— Per Aspera .

It was clearly her name backwards! If she had chosen a totally different name it might have been less complicated! Ah who cares, it did not seem she really cared that he almost blew up her hidden identity... although she didn't go out of her way to hide it either.

Not only that, but now she was telling him to go buy 7 teamilks? For some reason, he felt that she was being honest without trying to make fun of him. And that was too strange. In fact, saying such platitudes reminded him of Miyabi.

He might have adapted a lecturing tone from his mother.

Ah, Harumasa couldn't help but snort at the seriousness of the other. Seth was right, and honestly? He liked the other's straightforwardness when it came to helping people. If it was very urgent, he would usually give the information already, but knowing that there was still time for the next move, he chose to be annoying for a bit. Too bad Seth always takes all seriously. But it was okay, it was that thiren's quality and he knew that well.

He handed him a small portable storage device.

There's some deep thoughts to be had here. Truly. While Billy could understand that movies and books (even manga books) were all separated by preference, it was still unbelievable that someone didn't find themselves a fan of superheroes. Man! They were everyone's dream! Who wouldn't wanna be a flashy, gleaming beacon of hope and light!? Who wouldn't wanna have a super awesome, secret and totally cool hideaway simply known as THE H.Q (seriously, he would've loved to have something for that, but Nicole...)!? Clearly someone who lived under a rock, or...

"Someone lost hope at a young age, huh?"

A tragedy, truly.

As uncultured he feared this dude to be, Billy could only shake his head and offer his utmost sympathies; " ... Superheroes are everyone's dream, bro! They make you dream. Just the thought of running alongside them should be enough to make you wanna reach for the stars," and a hand would shift abruptly, raise up towards the sky in a grabbing motion before coiling around nothing, "and make you grab the sun instead!"

For a second, it could be seen his distant look when he heard that 'someone lost hope at a young age', but it didn't take him long to avoid that and maintain a smile. What could he say, he had hope for everyone but not for himself. But as pessimistic as his condition made him about his life, seeing someone so passionate about superheroes made him think that maybe he should give it a shot. And obviously ignore that assumption for now.

❝ You know, maybe when I have more free time, I'll check out their movies. I'm sure I can find them on Random Play. I'll tell the owners you recommended them to me, I'm sure they'll be happy ~ ❞

Soon his smile turned to surprise when Billy said he was going to camp there for two weeks. Two weeks? How was he going to do that? He thought all that queue was for today only. That made him rethink what he had said about keeping him company, but ….

“why do you have that look on your face?”

“finish what you’re doing, we have to talk.”

“what have you done to yourself?”

“did you do something different with your hair?”

“it doesn’t do any good to get worked up.”

“when was the last time we had a real conversation.”

“are you in the witness protection program, or what?”

“there’s something wrong with me.”

“no, i don’t hate you.”

“hey stupid.”

“we’re aren’t them.”

“looks like i’ll live long enough to make you pay.”

“you know you’re wrong.”

“i don’t understand, why are you doing this?”

“now, before i say anything, promise me you’ll stay calm.”

“what makes me so special?”

“you have no idea what i’ve been through.”

“you really don’t have to do that, not for me.”

“did you really think you’d get a second chance?”

“how about we don’t do that.”

“i have a lot going for me, but humility is not one of them.”

“you’re the worst.”

“i don’t need you right now.”

“don’t just stand there, looking at me.”

“i thought you were supposed to call me.”

“take my hand.”

“i need you.”

“you’re allowed to need help sometimes.”

“for someone who doesn’t like to feel things, you sure feel a lot of it out loud.”

“when this is all over, i want it to be you and me.”

“why won’t you tell me what happened?”

“you don’t know what this means to me.

“i know it doesn’t make sense.”

“i’m trying really hard to keep it together.”

“i know you’re new, but we do things a little differently here.”

“your voice is putting me to sleep.”

“did you find what you were looking for?”

"you knew and you didn’t even warn me?”

“well, i guess that’s broken.”

“i thought it was part of the act.”

“you think u don’t know you’re only here because they sent you?”

“you promised to call me if you didn’t know what to wear.”

“you can keep a secret, can’t you?”

“how could you do this to me?”

“put the gun down, dearest. i have news!”

“i know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but you need to know something.”

“if you’re here to tell me what happened last night, someone beat you to it.”

“people think i’m weird.”

“i think i’m losing myself again.”

“you can’t be here.”

“i wish you’d come to the funeral.”

“do you know what today is?”

“so, you broke my favourite mug… and you’re breaking up with me?”

“i need to get out.”

“it’s like i’m cursed or something.”

“you are remarkably well-behaved tonight, what have you been up to?”

“you gonna eat that?”

“sir, the pony rides are for children only.”

“i don’t want you to worry about that anymore.”

“we’ll never make it in time.”

“you’d be late for your own funeral.”

“you should have seen it coming.”

“oh, good, you’re here! hold this.”

“why can’t you just be happy for me?”

“on a scale of one to ten, how do you feel about nachos right now?”

“is this how you flirt with everyone?”

“how much longer till we’re there?”

“what have you done?”

“it’s time for you to repay that debt you owe me.”

“where did you get that? who gave it to you?”

“what kind of mother has thoughts like that?”

“i know I haven’t been what you needed, but i’m here, and i wanna help.”

“i never want to hear you say that again.”

“you’re all i have.”

“i know it’s not perfect, but i did follow the recipe this time.”

“i was doing so well until you showed up.”

“don’t eat that! i made it ‘specially for our guest.”

“it’s not that i don’t like my life, it’s that i don’t have the energy to enjoy it.”

“how can you stand this place?”

“don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t exactly blend in.”

“you need to stop.”

“i don’t like that look, what happened?”

“is that seriously your password?”

“what’s your problem?”

“you had no right to use it without asking.”

“oh, wow, you weren’t kidding.”

“i couldn’t trust my own parents to protect me.”

“i’m surprised you haven’t been arrested yet. wait, no, i’m not.”

“why do you want to help me?”

“ten bucks for that piece of crap?”

“we have to hurry, they’re coming!”

“hey, look what came in the mail!”

“do you want to get a drink or something?”

“please tell me you didn’t eat that.”

“the worst part is you didn’t even notice.”

“if i wanted help, i would have asked.”

“wanna tell me what’s going on with your grades?”

“you need to leave.”

“talk to me, okay? i need to know what’s going on.”

“i do blame you.”

“sometimes life deals you a bad hand, but you can still play your cards right and win.”

“you’re no longer useful to me.”

"If only I could say the same. Somehow, I'm a lost soul still wandering this mortal plane. Torn away from all I ever known--" Woe be him, woe be to Lighter.

"So allow me to witness you take on double the worldly affairs. A kind soul like you can pick up the weight I left behind, no?"

Well, Harumasa clearly did not expect those words from him. Yes okay he got the idea of his way of seeing things, mostly because he researched his past and clearly they are kind of the opposite.

The man who wants to die but can't, against the man who wants to live but can't.

❝ Did you wake up philosophical today? I'm not sure if I like that more or only when you barely talk me back. ❞ He replied. Dang, he really wanted to sneak out but now Lighter wanted to see him in action with citizens? He had the feeling that he may want to see him suffer between the fans. Was it his goal?!

❝ Is that so? I think you could do the same job as me. Why not you show how good you are with citizens? Perhaps I can help you get a place in h.a.n.d. ~ ❞

it  wasn't  like  he  hated  the  company,  but  harumasa  always  took  the  longer  way  for  them  both  to  cross  before  the  finish  line.  strong  arms  crossed  atop  the  champion's  broad  chest,  the  faint  creak  of  leather  came  quicker  than  any  words  from  lighter.  sunglasses  slid  down  the  bridge  of  his  nose,  crimson  pupils  meeting  the  other  man's  eyes.

❝  if  you  wanted  to  meet  up  to  chat,  you  could've  said  so.  ❞  maybe  then  he  could  prepare  more  time,  since  caesar  already  pushed  a  list  of  groceries  and  shopping  materials  into  his  pocket  to  get  it  done  while  he's  out  of  the  outer  ring.  he  was  curious  what  exactly  harumasa  meant  by  chatting  and  why  wasn't  this  just  an  usual  exchange  like  any  other  of  his  customers  did.  ❝  sure,  i  have  some  time  before  i  have  to  shop  for  the  sons  of  calydon.  do  you  want  me  to  drive  you  somewhere  or  you  wish  to  talk  here  ?  ❞  maybe  lighter  was  still  not  used  to  harumasa's  antics  after  all. // @harumasatxt from here.

❝ Hmm... But I wonder if I said to you, 'hey let's chat', you would just pass. Let's say it's a feeling. ❞ And maybe Harumasa was wrong but, he could not know unless Lighter decided to deny or agree with what he said. Curiosity was there, waiting for what he would say about it. But in the meantime…

❝ Are you willing to drive me somewhere? I was thinking of talking here, buuuuut now you mention that it's hard to say no ~ ❞ He teased, with a satisfied smile. ❝ We can always go to Port Elpis, do you remember the place? ❞

It is indeed a miracle that nobody has approached her as of yet, which made her feel quite somber. Astra made sure that she is well-prepared with any sort of encounters since she brought along her cute crystallised pen; similar in appearance with her lipgloss. Hopefully it is her pen and not the lipgloss. . .

❝ Wait wha— ❞ After some quick blinks, he looked at the denny note. Why was she giving him so much money? Like, he's very well paid, he is also famous! Not that much like her but—He hid the money fast. That's okay, he would then find a way to put the money in the singer's bag when she doesn't pay attention.

   ―   not that bad, huh?  harumasa is right, wise thinks with an unwarranted burst of confidence, this will be just fine.  they even have popcorn and snacks to share, because no movie night would be complete without those.  wise munches a handful of popcorn thoughtfully as he hits the play button.  ❝ alright, but don't say i didn't warn you.  you may have to protect me after all, o great and powerful harumasa. ❞  wise's tone may be measured and characteristically calm, but don't be fooled : he will hug this man for comfort if the movie becomes spookier than he can bear.  belle's forever teasing him for his inability to sit through particularly tense movies  -  wise suspects that she got the horror-watcher genes of the family, what with that ability of hers to chomp snacks through the gross scenes.  sisters are bizarre.

Curiosity still hangs over his head, as watching a movie that might not be as scary as any other ( considering it's about a Bangboo acting as a murderer ) would scare the manager. Maybe he can give Bangboo 18 his weapon and see if they can hold it, but maybe that would be too cruel for his poor friend's heart.

❝ Even though it's fictional and hard to believe, knowing that AIs can be corrupted, I don't think it's too far-fetched. For not having seen it, you know a lot about the movie, huh? You're certainly an expert. ❞ Since Wise has flattered him before, he decides to return the ball.

Astra lets out an excited ❝ ooh! ❞ like a free-spirited child, she likes it when people go along with her whims, perhaps he might end up being another friend of hers? One can never have too many friends after all ! and surely her dearest manager, Eve, might feel relieved if the star singer is accompanied by a HSO officer.

First step in making a friend? Introduce oneself. ❝ Ahem! Where are my manners ~ ❞ she re-positioned herself in a more polite manner, ❝ Nice to meet you! my name is ─ ❞ her eyes lingered to anything that could give her an idea for a name...

Huh, he was expecting a different kind of name, but Artsa? Was she trying to hide herself at all? He really wondered if she was joking or just being like that. Then he realized something, she was playing the same cards he was, but he only does that to mess around. Was she for real or was she messing with him? Again, he would keep acting like he does not know her, but he did not have to hide who he was. He might be famous for being from HSO Section 6, but her? She would drive all of Lumina Square crazy if someone realizes she is just there walking around like nothing.

And he was still surprised that nothing happened yet.

❝ Artsa eh? A peculiar name indeed. I'm Asaba Harumasa but please, you can call me Harumasa. ❞ While he was introducing himself, he looked at that denny note to just keep himself in silence for a long five seconds.

Yeah no wonder why. What the fu—