Patrol Route
Zodiac walks together again.
This time—Kaal and Bete are back.
Something feels off.
Reva's irritation simmers.
Finally—
Reva:"So."
She turns sharply.
Reva:"You guys abandoned your dogs."
The air tightens.
Kaal stops.
Turns slowly.
Kaal:"That's a personal matter."
Reva scoffs.
Reva:"You call that an excuse?"
Kaal's gaze hardens.
Kaal:"You don't get to decide what I do with my dog."
Silence.
Bete steps in, measured.
Bete:"It wasn't easy."
He exhales.
Bete:"There was fear. Confusion.""No one knew what the right choice was."
He looks down briefly.
Bete:"The government gave an option.""So… we took it."
A pause.
Bete:"I'm still not sure we chose correctly."
Tara folds her arms.
Tara:"We saw the news.""Protests. Chaos at the police stations."
She tilts her head.
Tara:"What actually happened?"
Bete Explains
Bete:"Police were taking money."
Some blink.
Bete:"If you pay your dogs would be placed in 'comfortable' observation centers.""The rest went to overcrowded facilities."
He doesn't justify it.
Bete:"Kaal and I paid too."
Reva's jaw tightens.
Bete:"And then cat owners showed up.""The centers were dog-only."
A bitter smile.
Bete:"It turned ugly. Very fast."
No one argues.
Cafeteria — Lunch
Later.
The tension hasn't faded.
But—
A rare sight.
Dessert.
Strawberry ice cream.
Maru's eyes sparkle.
Maru:"…There's a strawberry on top."
He leans closer—
CHOMP.
Tara snatches it.
Chews proudly.
Tara:"Too slow."
Maru freezes.
Crushed.
Maru:"…That was mine."
Tara grins, acting cute.
Tara:"Aww~"
Laughter ripples.
Then—
Vyan grabs Sain's strawberry.
Casual.Aggressive.
Vyan:"Sharing's caring."
Sain watches.
Doesn't react.
But he observes.
Some laugh.Some look uneasy.
— Sain stands up.
— Slams Vyan's face into the table.
— Absolute silence.
Then—
Reality.
Sain is still sitting.
Jaw tight.
Hands steady.
Sain looks up.
A faint smile.
Sain:"Did it taste good?"
Vyan smirks, licking his fingers.
Vyan:"Absolutely."
Sain:"Must be nice."
A pause.
Sain : "Poor guy.""Never tasted strawberry before."
The table quiets.
Vyan stiffens.
Vyan:"What did you say?"
Sain:"Oh—nothing.""Just thinking out loud."
Laughter.
Vyan snaps.
Grabs Sain by the collar.
Vyan:"Say it again."
Sain doesn't resist.
Leans closer.
Sain:"You heard me."
Fight Breaks Out
Vyan swings.
Sain dodges.
Barely.
The cafeteria erupts.
Bete steps forward—
Sain (firm):"Don't."
Vyan attacks again.
Harder.
Sain blocks.Evades.Takes hits.
No counter.
Vyan tackles him.
Gets him in a chokehold.
Too tight.
Reva:"Enough!"
Grim steps in.
Bete pulls Vyan back.
Sain doesn't struggle.
That's when everyone notices.
Vyan releases him.
Breathing hard.
People stare.
Sain mockingly spreads his arms—
As if asking:
Is that all you got?
Vyan wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
No pain.No dizziness.
And somehow—
that bothers him more than if there had been.
Anya:"You're acting like children."
Kaal crosses his arms.
Kaal:"We don't need people who bring trouble to the party."
Silence.
Sain smiles faintly.
Sain:"That's fine."
Everyone turns.
Sain:"I was solo before this anyway."
Shock.
Vyan:"Who decides that?!"
Grim steps in.
Grim:"That's not what Kaal meant."
Sain shrugs.
Sain:"You're all skilled.""Having me—or not—won't change much."
Grim's expression tightens.
Reva steps forward.
Reva:"No one's leaving."
She looks at Sain.
Reva:"Apologize."
Sain meets her eyes.
Sain:"After he does."
Lily frowns.
Lily:"You set him up."
Sain blinks.
Sain:"…What?"
Lily:"You knew exactly how he'd react."
Anya sighs.
Anya:"Worth it over half a strawberry?"
Sain exhales.
Sain:"No."
He bows his head slightly.
Sain:"I'm sorry."
Before he finishes—
Vyan:"No."
Everyone turns.
Vyan rubs his neck.
Vyan:"I went too far."
A pause.
Vyan:"I'm sorry."
Sain nods.
Sain:"Same."
Vyan grins.
Vyan:"Winner's still me."
Sain smirks.
Sain:"Have it your way."
Tara pouts.
Tara:"I deserve an apology too."
Sain glances at her.
Sain:"My deepest apologies, lady."
Deadpan.
Laughter.
Vyan begs the ice-cream lady.
She sighs.
Gives him another.
Vyan returns.
Offers the strawberry to Sain.
Sain:"I don't need it."
Vyan:"You do.""Or I won't sleep."
Sain takes it—
Then hands it to Maru.
Everyone freezes.
Maru hesitates.
Tara runs off to get another ice cream.
Maru:"…You sure?"
Sain nods.
Maru smiles.
Tara returns—empty-handed.
Tara:"She didn't give me one."
She bows.
Tara:"Sorry."
Fugu laughs.
Fugu:"Your act doesn't work on ladies."
Kaal:"A server robot wouldn't have spared Vyan either."
Maru breaks the strawberry in half—
Feeds Sain.
Sain flushes awkwardly.
Shy.
Later — Hand-Washing Area
Anya approaches Sain.
Anya:"I shouldn't have said that."
Sain looks surprised.
Shakes his head.
Sain:"You weren't wrong."
Anya looks dissatisfied.
Maya leans in.
Maya (soft): "He's very reserved."
Anya exhales.
Anya : "It was never about the strawberry ."
She turns towards Maya.
Anya : "Btw he goes walks home with you right?"
Maya nods
Anya observes Sain.
Elsewhere.
Bete:"You shouldn't have said that."
Kaal doesn't turn.
Kaal:"I wasn't talking about him."
He walks away.
Bete clenches his fist.
Fugu joins Sain.
Fugu:"That was… interesting."
Sain:"Huh?"
Fugu:"I'd like to see you go all out against Vyan."
Sain smiles.
Sain : "I was.""He's ridiculously strong."
Fugu : "winning wasn't your intention though."
Sain chuckles awkwardly.
Sain : "Even if it was… I'm not sure I could."
Fugu demeanor changes
"I never said you could"
Sain's widen eyes rolls towards Fugu's smiling face .
he's little amused.
Bete joins.
Bete:"Why apologize at all?"
Sain pauses.
Sain:"hmm, well there could have been better ways to handle it.""That's what I was going to apologize for."
Bete smiles .
Bete:"Still.""Good lesson for troublemakers."
He looks at Sain.
Bete:"But , trust me , they aren't bad guys"
Sain crosses his arms and takes a deep breath.
Sain:"I know.""Years of frustration… watching people take advantage—I just couldn't take it in."
Grim and Reva approach.
Reva: "feel we're like that?"
Sain laughs.
Sain: "If you guys were… I wouldn't be here."
Grim studies him.