Brothers (Part 2)

Chapter 15 - Dysfunctional Team

They couldn't find Nico's medicine, but we couldn't stay there.

Liang: "Jinx."

I turned to him. Uno put me down, pet my head and I walked with Liang.

Liang: "I... I wanted to apologise for scaring you... this is a terrifying situation, and I realize I might have said too much to you."

Jinx: "It's alright, Liang... to be honest, I'm not afraid of Enki... I'm not afraid of getting hurt... I'm afraid of any of you getting hurt..."

Liang: "That's very selfless of you, Jinx."

He put his hand on my head.

Liang: "You don't have to worry. We're gonna get out of here."

Jinx: "Kay."

Liang: "Anyway, I just wanted to apologise. I had given up way too quickly in there. I wasn't myself. I'm sorry."

I took his hand and smiled.

Jinx: "Don't worry, okay. We're still friends."

Liang: "I'm glad."

My smile faded.

Jinx: "...... Hey, Liang... do you know if... Inori has anything to do with this whole Enki situation?"

Liang: "Inori? Why do you ask?"

Jinx: "No... no reason..."

Uno: "Hey, this looks promising."

Liang: "These stairs should take us up to the surface."

Nico: "So, what are we waiting for?"

Jyugo steps forward and picks something up off the ground.

Uno: "Did ya find something shiny, boy?"

Jyugo: "This belongs to Hajime, doesn't it?"

He held up a nameplate that read 'Sugoroku'.

Nico: "Yeah, you're right."

Liang: "So then what's it doing here?"

Jyugo: "Last we saw, Hajime got trapped on the surface."

I started nervously fidgeting.

Upa: "What's the matter, kid?"

They all turned to me.

Jinx: "It's just... mm..."

Uno knelt down to me, his hands on my shoulders.

Uno: "Jinx, did you... hear something we didn't?"

I nodded slowly.

Uno: "Tell us."

Jinx: "...... After we got separated from Hajime, I heard someone talking to him."

Nico: "Who?"

Jinx: "...... it was Inori..."

They gasped.

Liang: "So that's it."

Uno: "Enki's just pulling strings."

Jinx: "I think... he took Hajime."

Jyugo: "Why didn't you tell us you heard this before?"

Jinx: "I didn't want to believe it... I don't want to believe any of this is happening!! Because every time some crazy shit like this happens, someone gets hurt!!"