wake up call pt2

"Hmmm, a man carrying a potted plant." Saeko speaks up as she keeps looking towards the sky, her head resting on my leg.

"Uhh..." I tilt my head while also looking towards the sky...

"Ten..." As Saeko starts counting.

"Aaaaaa." I narrow my eyes as I keep looking at the clouds in the sky...

"Five..." Saeko continues to count down.

"A decapitaded pterodactil's head." I answer as I snap my fingers...

"...Ohh?" Saeko lifts an eyebrow as she stops counting, focusing on the cloud.

"The part where you see the pot and plant is the blood splatter, the legs of the dude are the beak." I add as I point at the cloud.

"Well, you certainly have some imagination." Saeko chuckles right after.

"Very well. Your turn then?" She continues with a smile as she turns to look at me.

"Aight, so. Uhhhh..." I nod as I scan the clouds in the sky.

" To the right and down." I add as I point at the sky. Saeko nods a few seconds later.

"Hmmm, a dancing ghost, arms stretched, with a long flowing train." I continue.

"Train?" Saeko asks as she glances at me.

"The long back portion of a dress that drags along the ground is called like that." I answer as I turn to look at her.

"...Really? Well, now I am interested to know how you came to know that." She responds with a chuckle...

(...Uhh. Good question. Why do I know that?)

I shrug slightly as I lift my head to look at the sky again.

"Nice try, but you ain't buying free time like that Saeko. Ten." And I start counting...

"Sev..."

"A closed sack, ripped open at the center" Saeko cuts me off.

"..." I stare at the cloud as I frown slightly.

"I, guess. Yea ok." I nod as I fold my arms. Then, I lower my head and glance at the watch on my wrist.

"...Huh? Ten am already? We've been here for three and a half hours..." I add as I arch an eyebrow.

"You want to leave?" Saeko asks right after.

"Not really." I respond as I turn to look at her, then slide my fingers around the side of her neck.

Saeko closes her eyes as she smiles, tilting her head so my hand had more 'space' to move around her neck.

"But what are the chances people will be looking for me..." I whisper as I glance towards the door.

"Hmm. I must admit that you are quite in high demand. So pretty high?" Saeko answers as she opens one eye to look at me.

"Maybe I should have brought the radio with me." I answer with a slight shrug.

"Why did you not?" She asked as she opened both her eyes.

"Because it's a date with you. Not you and half the camp." I answer. Saeko just chuckles as she gets off my leg to sit next to me.

"How, thoughtful of you~" She answers with a small smirk as she leans her head over my shoulder.

"Would you rather have Saya yelling through the mic?" I 'ask' as I turn to look at her.

"Hmmm. No, I think this is almost perfect." She responds as she smiles, slightly tilting her head.

"Almost?" I ask again as I fold my arms.

"Well, there is one more thing I want right now. But I don't want to come off as rapacious..." Saeko responds as she keeps staring straight at my eyes.

"Uhh, I think we can let some extra greediness slide. As long as it doesn't involve you breaking my bones with a bokken..." I answer as I tilt my head. Saeko momentarily held back a chuckle in her throat, lowering her face and glancing away.

And after a few seconds...

"I, really can not even think anymore. What I would do without you." She whispers as she lifts her head again, this time bringing herself closer to my face, too close in fact. As her lips touched with mine.

My response was wrapping my arms around her and tightly hugging her. Though the fact that we were sitting next to each other made the whole situation a bit, uncomfortable.

After a few seconds, she pulls her head back just slightly, and touches her forehead against mine, closing her eyes as she lets out a small sigh.

"No pressure." I chuckle.

"You can always tell me to leave if you do not want such a responsibility." Saeko responds as she keeps her eyes closed.

"Hah. Yea, nice try Saeko but you ain't getting rid of me this easy." I answer as I run my hand along her side.

"Good." Saeko chuckles as she moves to nuzzle her nose against my neck.

-Sometime later-

(...)

Saeko was still slowly nudging her nose against the side of my neck...

"...I really need to get that radio. Because I don't see us moving from here..." I whisper as I glance around me.

"As much as I would like to stay like this. I agree. We do have responsibilities that we can not skim." Saeko adds as she finally detaches herself from me.

(...We can agree on the staying like this part...)

With that, we get up and slowly start to walk towards the exit door.

And just as we enter the building...

"Ah. Naier, wait a minute please." Saeko speaks up.

I stop and turn to look at her, only for her to walk up next to me and take my hand, interlocking her fingers with mine.

I glance at my hand, then at her. I then chuckle as I turn to walk down the stairs along with Saeko...

It took a couple of minutes before we reached the floor with our rooms. And as we got off the stairs and turned towards the hallway with our doors...

(...Oh, boy...)

A certain pinkette was outside my door, arms folded, tapping her foot with an annoyed frown. Dressed in her mall attire, along with the white jacket she wore after leaving Rika's house.

After a few seconds, she knocked on my door. Rather loudly at that too.

"Come oooon. Wake up already..." She groaned.

I glance at Saeko, who seemed to be holding back a smirk. And with a deep breath, I turn to walk towards Saya.

"Ughhh, that's why I need to have your keys you idiot..." Saya whispers again as she brings her hand to knock on my door again.

"I don't trust you with my keys Saya, you might steal ma mask and impersonate me." I speak up as I stop right next to her...

Saya lets out a small yelp as she lifts both her hands over her chest and jumps away, turning to face me mid-air.

And the moment she touched the ground and realized it was me who scared her. She opened her mouth to speak with an annoyed frown, yet her eyes trailed from my face, to my hand. Which was still holding Saeko's hand.

She closes her mouth and narrows her eyes as she folds her arms, staring at my face with a 'Ohh you little shit' look.

(...I have a really bad fe...)

"Thank you for the date Naier~ I had a wonderful time. I will be in my room if you need me." And Saeko speaks up as she finally lets go of my hand. Then slightly runs her fingers up my arm as she turns to leave...

(...And of course she would do that...)

Leaving me with a visibly annoyed pikette...

"Oh so you went on a date huuhhh?" And Saya finally speaks up, her voice leaking sarcasm.

"Yea, you want to go on one as well?" I ask as I tilt my head. Saya, just blinks at me a few times.

"We could go for a walk around the airport. Or do you want to go to the roof as well? Though that might seem cheap, since that's where Saeko wanted to go." I add as I fold my arms, turning to look towards the upper corner of the wall to my left.

Saya takes a deep breath, before letting an audible sigh.

"Really now idiot? Can't you at least show 'some' regret that you left me to dry?" She adds as she looks towards the ground and shakes her head, letting her arms hang.

"It was supposed to be 'my' day you know..." She continues as she lifts her head to look at me again with a, rather disapointed frown.

"And the Flying Spaghetti Monster really didn't make it easy for you. What with your dad calling you, then finding our group." I respond as I shrug.

"Uhhhh. The flying wha..."

"And then your apparent aversion towards sleeping in the same room with me." I cut her off.

"H, huh?.." Saya stops talking as she tilts her head in confusion.

"W, what are you talking about." She asks as she frowns even more.

"Well, you said it was your day. But Saeko told me that you probably slept in your room, since you were not in mine. So, she decided to just, let herself in mine. Thus when I woke up, I woke her up, and we ended up going to the roof." I respond.

"H,hey! It was late when I returned! Everybody was already asleep! So how could I know that captain retard here would leave his door unlocked for somebody to barge in?" She 'asks' as she folds her arms and an annoyed expression...

"Uhh, well. Yea ok you're right." I respond as I lift my hands.

"Hum..." Saya just huffs as she turns to glance away, seemingly a little less annoyed because I admitted that she was right and I was wrong.

"So. Since you're the one that got the wrong end of the stick. What if you are to decide what we will do for the rest of the day?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"Uhh, what?" Saya turns to look at me with a confused expression once again.

"What what? You, decide, what, we, do, all day. Wanna go swimming under the bridge and probably get in trouble? Done. Wanna throw rotten bananas at people? Also done. Wanna hijack a stealth blackbird helicopter and find a druglord's island to steal his booze? Easy. Wanna see me dancing in a skimpy cop suit. Yea I'm not doing that..." I glance away as I finish my sentence.

"So? What'll be boss?" I ask as I turn to look at her. But Saya didn't respond, she just kept staring at me. A deep blush on her face, her eyes slightly wide...

"...Please don't tell me you're imagining me in a skimpy cop suit now..." I sigh as I drop my shoulders.

"W,whwhahat! Of course I'm not! I'm not a pervert you pervert!" Saya essentially flails her arms around as she starts to shake her head, the blush becoming even deeper...

"And now everybody heard you shout that you're a pervert..." I add with a slight shrug.

"I said! I'm! Not!" She adds as she stomps her foot on the floor. And, just as she stops shouting, the door behind me opens. And out comes, a sleepy Shizuka, looking as out of it as humanly possible. Hair a mess, clothes a mess, her eyes still half-closed. Holding her pillow with one hand. At least, she was actually dressed this time around...

"Ahh, Shizuka. Sor.." Yet, before Saya could finish her sentence. Shizuka turns towards Saya, and starts to unsteadily trot up to her, passing by me without even acknowledging my existence. And, then she stops right in front of Saya...

"Uhhh, Shizuk..."

-Grope-

Shizuka casually lifts her hand. And gets a handful of Saya's chest. Causing the pinkette to let out a small surprised yelp. She then pulls her hand back, before bringing it to Saya's shoulder. Then she starts tapping around until she reached Saya's flushed cheek...

"Hummm..." And Shizuka, with a soft moan, then brought her hand on the top of Saya's head. Before, raising it slightly...

"W,what are y..."

-Bonk!-

And then brought it down on Saya's head...

"Ow! What are y..."

-Bonk!-

And another bonk on Saya's head...

Saya slightly bent her knees as she brought both her hands over her head at a loss, looking up at Shizuka who just looked, like Shizuka...

And, as a few seconds of silence passed...

"Huuuuu. Crappy alarm, I want to sleep mooore..." She moaned as she turned to walk straight back into her room, closing the door behind her...

(Well, that just happened...)

"..." After Shizuka left the hallway, I turned to stare at Saya in silence.

"..." And Saya just kept looking at me, hands on head, knees still slightly bent.

"Khh..." I bring my knuckles to my mouth as try to stop myself from laughing.

Saya pouts slightly as she quickly trots up to me, only to throw a quick kick to my shin...

"Pfftughhh. Uaaahhh, that, actually hurt..." I chuckle under my breath as I do a few hops back with one leg.

"I'm surrounded by friggin idiots..." Saya grumbles as she folds her arms and turns to look away.

"Join us- or be- annihilateeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed." I respond as I try to sound like a robot. Saya just shakes her head as she glances at me for a split second.

"It's you that should be joining me idiot, not the other way around." She huffs.

"No can do, you lack tranquilizer darts and kibble." I respond as I also fold my arms.

"Kibble? Were you not a robot a few seconds ago you dolt? Why would you need kibble?" She asks as she turns to look at me.

"I'm a Tek Rex." I casually awnser.

"Rex? The best you could probably do is a Dodo..." Saya smirks.

"Dodorex." I respond flatly.

"What?" Saya asks a slightly confused frown.

"Or Dodowyvern. Better Dodowyvern, sleeker, can fly, can barf three elements. Also can fly." I add.

"What the hell are you talking about? And you said fly twice." Saya asks again.

"I know, it's just that damn important, flyers are real crutch mounts." I answer as I stare at her with a serious expression.

Saya just kept staring back at me with an eyebrow arched...

"Did that kick rattle your brain or something?" She asks as she makes an annoyed frown.

"Who knows..." I answer nonchalantly as I move my head from left to right...

"Sooo, we gonna stand here for much longer or..." I continue.

"Hum, think for yourself. I'm still mad at you. And I expect you to make it up to me..." She responds as she once again looks away with a huff.

"Suit yourself." I awsner as I turn to head to my door. Once in front of it, I unlock it and open it...

"H,hey. You, you're not going to leave me here are you?" Saya asks as she turns to stare at me, her face actually looking kinda worried...

(...Jeez Saya, if you can't handle the punishment, then don't do the crime.)

"Though never even crossed my mind, but I can't open my door when my hands are full." I respond as I turn to walk up to her.

"Ahh? But your hands are not fuuu!" And before she could finish, I pick her off the ground, princess style.

"W, what are you doing?!." She whines loudly, though she does not try to move, or resist.

"Since you don't wanna walk." I shrug as I walk into my room with her in my arms.

"I can walk you idiot..." Saya grumbles as she looks away from me, not that she sounded all that displeased though.

"Too late for that now I recon..." I chuckle. Saya, just kept quiet.

I close my door with my leg, and walk up to my bed, towards the side that looked the window. Then, I sit on the bed and lean my back against the bed's headrest, with my legs still off the bed. Saya still motionless and now essentially on top of me.

"So, what now princess?" I ask as I ruffle her hair.

"D, don't call me that you stupid..." She whines as she grabs my shirt with one hand, keeping her face lowered as she takes her shoes off her feet in order to pull her legs up, she then takes her glasses off and leaves them on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Ok then. What'd be capitan?" I answer with a slight chuckle.

"Idiot..." She responds with a whispering whine.

"...udl.." She adds with an even weaker whisper.

(Da-ja-vu)

"Noodle?" I ask back.

"Hmm, I think I saw a noodle shop on my way back, I could propably..." And before I could finish speaking, Saya threw a quick jab at my side.

"You know very well what I said you nitwit..." She pouts as she keeps jabbing my side, albeit very lightly...

"Did I? I mean, I'm just a dump dodo after all." I respond as I run my hand along her back.

"Stupid..." She whined again...

After a few seconds of silence, I finally took off my boots. Which was much harder than it needed to be, what with Saya not wanting to get off me.

Also another thing I noticed. Was that Saya was looking rather...

"Why so grim?" I ask.

"It's, nothing…" Saya responds as she keeps looking away.

"Saya. You sound as convincing as a junkie begging for a buck to fill his bicycle with gas so he can enter the metro because he's hungry." I respond as I pat her head. Saya lifts her head to look at me with a perplexed expression, before frowning slightly.

"Uhhh, it's just." She sighs as she lowers her head and places her cheek against my chest.

Yet remains silent...

"It's nothing, it's stupid..." She whispers.

"So you're going to say a stupid thing to a stupid guy. Matches pretty well I'd say." I answer as I wrap my arms around her.

"I, I just had a bad dream ok?..." She answers with a cranky tone.

"Must have been pretty bad if you're still thinking about it..." I respond as I tighten my arms around her. Saya just turned to stare at the wall.

"You, don't know how it feels..." She whispers as she keeps looking away.

"Saeko, is always out there with you. She can be near you, she can try to protect you if something happens..." She continues as she lifts her head to look at me again.

"I can't do anything. I'm just sitting here like a rock, wishing that that 'something' doesn't happen. Because all I'll be able to do then is hope that I won't have to watch you die..." Her eyes were slowly starting started to puff up as she spoke.

(Wait, her nightmare was me getting killed?)

"Saya. You know that what you do is not 'just' sitting around right? Ever played a video game? You should know how important a minimap is." I respond as I ruffle her hair.

"It's not the same. I still won't be able to do anything if something happens. And, Saeko will at least get the choice to die with you if that moment comes. While I'll have to somehow chalk it up and move on by myself..." She answers as she lowers her head.

(Ok, that's actually a bit too dark...)

"So you want to come out as well?" I ask. Saya stayed quiet for a few seconds...

"I know I'm just going to cause problems, I'm not cut out for that. You asked me what bothered me. I told you. I was not expecting a solution..." Saya answers as she places her cheek on my chest again, this time while still looking away from me...

(...I want to tell her that I won't die. But she knows as much I, that would just be empty words with how things are now..)

So instead of speaking, I just kept stroking her back...

"I know that this outbreak is the only reason we are this close..." She whispers as she half closes her eyes.

"But I want my normal life back. I want to worry about stupid stuff, like what color nail polish I should buy, or what time I would go out to the shops. Not if one day I'll wake up all alone, with everybody around me dead..." Saya tightens her grip on my shirt as she closes her eyes.

"Well, I'll admit I don't have a good answer for all of this..." I respond as I poke her cheek.

"But..." I add as I take a deep breath.

"I can at least do this~" I add as I quickly bring my hands to her sides and squeeze.

"H,hii! S,stop! I, it not the t, time for that nyiaaahahaha!" Saya quickly starts squirming on me as she tries to stop my hands, to no avail...

I didn't respond, I just kept 'poking' the moody pinkette. And honestly, with how she was sounding right now, I was half expecting somebody to barge into my room with the reasoning of sexual harassment...

It must have taken a few seconds before Saya decided to try and retaliate, not that she could do much now, as I already had her in a corner, or so to speak...

"I, I give! Staaahaha! I give up!" Saya exclaims as she tries to curl up on me.

(Well, at least you're n...)

Yet the moment I let up, Saya quickly retaliates by jabbing my sides...

(OI YOU CHEEKY FAK!)

I quickly grab her hands, and force her off me, before climbing on top of her, holding her hands against the bed.

"H,hey! No fair! You're bigger than me!" She whines as she tries to break free, to no avail.

"That's what you get for snek attacking." I answer as I raise an eyebrow.

"You started it." Saya grumbles as she pouts at me.

"Hey, better to have you annoyed than to have you depressed." I respond with a slight shrug.

"And this is the only way you thought you could take my mind off things? Stupid..." Saya mumbles as she glances away.

"Hmm? Got any other idea?" I ask as I bring my face closer to hers.

"Stupid..." She whines as she throws me a quick glance before looking away again.

I lower my head a bit more, to the point that my nose touched her cheek. And, just as Saya started to slowly turn her face...

"Saya." The radio in her jacket's pocket goes live...

(...)

"Saya, this is your father." The radio continues...

(...Really now? Again?...)

"Saya." The radio speaks up again...

"...Mmmmuuuuuaaaaaaaa!" And Saya, with what sounded like a whiny pout, shout? Starts slamming her feet on the bed, essentially throwing a tantrum under me...

"Oh come on! Again?!" She exhales loudly as she lets out a sigh, ending up with a very pronounced pout on her face...

"I'm starting to think that your dad really has cameras in here..." I bring my hand to the back of my neck as I let go of her hands and sit on straight while still on top of her.

Saya, with an expression that I can only name as disappointment. Picks the radio from her pocket.

"Yes, papa?" She asks as she turns to glance away from me.

"Saya, I need you to gather your whole group. We have an update on the matter concerning Miyamoto's father. I need the whole group present at my office on the third floor." The radio answers.

"Right now? Most of them are still asleep..." Saya responds.

(...Uhhh. Did I just get cockblocked by Rei's might be dead dad?...)

"Yes, wake them up. This operation's going under their name. So they need to all be present. Inform me when you'll be ready..." Shouchiro retorts.

"...Yes papa." And Saya responds with a sigh under her breath.

And then, silence...

(Waitaminit. Whole group operation? Written under our name? Oh I don't like this...)

"Welp, guess we better..." I start to move to get off Saya as speak, only for her to grab my shirt with one hand.

"Uhhh..." I glance at her hand, then at her.

"In, in a bit..." She whispers as she glances away.

"He didn't say we need to be there right now, so, ten minutes won't matter..." She adds, though I get the feeling it was herself she was trying to convince...

"Saya. Are you skimping on work?" I 'ask' as I lean over her with a smirk.

"S, shut up, stupid." She whines back as she keeps looking away.

I then silently lower myself, until my nose grazed her neck. Causing Saya to tense up as she caught her breath. Until she wrapped her arms around me...

"...You're heavy..." She whispers right after...

(Jeez Saya.)

I chuckle as I move to lie next to her, passing one arm under her and pushing her against me as she turned to face me.

Without speaking, Saya nuzzled her face against my shoulder as she wrapped her legs around one of mine.

"And any chance of getting up in 'ten minutes' just disappeared." I whisper with a chuckle.

"I'm not weak-willed. I can get up if I want to..." Saya retorts, while she was essentially clawed on me...

"Hmm, really?" I start to tilt my upper body back as I speak, only to get a soft disapproving groan from Saya, who tightened her arms, and legs around me.

"Yes." She mumbles with a muffled tone as she presses her face against my chest.

"It sounds like somebody's embarrassed." I respond as I ruffle her hair.

"I'm not..." Saya retorts, her face still shoved against my chest.

"Really? Shame, cute and shy usually makes for a smashing combination." I answer as I raise an eyebrow. Saya just raises her head to look at me with puffed cheeks as she sulked at me.

I pull back one of my arms back, then biring my hand under her chin, and lightly scratch it.

"I'm not a cat stupid." Saya huffs, without really trying to stop me.

"Really? Because you seem this close to start purring." I answer as I smirk slightly.

"S, shut up." She mumbles back as she glances away without moving her face. And while she was looking away, I took the chance to shut her up instead by locking her lips. An action that Saya didn't take too long to respond to, as she started pushing her face against me...

We, must have stayed like that for a few minutes. Until Saya, actually backed off.

"Ohh? So you can actually hold yourself back?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"Hum, I told you I'm not weak-willed." Saya retorts with a heavy blush on her face.

"Really, so I guess you can resist everything." I chuckle as I slide my hand under her shirt and to the top of her back, before bringing it down as I lightly scratch her back.

"H,heaa s, staahaa. Y, you're not being fair." Saya whines as she keeps staring at me, pushing her upper body forward, or in other words, pushing her chest even more against me.

"But you're strong-willed, this is nothing. Right?" I ask as I raise an eyebrow, giving her side a slight squeeze.

"I'm, really going to, bite you if you don't stop." She mumbles as she takes a a few short breaths between her sentence.

"Hmm, well if you are being so serious to the point that you'll start to nom-nom, then I can only yield." I answer as I pull my arm from under her shirt, then lift myself to sit on the bed.

(Nom nom? Really me?)

Saya just kept staring at me while lying on the bed.

"What's with that stare? Where you maybe, hoping that I would continue instead?" I ask as I lean towards her with a smirk.

"S,shut up, doffus..." Saya quickly also gets to a sitting position and starts fixing her clothes. I just chuckle back at her.

Yet instead of getting up, she just stared at the covers with an absent-minded look.

"Something wrong?" I ask.

"Uhh, no. Nothing." Saya shakes her head and gets off the bed and starts wearing her shoes. I shrug slightly as I also get up and start wearing my boots.

Once we were done, we start heading towards the door, only for Saya to stop right in front of it.

"Saya?" I ask as I stop next to her.

"Umm. Can we, do this again later?..." She asks as she glances at me, then looks away again.

"Why are you asking me? I told you, you get to decide what we do with our free time today." I respond as I fold my arms.

"Or you think that I don't actually like doing this~?" I add as I ran my fingers along her spine.

"H,hey!" Saya wiggles her upper body as she turns to face me with a pouty face.

"Hum! You're right. I get to decide what we do. So you can't say no matter what I ask." She responds as she folds her arms, narrowing her eyes as she leaned towards me.

"Indeed, but who knows what I'll do tomorrow if you make me do something, weird." I answer as I also lean towards her.

"I, I'm not a pervert like you." Saya retorts as she glances away.

"That's exactly what a pervert would say." I chuckle as I open the door, Saya throwing a quick jab at me as retaliation.

And so, we got out of my room.

"So, how do we wake everybody up?..." I ask.

"I, don't know. Knock on their doors?" Saya essentially asks back.

"Alright. I'm not knocking on Shizuka's door though..." I respond as I point at her door.

"Why, you're scared?" Saya asks with a haughty smile.

"Fine, just don't blame me if she thinks I'm a pillow and drags me into the room or something..." I answer as I turn to her...

"...I'll wake up Shizuka." Saya retorts almost instantly.

"I'll go get Saeko then, she can help us wake up the rest." I add as I start to walk.

And with that, I head to Saeko's door, and knock on it.

Several seconds later, the door opens, Saeko behind it with her hair down, wearing her usual short skirt and stocking, along with the dark purple shirt she wore earlier, though it now looked more, black than purple. Probably because the jacket she wore before was actually pitch black, which made the shirt stand out.

"Naier? Can I help you?" She asks as she tilts her head.

"Yea, Saya's d..."

"H, HEY! WAI!" And a surprised shriek/squeal cuts me off. Turning to the voice, I find a pair of pink twintails disappearing inside Shizuka's room, the door to said room closing behind them...

"Uhhh." And I just kept staring at the hallway.

"Naier?" Saeko asks again as she leans her head out of the door to look where I was looking.

"And Saya just became the first casualty of what we need to do." I respond flatly.

"Excuse me?" Saeko asks back with a confused expression.

"Her father called. They want the whole team at his office. Something about Miyamoto's father." I continiue.

"Oh. But I thought you said you were not part of that team anymore." Saeko responds as she straightens her posture, a small smirk on her lips.

"Yea, he didn't get the memo from the looks of it. Let's just go and see." I answer as I shrug. Saeko just nods and turns to walk into her room. She then takes her school shirt, which was on a neatly made bed, and wears it over the purple shirt.

"Uhh, wasn't that shirt ripped?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"I sewed in a new button." Saeko answers casually as she ties a black ribbon over her chest.

"Alright, I'll go wake up Kohta then. And I guess Asami." I respond.

"I will get Rei and Takashi." Saeko nods at me...

I nod back, and turn to walk away. Only to stop a few feet later...

"Uhh. Where is..."

"Furthest room ahead" Saeko cuts me off with a small giggle.

"Thanks." I wave without looking at her and start walking again. And upon reaching the furthest door, I knocked on it. Then wait for a few seconds...

(Fat chance they'll wake up from one knock.)

I start knocking a second time, only for the door to actually open mid-knock. Asami behind the door, in her underwear...

(...)

"Do you always open your door dressed like that?" I ask as I fold my arms. Asami just kept staring at me with a sleepy expression, and after blinking a couple of times, and probably processing what I just said, she looked down. And without making a sound, she slammed the door shut...

(I'm surprised she opened it so fast. Is that a cop thing?)

A few minutes later, the door finally opened again, this time both Kohta and Asami showing up.

"Uhh, g, good morning. Sorry you had to see Asami like that." Asami makes a slight bow as she speaks, Kohta just looked like he was still asleep, while standing upright...

"Don't mention it. Once you and Kohta are set, we are to go to Saya's dad. They have something to say about Miyamoto's father." I respond. Asami nods at me, and turns towards Kohta as I turn to leave.

Saeko was already talking to Takashi outside of their room, Rei next to him with her eyes wide open.

-five minutes later-

We were in front of Shizuka's room. Since the two people inside were the only ones that were still 'missing'.

"You said Saya went to get her?" Takashi asked.

"Yes, but it looks like Shizuka got her instead." I respond.

"Uhh, you want me to knock again?" He asks.

I just shrug...

Takshi nods, and turn towards the door.

"Hey! Shizuka! Saya! Are you alright in there?" He shouts as he knocks loudly on the door.

"Uhh. Noth...Oh wait, the knob is turning..." He then takes a few steps back as he speaks, and the door finally opens...

Saya appearing behind it, holding the door with one hand, slightly hunched over and looking like she was shoved in the same room with a very angry Honeybadger. Shizuka sitting on her bed with her eyes closed and a wide smile.

"A, are you alright?" Asami asks as she keeps staring at Saya.

"I'm never, waking up Shizuka up, ever again..." Saya grumbles as she exits the room, and heads straight towards her room...

-ten minutes later-

We were finally all by the stairs, Shizuka and Saya included...

"Did your father tell you what he found?" And Takashi asked what was everybody propably thinking.

"No, so we better get going." Saya responds as she starts going down the stairs, the rest following behind her shortly after...

(...Uhh feels weird to walk with the whole group again...)

Several minutes later, and without anybody saying a thing, we reached the door to Souichiro's office on the third floor. Saya then knocked on the door before opening it.

Inside, behind a wide desk filled with files and papers, sat Souichiro. His wife standing next to him...

Along with Saeko's father and Rei's mother, both of who were also sitting around the desk...

(...Why is Silver fang here?)

The room itself had a big window to the left, and behind the desk, several tall, metal filing drawers. Some of em half-open.

"You're here." Souichiro lifts his head to glance at us before looking back down at a file in front of him.

"Saya told us you had some new info concerning Rei's father." Takashi responds. Souichiro just nods plainly.

"Yes. Based on what the survivors in the school said. Tadashi and a few more people were to go on a run to find a more steady supply of food for the survivors in the school. By checking a grain storage facility relatively near to the school." Souichiro keeps looking at his papers as he speaks.

"And this is actually good leverage for us. The carrier might have brought equipment and a build-in water purifier. But it also brought a lot of starving survivors, and nothing in terms of food. This was actually the reason they docked here in the first place. Which essentially means that our food supplies are dwindling, fast." He continues.

"Now as I mentioned. That place is relatively near the school. And the school is to the west of here. The grain facility, is supposed to be even further west from the school. And by the general's words. Too far to spare resources for." He adds as he lifts his head to look at us.

"So they won't do anything?!" Rei asks loudly as she leans forward towards Saya's dad.

"No. They will give us a helicopter. But, we will, in turn, have to give them half of whatever resources we find or mark there." Souchiro answers.

"Half? For a chopper? That guy should be renamed to Scalpimus Maximus …." I whisper as I fold my arms.

"Pffft…" And a muffled chortle right next to me.

Glancing to my left I find Saya with her hand over her mouth…

"And. If we find nothing, or the amount of resources outweighs the resources needed to get it. Then he'll use your group for a single operation instead." Shouchiro adds flatly.

"Wait what?!" Saya blurts out at the same time as me.

"A trade, or so to speak." Souichiro responds.

"So the fact I cleared a stinking cinema counts for nothing?" I ask as I fold my arms. Causing Rei's mother to turn towards me.

"Not exactly, it was the reason we managed to get actual rooms instead of getting stuffed into tents like the rest of the refugees." She answers.

(...Oh wooptiti fucking doo. So you get rewarded for my work. And now I might also have to run missions for captain Ntr because of this. Uhh, at least 'some' parts of the team deserve the nice treatment...)

"And now that I think of it, I had yet to thank you for it." She adds as gets off her chair and makes a deep bow.

"Right now I have nothing but my gratitude to offer you. But once I am able, I will return the favor." She continues. I just nod back.

(Uhh, at least her mother does not have her head stuck up her ass.)

"When do we leave?" Khota asks right after.

"As soon as you're ready. Decide who will go and who will stay. The helicopter will have another team in, which means we can send only a team of three. " He adds as he folds his arms.

(Ohh so not only he walks half of our stuff, be he also gives us a helicopter that will be on another missions? The fuck.)

"Also tell us what equipment you will need. Radios, guns, ammo." His wife continues.

"G,guns?..." Khota whispers right after as his eyes go wide…

"Very well." I nod and turn towards Takashi, who also turns towards me after realizing I was looking at him.

"It's your rescue mission. You decide who goes." I add as I fold my arms.

"But what I told you still stands." I continue.

"I understand. And well, I'm going." Takashi nods.

"I want to come along as well." Khoda adds.

"I'm going too. It's my father we're looking for after all." Rei speaks up right after.

"So it'll be us three then." Takashi nods…

(So the team looking for the guy is his daughter, her boyfriend, a guy that does not like to run? Am I the only one seeing how bad of a combination that is?)

"Very well. In that case…." Shouchiro nods, and turns to look at me.

(...And I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this…)

"Naier I would like you to join the team that is going with them." He adds.

(...Aaaaa Blargcopters!…)

"I know you just returned. But this is not going to be hard. You will just stay in the helicopter and act as support fire." He adds.

(...Salvageable blargcopters...)

"The sniper in that group did specifically ask for you. Something about making her life easier on last operation she went with you." He adds…

And as if it was not obvious enough...

"Hummmm. Rika likes snipers…" Shizuka adds while in deep though, finger over her mouth…

(...And now somebody is glaring at me…)

"So I'll just sit and shoot?..." I ask.

"Yes." Shouchiro responds flatly.

"Whaaa…" And with an almost whimpering tone, Khota opens his mouth to stare at me.

"Looks like you volunteered for the wrong job bud." I chuckle as I turn towards Khota. Who just let his shoulders drop with a long sigh.

"Just for future reference. Khota is a better shot than me." I add as I turn to Souchiro.

"You can inform them of that yourself. You will be on the same helicopter after all." Souchiro answers.

(True. But I really don't like the idea of switching places and ending alone with Takashi and Rei. But, Khota is too passive if conflict between them arives, Takashi can end up simping under Rei's pressure. And Rei can go mental if she finds her dad's corpse walking around...)

And as I was about to start another fight with Rei.

"Actually. I think my daughter should stay behind." Rei's mother speaks up.

(Huh, so I'm not the only one that 'does' think that this is a bad idea…)

"What?!" And Rei's eyes go wide.

"Why?! My father is…"

"You father, is my husband. And that's exactly why you will not go." Her mother cuts her off.

"Would you let Takashi join along if you were looking for his lost, stranded mother?" She continues.

(...We're going to have a second showdown now? Also, was that a secret side jab towards Takashi because he let Rei come along?...)

Rei, much to my surprise, just lowers her head…

(Huh, well color me surprised. Guess that's mom power for you.)

And after a few seconds of silence.

"Asami will go in her place…" Asami speaks up.

"Can I ask something in that case?" I add as I turn to the short cop girl.

"Asami, if Khota stays in the heli. Will you still go with Takashi?" I ask.

"Uhh, well. Asami, she…" She turns to look at Khota, then at me, then at Khota again…

"She will do what she needs to." She answers as she turns to me.

"While Asami would prefer to stay by Khota's side, she knows she will be dead weight if she stayed in the helicopter with the others, she is not a very good shot, and never used any bigger gun compared to her standard-issue handgun." She adds.

(...Well, at least she understands.)

"Very well then." I add as I nod.

Shouichiro then turns to his daughter.

"You will head to the comms tower again?" He asks.

"Yes." Saya answers flatly.

"And we will need new microphones." She adds as she glances at me.

"Here, make me a list of what all of you need." Saya's mother leaves a piece of paper and a pen on the desk. Saya nods, walks up to the table, and takes the paper and pen.

"We have some other matters to attend to, so once you're done. Tell your mother via the radio."Souchiro adds as he gets off his chair.

"Alright Papa." Saya nods, turns to glance at me, then starts to walk toward the exit of the room.

(So. Essentially Rika just dumped work on me. Great...)