I've always worked alone. It's simpler that way. No one to drag down, no one to get in my way. I do the job, and I move on. That's been my life as an agent in Bloom Corps. But today⊠Today, I was informed I'd be working with a new recruit.
I could hardly suppress a sigh as I stood in the sterile meeting room, my fingers absently tracing the edge of the report in front of me. Another mission, another day. I had completed my last task without incidentâretrieved sensitive data from the remains of a Thorn Syndicate hideout. I wasn't the best for nothing. But this time, I had a partner.
"Agent Chouchou."
I looked up. My superior, Aoi Takamine, was staring at me with those cold eyes, her voice sharp but calm. "You've been assigned a new partner. You'll work with her on your next mission."
I opened my mouth to protest, but Aoi cut me off. "Her name is Chou Mizuno. She's a new recruit. You'll meet her shortly."
Before I could argue further, the door slid open, and in walked⊠her.
I blinked, almost instinctively stiffening. Chou Mizuno. She was smiling, practically glowing with energy, her posture open and confident. It was almost unnerving, the contrast between her and me. Where I was cold and calculated, she was... bright.
"Agent Chouchou, it's such an honor to meet you!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with warmth and uncontainable enthusiasm. She took a step toward me, and for a second, I considered walking out of the room. I didn't need this. I didn't need someone so... alive, so naive.
But my instincts told me that wouldn't be possible.
I forced a tight smile, but I could already feel the irritation bubbling inside me. "Great," I muttered, my voice cold. "Let's get this over with."
Aoi didn't seem to care about our clear difference in demeanor. "You'll meet at a rendezvous point in the city tomorrow. Your target is a key informant for the Thorn Syndicate. You'll need to extract the information from him. I trust the two of you will handle it efficiently."
With that, Aoi left, leaving me alone with the ray of sunshine standing before me.
Chou beamed at me, her eyes sparkling. "I'll do my best! I know we'll make a great team!"
I had nothing to say to that, so I simply turned to leave. I wasn't sure if she was the type to take everything seriously, or if she was just trying to impress me. Either way, it didn't matter. I'd do the job alone, and she'd either keep up or get left behind.
---
The next day, I found myself standing at the rendezvous point, eyes scanning the surroundings. The city was quiet, but I could feel the tension in the air. The mission was simple, or so I thought. Retrieve the informant. Secure the intel. Get out.
But then, Chou showed up.
She wasn't what I expectedâshe had the kind of smile that could light up an entire room, but it was misplaced in this grim situation. She approached with her usual upbeat energy, completely unfazed by the gravity of the mission. I almost wanted to shake her, tell her to get serious, but something held me back.
I didn't have time for distractions.
"Are you ready, Hana?" Chou asked, her voice high and full of hope.
I nodded curtly. "Stay close. Do not get in my way."
Chou didn't seem phased by my words at all. Instead, she smiled even wider. "Got it! I'll follow your lead."
---
The mission itself was textbook. We entered the building, I neutralized the guards, and we located the informant. It should have been easy. But something was wrong. The target was gone.
"Where is he?" I muttered under my breath, frustration tightening my chest. I should have known something like this was coming, but my focus had been too narrow.
"Where did he go?" Chou asked, her voice now sharp with tension.
I was about to respond when I heard footstepsâtoo many of them, coming our way. The moment the sound reached my ears, my body moved on instinct. I signaled for Chou to stay low and out of sight, and I positioned myself at the door.
The next few minutes passed in a blur. I neutralized the incoming guards quickly, silently, before they could react. But when I turned to check on Chou, I saw her in the corner of the room, looking out into the hallway. She wasn't hiding; she was waiting, watching.
"Chou!" I snapped, the irritation creeping back into my voice.
"I'm fine!" Chou replied, waving me off like she hadn't a care in the world. "I figured I could make myself useful."
I didn't have time to argue. The mission was far from over.
I moved to follow her, but then I realized somethingâChou had been smart. She had distracted one of the guards long enough for me to slip past without being noticed. It was a simple move, but it had been exactly what I needed.
---
As we made our way back to the safe house, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Chou's presence wasn't the burden I'd expected. She was⊠capable.
She turned to me, her face lighting up with her usual bright expression. "That was awesome! We make a great team, don't you think?"
I didn't respond right away. Instead, I glanced at her, seeing the way she still beamed despite the intensity of the mission.
"You're not bad," I muttered. "For someone who doesn't take things seriously."
Chou grinned. "I'm serious about being with you, Hana."
Her words caught me off guard. For a moment, I didn't know how to respond. Why did it feel so strange to hear her say something so genuine?
I could feel my heart thudding in my chest, but I didn't want to admit it. I wasn't used to thisâsomeone like her, so full of warmth and sincerity, standing beside me. I wasn't used to being seen as anything more than a weapon.
But Chou⊠she saw something in me. And it was different.
---
Later that night, as I sat in my room, staring out the window, I couldn't shake the feeling that our paths had just intertwined in a way I couldn't ignore. Chou had a way of getting under my skin, making me question things I thought I understood.
And no matter how much I tried to push it aside, I knew one thing: the mission wasn't the only thing that had changed today.
---