Kida frowned and added

"You don't have to add on the already heavy atmosphere, think of the girls"

"I do, and I don't think it's a good idea to conceal reality, because in that very case, it might get us killed. I know you don't care the slightest about me but as you said yourself, think of the girls and think about your best friend. You wouldn't want to see them dead would you?" retorted Aoba, still smiling.

Opposed to his usual self Mikado was the one who stopped the argument "I don't think it's the right time to be fighting over words"

Kida, who was about to say something stayed his mouth wide open, before closing it, finally choosing to be silent and Aoba shrugged his shoulders like he didn't care one bit for anything.

They all continued to walk for a while, Aoba still leading the way, Kida and Saki advancing side by side and Mikado helping Anri as much as he could. There was no path for them to take, they had to create their way among the forest and it wasn't always easy.

Anri thought that maybe Saika would come in handy in this situation but changed her mind when Saki proposed to make a pause and rest for a bit while it was still relatively safe around them.

The fact it seemed to be safe didn't prevent them from organizing guarding rounds, Aoba proposed to take the first one, Kida immediately volunteered to keep him company, still smiling the younger boy answered

"It's really nice of you Kida-sempai but I don't think I need help for something as simple as keeping watch"

"I don't care, I don't trust you ... to stay awake I mean. It would be realy unfortunate if something happened to us in our sleep just because you couldn't stay awake and let's admit it, you're so small that I wouldn't trust your ability to find against one or several unknown attackers all alone"

Aoba was about to answer that Kida was equally small but he was cut off by Saki, "Stop it you two, Aoba-kun you won't be able to prevent him from staying awake if he wants to, this argument is pointless"

Anri nodded and Mikado pointed out she was right.

So both of the boys ended up keeping watch together, always silent, somehow watching more over each other's reaction than on their surroundings.

The girls fell asleep fast, tired from so many tension and reassured by the fact the boys were looking over them.

Mikado on the other hand just couldn't sleep, he was the one who knew Aoba the best and he knew he was plotting something. If he wasn't at the moment he would be later and there they would all be in danger. He was tempted to trust Kida more but Kida was scary in a way, no normal people could joke in this kind of situation, no one.

The one who created the fearsome Dollars was scarred, everything in this island was scarring him, he sighed and turned over toward the two other boys, trying to get some sleep because he didn't know when would be the next time he'd be able to do so.