Chameleon - Allisagi

Introduction

On the dawn morning, at Kyoto「Onsen Ryokan」inn, a commotion happens.

Two bodyguards forcefully drag a young man out of their inn and throw him onto the ground. The loud thud of his fall echoes through the street, catching the attention of passersby, and drawing them to gather in a circle around the young man.

"GET LOST, FREELOADER!"

"DON'T YOU EVER COME BACK AND RUIN OUR BUSINESS!"

She shouts to the young man, Isagi Yoichi, who lies on the ground, slowly blinking to shake off his dazed. He places his hand on the dusty ground to push himself up from the fall and looks at the innkeeper. He listens to her intense yelling and harsh words with an eyebrow raised in a puzzle.

Meanwhile, the innkeeper, a burly woman with a face reddened by frustration, stands over him with her hands on her hips and screams.

"ARE YOU JUST GONNA SIT THERE LIKE A STATUE OR WHAT?"

"HURRY UP AND LEAVE BEFORE I MAKE YOU TO!"

The innkeeper tries her best to criticize Isagi to make him leave her inn. But no matter how much she does, Isagi still pays no attention to her words and keeps sitting in front of her inn. This provokes her to the point she almost explodes.

"GUARDS—"

"No need."

Just as she is about to signal her guards to bring him away, Isagi slowly rises from the ground and glances at them threateningly, causing them to stiffen up. The innkeeper's expression shifts from one of anger to a brief of hesitation. She exchanges glances with her guards, who also pause for a moment, unsure what to do, and turns back to Isagi.

"You...! What are you looking at?!"

"Hu...HURRY Up!"

The innkeeper stammers over her words, and the guards behind her seem agitated toward Isagi's eye contact. Yet, Isagi just ignores their hostility and silently assesses the situation. His attention from the innkeeper slowly shifts to the people around him.

'...Looks like he's not here...'

He thought to himself while looking around.

When he is done observing, he looks back to the innkeeper, scanning her from head to toe, and then lets out a smile, more like an amused smirk and chuckle.

"Now, now... Why would I let this young, gentle, and kind madam like you escort me personally? That'd be very rude."

"..."

"So you know what, I'll leave just as you requested."

"The issue between us ends here, I promise no more trouble from my end, okay madam?"

"..."

The innkeeper hesitates for a moment, clearly confused by Isagi's sudden change in attitude. He speaks smoothly, his tone calm as he addresses her, and he remains neutral as if the conflict had never occurred.

She blinks in astonishment, momentarily speechless, then exchanges her looks with the guards, who shrug in response, also unsure of what had just happened.

"What should we do, madam?"

"Well...."

"..."

"I think I got an idea."

She shares her thoughts with the guards and they nod in response. After their tense pause discussion, the innkeeper turns around to speak to Isagi.