19

The sun was starting shine brightly over their head, as it was getting later into the day. It had been an uneventful patrol so far, much like the other team's. But Hikaru didn't mind; the slower pace gave him time to mess around.

"So, what do you think about pineapple on pizza?" Hikaru suddenly asked, his voice breaking through the comfortable silence.

Ren raised an eyebrow, turning her head to look at him. "What?"

"I mean, does it belong on pizza, or is it a crime against food?" Hikaru asked seriously, as though the fate of the universe rested on this question.

Yuna snorted, shaking her head. "That's the most random question ever. Who even thinks about that in the middle of a mission?"

Hikaru shrugged dramatically. "You'd be surprised how many deep philosophical debates I've had over pizza toppings." He grinned mischievously. "I personally think pineapple is a solid choice. Sweet and salty, you know? Like me. I'm sweet... and salty. A perfect combo."

Ren just stared at him. "You're impossible."

But Hikaru didn't seem to care. "What about you, Yuna? Pineapple or no pineapple?" He glanced over at her with exaggerated anticipation, like she was about to make the most important decision of her life.

Yuna blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Uh, I don't really care. I guess no pineapple? Too... weird for me."

Hikaru slapped his hand to his chest, pretending to be deeply wounded. "Ouch, Yuna, really? Not even a little pineapple?"

She rolled her eyes, but a small laugh slipped out. "Fine, maybe a little pineapple. But only if it's the smallest piece ever. And I swear, if anyone puts anchovies on it, I'm leaving the party."

"Fair enough." Hikaru grinned, satisfied with the direction of the conversation. "I'll accept that as a solid answer. But what about you, Ren? You haven't weighed in."

Ren was still walking ahead, hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, but her voice was dry as she spoke. "I don't care. Food's food."

Hikaru huffed dramatically. "Not caring about food? That's sacrilege, Ren. How do you even survive like that?" He jogged ahead to walk alongside her, tapping his chin. "I bet you've never even tried a chocolate-covered pretzel. You've got to experience it. It's like the universe colliding in your mouth."

Ren shot him a look but didn't respond. She wasn't about to entertain his nonsense.

Yuna, amused by Hikaru's antics, leaned closer to him. "You should try to get her to talk about something normal, like books or... whatever she's into."

Hikaru grinned. "Nah, this is more fun." He threw an arm around Yuna's shoulders with exaggerated enthusiasm. "You know, I think we've got a pretty great dynamic here. We've got someone with questionable taste in pizza and someone who can't even be bothered to care about food. It's perfect."

Yuna rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Yeah, well, you're just here to cause chaos."

Hikaru chuckled. "And chaos I shall bring. It's my destiny."

Ren, who had been quietly observing, couldn't help but smirk. "Just don't bring too much chaos. We're supposed to be on a patrol."

Hikaru threw his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm just keeping things interesting. Besides, it's not like anything exciting's happening, right?"

Yuna raised an eyebrow. "Don't jinx it, Hikaru."

Hikaru gave her a mischievous grin. "Too late. I already did."

They continued walking, the conversation drifting into more random topics. For the moment, the patrol was peaceful, and Hikaru was content to keep things lighthearted.

Especially if it meant distracting Ren from her usual cool demeanor and making Yuna laugh.