Chapter 3

It was chilly misty Saturday morning but the sun already started to climb over horizon. Hotaru inhaled deeply and started stretching. She jumped a couple of times and waved her arms in different directions trying to warm up some of her muscles. It was five thirty in the morning and she was just preparing herself for her everyday hour-long run. As every weekend she and her comrades were staying at the camp-field. The spring season just started so they had plenty of time for practising before the next TGC. And they weren't the only team here, not by a long shot. She had already seen Agartha and of course Hoshishiro was staying here as well although not every week.

She started running and took her usual route. It led off the camp-field ground and to the nearby forest. She really liked this particular path. First of all, because it wasn't that popular (she never met any other player out here) and second, it ran across diverse terrain with small hills and bumps along the way. There was, of course, one more reason. At the end of the route was a wild lake, really deep but crystal clear. She loved to take a break by the lake and just stare into the abyss thinking of everything and nothing at the same time. Hotaru felt her breath became ragged and her muscles started to pain a little. But she was already used to the feeling so she knew she just had to push herself and once she passed that point her body would adjust to the sensation of speed. Matsuoka-san suggested to her before that they all should jog as a team so that everyone can become fit. She liked the idea. That's why in the evening she was running with guys but she didn't resign from her morning routine. Mostly because when she was alone, Hotaru ran at a lightning speed. Ever since she was a kid, she had this immense stamina and endurance and she knew that these two qualities were her only strong points on the battlefield. That and the fact she was agile. Recently she had been working on her aim and shooting abilities and over the last 3 years she improved much but deep down in her heart she knew that if she were to stop cultivating her inborn skills she wouldn't stand a chance against Midori. Yes, for the last couple of weeks she had been busy with her work and school so she didn't really have the opportunity to play with the doctor as she promised. Hotaru wouldn't say it aloud as she didn't want to hurt her teammates' feelings but she was convinced that she could learn a lot from Midori-san. Not only because he was the undefeated king. He had this trait about him which allowed him to find, understand and nurture people's best qualities. And like no-one else ever, he knew how to push her boundaries.

Hotaru felt her own sweat running down her temples and under her shirt, making the material damp and causing it to stick to her body. With quick gesture she wiped off the moisture from her forehead and quickened her pace. She rounded next corner and the forest opened up into a clearing amidst which was the lake. She didn't stop until she was on the very edge of the water. She took several deep breaths and stood in silence basking in the sun that was already warming up everything around her. It truly was spring as she could hear buzzing sounds of insects that just woke up and were now busy flying around and searching for blooming flowers. Hotaru took of her hoody and threw it on the grass nearby. Then a tempting slightly dangerous thought hit her. The idea was bold but so was she and so before she could find any excuses for not following her guts, she quickly removed the rest of her clothes. Not thinking or caring much whether it was safe she just jumped straight into the cold water. The sensation of her naked skin meeting and then being swallowed by the icy liquid made her feel as if she was a little kid again. Hotaru squeaked a couple of times and started laughing. She then swam to the middle of the lake and let herself float on her back. The girl gazed at the sky above her aimlessly. This pure delightful moment was gone when right in front of her eyes she saw Shuu's face and her heart sank a bit. Feeling as if someone's cold hand grabbed her heart and squeezed tightly, she took another deep breath and then just let her body sunk below the surface. It was a strange sensation looking at the same sky from under the water and letting herself fell down to the lake's bottom. The coldness of her heart merged with the coldness of the water around her and she felt at peace. It was so tempting to stay there forever but at the same time she understood that if she lingered any longer she wouldn't have enough air left to emerge. Against herself she started moving her arms and legs and after a couple of seconds she was again breathing in the warm spring air.

- I was beginning to think that you drown yourself, Hotaru-chan.

She whipped her head into direction from which the voice came and freeze on the spot. Midori-san was standing near the shore next to the place where she left most of her clothes.

- What are you doing here, Midori-san? - she hissed feeling her cheeks reddening under his scrutinizing gaze. One of his eyebrows rose up but he didn't grace her with an answer. Which was fair enough as he was wearing jogging clothes and so his purpose of being there wasn't exactly that hard to guess.

- You will catch a cold if you stay in this cold water any longer, Tachibana-kun – the doctor said instead, still bearing his eyes deep into hers. And Hotaru wasn't up for the challenge. He caught her off-guard (again) and the fact that she was almost naked didn't add to her confidence at all. She turned her face away from him so that he couldn't see her eyes.

- Would you mind turning around, Midori-san? Tachibana feels too embarrassed to come out while you are watching...

- Huh? Embarrassed you say – something in his voice made her curious enough to look at him again and she felt her heart bumping loudly against her chest. The man in front of her was smiling but it wasn't a pleasant smile. The last time she saw this face on him he was stomping all over Yukimura-san.

- So let me understand what you are saying, Hotaru. You weren't embarrassed nor frightened when you came to this desolated place alone and decided to swim all by yourself but you are now embarrassed to came out just because someone happened to came by? - grey cold eyes were like daggers and she really didn't appreciate his patronizing tone. Yet she knew him for too long now to just surrender.

- That's correct, Midori-san. Again, would you mind turning around so that Tachibana can get out of the water?

The two of them were starring at each other for a couple of seconds and then the doctor smiled at the girl in front of him:

- As you wish, Hotaru.

As soon as she was sure he couldn't see her, she came out of the water and started drying her hair with the small towel she had in her backpack. Once she more or less dried her body, she slipped into her clothes, her gestures hastened by the pressure of his presence nearby.

- So you like this route as well, Midori-san?

He gazed at her, taking in the view. Yes, she definitely changed during the last three years he had known her... Her shapes rounded nicely making her give off more feminine air. Yet, she still had this boyish aura even though her hair had grown longer, the golden strands were endearingly ruffled, kept in a sort of artistic disarray which matched her reckless personality. She stood out from the crowd and what he most liked about her didn't change at all. Her big green eyes looking at the world with the innocence and curiosity without even a shadow of a hasten judgement.

- Actually, this is the first time I took this path.

- Oh, really? You will love it Midori-san!

- What makes you thing so, Hotaru-chan?

- Tachibana likes it a lot and Midori-san has similar tastes to Tachibana's in matters like this – she wasn't looking at him so she couldn't had seen how he glanced at her, clearly bewildered by her statement. Then the man chuckled slightly and brushed the unruly golden curl from her face. The intimacy of this gesture caught them both off guard but before he found any words to explain himself she simply shrugged her arms and smiled at him.

- Should we get going, Midori-san? Tachibana didn't have anything for breakfast yet and is starting to get really, really hungry.

- Sure, Hotaru-chan. Lead the way.

With that said Hotaru started running and he followed her suit. She was jogging in front of him as the path she chose was narrow and unkept, with bushes and all sorts of vegetation creeping on to it and blocking the way. They were in the woods again and the sun slipping through the freshly bloomed leaves danced on the girl's hair making it glitter like a precious metal. He could hear her breathing and smell the sweat mixed with soap and something else. A faint whiff of cigarettes, the brand Matsuoka smoked regularly. For a second, he remembered another spring morning and himself running with Masamune down a similar path. But back then, he was the one in front and the other guy was following him, shadowing every step he took. Suddenly, Midori felt a bit uneasy. Why was he so interested in this girl? It was true that at first he merely wanted a new toy as a way to annoy both Yukimura and Masamune. But three years had passed and he still didn't loose any interest in her, on the contrary, he let her influenced him way beyond what he usually allowed. Because Hotaru was different than all other players and people he met until now. She had this unfathomable way of making connections. Once you let her near your heart it was impossible to chase her away and truth to be told, he was long past even trying. When he first met her he thought that she was a bit like Masamune and when wearing boy's clothes she could easily pass for his brother. Yet that wasn't the truth. In reality, she was like a fire no matter on the battlefield or in the everyday life. And for some reason he couldn't quite comprehend, he caught that fire when he first got curious about her.

- We are near the gate, Midori-san – her voice brought him back from his reverie. They ran another fifty meters or so before they stopped near the changing rooms.

- It was a good run, Midori-san – she was beaming at him, hair dishevelled and her blouse slightly off.

- It sure was – he replied absent-mindedly, busy with watching the sparkling trail on her skin left by a drop of sweat that travelled down her throat and passed the collarbone. Hotaru must have felt his gaze because she fidgeted slightly and so to cover up his own unsettling behaviour, he simply straightened her hoodie to make it seem like he was all about the aesthetics.

- What are you doing here? - a sharp voice interrupted them.

- Haruki-kun! Tachibana was jogging when she met Midori-san – the girl swirled around and jumped into her team-mate's direction. The younger man just glared at the doctor and that only made Midori chuckle. Clearly with his entire body-posture he was trying to fend off the evil that the doctor represented.

- But why would you get back with him, Hotaru?

- Hmm? But Midori-san and Tachibana were going into the same direction so it was only natural to come back together...

- Natural, my-ass – Haruki hissed turning around rapidly. He grabbed Hotaru's hand and dragged her behind him.

- Haruki-kun where...

- You! Keep your distance from our team members or I promise I will crush you on the battlefield.

- Those are big words, Haruki-kun – Midori said smiling sweetly but his eyes remained cold – You'd better be able to keep that promise.

Haruki just gritted his teeth and without a word turned around pulling Hotaru into their quarters direction.

- Was that really necessary? Tachibana knows that Haruki-kun is not a fan of Midori-san but Tachibana thinks Haruki exaggerated a bit.

- Really, Hotaru? Do you not remember how sneaky this guy is? He doesn't play fair so it's not safe to hang around him. And that's that.

- What's what? - Matsuoka emerged from his room and a second later the door's leading to Yukki's room opened as well.

- Midori is circling around Hotaru like a hawk around his prey. Or a vulture – Haruki exclaimed.

Suddenly Hotaru felt tired again. The energy from the morning jog disappeared in the thin air and she was back to square one. Sure she understood them. She knew that the doctor was a monster on the battlefield but she really couldn't understand why they were all acting like that when it came to her interactions with him. She wasn't exactly a child any more and the fact that they didn't seem to notice was making her feel even more exhausted. And that wasn't the way the things were supposed to be. Not here. Not in her safe heaven.

- I just wish you guys could start trusting my judgement a bit more. Who knows? You might have actually been amazed at how good judge of characters I am – she said quietly and turned around.

- Hotaru? Hotaru, wait – Matsuoka tried to stop her but she cut him off with a sad smile.

- Tachibana is not angry, she just needs to grab some water. Be right back.

- Fucking great! Why is she being such a kid? - Haruki growled.

- Is she really? Are you sure it's not the two of you who are acting like zealous boyfriends-to-be? - Yukki shot them a measured look.

- Why are you bringing me into this, Yukki? I have no idea what this is all about – Matsuoka raised his hands in a defensive gesture – I will go and fetch her.

- No, Mattsun. I will go – the dark-haired mangaka said firmly and followed the girl.

Hotaru stood next to the vending machine and stared at it thoughtlessly. Of course, it had to be broken. She sighed quietly and was about to leave when someone appeared behind her back and hit the plastic pretty hard. For a second, there was no effect and then, the display blinked twice before spitting out a bottle of water that she really yearned for.

- Sometimes brute force is the only way, Tachibana-kun. Especially when making love or buying water – the man whispered straight into her ear and that gave her a fright. She jumped away, desperately trying to fend off the offender but he was way too persistent... And experienced, with his long hands tightened around her waist and his head buried in the crook of her neck.

- Don't be upset with these two morons, Tachibana-kun. You know we may be overprotective but we love you so much – the guy kept whispering into her ear, and with each word gusts of warm air tickled her skin.

- Please stop it, Yukimura-san – she started laughing trying to free herself from his steel-like grip. But he held her close, making sure their arms and legs were tangled together, effectively making a cage from his own body.

- I will when you say you forgive them. Say it or I'll start tickling you for serious now – Yukki was enjoying it way more than he really should. In his eyes, Hotaru wasn't a kid any more and he was just wondering when the other two would admit that as well. The teenage kid they took in years ago, grew up to be cute young girl. Yukimura wasn't really surprised that Midori was interested in her. Although he would never admit that, he knew for sure that the doctor was serious when it came to her well-being and probably sensed the sadness that became part of Hotaru recently. That's why even though Yukimura didn't like the doctor going near their Hotaru as much as the others, he wasn't quite ready to dismiss his actions or play them of as simply another way to make their lives more miserable. The main reason was of course Hotaru herself. Yukimura was aware of what the others instinctively knew but couldn't quite put into words. The blond girl that he was now holding in his arms was truly special. And even monsters like Midori yearned for the light she was emanating.

- Fine, fine, Yukimura-kun. Tachibana is not angry any more, wasn't really to begin with.

- Honestly? - he asked loosening the grip and turning her to face him so that he could see the look in her eyes. Her cheeks were coloured in pink and she was breathing heavily probably because he nearly crushed her.

- Honestly. Tachibana just doesn't understand why you guys are not trusting her...

- We are. We just don't trust him.

They stood together in a silence for a couple of seconds, Hotaru leaning on the vending machine, and Yukimura with his both hands placed at her sides so that she couldn't escape even if she wanted.

- I know you don't. And I'm sorry – she said quietly searching his eyes. The look she gave him, really surprised him. Her gaze was burning him, almost as if she could see whatever was lurking behind his shy smile. He leaned toward her, tucking her hair behind her ear and fighting the urge to...

- Here you are, guys! – Matsun's voice was like a bucket of cold water and in his mind, Yukki quietly praised his childhood friend.

- We were searching for you everywhere! Kamenashi-san is supposed to make an announcement.

- Announcement? - Hotaru's interest perked up and she had clearly forgotten about what Yukimura and her were discussing.

- Yeah, seems like something important so if you huh... are not mad at us... I mean we should probably go and check it out – Haruki said trying his best to avoid the girl's eyes. There was this short pause and then she just burst with laughter.

- You never change, Haruki-kun – she giggled lightly – Such a big boy on the outside and such a small kid on the inside...

- What did you just say?

- Nothing! Matsuoka-san, please save Tachibana! - she ran into their captain's direction, hiding safely behind his back.

- Oi Hotaru, what are you doing? Is that even fair to use me as a shield? - Matsuoka's voice was stern but the face he was making wasn't even one bit.

- All is fair in love and war, isn't it? Beside, I need someone to protect me – she said laughingly, tugging his sleeve and shooting curious glances at her opponent – Can Tachibana counts on you, Matsuoka-san?

- Sure thing, Hotaru... Sure thing – he replied wrapping his arm around her. The four of them headed into the cafeteria's direction.

The crowd gathered near the canteen, players sitting on the long wooden benches and tables around the square plaza. They were chatting excitedly, some whispering, some shouting to each other over the buzzing sounds of the mixed voices. In the middle of all this commotion stood Kamenashi-san. As always he had this stern look on his face but even from the distance Midori could tell that he was excited about something. Since it seemed that they were waiting for more people to arrive, Midori lazily looked around. He spotted her immediately, coming from the opposite direction. Her guards as he liked to call them, were all over her, blocking anyone from coming too close. The older twin led the way, right behind him was Matsuoka with his arm casually wrapped around Hotaru's shoulder, and at the back black-haired Yukimura was closing the procession. They were truly acting like guarding dogs and he couldn't blame them. Even though Hotaru was still a young player, she was a force to be reckoned with and other TGC participant's realized that years ago. During their first encounter at TGC, Toy Gun Gun lost in the first round but in the years to follow, they ranked the second best consecutively. And everyone pretty much understood that this achievement was mostly possible due to the level of skill Hotaru represented. She was tough and honest at the same time and it showed in the way she fought. Each year it was almost an impossible task to win over her and regularly he found himself going one on one with the girl. And he went all out each time which was exhilarating and terrifying at once. Still, that meant everyone was curious about her and some were only waiting to try and crash her spirit so her team-mates did what they could to shield her from any unwanted attention. Midori's eyes drifted to the girl in the middle and in that exact moment she raised her head and caught him staring. All the benches around were occupied by other players but the bench he was sitting on was empty. It was part of being the king. Loneliness. People tried to avoid him out of fear and respect and some because they believed interacting with him would give the doctor a chance to study them and learn all their weaknesses. To be fair they weren't wrong. Still, he, consciously or not, yearned for other's company and probably because of that, the moment his gaze met Hotaru's, he waved his hand gesturing toward her. He really didn't think much about it and for sure he didn't think she would actually come to him, especially taking into consideration the scene he and Haruki caused merely an hour ago. But of course, she had to surprise him. Midori saw Hotaru moved pass Haruki and said something to her comrades. Judging by their faces, whatever she told them wasn't what they wanted to hear but even so they followed her. And Hotaru just ran to him with a wide smile and cheerful attitude. How long has it been since someone ran to him like that?

- We meet again, Midori-san! Tachibana is thankful to you for sharing the bench – she took the place next to him, moving closer to the point that their thighs were touching, as she wanted to make space for her team-mates.

- You sure are something else, Hotaru-chan – Midori chuckled mindful of all the gazes that were now fixated on them. His mood improved a lot just by watching bewilderment painted on other's faces.

- Does Midori-san know what's going on here?

- Nope, no idea...

- And I actually thought that you could be useful – Yukimura muttered. The tension between men rose slightly but was resolved by Kamenashi-san who started with his speech.

- Welcome everyone. As every year I'm proud to announce that the spring season is officially open – the statement was followed by a round of applause and cheerful banter. But all eyes were now fixated on the speaker, waiting for the catch here.

- Survival games are getting more and more popular across Japan and in the world and it is only natural that players who aim to become true warriors want to develop their skills to the best of their abilities. However, up until now, we encouraged playing in teams and so in the last couple of years the same teams kept leading the way and dictating their rules – everybody's eyes followed Kamenashi's gaze to the place where Toy Gun Gun and captain of Hoshishiro were sitting.

- But how do we ensure that those who are at the top and those who are at the bottom have the equal chances to develop their skills? I kept asking this myself over and over again. And finally I came to understand what needs to be done – Kamenashi paused for a moment, looked around as if to confirm if everyone was still listening carefully – We will pair up experienced players with younger ones and have them train together through the spring season. We will then set a list of challenges so that newly formed pairs can test how much they learned from each other. Of course, it's not mandatory to take part but if you'd like to, please put a piece of paper with your name into any of the two boxes here. The blue box is for the experienced players and the red one is for the newbies. You can also submit someone else as a candidate but only if they agree. In a week time, we will draw lots to see who is paired up with whom. That's all. You are dismissed.

The silence that befell the square after his last words lasted for several seconds but then the excited hum filled the air. Players started to chat, imagining which pairs would be the most interesting to see and theorizing about who should be paired up with whom. Somehow Matsuoka had really bad feeling about this. Mostly because in this cacophony of voices he could discern only two names that were being repeated constantly: 'Tachibana-kun' and 'Midori-san', 'Wouldn't it be awesome to see Toy Gun Gun's newbie with the king?', 'Guys, what do you think about Hotaru-chan and Nagamasa?' and so on and so forth. He looked at Hotaru and his heart skipped a beat. She was chatting with Yukimura and Midori, smiling brightly at the two of them and although only a couple of minutes ago it seemed like they would jump at each other's throat there was no trace of that animosity any more. Why? Because Hotaru had this calming effect and she was like a balm for all of them. When she was around even though they still didn't trust one another, they were able to have a normal conversation. What would happen to all of them if Hotaru was taken away? What would happen to him if she were to be hurt at some point? He still remembered tears running down her cheeks when she emerged after her first fight with Midori. The pain, the guilt, the lack of self-esteem. He remembered holding her in his arms and trying his best to chase all these anxious feelings and thoughts away. And although he never saw her crying again after that, he was still determined to protect her at all cost.

The night fell at last and most players finished with their practice and headed to their quarters for the much deserved rest. The two boxes left by Kamenashi-san stood unattended waiting for people to submit their names. It was so quiet and peaceful that nobody even bothered to keep an eye on them. A silhouette emerged from shadows and walked hastily toward the boxes. The person stopped for a moment, seemingly hesitant and then placed one lot in each of the boxes. Under the cover of darkness it was impossible to tell who it was or what were they thinking but if anybody could see them then, they would had notice the unpleasant smile stretching across their features.