"Yeon Hajun", although older Tachibana's words sounded like nothing more than an irritated hiss — after all, she didn't like to raise her voice no matter the occasion — a loud bang with which the door was opened was a clear indicator of how angry she actually was.

Perhaps, that was the reason Anne decided against stopping their friend. That, and they didn't really know what the issue was.

Yet.

"Oh? What might be the cause of your sour mood, if I may ask?" while Anne was clearly tense, Hajun seemed to be fairly used to the girl's tone.

"I think you might guess it yourself if I tell i visited some friends on my way here."

'Ah', he waved his hand nonchalantly, leaning slightly over the door frame as he gazed at his girlfriend with a smile.

"So all that fuss was over a small joke?" He didn't have to guess who those friends were — taking note of all the recent events and Kou's list of close connections, the answer was practically laid bare. However, Hajun had to admit he was slightly surprised that his innocent joke had caused such a reaction.

"It was no joke, but a low blow and ridicule of your colleagues", Kou sent him a glare, almost stomping up to him — if it weren't for her inborn and trained grace, she probably would. Picturing such a scene made him laugh ever so quietly.

Why, it was almost as ridiculous of a picture as the words older Tachibana uttered.

"They are not my colleagues, though? We just had to record a song together, nothing more", — technically, he didn't lie. While Iori did ask them to get along, there was no obligation for Hajun to mingle with rats and, since they were annoying acting all high and mighty he saw noting bad with teaching them a small lesson.

"For the time being, they were. And manipulating them in such a way was not what I would expect from you, Yeon", in contrast to the laughing Mr Perfect, Kou let out a quiet growl.

"And what did you expect? That I put up with their ignorant and arrogant attitude? No thanks", he sighed, leaning closer to the girl in front of him. "Besides, they did their best to diss me in that song."

That song. He didn't even try to hide his dismissive attitude, and that infuriated Kou even more, adding to the silent anger she has been keeping in for the sake of having a normal, as much as it was possible, discussion.

"And so did you. Was it so hard to play nice just this once? I thought you were pretty good at it, with all your fake smiles and nauseating politeness with which you approach people you need."

She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palm and, possibly, leaving the crescent trails. She would like to hit Hajun in the gut right about now instead but, alas, Tachibana knew far too well that the moment she lost her cool around him would mean losing an argument with Hajun. So, she had to be rational and cold, even if it meant biting down some violent urges and choking on the bitterness of the situation.

"Didn't you want to know my true self, though?" he mused, tracing Kou's chin with his fingers. The smile never left his face, because Hajun knew he was in control.

He thought he was in control.

"You can toy with me as much as you want, but don't you dare toy like that with them", Kou jerked away, as if his touch was like a dirt on her face.

Hajun was baffled. His touch made her react so? Even though she was spending so much time with those filthy rats in their run-down shack? Not even mentioning that she was the one who toyed with him, never the other way around.

"I just reminded them of their place, Kou", his voice dropped a few tones, losing all its light and cheerfulness as his gaze turned cold. If she wanted to play the game that way, he could play it as well.