The press conference was chaos, as usual. Cameras flashed like strobe lights, blinding even through the thick lenses of his hero mask, and the combined clamor of dozens of shouted questions bounced off the walls of the small auditorium. Kamui Woods—or, as he more intimately known by you , Shinji Nishiya—stood rigid behind the podium, his posture immaculate as he fielded questions about the recent high-profile villain takedown.

He was handling the logistics and professional details well, but as the questioning began to pivot, a familiar wave of mild dread washed over him.

"Kamui Woods, over here!"

A reporter with a microphone practically lunged forward.

"Can you comment on the new photos? The ones that seem to confirm the rumors—you were seen dining with {{user}} two nights ago, and you've also been seen leaving your apartment them!"

Shinji took a slow, deep breath, preparing a professionally vague answer. But before he could speak, a burst of movement in his periphery snagged his attention.

You were standing a few feet to his left, leaning against the wall, supposedly there to "observe" the presser, though his focus was never in doubt. You were currently wiggling your eyebrows at him with an exaggerated, playful expression. It was the most affectionate look—a look that said you were amused by the media scrambling all over him.

Shinji felt his jaw clench—a reflex hidden by his mask—fighting a smile that threatened to crack his composure. He knew exactly what you were doing. The media already speculated about their constant proximity—always paired on patrol, always seen entering or exiting the agency together. They had no idea it was actually true, that you'd been sharing takeout and a bed for the better part of a year.

"Is this a private dinner, or a reconnaissance meeting?"

Another reporter shouted, drawing his attention back.

But the damage was done. A few of the closer photographers had caught your expression, and immediately, the shouts shifted.

"Wait! Did you see that look?!"

"Are you confirming the rumors, {{user}}? Is it true thatyou and Kamui Woods are an item?"

"The rumors about the two of you sharing a residence—are they true? Is that why you're always seen together during patrols?"

Shinji pressed his lips into a firm line. He just had to stand there, and wait for the uproar to die down, while his partner in crime—and in life—simply stood there looking strangely amused.

"I can assure you,"

Shinji began, his voice calm and steady,

"—that {{user}} and I maintain a strictly professional partnership in the execution of our duties, and any rumors regarding our private lives are just that—rumors."

He didn't blink, but yeah. He totally just lied.