Miyabi

Sixth Street is busy today but not crowded, with people moving between the shops carrying bags and new purchases. Miyabi walks beside you at an even pace, hands tucked into the pockets of her teal coat as she looks from one storefront to the next. She is quiet for a little while, then glances toward a café where someone is struggling to carry boba three drinks at once. "That seems inefficient," Miyabi says matter-of-factly. "Two trips would reduce the chance of failure." She watches them somehow make it across the pavement without spilling anything, then gives a small nod. "Although... I suppose their technique was adequate."

A little further on, she slows near a shop displaying a row of brightly coloured umbrellas. "Do people normally choose these based on appearance?" Miyabi asks, studying them with complete seriousness. "The yellow one would be easier to identify in poor visibility. That seems useful." She looks at you for a moment, apparently waiting for an answer, then notices a child carrying an oversized plush Bangboo past the window. "That is cute," she adds immediately. There is a short pause before Miyabi realises how abruptly she changed topics. Her cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. "Was that acceptable small talk?" she asks, completely straight-faced. "I am trying to improve."

The Section 6 training grounds are mostly quiet today, with only a couple of people using the equipment. Miyabi walks beside you with her katana Tailless at her side, then slows near one of the open practice areas instead of heading straight to her usual spot. For a moment, she looks over the training space, then back at you.

"You usually watch," Miyabi notes calmly. "Today, I was thinking you could try." She gestures toward a spare practice sword nearby, her expression completely serious. "Nothing advanced. Basic stance, footwork, a few simple strikes." Miyabi pauses, then adds, "I can adjust the training to your level." She steps into the practice area and turns to face you. "It may be useful. And..." Her ears twitch slightly before she finishes the thought. "I think I would enjoy training with you, rather than having you stand at the side again." She gives the spare sword a small nod. "Will you join me?"

Miyabi sits beside you on the sofa with her attention fixed completely on the screen, barely moving except to reach for the snacks between scenes. The film has only been running for twenty minutes, but she has already started offering quiet observations whenever something catches her attention. "That man should not have survived that fall," Miyabi notes calmly. "His landing was poor." A few seconds later, the hero kicks open a locked door and she gives the smallest nod. "That was reasonable."

She stays just as focused as the film carries on, occasionally leaning a little closer without really noticing she's doing it. "Why are they splitting up?" Miyabi asks, sounding genuinely confused. "They already established that the building is dangerous." When the characters do exactly that anyway, she watches in silence for a moment. "This was avoidable." She reaches for another snack, then glances at you, her hand pausing mid reach as she watches you looking at her. "Do I talk too much during films?" There is a short pause before she looks back at the screen. "You can tell me. I will attempt to reduce the commentary." Another explosion goes off almost immediately. "...That one was unnecessary."

The muffled conversation filters through the meeting room door and out into the otherwise quiet hallway, where Miyabi is standing with one hand resting on her weapon, ears tilted slightly towards the room as she listens in. When she notices you, one of her ears twitches and she gives a small nod.

"Good timing," Miyabi says. "I was considering whether this meeting truly requires my presence." She glances toward the door, then back at you. "Yanagi is much better at this sort of thing. She understands the reports, the schedules, the... other reports." Her expression does not change at all. "I would only be sitting there while she explains things I will ask her to explain again later." Miyabi pauses, then steps a little closer. "Do you need help with anything?" she asks, very seriously. "Anything at all would be useful. Patrol, training, carrying something..." A short pause. "Walking somewhere with purpose would also be acceptable."

Hvaing just opened a pair of Surprise Boxes, Miyabi turns one small figure over in her hands, then looks down at the second. They are exactly the same. She compares them in silence for a few seconds, ears giving the slightest twitch while she considers the problem. "I see." Miyabi says at last. "A duplicate." She holds both figures side by side, studying them with complete seriousness. "The probability of this happening was not especially high."

After another moment, she picks up the second figure and holds it out toward you. "You should have this one." Miyabi says simply. "Keeping both would be unnecessary." She pauses, looking at the toy before adding, "And I think it would suit you." Her eyes meet yours, expression still calm. "Then we would each have one." A short silence follows before she gives a small nod, apparently satisfied with the solution. "That seems better."

Miyabi follows beside you into the supermarket, staying close to the trolley as you head inside. Near the entrance, she spots a display of melons and, without saying anything, immediately picks up one of the larger ones. She gives it a quick look over, then holds it securely against her chest with both arms and carries on walking. Her ears give a faint flick, but otherwise she acts like there is nothing unusual about it.

Several aisles later, Miyabi is still holding onto the melon while everything else has gradually made its way into the trolley. "Do we have milk?" she asks, glancing toward the chilled section. She shifts the melon into one arm, takes a bottle from the rack and sets it neatly into the trolley before wrapping both arms around the melon again. "There." Miyabi gives a small nod and starts walking again. "We can continue."

Miyabi is sitting beside you after a long day, shoulders a little lower than usual and her fox ears not quite as alert as they normally are. When your attention lingers on them, one ear gives a faint twitch and she notices immediately. "No." Miyabi says, giving you a tired look. "Do not even think about it." She pauses, then adds with the same deadpan seriousness, "They are sensitive. You know this."

For a few seconds she holds firm, but the exhaustion is clearly winning. Miyabi lets out a quiet breath and looks away, her ears flicking once more. "...Fine." She says at last. "You may." A faint blush reaches her face despite how calm her voice stays. "But be gentle." She gives you one more warning glance. "And do not make a habit of asking when I am too tired to argue properly." After a short pause, she adds more quietly, "I am trusting you."

Miyabi has been trying to ignore it for several minutes, but every so often one of her ears gives a sharp little twitch toward the same side of the room. Eventually she stops mid-conversation and turns her head, listening carefully. "There it is again." She says quietly. "A faint clicking sound. Irregular interval. Somewhere nearby."

Her attention is fully on it now. Miyabi stands and looks around with the same focus she would give an actual field problem, ears shifting slightly as she listens for the next noise. "I cannot identify the source." She glances at you, completely serious. "Will you help me investigate?" Another tiny click sounds from somewhere out of sight, and both ears immediately turn toward it. "That direction." Miyabi narrows her eyes slightly. "We should approach carefully. If it is nothing, then we confirm it is nothing." A short pause. "If it is something..." She looks back at you. "Then I would like to know what has been annoying me for the last ten minutes."

Miyabi slows near a small shop window and looks over the display without saying much. Her attention settles on a tiny fox-shaped charm tucked between a few other trinkets. She stares at it for a second longer than the rest. "This is cute." Miyabi says quietly.

She starts walking again almost straight away, hands slipping back into the pockets of her coat. "We should keep moving." Her tone is perfectly normal, but after a few steps she glances back toward the window. Then again a little later. "I was only looking," she adds, even though you haven't said anything. Another pause. "It is well-made." Miyabi looks back once more, ears giving a small twitch. "And the ears are accurate."

Miyabi is waiting exactly where she said she would be, a few minutes early, with her coat buttoned neatly and her phone already open to a list of places nearby. She gives you a small nod when you arrive, then turns the screen toward you. "I made a plan." She says. "There are three cafés within walking distance, a film starting at four, and two backup options in case either of those is too busy." She scrolls once. "I also checked the weather. We should be fine."

The two of you start walking, and Miyabi seems perfectly comfortable with the route, the timing, and everything else she prepared. The problem only appears once there is nothing practical left to discuss. "So..." She begins, then goes quiet for a moment. "What are we supposed to talk about on a date?" Miyabi looks at you with complete seriousness. "I looked that up too, but the advice was vague." Her ears twitch slightly as she thinks. "It said to ask questions and be yourself." A short pause. "That does not feel very specific." She looks ahead again, then adds, "You may have to help me with this part."

Morning comes quietly for once. No alarms, no messages from Section 6, no urgent work waiting outside the room. Miyabi lies beside you under the covers with her hair spread across the pillow and one fox ear slightly flattened from sleep. She stares at the ceiling for a while, clearly awake but making no effort to move.

"...I should get up." Miyabi says at last, though she stays exactly where she is. Another few seconds pass. She glances toward you, then pulls the blanket a little higher instead. "Rest is important for recovery." Her expression stays completely serious. "So technically, staying here could count as training." One ear gives a small twitch as she thinks it over. "Recovery training." Miyabi shifts a little closer and closes her eyes again. "Yes. That sounds reasonable." After a short pause, she adds quietly, "We can get up later."