Mahiru smoothed her blouse, resisting the urge to press the doorbell again. First impressions were important, even more so when the men of the guild had done a fine job of messing everything up earlier that day. She shook her head, ridding herself of thoughts of them as she released a breath and squared her shoulders. In the same way she always had, she would make up for any failings on their part.
“Hello, Miss Saionji?” She smiled wide so it showed in her voice. “I’m from the Detective Guild.”
“Finally!” A moment later she caught her first glimpse of her new client as the apartment door flung open. The traditional garb struck her first. She knew few that would do so outside of important events and she didn’t even own anything similar. Her bright blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail long enough to drape elegantly over one shoulder and framed a cherubic face. Cute, Mahiru determined as the other appraised her and she stood stiffly under the scrutiny. Her client set her hands on her hips with a nod. “I didn’t think that place had any good people working there.”
Mahiru bowed her head. “I want to apologize for the coworkers who showed up earlier.”
Hiyoko Saionji waved a dismissive hand, the sleeves of her kimono trailing the movement. “I’ve already forgotten about them. Come in! Get out of this dingy hallway.”
“Thank you.”
While sliding off her shoes, Mahiru observed the room and its occupant as discreetly as possible to not come off as rude. Hiyoko’s space matched her, mixing what was once a modern apartment with traditional prints, well maintained plants, and delicate pottery. She liked it. Pretty with an air of refinement that demanded respect.
“Miss Saionji-”
“Bleh, you’re too formal! You sound like you’re addressing my grandmother.” She stuck out her tongue looking childish despite being the same age as far as she was aware. “I’m going to use your name and you should do the same.”
“Hiyoko then?” Mahiru tried. She nodded, flitting further into the apartment.
“Make yourself at home. If I had let those oafs from earlier in they would have broken something. Or put greasy fingerprints on everything.” She wrinkled her nose.
“I have no doubt,” Mahiru agreed, catching up. She spared a glance to the row of framed photographs decorating a side table. Most contained Hiyoko at various ages and a much older graying woman in matching garb. However the one where she was smiling the greatest was a small image in the back of a young child holding hands with a more modern man and woman.
“Can I get you something?” Hiyoko spun on her heel forcing Mahiru to a sudden stop. She blinked at the smoothness of the action and the piercing gaze that bore into her. “Coffee? Tea? Water?”
“I-I’m fine, thanks. I have a job to do.”
Hiyoko raised an eyebrow, but shrugged. “Whatever. I’m making tea. Maybe I’ll heat enough water for the both of us.”
“Do you need any help?” Mahiru blurted, hurrying to reach the kitchen to perform whatever assistance she could.
“You just said you had a job to do and that you didn’t want tea.” Hiyoko jabbed a finger at her small two person table. “Unless you came here to be my servant too, you should sit down and get started.”
Her cheeks burning, Mahiru did as she was told, falling into the chair. Keeping her head down she dug through her bag, producing her notebook and pen as well as the file originally given to Nagito. She looked up when a cup and saucer was set in front of her and Hiyoko giggled behind her hand. “Jeez, any redder and you’d be confused with a tomato at the market.”
If possible Mahiru’s face felt warmer which earned a louder laugh. “About your request…” Mahiru began, averting her eyes to the file and willing the heat to leave her skin.
Hiyoko settled in the chair opposite, pouring tea into both of their cups. “Yes, like I told whoever that was on the phone I’m a very notable dancer.” She brushed the end of ponytail over shoulder with a smug grin. “My grandmother always says I have such a youthful appearance that I can’t help but attract pervs. Normally they’re banished pretty easily, but I’ve been getting these weird calls where someone just hangs up as soon as I answer.”
“Do you have any idea who it could be?”
She shook her head. “I’ve not seen anyone creepier looking than usual. My grandmother says not to answer anymore.”
Mahiru made a few notes. “Probably a good idea. Though I’d like to hear the next time you get one.”
“Can I ask you something?” Hiyoko eyed her over her teacup, one finger rhythmically tapping. “How can you protect me? The ogres from earlier, even if they looked useless I’m sure they can do something.” She took a small sip, never looking away. “What can you do?”
Mahiru gave her best business smile. “I have the ability to stop time in a small window of space.”
Hiyoko gasped, her cup clattering onto the saucer. “Tell me about it!”
Mahiru pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and held up her hands. “See, if I touch my fingers like this, they make a box.” She indicated as she touched her thumbs and forefingers together. “Then I just have to focus on what I see through them and I can make it freeze. Once I delayed a fire so my friends and I could escape,” she said quietly.
Hiyoko nodded vigorously. “I don’t know why they didn’t send you the first time! I’m sure you’re so much better than them!”
She laughed. “I’m usually someone who does more investigating than fighting.”
“You can do what would have taken two of them to do,” Hiyoko said, her grin turning mischievous. “And you’re much better to look at.”
Just when she had managed to get her cheeks to cool, they flushed once more. Mahiru stammered, stopping herself and clearing her throat to try and remain professional. The reputation of the Guild rested on her, even if her client was smirking behind her teacup. Or that she found her attractive as well.
“For now I’ll keep an eye out and accompany you when you go out.”
“I figured. I have some bedding and there’s a spare towel for you.” Hiyoko fixed her with a flat look. “I hope you don’t snore.”
^v^
Theater was rarely something Mahiru made time for. She held nothing against it, she always found herself busy with other things. And she had never been backstage before.
Hiyoko stalked ahead of her, chin high as they entered through a plain door in the back of the building and followed the maze of corridors that brought them to the stage. Mahiru kept glancing around, half in interest and half in monitoring who was around them, surprising her at how many faces glared as they passed. At first she tried to take note of everyone, but soon it was too overwhelming to keep track. She had her work cut out for her.
As they neared the stage wings, Hiyoko spun and held up a hand. “You should wait here while I practice. There’s a chair if you get tired.”
Mahiru nodded. “Got it.”
“Alright, you slugs!” Hiyoko called. “Let’s get started!”
Huddled beside the curtain, Mahiru watched as the troop went through their routines, fascinated by the movements of the skilled dancers. However, it was Hiyoko’s addition that truly entranced her. As the blonde stepped forward for her part, she opened a large fan and swept it in a wide arc. In its wake, water-like swirls trailed behind it, from white to blue to a deep purple. The fan shot up above her head, sending the color in the air to rain down around her as she continued her dance.
With graceful and controlled movements, Hiyoko sent more colors and patterns into the air around her. Mahiru found herself lost in it, riveted in place as the dance reached its conclusion with a number of sparkling fireworks that lit up the stage and glittered until they faded away.
Mahiru snapped her mouth shut as Hiyoko stepped to one side to speak with the director, finally able to tear her gaze away. She had read some details about who her client was, but the descriptions didn’t do it justice. She was glad no one seemed to be paying any attention to her as she awoke from her trance and resumed what she was really there for.
“Excuse me,” she whispered to a woman standing off stage sorting through some items. “I’m working for Hiyoko. Have you seen anyone acting suspiciously lately?”
The woman looked her up and down and sniffed. “Why are you helping that bitch?”
Mahiru frowned. “Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Whatever, you say.” She rolled her eyes. “There hasn’t been anything out of the ordinary. Masayuki put itching powder in Mai’s clothes, Mai replaced Keiko’s shoes with a size smaller, and Keiko gave Asami’s number to an escort service.” She shrugged and returned to her work. “I wouldn’t consider that suspicious.”
“Thanks…” Mahiru gaped, stepping away from the woman.
She was in the midst of searching for someone else to question when something crashed on the main stage followed by screaming. Mahiru ran back through panicked dancers attempting to flee, searching for Hiyoko in the chaos. She found her where she had been left, standing beside the director, her face pale as she stared ahead. A large light had fallen, the mangled piece of equipment breaking a portion of floor and scattering shards of glass everywhere not far from where she had been standing prior.
^v^
“I’m ordering food,” Hiyoko muttered as soon as they were back in her apartment. “You want anything?”
Mahiru stared at her. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”
Hiyoko shook her head. “What’s there to talk about? It was probably just a prank. We’re all gonna be chewed out over it though. Probably some newbie with mashed potatoes for brains who thought they could take over someone’s spot while they were injured.” She pulled out her phone and began tapping through local menus. “They’re just lucky no one was actually hit or we’d be scrubbing brains off the floor before the next show.”
“This is normal?” Mahiru gasped.
Hiyoko looked at her, her face neutral. “A couple months ago one of the other dancers gave me food poisoning. I was sick for two weeks and kept dancing the whole time to prove I wasn’t some weak crybaby.” She let out a humorless chuckle at the surprised look on Mahiru’s face. “Guess you didn’t realize how cut-throat dancing could be.”
“But…” Mahiru struggled to find words. “Isn’t that taking it a little too far?”
“Maybe…” Hiyoko stared at the collection of pictures sitting along the opposite wall. “My grandmother says it’s always been like this. Back in her day she says she had someone’s leg broken when she realized they were hiding pins around her room.” She shook her head and looked at her phone. “No one really does that anymore though. So about dinner…”
Mahiru reached forward on instinct, pulling the other to her in a hug. “I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with that.”
Hiyko’s hands reached up and held onto her back. “If I couldn’t handle it, I wouldn’t still be dancing.”
“It’s still stupid everyone thinks they should do that. Honestly, someone should tell them off.”
Hiyoko laughed. “And you think that someone should be you?”
Mahiru blushed. “Well, if no one else will, I'll do it.”
Hiyoko held on a little tighter for a moment and Mahiru relished in the warmth of the other’s body. This close she could feel through the layers of cloth that she was deceptively lithe and fit. Not that she had seen anything beyond Hiyoko’s head and hands her entire time together and immediately grew flustered at her own thoughts.
Hiyoko pulled back, grinning when she saw her face. “I’ve never seen anyone turn the same shade as their hair before.” She poked her cheek with a finger, her touch cool against Mahiru’s flushed skin. “I’m ordering you the same thing I’m getting.” Hiyoko announced, tapping the screen of her phone and then turning it off. “It’ll be a surprise what you’re getting.”
Mahiru didn’t trust herself to form words so she nodded.
Still grinning, Hiyoko strode further into the apartment. “I’m taking a bath first. Help yourself to some ice if you need to cool down!” Her laughter haunted her until Mahiru could hear the pipes come to life.
^v^
Mahiru was changing when she heard the doorbell ring followed by Hiyoko’s loud, “Finally! I’m starving.” She smiled as she continued to tuck her shirt into the waistband of her skirt. She was being ridiculous of course, but at least privately she could allow herself to consider her own feelings. And she would need some time to sort them out.
Her last crush had turned out to be a murderer. The memory left her frowning as she recounted how the woman at her side confessed to using her to get close to the case the others were working on. Then the blur of movement and a knife pressed to her throat. She was gullible that day and careless. Mahiru had always held herself to as close to perfection as she could attain and yet she had so utterly failed that she had found herself needing to be rescued.
She needed to take this slow and not let her feelings get ahead of herself.
A shriek jolted her from her thoughts. Mahiru moved on instinct, running toward the wide open front door, slowing as she looked around the room searching for the blonde or whatever she had encountered. Loud footfalls were running down the hall and she rounded the corner in time to see the stairwell door slide closed.
Mahiru ran, hitting that same door and crashing into the stairwell. Footsteps and another shriek echoed around her followed by another door opening and closing. She needed to move faster, she needed to stop Hiyoko from being kidnapped by her stalker. Cursing herself for taking her eyes off of her for a second, for allowing the other to open the door on her own, she skipped steps as she raced down the stairs and through the door to the lobby. From there she was onto the street.
People moved around her, oblivious to her panic as she swiveled in place searching. The soles of her feet numbed, the thin stockings not enough to protect them against the hard pavement as she attempted to push forward searching.
Something about this wasn’t right. How could someone be kidnapped with this many people around? She searched faces, looking for anything that said they had just witnessed something unusual. Instead she was met with confused looks directed solely at her.
Hiyoko shrieked again and with alarm, Mahiru’s head tilted up towards the sound. Atop the apartment building two figures were struggling too close to the edge. Somehow she must have been confused in the stairwell, the way the sound had echoed sending her in the wrong direction. She had assumed they would have gone down not up, that this was a kidnapping not a…
There wasn’t time to correct her mistake. Mahiru could only watch helplessly.
Then it happened. The smaller of the two figures, the one in a bright flowery kimono tumbled over the ledge with an ear piercing scream. Mahiru’s fingers found each other, forming their window as she held them over her head, catching Hiyoko in it and stopping her fall.
The crowd around her, unaware moments before, frenzied as people shouted and dashed to get out of the way. She grit her teeth, her focus entirely on keeping one person frozen in time where she remained somewhere between the third and fourth floors. From here, she could make out her wide mouth in mid cry and the long sleeves of her kimono fluttering like futile wings attempting to slow her descent.
Someone bumped her shoulder and for a split second Hiyoko dropped several more feet before Mahiru was able to stop her again. “Get back!” she shouted without turning away.
“Give her some space!” A stranger yelled, getting between her and the crowd with arms out wide.
They formed a dense ring around her, and from the corner of her eye she could make out that the majority of them simply stood there with their phones pointed in her direction. She frowned, her eyes stinging from frustration. Holding her arms above her head was slowly making them ache, but seeing Hiyoko above her forced her to drag every bit of strength she had to keep them in place. She wanted to shout at them. Why were they standing there doing nothing while she struggled to do everything she could.
Hold on…
A little longer…
This had been why she had declined to accompany the others in fights. While using her power she was stuck in place and vulnerable. Move or divert too much attention elsewhere and what froze her target in place would break. This only further proved it. While Hiyoko was suspended she couldn’t do anything else, but wait for assistance to arrive. If this had been an actual fight, there was nothing stopping the attacker from coming for her.
She couldn’t fail…
Sirens finally sounded down the street. A rescue team in fluorescent jackets shoved their way in dragging a mat which they proceeded to begin inflating and positioned where Hiyoko would land.
One of the team approached with hands up. “Ma'am? Do you need help?”
“I..” Her cheeks were wet. “It’s getting hard to…” she whispered.
“I got you.” A second pair of arms supported her elbows, a welcome relief against the strain turning them numb. “You just keep going.” She gave a slight nod, biting her lip and tuning out the noise.
It seemed to take nearly twice as long for the team to finish their preparation and call out. The person at her side gave her arms a squeeze. “Okay, we got her. You can let go.”
Now that the moment had arrived, Mahiru hesitated. What if they were wrong? What if this didn’t work? Would she then be responsible for Hiyoko getting hurt?
Please be okay, she thought, finally releasing her power and slumping, completely spent.
As though the past several minutes had never occurred, Hiyoko continued to scream, plummeting the remaining stories and into the cushion laid out for her. The rescue team swarmed in to assist, obscuring if it had worked from Mahiru’s view.
She waited, her arms limp and her stomach twisted painfully. And then she saw her. Hiyoko was helped up. Pale, shaking, unable to speak, but alive.
^v^
From the window, Mahiru could see the crowd finally dispersing below on the street. She heaved a heavy sigh and closed the curtains, shutting out the chaos temporarily and turned at hearing dishes rattle against each other. She ran to Hiyoko’s side, easing the cups and saucers out of her clumsy hands.
“Hey, I’ve got this,” Mahiru said, her voice low and soothing.
Hiyoko shook her head. “No, I want to do it.” She took them back, taking small steps as she continued towards her table, the cups shaking causing the noise to grow louder than before. By the time they were set down, she was panting as though instead of walking across the room to set up tea, she had spent hours practicing her dance routines. She closed her eyes, her hands pressed into her lids as her breath grew ragged.
Mahiru drew her into a tight hug, as much as her tired arms would allow, her shoulder growing damp as Hiyoko sobbed into it. Her own emotion from earlier caught up to her as well. All the fear and frustration finally allowed themselves to be acknowledged and a few tears of her own trickled down her cheeks.
Eventually Hiyoko, sniffling and wiping at her face with her sleeves, leaned back. “Sorry, I-”
“It’s fine,” Mahiru quickly said, releasing her and trying to discreetly brush her own tears from her face.
“No,” Hiyoko looked away. “If I let it get to me, then they win. That’s how it’s always been ever since I started dancing. If I let myself look upset at the things the others did, they would just do it more.”
Mahiru grasped her shoulders. “You are allowed to feel terrible about today. That was more than a prank! You could have-” She stopped herself from letting the words slip out, fumbling as she didn’t want to admit it herself just yet. “You…. you could have been hurt.”
Judging by Hiyoko’s face, she knew what she meant to say. “I don’t even know who that person was. What if he comes back?”
“I won’t let him harm you,” Mahiru said.
Hiyoko seemed to think this over and when she looked into Mahiru’s eyes, they glistened. “Yeah, you will,” she said quietly. “You’ve already done it once.”
^v^
They had shared Hiyoko’s bed that night. Hiyoko not wanting to be alone and Mahiru not wanting a similar repeat of earlier and they lay close together, stiffening at any noise from the hall of the building. It was a fitful sleep and when they awoke in the morning they were groggy, but after a minute of quiet Hiyoko kicked the blanket off.
“Get up,” she said, her tone returned to normal. “We’re gonna catch that piece of garbage.”
Still wiping sleep from her eyes. Mahiru sat up. “What are you doing?”
“I said, we’re going to catch him.” She crossed her arms, scowling. “I'm not going to let someone try to kill me and get away with it. I’ve got a plan.” She turned and stalked from the bedroom, her foot falls slapping loudly against the floor.
Mahiru chased after her. “What kind of plan?”
Hiyoko threw a smirk over her shoulder. “We’re going to give him what he wants. He will think he has caught me alone, but then you’ll be there to stop him.”
“You want to use yourself as bait?” Mahriu asked, incredulous. “You want to put yourself in harm's way on purpose?”
“It’ll be fine,” Hiyoko said. “As long as you’re there.”
Mahiru drew in a deep breath, unsure how to respond to that. On one hand her heart swelled at the notion that she was trusted enough with Hiyoko’s life, on the other she was desperately concerned with how disastrous this could turn out. “I think that’s a bad idea.”
“What else do you want me to do?” Hiyoko snapped. She faced her head on, hands on her hips and hair tangled from sleeping on it. “I won’t live like this every day wondering when he’ll come back and finish the job.” She shook her head. “No, we’re going to catch him.”
Mahiru wasn’t happy about it. It was reckless and dangerous. The probability that Hiyoko would end up hurt or worse was high. And once this man was caught, she wouldn’t see her again.
^v^
Hiyoko’s plan was simple. The next time the blocked number called,which happened only a few days afterwards, she picked up the phone and screamed a time and location into it before hanging up. She opted for a remote section of the local park which was perfect for clandestine meetings. As Hiyoko described it, anyone with a room temperature IQ would jump at the idea of getting their target alone where there wouldn't be many witnesses.
“At least let me call the police to help,” Mahiru said.
“I don’t trust those dummies to keep me safe. I trust you,” Hiyoko insisted.
They would wait for the man to appear, then Mahiru would freeze him, and Hiyoko would triumphantly call the police to come collect him, allowing her the opportunity to rub it into their faces that she had done their job for them. It was simplistic, and according to Hiyoko, foolproof. Or, more accurately, even someone who fell out of the stupid tree and hit every branch face first couldn’t mess up the plan.Mahiru didn’t like it, but when Hiyoko pouted she found herself agreeing.
They left early, walking slowly together in silence. Mahiru stole glances at her, but Hiyoko’s gaze was straight ahead and her jaw set, leaving no room for conversation.
The overcast sky left the park even more deserted than usual. It didn’t help Mahiru’s nerves for what they were about to do. She was feeling less and less confident as they progressed. If something went wrong there wouldn’t be many around to help if needed. She liked to believe she was more than capable of taking care of herself and others, but it was starting to verge on carelessness. “There’s still time, you know,” she whispered. “You can still back out now.”
Hiyoko squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently. There was a tremble to her lips as she forced them into an uneasy smile. “I bet that loser won’t even show.”
Sooner than she liked they arrived at the meeting point: a stretch of trail that bent through thick trees obscuring any potential travelers from seeing what was coming. Hiyoko took her place on the solitary bench, pulling out her phone and spending more time looking around than at it. Mahiru hid across from her among the trees, finding a place where she could still see, but was obscured by leaves. She got herself ready, touching her fingers together to form their square, prepared to catch the culprit when he arrived.
Time seemed to slow. Mahiru found it difficult to remain still. Every small sound had her twitching. When a twig snapped she accidentally froze a squirrel mid jump from a tree. She took a deep steadying breath and freed the creature, checking to see they were nearly at the appointed time. Her muscles tensed and her eyes never stopped sweeping either end of the path for movement.
Hiyoko gave up looking at her phone, her grip tight around the device. Her face had turned a sickly pale hue. The seconds continued to tick by. Their foe was running late.
A crunch of leaves made her jump once more and Hiyoko turned her head towards it just as a glint of something flew at her back. Mahiru drew her hands up, freezing her and the object behind her. She sat stiffly, her brain catching up that the object in midspin was a knife. Her stomach felt like it might be sick.
“I didn’t think you’d be so stupid to show up alone,” a man said, making Mahiru’s hair stand on end. There was more rustling in the trees on the opposite side of the path. At first it was random, but soon it became a steady rhythm. Foot falls moving through the brush. She could make out the shape of a man materializing in her periphery. He wore a dark hoodie as he stepped into view, quickly crossing and headed in her direction.
“Figured I’d wait and see who you’d bring.” He laughed, one hand that had been hidden in his pocket withdrew and with a smooth flicking motion revealed a second blade.
Mahiru was crouched and frozen. In her immediate line of sight she remained focused on Hiyoko whose face was drawn into concern where she had been looking towards the source of the sound. She was stuck. Lose her hold on Hiyoko and she would be struck by the knife. Stay, and she would eventually be found. She bit her lip hoping to stifle her breathing from giving her away.
The man stopped just where she had entered the tree line, his head slowly sweeping the immediate area. It struck her in that moment that he had seen where she had gone, but didn’t know exactly where she was now.
“I watched you the other day. You can’t move, can you?”
He must have been there when they arrived. Probably lurking nearby earlier than what they had planned for just this specific purpose. They had been foolish.
“There you are.”
More crunching, faster now. He was too close, cold sweat trickled down Mahiru’s back. She was out of options. She rose and dash towards Hiyoko, trying to maintain her hold on her with her arms outstretched in front of her. Something snagged the sleeve of her jacket, yanking her upper body backwards while her feet attempted to keep moving forward. Her sleeve was torn open and the skin beneath nicked. She lost her balance, her feet tripping over roots and sending her to the ground where she impacted the dirt hard enough to knock the air from her lungs.
A loud yelp broke her heart moments after her ability was released.
Adrenaline pushed her to scramble on hands and knees out of the trees and brush. Fingers latched around her ankle, pulling hard to drag her back into the bushes despite her struggle to grab onto anything to prevent it. She twisted onto her back, now fully able to see the man. He held the knife in his other hand and without thinking she kicked out her free leg to knock it from his grip. It only partially succeeded by loosening his hold and buying herself another moment.
“M-Mahiru?!” Hiyoko called from behind her.
She needed to end this for both their sakes. The man had managed to regain his grasp and brought the knife over his head just Mahiru’s fingers found their window and she held them up between them.
“Mahiru!” Hiyoko screamed as the noise of the attack softened. She ran into view, one hand pressed to the patch of kimono turned dark red at the shoulder.
“Call… police…” Mahiru panted between gulps of air. The man leaned over her, his gaze dark with intent, lips pulled into a wicked grimace. The hand holding the knife was about level with his in its arc down. This close and for how long it would take for help to arrive, she knew his face would be seared into her mind. “Hurry…”
^v^
“He was the partner for one of the dancers,” Mahiru informed Hiyoko from beside her hospital bed. Her outfit for the day was still covered in dirt and grass stains from her fight though she had managed to clean the worst of it from her hands and face minus a few small scrapes. “They’ve arrested the dancer as well. He was in on it. I guess they were hoping if you were out of the way they could take your place in the show.”
Hiyoko nodded, her fingers tightening on the blankets. Mahiru found it strange to see her in a hospital gown, something far more modern than her typical attire. The doctors were promising she would make a full recovery, the knife having not damaged anything life threatening. She would be able to leave the hospital the following morning.
Mahiru had received a thorough lecture about how dangerous their actions had been, one she had taken with head bowed. She had known the risks, and yet she had been unable to tell Hiyoko no. She deserved the reprimands. What would the rest of the guild say when they heard of her unusual recklessness? Especially after she had always been the one to warn them of doing much the same.
“So, you’re done,” Hiyoko finally said, her voice small. “You’ll leave.”
“You asked for a detective to help you catch your stalker,” Mahiru said, the words making her feel worse. “And they are in custody. You probably want to recover in peace.”
The silence was unbearable. If Mahiru waited any longer to leave she would begin to cry and that was not something she wanted the other to witness. She closed her eyes and forced herself to stand.
“I want to hire you again.” Hiyoko sent a scathing glare Mahiru’s way. “You can’t just leave a client alone now. What kind of place is that anyway if they don’t do what I say? I’ll leave you all bad reviews if you go. I want you to stay with me.”
Mahiru blinked away any tears. She smiled and sat back down. “I’ll stay as long as you like.”