With everyone on the same page, Tsurigane Saryou wasted no time and laid out her plan. "The sooner, the better. We move tomorrow morning! First, I'll steal a phone that can connect to the outside world, so we can contact Kobayashi when the time comes."
She reached under her bed and pulled out a pile of equipment, homemade ninja tools crafted from whatever materials she could scrounge in her free time.
"But the main part of the escape has to rely on ourselves," the ninja girl said. "Once I have the phone, I'll take out the researchers planning to kill Toumi, stir up conflict among them, and even get the guards involved in the internal chaos. That's when you all make your move and escape."
"That simple?" Shirakinu exclaimed.
"The simpler the plan, the less can go wrong," Saryou replied. "Play it by ear. Otokawa, your ability is the strongest—take care of any enemies you encounter."
"Wahaha, leave it to me~" Otokawa Raifu laughed, drifting along lazily. "But… when does the hero come into play?"
"Call him thirty minutes before the operation," Saryou said. "If all goes well, we'll meet him outside the institute during our escape."
Like Shokuhou Misaki, Kobayashi was just a backup in Saryou's plan—someone to rely on in case things went wrong. After all, they weren't completely desperate yet, and there was no need to pin all their hopes on a stranger.
After finalizing the escape plan, the four girls went to bed early, conserving energy for the next day.
Early the next morning, Torahachi Toumi stretched and padded out of her room. Having grown accustomed to life at Yomikawa Aiho's place, she was completely at ease, her expression relaxed.
Her long, golden hair was a tangled mess at the back due to her sleeping position. She wore only a men's T-shirt that hung down to her thighs, with a loose neckline slipping off her left shoulder, exposing it almost entirely.
Unaware of herself, she sleepily made her way toward the bathroom.
"Good morning," Kobayashi greeted from the kitchen, stepping out briefly.
"Morning~~" Torahachi mumbled, slowly coming to full wakefulness. She blinked at him and then glanced around the kitchen and living room. "Where's Yomikawa-sensei?"
"She had an early shift today. She's already gone," Kobayashi said. "Hurry and wash up, change, and come eat breakfast."
"Oh." Torahachi nodded and headed to the bathroom.
Thanks to the early morning's low-pressure calm, she alone of the household behaved like a completely ordinary girl at this hour.
She seemed pleased with her current attire, too, opting not to change out of her "sleepwear" after washing up. She sat at the table, looking energized.
"Doesn't matter, I'm not going anywhere today, so I can wear whatever I want at home," Torahachi said casually.
Kobayashi nodded, choosing not to fuss over her clothing.
"So, I'm heading out on missions alone again today?" he asked, checking his emails while eating breakfast.
"You really don't get bored, do you?" Torahachi remarked. "I don't know how you keep it up."
"I don't like quitting halfway."
The leisurely breakfast passed without any interruption from phone calls, much to Torahachi's relief. After all, she had developed a near-allergic reaction to the ringtone every time she heard it, and she felt an urge to stab the phone with her blade!
After finishing her portion, Torahachi didn't clear her dishes into the dishwasher as usual. Instead, she sat cross-legged, watching the boy opposite her.
"Nana-Kun."
"What is it?" Kobayashi looked up.
"Are you aware that you're now living with girls?" Torahachi asked abruptly.
Today, she had decided not to change out of her sleepwear, purely for comfort, but now that decision made her feel a bit self-conscious.
Back when she lived at her own home with Sakurai-sensei, she liked dressing casually like this. But ever since moving into this apartment, Yomikawa had always reminded her to change when she stepped out.
Kobayashi's reminder this morning was purely procedural,l mimicking Yomikawa-sensei's habitual actions.
The reason she cared so much about her attire was simple: there was now a boy in the house roughly her age.
Yet upon reflection, Torahachi realized that Kobayashi had never once commented on her clothing.
Even seeing her like this, completely unguarded,d his expression remained calm.
That's why she asked.
Perhaps, she mused, he's just used to communal living at the orphanage and the institute, so he's slow to react?
"I'm always mindful," Kobayashi said, glancing down at his own attire.
At that moment, Torahachi realized that he always presented himself neatly, no matter the situation, with an impeccable appearance.
So that's what he meant by being mindful. She couldn't help but think to herself.
Kobayashi, unaware he had done anything wrong, slowly understood the real intent behind her question.
His experience taught him that it's often easier to control oneself than to try to control others.
Plus, living as a guest in Yomikawa-sensei's house, he couldn't expect the host to accommodate his whims.
With Torahachi moving in as well, the house's male-to-female ratio became one to two—majority rules. He'd need to restrain himself more than anyone.
As for the girl in front of him… she was still a child. No special concern was needed.
"By the way!" Torahachi suddenly jumped down from her chair and came around the table to him. "Nana-Kun, you didn't change clothes, did you?"
With her thick casts covering his limbs, changing or dressing would be tricky.
"When was the last time you showered?" she asked, leaning in and sniffing.
Kobayashi rolled his eyes, using a telekinetic barrier to gently push her back. "What are you thinking? Of course, I shower properly."
"But I've never seen it!"
"That's impossible! I always use the bathroom last, after you've all gone back to your rooms."
(End of Chapter)