Chapter 3: An slightly change in the daily life

(October 23, 2001)

"Another 5 minutes Kasumi chan. Stop shaking me already. Just another 5 minutes." I could hardly resist the temptation to sleep in with such a comfy sofa. The coldness beyond the layer blanket only adds up to my laziness. With a beyond worldly comfy sofa and a warm blanket like this, who wouldn't want to sleep in?

"Geh… It's cold" Suddenly, a mysterious force yanked away the warm blanket covering me. The coldness in the lab room seeped in to my body like someone splashing a bucket of water to my sleepy self. I could only groggily open my eyes to look into the direction of the source of that mysterious force.

"Good morning Kasumi. Could you kindly return my blanket?"

Kasumi replies emotionlessly "No, Takeru will just sleep in again."

"Urg, there is no room for negotiation with this one. I guess it's time to see how Yuuko sensei doing."

I follow Kasumi footstep to Yuuko office. There was a huge improve in Kasumi condition as compare to last night. There is no trace of fatigue remain on her face at all.

As we step into Yuuko office "Yuuko sensei, I am coming in" The crazy scientist is scripting down furiously something in a piece of paper while holding her phone and speaking to someone else. "I need you to come here personally to check the statistic that I recorded. I sure you will find this record interesting." From the way Yuuko sensei speaking on the phone, the person on the other end of the line is can be none other than her sister.

Finally, she has noticed our presence. "Oh, you surely took your time Shirogane. I intend to look for you sooner or later…" For some reason, she stops speaking. Instead, she stares at my direction as if she spotted something out of place. Does my bed head look that weird to her? "Oh my, what do we have here? It's clearly unusual of you to walk hand in hand with someone you just meet Kasumi chan."

Finally realize what she mean, Kasumi and I quickly disconnect our hands. Without a mirror, I could tell that my face is just as red as that of Kasumi right now. God, look at that woman smirk. She is definitely scheming something.

Then, Yuuko sensei takes out a handkerchief pretend to wipe away her tears as if she is an actress in some sort of soap operas "Ara ara, Shirogane, you have finally extend your poisonous fangs toward such a small girl. I am really sad. I thought you were serious about me. I could never ever expect that you were a lolicon."

"Geh…" I couldn't come up with anything to response to this woman bad joke. My legs trembles as I buckle down while slam my face hard on the ground. "Where the hell you get that idea from? You are a horrible guardian. We have a minor in this room; don't speak any M+ stuff here. Beside, this is a T rate fan fiction."

"Cheh, you are boring. Despite your claim to be my assistant, you have no sense of humor at all."

"Geh" A sweat comically drops from Takeru head. His Yuuko sensei sense of humor is just as bad as Lt. Munakata or Kashiwagi.

"Joke aside, Yuuko sensei, How are you coping with the change right now? Your eye bags look horrible. You totally look like a Chinese panda now".

"Oh my, so you mean that I am as adorable as a panda. That was a weak attempt in my opinion. If you were to compliment a beautiful and genius lady such as myself, you have to think of something better. Anyway, good job. I have a better opinion about you now." Yuuko sensei confidently smirks at me

"Geh" His Yuuko sensei was never as playful as this in all of his previous loops. "Sensei, I am totally serious now".

"Sorry, Shirogane. I just try to relieve some stress", she giggles. "Firstly, regard what you told me about the generator, I had a few ideas toward how to use it to our advantage. However, until the construction of the 00 unit, these plans will on hold. Secondly, the construction of the 00 unit will be postponed until I could have a better data and material together with the help of my sister. Lastly, the design of the XG-70, don't expect the result so soon. We are talking about the edge of human technology here. All the computing chips as well as the generating engine were impossible to be reduced any smaller. Unless with the help of a nano level technology, we can't do anything about it as it is now."

"Don't worry sensei, according to my memory, we are early on schedule. Take your time; I believe you can do it."

"Hoh, no wonder you are my assistant. You know a few knacks to manipulate and motivate someone else." She smirks while eyeing her sight toward me.

"It's only thanked to your teaching sensei" I could only smile back in return.

"If you need something from me, feel free to summon me anything you like. Now, I will return to my post"

"Sure, be ready to work yourself to death for my sake" Yuuko sensei let out an evil giggle sound as she speaks.

This aspect of Yuuko sensei hasn't change at all. Her aura of an evil mad scientist could send chill even to a veteran soldier. I salute her and head out to my barrack.

(Instructor office) Takeru POV

Marimo chan must be in her office right now. Standing in front of her office, I am not sure whether to knock this door or not. I can't help but fidgeting in front of her office. This was mainly due to the trauma of her death in the previous loop. I was the cause her death not one but twice. I couldn't steel up my emotion to speak normally just yet.

"You must be Shirogane Takeru"; a strikingly gentle and familiar voice call to me from the corridor.

There is no doubt at all. This voice could only belong to Marimo chan. I reflexively turn my head to the direction where this voice come from. Marimo chan look at me while checking some file in her attendance booklet. This is just too unexpected. Damn it, Takeru, say something. A rush of emotions which suppose to be subsided long ago suddenly rise up. I was so overwhelmed by these emotions that I could barely make a single sound. "Y…yes"

"Youngman, why are you crying?" Marimo chan has a somewhat stern and surprise expression on her face.

Damn it. I am not even aware that I was really crying. These reactions of mine must seriously creep her out. I wasn't sure what to reply. I was completely drowned in this sea of unknown emotions. Nevertheless, I can't afford to keep on dwelling in past. "I'm… sorry. It's just that you were strikingly resembled my old decease mentor… I apologize for my unprofessional reaction. I will do my best to sort out these feeling" Thankfully, I somehow able to manage this much. Hopefully, Marimo chan will buy that.

Marimo's face softens as she hears it. "Don't worry about it. We all had tough time in this era. Take your time to steel up yourself. You are a fine young man. Even the XO of this base has a huge expectation toward your progress."

I quickly salute her "Thank you for your kind word Ma'am. I will live up to your expectation"

"Good. Now, follow me, I will introduce you to your squad"

"Yes, Marimo chan"

Suddenly, Marimo chan eyes me with an extremely icy look. Urg, old habit dies hard. I just make a slip. Darn it, now the entire situation just become even more awkward. "My sincerest apologize, instructor Jinguuji. I didn't mean to phrase it like that. Somehow it just slips out of my mouth."

"You are surely full of excuse Shirogane. Just watch out for it from now. I absolutely don't want to hear another slip of your from now on."

"Sir, yes sir"

Suddenly, Marimo chan facial expression turns a huge 180 degree from the cold yuki-onna (snow monster in Japan fairy story, wiki it if you not sure) to that of curiosity "By the way, I have not even introduced myself yet. How do you know my first name?

"Yuuko sensei has told me many story about you, instructor Jinguuji " I come up with a white lie as quick as possible.

"Tch, That woman is better not speaking anything she is not supposed to. I will have her pay for it if she ever crosses the line"

I am scare, seriously scare. I had never known this side of Marimo chan before. I guess I have just dug my own grave with the last line. I won't able to survive another day if both Yuuko sensei and Marimo chan give me an execution after this. I have to think of something to stop my predictable death now. "Don't worry instructor. Yuuko sensei told me that you were an excellent instructor. She was just giving me some advice to take you as a model to follow."

"Flattering me will get you nowhere Shirogane" Marimo glares at me.

Damn it. I will keep my mouth shut for now. Her mood just turns worse. I don't know if I could live to be introduced to my old squad at this rate. I have no choice but follow Marimo chan to the class in an unbearable silence.

As Marimo chan open the class door, another voice that I miss dearly could be heard "Everyone, salute"

Marimo chan quickly step into the room, "At ease". Then she look into my direction as if asking me why didn't follow her into the class.

I can't make a fool of myself here anymore. Takeru tells himself as he does his best to lock away all sort of rising emotion. He continually steps in the class while telling himself not to think of anything. Yet, in his head, he could only see some awful flashbacks. Class rep, Ayamine, Mikoto, Tama sacrificed their lives while protect their IFF safe to keep him away from worry. Then the corpse of Tama was shown to him while asking if she was really a living being. And then, he pulled the trigger to end the lives of a girl who love him dearly. Her words haunted and hurt him more than anything she could have imagined. Takeru could never forget or lock away that piece of memories. […Takeru… please let it be you…, the man I love … send me to my grave.]

"Shirogane, Shirogane. Are you listening?" I suddenly came back to reality as I heard Marimo chan's voice.

"I'm sorry Marimo chan. This situation just reminds me of my past. I 'm fine"

Shit. Marimo Chan is glaring at me now. "Gulp" I just swallow a large chunk of saliva unknowingly. I dug my own grave again. It's really hard to get rid of this habit of mine. Abruptly, a drop of water falls onto the ground. It took me fully a second only to realize that it was my tear. "Geh, I am surely made a fool of myself. This is the worst impression ever." I mutter in a volume that only I could hear.

"Shirogane, fix that attitude of yours. It's unsightly. You are making a bad impression of yourself in front of your squad mate." Marimo chan points toward an empty table at the back. "That's your seat. Quickly move to it so we could begin the lesson."

"I apologize, instructor" I quickly move to my own designed seat while everyone in the squad gives me a both curious and weird look.

Takeru POV (Class room)

It's completely unbelievable. What Sumika did was definitely not just merely a miracle. If you think about it, I was emerged in a hellish despair, sorrow and emptiness. Even knowing my limit of a human being, I could never accept myself powerlessly survive on the death of everyone else. It's would be a billion time kinder if I was to die together with them. Being a lone survivor is extremely hard. Being the one who pull the trigger that end the life of someone dear to you is even harder. One could only fell to despair when faces such fact. If not for the miracle perform by Sumika, I don't think I could ever maintain my sanity.

"Shirogane, SHIROGANE"

Crap. I think I just heard Marimo screaming my name.

"Shirogane, you have some nerve despite being a crybaby",[Geh], Marimo glares at me while speaking in an evil tone. "You really have some nerve to not paying attention in my class. You join the squad late. Everyone was kind enough to alter the curriculum just for you. I can't have you dreaming in the class like this. Repeat what I just said, now"

"This mean push up for him", Tama mutter in a quiet voice.

"You were giving a fictional scenario in which a support unit disrupts the enemy's rear guard facilities just before the actual operation" If my memory doesn't fail me, this should be the correct answer.

"And why's that?" Marimo has an unexplainable surprise look on her face. Everyone directed their attention at me as I continued my explanation. This must be because none of them expect that I could answer this spot on.

"In this scenario, 'Destruction' specifically means 'disabling their radar' not necessarily destroying it, so it'd be best to leave the facility intact since we'll be able to use it later on. It'd be also less dangerous than attacking the base itself and you won't need many explosives. This will increase the chances of survivability and mission completion of the squad. This is all"

"An excellent answer" Marimo gives me a rare praise. [Lucky me, my memory didn't fail me at all]. "Except,…",Marimo chan adds [That's weird, I don't think this pattern appeared in my last loop].

"Except the fact that,… the situation that I was talking about is a fictional scenario in which you have to defend the base with limited amount of water, food and ammo supply" Marimo show me a rare evil grin.

Holy crap. Stop changing the future as you like Marimo chan. I was supposed to be praise after this by Tama while improve my standing in the squad, you know?

"Shirogane, you are to do an extra 200 push up in the next activities in the barrack. Now sit down and pay more attention to my lesion." Marimo chan still flashes me with her evil grin.

"Yes, I apologize for my behavior Mar…Instructor Jinguuji"

"Urg, I just make a fool of myself again. This is the worst impression I could have possibly made" I can't help but sigh out as I look upon the black board.

However, without Takeru knowledge, everyone in the class, including his Marimo chan was actually impressed by his previous answer. He gave a brilliantly correct answer to a wrongly heard question. [How on the earth could it possibly happen?], was the single question that everyone in the class have on their mind, including Takeru himself.