The silence was harsh.
The narrowed eyes were even more harsh.
Kakizaki and Nasu had told him about this kind of stare, but he had thought he would be able to handle it when the time came.
And when it did...
I wasn't ready at all...
Takeshi lifted his scarf as his eyes moved towards the ground.
It had been five minutes since this person began staring at him with such intensity. It had not wavered in the slightest and it only served to make him feel more uncomfortable.
But that did not seem to matter to the one giving him such a harsh stare.
"Hey, look up. I want to get a good look at you. Don't hide behind the scarf."
But you have been looking at me for five minutes now... Should I ask someone for help?
But if it would be a bother over something trivial then what would be the point in doing so? It was best to deal with this here instead of going to someone else.
"..."
Taking a look at the one in front of him, Takeshi could note the familiar uniform he wore. It was the same one as the red haired girl who had come into their operating room earlier in the day. She had been looking for Toby, but left as soon as she realized that he was no there.
She had not seemed bothered by that so he had thought nothing of it until now.
Now that there was someone with the same uniform as her standing before him, he had no idea what to do.
So he remained silent.
"I said look up. If you keep hiding then-"
"I always end up coming around at a troublesome time when it comes to you. Takeshi."
.
Akashi Ichiya groaned on the inside as a new voice come towards him and the boy in front of him.
He had been trying to get a good look at the boy to make sure he was the one he was looking for, but he had kept tucking into his scarf, making it hard to tell if it was him. He had been able to hold back his anger on the matter, but now it had just gotten worse.
The footsteps came close to the two, making both him and the boy here turn to see who had spoken up.
"As long as you don't try anything like last time, I might as well step in. Only because I don't like how this guy is."
"We have only met a few times. Don't go saying something like that when we hardly know each other."
"I know enough that it's no problem for me to dislike you."
The glasses boy moved to stand in between him and the boy, glasses reflecting the glare of the light above them.
The two stared each other down for a moment before...
"What did you want?"
The boy had spoken up for the first time.
"Wagner-san, you don't-"
"I'm doing this because I don't like this guy."
The glasses boy glared over his shoulder, making the boy shrink back a bit.
Akashi heard himself click his tongue before he registered it.
"Protect him or go against him. Pick one."
"I am still deciding on what to do."
"Then why did you get in my way?"
"I don't want to say it a third time."
In a way, it was amazing that they had yet to do anything rash. Neither one could hold back the disdain for the other, yet both of them contained it well enough that they did not move.
It was only when the boy moved out a bit did they move themselves. Both turned to look directly at him. Even if he tried to hide behind his scarf, they could still see what he was like.
That was more than enough.
"Hey, you."
"At least learn his name."
"Kotowari."
"So you knew his name."
The glasses boy was promptly ignored in favor of looking more directly at the other one.
He was the one who mattered here.
"Why are you still firing from a distance?"
.
Lukas raised a brow at Akashi's question.
It was a simple enough question, nothing particularly strange about it.
But...
What does he mean by it?
Takeshi had always been a Shooter who liked to keep his distance. It was his way of making sure he would not need to guard against counterattacks. It had been even more important for Takeshi to do so given how different the Laser-Shooter Trigger was compared to other Triggers.
Asking him why he continued to fire from a distance only brought caution and worry with it. Especially when it came from an A-Rank Shooter who was known for his strange and eccentric ways.
"What...exactly do you mean by that?"
"You know what I mean. ...Is what I want to say. But now that I get a better look at you, you really are just a kid, aren't you?"
"I'm only-"
"Not what I meant. Jeez. I didn't think this would be the case when I came looking for you."
Even if he didn't want to admit it, or to agree with Akashi, Lukas knew just how much of a kid Takeshi had become. It was clear in the way he held himself and spoke.
Moving the scarf to hide himself did nothing to help either.
This was completely different from what he had seen in the hallways before with Kakizaki.
Deciding that it was fine enough to at least pull out his phone, Lukas began messaging while paying attention to the two with him.
Grumpy Cat: "Can someone remind me of who has been helping Takeshi lately?"
Viper: "That would be me. Along with that, there is also Kakizaki-san, Kuma-chan (to an extent), and Maya-chan. And his own squad, of course."
Zaki: "Why? Is there something you want to say about it?"
He became a bit defensive there.
It was strange when he considered the fact that Kakizaki was the other person in the hallway during that time. The only other person who knew exactly what happened.
Grumpy Cat: "Not really. I was just wondering."
Zaki: "Er... Right. Sorry about that."
Viper: "Don't blame him too much, okay? We have been getting asked why we are helping Kotowari-kun and getting some pretty bad comments about it. We are normally ignoring them, but it gets annoying really fast."
Grumpy Cat: "I can imagine."
There were just those kinds of people around.
While I have my own thoughts on the matter, I wouldn't go so far as to question them about their choices or criticize them for it. If they want to help him, they are free to do so.
It seemed like they were getting somewhere, so he had even less complaints about the matter.
Viper: "Are you with him right now?"
Grumpy Cat: "I am."
Viper: "How is he?"
Lukas halted for a moment.
He looked down at the boy to see that he had yet to answer Akashi's question. In turn, Akashi waited for the answer to his question.
Lukas took a moment to properly look at Takeshi for the first time since the hallway incident.
Since that time he had commentated on one of Kotowari Squad's matches. He had been with Yoneya and Karasuma at the time, but both of them seemed to have unspoken words for him that he had yet to properly understand. During that entire match he had been focused on commentating that he had not been able to get a proper view of Takeshi.
His movements and patterns were similar to how he had been from the start, but there had been something different about him.
There was no one particular thing that Lukas could point out, but there was simply a feeling of difference in everything Takeshi had done. From the way he attacked to the way he moved around the battlefield; all of it felt similar, yet very different.
And now that he could properly see Takeshi, he could see the difference up close.
He was prepared to answer Nasu's question, but stopped for a moment.
Takeshi had begun to answer.
He wanted to hear what he had to say.
"I'm a distance Shooter, so...I just keep that up."
"But you're not."
"Huh?"
It was interesting to see how even Takeshi did not understand. But Lukas continued to remain quite for now.
"The way you move and the way you attack isn't like a distance Shooter at all. I won't say you're like me or Asuka, but you aren't a distance Shooter. Mid-range, maybe, but not a distance one. If you were, you really wouldn't ever meet your opponent's face-to-face and would not be keeping away from your own teammates so much."
"But against Ninomiya-san..."
"That guy is on another level than you, so getting in close is one of the worst things. You and Misaki were fine enough with your defenses against him. But against everyone else, you were right there to face them."
That was true. The two distance fighters of Kotowari Squad had been close enough to see Ninomiya's face the entire time they had been fighting him.
"Besides, it would even your squad out."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," he began with a wave of his hand. "I heard Asuka say some things about your Attacker. Looks like he'll be adding something new to his arsenal. Since that's the case, the rest of you need to make sure you don't fall behind. Your squad works on the rule of equality, doesn't it? So letting him get a mile ahead of you wouldn't really be fair, would it?"
Lukas hid behind the glare of his glasses at those words.
He hit the nail on the head.
Looking over, he saw the way Takeshi curled in on himself a bit a she looked down, hand already moving his scarf.
So what will you do, Takeshi? How much better have you gotten since then?
This would be where he showed himself now.
.
How far behind am I? he thought. It had been on his mind for some time now, but the full impact of them only hit once Akashi had brought it up.
I am the furthest behind. Senpai has always been at her peak while Hoshi is moving at a steady pace. As for the mutt...
He curled in more into himself.
He has always been able to grow at a crazy rate.
Toby was an opposite of Takeshi. Their general feeling, their personalities, their energy, their positions. Wants, needs, abilities, living styles, friends. All of it was different and the polar opposite of the other.
So while he remained where he was as a Shooter, the other boy had gone ahead of him again.
This is the second time in just a few weeks.
I thought it would be fine if I learned how to properly use Hoshi's prototype Triggers and how to better use the Laser-Shooter, but the former is more of a showing for Hoshi while the latter is something that should have already been done. So I'm still behind Toby, who has already started using Kiyome and is now learning something else.
I really am pathetic, aren't I? Huh. Yeah. That's probably why Musashi-
"Takeshi."
Takeshi blinked for the first time in a minute. He looked up at who had called him.
Lukas had spoken up, but refused to look back at him. From beyond him, Akashi seemed fed up with something, but did not speak about it.
"You're zoning out in the middle of a conversation. Just answer him and be done with it."
"Right... My bad."
Takeshi tilted his head as he continued to look at Lukas.
Huh? I just realized that he still has his back turned to me.
It could have been viewed as Lukas simply not wanting to look at him, but that was not the case. They had been friends before, or at least something like it, so Takeshi knew that Lukas would not simply look away if he did not want to see someone.
He would have walked away.
The fact he was only facing away from Takeshi, with no guard up, meant that he did not want to ignore him. If anything, it felt more like he was trying to see if Takeshi would do anything like from before he had spoken with Yuki.
So that's how it is.
He smiled into his scarf, but only thanked Lukas in his mind.
Letting out a breath, he moved his scarf from his mouth and faced Akashi proper.
He could not give his answer.
.
"Akashi-san, can you please show me how to change form being a distance Shooter?"
Takehsi gave a deep bow as he spoke from next to Lukas.
"Oh? So you decided to ask me before I got the chance to offer. Smart. I was going to only offer a one time thing though, so I won't be your mentor or anything. I don't have time for stuff like that."
Demon Child: "Yeah, because you're an idiot who got behind and now needs to come up with something quickly for your booth. Nice going, idiot."
Artist: "Hitomi, it's going a bit overboard to call him an idiot twice."
Life: "Yeah, at least go with moron or stupid one time. It's insulting to us x3 idiots when you do that. It means he's that much closer to reaching us."
Mi-Kon: "Jinsei, you are the only one who is higher than x1 when it comes to being an idiot. By the way, that 'x1' means 'multiplying by 1'. Well, it's not like we expect you to know even that sort of math."
Life: "You really wanted to take that hit, didn't you! Dammit! Next time I'll come up with a good one that even you can't retort to!"
Demon Child: "Doesn't that mean you're a bad entertainer since you don't want a tsukkomi?"
Life: "Damn it all!"
"Those people really need to be watched over."
"They won't learn no matter what."
It was a bit concerning how Akashi waved them off as if it was normal.
"Should we be worried about this...?"
"I would say so. But Minoru-nii seems fine with them most of the time."
"Should we be worried about him...?"
"...I'll make sure to let the others know."
Takeshi and Lukas nodded in synch as they typed something on their phones.
Once done with that, they both looked to Akashi as if nothing was wrong and spoke in unison.
"Please continue, x2 idiot. Before those terrible people show up themselves."
"You two are really trying to rile me up here..."
Letting out a breath through gritted teeth, Akashi spoke up. His voice held something in it that the other two could not figure out.
"Alright, so it's going to be that one lesson. After that, you're on your own. You deal with you stuff at that point and don't come to me for anything involving that afterwards. Got it?"
"You really are a terrible person too..."
"Hah!?"
"Thank you for this opportunity."
"Tch. Smart. Guess you need to be smartass when you have teammate like those people."
Neither Takeshi nor Lukas spoke up in the defense of the other Kotowari Squad members.
They understood that those people were indeed strange ones that were only a few levels under the group of cannibals that Akashi was a part of. It was only fair that Akashi say that about them.
But even so, they were quick to notice that those harsh words held no malice in them. They were simply words from someone who sounded like he was reading from a scrip.
So with that cleared up, Takeshi nodded to both Akashi and Lukas.
"Thank you both for you time. I'm going to be going now."
"...Right."
"We're the ones who came to you. Don't thank us."
Chisato compared the two things she was seeing.
On the right was her phone, Musashi was dancing and making strange noises.
On her left side, the Combatants of Ikoma Squad were have a conversation about something she would rather not think about.
They both had their issues. But...
...This is not good.
With Hosoi out for the time being, she would likely be the one dragged into the conversation on her left. They had probably decided she would be the starting point to get sidetracked in a number of strange ways.
But that felt like a present matter rather than something nostalgic. So by Border's rules...
...My present is in danger if I let them say weird things about me.
Nothing Musashi said and none of the strange noises he made mattered since she had left there. But Border's aggressive word was a current threat.
She needed to end that conversation properly.
"Can you four shut up now."
Chisato thought about the Ikoma Squad members.
"Waiting for Hosoi would be better. I will readily tear all of you a new one, but I have to go easy or else Tatsuhito there will want something weird for dinner again. Lastly, Satoshi deals with strange people already, so Musashi would only add to his nerves."
Mizukami Satoshi was in a strange position.
With his own squad, he could get mixed in just fine using their normal antics. But when it came to others who were not Ikoma Squad or his age group he would act slightly different. It had been something she noticed right away as the daughter of the Shiraishi family.
...I guess Border's strangeness is something most people are too used to seeing.
Chisato was no exception, so she was not going to find fault with Satoshi's behavior. But...
"You guys are pretty fond of Kotowari Squad, aren't you? I'm trying to deal with an idiot wanting to get involved with their captain."
This would be a time for her to deal with something anyone would find annoying, but she was a fighter and she was no familiar with Shiraishi's current situation.
Since she knew she could not speak about this via combat...
"Musashi, stop being a x3 idiot and make up your mind. ...Why are you holding out from coming over to see your little brother?"
Musashi pondered it.
...Oh, what's this? Yes, what is this about?
The situation concerning himself and Takeshi was a strange one. The other employees working for Shiraishi knew that he had a brother, but that was all. It was only the Shiraishi family's main members that knew anything beyond that. That included Chisato.
Also, this exchange was being viewed by the rest of the Shiraishi family due to their daughter being a part of it, so this would not be kept as a secret for him.
With that in mind, the topic at hand was his hesitation to go see his younger brother.
...It's not so easy for people like us.
After this, they needed to talk about what would be happening with Border, the sponsors, and finally what comes after that.
Why would it matter what the situation was with him and his younger brother?
If they could solve this problem, it would clear him mind from the issue. That was the purpose of this discussion.
But, thought Musashi. How is this kind of thing any different from the show those sister put on before Border's representatives showed up?
Chisato had to have an idea here.
In that case, thought Musashi while sticking a finger in his ear to reduce his energy level.
A high energy level was only really useful for combat and harassment.
A low energy level was the correct choice for simply talking.
"Now, then..."
He lowered his shoulders in something of a disheartened mood.
"I'll go over the basics."
He held up a single finger and began.
"I don't want to just show up right away since he might think he's right again. He first needs to understand how wrong he is."
This really is just how things are, isn't it?
Takeshi could feel himself start curling back in. His scarf was placed around his mouth and neck, hiding half of his face away from the world.
But that was not what he was focusing on at the moment.
No, what had his attention was the information coming through to him via Border's chat.
Shinoda: "That is our list of who we would like to go look at the underground section of Mikado City."
Takeshi was able to see his name in that list. Underneath his name were the names of two of his teammates.
They decided to leave Hoshi out. Is that because of Yuki-san or someone else? Then there's also...
Mei's name was nowhere to be seen on the list.
The girl had been missing as their Operator for a while now, but none of them had any complaints about it. They understood that there was something going on with her at the moment and decided to give her some space.
Kōgetsu: "Can't you just send Jin and Mei down there to check things out? They'll probably have everything figured out in no time."
Inu: "Mei-san is going to be busy, so she can't go. Actually, me and Oshiro also can't go because of the same reason. Oh, and Kushikage-san too."
Black Wolf: "There are so many worrying things in that..."
Shinoda: "It is like Inukai said: she can't go because she will be busy. As for Jin, there is another issue that came up concerning him.. Everyone else will be going for a more in-depth search."
Kōgetsu: "Fine, fine, I get it. But then why not have Senzai go? And what's with Ikoma going?"
Ortlinde: "Tatsuhito's going because I'm going. Deal with it, complaining #1."
Iko: "Chisato, ya need to have more tact with these guys. He's just complainin' because we get to look like badasses while he's stuck here with a thumb up his ass."
Takeshi was quick to notice things around him start to pick up at that message.
Whispers began forming around him.
"Tachikawa-san has his thumb up his ass?"
"Tachikawa-san likes playing with a thumb up his ass?"
"Tachikawa-san is an ass who likes thumbs?"
"No, you idiot! He likes shoving things up his ass while sucking his thumb!"
It was really worrying how these conversations seemed all too normal for him at this point.
He looked back to the screen in front of him, already knowing that the game of telephone going on would only get worse as it spread.
Sōya: "What's this I hear about Tachikawa shoving his ass until he's full and asking for thumbs to suck on?"
That went pretty fast.
Kōgetsu: "Dammit! See what you did!? See!? Now I need to explain myself here!"
Sōya: "Don't worry, we all already know just how bad you can be. Just make sure to do that stuff in private. We don't want to see you doing any of that kinky stuff."
Iko: "And shave off that hair on your chin."
Kōgetsu: "That doesn't have anything to do with this, you ass!"
Was this what is was like to be an Attacker? It would have made sense once he looked over his squad's own Attacker.
He allowed a small smile at the thought. Some humor only for him to know about.
I guess there's no reason for me to reject this. Everyone who is going seems to be fine with going, so there's that.
Looking over the list once more, he noticed one name in particular. It was a strange one to see since there were no other names on the list that went along with it.
Amatori Chika.
The name of Tamakoma-2's Sniper was on the list, but there had been no complaints about it being there. There were not even any complaints about it being there.
He found it strange enough to want to speak up, but...
That isn't really something I can do. I have no place to say anything about Amatori when I haven't gone to see Tamakoma is some time.
"I wonder if I'm even allowed to go there at this point."
Karasuma had been the only one he really knew, but it was likely that he wanted some distance from the way Takeshi had been.
They had all heard the commentary he had given during one of Kotowari Squad's matches, but that had likely been him being professional about it. There had been other squads to talk about, so he had been evening things out.
"I guess that's just how it is. I am a bit worried for Amatori though. At least from what I heard concerning her."
"That's nice of you to be worried."
The sudden voice from behind had caused him to jump and turn in his seat.
Standing directly behind him was a pair of glasses wearing a plain-looking boy.
Wait, it should be the other way around. Um, either way, I should speak up. Right?
"Hello, Mikumo-san."
.
For his part, Mikumo raised a brow at the greeting. It felt strange to hear himself be addressed like that from the boy sitting in front of him.
It had been awhile since they had spoken, no fault to either one of them. Both had been busy with their own problems. The only difference was...
The rumors going around Kotowari are pretty harsh.
His were not so open.
Karasuma-senpai told me to not listen too much to what was happening, so that's what I did. Then there was that time with Jin-san and Tsukiko-senpai. But that didn't have anything to do with Kotowari.
Jin had said some things about Tsukiko when they had met up with him, but he felt as if those words were also meant for the boy in front of him and his squad.
The proof was what he had heard before coming over.
Nodding to Kotowari's greeting was followed up by gesturing towards the seat across from him.
His fellow Shooter seemed to not mind as he took the spot, only lifting his scarf a bit more to hide his face.
"Sorry, I overheard you talking to yourself. But thank you for worrying about Chika like that."
"I just figured that you all already some things going on. Having her go without any of you might be an issue...for her."
"Yes," he nodded. There had been worries about it the first time it had been brought up, but that had been cleared up.
"The Yagura Branch's director's nephew was supposed to go instead, but an issue came up with him."
"He is...very shy around others. It makes sense why Akasora-sensei wouldn't want him to go."
"Besides that, we were told that it was also because of Chika's Side Effects and trion level. In case of an emergency, she would be better suited to that than him."
"Still, to not have at least Kuga go is a bit much. There will be other people there, yes, but I would figure that you all would want to go with her."
"Jin-san is going to be there, so there isn't too much to worry about."
"...But he can only go so far. They had just spoken about that. So depending on how far Amatori can go, that might not matter."
"Well then...do you know how far you can go?"
Mikumo watched patiently as Kotowari curled in on himself, but also seemed to be thinking. His eyes would drift away before moving back up to him. The process repeated itself a few more times before he opened his mouth again.
He shook his head before he spoke.
"We haven't been told yet. That may come later in the day though, now that we have the list of people who will be going."
"In that case... Can I ask you to watch over her for as long as you can?"
"..."
It was a bit concerning how Kotowari managed to lower himself again.
Is he trying to escape without actually moving away.
If so, what was he trying to escape from?
His request was important to him, but he would be fine if it was rejected. There would be nothing more to it than that. So it made no sense as to why Kotowari was trying to escape from that question alone.
"It's fine if-"
"...Are you sure you want me to watch out for her?"
"Hm?"
"I am a bad choice for that kind of thing. I would want to help, but someone else would probably be better than me. Sorry..."
"How are you a bad choice? I would think you would be fine, all things considered."
It was like watching a child think over a reasoning. There were no sounds, but the expressions he could see were ones like someone who thought he would get in trouble.
Even his answer was one that seemed rather childish.
"I am bad with people...?"
The fact it had been a question was no missed. But there was also no point in bringing that up.
Instead of continuing down this line, Mikumo decided to change his words.
"Can you keep track of her then? You will be with your squad, right? Misaki-senpai likes Chika, so you can just tell her if something comes up that others might not notice."
"I...can do that."
He nodded his thanks.
.
With that settled, Takeshi waited. He waited for something to happen.
In particular, he waited for Mikumo to leave.
There was nothing else to talk about and nothing else he wanted from him. That meant there was no reason for him to stay seated next to him.
But...
"..."
"Hm."
Nothing happened.
Mikumo did not get up and Takeshi did not seem him move like he would be doing so any time soon.
"Um..."
"Yes?"
"Do you...need anything else?'
"I was waiting to see if you were thinking."
"...Why?"
"Because we haven't really spoken to each other since the enlistment day Kuga and Chika were a part of. I have watched some of the logs of your matches and thought we could talk about some things."
There was a small silence over the two while the rest of the world continued on. The noise from others around them could still be heard, but they had said nothing after that.
The silence only ended as the sound of shuffling clothes were heard.
Takeshi had lifted himself a bit from his seat, scarf now held in a loose grip.
This was strange.
"You do...know how I was...right? During the first two rounds."
"I do. But that was the first two rounds. I saw the ones after those, so I didn't really get a good look at those. But I was told that those were not that important, so I decided not to look at them."
"I...saw your fourth and fifth round. At least in the logs."
"So you saw how things turned out for us then."
Takeshi gave a nod.
Mikumo returned it with a nod of his own.
They had both seen the matches that involved them understanding how to be better. In Takeshi's case, he had seen what had been the cause of that as well.
"I have a question."
Takeshi reacted to the statement by tilting his head. Warning him about the question must have been Mikumo's way of assuring him that it would be something he could answer and should be prepared for.
And it was.
"What exactly is your Trigger?"
"Um... Which one?"
"Your Shooter one," he said, pushing up his glasses a bit. "I talk with Taiyōko-san, so I know about the prototype Triggers. But your Shooter Trigger is different from that stuff, and different from the rest of the Triggers. If it's a customized one, then I want to ask how you got it if you are a B-Rank."
"My Trigger... It was one made when Yuki-san noticed how bad I am with regular Triggers. I don't have the physical capabilities to be an Attacker, and both Gunner and Sniper are out for their own reasons. So Shooter was really the only fit for me. But, um, I'm pretty lousy when it comes to it. My aim is off, I can't really support anyone, and I tend to be impatient when it comes to finding my opponents. ...Oh, and, uh, I just learned that I'm actually terrible at distance shooting. So... There are a lot of reasons why I need it."
"I see..."
The next moment of silence was a painful one for the two of them.
This time it was broken by a cough from Mikumo.
"So then what does the Trigger do? I get the basics, but..."
"Oh, right. Uh, it's pretty much as you see. I fire those beams to attack. For the time being, there is only Asteroid and Meteora. It's pretty much a gas guzzling Trigger though. It takes a good amount of trion that keeps draining the more it's in use. I don't have too much trion, so I need to pace myself. The, uh, more important part to it is the fact it's a continuously firing Trigger. It's mean to put pressure on someone and tear through defenses."
"So anyone with a low amount of tiron would effectively be unable to use it."
"Did you...want to try it?"
Mikumo shook his head this time.
They both knew that going to the training rooms would mean unlimited amount of trion to try and use the Trigger. Mikumo had turned it down though, too comfortable to move from his spot.
Takeshi must have caught on to this as he also made no move to stand up.
"Now that I have answered your question... Can I ask one of my own?"
"Of course."
Fixing his scarf a bit, Takeshi lowered his head while making sure his words come out.
"How do you...make friends?"
Ortlinde: "What do you mean it'll be awkward because he has no friends?"
Musashi groaned as he threw his upper body onto his desk. Paperwork had been all he could do in the day so far while also messaging Chisato. Anything else would have required high amounts of energy that left him little room to properly message.
You don't get it.
Musashi: "Takeshi is actually incapable of making friends! He's too awkward and social activities are the worst for him. That also means there isn't someone to point out when he's wrong, so he might have built up a feeling of being right inside of himself. That makes it harder for me to go up to him."
Ortlinde: "Now you just sound like an asshole. ...Oh, Tatsuhito says to watch out when saying stuff like that. Apparently the fox that went to Kurosaki will gut you if he hears that you're talking about one of his kids like that."
Are you showing off this message to him!? What the hell!?
Before he could respond to her, a new message appeared.
What now?
Ortlinde: "Satoshi just told me that there's also a girl who will punch you across the city for talking like that about her kid. I guess this girl and the fox are his parents, or something."
"How!? I'm his brother! I know who his parents actually are! Tell me who they're talking about so I can give them a talking to, dammit! And stop showing this conversation to other people!"
His words came as text, his microphone picking it up and sending it in an instant.
Ortlinde: "I'm with Ikoma Squad and they're looking over my shoulder. I don't care enough to push them away, and now they're too invested in this conversation. Kai's saying that you don't know how scary those two parents can be. Kōji's just giving a look of pity. Guess you really don't know what you're messing with."
Musashi: "I deal with your family every day, don't I? And you, when you were here."
Ortlinde: "True. But Border is a special kind of crazy."
Musashi jumped at the messages of complaints from the other two Shiraishi daughters. They had been sent in rapid succession that he had no time to really look them over. The more terrifying ones came from the parents, both of which made sure to give him even more work to do.
He gave another groan while pushing his body farther onto the desk.
He had only meant to explain the issues with his brother, but it turned into more work for him. Even worse, he now had a target on him by one of Border's B-Rank squads and two scary people.
I guess this just comes with being Takeshi's brother. He causes trouble even when he's no directly involved.
Mikumo stared blankly at the scarf boy in front of him.
The question he had been asked sounded simple enough, but that might have been why it was so off.
What does he mean? Don't most people know how to make friends?
There was an important word that he caught himself using.
Most.
If Kotowari was not part of that then it meant he did not know how to do it. But that also felt wrong once he considered everything he knew about the boy.
"Uh, are you saying that you don't have friends?"
Instead of a verbal response, he only nodded into his scarf.
"What about your squad? You are friends with them, aren't you?"
"They are...different. I would not call them 'friends'. I guess they are more...than that."
He could understand that.
Even if they were a part of the same squad, it did not mean they were friends. Kotowari Squad in particular had it in a better way since they all cared a great amount for each other.
Calling them friends might have been too light.
"Then what about Kakizaki-san and Nasu-senpai? I heard that they were helping you out. Can't they be considered friends?"
"Well, they, um, I think of them more as mentors than anything. ...Does that count?"
No, he didn't think that did.
He liked to think he was friends with Karasuma, but there was also the feeling of a pure mentor-pupil relationship between the two of them. It was different from how he viewed his relationship with Kuga and Chika.
That was likely how Kotowari felt about those two and anyone who helped him out at the moment.
Since that was the case...
"I would consider us friends..."
That was what was needed.
The way Kotowari's head shot up at his words had been rather pleasing to see.
Is it really that much of a shock to him?
His scarf was no longer held to his face and his face was now fully visible. Compared to how he had been before, this certainly was a different reaction to anything he would have thought from the scarf boy.
"...Why?"
"Hm... We seemed to get along well enough during enlistment day. You also stayed to watch my fight against Kazama-san and helped me during the invasion."
"I was...just fighting the Neighbor. ...I wouldn't really- Calling that help would be-..."
This was far different than the first time he had met Kotowari. At first it was easy to tell that he did not care much for most things and thought rather highly of himself.
Now...
He seems like a shy child now. What happened from then to now?
Then it hit him.
The disbandment.
He had heard the things said once the former Tsukiko Squad had disbanded. The logs from the first few B-Rank War matches also proved that the disbandment may have been a bad idea on the former captain's part.
But it was very different now.
Now the newly formed Kotowari Squad was working as good, if not better, as before.
They had a new squad member and took back their position in the top tier of B-Ranks.
They were one of the squads that Mikumo was rather worried to go against.
Although he was not afraid in the slightest.
Reining his thoughts back in, Mikumo started thinking about what to say to this new shy child Kotowari.
What could I really say to him at this point? Change the topic? No, no, no. He already did that, somewhat, so it might seem like I'm copying him. Besides, I don't think I could do that so smoothly with him.
Letting out a small hum, Mikumo nodded his head a bit before turning back to Kotowari.
"Well, regardless, I consider you a friend."
"Huh?"
Mikumo felt an odd sense of pride at seeing that his comment was enough to surprise his fellow Shooter. Although it also gave him a bit of pity for the boy to be so shocked.
"Then...that means I have my first friend."
A noise soon followed.
Mikumo could hear a noise come from himself upon hearing that.
He doesn't understand-... Wait, he really doesn't? The way he's curling into his scarf, but has a smile on his face!
He felt himself try to gather his thoughts more than panic. There was no reason to panic when he had just made Kotowari happy by simply stating something simple.
Kotowari must not have meant for him to hear that as he quickly straightened himself and looked him directly in the eye. This had been different from how he was just a moment ago, but it must have been his way of showing that they were close in his eyes now too.
"Mikumo, can I ask you to do something. As, um, uh, a, uh, friend?"
It was hard to deny when there was a small glint in his eyes.
"Sure. What do you need?"
"Can you teach me how to make friends?"
Ortlinde: "Oh, there's something going around the Border chat. Apparently your brother has made a friend."
Musashi jumped from his seat at the message coming through.
He reread the message another three times before spinning in his spot before throwing himself over his desk.
"Hey, Musashi is going crazy again."
"Should we tell Boss about this?"
"Nah. I think those sisters are coming over to smack him around. We can just leave it to them when they get here."
"Yeah, he's being kind of a real Musashi right now."
He ignored the words flying around him to focus back on the message he had gotten.
There was nothing in it that made sense.
Musashi: "What do you mean he made a friend! He can't make friends!"
Ortlinde: "Why now?"
Musashi: "Because he's physically incapable of doing so!"
Ortlinde: "Are you sure you don't just want him to stick to you again?"
That was a possibility, but he refused to acknowledge it. He would always look out for his ever wrong brother, but that was because he would only be causing trouble for others. That meant it was up to him to make sure his brother did not cause trouble for others.
If he had friends then it meant there would be other people who could fill that role.
Then again, I haven't gone to see him for four years, so...
Ortlinde: "You know, you're kind of a terrible person."
What?
He had not time to respond, and that was likely what Chisato was going for.
Ortlinde: "Everything you are saying about this is acting against itself. You don't want to go to him since he doesn't have friends, but then you get pissed that he has made a friend. You say you need to stop him from causing others trouble, but you're causing him trouble by not even going to see him. You're being possessive while also trying to keep your distance. My sisters can be bad at times, but we all understand each other."
She was speaking, not as a Border agent but, as a younger sister of three. There would be no one else here who could understand what it felt like to be viewed in such a light then her.
In a way, she could also see it from his perspective as someone who had watched over Ruri like an older sister.
She is in the perfect position to tell me off here.
Just like a battle, she was tearing into him and not giving him a chance to counter without taking an extra swipe at him.
Knowing that, he lowered his energy even more and moved back to sit at his desk.
Musashi: "I really am a mess when it comes to my brother, aren't I?"
Ortlinde: "You're giving yourself too much credit as a worker."
She really never stopped attacking.
Being with Border likely did not help anything either.
I should really take a break, he thought with a sigh.
He had already been able to get some information on his brother, such as where he lived and where he went to school. There would be a lot of time where he could go over and talk with him.
But for now...
Musashi: "I guess I'll let him live his life a bit more."
It was the second time that Mikumo could only stare at the scarf boy in front of him.
He had answered the second question with a simple nod of his head, not knowing what else to do. It was another simple question that seemed to have too much to it.
He had just agreed to teaching Kotowari how to make friends.
I know how to have friends, but teaching someone how to make them is a bit much.
There was a very big difference between the two things.
But Kotowari had not seen it that way.
Instead, he looked to him with a small glint in his eyes.
"Thank you very much, Shishō."
"Shishō!?"
"Yes," he nodded. "I should be addressing you properly since you are helping me."
"Then I guess...that means I should answer your initial question then."
He knew that there would be no changing Kotowari's mind. That was something he had learned already: the current Kotowari Squad were too stubborn when it came to the trivial things.
So he instead focused on something else.
Kotowari had already declared him his mentor and friend, so he needed to respond in kind.
"I guess this will count as the first lesson in making friends then."
The quick nod and forward leaning body were enough for him to not regret his choice.
But how is this kind of thing any different from his relationship with the ones helping him?
That would be a question for another time.
For now...
"To answer your initial question: that's also how you make friends. You're kind to them and show you care about them. Even having some sort of back-and-forth, like you do with Awdry, is a sign of friendship. Actual arguments are also something that happens from time-to-time, but as long as neither of you let it hang around for too long then you're fine."
"I see. So it's fine to argue a bit..."
Mikumo raised an eyebrow.
Something had started to happen as Kotowari nodded his head. His words and expression showed that he understood what was being said, but there was something else happening.
Green orbs began to form around his head.
.
Unbeknownst to both Shooters, the surrounding area was filled with noise. Voices overlapping and footsteps moving across the floor. A good amount of them belong to C-Rank members of Border, but there were two noticeable people among all the white of the C-Rank clothing. It was a familiar deep blue that was worn by a yellow haired boy and a black haired boy.
They seemed like outsiders from the way were looking around with curiosity, neither one bothering to actually ask about what was going on.
There was no need to as the voices continue to go through the air.
"Does that guy know who he is sitting with?"
"Isn't he the captain of the Tamakoma squad? The one that's been gaining some traction lately?"
"Should we warn him? That guy just made some trion orbs."
"Is he planning on firing!? That's super dangerous! Those things can destroy a lot of stuff!"
"Maybe we could just..."
Some of the surrounding C-Rank agents had begun to move over. They had walked away from the large group talking to each other.
The two boys in blue watched as the C-Ranks moved towards a table a few feet away.
Looking to see who was sitting there, they noticed two distinct uniforms that also stood out in the sea of white.
The first was a lighter blue and a pair of glasses. They had both fought against him in a previous B-Rank War match and would be fighting him again in their coming match. Other than that, they thought nothing of him.
Then they got to the other boy.
The gray outfit he wore was not the defining feature on him. That would have been his scarf. To follow up with that, his gray hair also stood out when compared to everything around him, but blended in all too well with his outfit. They could see black peaking out from his roots, but thought nothing of it. Then there had been the three green orbs floating around his head.
Those were the things the C-Ranks had been talking about.
"Didn't he take out his own teammate with those?"
"Those things destroyed so many buildings, didn't they?"
"He just creates those things without a care? We should probably tell someone about them."
The ones talking were the ones still part of the group hanging behind.
The ones moving forward were trying to remain quiet as they slowly moved forward.
Both boys in blue noticed that one in particular had brought out a Scorpion blade.
So they moved.
.
"Hey, Kotowari! Great timing! Do you know where Toby is!? I want to have a match with him!"
The loud noise of something hitting the floor had startled both Shooters as the voice came from nowhere.
Takeshi was the first to respond by moving farther away in his seat. His hand quickly reaching for his scarf.
The three green trion orbs moving around his head popped out of existence, as if they were never there to begin with. Those around him looked in the direction they had been, all noticing that he had not seemed to notice they had been there to begin with.
"Um, no. I don't know where he is... Sorry, Koarai-san."
"No problem! No problem!"
Koarai waved him off as he held his foot down on the back of a C-Rank agent.
Takeshi looked down at the C-Rank agents, Mikumo following his gaze. The two of them stared at the C-Rank before slowly lifting their gaze to look at the smiling Koarai.
Noticing their looks, he turned down to see the body he was still stepping on. Without a word, he lifted his foot to let the C-Rank get up. He patted the boy's shoulders a few times while also apologizing for having stepped on him. His smile never faded, but it did seem to carry a bit more to it.
"Sorry about that! I just got excited to see Kotowari for a moment there."
"Right..."
"Oh, but I guess I should say this. ...If you've got something to say to someone, make sure you say it right to their faces! Gooooot it~? Don't try to do anything again."
There was some tension in the air as Koarai patted him once more. It was strange to have that kind of feeling when it came to the energetic boy, but neither Shooter said anything once they saw Okudera nod from over his teammate's shoulder.
They had both missed something here, but could not ask.
With a final pat on the back, Koarai send the C-Rank off.
Immediately after, he took a seat in the booth. Right next to Takeshi.
Sighing at his teammate's antics, Okudera decided to move towards the open seat next to Mikumo. He gave a quick look to the boy, getting a nod in response.
"I can message him, if you want."
"It's fine! I'll just do that myself. Was just curious if you knew, being his teammate and all."
.
Koala: "Heeeeeeeeey! Toby!"
Lobo: "I'm not making you any karaage, Koala."
"He read you like a book."
"Shut up, Okudera!"
Takeshi and Mikumo looked to each other for a moment before being waved off by Okudera.
Koala: "Fine, fine. I get it. How about a solo match then?"
Lobo: "Can't. I'm busy trying something out with Asuka and Kōchō."
"Wait! What is this!? That's just cheating!"
"Oh, good to know she's making friends like that and not just hanging around her brother."
"You shut up, Okudera!"
Takeshi and Mikumo turned their heads away from the fuming Koarai. They were waved off by Okudera.
Koala: "Now we really need to have a talk, Toby! I won't stand for this!"
Lobo: "We can do that later. I want to get this down before our next match. Deal with it until then."
Koala: "No! This is-"
There seems to be an issue occurring this this chat. Please refrain from starting a fight here. Thank you very much.
Du-Sis: "Wooooooow~ My creepy brother really made something like that."
Umi: "If you're going to call me creepy, please do it to my face."
Du-Sis: "Ew. Stop being creepy."
.
Koarai fell onto the table, arms stretched out in despair.
"I can't win against her creepy brother... This sucks..."
"I can ask her to come over. She usually doesn't mind when I ask."
"Shut up, Okudera! You're just a blind idiot! You don't even realize it!"
"What are you talking about now?"
"Shut up!"
"Stop telling me to shut up!"
A loud noise rang out as Koarai's head was karate chopped back onto the table.
Between the arguing teammates, Takeshi and Mikumo looked uncertain on what to do. The conversation they had just read had been short, but there seemed to be things in it that they would not be able to understand under normal context.
"So, um..."
"Right! I won't let this get me doooooown!" Koarai had jumped back up, causing both Shooters to jump as well. "I'll just take my mind off of it with something else!"
"Mikumo-kun and my squad will be fighting each other in the next round. what about you, Kotowari?"
"Don't just ignore me!"
"Some troublesome squads."
"You too!?"
Koarai fell onto the table once more.
.
Takeshi felt like he should feel bad for Koarai, but the way Okudera waved him off meant that it was probably fine to do the same. He had been too similar to Toby for him to not just go with the flow and mess with him.
He halted for a moment at the thought.
Does that mean he is a friend?
But they had not spoken much and only just know really communicated outside of simple words. The same went for Okudera, but he was much calmer than his teammate, so there would be little back-and-forth for him.
He turned to his mentor to see what he had to on the matter.
The only thing he got was a slight shrug.
They might have been thinking of different things, but he did not want to ruin the atmosphere with his question.
But the question Okudera had asked was something he knew he could quickly get into.
After all...
They really are troublesome squads...
He had gotten the news on which squads his own would be fighting in their next match.
They were not great, to say the least.
"Our next opponents are Yuba, Ikoma, and Hikigane. Yuba Squad being the second time this season."
"Oh... Yeah, that sounds pretty tough. Then again, it's not like we have an easy time either. Besides Mikumo-kun's squad, we also have to fight Kageura Squad and Suzunari-1."
"That means it will be our second time fighting all those squads in this season."
"I will be...rotting for you, Shishō."
"Shishō? Are you mentoring him, Mikumo-kun?"
"Uh, in a way, yes."
"Aw man! does that mean you won't be rooting for us, Kotowari?"
The way Koarai spread himself in his direction was a bit concerning, but he put that off for now. His attention had gone to the question instead.
He thought there would be no reason for him to be on Azuma Squad's side when his mentor was on the opposing side. The Attacker seemed to think otherwise.
"It's just that...Shishō is my...friend. I should be there for him...right?"
That was what friends did for each other, if he remembered correctly.
"Does that mean we aren't friends?"
"Huh? Were we friends?"
"Heh. Nice. You just got rejected twice, Koarai."
"Shut up, Okudera! You jerk! Come on, Kotowari! I thought we were at least buds since you joined!"
They had joined at different times, so that made no sense.
He thought back to that time, but nothing particular came up. Everything had been rather simple at those times. Everything up until he had met Yuki were rather unmemorable.
Wait, did I..?
"I think...I might have decided to not remember the time I joined Border."
Both Azuma Squad Attackers and his mentor turned to him at those words.
It was hard to think about, but the more he thought about it, the more he came to a realization about himself.
"I thought nothing was important, at the time. I must have just not tried to remember anything during that time..."
The same thing happened with Mitsuteru. He had not remembered ever meeting the boy, but apparently he had. And he had left a terrible first impression as well.
"See what you did, idiot! Don't listen to him, Kotowari. You only have a fight or two at the time. I wouldn't remember him either if that was the case."
"You're being really harsh today, you know that!"
Was this those small arguments his mentor had talked about? Or was this just a back-and-forth, similar to what he had with Toby.
The area smells different, thought Chisato.
The Forbidden Zone was in between Mikado City's inner area and Border.
The Border squad she was with seemed familiar with the area, so the younger Attacker spoke from atop a roof.
"The place over there is pretty open! ...Oh, and I'm not talking about Mario-senpai!"
Mario: "I-I feel like we had this exact conversation last time you were there!"
They all still had plenty of energy.
They cheerfully did their search and thought about what was for lunch. Chisato was working with Ikoma Squad for the day's defense duty to better familiarize herself with the area.
It was a simple task. They only needed to be prepared for any Gates opening nearby while making sure no one crossed over from the city into the Forbidden Zone. So they had to move around the area, check around, and clear the area when needed. It was apparently the same every time, but...
...There's so much to learn.
For example...
"I see Border gives free reins in how you go about this sort of thing. Only chiming in or correcting when it's really needed. Everything else is left up to the Operator."
That showed just how flexible Border's design was, but it also showed that there was more to things than what they seemed.
Mizukami Satoshi nodded while moving alongside her.
"If it's just normal duty, the tops don't ever have a reason to get involved, so it's just left to us instead. Since you're learnin' here we had Iko-san get kicked out so Mario could be connected to your Trigger and update ya on anything that comes up. Also means we can talk crap about him without him ever knowin'."
That had seemed to be the thing for her today.
Chisato had been speaking with one of her family's workers behind the back of that worker's brother. If she spoke about Tatsuhito behind his back, it would be the second hit she gave today.
...But this one matters less since Tatsuhito won't get bad about it or overuse his energy. It's way better to deal with him than it is Musashi.
Something about her thoughts amused her.
...I've really started to side with Border, haven't I?
She had not even been here a full month yet, but the fact that she worked here made her aware this was a nice place.
The base in particular made it feel different from a trip or a job.
The equipment, spacing, and general structure were all different from her own home. It had all seemed strange at first, but once she grasped their purpose and how they worked, she had quickly grown accustomed to them. After all, to understand those things was to understand her new life.
She did wonder if this was a form of brainwashing, but she appreciated that the people around her were just the right amount of crazy.
That allowed her to believe it was all natural and just the way of things, not anything calculated.
And there was of course no reason to hold onto that doubt when she lived with someone who was undoubtedly a complete idiot.
"What is it, Chisato?" asked Satoshi.
But Chisato was unsure what the question meant.
"What is what?"
"Hm. Your face is red," said Kōji from the other side. He had been up above to maintain a higher position as a Sniper so that he would not be surprised. "Iko-san complimented your outfit earlier, didn't he?"
"It's a real shame. I was hoping for a new outfit after coming to Border."
It was a pain how the boy said "oh my" with a bitter smile. Chisato had her own work to do.
Those various issues with the idiot Attacker would continue as long as they lived together. She had no right to find fault here. What mattered was that they made preparations for life and then lived that life. So...
"You lot are definitely better than that lunatic Musashi. Is that bad?"
"Eh. Probably. But the difference is that we know what kinda crap we're doing. That guy is naturally a lunatic. But with the way things are here, you should be fine enough to just go along with things and still come out pretty fine."
Mario: "Don't think too much 'bout it, Chisa-chan. The info is supposed to be managed by us, but things've been happenin' a lot recently. Feel free to just ignore the rest."
"I am glad to hear all that."
This was more than just fighting. With that in mind, Chisato reached a certain conclusion from the ground.
Similarly, Satoshi stuck his hand to his ear a few feet away.
They looked up at each other.
"That guy finally came to a conclusion. ...Satoshi, pay attention. There will be someone pretty damn annoying in the audience for your next match."
"Anyways..." Okudera sighed as he flicked Koarai away with a finger. "Are you doing fine, Kotowari?"
"What do you mean?"
He exchanged a glance with his teammate, but otherwise said nothing. The look from the Tamakoma-2 captain was enough to tell them that the Kotowari Squad captain really had no clue as to what they were talking about.
"Awdry has told us that some things were going on with you. In all honesty, a lot of the Attackers have heard it."
"The Attackers... So not even the Shooters."
"Well, we don't know much about that... Do you know anything, Mikumo-kun?"
"I don't particular stay near any Shooters. The most interaction I have with them is through Border's chat. They had added me into their own at some point."
"I see. That makes sense, I guess." It really didn't, but he would not say anything about it. Especially when one of those Shooters was the one they were talking to right now.
Actually, that makes this two Shooters we're talking too. The fact that Koarai hasn't said anything about this yet is actually something. Wait, what is he even doing?
Looking back over at his teammate, he saw his phone out once more.
His fingers were moving across his phone rapidly while glancing between the three of them.
Wait! Seriously! What is he doing?
A few seconds more and Koarai put his phone away again. He gave Okudera a thumbs up as he turned his body to the side.
What's that supposed to mean!?
"Um...right... Don't feel bad about it, okay? Awdry just likes to blurt things out whenever he's fighting."
"Sorry about him. He tends to not think so much when he's in the middle of close ranged combat."
"There's no need to apologize for him."
Koarai made some strange motions while the Kotowari Squad captain was turned to him. None of them made any sense, but he understood them well enough.
Having to deal with the constantly put him in an odd position of understanding what his teammate meant at times like these.
"But now that I think about it... Aren't Asano-senpai and Nasu-senpai helping you out? That means at least two Shooters are on your side."
Crap! Not the best way to put that.
Don't cross you arms like that, you idiot! I know where I messed up! Just hurry up and do what you want before I throw something at you!
Okudera could only sigh at his teammate's antics.
Now was not the time to yell out at him though. The problem at hand was trying to talk to the Kotowari Squad captain.
That itself was turning out to be a rather difficult task.
He really isn't an easy person to talk to. But not for the reasons I would have thought.
That's right. It shows how much the Kotowari Squad captain has changed.
Before the current B-Ranks Wars started, it was usually because he seemed like a brat. Someone who refused to listen to anyone else. ...Anyone who wasn't Tsukiko-san or Takato-san at least. I had thought that I would just get mad when speaking with him before. But now...
It just feels like I'm talking to someone who is unsure about things. Like everything he says or does will just end up causing trouble for those around him. That makes it hard to talk to him without worrying about how he will react.
But then there are people like him...
Koarai made an arching motion with his arms at still made no sense to a normal person.
But Okudera understood.
It felt terrible to understand that kind of stupidity.
But I understand it completely...
So it was up to him to follow through with it.
.
Mikumo saw it all from his seat across from Kotowari. The large motions and the swinging of arms all happening behind the sideways facing Shooter. It was as if the blond Azuma Squad Attacker was testing to see how far he could go before he was caught by Kotowari.
It all came full circle once the black haired Azuma Squad Attacker let out a sigh and shook his head. Those strange motions had been meant for him to see and understand.
Kuga will be going out with some others later tonight, so that leaves little for me to do here now. I will stay behind to make sure Kotowari is fine.
It was what friends did, after all.
"Besides the Shooters, there are others on your side now, aren't there?" the black haired Azuma Squad Attacker asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Azuma-san is curious as to how things are going with you. Then there's also Kumagai-senpai, Maya, and Shor Squad's captain and All-Rounder."
That was right. Shor had spoken to him about Kotowari before, asking certain things.
At the time, he had not been told much by Kotowari Squad's Attacker, so he had gone to Mikumo to see if he had any answer.
Once he found out that there were no answers to be had, he had made a certain statement.
"More than just for Toby, I feel like I need to watch out for Takeshi. I mean, we've got some things in common. Even with you. So I should also be looking out for you too. ...Even if we're in different branches. Right! I'll make sure to look out for the both of you!"
He had not understood what Shor meant at the time, but now, seeing Kotowari for himself, he understood well enough.
There was a lot to look out for, watch out for, and generally try to understand when it came to the boy.
That was why he decided to only listen for now.
"They aren't the only ones though. We also-"
"We're going to be looking out for you too, Takeshi!"
"Don't just interrupt me like that after you did all those weird things!"
"But you were taking so long! We need to let him know that we've got his back as much as any of the others!"
"Um... What does...that make you?"
Mikumo nodded with the question.
Kotowari seemed confused by what was being said, but his squad were the type to go with the flow and gain traction by just seeing where things led to. This time would be no different.
He had thought he needed to give a bit of a push with this conversation, but he had been proven wrong once the scarf boy continued to speak.
"Does that mean I should view the two of you as my senpai, like Betsuyaku-senpai and Kumagai-senpai? Or should I view the two of you like I do Kakizaki-san and Nasu-san?"
"Uh... Mikumo! What you view Mikumo as!?"
The way both Attackers quickly turned to face him was rather frightening, but he made sure to hold back at their stare. Anything over the top would only result in him becoming their next target. So for the time being, he waited for Kotowari's answer.
"Shishō is...my friend."
It was amazing how much of his face he could hide behind his scarf.
"Then that's that! We're friends now! Right, right. It's a good thing we're friends, otherwise me calling you by your first name just now would have caused some issues."
"Don't just decide that on your own... But I also want to see us as friends. Especially since you aren't the type to just blindly tear through the battlefield. At least...not anymore."
"..."
"Nice job bringing the mood down, Okudera."
"What!? I was just saying... Er... Sorry about that, Kotowari."
"..."
"See? Now you really got him sad!"
"Um, no... It's just that... How would friends normally address each other?"
Mikumo found himself nodding with the question again.
Both Azuma Squad Attackers seemed startled by the question, but he understood it well enough. It was an honest question from a surprisingly honest boy.
That was why he chose this moment to enter the conversation.
"However you like, Kotowari. You calling me Shishō is like that. Most people will probably see that as a title, but it can also be viewed as a nickname. First names are also an option, but I would think you only like doing that with your squad."
The meek nod was answer enough.
His response had been enough for the two Azuma Squad Attackers to understand what the question was really for.
And their own responses were quick.
"Yeah, just go ahead and call us by whatever name you want! We have our usuals, but anything you come up with is also fine with us! Isn't that right, Okudera?"
"Guess so. Just nothing over the top. The way Mikumo-kun looks whenever you call him Shishō... I don't think I could handle that easily."
"So then...I can call you things like what I see int he chat?"
The three of them nodded.
There were still things like honorifics to be had, but they were simply going over the basics for now.
"In that case... Um... Okkun...senpai. Koarai-san. Thank you very much for being my f-friends."
Even with that being said, Mikumo knew.
He knew it would not end there.
.
"Why does Okudera get something like that while I get something super stiff!?"
Okudera's smug expression did not go unnoticed, but each person there was focused on the despairing blond at the table. His expression of betrayal was on full display, yet none of them paid much attention to that.
"No problem. So you wouldn't mind if I followed suit and called you 'Take-kun', would you?"
"That's fine. Most people usually go with that anyways. Minus the honorific."
"Makes sense. So what about you, Mikumo-kun? Don't you still call him by his surname?"
"..."
"Please don't give me that look..."
"..."
The table was filled with a light atmosphere as Koarai laid himself onto the table once more and Mikumo looked away from the pleading eyes of Takeshi. There was nothing heavy in the air like before and none of them were tense for one reason or another.
Three of them had noticed this in an instant, but there was still one person unaware of this change.
Kotowari Takeshi.
He had made no indication that he understood what had just happened. His expressions were the same before they started lightening up. It was something that was subtle and unnoticeable to him, but the rest of them could see it.
They could see how much he had changed from just a few weeks ago.
So with smiles on their faces, they all had a collective thought.
It isn't so bad being his friend.
Not knowing what the other three were thinking of him, Takeshi spoke up from behind his scarf.
"Earlier, Akashi-san had said that I had been going about being a Shooter incorrectly and that he would like to show me how to change that."
"What do you mean? How have you been incorrectly being a Shooter?"
"...He had said that I should not be firing at a distance since I am more of a close ranged Shooter. I took him up on the offer, since it would only be one time and no more than that."
So.
"...I wanted to know if...once I got that done, if you three could help me practice. Try to better understand how I should be fighting now. ...If that is fine with you all."
The two Azuma Squad Attackers looked to each other while Mikumo looked directly at Takeshi for a moment.
A breath later had Koarai latching onto Takeshi's shoulder with a grin.
"Of course we'll help! We're friends now, after all!"
The day was near it's midpoint.
Once it was over, the night for planning would begin.
Takeshi knew as much and made sure to keep track of the time.
Because come the next day, Border would have another issue on their hands.
