Nabi's hand lingered in his for a moment longer before she pulled it back, her expression shifting into something sharper.
"There's a reason this mission matters," she began. Her tone carried the weight of someone who'd rehearsed this in her mind more than once. "Lately, a Witch in Japan has been rising to prominence. Infamous, but… hidden."
Hayato tilted his head. "Infamous how?"
She folded her arms, wings glowing faintly against the night sky. "Children have gone missing. Young ones vanishing without a trace. At the same time, random people are suddenly rising financially, socially and politically. The Watch believes it isn't a coincidence. The theory is that people are sacrificing children to this Witch… in exchange for material gain."
Hayato's stomach twisted. "That's… pretty messed up."
Hayato nodded grimly. "We've been tracking spikes in demonic activity across Japan. She doesn't seem too dangerous yet, but she's a growing threat. If left unchecked, she could become something far worse." Her eyes hardened. "That's why the Watchers have sent angels across the country. Whoever finds her first… gets the bounty."
Hayato rubbed his neck, whistling low. "…So basically, witch-hunting speedrun."
She ignored the quip, her gaze focused. "I chose Nagasaki Prefecture. I felt the spirit lead me here. And so far, I've already found a number of clues."
Nabi's nervous laugh cracked in his throat. Great. Wonderful. Totally casual. Just, you know… missing kids, demonic sacrifices, big bad Witch on the rise… He gulped. No pressure.
Hayato glanced sideways at him, her expression unreadable. "If you're afraid, you don't have to follow me."
Nabi froze, his chest tightening. Backing out wasn't an option. Not anymore.
Hayato straightened, brushing the dust from his robe. "Look, I'm a man of my word. Afraid or not, I'm not stepping down. Especially after we shook on it. A covenant's in the eyes of God now."
Nabi blinked, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "…I didn't expect that kind of confidence from you."
Hayato rolled his eyes, smirking. "Please. There's a lot more to me than meets the eye."
Nabi giggled softly, her icy demeanor breaking for just a moment. The sound made Hayato's chest tighten, though he quickly covered it with a cough.
"A-anyway," he muttered, clearing his throat. "What's this clue you mentioned?"
Nabi's expression shifted back to serious. "For the past few nights, I've been following a delivery driver. Every evening he works late, patrolling the streets far longer than any normal driver should. Every time, I sense something off about him. An evil presence clings to his route."
Hayato tilted his head, a nervous grin tugging at his lips. "So what, you think he's running some kind of creepy delivery service for kids?"
Nabi didn't laugh. "Whenever I check his vehicle when he stops, there's nothing inside. No evidence. But every night another child disappears."
Hayato caught the flicker of frustration behind her eyes, the way her hands tightened in her lap. She was strong, but the weight of failure clung to her.
"Then why don't we just get the guy tonight?" Hayato said suddenly. "Corner him, force the truth out of him."
Her gaze snapped toward him, wings flaring. "We can't. Angels don't interfere in the lives of humans without sanction from an Archangel. Those are the rules."
Hayato scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah? Well, those rules suck. Kids are going missing while we sit around waiting for heavenly permission slips? No thanks."
Nabi's jaw tightened. "If we act without authority, the Watch will brand me as a rogue. I could lose everything."
Hayato leaned forward, his voice steady despite the nerves twisting his stomach. "Then so be it. I'd rather lose everything than sit back while children vanish. Screw the rules, I'd rather save them."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Nabilooked at him for a long moment, her icy-blue eyes conflicted. Finally, she sighed, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. "…You're reckless."
Hayato smirked, though his heart was pounding. "Takes one to know one."
For a moment, silence. Then, her lips curved into the faintest smile. "Alright," she said softly. "We do this together."
Nabi spread her wings and took off with a powerful beat, her voice cutting through the night. "Let's not waste a moment."
Hayato groaned under his breath but followed, his own wings catching the wind as he shot after her. "So, uh… what's the plan?"
"I thought you would come up with it," she replied flatly, eyes fixed ahead.
Hayato blinked. "Wait, seriously? Fine—ambush and interrogation. Quick and quiet. That way you stay in the Watch's good graces, and I don't end up on their most wanted list."
Nabi gave a curt nod. "Acceptable."
They flew in silence for a while, weaving through the night air above Nagasaki. Below, the streets buzzed with life, unaware of the invisible guardians passing overhead. Eventually, Nabi dipped lower, gliding down toward a sea of lanterns and neon signs.
Hayato followed, landing beside her as they touched down in none other than: Chinatown?
"Chinatown?" Hayato asked, blinking at the sudden glow of crimson lanterns and crowded alleys.
Nabi's lips curved slightly. "Correct."
Before he could ask more, she murmured, "Let's blend in."
Her wings shimmered, then dissolved into motes of light, her angelic aura folding inward. Her glowing robe melted into jeans and a fitted shirt.
Hayato's mouth fell open. She couldn't blend in to save her life! The moment she stepped into the crowd, half the men and women turned to look, eyes lingering longer than they should. She walked with her chin up, completely oblivious or pretending to be.
"Are you joining me?" she whispered, looking just over her shoulders.
Hayato sighed, snapping himself out of it. His own wings vanished, and in an instant his robes shifted into a plain black tracksuit. He hunched his shoulders, trying to shrink into the crowd as he fell into step behind her.
"Yeah, sure," he muttered, tugging the hood low over his face as they descended into a dark alleyway.