4. bring forth (the wind of revolution)

The butterfly effect proves to be working, so Kirino takes larger, bolder steps forward.

Then his legs give out in practice for the second time in two days, and he begins to realize that things aren't as simple as they seem. This fixing the future thing won't be easy, and he's just starting to realize it now.

-

"Could you stop giving me heart attacks when I'm busy working? If I die and leave you alone, Mom will get mad at me."

Kirino feels strangely comfortable being on his brother's back. He's really too old for this, physically and especially mentally, but it just puts him at ease. It feels like peace.

Especially when he remembers his brother barging into the infirmary a while ago-- disheveled, hard of breath, in a visible panic-- it just makes him kind of happy.

"Hey, Kazu," Kirino speaks up, hands hanging loosely at his brother's shoulders, "thanks."

"What's with you? Creepy," Kazu responds quickly, stopping to cast his brother a strange, high-browed look. "Should I just drop you here?"

And Kirino shrinks, wrapping his arms around his neck and squeezing tightly in retaliation, "no!" he laughs. "I'll tell Shindou."

And Kazu visibly grimaces.

They walk home, calmly, a gentle hum at their throats, basking in the sunset. They were silent for most of the way, but it was warm, and Kirino was asleep before they got back to their house.

Kazu's face scrunches into a frown.

-

"Coach Endou, I trusted you!" Kirino throws himself onto the ground, on his hands, wailing in defeat, "I trusted you."

Endou chuckles awkwardly, scratching his cheek, "I'm sorry, Kirino, I, uh--" he looks away in shame, "got a little too caught up."

"Sorry, I guess I got a little too carried away, too," Sangoku rubs the back of his head, shameful.

They're covered in dirt from head to toe, and from the looks of it, they've been here since daybreak. Kirino said today was a day-off goddammit can they take a freaking day off without causing mayhem please--

They all stare at the utter mess of the soccer field, where valleys of mountainous soil and high cliffs fissure the landscape. Wherever there isn't a mound, there are craters, as if a meteor shower had struck. All that, of course, ruins the grass-- effectively it's going to render all of them without an outside field tomorrow. Again.

Kirino lays on the ground, utterly in despair. He thought at least the coach would be sensible but no, he's the worst of the lot!

"But hey!" Endou balls a fist, grinning, "I finally managed to do Fence of Gaia GX using my Mixi-trans with Sangoku!"

"That's right," and most appalling of all was the fact that Sangoku was proud of this achievement too, the goalkeeper actually sparkling with a sense of accomplishment, "I mastered Hammer of Wrath V3! Miximaxing with Coach Endou is seriously the best decision in my entire life."

Kirino casts them both a cryptid look. How is it that they can shine like that after causing dramatic change in the infrastructure? Are they psychopaths? Is that it?

Then he cries into the dirt again.

Why is this his life?

-

Kirino thinks he's sleeping a little too much these few days. He doesn't really understand why, though. It's not as if he's really sleepy or anything...

"Are you sure you don't mind me imposing again?"

"You're practically my son now Takuto, accept it already."

Shindou gives Kazu a weird look, but the oldest among them just hums, twisting the stove to light and getting a pot of water to boil.

Kirino groans a little curling further into the couch. His hair ties are in the way and he's sweaty...

"We drew a bath for you if you want to get in."

Kirino groans softly, because it's too hot here for him to curl in any longer. It's been one hell of a day and really, he just wants to soak all his worries away.

But he doesn't get up, not that he could crawl out of the sofa anyways.

He turns to Shindou-- Shindou's sitting on the carpet, right by the coach Kirino is lounging on. He's facing the TV where a news report was detailing some random news-- and with the way Shindou's hands are playing a strange scale on the table, Kirino can tell that he's distracted.

Kirino loops his arm around Shindou's neck, and hums into his hair.

"So what happened with everyone else?"

He can feel Shindou stiffen, and it's a strange coincidence that Kirino's held on to him so he can't run. Must be instinct by now. Tsurugi did love to run from his responsibilities...

"I can guess," Kirino starts, since he knows it's hard for Shindou to say it outright, "a lot of people quit, didn't they?"

Shindou's shoulders sink, and for a moment, Kirino is surprised. The pianist's fists tighten over the table, and a very heavy sigh lowers in his chest.

"How many?" Kirino asks him.

"Almost all of the second team," Shindou says. Kirino freezes. "Ichino almost went, but he came back. He said he... didn't want to go when you weren't there. He says thanks for saving him this morning, by the way... Kirino?"

Kirino's eyes are wide.

He sits up, the shock so clear in his senses and his fist tightening over Shindou's shoulder sleeve. Shindou isn't too sure which part of what he said made him so horrified.

"Ichino's... still here?" Kirino asks slowly, and Shindou nods.

"Yeah..." Shindou responds, wondering if he should stand up since Kirino looked so unsteady, "He's the only one left of the second team. Mizumori and Kousaka quit too, so Coach was talking about advancing him into the first team..."

"That's... that's weird," Kirino says a little above a whisper, holding his head, "Ichino... stayed? But Aoyama didn't."

That's wrong. No, not wrong, just-- different.

He helped Ichino this morning. Maybe everything that happened in difference made Ichino feel a lot worse about abandoning the soccer club than last time around. Ichino has always been one that conforms-- so Kirino feels a little proud to know that he made his own choice this time.

It's subtle, but the differences are there. Kirino isn't making a huge change in history yet-- but it's there. The butterfly effect.

The ripples are only going to get bigger from here.

"Yeah... those two are always together, aren't they?" Shindou entertains the thought, then stands up and sets a hand on Kirino's forehead, "are you feeling okay? You're acting weird. Is it that nightmare again?"

Kirino blinks up at him.

Maybe the nightmare is a pretty useful excuse, after all. It seems to explain a lot of weird stuff about him, and Shindou doesn't chase after details.

"So there's... " Kirino counts in his head, "ten of us left?"

Ten. Ten, not nine. There's an extra in the amount-- and it's a world of a difference. And although that can't be right, Kirino can't help but feel so happy.

History can be changed, he realizes, not for the first time. Even such a solid, vital piece of history like Raimon's revolution-- surely, it can change.

He just has to try.

-

-

-

It's the next day, six in the morning.

"Going for a run!"

"Ranmaru, NO!"

He's going to give his brother gray hairs one day, and they all know it. But who could blame him, really? He'd spent almost twelve hours yesterday just sitting around immobile. The moment he realized he could walk again this morning, he ran.

It's strange.

Yesterday, a single step felt like he was stepping on a thousand needles, spikes travelling up the way through his bones and into his knees.

Once morning came, it was like the pain was never there. There was no pain, just the strain of muscle and the desire to run harder, faster, stronger.

And that was what he did.

(Something was off. But things were fine for now.)

"Kirino-senpai!"

He's not too surprised to find Tenma at the riverbank again today. He seems to be practicing his dribbling, from one side of the field to the other.

He stops midway, looking up to the senior.

"Is your body alright now?"

Kirino skids down to the field, and sets a hand on Sasuke's head. He smiles at his junior, because younger or not, it's always nice to see Innocent Pegasus Boy in the morning.

"Perfectly," Kirino assures him, "it was just exhaustion yesterday. I heard what happened in the club... are you training for the entrance test?"

"Yes!" the boy brightens considerably, "I'll do my best! Oh, oh! You see, I met someone from my class yesterday, his name's Shinsuke--"

Kirino feels a sort of strange deja vu. Tenma's acting like an excited child telling their mom about their day... wait, does that make me the mom? Oh no. We're like, three years ahead of schedule already.

Kirino listens contentedly to Tenma explain his wondrous meeting with a tiny first year named Shinsuke, and how they fanboyed over Keshin and soccer together (and we embarrassed ourselves during the Entrance ceremony) while agreeing to join the soccer club together with Aoi (ah, she's my childhood friend by the way--)

At this rate, Kirino's gonna need sunglasses to talk with him, he actually shines. Was this why Tsurugi got a tan after Junior High? Because he was exposed to this sunshine too much?

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Tenma," Kirino assures him, and some maternal instinct makes him want to pat the boy on the head. He does, and Tenma sparkles. Kirino groans. "Don't stay out too late, though. Make sure to get to school on time."

"Okay!" Tenma beams. Kirino can hear the Ranmama without him saying it.

If cinnamon rolls could kill, Tenma would be a mass murderer.

-

"Kirino!"

The reaction today is similar to yesterday. Everyone gathers around him, fusses at him, worries about nonexistent injuries, tries to get him out of practice-- but this time, Kirino is prepared.

He swings out a The Mist right at the doorway, and magnificently deposits himself at his locker and begins to change for morning practice.

"I heard what happened yesterday," Kirino confronts them, and he can see all their faces fall in shame. "Hey, you guys-- why did you stay?"

And Minamisawa sighs.

"I mean... it just kinda happened," Kurumada considers, "everyone was just leaving one after another-- and the atmosphere... it just felt wrong to leave."

"Fifth Sector has their eyes on us... they were planning on replacing all of us, anyways," Hamano waves a hand around dismissively, "you know how strict they are with matters like this. It's just..."

"Not safe to be here," Hayami finishes moodily, "even if they don't ruin us directly, they'll probably dunk the club instead, and in the end we'll still be ruined."

"Then why are you still here, Hayami?" Amagi says sharply, and the redhead squeaks, shrinking away behind Hamano, who chuckles.

"It'll look good on our records, for one," Minamisawa says, and from his tone, it's not the first time he's justified himself with that reason, "I'm graduating this year, so if I bear with it a little longer, I'll be free from this mess and still have the jottings to show."

And everyone visibly sinks a little deeper into their shoulders.

"I--" Ichino speaks up, then flinches when all eyes turn to him. He looks away, "I just... it's not like I can't understand them for running... but I still want to do something for the club. This place... it's corrupted, but... the club still means a lot to me. I don't want it to disappear."

"This isn't the time to spew sentimental nonsense," Kurama mutters audibly, "is that first-year affecting you too, Ichino? Didn't you hear him-- I feel sorry for soccer! Or something," he imitated mockingly.

"Hey, Kurama!" Sangoku chastises him, and the boy turns away defiantly.

Shindou stands before Ichino, and a ghost of a smile is on his way.

"Thanks," he tells the boy, "but-- I don't think the club can last any longer, even if we try. I can try to protect it... but there's so little I can do."

Kirino breathes out slowly, taking in the situation.

Shindou and Sangoku want to save the club, but they don't want to force anyone to face Fifth Sector. Kurumada and Hamano are true neutrals, but would lean in Fifth's favour to avoid trouble to themselves. Hayami is only staying because of some sort of impulse, and Amagi is slowly being pulled toward the negative side of the battle.

(What a pain.)

"Then," he speaks up, enjoying how everyone turns their attention over when he smirks uncharacteristically, "want to start a revolution with me?"

-

Battle Flag Bearer, Brynhildr. She incites the resistance with her charisma, calling upon the forces and giving them the power to stand together as one iron wall of defense.

(Or something like that.)

People say that Keshin are an astral depiction of your fighting spirit, in the same way your hissatsu and Soul are. Kirino is a caller of charisma, but he never dabbled much in that field until he met Jeanne, so his Keshin awakened much later.

One in many steps to awaken your Keshin is to bring yourself closer to that spirit. Similar to how Shinsuke woke his Keshin with his desire to protect Raimon's goal, and Kinako who awoke hers with her desire to watch over Fei, even from too far above the sky.

Not that anyone's able to know what that ideal is before they actually see it, but Kirino can now. It's like a cheat-- a very minor and small cheat, but a cheat nonetheless.

Kirino's not going to risk summoning Brynhildr just yet, though. Don't want to end up like Shindou yesterday.

So when he speaks up to the team, the reactions are just as expected.

Generally, pure shock, a few exclamations of disbelief, and Shindou actually walks over to check for a fever. He reports negative, and Hayami pinches himself. It hurts. It's not a dream.

Then what?

"This is terrible," Hayami buries his face in his hands, "Kirino's lost it."

Kirino sets his hands on his hips and huffs. "I'm serious," he says, "you all saw what happened. Fifth Sector meant to destroy all of us and make us all quit. So why are we still in this club, why do we play soccer?"

Wow, Kirino's got some mad speech skills now. Must be all the miximaxing with dramatic people, he's getting affected down to his psyche.

"Isn't it because we want to play soccer normally again?" he says, "do you really think they'll let us play soccer, when they've gone as far as to want to replace all of us? I think we've all had enough already. This system needs to change. What's the point of a soccer club if we're just appearances and no game?"

Everyone looks at Kirino with surprise. A whole uprising is still too far out there-- they're just kids, dammit. As if this kinda shit has seriously crossed their minds before.

But surely, someone's thought of it before, even in spite.

In fact-- if Minamisawa never left, Kurama may have been the first one to start it. He was a sore loser like that, after all. He probably stayed on the other side for so long simply because Tenma was the one inciting the revolution.

"Kirino, I think you should calm down," Minamisawa looks at him weirdly, "are you even hearing yourself?"

"I mean... I can't say I've never thought of wanting the system to change," Hamano agrees, "I'm sure everyone's thought of it, once or twice. But look at us. Raimon's nothing compared to our reputation and our glory days. And we're still kids, you know? All of it's just too idealistic for us."

When Hamano says that, most of them agree.

It's not that they want to blow off Kirino, but it just isn't like them to think up crazy ideas like overthrowing the current government with a little rebellion. They're not politicians. Raimon's almost been replaced once. They sure as heck can do it again if they try anything bad.

So why did the revolution succeed? Is it because it was small at first, and Fifth Sector continued to try and take them off subtly, thinking score orders would work? Then it got too big to be handled slowly, so they sent in Dragon Link?

Surely, if they all turn at once this time, they'll just send Tsurugi in again to fight them off. And this time, they won't let them off just for having Shindou around. They might just snatch him and send him off to God Eden or something, then kick everyone else out.

"Shindou, you say you're going to protect the soccer club," Kirino turns to the captain-- "but can we really call this a soccer club?"

He sees Shindou's fists tighten, and Kirino knows he's pushing it. It's not like him to antagonize Shindou at all. Kirino's always been the kind to quietly go along with him, no matter who's in the right or wrong.

"What exactly are we trying to protect by staying?" Kirino asks. "Isn't it our soccer?"

He lets the question hang there.

A moment later, the coach comes in to deliver his morning words, and they make their way to the field, where they begin a very distracted, very half-hearted morning practice.

Talk of the revolution doesn't come up again, but the seeds are sown.

-

"It's... difficult."

Ichino and Aoyama are still best friends despite what happened, so when Shindou wants some time alone, Kirino goes to see the white-haired player.

"None of them know a thing about Fifth Sector, and they're saying whatever they want!" he lets his anger take over him for a moment, then he sighs.

There are plenty of rumours around about it. The Raimon soccer club lost against one first-year! They were totally owned, they're weak. There's no point in joining a club like that, it wouldn't even look good on your student record.

(Kirino rolls his eyes. Things were like this back then, huh.)

"That's why we left," Aoyama mumbles in his own seat, "it's better to be part of the oblivious than suffer as part of the knowledgeable. It's not worth it, Ichino."

"Even so," Ichino tightens his fist, "I just... don't want the club to end like this. There's more we can do. There's definitely--"

Kirino leans forward on the table, and speaks in hushed tones.

"There is," he says, and he delights in the way Ichino and Aoyama simultaneously jerk to attention, turning around in their seats as Kirino pulls a chair over. They huddle around in a discussion circle.

Ichino is the Second Team's captain, even in the future, and it's not without reason. There are plenty of captain-like characters on their team, but Ichino's the only one of all of them that can be trusted with the Second Team's progress.

That's exactly how Kirino knows he can trust Ichino, and in extension, Aoyama, with things like this.

"There's one thing we can do, even as children," he says, "and especially because we're former soccer club members."

Ichino stays confused, but from the way Aoyama's eyes light up and he shoots back like he's been burned, Kirino reckons he's gotten it.

Aoyama had a weird fanboy attitude toward detective stories and the such. He was analytical enough to (very ironically) steal Trace Press from Minaho, after all. And definitely, that can come in handy now, especially when he's free of the liability of being a member of the infamous Raimon Eleven.

Kirino aside, Aoyama is effectively out of Fifth Sector's radar. That meant he had freedom. And freedom, in a certain sense, meant safety.

Kirino smiles. "We can create a scandal."

-

-

-

The entrance test for Tenma and Shinsuke went just as expected.

"Kirino--"

"What, Shindou? I don't talk to bullies."

"Wha--?"

Kirino makes it very clear that he doesn't like what Shindou is doing. Being weak, cowering in the face of their peril-- it's understandable. Shindou's under so much pressure right now, the last thing he needs is for Kirino to give up on him.

So Kirino's going to do it.

"I'm going on a date with Ichino today," Kirino holds the boy by the shoulders, and Ichino squawks. "So you can wallow in your misery with your cats and I'm going home by myself. Bye bye."

"No! Don't bring me into your lover's quarrel!" Ichino freaks out, and is promptly ignored. "Shindou! Don't believe him! Please chase after us crying tears of apology! Please! Shindou, no!"

It's at that moment that Tenma cuts into the scene, barreling into the two seniors with a running hug.

"Kirino-senpai! I passed the test!"

With a sharp yelp, they all crumple into a mess of bodies, and Ichino lays face-down on the ground, just dead. Tenma clambers up and sits beside the pile, like a proud idiot.

"Yes, Tenma, I know, I was there," Kirino says, a little dizzy from the fall. He pushes himself up, and, looking over, he wonders if Ichino is still alive.

"I'll introduce you! This is Shinsuke!" he points at the boy beside him, who's equally as muddy and full of scratches as Tenma is. Then he gestures at the girl behind them, "and that's Aoi. I told you about them this morning."

There's a moment when Kirino smiles, rather contentedly at the boy-- then an aura of seething darkness envelops them and Kirino turns around to see a furious Shindou.

"This morning?"

Even for Kirino, this is the first time he's heard Shindou sound so angry.

Ichino clambers up immediately, apparently alive now. He grabs Tenma by the arm, because an unknowing junior is an innocent junior, and thus he does not deserve to be in the face of Papa Shindou's wrath any more, and they bolt for the clubroom.

"You were supposed to rest!" Shindou snaps at Kirino.

With a whine, Kirino is somehow the one in for a lecture now. It's only later that Kirino sighs contentedly to himself, because at least Shindou isn't obsessed with his despair anymore.

-

-

-

For some reason, Aoyama is really, very into this.

"Maybe we can mention how our skill level is much weaker now than any record three years ago? We can compare our individual stats and say how it doesn't line up." Aoyama brings up a list, "Fifth Sector came around two years ago, right?"

"There are many instances of players just standing there without fighting back," Kirino continues, "we did that in a lot of practice matches last year. If it's too often in a lot of people I'm sure we can cause some sort of public interest. I'm sure Akane has some footage, so we should ask her tomorrow."

"What? Why would she have stuff like that?"

"She takes pictures of very weird things, Aoyama, you ought to stop questioning it."

Newspapers and all sorts of other papers are strewn all about Kirino's room, and Aoyama crawls over half of it with a red marker, while Kirino makes the proper jottings in his books for future reference.

Ichino stares at them for a very long moment.

Then he excuses himself, and goes to sit on the couch as Kazu serves him a cup of coffee.

"So, what's going on in there? Some interesting group project?" Kazu questions, and Ichino thanks him for the coffee.

"Yeah..." Ichino takes a careful sip, "they're trying to form a conspiracy to overthrow the government."

Kaze stares blankly for a moment. "You don't look the type, but you sure can tell some funny jokes, huh?" he muses.

Ichino laughs nervously. "Yeah, it sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?"

If only.

-

It's midway through practice when it hits him.

Kirino stumbles when Minamisawa steals the ball from him, and he falls to one knee. He gets up quickly-- or at least, he tries to. The strength completely leaves his feet, and he catches himself on his hands, scraping his elbow as he tries not to eat the soil.

Minamisawa swirls around surprised.

"My bad!" He says first, thinking he'd shoved a little too hard there, "you alright, Kirino?"

He's not.

Kirino gets on his hands and knees again, and this time, he's stuck. He's staring at the ground-- not too sure if he remembers how to get up anymore.

"What's wrong, Kirino?"

There's Shindou, and Kirino looked up. A sinking realization sets into the pit of his stomach, and suddenly, he feels like crying.

"I can't stand up," Kirino says.

He can see the moment Tenma and the others from the opposing side come over, faces filled with worry. Kirino sits on the ground with his legs sprawled out a W.

There's no feeling, just numbness.

"Something's wrong," he says.

And it's unnatural. Just like when they fought against the Black Knights two days ago-- there's no reason for his feet to suddenly lose their energy so completely. It's just... logically speaking, it's impossible.

So what could be the explanation for this?

(Whatever the time-travel nonsense that brought him back this time, it's definitely not the classic process he's familiar with.)

(Because the shattering his legs went through are still there.)

(Healed, but not fully.)

(There was no reason for it to be healed in the first place.)

(Who's to say this body isn't borrowed time?)

"Kirino, take my hand."

And he lets the others help him up and lead him to the benches. Haruna and the managers look him over, but they can't think of anything wrong.

Minamisawa is looking very guilty, as if any of this was his fault at all-- it really isn't and Kirino is going to punch him if he keeps that up-- and the rest of the team just look painfully concerned.

Shindou puts a hand on his shoulder, and Kirino looks up.

"Are you really okay?"

Kirino just sighs. He's not going to say yes when the answer's obvious. It doesn't hurt, nothing's wrong-- but this could really impact his future.

He closes his fist tight.

"I'll bring him to the hospital for a check," Coach Kudou decides, "the rest of you, continue practice."

-

In moments, Kirino is in a car, his belongings packed and his brother called.

Shindou insists on coming along at first, even pulling the captain card on the situation-- but Coach Kudou bats his opinion aside easily.

He lasted longer in practice today; the whole of morning practice, and halfway into afternoon practice.

But he lasted the whole day yesterday; morning practice, then the whole of Tenma's entrance exam, though he didn't play much with Shindou hogging the plays.

Then what about the Black Knights? He lasted the whole of the match and that was it, though he was playing a one-man show at the time, including the self-practice at the riverbank earlier in the morning.

Then the next day he's back to normal.

(That's it. It's not about how long he plays, but how much he plays.)

His legs are on a set quota of effort he can put in each day, and once he hits the limit, that's where it ends. They just... stop working.

(This makes no sense, but there's no better way to explain it.)

He looks out the window, and he grits his teeth. He remembers the horrendous view of his legs crushed and impaled under debris-- is this mercy, or a cruel joke?

What sent him back? It's an incomplete device, that much is true. His injuries remained, though only traces. That meant this wasn't his actual fourteen-year-old body. And this definitely isn't his seventeen-year-old body either. He's the wrong height, he has his Miximax, his Keshin, his knowledge, his memories.

So his body is... it's a fusion of them both. Of the broken and the weak.

(He's not too sure what that means yet. Can Fei come in and tell him more?)

(Fei, Fei, where are you?)

Kirino tries not to sigh too loudly. Instead, he wonders if his brother's going to have his third heart attack of the week and attempts to think fond thoughts.

-

AOYAMA:

So did u die

ICHINO:

Aoyama for the last
FUCKING time, no.

KIRINO:

Kinda feel like it tho

ICHINO:

Ranmama no

KIRINO:

Dun call me that pls

AOYAMA:

Ranmama

ICHINO:

Ranmama

KIRINO:

Y ru guyz like this

AOYAMA:

So r u dead or dying
Idk the situation

Btw Ichinos scremin

ICHINO:

No ominous phrases
r allwd here tqvm

KIRINO:

I wanna kms

ICHINO:

WHAT DID I JUS T SAY

KIRINO:

I mean we havent seen
The doc yet idk what to say

AOYAMA:

Hes giving u the angy face

camera03.jpg View Image.

Here's pic for proof

KIRINO:

Beautiful

i can hang that up
with all of the shindou's 
judging+disappointed faces 
on my record

-

"What are you doing?"

Coach Kudou talks to him, and Kirino flushes, bringing his phone away from view. He notices belatedly that he's smiling pretty widely, and his face heats up.

He chuckles, a hand at his face in an attempt to calm down.

"Uh, Aoyama heard the news, so he's asking me for what happened," he says.

Coach Kudou's brows are raised. "I wasn't aware that you were so close with him," he muses, but his tone suggests that he isn't chasing. In fact, he turns back forward to wait for their turn at the reception.

Kirino mentally reminds himself to mind his face next time they text.

Judging by the picture, the two were on their way home, right after practice. Kirino reckons practice was cut short after he left because no one was in the mood for the mess anymore.

He checks his inbox, and he finds a worried message in the Raimon group asking for updates on his condition.

Shindou, Sangoku, and Minamisawa all send him individual messages asking for his current state. The latter even attaches an unneeded apology, but alas, Kirino isn't near enough to flick him in the forehead.

He informs them the reception line is rather long and it'd take a while.

Tenma and Shinsuke have messaged him individually with worried chasings, but he assures them that there's nothing wrong and doesn't read the other replies.

He sighs. Things have gotten a little annoying.