Twenty-six – Question Mark

“This world is so unbelievable.”

▪ ▪ ▪

“Hey.”

“…?”

“What’s your name?”

“Me…?”

“Yeah, you.”

“…

Gin.”

“Ehh… What a boring name you have…

Alright. I will call you Eiji from now on!”

“Huh?”

“Eiji!”

…

ZERO. EIGHT. SIX.

He never once told me his name. I only knew him by his code number. I never realized that I got close to him when we were five. I was so trapped in the thought of escaping that laboratory that I didn’t even care about my surroundings.

I was afraid…

I was so afraid of the thought that I will also meet the other children’s fate as they slowly died in front of me. Every testing they initiated, one child disappears…

Until I’m finally the one that was took over the poison of those incomplete drugs.

My mind was attacked. I was consumed by despair until I lost control of myself. My body moved on itself while bearing hate, fear, and pain.

It’s so heavy that I can't even walk one more step. It was suffocating.

I can’t even remember my fists moved as it slowly got drenched in blood from a man that did not deserve to meet his death.

I’m being watched by the remaining children while my body vent out its wrath. Every one of them has fear painted on their faces.

Then, the child that always called me by a nickname was put into sleep afterwards. Finally, the white cloth covered his whole. I heard the words coming from the doctors: “He’s dead.”

For the last thirty-seven days I’ve spent there, I never once heard a voice that called me in a random name.

And so, I came to the point where I can’t even remember my name.

After that sorrowful year, I came out of that nasty laboratory on a wheelchair, with a blank face just like a machine that has no emotions.

I forgot about my wish, but I still got to see the sky and the sun together.

With that light, I was embraced by two people. Then I was very slowly visited with a thought that those are the ones I really wanted to see—my parents.

They cried out while calling me with a name that I didn’t even remember.

So I spent my later years trying to find my lost memories piece by piece. I finally remembered that Gin Sakato is my name.

Even with a blank face of true emptiness, I managed to make friends. And then an unknown voice echoed in my ears repeatedly saying “Eiji.”

It was that time that I realized that there was a child that I should have never forgotten. But I don’t know what his name is. So I engraved combinations of numbers in my head.

086.

And just a few days ago, I once again heard a person calling my name.

“Long time no see… Eiji.”

I can’t believe it.

I can’t believe that the child that came to talk to me is alive.

I was so happy to know that I’m not the only one that lived after everything that happened to us.

So we had a long talk, and he announced that his days are now counted. But that’s not enough to destroy my resolve.

I am sick and tired of seeing everyone in my sight slowly disappearing.

▪ ▪ ▪

“So you borrowed a car again, Gin?”

“Yeah, we’re going straight to the cemetery. I never once looked at him while he’s inside the coffin… and I don’t want to walk behind him until he goes six feet below the ground.”

“It really makes you sad, huh.”

“Yeah… I still can't accept it. But I am in no position to be angry at him.”

~ ~ ~

It was a very quiet time inside the car as I mind the wheel. Nonetheless, we reached the cemetery and walked between marble gravestones protruding from the grassy earth.

As if what we have seen was not enough, the view of the gravestones multiplied as we watch and wait on a hill behind the leafless trees.

There, we saw men preparing the pit.

“We’ve been looking on a lot of graves, aren’t we, Rin?”

“It gets really tiring just by looking at them.”

“Oh, finally the funeral car came.”

Right behind the car are people in different ages, dressed in black.

It wasn’t raining. On the contrary, the sky is very clear.

“So the two of you are here…

I’ve been looking for you because I didn’t see you below. Then, I saw two people on the hill so I figured I’ll go take a look.”

“Doc, you shouldn’t have bothered going up here. You should be down there with a flower on your hand.”

“Like you, I didn’t bother to see 086 inside that because…”

“I really shouldn’t ask for what happened in the operation. Also, we’re going to leave soon.”

“Before you even leave, I will ask you, 027.

What do you think of 086?”

“Now you’re really asking that, Doc?

…

Well… when I was still in the lab, I thought he was nothing. He suddenly came to me and decided for himself to call me Eiji.

Then, he disappeared but I didn’t care one bit; well, I do now for that and this time. I was just so fixated on escaping. But deep inside me, I felt guilt in that age.

But that guilt vanished after I heard Ken Ichikawa called me in that name.”

“I’m probably more surprised than you when he introduced himself to me. If not because of your visit, I would’ve ran away because of fear.”

“To tell you the truth, I was the one that recommended you to perform the microsurgery on him.”

“Now that makes sense. I was so confused that he even knew that you’re also alive.

But I guess Ken Ichikawa will never come back.”

▪ ▪ ▪

Let us go back to the time when the doctor and Ken reunited.

“Hahh… I have another appointment again.

Mr. Ken Ichikawa, wait… microsurgery? Just what in the world is his disease to need an immediate microsurgery…?”

In the same office, the doctor was sat behind his desk and talking to a nurse who just handed out documents to him.

“Dr. Kagetora, they are here.”

“Please let them come in.”

…

“Good morning, Dr. Kagetora. I’m Ken Ichikawa and I’m with my parents.”

“What the-?!

I recalled the face of your parents… Just who are you…”

“Hahaha! I knew that will be your reaction…

It’s been a long time since then. I am one of your lab rats, my code number is 086.”

The pale doctor immediately stood up from his seat and quickly came in front of the family.

“I… I deeply apologize from the things I did eleven years ago. Seeing you alive makes me really glad. Knowing that you’re still living is enough to relieve me from the thorns in my chest.”

“Nah… No need to bother about that. If I even had any lingering hate towards you, it’s all gone now.”

“T-Thank you very much…!”

“But if I’m to live is for you to decide.

I’m quite surprised with your reaction, though. I was expecting something more dramatic than that.”

“If not because of one person that visited me a few days ago, I could have knelt down and cried in front of you.”

“Oh, are you talking about Gin Sakato?”

“…!

So you already met him.”

“We go in the same school, so I’m bound to meet him.”

“So… your brain malfunctions… I would assume it was because of what I did to the children.”

“I guess.”

“Then it’s my responsibility to fix that. I will do what I can to save you.”

“I know that you’re the only one that can pull it off since you’re the only one that can fix the cracks you made.

Besides, I need this surgery to be performed as soon as possible.”

“Why…? Has it gotten worse overtime?”

Ken's father then replied. “My son… won’t last a month anymore. He can’t even run or do any quick movements because his nervous system is slowly failing him now.”

“I suppose you already know that this surgery will be risky.”

“I know, I know. It’s a live or die situation, I am aware.

But I got a lot of encouragement and it boosted my will to live. I will definitely do my best to live because Eiji imperatively told me that.

I can’t die without fulfilling his words.”

“Alright, now that you have showed me your resolve…

The rate of success of the operation is…”

“Actually, I have a favor to ask you, Doc. I’ll just whisper it to you.”

…

“Are you serious about this?!”

“It has been my plan from the start. Besides, I recently found a place that I may just fit in.”

“But why did you choose that…?”

“I don’t want to die, but I don’t deserve to live anymore. But if Eiji heard that, he’ll definitely scold me for insulting myself.”

“Hahh…

If that is what you want, so be it. I will schedule your operation to after two days. I would suggest for him to secure a room now so I can check up on him.”

“Hmm…

Don’t let me down, Doc.”

“Likewise.”

And so, the family left the office along with the nurse that accompanied them.

"You sure have a lot of problems, Doc. But well, I guess that's your fault to begin with." an unknown voice of a man suddenly sounded by the door. There stood a silhouette of a male leaning on the frame of the door.

"I have no right to oppose that…

But why did you come here of all days?"

"I haven't even properly thanked you after tending to my wound. But so far, it's healing fine, although I can see it leaving a long-lasting scar."

"Yes. Looks like it."

▪ ▪ ▪

“But I guess Ken Ichikawa will never come back.”

“If you put it that way… that could just be the case.

Well, we’re taking our leave now, Doc. It’s nice to have a chat with you again.”

“Is this really okay, Gin?”

“Yeah. There’s no point in going down there.”

“Thank you for accompanying us, Dr. Kagetora.”

“…”

The hill has some tall trees. But even so, the wind is still coming down to us. This day is really a cold one.

“Rin, do you think it will snow today?”

“Hmm…”

The two of us stopped walking but I still hear footsteps from afar. The doctor is still standing there watching the people below the hill. He then turned around to look at us.

“Didn’t you say that the two of you are going to leave now?”

“Someone’s coming.”

“I hear the footsteps from roughly 40 meters away from us. The sound is becoming louder and whoever that person is, it’s coming to us.”

“You’re really a man without any fun. Going to leave now without even seeing me off…

Eiji?”

That young man wears a black jacket with its hood on his head. He also wears black bottoms that will make you think that he’s going to the funeral because of how black his clothes are.

But inside that hood…

“…

You goose…”

“Now that’s what you’re going to say now? What a guy…”

“I really can’t believe anything in this world…

But at least, you did well, you nameless idiot.”

“Damn… You’re really sharp. Just what did this doctor tell you?”

“Ahh… So this doctor is involved with this, huuuuh? You’ve played this well you two.

I guess we’re not yet leaving, Rin.”

“Ohh… so she’s that Rin, huh. I never thought that it would just be Ringo. I thought it was someone else.

Waaaait a second… The others from the Art Club are below and the two of you are here. HMMMMMMMM…”

“So what are you pointing at?”

“Duh… it couldn’t be more obvious that there’s something going on with you two.”

“Huh… I didn’t even hear anything like that when they visited.” confused, the doctor wondered.

“You two are just a duo of dumb humans…

Especially you, Doc. You have a wife and two kids, so you should have at least gotten a hint, you know?!”

“Waah… Boyfriend-kun snapped again…”

“But seriously, I thought you would be more surprised than this, Eiji.”

“Something like that won’t even move me. The only person that can make me cry is this little girl beside me.”

“I wonder if it’s a compliment, Gin~?”

“I-It’s a co-compliment…”

Sometimes, I’m having a hard time thinking if Rin is cute or scary…

“Well…

Seeing that there’s a funeral below the hill but you’re here just means that your death was faked.

And when Doc said that Ken Ichikawa is no more, I came to conclude that you’re a no one and a nameless man now.

So… what are you going to do at this point forward?”

“I’ll give you full marks for that. Your observation skills are just top-notch.

Doc, I need you to leave because I don’t want you to hear what I’m about to say.”

“Sure. Off I go.”

With the immediate exit of Dr. Kagetora, the only people in the hill is 086, me, and Rin.

“Ringo’s not going to leave?”

“Don’t be rude. She knows me more than you.”

“Hahaha. Sorry for that.

You just asked me what I’m going to do onwards. I decided that I’ll make my name and existence disappear in this world. I’m going to live a new life from now on. I recently found out that there is a group of people that doesn’t belong to the population’s hierarchy and they stayed low for a couple of decades now.

But the problem is I don’t know how and where to find them. I don’t even have any information about their whereabouts.”

“Huh? What could you be talking about?”

“I know that there’s still in hiding up to this point. Because they do not like the surface…

What? Still don’t get it?”

“Ehh…?”

“I thought you were some smart guy, but you don’t even know of the Ex-“

“Let me tell you something.

Right now, they’re not hiding but they indeed dislike the surface. More than a hundred of them are having a happy life in a place where humans won’t easily find.

They live with contentment without the help of the cruel people here on the skin of the Earth. But some of them decided to conquer and went outside to prove that they are not some sort of trash.

I’m telling you right now, 086… Don’t take our people lightly.”

“W-What are you saying…? Eiji?”

“What I’m saying is that I am an Exile, you nameless wanderer. That's so ambitious of you when you don't even know where to find them, ba~ka.”

“Oh, so you’re an Exile.

…

What the heck did you just say?!”

“Now, look who’s the one that is getting all the surprise.

Look, even Rin is resisting her laughter because of your idiocy.”

And out of nowhere while Rin is shaking from laughter, a signage came from her hand saying: “Baka.”

It disappeared, though.

“See? That’s why I call you a hopeless brat every time. Just look at your face right now. Hahahahaha…!”

~ ~ ~

“So, now that you knew, are you ready to go with us?”

“If you’re talking about their place, I don’t think I’m ready to go now. I don’t have a phone so I can’t contact my parents from below.”

“But I can see three big bags hanging on a branch of one of the trees in this hill.”

“Busted!

Wait, how did you even see that far?!”

The tree where Gin pointed out was approximately a hundred meters in the middle of a bunch of trees.

“Here, use my phone to contact your parents. I’m pretty sure that they already knew that you’re leaving.”

“Woah, what a let-down, Eiji…

Your phone wallpaper isn’t even a picture of you and Ringo?”

“Shut up and just call your parents now.”

“Alright, alright.”

~ ~ ~

“Hey, Eiji. How are we supposed to go there, anyways?”

“By car.”

“By car?”

“Yes, by car.”

“Wait, can you even drive?!”

“What? I’m still using a student license but I’m of legal age now, you know.”

“You’re 18 right now?! Does that mean that you’re seven when we were in the lab?!”

“Nope. I’m five that time.”

“What the heck?! That doesn’t make any sense!”

“Yeah, it doesn’t.

Now hop on.”

Without saying anything to anyone aside from Ken’s parents, we took our leave and we are now headed to the outskirts of Cotona.

“Seriously, Eiji… where are you even taking me?”

“Sorry, I need to make a call. Rin, can you contact Sean in my phone? I can’t take my eyes off the road.

Also, wear seatbelts, kids.”

“Ringing.”

“Hello, Gin?”

“Yo, Sean. Are you at the resto today?”

“I’m not. I’m having the day off in the base right now.

Oh, I heard you went to the funeral of your classmate.”

“Ah, yeah. We just left and we’re heading there. It’s a great timing that you’re there.

Also, I have a patient with me. Could you check him up when we get there?”

“Yeah, sure. But who-“

*beep*

“You intentionally hung up, don’t you, Rin?”

“Yep!”

“Way to go! Give my right hand a high-five!”

“So Eiji can’t take his eyes off of the road, but can still casually do high-fives when driving. What a guy he is…”

~ ~ ~

“Oi, 086. We’re here.”

“A… greenhouse?”

“Indeed, that’s a greenhouse. Come on, we’re going down.”

“Uhh… Ken.”

“What is it, Ringo?”

“Before we go down, have you already said goodbye to your social life here on the outside world?”

“What?!”

“Seriously… What’s up with this two? They just nonchalantly say things like that! Wait, does Ringo act like that in school?!”

~ ~ ~

“Oi, Gin.

I finally understood that this world is not normal.”

“Oh, yeah? Good to know.”

“See…

How can a well-hidden hideout have an elevator?”

Ken was ignored.

But the doors of the elevator slowly opened to the first floor of the underground base of the Exiles.

“Heeeey~ I’m back! I have a hostage with me!”

“That scared me. Good thing you told me before you arrive here. Dinner is being prepared so you can eat here.

Wait, who’s this shrimp?” Sean who was waiting, pointed out on Ken.

“I’m not a shrimp!”

“Hello, Sean. He’s your patient for today.”

Fun Fact: Ken’s height is actually 160cm which only means that Rin (164cm) is taller than him.

But I guess Rin is on the slightly taller side for her age.

“I guess introduction is to be set aside for now because we’re all hungry. What’s for dinner?”

“Hiro’s apprentice made dinner today so expect something good.”

“Ohh… I think this is the first time I’ll get to eat Ryuu’s food.”

“I think this is the first time I’ll get to eat with them.”

“Expect this dinner to be rowdy, Rin. You’ll get to see how they eat dinner here.”

“I think I’m being left out… and my bags are so heavy. Why did I even bring this much?”

~ ~ ~

After a lively dinner, the three of us rested in the first floor to let the food settle down. Then after some time, we had Ken checked if there are anything that we could know about his operation.

“Hmm… it seems that your operation was quite successful by the looks of it. Your nervous system seems to have stabilized now that there are no seen malfunctions in your core.”

“Now that Sean pointed it out, what did really happen in your microsurgery?”

“It was a success, yes. But what made it difficult is taking me out.”

"I'll step out for a bit~" Sean then left.

“I suppose this is where Doc gets involved.”

“Nothing really happened in the operation. It’s pretty much ordinary.

But the real deal started eight hours after the operation. That time, I’m pretty much just resting on the hospital bed. I pretended that I’m sleeping and then the pulse monitor went straight.

The nurses panicked and they quickly called Doc then he pretended that I’m really dead.”

“Did Doc rig the monitor?”

“He didn’t do that.

What the monitor said was really true. It didn’t detect my pulse. It’s no easy feat. It feels like I endangered my life more in the process of faking my death instead of the operation.

I didn’t mean to pretend that I didn’t hear what you said back at the rooftop, but I can literally stop my whole respiratory and circulatory system. But they are two different cases.

Blood still continuously flows in my heart and veins but I can stop them from moving, looking like I don’t have any pulse.

But stopping my respiratory system is more dangerous. I literally can’t breathe if I stopped it. Thankfully, Doc was the one that took me out of the room and I was sent to the morgue where I’m going to move.

What’s inside that coffin was a dummy of me. I know someone that prepared a replacement of me using a 3D printer. Even though you didn’t see it, the dummy really looked like my face.”

“This world is so unbelievable…

Now I think I finally understand how you escaped. Did you already know of that when we were still in the lab?”

“I accidentally discovered it when I was asleep one night. I attempted to do it and I managed to redo it.

I think it was because of one of the meds I took. It was said that my body suddenly performed changes on its own.”

“Was your disease connected to that?”

“Ah, it wasn’t really connected or was it a side effect. It also came from other meds that I took and it damaged my brain overtime.”

“So it’s kind of similar to my bones, huh.”

“To your bones?”

“I developed Bone Regeneration because of one specific drug in the lab.

Do you still remember when I told you I was hit by a truck? That got my bones shattered but I was saved by the Exiles just in the nick of time.

A few hours after that, I woke up in that hospital bed you’re sitting at. At that time, I wasn’t aware of that, but I was filled out when Sean said that my bones came back to one place after eight hours.”

“That’s some sick stuff right there…”

“But that doesn’t mean that my bones went broken to be fixed in an instant. Some of my bones were pulverized but it still managed to come back as a whole.

Since you’re an Exile now, I guess I could tell you the whole of my story.”

~ ~ ~

“So you lost it three more times… That’s really crazy to see that you’re still alive. And your scar is freaking big. It’s unreal.

Now that answers the question as to why you’re 18 now. But man, such a phenomenon exists?”

“I can easily jump from the ground and up to the rooftop.”

Rin interjected, “Oh, I see… I thought you’re the one that unlocked the door, but you actually jumped that high…”

“I can also run from my house to the school in 14 seconds.”

“Are you saying that the 10 minutes we walked every day is just 14 seconds if you run?”

“That is, Rin, if I output a fair amount of speed.

And just so you know, I can also dodge bullets. But it was actually a pellet with the same velocity of a gun.”

“Seriously?!”

“That’s the first time I’m hearing that, Gin.”

“Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“If you wanted to see, we actually have the actual footage of it.” Sean popped back in anew.

“Wait, Sean. Are you really saying that the test I did was all recorded?”

“Yeah. But the camera didn’t almost catch you in the frame when you ran.”

“I wasn’t like the Fl*sh to do something like that…”

“Well, the camera is a bit potato so…”

“Eiji, can I have a bit of your time?”

“Sure. I suppose you wanted to talk to me.”

“Yeah.”

“Rin, I guess you’re in charge of the kids again.”

I decided to choose a room where we can talk alone. I chose the training room in the second floor since it’s mostly empty and it’s not always populated. I can’t bother to open the door of the Room since he’s still recovering.

“You have something to talk about?”

“Not really. I just wanted to thank you.

You’ve helped me more than you needed to. You recommended me to Kagetora and I am finally free from my disease. Then you guided me to a new home now that I’m not Ken Ichikawa anymore.

When we were five, I thought you were just a helpless kid because you’re so quiet that I even thought that you were mute.

But when I called out to you, you’re the only one that talked to me. That’s why I deliberately got close to you even when you didn’t even care about anything.

Even when you didn’t even know that I was 086, you still helped an unknown even after those years. Really, you’re too kind.

But I’m very thankful to have met you once again.”

“Sit down.”

The two of us both sit down on the floor in the part of the training room that has the emptiest space.

“Let’s play chess.”

“Woah! Where did that chessboard even came from?”

“The author.”

“Let’s just set up…”

Pawns on the front, and the officials at the back. That’s how chess is being played.

“What comes to your mind when you see a chess board?”

“…

A game?”

“Hmm… Check.

That’s also what I think when I see a chessboard—a game. But after the years I’ve spent building myself. My initial thought finally had a conclusion.

The world is like a chessboard because it’s like a board where hierarchy is on top of everything. If I apply chess to the reality…

A pawn is always in the front because it is the weakest. That’s where the ‘sacrificial pawns’ came.

Then there are the officials. Five pieces have different styles of their offense. They are also powerful.

But the reality is twisted. An official may be strong, but when it retreated, it falls back a lot of spaces. Then there are the pawns. They have no choice to but to fight because they can’t step back. They only move from one space to another for them to move forward.

Yes, only one space. So the officials of the other side took the advantage and they quickly killed a pawn with just one move. Unfair, isn’t it?

But if one pawn reached the other side, they will be promoted. They will have the power of an official they wanted to be.

So… in all of those pieces, who do you think will win?”

“…

The pawns?”

“That’s your answer, but did you give it some thought?

Look deeper in the box. The pawn got promoted, but don’t you think it will meet the same fate the officials had?

The former pawn will think: ‘My hard work paid off after everything I’ve gone through.’ They will be happy because they finally had the power they wanted. But the pawns will also learn to step back, use their power to kill a pawn with one move.

They are not sacrifices anymore, but when they achieved the hierarchy, they changed. Granted, they can still move from one space to another, but there will be a time where they will use the power to defend.

On the board, I can no longer call that a pawn.”

“…”

“Now, what piece do you think I am?”

“That’s quite easy.

You don’t belong in the board, so you’re not of those pieces.”

“Precisely.

And you also don’t belong to the board anymore. You’re the one that even said that Exiles are not part of the world’s hierarchy.”

“Now I deeply understand the words I said.”

“Humans rule over the world because they are the most intelligent beings in this planet. But do they rule over them or themselves?

What I’m saying is… right now, you are an Exile. May this be big in words, but we Exiles don’t consider ourselves as humans anymore because of the hierarchy that built up in the course of thousands of years.”

“But as the others said, some of the Exiles coexist above with the humans.”

“That’s true. I’m one of those that coexist with humans. I called myself a resurfaced. Sean is also one along his partner. They are examples of those who proved that they are not trash. Currently, they are the founders of Giotto’s Restaurant and I work for the two of them.”

“Wow, that’s some huge achievement.”

“I work there as a sous chef.”

“Wow, that’s some huge achievement.”

“Use this new experience to build up a new life. When Rin asked you if you’re ready to throw away your social life, she meant it seriously. Even though she’s not an Exile, I gave her my full trust.

On the surface, the people I wholeheartedly trust can be counted on your fingers and toes. But of course, it’s more than twenty.

You don’t know that the principal is an Exile, right?”

“Woah, really?! He’s an Exile?”

“The former leader, more so.

Checkmate.”

“Oh?

You beat me.”

“Should we get going now?”

“I think we should.”

~ ~ ~

After that game of chess, we came back to the first floor just to see the children who were playing with Rin are now asleep.

“Oh, you’re back.”

“Was it fun?”

“The kids have a lot of energy.”

“Let me sit there.

Rin, are you tired?”

“Mhm. Kind of.”

“Should we stay the night today? It’s gotten a bit late and I don’t want to drive now to ensure our safety.”

“That is, if our parents will permit us.”

“Hahaha… I’ll call them now.”

Oh yeah… I forgot to tell you that I also told Rin’s family about everything. Her father was so moved that he cried. But I haven't said anything about my being as 027.

“Hello, Mom?”

“Gin. I was wondering why the two of you aren’t home.”

“Sorry about that. Can you tell Dad that we’ll be staying the night in the base?”

“I’m here.”

“Oh, hi there.”

“We permit. But be sure to come home tomorrow.”

“Thanks. I’m hanging up because I need to call Rin’s parents.”

“Oh, no need. We are in their house right now.

Shuu! The two will be sleeping in the base! Are you two okay with that?”

“We permit! Just don’t do anything, musuko!”

“Hai, hai! Understood.”

*beep*

“They said: ‘We permit.’”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

“This is why I insisted to bring clothes here beforehand.”

“Now I get why you did that, Gin.”

“You go and change first then I’ll read you a picture book until you fall asleep.”

~ ~ ~

We ended up sitting on same place we were sat earlier in the first floor after we changed.

“I wonder if it’s nice to live here.”

“Do you want to, Rin?”

“I’m just wondering.”

“I guess it’s nice to live here because of the people around you. It’s rare to see people that truly love everyone in-

Rin?”

And then, she fell asleep with her head falling on my lap.

“Woah, Eiji. I was just passing by and…”

“You’re such a baby…

She won’t wake up even if you try your best.”

“So she’s the type that quickly falls asleep.”

“Now… Up we…

Go!”

“Woah! Such a gentleman, Eiji!”

I ended up carrying her for the second time. I bet I’ll get a punch tomorrow.

“I’ll be back once I send her to her room.”

“Well… Goodnight, Eiji.

Thanks a lot.”


Chapter Message:

That concludes chapter 26!

I don't actually know if there is a 3D printer that can do that, but dang the 3D model of that would probably look dope.

As much as I wanted to do something special for chapter 27, my wits weren't able to keep up, so it will be quite a standard chapter. What is even the definition of standard in this story?

Thank you for reading!

Next

Twenty-seven: The future Jean Ando sees.