Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sojiro honestly didn't know what to expect about the kid he had taken in. He initially expected that the boy would be some delinquent with an attitude problem but hoo boy, was he so wrong.

It was the complete opposite, from the way the kid casually dressed and talked, one would assumed he is from a high-class family (Perhaps he is). Aside from playful sasses, he was very well-mannered and polite. Once you've gotten to know him for more than thirty minutes, you will never believe that this kid had a criminal record, not even Sojiro himself after the kid had begun helping him out with the cafe.

Not only that, the kid was a damn 5-star chef.

"Holy hell..."

The food presented in front of him wasn't just a meal, it was a damn feast. For a meal that was cooked with the simple ingredients on the fridge, the appearance looked very complex, it was obvious that this kid takes cooking very seriously, even just when making simple dishes.

Sojiro had been to many high-class restaurants during his time as a government agent, usually in formal gathering and parties. He could tell that the meal in front of him was either on par, or possibly even surpassed, the food that was made by those 5-star restaurants.

"Damn kid, I know your aunt told me you were good cook, but I didn't expect... this." Sojiro told the kid, taking a piece of the meat with a fork before taking a bite. He was almost shocked by how delicious and juicy it was.

The former government agent was sort of glad that he and the kid are on good terms now. The two had a rough start, but that was mostly Sojiro's fault, as he let himself believe his assumption about the kid just because of his criminal record.

Akira chuckled in amusement. He had decided to take over as the chef for mealtimes a couple of days ago. The curry made in Leblanc is certainly delicious, but having it everyday might take a toll on his health.

"Hm?" The cafe owner noticed Akira making his way to the door, "You going somewhere?"

Akira nodded, "Oui. There's a new volume of a book that I like this week. And I want buy it before it's sold out."

Ah, Sojiro forgot to mention. The kid has a weird quirk of saying french words in his sentence. According to Akira himself, it was apparently a habit that he picked up from his Aunt when he visited her in France. Then again, the kid is half-French.

The cafe owner nodded, "Fine. Just don't get yourself in any trouble or else I'll kick you out."

The kid snorted at him while giving shit-eating grin. He almost couldn't believe audacity of this brat.

(Although, deep down, Sojiro knew that these were just empty threats at this point.)

Tokyo was crowded.

That was the first thing that came into Akira's mind when he first stepped foot into this city.

Compared to Fuyuki City, Tokyo is much more packed. While he grew up using the train station of his home city, he initially believed he can never get used to the trains being packed like a can of sardines.

At times like this, he wished he can use his Magecraft and just stay on top of the train, but that would just be a waste.

"You look like you've been through quite an ordeal." A deep chuckle sounded from next to him.

"Oh, fermer." Akira retorted, annoyed, "It would be a waste to use my illusions on something so mundane... no matter how much I want to do it."

Next to the teen was a young man whose physical appearance and outfit most would consider traits of a regular Japanese office worker. To everyone who did not know any better, the man is completely normal. However, that is not the case.

This is, in fact, just a disguise created by magic.

The man behind the false appearance is none other than one of the most famous gentleman thief in modern times. Known to be written by the French novelist, Maurice Leblanc, as well as a counterpart of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. His name is known to everyone as Arsene Lupin.

Of course, being known as the 'Master of Disguise', Assassin can easily impersonate himself without slipping up any traces of the man known as the gentleman thief. Although, the disguise he put on this time was not created through normal means. As mentioned above, it was created by magic, it is simply a part of Assassin's Personal Skills, the Master of Disguise.

It wasn't long when they arrived to the bookstore and left once Akira bought the book he wanted. Honestly, he wished that the bookstore was in Yongen-Jaya just like how his usual store was close to his home in Fuyuki. It was a hassle going to the train station every time he went to the bookstore.

"What about you, though?" Akira asked his Servant, putting the new wrapped book he bought into his black coat, "How's Tokyo for you?"

Assassin hummed, thinking about his answer, "I have to say that this place is quite... monotonous despite being much more packed than Fuyuki."

Akira nodded, "I get what you mean. Most other places in Japan aren't as culturally diverse as Fuyuki. That's why you won't see much western houses in this city."

It was somewhat boring now that he thought about it. As a person who has traveled to country to country a few times every year, Japan's strict culture honestly felt quite suffocating sometimes to him at times. Adhering to tradition here is so common that it was almost... bland. Eh, it's probably just because he kind of got sick of it.

"Hey, wait up! Look where you're going! The light's red!

The two men turned around to see two teenage girls running towards the crossroad. The one at the front had long ruby-red hair with glasses that obscured her eyes while the other chasing after her had auburn hair and her hair is tied to a ponytail.

"Hey! Sumire, stop! Listen to me!"

The two girls went past them and their eyes widened at the sight of a truck coming at them in full speed.

Akira immediately dashed forward.

"SUMIRE!!!"

Chapter Text

"Good grief. The second you left, you come back with a whole new commotion. Just what exactly happened this time?" Sojiro pinched the bridges of nose as his charge looked at him sheepishly. He looked like a mess when he came back, his clothes wet and splattered with concrete dirt until he changed his clothes.

"Well, there were two girls that were running on the sidewalk. I believe they might have had a fight or something. They ran into the red light and there was a truck coming so I had no choice but to grab one of them out of the way." The explanation was short, but still in full detail. Considering that the kid had already risked his future saving someone, he probably shouldn't be surprised this happened.

Sojiro sighed, if Futaba was already a handful, his charge was going to be the death of him, or at the very least, give him more grey hairs, "Fine. Just don't do it again. You nearly lost your life there."

The damn kid apparently still had the audacity to look amused even after nearly giving him a heart attack.

(It's because there was no way Akira was going to die by a car accident. He'd taken hits much worse than that.)

The ringing of the doorbell caught the two men's attention, turning their heads towards the entrance of the cafe. Akira's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the newcomers.

"Ah, you're..."

It was the same two girls he encountered earlier. Like Akira, they have already cleaned themselves from the near accident earlier with a change of clothes. The redhead looked especially nervous and guilty, looking at everywhere but him, while the brunette seemed to be the same way, but less nervous.

At the center of two girl is a bespectacled, middle-aged man with short black hair and gray glasses.

"Excuse me, are you the one who saved my daughters?" The man asked politely.

"Yeah, it's him, Dad." The brunette confirmed, taking a closer look at Akira.

The father of the girls nodded at his daughter before turning back to Akira, bowing, "My name is Yoshizawa Shinichi. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving Kasumi and Sumire. There are no words on how I could possibly describe my gratitude!"

"Please raise your head, Yoshizawa-san." Akira told him, "It was just a spur of a moment."

"How'd they know where to find you?" Sojiro whispered.

"I told them the address."

Shinichi raised his head, "Still... It doesn't change the fact that you saved their lives. Please, have this."

The man took out what seemed to be a business card and handed it to Akira. At first, it didn't click to him until a few seconds later that he finally recognized the company of the card.

"'Good Morning Japan'? You're the director of the talk show?" Akira asked, slightly surprised by the man's occupation.

Shinichi nodded, "Indeed. Please call me if you're interested in watching some of our shows in the backstage or even work in the TV crew."

Akira nodded in affirmation. Putting away the card in his pocket. The redhead, who had been silent the whole time, finally looked at him in the eyes. From her expression right now, it was obvious that she's really taking this hard.

"Um... M-My name is Yoshizawa Sumire and..." The bespectacled girl, who introduced herself as Sumire, bowed deeply, much like her father did earlier, "I-I'm so sorry! Y... You and Kasumi nearly died because of me. I-I..."

Akira waved his hands, "Please, there's no need for apologies, Yoshizawa-san."

Sumire looked like she wanted to say more but refrained, biting her lower lip as she reluctantly raised her head as the father looked at the teenage boy with a smile.

"You are too humble..." Shinichi widened his eyes when he realized something, "My apologies, I have forgotten to ask for your name."

"Kurusu Akira, Monsieur." Akira bowed in late greeting. However, instead of the customary Japanese bow, the teen bent his upper body with his hand on his chest, surprising the Yoshizawas.

The male Yoshizawa was the first one to snap out of his surprise before proceeding to ask, "If I may ask, Kurusu-kun. Are you perhaps a foreigner?"

Akira seemed to have realized what he did and quickly straightened up, coughing in embarrassment, "A-Apologies. To answer your question, I am half-Japanese."

It was difficult sticking to the Japanese customs when some of his friends, and all but two of the Servants, are foreigners, with his own Servant being French and the women that he usually hangs out with are from Germany. There is also the fact that he goes to France a few times every year to visit his aunt. He had developed several habits because of her, and his Servant is not helping.

(And his previous school, Homurahara Academy, was actually filled with quite a few "weirdos" like himself, that also includes the teachers. Everyone was so used to the eccentricity, especially a certain tiger-hating teacher that no one even bothered to call him out of his foreign mannerisms.)

Speaking of his Servant, Assassin went back to wandering Tokyo after he helped Akira calm the Yoshizawa sisters who were in shock at the time. Strolling the city was something they both usually do back in Fuyuki whenever they get bored sitting in the same place for too long. Unfortunately, due to his probation, his freedom has become quite limited and he can't go with him as much as usual. Sojiro doesn't even know his existence yet.

The owner of the cafe laughed at Akira's habitual greeting, "You should probably relearn Japanese customs if you don't want to look weird."

Akira dramatically gasped, gripping his chest like he's having a heart attack, "Comment peux-tu!?"

"I don't speak French so I have no idea what you just said. Anyway..." Sojiro stroked his beard as he turned his attention back to the Yoshizawas, who were watching Akira incredulously, "Since you came all the way here, why don't you take a seat?"

Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise and nervously waved his hands, "Ah, we couldn't possibly impose...!"

Sojiro chuckled, "Please, I insist. Anyone who comes here is a customer, after all." He turned to Akira, "Hey, help me out."

The father, though reluctant out of politeness, finally relented as he and his two daughters took their seats by the counter while the cafe owner and his charge went to the kitchen.

Now that the serious talk was finally done, the twins, more notably Kasumi, took their time to take in more of the scenery of the cafe. However, Sumire seemed to be stuck in her own thoughts, still maintaining her gaze at the wooden floor.

"This place looks so homey, don't you agree, Sumire?" Kasumi asked her sister.

That seemed to snap the younger twin out of it, "Huh? O-Oh, yeah..."

The older twin looked surprised for a moment before reluctantly turning her attention back to the homey atmosphere of Leblanc. Ever since the accident, Sumire had barely talked to her at all.

"You'll never understand how I feel."

It seems that a rift had been created between them.

Sumire couldn't relax at all as the guilt was still eating her alive. She was so, so stupid. Because of her, Kasumi and Kurusu-san nearly died. Because of her envy, Kasumi would have never reach her dream.

She knew it. She should have died back there. After all, Kasumi is the one that people want. Unlike Sumire, Kasumi was the talented one who can reach the top of the world. Sumire was only a hindrance to everyone. It's not like anyone will actually remember her once she's dead and Kasumi will be able to move on to her dream without her inferior younger sister that was just taking space in her life.

"I should have just—"

"Here's for you, Yoshizawa-san."

Sumire gave away a violent flinch once she was yanked out of her suicidal thoughts. She looked up to see Kurusu-san smiling at her warmly as he passed a plate of curry and coffee in front of her family.

(Akira noticed the obvious distance between the twins. Especially with one of them obviously holding immense guilt and nervousness towards her other twin, not helping with the fact that she nearly got her killed. He did not want her to feel any more guilty than she already was.)

"I hope the curry and coffee are to your liking, Madame." Akira bowed the same way as he did before, causing Sumire to flush at his suave mannerisms, completely distracted from her depressing mind, while Kasumi and their father looked amused.

"Hey, kid. What did I tell you about acting like a butler?" Sojiro looked like he was used to this.

"Well, one of my friends back in Paris thought it'd be funny to get a part-time job as one. And by that, I mean getting experience from a butler of the world's most elegant hyenas." For a moment, Akira thought about how many of the mannerisms he learned in France was mostly stuck to him rather than his own birth country.

"... Yeah, it's thanks to Assassin."

Somewhere in the middle of Tokyo, Assassin in his disguise suddenly felt a strange urge to sneeze. Strange as Servants cannot get sick.

"By the way, it's on the house." Sojiro told the Yoshizawas with a smile.

The father of the twins gaped for a moment before finally giving away a sigh of defeat, "You"re too kind... By the way, are you Kurusu-kun's father?"

Sojiro looked surprised before shaking his head, "Ah... no, not at all. I'm just his guardian. He'd just moved here in Tokyo."

Shinchi and the twins looked curious, "Oh, I see. Does that mean he's transferring to a new school here?"

Akira nodded in affirmation, "Yes. I'm going to Shujin Academy."

To Akira's confusion, the Yoshizawa looked even more surprised than before.

"That's... What a coincidence! My daughters are also transferring there as well." Said Shinichi.

"Um, if I may ask, Kurusu-san, what year are you now?" Kasumi asked curiously.

"I'm going to be a second-year."

The brunette 'oh'-ed and turned back to her younger sister, "Sumire, isn't that great? He'll be our Senpai!"

The redhead, having momentarily forgotten her earlier guilt thanks to Akira, meekly nodded with a timid smile, "Y-Yeah. I g-guess that means we should be calling you Senpai now."

The half-Japanese teen gave her a charming smile that made poor Sumire's heart skip a beat "If that is what you wish to call me, Mademoiselle."

As expected, Sumire sputtered with her face flushed red while Kasumi laughed at them (which caused poor Sumire to be even more flustered) as the other two adults watched in amusement.

"Hm, this is certainly going to be another interesting year."

Akira began wiping the glass as Kasumi continued to tease poor Sumire, his own thoughts completely unknown to all except for his Servant.

Chapter Text

Hanging out in Inokashira Park was like a breath of fresh air.

As Fuyuki is quite a diverse city, Akira was used to the sight of foreign houses and large fields of greenery and forests in the city's edges. Tokyo, however, had little to show for that. While there are indeed such cultural landmarks, many of them are simply used as tourist attractions.

Inokashira looked quite similar like the lake near Ryuudou Temple, in which the lake had undergone quite a few design changes over the years. Through Yu, Akira was able to meet and became friends with Ryuudou Issei, the current head priest, who apparently had taken a liking to him because he cooks just as good as Yu. Whenever he does errands for the temple, he would often pass the lake, which soon served as his favorite relaxation spot whenever he wants to get away from the blinding lights and mass of people for a moment.

Speaking of mess, things have calm down this past week. The twins, Yoshizawa Kasumi and Sumire, have begun to make Leblanc as their hangout spot to go to after gymnastics practice. It was a good thing honestly.

Because it meant that Akira can keep an eye on Sumire.

Being in a company of a gentleman thief who is capable of psychoanalyzing someone in mere seconds taught Akira many skills not even a normal Magus should have. As a result, Akira became more sensitive and perceptive with reading people and dealing with hushed whispers of information, such as rumors or supposed urban legends.

And it was extremely obvious to Akira that Yoshizawa Sumire has many issues.

The younger twin practically wore her guilt on her face. Akira could easily tell that Sumire still has not gotten over the incident. She was nearly always tense and it was also clear that she may also have some inner problems in regards to her older sister by her longing glances towards her before they were quickly replaced with guilt. It was also clear that Kasumi had noticed her sister's current state as well.

Through eye contact, he and Kasumi got into a silent agreement. So, in order to get her to relax, even just a little bit to distract her from her thoughts, Akira would often call her name when striking a conversation with her and Kasumi would follow along. It seemed to work, as Sumire seemed to slowly relax as time passed. It's a slow progress, but much needed for someone as timid as Sumire.

"Thinking about them, Akira?" Akira turned to the side to glance at Assassin, who is currently in a completely different disguise than the other day. Right now, he has the appearance most would describe as a "aristocrat", even looking somewhat older than his other disguise, but still looked young enough to be assumed by most to be in his early twenties.

This is, in fact, one of his original disguises used to pose as Akira's relative from France.

"Oui. I'm really glad you taught me how to psychoanalyze people." Akira told him as he smiled gratefully, "Otherwise, I'm not sure if I can say the right words to help her calm down."

Chuckling, Assassin ruffled his Master's fluffy hair, in which the latter leaned into the touch like cat wanting attention, "You did learn from the best, after all."

Akira's warm smile grew into a smirk as he pulled away, "That, I did. By the way, I doubt that you were wandering Tokyo without a purpose for the past week. So what were you up to?"

Assassin's smirk mirrored his Master's, "Ah, I am simply looking into the possible connection he might have. I found out that he is heavily involved in quite the conspiracy. Even the director of the SIU is involved."

The teen slightly widened his eyes as he quickly processed the information.

Ah, to think that the one who placed him under probation would be such a player in politics. Goes to show just how corrupted even a government of modernity is, although they are hardly as worse as the Mage's Association.

He decided to change the subject for the time being, preferring to have this kind of conversation in a private place or in a mental conversation.

"Still, though. Have you found a place to stay here?" Akira asks. Even if Assassin is a Servant, he is still among the many that still does human activities for recreational purposes. Well, he did come from the era of modern literature.

"Indeed. I picked a simple apartment near your cafe. I plan on visiting sometime, especially after hearing about their curry and coffee from you."

Assassin may have high standards most of the time, but he also appreciates the simplicity of a cozy home.

Planning to visit more places in Tokyo, the two decide to exit the park. However, just as the Master and Servant were about to leave, a deep voice rang out, calling for their attention.

"Excuse me! Please remain still there!"

They stop in their tracks and looked behind them to see a tall and slim young man with dark-blue hair wearing a white long-sleeved uniform. He is standing in a slight distance away with a sketch pad in his arms and a paintbrush in his hand, seemingly using it to find the correct angle of his work.

Akira and Assassin were silent, both of whom looked slightly surprised at the sudden appearance of the artist (Assassin less so as he had already sensed someone nearby), but decided to comply to his request by remaining still until the teen finished his work.

A few minutes later, he finally did.

"I thank you for your cooperation." The blue-haired young man approached, bowing in gratitude, "Thanks to the two of you, it seems I have acquired a new-found inspiration for my next line of artworks!"

Nodding his head in response, both Akira and Assassin became curious as to what he painted, as they both appreciate artistic crafts and artworks, "If it is alright with you, may we see what you painted? We're quite interested, as you seem to be an already experienced artist."

The artist's eyes widened at his request, and he nodded all too eagerly as he presented them his latest work, "Of course, you have a sharp eye. I have been an artist for years now."

The first thing that popped into Akira's mind when he saw the painting was how this was clearly the work of a professional. There was no doubt that the artist was incredibly talented. He then took the next few seconds to fully appreciate the artwork. If he were to describe the meaning of this painting, he would say just one word:

Contrast.

He and Assassin were in the painting of course. However, compared to the clear reflection of the lake and the greenery of the trees, the two of them were the complete opposite, their black outfits completely contrasting the light atmosphere of the rest of the painting.

What surprised Akira however, was that the artist had painted Assassin petting him on the head, like he did earlier.

Assassin gave the painting a calculating gaze, looking quite impressed himself, "Truly impressive. The colors blend each other very well together, nearly every scope of the painting was given with clear detail. The lighting of the cloudy sky, the leaves on the trees, even the reflection of the lake."

Akira nodded at his Servant's insight, deciding to give his own thoughts of it with a small smile, "It is almost as if you took a picture of the scenery itself. You even managed to paint our faces and hands with great detail despite having such a small space in your sketchbook."

Once they have finished reviewing the beautiful painting, they see the artist looking quite surprised, "Those were very thought-provoking critiques! To think I have found a pair of connoisseurs!"

"Ah..." Akira waved his hands, "Connoisseurs might be a bit much. We have only been in many museums, that is all."

"Regardless, you still have a fine eye for art." The artist told him, giving away a pleased smile before remembering something, "Ah, apologies for my lack of manners. My name is Kitagawa Yusuke. I attend an art course at Kosei High School. I will become a second-year at the beginning of the term."

"Oh, likewise. My name is Kurusu Akira." The half-Japanese gave his trademark bow that was not going away anytime soon, he then gestured to his Servant, "And this is François De la Rue, a relative of mine from France."

'François' gave Kitagawa the same bow, "It is a pleasure to meet you, un jeune homme."

Like most people he met, Kitagawa was surprised by the uncustomary greeting but quickly shook it off, "I see. It is an honor to—"

Growl...

The Master and Servant blinked several times at the sudden sound coming from Kitagawa's stomach. However, the artist himself seemed to be completely unbothered, almost as if he did not even hear his own stomach growling.

Akira coughed into his fist, "Excuse me... What was that sound?"

Kitagawa looked confused for moment until he realized what he was referring to, "Oh, apologies. That was only my stomach. It is of no concern. It happens a few times a day."

Assassin raised a eyebrow at the artist while Akira's eye twitched.

"If I may ask, Kitagawa-san..." Akira added slowly, careful not to show what he currently feels about someone thinking that it was normal to have a stomach growling a few times a day, "When and what was the last time you ate?"

"The last time...?" The currently and obviously hungry teen artist looked confused for a moment before placing a finger on his chin, trying to remember, "I believe that it was yesterday noon..." Akira's eye twitched again, "Hm... I seem to remember having beansprouts..." Another twitch, "Oh! I also found some mushrooms at the back of the shack." And another twitch.

Looking at his side at the corner of his eye, Assassin sees his Master tremble ever so slightly for a moment, his eye twitching uncontrollably as he continued to remain smiling as he tried to process what had just been revealed to him.

"B-Beansprouts... and mushrooms...?"

"Oh, dear..."

This was not something Akira can tolerate.

Without another word, Akira marched towards Kitagawa and gently grasped his wrist, the artist making a small noise of surprise. He quickly noticed just how there was still room to spare when he fully wrapped his hand around the wrist and quickly feared for the worst. Slightly rolling up the right sleeve of his uniform, Akira quickly took a closer look.

And sure enough, Kitagawa is all skin and bones.

Heaving out a deep sigh, Akira lets go of Kitagawa's very thin wrist as the latter continued to stare at him in confusion. He then turned to Assassin.

"Say, since you wanted to visit Leblanc, why don't we head there today?" Already knowing what this implies, Assassin nodded at Akira, who turned back to Kitagawa with a warm (and very concerned) smile, "Why don't you come with us to a cafe? Think of it as a token of appreciation for letting us becoming your models for your beautiful art."

Kitagawa gaped at his sudden request, before bowing deeply, "I thank you for your kindness! I could not possibly ever give up the chance at the prospect of free food, even if it were beansprouts again!"

Assassin looked at the grateful artist in concern while Akira pinched the bridge of his nose.

Sojiro raised an eyebrow when he saw his charge coming back into the cafe with two new people he had never seen before.

"...Who are they?"

The kid didn't even bat an eye in his direction as he walked past him and marched right into the kitchen, his reply tense and curt, "My guardian from Fuyuki on short notice and a teen artist on the verge of starvation. The curry is on me."

The cafe owner continued to stare at his charge as the latter immediately began to prepare, noting that this is the first time he had ever seen him this tense.

...And wait, what was that second part?

He then took a moment to fully register his two new customers. The clearly foreign man sat on the stool next to the artist, both of whom are appreciating the aesthetic and atmosphere of the cafe.

Huh, now that he took a closer look, he really does see the resemblance with his charge.

"Hm, I can see why Akira spoke so highly of this place. It has a much more homely atmosphere compared to the cafes I have seen in this city. The smell of coffee is quite enticing as well." Sojiro couldn't help but be slightly surprised by how fluent he is at Japanese, even most foreigners he met back when he was a government official had a slight accent.

"Indeed..." The other teen of the cafe surveyed his surroundings, his sight absorbing every detail he could possibly catch, "The relaxing ambience emanating from this cafe creates quite a distinction with the bustling crowds and noises of the outside."

Sojiro couldn't help but be slightly bewildered by how sophisticated they spoke. He wondered just where the heck did Akira find this other kid but decided to ask later when the teen quite down from his commentary, simply continuing to admire the cafe with great interest.

The Frenchman, François De la Rue as he somewhat remembered from Akira's custody papers, clearly had an air of a wealthy man, but clearly isn't one of those snobbish spoiled brats that he usually met.

"So you're the kid's guardian back in Fuyuki? I can see the resemblance, not just in appearance."

De la Rue chuckled, "Indeed, I am. I come from his aunt's side of the family. Unfortunately, despite my years of living in Japan, I am still quite unaccustomed with Japanese etiquette. It seems that Akira had picked that up from me."

The cafe owner snorted, "You tell me. The kid still hasn't gotten used on how to bow properly. He told me it was practically ingrained into his brain. I was wondering what all that butler thing is about?"

"Ah..." De la Rue recalled what Sojiro was talking about and snickered at the memory, "He told you about his friend in France, correct?" At Sojiro's nod, he continued, "His name is Alain and he is quite... a spirited young man when it comes to attempting to charm the ladies, so he wished to get experience from a butler because he believed that it would be 'cool'. He dragged Akira into it when he visited his aunt at the time. This happened just before he became a third-year in middle school."

Sojiro nodded as he listened attentively, this story was getting interesting.

"The butler he found belonged to a family from Finland and they were in the country at the time. They were able to contact them easily because they were one of the clients of Akira's aunt. Unfortunately for him..." De la Rue couldn't help but laugh quietly again, "Only Akira learned from their experience. His clumsiness and lack of patience earned him scoldings and punishments several assignments in a row. He practically begged Akira to protect him from their mentor because he was so strict. According to Akira, Alain once used him as a shield between him and their mentor when he accidentally broke several glasses because he couldn't hold the tray properly."

At the end of the story, Sojiro couldn't help but bark out a hearty laugh. Ah, what a tale...

"So..." Sojiro's laughter soon subsided, now wearing an amused smirk, "Does this mean that Akira was the one who ended up charming the ladies?"

The foreigner's amused expression greatly matched the cafe owner, "Indeed. Although, I felt sorry for those who fell for him."

"Why is that?"

"Akira has many admirers back in his previous school, he still does even now." He chuckled, "He's also quite popular among the male students."

"Heh." Looks like this kid's going to have a lot of work cut out for him.

"He just became even more popular in his third-year. His mentor made sure Akira fully absorbed his teachings. As a result, he earned many names in the school, such as 'The Butler of Homurahara', 'The Chef of the West', his former classmates, including one of his teachers, would even sometimes call him 'Dad' or 'Mom'."

If Sojiro were drinking coffee right now, he would do a spit take from the build up of his laughter and would beat himself up for wasting such a good cup of coffee, "Say what!? A-Are you serious?"

No wait, now that he thought about, he remembered talking to his aunt about how her nephew had tried so hard to fix her eating habits because she was so focused with work, and even forced her to eat "real food" instead of fast-food everyday.

(He wholeheartedly agreed with charge about the fast-food, though.)

"His classmates actually got into a huge argument whether to call him Mom or Dad." De la Rue quickly added, this just caused Sojiro laugh even more.

"Hey, what are you telling Boss!?" The kid yelled from the kitchen, finally focusing on their conversation as he continued to cook.

"Oh, nothing at all, Akira~" Now, it was obvious on who influenced the kid to become the little shit he is today..

"My lord, what is this aroma...?" Sojiro had completely forgotten that there was another customer right now. The other kid was silent throughout his exchange with the foreigner and only just spoke up.

As if on cue, Akira finally emerged from the kitchen holding a plate of curry in each hand with eased proficiency. Sojiro noticed that the curry that he placed in front of the other kid had a much larger portion than his relative. For some reason, De la Rue gave a nod to Akira, which he returned.

(For some reason, there was a warm feeling in him akin to pride when he realized just how fast Akira learned the recipe. Of course, he would never admit that.)

Akira gave a bow that is very befitting of a butler, "Please enjoy your meal."

The kid—apparently named Kitagawa (Sojiro finally asked Akira his name) just stared at the steaming curry as if it were a treasure in a heap of gold. He heard a growling sound and Kitagawa didn't even notice it as he continued to salivate the aroma.

"How hungry is this kid?"

(Meanwhile, Akira fought the urge to bash his head against the counter, no one noticed except Assassin, who was amused.)

Wordlessly, the artist took a bite and his eyes dilated with shock.

"This curry...! It has a common flavor and yet... it has so much dept...!"

"Hm, indeed..." De la Rue added his own commentary as he swallowed his first bite, "The flavor seems to be normal at first, but the flavor truly bursts as you chew it. I even tasted some ingredients that seems strange to put into curry and yet, the combination worked."

Before he knew it, Kitagawa's plate is already empty as if he had inhaled it. Instead of looking full, however, he seemed devastated that it was gone despite having eaten such a portion that is the equivalent to two servings.

They heard another growl and the other three occupants stared at the still hungry artist. After a moment of silence, Akira spoke up.

"Would you like a second serving?"

"Truly...? Yes, please!"

Sojiro is starting to understand how his charge is feeling right now.

Chapter Text

Most people Akira knew consider him a trusted confidant.

Even Akira himself agrees to that notion. He has known many deep secrets from when he listened to the problems of his classmates and other friends and always kept their secrets close to his chest, never having any intention to betray their trust.

For some reason, Akira always just has this instinct to just help someone when he can. He is quite self-aware of this fact himself and sometimes could not even control it. From listening to his friends' troubles to even trying to fix some of their atrocious eating habits.

This is why he never bothered to deny his former classmates' insistence on calling him "Mom" or "Dad". Though, he momentarily wonders if they're still arguing over that right now.

He sighs, he misses his loud classroom.

Speaking of atrocious eating habits, Akira managed to get the number of Kitagawa Yusuke after treating him two large servings of curry under the excuse of wanting to learn more of his artistic knowledge and future works (He does actually). Unfortunately, before he could ask him any more question of his home life, he had gotten a call from his guardian and left abruptly, but not before giving his sincerest thanks to Akira.

As a result, Akira is quite stressed right now.

He could not stop worrying about Kitagawa, fearing that he die of starvation at any moment. One might call him out for this paranoia, but his fear is, in fact, very justified and real. The fact that Kitagawa believed that it was normal to have his stomach growl several times a day as well as his bony wrists are already alarming red flags of neglect and abuse.

While, he would really love to have a talk with whoever his guardian is one day, he would have to make do with constantly giving him large portions of food every chance he gets. From the fact that he ate beansprouts and mushrooms the other day must also meant that Kitagawa also has financial problems, however, it would be very strange for a barely-acquaintance to suddenly give him tons of money.

Hopefully Kitagawa's eccentricity would make him accept it.

He then thought about how to find out his guardian's identity. There are still a few unknown factors for him to fully deal with this. He couldn't just ask if Kitagawa is getting abused because he's not sure what the artist feels about his own abuser. Best approach would be to take things slowly and befriend Kitagawa until the latter feels comfortable enough to tell him more about his guardian.

From Kitagawa's physical state, there doesn't seem to be any signs of physical abuse (Because he doesn't seem to suffer any injuries) other than extreme neglect. If that's the case, that meant that Kitagawa most likely has a lot of free time for himself until the next school year comes up, which is within two weeks.

Akira can only hope that Kitagawa doesn't actually like his guardian, helping someone with Stockholm Syndrome is a difficult and painful process that needs time, according to Assassin. And he really doesn't want to wait until the artist finally dies of starvation.

Unfortunately, he needed to be patient.

The ringing of the bell quickly snapped him out of his thoughts. Akira turned to see who the customer is and blinked in slight surprise.

It was Sumire... without Kasumi by her side.

It was a rare sight actually. Ever since he met them, the twins have always been together stuck like glue.

"Oh, Sumire-san." Akira greeted her warmly as she shyly took a seat on the counter, "Did practice ended early?"

"U-Um, yes... Our coach made Kasumi stay behind because she came up with a new routine during practice." Sumire didn't elaborate more on the matter but Akira didn't mind, "Um, where's Saku-I mean, Boss?"

"Oh, he just went out to buy groceries. The fridge is running out."

For a few minutes, there was silence in Leblanc. It was clear that Sumire was sort of tense due to how she still hasn't ordered something and has yet to avert her gaze from the counter. He then decided to give her a little surprise.

"Sumire-san?" Akira called out to her, quickly snapping her out of her obvious inner turmoil, "If you don't mind, may I ask a favor?"

"Eh? Um, o-of course, Senpai!" Sumire sputtered her words out, completely off guard.

Akira nodded, quickly finishing up his coffee before making his way back to the counter, "This coffee is a recipe of my own. I would like for you to be my first taster."

Sumire was surprised by his request as her attention was captured by the coffee that was gently placed in front of her. She stared at it in awe.

"Wow... Senpai, this is latte art, right? It's beautiful." Sumire said, admiring the beautiful milky art of what looked to be a rose.

He nodded in confirmation, "I have actually been practicing ever since I came to Tokyo. Boss doesn't really do this because he doesn't care much about the appearance as much as the taste of his food."

Sumire sighed as she inhaled the aroma. She then lifted cup up and took a sip. Sweetness and bitterness quickly invaded her tongue as she also tasted a tinge of a berry. Tension quickly left her shoulders as she slowly sank further into her seat.

"This is really good! It's the perfect mix of sweet and bitterness. " Sumire said happily, "I think I tasted a bit of... cherry in it?"

Akira nodded, "Indeed. This coffee is mostly for younger customers that liked the sweetness more than the bitterness of the coffee. I figured that adding fruit would help mix it in."

"It certainly deserves to be on the menu. I have no doubt that Kasumi would love this!"

The male teen watched as Sumire's smile grew while she savored the marvelous flavor and aroma.

Thankfully, the positive atmosphere stayed for a little while longer. He and Sumire chatted either about their opinions about his next batch of recipes or just what is being reported in the news. He was glad that he managed to snap her out of it earlier although he is sure that it will come back soon after this.

And sure enough, Sumire's lips slowly turned back into a frown like earlier. Her gloomy atmosphere returned, making Akira frown in concern. Perhaps, a direct approach is finally needed.

"Sumire-san?" The younger Yoshizawa twin glanced back at him in confusion, "Is there something bothering you?"

Shock took over her expression before she quickly shook her head, "N-No, not at all! It's nothing to be concerned about!" Her next time was akin to a whisper, "I don't want to bother you with my stupid, little problems..."

Akira did not like how self-deprecating that sounded.

"If you say so..." Akira said, "But please remember that it's not healthy to bottle it all up. If you need someone to talk to, I'm often here at the cafe."

Sumire did not say anything for a few seconds, just staring at him in shock. He decided to wipe the glass as he waited for her answer, her long silence meant that she was considering his offer.

"Senpai... What do you think of Kasumi?"

Akira stopped wiping his glass, taking his time to consider her question.

"She's a bold and confident person. Her cheerfulness is plain to see. It was obvious at first glance just what kind of person she is from how she's constantly smiling."

Sumire looked down, despondent, "That's right... And it's the complete opposite of me..."

He waited for her to continue.

She took a deep breath and finally continued, "Kasumi... She's always been the perfect sister. Many call her a genius and she really is one. Everything she learned came so easily to her. She's always so bold, she's the beacon of confidence... She always said that we'll reach our dream to be the best in the world. The two of us. And I know that she really believed in me..."

Sumire sighed, but this time, it seemed that she was recalling a happy memory, "Whenever we do well in practice or a competition, our couch would always treat us to ice cream. But even when she won in first place in many competitions, she never ate hers without me. She's always trying to help me, even when she had her own practices to do... Her kindness is so... infuriating."

Akira, who stayed silent for her, nodded in understanding, "I can imagine."

He can already see the problem she has. It was something he had already witnessed before. Being constantly helped by her own sister who beat her talents in almost every way can lead to a massive inferiority complex, especially when this has been happening for years.

It reminded him somewhat of the situation of the twin heads of the Edelfelt family.

"She was always the one on the podium, surrounded by flashing cameras. But all I could do was watch from the shadows." Sumire sighed in frustration, "I'm not Kasumi... and no matter what I do, I'll never be like her! If she had just given up on me, then at least people would stop trying to compare us!" She then sat straight in her seat, "The thought kept coming back. Everyday, my mind went back to it. Everyone would be better off I didn't exist. Either that, or I should just be Kasumi. She's the one people really want. Sumire's the one who's useless. Pointless. Who would care if she died?"

Akira no longer needed to hear more of this.

He set down the glass, "Apologies, Sumire-san. But I would have to disagree with you there."

Sumire looked at him in surprise, "Eh...?"

"'No one would care if you died'?" Akira repeated her previous statement, never breaking eye contact from her not even once, "Sumire-san, you told me so yourself. Kasumi loved you, if anything, she would be the very first one to mourn you if you truly died. Not only that, think of your father, do you truly believe that he won't care?"

Caught off guard once again, Sumire quietly stammered, "B-But... I'm only a burden to him. He would be glad to finally get rid of such a useless daughter..."

Silence penetrated the cafe once again. It would be deafening if wasn't for the quiet ramblings of the television. Akira spoke up again.

"...Say, did you know that your father came here again the other day?"

Sumire looked at him confused, but didn't managed to reply as he continued.

"Once Yoshizawa-san took his order, he started to gush about you two. How his daughters were the best in the world of gymnastics and that both of you can do even more great things. When he spoke of you, he called you the shy one, but also a very hardworking daughter that would continue to strive." Akira gave a warm smile to Sumire, "Just from how he talked about you two, it was obvious that he is a loving father. That's why I don't believe that he considered you a burden."

There was no reply, Sumire just continued to stare at him in shock. Akira let out a sigh, but playfully poked Sumire's forehead, the latter letting out a surprise squeak.

"This is just a simple advice, but you're free to ignore if you want to." Akira gave her the option to decline but it seems whatever was coming next wouldn't be something small.

"You should stop imitating Kasumi." Her eyes grow wide, "That is the reason why you are constantly beneath her shadow. You can't always copy her for the rest of your life. You should have the courage to make your own decisions."

Sumire didn't even flinch when Akira placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, as she couldn't bring herself to avert her eyes from him.

"You are Yoshizawa Sumire, the graceful and elegant gymnast, the shy but endearing daughter of the Yoshizawa family. Your skills and life are your own to decide."

No more words were said for many minutes after that. Akira went back to managing the cafe while Sumire was frozen in her seat.

She was still processing Senpai's words. She was Yoshizawa Sumire, the graceful and elegant gymnast? She couldn't remember the last time she heard that kind of description of her from anyone other than Kasumi.

She should stop imitating Kasumi? But she's the best gymnast Sumire ever knew! Her whole life, she wanted to be just like Kasumi, from her cheerful and confident personality to her recognition from others. To the point that she just wanted to become her sister.

"But... maybe Senpai was right... Maybe that's why her gymnastics wouldn't improve..."

(She was so caught up in her thoughts that she completely ignored the fact that he had called her endearing. It isn't until later tonight that her thoughts wandered back into their conversation and her face already became as red as her hair.)

"...Senpai?"

"Yes, Sumire-san?"

The two locked eyes once again. Sumire gazed at the person who had helped her so much in such a short span of time. From saving their lives to listening to her problems. There was just... something about him that just made him so easy to talk to. All her frustrations, problems and depressive thoughts were still there but...

It's like huge weight had lifted off shoulders.

"How did you know that I was imitating Kasumi?"

Once again, he gave her a smile, "You were always complaining to Kasumi how difficult her routine is. It was a simple theory at first but our conversation today proved it."

Wow. It never ceases to surprise her just how sharp he was.

Sumire squeaked in surprise when she heard the bell ringing, revealing the owner of the cafe with several bags of groceries in hand. She pouted when Akira chuckled at her in amusement.

"Hey, kid. Help me with this."

"Sure."

Within the near darkness of a small, messy room was a girl with bright orange hair that contrasted the green lights of the numerous computers in front of her.

She simply sat in her soft chair in a similar stance of a gargoyle. Unbeknownst to everyone but her, she was listening to the conversation that took place in the coffee shop of Yongen-Jaya just now.

It was a conversation between a gymnast with an inferiority complex due to her superior sister and a young barista with a seeming knack of helping people left and right, regardless of the consequences.

She listened. Listened to how the barista listened to the girl's frustrations and problems and how he gave her a simple, yet compelling advice.

Before, she watched him enter the cafe, a new future transfer student on probation with a criminal record that was way too lacking in detail and suspicious to be true. She watched him bond with her adoptive father in such a short amount of time compared to herself who shut herself away from him.

She also watched him make all these SS tier meals that could put 5-star restaurants to shame. She was glad Sojiro gave her some of his leftovers. It was one of the best she had ever tasted, besides the curry.

She had hacked his phone the moment he arrived in the cafe, initially for the purpose on keeping Sojiro safe from a teen with a criminal record that she now knows is complete bullshit.

But now, it was because she finds him really, REALLY sus, like, in a weird way.

The listening bug she installed, of course, worked wonders. Allowing her to eavesdrop on him every minute. However, whatever she was hearing made her question just who the hell the barista is.

Who the fuck is Assassin? Is that some kind of cheap code name? If it was, it was lame as hell, could he be any more original? Also, Magecraft? Is the kid Sojiro took in some sort of magician from a talent show or a member of a cult?

Not only that, the conversation she heard the other day regarding what this so-called Assassin was doing...

She grinned.

"Looks like it's time for Alibaba to shine! Mwehehehehe..."