Arknights: Living the Dream

Chapter 18: Reunion, For the First Time

I nod and she smiles.

...

We take a seat across from eachother on random benches strewn about.

A fair amount of time passes.

"You know, It's rare to see someone taller than me." Hoshiguma says out of the blue.

I'm taller than her? Thinking about it, I am a lot taller than everyone else in Penguin Logistics.

"I just got lucky with the genetic lottery." I say after a bit, fiddling with my jackets zipper.

"People always say that I got the jackpot, but I think I know who actually did." Hoshiguma laughs, "How old are you?"

How old am I? Well, my ID said...

"24" I answer.

"Oh! You definitely won the genetic lottery then, I'm thirty-one."

"You're thirty-one?" I say half-shocked, "You look at younger than that."

"Thank you." She says, "I'm going to be thirty-two soon anyways..."

"Really? When's your birthday?" I ask.

"Janurary 20th" She says.

January 20th?

"We're only 10 days apart." I say, "I'll turn 25 on January 30th."

Hoshiguma smiles, "Well then, we could go drinking on the 25th for a little celebration." She jokingly proposes.

I smile a bit, "I'd be fine with that."

...

"Well... We gotta get into position soon." She says after a bit, "Here's a walkie-talkie, I don't think I have to explain whats its used for. You know what building you have to steak out on again?"

I point to the building.

"That's the one. I'll see you soon." She says before turning away, getting the attention of everyone else.

I begin heading towards the building.

After a couple of minutes, I begin up the stairs.

I fiddle with the walkie-talkie that she gave me the entire way through.

After however long of waking, I reach the top.

...

It's quiet.

It's calming.

Nothing is up here, but you get to see everything below.

It's an interesting feeling, given that the streets have become empty by now.

Everyone has thrown themselves into shelters or locked themselves inside their apartments.

The shelter we gave supplies to a couple days ago is easily seen from here.

The more I look at it, the more off-putting it gets.

...

*Bzz*

"Have you gotten a view of anything yet?" Hoshiguma asks me through the walkie-talkie.

"Nothing yet." I say, "Just a couple of civilians running to shelters at the last minute."

"Alright, good." She says.

...

A fire is started in the distance. I pick up the walkie-talkie again.

"A fire was just lit in the distance. I can't get anything else from-

*BOOM*

An explosion rocks the city, and even more fires start out as the city devolves into chaos.