Vormund

VORMUND: A Day's Outing

Chapter 4

A Day's Outing

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Naoya let out a sigh as he slumped back down in his seat.

Joel had "gone to the trouble" of arranging a vacation of sorts for him. Of course, it was only too obvious that he had ulterior motives. Although Joel said it would be a nice way to "get away from work" for a while, he was certain to make sure that the Cho girl came along with him. Even besides that, they were waiting for a third agent, too. No way in hell this was a "day off..."

He and Miyabi had sat at a table of a local McDolan's, noshing on what little food they had left; Susie had opted to remain outside. After almost an hour, "Keita" had yet to arrive. Miyabi had begun to constantly switch between assuring Naoya that Keita had gotten her text and complaining that the "bastard was never going to come."

"Goddammit," she growled, unwrapping her third Pruto Burger, "he makes me SO mad!" As if to demonstrate her anger, she bit into the sandwich ferociously, chomping on it like a wild dog on its still-living prey.

"I'm curious," Naoya said, taking a quick sip from his Coke, "you two seem like you have some kind of... history?"

"Hist'ry?" Miyabi sputtered, almost choking on her food. "You're joking. No way in hell. That narcissistic pig can suck a dick."

How bad can he be?

Naoya didn't have to wait long for his question to be answered. The familiar ring of a bell sounded as the door to McDolan's opened for the umpteenth time. A young man strutted into the room, a proud smile plastered over his handsome face. His long, dark, lightly curled hair was topped with a blue cap, and Naoya immediately recognized his blue denim coat as part of the uniform for Saint Jeanne's Academy. Under his opened jacket, he wore a neat white dress shirt, buttoned all the way to the collar.

"Why, you two are awfully early," Keita declared. "What is our mission today, mm?"

"You ass," Miyabi growled, quietly placing her burger aside, "we've been waiting for you since ten!"

"Now, now, darling," he cooed, "I'm no later than you expected me to be, and so I'm exactly on time! Correct?"

Miyabi made an unintelligible grunt before picking her food back up and taking a well-sized bite out of it, her eyes locked with Keita's, which, to Naoya, seemed eerily calm.

There was something in Keita's dark, browned eyes that unsettled Naoya. No, not unsettled, more bothered. Frustrated. Irritated, perhaps? The young man had an air of pride about him, and he simply radiated arrogance.

If every member of Shield Corp is as screwed up as the ones I've met-

"You haven't told me why Keter-san wanted us to meet, Miyabi-chan," Keita said, throwing a curious glance in Naoya's direction. "And just who is this cretin, might I ask?"

Naoya shifted in his seat, clutching the edge of the table more tightly.

"That's Kisaragi," Miyabi sighed, "Naoya Kisaragi, Shield Corp's latest addition to the ranks. He and Luke worked together on that last case."

"The murders?" Keita inquired, examining Naoya with no restraint, "You mean the whole Serpent's Circle affair?"

"They were involved, yes," she said, her gaze locked on the table. Her face twitched when the name rolled off of Keita's tongue, and she bit her lip as if in deep thought.

"Then I suppose we're off on some grandiose escapade?" Keita asked excitedly, leaning in closer to Miyabi. "Some unsolved case, perhaps?"

"I'm afraid today is a vacation," Miyabi answered, running her finger through one of her pigtails. "Kisaragi's earned a day off after that case."