She barely registered the ropes coming undone, too shocked by the man in front of her. He... He had red hair like hers. But he looked so much older than her. Maybe it was his emaciated state. Was he Ero-sensei's age? ...And how did he know what she had been discussing with the orange-haired man?

Wait, he had asked her questions. This was the closest she and anyone else had gotten in years. But there was one question in particular burning on the tip of her tongue. Though her confidence had never truly left her, there was a new spark of energy as she addressed the man with the impossibly red hair.

"I don't take hints that well. That might be one reason why I was selected for this mission. And a closed door only tells me to come back later to see if someone's home."