After Iwasawa's performance, the stadium's fans left easily compared to the previous concerts, chatting about the final song she sang. 'My Song,' the song that caused her to move on from the Afterlife finally. It was to our surprise, and it was a clear violation of the rules we had set prior, but it only helped with our objective. I let it slide. Follow up action has to come after for sure, but I'm not going to do anything. It's just for the sake of getting a report down for the violation. However, it's probably something I'll tear up and burn in the future.

At the end of Operation Tornado, I went ahead and dismissed Girls Dead Monster as usual, though Iwasawa seemed to have a unique and unfamiliar look on her face at the end of the night. Even as she cried on stage and showed emotion in her final song, I saw something of resolve, relief, or relaxation. I couldn't tell which one it was. Personally, I'm not that good at reading people's faces.

What I couldn't particularly stand was how she told me it was a ploy to get them more followers. Iwasawa executing something significant like that? It came from the heart, and naturally, I was worried for her.

Everyone else displayed some sort of worry, but they calmed themselves down to the fact that she didn't disappear. Of course, she wasn't going to disappear. Even now, these guys tend to be idiots.

Iwasawa was very adamant about other people's whereabouts, who we've regained in members, and who we lost. She asked that every so often consecutively as if she was checking up on someone. I appealed to her and always answered her questions, but I only chose to answer her questions every single time to gather information. I wanted to find out what she wanted to find out, and it became painfully apparent, even though she made attempts to hide it, that she was looking for the same man that I was looking for.

Yuzuru Otonashi.

He was different a long time ago. He was kind and who we called a savior and a hero. Then he suffered losses of his own that he couldn't control, most notably his sister. He isolated and shut himself away for fear of pain's return.

Otonashi was the man who had fought angel herself and somehow won, even though we had fought for years stuck in trench warfare. If I never finally realized what that world's real purpose was, I would've thought he sided with her. He did, but he did so because he realized the truth I couldn't see.

I say the word 'man' with great care and with respect. He holds extensive knowledge of many things and is very wise. He defeated me using the sheer power of his brain, and that's something to give props to. Give that man enough information, and he can give you a hundred-page essay on why a single sentence disproves the statement that the data is trying to convey.

Given the circumstances of the Afterlife and how I initially came about, someone could say that I had no choice but to unite those who didn't understand the world we found ourselves in and that Otonashi was only able to find out the real purpose of that world because I laid the foundation for it. I can sort of agree with that. Humans tend to become static when they see that nothing has changed, even when we push our efforts to be different. It's why we've fought a decades-long war that never ended in anything but a stalemate.

Every single one of my plans failed or came in limited success. I never got to stick it to God. When my gut told me that he would change things, I chose to give in to it like I always have done, and he never failed us.

He is a good man. He's the epitome of what wouldn't define a normal human male because his level of care outmatched every single one of them.

That's why he is the most dangerous person out of us all. What would I do to get rid of the dangerous person, you might ask? There's plenty of options. I can quickly kill him. Call him over to my office, pull out my pistol, and pull the trigger. Or send him off to an island in the Pacific. I have the means to do so, but I hold no just reason to do that. He came back to us, and that's all that matters. After seeing him in that state at his sister's funeral, sadness only filled the empty void he had previously filled within me. When he came back to us after months of planning and careful choices and decisions, I wanted to feel happy. I finally got him back. I was delighted. Now, after seeing Iwasawa's performance, that feeling changed.

Was I worried about him? Empathizing with him? I will defeat your expectations.

He scares me.

When you are confronted by a man looking to take your life, who do you fear the most?

The man who has nothing to lose or the man who has something to lose?

Many people say that the man who has nothing to lose is the one to be feared. The boogeyman who had finally lost everything will stop at nothing, tearing the world down AND himself just to complete his objective. He will die but not before destroying everything around him.

I say the opposite.

The man who has something to lose...

Will tear the world down and come out alive, destroying the very things that need to be destroyed. A person who will come out alive requires precision, accuracy, and have a strict code. I gave him our group and the tools to perfect everything that I said before.

That's the kind of person he is—a man with something to lose.

As for what he had to lose...

To be perfectly honest, I have no clue. He has something. I know that much.

When it comes down to us facing impossible odds to which I hope will never happen, I'll prefer that compared to the recklessness and destruction of a man who has nothing to lose.

It's for the best of us and the best of him. When we finally leave this life of ours after the final operation, I'll make sure to take him with me. Maybe all of us will be able to forego this life that I chose for us and get the happily ever after we fought so hard for.

Fuck God. This isn't the way that I wanted us to see each other again.


"Oh boy! I've always wanted to do some sort of podcast! It's so exciting when I get to do things like these, but I feel like I should do this 'cause I wanted to try something new, and there was something that's been bugging me ever since I got home last night."

"Alright. Here we go."

"..."

"Sorry, I'm a bit nervous. I just gotta get into the moment so I can talk. I guess I should start at the beginning and with who I am."

"My name is Kirari Aizawa. I'm a twenty-three-year-old girl who, alongside my friends and family, loves music. Music has been a big part of my life ever since I was a kid, and it's helped me get through tough times. Sounds pretty generic right? Everyone seems to have those 'tough' times, but my struggle was that of your average teenager. I have been fortunate enough not to experience any sort of major traumas or family events."

"As a kid, my mother would always play the guitar whenever it was tough for me. Pretty typical story, and yes, it is pretty dull. Still, the reason why I'm making this blog or podcast is that I couldn't stop thinking about my favorite singer, Masami Iwasawa."

"Basically, my favorite band of all time, in which she is the lead singer, was having a concert. Of course, as one of their fans, I had an obligation to show up. They're always known for hosting some type of 'guerilla performances.' They basically post on their social media about a potential concert within a couple of days."

"It gets pretty annoying if you're a diehard fan, and it does piss off a lot of fans, but they do host some concerts ahead of time, so I'm not going to hold it against them."

"Though the keyword here is 'some.' The tickets always sell hella quickly, though! I was lucky to be browsing their social media page when the post popped up, and I immediately bought a couple of tickets. Surprisingly enough, they allowed us to purchase multiple tickets despite people always wanting to scalp the concerts and sell the tickets at a higher price—those bastards."

"Not my problem."

"On that day of the concert, we arrived way earlier than we expected. Traffic was pretty light, but when I say we arrived earlier, that would be an understatement. We arrived a couple of hours early that the parking lots had no cars in them. At least with that, we were able to secure parking close to our exit. Thank God for that."

"So I just chilled and went on my phone, took a nap, and when the time finally came, we all went up to the entrance, and of course, we had to get our stuff checked. As much as they prioritize safety, most would have problems with the guards as they could be complete assholes sometimes, but they really do make you feel safe. The guards who checked our tickets and scanned our belongings are probably the friendliest people I have ever met, and I usually see the same guard. Some blue-haired guy who never tells me his name even though I was always asked. At least he recognizes me at a glance and lets my friends and me in without being too thorough."

"It really helps to have your connections, but I can't deny that I took a liking to him. If only I got his name."

"Anyway, I side-tracked myself. Since we were the first in line, we were the first ones to enter the stadium, and it's what you would expect—a stage with lights and a place for everyone. The stadium's open areas had room for everyone and my band, Girls Dead Monster, made sure to invite everyone. If you couldn't get a ticket to be there physically, there was always someone they hired to stream the concert, so you don't really miss out. They were kind."

"The concert was filled to the brim with people like us. It was so lovely to see so many people who could get in touch with Iwasawa's music. The first singles released by Girls Dead Monster featured many incredible songs that Iwasawa quote on quote had written before. She said that she was in some mental state where she was in a different place when she wrote those songs, and the other band members backed her up on it."

"I thought their interpretations were more beyond this world, as if they belonged to a completely different place, but how they absorbed information and spout it out to us is quite peculiar. They worded it differently but what they speak of is another world before or after this one we're living in. I'm fairly sure they were talking about the concept of an afterlife."

"It was a comforting thought, but I couldn't imagine such a thing possibly existing. I mean, there were many accounts of religious beings like God and such, supported by witnesses who wrote their experiences down, so I ultimately believe that. However, there was never a person who ever claimed to come from life before or after this one. If there was, wouldn't it just be some sort of endless cycle? That's what I think."

"Anyhow, my favorite band decided to play some of their most popular singles at the very beginning, which was downright weird, but oh my god, did I love it! The song that they first played and the one I think was most impactful happens to be the most popular single, 'Crow Song.' It really, really hypes me up, but each song that Iwasawa sings is another message she wants to tell us. I personally like to think Crow Song is Iwasawa as a crow, choosing to sing her heart out no matter what obstacles she faces. There isn't any time to waste, and even if there were some sort of difficulty to sing her song, she'd find a way to get through it."

"I feel like this can apply to almost anyone in the crowd, and why I think it's viral because each of us faces the battle of life, and no matter what we do, we push through it. We fight towards the future we desire against any circumstances, even the most difficult ones. That sort of thing seems very generic, but I guess the fact that it uses a crow, which is free to do as it pleases, can get in touch with many people who want to be free."

"That sort of thing really is a bit of a downer if you think about it. There's a lot of people who work hard and even break themselves just for the sake of meeting deadlines, and the only outing they could use is the music of the girl who understood them."

"Haha! She's so awesome! She's such a special thing that I would want to protect. Call me a die-hard fan, I guess. The concert itself was fantastic, and we got to hear all the songs, including the ones they released so long ago. However, a lot of fans noticed a couple of things. I think we may be overanalyzing it since songs always have messages, but it seemed like something changed with Iwasawa."

"The songs they started releasing this year followed the same type of style as they usually do, but the lyrics were so vastly different that it was impossible to miss. If you miss such a big critical detail like how the lyrics changed and call yourself a fan, you're probably dumb as a horse. That's what you are—a dumb horse."

"They were love songs."

"The prodigy herself was in love! I gasped when I was first listening to this song because I thought she had a boyfriend or something! She was still single, which I was glad for, but at the same time, NOT happy for either! She needs a guy to take care of her! A proper one rather than just some flukey who is going to use her like a one-and-done doll, or because she's a singer of a trendy girl band. I absolutely dislike guys like that. They're disgusting."

"Whoops. I really should stop doing that, heehee."

"Going back to what I was saying, the two songs they released this year are called 'A Single Flower Petal' and 'Stand By Me.' The latter came first as the concert approached its scheduled time to end but 'Stand By Me' seemed to talk about some guy and some girl going their own separate ways, but eventually, she uses the warmth she knew to find him once again."

"Not gonna lie, buuuuut these songs were really suspicious, and it's frustrating, especially to me, because this is actually a song that I don't understand the message behind. It's a love song, but this song is just like a combination of both breaking up and getting together again, except it seemed like it was the guy's fault, and she wants to go back."

"Then this NEXT ONE. 'A Single Flower Petal.' This one, I was totally pulling my hair out 'cause this was saying SHE WAS ACTUALLY IN LOVE. She thought it was wrong to love, but she didn't want to see it that way. Then somewhere along the way, the relationship got lost, and she wants what they had together to return the way it was before."

"The problem here is that many fans, especially yours, don't understand exactly who she is referring to. Iwasawa never talked about a previous love. Whenever she's out in public, she's usually with the band or friends of hers, but there never was a visible indicator that she was dating anyone. She seemed to focus on herself, her music, and her bandmates, so it would seem impossible for her to seek love if she worked so hard on other things."

"If anything, she would seem like a normal girl who just doesn't have time for relationships."

"So why did she decide to write love songs rather than about herself? I thought she found someone, and she's trying to reach for him through her music or something. I also thought that her entire meaning of existence changed when she found someone. Or maybe this was her trying to show her love for another female?"

"Okay, don't butcher me, please. It's not outside the realm of reality. Some people ship Hisako and Iwasawa, but I don't see how anyone could do that, nor see how that kind of relationship would blossom."

"Then why did she make those songs? Why does a girl, who hasn't experienced love or sought it out for, is now singing about it?"

"I have a pretty plausible theory, and I thought of it ever since Iwasawa cried last night."

"After singing their two new singles and Hisako started to shut down the stadium by thanking us, Iwasawa stopped her. Iwasawa kindly asked us to wait for a second, and she went backstage. I didn't know what was going on, and no one else did either."

"As she walked back towards the front of the stage, she was carrying something in her hands. I've never seen that type of guitar before, one that goes against the rock status of Girls Dead Monster. An acoustic guitar of some kind but one I recognized for some reason. It seemed to be a Yamaha LL6, LS6, or F310. I couldn't tell, virtually, because those types of guitars all looked the same."

"I quiet down because an awful sense of dread came within me when I saw that guitar. No one would perform such a bold move like that and not say anything else unless it was significant to the person. To Iwasawa. And it was."

"She took out some sort of necklace and laid it on her chest for everyone to see. A ring was loosely attached to that necklace, which shined brightly due to the lights that the tech guys turned on, and she took a deep breath. That was when she began singing a song no one has heard before. It wasn't a released single or a secret track that was only heard if you bought their album. It was a legitimate unreleased song that was different in so many ways you can imagine."

"It was just a single voice, a single guitar, and worst of all, it was painful to listen to. Even though Masami Iwasawa was a rocker who was in sync with her bandmates and audience, the tone of the song she sang was one that was lost but finally found a purpose. This lost girl who found a purpose was alone in the end yet kept trying to reach out."

"She was speaking about...actually no. Wait, no, she was talking to someone."

"I couldn't do anything. I was frozen in place as I listened to her sing. What were screaming fans became only her voice. It was surreal and completely unnatural compared to the other concerts I've attended."

"Something stood out to me as she sang, though."

"When the second verse of the song came around, she wasn't looking at the audience. She turned her attention upward as if she was singing to the sky or someone high up. I wanted to see if she was looking at someone, so I turned around, but it was just nothing but darkness. The only thing that I could make out was just a flat layer of the stadium below the ceiling, but there wasn't anyone I could see. I think she was looking at the sky."

"Was she at a loss? Did she lose someone? Was she sad or depressed because she lost something? I don't know, but that's what my theory is."

"The band left the stage, but everyone cheered her on, then it gradually became murmurs. It would be huge news to fans if Iwasawa got herself a boyfriend or even had a boyfriend in the first place. That's what everyone talked about, and it became a trend in social media overnight. Everyone started talking about it, and my theory pretty much lines up with everyone else's. Some views took the idea that she met someone somewhere but can't stop thinking about them."

"I wanted to know what she truly meant, though. She really has become a figure of inspiration for me, so I hope for an opportunity to ask her. Maybe I'll even try my hand at guitar?"

"I seem to be pretty good at it so far."


A couple of days have passed following Otonashi's first operation in conjunction with both Girls Dead Monster and The Guild. Otonashi, who had slowly become accustomed to the everyday life he now has with the battlefront, is now suffering from constant dread. The harsh life he now lives is now under pressure by human attraction and sympathy to pain. It was an odd thing: being in pain because someone else is in pain. He asked himself: Is this what they call love?

The song she sang previously had despair painted all over it, and its unanticipated completion from the Afterlife had only clarified the image of what she thought of him.

Whoever knew of Iwasawa's experience would obviously know who she was referring to. The look that Ooyama gave him was recognition, as a result of her looking up at them as she spoke her desire. As Takamatsu and Ooyama were fans of Girls Dead Monster, and more so Masami Iwasawa herself, they held a special connection and believed in a deeper meaning. That deeper meaning was the understanding of her experiences versus the lyrics that came out of her mouth. They analyzed her as someone who knew her in ways beyond your typical fan who could only see her at a gig or out in public by random chance.

Ooyama never knew why she looked up at them. Why she looked at Otonashi and tried to tell him whatever message she attempted to convey. It seemed easy for others to interpret, but to him, he was unable to understand the definition of the final piece to her song. That last part was undeniable in who it was directed to, but to understand how it came to that point was problematic.

After receiving a text from Yuri, Otonashi returned to the battlefront's underground base beneath the mall late in the night. He had arrived earlier for the daily meeting, but remaining in everyone else's presence was uncomfortable. He was only able to hold short conversations but made attempts to cut them short to return home. He knew she was there whenever something like that occurred, but he deemed making his presence short in the base was to be the best choice for both of them. If she were to make the decision to go up to him and confess whatever feelings she had for him, she could do so easily. Granted, she gets over whatever mental barriers that lay in front of her.

To Otonashi, it wasn't easy for him to reciprocate feelings that he had never properly experienced before. This was an easier decision. Easy for both of them. Then came the hypocrisy. He never got to see her face to face, but she can always catch up to him whenever she wanted.

Then he opened his personal schedule up, allowing what he considers free time. Though, it's what he wanted to tell himself. The conflict that arose within him wanted her to talk to him. To say hi and to bring him off to the side. On the other side of his brain, he didn't want her to come up to him at all. Loneliness was a better alternative, and for times where he is placed under these circumstances, one that no one would ever see themselves in, it was the rational choice. It was also extremely toxic.

Otonashi decided to leave his motorcycle outside, taking his key with him. The uniform was too tedious to put on for what appeared to be a short meeting, so he put on the same black hoodie when he went to the hospital and some jeans. His hood wasn't covering the top of his head, but his hair was a bit roughed up from being buried in his pillow.

As he walked through the underground base, only the sound of his shoes and the very light chatter from a far-away room echoed through the big room. Looking to the left, he spotted the familiar cars parked backward. He slowed his footsteps but eventually continued to Yuri's office.

"Excuse me..." Otonashi said with a relatively quiet voice as he opened the door. The room lights were a bit dim, but Yuri's figure was easy to make out as she typed away on her laptop.

"Oh. Yuzuru. That was rather quick," she noted to him, clicking something on her laptop before closing it and putting it under the desk.

"Yeah. I had nothing to do," he spoke casually. Although he was unaware of it, Yuri's eye twitched at his boring response.

"Then that's quite fortunate. What have you been up to the past couple of days?"

"Other than coming here to train and attend the meetings, nothing else...ma'am."

She visibly recoiled to his response.

"Do you want me to hit you or something?" A sly smile formed on her face as she raised her hand and tightened it, making a fist. It signalled a playful threat to him. "You're older than me, sir."

"Okay, okay." Otonashi raised his hands in defeat, admitting failure to their little banter of an introduction. Hearing her return, his retort was comedic and a throwback to when things were good, but that was no longer the case. However, she did ask a question of a serious nature pertaining to his personal situation. With how she acts, Otonashi always held her words to suspicion.

This girl was always suspicious from the start. He had to experiment and see what specific triggers get her to react and get a detailed response from her. Happiness but still a somewhat somber attitude is what he thinks she expected from him. She was a leader, a perfect one.

"Anyway. I called you this late because I wanted to assign you to an operation we conduct every so often."

"Alright. Will I be partnered up with Ooyama again?" Otonashi asked her, but she shook her head.

"Eheh. That's the thing: We don't actually conduct this specific operation. You're going to be working with members of The Guild, rather than people like Ooyama-kun, Takamatsu-kun, and Hinata-kun."

Otonashi took the opportunity to take a seat on one of the couches in the middle. Still observing him, she lifted herself off her seat and walked over to him, only to be blocked by his legs.

"I'm going to sit beside you, so move your leg."

He looked at her for a brief second before obliging to her command, bringing his leg closer to the couch so she had room to squeeze through. Even to her command, she could've quickly walked around to take her desired place. She sat down beside him, leaning back on the couch and placing her arm on the couch's right armrest. As she settled deeper into the sofa, she began to brief him on his next operation.

"You're going to be providing security in our meeting with one of our biggest clients. The Yakuza." Yuri peered over to watch Otonashi's reaction to her choice of words, but he only stared forward, with only intent to listen to her. She continued.

"Every so often, we reconfirm our deals with them to ensure we're on the same page regarding buying and selling products. They also sometimes make special requests or require certain changes in how we conduct things to make sure our relationship and cooperation stays how it is."

"Scratch my back, and I scratch yours," Otonashi replied dully, to which Yuri nodded slightly.

"Basically."

"What am I supposed to say to these guys? Do you have a list of things to keep track of?"

"Oh, you won't have to do any talking. You'll be providing security. The guy you'll be escorting handles that."

Otonashi thought about her statements and looked at her.

"This seems pretty important. Why isn't any of the Top Brass participating in this operation?"

"It is, but at the same time, it isn't. It's much less significant and less dangerous since we have dealt with them before, so there's really no need to have us out there."

"You want to put me as boots on the ground with actual dangers," Otonashi remarked.

"So you can get used to how we operate," Yuri finished off.

"We're essentially a private military company and less of a criminal organization with the way you put words together, Yuri."

"More or less. Also, I gave thought about what you said before."

There was a bit of a pause before he continued speaking.

"Is that so...?" He listlessly asked her with the intention of analyzing her feedback. However, Yuri herself did not move in any way. She had no visible reaction such as a twitch or a shaking of the hands, further complicating his understanding of her as a person.

"...Have trust in me when I say that I'm looking to get us out of this way of life." The words she spoke felt surface level and flat, almost like they were being read off an autocue in front of a camera.

"Huh. Interesting." Were the only words that came out of his mouth. Contrary to the definition of the words he used, Otonashi was disinterested in her change of heart.

"You don't sound satisfied."

He shook his head.

"I don't think you worry about whether or not I'm satisfied."

"..." She could only remain silent to the accusation.

"Lay down the plan for me. I want to leave." With his statement up against her throat, she had no reason to ponder the basis of it. She understood exactly where he's coming from, and it was all based on her personality. She knew that.

In this supposed calculated move, he kept his eyes forward, not wanting to look her directly in the eye. If she were going to answer the question, she would have to look him in the eyes or sound really convincing, which wouldn't work. Not in real life anyway. It would only have worked if it was the other world, to where he was brainwashed into thinking the easily comprehensible. The only barriers that existed between understanding the truth and believing what Yuri would say were fear and pressure. That fear was the unknown, and that pressure was everyone in the same boat as he was, who fell to such predatory intentions.

They all succumbed to their fears, led only by the courage of one Yuri Nakamura. When it was revealed who Angel was and that Yuri had been leading them on a false leash this entire time, the doubts that arose would've begun an insurrection. Her authority toppled down, and all the people who she fought alongside and fought for had mostly turned their backs.

It was no wonder why he doubted her statement.

And as such, there was a decent chance that whatever she would request of him would have some kind of underlying purpose unknown to him.

"One second."

He could hear her stand up and walk around to her desk, avoiding his physical presence before returning back. In his peripheral vision, he could see her push down a rolled-up large piece of paper.

"All this technology. You have a screen that can electronically display whatever you want it to be, and you have a paper map."

"Pay attention, Otonashi-kun."

Hm. He already took notice that the undesirable attitude is taking effect on her.

Otonashi leaned forward and looked upon the paper map in which was just more or less a satellite version of the area they resided in. A big metropolitan area stood in the center of the map, and a circle marked the battlefront's base. Going down south saw more space in between each building, signifying the industrial zone that Otonashi recalled the Guild's base in. Another circle marked the Guild's general area.

"This is us." Yuri pointed to the circle that was more or less in the center of the map.

"This is where you and a couple of others will go to the meeting point." Using the pencil, she traced a route going north, completely going over the buildings. As she continued to draw the route, her hand sometimes veered off slightly to the left or right. Almost as if her hand was shaking, perhaps due to some pre-existing condition or nervousness.

"The line that I drew will often be random routes going up North. Sometimes it's randomized, and sometimes it's not. As far as we're concerned, law enforcement hasn't gotten on our backs, and I want to keep it like that."

Otonashi placed his hand under his chin, taking in the information that she relayed to him before a thought came to his mind. The thought was something he would rather voice aloud, as concerns regarding his safety were paramount.

"Seems counter-intuitive. Going random routes would just increase your visibility. If someone were watching you, they'd definitely notice what'd you be up to and spend the resources to do so. These random routes from our base would just seem odd, and if they're tracking you, it will increase suspicion."

"Your thoughts are to be commended as they are completely valid, Otonashi-kun," Yuri commented.

"I just want to know that we're safe."

"That's why I said the routes are sometimes randomized. A typical business day would be them just taking the fastest route there. However, in times of events where there is increased police presence in certain districts, or if something is going down either publicly or with us, we can't afford to be stopped along the way."

"And why is that?"

"Everywhere we go, we go armed."

...

No, that makes sense, actually.

"Fair enough."

"The reason why we go arm- Huh?" Yuri cut herself off mid-sentence, unaware that Otonashi had actually understood the why to her previous statement.

"Yeah. Fair enough."

Concealment was a huge factor, of course. Most of the time, that applies to high civilian populations or when there is an overwhelming enemy force. On the other hand, when you're dealing with a large force that could potentially destroy you with the resources they have, one would want to make a statement that they are a legitimate business partner.

And to not fuck with them.

Their meeting point was going to be inside another industrial complex, but this time it was to the north where the population was more sparse, and the surrounding area was more rural. Fewer people means less chance of police showing up, which was good for them.

"Anyways. As I said, you're just providing security. Show up tomorrow at seven o'clock at night."

"Is that it?" Otonashi asked for final confirmation.

"Yeah...You're free to go."

"Well then. Goodnight, Yuri."

"Goodnight, Otonashi-kun."

Yuri rolled up the map as Otonashi stood up, slipping his hands into his pockets and walking out the room. As she placed the map back into its appropriate cabinet, she turned around and looked at Otonashi's back as he took a sharp turn around the final door, disappearing from her sight.

Her head drooped down, and her eyes became glossy. Settling back into her seat, she puts her head down and wraps her arms together, shielding herself from the outside world.


Silence.

That's all there was following his conversation with her. Around this time at night, it was expected that there wouldn't be many activities going on within the base. Some thoughts arose in his mind that he never really gave any power to think about.

What did the battlefront do in this specific location?

Various sections of the base exist. However, despite his familiarity with the group, its people, and how it works, he still doesn't know where to go. For a labyrinth of a base, only about four or five places he's actually visited. With more uncharted territory to be explored, maybe heading home can be held off for a bit to familiarize himself with his surroundings.

I wonder if there's a vending machine down here...

He pondered more, but a physical stimulation knocked him out of his thoughts. He effectively stopped in place, but what stopped him was something unordinary. Unexpected.

A hand, in which that hand belonged to a figure who stared daggers at him. Her back was completely straight, with her posture unfazed. Someone as heavy as Otonashi wouldn't be able to move her an inch from her original position.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings, Otonashi-san," Shiina said.

"You're right. My bad."

"Indeed. You looked straight at me and still walked knowing I was in front of you."

"Was I...?" Otonashi asked rhetorically. To be truthful, his brain wasn't processing the constant flow of images that his eyes provided.

"I must be blind then."

"So it seems."

Otonashi gawked at her. In light of Shiina's new behavior, it was unlikely for her to address someone more casually. The undersocialized, self-proclaimed female ninja was engaged in active conversation for the first time.

He could only ever recall talking to Shiina a handful of times, and all of those conversations never seemed to last more than ten seconds. He reverted his thoughts to exploring the battlefront's base and had secretly hoped someone could show him around. Worst case, his first option was Hinata, but he didn't really want to bother him. While he was comfortable asking Hinata as he's always relied on him, he never wanted to do so continually.

Exploring on his own was another option, too, but Shiina had already been with the battlefront for a reasonable amount of time. There shouldn't be any harm in asking.

Shiina began to walk past Otonashi, merely brushing past him before he placed his hand on her shoulder. It causes her to stop in place.

"Where are you off to?"

"..." Shiina remained silent as she turned her head to look at him. Her eyes paid attention to his hand on her shoulder. Seeing this, Otonashi immediately regretted his action and awaited a fatal punishment, moving his head back in a cowering fashion. One should not place their body parts on another, especially a woman who had the skill to take one's life away.

She didn't seem to have any thoughts in what people may perceive to be a rather bold move.

"Training. Helps me go to sleep when I'm not tired," she stated as a matter of fact.

Well. It's now or never.

With a bit of hesitation, Otonashi opened his mouth.

"Mind if I tag along?" He attempted to ask her nonchalantly to hide his bout of nervousness.

She had turned her head back and continued walking towards her destination, causing his hand to fall. Ahead of Shiina was a hallway with doors on each side and a stairwell that only led them deeper into the lower levels of the battlefront's base. As inches became feet, Otonashi took the signal that she was in no mood to have a person like him following her like a puppy.

"Sorry..." He whispered to himself, to which Shiina was already out of his reach.

She stopped herself and turned around back to Otonashi, her face still lacking any visible emotion from beginning to end of the conversation.

"You coming?"

Her unexpected response was something he could only nod to in surprise before running after her to catch up.

Shiina waited at the stairs and headed down, with Otonashi following close behind.

After a few minutes of walking, Otonashi stopped at a pair of glass doors that led to a room. The sign above the doors was labeled with white letters against a black background.

Training Room. Otonashi internally thought.

While Shiina had said nothing on the way to the training room, it was his fault for not explicitly asking for a tour. Shiina began to fumble around with something in front of her, but Otonashi was unable to view what she was doing due to her body in the way. Shiina moved her head left and right and a bit above her shirt, he could make out little metal balls that formed a necklace. The object that was assumed to be in front of her was still out of sight, but the double doors slid into the wall, indicating that they were granted access.

Shiina put the object linked to her necklace inside her shirt and looked back to Otonashi before stepping in. Following close behind her, he noticed that she was carrying a bag of some sort. Context clues given; it was her gear for training or spare clothes.

Looking around the training room, the sign outside was advertising a half-assed truth. There existed some foundations of training like punching bags, grappling dummies, and two sparring rings on one side. On the other side were a ton of spaced out devices for weight lifting for any body part one could wish. Upon entry into the room, to the right was a break area with chairs and a wide cabinet that had an assortment of opaque plastic jars that were holding supplements such as pre-workout and protein powder.

A bit off to the break area's side was a first aid station, which held a plastic container. Within it held a black messenger bag with a red cross over it, in which its size far surpassed the necessity of first aid. Beside it was another plastic container that had an automated external defibrillator.

Whether it was Yuri's doing or some other person who advocated for medical supplies in different areas, it was to be commended. Even though gear can be carried on one's person in the battlefront's base, there is no such thing as being overprepared, at least for their circumstances. The level of intricacy for someone to save you in a heartbeat is heartwarming and brings an overwhelming sense of calm. It also brings a lingering sense of urgency.

It sure does provide a feeling of safety around them.

Putting his observations aside, his eyes move toward Shiina, who was kneeling down in the wide-open space between the machines closest to them. She sorted through her bag, making sure all the objects she brought with her were accounted for.

Then she stood up and started to take her shirt off; her skin from the waist started revealing itself. Her potentially nude body was probably not appropriate, especially when it seems that anyone can move freely around the base at any time. As such, Otonashi wanted to voice his immediate concerns.

"Shiina." Otonashi's voice made her stop midway through taking her shirt off.

"Hm?"

"Someone could come in."

"No one comes in at this time."

After her confirmation, Otonashi found himself still staring at Shiina, simply waiting for her to do what she would do. Initially, he tagged along to get a tour, but his lack of clear communication skills has put him in a spot where he would get killed. Her skin slowly revealed itself, a porcelain sheen that has a layer of toughness within it. While her skin wasn't one of an underground dweller, it still was noticeably brighter than her colleagues.

The feeling of turning away was great, and just waiting milliseconds increases the perversion factor exponentially. Yet, he could only adore the strong female.

She continues taking off her shirt, and as it passes her breasts, it was revealed that her front lady parts were actually covered by some sort of black wrapping. The wrap went around her entire body, therefore revealing nothing but her shoulders and stomach. Throwing her shirt inside the bag, she lacked any compassion for the inanimate object, leaving it unfolded and probably wrinkled.

He closed his eyes and silently sighed. At least she wasn't some sort of exhibitionist.

"Well?"

Otonashi looked at Shiina, who stared intently in his eyes.

"Is there anything you wanted to do?"

"..." The spider of uneasiness crawled across his back and onto his neck. This wasn't going to end well. Intentions were mistaken, information was incorrect, and context was suddenly crucial.

"I honestly just wanted a tour."

"...I see," Shiina nodded.

"That can wait. Get on the mat."

"Huh?"

Oh fuck.


For a girl who operated mostly by herself, she was willing to incorporate Otonashi into her daily training routine. Depending on what she wanted to work on, she would work out her muscles, focus on technique, concentration, and various moves. According to Shiina, there have been occasions where they were required to take a person alive, thus requiring some restraint.

Otonashi wondered about the times where they weren't required to use some restraint.

The ethical dilemma of operating under the law and what the background was of the mission was complicated. As far as introducing Otonashi back into the fold, not much was told about stuff they had done previously. The little traces he was able to pick up was how powerful his friends became, despite being such a tiny group. The saying goes that looks weren't everything, which was proved by Yuri not too long ago.

Many have wondered where Shiina gets her abilities from. From jumping to high heights to running at insane speeds. The answer to that question is simple. Consistency. Shiina never skipped out on training. Starting from a proper warm-up and stretching to a proper cool down and stretching. Stretching was one thing she emphasized, but the woman herself wasn't much of a talker. Everything went along the lines of being important and a follow-up explanation. As a man of medical knowledge, the vague explanations that were given were all he needed to understand fully.

While he understood, it doesn't mean he followed such procedures to the letter.

Slam!

Otonashi crumpled to the ground after Shiina performed a maneuver in which she wrapped around his body on a certain section. His footing became loose due to her slamming into him with her momentum, and he fell with her on top. She quickly locked him into place, applying all her body weight to keep him on the floor face down. Anytime he tried to move, would she decide to induce pain. In this particular situation, his arm was being outstretched even though it was behind him.

He tapped the floor, indicating he was done and Shiina let go of him the first two taps in. With the pain gone from his arm, he sighed in relief, and the weight on him disappeared. If there were any doubts about her capabilities, they have washed away in the sea of pain he experienced.

"You seem to do pretty well, Otonashi-san."

Otonashi could only breathe heavily and close his eyes in response. He had followed every single thing that Shiina has told him to do, and the copious amount of sweat and aching of his body parts were evidence of that. He was reminded once more of his poor athleticism, and the slight praise from Shiina did nothing to help with his confidence. Two hours have passed, and while he's heard of the ongoing myth that working out too long would be useless, she followed him around, making sure he was doing all the workouts correctly.

Midway through, Otonashi inquired about Shiina's involvement in the operation he was partaking the day after, but she said that she had no clue what he was talking about. As they continued to train, he felt her expectations falter, and it was the same for her. She expected him to fail in all aspects nearly. What was surprising to him was how dedicated she was to make sure he was doing it correctly and spotted him whenever he couldn't do something.

"Move this arm up."

"Raise it a bit higher."

"Hold it. Good."

What was unprecedented was her kindness. She never berated him. Never told him that he was hopeless. Never told him that he was stupid. Saved him every single time he was about to fall apart before her. If he didn't know her, he would have expected her to be some hardcore fitness guru.

And yet, she never took him for anyone lesser than her. That may have been true for some people, but she would ignore most people. Training with Shiina was hell, but he felt good about himself for once. Even if it was the first time working out for him and his muscles screamed bloody murder, he could feel the results of working at maximum efficiency.

Using all the strength he could muster, he rolled himself so he could face upward and put himself in a sitting position with one arm over his bent leg. The mat provided a reasonable comfort level to sit on, but in the heat of immense pain and adrenaline, one could care less about what sat on. He looked to his left and saw Shiina sitting down beside him, with one leg straight and the other bent. While her head faced forward, her eyes were closed as she controlled her breaths.

As she was distracted through her own means, Otonashi analyzed Shiina's figure once more. It has been nearly seven years since he came about, and her origins to him are still a mystery. What was most peculiar was her attitude towards him. Hearing her actions from word of mouth was unbelievable, yet her attitude towards him, despite being quite frank, was that of a friend. She has yet to do anything significant or say anything significant about him.

Her hair shined against the ceiling lights, the blue in her hair became exaggerated. The reflection of her hair moved up and down as she breathed. Her muscles were not huge but were clearly refined. He noticed a line that ran across her tricep that clearly looked like a lengthy cut, but otherwise, the rest of her skin was preserved. As the blood gathered around the cut, gravity forced the blood that pooled outside the wound to drip down. There were a couple of other scratches on her shoulder, but nothing that breached skin.

Even for an injury as small as that, he never liked the sight of a wound untreated. The chance of infection is low, but never zero. Thinking of how important Shiina might be, treated injuries are better than untreated ones. While a cut might seem small, in a hospital setting it is absolutely not a good thing, keeping in touch with potential biohazards and proper protocol.

In all his power, Otonashi took the time to stand up and grunted aloud, causing Shiina to open her eyes and observe him. He walked towards the break area, which held the medical kit, opening the container and putting it on him before walking back to Shiina. As he stood above her, she only looked at him with a blank stare.

"What are you doing?"

"You have a cut on your tricep. I'm treating you."

"That's unnecessary," Shiina shook her head at him.

Otonashi attempted to kneel down, but his muscles couldn't bear the slightest strain, and his knee hit the mat with more force than he was expecting. He opened the messenger bag and was greeted with organized chaos. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she instinctively recoiled. However, he slightly pulled her toward him and checked the small wound.

"Just stay still, you fool," he ordered her.

As Otonashi dug around the kit to find antiseptic, he could hear an odd sound come from Shiina. It was too sudden to hear properly, but a reaction to his statement before was one of surprise. Either way, it was nice to hear her address him in a different tone. One where they weren't in any danger or one where she disregarded him. As he continued to dig around, Otonashi was having trouble looking for antiseptic and was getting pissed off. Seeing his frustration, Shiina pointed to a pouch that was outside the main bag.

Upon opening it, a couple of ziplock bags showed various topical treatments, including antiseptic. Looking carefully at the packaging, he verified that the antiseptic wasn't one that burned, wasn't tampered with, and wasn't expired. Gloves weren't needed for a wound this small. Grabbing small gauze pads, he wiped away the blood and tore open the antiseptic before applying it. The bandaid of the right size was found, and he carefully applied it, making sure to cover the entire wound with the pad.

Picking up all of his trash, he picked up the medical bag and walked back over to its storage with great difficulty, and returned back to Shiina empty-handed.

"You don't have to give me a tour today."

Silence followed for a few seconds before she spoke with a heavy sigh.

"If that's what you want." Shiina quickly stood up and headed over to her bag and before grabbing and putting on her shirt. She looked back to Otonashi, and Otonashi looked back at her, wondering if she had something to say. Her typical stoic expression was retained, but there was a subtle change that was difficult to notice at first glance. It was quite easy to determine what kind of look Shiina gives as it is often disappointment or disgust. This time, it was undecipherable.

Shiina turned away, but Otonashi's voice rang out, intent on looking at her one more time.

"Shiina." She turned around quickly.

"What?"

Nothing.

"Thank you."

She nodded at him and exited the training room, the doors closed shut, leaving him in solitude.


The soreness didn't hurt as bad as it did. Normally the soreness would begin to set in around two days after the intense workout, but only mild tiredness followed. Getting his gear on took a bit, but nonetheless, he arrived a few minutes before the scheduled time in his vest, belt, backpack, and firearms. A locker was desperately needed to store his other things, and while driving back and forth was nice, it no longer seemed like a practical option. The work was just about to start, and he was in no shape to disappoint or fail with the circumstances at hand.

Yuri's office had the door wide open, and he could see a total of four people inside, with Yuri herself blocked by the rest of them surrounding her table. He knocks on the wall beside the door to announce his presence.

"Excuse me." Moving his rifle to his dominant hand, he stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. His first eye contact was with Yuri, who looked at him before resuming the work she was doing on her laptop. The three figures turned around to view Otonashi, and he gave a small wave to them.

"Good drive, Otonashi-san?" Yuri asked out loud.

"It was alright."

The only female of the trio took the initiative and walked toward him with her hand stuck out. She had shoulder-length bobbed brown hair and light brown/honey eyes. To Otonashi, it was odd enough that all of these unknown people seemed to have some sort of unique feature that made them unique.

"I'm Akiyama Satsuki. Nice to meet you," she introduced herself. Her voice had an affectionate tone, and her smile was bright like a child's ignorance. Wanting to return her welcoming personality, Otonashi smiled back at her and took his hand in hers.

"Yuzuru Otonashi. Pleased to meet you." Otonashi let go of her hand but she took a step forward, entering his personal bubble as she observed his facial features. A smirk formed on her face as he wanted to provide some distance but couldn't find the courage to. It made him a bit uncomfortable as he carefully watched her, unsure of what her intentions are.

"You're kind of cute."

...

"Akiyama...Another time?" One of the other two figures spoke out, taking the opportunity to step forward and push her away from him. Otonashi felt relief as he stuck his hand out.

"Furukawa Genji. Sorry about her. She should remember she has a boyfriend." Otonashi could feel gruff in his voice, and the extra emphasis in the word made him look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Tch!" She looked away with crossed arms.

"Nice to meet you too." Otonashi shook Genji's stretched hand and turned to the final member.

"And you are?"

"Tsujihara Takashi. Glad to have you with us." Takashi had a 'cool' feeling about him. He spoke his words with grace and had a reassuring attitude.

"Appreciate it."

"We're in a sticky situation..." Otonashi could hear Akiyama mumble silently but ignored it.

"Glad you all introduced yourselves. Let's cut to the chase. Once again, this is Yuzuru Otonashi..."

"He's the one who found out the purpose of the Afterlife. The one with the opposing ideals and the same one who gave the speech to us."

...

"So that was you then? You just keep getting more and more interesting," the female spoke, walking towards Otonashi with unknown intent once more before she got placed into a chokehold by her teammate.

"Infidelity. Is. Not. Allowed." With every word that Takashi spoke, he only decreased the distance between his elbow and his own neck, causing the flirty female to choke out loud as she struggled to let him go. In an attempt to get him off her, she made three attempts to elbow him around the abs, with the last attempt finally able to make contact. A firm impact followed, and he loosened his grip around her enough to make her slip through the millisecond opening. She turned around and pushed him away from her.

Otonashi chuckled at the banter and fighting. Differences aside, it felt right at home.

"No, it's alright. Really," he reassured Takashi, waving his available hand up and down to emphasize that he was tolerable.

"I'm not looking for anything right now."

"Are you all done having fun?" Yuri quickly cut in after Otonashi's sentence, seemingly annoyed by the events that unfolded before her. She leaned back into her chair and folded her arms. Anything the trio was doing was stopped, and they assumed standard postures, although one particular female was pouting silently after exiting her fighting stance.

"Either way. You already know the sich. Otonashi, come to my side for a second. Gotta show you something." Yuri motioned for Otonashi to come over, and he walked around, firearm still in hand. Yuri turned the laptop towards her right side, where Otonashi leaned forward to analyze what was on the screen. It was a digital map, which indicated the route that they were going to take. Using her trackpad, Yuri zoomed into the specific location where the meetup was taking place, and various markers were placed in what seemed to be strategic positions.

Two dots were beside the entrance to which the route was drawn, and the remainder of the dots were placed around the site, with two being in square or rectangular shapes. Yuri's cursor went over one of the dots at the entrance, and his name popped up in a little text box.

"This is you. You basically make sure anyone that comes through stays away. However, protocol follows first. You radio in the possible threat, and then you deal with it."

"Sorry, 'deal with it'?"

"Tell them to leave the area. If they're acting shady, drop them. We've done many dealings with the Yakuza that we know what to expect of them and vice versa."

"Got it."

"Alright. If there aren't any more questions, disband!"

Otonashi and the others left Yuri's office, with the medic walking behind everyone else as they chatted among themselves. For Yuri to give an introduction to him, one wouldn't want to appear as a show-off of any kind. Otonashi understood the problem of stepping on their toes and their way of doing things. He refused to disrupt their peace and livelihood to get to know them.

Once again, he reverted to the already tried and true method of silence, and it worked out most of the time. If they feel willing to accept him, he'd instead let them go up to him and initiate a conversation, despite already doing introductions.

It was exactly how he expected it to go, as they continued to talk to each other without bothering him. They boarded their vehicle, and Otonashi waited till everyone sat inside to find his appropriate place in the battlefront's primary vehicle. Taking his position on the passenger's seat behind the driver, he took off his medical pack and placed it on the middle seat while setting his rifle on the floor, pointing downwards. Verifying his weapon was on safe, he leaned back into the chair, leaving the seatbelt provided for him by the manufacturer alone.

The vehicle was on the move, and after a few minutes of maneuvering through the base to the elevator, he found himself looking out the window. The city lights and bustling human activity pierced through the tinted window. In this forbidden utopia, various human sights were seen, significant others were together, workers returned home, or a couple of guys were looking for a place to drink. All sorts of activities that any typical person would do appeared for a split second as the vehicle drove with calm urgency through the city streets.

"So, tough guy. You know about this business?" Takashi broke the silence; his attention still focused on the road. On occasion, he checked his rear-view mirror to get a sight picture of what was behind him, which included a glimpse of Otonashi's face.

"Mm. Only what I need to know."

"Oi oi, 'tough guy'?" Akiyama stood up a bit from her seat, clearly dissatisfied with Takashi's way with words.

"You're giving Otonashi a nickname, and you JUST met the guy," Akiyama pointed out.

"I just want to ensure he won't fuck anything up."

"He won't. You need to chill out." Genji threw his two cents at Takashi. His firm attitude and the rebuttals from his teammates made it clear he was the leader of this team. As Otonashi held his opinions away from everyone, he could sympathize with him. He frankly didn't care what anyone called him, and since his position was made quite clear, he could take the pressure off the guy.

"It's okay. This is just proof that he cares," Otonashi looked towards the rebellious two with a smile. Akiyama sat back into her seat properly, clearing her throat as Genji stared forward with his arms crossed.

Otonashi's eyes looked into the rear-view mirror and could quickly tell that the driver was looking at him. A slight nod came from Takashi, and Otonashi immediately knew that he garnered the respect of him in just a few moments they engaged with each other.

"You're a nice guy, Otonashi-san. Don't take what he says to heart; he's just a hard-ass sometimes. Like you said yourself, he cares," Akiyama lifted her finger, then her expression turned to slight animosity as that finger retracted itself. Then her hand curled into a fist.

"He just doesn't know how to say it sometimes." Her voice was clearly strained. It didn't take a mathematician to know that the flaws in the group stem from authoritarian leadership. However, there still existed that calm over everyone's head. It was hard to understand, but Otonashi had a feeling that they trusted each other deeply. A question arose whether or not their unique personalities are the reason this team stays together as if they are the well-lubricated cogs of a machine.

As they are cogs of a machine, it would beg the question of their backgrounds. What led up to them going to the afterlife, and how everything has changed now. In movies, they would be quite similar to a person watching the main storyline flow by or a side character that gets easily discarded as the story dictates. Or it could be a sort of video game, where they just spawn in and exist only for the moment before they disappear due to the player's screen turning in a different direction.

It only dawned upon him how important these people could be. They weren't just mere NPCs that you pass by on the street. Everyone has lived their own lives, and everything about them formed what they are today: their values, their beliefs, their hearts, their families.

In the final meeting with the battlefront, he went over how the afterlife was not a place to defy God or to keep holding regrets. He only caused doubts in their minds with what he learned then.

As the drive went on, Genji took out a suppressor and handed it to Otonashi. Not asking why, he screwed the suppressor onto his rifle and placed it back down. The buildings started to get replaced by nature's greenery and sparse signs of civilization. The occasional lights from the house off into the distance began to turn off in preparation for the cold night, and civilization felt farther away. Unknown to most people, people with nefarious intentions, high off their mind, or organized crime prowl the night.

Otonashi and his team were one of those who lurked under cover of darkness and blended in with everyday society at day, ready to respond to those that pose a threat to them with deadly force.

It really is a shame that it has come to this.

The vehicle slowed down, and another vehicle pulled in front of them, with Takashi following behind them. The vehicles have no reason to converge and roll in a convoy this late except for one reason.

The speeds of both vehicles increased, and for such a slight buildup of events, Otonashi could feel his heartbeat raise. Adrenaline was a bitch, and his brain defined a faster vehicle speed as a potentially dangerous situation that required his full attention. Although the true reason was less than a mile away.

As the objective came close, Otonashi slipped on his helmet, clipping it in place. Tapping the helmet to ensure it wouldn't move, he quickly attached the night vision goggle, moving it in front of his right eye and turning it on. Contrary to movies and video games, there is no high-pitched sound that occurs when you turn it on. It's just a click, and the ambient light is amplified through its technology.

One thing he recalled from Ayane was how night vision worked. It doesn't just work right out of the box. Even if you're in a dark place, there has to be some source of light, no matter how minor. If it's pitch black with no moonlight, covered by clouds, and no other sources of light, you're just as blind as a person without night vision.

With the entrance approaching fast, Takashi told his team to get ready as he still followed behind the front vehicle.

Both vehicles pulled up to the entrance, and the order was given to get out. His rifle already in his hand, he kept his hand on the grip with the finger off the trigger as he opened the door. Rushing out, his hand went back onto the angled foregrip on his firearm and peered through the iron sights. However, the image was blurred, so he quickly moved to a hip view.

His heartbeat rose significantly as he rapidly looked in every direction, making sure to clear the immediate areas of any potential threats before yelling out that it was clear. The front vehicle's occupants got back in their own vehicle and drove into the compound, while Takashi got back in as the rest of his team assumed their positions.

Akiyama took her place parallel to Otonashi just a few feet away, all according to the map. Closing the door using his back, he felt the vehicle he was just in begin to pull away as Takashi did a U-turn to have the vehicle face outward.

"Otonashi, this is Furukawa. Radio check."

Otonashi quickly pulled out his radio from his pouch using his non-grip hand and transmitted his response back to Genji.

"Furukawa, this is Otonashi. Loud and clear." Otonashi put his radio back into its pouch before continuing to scan the area. He could hear Furukawa continue to do radio checks with the rest of his team, but Otonashi was unaware of where he physically was.

"We really need to get you an earpiece or something," Akiyama commented aloud.

"I'm still freaking out about what I should be looking for..."

"Anything that moves. Don't worry. I'm with you on that one. Just to let you know, the Yakuza pull up in two black sedans. You're a bit higher than me, so you should see them first."

"Where are they coming from?"

"The road. You really are quite nervous, aren't you?"

"You can say that again," Otonashi agreed with her question.

"Hah! That's so cute!"

"..."

A few minutes pass by, and he continues to observe his surroundings. Surrounding the complex that they were guarding were various hills and industrial-like buildings of various heights, with the city lights in full view amongst the horizon. As the bright lights added to the light pollution, the sky around the city was of higher brightness than the immediate areas surrounding him. If he had the time, a picture would have been nice to take.

Keeping his rifle at a low ready position, the road itself gradually became brighter as a pair of headlights get into view, enhanced by the green tint the night vision provided. Then another pair of headlights came behind the first one.

"Akiyama-sama! Two vehicles just appeared on the road!"

"It's them. Right on time." Her voice was low as if to bring in a serious tone to her words.

"Furukawa, this is Akiyama. They've arrived, over."

"Akiyama, this is Furukawa, understood. Wave them through and look non-threatening as much as possible. Out."

"Non-threatening? What does that mean?"

"Finger off the trigger and keep your gun down. Let me wave them through," she declared to Otonashi, who had no choice but to abide by her orders. His position was below everyone, but the fact that some of the most obvious reiterations were said gradually made him more worried.

Looking to his left behind Akiyama, the car they came in had the headlights turned off and was clear of the entrance with Takashi still in the driver seat. One hand appeared on the steering wheel while the other was down as if he was holding something but had to keep it out of view.

The vehicles approached, and with the brightness exponentially getting higher, Otonashi couldn't help but put his hand in front of the night vision in order to mitigate the amount of light coming through. The two vehicles drew close and ultimately passed him at high speed, with Akiyama motioning her hand to move on through. The darkness came back to claim the complex with the exception of the inside, and Otonashi couldn't help but look at Akiyama, who just nodded at him.

"Good job Otonashi-san. Though, 'sama' is a bit too much, don'tcha think?"

"I don't expect them to take any more than ten minutes."

"In circumstances like these, however, it's best to stay on alert."

Akiyama turned to him, her cap firm on her head as she looked into Otonashi's soul. She ran toward him in a threatening manner, despite her firearm not being pointed at him directly. Her non-dominant hand left her rifle, and she pulled Otonashi by his shirt collar, bringing him close to her as much as she wanted. Her physical strength was underestimated, and with her being so small with a powerful display, he was the one who felt intimidated.

"But I can spend at least a couple of seconds not paying attention."

He had never felt so small in a world he was beginning to understand. In the face of possible death or a beatdown, his true value was put to the test.

"I wanted to apologize for Takashi. When he doubted your words regarding the afterlife and called bullshit, he wasn't thinking straight. A lot of us weren't. After we put a huge amount of trust in you when the shadows came, the lives we began to live now were simply because you were correct."

As she poured her words into him, Takashi could only sit in his car and watch the duo.

"When we go back to base, you need to realize what you may have set in motion."

"This is Furukawa. They're leaving. Get prepped to leave. Out."

That calm demeanor everyone had was now gone and replaced with uneasiness. What seemed to be a bipolar change of attitudes from Akiyama only arose confusion from Otonashi, as he looked down on her with no understanding. The vagueness from her was out of a manga or anime. No one was ever straight forward with their thoughts or feelings, and it only seemed like it would be a plot device to keep the reader in suspension.

"Otonashi-san, we put our trust in you for a second, and you led us out of an eternal hell."

"I'm asking you if we can put our full trust in you again. This route you're taking us on...It's too good to be true and carries risk on all of us."

"...What do you mean?" He could only utter the most basic question out to her.

"Yuri told me about an operation. She dubs it the final one, and you're the sole reason why she's doing it."

"Did she say that?"

"No, but it's pretty fucking obvious who caused her to start it. For some reason, she can't seem to get through her thick mind for how long we've been dealing with these guys. Look at your watch. Check what time it is."

Otonashi took his hand off the grip of his firearm and used his other eye that wasn't looking through the night vision goggle. He brought the watch up close to his face, careful to avoid Akiyama's, to discover that only three minutes have passed.

"You're smart. I know that much. Can you make a deduction on why such a small amount of time passed? I can give you a minute if you'd like."

...

"Never mind then. That look on your face tells me you already know, and it hasn't even been ten seconds!"

The Yakuza's black sedans passed by once again at high speed, leaving from where they came from. Simultaneously, Akiyama let go of Otonashi's collar.

"Was there a point on putting on the nice girl act then?" Otonashi asked quietly.

"To show you how serious I am about what's at stake. You're still pretty cute, though, so I found being close to you to be quite the rollercoaster of emotions for me."

The image of an all-perfect team was shattered, and Otonashi was left questioning everything he's experienced thus far. The true intentions of the people around him were not known, and he felt that the antagonist of this story was nobody but him. He knew exactly why she seemed upset, though, with barely anyone around, there wasn't anyone to support her. The situation begs to ask if Akiyama was acting on her own accord, but it was clear she did it out of concern.

"Is that a lie, Akiyama?"

"Yeah. It is."