THIS BOOK ALL ABOUT SUZUYA JUUZOU (and me..)

29

***
Soon, me and Juuzou departed from his squad. He'd decided to take a walk and bring me along. I'd started to notice, even when we first started getting involved with each other, he'd put his hands in his pockets whenever he thought of touching me. I similarly took on this habit.
We walked beside each other, Juuzou humming softly. It felt nice to finally be at his side again, i breathed in deeply then looked at him.
"How long do you think this mission is going to take? I don't want you to leave so soon.." I told him. He locked his fingers behind his head, leaning back a bit.
"Well.. Hopefully it doesnt take too long.. But i agree, i don't want to leave you again." He responds, looking up at the clouds. I sigh softly, rubbing my face.
"You know.. If you aren't busy.. You can come over tonight." I tell him, playing with the lollipop in my pocket.
He stops and i watch him stare at the sky a bit longer.
"Ill get away for a bit." He says, finally looking at me. I smile brightly, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"I'll have to sneak you in. No boys allowed.. Sassan's rule." I tell him. I so desperately want to kiss him, but while on CCG grounds, i have decides to keep it strictly professional... Excluding the incident following the meeting.

"What room is yours?" He questions, reaching his hand into my pocket and snatching the lollipop from it.
"Its.. The third window on the left." I inform him, pulling the wrapper off.
He instead motions for me to open my mouth, and i do. He pushes it into my mouth and lets go.
"Do you want to go get some ramen?" He asks suddenly. I pull the lollipop out of my mouth, nodding.
"If thats what you want, sure." I respond. He glances around then grabs my hand, pulling me in the direction of the front gates.

***
"Here's your table, please call us when you're ready." The waitress says as we sit from across each other. She walks away, leaving us alone.
Juuzou picks up the menu, peeking over it at me.
"I really like their beef ramen.. You should get that." He says, i cross my legs and look at him.
"Im not very hungry.. I think i'll just get a some water." I respond, sliding my menu to the edge of the table. Juuzou puts down his menu, staring at me.
"Have you eaten today?" He questions, propping his elbows on the table. He rests his head in his hands, looking at me.
"I had breakfast at the chateau." I say simply, looking back at him.
"Hmm... Haise tells me you aren't eating." He confesses, playing a set of chopsticks on the table.
That bastard.

"Well.. I'm just not hungry.." I say, looking into my lap.
"I asked Hanbee why a girl wouldn't eat, and he said something that i don't really think you'd do." He says slowly, i can feel his leg twist around mine under the table.
"What.. Did he say?" I ask curiously. Juuzou sighs and leans back agaisnt the chair.
"Are you self conscious?" He presses me, setting his hands in his lap. He stares at me, tilting his head.
"I.. No i'm not. I just.. Generally don't want to eat." I respond, staring into my lap as i nervously picking at the skin around my nail. Juuzou lets out a dissatisfied groan, i look back up at him.
"Please start eating. You need to grow big and strong!" He says, raising his hand and waving over the waitress.
"Ready to order?" The woman asks.
"Can i get 2 large bowls of beef ramen with extra broth.. Oh! And another for her." He tells her.
"C-can i get a water too?" I cut in. The waitress nods and walks away. Juuzou looks back at me.
"You don't have to eat it. If you don't i will." He says simply. I look at him.
"I.. I'll eat don't worry so much about me!" I say, crossing my arms in defiance. Juuzou has a satisfied smirk on his face.
Fmthe woman brings over the bowls of ramen, setting them down one by one.
"Are you exoecting someone?" She asks.
"Nope!" Juuzou responds quickly. I look at the woman, who gives me a questionable look before walking away.
I pull the disposable chopsticks from their paper sheathe and pull them apart. I hold them over the edge of the table as i rub them together to rid them of splinters.
Soon i begin to eat my ramen slowly. Juuzou has already finished his first bowl and is halfway through his second.
Where does he put all that food?
I cant bring myself to eat the meat, picking it up and placing it in Juuzou's bowl. He looks at me, seemingly asking with his eyes if i'm positive I don't want it. I nod and he eats it gratefully.
"I'm gonna order two more. Is that okay?" He says as he stacks the three bowls on top of each other.
"Yeah, just dont make yourself sick.." I say, right as i finish, Juuzou's phone rings.
He geumbles before grabbing it and answering.
"Hello~?"

I watch him listen to whoever is on the reciever, he nods and hangs up.
"Nutcracker left the scene before they could get any clues. Today's investigation is over for now." Juuzou tells me. Which means i have to leave him.
I let out a sad sigh, brushing my hair back.
"Do you still want more? I have to meet up with my squad." I tell him. He shakes his head, pulling out his wallet with money hastily shoved into it.
"Umm.. How much do you think this is?" He asks me, pulling out several large bills.
"Ah-! Not that much Juuzou??" I reach over and pluck an appropriate amount from his hands and set it on the table. He laughs as i help him put his money back into his wallet, coins clattering onto the table.
"Ack- sorry." I say to the waitress, who is now standing near us. Juuzou stands and puts a hand on my head.
"Just leave it! Lets go~" he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the small restaurant.
He pulls me to his side, i walk alongside him.
"We have to part ways.. You'll come tonight right?" I ask him, pulling him to a stop.
"Mm.. Yes i will. Don't worry!" He says, squeezing my hand. I sigh softly and stare at our hands for a bit.
"You still love me right?" I ask him shyly. He stares at me for a bit before responding,
"I do. I love you very much Makiko." He says, bringing my hand to his lips and kissing it softly. I smile and pull away slowly.
"I'll see you tonight."

***

As the house wound down to go to sleep, i was left wondering if Juuzou would fulfill his promise.
"Do you and Associate special class Suzuya have a past?" Urie suddenly asked me while i was exiting the bathroom. I looked up at him, patting my hands dry on my nightshirt.
"Ah.. Um.. We are just old friends. He shared a mentor." I didn't conpletely lie to him. I didn't want to make Urie think Juuzou was showing favoritism to any of the squad members.
He stares down at me, seemingly doubting me.
"So.. He chose you to stay behind today for..? What exactly?" He presses, pressing his hand against the wall, leaning over me.
I narrow my eyes at him, crossimg my arms.
"Like i said, old friends. Are you jealous or something?" I strike back, tilting my head.
"Like hell I am! I was wonderimg why someone so strong like Suzuya even bothered to acknowledge someone who can't even release their kagune." He said, leaning back slowly.
It's not that i can't, it's that i won't.

"What does it matter to you?" I scoff, pushing my hand against his chest, pushing him back.
"Please, hop off my case princess Uri." I tease him, walking past him and to my bedroom.
"In all these months living together you have refused to display your potential as an investigator. If you don't start now i'm sure you'll be removed!" He yells at me. I stop and turn to him, staring at his frame at the end of the hallway.
"Are you trying to provoke me?" I say darkly, stepping towards him.
Urie walks up to me, towering over me.
"You pretend like you aren't one of us, staying in the back lines. One day one of will die at you lack of participation." He threatens, pressing both his hands on the wall, effectively caging me bewteen him and my bedroom door.
"You don't know me." I say quietly, staring up at him.
"Shiranui Makiko, child left on CCG's doorstep. Abandoned by her parents and enrolled into the academy. Ranked first in her class and has the highest score in quinx aptitude test history." Urie says, as if reciting script.

"Why are you reading my file?" I question him, gritting my teeth. Urie leans down close to my face.
"How many Kakhou did you have implanted into that small body of yours?" He asks hungrily, i hear his nails dig into the wall.
"Urie." I hear a voice say. We both turn our heads towards the voice, seeing Haise with bedhead, and glasses. Urie immediately backs off, folding his arms behind himself. Without saying anything, Urie heads back into his own room, closing and locking the door behind him.
I look at Haise gratefully, running both my hands through my hair.  Haise motions for me to go to bed, walking off. I sigh and turn around, opening my bedroom door only to be met with Juuzou sitting on my bed patiently.
My eyes widen and i quickly step in, closing the door behind me.
"Juuzou! Jesus Christ you scared the shit out of me!" I whisper. I walk over a flick on a lamp residing on the corner of my desk. Its light illuminates the room, barely.
"I'm here~! As promised!" He says, jumping to his feet.
I look at his dimly lit figure, realizing that finally, we're alone.