The streets were brimming with bright lights all around as the agent and the idol left the restaurant, traveling through an unpopulated park together. Felix, who was heavily injured, made little sound in his steps while Natsumi nonchalantly hummed the entire way.
He looked at his palm, closing and opening it, muttering to himself in a barely audible voice, "Enhanced human…"
"What was that?" The heiress turned towards him.
"Hm? Oh… just thinking out loud." He replied.
"So, how are you doing?" She asked lightly as she leisurely strolled beside him.
"First, I get fake shot at, then I get real shot at. I've definitely been better." He sharply responded, a tinge of ache in his voice.
"R-right… but you had fun at least, right?"
"Mhm…"
"Again, I'm sorry. If there's anything you want to say to me, just say it."
"We should head back to your flat." His response was distant yet calm.
"The night is young! You should relax!"
"Aren't you at all bothered by the fact that you could've been kidnapped… or died tonight?"
"You've already taken care of things, so no point in me worrying now."
"This isn't a joke, Natsumi. Your life is at risk."
"It's always at risk, but with you… well, having an esper taking care of things, I feel like I can finally breathe."
"Ah… that so."
"In fact, we should actually head to the hospital next. I'm surprised you're still in one piece."
"I'm not." He groaned, "The bullet-proof vest had to fit under my suit, which was so thin, I felt every impact."
"… And you're absolutely sure you don't need to go to the hospital?"
Felix clicked his tongue at the thought of the other agents, "If this were enough to keep me down, then I wouldn't be an Elite Agent, would I?" He pulled out a bottle labeled Golden Lion, and popped a painkiller into his mouth.
"I let my guard down because my partner usually covers for me." He grumbled, crunching the pill.
"Is that so?"
"Don't be glum, sugarplum, our date was fun... before the last part. I know I definitely enjoyed it."
Maria's voice echoed in his ears, "Huh? You really don't know how to flirt with a girl, do you?"
Felix changed his expression, his eyes open and the edges of his lips reach his cheeks. "You know Natsumi, you're really cheeky." His voice was unusually upbeat.
"You're… smiling?" She blinked.
"Yeah, I just thought maybe this'd be a little better, is there something wrong?"
"Okay, okay. Not bad, you almost seem human. It's difficult to tell that you're faking it."
"Really now, that's cold, Natsu-chan. I don't think there's anything wrong with what I said." Felix beamed with a positive smile, his grin growing wider.
"N-Natsu-chan?" She stammered, cringing slightly, "Okay, stop. My bad, I'm sorry. Stop being sociable, it's really creepy. Please don't call me Natsu-chan ever again."
"I wasn't trained to be a spy for nothing, y'know. Besides, I thought you wanted to see the night at the town?"
"Oh, I see what this is! You can't wait for your next date with the cool and cute Yumiko Sakurazawa~"
"I'd be honored to stay with a star such as yourself." He replied with a tone smooth as silk.
"Eugh, right. You win, just stop." She shuddered in disgust as her retort backfired.
"Stop what?" He grinned victoriously, his eyes full of condescension.
"Enough!" She snapped as they made it to the bridge, visibly irritated, "What I want to know is your powers. How did you stop that guy from moving?"
"I used an energy gun. Like a taser, or a stun gun, basically." His voice snapped back to normal.
"So it wasn't your esper powers that stopped him?"
"Nope."
"And that gun you used, it doesn't kill people?"
"You only kill if it's necessary. Agents who kill without reason are 'unprofessional.'" Felix scoffed, pulling out the cobalt gun.
"Can I take a look at it?"
"No."
"Yoink!" The idol snatched the weapon out of his hand and hopped away.
"That's not a toy!" Felix groaned, reaching out, but his body ached too much to pursue her.
She giggled mischievously, bouncing around with the weapon in hand, "Lighten up, it's not like it can kill—"
— CRACK.
"Eh?" The idol's playful expression froze mid-step, her eyes were toward the source of the sound.
A freshly dented bullet shell clattered on the bridge's rail.
Before she could process what was happening, Felix shoved her out of the way. His body then hit the ground hard.
"Blue…?" Her voice shook, unable to move, "BLUE?!"
Her face was a filled with fright as she lifted the cobalt gun tightly in her hands, her eyes darting between him and their surroundings.
Felix, disoriented and with a sharp ringing in his ears, could only watch her through blurred vision.
"S-sniper fire…" He spat out blood, could barely voice out.
"Wh-what?"
Felix forced himself back on his feet and picked her up, instructing, "Hold tight and hold your breath."
"What are you doing?!" He catpassed over the bridge, jumping straight down into the river.
The idol and agent disappeared with a dark splash.
~