Chapter 3. Takasī-kun’s Return from the Battlefield: Just Wanna Hear the Whole Story
1
Dusk was settling in, and we were trudging toward a nearby military training ground, dragged out here by Portman.
Guy’s got something he really needs to talk about, apparently.
He was actin’ weird, though. Not his usual self—kinda down, or… somethin’.
And he was dead set on me bringin’ Natalie and Sherry along.
No damn clue what he wants to talk about.
“Heyy~ Did Portman really say to bring us along~?” Natalie’s voice came out sing-song, as always.
“Yeah. He was damn clear about it.”
“Portman-san… wantin’ Natalie-san there… huh?” Sherry tilted her head, slit-pupil eyes narrowin’ with suspicion.
Looked like she couldn’t buy it.
“What’s with that grim face?”
“Portman-san always acted like Natalie-san was some kinda psychopath, scared outta his mind. Why’s a guy who’s been dodgin’ her suddenly wanna talk?” Sherry’s tone cut sharp, full of doubt.
“Scared?”
Portman, scared of Natalie?
No way in hell.
“What’re ya blabberin’ about? Portman’s the crazy bastard who asked Natalie to live with him at the end of the war. No way a guy like that’s scared of her.”
“Huh? Asked? Who besides us has the guts to invite Crazy Natalie anywhere? Gotta be a mix-up.” Sherry’s scoff was pure disbelief.
“Sherry~ I’m a delicate young maiden, ya know~ Lay off a bit~” Natalie’s eyelids twitched, a dead giveaway she was gettin’ pissed.
Shit… she’s about to blow. Gotta smooth this over.
“No, seriously, Portman did ask her. I ain’t makin’ this up.”
“Really now~?” Sherry’s skeptical glance slid to Natalie.
“He didn’t exactly ask me~ More like, ‘You’re stayin’ with the military, right?’ kinda thing~ But I was plannin’ to stick with Takasī, so I told him, ‘No way, dumbass’~” Natalie tossed her hair with a grin.
“Hold it, Natalie-san! Don’t go makin’ plans to shack up with my future husband!” Sherry snapped. “I’ve already booked our cemetery plot and the headstone, unlike some people. I’ve got my future all planned out!”
“I keep tellin’ ya, stop wastin’ cash on dumb shit, you birdbrain…” I growled, clampin’ an iron claw on Sherry’s head. And while I was at it, I gave Natalie’s a good squeeze for her nonsense, too.
“Anyway, let’s just go hear Portman out. We’ll sort out who’s right.”
“Takasī~ Could ya press a little harder on my right temple~? It’s been stiff lately~” Natalie purred.
“Ohh~ Right there! That’s the spot~ Takasī’s grip is just divine~” Sherry practically melted.
“This is an iron claw, you idiots. It’s a damn finishing move, not a massage.” I tightened my grip, annoyed.
Natalie and Sherry just grinned, lookin’ way too pleased.
When we hit the wide-open training ground, four figures were waitin’.
Not just Portman—the Carson sisters were there, too.
What the hell? They came to Japan?
Rockin’ those suffocatin’ black dresses, as always, like they don’t feel the heat. Must be nice.
And… who’s that kid? Never seen him before.
“Yo, been a couple months. You holdin’ up?” I raised a hand as we got closer.
Rio Carson came sprintin’ over first.
“Not holdin’ up at all! Total mess, man~!”
“…What’s with that verbal tic? You didn’t talk like that in English.” Threw me off for a second.
She’s pushin’ thirty—why’s she soundin’ like a junior high kid?
“Me and Emily decided to switch up our speech for some flair! Whaddaya think~?”
“Japanese has so many fun ways to talk~”
“You two were plenty ‘unique’ without that…” They already stood out like sore thumbs hidin’ behind Natalie and Sherry. In the bad way.
As I smirked, half-exasperated, the kid sauntered up.
“Oi, Takashi~ Lookin’ sharp in that uniform, eh? You three are full-on students now~” His tone was weirdly mature for his boyish frame.
Kansai dialect, too… Who the hell is this guy?
“Whatcha starin’ at? Makin’ me blush.”
“Name and model number. I got no idea who you are.”
“What? Even Takashi can’t tell it’s me? Tech boys’ll be thrilled~” He laughed, clearly havin’ fun.
Sherry mumbled, “That’s gotta be Feiron-san, right~?”
“Feiron…? No way!”
“His mannerisms give it away. The way he walks, his posture—everyone’s got their quirks.” Sherry eyed him close.
She was right. Kid had Feiron’s telltale habits, despite the… adorable new body. Used to be a bald, jacked giant.
“Look at me! Ain’t I cute as hell now? Total chick magnet at the airport~”
“Yeah, with a mug like that, sure… but you’re still an old perv inside. Why the new body?”
“Unlike the Carsons, I’m down to just a brain now. Figured I’d go for a hotshot body~ Got all the ladies swoonin’~”
“Dirty old man… And what’s with the Kansai dialect?”
“Learned Japanese from comedy shows. Somethin’ wrong with it?”
Your whole thought process is wrong, pickin’ that body. Who’re you tryin’ to impress?
“So~ what’re the Carson sisters and Feiron doin’ in Japan~? Sightseein’~?” Natalie asked.
“Odd crew for a vacation.” Sherry sounded puzzled.
The Carsons and Feiron swapped sad smiles.
“We didn’t come here for a vacation.” Portman finally spoke up.
Arms crossed, his usual carefree grin gone, swapped for a dead-serious stare—the kind he got before a fight.
“We came for a reason. That’s why it’s this group.”
“What reason?”
Portman pointed at Natalie and Sherry. “To bring you two back to the military.”
His words landed cold and clear.
2
“Bring ‘em back? Why? ‘Cause Sherry swiped a ton of calorie blocks?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what’s the reason?”
“Sorry, I can’t say… But if they don’t come back, it’ll be bad. Really bad.” Portman looked down.
“Bad how? You gotta give us somethin’ to work with here.”
“No matter what, I ain’t goin’ back to the military~” Natalie snapped.
“Like Natalie-san said, talk that nonsense in your sleep, you moron.” Sherry’s voice was venom.
“See?” I gestured at them.
They were flat-out refusin’. Can’t blame ‘em—I’d say no, too.
“I’m really sorry… but I can’t explain right now. Come back with us, and I’ll tell you everything.”
“No way, dumbass~! Stop repeatin’ yourself, you prick~ I’ll smash that smug face in~!” Natalie roared.
“Bring me a hundred trillion, then I’ll think about it.” Sherry sneered.
“You guys…!” Portman’s glare was bitter, frustration tight in his voice.
Ugh! He’s growlin’, but it’s his fault for not explainin’.
Vibe was turnin’ sour, so I switched gears. “How long would they need to go back for? Three days?”
“Uh… it’s, uh…”
“One day?”
“…Forever.”
“Are you insane? That’s never gonna happen.”
That’s just conscription with extra steps.
“Don’t you think that’s a bit much? No explanation, and you expect ‘em to just go along with it?”
“Please, just… work with me here…”
“Work with you? Explain yourself, and I’ll listen.”
“I… can’t…”
“Fine. We’re done here. Let’s go, you two.” I turned to leave.
As we started walkin’ away, the Carson sisters’ right arms made a loud clank-clank, morphin’ into massive black cannons.
“Hold up. You can’t leave.”
“Don’t move.”
They aimed the barrels at us, crouchin’ low, threatenin’ us to stay. Are they outta their damn minds?
“Hoh~ You’ve got some balls tryin’ to threaten us~” Natalie stepped forward, tappin’ her temple with a finger.
She’d been pretty chill lately, but the Carsons’ move flipped her switch. She was pissed.
“Natalie-chan. Calm down.”
“Calm down? They’re pointin’ positron cannons at you, Takasī~ I’m gonna tear ‘em to shreds~”
“Cool it. I’m fine, alright? There, there.” I patted her head gently, tryin’ to soothe her.
Even with her murderous aura, Natalie listened, holdin’ back from pouncin’.
…Man, this sucks.
I’m feelin’… real damn sad all of a sudden.
Why’s it gotta be like this?
All I want is a normal life, to live quietly, stack up ordinary days. Why’s that so hard?
Natalie and Sherry have been laughin’ more lately. Compared to their worst days, they’re so much calmer now.
They ain’t causin’ trouble.
Natalie, Sherry, me—we just wanna savor the everyday. That’s it.
But they won’t even let us have that tiny bit of normal.
I get that Portman and the others have their reasons. They ain’t the type to pull this crap for kicks.
That’s why it stings so bad they won’t explain or even talk it out.
If I’m bein’ real, that’s what hurts the most.
“Hey, you really gotta go this far? No explanation, and you’re gonna make enemies outta us? That what you want?”
While strokin’ Natalie’s head, I called out to the Carson sisters.
Their cannons stayed locked on us, their eyes borin’ straight into mine.
“Listen, I love you guys. These past three years, you’re the reason I kept my sanity.”
My words made their blank faces twitch, just a bit.
The barrels they were pointin’ started to tremble.
“Life was shitty, but we had some good times, right? When you said, ‘You’re important to us. We want nothin’ more than your happiness,’ I felt like I could take on the world.”
Their expressions grew darker, like they were fightin’ back tears, clenchin’ their jaws.
“Rio, Emily—you both said that, didn’t ya? Was it all a lie?”
“It wasn’t a lie!!” Their screams were raw, almost desperate.
Voices shakin’, they started yellin’.
“Rio cares about you, Tacchan! I’m still alive ‘cause of you!”
“Emily loves you, Tacchan! You’re the reason my heart didn’t break!”
“Then tell me why. I’m beggin’ ya.”
“It’s…” Their words caught, eyes dartin’ away.
Feiron cut in, seein’ their hesitation.
“Oi… mind if I jump in?”
“What?”
Feiron scratched his head, lookin’ awkward as hell.
He went quiet for a sec, like he was wrestlin’ with somethin’, then turned cocky outta nowhere.
“Look, Carson and Portman got their reasons. Cut ‘em some slack, yeah?”
“I’m tellin’ ya to explain those reasons, dumbass. How many times I gotta say it?”
“There’s stuff we can’t talk about! Most people would get the hint by now!” Feiron shot me a glare like he could kill.
Why’s he gettin’ pissed?
“I don’t wanna do this either, alright? But we have to. Just try to understand…”
“Understand? You’re sayin’—”
I stopped short. I’d been tellin’ myself it couldn’t be, but… no way.
“…Is this a military order?”
Feiron looked down, mutterin’ so quiet it barely reached me. “I told ya… I can’t say…”
3
Among bio-soldiers in the UN military, there was a phrase tossed around a lot.
A handy way to sum up how much you’d been modified, what kinda power you had.
Bio-soldier, mech-soldier, special mech, or special bio—it was a quick way to know who was what.
Callin’ out your “model designation” let you lay it all bare in one go.
Started as a way to report your mods to HQ, but it was so useful it became part of intros or pre-battle roll calls.
By the end of the war, shoutin’ your designation before a fight was a way to psych yourself up.
It became a ritual, a vow to put your life on the line.
“What’re you plannin’ to do with me and Natalie-san back in the military? I get me, but what’s the point of draggin’ her back?” Sherry’s voice was sharp, skeptical.
“Find out when you get there. Don’t ask me.” Feiron brushed her off.
“Awful testy, huh, Feiron-san? Is this really a military order? I can’t believe you’d follow some nonsense like this—”
“Flat-chest, shut it. I’m talkin’ to Takashi.” Feiron’s words cut in, sharp and fast.
Sherry’s face twisted. He’d said the forbidden word. Flat-chest.
The one person you don’t wanna piss off more than Natalie just snapped.
“Flat-chest…? My… dynamite bust is flat…? Take it back… Take it back, you bastard!!” Sherry’s voice was pure rage.
Feiron shot back, cold as ice. “Dynamite bust? You don’t feel pathetic sayin’ that?”
“What!? This size is the most beautiful, you moron!! Bigger ain’t better!! Get on your knees, apologize, and off yourself!!”
“Japan’s got a sayin’, ‘Big covers small.’ Losers by birth should stay quiet.”
“…That’s it. I’m rewirin’ your brain so every time you see big boobs, you get cluster headaches that make you wanna die. Drown in regret, you piece of trash…” Sherry cracked her knuckles, her fingers morphin’ into blade-like shapes.
I grabbed her in a hug, strokin’ her head gently. “Sherry, don’t let him get to you! Your charm ain’t in your chest, alright!?”
“…Then what is it? Tell me my charm, Takasī-kun.”
“Charm? Easy. You’re cute, dumb as hell, and you’d do anything for your friends. Plus, tons of guys prefer smaller chests. Don’t sweat it!”
“…So, Takasī-kun, you like small chests?”
“Love ‘em.”
“…G-Geez~ Takasī-kun’s such a me-obsessed maniac, it’s trouble~” Sherry’s cheeks flushed as she pressed her hands to her face, grinning.
Put those fingers back to normal, damn it. That’s dangerous.
“Takasī… d-do you hate my boobs…?” Natalie placed a hand on her chest, lookin’ crushed.
Why’s she sulkin’… now of all times?
“I love ‘em, obviously…”
“B-But~ you said you like small ones…”
“I said small ones too. No guy hates boobs, period.”
Why’re we talkin’ about breasts? This conversation’s derailin’ hard.
While I was dealin’ with the girls’ boob dilemmas, I caught Portman and Feiron arguin’.
“Feiron! Why do you keep sayin’ shit that starts fights? This ain’t helpin’—”
“Huh? I’m playin’ the bad guy on purpose, and you’re givin’ me crap?”
“All it’s doin’ is startin’ fights! If we just talked it out—”
“You empty-headed idiot! ‘We won’t explain, but ditch your life and come back to the military, pretty please.’ You think the Pointers are gonna buy that? We’re gonna have to drag ‘em back by force anyway, so quit dodgin’ reality!”
“B-But…”
“I’ve got things I can’t give up either… To protect what’s precious, I’ll do whatever it takes…”
Yeah, there’s definitely somethin’ goin’ on.
They’re backed into a corner, enough to resort to strong-arm tactics.
“Hey, you guys bein’ threatened by someone in the military?”
“…If I said we were, would you give up everything and follow my orders?” Portman’s voice was low, serious.
“Hell no. We’d just crush whoever’s threatenin’ you and make ‘em regret it. Way easier, and if that’s the deal, I’d help out.”
Portman gave me a look like I was some kinda lunatic. Rude, man.
“Takasī-kun… the world’s full of things that don’t go your way.”
“That so? I figure most things can be worked out. Don’t you?”
“…With you, Takasī-kun… maybe they can…”
“Don’t let him sway you.” Feiron muttered, sighin’ with a fed-up look.
“Look, Takashi, this situation’s way worse than you think. If it was easy to fix, we wouldn’t be here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean—”
“Even if you chase us off, the military’ll just keep sendin’ assassins. That what you want? You’ve been talkin’ about wantin’ a normal life forever, Takashi. You cool with that gettin’ wrecked?”
Feiron’s all bark, but he’s worried about me. Always goin’ overboard with the protective crap, which makes it hard to hate him.
I looked away from him, starin’ up at the darkenin’ sky.
Man…
I still don’t get the situation or their reasons, but I can tell they’re desperate.
These are my comrades, guys I’ve fought and bled with.
Seein’ ‘em this torn up makes me wanna help ‘em out. But without an explanation, I can’t do shit.
On the other hand, sendin’ Natalie and Sherry back to the military? No way. I won’t allow it.
It’s just not happenin’.
Instead of agonizin’ over this, I’d rather hear their reasons and fix the problem. That’s the fastest way, right?
“Hey… just spill it and get it over with. I’ll help you out…”
“Can’t explain… Just follow us quietly…”
“…”
Guess I’ll have to force it outta ‘em.
“Let’s keep this simple.”
I stretched big, loosenin’ up with a few squats.
Natalie and Sherry, knowin’ me too well, caught on instantly.
“I get you’ve got reasons you can’t budge on. But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna roll over and obey.”
I kept stretchin’, rollin’ my neck.
Natalie and Sherry matched me, their faces twistin’ into wild, eager grins.
“You know I’ve got a duty to make these idiots happy. It’s the only way I can repay ‘em for savin’ my life.”
Their murderous aura swelled, and Portman’s crew finally started to notice.
“Natalie and Sherry don’t wanna go back to the military. No matter your reasons, I ain’t listenin’ to your demands. So, I’m thinkin’ Feiron’s right.”
I finished warmin’ up and faced my old comrades.
“Force, huh? Sounds good. Let’s have a real brawl. Neither side’s backin’ down, so the loser does what the winner says. Clean and simple, right?”
The air turned icy, tension crankin’ up.
Portman, Feiron, and the Carson sisters dropped all traces of ease, their faces dead serious.
“If you win, I’ll go back to the military with Natalie and Sherry. But if we win, you spill everything. Come at us like you’re tryin’ to kill us, ‘cause we’re goin’ all out.”
With that, I spread Debris cells from inside my body to the surface, formin’ a protective layer.
The Film, a special bio-soldier’s trump card.
First time usin’ it against humans outside of breakin’ up Natalie and Sherry’s fights. Kinda excitin’.
As I wrapped myself in Film, Natalie and Sherry followed suit.
Once their bodies were fully coated in Debris cells, they spoke.
“Hybrid Eleven-Type, Y-Class Special Bio-Soldier, Ciel Aisuran. Prep complete.”
“Hybrid Six-Type, A-Ultra-Class Special Bio-Soldier, Natalie Turquoise Pinkstar. Prep complete.”
They called out their designations, pickin’ up on my resolve.
Ready to fight with their lives on the line.
They showed their commitment.
Portman’s crew scrambled into battle stances.
I took a deep breath, not fallin’ behind, and declared.
“Hybrid All-Type, Extinct-Class Special Bio-Soldier, Shibuzaki Takashi. Battle prep—complete.”
The moment I finished, an explosion roared, and dust kicked up.
Our in-house brawl kicked off.
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4
Rio and Emily shot into the night sky with a boom, movin’ at breakneck speed.
Sonic, they call it—some anti-gravity tech for high-speed movement.
The Carson sisters, long-range snipers and special mech-soldiers, vanished in a blink.
A few seconds.
A few moments.
In that tiny window,
Natalie and Sherry had already neutralized Portman and Feiron.
“Ugh… ahh…”
“Damn… taken out in seconds…”
Portman was writhin’ in pain, while Feiron looked like he’d already given up.
Both were missin’ nearly half their bodies, sprawled out on the dirt.
Bet they didn’t even have time to react.
That’s how crazy Natalie and Sherry were movin’ when they got serious.
“Weak! Pathetic as hell! You were talkin’ all big for this? Too damn feeble to even bother with!!!!” Sherry jeered.
“After all that trash talk, I thought they’d at least put up a fight…” Natalie muttered, unimpressed.
Sherry kept tauntin’, and Natalie sighed as they peeled off their Film, stompin’ on Portman and Feiron.
“S-Stop, Natalie! You’re steppin’ on my wounds… it’s messin’ with my regeneration…!”
“Come on~ If you don’t regen like your life depends on it, you’re gonna die, loser~” Natalie teased.
“Kyaha! Feiron-san~ Time to start kneadin’ that brain of yours~ Let’s get this party started~!” Sherry cackled.
“W-Wait! Stop! I’m serious, that ain’t funny!” Feiron yelped.
Talk about psychos.
Must be the thrill of goin’ all out after so long—Natalie and Sherry were havin’ a blast.
I left the two to their fun and leaped back about ten meters.
Portman and Feiron can only fight close or mid-range, but the Carson sisters, firin’ positron cannons from ultra-long range, are a way bigger pain in the ass.
I squinted, scannin’ the night sky where they’d vanished.
“You two okay messin’ around? The Carsons are still out there! Their positron cannons—” Feiron started.
“With Takasī-kun here, we’re fine. Quit stallin’, Feiron-san,” Sherry cut him off.
“Even Takashi can’t take down the Carsons from the stratosphere! Y-You gotta prep defenses for their positron cannons…” Feiron pleaded.
“Huh? What’re you blabberin’ about, you pathetic loser?” Sherry tilted her head, all cute-like.
Natalie, still stompin’ on Portman, chimed in. “Bet he doesn’t know Takasī’s abilities~ Only ones who know the full deal, besides us, are Sōkan and Midori~”
“No way they don’t know. Takasī-kun was usin’ his powers all over the battlefield,” Sherry said, skeptical.
“From the outside, you can’t tell what his abilities are~ Lucca’s the prime example~” Natalie replied.
“Yeah… without an explanation, it’s just a bunch of incomprehensible nonsense…” Sherry nodded.
“What’s that supposed to mean…?” Feiron muttered.
I ignored their chatter, keepin’ my eyes on the night sky.
The Carsons must’ve pulled some serious distance—I couldn’t spot ‘em at all.
Hmm… was gonna go straightforward, but this might be a bit tricky.
My abilities… guess I’ll mix ‘em.
“Rio, Emily. You hear me? Portman and Feiron are already down.”
“Huh!? Those guys are way too weak!”
“Totally useless! Draggin’ us down like that!”
Usin’ Type-T Tina for telepathic comms with the Carson sisters.
Their voices dripped with frustration.
“With Portman and Feiron out, you two got no shot. Why don’t you give up and come down?”
“What’re you talkin’ about!? Emily and Nee-sama’s positron cannons’ll be charged in two minutes! Even Tacchan can’t beat a setup like that!”
“You think I’m just gonna sit here for two minutes?”
“What else can you do? At this distance, you’re helpless! Take that!”
Yeah, a normal bio-soldier wouldn’t have a chance.
Normal bio-soldier.
“Hey, I lost sight of you guys. Can you send a signal so I know where you are?”
“Huh? No way we’re doin’ that! What kinda idiot—”
“Come on, just send it.”
“Ain’t happenin’! Why would we make things harder for—”
“Send a signal.”
Usin’ Type-L Lucca to issue a command, I saw flickerin’ lights in the night sky.
There they are…
“W-What!? What’s goin’ on!? My body moved on its own!”
“Emily! Somethin’ feels bad—real bad! We gotta get outta here!”
“Got it, Nee-sama!”
I cranked my vision with Type-A Aria’s physical enhancement.
Caught the Carson sisters tryin’ to bolt.
I thrust both hands forward, like I was grabbin’ somethin’.
“Huh!? W-What!? What’s this!?”
“Nee-sama! Somethin’s wrong! My cannon won’t move! It’s like it’s stuck in space!”
“Mine too! What’s happenin’!?”
Their panicked voices came through.
Yeah, I’d be freaked out too if I were them.
Time to spill the beans.
“That’s me. I’m holdin’ your cannons so you can’t escape. Surprised?”
“W-What!? This is Tacchan’s ability!?”
“Yup. Type-O Otohime’s trick. As long as I can see you, I can touch your body, no matter the distance. Kinda negates range, huh?”
“N-No way…”
Rio’s voice was stunned.
Must be terrifyin’, feelin’ a touch when no one’s there. They were thrashin’, tryin’ to break free.
“Alright, I’m crushin’ those cannons now. Without ‘em, you’re done.”
“W-Wait!? Stop, please!!”
“Tacchan!? Don’t do it!!”
Ignorin’ their pleas, I tightened my grip. The cannons crumpled with barely any resistance.
Now the Carson sisters are out of moves.
Special mech-soldiers got strong weapons, but lose those, and they’re sittin’ ducks.
Whatever.
“Come down already. You can’t keep fightin’.”
“…”
“…”
“If you wanna keep goin’, I’ll smash your anti-gravity whatevers and drop you the hard way. Your call.”
“W-We’re comin’ down! We’re comin’!”
“Surrender! We surrender!”
The Carson sisters freaked out.
That’s it—everyone’s neutralized.
I peeled off my Film and turned to Natalie and Sherry. “It’s over. Rio and Emily surrendered. They’re headin’ back.”
“Huh!? No way! Takashi, you didn’t do nothin’!” Feiron gaped.
“Did plenty. Like this.” To them, I probably just stared at the sky and clenched my fists.
Didn’t wanna fight like this—people call me a monster for it—but oh well.
“Are the Carson sisters even tryin’? Totally… useless women…” Portman grumbled, still crawlin’ on the ground.
“Portman, don’t you dare say that to them. You got taken out in seconds—bet they’d lose it if you opened your mouth.”
Portman kept mutterin’ crap, always harsh on women.
I sighed, waitin’ for Rio and Emily to show up.
5
“Come on, spill it already. I’m listenin’.”
“…This is straight-up tyranny. No way we could’ve won.” Portman sulked.
“You’re the ones who brought up force first, remember? You lost, so give it up and explain.”
“I’m not okay with this. I refuse! Hmph!”
“Natalie~ Can you hold Portman down? He’s actin’ unmanly, so I’m gonna neuter him.”
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk! Just stop sayin’ scary shit!” Portman yelped.
After the fight, we had the Carson sisters and a partially regenerated Portman sittin’ seiza-style on the ground.
Feiron, bein’ a special mech-soldier, can’t regen, so he’s just lyin’ there. Tough luck.
“So? Who’s threatenin’ you? Tell me, and I’ll beat their ass for you.”
Portman blinked at me, dumbfounded.
What’s that look? Like I’m the one sayin’ weird stuff.
“Look, it ain’t like we’re bein’ threatened. We came here on our own will, mostly.” Feiron’s voice was sheepish.
“Huh? But you said you’d do anything to protect somethin’ precious. Ain’t someone holdin’ hostages or somethin’?”
“Well… yeah, kinda…” Feiron gave an awkward laugh, soundin’ guilty.
“Truth is, what we’re riskin’ our lives to protect… is your everyday life, Takashi.”
“My… everyday life? What’s that mean?”
“You kept sayin’ it durin’ the war, right? ‘When this is over, I just wanna live a normal life.’”
“Yeah.”
“You know what’s goin’ on in the military right now?”
“Huh?”
The sudden topic shift threw me.
The military? What’s that about?
“Somethin’ happen in the military?”
“Happened? It’s a damn mess.” Rio jutted out her lower lip, sighin’ heavily.
“No way I’d know. What’s goin’ on?”
“Packin’ up! Everyone’s packin’ to come to Japan!” Rio blurted.
“…What?”
Packin’ up?
Huh?
Why’s everyone tryin’ to come to Japan? What?
As I froze, Portman picked up the thread.
“You probably don’t know, Takasī-kun, but after you went back to Japan, there was a bit of a riot in the military. ‘Where’s Takasī? Bring him back!’ That kinda thing…”
“Oh… yeah, that happened, didn’t it?” Sherry muttered.
Right, I remember Sherry sayin’ somethin’ about that when she showed up at my place…
“To calm the riot, the military lied and said you’d come back. Since Sherry, who was close to you, bought a house here to live together, everyone bought it for a while.”
Yeah, I know that too… Sherry told me…
“But you never came back, and then Sherry slipped off to Japan too. People started gettin’ suspicious. ‘Maybe Takasī-kun’s not comin’ back…’”
Portman let out a dry laugh, mutterin’ under his breath.
“When Sōkan Garnet bought the house Sherry got, everyone figured it out. Takasī-kun ain’t comin’ back.”
“Hold up! So, this whole thing about draggin’ Natalie and Sherry back to the military… it’s just a cover to make it look like I’ll eventually return?” I blurted.
Portman, the Carson sisters, and Feiron all answered at once.
“YES”
Boilin’ it down, there wasn’t some evil mastermind behind this.
They were all just tryin’ to protect my normal life, and this mess was the result.
The plan was to get Natalie and Sherry—my closest buddies—back to the military so the soldiers still there would think I’d show up someday. That was the whole point.
They refused to explain ‘cause they knew me too well. If they spilled the beans, I’d probably give up my normal life and take in every crazy soldier who showed up in Japan.
They got me pegged… ‘cause I’m already halfway to givin’ up.
“We owe you our lives, Takasī-kun. We just wanted to protect the normal life you wanted, but your stubbornness beat us. Shame.” Portman’s voice was heavy with defeat.
“Real shame, man~ Wanted to risk it all to keep your everyday life safe~ But what can ya do? It’s your call, Takashi~” Feiron chimed in, his Kansai drawl tinged with regret.
“Emily tried so hard to keep it secret~ But Tacchan forced it outta us…” Emily muttered.
“It’s the path Tacchan chose. Nothin’ we can do.” Rio sighed.
“You… bastards…” I growled, frustrated.
Sherry snorted, smirkin’ as she piled on. “Pretty bold, actin’ all high and mighty. Didn’t this go pretty much according to your plan?”
“What’re you talkin’ about…?” Rio mumbled, caught off guard.
“If you’d just done this the smart way, there were plenty of easier options. No need for this sloppy, half-assed strategy.” Sherry’s voice was sharp, cuttin’ through.
Natalie’s brows furrowed. “Now that I think about it, there was no need to drag Takasī into this~ Coulda just called us directly~”
“And why bother learnin’ Japanese? These guys were clearly plannin’ to live here from the start.” Sherry’s accusation landed like a dart.
Hold on… wait a damn minute.
So, while they were goin’ on about protectin’ my normal life, they were secretly settin’ up to live in Japan? All this complicated bullshit was just to make sure I couldn’t complain when those reckless soldiers caused trouble here?
I leaned in, starin’ at Portman and the others.
Even with my shitty insight, I could tell.
They were busted.
“You… you planned this, didn’t you? You havin’ fun messin’ with me!?” I shouted.
“N-No way! We were seriously thinkin’ of your life first, Takashi! J-Just, y’know, we thought about the worst-case scenario and learned Japanese…” Feiron stammered.
“Then why’re you smirkin’!? Look me in the eye!” I demanded.
“I ain’t smirkin’… cut it out…” Feiron muttered, lookin’ away.
“You’re totally smirkin’!”
They were shakin’ with laughter, heads down, tryin’ so hard to hold it in.
Looked like they were havin’ the time of their lives.
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