Souma found himself drawn closer by her words, caught himself from leaning into her hand as she brushed it over his face. Know the answer well, did he? Galina certainly seemed ready to convince him of that, in her own way. Something glinted in the back of his eye, the joy of one who has found a game they could truly enjoy, whether they should or not. 

Who would he be, to back down now?

"How could she, I wonder..." He reached out with one hand, choosing not to trace the features of her face, but rather to move towards her dark tresses. His hand brushed gently passed her ear, grin widening on his lips as he tilted his head in question. "You make it seem, such questions should be-"

"Boss!"

Souma's gaze snapped over to the sound of Daisuke's voice, the shadow of the Fists' back visible at the edge of the screen. Grin withering away, he began to lean back, hand returning to rest on his edge of the table. "What, Daisu-"

[i]"English, brother?"[/i] Souma's eyes widened at the soft, lilting voice that cut him off, a second shadow moving slowly to pass Daisuke's own. The words were light, playful, as Ai's little jests and jabs always were. But his features continued to fall, muscle tensing along arm, chest and leg alike. His gaze shifted briefly, flashing hasty warning to Galina in the last instants before his elder sister entered the room.

[i]"Practicing for your trip, are you-[/i] YOU!"

 Souma was halfway towards standing by the time Ai noticed Galina in the room, hand reaching for the first thing it could find as his sister's dove into the sleeves of her light-blue kimono. Chopsticks were closer than his plate, slightly, and would have to do. Poorly suited for anything other than eating, they nevertheless made for a suitable distraction. One quick flick of his arm sent a single carved utensil to bounce harmlessly off Ai's hand, withdrawing with a gleaming spike in it's grasp. It halted her own movement, glare snapping from the Russian spy to Souma himself. Her hand did not let go of the spike.

 [i]"Sister, hold a momen-"[/i]

"Explain!" English... not good. Daisuke was around the corner now, watching and ready- though in the end unable to do much. He was Souma's Fist, but Ai was now the Takahiro head. A fist could not be raised against her, even in protection of the one who wielded in. In this case, here, Souma had to fend for himself.

"Will-" Slowly, Souma sank back to sit. He shot a single, wary glance towards Galina before turning back to Ai, who had yet to move. He shifted where he sat, moving down the table slightly, angling himself to keep both women in view, gesturing towards Galina before he spoke. "Offers help against Americans-"

"Why. Would. She. Do. [i]That[/i]."

He paused a moment, then sighed. No helping it.

"Same reason I'm leaving."

There, finally, Ai moved. Her eyes did first, widening ever-so-slightly, before her hand quietly slipped the metal spike back within the sleeves of her gown. She stood there a moment longer, regarding them both with an unwavering frown. In the end, however, she walked towards them, seating herself deliberately beside Souma, though her eyes were not directed towards him.

"...Galina, Demidova." She spoke the name slowly, drawing out each syllable, so that no part of it was lost beneath her accented English. Frown remaining ever in place, her eyes grew downcast, as if recalling something she would rather leave forgotten. "That, is your name, yes? Your... actual, name?"