Meeting Mochi

Kane blinked, momentarily thrown off balance.

"Lunch? With you?" He tried to keep his voice neutral, though his tail gave an involuntary twitch.

Cyrus's expression remained impassive. "Unless you'd prefer to starve at your desk?"

Kane glanced at his phone, where Mochi's message waited. He needed that meeting.

"Don't you have, I don't know, important CEO things to do? Such as more meetings to terrorize?"

"My afternoon is unexpectedly clear; my meetings were canceled." Cyrus leaned against the doorframe.

"Well, in that case," Kane's ears perked up. "Can I choose where we go?"

"Where would you like to go?" Cyrus asked, surprising Kane with the offer.

Kane hesitated only a moment before seizing the opportunity.

"I know this great sushi place downtown—Sakura Sushi. Best fatty tuna in the city."

"Sushi?" Cyrus raised an eyebrow.

"Trust me," Kane said, already standing. "Even dragons need to try something new occasionally."

Cyrus gave him a long look before nodding. "Very well. Your choice today."

He grabbed his coat, sliding it on with a swift motion.

The elevator ride down was silent, Kane's thoughts racing as they descended.

The valet had Cyrus's Lamborghini waiting as they stepped outside.

"Your keys, sir," the valet said, handing Cyrus the keys with a slight bow.

Kane slid into the passenger seat, sinking into buttery leather.

Cyrus settled behind the wheel, and the engine roared to life with a growl that seemed to match its owner's temperament.

Kane stared out the window, fingers drumming nervously against his thigh. How exactly was he supposed to explain Mochi?

"Something on your mind, Ashwood?" Cyrus's eyes remained fixed on the road.

Kane's ears twitched. "Just... hungry."

Silence fell between them again.

Kane weighed his options.

Mochi wasn't exactly Bureau-approved, and the cat spirit's penchant for drama would make this lunch interesting at best, catastrophic at worst.

"So," Kane ventured, "this place I suggested—it might have a slightly unusual... clientele."

Cyrus glanced at him. "Meaning?"

"Just that I know one of the regulars. A contact. He's... helpful. Occasionally."

"A contact." Cyrus's voice was flat. "Bureau business?"

"More like a personal informant. His name's Mochi, and he's a two-tailed cat spirit."

The corner of Cyrus's mouth twitched. "And you were planning to meet him today."

It wasn't a question.

"I was," Kane admitted, watching Cyrus's expression carefully. "He might have information about the Midnight Chalice."

Something flickered across Cyrus's face—disappointment, perhaps—before his features settled back into their usual stoic mask.

"You could have mentioned this earlier."

Kane's ears flattened slightly. "Would you have agreed to come if I had?"

Cyrus's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "That's irrelevant."

"Look, Mochi deals in information. Rare artifacts, ancient rumors—that's his specialty." Kane shifted in his seat.

"He's eccentric, but he knows things most spirits don't."

"And you trust this... cat?"

Kane laughed. "Trust? No. But his information is usually good, if you can pay his price."

"Which is?"

"Usually fish. Sometimes shiny objects." Kane shrugged. "He's still a cat at heart."

Cyrus remained silent for a moment. "I assumed this would be a private lunch."

The admission surprised Kane. Had Cyrus actually wanted to spend time with him? Just the two of them?

"Sorry," Kane said, meaning it. "But this could help us both. The sooner we find the chalice, the sooner we satisfy Madam Xiu's challenge."

Cyrus said nothing but nodded once, his expression unreadable.

Soon, they arrived at Sakura Sushi, a modest establishment nestled between a bookstore and a boutique.

The restaurant's exterior featured a weathered wooden facade with faded red lanterns hanging from the eaves.

Inside, the space opened to reveal bamboo dividers separating booths, worn tatami mats, and walls decorated with traditional ukiyo-e prints that had yellowed slightly with age.

The air smelled of vinegared rice and fresh fish, with soft shamisen music playing overhead.

"Irasshaimase!" A middle-aged waitress greeted them with a bow.

Kane stepped forward. "Table for three, please. We'd like a private room if possible."

The waitress nodded quickly. "Of course, of course. Right this way, gentlemen."

She led them past the main dining area toward the back, sliding open a paper door to reveal a small tatami room with a low table and cushions.

"Our finest private room," she said, though the worn edges of the tatami and the slightly crooked calligraphy scroll on the wall suggested otherwise.

Cyrus ducked slightly to enter, his tall frame imposing in the modest space.

He folded his long frame onto the cushion while Kane settled across from him.

The waitress returned, placing two laminated menus before them.

"Tea while you decide?" she asked, bowing slightly.

"Yes, please," Kane replied, already scanning the colorful menu. He flipped through the menu, eyes widening at the prices.

His gaze lingered on the otoro—premium fatty tuna—that cost more than his weekly coffee budget.

He'd been saving for this treat, planning to order just a few affordable pieces.

"I think I'll just get—"

Cyrus reached across the table and closed Kane's menu with a firm snap.

"We'll have your omakase," he told the waitress, not bothering to look at his own menu.

"Your finest selection. Include your best otoro and whatever seasonal specialties the chef recommends."

The waitress bowed deeply. "Excellent choice, sir. And to drink?"

"Sake. Your premium reserve."

Kane's ears twitched in surprise. "You don't have to—"

"Consider it a business expense," Cyrus said, cutting him off.

"If we're meeting your informant, we should appear appropriately... generous."

The waitress slipped away, leaving Kane feeling oddly flustered. He'd expected resistance about meeting Mochi, not... whatever this was.

A minute later, the tatami room door slid open with a soft rattle, revealing a young man with spiky black hair and multiple ear piercings.

He wore a black leather jacket adorned with safety pins and patches, ripped jeans, and heavy boots that looked entirely out of place in the traditional setting.

"Kane-chan, my favorite foxy friend!" Greeted the cat casually, but his eyes widened dramatically when they landed on Cyrus.

"And you brought... oh."

Mochi froze mid-step, his pupils dilating into perfect circles.