Times Of 'Peace' | Haruka & Renzou
She’d greeted him back with a sheepish smile. The only word that had been running through her mind was caught. It was a good thing this wasn’t a formal investigation that required stealth; for even if it was an ally, there may come a day when it was necessary to suspect even one’s closest friends and family. Still, Haruka found much relief in knowing it was Renzou and not a Roseus member, seeing as her activity could be seen as highly suspicious.
As his tone, posture, and expression changed, hers seemed to follow suit. She leaned back against a section of railing and once more tried to tuck the small tuft of pink hair behind her ear before she smiled almost more delicately at him. “It’s going to be over soon,” she paused as she glanced up at the sky. “That was all I could think after a few days since the carnival began. I would look at the bumper cars and imagine coffins in their place. I-I would look at those up at target range, and even if it was a game, one just for fun that couldn’t cause anyone much physical harm, and there was so much malice and hatred in their eyes. I couldn’t enjoy it anymore..”
"I don’t want to lose anyone in this family, sir." She slipped back to the formalities she was accustomed to using in wartimes. Her voice hushed to a whisper as a lump formed in her throat.
Naturally, she didn’t wish for the Caeruleus to lose to Roseus, but she cared for her comrades now as if they were family. Losses on either side were upsetting, but seeing over time that familiar names on the roster were eventually taken off and replaced by new ones, it was worrying. Not everyone would make it out alive to see the end of this turf war. “And so I decided to try and locate some places we might be able to use to our advantage.. when the time comes again..”
Though he had seen quite a bit of real hatred and coffins during his years with the Caeruleus family, just hearing what Haruka had envisioned sent a chill up Renzou's spine.
Mostly because he couldn't say he hadn't seen the same thing once or twice.
Although he had constantly told both friends and enemies to let their worries go and goof around during the carnival, he had not taken his own advice. As a Covert Operative, he was constantly on his guard and taking everything around him into account as if it all pertained to the war at hand. However, he had found it easier to cope, considering he honestly just didn't care as much as she did.
That wasn't to say he wasn't concerned about his family, oh no. He was just simply more concerned with the statistical aspect of gains and losses than the sentimental part. He knew and accepted that death was unavoidable, so Renzou Shima's main goal to be accomplished through his information gathering was the minimization of losses. If one or two people were offed along the way...so be it.
He silently observed her eyes as she spoke, ever wary of how they changed with each passing word. "Ah, I see. Sucks that none of us can enjoy anything anymore without worrying about the family. But planning ahead is pretty vigilant of you, I admit." he commended, his interrogative side slowly retreating. "It won't be long, either. We'll probably all be at each other's throats again the moment those tents disappear."
Perhaps it was time to lighten the mood a bit, while he was still able to. "You won't have to worry, though. I'd fight off a sea of Reds for you, Haruka~!"
