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Chapter 36 - Chapter 35: Chaos. Just chaos... 

"Wait! Wait! Kira! Maybe that's not the best idea, you know? Hehehe…" Tengen's voice cracked with desperation as he half-stepped in front of her. 

 

"You know a man's privacy is vital… just like girls like their privacy. Right?" he reasoned, palms open. 

 

Kira paused and tilted her head. 

 

Tengen braced for the obvious answer. 

 

But instead, she smiled faintly. "Well… I wouldn't mind if he peeked." 

 

Tengen blinked. "…Kentaro, you lucky son of a-" 

 

Before he could finish, Kira casually walked past him, her short heels clicking softly on the hotel floor. He panicked. She wasn't just suspicious anymore; she was heading straight to Kentaro's room, and Tengen was officially out of backup plans. 

 

"HEY! KIRA! PLEASE WAIT!!" he called out again, his voice echoing helplessly down the corridor. 

 

No response. 

 

Just as she reached the corner… 

 

"OH! Hey, Kira! You're out, I was just heading over now, hahaha!" 

 

Tengen's eyes widened. 

 

He recognized that voice. 

 

Rushing toward the turn, he caught sight of Kentaro, panting hard and drenched in sweat. But he was here. And importantly, his outfit had changed. 

 

He was wearing a dark-blue dress shirt now, untucked but clean, paired with fitted black slacks and a watch that still had the price tag attached. Kira tilted her head and blinked in surprise. 

 

"Took you long enough," she muttered. 

 

As Kentaro pulled her into a casual hug, he shot Tengen a secret thumbs up from behind her back. 

 

Tengen returned it with exaggerated flair, nearly sobbing with relief. 

 

"Kenny boy, you just made it in time. She was about to walk in on your body pillow," Shogo said through the comms. 

 

Kentaro didn't reply; he just smiled at Kira, catching his breath. 

 

"H-hey Kira, sorry I'm late. Slept in," he said with an awkward chuckle. 

 

Kira nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. 

 

"I figured. I was just about to check if you'd forgotten about me," she replied flatly, but then stepped closer, gently poking his chest with her index finger. "So… where are you taking me… big boy?" 

 

Kentaro choked on air. "UM-w-well-I was thinking we could hit up the art museum? A-and then maybe… coffee?" 

 

There was a pause. Kira stared. 

 

Kentaro braced for the worst. 

 

Then, she gave a tiny approving nod. "That sounds lovely." 

 

In the comms, Shogo cheered like he'd just won the lottery. "Haruka, you dating sim genius!" 

 

No reply. 

 

Meanwhile, back near the ruins 

 

 

In the abandoned underground gallery where Serica's photoshoot had once taken place, something slithered through the shadows, smooth and mechanical. 

 

Kestrel crouched beside a broken statue, watching the feed from his hovering drone. 

 

"Target reacquired…" he whispered. 

 

The screen zoomed in on Serica laughing beside Kentaro, just minutes earlier at the arcade. 

 

"…Still emotionally vulnerable. Still bonding with the boy." 

 

He tapped his earpiece. 

 

"Corruption sequence ready. Awaiting isolation point…" 

 

His voice was cut short as his screen flickered, an interruption signal. 

 

Kestrel's eyes narrowed. "No… Someone's trying to jam me." 

 

 

 

 

 

Haruka's fingers danced across the monitor. 

 

"Shogo," she said calmly, "It seems Kestrel is alive and he's got a drone locked onto Serica's last known location. I'm disrupting its feed for now, but he's adapting." 

 

Shogo slammed his hand on the table. "He's back again!? What is he, a discount comic book villain?" 

 

Haruka pushed her glasses up with a sigh. "We'll need to intercept him soon. I'm sending you and Yumi to prep the perimeter. We can't let him get close." 

 

Shogo clenched his fists. "You got it. But if I get stabbed again, someone better let me pick the music next time." 

 

 

 

Kira and Kentaro walked side by side down the quiet forest path, a softer breeze trailing behind them as they approached a building nestled between tall evergreens. 

 

It looked like a cross between a modern art museum and an ancient marble palace. Elegant stonework, enormous columns, and sleek black-glass windows that reflected the light punk afternoon sky. 

 

"I don't remember this being here yesterday?" Kentaro whispered. 

 

"That's because it wasn't," Shogo replied over the comm, smug. "Halcyon's logistics baby!. Pop-up architecture in twenty-four hours. Also... Look at Yumi! She looks great!" 

Kentaro blinked toward the small structure across the courtyard. 

 

Yep. That was Yumi. Full barista get up. Stirring coffee with surgical precision. For zero customers. 

 

"She's even got a latte art manual..." Kentaro muttered. 

 

"We needed ambience, Kenny boy. Pure atmosphere. And she's the only one who didn't threaten to poison me when I asked." 

 

Kira didn't even notice Yumi. Her eyes were locked on the museum. She turned to Kentaro. "Are we going inside?" 

 

"Yeah, totally! There's a new 3D audio exhibit and a shadow painting gallery. Also, some sculptures. And maybe a dinosaur room?" 

 

Kira blinked slowly. 

 

"That sounds perfect," she said. "I love ancient things. Especially ones with sharp teeth." 

 

"...That's... great." 

 

She leaned slightly closer. "Also long pointy things." 

 

As they entered inside, they noticed that this place was massive, cavernous even, with echoing footsteps on polished marble floors. The first gallery was dedicated to classical statues. 

 

Kira stopped in front of one with no shame whatsoever. A nude figure that looked like Shogo, but even bulkier than he was... 

 

"This one," she said flatly,: reminds me of you." 

 

Kentaro turned bright red. "I don't look like sho- I mean him!" 

 

"Not yet," she replied. "But you scream in similar ways." 

 

"S-s-scream?!" 

 

Kira didn't elaborate. 

 

They kept walking through until they reached a minimalist gallery of black and white abstract shapes. 

 

Kira tilted her head. "I like this one." 

 

It's literally just a triangle," Kentaro said, squinting. 

 

"Exactly," She nodded. "Simple. Sharp. Like my desire for you to take me." 

 

Kentaro took an immediate step back. 

 

 

 

 

Kestrel knelt beside a collapsed building buried beneath some grass that had some ice shards left on it. The area looked like a skeleton of its former self, an icy landscape, and in fact, there were a couple of deep slashes and holes around the area. 

 

He looked at his screen, which had a camera visual on it, and it was locked onto her. 

 

Inside his earpiece came a voice. 

 

"Drone signal acquired. Visual feed clean." 

 

Kestrel's eyes gleamed as he adjusted the lens. 

"Your time is up." He muttered, 

 

The screen was full, locked onto a zoomed feed of Serica, sitting on a bench by the Park where she was waiting for Kentaro's return. She was swinging her legs gently and eating a popsicle. 

 

Kestrel clenched his fist. 

 

"Target located. Begin preparing the corruption node. Ice-Breaker will be ours." 

 

Suddenly. 

 

CRASH! 

 

A massive crate slammed into the earth two meters beside him, throwing up a wall of dust, 

 

"What the?!" 

 

From the treeline, Shogo appeared with a mask on, casually eating a rice ball with one hand, the other holding a golf club like a baseball bat. 

 

"YO YO YO YOO," He said through a mouthful. "Drone season's open." 

 

Kestrel backed up. "You! Who are you?" 

Shogo smiled, though it couldn't be seen. 

 

"Your creppy little recon op ends now. I know Serica's pretty, but damn, have some restrain, brother. Surrender the drone and maybe I'll let you go..." 

 

KEstrel smirked. "I'm just sightseeing. Nothing illegal about photography." 

 

"OH?" Shogo's grin grew bigger. "Guess we'll test if launching you into orbit is illegal too, and hey, you might get a better shot from up there heheh" 

 

 

 

 

Kentaro sat on a bench in the "Soundscape" room. Wind chimes played from one side, ocean waves from another. Kira sat beside him, quietly sipping a coffee Yumi had handed her at the entrance, like it was a martini. 

 

"You've been quiet," Kentaro said awkwardly. 

 

"I'm listening." 

 

"To what?" 

 

"To your heartbeat," she said without a blink. "It gets faster when I lean in." 

 

She leaned in. 

 

Kentaro nearly fell off the bench. 

 

"You okay?" she asked, deadpan. 

 

"Y-yeah," he wheezed. "G-great acoustics in here." 

 

Kira smiled. "Next time... someone where darker, so there is no chance of eyes lingering on us" 

 

Kentaro choked on his spit again. 

 

Through the commns, Shogo whispered, his voice seemed a bit out of breath: 

"Kenny boy... you're not just on a date. You're on the edge." 

 

On the other side of the island, tucked between the arcade and the shore, Serica sat quietly on a bench, alone now. Her legs were crossed. Her eyes were distant. 

The cone in her hand, once overflowing with strawberry swirl, had melted into a sorry state. 

"Oh, Ken..." she whispered, lowering her gaze to the lonely cone. "I hope you're not too ill. I… really wanted to keep going." 

She bit into what was left of the cone like it had personally offended her. 

Then suddenly. 

"I'll check on him!" she declared with a hopeful jump. "He must be at the infirmary!" 

Within seconds, the cone was devoured in two bites like a predator swallowing its kill, and she darted off toward the hotel. 

Back in the comms room aboard the ship, Shogo was lying upside-down in his chair, eating instant noodles with a fork he definitely didn't clean. 

"Oh noooo~" he cried out, voice dramatic as ever. "Her love sickness has reached critical mass! We're gonna need a Kentaro-shaped cure, stat!" 

Haruka, deadpan as always, replied without looking up from her screen. 

"Indeed. She may combust emotionally. Possibly take out half the hotel. Return Kentaro to her. ASAP." 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Kentaro and Kira had wandered toward a quiet garden plaza near the museum, sitting under a white awning next to a fountain. The date was somehow still going. And still awkward. 

"How big is it?" Kira asked out of nowhere. 

"W-WHAT?!" Kentaro jolted so hard he nearly flipped the table. 

Kira tilted her head, confused. "How big is your house?" 

Kentaro clutched his chest. "Ah. Right. Of course. That's what you meant. Totally…" 

He cleared his throat. "I live in a small apartment. One bedroom. Tiny bathroom. Horrible neighbors." 

Kira gave a sly little smile. 

"I know all that." 

Kentaro blinked. "Wait… what?" 

"I said I know all that," she repeated, calmly sipping her water. 

He went pale. "How?" 

She didn't answer. Just looked at him with that same faint, unreadable smirk. The kind that said either I'm joking… or I'm dead serious. 

Kentaro slowly leaned back in his seat. "So uh... why did you even ask then?" 

She leaned forward. "Because I wanted to know why you and th-" 

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" 

Kentaro collapsed to the ground, clutching both ears like someone had jammed a firecracker in his skull. The sudden banshee-like shriek across the comms had short-circuited his soul. 

"KENNNNNNTAAAARRRRROOOOOOOO!!!" 

 

Shogo's voice blasted in, half static, half noodle slurp. 

 

"CODE RED!! REPEAT! CODE RED!!! SHE'S ON THE MOOOOOVE! SERICA IS OUT OF HER BENCHING PHASE!! HER LOVE LEVELS HAVE SURPASSED THE STRATOSPHERE!! WE NEED EVAC!!!" 

Haruka's voice followed, completely calm in contrast: 

"Deploying escape protocol: Operation Diarrhea Mirage. Repeat, Operation Diarrhea Mirage is a go." 

"WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THA-AGH!" Kentaro screamed. 

Kira blinked. "You appear to be malfunctioning," she said, crouching beside him. 

Then, out of nowhere, a man appeared in front of the dying Kentaro and Kira. 

"DO NOT WORRY, MA'AM," Shogo shouted. "THIS IS JUST A NATURAL REACTION TO… MILK TEA OVERDOSE. HAPPENS TO ALL THE STRONG MEN!" 

He was wearing a fake Mustache along with a suit and had some glasses on that were way too small for his head. 

"I didn't give him milk tea," Kira replied, narrowing her eyes. 

Shogo stuttered. 

"I KNOW! BUT HE WAS DRINKING IT LAST NIGHT AND NOW IT'S CAUGHT UP TO HIM!!!" He shouted like he was in the military. 

 

Kentaro, still writhing on the ground from the auditory war crime Shogo had unleashed via comms, slowly peeked one eye open. His ears still rang, but the world had stopped spinning. 

He blinked up. 

"What the hell...?" he croaked. 

In front of him stood Shogo, only now in a full waiter's tuxedo, fake Mustache barely hanging on, sweat dripping like a broken faucet. 

Kira's eyes narrowed. Dangerously. 

She took a small step forward, arms folding, voice flat. 

"…Who exactly are you to Kentaro?" 

Shogo froze. His pupils dilated like a deer who had just remembered it left the stove on. 

Shogo began to sweat hearing those words. 

 

"I-I-I AM, A FRIEND- NOT AN EMPLOYEE WHO RETRIVES SICK PEOPLE! Mr. Tachibana sent me! He feared Kentaro's tummy might explode from severe emotional indigestion!!" 

 

The lie spilled out like a water balloon full of bad choices. 

Kira stared. Judging. Calculating. 

Her eyes shifted to Kentaro, still doubled over and groaning. 

"...Fine," she said at last, but her voice was tight. "But how long will he be gone for? I was enjoying this date." 

Shogo's face brightened like a man who'd survived execution by karaoke. 

 

He saluted so hard his fake Mustache almost flew off. 

"NOT LONG, MISS! I SWEAR ON MY DIGNITY, AND THAT ONE TIME I ACCIDENTALLY ENJOYED BEING STEPPED ON, WE SHALL RETURN HIM POSTHASTE!" 

Before she could ask what that meant, Shogo grabbed Kentaro by the collar like a sack of potatoes and began dragging him away with zero grace. 

"NOT AGAAAINNNNNNN!!!" Kentaro cried as his legs flailed and scraped uselessly against the path, his voice echoing across the forest. 

Behind the bushes, away from Kira's vision, a delivery scooter made from two shopping carts duct-taped together zoomed across the gravel. Shogo stood in the back, blowing a plastic horn. 

"ALL ABOARD THE PAIN TRAIN!! NEXT STOP: NOT HERE!" Shogo shouted as they were running to Haruka, who was riding, and adjusted her glasses.

"Jump in. We've got thirty seconds before Serica rounds the corner." 

Kentaro scrambled into the cart, holding his stomach. 

"Why does it smell like expired garlic and regret?!" 

Shogo winked. "I marinated your seat in kimchi and tuna. That's the secret to authentic distraction!" 

"OH GOD WHY." 

 

Kira stood there, having seen what had just unfolded, she didn't know what to say or do. 

All she knew was some random moustache man that looked familiar to the statue she had seen in the museum, took Kentaro away, and said he'll be back. 

She stood there for a second before sitting on her back down on the bench, waiting for the return of her lover... 

 

 

 

 

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