"Then how about...I call you [Akki]?" A girl who looked like Roromori Yuzu turned her head to the brunette beside her. She then stole a glimpse of the black-haired girl standing not too far from them scanning some papers.

"Kacchan already nicknamed you as Kii-kun because she knew as well, right? So, I won't call you that as well since it's special for the both of you." Sending a faint smile to him who rested his palm on the aquarium glass in front of them, she slightly chuckled. "If she calls you that and I call you Akki, then no matter what it would still be you."

A lanyard necklace holding a card that is blue, pink, white, and dark gray in color around her neck as the boy's lips formed a tiny smile.

"...It's been two days already. How much longer does he plan on sleeping in for..." Sarayashiki leaned on the railings of the balcony as the wind brushed past her and Inaba as they stood there.

"It's quite worrying...even though Paca-san said it was the result of cumulative fatigue..."

The horror streamer had no qualms in agreeing with Inaba's concern, but that didn't apply to the alpaca masked man. "We can't trust anything that guy says."

After all this time, discouraging things started to occur around them. Ayanokoji and Roromori disappearing, and now this. It was ominous.

"Does he plan on staying in there today too?" Sarayashiki decided to ask the younger girl who was in charge of checking up on their health and meals. Inaba was like their mother figure, actually.

"Yes," The brunette nodded. "he said he couldn't fall asleep anyway...I made two portions of food for them."

When Iride fell into a deep slumber, Kudou never once left his side and locked himself inside his best friend's room forever waiting that Iride might open his eyes again. He had many books to keep him company, but the absence of the usual happy-go-lucky boy was unsettling.

"...good grief, don't get all depressed together." The pink-haired girl placed her chin on top of her hand. She was beginning to feel sad too and she didn't want that.

"Karin-san was like that too when Yuzu-san and Aya-nee collapsed." Inaba gave her a close eyes smile, remembering Sarayashiki's similar reaction. Unable to deny the truth, the older girl stuttered.

"Is...is that so...?"

"There you are Inaba-chan,"

Their little conversation was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Onigasaki who's figure darted out from the balcony door. "could you come over for a bit?"

.

.

.

"Here's all the information Roro-san has on us. Miss and I have already seen them." The Sengoku streamer scattered the files on the round table for everyone to see. He had gathered all of the remaining streamers together, hoping to sort things out. "It seems a bit unfair for us to withhold the information, so if anyone is interested feel free to look through them too."

"O-Okay." Inaba expressed her gratitude right away as Onigasaki continued discussing.

"... And, after that, I've talked with the Paca bastard and he said he will allow us to explore the island after Iride wakes up. Of course, we'll look for Ayano-san and Roro-san...but could we meet up with people underground first? We'll need more help."

"Ah, that would be great." Sarayashiki happily sang Nanami's name, excited to see him again and chat while Inaba was just looking forward to encountering new kind people.

"We'll finally get to meet."

Aikawa nodded with a blunt face, but in his language, that meant good omen.

Compared to whatever Onigasaki had in mind that their response would be, he was glad to see that all of them wanted to do that.

"They know a lot more about this place than we do, and there's someone that could become a crucial fighter, the nii─nee-san there. Plus..." He then shifted his attention to Oshigiri who stood beside him.

"What?"

"No, never mind...you'll get it when it happens." Onigasaki decided not to tell him about Sakura thinking it'd be best if he found it out himself. "And so...about the operation..."

Detaching his gaze from the stealth streamer, he started to explain the plan he had in mind for all of them.

.

.

.

"Onigasaki. Where are you going?"

The said boy stopped his tracks after hearing his name. When he turned, he saw Oshigiri catching up with him. They had just finished their meeting about their next course of action to take.

"Food cellar," He answers. "to contact the guys underground. You haven't changed at all."

Onigasaki sighed as he meant that despite everything that has happened, this boy still managed in keeping tabs with him. And of course, Oshigiri was just guilty as told.

"...yes, but the way you do things has changed." Oshigiri tilted his head to the side, trying to make his point. He didn't even deny the fact he was truly sort of overprotective. "I know things must be difficult now that Aya-san and Roromori are out of the picture...even though you seem reckless, you're the type to beat yourself over and have trouble ignoring responsibilities and guilt."

The words the dark blonde boy used to describe him made Onigasaki frown.

"You're giving me too much credit."

"Is that so? Then at least hear me out." Oshigiri closed his eyes before looking at his friend with seriousness. "Though you are the oldest in the group with Aya-san gone...and you do seem to have the clearest picture of what's going on, the decision to leave was something she and Roromori did by themselves. There's no need to feel responsible, and you needn't replace them either."

"Just do what you always do, make decisions yourself and act upon them."

As soon as Oshigiri finished his last sentences, it struck the older boy. Flashbacks from when he turned his back to his grandfather and also the time he ignored the nagging feeling that urged him to find on Ayanokoji before she vanished back then played in his head.

Despite what he had done, here Oshigiri was telling him to just do the same as always. Acting upon his decisions he made. Trust.

For a moment, the image of the blonde girl's refreshing happy grin appeared in his head.

Onigasaki bit his lower lip as he covered his mouth, unable to conceal his snickering.

"Why are you laughing..." After all that real smack talk, Oshigiri was a bit disappointed by the lack of reaction.

"It's nothing...I can't tell if you're slow or sharp."

A tick mark appeared on Oshigiri's head. "What did you say...?"

"Yeah, yeah, note taken." Before the masked boy could retort back out of agitation, Onigasaki waved his hand dismissively at the boy.

"I'm being serious..." Doubting that his words really reached his companion, he was about to explain his feelings one more time until the genuinely relieved look in Onigasaki's eyes stopped him from doing so.

"Thanks."

A small, sincere smile crept up in the Sengoku boy as he murmured a simple word that actually meant the whole world to him.

....

Currently, inside room 601 which was Iride's room, the owner who was lying down on his bed flickered his eyes open.

"Awake?" Kudou asked with his brows still furrowed, blowing bubble gum while he was at it. "Good morning..."

"Anya-kun.....Heavy..."

We would expect a heartwarming reunion from these two since sleeping beauty here finally woke up after 2 days, but Kudou sitting on top of Iride's fragile chest wasn't a very good morning.

"You at least say a few hellos or something! You seriously looked like you were dead because you were barely breathing."

Of course, the red-eyed boy barked in irritation, but he didn't punch Iride or anything and just off him.

"...um..." The brunette slowly sat up, realizing that he passed out in the middle of the stage. "and about the game...?"

"Doesn't matter, it's over already." Kudou fumed. "Things went crazy after you collapsed! Panda wouldn't listen to anyone, and jerk oni was all gloomy because of the smell. In the end, we needed Makino to come down and help as bait..."

"I see...I'm sorry for all the trouble..." When the boy saw his friend's troubled face and heard the growling of Iride's stomach, he just kept his mouth shut and figured giving him food first before anything else.

Not long, Iride chewed on his Onigiri─not Onigiri-kun─like he hadn't eaten for years. Well technically, he starved for two days in his sleep.

Wolfing down his food, he brought a glass of water to his lips to complete his small meal.

"...Akatsuki..."

Suddenly being called out of the blue, Iride resumed drinking while facing Kudou who sat across him on a chair.

"Do you have superpowers or something?"

The brunette almost choked. Luckily, the liquid didn't go to his nose or something.

"W-Why do you say that?" Iride sweatdropped at the thought his friend might've lost his marbles.

"...you remember right? Those disgusting stuff inside the flower." Kudou's eyes squinted in doubt as he stared at him. "It looked like they disappeared because of what you said."

After pausing, Kudou opened his mouth once more.

"What is ｢ reset 」?"

The cool breeze blew the window curtains as its wooshing filled the silent room.

They both locked eye contact together momentarily before something switched inside Iride. A rather different glint flashed in his eyes as a cold smile formed on his face.

"...reset means...to return the world back to the way it was."

"...Hah...?"

"There's no way I would have a power like that," Iride told him even though Kudou was more confused now. Knowing that the brunette came down from his bed.

"Anya-kun, if things were as you said." Holding out his left hand open towards Kudou's face as he closed the distance between them, his mysterious smile never faded. "If I did this, and said reset, would you disappear just like that?"

For some reason, fear welled up inside him.

Iride was just standing in front of him with a hand on Kudou's face, but it felt scary.

"...S...Stop it!"

Seeing the brunette's smile turning upside-down with an unreadable look in the eyes between Iride's fingers, Kudou's instinctively pushed him as quickly as possible.

Due to the force, Iride landed on the floor with a thud along with a plate of Onigiri.

"A joke like that... isn't funny at all!"

For a second when no one noticed, not even Kudou caught Iride's current feelings.

"...sorry" He mumbled as Kudou's angry expression faltered. "...sorry, Anya-kun...I think I'm still a little sleepy."

Iride suppressed a friendly close-eyed smile.

"Let me...sleep a bit more, alright?"

....

Kudou who was still in distress about what had happened earlier, remained pissed off while separating the bell peppers from his meal. He was all alone in the cafeteria.

Iride's strange behavior made him uncomfortable and mad simultaneously. It made him remember how selfless that guy was and that it seemed like nothing hurts him. It made him furious as to how he was no different than Ayanokoji as well.

Just then, the empty chair beside him was pulled back, in attempts of sitting on it.

"Makino...what you're still awake?"

Surprised by the boy's sudden unexpected entrance at this hour, Kudou asked. Even so, Aikawa just said nothing and stared at the younger boy intently before patting Kudou's head.

"...what are you doing?"

It was weird, but he didn't punch him or anything as the handsome boy simply seated himself next to him.

"I don't get it," Kudou muttered out loud. Thinking that Aikawa must've had a reason for cheering him up, he came with the one conclusion that came to mind and held out his chopsticks holding his least favorite food. "...do you want to eat bell peppers?"

"No."

An immediate and was given.

....

The moon was shining down on the Genome Tower as the clear night sky held not many clouds.

Iride who remained inside his bedroom couldn't stop thinking about the nostalgic dream he just had before being awakened by Kudou.

Even with the lights off, that didn't stop the boy from staring at the lanyard necklace holding a card that is blue, pink, white, and dark gray in color he always wore. There was something familiar about it that he couldn't point his finger at. Maybe it was because Ayanokoji had something like this as well. He had always wondered about that.

Trying to recall the fragments of the dream, the images of a white-haired girl facing him played in his mind.

"Yuzu-senpai..." They looked the same, but it didn't seem to be Roromori Yuzu. "no...who is that? That person..."

Iride already had cleared his card case and piled the chromosomes on his table.

As he started to close his eyes with unanswered questions, the black-haired girl in his dream popped inside his mind. From his dream's perspective, she was far away from him checking some documents.

She was wearing a pure white lab coat above her teal-colored tracksuit. She was also wearing almost the same lanyard necklace with a card case but with a more monochrome design.

What stood out from her feature in his eyes was the bracelet wrapped around her right wrist.

".... Kacchan..."

As soon as he realized what he had just blurted out, he touched his mouth.

"... that wasn't Yūna-chan...do I know her...?"

Meanwhile, Paca who surveillances even Iride's room, knew what was inside the boy's head right now.

"It's only a matter of time..." The alpaca masked dude spoke to no one in particular. "At the end, give them some more time."

He then turned his head to the other monitors to check for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing.

Paca clenched his gloved fist. Uncertainty bubbling inside him.

"Ayanokoji-sama...no....Mafuyu-san, where on earth are you?"