After the event of yesterday, Hyde and Mikael were personally requested to go to the agency by Yamiko for a super important reason. What was that reason? Both of the boys didn't know. They were just told to go to the cafe whenever they were free, and that day would come a few days later on Saturday.

"Hmm…" Hyde met up with Mikael in the dormitory lobby. Both dressed in casual clothing. Hyde wore a black buttoned shirt, jeans and black shoes. Simple and not eye catching aside from his long brown hair that reached down his neck.

Mikael still had his cowboy hat, a navy blue turtleneck sweater and black pants with short boots. "You ready?"

Hyde nodded with a confident smile. "Yep!"

However before they left, Mary rushed down the stairs, tripping and falling on her face. She jumped up and exclaimed. "H-hey! Where are you guys going? Have you been hanging out without me?"

Her casual clothing was a white and brown striped off shoulder sweater, green plaid skirt with black leggings. In her hair was the black bow she always seemed to have.

"Don't you have other friends to hang out with?" Hyde asked curiously. This made Mary awkwardly drop a sweat "Everyone says I talk too much. That can't be true right? I'm trying my best to get along with everyone, opening up and stuff but-"

"Okay okay okay!" Mikael lowered his hat "Sure you can come with us. We're going to the Detective Agency."

Mary brightened up at the idea. "Whoa! So cool, let's go!"

And so they headed off in search of the agency.

────── 〔✿〕──────

The newly added ringing bell at the entrance alerted the receptionist behind the counter of the three students' arrival. It was the maid girl Mikael and Hyde encountered at the arcade. "Oh? What a surprise."

“Yamiko wanted us to come here.” Mikael explained.

The maid gasped and motioned over to a table by the wall with the black haired woman they helped sitting by herself. Her black hair was curled into large drills that gave off a regal flair and her ruby red eyes could be seen from miles away. So they took a seat at the table interrupting the peace the woman had. For some reason Mary stayed behind the two boys.

Hyde waved “How’s it going.”

“Fine until you came.” she rudely replied. This made Hyde drop a sweat, was this some kind of bad joke?

He awkwardly laughed anyway “I’m Hyde Tetsuya. Who are you?”

This made the woman sigh in annoyance and give her name, “Midare Amayda. Now go away. I’m trying to enjoy this silence in peace.” her face had a bandage that covered the cut wound made on her face.

“Yamiko wanted us to come here for some reason.” Mikael spoke up.

This new information brought to light made Midare perk up with interest. She stood up, “Yamiko huh..? Well after seeing how you performed out there, we can’t skip the interviews.”

“Interviews..?”

Midare slammed her hand down on the table surprising everyone. “I uh, would like to thank you two for helping me out.” she looked at Mikael’s hat and took it off. “What’s with the hat?”

“Hey! Careful with that.” Mikael exclaimed. Midare placed the hat on her head “If you’re gonna be an actual cowboy then at least dress like one. I’ll get you a nice poncho someday.”

“Alright alright. Just tell us why Yamiko needed us here.” Mikael said with some annoyance in his tone.

“Seeing as you were so brave to assist me the other day, and the potential that Soap may come after you. Yamiko wants you to join the agency.” Midare offered. Mikael was about to place his hand on his hat but awkwardly moved his hand over his face, “I knew this day would come. Hyde, we’ll have to take this opportunity. It’s time.”

“It’s...time…” Hyde awkwardly added.

“..Time for what?” Mary felt out of place in the whole ordeal.

“You can’t come.” Midare placed her finger on the edge of the cowboy hat “But Hyde and Mikael can. Meet me upstairs where we can discuss these matters without lurking eyes. Hoka is waiting there.”

Mikael snatched his hat away from Midare. “Yeah we will. Let’s go Hyde.” The two boys left upstairs to the second floor where the true agency lied. Mary however, was stopped by Midare.

"You can't go."

"But why? I'm capable of holding my own as one of your detectives." Mary furrowed her brow. Midare crossed her arms "Because you're still a kid."

"I'm about to become a college student. This is my last year just like Hyde's."

Midare frowned at Mary's persistence. She wanted to keep the girl out of the dangerous investigations Midare got herself in. But Mary would keep pushing for her inclusion in the agency. The girl wouldn't budge, and Midare reluctantly allowed Mary to join the agency.

"I promise I won't get hurt!" Mary then ran up the stairs.

"Don't make promises you can't keep…" Midare muttered then followed.

────── 〔✿〕──────

"Hmm…" Hyde eyed Hoka, analyzing her facial features that seemed all too recognizable for some reason. It was as if he knew her already but Hyde never encountered someone similar to her at all. Especially since he couldn't remember much of the past.

"Somein' bothering you partner?" Mikael asked and yes, Hyde was bothered by his forced southern accent…

But on a serious note. "Hey Mikael." He tried to phrase the question in a non suspicious way, "Tell me about… before highschool life. How come you have that cowboy hat?"

Mikael grinned at the question. "Well you see.. " there was a pause that made him stop to think about why he wore the hat. "..Yeah, it's the only thing I have to remember my father. I think.."

"You think?" Hyde tilted his head in confusion.

"L-look, it was a long time ago." Mikael stuttered.

Before Hyde could question further, Mary and Midare arrived. She had her own office in the agency building. There was a solo desk in front of the window with green curtains, some light shining through to lighten up the dim area as the lamp on the desk wasn’t too bright to fill it all with light. The room wasn’t too decorated at all either. By the wall was a red couch and a small table in front of it. The other wall had a closet and a shelf which held books… and some pistols..!?

Well this room could use some redesigning later on…

For now this was their headquarters for meetings.

Midare sat on the edge of her desk, ignoring the files and papers she had on it. "Well I'm assuming that you accept the offer to join the agency since you're up here."

Mikael nodded confidently, confirming Midare's assumption. "Better to do something than watching a criminal commit violent acts."

Midare rubbed her chin. "Violent? Hardly. The news don't see what I see, the true intentions of Soap."

"What are his true intentions then?" Hyde questioned.

"That girl." Midare pointed to Hoka, "And another boy who has a very unique type of magic."

Mikael lowered his hat, "Magic is outlawed from being used outside of recreational activities. You think he's going to use their magic to cause mass destruction?"

Mary looked at Hoka. "A child with that level of magic? Impossible."

Midare rolled her eyes at Mary's comment. "It's possible you idiot. And no he's not going to use that magic to destroy the world or anything. He's using them to find something or someone."

Mary pouted, "I'm not an idiot…"

"Whatever magic she's using, she can feel how close she is to his objective. However, that girl is somewhat useless to him since she chooses not to speak. Therefore she cannot tell him where to go." Midare explained then continued. "The boy on the other hand..."

Mikael snapped his fingers, "Alright I’m guessing we just have to protect Hoka and the boy right?”

Midare nodded “The boy is with Yamiko. I figured keeping them separated will make it more difficult for Soap to capture them."

The door opened and a dark haired male with feminine features entered. He looked at the group of three then at Midare “S-sorry, am I interrupting something?”

Midare groaned at her arrival. “I’m prepping our new recruits, Lemon. Yamiko sent them."

Lemon eyed the newcomers and gave a hearty smile. "They look as fresh as a flower. Anyway whenever you have time, let's talk."

She turned around and left the room in a hurry. Midare then shoo’d them out of the room, annoyed that Lemon had stolen the spotlight from her. They figured to return the next day to get more information about the agency.