Chapter Text
Honestly, Wise was having an interesting day. With all the chaos that Bringer brought, the whole Pearlman case, and the chaos that happened in between, he was just about ready to hit the hay. Meeting the void hunter, discovering a not-so-useful clue about the past, and thankfully not being exposed as a proxy and being arrested by Pubsec. Sure, Technically, Zhu and Qingyi knew… but they were trustworthy.
And Miyabi, he had already confessed to. His secret, that is. About the whole reason behind them wanting to go back to old Eridu, the deal with him and Belle being “Students of the guilty”, and the relation to Bringer and the similarities between the arms.
Thankfully, she was willing to listen. Especially after her whole speech of finding the people who caused the accident, and bringing them to justice. Knowing she trusted them, and was willing to give them a chance was perfect enough.
So he was grateful for the moment he got home, to just lay down in his bed and pass out for once, having had enough of the chaos the day brought.
And yet…
The next day, waking up to an invitation in the mail from the Hoshimi family for a party to celebrate the victory, and gather all those who’ve helped with the case. Wise and Belle included. So, with Belle’s help to pick out some normal clothes (honestly, what was wrong with a casual shirt? Having to get him all dressed up in a dress shirt and such? Then again… maybe she has a point.)
Regardless, having arrived at the party, both of them felt like they stuck out like a sore thumb. In light of this, they chose to stick to the familiar faces that they recognized. Faces like Harumasa, who was chilling off to the side with Yanagi, who in turn was watching over Soukaku, who was enjoying herself at the snack table, sampling every treat she could get her hands on.
But what was most surprising was Mr Souichirou himself, coming up to Wise and talking to him like he was an old friend. It definitely helped keep the glares of the other members off of him, considering how friendly he was being. Definitely helped calm him down.
“So, Wise~” Souichirou’s voice snapped Wise out of his thoughts, who turned to look back at him, slowly sipping the juice from his cup. He figured he’d do the same as Souichirou, since alcohol wasn’t exactly something he enjoyed too much. “You mentioned the scabbard being similar to a hollow in certain ways? How’d you arrive at that conclusion?”
Wise immediately perks up as he turns more to Souichirou, his eyes lighting up. “Ah, I was looking over the whole system when Miya- Miss Hoshimi let me have a closer look, and noticed that its whole labyrinth system was similar to that of a hollow, where it's being used to contain what's inside. I’m guessing that whatever is contained has been inside long enough that it was getting closer to breaking through it, so it just needed some observation data to update the labyrinth and secure it. Similar to how fissures can throw people off their sense of direction, without proper directions.”
Belle deadpanned as Wise started getting too into proxy work, shaking her head as she just scooted over to Harumasa, watching the conversation between them. “Thousand Dennies say he crashes and burns with her father.”
Harumasa’s eyebrow raises at the offered bet, glancing at Belle before looking back over to Wise and Souichirou, chuckling as he raises his drink to his lips, taking a sip. Hmm… too sweet. “Heh, you’re on. If he’s anything like the chief, I'm sure they’ll get along juuuust fine.”
Meanwhile, Souichirou paid a lot of attention to Wise's explanation, and a slight grin formed on his face. Towards the conclusion of Wise's observations, he let out a hearty laugh and pats Wise on his shoulder. “To deduct that from just one look, how amazing! No wonder Miyabi spoke so highly of you. I’ve been hearing her mention this proxy she met. Her exact words were, “Her Proxy, who helped contain her sword.” I haven't heard her compliment anyone like that for years. Except her team, of course.”
Embarrassed, Wise rubs the back of his head as he gives a small smile, nodding. “Honestly, I'm more grateful she also got me out of the Hollow. Without her skill, I wouldn’t be walking around like I am today.”
“Humble and honest! Good traits I like to see in a possible partner.” a louder laugh came from him, causing some of the other guests to glance at the two before shrugging. “Son, I didn't expect you to be like this at all, since I haven't heard the best things about Proxies, but getting to meet you, I see why she likes you. Hell, maybe I should see about having you join the family as my son-in-law?”
“Hmm… it wouldn’t be a bad idea… working with you guys would be good, considering that we’d be working along a void hunter. Plus, if anything happens with her sword on the field, I'll be there to help out.” Wise pauses, juggling the pros and cons.
“Ah, so we’re in agreement, then! Honestly, trying to find a partner for Miyabi has been a bit… difficult, considering her personality… But! Seeing how you two get along so well, I think she’ll be in good hands. Just make sure to take care of her.” Souichirou’s smile seemed a bit off, almost melancholic, but happy at the same time, as he gave Wise’s shoulder a squeeze.
As Wise nodded along, a loud sputter could be heard just off to the side, as Belle started coughing on her drink, trying to catch her breath, thinking “Wise!? What are you doing?”
She turned to look at Harumasa, about to speak, before stopping, staring at him. He was standing there, staring in shock as well, his eyes moving from where Wise and Souichirou was, to a bit off to the distance.
Following his gaze, Belle’s eyes went wide as well, staring at the figure of Miyabi, who was just standing there, staring at the two, with a blush on her face, gripping her cup tightly, her ears twitching quickly, as if unsure about what she just heard.
Miyabi eventually looked at Belle and Harumasa, silently questioning if what she just heard was true. Dumbfounded, both of them just nodded, before taking a small sip of their drinks, looking back to the situation at hand.
“F-father! First, my old photos, and now this? A-are you sure you know what you’re doing?” She immediately butted into Souichirou and Wise’s conversation by stepping closer to her father, looking between the two, who just looked back with a raised eyebrow.
“Now, now. Don’t worry, I'm sure you have no qualms about this either. You have been talking about ‘Your Proxy’ a lot lately. And considering the kind of man he seems, I think he’d be a perfect partner for you. Besides,” he took a sip of his juice, glancing back at Wise, “it’ll stop other families from sending proposals for their sons to marry you.”
Seeing that her father was adamant about his plans, she glanced at Wise expectantly, hoping for him to object? Only to be met with a shrug.
“Like I said before, I'm always happy to help you out. Besides, you may swing your sword for everyone in New Eridu, but I'd like to help guide your hand and keep you safe from what evils you face.” He nodded to his own words, agreeing with what he said. “After all, agents without a guide are more likely to get hurt or lost in the hollows without a good proxy.”
Guide, and keep her safe… that's the first time anyone had really said that to her. Someone to support and help her, while still watching her back. Sure, her other members had always been more “fight alongside her”, but this… felt different.
Personal, even.
Souichirou meanwhile, grinned to himself as he took another sip of his drink. He could tell that Miyabi definitely wasn’t opposed to the idea. But… he knew deep down she would still keep swinging her sword. Better to have someone by her side to help with that, than trying to stop it.
Before the conversation could be continued, Wise felt a hand tugging at his elbow, as Belle slid herself into the conversation, looking at her brother with a confused face, before turning to Souichirou and Miyabi with a smile. “It's getting late, so me and Wise are just going to retire for the night. Thank you again, for inviting us to this party. And please keep in contact with us for future events. Miss Miyabi, thank you for taking care of my brother.”
And with that, she firmly latched onto Wise’s elbow, before dragging him away with her, walking at a brisk pace. It was already quite late, and their shop was left unattended, except for their bangboos.
Wise looked surprised at Belle’s sudden strength, before bowing as best as he could while being dragged off to Souichirou, then looking at Miyabi and flashing a smile. “Send me a message anytime. Have a good day.”
As the door shut behind them, Souichirou took a moment to glance at Miyabi, who was busy staring at the door with the slightest blush to her cheek, and her ears drooping just the smallest bit. Letting out a chuckle at how adorable his daughter seemed, he reached a hand out to pat her shoulder, before turning to walk off. “Make sure I don't have to wait long to become a grandfather, ok? I’ll see if your mothers Shiromuku is still in pristine condition.”
It took a moment to process his words, before Miyabi turned to her father, her face bright red. “DAD!”
A hearty laugh could be heard coming from him as he walked away, Miyabi following after him to curse him out.
Meanwhile, in the van on the drive home to the store, Wise was behind the wheel, a small smile on his face as he drove.
“You seem quite proud of yourself, Brother. Didn’t know that you were interested in Miyabi like ‘that’. And here I thought you’d be lonely with only your Bangboo at your side.” Belle teased, reclining in her seat as she looked out the window.
“Well, if we were to get the backing of a Void Hunter, then at this point we really wouldn't have to worry about getting new commissions. Besides, working with Miyabi has been nice, so being partners with her family is a smart choice.” he commented, keeping his eyes focused on the road ahead.
“...Wise, did you thi- …y’know what, yeah, sure. You keep thinking that. You at least like her, right?” Belle squinted at Wise, before turning away, shaking her head with a smirk. God, her brother was really bad when it came to women.
Wise threw a glance at Belle, questioning what she was about to ask, before shrugging. “Yeah, she’s great. Strong, caring, and has the skills to back herself up. But also… hmm. Sweet. Like melons. I’m glad she has such trust in us, now. And I do enjoy the moments we spend with her outside the hollows. Except for her fans… they’re crazy.”
Belle could tell that Wise had definitely put a fair amount of thought into it .. and he might even have some actual feelings for her! Unfortunately, he had been too focused on their work, so much so he probably didn't even recognize his affection for Miyabi. Now, if only he could connect about what events had transpired earlier.
“Though, I feel bad for whoever Miyabi’s rumored fiance is, considering they’re getting a lot of comments on Interknot from angry fans…” Wise muttered to himself, loud enough for Belle to hear. Was that… jealousy she heard? Sweet, salty jealousy from her own brother?
She erupted into laughter considering the absurdity of the situation she was witnessing, wiping a tear away as she shook her head. “Oh, I do too, considering how dumb they are.”
“You’re making it sound like you know them personally.” Wise rolled his eyes, pulling into the parking lot behind their building.
“Oh, I'm pretty sure I do. Maybe better than they know themselves.” With that, she snagged the keys to Random Play hopping out of the car.
The next few days were uneventful. Sure, there were a couple of commissions here and there and an influx of people coming to Random Play, but nothing new. Belle had mentioned some of those people might have been secretly taking pictures, but Wise paid them no mind, shrugging off the notion.
Today, Wise would be busy manning the counter. As he was chilling with Eous, 18 busied himself trying his best to stock the shelves with the new movies, while Eous and Wise were going over one of the returned tapes, ensuring that nothing was written over or tampered with. A simple but new love story, “Even as a Bangboo, I love you.”
Personally, the plot was a bit questionable, considering the lover was transformed into a bangboo, but still showing, despite their differences, that he’d love her regardless, helping her return to her actual self. But hey, it was a cheesy romance movie. What could he expect?
A small “Ehn-nah!” could be heard from 18, as the door to the shop swung open. Wise immediately straightened up, putting on a smile as he turned to look at who entered, before relaxing at the sight of Miyabi wandering inside. Well, this was certainly unusual, but not unpleasant to him.
“Ah, Miyabi. It’s great to see you again.” He immediately moved from behind the counter to personally greet her, before pausing at the sight of the serious look on her face. More serious than usual… It almost felt like she was scanning him, taking in every bit of detail.
“Mmm. Wise, I apologize for dropping in unannounced, but I had something to talk to you about. Specifically about our… partnership.” Was she… blushing? She averted her gaze from him for a second, her ears twitching, before calming herself, and turning back to look at him. “I just wanted to make sure that you were… serious about this, considering the situation…”
Well, that’s a weird thing to ask, considering he’s helped her through the hollows before as a proxy. Maybe she just wants confirmation, and to really know he was capable of it.
So, standing up straight to present himself as best as he could, he rested a hand on Miyabi’s shoulder, looking directly into her eyes. “Miyabi, I'm fully serious about being your partner. I’ve thought it through, and I feel like this is the best thing for the both of us. Besides, being by your side has been great, and if there’s anyone I'd go through a Hollow with, I'd choose you in a heartbeat.”
Eous let out a little gasp, looking between the little movie screen, and Wise with Miyabi, instantly turning to the more interesting plot development that was happening before his eyes, bouncing happily in his seat.
Miyabi, meanwhile, wasn’t expecting Wise to be this forward, her reddening face looking back into his eyes in shock, taking a small step back, her ears working overtime. “A-are you sure you know what being my partner entails? Being m… mine, helping me out in and out of the hollows, and staying by my side?”
“Well, yeah, of course. That’s all I'd ever do. Especially for you. I’d follow you into Hollow Zero and back. In fact, I almost did once, before we even fully met. Your swordsmanship was amazing to watch…” his smile only softened at the thought of how amazing she was in her battle against Nineveh, truly a sight to behold.
Miyabi only got more and more flustered, as her hand twitched to the hilt of her blade, squinting her eyes at him. “I bet y-you say that to all the agents that you see.”
“Nope. Only to you, Miyabi. None of them are as amazing as you,” was Wise’s immediate reply.
Miyabi, unable to speak due to how flustered she was, merely walked up closer to Wise… and started to lightly (to her) punch him.
“Ow! Hey, what did I say? I swear I meant it! M-Miyabi, please stop!” Wise looked confused, taking a step back as Miyabi just stared at him.
Once more, a “Ehn-nah” could be heard, one coming from Eous this time as he hopped down from his stool, trying out a line that he heard from the movie. From the staff room, a burst of laughter could be heard as a response, as Wise turned bright red, looking down at Eous in shock.
Miyabi looked confused, looking down at the proud Eous, before glancing at Wise’s red face. “I apologize, I-I didn’t quite get that. What did he say?”
Before Wise could say anything to defend himself, or brush off what Eous said, Belle immediately poked her head out from the “Staff only” door, looking smug. “I totally agree with you, Eous! Mom and Dad should definitely stop fighting, and make up!”
Wise facepalmed with a groan, while Miyabi.exe stopped working. Meanwhile, Eous just wiggled his ears happily, as 18 in the corner was giggling to itself, having stopped working to watch the situation between them.
Before Wise had a chance to say anything, Miyabi turned away to hide her face as best as she could, before quietly speaking, not wanting to show her face. “My da- ahem, my father would like you to come by the estate tomorrow, to help you prepare. Please, make sure you arrive after 12:40, as that’s when lunch ends. I-it was a pleasure seeing you… My Fiance.”
Without another word, she immediately headed out the door, closing it behind her, leaving behind a surprised Wise, who’d only looked at the smirking face of Belle, who was feeling pretty damn smug.
“Ehnu-nah?” Eous tugged on Wise’s pants, looking up at him with a hopeful expression, bouncing excitedly.
“What do you mean," Do I like foxes? That’s a bit… outta nowhere to ask. But uh… yeah, I guess?” Wise frowned, as his eyes darted between Eous and Belle, who winked at him before heading back inside the staff only room.
The next day, Wise arrived 5 minutes early at the Hoshimi estate, glancing up at the large building. Belle stayed home, having mentioned that she was going out with Ellen and Lycaon to go ‘shopping’ for the big day. Which was weird, considering that he wasn't aware of any such events on the calendar that warranted "shopping"… but hey, maybe Belle just wanted to have a nice night out with friends?
Regardless, he walked up to the door and knocked on it. And not even a second later, the door opened, revealing Souichirou who welcomed Wise with a large grin. “Ah, there’s the man of the year! So glad you could finally make it.”
“It’s a pleasure. Sorry if I came off strange. Lately, my sister has been throwing me off with a lot of weird comments, and I feel like I may have somehow upset Miyabi.” Letting out a small chuckle, he scratched the back of his neck as he glanced around the entrance to the household. Getting personally greeted by Souichirou instead of a servant? He didn’t think he was THAT important.
“Nonsense! In fact, Miyabi recently has been very enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. Me, honestly, i’m just glad i have someone to call my son. Soon, you’ll also be known as Wise Hoshimi. Hmm. a Wise Hoshimi… interesting.” He looked thoughtful, as Wise just brushed it off as a joke, as the two of them left the entrance area, heading deeper into the household.
As they travelled through the estate, passing multiple doors leading to who knows how many rooms, and plenty of servants bustling around, they engaged in some simple small talk, discussing Wise’s Random Play business and the profit it got.
Soon, they entered a spacious room with plenty of mirrors lining the walls, along with rolls of fabric, needles, spools and some other items. Along the walls there were a couple of servants with measuring tapes, who gave both Wise and Souichirou a bow.
Wise looked at the two in confusion, as Souichirou guided Wise to stand on a podium in the middle of the room, taking a step back to let the two servants move in, who began to start measuring his sizes.
“So, I heard that you needed me for something important? If it's an issue, I can get right to work. I’m pretty good with technology, after all.” He attempted to move to look at Souichirou better. But the moment he tried, one of the Servants gripped his sleeve, and forced him to stay still with a glare, making Wise stiffen up.
“It's nothing like that. Besides, I'm not the biggest fan of that new-fangled tech people keep spouting off about. I feel it's a hindrance. Especially when it fails… like it did before…” Souichirou’s face darkened, as he’d look off to the side, taking a deep breath to compose himself. Letting it out in a small sigh. “Too much money, and yet it does nothing to help with bigger issues.”
Silence permeated the air, as both men felt awkward. As the sounds of rustling tapes continued, Wise spared a glance at Miyabi’s father. The facade he always saw, a strong, empowered man, was looking like someone who lost what was most important to him. And in a way… he could relate.
“...Mr Hoshimi, I can understand that pain, as I've lost someone important to me... A mother figure that’s helped me get to where I am before, in the old city. I…” he looked in front of him, trying to think of the best way to word this. “I know it hurts, but sometimes we just… have to move forwards, with the memory of them.”
Souichirou looked back at Wise, giving him a small nod, walking around the room as he pulled on some of the fabric rolls, giving each material a feel. “I get where you’re coming from, and I appreciate the effort, but son, we aren’t here to talk about that. Maybe after a year, and a few drinks, we will. But for now, let's focus on this.”
Opening his mouth to speak, Wise stopped at the look Souichirou gave him, nodding. “Forgive me, I shouldn't have said anything. But… maybe in the future, I'd like that. Getting to know each other over a drink. Though, I don't really drink much. I’m more of a juice person, than anything. But I'll do my best to be in good company.”
“Heh, likewise son. Then again, Miyabi did already tell you I like to swap out my wine’s for juices. It helps to not be drunk when discussing important business, or keeping up with your contacts.” A chuckle escaped Souichirou’s lips, as he stopped at a specific roll of fabric, eyes pouring over the roll, inspecting its glossy sheen and color, before raising it higher for the servants to see.
Finally, one of the Servants surrounding Wise jotted down a little note in a notepad, before turning to Souichirou and bowing, moving closer to have a look at the chosen fabric. They wrote down something else, before slowly backing their way out of the room.
Wise watched them go, stretching out a bit as he hopped down from the podium to approach Souichirou, walking up to the fabric he was looking at and raising an eyebrow. It looked expensive. “...So, what was this all about? Seems like a fitting, done at a tailor…”
“Ah, just a little thing I need for your gift, is all.” Souichirou waved away the question, taking a step back to continue walking, as Wise caught up and matched his pace. “After all, I want to ensure your suit fits you well for the big day.”
Wise’s eyes widened in surprise, before walking a bit more ahead of him to try and stop Souichirou, looking panicked. “You don’t have to do that, sir. I can always rent or buy my own suit. A gift from you, while much appreciated, isn’t something you need to do. I don’t think I've done something to deserve such kindness.”
“Wise.” Souichirou’s face grew serious, as he grasped Wise’s shoulders, staring directly at him. “If anything, you’re giving me a gift, by becoming my daughter’s partner. Ever since her mother parted ways with us, I… haven’t seen the same happy girl. But when you came around, and she started opening up more, and… being herself, I was over the moon. And the fact that you chose her, and want to stay by her no matter what…” a small smile broke through his lips, as he gave Wise’s shoulders a squeeze. “That's all a father could ever ask for, to see his daughter happy.”
Wise stared into Souichirou’s eyes, a bit startled at the sudden change in his demeanor, but also understanding where he must be coming from. Any father would be happy to see their daughter having close friends that cherish and support them. So he’d smile back, reaching up and gripping Souichirou’s shoulder in return. “Of course, that’s all I could ask for as well. Miyabi’s a wonderful person, and i trust her to have my back, as i have hers whenever we’re together (in the hollows…)”
Souichirou only chuckled at that, before straightening up, putting on a weird but soft smile as he took a step back and turned to continue his trek through the hallway of the Hoshimi Estate. “I expect you to keep your word then, Wise. Bad things have happened to those who betray the Hoshimi family. And for your sake,” he’d turn his head to glance behind him, meeting Wise’s gaze, " I hope you aren’t one of them.”
Souichirou continued walking, leaving Wise to falter for a moment at the pseudo-threat, before taking a small breath to steady himself. He wouldn’t do anything like that to Miyabi and her family, so he had nothing to worry about, right? Still, a small part of him felt like there was a deeper meaning to Souichirou’s words..
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