Want some tea?

"Alright team, going to land the bird. Good job out there." The right pilot speaks up as he slowly descends upon the helipad at the airport's field.

"Even if all you had to do was sightsee the town from a safe distance." The left pilot chuckles.

"Humm. Hey Naier, look, it seems you have somebody waiting for you~." Rika nudges me with a smirk.

Why? Because next to the helipad. Was a certain pinkette. Arms folded, tapping her foot. Looking like one of those 'angry wife' stereotypes you see in the movies. All she was honestly missing, was a face mask, and a flipper in her hand...

(...I should have taken that parachute jump…)

"Whooo boy!" The machine gun man whistles as he leans his face right next to mine.

"Look at the jugs on that chick! She's your friend? She's single? Can I have her number? Room location?..." He then starts barraging me with questions in quick succession as he keeps staring. Hard.

"Yes, no, no, and definitely no. Also, keep staring at her like that, and I'll check the cutting power of the Blackhawk's rotor blades on you…" I responded as I also kept staring…

"Does she have any hot friends she can introduce me to then?" He asks, pretty much ignoring what I just told him.

"Talking to you is making my head hurt for some reason. Can I strangle you?" I 'ask' as I turn to him.

"Wooo there, no need for violence. Make love, not war." The guy responds as he turns to me while making a thumbs up with a stupid grin, the helicopter touching down on the helipad shortly after…

"Words coming out from a soldier's mouth." I retort as I snort, then turn to look back out.

"Hey, I fight to protect all the pretty chicks in my country, not to kill. Ok, maybe to kill the ones that would try to steal them." He says as Rika opens the door.

"Then you're already a bit too late. Masked commando over here is a foreigner, and he has already stolen 'two' of your 'chicks'." Rika speaks up as she chuckles, then jumps off the heli…

"Whaaaaaaaa…" Was all I heard the guy say as I also exited the helicopter…

And, the moment I stepped down the helipad. Saya stopped tapping her foot, unfolded her arms, and started stomping her way towards me. An obvious glare on her face…

"Uhhh, I'm going that a'way. Good luck with, whatever." I say to Rika as I point to my right, then quickly turn to walk towards my right…

"H, hey! Where'd you think you're going you damn pervert! Come back here and accept your punishment!" I hear Saya shout from behind...

Turning to glance behind me. I find that she was now, running towards me…

(Holy shit, the bouncy bounce…)

Not a second later I quickly shake my head as I snap out of the, mesmerizing sight. And before Saya could get too close in order to get 'physical'.

"Oh shit." I turn around, and start running.

"Don't you dare run!" I hear Saya shout from behind me.

"Never skip cardio day Saya!" I shout back as I keep running.

"Aaaarrghh! I'm going to kill you you damn pervert!" Saya yells…

"Saya, that's kinky!" I responded as I make a beeline towards the bridge that connected to the mainland.

"Not it's not! Aaaargh! Let me kick you!" Saya shouts once again.

(...Uhh, question is, where do I run to? The building by the other side of the bridge is no longer the main base. So, the main building here?...)

I keep glancing around me as I kept running. Or, well, ok. More like jogging. Saya's not the most athletic person around after all…

(Oh? There.)

I blink a couple of times as I spot a set of large blue containers to my right. Big enough to fit two, two and a half cars inside in a line.

(Perfect.)

I change my direction and make for the containers…

And upon closing in on them. I run straight onto the side of one. Then run up the container's wall before grabbing its top, finally rolling over to its ceiling.

"Hey! Not fair! Come back down here you stupid, cat penguin!" Saya yells after stopping next to the container, making a few futile jumps as she tried to fruitlessly climb up.

"No way, you're going to do weird things to me if I come down there." I respond as I pop my head over the edge, finding Saya with her head looking up, her face slightly flushed as she kept taking deep breaths.

"Ughhh! I'm just going to kick you until you pass out! Nothing weird about that!" She shouts as she takes another couple of jumps, trying to reach for head. Again, to no avail…

"Don't do violence Saya. Or you won't be getting any head pats later." I respond as I kept looking at her, her frown deepening even more as she purses her lips.

"I'm not a dog to want head pats you stupid idiot!" She shouts back.

"But, you looked so happy when I did so in your room…" I answer as I tilt my head. Saya's face turning even redder…

"Keep talking buster, you can't stay up there forever..." She puts her arms on her hips as she narrows her eyes.

"Ehh, I don't know, it's rather comfortable up here. Nothing is trying to kick me till I pass out for one…" I respond as I shrug…

Saya, keeps glaring at me for a few seconds, then turns to look around…

Her eyes stopping on a bunch of barrels on the far side of the container. She then throws a quick glance at me, before turning to run towards them…

(...She, seriously believes that I'm just going to stand here while she takes her time to get up?…)

The moment she started climbing the barrels and stopped glancing at me. I silently jump back down…

And once she got up on the ceiling, she found it empty.

"..Uhh…" She blinks a couple of times, before turning to look at me. Now on the ground, waving at her…

"Why youuuu…." She puffs her cheeks as her hands turn into fists, stomping her foot lightly as she stretches her arms to the front of her hips. She then walks up to the corner, and bends her knees to jump down, but hesitates, swaying back and forth slightly a couple of times…

"Don't hurt yourself." I say as I let my hand drop.

"Ha. Now you care." Saya responds with a sarcastic tone as she glances at me, then turns to look back down.

"Hey, just because I don't let you beat the crap out of me doesn't mean that I don't care about you." I retort as I fold my arms. Saya turning to look at me for a couple of seconds.

"Prove it." She then blurts out.

"Catch me." She adds.

"...So you can elbow, slash, knee drop me? Don't think so Saya." I answer as I shake my head. Saya, in response. Lets out a low, annoyed humming noise. Then turns to look, behind me?..

"Naier?" And a new voice speaks up from behind me. Turning around, I find Saeko looking at me.

(I'm not even surprised, that she somehow managed to appear out on thin air. With how she seems to able to casually sneak up on me whenever she wants to...)

"Hey." I motion with my head as I turn to face her completely.

"I hope, I am not interrupting anything." Saeko asks as she tilts her upper body to the side to look behind me.

"Not really, Saya's just trying to kill me…" I respond nonchalantly.

"Oh, because she's…"

And, before Saeko could finish her sentence. I felt a very sudden, and very big, increase in weight. To the point that I almost toppled over as I hunched forward…

"The fa!..."

"Ha! That's what you get for turning your back to me!" Saya cuts me off while hanging on my back. Her hands warped around my neck…

"About to jump on you…" Saeko finishes her sentence…

"Uhh, when did you even manage to get over to my side of the container so fast?" I ask as I try to lift myself to a normal posture, Saya still not letting go of me.

"You stood there and stared at Saeko like an idiot for too long." Saya huffs as she tightens her arms around my neck, increasing the 'pressure' on my back…

(...)

"Ok. So, you intend to keep pressing your boobs on my back for a long time, or?..." And just I say that, Saya quickly releases her grip. Though, I did feel a few 'slaps' land on the back of my head. Or was it that she tried to slap my head and forgot that she needed her hands to hang on me?...

"You know, I'm counting these slaps. Some day, some time. I'm going to be getting some payback for them." I say as I turn to look at Saya, who just kept staring at me with puffed up cheeks.

"Hum, I'd like to see you try." She responds with a huff as she smirks at me.

"O,k. Just remember, it was you who told me to try. Don't blame me for it later." I respond as I fold my arms. Saya just narrowed her eyes at me, folding her arms under her chest as she leaned her face towards me…

"If, you are done here. I have a request." Saeko then speaks up, causing me to turn towards her.

(Request?...)

"My father. He wants to talk to you. Personally." She glances around for a few seconds before looking back at me.

(...Should I, start running towards the stadium?)

"W, what does he want him for?" Saya asks, her face taking on a rather perplexed frown.

"He did not tell me…" Saeko answers calmly…

(...Can I, make a save state real quick? No? Ok, guess I'll just die then…)

"Uhh, where is he?" I ask, and Saeko nods at me.

"Follow me please." She adds as she turns around.

"H, hey wait a sec!" Saya shouts. Causing Saeko to stop and turn to look behind her.

"It's still supposed to be 'my' day you know." Saya adds as she frowns, letting her arms drop in annoyance.

"I know, I will give you any time you lose from my own, tomorrow. I would prefer that we did not make my father wait." Saeko responds with a soft, yet oddly assertive tone...

And a few seconds of staring later...

"F, fine…" Saya mumbles…

"Saya, where do you want to meet up later?" I ask as I glance around. The pinkette looks at me, then at Saeko.

"Papa told me that we will be staying by the same building as were, same rooms. The airport building doesn't have many rooms. And only the high-ups can use the ones that exist." Saya responds, then interlocks her fingers while keeping her hands lowered.

"I'll wait, in your room…" She adds with a mumble…

"Alright. Just try not to fall asleep and lock me out." I say as I nod, walk up to her, and hand her my room keys. Saya just nods and takes them…

"I'm not an idiot like you to do that…" She retorts with a whiny whisper.

"So, we can go now?" Saeko asks right after.

"Uhh, yea…" I respond as I turn to leave, giving one last glance at Saya. Who, looked like a lost puppy right now…

(Yep, feeling like shit again…)

And as I walk past Saeko, she turns around to follow me.

"Where is he?" I ask.

"In the main building…" Saeko responds.

"Uhh, Ok. I'm going to ask the obvious. Why does he want to talk to me?" I ask again.

"He did not tell me." She answers flatly.

"Ok, what did you tell him?" I ask again. Saeko just turns to look at me...

"Are you anxious?" She asks...

(Really now?...)

"Me? Not at all. Just wondering if he'll decide to split me in two so you don't have to, share." I answer as casually as I can. Causing Saeko to giggle slightly.

"Do not worry. He will not do such a thing. Even if he believes that he should. He is the type of person who believes that in order to learn, you need to experience. Even if it is something that might end with a bad taste in your mouth afterwards." She responds calmly.

"He just wants to see what sort of person you are. As, after my 'incident'. I, stopped socializing, nothing more than surface-level interactions." She adds as she turns to look ahead.

"You, are the very first person that I let myself trust. To be someone that I wanted to more than just, know. That is why he wants to see you. And, well. I never introduced a guy to him before..." She continues as she turns to look at me.

"Does he know? About the way you thought of 'yourself'?" I ask as I glance at her.

"I never explicitly told him anything, but…" She stops in the middle of her sentence as glances away for a few seconds, then looks back at me.

"But, do not worry. After all, nothing of this really matters in the end." She adds as she smiles at me.

"Uhh, how come?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"Because no matter what he decides. I have no intention of leaving your side." She says as she glances away.

"You, make me feel wanted, loved. I like that feeling. And, I want more of it." She answers as she turns to stare at me with a tender smile.

"Though the idea of splitting you does sound, interesting. If it means that I will no longer have to share." She adds right after with a short giggle.

I glance at her, then glance around, before putting my hand sideways to cover over half my mouth, then lean towards her, as if to whisper her a secret…

"Don't tell anybody. But my left side is more good-looking compared to my right side." I whisper with a serious voice.

"Hmm? What happened to not picking favorites. You will let Saya take the 'bad' side of you?" She whispers back with a giggle.

"She wanted to beat me to unconsciousness. I'm holding a grudge." I respond flatly, Saeko stares at me for a few seconds, then closes her eyes as she reflexively brings her hand to her mouth, jerking her shoulder as she starts giggling again…

"What, I'm serious. I was in mortal danger." I say as I fold my arms.

"Really? Because from the way I saw it, Saya was stuck on that container like a cat that could not get down a tree it just climbed." Saeko kept giggling as she held her hand over her mouth.

"She was faking it to make me drop my guard. Remember, she ended up jumping on me the moment I turned my back to her." I retort as I raise a finger.

"Hmm, I guess. That did happen." Saeko tilted her head slightly as she finally stopped giggling.

We then continued walking together with the occasional mindless chatter. Until we reached the main airport building. Three visible floors on the building, and one side, the one that overlooked the bigger part of the field with the planes, made of glass panes, several of them on the bottom floor shattered.

"Uhh, they made absolutely sure this place is empty of corpses? It has been what, a day since they send a team?" I ask as I look through the shattered, glass door in front of us...

"The building is much smaller than it looks. And apparently, most corpses wandered back out after bursting inside the building, I guess a lot of people managed to escape, and create enough noise while doing so to draw them back out. That is what my father informed me of at least." Saeko answers.

'"Uhh, with the glass walls being as smashed as they are. It's a possibility." I nod as I turn to look at Saeko.

"So, uhh. Your dad is at?..." I ask…

"Come on, he has a room on the top floor." Saeko answers as she walks into the building, making a beeline for one of the non-functioning escalators that were deeper into the building.

Now the insides, were a mess. Probably because we entered the 'shopping' section of the building. But honestly, I could see more stuff sprawled on the ground, rather than on the stands that they would normally be found on. And the soldiers wandering around didn't really bother cleaning the place up. Not that they didn't have better things to do…

So, after skipping the second floor by instantly going up the escalator that led to the third, and final floor…

"This floor is oddly clean…" I glanced around me as we kept walking. In contrast with the rest of the building, this floor looked untouched, no blood or crap on the ground, and everything was neatly organized, no random chairs in the middle of the walkway, no toppled stands getting in the way. Hell, I could even see my reflection on the smooth, marble like floor...

(Can't have our fat leaders walk on dirty floors now can we?)

"Uhh, this place has no actual rooms, other than the stores. Where is your father at?" I ask as I keep looking around me.

"There is an actual hotel section deeper ahead. My father has a room there." Saeko responds…

(Hotel? Saya told me that this place didn't have enough rooms. Huh, what is it? Each high up needs a whole wing of the hotel for him or her self?)

And sure enough, after walking for some time, we came to a small glass bridge that overlooked the rest of the building. And after we passed it, on its other side, we came upon a change of scenery. For starters, the floor changed to a soft mat, we were also greeted by a small square opening at the end of the bridge, a sofa at the left, and a podium at the right, probably used by somebody that stood there as reception when the hotel functioned normally. Now, a soldier was standing guard behind it.

"Are you two lost? This location is off-limits." The soldier speaks up the moment he noticed us, walking past the podium and blocking the end of the bridge.

"We are here to see Master Busujima. I am his daughter." Saeko speaks up.

The soldier looks at us for a bit, then turns away from us and starts speaking on the radio that was hanging from his chest pocket...

And a few seconds later.

"Go ahead, second corridor to the right, fifth room, number fifteen. Leave your weapons with me. You will take them once you are done here" The soldier nods nonchalantly as he returns to stand behind the podium.

(Guy has to stand still here while the high ups behind him are scratching their balls on their beds huh? The end of the world is here, yet the same shit is see.)

After we left our guns and swords with the soldier, we started walking into the narrow hotel corridors.

"Out of curiosity, what's your father's name?" I ask.

"Hideshi." Saeko responds.

(Hideshi Busujima then. At least she did not say Bang...)

"But I think it would be better if you…"

"I won't use his first name, don't worry. Last thing I need is getting labeled as disrespectful from my first sentence." I cut Saeko off, who just nodded in response.

And so, we followed the soldier's instructions. Until we were in front of a wooden door, the number fifteen on it.

"You're going to tell me to remove my mask now ain't you?" I 'ask' as I turn to her.

"Umm, it would be preferable." Saeko nods slightly again, then knocks on the door.

"Father, I brought Naier." And as Saeko speaks up, I take off my mask and balaclava, then pass them through my hand, over to my shoulder.

"The door is open." A voice answers from inside. And Saeko, then opened the door…

The room inside, looked like a normal Japanese room to be honest. Rather dimly lit. A Tatami mat covering the floor, the same type of material covering the four walls. Just the fourth one ahead of us having two medium-sized windows on each side. A king-sized bed on the left wall, and a small table in the middle that you could sit by seiza style. Four cushions around said table. Along with a steamy, no let me rephrase that, a boiling teapot on the middle of the table, along with two small teapots. One of which, was held by Saeko's father. Who was sitting by the table, facing us.

"Thank you Saeko, you can leave us." Bang...I mean Hideshi speaks up as he looks at her, then turns to look at me.

"I will wait by the bridge." Saeko whispers as she tugs my sleeve lightly, then turns to leave.

(...Well, here we go...)

Upon entering the room, I close the door and take off my boots, then wear one set of woolen flippers that were placed next to the door's entrance.

"Take a seat. Naier Sepfier right?" Hideshi asks. I just nod as I take a seat ahead of him.

"Do you want some tea? It is quite the rare brew." He asks again as he casually lifts the boiling teapot with both hands.

(...How, are his hands not catching fire right now?...)

"Thank you for the offer, but I prefer cold drinks." I respond as I shake my head. Saeko's father nods, and leaves the teapot, then picks his own teacup.

"I expect that you know why you are here. So let me be plain. My daughter, is quite fond of you." He then adds flatly. I remained quiet.

"So tell me. How well 'do' you know my daughter?" He asks afterward.

(Uhh, ok. No point pulling punches here.)

"She takes pleasure in inflicting pain. For the same reason, she believed herself to not be worth any positive emotion from the ones around her. So she kept herself bottled up." I respond as flatly.

"I see, so she told you about herself. Then, why do you believe otherwise? If my daughter sees herself as a monster. What do you hope to gain by trying to make her believe that you see her as otherwise?" He asks again.

(Damn. You get like, zero dad points from me. Sounds to me like you don't even 'care' that your daughter was suffering. As it seems that you were very well aware of what she was going through with a response like that...)

"Never said that I believed otherwise." I answer. Causing Saeko's father to stare at me. I mean, stare harder than before.

"But what is better? A monster that wants to protect you? Or an angel that looks to smite you down?" I add.

(I could just say 'I love your daughter and want the best for her'. But I don't think mister hardcore over here will believe half a word of it.)

"So you just want her for your protection? Now that the world is a danger to your survival." He retorts.

"Nobody interacts with another out of pure goodwill, there is always some self-interest. The point is when one's interest does not conflict with the other's." I answer.

"And, once you are safe? Then what? You will discard her and run after the 'other', more normal girl? Once your 'interest' in Saeko is gone." He asks…

(...Of course she told him…)

"No, for starters. My 'interest' in her is not just her ability to help us, to help me. I would have told her so otherwise. And I made a promise to her, one that I have no intention of breaking. But, these are just words, and they have no weight behind them." I respond.

"You are correct. Words, do have no weight. But what does have, is that my daughter seems to believe in you. And, while normally I would see to cut you down myself here and now, for the way you are 'handling' my daughter. I, also honestly can't remember the last time I have seen her be this, happy. So I will keep it simple." He responds as he takes a small sip from his teacup.

"I do not 'care' of what you do. For as long as it keeps my daughter smiling." He adds as he looks down, to leave the teacup on the table.

(Really? Just, how miserable was Saeko before the outbreak for him to actually say this?...)

"But, should you end up hurting her with your actions. I will make sure, that she is the last person you will ever hurt." He says as he turns to stare at me.

(...And that, was definitely a death threat…)

"If I fall so far as you hurt her on purpose? Then do so." I respond as I nod slightly.

(...I mean, if I do end up doing something like that, then there's a big chance that something has gone off the deep end in my brain in the first place. She and Saya are the only reasons I can even consider this fucked up world of being 'worth it'. )

Saeko's father nods as he picks up his teacup again.

"Though, I suppose that I probably won't really have to do anything of the sort, should you do such a thing." He says as he takes a sip from his teacup again.

"The faith Saeko has in you now. It can as easily turn into an unrelenting rage, should you squander what she has given you." He adds with a casual tone. I, just kept looking at the man…

"But, I should not ramble like an old man. You just returned from your little trip. You probably want to rest. So don't let me hold you anymore." He says as he takes another sip. I nod and start getting up.

"Are you still sure you don't want some tea? It's really good." Saeko's father casually speaks up again...

(Really now?...)

"Uhh, no thanks. I still like hot drinks the same amount I liked them some minutes ago." I respond as I shake my head.

"You youngsters really can't handle some hot tea? Saeko seems to hate it as well." He chuckles as he focuses back on his tea.

(The idea that you are the weird one here for drinking boiling water for fun does not cross your damn mind?...)

And, with a slight bow I turn to head to my boots…

(...Well. I'm not dead. That's, good…)

"Oh, and one last thing." He says as he keeps looking at his teacup.

"The Busujima name holds weight. No matter what my daughter thinks of you. I don't intend to let her be with somebody who is less than her. I expect you to prove yourself, that you are worthy of the spot." He adds as he takes another casual sip.

(Woe is he who dares to dirty your family's name huh? But leaving your daughter to suffer in order to gain 'experience' is fine...)

With that. I exit the room, and start heading back towards the bridge…

(Uhh, ok. That, just happened. Saeko's father knows about Saya. But decided that because his daughter was now 'happy', it didn't matter? And, I know I already asked this myself. But holy hell, just how miserable was she before the outbreak for him to think like that? But. Uhh, that's good for me. Means I now have to worry about only 'one' dad. That honestly, I think won't be this uhhh, 'accepting'...)

Once I turned to the hallway that led to the bridge. I spotted Saeko sitting on the couch at the opposite side of the podium that the guard was at…

(Still, nothing he said really changes anything. Because I have no damn intention of leaving Saeko, especially now that I managed to get this close to her…)

After I got close enough for both Saeko and the guard to notice that I was there, the former got off the sofa and turned to me.

"Ready to go?" She asks.

"Yea, let's get our stuff and head towards our rooms." I respond and turn to the soldier. Who nods, and hands us back our equipment without saying a word. After that, we started walking on the bridge…

And the moment we picked some distance.

"How did it go?" Saeko asks as she leans forward and towards me.

"Ohh, you know. Normal stuff. Demanding proof that I'm not going to be a stain on your family's name, death threats, boiling hot tea offerings. Exactly the things I expected…" I respond as I keep looking straight. Saeko just blinks at me a couple of times.

"Umm, care to take that, one at a time?" She asks as we reach the end of the bridge.

"Death threats for if I hurt you. Proof that I am worthy of having you around me. He asked me to drink boiling tea with him." I respond flatly.

"Hmm. Better than I expected." She answers as she smiles, causing me to turn to her with an arched eyebrow.

(...Yep, you're as crazy as your dad alright...)

"Come again?" I ask.

"If he wants you to prove yourself. It means he believes that you 'can' prove yourself. Otherwise, he would not have even mentioned it. As for the rest. My father just likes drinking very hot tea for some reason. And.." As she finishes her sentence, she gets slightly closer to me.

"You, are not going to hurt me, are you?~" She asks with an, almost seductive whisper…

(...Holy shit, that just ringed all the wrong bells...)

"Oh yes, I'm a real fan of ruining relationships I wrecked my head over…" I respond as I glance at the purple-haired samurai.

"Hmm? You, wrecked your head over me?" She asks as she tilts her head slightly.

(More than I'd like to admit. Especially when it came to you and Takashi…)

"Now you're just trying to tease me, so I'm not going to answer." I chuckle as we reach the escalator that led to the lower floor. Saeko just giggled before pulling herself back. We then moved to the first, and then the bottom floor, before moving back outside.

"Umm, Naier? Can I ask you of, another favor?" Saeko speaks up again as we start walking outside. I just silently turn to look at her.

(... Should I be scared?...)

"Could we walk a bit, slower?..."She asks as she turns to stare at me.

"Huh, figured you'd ask me to take off my mask or something..." I respond as I slide my fingers under her palm, wrapping my hand around hers.

"Naier. You, are not wearing your mask…" She responds as she tilts her head…

(...)

I bring my free hand to my face, and poke my cheek…

"I, forgot to wear it? Huh, weird…" I frown slightly as I turn to look at my mask, still on the shoulder of the arm that Saeko was holding.

"Well, I am afraid that I have no intention of letting go of your hand. So you can not really wear it now…" She says with a slight, one-sided smile.

"Uhh, I was the one who grabbed your hand, so I guess I effectively just shot myself in the foot..." I respond as I turn to look ahead, letting a small sigh through my nose...

With that, we continued in silence. Not that we really needed to speak. Personally, feeling her squeezing my hand every so often was enough. Like verification that she was right next to me…