The Professor|| Sylus

Interrogation

As the weight of Sylus's words settled in, Mei felt a chill run down her spine. *I would know*. Did that mean he was aware of the rumors circulating the school? Did he know about her conversation with Ayako, where she had unwittingly spilled that Sylus had been spotted with a girl at the mall which was her?

Sylus, sensing her distress, resumed sitting down and cleaning his gun with methodical precision. Mei sat in front of him, her heart racing as she watched him, captivated by his calm demeanor. Just as she was about to voice her concerns, Sylus put his gun away and looked directly at her. She could see the understanding mixed with concern in his gaze.

"Yes, I do know about it," he said, his tone steady.

"I—I'm sorry," Mei stammered, guilt flooding her senses.

"It's not like I'm controlling every single thing you want to do or say," Sylus replied, his voice softening slightly. "It was reckless to mention it, but she is your friend. And you trust her, correct?"

Mei nodded, feeling a mix of shame and loyalty. She couldn't find the words to articulate her conflicting emotions. Sylus leaned in slightly, his expression serious. "Then it's okay. She knows. The school doesn't. Keep it that way."

"But what if there are leaked photos? Surely there will be some," Mei pressed, anxiety creeping back into her voice.

"I've already handled that," Sylus reassured her, a hint of confidence returning to his demeanor. "Everything should be fine. We will be fine. Besides, even if they had any accusations, it would still be the same concept. We're just strolling around—nothing more, nothing less."

His words wrapped around her like a protective shield, easing some of the tension coiling tightly within her. Yet, uncertainty lingered at the edges of her mind. She wanted to believe him, to trust that he had everything under control. The shadows of the unknown still loomed large, and the stakes felt higher.

As Sylus continued finishing in cleaning his gun, he cast her a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth twitching into a teasing smirk. "You know, if they assume we're together, then let them think that way. It could work to our advantage."

Mei's cheeks flushed crimson at his boldness, a mix of embarrassment and delight washing over her. "What? I—I didn't mean—"

Sylus chuckled softly, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Relax, sweetie. Just imagine the rumors. Besides, it'll keep people off our backs." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a playful whisper, "And who knows? It might even be fun."

Mei's heart raced, caught between mortification and exhilaration. "You're really unpredictable!" she exclaimed, but she couldn't suppress a smile.

"As I am sweetie," Sylus replied, his gaze steady and teasing. "Setting a side focus whats more important than mischief"

With a newfound resolve, Mei nodded. "Okay then..."

As they returned to the files, Sylus leaned over the table, his finger tracing the photographs laid out before them. "Do you know anyone from these pictures?" he asked, his tone serious.

Mei shook her head, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Not at all... I've never seen them."

"It might be one of Hiroshi or Ryoichi's men," Sylus speculated, glancing at her. "But what could they possibly want from you that they had to wreck the place?"

Mei bit her lip, thinking it over. "I have nothing important... unless they just want to mess with us?"

Sylus nodded, a grim look crossing his face. "Well, going back there is already dangerous. I got Mephisto's details regarding the scan and optimized it to see what the robber looks like."