Takeshi and the gang are walking through the quiet and gloomy hallway. Takeshi, Blaze, and Yuga were particularly careful when marching forward while the rest just looked bored or chill. Gunha even yawned, causing Takeshi to glare at the headband boy.
"Take this seriously, will you?"
"Hey, I can't help it. It's just boring how we keep walking forward and just seeing the same boring hallway."
"Oh yea, I bet you're the happiest person in the group when we encounter a danger or enemy." Takeshi rolled his eyes.
"Ha, you bet." Gunha grinned.
"Ah," Mikoto groaned. Takeshi looked up and saw the front of them is a dead end.
"Another dead end," Touma sighed.
Takeshi extended his hand to Aika and Aika gave him the map she's holding onto. Takeshi marked an 'X' onto the map. Gunha peeked over.
"Heh~ Aika, you drew this?" Gunha asked to the little girl.
"Erm. It's to keep track of the directions we've been going, and make sure we'll not go to the same dead end directions." Aika answered with a smile.
"Good job," Gunha smiled and patted Aika on the head.
Takeshi caressed his chin and think in his head for a while. Blaze approached him.
"Which route will we take next?"
"You know, even being the genius I am, I still don't know. It really depends on our luck and intuition to figure it out. And I've never been good at making decisions based on intuition."
"You don't need to stress so much about it. Just lead us to where you think is right, and we'll follow you. Even if it turns out to be another dead end, we won't complain. Right, everyone?" Blaze smiled and turned to the the others. They looked at Blaze awkwardly with their tired face.
"Uh... I guess so?" Mikoto said.
"Nah, I'm the first person to jump on his ass if he made us encounter a dead end again," Misaki said threateningly.
"My feet are actually tired from walking to be honest," Aika confessed while grinning guiltily.
"Me too," Touma said with a poker face.
"I'm just bored," Gunha said.
Takeshi looked at Yuga.
"..." Yuga just smiled a little, not having anything to say.
"Thanks Yuga for thinking this expedition isn't so bad. Now, we'll continue -"
"Hey, don't ignore the people who actually have something to say!" Misaki protested.
"Okay, okay. Just one more route. If we encounter another dead end we'll rest for a while. Okay?"
No one answered.
"We just walked a couple of routes, and you guys are already like this? What a weak mentality."
"A couple of routes, which is equivalent to FOUR hours of walking. Just to encounter a dead end." Misaki corrected.
"I know, I know. Alright, just one more route. Then we rest for one hour. If that still doesn't please you guys then don't even think of getting out of here with that attitude."
"Deal," Mikoto said.
Then they walked for another two hours , and sure enough the route they're taking also showed them a dead end.
"Ahh!" Misaki threw herself onto the mattress that Mikoto just layed on the floor.
"Oy, I'm the one who layed it!"
"So? It's not like you got this all to yourself. Megane said we need to share the stuff. Right?" Misaki glanced at Takeshi who's drinking water from a bottle.
"Hmm," he muttered.
"See?"
"Grr..." Mikoto was annoyed. "I can't believe this is the same person who said that sleeping on the mattress are lame and embarrassing."
"I changed my mind, what's wrong with it?" Misaki pouted with a poker face.
Mikoto doesn't reply anything as she's too tired to drag the argument any further. She sat on the mattress while hugging her knees, sighing in relief. Her feet were hurting from the long walk. Yeah, who's feet doesn't hurt when you've been walking for over 6 hours without rest.
"Do you want a drink? We have some snacks too," Yuga said to Mikoto.
"Ah no, that's okay." Mikoto said. Even though she said that, Yuga still went and get a drink and snacks for her.
"Here, it's an energy drink." Yuga handed a Red Bull tin to Mikoto.
"Thanks..." Mikoto accepted it and stared at the tin. She had never drink a Red Bull before, she prefers drinks like orange juice and strawberry milk.
"You don't like Red Bull?" Yuga asked when he noticed Mikoto just stared blankly at the tin.
"Ah, no. I just never drink this before, so I don't know how it taste like..."
"Try it, I think you'll love it." Yuga smiled.
"Oh? What makes you so sure?" Mikoto raised her eyebrows.
"Well, I have tasted it and it's one of my favourite drinks in the world. Besides, it gives energy to the drinker so it's really useful!"
"I see." Mikoto gave another look on the drink. "Well, if you tell me that... Then I guess I'll give it a try."
"Yep, go ahead."
Mikoto opened the tin and took a sip from it. She thought about it for a second and immediately raised her eyebrows.
"Wow, not bad."
"Right?" Yuga grinned excitedly.
"Welp, this means that I can trust you to recommend me good drinks." Mikoto smirked and drink the Red Bull some more.
"Yep, you can count on me." Yuga gave Mikoto a thumbs up.
- One hour later-
Takeshi clapped his hands to gain attention from everyone.
"Break is over. Time to get going."
"Eh, already?" Misaki frowned. She was obviously displeased by the announcement.
"What did I tell you? If one hour is still not enough -"
"All right, all right. I get it." Misaki interrupted the glasses boy and immediately stood up. If she had let the boy finish nagging, it will drag on for God knows how long thus making them waste more time.
Mikoto tried to get herself up when she noticed a hand above her head. She looked up and saw Yuga extending his hand towards her.
"Thanks," Mikoto took his hand and get up.
"Next time we rest, let's drink Red Bull together again" Yuga smiled and went away to pack things up.
Mikoto stared at him.
Well, the green haired boy is rather friendly towards her. Not that he wasn't before, but he seems calm and chill. Usually he would be a little shy or nervous.
Mikoto glanced at Takeshi who's nagging at Gunha for eating too much of their snacks.
Takeshi didn't tell anything, did he?
About her finding Yuga mysterious...
"Misaka-san!"
"Huh?"
Mikoto looked at Misaki who was sitting on the ground while grabbing the mattress.
"Help me fold this mattress."
Mikoto helped as Misaki asked. Then she watched Misaki put it into her bag. Mikoto was confused.
[A/N: the mattress is light and not thick, just like this]
"Why did you put it into your bag? It was supposed to be carried by me."
"I'm gonna carry it."
"Eh?" This made Mikoto confused even more. "I'm the one that was tasked of carrying it-"
"Can you just shut up? I'm trying to help you."
"Ah..."
Misaki continued putting the mattress into her bag. Mikoto stared at her.
"It's really surprising for you to act considerate like this."
"I can be like that when I want to."
"Thanks for doing it for me."
"I didn't do it for you," Misaki said defensively with a blush while turning around to face Mikoto.
Mikoto smiled.
Somehow, she felt like this situation has brought change to Misaki. For the better.
"Everyone, let's go" Takeshi said.
"Hai," everyone answered simultaneously.
The group walked, found a dead end. Walked again, found another dead end. Take a rest for a while. Walked again. The cycle continues.
- 18 hours later-
"Hah... Hah... I can't walk anymore!" Misaki said. Her face looked miserably tired, resembling like a zombie.
"Geez, you can't even handle 18 hours of walking WITH in between breaks? How are you even a Level 5? Oh, I forgot your stamina is fucked up, that's probably why." Mikoto said that mockingly, but truthfully she wasn't feeling any better. She's even struggling to not fall down on her knees because of the soreness she felt on her feet.
"What?? You're mocking me? YOU, of all people?" Misaki stood up and place both of her hands on her waist. "You have no rights to mock me when you didn't share the same pain as me! Oh, how fortunate of you to have such a small chest that doesn't drag you when you're walking! I guess your small chest isn't so bad to have! But oh, I pity you because it will never get you popular with boys. So in the end, I win. Hahaha."
Yuga turned to Mikoto and was HORRIFIED when he saw a terrible, deathly aura coming from Mikoto. Not only that, her face became scarier than all the horror characters Yuga ever saw in movies.
"Why do you always bring chest into the argument -!"
Mikoto was about to jump onto Misaki. Luckily, Aika pinned the electromaster's arms before she could choke the blonde girl. While on the other side, Misaki was being held down by Touma.
"Don't fight, you two-!" Touma said as he struggled holding down Misaki because the girl was being wild.
"Misaka-san, violence isn't the answer-!" Aika said as she hugged the girl's waist while closing her eyes, panicking.
"Let me go, Touma! I'll let this girl know why she and her small chest is inferior to me!"
"Oh yeah? You can't do shit against me, you blonde motherfucker," Mikoto smiled with rage.
"What's going on here?" Takeshi and Blaze rushed to the scene.
"These two tried to fight," Touma said.
"This bitch started it first," Misaki said frustratedly.
"I was only making a joke. You always make fun of me, but when I make fun of you, you're going to be a crybaby about it?" Mikoto said defensively.
"Sigh, these two are like cat and dog." Takeshi facepalmed. He looked over to Blaze. "What do we do, Blaze?"
"I think the fatigue and stress are getting over them," Blaze said. "It's been 18 hours, which is time for sleep. We should go to sleep right now and continue the expedition tomorrow."
"I agree. Well then, everyone calm down and go lay the mattress."
Touma and Aika were reluctant to release Mikoto and Misaki, but those two just tch'd and went to do their own thing, which was relieving. Even though the mood is terrible because of them, at least they won't fight anymore.
"I'm not sharing this mattress with you!" Misaki said and sticked out her tongue to Mikoto. Mikoto gritted her teeth, so annoyed by Misaki's antics.
"I don't even want to sleep next to you!" Mikoto said and made a disgusted face.
"Then, where will you sleep? We only brought two mattress. One for the girls and another for the boys." Takeshi said.
"I'm not gonna sleep. I'll just keep watch in case any danger came."
"What? That's ridiculous. Even though I admit it'll be useful of you to do that, your health-"
"Yo, you worried about me?"
Takeshi stopped talking.
"S-So what if I am? You're under my guide and as a compassionate human being I can't let you destroy your health like that-"
"That's cute of you, thanks. But I'm fine, I can do it."
"You sure?" Takeshi sounded concerned.
"Yeah, trust me."
"Okay," Takeshi surrendered to Mikoto's conviction.
-That night-
Everyone were sleeping on the mattress. Only Mikoto was awake staring at the ceiling. Well, she thought she was the only one who was awake.
"Misaka."
Mikoto was a bit startled by the sudden call of her name. She turned around and saw Takeshi walking towards her then sat next to her.
"Yo. Couldn't sleep?"
"Yeah, because I was worried about a certain someone who refused to go to sleep."
"I told you a trillion times already. I'm fine."
"I don't buy it."
"Geez, not only a nerd, you're also a worrywart." Mikoto shook her head.
"Shut up. Btw, hat were you looking just now on the ceiling? Looking for spiderman?"
"Nah. Just looking at those lights. Nothing special."
"Heh, imagine if the lights suddenly went off." Takeshi grinned.
"After you say it, it's definitely gonna happen."
"Haha, don't worry we have flashlights."
"I sure hope we won't have to use them."
A silence passed.
"I'm glad you are getting along with Yuga," Takeshi spoke up.
"Hmm I guess so."
"What did I say about him being a good person? He'll never have a hidden evil intention. So you should stop suspecting him."
"Hey, now you're just accusing me. I didn't suspect him to be an evil person. I just thought... He's mysterious."
"So you don't think he's hiding an evil intention?"
"Well, maybe not an evil one, but he's probably got many secrets just like how he hid his ability."
"Hmm, so that's how you think about it."
"Yeah."
Mikoto turned around to see Yuga. She watched him sleeping peacefully, facing away from her.
"Btw, did you tell Yuga anything about me suspecting him?"
"Huh? No. Why?"
"I just don't want him to be awkward around me. I'd feel bad for making him feel uncomfortable. And especially when he's been so kind and friendly towards me."
"I got it. I'll keep my mouth shut."
"Thanks," Mikoto grinned in relief.
Little did she know that Yuga was awake the whole time, listening to their conversation.
-----
Damn I didn't expect to write this long. You guys better vote for this chapter or I'll sue XD
BOI-
★・・・・・・★・・★・・・・・・★
Announcement:
This book will be undergoing a hiatus until god knows how long. Hmm maybe until I'm in the mood to write again. Please don't remove this book from your library, just put it on archive bcuz you never know when I wil update again XD
Thanks for all the support you guys have given me. Even just a few comments saying "I love this story" is enough to make me happy :D
So long and goodnight! (MCR fans, get the reference?)