Though it was not an overt interest, Eido listened keenly as Quinn introduced herself as a writer. She devoured books, and found far more faith in the depth of a page than the unpredictabilities of people. Her expression remained the sort of respectful interest she would wear for anyone who offered something personal of themselves. Fantasy was not a genre she leaned toward, but she would remember the name to investigate later. For now, she would have offered quiet congratulations but that Flora’s reaction made her inwardly flinch. The irony was not lost on her; she had once offered Kiyohito the same type of honest aid, and had been dismayed at its refusal even if she understood the polite hierarchies of why.
Eido’s lips parted, uncertain. She doubted either woman truly understood the veneer these companion clubs were, and she did not want to be responsible should curiosity land them in trouble with bad people. Discretion was a large part of the glamour, which was why she had been unsurprised and obedient when no one had been willing to tell her whether they recognised Kōta’s description. Rather, had he been here, she would have expected the whisper to eventually reach his ears that a woman was asking after him.
“It is a place he would like. I do not know if he has ever been,” she said finally. Respite from the weather had been part of her reasoning, the fact Hikari was in the Enlightenment District the other; it had simply been close by. The first of many stops planned, but the snow was likely to put an end to that, at least for tonight. Eido shifted like she intended to move, and it perhaps looked like discomfort. She did not want to be here, but neither did she want to return to Zephyr. The difficulty there laid heavy on her of late, ever since she had used the strange device on Sasha Petrova.
Her attention made a subtle shift as a
man made an unwelcome advance to the bar. His shirt was pale lace and undone to reveal his chest and various patterns scrawled in luminous, neon colour across the skin there. He’d been watching them for a few minutes already, enough that Eido had noticed the attention, though she only thought it the way of places like this. His arm draped around Flora, and Eido stiffened when he attempted to wrap the other around her.
“Ladies,” he greeted, a sweep of his pale blue eyes including Quinn despite her clear chosen company. Then, as though distracted by discovery, he released his hold on Eido with an
“ooh” to scoop up the purple cocktail. He clinked it against Eido’s water with a knowing wink, and raised it aloft. His grin was sharp and white, and reminded her too much of the amusement she had seen in Zixin’s.
“Cheers,” he said, and helped himself to a sip.
![[Image: cherry-blosson.png]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/cherry-blosson.png)
