“There are still fifty-three seconds of my document review time remaining. Please leave all inquiries till then,” Rikka says, monotone.

She doesn’t even look up from her papers. Auburn doesn’t pay any mind, she simply slides her bag off her shoulder and pulls out the necessary notes from within. Laying them flat on the table, she crosses her legs and bounces her foot until Rikka snaps her manila folder shut and turns off the timer that is just beginning to ring.

“Hello, Auburn,” she grins, turning to face the other girl, “As per your last inquiry, today has been satisfactory. I trust you were able to organize the notes that we collected yesterday?”

“Of course I was. Color coded and alphabetized. I also added a few anecdotes of things I overheard after the mission, just in case they were things you would want to add to your behavioral models.” Auburn beams, straightening their spine.

Is it so bad to want Rikka to be proud of her...?

Auburn slides the folder between the two of them, opening it for Rikka to see inside. The papers within are a mass of highlights and annotations, tabbed according to their topic: green for observations on Taiga, red for observations on Romeo, blue for Frostheim matters (mostly the Ishibashi girl), and yellow for faculty and staff mission issues. There’s even a spreadsheet of the anomalies Sinostra and other houses have faced, their strengths and weaknesses, how they were able to be defeated, and whether they were captured or not. Rikka looks over the added information thoughtfully, flipping between sheets. She’s careful not to mess with the organization system Auburn has laid out for her.

“As expected of my business partner,” she breathes, placing a hand over her chest, “I’m so glad my father’s words on diligence and persistence could reach you.”

“It was because you were the one who told me,” Auburn interjects, “It wouldn’t have had the same effecton me if it wasn’t coming from you.”

“That’s not true. My father could move mountains with his words alone. I’m merely—”

“You’re my business partner.” Auburn interrupts.

“Please don’t interrupt me,” Rikka frowns, her expression sour.

“I’m sorry, Rikka. But It’s what I feel. You’re the one who’s special to me, not him.” Auburn presses her lips together, “I do this for you.”

To her credit, she did mean the apology. She doesn’t like interrupting her. Rikka opens her mouth and then closes it again, eyes darting between the spreadsheets and the girl next to her.

“Please excuse me,” Rikka stands up abruptly, stepping over Auburn’s legs.

“Woah, careful!” Auburn yelps, hands flying to the sides to avoid knocking her over.

“I am going to grab your order from Miss. Shiranami. Please wait here,” she proclaims.

And just like that, she turns on her heel and walks away, the soft click click click of her polished shoes echoing on the tile. Auburn sighs and rests her chin on her hand, lips pursed as she stares out the window.

all it took was kaito looking away from her for him to forget she was ever even there. dazed and confused, he stared down the hallway, no doubt contemplating who he was supposed to be doing this mission with.

auburn walks past him, pressing her lips together. there's no use explaining to him who she is for what was probably the fifth time today. she just had to find the sinostra first year, and then they would be on their way.

and he'd probably forget all about her, too.

making her way through the hallway, she keeps an eye out for the familiar mop of grey-ish hair she saw at the entrance ceremony. what was his name again…? wrinkling her nose, she pulls off to the side of the hallway and digs around in her tote bag for her notebook, cracking it open to the page tabbed new students.

just because she was cursed to be forgotten didn't mean she would let herself forget others so easily.

"excuse me, are you the inspector?"

auburn jerks her head up, scrambling to right her posture and facial expression, when she freezes.

"hi—" her eyes dart down to her notes, "shinjo. yes, that's me."

"you seem frazzled," he says coolly, "you may want to wipe that confused look off of your face. it's unbecoming of an inspector."

her eyebrow shoots up to her hairline, expression scrunching with displeasure. he pays this no mind, eyes drifting down to her notebook.

"ah, i see you collect data as well," he smirks, producing a file with her name on it, "that is proper behavior of an inspector. i must commend you."

she opens her mouth, then closes it again. who does this guy think he is!?

"yeah, of course—sorry, you know who i am?" she points at herself.

ritsu eyes her as though he were looking at a particularly stupid child, "of course i know who you are. i am ritsu shinjo, future top attorney of japan. my father told me i must always gather information whenever possible. please, take a business card."

auburn watches as he produces a business card out of who knows where, holding it out to her expectantly.

"okay, thank you!" she smiles warily, plucking it from his fingers.

she slides it into her notebook, marking the page that reads ritsu shinjo: sorted into sinostra.

"i heard that you have been assigned to sinostra as inspector," he states plainly, "we should pool our information before heading out."

"uh—okay." auburn nods, struck nearly dumb by how straightforward and…uncaring this man seemed to be.

"let's be on our way then," ritsu turns on his heel and walks away, and auburn sucks in a breath the second his eyes leave her. sighing, she stays where she is, looking back down at her notebook with his business card slotted between the pages.

well, that was interesting while it lasted.

"my time is precious, inspector. do not waste it," ritsu calls from down the hallway.

she jerks her head up for the second time that morning, eyes wide at the sight of ritsu frowning down the hallway at her.

"you remember me?" she squeaks, absolutely baffled.

"not pleasantly, at the current moment," he snaps, tapping his foot, "honestly, you—"

"coming, coming, sorry! i'll explain once we get to wherever we're going!" she scrambles down the hall to meet him, heart pounding in her chest.

when was the last time she was remembered!?