"And I won't let him do it again," Aoko retorted firmly, though quietly, so that the 1412 was less likely to hear. She didn't want him to consider it a challenge. "Kaito, please."

It was such a little thing that she almost didn't know why she was arguing over it. She should just listen to Kaito, let him pull her away and leave 1412 to himself. He was right -- the assassin wasn't helpless, and could easily get it himself.

But there was something else going on here, she was sure. She couldn't put her finger on how, exactly, or for what, but it felt like 1412 was... testing her.