[24th August 2016
Shinjuku
8:45 am, morning
Kavei's house - the whole team is gathered]

Himeko, Saira, Narito, Ojiro, Kenma, and Nana stood in a tight cluster, their faces unreadable yet filled with something akin to quiet resolve.

Kavei unlatched the chain, stepping back as they slowly filed in. Their movements were careful, as if they had all silently agreed that something about this moment was delicate.

Nana was the last to step inside. She turned, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Kenma, who had been looking down, finally lifted his gaze. His voice was quiet, but the weight of his words was heavy. “We… decided we shouldn’t be leaving you alone. Not when we’ve already entered this mess.” His eyes flickered between them, his fingers curled tightly at his sides.

No one spoke for a moment. But the unspoken understanding settled between them like a silent pact.

Kavei's gaze flickered between the familiar faces standing before him. His voice was quiet but firm as he asked, “You want to continue with the case?”

Kai, who had been watching the scene unfold, sighed and pulled the rolled-up sheets from behind the couch cushion. He unrolled them, smoothing them back onto the table before leaning back into the couch. He crossed one leg over the other, observing silently as Kavei spoke to the team gathered near the door.

Kenma shifted on his feet, his fingers curling at his sides. His eyes remained lowered as he spoke. “Yeah. We are sorry we left you just like that when you were at your lowest. But seeing what we were dealing with…” He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “I couldn’t. I didn’t want my sister to get hurt by this, or Narito and Ojiro… or you.”

Kavei studied him for a long moment before stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder. His touch was steady, a silent reassurance. “It’s okay. I understand. I wasn’t myself either,” he admitted.

Kenma exhaled sharply, then reached up, taking Kavei’s hand in both of his. His grip was firm, but his hands were cold. His voice was filled with something unshakable. “But now, I want to be of help. I want to know too. What happened to her. And if she really is involved in all this.”

Kavei met his gaze and nodded. He didn’t need to say anything else.

Himeko suddenly spoke up, her voice trembling. “Kavei, I was so scared. I was afraid.” She clenched her hands into fists at her sides, as if trying to hold herself together. “When Nana-onee-sama revealed what she had found, I couldn’t think. It was all so… To know someone so sinister exists, someone who would do such experiments…” Her breath hitched, her body shaking slightly. Fear.

Sebiki, standing beside her, placed a firm hand on her shoulder. But the moment he did, Himeko broke down. Tears streamed down her face as she let out a soft, shuddering sob.

Sebiki looked up at Kavei, his expression somber but resolute. “We took our time dealing with the truth, Kavei. And now we know. Whatever we are a part of is not normal. But we promised to help you. And I guess we have to keep our promises.” He exhaled deeply before continuing. “So we’ll be here. We’ll help you. Sorry it took us so long to come to terms with what we were dealing with.”

Kavei’s throat tightened. He looked at each of them, guilt weighing heavily in his chest. “It’s okay,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “I am sorry for dragging you all into this. I should have said no, even when you forced your way in.” He bowed deeply to them, his posture filled with regret.

The others immediately bowed back, shaking their heads.

Nana then stepped forward, determination burning in her eyes. “I will do whatever it takes to get the evidence and clues you need.” She raised her hand straight into the air. “So, we are a team again?”

For a moment, there was silence. Then Kenma stepped forward, placing his hand on top of his sister’s. Ojiro followed, his hand resting over Kenma’s. Narito placed his over Ojiro’s, and Himeko wiped her tears before doing the same. Sebiki placed her hand on top, her grip firm.

From behind, Kavei saw Benio, Saira, and Miyasi moving forward. One by one, they placed their hands on top of the growing stack.

Kai sighed, shaking his head, but there was no real resistance in his expression. He stood up from the couch, walking towards them before finally placing his hand on top of Miyasi’s. He then turned to Kavei. “Come on. Only the leader is missing.”

Kavei scoffed lightly, masking the small smile threatening to tug at his lips. “What is this childish cheer?” he muttered. But he didn’t hesitate as he placed his hand over Kai’s.

With that, they all moved their hands up and down in unison, three times, before letting out a loud, unified, “Yeah!”

The tension in the room seemed to ease, if only slightly. They lowered their hands, and soon everyone settled onto the couches and chairs around the coffee table. The maps and notes lay sprawled before them, and Kavei began filling them in on everything they had missed.

He explained the pattern layouts, the possible target cities, the reasons behind them, and, finally, their mission—to save the green-eyed boy from being kidnapped.

Himeko furrowed her brows, flipping through a stack of pages that detailed the twenty-five green-eyed ninth-grade boys that Benio and the others had managed to identify. “But which among them is the one?” she asked, scanning the faces and details.

“We have to keep an eye on all of them,” Kavei stated, his tone unwavering.

Sebiki gaped at him, her face paling. “What? There aren’t even twenty-five people in our group.” Her voice wavered in disbelief.

“If I get some time, I can try to make a tracking chip,” Kavei said, rubbing his chin in thought. “It won’t be as advanced, but we’ll be able to track the boys for about three days. That should be enough to figure out if they are targets or not based on their visits and behavioral movements.”

Benio leaned back, arms crossed. His eyes narrowed slightly. “You can make a tracking chip?”

“I do have some knowledge, if not all,” Kavei admitted. His tone was casual, but there was an underlying confidence to his words.

Then, without another word, he stood up. The room fell silent as they watched him make his way to his bedroom. He reached the doorway before turning around, his gaze meeting theirs.

“I’ll see if I still have some equipment. Make yourselves at home,” he said. Then, without waiting for a response, he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

Benio turned back to look at the others, stretching his arms behind his head with a grin. "The team is back, huh? Good to see you guys again."

They all nodded, smiles forming on their faces. They hadn't realized it before, but being part of this team had brought them closer. It wasn't just about the case anymore—it was about the bond they had formed, the friendship that had grown between them.

Miyasi glanced around before speaking, her voice thoughtful. "Kavei could have done this case all alone by himself. There is nothing he doesn't know."

Benio snorted. "Kavei isn't even here, and you're already singing his praises. That won't get you anywhere."

Miyasi rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Gosh! Let me complete my sentence!" She exhaled before continuing. "What I mean is, he is capable of doing everything on his own. He’s incredibly smart, and there’s nothing he doesn’t know. But despite that, he still accepts our help. I think... more than solving the case, what he really needs is people he can rely on."

"He learned to rely on us," Himeko said softly, her hands resting on her lap as she stared at the coffee table.

Benio nodded. "Yeah. He’s a genius, sure, but manpower is helpful too. And the rest of us aren’t dumb. So, yes, Kavei is great, but don't sell yourselves short."

Saira, who had been absentmindedly flipping through a notebook, finally looked up. "Without his guidance, we wouldn't have known what to look into. That’s why when Kavei stopped responding to his surroundings, I was so confused about how to help him. And then Benio said that we should just finish what was asked of us. So we continued looking for ninth-grade green-eyed boys." She sighed, shaking her head. "So glad we did that."

Benio leaned back on the couch, tilting his head. "Yeah, yeah. But all things aside, how many of you have actually finished your holiday homework?"

Ojiro groaned, throwing his head back. "Way to ruin the mood, nii."

"You kids gotta do your homework," Benio teased, smirking as he nudged Ojiro’s shoulder.

"You’re a kid yourself," Nana pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

Benio sighed dramatically. "Yeah, well. I’m halfway done, at least."

Kai, who had been sitting quietly until now, finally spoke. "I’m done with mine. And Kavei’s."

Kenma, who had been resting his chin on his knuckles, sat up. "You finished Kavei’s work for him?"

Kai nodded.

Benio’s eyes suddenly lit up as if he had just remembered something. He snapped his fingers and pointed at Kai. "Oh! That reminds me. I wanted to ask you something, Kai."

Kai glanced at him warily. "What is it?"

Benio leaned in, smirking. "You like Kavei, don’t you?"

Kai jerked upright, his back stiff. "Hah?!" His voice cracked slightly, his eyes darting to the others. "What makes you say that?!"

Benio let out a laugh, his shoulders shaking. "Haha. Your reaction is gold, dude. No use hiding it from me. I can tell."

Kenma’s fists clenched against his thighs. His eyes darkened slightly as he looked at Kai. "You like Kavei?" His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.

Kai glanced at him, suddenly feeling trapped under Kenma’s stare. "I... I don’t know. I’m not sure."

Kenma exhaled sharply and leaned back into the couch, loosening his grip. "Well, I do."

Kai blinked. "What?"

Kenma looked away, staring at the ceiling for a second before returning his gaze to the group. "I like Kavei. It’s been a while."

Benio chuckled, clearly entertained. "Whoa. Awesome. So you’re my competitor, huh?"

Himeko, who had been quietly observing, suddenly spoke up. "Wait. You like him too?" She turned to Benio, eyes widening slightly.

Benio nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, of course."

Himeko shifted in her seat, rubbing her arm. "...Well, so do I."

Sebiki let out a knowing chuckle. "Yeah. You were so, so obvious."

Himeko turned her head to Sebiki, narrowing her eyes. "But you like him too."

Sebiki stiffened. "What? How can you be so sure?" She let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of her neck.

Himeko gave her a pointed look. "We’ve been best friends since forever. There is nothing I don’t know about you."

Miyasi, who had been sitting cross-legged on the floor, raised her hand. "Hold on. We all like the same person?"

Saira looked at her suspiciously. "Wait. You too?"

Miyasi’s eyes widened. "What do you mean 'you too'? You like him as well?"

Saira and Miyasi stared at each other for a moment before nodding simultaneously.

Benio suddenly burst into laughter, doubling over and clutching his stomach. "What the heck? This is so funny," he wheezed, his body shaking.

The others sat in stunned silence while Benio wiped a tear from his eye. "Alright, let’s do this. None of us are gonna flirt with him. No making moves. We’ll just go with the flow. If Kavei decides he wants to fall in love with one of us—which, honestly, is probably unlikely—then so be it."

Himeko groaned, rubbing her temples. "How are you so unaffected?"

Benio tilted his head, smirking at her. "Half of you, I already knew had a crush on Kavei. The other half, I was still guessing. How much you wanna bet Ryu likes him too?" He laughed again. "Alright, if we flirt, we’re disqualified, okay?"

Ojiro chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys are a real piece of work. It’s gonna be hilarious seeing who ends up with Kavei out of all of you."

Narito turned to Ojiro, grinning. "What about you? Anyone you like?"

Ojiro turned to him, smirking. "Well, I might pick one of the guys who loses to Kavei, haha."

The group let out a few chuckles, the tension easing slightly.

Saira crossed her arms. "Fine. No flirting. Let’s see who wins. But how do we win him over without flirting?"

Benio leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Be yourself. Care for him. Show him how charming and reliable you are. But flirting is off-limits."

Kenma sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Why can’t you all just find someone else?"

Sebiki smirked. "We can ask the same of you."

Kenma groaned. "Fine, fine. No cheating, though."

They all nodded in agreement just as Kavei reappeared from his room, holding a book in his hands. He stopped in his tracks when he saw their faces. They were all smiling at him, almost too much.

Kavei narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Wow. Why do you all look like you just cooked up some weird plan together?" He sighed, walking past them towards the couch.

The group immediately burst into laughter, but no one answered.