7-1 Tired

Date: September 10

Place: Lounge (Kyoto Headquarters)

[Cedrick]

I woke up with Rei out of her bed. I was still sleepy as it was quite late and I just got to bed just a little while ago.

*     *     *    *     *

"I'm sure you're tired enough as it is," he sighed and held his forehead to express that he was somehow also affected by what happened. I'm at the Supreme Commander's Office to hear what occurred when I wasn't around.

"I'll excuse myself," I say leaving his office and walking back to where our room is at. I can't help but be irritated at myself. I feel so worthless.

"Damn it!" I shouted in frustration, kicking the air.

I can't visualize how that guy escaped from myself and tons of soldiers waiting for him on the other side of a hallway. It was as if he vanished without a single trace.

We weren't able to capture the culprit, and I heard that Rei's friend passed away even before they can even have a chance to treat him. Everything is not looking so fortunate at the moment. Especially because we lost the only guide we had to get closer to that 'Professor Norby' they were all talking about.

I found Rei already sound asleep on her side of the bed. I took a peek at her face just to be heartbroken when I noticed that she was crying even in her sleep. I decided to leave her be and just slept on my bed. And maybe it was because I was so fatigued that I fell asleep faster than I anticipated.

*     *     *    *     *

I didn't even need to go around and look for her because there is only one place where she can be. I found her at the lounge, sitting on her swivel chair, looking so tired that she might pass out while typing something on her laptop. Her eyes are somewhat swollen from crying and she yawns from time to time.

I decided to make her coffee just to support her in what she was doing. Because I'm sure that she isn't doing this because she likes to so do, rather she wants to take her mind off of everything.

With a cup of strong coffee in my hand, I went behind her to look at what she was doing just to see that she was preparing for Noel's first mission.

"You know we can just postpone that," I say trying to convince her. I mean, if you think rationally, we hadn't had enough sleep to continue our day and even handle a proper fight with our physical and mental state. This is just too much. And I'm sure that it's more severe for her. I even heard that she passed out lying on the cold floor while hugging the old man's body, assuming it was her friend's.

"I mean, I'm sure you're dead tired, there's no need toー" I responded panicking when she ignored me just to be cut off and unintentionally causing her more work.

"Shut up!" her shout made me jump and spill some coffee on the paperwork on her table. I looked at her nervously when I found out the title of the printed papers was the summarized report of everything that had happened this evening.

"I'm so sorry," I say trying to wipe or dry the papers by blowing on them. I hear her sigh and when I turn to her, she was looking at me straight in the eye with such rage.

"Forget it," she sighed again, rubbing her forehead.

"I was just trying to make you someー" I try to negotiate.

"Just get out, please," she forces herself to smile which was creepier than her being aggravated.

I ended up causing more harm than good and was kicked out of the lounge.

It was just a few hours before the sun rises so I decided to start my day early too. I took a bath and decided to exercise for a bit at the practice arena.

"I just wanted to help!" I shouted, running towards a dummy and attacking its head with a wooden knife. "I didn't mean to do that," I kicked it with everything I had which caused it to fall.

[Rei]

Cedrick left with a sad-looking face. I can't help but sigh with everything that I do. I tried to be nice to him and prevented myself from shouting for a second time so he doesn't feel that bad for spilling the coffee. I know that he didn't mean any harm butー

*     *     *    *     *

A knock woke me up around five-forty in the morning. I'm sure that everyone was deeply asleep when I noticed that no one else but me heard the countless attempts of knocking. I walked towards the door and opened it to see a sleepless Gynne yawing in front of me.

"I'm glad it's you," she says still yawing. "I'm sorry," she apologized for her behavior. "Here, I thought you should have these," she passes me some tapes.

"Thank you," I replied, as soon as I conveyed my gratitude, she left. I see her tripping and her head kissing the walls a couple of times before I locked the door.

I put them away in the drawer beside me and forced myself to sleep. But I couldn't.

And through those tries, the scenes from earlier start to play like a movie in my head. I was constantly finding myself wanting to cry because of it.

I gave up sleeping and decided to go to the lounge to preoccupy my mind with work and hopefully, it'll work.

*     *     *    *     *

All the paperwork that he has ruined was a summary but quite detailed, it was the report of what happened this night. They didn't order me to do it but I just wanted to prepare it if they do request one later. And it was also the only thing I can do to keep myself distracted.

I did this for almost an hour and moved to do Noel's first mission after I finished it. But I have to type the papers that have been ruined because I hadn't imagined that something like this would happen so I didn't save any copies of them.

And I can't delay the mission any longer because that would mean that the private mission that was given to us would also be delayed with it. The higher-ups might scold me again if that happens.

"I'm so tired," I sighed as I rubbed my eyes and continued what I was doing.