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Everyone in the room pretends they didn't see the pitiful display from the receptionist. You reach up to silently snap off a hunk of gemstone growing off your CRYSTALLINE ANTLER COVERS.
>STUNTED BINARYSTONE OBTAINED! (A misshapen gemstone that's one half red and one half blue. Temporarily boosts CONNECTIONS, WILLPOWER, and a random third stat by 1 for a very long duration on use.)
Cool. You drop it into your inventory before facing Mr. Star Shades. "What's up with all of the star power here-" You realize you should've phrased that better. Too late now, he's blushing neon red.
"Wow! I didn't expect anyone to recognize me, haha, especially HERE of all places!" He shoos you away with a hand that's definitely way too limp for comfort. Eugh. You manage to hide your disgust for long enough to clarify what you meant.
"No, I mean, look. The receptionist ratted you out." "Hey!" "I know you're here on behalf of a Jasper Liu. There's a Huxley and Maus here. Why are all of you here for some random apartments?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm filming my documentary here."
"That sounds like the shittiest excuse I have ever heard-"
"No. Geninuely." Mr. Star Shades' voice is a bit softer, silkier, as if he's trying his best to calm you down before you stress your head off. "My boss has other reasons for telling me to do this, I'm sure, but I only agreed because they told me I could film here."
You don't sense any other thoughts going on via MINDREAD so he's telling the truth? Or he has implants. Hard to tell. "What about the other two, then?"
"Security. Look, as a movie star I'm used to having security around and I geninuely thought you recognized me."
"Who are you...?" Kiara tilts her head at him. There's a glint of recognition in her LED eyes but nothing solid. "I think I might've saw you on a poster once."
Mr. Star Shades deflates a bit upon realizing no one here actually recognizes him. "Hirose. Hirose Yoshihiro."
[SEEKER OF THE CITY] Vaguely familiar but that's not a corporate name.
"Oh! My grandpa told me about you once." Max is the only one who responds to that name. "Fallen on hard times, huh?"
"Yeah. I got a lump payment if I could use my star power to buy some places here." A mirthless laugh comes out of the former movie star. "H-hey. We'll talk later." He shoos away the two Cruzes.
They, and the receptionist, take the hint and scatter. No point having useless eavesdroppers here.
"Ya sure you're not here for anyone in specific?" Clover doesn't quite trust what Hirose is saying. The two figure standing in the doorway are about ready to approach but Hirose calls them off for now.
"Seriously. They were real stingy with what they told me for some reason. Just that 'watch out for this one shady guy' and 'get the land leases for X, Y, and Z property'. We're geninuely not here for anything."
"Wait. Shady guy?" Benjamin steps a bit closer to the effeminate movie star. "Do you know his name?"
"Seath something?" Hirose shrugs. "Didn't pay attention really."
