[ BACKDATED - Finished Log | Less I hear the less you'll say... ]
Who: Tenten, Haku
What: Why Haku has the nickname 'Neechan'
Where: Some... diner/restaurant-type place?
When: A year or two ago
Rating: PG-ish
Warnings: ...I don't know, nothing really.
Cleanly pressed suit. Imitation leather briefcase. A head of dark hair with streaks of grey finely cut and styled to perfect professionalism. After two weeks of trailing behind the man to learn his routine, there was no mistaking it. This was her target. And he had walked right into her hands without even a single bit of effort.
It was a coincidence, really, or perhaps simply a stroke of good luck. Tenten had just stopped in for a late lunch after a hectic morning keeping up pretenses at the high rise office building. Sasuke had been particularly anxious about the new shipment coming in. And the special cargo that would be going out that night. So as head of security, the job rested on her to ensure that both arrived at their destinations in tact. Or suffer the consequences.
She had been so consumed with her concern over transporting those crates in and out of the city that there had been no chance to check in on her other duties. The CEO of a very prestigious company included. Minamoto Takeshi. A very important man with more enemies than he realized, he had stepped over one too many lines in his climb to the top. And had a tendency to make deals with the wrong characters, it seemed. But Uchiha Sasuke was not as forgiving as the others.
Writing down the time, date, and the name of the restaurant, she casually glanced over at the other table with interest as he began engaging the waiter in a conversation. And could not help but smirk at the face that greeted her back. It would certainly not be the first time Haku was mistaken for a woman. And Tenten highly doubted that it would be the last.
This man came in often enough, and flirted often enough, that Haku simply took it all in stride now. Certainly, most men would be terribly offended by any sort of flirtatious act by another man, especially if they were accidentally being mistaken as a woman. However, Haku clearly didn't mind, seeing as how he didn't bother to contradict the remarks. One thing he had learned was that a pretty, feminine face was bound to get you more attention if you pretended to be a girl along with it. It was what had helped Haku survive while he'd been homeless and it was something that he wasn't planning on really changing anytime soon.
Unfortunately, he did have other tables to attend to, so with a smile and some sweet words, he bowed his head and said that he'd be back in a bit to check on him again. He supposed the only real downside was the amount of propositioning he received from older men, thinking a young woman would surely be attracted to their influence and power. In reply, Haku would simply blush, offer a small laugh and shake his head. He could play the role well enough, but things always got a bit hairy if the men, for one reason or another, weren't willing to leave it alone. Luckily enough, that didn't happen often. And still, Haku really could handle himself.
With a small sigh, he moved to a table with a woman sitting by herself, and flashed a small smile. "How are you doing? Have you been helped?"
"I think I should be asking if you need help," she quipped with a laugh, glancing once again at Minamoto, "What's that, the third guy since I came in?"
Admittedly, the first time she had come in to the restaurant, Tenten had believed Haku to be a woman too. Like most other customers, she later discovered. Watching him move about the floor now, and the way he carried himself, it was easy how many would make that assumption. Still made that assumption to this day. And she would have been among them had there not been just... something ambiguous and questionable about that belief. Ironically, for those exact same reasons. And as blunt and frank as she was, all it took was one question to learn the truth.
That was the beginning of everything.
She had not expected to gain a friend that day, but Tenten had found one in the young androgynous man. And all it took was a tactless question of inquiry. "What was the offer this time? Dinner date at a quaint little bistro?"
Haku blinked in mild surprise, blushing a bit more. "Not quite, but close enough," he said, chuckling. "And he's actually probably number five, though I'm not really paying too much attention. I just smile and tell them I'm busy tonight," he added with a shake of his head. This woman had come in a few times, Haku had noticed before. He always made it a point to keep track of the regulars. They tended to be more generous, and in turn, Haku tried to give them a free drink, or dessert every now and then. He was also more willing to strike up a conversation with them, though really there weren't many people Haku wouldn't talk to.
"Did you order though? Or did you want to?" He asked finally, flashing a smile.
"I should have an order of chocolate chip waffles coming," she replied softly. And glanced briefly at the sheets of paper stacked beside her. It was time for a decision.
On the one hand, there were already a lot of things that needed Tenten's immediate attention. Things that Sasuke would not trust to anyone else. However, it was not often that anyone in their profession was presented with such an opportunity. She had arrived first, after all, so there was no risk of seeming as if the young woman was intentionally following him. And Tenten was ordinary enough so that Takeshi wouldn't even realize the same girl kept appearing in the background everywhere he went.
Which one would be more beneficial to the clan?
Shifting her eyes to the the young CEO once more, Tenten made her choice. Shipments could be rescheduled. "He's certainly better dressed than the others, though. What is he, some big-shot lawyer?"
Haku gave a nod. "All right, I'll go check on that," he said with a smile before pausing and looking back at the flirt. "Businessman of some sort," he replied with a shrug. "Really he's not my type at all. He's handsome enough, I suppose," Haku added, tilting his head to one side and holding the tray to his chest. "But there's always some catch with those types. He's probably married, or something. Or wanted by someone," he said, chuckling and glancing briefly down at Tenten.
"By the way, I'm Haku. I know I've seen you in here a lot, but I've never managed to catch your name..." he said, turning back to her and smiling more.
What would be your type, she wanted to ask, but thought better of it. Though curious to find out the answer, it would distract from what Tenten was aiming for, and that was more information on the bigwig businessman. The more she knew of his plans, the better she could map out his own assassination. There would be chances to ask the waiter about his preferences another time, the young woman told herself, when there were not other matters to contend with.
"Hard to tell with those types, I guess," she said, instead, shrugging off the idea as if it actually mattered, "Buuut... no ring though, so... not married at least."
Wanted by someone? Yeah, definitely, although she was a bit surprised that he would bring that point up. And had it not been for the handful of years in the business, Tenten might have reacted to the words or shifted in her demeanor at the mere risk of an implication. As it was, any sort of change would have been a clue to her own profession. So with all the strength of will and restraint, the young patron remained relatively calm and collected as the conversation continued.
"My name's Tenten though." Nothing more, nothing less. It was only fair when all she knew of him were a few letters printed in plain sight across his nametag and a familiar face. Not that she would give him any more if he did provide a full introduction. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, but it looked like you needed a little reason to smile."
"A pleasure to meet you. And no bother," he said easily. "I probably talk too much, but I find that it tends to get customers to come back." He paused looking thoughtful. "So what else did you want to know about him?" He asked the question casually, but he was an observant person. She was interested, for some reason or another. "Do you want me to introduce you?" Haku was doubtful that was the case. She could have easily been simply making small talk. But something... he was pretty good at getting a read on people. It was what had always helped him out before.
"Ah, no, please," Tenten assured him, waving away the thought with a small gesture of her hand, "I like talking to you. You have a very nice voice. It's very soothing."
And when he made mention of introductions, she made sure to look naturally embarrassed.
"Oh no, I'm too shy for that," she replied with a little laugh, and did well to feign a light blush at the idea. Because if there was one thing Tenten was good at, it was playing a role. Even if it was as demeaning as a pinning schoolgirl. Sometimes pride needed to be sacrificed. "And there's really no need. It's just... I haven't seen him in here before and, no offense, this place doesn't really seem like his thing, you know?" Grinning, the young woman gave a friendly wink to Haku before adding as an afterthought, "Then again, I guess you can't judge a book by it's cover, huh, right?"
"Thank you..." He supposed business men normally wouldn't come to a small place like this, but good food and fair prices usually suited anyone. He had to blink lightly at the last statement, meeting her gaze with a quirked brow, the wink and her words giving him the impression that she was not quite the person she acted, similar to him, maybe. "I suppose not. Most people don't bother looking past the cover, even though the book itself is quite interesting," he replied, though his smile disappeared.
"Excuse me, won't you? Unfortunately, I have to work," he sighed, starting to move away with a wave. He'd be back to keep talking. He liked her. She was an interesting person, to say the least.
"That's how people miss out on the big secret," the young woman murmured softly, mostly to herself. Although, if Haku were paying close attention, he might have been able to catch the words as well. They were innocent enough, she supposed, so whether he did or not mattered little. Passing thoughts hardly meant much when there were customers to serve, so at his leave, she merely gave him a polite nod. "But of course, go on. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you from your work."
When she was alone once more, her trained eyes trailed back to Minamoto who was nothing but oblivious to the sort of attention directed at him. Just the way she preferred it. But this was taking far too long for her liking, and the polite calm that Tenten had settled in while conversing with the waiter fell away to something more similar to irritation. Being friendly and inconspicuous was one matter. But Tenten had a deadline to keep, and frankly, she was getting tired of the formalities.
Yes, she was capable of subtleties when it counted. However, this was getting her nowhere fast. And while discretion had its place, the young woman felt this situation required a more direct approach.
She managed to catch Haku on his way to the kitchen in a fairly obscured corner of the restaurant and promptly pushed the slender young man against the nearest wall. Her arm pressed across his collar while her other hand pressed the cool blade of a knife across his throat. "What, exactly, do you know about that guy?"
Haku had heard someone approaching, hadn't figured anything of it. He hardly expected to get attacked at work. But still, he was more perceptive than people gave him credit for. Something about how interested this woman was in the man he'd been speaking too had made this seem not as innocent. Not that Haku was going to point that out. Still, it left the man in the awkward position of being pressed against the wall with a knife at his throat.
And instead of seeming scared, he offered Tenten a warm smile. "He's a CEO who comes in here quite often. At least twice a week, if he can. He always flirts with me, but I'm pretty sure he's involved with someone. If you're doing this, then I must have been on the mark about him being wanted by someone..." The smile faded a little as he looked thoughtful. "He had mentioned something about rising quickly to his new position... That must have left him with enemies, of course..." He appeared to be talking to himself more now, as if putting things together. "Or maybe he was supposed to do something and didn't?" he asked finally, glancing back at Tenten before flashing that smile again, eyes closing.
"Just to let you know, the bathroom down the hall does have a window you could escape out of if, for some reason, you do decide to kill me," he told her politely.
Admittedly, the smile was unnerving at first, and for a split second Tenten was at a loss of what to think of the situation. Threats were generally not received with smiles and cheerful compliance, at least not the ones she had ever offered. Then again, Haku was not necessarily what anyone would consider to be your typical victim. If he were a victim at all from the way he easily gave out the information without hesitation.
In the end, she had gotten the information she had asked for without a struggle, and that was something to be relieved about. She rather liked the atmosphere and the food there. And the thought of never being able to return would have been a great disappointment.
It was a shame that what he did have to offer was information that she had already learned during her two week surveillance of him. But there had to be more, Tenten was sure. If he came as frequent as Haku indicated, there had to be more to tell. Things that did not come to mind so easily. "Anything else you can tell me? Deals coming up, business events? Does he ever bring clients or friends here? Partners?"
Haku blinked, tilting his head as he looked at her. "He mentioned something about a meeting with some "big-wigs" uptown, but didn't go into details, really, other than mentioning that it would be sometime in the next couple of days. He's never come in with anyone, either, though I've had people come in asking for him. He's always been strangely absent when that's happened." Again the smile came back. "I'm sure if you talked to him, you could get him to take you somewhere... quiet... and private..." he added.
"You obviously can't take care of him here. There's really no good place to hide. But if you work the right angle, I doubt he'd say no to you." He hadn't moved, hadn't tried to struggle at all, was simply waiting, vaguely curious as to what Tenten would do. "Why are you after him anyway?"
By the sound of it, it seemed the man owed favors and compensation to a lot of people, not just the Taka Faction. A dangerous business indeed, especially when he could not return the payment in full. Which accounted for the number of people coming in asking for him, as Haku indicated. However, this would complicate things a little bit more. There would be a lot of people going after the mark, if there weren't already. The end results would no doubt be an all out struggle to claim the victim for their respective clans. And while Tenten felt up to the challenge, she was not in the mood to risk her life in order to kill this man.
But she had been given her orders, and Tenten was determined to complete them. And if she got the chance to take out some of the competition, then all the better for it.
"Being seen anywhere with him, even a brief moment of time, is an easy way of becoming a suspect. Which I'd rather avoid, you understand." Cautiously, the young woman glanced around. It had already lasted a few minutes longer than anticipated. No doubt someone would soon realize that Haku was missing and come investigate where he had gone. "As for why, that's none of your concern."
This meeting was a matter of interest as well. She would have to dig deeper to find out more about that, later.
Haku sighed a little. "Did you want me to find out some more information for you?" he asked sweetly. "I wouldn't mind, though that means I'd probably have to get closer to him..." he said thoughtfully. "Since you don't want to get suspected of anything, and people see me talking to him a lot anyway, I'd be happy to help. It would be unfortunate to lose a good customer," he continued, brows furrowing just a bit. "However, I do understand the necessity of dealing with... difficult people..."
He looked at Tenten and smiled. It wasn't hard to put two and two together when being threatened at knifepoint about someone's habits and daily interactions. He didn't know why exactly she was after him, or what specifically Minamoto had done, but it wasn't his business to know that.
"Tch, there are ways around that," she scoffed. And allowed her lips to quirk up in a small smirk.
But at his offer, she narrowed her eyes at him. Because if there was one thing she had learned from working under the pulse of the mafia world, it was that people generally did not offer to do anything without wanting something in return. And while Haku did not seem like the type, it was a darker part of human nature to be, first and foremost, self-serving.
Besides, the less who were involved, the less of a casualty they would become. Collateral damage was one thing, but innocent lives could stand to be spared. "This has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it."
She would find out the rest on her own, as she always had in the past. This was no different. Even the most well-guarded patrons held their weaknesses, and Tenten was not above exploiting them.
Haku actually looked disappointed at the her words, giving a small sigh and looking down. Apparently he wasn't as useful as he'd hoped. The information he'd given her hadn't proved anything to her.
After a moment of looking blue, a smile appeared on those lips again, and he glanced up at her. "Well then, if I'm no longer needed, I'd appreciate you letting me get back to work, Ten-chan..." he said. She may just kill him for that, but he didn't care. She was a nice girl and he had enjoyed helping, despite what it may have meant.
"If you ever do need my help," he said, reaching up slowly and pressing his hand gently to hers to push away from the wall, "then you know where to find me. Please don't hesitate to ask. And I hope to see you again soon, all right?" He smiled again and bowed once he was away from her knife.
"You're an informant." It wasn't a question, so much as a statement. An accusation, actually. Because it had all finally clicked together. The way he was acting. His willingness to provide her with the information she wanted about Minamoto. And his disappointment in not being able to give the young woman the details that would aid in her endeavor. It all added up to that. However, he was not exactly like any other she had the displeasure of coming across. While others would have complied for a bit of profit, he had given out what little he knew with no charge. "And a poor one at that."
And though there was no hesitation in taking the knife away from where it pressed against his throat, she still felt a bit skeptic about Haku's true intentions. There was more to him than she realized, Tenten could tell. What it was, though, she could not even begin to fathom. And now, in the middle of a restaurant full of patrons, was not the time to start. Not with Takeshi still in plain sight.
At that, she took her eyes away from the waiter and carefully peered around the corner at the unsuspecting young business man."Twice a week, you said, huh?"
"A poor one?" he asked, chuckling. "Meaning poor at gathering information, or poor in general?" It was true that he wasn't rich. He didn't see the necessity of asking for her money. She'd threatened him and that would have been idiotic. He hadn't expected to be asked by anyone about Minamoto, so he hadn't gathered the information that would have been most useful. Had she come to him specifically, he would have done all he could to find out everything he could for her. There wasn't much he could do about that though.
Taking a breath and stretching a little, he nodded. "And twice a week, at least. I notice him on Tuesdays but toward the end of the week it varies."
Wordlessly, Tenten took one last look at the young man seated at the window and made a mental note of the time-frames, tucking the information away to mull over at a later date. It was not much, but at least it was something. She would be able to use it somehow, she was sure. In the meantime, there was the matter of Haku. -- She felt no need to give an answer to his previous inquiry, and so did not bother giving it any further thought. -- On the surface, he did not seem like much of a threat. But he knew far too much than was comfortable. And knowledge, in the wrong hands, could be a very useful weapon.
However, before the young woman could utter a word about it, a customer appeared and slipped passed with a cheerful smile on their way to the bathroom. Their luck had run out and the moment was lost, so it was time to cut their dealings now.
"It was good catching up with you, Neechan!" she said suddenly, her demeanor nearly the opposite of how it was only a second before, "Next time, let's not wait so long before seeing each other again, ne?"
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Tenten moved in to hug the young waiter, making sure that the edge of the knife could be felt against his back to remind him of the threat. If he were to tell anyone of their conversation, it would be his life. "I have to go, but I'll come see you again soon," she continued, "I still have so many questions." Meaning that she would be back. Because, indeed, Tenten planned on returning, if only just to find out more about the sort of business Haku was dealing under the guise of a waiter.
"I... all right Ten-chan... It was good to see you too," he reciprocated the hug easily enough, pulling her closer despite the knife. "Next time, don't hesitate to talk to me. I'm always so glad to see you."
All right, maybe he was naive, or foolish, but what was the point of arguing with someone who could kill you if they wanted to? Granted, Haku probably could have dealt with her well enough. He was actually a much better fighter than he appeared. Really he was the epitome of not judging a book by it's cover.
Once she pulled away, Haku flashed a warm smile again. "I hope everything works out for you. I'd be disappointed if it didn't."
"I'm sure it will." And the smile on her face turned from something wholly fake, to one of a more sinister assurance. Because Tenten was certain that it would, even despite the roadblocks she had come across. There was hardly a target that had been able to escape her thus far, and she was considered among Sasuke's best. It was simply a matter of finding the right moment to... execute the plan. "And you'll probably find out soon enough when it does."
Glancing around the corner once more, the young woman perked slightly at the fresh plate of waffles at her table. Unfortunately, it was time for Tenten to go. After this confrontation, there was no point in staying. She had learned all she needed to know. And with Minamoto sitting only a few tables away, it would be impossible for her to concentrate on anything else. Still, that was no reason to let a perfectly good plate of waffles to go to waste, so she motioned for them to pack it up into a box to go before returning her attention back to Haku.
"Until then." And just like that, she gathered her things and walked out of the restaurant as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
A week or so later, it would be reported that one Minamoto Takeshi met with an unfortunate and untimely death.
What: Why Haku has the nickname 'Neechan'
Where: Some... diner/restaurant-type place?
When: A year or two ago
Rating: PG-ish
Warnings: ...I don't know, nothing really.
Cleanly pressed suit. Imitation leather briefcase. A head of dark hair with streaks of grey finely cut and styled to perfect professionalism. After two weeks of trailing behind the man to learn his routine, there was no mistaking it. This was her target. And he had walked right into her hands without even a single bit of effort.
It was a coincidence, really, or perhaps simply a stroke of good luck. Tenten had just stopped in for a late lunch after a hectic morning keeping up pretenses at the high rise office building. Sasuke had been particularly anxious about the new shipment coming in. And the special cargo that would be going out that night. So as head of security, the job rested on her to ensure that both arrived at their destinations in tact. Or suffer the consequences.
She had been so consumed with her concern over transporting those crates in and out of the city that there had been no chance to check in on her other duties. The CEO of a very prestigious company included. Minamoto Takeshi. A very important man with more enemies than he realized, he had stepped over one too many lines in his climb to the top. And had a tendency to make deals with the wrong characters, it seemed. But Uchiha Sasuke was not as forgiving as the others.
Writing down the time, date, and the name of the restaurant, she casually glanced over at the other table with interest as he began engaging the waiter in a conversation. And could not help but smirk at the face that greeted her back. It would certainly not be the first time Haku was mistaken for a woman. And Tenten highly doubted that it would be the last.
This man came in often enough, and flirted often enough, that Haku simply took it all in stride now. Certainly, most men would be terribly offended by any sort of flirtatious act by another man, especially if they were accidentally being mistaken as a woman. However, Haku clearly didn't mind, seeing as how he didn't bother to contradict the remarks. One thing he had learned was that a pretty, feminine face was bound to get you more attention if you pretended to be a girl along with it. It was what had helped Haku survive while he'd been homeless and it was something that he wasn't planning on really changing anytime soon.
Unfortunately, he did have other tables to attend to, so with a smile and some sweet words, he bowed his head and said that he'd be back in a bit to check on him again. He supposed the only real downside was the amount of propositioning he received from older men, thinking a young woman would surely be attracted to their influence and power. In reply, Haku would simply blush, offer a small laugh and shake his head. He could play the role well enough, but things always got a bit hairy if the men, for one reason or another, weren't willing to leave it alone. Luckily enough, that didn't happen often. And still, Haku really could handle himself.
With a small sigh, he moved to a table with a woman sitting by herself, and flashed a small smile. "How are you doing? Have you been helped?"
"I think I should be asking if you need help," she quipped with a laugh, glancing once again at Minamoto, "What's that, the third guy since I came in?"
Admittedly, the first time she had come in to the restaurant, Tenten had believed Haku to be a woman too. Like most other customers, she later discovered. Watching him move about the floor now, and the way he carried himself, it was easy how many would make that assumption. Still made that assumption to this day. And she would have been among them had there not been just... something ambiguous and questionable about that belief. Ironically, for those exact same reasons. And as blunt and frank as she was, all it took was one question to learn the truth.
That was the beginning of everything.
She had not expected to gain a friend that day, but Tenten had found one in the young androgynous man. And all it took was a tactless question of inquiry. "What was the offer this time? Dinner date at a quaint little bistro?"
Haku blinked in mild surprise, blushing a bit more. "Not quite, but close enough," he said, chuckling. "And he's actually probably number five, though I'm not really paying too much attention. I just smile and tell them I'm busy tonight," he added with a shake of his head. This woman had come in a few times, Haku had noticed before. He always made it a point to keep track of the regulars. They tended to be more generous, and in turn, Haku tried to give them a free drink, or dessert every now and then. He was also more willing to strike up a conversation with them, though really there weren't many people Haku wouldn't talk to.
"Did you order though? Or did you want to?" He asked finally, flashing a smile.
"I should have an order of chocolate chip waffles coming," she replied softly. And glanced briefly at the sheets of paper stacked beside her. It was time for a decision.
On the one hand, there were already a lot of things that needed Tenten's immediate attention. Things that Sasuke would not trust to anyone else. However, it was not often that anyone in their profession was presented with such an opportunity. She had arrived first, after all, so there was no risk of seeming as if the young woman was intentionally following him. And Tenten was ordinary enough so that Takeshi wouldn't even realize the same girl kept appearing in the background everywhere he went.
Which one would be more beneficial to the clan?
Shifting her eyes to the the young CEO once more, Tenten made her choice. Shipments could be rescheduled. "He's certainly better dressed than the others, though. What is he, some big-shot lawyer?"
Haku gave a nod. "All right, I'll go check on that," he said with a smile before pausing and looking back at the flirt. "Businessman of some sort," he replied with a shrug. "Really he's not my type at all. He's handsome enough, I suppose," Haku added, tilting his head to one side and holding the tray to his chest. "But there's always some catch with those types. He's probably married, or something. Or wanted by someone," he said, chuckling and glancing briefly down at Tenten.
"By the way, I'm Haku. I know I've seen you in here a lot, but I've never managed to catch your name..." he said, turning back to her and smiling more.
What would be your type, she wanted to ask, but thought better of it. Though curious to find out the answer, it would distract from what Tenten was aiming for, and that was more information on the bigwig businessman. The more she knew of his plans, the better she could map out his own assassination. There would be chances to ask the waiter about his preferences another time, the young woman told herself, when there were not other matters to contend with.
"Hard to tell with those types, I guess," she said, instead, shrugging off the idea as if it actually mattered, "Buuut... no ring though, so... not married at least."
Wanted by someone? Yeah, definitely, although she was a bit surprised that he would bring that point up. And had it not been for the handful of years in the business, Tenten might have reacted to the words or shifted in her demeanor at the mere risk of an implication. As it was, any sort of change would have been a clue to her own profession. So with all the strength of will and restraint, the young patron remained relatively calm and collected as the conversation continued.
"My name's Tenten though." Nothing more, nothing less. It was only fair when all she knew of him were a few letters printed in plain sight across his nametag and a familiar face. Not that she would give him any more if he did provide a full introduction. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, but it looked like you needed a little reason to smile."
"A pleasure to meet you. And no bother," he said easily. "I probably talk too much, but I find that it tends to get customers to come back." He paused looking thoughtful. "So what else did you want to know about him?" He asked the question casually, but he was an observant person. She was interested, for some reason or another. "Do you want me to introduce you?" Haku was doubtful that was the case. She could have easily been simply making small talk. But something... he was pretty good at getting a read on people. It was what had always helped him out before.
"Ah, no, please," Tenten assured him, waving away the thought with a small gesture of her hand, "I like talking to you. You have a very nice voice. It's very soothing."
And when he made mention of introductions, she made sure to look naturally embarrassed.
"Oh no, I'm too shy for that," she replied with a little laugh, and did well to feign a light blush at the idea. Because if there was one thing Tenten was good at, it was playing a role. Even if it was as demeaning as a pinning schoolgirl. Sometimes pride needed to be sacrificed. "And there's really no need. It's just... I haven't seen him in here before and, no offense, this place doesn't really seem like his thing, you know?" Grinning, the young woman gave a friendly wink to Haku before adding as an afterthought, "Then again, I guess you can't judge a book by it's cover, huh, right?"
"Thank you..." He supposed business men normally wouldn't come to a small place like this, but good food and fair prices usually suited anyone. He had to blink lightly at the last statement, meeting her gaze with a quirked brow, the wink and her words giving him the impression that she was not quite the person she acted, similar to him, maybe. "I suppose not. Most people don't bother looking past the cover, even though the book itself is quite interesting," he replied, though his smile disappeared.
"Excuse me, won't you? Unfortunately, I have to work," he sighed, starting to move away with a wave. He'd be back to keep talking. He liked her. She was an interesting person, to say the least.
"That's how people miss out on the big secret," the young woman murmured softly, mostly to herself. Although, if Haku were paying close attention, he might have been able to catch the words as well. They were innocent enough, she supposed, so whether he did or not mattered little. Passing thoughts hardly meant much when there were customers to serve, so at his leave, she merely gave him a polite nod. "But of course, go on. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you from your work."
When she was alone once more, her trained eyes trailed back to Minamoto who was nothing but oblivious to the sort of attention directed at him. Just the way she preferred it. But this was taking far too long for her liking, and the polite calm that Tenten had settled in while conversing with the waiter fell away to something more similar to irritation. Being friendly and inconspicuous was one matter. But Tenten had a deadline to keep, and frankly, she was getting tired of the formalities.
Yes, she was capable of subtleties when it counted. However, this was getting her nowhere fast. And while discretion had its place, the young woman felt this situation required a more direct approach.
She managed to catch Haku on his way to the kitchen in a fairly obscured corner of the restaurant and promptly pushed the slender young man against the nearest wall. Her arm pressed across his collar while her other hand pressed the cool blade of a knife across his throat. "What, exactly, do you know about that guy?"
Haku had heard someone approaching, hadn't figured anything of it. He hardly expected to get attacked at work. But still, he was more perceptive than people gave him credit for. Something about how interested this woman was in the man he'd been speaking too had made this seem not as innocent. Not that Haku was going to point that out. Still, it left the man in the awkward position of being pressed against the wall with a knife at his throat.
And instead of seeming scared, he offered Tenten a warm smile. "He's a CEO who comes in here quite often. At least twice a week, if he can. He always flirts with me, but I'm pretty sure he's involved with someone. If you're doing this, then I must have been on the mark about him being wanted by someone..." The smile faded a little as he looked thoughtful. "He had mentioned something about rising quickly to his new position... That must have left him with enemies, of course..." He appeared to be talking to himself more now, as if putting things together. "Or maybe he was supposed to do something and didn't?" he asked finally, glancing back at Tenten before flashing that smile again, eyes closing.
"Just to let you know, the bathroom down the hall does have a window you could escape out of if, for some reason, you do decide to kill me," he told her politely.
Admittedly, the smile was unnerving at first, and for a split second Tenten was at a loss of what to think of the situation. Threats were generally not received with smiles and cheerful compliance, at least not the ones she had ever offered. Then again, Haku was not necessarily what anyone would consider to be your typical victim. If he were a victim at all from the way he easily gave out the information without hesitation.
In the end, she had gotten the information she had asked for without a struggle, and that was something to be relieved about. She rather liked the atmosphere and the food there. And the thought of never being able to return would have been a great disappointment.
It was a shame that what he did have to offer was information that she had already learned during her two week surveillance of him. But there had to be more, Tenten was sure. If he came as frequent as Haku indicated, there had to be more to tell. Things that did not come to mind so easily. "Anything else you can tell me? Deals coming up, business events? Does he ever bring clients or friends here? Partners?"
Haku blinked, tilting his head as he looked at her. "He mentioned something about a meeting with some "big-wigs" uptown, but didn't go into details, really, other than mentioning that it would be sometime in the next couple of days. He's never come in with anyone, either, though I've had people come in asking for him. He's always been strangely absent when that's happened." Again the smile came back. "I'm sure if you talked to him, you could get him to take you somewhere... quiet... and private..." he added.
"You obviously can't take care of him here. There's really no good place to hide. But if you work the right angle, I doubt he'd say no to you." He hadn't moved, hadn't tried to struggle at all, was simply waiting, vaguely curious as to what Tenten would do. "Why are you after him anyway?"
By the sound of it, it seemed the man owed favors and compensation to a lot of people, not just the Taka Faction. A dangerous business indeed, especially when he could not return the payment in full. Which accounted for the number of people coming in asking for him, as Haku indicated. However, this would complicate things a little bit more. There would be a lot of people going after the mark, if there weren't already. The end results would no doubt be an all out struggle to claim the victim for their respective clans. And while Tenten felt up to the challenge, she was not in the mood to risk her life in order to kill this man.
But she had been given her orders, and Tenten was determined to complete them. And if she got the chance to take out some of the competition, then all the better for it.
"Being seen anywhere with him, even a brief moment of time, is an easy way of becoming a suspect. Which I'd rather avoid, you understand." Cautiously, the young woman glanced around. It had already lasted a few minutes longer than anticipated. No doubt someone would soon realize that Haku was missing and come investigate where he had gone. "As for why, that's none of your concern."
This meeting was a matter of interest as well. She would have to dig deeper to find out more about that, later.
Haku sighed a little. "Did you want me to find out some more information for you?" he asked sweetly. "I wouldn't mind, though that means I'd probably have to get closer to him..." he said thoughtfully. "Since you don't want to get suspected of anything, and people see me talking to him a lot anyway, I'd be happy to help. It would be unfortunate to lose a good customer," he continued, brows furrowing just a bit. "However, I do understand the necessity of dealing with... difficult people..."
He looked at Tenten and smiled. It wasn't hard to put two and two together when being threatened at knifepoint about someone's habits and daily interactions. He didn't know why exactly she was after him, or what specifically Minamoto had done, but it wasn't his business to know that.
"Tch, there are ways around that," she scoffed. And allowed her lips to quirk up in a small smirk.
But at his offer, she narrowed her eyes at him. Because if there was one thing she had learned from working under the pulse of the mafia world, it was that people generally did not offer to do anything without wanting something in return. And while Haku did not seem like the type, it was a darker part of human nature to be, first and foremost, self-serving.
Besides, the less who were involved, the less of a casualty they would become. Collateral damage was one thing, but innocent lives could stand to be spared. "This has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it."
She would find out the rest on her own, as she always had in the past. This was no different. Even the most well-guarded patrons held their weaknesses, and Tenten was not above exploiting them.
Haku actually looked disappointed at the her words, giving a small sigh and looking down. Apparently he wasn't as useful as he'd hoped. The information he'd given her hadn't proved anything to her.
After a moment of looking blue, a smile appeared on those lips again, and he glanced up at her. "Well then, if I'm no longer needed, I'd appreciate you letting me get back to work, Ten-chan..." he said. She may just kill him for that, but he didn't care. She was a nice girl and he had enjoyed helping, despite what it may have meant.
"If you ever do need my help," he said, reaching up slowly and pressing his hand gently to hers to push away from the wall, "then you know where to find me. Please don't hesitate to ask. And I hope to see you again soon, all right?" He smiled again and bowed once he was away from her knife.
"You're an informant." It wasn't a question, so much as a statement. An accusation, actually. Because it had all finally clicked together. The way he was acting. His willingness to provide her with the information she wanted about Minamoto. And his disappointment in not being able to give the young woman the details that would aid in her endeavor. It all added up to that. However, he was not exactly like any other she had the displeasure of coming across. While others would have complied for a bit of profit, he had given out what little he knew with no charge. "And a poor one at that."
And though there was no hesitation in taking the knife away from where it pressed against his throat, she still felt a bit skeptic about Haku's true intentions. There was more to him than she realized, Tenten could tell. What it was, though, she could not even begin to fathom. And now, in the middle of a restaurant full of patrons, was not the time to start. Not with Takeshi still in plain sight.
At that, she took her eyes away from the waiter and carefully peered around the corner at the unsuspecting young business man."Twice a week, you said, huh?"
"A poor one?" he asked, chuckling. "Meaning poor at gathering information, or poor in general?" It was true that he wasn't rich. He didn't see the necessity of asking for her money. She'd threatened him and that would have been idiotic. He hadn't expected to be asked by anyone about Minamoto, so he hadn't gathered the information that would have been most useful. Had she come to him specifically, he would have done all he could to find out everything he could for her. There wasn't much he could do about that though.
Taking a breath and stretching a little, he nodded. "And twice a week, at least. I notice him on Tuesdays but toward the end of the week it varies."
Wordlessly, Tenten took one last look at the young man seated at the window and made a mental note of the time-frames, tucking the information away to mull over at a later date. It was not much, but at least it was something. She would be able to use it somehow, she was sure. In the meantime, there was the matter of Haku. -- She felt no need to give an answer to his previous inquiry, and so did not bother giving it any further thought. -- On the surface, he did not seem like much of a threat. But he knew far too much than was comfortable. And knowledge, in the wrong hands, could be a very useful weapon.
However, before the young woman could utter a word about it, a customer appeared and slipped passed with a cheerful smile on their way to the bathroom. Their luck had run out and the moment was lost, so it was time to cut their dealings now.
"It was good catching up with you, Neechan!" she said suddenly, her demeanor nearly the opposite of how it was only a second before, "Next time, let's not wait so long before seeing each other again, ne?"
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Tenten moved in to hug the young waiter, making sure that the edge of the knife could be felt against his back to remind him of the threat. If he were to tell anyone of their conversation, it would be his life. "I have to go, but I'll come see you again soon," she continued, "I still have so many questions." Meaning that she would be back. Because, indeed, Tenten planned on returning, if only just to find out more about the sort of business Haku was dealing under the guise of a waiter.
"I... all right Ten-chan... It was good to see you too," he reciprocated the hug easily enough, pulling her closer despite the knife. "Next time, don't hesitate to talk to me. I'm always so glad to see you."
All right, maybe he was naive, or foolish, but what was the point of arguing with someone who could kill you if they wanted to? Granted, Haku probably could have dealt with her well enough. He was actually a much better fighter than he appeared. Really he was the epitome of not judging a book by it's cover.
Once she pulled away, Haku flashed a warm smile again. "I hope everything works out for you. I'd be disappointed if it didn't."
"I'm sure it will." And the smile on her face turned from something wholly fake, to one of a more sinister assurance. Because Tenten was certain that it would, even despite the roadblocks she had come across. There was hardly a target that had been able to escape her thus far, and she was considered among Sasuke's best. It was simply a matter of finding the right moment to... execute the plan. "And you'll probably find out soon enough when it does."
Glancing around the corner once more, the young woman perked slightly at the fresh plate of waffles at her table. Unfortunately, it was time for Tenten to go. After this confrontation, there was no point in staying. She had learned all she needed to know. And with Minamoto sitting only a few tables away, it would be impossible for her to concentrate on anything else. Still, that was no reason to let a perfectly good plate of waffles to go to waste, so she motioned for them to pack it up into a box to go before returning her attention back to Haku.
"Until then." And just like that, she gathered her things and walked out of the restaurant as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
A week or so later, it would be reported that one Minamoto Takeshi met with an unfortunate and untimely death.