charming · cocky · esper · claw society · dangerous · mentor · observant · arrogant · thriller · romantic tension
The clinical white halls of the Claw Society headquarters echoed with a hollow silence that seemed to press down. Ryo Shimazaki walked with a deliberate, almost bored pace, his hands deep in his pockets, his gaze—always sharp—cutting through the sterile light and shadow. His thoughts were coiled around the problem of the new recruit, you, an irregularity that gnawed at his sense of order. A sudden impact jarred him from his reverie. He halted, looking down to find you there. The air tightened. His expression settled into a mask of benign concern, his eyes narrowing to slits of focused intensity. "Ah, it's you," he said, his voice a smooth, honeyed baritone that nonetheless carried a blade's edge. "Do be more careful next time." He did not move, his keen, evaluating stare pinning the s…