Behind a Cat's Smile [Discontinued]

Chapter 7: It comes off with a Price

Normal POV.

Céline was driving her motorcycle on the way back to the Alicein Mansion. As she drove, she was thinking about the action Mikuni just did earlier: the embrace.

'Why did he do that? And the look on his face... For as long as I've known him, he has never shown that kind of expression before.' She thought to herself as she drives.

It was already nighttime as she stops for a bit by the bay and parks her motorcycle at the parking area and sits on a bench without removing her helmet as she looks up at the night starry sky.

'And not only that, what just happened when I was unconscious? That person I named 'Sync'... He seems to know me but I don't know him. And on top of all... Who am I?'

Céline was deep in thought as she didn't notice that someone came up to her from behind.

"Good evening, kitty~" A familiar voice said as they placed a hand on her shoulder.

Céline immediately jumps away in shock as she looks at that person. Her eyes widened in realization.

"B-Balder?! How did you know it was me?!" She asks in shock.

'Balder', or also known as Tsurugi Kamiya, chuckles as he sat down on the bench she was just sitting a while ago. Céline looks around if there's an ambush ready for her. After all, she's 'wanted' by C3 for leaving them and she has all classified information that shouldn't be leaked out.

"If you're worried about getting ambushed, no one's here but me~ Nobody even knows that I just went out for a bit~" He said as he leans back with a grin.

Céline looks at him to see if he was lying, but then felt at ease to see that he hasn't done anything suspicious.

"Okay, I believe you. But tell me, how did you know I was here and what are you doing here?" She asks as she still stood there, not wanting to get close to him for now.

Tsurugi laughs a bit as he stands up and walks up to her with a big childish grin. "I'll answer your questions if you pay me~"

Céline deadpanned a bit. She had almost forgotten that she's talking to Tsurugi, a guy who calls himself a 'shoe-licking piece of sh*t' and would do anything for money, even if it means licking someone's shoe, or so he says.

She sighs a bit as she took out her wallet from inside her biker suit as she zips it down, opening her wallet and took out some cash then gave it to him.

"Happy? You know, it's almost like my job as an informant; I get paid to give out information." She said as she puts back her wallet inside her suit as she zips it back up.

Tsurugi grins more as he takes the money and puts it in his pocket. "Hehe~ But you already know how I am~" He says as he looks at her.

Céline tilts her head a bit as she stares back in slight confusion. "What?" She asks.

Tsurugi shakes his head as he grins. "Oh nothing~ It's just that you've changed, 'Wildcat', and I mean A LOT~" He says as he looks up and down at her, inspecting her.

Cèline rolls her eyes a bit as she sighs. "Just answer my questions already, please."

Tsurugi nods as he walks past her and leans by the railings near the bay. "To answer your questions, I knew that it was you because I've been watching you, little kitty~"

Céline looks at him with a surprised expression on her face, but it was covered by her helmet.

"Watching me? Why were you watching me?" She asks, feeling a bit uneasy by the fact that he has been watching her ever since she left.

Céline then realised that she had asked a new question as Tsurugi held out a hand while smiling widely. She sighs and pays him again.

Tsurugi chuckles as he nods, putting the money away in his pocket again. "That's because I'm interested~ Seeing how Kuni-chan looks at you made me wonder what made you seem so special to him~ It's like he already knows you before we did at C3."

Céline looks up to him as she was again surprised. She wants to know more about that, but kept her mouth shut so she wouldn't add another extra question that might cost her again.

Tsurugi laughs a bit and sighs as he smiles faintly. "Not gonna ask why? That's too bad~ I was kinda hoping that you'd ask and I'll get another payment~"

Céline sweatdrops a bit as she blankly stares at him in silence. Tsurugi laughs again as he looks at her.

"Alright~ As for your final question, I'm here because I want to. Nothing important really~ I was actually with Jun-chan and Yumi-chan but I wandered off until I saw you." He explains as he pushes himself up from the railings and walks up to her.

Céline just stood there as he approaches her. Tsurugi looks up at her as he suddenly holds onto her helmet.

"Hey, can you take this helmet off? I wanna see your face~ And as for a freebie, I won't tell anyone in C3 I just saw you~" He said as he was about to take her helmet off of her.

Céline holds onto her helmet as she doesn't want to show her face to him. "I can't let you take my helmet off. Why do you want to see my face anyways?"

"Because I want to~ But if you won't let me take it off, then maybe you'll let me open your helmet's visor up? And again, my freebie offer of secrecy is still available~" He said as he smiles widely.

Céline thinks about it for a while then lets go as she looks at him. "Go ahead, as long as you keep your promise that you won't tell anyone that you saw me."

Tsurugi nods as he then proceeds to open the visor of her helmet and looks at her.

Céline felt a little bit uneasy due to how close he is to her face. Then she quickly pulls away as she pushed down the visor again.

Tsurugi was silent a bit then chuckles as he looks at her. "You actually haven't changed at all, 'Wildcat'~ You may try to hide from C3 by changing yourself, but your face is still recognizable~"

Céline didn't say anything as she turns her head away a bit. Tsurugi smiles a bit as he pats her shoulder. "Take this word of advice~ Don't take your helmet off in front of anyone unless you trust them, okay?~"

Céline looks at him. He had never made any advises before and now he has given her one. She doesn't know what he's up to, but she decided to trust him a bit for now.

"Alright, I'll take it. Only for now, I trust you. But there may be another time that you'll start chasing me again aside from vampires." She said.

Tsurugi grins and nods. "Yep~ So prepare for our next encounter, 'Wildcat'~"

Céline sighs faintly as she nods a bit. "By the way, stop calling me 'Wildcat'. That's not me anymore."

"I could tell you to pay me, but again I won't~ So what do you want me to call you?"

Céline takes a small breath as she spoke softly. "'Céline'... Call me by that name. But when the day comes for the hunt again, you can still call me by that codename or the nicknames you usually call me."

Tsurugi chuckles and nods in understanding. "Alright~ But I also have something to say too. Call me 'Tsurugi' or 'Tsuru-chan' whichever you prefer!~"

Céline gave him another blank look as she raised a hand up a bit as a sign of rejection. "No... I'll just call you 'Tsurugi'."

Tsurugi chuckles as he then turns around to leave. "Well then, I should go now or they'll wonder where I went~ See you next time, Céline~" And with that, he left the scene.

Céline then decided to continue her way back home as she got on her motorcycle and drives away. Tsurugi was still there as he watches her retreating form as he grins.

"I think Kuni-chan isn't the only one who's interested with the kitty~ Whatever he has, I want it too~ I'll definitely see you again next time, little kitty~"

To be continued...