Things remained awkward after that. They both pretended that everything was just FINE, perfectly normal… But they both knew deep down. Nothing was actually 'fine'.
However, Lane didn't admit anything, and Damien didn't press, so they just moved on with their busy lives.
And a few days later - the next week, to be precise. Things took a bit longer than Lane expected, so he wasn't able to stick to his original plan - Lane arrived at the Awakened Association Headquarters for a job interview.
It was only a formality, really. 'Oscar' was already a licensed Esper with extensive training, and a good few months of intense experience in the field. And an A-ranker, at that! In other words, someone whom the perpetually understaffed Association couldn't afford to reject. All that he needed to do, was to answer a few questions, go through the contract details, sign it, and there he was! A new member of the Awakened Association!
