Hiro's Gesture

Night had fallen. According to Dominion's explanations, Vampires were at their strongest during these hours. But Lone Star’s stoic members didn't display any concern. Even the eerie, mountain forest around them all seemed calm.

Ah, geez. Sitting back on a withered tree, Daichi watched the group of four men from afar as they huddled around a crackling fire for warmth, waiting for their comrades. Twenty minutes had passed since Daichi split up from Sanae, and he still worried sick about her; probably more than he should for someone he'd just met. All he could think about was her face and wanting to see it again.

Howls of wolves in the far distance made Daichi yawn, and he stretched his back against the tall tree behind him. Peeking through branches above, a full moon had lit up the entire clearing Lone Star had settled for respite in. It was a tranquil atmosphere, even with an imposing mountain lingering nearby.

Bored, Daichi looked down to his waist and fiddled with his scroll holster, tugging out the metallic tubes. Unlike his tome, there were no accompanying flavor texts but Daichi assumed scrolls worked similarly. He was just occupied trying to keep his mind off things.

Really hope Sanae is alright, he thought. I’d give one of my lives for her, but I can’t risk losing my spot in this guild yet. I need to play the idiot a little longer, just until they boost me to a high enough level. Then I’m out of here.

Heavy footsteps approached. Daichi looked up again and saw Lone Star’s tallest, most muscular member walking up to him. The sudden surprise prompted a Playercard to pop up:

[Name: Hiro

Level: 75

Class: Berserker/Mage]

Level 75? Even though I've seen his Card before, it's crazier every time I look at it! How often does he get MVP? This is definitely one guy I don’t want to piss off!

Hiro wore an all-black, leather hide outfit with apparent mobility over defense in mind. His muscles bulged at every choke point, unable to be restrained by his armor’s harnesses. Despite his ferocious appearance he had a youthful, almost effeminate face. Its delicate features contrasted his overwhelmingly brutal aura. Behind him, a huge, monstrous sword was tucked snug that looked straight out of a manga.

The brute of a black-haired man looked down on Daichi without saying a word. Suddenly, Hiro got on one knee and offered out his palm. A plate of steaming hot, chopped beef soon materialized, seasoned with a pleasant-smelling spice.

“Here, for you,” Hiro said. "Take it".

"Huh? For me?" Daichi pointed at himself. "O-Oh, I'm fine! Don't waste your food on me, haha." But then his tummy grumbled for everyone to hear.

A small, wholesome smile crept across Hiro's face. “Food that’s allowed in your Inventory doesn’t go bad, so it’s fresh. This is meat from a non-spawning creature high in protein and imbued with local spices. Sanae prepared it herself.”

Well damn. Daichi was dumbfounded. He’d thought Sanae as the only sane person in Lone Star, but never got a read on the quiet Hiro. His coarse, masculine voice didn’t seem capable of kindness. Was it all just another “prank” by Makoto's goons? There’s no doubt the dish smelled divine though, and just the scent alone helped alleviate some stresses. Not to mention Daichi hadn't at all eaten since arriving in Paradise.

“Okay, thanks! I’ll help myself then,” Daichi smiled back. He leaned forward to receive the plate, making his robe shift and exposing his bloody trousers.

Hiro’s eyes widened. “You’re injured?”

“This? Nah, Makoto just got eager with a prank. Sanae already healed me so it’s fine.”

“That’s not the point. I told him to stop toying with people. And he never listens. He's probably still even planning to—" Hiro cut himself off. He looked nervously at Daichi’s bloody trousers then stood back up. “Enjoy the meal. That plate will disappear when you’re finished.”

Daichi watched him start walking back towards the others around their campfire. With every step he took, Hiro's long, black cape wavered in the gentle wind. He seemed at one with not only nature, but also with his easy-going temper. 

Huh. Guess there's always more than meets the eye. 

A few minutes passed. The delicious dish didn’t last long nor did the break. From the dark woods behind him, a blue light followed by both Sanae and Makoto emerged. Their blank expressions were hard to read from a distance, so Daichi ran up to investigate. 

“Hey, what happened?” he asked, panting. "Everything okay?"

Makoto nudged Sanae towards Daichi. “A dandy time happened! Our darlin' just needed a little pep talk! Now let’s get ready to clear that Raid!”

“Wait, clear the Raid?” Daichi said. "Weren't we just poking our head in?"

Makoto ignored him and went to gather with comrades by the campfire.

Tell me it's just a prank again. He looked back towards Sanae who'd been standing unusually quiet. Her azure eyes seemed distant, like they were lost in their own little world. “Sanae?”

“O-Oh, sorry!" She snapped back to her senses. "Just spacing out for a second, haha." The cerulean light from her staff ceased, making it harder to see her face.

But Daichi caught a hint of a forlorn frown on her. “Is everything all right? He didn’t hurt you or anything?"

“Mm-mm! Not at all! We were just mapping out everything for the Raid. No big deal.”

Is it really though? Daichi didn’t want to pry. He didn’t know her circumstances or her relationship involving Lone Star. She probably wasn’t a person that would tolerate abuse, but would she endorse it? Why were her stories always changing? Did she forget she told him to “run” right before Makoto's prank? Could she still be trusted?

“If you say so . . .” Daichi replied. He smiled an earnest-enough-looking smile, unsure if he was reassuring her or himself anymore. Maybe both.

"Mm." Sanae brought her staff close to her chest and glanced towards him. Her eyes glimmered under direct moonlight, as if they wanted to say something her mouth couldn't. “I’m gonna talk with the other guys. Just hang back for now, ‘k?”

"Oh—yeah. No problem, take your time, haha." Daichi watched her run off to the others, even though there was still so much he wanted to voice—questions, concerns, doubts, and worries. But they could wait until later. He was adept at waiting for better moments.

Another tree greeted Daichi's back as he leaned back and stared up at the night sky. 'If you shake a tree hard enough, you might not like what falls on you.' He recalled some of his father's last words. Well, a cautionary tale never hurt anyone. Let's see what falls on me from here.