Chapter 13: Your Name [4]

"I, at the very least, would be the only person who would not deny your existence."

Right after those words left Rei's mouth, silence dominated the room.

Neither of the two were moving, both of them just lock gazes with each other as if they were trying to read something right at those very eyes before them.

It was then.

"Pfft..."

The girl let out a small chuckle.

However, Rei remained stoic and serious even after. Well, that was until he began to read the mood in the place which his words had created.

"Haha... As I said, I don't have time for jokes but... Rei, that's your name wasn't it?"

Rei nodded.

After that short nod, he began to slowly pull back his hand that remained on the girl's cheeks which was caught back in midair with the girl's hand.

"Rei... Rei.... Rei.... Nn. Rei," She mumbled repeatedly as she held his hands clasped deep within her palms.

Rei did not do anything in particular and let the girl be. Her eyes showed a mysterious glow which enamoured Rei albeit shortly as he regained his composure right after.

And then the girl spoke once more as she looked up at Rei.

"Say, you really won't deny me. Me, my existence. My everything?"

"Yeah"

"Really really?"

"Really really"

"Really really really?"

"Really. Okay?"

Rei answered back without pausing, and the girl stroked her hair, and stood up while letting out what seemed to be a sniffle, turning her face back.

"Hmpf!"

Raising her brows and forming a sneer, she crossed her arms. But that sneer soon turned into a blooming smile.

"Who are you trying to fool with those words baaka baaka~"

[A/N: You know what this means, you should... or else....]

"What's with that?" Rei gave an understanding shrug as he smiled faintly.

Seeing his reaction, the girl then answered with a glint of joy reflected both in her voice and actions.

"...But you know what...."

While making a slightly complicated expression, the girl continued.

"I don't know what kind of being you are. I feel you and I are the same yet also different at the same time. Other than that, you were the very first person that I could have a proper conversation with.... To get more information about this world you might be of some use."

Saying this, she snorted once again.

"Is that so?" Rei replied calmly holding back his chuckle.

'I thought she was a "Tsunderen't" but was actually a "Tsundere" at first. What a surprise,' Rei thought amusedly in his head.

[A/N: Search what "Tsunderen't" means or just understand it in you own. Cultured people should know what this already means by now... not that I care. Hmph]

"I'm saying that I wouldn't mind if it's just talking with you. But it's just for gaining information. Mm, that's very important. Information is super important"

While speaking—it was just a bit, but the girl's expression seemed slightly softer. Well, her faint smile on her face was a definite proof of that.

"Oh really? Well well, you're quite a woman of unexpected surprises, aren't you?"

Scratching his face, Rei so replied.

"Hmph!"

Then, the girl started to slowly circle the classroom in large strides. And then she stopped as her gaze landed within the numerous desks on her eyes.

"Rei," she called out.

"What?"

"...Then I'll ask. What exactly is this place? It's the first time I've seen somewhere like this"

Saying this, she walked around while poking the toppled desks.

"This place you say? Well, it's something called school, and very place you are standing in is called a classroom, well, a place where students—or humans who look the same age as me go to study and learn. Apparently, I study here as well for several reasons despite not being a human. We sit in those desks, like this," Rei pointed out in a detailed explanation calmly.

"What?!"

The girl's eyes balled up in surprise.

"Do all of these get filled with humans? Don't joke with me. There must be close to forty! And you, why are you with them as well?"

"No, it's the truth. And as for why I was with them? You could say that it was just within my whims or so"

While saying this, Rei then thought about several things to himself.

When the girl appears, the evacuation alert would have already sounded in the streets. The humans that the girl had seen were probably only the AST, which had apparently not been on operation due to the damage Rei caused on their ranks.

They probably didn't have that many people either so that's why they chose to deploy disposable units such as those drones equiped with CR-Units as a compensation.

"Hey uh...?"

"Nu?"

Rei called out but then he noticed that the girl scrunched up her brows. This made him pause wondering if the girl was trying to say something.

The girl on the other hand didn't mind the curious looks that Rei gave her but instead after placing her hand on her chin for a while, as if thinking, she then said.

"...I see, in order to have a conversation with someone, that's needed huh"

Rei then tilted his head in confusion about what the girl was implying about only to get what it meant exactly a second later.

Like that, she nodded, and then said.

"Rei, what do you want to call me?"

Sitting in one of the seats nearby, she said.

"...Call you?" Rei asked as he acted 'not knowing' what she meant by that.

Honestly, Rei knew what she is pointing at, but he brushed the thought off as he proceeded to play with her just this once.

Crossing her arms with an "hmpf", she continued in an arrogant tone.

"Give me a name"

"..."

After a brief silence, Rei spoke.

"Name you say?"

"Nn," the girl nodded somewhat enthusiastically.

"That's quite a task isn't it?"

'It isn't actually...' Rei mocked himself deep inside with a defeated smile.

He was joking with himself. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a stupid banter to prolong their conversation.

"That's why I am asking you, Rei. I can't pick one for myself so I'll leave it to you on what name you should call me," the girl said rather proudly as she gently strode in the classroom while looking at Rei as if she was eagerly waiting for his answer.

"Your name... huh"

And then, Rei began to strode as well, towards the blackboard ahead as he picked up a chalk placed on the table.

He then began to write something on the board to the girl's surprise could only tilt her head wondering what Rei was doing.

*Tap*

With a finalization of writing a dot, Rei turned his face towards the girl and gently said.

"Then, how about 'Tohka'?"

That was written on the board. With two japanese characters written and there was another one which was written in English alphabets.

"Nu...?"

Seeing the girl's expression, Rei asked, "How is it? Is it not to your liking"

"..."

After a moment of silence—

"It's.... great," The girl innocently replied with an apparent expression of joy showing on her face.

"I see"

At then at the next moment, she then trotted towards Rei.

"Then... 'Tohka', how do you write it?" Tohka asked.

"Oh, well, it's like this"

Rei pointed out to what he had written before but the girl only tilted her head in confusion. It was because she wanted to see him writing it in action which she didn't know a few seconds earlier.

Noticing what the girl was implying, he then took the chalk once more and writes her name on the blackboard.

"Hmm"

With a small nod, the girl imitated Rei and traced the blackboard with her finger.

"Ah, if you don't use chalk then the words..."

He started to say, but stopped his words. The places where the girl's finger touched were cleanly shaved away, and crudely the two words remained.

"What is it?"

"...How convenient huh. To think you could write like that. Why didn't I think about that before?" Rei answered somewhat surprised.

Well, he could also do how the girl did it but the idea didn't really strike him to be useful in any matters. At least for now.

And in conclusion, it was really a stupid thought but it is what it is.

"I see. Isn't it good that you know about it now"

Saying this, the girl stared at the words she wrote for a while, and gave a small nod.

"Rei"

"What?"

"Tohka...."

"Hm?"

"Tohka. It's my name. Isn't it marvelous?" Tohka said with a smile.

"Is that so...." uttered Rei in a very low tone.

Nevertheless, his mumble didn't completely escape from Tohka's hearing and was curious what he meant about it.

"...What is it? Is it not marvelous? Rei, answer me," The girl hurriedly asked with zit eyes.

"It is marvelous in its own right... yes it is. And it definitely suits you well," Rei said with a smile while adding a thought in his mind, 'As all things should be'

As if sensing that there were no lies behind those words, the girl—Tohka, once again moved her lips.

"Rei..." Tohka called out as she fiddled with her hair as she averted her gaze albeit slightly.

It was an adorable and cute.

Rei understood Tohka's intentions. Quite clear to be exact that any normal person would notice... well, probably.

"Yes, Tohka?"

Rei called that name, and seeming satisfied the edges of Tohka's lips turned upwards. This was the brightest smile she had probably made before.

And for Rei's eyes. The words beautiful and mesmerizing won't be enough to describe it.

"..."

His heart leaped. That was certainly bad in a sense for him. But it doesn't mean that he hates it or something. In fact it's the opposite.

Shaking off his head as he removed those thoughts, it was then, it happened.

"...?"

Suddenly, the school building was faced with a tremendous explosion and shaking.

He instantly supported his body by simply manipulating the space around him. This feat was something that may seem very conventional but actually something near to being 'absolute' if mastered perfectly.

"Tsk. They are persistent aren't they?" Rei clicked his tongue as he said that.

Meanwhile, Tohka's smile faded as it was replaced with a stoic look as she readied herself for combat.

"...Rei. Stay here, they're here after me. I'll deal with them myself and—"

"Okay. Hold your words for a sec. There's no way I could let you do that yourself. Besides, I could handle them better and faster than yours. But it's not like I'm belittling you or anything, it is just about my pride as a man you see"

"But still... it's my fault that they're here so—"

"Don't worry about it. Let me handle this instead, you would let me? Right, Tohka?"

"...."

After a brief silence, Tohka then spoke.

"...your unfair. Calling my name all of a sudden..." Tohka said with a seemingly beet red face.

'And what's wrong with this logic seriously. Is calling out your given name would really be enough to make someone blush? As in, seriously...' Rei pondered for a moment as he soon shrugged the thought off.

Logic doesn't really 'necessarily' apply to things like 'this'.

"All is fair in love and war. Well, the word war—or maybe battle would be more appropriate to describe this situation," Rei then said as he spread his arms as if he was presenting something.

On the other hand, Tohka pondered at what Rei said and quietly muttered, "...love and war, huh"

"So? Would you let me?" asked Rei.

"...."

"Hm?"

"Okay...If you're in trouble, I'll intervene," Tohka said as she heaved a defeated sigh. But nevertheless, the smile and beet red expression of hers was still clear on her face.

Receiving the 'go' command Rei then moved forward towards Tohka, not at the opened area to leave the room.

"Mm. Also..."

Looking at Tohka for a while, Rei halted his words as if thinking deeply about it.

"What?"

"Do you have plans to go anywhere after this?"

"I don't know..."

Tohka turned her head below, seemingly quite feeling sad about it.

Rei, who understood what she is feeling then said, "Is that so? Well, did you remember what I said to you when we first met?"

"...."

Tohka for some reason became silent. Well, Rei understood why as he saw that Tohka was probably reminiscing about it.

And after a few seconds passed, he asked.

"Well?"

"I do... and I remember you saying some weird things. Nn, I think this is also the best chance to get clarifications about it"

"And what's that?"

It was then, the girl looked up and met Rei's eyes. Like glistening amethyst jewels that is expecting something interesting, Rei waited.

And what Tohka said next did never betray that expectations of his.

"So Rei, what does a 'Date' mean?"