This Time

Chapter 37

I bowed deeply to the man seated at the desk in front of me, nerves making my heart flutter in my chest and my palms feel clammy. "I'm sorry to bother you, Sir Nighteye," I said respectfully and on my best behavior.

"I do usually require an appointment," he said stiffly, giving me an icy stare.

"Yes," I gulped, standing straighter again and internally yelling at myself to get it together. Don't you dare let it show how nervous you are. "Thank you for seeing me anyway. My name is-"

"I know who you are, vigilante. That's why I agreed to see you anyway."

I forced a half smile. "Aspiring hero and ex-vigilante now, actually. I'm going for my non-traditional hero license."

"Yes. You're teaching at Yūei now," he said, leaning back and steepling his hands in front of his chin. "Not Nezu's wisest decision, but I'm sure he has his reasons."

My grin was wider now, and even more forced. My right eye twitched slightly. "You don't trust me, and that's fine; we just met. But I'm here because I want to help you, and in turn I hope you can help me..." I swallowed, stealing my nerve and hoping I wasn't making a massive mistake, "And that you can help Yagi Toshinori as well."

Nighteye didn't react outwardly beyond the slight clench of his jaw and the way his lips pressed together in a tight line. "How is it you know that name?" he asked after a second too long. He didn't look angry, but this guy was also harder to read than most. I folded my hands behind my back and casually looked about the office, trying to appear calm and aloof - it was a ruse, of course.

"We're quite close," I said vaguely, looking at one of the All Might posters that hung on his office wall. "Close enough that I know why you two don't talk anymore," I added quietly, glancing at him sideways.

"What is it you want, Hara Mei?" he asked, watching me carefully.

I bit the inside of my lip, reminding myself again to be sure to keep my shoulders from trembling visibly. "I didn't tell him I was coming here to see you, but he and I recently learned from one of my old contacts that there's a connection between the League of Villains and the Shie Hassaikai. Gran Torino is looking into the League we know, and the information we've come into was already passed on to him. But you're investigating Overhaul, aren't you?" Nighteye still didn't move a muscle. "I think your investigation could benefit from my involvement as well."

"There are so many red flags you raised in just a handful of words, that I hardly know which one to address first," he said curtly, and I started to really worry in earnest that I'd made a mistake in coming here. The hero pushed back from his desk and stood, keeping his intelligent and scrutinizing gaze on me as he walked around the desk before stopping in front to lean back against it. "First of all, I need to know how someone who isn't a hero or a police officer knows about two highly confidential cases."

I shrugged, still trying to appear unperturbed. "I told you, I work closely with All Might."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"Of course it does. All Might told me." It wasn't a lie.

"Him knowing about Gran Torino's case I can understand, but he doesn't know anything regarding my investigation," he disputed.

"But his successor does," I said, hoping I wasn't getting the boy in trouble, and by the scowl that settled on the tall man's face I was concerned that I might have. Quickly I added, "You can't expect the kid not to talk to his master. That's literally the whole point of having a mentor, and at least you know that information is safe with the Symbol of Peace."