Senku wasted no time in gathering everyone on his return to the Kingdom of Science. They had a limited amount of time before Tsukasa's army would return, and so it was imperative that preparations began as quickly as possible. Tachi listened intently, everyone did, eyes focused and ears open. Their own internal affairs had to be set aside, even if just for the next half hour, this was bigger than each of them on their own, this was about victory, about survival. She only piped up once during Senku's speech, telling the others of the pink haired woman she had encountered in the forest and sharing details of her dexterity and agility. She ignored the feeling of eyes lingering on her after she quieted down, refusing to steal a glance at Kinro to catch him staring down at her from his place by her side, she would make time to talk with him, she knew she had to, but what was happening right now was bigger than her, and she wouldn't allow herself to miss a single details of their plan. The village was counting on them, and she wouldn't let them down. It was time to make up for what happened before the bout in any way she could.
A sigh parted the blondes lips as she swung her arms by her side lazily, her feet kicking at the damp fallen leaves by her feet. She had been so pumped about the idea of finally being able to properly help out with something important to make up for her short comings as of late... and what task had Senku allocated to her? Scout the perimeter, with Gen of all people. He camouflaged into his surroundings about as well as a zebra would have. It was a decision she hadn't argued against though. Being out on patrol meant she was away from the village, more specifically, she was away from Kinro, and any and all unpleasant conversations she was going to have to engage in with him. Right now she could just empty her mind of what had happened, take a deep breath in through her nose and allow the crisp, damp scents of autumn to coddle her overworked brain. Tachi would never shirk her responsibility, she owed Kinro an honest conversation, but it wasn't something she could do while her thoughts were so muddled. Perhaps that was why Senku had sent her off the way he had, specifically stating that they 'shouldn't wander out too far, keep close to the village.' She huffed, pursuing her lips, geez was that really true? Was he just taking pity on her and her melted brain?
"I'm glad I was able to convince Senku that it would be best if you and I counted together, Tachi."
She quirked an eyebrow and turned to face Gen who walked beside her calmly, his arms folded inside his sleeves and his gaze focused straight ahead. He had asked that they go together?
"Huh?"
The mentalist chuckled and gave her a sly smile.
"I asked that I be able to scout the area for my part in Senku's plan, and that you be the one to accompany me."
She cocked her head curiously. That he had specifically asked for her to be the one to join him made little sense to her, and even so...wouldn't it have been better if he had gone alone? Kingdom of Might scouts would attack her, but if he was out here on his own they wouldn't lay a finger on their little 'spy'.
"Why me?"
Gen cocked his head, mirroring her own actions and allowing his placid smile to spread further..
"Because I enjoy your company. Besides, you looked...eager, to put space between yourself and Kinro."
Her eyes dropped, her heart along with them. Was it really so obvious that she wanted to avoid him for a little bit? Could Kinro see it as plainly as Gen could? Feeling her stomach crunch tightly at such an idea, her fingers threaded together, squeezing one another tightly.
"Is it really so obvious? I just...don't know what to say to him. I feel awful for running off and hurting his feelings but...I'm also so mad at him."
She sucked in a deep breath, her shoulders slumping.
"I'm a terrible friend, aren't I?"
Gen blinked once, more for show than out of surprise. He was spot on with his analysis of how Tachi was feeling, as he tended to be.
"I don't think so. You are entitled to your own feelings you know, and it's unhealthy for you to continually prosecute yourself for having them."
She rolled her lips, her pale eyes pulling away from him and instead settling on her fidgeting digits.
"But he-"
"But you, Tachi."
Gen shot the sentence back at her before she had a chance to finish her own. Others before herself, that was how Tachi thought. Noble is done correctly, but self destructive if not. In a rare moment of empathy Gen allowed his expression to honestly soften, his brows easing and his smile slipping in a gentle frown. She radiated despondency, and he couldn't help but allow his expression to sour reply. How deeply it seemed to pain her that she had displeased another was something he knew he himself would never truly comprehend, but when it was so clearly causing such torment, even he couldn't deny that it was something special. Tachi had leapt to what could have been oblivion after Kinro without hesitation. She wasn't in love with him, they weren't blood, but without doubt, without regret, without even a single moment of fear for her own safety, she had jumped, and he knew that she always would. If Tachi believed that there was even the smallest chance that she could catch them, she would take that bet every time. Gen exhaled sharply, lips twitching upwards once more before they stretched into a long smirk. Such stupidity. Such lion hearted, blind, chaotic, stupidity. He would never understand Tachi, but he couldn't help but respect her.
"You deserve to be happy. You may not feel that way all the time, but you do. You didn't want him to kiss you, you're allowed to be angry with him. He's a grown man, I'm sure he'll get over his little crush."
Her eyes almost completely closed over, a lump settling in her throat. If it had just been a crush then Gen was right, but that wasn't how Kinro felt.
"I heard him say he loves me. He and Senku were talking alone and before I got to them I heard it, muffled by the wind but I know what I heard..."
The pieces clicked together almost instantly for Gen, no wonder Senku seemed to light footed to him. He had admitted to Kinro he had feelings for Tachi...but thanks to the capricious nature of the autumn wind, it had carried through the trees to the blonde. It must have seemed so inconceivable to her that it was Senku that her mind automatically took for granted that the words came from Kinro. His smirk stretched wider. If Senku had arrived at his final conclusion, then there truly wasn't any need to hold back any longer. Allowing his eyes to roam from her the woman walking beside him he settled them onto the comb nestled in her hair which captured the dim rays of the afternoon light.
"Perhaps then, there would be someone else better suited to speak with you about this. If Senku was the one talking with Kinro, he may be able to provide a little more insight about what he's making of this whole debacle."
Tachi hummed, pursing her lips together and biting down hard on the back. She didn't really want to go to Senku to ask about what he and Kinro had talked about. It wasn't fair to put the scientist in such a position. Kinro had likely spoken to him in confidence, and to ask Senku to divulge what had been uttered between them seemed sneaky and dishonest.
"Or....you could just talk to Kinro directly about things of course."
She released her lips, swallowing thickly at the notion.
She would find Senku when she returned to the village.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thoughts from Phantom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh but Phantom it's such a short chapter..."
Phantom crossed their arms and nodded in affirmation.
"I know, but we're on approach to something pinnacle. It needs to be cut off here, or the next chapter have less of an impact."
The reader pouted, brow sharp and curious eyes glimmering with an agitated sheen.
"Couldn't you just have made the next chapter alot longer?"
Phantom paused, uncrossing their arms and pressing their forefinger to their chin in apparent thought, eyes drifting to gaze upwards.
"Hmmm...I could have, but then you would have been waiting longer I suppose."
They shared a moment of silence, reader shifting on sport while Phantom dropped their gaze. Their eyes met and although no further words were exchanged, each felt that the other understood.
A shorter chapter wasn't the best choice, it was the only choice.