Leo

No smoke area

Golden eyes watched how the blue-haired boy ran across the streets in desperation. She heard him call her name repetitively, and that made her chest hurt. With anger, she looked back to the person that held her by her waist close to them, while one of their hands kept her shut. A stoic, robot-like voice could be heard after a while

"Let's wait for him to go."

When Mitsuki wasn't around anymore, Chouchou was released.

"You don't know how to treat a lady at all!"

She pierced what sounded to be a man with angered eyes while she watched how he slowly removed the cloak's hood. Her upset expression changed to a surprised one. She had a hunch, and she was right.

"It was necessary."

Light blue hair and golden eyes. He was probably as tall or even taller than Lord Seventh and a deep scar ran across his right cheek. Chouchou didn't have to wonder further. This had to be Mitsuki's older brother.

"You weren't cooperating when I asked you to come with me."

"Why, of course I wouldn't! If you had introduced yourself properly instead of dragging me down the stairway!"

He looked back at her with a brief smile, and that made Chouchou skip a beat

"That could have worked if the circumstances were different. I was clearly running out of time when Mitsuki came in search of you."

"Uhm... Why don't you want him to find out?"

"I was told to be discrete. Our parent doesn't want Mitsuki to know I am watching."

He paused before he said

"If anything I shouldn't have approached you."

Chouchou raised an eyebrow while she crossed her arms

"Then why did you do that?"

"It's easier this way."

"In the end, Mitsuki will find out sooner or later," the big brother thought. He had been into this for a while now, but he could only gather brief information about Mitsuki's friend. On how she is from a noble clan, part of the new gen of InoShikaCho, and how she knows Mitsuki's condition as a clone, deduced via spying on their almost daily phone calls. Yet he couldn't figure out why was the reason he was spending so much time with her.

"Easier? In what way?"

The tall man covered his head again, then he placed his hand on Chouchou's shoulder and said

"Where can we talk at ease?"

Chouchou, who was still not convinced, looked away for a moment, pondering her actions. 

"Hey... In return, can you tell me about your parent?"

The man slowly nodded

"To some degree, yes."

 With a small sigh, Chouchou relaxed a bit and said

"Alright, it's a deal."

Then she looked to the side with a worried expression

"I just wanna tell Mitsuki I'm OK and I will be back."

The tall man held her by the arm and said

"There is no need, I did that myself."

Chouchou looked at him dumbfoundedly

"H-Huh?"

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Inside, Mitsuki's apartment

"What... Is this?"