. Unlike Commander Kido and some of my fellow agents, I'm not against Neighbors. And since you're somewhat of my responsibility, I figured I could also lend a hand as a friend," he raised the bags he was holding, "if you need one."

The gentle smile he offered her made her heart thrum. She felt stupid for overthinking such a simple and kind soul. Akira shifted her head away to hide the redness blossoming on her cheeks.

"Fine," she murmured shyly. "What do you want to know?" There was suddenly much less tension than before and she felt she could offer this boy some trust.

"Let's start with how old you are."

"I'm eighteen." He nodded to himself. Barely older than he was.

"Okay. What about your favorite color?" The girl shot him a weird look. What a trivial question... "I'm just curious," he grinned. She playfully rolled her eyes.

"Green. My mother's eyes were so mesmerizing..." He watched as she began to fawn over her memories of the relative, the brightness of her eyes slowly returning. Izumi stared at her as she started to open up. So are yours, he thought. "It's by far the best color." She gazed up at him only to find him already looking back at her. "What about yours?"