Hiro's POV

"Zero Two? Zero Two?", I tapped her shoulder as she zoned out during lunchtime with our gang on the rooftop.

"What's the matter? You don't look that well for the past few days. Is there something bothering you?", Ichigo asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh nothing, I probably just tired.", she said like nothing happened but unfortunately I know. Ever since that night, something went wrong within her. She just constantly zoned out during classes and didn't talked as much as before.

"Ehh Hiro, don't you feel somethings wrong with her?", Goro sat closer to me and whispered while the girls distract Zero Two.

"Yeah Hiro, what's wrong with her?", Zorome came closer and asked as well.

"I don't know either....", I said as I looked at the sky, although I probably know what's went through her right now.

As the bell rang, we returned to our class. As we going down while the other distract Zero Two, Ichigo tapped my shoulder and asked.

"Hiro...what Zero Two favorite thing?", she whispered at my ear.

"Let me think....ah....She like sweet stuff."

"Okay thanks, we'll handle her from no. By the way...how do you know it?", she asked, curiously.

"Thank you Ichigo. Well...a lot things had happened."

"Hehe...something did happen...", Zorome said with a smug face.

"Zorome...I'm really not in the mood right now."

"Ohh...Hiro lov-", he stopped talking immediately as I glared at him.

*After school*

"Hey Zero Two, wanna come with us, Miku found a pastry shop nearby the school.", Ichigo said to Zero Two as I'm packing my bag.

"Really, I'm carving for sweet stuff right now.", she happily said as she quickly threw all of her stuff into the bag and jumped around like a kid.

"You wanna come together? The others are invited.", Miku asked.

"Yeah...I'll go.", I replied.

After a while, we arrived at the pastry shop. The girls in one table and the boys at another. Since we decided to let the girls do their job of cheer Zero Two up, we kinda started to have a "bros" talk.

"When do you want to make your move, Goro?" Zorome slyly said with a smug face.

"Huh...what do you mean?", Goro awkwardly said as his face had a slight pink blush.

"Don't play dumb, Goro. We all know that you entered the student council for a reason.", Mitsuru said as he started to drink his chocolate milkshake.

"*sigh* Okay okay, I admit it. I do have a crush on Ichigo but I know she doesn't have the time for these romance stuff."

"OHHHH...words of wisdom from Godbro.", we're getting a little excited and created a little uproar.

"What's the matter, keep it down. Okay?", Ichigo stood up and said.

As time passed, the stuff we ordered slowly came. But there's one thing.....ermmm how to explain it....the appetite of a girl is quite scary.

"Just how many stuff they ordered? Can they finish it? We don't even have dinner yet.", Zorome curiously asked.

"Zorome, I advice you NOT to talk about this matter."

"Huh, why should I---"

"Zorome...Is there any problem?", Miku slowly turned back and said in a tone like she's gonna kill a certain someone.

"I-I'm sorry...", as he apologized, all of us started to laugh. As we're laughing, I took a glance at Zero Two and saw her tried to force out a laugh. It concerned me.

"I need to talk to her about this....", a thought appeared in my mind

Third person POV

After that, all of them returned home separately. Since Zero Two and Hiro live in the the same neighborhood, they went home together. He followed her from behind, didn't say a word. As they passed by a playground, he exhaled and said to her.

"Zero Two--"

"Ahh...those deserts sure taste wonderful. I have to go back there again.", she interrupted his words and pretend never heard it.

"Zero Two!", he yelled. His voice echoed throughout the playground and people started to stare at them.

"Huh, Hiro?", she looked at him with a confused look.

"Come with me...", he mumbled as he took her hand and brought her to a place not far away from the playground.

"Stop it...HIRO! What's wrong with you?", she yelled as she took her arm away from his grasp.

"Don't lie to yourself anymore...", he said with a serious face as the wind blew, kicking up dust and dead leaves.

"W-W-what do you mean....?", she trembled as she said while tears slowly brimmed at her eyes. "I-I don't under-stand..."

He stood at there as she kneel down with hands on her face, crying uncontrollably. He slowly walked towards her, squatted down as he pulled her closer to his chest.

"Just let it out, no worries...", he said as he gently brushed her hair. She clenched onto his uniform as her tears leave stain marks onto it.

Not far away from there, the rest of the gang who secretly followed them witnessed the incident.

"Emm...I don't think we should intervene.....right?", Kokoro said.

"I know....but...seeing Zero Two like this is unbearable....", Ichigo said with a concerned look on her face.

"Have some trust on Hiro.", Mitsuru said.

"Yeah, I'm sure Hiro will figure things out.", Goro said. "Come on, we should leave before they found out we're here."

Hiro's POV

As Zero Two still at his chest,  crying uncontrollably, made him wondered.

"Just how stress out are you...Zero Two? Maybe I shouldn't pry into her life....", I stared to think. I carried her to a nearby bench after she started to settle down.

"Sorry for making a mess on your uniform...", she said as she wiped away her tears. I searched tissue from my bag and passed it to her. she took it and there's an awkward silence surround us.

"Ermm...Zero Two, you don't have to replied but what happen since that night?", I awkwardly asked and immediately regret by my action.

"Well...it's a long story. Let me briefly explain who those guys are. They are called the NINES, the nine best student of APE Academy, the blondie is called Alpha, the best of the best."

"But I remember there's eight of them..."

"Because I once a part of them, the ninth best, so they called me Iota, the ninth letter in Greek alphabet."

"Okay....."

"Ermm...Hiro, can I asked you something?", she looked at me with a slight smile, kinda made my heart skipped a beat.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"What if I tell you I'll be gone by next year?"

"Huh?", I widened my eyes looked at her in disbelief. "What do you mean by gone...?"

She slowly stood up, walked in front of me and gave a flick on my forehead and said

"That's mean I only have a year left at this school.", she said. "I don't want to leave you guys, you all are the best friend I've ever had in my life, that includes you, Hiro"

"Oh t-thanks....", I mumbled as I can felt my face slowly heats up.

"*exhale* It's good to let it all out, it feel a whole lot better right now.", she said in relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Well...time to go home, it getting late."

"Yeah.", I replied with a smile.

Zero Two's POV

"Goodbye Hiro, see you tomorrow.", I said as we arrived at our respective apartment. I unlocked my door and I noticed there's a package in my room. There's a note written on it.

This is for the month

Code:002

I opened the package, there's only a syringe filled with yellow liquid it. I put it against my arm and injected the liquid into my body.

"I'm sorry....Hiro."