CH 7: Crisis Beat
Author's Note: Just a bit drama for now :P
8AM.
Nick dashed through the hallways of the EMC in search of Hiromu. Having found him browsing through books inside the library, the buddyroid couldn't believe that he had been improving in his 'sense of direction'. Setting his awe aside, he presented a pink letter to Hiromu. The latter gave off a puzzling look.
Hiromu asked, "what is this?". Since the buddyroid was hesitant to answer, he tore the envelope anyway and began to read:
I'm back.
Can't wait to see you.
Signed, Phantom Thief Pink Buster
Eyebrows raised, Hiromu gave out a long sigh. Nick patted him on the back and said, "at least she doesn't know a thing or two of this place. You're too popular with women, eh?"
"who's popular with women? Hiromu?" a questioning voice said.
Hiromu and Nick let out a shudder and turned around to see Youko in her brightly colored dress. Hiromu quickly deposited the letter in his jacket to deter Youko's curiosity. She could be as obstinate as Usada sometimes, he thought to himself.
Youko danced her eyes from Hiromu to the books and journals that he piled up on a table. She reached for the book on the top and flipped through the pages. Her eyes getting rounder, she exclaimed, "this is hard!" and continued browsing from one book to another.
Nick and Hiromu tilted their head quizzically.
"I've been seeing you here recently, Youko-chan" Nick said approvingly.
Youko paused to reflect for seconds or so.
The first thought that registered in her mind was Hiromu's frequent visit to the library. Suppressing that thought, she settled for another answer that was also truthful in itself. "I've been catching up—a lot" she added. To debunk Hiromu's theory that I'm not serious with my homework, she said to herself.
"seriously?" Hiromu said, giving a chuckle. Youko made a face and elbowed him indiscriminately.
The librarian from afar pointed the sign on the wall that implied, "silence". The trio nodded their heads apologetically.
10AM.
Nick went out first, leaving Hiromu and Youko with their business. Hiromu was browsing through the last pile of the books that he gathered; but in between, he's checking on Youko from the corner of his left eye. She looked busy herself, bringing books in random every now and then.
He smiled in discreet when he caught her looking at him.
Youko cleared her throat and asked, "How's your right eye?"
"hurts once in a while" he replied while taking notes
"oh" she said, biting her lower lip in guilt. "About that, I'll treat you wherever you want. A little compensation I suppose" she added.
"you don't have to do that" he said bluntly, rubbing the side of his face that seemed to throb.
Youko rolled her eyes. She grabbed him by the jacket and led him outside the building.
Coffee Crisis
"I think this place is nice" Youko said.
Still grabbing Hiromu by the jacket, she directed him inside a coffee shop.
Hiromu studied the environment around him as they took a comfortable seat by the window. Most of the clients were young people either grouped together or in pairs. The shop's ambience reflected the coziness of the West.
Without asking what he wanted, Youko ordered two iced frappes with extra frosting.
Hiromu raised his eyebrows, "it's not a hot drink".
"You need sweets to boost you up." Youko said as she checked her own pockets for sweets. Her cheeks went pink when she took out a wafer from a big pocket, "and besides, you need a rest—once in a while" she added. She wondered in discreet why she's blushing over a wafer. Baka, it's just a wafer! She thought.
The two iced frappes turned up and Youko couldn't hide her delight when she saw the extra frosting. But before they could enjoy it, a commotion was heard brewing outside the shop. People were frantically screaming, running and leaving their own things behind.
Hiromu and Youko looked at one another in alarm and hurried to the exit.
"it's not Enter isn't? we've defeated him!" Youko said anxiously
"there's only one way to find out" Hiromu replied as they ran towards the center of the plaza.
They found a familiar-looking bunch of Enter's minions who appeared confused of the commotion they've conspired. About ten of them were scaring off people who were about to enjoy leisure by themselves. One minion even pointed at Hiromu and Youko in panic.
Hiromu put his hands in his sides, "these minions do not know how to quit" he said.
He glanced at Youko and smiled at her. The latter reciprocated with a grin and both of them readied an arm containing a morphin brace.
IT'S MORPHIN TIME!
A wave of protective energy surrounded the two as their clothes changed to suits of red and yellow respectively.
"let's morphin!"
A visor completed their transformation as gobusters.
Hiromu crouched down with his right fist positioned on the top of the other,
"busters ready—go!"
Red buster took the minions on his left with his superhuman speed while Yellow buster aimed for the minions on her right. Yellow buster realized that they can't transport their ichigan buster and sougan blade weapons because their transpods were at the command center. Hence, they had to rely on their own strength (which does not matter anyway) as long as there are no metaroids or Enter around.
But how to completely eradicate them without using wave particles? Yellow buster said to herself.
As if reading Yellow buster's thoughts, Redbuster's ichigan buster and sougan blade were transported.
"I had my transpod with me" He said aloud
IT'S TIME FOR FINAL BUSTER!
They gathered the minions at the center and Redbuster finished them off in one shot.
A new rival?
Youko whimpered when the waiter told them that they can't reimburse their iced frappes. Going out empty-handed, they settled for a walk in search of another place to eat lunch.
"arigatou" Hiromu told her, "for reminding me to take a day off"
As she let out a nod, a pink piece of paper escaped from Hiromu's jacket and flew to a nearby bench. He was about to stop her but she turned her back from him and ran after the object. She read the content silently:
I'm back.
Can't wait to see you.
Signed, Phantom Thief Pink Buster
She returned to him with a smile on her face.
"popular with girls, eh?" she teased as she handed the letter back to him.
Before Hiromu could react, a black vintage car was brought to a halt before them. Out came Phantom Thief Pink Buster (or Reika Saionji in real life) in her usual cosmopolitan clothing. Youko remembered how Phantom Thief Pink Buster confessed her liking for him in a letter while they were searching for Messiah's 13 cards.
"Hiromu Sakurada, university life suits you" she said with a hint of amuse
Hiromu's face went blank.
Reika Saionji glanced at Youko and gave out a nod. The latter wasn't sure whether it was a greeting or a hint of requesting her to leave. Settling for the second idea, Youko smiled apprehensively and said, "I think you needed some catching up to do. I'll—head home first".
She turned her back and walked swiftly away from them.
Youko's Room
Youko grabbed a jelly bun from her locker at the Command Center and walked towards her room. She paused for a while after seeing Nick in a hurry towards her.
"Youko-chan ,do you know where Hiromu is?" he asked
"out for lunch" Youko replied flatly, her fist supporting her heart.
She gave a nod to excuse herself and closed the door behind her.
She jumped to her bed and buried her face on the pillow. Her jelly bun escaped from her hand and rolled under the bed.
"ittai" she said, rubbing her heart.
She looked up when she saw that her pillow was wet. She traced the watery substance until her palm reached her face.
"uzo" she said slowly, realizing that they were tears coming from her eyes.
She buried her face on her pillow once again and began to cry silently.
"baka, baka!" she said furiously, her fist drumming against the bed.
She just realized that she liked Hiromu all along.