Chapter 13
Making Amends
I gently run my hand through Inori's hair, caressing her sleeping face upon my lap. Though I am sleepy as hell myself after last night's battle, I am not in a good position to get some rest just yet. After all, I am sitting in a couch inside the Funeral Parlor's medical quarters, where Inori was treated after sustaining numerous injuries in combat.
It was a miracle that she didn't get hit by any bullets and got through the fight with only cuts, bruises and a flesh wound from a grenade's shrapnel in her formerly healthy arm. She lost a lot of blood once more, though, so Tsugumi transfused a pint Kyo donated for Inori's use while Shibungi stitched her wounds closed again.
Seeing how much damage she has taken over the course of three days, I am seriously starting to wonder how many times Inori has been treated like this in her lifetime. There aren't any scars in her skin for me to count, since regenerative ointments to erase them have been in the market for a few years, so I can only ask her or Gai to ease my curiosity.
However, the way she was cooperating with Shibungi to facilitate her treatment made it seem like she is already used to being in this part of the headquarters. Even after the transfusion was done and her injuries wrapped in bandages, she calmly walked to me as I waited for her in this very couch and promptly laid to sleep with my legs as her pillows.
Normally, I'd have taken her to her room so she'd have a proper bed, but Kyo and I are still waiting for Gai and Argo to get done with Kido Kenji's treatment. As far as I know, he has been unconscious ever since I extracted his Void.
I quickly gave it back to him… or rather, to his chest after we got into the stolen GHQ's transport a few hours ago, but he still showed no signs of waking up. As soon as we got here, he was rushed to the emergency room by the pair currently treating him and neither of them has come out for the last couple of hours.
Tsugumi and Shibungi went to help Ogumo with the rest of the wounded immediately after treating Inori, so I am left to assume that these five are the most versed in medicine in the Funeral Parlor.
"She grew fond of you really fast, Shu."
The young girl sitting on a second couch beside me breaks the ice. Kyo looks at the sleeping Inori and me with a smile, giving me the impression she likes seeing us together.
"The same goes for me to her, actually. We haven't known each other for even three days."
I admit the reality about us. Now that I think about it, it feels as if we were Romeo and Juliet… a seventy-two-hours relationship that lead to six deaths. The only difference is we have caused a few hundred people to die instead of only a measly six, and thus we dwarf the old tragedy by a large margin.
"You are like Romeo and Juliet."
Kyo speaks the very thing that had crossed my mind. How do they do this? It has happened fairly often; the people here in the Funeral Parlor always say the things I am thinking, as if we had a very similar mindset.
"Really?"
I want to test if Kyo really thinks the way I do.
"Yeah, but with a hundred times more deaths."
And she replies exactly the way I thought she would. Gai, Inori and Argo have all spoken my mind at one point or another. Hell, even Scarface used the same words I had thought he'd say if he attempted to persuade me into joining his side. Something about this makes me suspect it is unnatural… people see into my mind much more easily than they should.
I'll ask Gai about that later; it's really getting into my nerves. For now, I'll talk with Kyo.
"Take that, Shakespeare!"
Judging our seemingly natural affinity, I believe my young comrade will not take offense in my black humor. True to my expectations, Kyo giggles in amusement.
"You have a darker mind than I thought, Shu."
I lay my back against the couch's backrest, smiling in self-derision.
"You aren't any better yourself, are you?"
Ouma Shu points out the obvious.
"Of course I'm not. Everyone here is a killer, after all. There is no member of the Funeral Parlor who has not stained his or her hands in blood."
Kyo says ominous things as she keeps her smile up, making me understand I had severely misjudged her character the day I met her. She looked optimistic and lively to me, and still continues to seem that way even now, but the thought of seeing her speaking so matter-of-factly about the implications of being a soldier had never crossed my mind.
"You take your reality very well, though."
I speak my thoughts honestly, wondering what she'll say.
"It is the best we can do. Lying to ourselves and saying what we do isn't wrong would corrupt us. Being a soldier means killing other people, and there is nothing in this world that can justify our sins."
She is telling me she bears with the responsibility of her actions.
"Yet you don't sound remorseful at all."
I continue exploring her way of seeing herself and the circumstances she lives in.
"Because I am not, really, and neither of us should be. Experience has taught me that life is always beset with conflict, and the only way for us to make it alive is to keep fighting for what we believe is best.
Most of the time, we fight against other soldiers who are aware that their lives are in danger – the very nature of their business goes hand in hand with death itself.
In other times, we involve innocent people the way we did when you saved Inori. What do you think we do when such things happen, Shu?"
She turns the tables on me, making me think about the weight of my own actions. What has been done cannot be changed, and thus all that is left in my power is the decision of how to deal with the results.
I stay quiet to think for a while, and Kyo is sensible enough to give me the time I need.
After thinking carefully, I reply.
"You keep fighting anyway. Saving everyone is impossible, and there are times when we will cause tragedies. But even then, we cannot afford to stop, because we have things we believe to be worth fighting for.
If I were to go back in time to the day when I met Inori, I'd choose to save her all over again despite knowing that my choice would kill hundreds. Inori's life is precious to me, and I wish to protect her even if I become a selfish sinner in doing so."
Kyo gets up to approach me, and then uh… she pets my head, smiling in approval.
"Then you are worthy of being Inori's partner, Shu. The fact that the two of you have just met is unimportant if you are ready to throw the world away for each other. That's what she did last night by choosing you over her loyalty for Gai, and you have just done the same by saying you don't regret saving her."
I break eye contact with Kyo, shied away by her words.
"I'm not as reliable as you think."
She messes my hair more fervently in response to my comment.
"Don't say that; the most reliable comrade is the one who knows when and how to be an egoist. Understanding you cannot make everyone happy and coming to accept it as the harsh truth makes you way more useful than a dreamy idealist."
Hell, what Kyo says hits hard, but I cannot bring myself to deny it.
"And by the way, I think the two of you are meant to last, unlike Romeo and Juliet."
Heh, I know this isn't the time for this, but her comment makes me blush. It's pathetic, really, how anything related to romance with Inori puts my manliness at stake. At least Kyo removed her hand from my head, allowing me to retain some of my dignity.
"Why do you say so?"
I ask, out of curiosity. Given how Kyo has everything already clear and sorted out in her head, I can expect her answer to be quite meaningful.
"The strongest bonds between two people are born in the battlefield. Liking someone despite knowing she would put you in danger shows more than any words possibly could. You have been fighting for each other since the moment you met, and so I know that nothing will ever set you apart."
I can do nothing but agree to what she says. This girl… despite being so young, she has taught me more in a couple of minutes than I have learned in the past few years.
"Thank you, Kyo."
She takes seat in the little space between Inori's feet and the end of the couch, taking my gratitude with a positive air about her.
"I just expressed my thoughts, really."
I guess she misunderstood what I was thanking her for, since the way she said it hinted she meant about her rooting for Inori and me.
"You've taught me a lot, I mean."
I admit Kyo has saved me from being tormented by all the deaths I have caused until now. Killing is not something that weights lightly on your conscience, yet is not something you should pass off as insignificant either. The conversation we have just shared has helped me find a balance between accepting responsibility and taking the blame.
"Ah, that… It's nothing, don't mention it."
She scratches her head, looking away awkwardly. I see she isn't the type to take compliments with blatant pride, even though she is quite open in giving council.
As she falls silent I fix my eyes on Inori, who is breathing peacefully in pleasant sleep. I resume stroking her smooth hair, careful not to wake her up. Being this close to her I can even catch her scent, which deliciously seeps through my nostrils and fills my lungs.
"You do have to protect her with all you have, though."
Kyo speaks, but I don't part my eyes from the beauty before me. I only answer instead.
"I know; death can make us part."
I learned that the hard way a few hours ago, when Inori and I were so close to being killed in combat. Actually, it turns out I owe my life to Scarface, of all people. My stay with him was largely unpleasant and difficult, but I still cannot understand why he went as far as killing one of his men to let me live.
"But we'll make it alive; I'll take care of both of us."
Even though he helped me out, I still cannot trust his intentions, and so I prepare myself out loud to face fight him when our paths cross again.
"That's the spirit."
Kyo seems cheerful, giving me a thumb up to show her liking of my resolve.
"I'll protect you too, Kyo… even if you're the one with the shield."
I elaborate a little to mess with her. As I wanted her to, she blushes and gets flustered, much to my amusement. I am evil.
"W-what are you talking about? Stick to Inori; she's the one you need to look after."
Alright, alright… I'll let her off the hook for now. I'll change the subject a little… but what should I talk about? I take my eyes off Inori to avoid saying something emotional and look around for ideas. The closed door that leads to the emergency room catches my attention.
"Yet even though I say that, I did fail to protect one of ours. What happened to Kenji? He isn't like that because I took his Void out quickly, is he?"
Kyo quickly falls silent, losing much of the positive air about her.
"He was held prisoner by the enemy for two days… we'll have to wait for Gai and Argo to know how he is doing, but I can guess he was treated with much brutality by Segai."
I sigh, with the name of Scarface being brought up to my mind again. I doubt anyone besides me knows about what he did back then when Inori was falling. Telling Kyo about it should be healthy; perhaps she'll help me understand his reasons. I'll bring it up in a bit, but first I'll ask something that is bugging me.
"Do Gai and Argo know about medicine?"
Kyo nods, but her level of cuteness is nothing compared to Inori's.
"Yeah, thanks to Shibungi."
Oh… so he taught them?
"Did he train Tsugumi as well, then?"
Seeing how they were looking after Inori together, I am led to believe so.
"Yes, he is currently letting her deal with all the injuries she can manage."
I feel useless when I compare myself to that girl… she is extremely talented at robotics, having gone as far as programming Funell, and I remember Gai also mentioned she is very skilled at hacking. Moreover, she's the one in charge of field communications and on top of that is learning about field medicine? She is insane!
"Whoa… the Parlor sure has very amazing people in its ranks."
Kyo laughs a little, seeing my much impressed expression.
"We've been in business for a long time."
Really? Both Kyo and Tsugumi look very young… about 14 or 15. How long would 'a long time' be for her?
"But even with so much experience, dealing with the likes of Segai is still difficult."
Hey, we agree about that man being dangerous. I knew full well that he was no small shot only after interacting a bit with him, so Kyo, as his enemy, must know more about him than I do. However, I still feel like something is extremely off about that man… he spared me, even though it meant betraying his faction and killing a soldier. Now that we've touched the subject, I guess I'd better tell Kyo of the incident.
"About Scarface… Segai, I mean. Something strange happened with him."
"When? During your interrogation?"
I shake my head.
"When Inori jumped. Moments before I reached her, I noticed a sniper was aiming at my head. I thought I was a goner, but Segai showed up behind the soldier and executed him. He even told him not to intervene – Segai knowingly saved my life, letting me draw Inori's Void and win the battle."
Kyo is as bewildered as I am about Scarface's behavior. No, that's an understatement; she seems to be even more surprised than I was back then. Judging from her reaction, I can assume she has had a few encounters with Scarface in the past and thus she knows better than I do that his actions were entirely out of character.
"Are you certain of this?"
I nod, bearing in mind my nodding is nothing compared to Inori's either.
"He was even screaming it was beautiful, hopefully referring to Inori's Void."
For the love of God, that'd better be the case.
"Eh, Shu… Segai is homosexual."
Fuck my life!
"What!? You can't mean – "
Mischievousness gets the best of Kyo, as she fashions an evil grin before replying.
"You're a pimp."
It takes all of my willpower not to jump and rage at the world – the only reason I succeed in stopping myself is the fact that Inori is still sleeping on my lap. But my veins do get exalted as I fight to keep my anger pitted inside of me, for I am unwilling to wake my girlfriend up so she can witness the awkward scene developing in this very moment.
Kyo lets go of her self-control and bursts laughing, unable to endure watching my face getting reddened by wrath. I am seriously considering punching Kyo in the nearby future.
"You look lively here."
Agh, fuck his timing! Gai opens the emergency room's door and walks towards us followed by Argo… both of them have a questioning look in their faces.
"What happened?"
Argo is already pressing Kyo to share the joke. This isn't funny.
"You'll have to ask Shu about that."
Dude, why is she laughing so hard? This is serious business! Scarface betrayed GHQ, and Kyo finds poking fun at my face to be more important than that!
"Shu? What's wrong?"
Gai inquires about why I am burying my face in one of my hands.
"Don't ask."
He looks at me in confusion, wondering what might be funny enough to make Kyo nearly drop to the floor and roll.
"Sh- Shu managed t- to make Seg-"
I block her mouth with my other hand to prevent a catastrophe, but this in turn makes Gai and Argo even more curious.
"I don't get what's going on."
Argo expresses his confusion, killing Kyo in the process: she falls to the ground and keeps laughing, unable to stand up.
Inori starts waking up from the noise. Good timing, my love.
"I'll take Inori to her room… if you'll excuse me."
I proceed to take her in my arms as I get up, readying myself to leave the room.
"Shu, are you alright? Your veins are popped up and you're flaming red."
Gai seems sincerely worried about me, making Kyo laugh even harder than she already is. She is really asking for a punch in the face, girl or not, I no longer care. Somehow I manage to keep my composure and walk out of the room, leaving the confused Gai and Argo together with the laughing maniac.
They seemed calm, so I guess Kenji is alright… I'll inquire about his welfare later, if I dare to face them after Kyo spills the beans.
"Shu?"
Inori opens her eyes weakly, most of her still dwelling in her dreams.
"I'm taking you to your room; you can stay asleep."
She wraps her arms around me tenderly, making me even redder than I already am.
I cross a random Funeral Parlor member I do not know and ask him for directions to get to Inori's room, since she obediently went back to sleep like I told her to.
Somehow, I find the door without much trouble and successfully maneuver to open it while still having the bandage-covered Inori asleep in my arms. She must really be exhausted, not fully waking up despite all of my movement.
Her room looks tidy and neat, but rather lacking in belongings. There's just a bed, a drawer and a closet: she doesn't even have a mirror. I walk over to her bed and remove my shoes; the sheets are still on, so I'll try grabbing one of their corners with my toes to pull them over so I can cover Inori with them.
I succeed in doing so, but lose my balance in the process. The end result is Inori and me falling to the bed, with Ouma Shu landing on top of his girl. And God is she soft. We hadn't been so close to each other before – I can even feel her breath tickling against my chest. Though Inori is somehow still asleep, I can feel myself getting red again at lightning speed due to the unexpected situation.
"Rookie… what are you doing?"
For God's sake, why does Ayase always walk into the room in the worst possible moment? Everyone does! Agh, I'm mad!
"You know the excuse: this is not what it seems, and all that shit."
I say it in an angry tone as I get up, perhaps accidentally insinuating Ayase interrupted something due to my pissed demeanor.
"Right…"
She doesn't look like she believes me. I cover Inori with her bed sheets, put my shoes back on and walk towards the girl sitting in a wheelchair outside in the corridor. She motions me with her fingers to draw my face closer to her.
I know where this is going, but I do so anyway after closing the door behind me.
SLAP!
Yeah, I expected that. I turn the other cheek, so she can balance them out.
She looks at me seriously, not moving an inch.
"Go ahead, do it. I deserve it, after all."
I tell her to proceed, and she doesn't hesitate to slap me again. I can feel the anger behind her strikes being vented on me, but she has every right to hit me, so I don't complain. I did get captured and put everyone in danger, in the end. I actually needed someone to get mad at me so I'll never do something so stupid again.
I slowly pull my head back, but Ayase signs me to stop. I do, and she slaps me again. Hell, she was mad at me… this last one was heavy.
"The first was for me, the second for everyone, and the third one for Inori."
She explains herself as I finally make distance between my face and her murder tools.
"The first was your fault, though."
I talk back a little, unwilling to accept I was in the wrong when she walked on me naked.
"Shut up."
But she doesn't take it too graciously.
"Wanna go for a stroll with me? I'd like to talk."
She stares at me for a moment, considering my proposal.
"About what?"
I wonder if she honestly thinks I'm a pervert… she seems to be wondering if I am deviously scheming to do something to her as well.
"I want to make up with you; we'll be fighting together from now on."
She stares at me again, this time for longer than before, yet gives in in the end.
"Okay."
Heh… it's a curt reply, but at least a positive one.
"Mind if we go for some food? I'm starving."
I guess grabbing a bite together would be a good start, so I suggest the idea. I really am hungry, so this will be killing two birds with one stone.
"Ah, that's right… you haven't been shown around the installations. Tsugumi spoiled you with room service last time, after all."
She says the last part rather aggressively, telling me she didn't like the fact. Damn it, getting into good terms with this girl will be much more difficult than I thought.
"It couldn't be helped, I was knocked out cold."
"Oh, I wonder why that happened."
Destiny somehow keeps bringing up the taboo subject again and again, making things worse even as we make way for the kitchen. Ayase is still very bitter about it, which doesn't help.
"Can we leave that in the past? It was an accident, and you did hit me really hard. Neither of us liked it, so let's call it even… please?"
Ayase sighs, relaxing a little.
"Alright, I'm sorry."
I extend a hand to her, hoping she will shake it. Her wheelchair stops as she ceases rolling its wheels and looks at my palm in question.
"Friends?"
For once, Ayase smiles weakly.
"You're really old-fashioned, aren't you?"
I smile in return, hoping to keep the mood improving.
"Just a bit."
She takes my hand, confirming my theory that all girls are soft, and we exchange a handshake meant to somewhat lessen the tension between us.
We keep moving towards the kitchen, until we at last reach the place where glorious food awaits us. Or so I thought. There's nobody here other than Ayase, myself, and a shitload of ingredients surrounding us.
"So… now we cook, I presume."
I ask, hoping my sister in arms will tell me there's already some food prepared.
"Of course we do."
Ah, fuck this shit.
"I'll say this beforehand… I suck at cooking."
Ayase shakes her head in disapproval.
"We'll begin your training right here, then."
Hoh… so the first step in becoming a great warrior is eating like a boss?
"You're helping me out, right?"
I ask for some mercy.
"Just this time; I'll put you to the test later."
She asks for too much – there is no way I'll learn how to cook properly in just one session. I'll have no option but to ask someone to teach me. Kyo is out of the question after the incident with Segai a while ago, so Tsugumi looks like a good prospect… but perhaps I could take my chances and ask Inori.
I really doubt she can cook very well, but I can act like a total newbie and get a healthy amount of physical contact with her during the experience. Hehe… I'm starting to like the idea more and more.
"Rookie, stay focused."
Ah, right, Ayase is here. She has a sharp nose for sniffing my perverseness, I don't know why, so I should keep my mind clean for the time being.
I walk to the kitchen sink to wash my hands, first of all, and Ayase approaches to do the same. However, a problem prevents her from doing so: she cannot reach the soap from where she is, sitting in her wheelchair.
She got pissed at me last time I tried to push her, so I have a feeling she is rather touchy in having others doing things for her regarding her inability. There's no way she'll reach the bottle from where she is, however, so I send my worries out the window and pass it to her.
"Thanks."
Hey, my head is still attached. I'm glad… she even went as far as thanking me.
I take a nearby kitchen towel and give it to her so she can dry her hands before I do, being a gentleman and all. She doesn't explode because of the gesture, either, so I feel a bit more confident at dealing with her now.
She gives the towel back to me, with which get dried myself and then hang back where it was before I took it. I proceed to move towards the fridge, but notice my companion stayed behind. I turn around and see that she is right where I left her, looking at me.
"Ayase?"
For some reason, she looks like she's reluctant to say something that's stuck inside of her. She takes a breath in preparation and spills it out.
"I need you to push my chair, or else I'll get my hands dirty again."
Oh. I was stupid not to notice beforehand.
"Right, sorry."
I go back and ask her to forgive my lack of consideration.
"Don't apologize."
She's as snappy as ever, even though I was sincere about it.
We go to one of the large refrigerators and grab some chicken meat, a couple of peppers, onions, mini corn cobs, and bean sprouts. Then we proceed to take a few of the ingredients stored outside the fridge: soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and something I can't recognize.
"What's this?"
I ask Ayase as I take a strange piece of food I can only describe as a root.
"Ginger root."
I see… I had never seen it whole before.
Without asking more, I place all the collected ingredients in a table right by the iron griddle and then return for Ayase to bring her closer. She reaches up to the edge of the sturdy furniture and brings her own body up with her hands.
"Help me."
Surprisingly, she asks for my assistance again, so I go and risk a fourth slap by grabbing her waist with both of my hands and turn her around so she can sit properly.
"Stop smiling."
Sorry.
About an hour later, largely because of my slowness in successfully following Ayase's instructions, we are done preparing a delicious-looking chicken teppanyaki. My stomach is growling by now, after taking so long in making the dish despite the fact that Ayase and I worked together in cutting and grating the ingredients.
There was a second episode of contact with Ayase, where she asked me to get her down from the table and back to her wheelchair, but it went more smoothly than when I helped her up. I guess interacting with each other for a while calmed her fiery temper a little.
I let Ayase take care of the tray full of food and two large glasses of water while I push her to the dining room, letting her keep her hands clean for eating as well.
I move a chair away to place hers in its stead before one of the dining doom's long tables, and then take seat right in front of her on the other side. I look around a little, admiring the huge dimensions of the place – there's enough room and furniture for about a thousand people here… I wonder just how crowded the place gets during official meals.
There are still a few Parlor members here and there finishing the last of their food, hinting everyone was eating while I was with Kyo in the medical quarters. I'm assuming Ayase was somewhere else too, seeing how she's readying her chopsticks for use.
"Itadakimasu."
"Itadakimasu."
We are quick to test the result of our hard work, and much to my relief, it tastes quite good. We keep digging into the teppanyaki without exchanging any words, both of us fairly busy munching down and swallowing.
"You did fairly well for your first time."
Holy Jesus, Ayase praised me! I can't believe my ears.
"You were there to help me, so of course I did."
I decide to play a little with her.
"I know; you'd be hopeless alone."
She's harsh as ever, but this time her comment felt free from hostility. We're making progress, one step at a time.
"Would you mind cooking with me again? I really liked your tutelage."
There's a chance she'll take it the wrong way, thinking I'm trying to hit on her, but I really did enjoy the hour we spent in the kitchen and honestly want to improve my cooking. The idea of taking Inori to the kitchen was attractive, but being able to take a good meal to her room when she wakes up strikes as being more rewarding.
"You just want to keep touching me."
See? I knew it.
"No, I'm serious! I really need a cooking partner so I can take turns in the kitchen when necessary. Come on, I'll make some for you as well once I get better at it."
I plea for her to believe in my innocence, hoping for the best.
Ayase, again, stays quiet for a moment while she thinks about it.
"I'll do it under one condition."
Yay! It worked!
"What would that be?"
I hope it's not something outrageous.
"Don't act rashly ever again. People died last night rescuing you, Shu – we lost soldiers because you messed up. I'm still mad at you for it, and everyone else is also in the right of being so. I agreed to spend the past hour or so with you only because Gai entrusted your training to me, so you still have to prove your worth before I can forgive you."
My good mood vanishes quickly upon hearing what she had to say. I know; running off with Yahiro caused a hell of a mess for everyone, Funeral Parlor and GHQ alike. I was tricked, and it was my allies who had to pay for my mistake.
I get up from my chair and walk to Ayase's side. She turns to me in question, but I act before she can speak to me. I bow down all the way to the floor in apology, having little else in my power to show how much I regret having fucked things up the way I did.
Both of us stay motionless for a while, and since I am looking down I'm unaware of how Ayase is taking this. It is she who breaks the silence in the end.
"Get up, Shu. That's enough."
I do as told, forcing myself to look at her eye to eye despite the horrible sense of shame urging me to turn away. The thought of making Ayase and the rest lose comrades because of me hits me pretty hard, like it should, but I take it and face her anyway. Running from this would make me flee from responsibility, which I am willing and able to carry for however long it may be necessary.
"Let's wash the dishes and get some ice for you… I hit your face too much."
Ayase's eyes bear no anger towards me anymore as she indirectly apologizes for slapping me. We really needed to spend some time together and make amends… I'm glad things worked out between us in the end.
I take the tray with the empty plates and glasses so Ayase can push herself once again. Since she no longer needs to keep her hands clean, I assume she'd not take it well if I tried pushing her again for the time being.
As I put everything in the sink and start washing it, Ayase goes to the freezer and gets some ice like she suggested shortly ago, but I motion her to put it away.
"I'll let the swelling go down by itself… I don't want to forget it."
At last, Ayase gives me an honest smile as she shuts the freezer's door closed. I was sincere in what I said, too, so I believe we have reached the mutual understanding we had failed to establish these past couple of days.
We stay together in silence for a while, having little left to say. Once I'm done with cleaning and returning everything we used back to its place, we part ways to our respective rooms, both of us requiring to rest after the night we spent in combat.
I pass by Inori's room on the way and remember what Kyo said to me: the strongest of bonds are formed in the battlefield. Perhaps today I laid the foundations of not only my relationship with Inori, but also a life-long friendship with Ayase and Kyo.
There are still other people I am yet to exchange much needed words with, such as Tsugumi, Haruka and Hare, and others I barely know like Shibungi, Argo, and Ogumo.
This is a very selfish thought, but I don't want to lose anyone anymore. Therefore, I'll strive to get closer to those with whom I already have ties, and I will try to understand all the people who have fought alongside Triton in my stead.
It is only after that is done that I'll be able to truly bear the Power of the King Inori gave to me. As her partner, I can't afford to do any less, can I? Ayase herself said I still have to prove my worth. If I am to atone for having caused all the deaths I have, then I must live up to not only everyone's expectations, but also to my own.
Who is Ouma Shu? Ouma Shu is the King. I can simply feel it – the power coursing through my veins is screaming it like an absolute truth. And so, I will answer the call to become the one who protects. A true King's duty is to serve, and therefore, a servant to my comrades I shall be.