U-1146 strolled calmly back to their headquarters after finishing his patrolling, hands shoved in his pockets. Most of his wounds from the battle in the ear were nothing but a reddish mark, but some others still stung when making sudden movements. Thus, he took it slow.

After that mishap, his erythrocyte friend had joined him in getting a brand-new uniform. When she discovered they were in fact heading toward the spleen, all the motivation she had been showing melted away. A malfunctioning red blood cell roaming around in the spleen? It was only natural she was frightened.

Nevertheless, the neutrophil made sure to erase all concerns from her features. Since it was only temporary, her situation wasn't a major issue for their world, so she didn't have to worry about being disposed of.

A flood of relief hit her after hearing his words, and her expression relaxed as they entered the building. They approached the counter where uniforms were handed out. She looked around curiously, observing the large racks filled with folded military clothing.

When the warehousewoman's eyes laid on the neutrophil, her face wrinkled. She immediately recognized him. Again.

"Good evening, ma'am," he greeted the plump woman, evident insecurity in his voice. He knew what was coming to him; it was the eighth time he visited the place that week. The cell in charge scowled at him from behind the counter.

"Not you again. For pity's sake, where did you get to, young man?" she growled. The cell huffed while she studied his umpteenth ruined uniform. "And don't give me your usual 'Neutrophils are up to our ears in work', the only mug I see around here is yours! Are you dealing with all the bad guys yourself or what?" the older woman spat, leaning over the counter. The wounded neutrophil winced, shrinking under all that tongue-lashing. He pressed his lips together.

On the other hand, the red blood cell witnessed the scene silently behind his friend, a concerned expression on her face. She'd have wanted to stand up for him, but she couldn't muster a single word. She didn't have the courage to talk back, not in her condition, not in a place like that. The spleen.

The young man bowed his head slightly as a sign of remorse. "I deeply apologize. I'll be more careful from now on," the neutrophil muttered, lifting his gaze towards her. The woman grumbled and crossed her arms, spinning around to avoid his eyes. She then faced the shelves that had been at her back, full of pristine uniforms from the different immune divisions.

"Size L, wasn't it?" she asked a question whose answer she already knew. The neutrophil confirmed it, nevertheless. The attendant walked over the neutrophil section and reached for the uniform pile labeled with the letter 'L'. She took the one sitting on top and turned around once more, handing it over to him. However, when he tried to pick it up, her grip on the clothing became stronger and forced him to make eye-contact. "Quit throwing yourself in harm's way, son. You got this girl all scared, don't you mind?" the woman nagged, her tired eyes setting on the red blood cell. She got startled when she heard those words, but a decent answer wouldn't roll off her tongue.

The neutrophil lowered his head once more, this time in sheer guilt. "Yes, ma'am." The older woman finally let go of the uniform, dropping it on his hands.

"Good boy. Now, get your ass out of here," she said, kicking them out with a dismissive flap of her hand. The blood cells obediently walked out of the building, in silence. The neutrophil was the one to speak first once they were outside.

"Sorry about that," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with embarrassment. The erythrocyte on leave waved her hands, brushing it off.

"Hey, White Blood Cell… chin up! I think she went tough on you because she's worried, and you don't even know each other, isn't it?" the ginger commented, plastering a smile on her face.

"I come here often, she does have a point there," the man admitted, his clean uniform folded under his arm. "I think I'll go to a different storehouse next time." He leant against the wall, crossing his arms.

"Aw c'mon, don't be like that! I'm sure that woman sees you as a son, or something like that, cells can't have children after all, heh," she rambled on, rolling her eyes away from him. "Anyway, it's cute how she scolds you for messing up your clothes, just like a small kid," the redhead chirped, bringing a tiny smile to his lips.

"I'll go change, wait a minute," the albino said as he entered a nearby room, contiguous to the storehouse's door. It had a sign which read, 'Locker room'. So here is where they get changed, the redhead thought, obediently waiting outside.

The changed neutrophil emerged from the locker room in the blink of an eye, much better-looking, albeit still covered in bandages. Now he looks like a white blood cell, she said to herself.

"Look after that uniform as if your life depended on it," she joked, her face lighting up. He tugged on his new cap.

"I certainly will. I don't want to get chewed out again." The young woman laughed at his fake pouting and they got on the road once more.

Afterwards, he walked her over to her apartment block. It wasn't as if she had much of a choice; she was in no shape to work. The erythrocyte would need some time to rest and recover from the last incident. I'll be bored to death, she complained before parting ways. The neutrophil reminded her she could give him a bell if she wanted to hang out, which brightened up her mood.

U-1146 hadn't noticed the faint smile sneaking onto his face while recalling these events. Nor did he realize he had already got to the headquarters, deep in his daydream. He snapped out of it as soon as he heard the hustle of his peers lounging around the hall. He spotted two of his closest coworkers, chattering in front of the lockers.

"Hell if I know!" answered U-2626 in a low voice, bending over his gossip partner.

"Tut-tut '26, you were there first!" a frowning U-4989 complained. Hearing some sudden steps, they both looked at the door out of the corner of their eyes, tensing up when they found out who had arrived. "Speaking of the devil…"

"Shut it, moron," 2626 berated through gritted teeth, pretending he hadn't seen 1146. "Don't look him in the eye, he'll make mincemeat out of you and then will stew it." The latecomer approached and hovered over them like a threatening storm, much to their dismay.

"Gossiping is quite unpolite," he cut in. His two colleagues turned around, being caught red-handed, albeit grinning as if nothing happened.

"Well, well, look who we've here!" the neutrophil with long bangs said nonchalantly, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"How'd you know we were gossiping, huh?" 4989 added, playing it down. 1146 cocked an incredulous eyebrow.

"Are you even capable of doing something else?" he answered wryly, walking to the hot drinks machine next to the lockers. He pressed a button and fastened his penetrating onyx eye on them.

"Darn, you're so harsh on us. You hurt me!" 2626 commented, flashing a mischievous smile. The lone-eyed neutrophil took his cup of tea and blew on it, ignoring his friend's reaction.

4989 took advantage of the situation as 1146's attention was diverted. He crossed his arms behind his head and strode toward the exit. "I gotta get going, it's my turn to patrol. That's where you stay, nuggets." He successfully got away from 1146's sly cornering. 2626 sent him a pissed-off look through his bangs, cussing out his betrayal. You evil midget, thought 2626.

He eyed his other friend, who had sat on one of the benches in the hall, calmly enjoying his green tea. He didn't seem to be interested in ferreting out their previous conversation, so 2626 relaxed. "Well, it's just '46, my big, ol' friend and me here." He plopped down on the bench next to him. Groups of neutrophils entered and exited the hall, resembling figurines gliding in and out of a cuckoo clock.

"That's right," he commented, staring at his drink. 2626 gave him a once-over.

"Looks like you're in almost good shape, huh?" he said, talking about his bandaged wounds. 1146 placed a hand over the one on his forehead, which had healed considerably.

"Yeah."

2626 kept scrutinizing him. After all, his long bangs had some perks: he could stare all he wanted without getting caught. It was like wearing sunglasses. "Glad to hear." He rested his back against the light grey wall. "Speaking of which, how is your little, red friend doing?" That sentence caught 1146's attention.

"I don't really know. I haven't seen her since the accident. I guess she must've stayed home this whole time," he sighed, and then gulped down what remained of his tea. His friend raised both imaginary eyebrows under all that hair.

"Um… I gotta admit my curiosity is piqued. Do you guys just wait to bump into each other by a fluck or…?" he asked nonchalantly, prying into his secrets. 1146 snorted lightly, throwing the empty cup in a bin.

"Well yes, that was the plan until recently."

"Ah, how come?" 2626 tried to suppress an impish smile with all his might, knowing he had started his usually out-of-use talking engine. He crossed his arms over his chest, visibly interested in his answer.

The neutrophil faltered for a few moments. "Um… I suggested her to give me a call using our transceivers whenever she was up for it," he explained, tapping his index fingers together.

His friend's jaw dropped, raising his hands shortly after. "Wait a minute, you… you're telling me she has to do all the wet work?" he said bewildered.

1146's eye went from his lifted palms to his face once more, his lips parting ever so slightly. "Well… I wouldn't call it that," he answered in a low voice.

"Huh!? You're toast, mate. Consider this: lil' red riding hood all cute and cheery wants to meet her big, scary wolf friend," 2626 started, raising an index finger. "But wait! What will she do? Approach that gruesome Killer T Cell over there? No! He'll eat her whole!" 2626 put his hands in the air for comedic purposes, but his friend stayed unfazed. "Now! What about that monocyte? Yikes, all that yellow outfit shoos her away! And what abou-"

"2626, I get it," U-1146 interrupted, getting more and more annoyed by the second.

"Thank goodness. Poor girl," he commented, stretching out his legs and tapping the insides of his boots together.

"Perhaps you're right. I shouldn't have suggested that," 1146 sighed.

"Oh no, you're at it again! As awful as that plan was, it wasn't that bad, I mean… Look, now you can meet each other whenever you want, but you have to wait for her to take the plunge… and she has to suffer the brain knows what." He had tried to fix his faux pas, but there was no luck. 2626 bit his lower lip, feeling like he had failed his mission of helping out his friend, and picking up some new gossip items in the process.

What didn't firstly seem like a brilliant stroke of luck occurred before 2626 called it a day. "Yo, 1146!" U-1146's transceiver cackled from his trouser pocket. He picked it up and sighed.

"Use proper radio protocol. Over," he scolded 4989, who was on the other end of the radio. He clicked his tongue.

"This is U-4989. Is mom around? Hey mom! Over," he goofed around. 1146 squeezed his eye shut, himself being the epitome of patience.

"U-1146 speaking. What is it you want? Over." He would have told 4989 to get stuffed long ago, but he saw him like a little brother. He would need yet another cup of tea to deal with his nonsense.

"'89, go bug someone else," 2626 chimed in, pressing the button on his friend's radio. They both were on the edge of pissing 1146 off, and that should be avoided at all costs.

"Shut up, you acne-fodder. AE-chan must be thinking you're a couple of douchebags."

Surprise crossed their features as they held each other's gaze. "AE-chan?" they blurted at once.

"Wait, who is AE-chan!?" 2626 yelled impatiently to the radio as if expecting it to magically answer.

"That must be AE3803," 1146 pointed out, chewing on the new pet name his coworker had given her.

"That's- that's your chick?" the neutrophil with long bangs gasped.

"She's nothing of the sort," he said in his flat voice. He then pressed the button once more. "Is AE3803 with you? Over," 1146 asked, regaining his composure.

"Yeah, we ran into each other! Can you believe it? Well, of course you can, that's all you guys do. You wanted to say something, right?" 4989 presumably asked the young woman, since his voice sounded somewhat remote. Some cracking noises were heard.

"Hi? Is this the button…?" she muttered nervously. Yeah, yeah, 4989's voice answered in the distance. "White Blood Cell?" her sweet, excited voice pronouncing his nickname managed to bring a small smile to his lips.

"As I live and breathe. How are you doing, Red Blood Cell?" His whole expression had softened up. An amused 2626 observed the ups and downs in his mood.

"Much better! You want to go for a spin? That is, if you're free, of course…" her voice trailed off. He cleared his throat.

"Uh… I think I have the night shif-"

"OF COURSE HE WILL!" 2626 yelled, ripping the radio out of his hands. 1146 screwed up his face in vexation and reached for his stolen transceiver, but his colleague spun on his bottom and pressed the sole of his boot against his face.

"What are you doing?" 1146 hissed in a low voice, struggling against his friend's leg shield.

"Saving your ass, mate!" he laughed, now laying on the bench and blocking him with his feet. "I got y'all covered, don't worry," 2626 pressed the button. "Where and when would you guys like to meet?" he asked in a honeyed voice, a smug smile on his face.

"Maybe in two hours, at my block? I dunno," the red blood cell suggested, trying to cover the confusion caused by that neutrophil's outburst. 2626 removed his boots from his friend's chest and face and handed him the radio. He snatched it up, sending him a death glare.

1146 steadied himself before opening his mouth. "Sounds wonderful. I'll be there," he answered calmly. As much as he desired to see her, his responsibilities still nagged at the back of his mind.

"Great! I'm really looking forward to seeing you!" she chirped, then handed the radio back to 4989 with a thank-you.

"You owe me one, '46," he commented with a playful tone. From an outsider's point of view, it'd be clear that 4989 and 2626 were having a blast while playing matchmakers.

"I owe you nothing," 1146 spat, rougher than he intended to. He really disliked it whenever he got involved in such preposterous situations, which happened more frequently than he would like to admit.

"Jerk. Out," 4989 ended the communication. The bandaged neutrophil sank into his seat, letting out a long sigh.

His colleague shifted in his place, turning his chest at him as he leaned against the wall with his shoulder. "She got you all wrapped around her finger, huh?" 2626 dared to say.

1146 put the radio back in his pocket. "What are you saying? You, performing monkey, put me in a tight spot." The other neutrophil burst into laughter.

"Didn't I tell you? I'll take tonight's patrol. I got your back," he said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 1146 had a hesitant expression.

"B-But, that's…"

"That's the best thing that ever happened to you, so shut up and take it," 2626 added with a big smile.

He met his gaze for a bit. "Thanks, '26," he said heartily, the smallest smile tugging at his lips.

"Anytime, pal. But my work here isn't done," he proclaimed, resting both hands on his colleague's shoulders and shaking him. Confusion crossed his features. "You're quite a fixer-upper, aren't you?" he chuckled.

1146 cocked a confused eyebrow. "What?"

"You wanna woo that girl, right? But you don't even know how to talk to a lady. We gotta do something about that," he said excited, having dreamt of the day on which his reserved friend would finally thaw. Nevertheless, his coworker shifted away from him, hiding his face under the bill of the cap.

"You're tripping," he muttered, rising from his seat. He tried to distract himself from his thoughts by observing the other neutrophils at the entrance of the building, who were idling about.

His friend mimicked him and stood right in front of him. "But you've taken quite a shine to her, don't ya?" 2626 coaxed him.

"Sure, I like her. She's my friend," he answered self-absorbed, his eye still fixed on the chilling neutrophils.

"Oh, great, thank you Captain Obvious," he commented wryly. He snapped his fingers twice to attract his attention. "Look at me, man. You got a soft spot for her, right?" he insisted, placing his hands on his hips as he leaned towards his friend.

1146's lips parted, faltering for a moment. "Um… I guess. I mean, I also have a soft spot for you guys, but when it comes to her… It's way different," he spluttered. U-1146 had become aware of some unidentified feelings that had been building up recently. He just needed to sit for a while, study them, and finally classify them in an emotion box inside his head. That's how he liked things; neat and organized, and his mind was nothing of the sort in these moments.

"Aha! That's what I wanted to hear!" 2626 exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Also, that's pretty sweet. Love you too, honey," he cooed, pinching his friend's cheek. His forehead wrinkled slowly, waiting for him to cut his hogwash.

"May I ask what you have in mind to supposedly help me?" 1146 said, pushing away his colleague's arm with his own. Truth to be told, he felt slightly intrigued.

"Let's go ask 2048, I saw him return from patrolling a while ago. He gives good tips," he replied, leading the way toward one of the numerous corridors. 1146 trotted from the lobby to catch up with him.

"But our next patrol is about to start-" his sentence got cut short as 2626 spun on his heels and pressed a hand against his lips. He jerked his head back at the sudden contact.

"We'll ask him to join us patrolling as we talk. Satisfied?" He turned around once more and resumed his hunt for the fourth member of their squad. 1146 reluctantly followed him. "I think 2048 is our man; it beats me how he gets all the ladies. I end up scarin' them off somehow, and we don't want that here, don't we?" he laughed through clenched teeth. His friend's mouth set in a hard line, his eye wandering to the wall.

"Maybe... it's that fringe of yours," 1146 pointed out, trying to help his friend.

2626 gasped, his head whipping around and creating a white fan out of his hair. "Really, dude? After all I've done for you, and you give me that!" he shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment.

His companion's obsidian eye grew wider. "Oh... I-I'm sorry, 2626."

The sightless neutrophil gave a sudden crooked smile. "No prob man, just kiddin'. I know you mean no harm," he said, sticking a hand under 1146's cap and rumpling his hair as he walked. The hat fell off his head, dangling from the receptor wire. He immediately put it back in place, his mouth twitching nervously.

The headquarters' main lobby branched into different corridors, with multiple doors on its walls. Inside them, briefing rooms, lockers, and fitness areas could be found. That specific barrack was adjacent to the bone marrow of the left femur. Neutrophils darted in and out of the grey building, diligently replacing the cells that had ended their patrol. They were only allowed to rest there for half an hour; they ought to get back to their feet after that period.

As they ventured inside the building, more and more neutrophils entered and emerged from different rooms in that seemingly endless corridor. Some of them were older, and others younger than them, however, all these cells were too engrossed in their corresponding activities: screaming, laughing, peeking out from the different rooms, streaking down the narrow hallway...

Some newly arrived band cells huddled around a full-grown neutrophil, happening to be their mentor. Suddenly, a man lumbered across the corridor. He slammed into one of the younger recruits in the process, who was unluckily holding a cup of steaming coffee. Consequently, the dark liquid spilled on his superior's pants and boots. The instructor came down harshly on the ill-fated rookie.

"Wowza! Look '46, that's what you look like with romance!" 2626 cackled as he witnessed the sharp reprimand. Some passersby heard and snickered at his comment, causing a red flush to spread across 1146's face, and eventually draining his tank of patience.

"See you, 2626." The young man thought he didn't have to put up with all that nonsense, so he turned abruptly to escape his friend's mischievous plan.

"Yo! Wait up!" he grabbed him by the elbow. "It was just a joke, alright? Don't ya take it so hard." He sent him a friendly smile, attempting to make up for his teasing. He answered with a scowl.

1146 jerked his arm away from his grip and stepped back. "I think I've had my share of shame for today. Ouch." The healing wound on his ribs burned underneath his uniform due to the sharp movement, so he placed some pressure on it to relieve the pain.

His old classmate reached out and wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulders. "C'mon poopy pants, we're almost there. Where's that dude got to?" The jaded neutrophil sighed and shook his head, being dragged to walk beside him. Be as it may, he was already too caught up in his colleague's trap to slip away.

2626 peeked into the umpteenth room and exclaimed a bingo as he rushed inside, his prisoner locked inside his arm. They soon spotted the back of the third neutrophil involved in the plan, who was holding a cup of coffee while he chatted with two other coworkers. A loud laugh escaped 2048's throat, then took a last sip from the cardboard cup before leaving it on a coffee table, where they were starting to pile up.

"Yo, 2048," 2626 beckoned with a grin, dragging a scowling 1146. "Finally got you." The third leukocyte turned around, greeting them with a bright smile.

"Sup, babygirls." He excused himself from his previous chatter and directed his full attention to his longtime friends. "Whoa, '46 slacking off! That's a rare sighting." The newcomers made their way to him through swarming soldiers.

"He's not slacking off. Listen, we request some wise words from doctor love," 2626 mocked, wrapping a preventive arm around his friend's neck, in case he contemplated the idea of running away.

2048's eyebrows shot up. "Again? I am this close to charging you for my services," he said, bringing his index and thumb together in front of his squinting eye.

"Put a sock in it and listen. Little '46 here needs some mackin' skills," he replied, clapping on his shoulder after loosening the grip around his neck. The reserved neutrophil clenched his fists to his sides and grunted a complaint.

"You... you got to be kidding me." 2048 sent them a baffled look, amazement replacing his previous nonchalance. He couldn't believe the big day had finally arrived. Did someone manage to find a way to his usually impenetrable core?

"We ain't fooling around, ain't we, buddy?" 2626 nudged the eye-covered neutrophil, who was staring at his shoes. A long, exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "See? That's his way of saying, 'you got me, I'm drowning in a burning passion'." The neutrophil with long bangs always found a way to almost upset his friend.

"Quit it," U-1146 said half-heartedly.

2048 flashed a mischievous grin at both of his colleagues. "Well, well, look who's finally thawing out. I really thought you were a lost cause," he admitted, lifting his shoulder in a half shrug.

1146's boots started to work their way to the exit. "I think this is unnecessary. Thank you, guys," he muttered, his words muffled by the bustling atmosphere. He pivoted on his heels as he meant to leave, however, 2626 rushed to grab him by the elbow.

"Whoa, you stay here! We ain't finished with you!" He quickly pulled, causing his friend to stagger. U-1146 turned around once more, collecting himself. The third neutrophil sighed, his arms crossed.

"Alright, greenhorn. So, who is the lucky lady?" he asked, looking at the duo.

"His little red blood cell friend, y'know, that one," 2626 explained as his finger drew a loop in the air, imitating her signature cowlick. "AE-chan…" he teased with a piping voice, causing 1146 to click his tongue.

"You mean that red-haired doll? You got an eye, huh. She's cute," he nodded with conviction, resting both hands on his hips.

"Y-you know her?" 1146 finally spoke, baffled.

2048 cocked a quizzical eyebrow, tilting his head. "You see, I also have eyes on my face."

"Creep," commented wryly 2626, casually folding his arms behind his head. 2048 mouth's twitched before twisting into a grin.

"Don't listen to mophead, he's jelly I can actually see," he directed his gaze at U-1146, smiling. His other friend stuck out his tongue at him. "Have you already forgotten about the stomach fuss? She stuck to you like a clingy lactic acid bacterium throughout the whole thing. Of course I remember her." He put a nonchalant arm over 1146's shoulders, bringing him close. "Don't worry dude, you're in good hands," 2048 grinned. 1146 hummed and gave a slow nod in response. He had a faint feeling it'd not end well.

'Your attention, please. Neutrophils with the following codes are required to patrol the lower left leg: J-0987, J-3776, U-1146, U-2048, U-2626, W-2450, …' their transceivers announced in unison.

The three of them walked out of the barracks as they were obligated to resume their patrolling, but took their sweet time anyway. The neutrophil at issue was sandwiched between 2048 and 2626, so the three of them could engage in the conversation evenly as they walked down a lush avenue, parallel to the bone marrow. Childish laughter emerged from the playground on the other side of the river, where tiny versions of themselves scampered about under the last rays of sunshine.

"Hah! Look at you '46, finally got yourself a date!" 2048 laughed, feeling oddly proud of his almost-brother. 1146 sighed for the umpteenth time in that hour.

"It's not date, who ever said it was?" he huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He started to sense they wouldn't be of much help in whatever they claimed he lacked.

"Are you dumb, dude? 'Course it is!" the neutrophil with long bangs rushed to say.

1146 turned his head to give him an annoyed glance. "No, it's not," he replied, picking up some forgotten scuffle belonging to their myelocytic days.

His transceiver unexpectedly crackled with 4989's voice, "'46 and AE-chan, sitting in a tree… K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" The exhausted neutrophil's lips drew back in a snarl as he looked at the pocket where the chanting came from.

"It was turned on!?" he barked to the radio in his pocket, hitting it with an enraged fist afterward. Both of his colleagues managed to stifle their laughter. He drew in a sharp breath, trying to regain his composure.

"Uhh, someone's surly today," 2626 smirked.

"I wonder why." 1146's blank gaze roamed over the riverside, then stuck his thumbs in his pockets, striking his signature pose.

"Jeez, I can't even believe you know what a date is about," 2626 said after a pause, needling him into losing his temper once more.

His goading took effect on 1146's usually serene demeanor, much to his surprise. "A date is something you'll never get because you scare people off. There you go," 1146 answered blankly. He belatedly took notice of the callous tone of his words, but nothing could be done about it.

"Oh, kudos to Mister Brain Cell in disguise! Now that we're sure you got all that knowledge in your fat head, doesn't it ring a bell?" 2626 said, poking a galling finger on his temple. His colleague grabbed it with a sharp movement.

"I'm nothing more than a friend to her. Which means there's no point in fantasizing about something else," he fueled their back-and-forth, and let go of his finger.

"Ow, she have another fella?" he said with puckered lips.

Some passing erythrocytes turned their heads with horror at the source of the increasing voice volume. "That's none of my or your business."

"But you wanna be with her!"

"Why would I force her to be with me if she isn't interested?" he barked, keeping his eye fixed on the horizon as he was avoiding eye-contact. He knew it wouldn't take much more to push him over the edge.

"Maybe you're fucking blind," 2626 spat back.

"You're one to talk. I thought I was clueless, but I hadn't seen you."

"Well, lemme tell y-" the neutrophil who had remained silent finally stepped in before they butted heads with each other, squeezing between them and breaking up their fight by opening a gap between their chests.

"That's enough, blockheads!" He turned his disapproving gaze to his right, where U-2626 stood, and then to his other friend. "What's gotten into you? You never pick up fights," he sighed, not believing he had been required to act as the parent for once.

2626 stepped closer, guilt stinging at his mitochondria. "That was my fault, I got carried away. Sorry, '46," he said, his lips holding a small, yet warm smile. He patted his friend's shoulder.

While hanging his head, he answered, "I'm sorry, too. I think I'm a bit nervous…" his voice trailed off as they resumed their stroll. He rubbed the back of his head in shame.

2626 surrounded his broad shoulders with an arm, all bickering already forgotten. "Fret not buddy, rely on your fellow neubrophils!" 1146 arched an eyebrow at his pun.

"What's in it for me, anyway?" he asked.

2048 raised a reassuring hand to 2626, preventing him from blurting out an inappropriate sentence containing the taboo word: girlfriend. "We're gonna help you improve your relationship with Reddy, yes?" A muscle in 1146's jaw twitched, but still remained silent. "Okay, first things first, I need an overview. So for that..." 2048 tapped a finger on his chin, thinking. "Alright, describe your friend in three words," he said, laying special emphasis on the friend. "Don't give me all that 'she's an angel' crap, be objective," he added making air quotes.

1146 hummed, deep in thought. "She's... talkative," he muttered, making 2626 snigger beside him.

"Great, that'll speed things up. Give me more," 2048 smiled, staring off into the distance and listening intently to his friend.

"She puts her, uh…" he faltered for a moment, tapping a finger on his cheek. "Mitochondria into everything she does, which I admire a lot, and… she's a bit absent-minded, too, but makes up for it in dedication," he explained unaware of the timid smile touching his lips, his eye fixed on the pavement he stepped on.

"A perfect match for stern boy here, duh," 2626 chimed in, clapping on his back vigorously. "As a friend, of course," he added with an impish smile that escaped 1146's sight.

"Indeed, my dear '26. She sounds like a good friend," he played 2626's game. Then, he skidded to an abrupt halt, wiggling up and down his hands, palms upwards. "This is what you do, '46," he glanced up at him. "You take her to a pub."

"A what?" 2626 exclaimed, turning around.

"A pub?" 1146 parroted, his dark eye widening. "I don't think that's her cup of tea."

The love guru wagged a finger at him. "That's the point, my friend. You have to take her out of her comfort zone, that's how you'll impress her!" He spread his arms, conveying confidence.

"But-" 2048 slammed a hand on his head and brought it close to his.

"Listen to teacher, '46. You take her to a Peyer's patch and-"

"She can't go there, you dumbass," 2626 chimed in with twisted lips.

2048's jaw dropped as realization washed over him. "Crap, I always forget she's a red blood cell. Well then… Just take her to the liver instead," he suggested resolutive.

"Can do," 1146 answered, cooperating for the first time in the evening. "Then what."

"Then, emo bangs, you step up your game."

U-1146 and his friends parted ways after a long, quite productive lesson taught by the slick neutrophil. Even though his colleagues had offered him to take the night off, the workaholic cell insisted on keeping an eye out while hanging out with his beloved erythrocyte.

"Be honest, do you really think it'll work out?" 2626 asked once the neutrophil at issue was far enough away.

"I dunno, man." 2048 shrugged, observing his experiment subject walk away. "I wish. Look at his stupid shy ass go. He's so dry it ruins his good looks," he snickered.

"Oi, don't be mean." He gave a sad smile. Certainly, they did care for 1146's well-being. They knew under all that tough facade, he hid a soft core. "He cracks a joke or two every now and then…"

2048 sighed, crossing his arms. "Don't remind me." 1146 was well known in his squad for his unique sense of deadpan humor. "If they're really meant to be, he won't be needing any extra charms. At least, I think they'll have a good time," he said, kicking a stone as he walked.

"Hmm… I wish we could see how he manages," 2626 commented, glancing up at the crepuscular sky. His friend skidded to an abrupt halt, turning at him with a wicked look on his face.

"We certainly can," he purred, his plotting machine revving up inside his head. 2626's mouth went o-shaped. "Tell '89 we got a very important assignment for him." A mischievous grin worked its way across his face, his lookalike mirroring him right after.

. . .

"Why does it always have to be me?" 4989 complained through his transceiver.

"Because you're the only one of us who '46 wouldn't murder if he caught someone spying on him," 2048 explained matter-of-factly. "Besides, we're busy filling in for him here."

"But, following them… I dunno, that's not cool," he rubbed his chin, weighing his choices.

"You'll see everything firsthand," 2048 coaxed. "Every moment, detail, touch…" he added, luring the young neutrophil into his elvish plan. "I'll give you a week worth of candy!"

"Ugh, fine. I'm sold," he gave in after a long pause, taking the bait. The inventive neutrophil let out a long sigh, his other two colleagues cheering on the other end of the communication. "You're fucked up. Out." 4989 stowed away his transceiver and got down to work, heading toward the hepatic portal vein. I'll make sure everything runs smoothly, '46, he said to himself.

Regular as a circadian rhythm, U-1146 presented himself at the vestibule of the apartment complex where the erythrocyte lived, two hours had passed exactly since their conversation. Red locks popped into view from the building hall as he approached, belonging to the young woman with her back pressed against the brick wall, staring blankly at the floor under her crimson shoes. She was in the exact same spot he had left her the last time they met.

"Good evening, Red Blood Cell," the neutrophil broke the silence as he slowly climbed the entry stairs, taking two at a time. The deep voice startled the petite woman, tearing her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, you're already here!" she exclaimed, straightening her back and facing him. "It feels like it's been ages since we last met," the erythrocyte gave him a glowing, welcoming smile. Whilst his big eye bore into her face, he noticed something was off about her appearance.

"… Twirly," was the single word he managed to utter, fascination flooding his head and blocking any rational thought. The habitually straight red hair had been styled in loose, casual ringlets, which greatly enhanced her fine features. She excitedly hopped in the spot, her hair bouncing with her.

"Ah, you noticed! It's just I was so, sooo bored I borrowed Senpai's hair curler and, um, well… tadah!" she said as cheerful as ever, rapidly spreading her hands to express surprise. However, her smile subsided for a moment. "Why are you looking… ah! D-Do I have cookie crumbs on my face?" she exclaimed with a little embarrassment, quickly fishing out a tissue from her bag and wiping her cheeks.

He tensed up the moment he realized he had been staring for way too long. "Ah, no, it's not that… Sorry, Red Blood Cell. It's just… it looks really good on you," he admitted, feeling his cheeks heating up. He had never explored the possibility of her changing her signature hairstyle, however, he caught himself drooling over her improvised makeover. A timid word emerged inside his head. Beautiful. He had mentally linked such adjective to her many times before. But this one time was different. He hadn't simply linked it, he'd accepted it as a part of her. Before he could meet her gaze once more, he had the erythrocyte wrapped around him.

"Thank you!" she chirped; her curls and rosy cheek squished against his chest. The neutrophil tittered softly, tightening his arms around her small frame, and burying his nose in her bright crimson hair. Ah, her warm hugs. He had forgotten how much they eased him. However, she stepped back sooner than he'd have liked. "You lead the way, White Blood Cell!" She skipped down the lobby stairway, her friend promptly tailing her.

"Right this way, cherrylocks," he said, pointing at the main street. 'Give her some cute pet name, get creative', 2048's tip rang through his head. Yes, he had done it. No, it wasn't creative. He hoped she wouldn't bring it up. I won't do that ever again. How embarrassing, he thought to himself.

For once, luck was on his side, since she seemed to brush it off with a sweet smile. "I thought I would completely mess up my hair, but it came up pretty good!" she said, pumping two proud fists as she walked along with him. He agreed with a quick hum, his eye fixed on her bright expression. "I gotta admit I had so much fun, I should try it on you sometime, White Blood Cell!" she joked with a playful wink, nudging the white-dressed man.

He laughed softly. "Yeah, we totally should." He belatedly noticed some other changes in her typical outfit, too. The neutrophil decided to address them, since it looked like she had forgotten some clothing items. "By the way, Red Blood Cell, aren't you missing… some things?"

Curiosity crossed her features as she met his dark eye. "Like what?"

"Your hat, and your jacket," he began, pointing at her naked head. "Your gloves, too," he noticed she wasn't wearing them. As he took a turn left, he made sure she wouldn't walk the wrong way by gently touching her elbow, thus drawing her attention.

"Oh, that! Orders from the top," she explained, her voice half-hearted out of the sudden. She rubbed the inside of her exposed arm. "They said we mustn't wear the complete uniform until we recovered, to indicate we were off duty. I'm unemployed, White Blood Cell!" she whined, and with a good reason. The neutrophil couldn't begin to imagine how hard she had tried not to go nuts, being deprived of what she loved the most.

"How are you holding up?" he asked worriedly. Despite his eyes were fixed on her, he successfully dodged the numerous blood cells that strolled down the hepatic portal vein.

"Fine, I guess. I'm good as ever, but they said I had to wait a little longer… I've felt so lonely, Senpai's schedule has been so tight lately, and I wasn't in the mood of venturing off alone," the erythrocyte explained, her words steeped in discouragement, and her usually bright eyes now downcast. To see her so low-spirited hurt him, nearly as much as the fact she hadn't turned to him any sooner.

"Why didn't you contact me earlier on?" His voice left traces of sorrow. If she had noticed, he didn't actually care. There was no need to hide his concern for her well-being. She lifted her gaze, giving him an apologetic smile.

"I bet you've got your hands full, too. I didn't want to waste your time inviting you over and playing house," she gave a bitter laugh as she twirled a red curl, her eyes now lost again in the lively crowd passing by.

A shadow of guilt darkened his eye. "You can be stubborn at times, Red Blood Cell…" he shook his head. "I'll always find a moment to see you, no matter how busy the day is," the silverette chided, more to himself than to her. The neutrophil admonished himself for not having checked on her before, his forehead creasing. However, his companion brushed off his comment. Perhaps she didn't believe him?

"White Blood Cell, you wouldn't believe the insane amount of hobbies I've picked up over the last weeks," the ginger groaned after a pause, almost in a deranged way. Nevertheless, the neutrophil couldn't suppress a tiny, tender smile.

"Care to name a few?" His self-assigned mission that day was to erase every wrinkle from her face, and he wouldn't leave without accomplishing it, whatever it took. U-1146 knew she must have felt so alone and talk-deprived, so he attempted to ignite her chatty nature.

"Oh well, I tried singing, stamp collecting, jogging in my living room, parkour, counting wall spots, knitting…" she went on and on, but he didn't mind at all. If anything, he felt happy to see her mood perking up once more. "I even bought a radio, as you suggested!"

"You've done… parkour. In your wee, fun-sized apartment." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, building the disturbing scenario in his head.

She nodded with conviction. "Sometimes, boredom and loneliness push our minds to its limits, alright? Let's say, I jumped from the sink… to the bathtub… one day," she admitted absent-minded, staring off into space, probably recalling the catastrophic outcome.

The neutrophil then decided to change the topic. "And… what have you been knitting?" Timely as it ever was, his receptor went off, causing him to bite his lower lip in frustration. "Wait here, Red Blood Cell, I won-"As quickly as it had turned on, it suddenly muted and bent behind his head, indicating either the pathogen had wandered too far or it had been already wiped out. He raised a confused eyebrow, holding the worn transceiver to his mouth. "This is U-1146, I'm patrolling the hepatic portal vein. What happened? Over."

"Heeey! I've taken care of it, all good! Tell AE-chan I said hi! Over," 4989 answered. But he had a different route tonight, 1146 thought.

"Um… sure. Thanks, 4989. Out."

"Wow, that was quick. 4989 is really focused on his job!" she shrugged with a smile. "All's well that ends well, right?" the red blood cell said cheerfully, not having moved since his alarm went off.

"Absolutely." They began walking once again, pushed by the flow. "So, where were we… Ah, knitting."

. . .

"Status report, private , " 2626 went on radio.

"I'll smash your ugly face to pus if you call me that again, '26. I've lost them , " the wavy-haired neutrophil admitted, loading the pathogen on his shoulder as he shuffled around, and then jumped in an air vent.

"What? Move it, move it, why don't you hurry the fuck up!" the th ird neutrophil urged on his colleague's radio end, sounding rather irritated.

"Jeez, cut me some slack. I'm standing in for his lovelorn ass, you know?" 4989 said in an exasperated voice, the agonizing bacterium still gurgling inside his arm as he crawled through the air duct.

"They could be smoochin' right now and you're missing, slowpoke!"

"No way. It's 1146 who we're talking about, gents," 2048 chimed in.

"Well, anything new?" 2626 inquired.

The dragging man stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Nah. They're just chewing the fat. '46's lovesick gaze and AE-chan's loud squeals. The usual." He kicked an exit vent open and lugged out the dripping corpse.

"'46 being the demure moron he is," commented 2626.

"Let us know if something happens," 2048 said and ended the communication.

Just when he was about to put his radio back to get rid of the dead pathogen, another voice rang, "This is U-1146, I'm patrolling the hepatic portal vein. What happened? Over."

4989 shook his head with a satisfied smile. Always so hardworking.

. . .

The red and white pair had roamed the road to the liver at a leisurely pace: the erythrocyte on leave gushing over random things she came up with while stuck at home, and the neutrophil listening intently and nodding, dropping quick questions every now and then to fuel her chatter. He enjoyed it. Their own routine, which never seemed to wear thin. She was the main cause behind it, always bringing up fresh and unique conversation topics. She liked talking, and he liked listening. U-1146 wouldn't grow tired of it, he was tickled pink to observe her ever-changing, expressive face as she spoke.

"- and I tossed the trash bag but then I realized I had hit something! And there he was, 4989 was the lucky winner," she nervously chuckled, her face twisting with embarrassment as she told the story.

The neutrophil stifled a laugh. "Wait, that's how you ran into him? Poor bastard," he commented, a smile appearing on his lips as he pictured his lunatic best friend being assailed by a trash bag.

"Oh, yes. It's not like I've gone out for anything else than getting rid of my garbage," she admitted, not paying attention to the huge metropolis that was engulfing them. "I said sorry and bowed a zillion times, and even offered him to come up for some coffee, but he politely refused. He said something like, 'You're very kind, but I can't accept. Why don't you ask U-1146 instead?' and then I answered, 'I'd love to, but he must be very busy' but then he said, 'Oh don't worry, I just saw him on his break. Want a word?' and that's how it went," the shorter cell prattled on, changing the voice pitch every time 4989 spoke in her story.

He nodded with conviction. "Well, that's quite an anecdote."

The redhead hummed in amusement, then changed the subject by asking, "So, where are you taking me anyway?" The man pointed upwards, his gaze shifting in the same direction. Her eyes followed the cue, finding an enormous neon signboard that read in bold letters: Liver.

The erythrocyte's face glowered in wonderment as they ventured inside the huge building, along with dozens of her kind. The lobby that welcomed them had minimalist, yet chic dark decoration and furnishing. His combat boots squeaked on the black marble floor as he turned left, waving a hand at her to come along.

"Keep close to me now, plenty of blood comes in the liver," he called over his shoulder, seeing the erythrocyte out of uniform skip behind him. She caught up with him moments later, sticking to him as she did to oxygen. Well, at least that's what she used to do.

She glanced around the long, cramped corridor with curiosity. Being an erythrocyte, it was no surprise she had visited the place several times before, but all her trips had been so quick and rushed she hadn't had the opportunity to explore the colossal facility. "Where are we going?" she asked, alas all the boisterous voices muffled her words.

The neutrophil's hand sneaked between packed red blood cells and pressed a concealed button on the wall. "This way," he said close to her face. He then grabbed his companion by her shoulders and shoved their way through the moody crowd, eventually getting them inside an elevator whose doors had just opened.

Once the doors closed behind them, the girl took a moment to catch her breath while the neutrophil settled his uniform shirt. The brunette liftwoman, dressed in a neat suit and tie, sent them a polite smile, and asked, "Welcome. Where can I get you?"

"Fifteenth floor, please," the silverette panted, tugging at his cap. The woman nodded and pressed the corresponding button behind her. A golden badge on her blazer caught the ginger's attention.

"Excuse my curiosity, Mistress. What kind of cell are you?" she asked with a shy voice. The liftwoman chuckled softly as the elevator began to move.

"I'm a Kupffer Cell, a Macrophage in the liver," she calmly explained. She then examined the redhead, noticing her unusual erythrocyte uniform. "Are you not feeling well, Miss red blood cell?"

The redhead faltered before opening her mouth, the neutrophil keeping a concerned eye on her. "My hemoglobin… is recovering from a bacterial attack," she said, plastering a kind smile on her face. The Kupffer cell's expression twisted with preoccupation.

"I see. I wish you a quick recovering, then." A soft ding sounded, announcing their arrival. "We're here. Have a nice day, until next time!" The blood cells thanked the woman and stepped out the elevator, arriving at a way less cramped corridor.

"How did she know something was up?" the shorter cell wondered, while the neutrophil led the way once more. He hummed in thought.

"Well, she's a macrophage after all. They must've seen it all," he commented, observing the double glass doors distributed along the hall. The liver had up to 30 floors, where different themed bars opened their doors, formally known as hepatic lobules.

Hepatic lobule: the structural unit of the liver. It's hexagon-shaped, delimited by the interlobular connective tissue. In each corner of the lobule, a portal triad can be found, composed of branches of the hepatic portal vein, hepatic artery, and a bile conduct, which collects the bile produced by hepatocytes. Blood circulates from the periphery toward the center of the lobule and flows into the central vein. Hepatocytes are arranged in lineal cords and are responsible for blood detoxication, glucose storage, and have a role in activating the innate immune system.

The erythrocyte shifted her gaze from the passing coworkers to her friend. He had a confident and determined look on his searching face. "Um, excuse me, White Blood Cell, sir. Looks like you know exactly where you're going, mind sharing it with me, too?" she probed, raising an inquisitive brow at him. His black eye then settled on her.

'Fifteenth floor, door number twelve. A fresh, newly opened bar. A swell place to bring your girl, oh yeah,' 2048 grinned with conviction. 'Stop calling her that, '48,' he answered, annoyance in his voice and a line between his brows.

"We're going to a bar," he replied with a flat voice. The girl gasped audibly in excitement, slowing down her pace.

"Really? Are there bars in the liver?" she asked in wonderment.

"You walk through one every time you come to the liver," he began. "Maybe… you didn't notice," he said with a nervous grin. His friend confirmed it with a shy shrug. "Each lobule of the liver is a bar. I thought it'd be nice to swing by. Sounds good to you?" he asked in a soft tone, turning his head and giving her a faint smile.

Her bright hazel eyes widened. Was he even aware of how charming he could be? "Of course, that sounds amazing," she answered bashfully, averting her eyes. The man suddenly stopped walking, the number twelve standing in front of them. "Is it here?" He nodded silently as he pulled the doors open.

A room with an elegant and sophisticated ambiance greeted them. Like every other bar, it was hexagonal-shaped, glass tables paired with white, velvety stools gathered in the center. Each booth had a wooden divider embellished with plants, which forged a bit of intimacy. What the room lacked in natural light, it made up for with hanging lamps which cast a dim, auroral purplish glow on the tables.

The two of them were too absorbed in the atmosphere of the place to notice the hepatocyte who had approached. "Good evening, welcome to Twelbule," the woman dressed in a vest, white shirt, and purple bowtie greeted them. They flinched in their place, taken aback by the sudden voice. "Can I take your hat, sir?" she offered with a kind smile. Her tan skin had a sprinkle of playful freckles.

The neutrophil tugged at his cap instinctively. "Thank you, but I'd prefer to keep it on," he uttered, a bit unsettled.

"As you wish," the woman bowed her head slightly. "Come with me, please," she requested, guiding them through the room.

The erythrocyte had grabbed the man's arm, feeling overwhelmed. "White Blood Cell, what's with this place? I feel like a blood cell out of… well, blood," she whispered to him, glancing at the other cells sitting in the room.

"You want us to leave?" he offered, feeling rather awkward as well. What can you possibly expect of 2048, the leukocyte thought. Her grip on his arm tightened a bit.

"No! I like it here, it's just I think it's a bit too fancy for me, you know." They had arrived at their assigned table, the hepatocyte motioning them to their seats.

"I will be with you in a minute," she announced, and left.

The blood cells sat in their respective stools, the erythrocyte bouncing lightly on hers. "It's so fluffy!" she mouthed excited. The neutrophil stifled a chuckle.

They skimmed through the menu, which included countless beverage options, but scarce appetizers, though. Both plumped for something not too pretentious: a raspberry smoothie for her, and an orange juice for him. They shot the breeze until the drinks arrived along with their hepatocyte, who set fancy colored glasses on the table and left with yet another polite smile.

The neutrophil crinkled up his nose at the sight of his drink. "Why would they put a straw in it?" he criticized, stirring the liquid with it. His reaction amused the red blood cell, a soft mauve glow on her features.

"Hey, White Blood Cell, tell me a secret skill you have," she said in a playful voice, glancing with curiosity the pink to white gradient on her smoothie. "Pretty!" she muttered to herself.

The silverette paused in thought, his eye riveting on his feet, which could be seen through the glass table. "Um… I can do the splits," he finally said with determination, looking at her.

A hand covered her open mouth. "Wha-! For real? You gotta show me!" she gasped, shooting him a fascinated glance.

His chuckle was low and soft, "Sorry, Red Blood Cell, I'm not doing the splits in the middle of the most luxurious brasserie in town. They'll kick my butt," he joked in a low voice, and then took a sip from his drink.

The redhead giggled and then lowered her head, peering at her own reflection on the crystal surface. All at once, she remembered how she had ended up styling her bright, cherry mane.

"You got a date!" AA5100 exclaimed as she leapt from the couch, socks sliding on the wooden floor while doing a little jig.

"I got a date!?" the clueless redhead parroted right after, her mouth and eyes wide open.

AE3803's best friend conveniently lived in the flat upstairs; they were literally one yell away. The older erythrocyte had used her break to drop by her house, bringing a back full of sweets. After all, she hadn't seen her red hair for days. AA5100 felt guilty for not being able to comfort her more often, but she had been up to her ears with work. The red-haired cell was more than happy to have her over and besides, they had a lot to catch up on: the concert, the accident, her endless days staring at the ceiling, and the unexpected plan for the evening.

The brunette slumped back into the cream-colored sofa next to her friend, who had curled up in a ball to hide her flushed cheeks. "You said he took you somewhere fancy last time, right? Let me tell you, he's about to repeat that same old trick!" she said with a smile of satisfaction, leaning over the low table for a bag of chips and opening it on her lap.

"B-But, only as friends!" the younger woman complained, her hazel eyes peeking out from behind her knees, her arms wrapped around them. Her best friend snickered at her child-like appearance; the ginger was wearing short, pastel polka dot pajamas and some fuzzy socks, two hanging pompoms on either side. On top of it all, her unruly cherry mane framed her flustered face.

"From what you told me, he doesn't act like a simple friend, to be honest," AA5100 commented, throwing a chip to her mouth.

The ginger head shot up to meet her friend's eyes. "He acts like that with everyone! He's really nice..."

"Uh-huh, I can picture him taking all his neutrophil bros to a concert for some PDA," she teased with a full mouth.

AE3083 sank into the tiny couch, kicking the air with her cozy socks. "Gee, Senpai!" she frantically covered her flustered face with both hands and muffled a squeal with them. "A-Anyway, there's no way someone like him could be interested in a klutz… like me," she said somewhat hopelessly, lowering her hands and resting them on her belly.

"The question is," the experienced erythrocyte pinched her cheeks. "How could someone not like this pretty, squishy face! And a heart of gold, of course." The red-haired woman twisted her lips in disbelief. Her friend left her cheeks alone and gently cupped her hands with hers, making her sit straight. "Look, AE, I don't know him much but, from the times I've seen him looking at you, damn… He must be one sweet boy," she gave her a reassuring smile.

Her eyelids drooped as she looked down, fiddling around with her fingers. "He is..."

"That guy… does he make you feel things? Inside there?" she teased, poking a finger on her chest.

"Stop trying to brainwash me, you evil woman! Not happening!" she pouted, bumping small fists on her knees and squeezing her eyes shut. Her cheeks started to match her hair once again, much to her friend's amusement.

The hazelnut-haired woman tilted her head, one eyebrow raised. "Jeez, why are you being so stubborn? It's not like you guys are still on nodding terms, right?"

"You said it. I don't want to screw up our friendship by thinking about silly things. We're close friends, you're right, but I'm nothing but her scatterbrained bestie," the redhead sighed, munching on a chip her friend had shoved in her mouth.

AA5100 hummed, rubbing her chin. "I bet my hemoglobin he thinks the same way, and you're both stuck. A match made in the brain, heh." She crossed her arms, shooting a thoughtful look to the ceiling. "I think you should tell him."

Hazel eyes flickered with fear. "Tell him what? Senpai, don't make things up!"

"I'm saying this because I know you, and I also know it'll keep you up at night. Think it over, but take it easy," the brunette suggested, leaning back on the couch, and letting her friend's head work in silence.

AE3803 summoned every memory she had of her dear neutrophil, and went over every moment, thoroughly analyzing them. She may be put down as ditzy, but she was also very observant on the other hand. Unfortunately, she could be quite oblivious as well, so she could miss some hints. Nevertheless, she had been suspecting for a while that her fascination towards him had turned into something different, something deeper. She sank her face into her hands, realization washing over her.

"Need some help?" her friend offered, wrapping her in a warm hug. She read the ginger too well, and she knew she had given her the last push to snap out of her denial. Red hair bounced as she turned her pouting face.

"Senpai. I'm doomed," she whined, slamming her hands on her cheeks. Her friend gave her a half-smile, cradling her in her arms.

"You want to talk about him, hm? He's… quite a guy, isn't he?" That sentence was all AE3803 needed to begin gushing about her pale, gentle friend.

After roughly forty-five minutes of sobbing and squealing together, AA5100 glanced at the clock on the wall of the living room. "I have to go, sweetie. I loved talking with you, but my shift starts in a few mins. Let me know what happens, alright?" She stood up and gave her friend a last affectionate pinch on her left cheek.

The ginger tapped her feet nervously on the floor. "S-Senpai, wait! What am I to do? Now I'll embarrass myself more than ever because I'll be so nervous around him plus I haven't looked at the mirror in like, 3 days! I'm a sight-"

"Get a hold of yourself! AE, he doesn't care about looks, I can tell," she comforted her agitated friend, crouching down and gently squeezing her shoulders. "Just forget about our conversation, okay? Nothing happened here, you keep acting the same with him." The younger erythrocyte gave an unsure nod, nibbling on her lower lip. "Listen, he's totally hooked on you. His face sure lights up whenever you're around, you must've been too way up in the clouds to notice. And he's the stoic type, am I right? Anyway, if your red fuzzy jungle still worries you, I got a magic tool for the occasion. Wait here," AA5100 said, booping her friend's round nose.

"Okay…" the ginger spoke with a thread of voice. The hazelnut-haired woman then rushed to the door, leaving it ajar as she disappeared in the stairs. AE3803 sighed, her shoulders dropping at the same time. Why did she have to realize what those lingering butterflies meant, just a heartbeat before seeing him? She wouldn't be able to look him in that dark, penetrating eye of his. She always felt like it could read her from the inside out, digging through her deepest secrets. She wouldn't let him, she wouldn't give away those feelings that danced inside her, she- She found a metallic device unexpectedly placed in her hands, disturbing her musings.

"Sorry I don't have the time to explain to you properly, but you just turn it on and wait for it to heat up. Then, you clasp a hair section at a time, twirl the curling iron, hold for a couple of seconds and release. You got it? Well, bye hun! Have fun! Oh, and careful with it, you don't want to get your membrane singed!" she warned as she stormed out of her apartment once again, permanently this time.

Hazel eyes squinted at the device she was holding, expecting it to explain to her again its working mechanism.

The words of her Senpai returned to her like a giant, freezing wave, swallowing her whole and pouring reality all over her. Their conversation rewound and replayed untiringly in her mind like a broken record. Now, the erythrocyte couldn't shake off the memory of her newly discovered feelings and feared her actions and tongue would betray her.

The ginger began making small talk; an excessively long silence might put the neutrophil on guard and make him suspect something was wrong. She had to mislead him, his mind-reading skills were unsettlingly sharp. At least, they were when it came to her.

Her hazel eyes wandered around the purplish bar as she talked, but suddenly, something bright flashing in her peripheral vision caught her attention, as if it called her name. A Dance Dance Revolution game! Some physical distraction was everything she needed at that moment, and moreover, she loved arcade games! More precisely, she loved how other cells described them, since she had never tried one. Her whole face lit up, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. The change in her expression piqued the man's curiosity, his head turning around to see what had captivated her.

"White Blood Cell, let's go play! C'mon!" she urged with a radiant smile, dragging him from his seat while ignoring his complaints.

She forced her friend to come along, grabbing his wrist and pulling him along, making some heads turn around as they dashed across the room. Once they stood before the arcade game, the neutrophil's mouth twisted in confusion, glancing at the vivid screen and arrows on the platform. It didn't exactly match the chic, sophisticated atmosphere of the bar, but it had somehow managed to end up there. "What's this?"

The ginger squeezed his wrist in excitement, his hand limp. "A dancing game! Everybody's talking about it, I heard it's the new little toy around here in the liver," she said in an eager voice, hopping in the spot. In contrast, the silverette's forehead furrowed, scrutinizing the glowing, dinging machine.

"You go try it, Red Blood Cell. I'll sit and watch-" she gave his arm a quick yank, causing him to stoop down and meeting her twinkling eyes, the bill of his cap pressing against her head.

"White Blood Cell, you won't let me clown around all by myself, will you?" She pointed at the machine, and added, "You see, there's two spots on that platform. Two spots, for two players. You and me!" she said in a chipper, yet persuasive voice as she held her ground and stared into the depths of his big obsidian eye. Despite giving the impression it would swallow her at any moment, it was beautiful, alluring. The neutrophil, however, averted his gaze, feeling slightly tense due to the sudden closeness.

"I never tried," he muttered, still with his usual deep voice. The girl snorted next to him.

"Me neither! That makes it all the funnier. It's really easy to play, trust me," she gave him a reassuring smile, letting go off his arm.

He rolled his eye, asking himself why he had gotten in that situation. Oh yes, he wanted to see her smile. Did he really have to make a spectacle of himself to achieve that? "I trust you. It's only that I don't dance," he declared while straightening his back, then resting one hand on his hip. The machine played a popular song in front of them, luring them in.

"Aw, c'mon, you don't even need to dance! You just have to step on the arrows that appear on the screen. I'll even let you choose the song! Please?" she talked him into playing the game, bringing folded hands to her chin. Het out a long sigh, still couldn't help a faint smile.

'If she suggests doing something fun, don't chicken out, I'm on to you. Don't be a fucking wuss, savvy?' 2048's voice rang again inside his head. U-1146 squeezed his eyes shut to push aside his tedious tips.

"You want me to play that badly?" she nodded frantically, her bright, curly locks bouncing in the air. "Alright. Here's to losing the little dignity I had left," the man joked with resignation, although he feared it would end up coming true. The redhead threw her hands in the air, letting out an excited squeal.

They stepped on the platform, taking their respective places. She did it eagerly, and he, on the contrary, did it hesitantly, grasping the metallic bar behind him.

"Okay! Now, if you'll be so kind as to choose a song, Mister U-1146," she said, motioning to the vivid screen with her hands and head.

He sat casually on the handlebar. "Sounds tempting, but I'll defer the choice to you, Miss," he refused, lifting a hand. The redhead chuckled and tapped her chin while scrolling down the music list, then stopped when she found something interesting. She selected the beginner mode; the erythrocyte didn't want her friend to break an ankle.

"Alright, you ready?" he answered by pressing his lips together. "On your feet, Sir-Pout-A-Lot!" she laughed, pulling him up until he stood. The neutrophil gathered all his courage when he saw her press the OK button, the game beginning right after.

As the music came up, all her concerns faded away, as if they had never existed. The neutrophil couldn't say the same for himself, dancing was definitely not his cup of tea. Nevertheless, the gleeful aura around her convinced him every rough road would be worth it. He looked at the girl, feeling as if they were the last two cells remaining in the body.

AE3803 tapped her soles to the corresponding glowing arrows, sticking out her tongue in concentration. Pink and blue hues twinkled in her big, expressive eyes which wouldn't leave the screen, a playful dimple dancing at the corner of her mouth. He had never noticed it, but he was glad he did at that moment. "Come on, poky, the song's started! I'm so gonna crush you," she teased, hopping from one square to another.

He desperately tried to keep up as he peeked out from the corner of his eye, mirroring her energetic moves with a second of delay. However, the neutrophil knew he had two left feet when it came to coordinating his body, at least it seemed that skill died out of battle. The words 'Great!' and 'Perfect!' popped up on her half of the screen, whereas 'Almost' and 'Boo' were the prevalent ones on his half, a consoling 'Good' appearing every now and then.

The song came to an end, and the word Cleared showed up on the screen. AE3803 won by a landslide. She gave a victorious cheer, pumping a fist.

"You're really good at this, Red Blood Cell," he acknowledged, a brief smile touching his lips. "I, on the other hand, stink at it."

She chuckled. "You got really long legs, it's gotta be hard coordinating those!"

The neutrophil glanced down at his lower limbs. "Yeah… that must be it," he muttered.

"How about we play the same song again? Now it'll be easier." The man answered with a silent nod. Truth to be told, it was quite entertaining, even if he had bitten the dust. "Just a quick tip, I think you'll do better if you look at the screen instead of me," she suggested while waggling a finger. He felt his cheeks heating up instantly. Damn, she is sharp-eyed, he thought.

He glanced around while she fiddled with the buttons. Just as he suspected, many of the cells in the bar were whispering and looking at them, as if they were part of an improvised spectacle. A quick, cold stare was more than enough to make everybody return to their respective affairs with horrified faces. For once, he took pride in being an imposing leukocyte.

The redhead nudged him as the game was about to start, the upbeat song coming up. In the second round, the neutrophil managed to narrow the gap between them. He lacked the grace she had while stepping on the arrows, but stomping on them at the right time was all that mattered. She won a second time, but he was starting to breathe on her neck.

"Well, how you like that! You're a dancing machine, White Blood Cell," she chirped proudly, patting on his shoulder. He shook his head, amused. "If we play a third time, you're so gonna beat me." Suddenly, a timid idea emerged in his mind. He thought it was foolish but decided to send it either way. The man had nothing to lose at that point anyway.

"To avoid that," he began, clearing his throat. "How about we play looking away from the screen? We'd only be guided by the arrows on the floor…" he trailed off, realizing how stupid his idea was. They could just go for another difficulty level, or even a different song, hence there was no point in trying out weird methods. However, her face lit up unexpectedly, much to his surprise.

"That sounds amazing! So we just face away from the screen, and try to remember the choreo or look at our feet, right?" He answered with a quick hum, amazed by her eagerness. She rubbed her chin, weighing in his suggestion. "But if we look down all the time, we're gonna fall," she pointed out with a nervous chuckle.

Good point, he muttered to himself. The neutrophil pondered for some seconds until he came up with yet another dumb idea, his eye fixing on her interlocked fingers. He extended his hand to her. "We can hold on to each other," he faltered. Hazel eyes settled on his palm, feeling her pulse galloping as all those neglected thoughts plagued her mind again. But then, the hand retreated. "Sorry. It's so dumb," the neutrophil muttered.

"N-No! It's brilliant! What a way to step up the game," she exclaimed and clenched her fists, snapping awake from her thoughts. Pull yourself together, AE!, she chided herself.

The white-haired man shot up his brows in amazement. "Good," he said, holding up his hand once again, but stopping halfway. "Well, in that case…" he removed both of his gloves with a quick movement and tucked them in a pocket. "There. Now we're on equal terms," he said, a faint smile gracing his lips.

Astonishment was written in her face as she slowly reached for his naked hand, skin pale as snow, but still warm, nonetheless. The ginger tried not to dwell on their skin-to-skin contact too much, or her head would combust imminently. She brushed it off and pressed the OK button for the third time, then faced her dance partner to hold his other hand as well.

The countdown started on the screen. "This is gonna be fun," she commented with an excited smile.

"I'll try not to step on your toes." The erythrocyte thought he was kidding, but there wasn't a single trace of joking in his voice.

The arrows on the stage glowed, each one at a time. The two of them hurried to tap on them before they turned off, both cells being a reflection of each other. The happy music rang through the redhead's ears once again, perking up her mood and making her forget they were holding hands. She then felt him tugging at her arm, leading her into a turn and tearing her from her tapping frenzy.

"Hey!" she complained, twirling around. "That's cheating!" she said, a defiant smile on her face. She returned to her arrow-stomping, hearing the neutrophil titter in front of her.

"I thought you wanted to dance," he proved himself innocent. The redhead's eyes left the floor to meet his gaze for a moment.

"You're a funny guy, aren't you, White Blood Cell?" she chuckled sarcastically, blue and red lights glowing on her amused expression.

He gave a half-smile as his eye darted from one arrow to another. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

At long last, the victory was his. "You only won because you're a dirty cheater," she huffed and pretended to throw a tantrum. The neutrophil gently pulled at her arm, the pair stepping off the platform with hands still clasped together.

"Someone can't stand defeat?" he teased, a corner of his mouth turning up. A gush of incomprehensive complaints left the erythrocyte's mouth and only stopped when they reached their table, their drinks sitting untouched on the surface. It was only then that they let go of each other's hand.

The young woman sat back in her white, puffy stool and gazed around the room, spotting different types of blood cells talking softly, as well as several hepatocytes with neat hairstyles taking orders, or carrying full or empty trays to and fro. "It beats me how nobody is staring at us even after making such fools of ourselves," she whispered to the neutrophil sitting before her, a hand covering her mouth.

"Perhaps I've taken care of it," he answered matter-of-factly, fiddling with the metal straw on his drink. The woman's jaw went slack, leaning slightly over the table.

"White Blood Cell! What did we say about scaring the heck out of other cells?" she chuckled softly, her dimples making an appearance once again.

"I hopelessly succumbed to temptation," he replied, pushing the annoying straw aside with his nose and taking a sip from the glass.

A chuckle escaped her lips once again, then rested her cheek on her palm, her head tilted. The erythrocyte extended her hand to meet his, which was pressed firmly against the table. She tapped a playful finger on one of his knuckles, albeit her eyes landed on an old scar on the back of his hand. The finger travelled up and stroked the greyish mark. How many of these would he be hiding? However, the neutrophil interpreted the touch as an invitation to take her hand in his, which disturbed her musings. She lifted her big eyes only to find his, a black pond in his pale, deadpan face.

Despite his blank expression, the erythrocyte found him breezily thumbing her hand. A shiver ran down her cytoskeleton.

"You haven't touched your drink yet, Red Blood Cell. You don't like it?" he questioned with a slight lift of his brows. 'Stroke her hand, girls like some soft touch. Don't forget to ask permission first!' 2048 warned, to which he answered, 'That's not very friend-like.' 2048 gritted his teeth. 'You only keep your damn mouth shut when it suits you, right, big boy?'

After a short, silent pause except for the background jazz music, murmurs, and the clinking of glass, he squeezed her hand gently, which was rather cold. The neutrophil caught himself indulging in that tender touch; her hand was much smaller than his, and much softer, too.

"White Blood Cell," she muttered.

He tore his eye from their hands and looked at her thoughtful image. A line had formed between her eyebrows and her eyelids drooped. "Yes?" his voice sounded rather troubled, wondering what was going on inside that red head.

Hazel eyes glanced at him through ginger lashes. "Is this a date?"