A week and a couple of days have passed since Mikado was rescued from the tragedy. Life onboard the airship was still difficult for a child like him—not to mention the mental state he's in. A normal child would have been affected severely by trauma and depression whilst being in a vegetative state where their eyes forget to blink, their mouths refuse to open, and their body movements are restricted.
Mikado was in-fact—not a normal child. For he has secrets which he must never reveal.
It was early to mid-morning by the time Mikado awoke, when the sun was high enough to provide warmth but low enough to stay dim. It was a peaceful start to the day for the 3rd fleet, cruising at roughly 3,500 feet above sea level. No waking up to alarms, no chaos, no fighting.
Mikado's eyes gradually opened, the ceiling a blur. He slowly brought his hands to his face to rub his eyes, carefully sitting up. Most of his wounds haven't healed, and he was stuck in bed again with medical tubes pumping fluids into his arms. At his left, he glanced down at Yoriko, who rested her head near his armrest, fast asleep. He stared for a moment, not blinking nor doing anything to look aside.
Without realising it, he began studying her features. The tiny mole under her right eye, her soft lips, the single strand of hair hovering above her nose, the slight rise of her back as she breathed, her scent—he studied all of it. In the heat of the moment, a certain word flashed in his mind.
"Beautiful…"
That was the first time that word ever appeared in his thoughts when he looked at a girl… It was an unusual feeling. He has looked at many different women in his life, but not a single time has he thought of them as beautiful until now… Who was this girl?
Mikado realised that he wasn't thinking straight, so he shook his head to get rid of the thoughts, but now, Yoriko's face is etched into his mind.
The bed creaked as Yoriko began to wake. Mikado flinched slightly at the sudden movement. She lifted her head and made eye contact with him. She stared for a moment before proceeding to rub her eyes. "Morning…" she mumbled, her voice laced with a hint of fatigue. "Did you get good sleep…?"
"I should be asking you that." Mikado replied, stretching his stiff arms.
Yoriko straightened her posture. "Don't worry about me." She muttered, still rubbing her eyes. "Just making sure you're okay…" Her voice was soft and ethereal, like a goddess.
Mikado felt a strange sensation in his stomach, like his organs were rearranging themselves. That's strange… he thought to himself. It was in fact weird for a boy like him to feel something like that. It never happened to him.
Pause.
Yoriko broke the silence. "Hey, you're staring…" She stated, expression remaining neutral.
Mikado snapped back to reality. "W-wait, I was? Sorry about that." He averted his gaze in embarrassment, not realising that he was, in fact, staring into her soul.
Yoriko casually leaned back on her chair. "I don't mind you looking at me. It makes me feel observed, y'know?" Her face remained neutral, but her tone betrayed a hint of playfulness behind those words.
Mikado turned his head back to face her, looking quite puzzled at the statement.
"Well, its time I get going now." She stood up and did a little stretch before heading towards the door. She paused halfway under the doorstep before glancing back at Mikado—and in a teasing voice, said, "Bye bye, Miki-chan." She let out a small smirk before vanishing into the hall.
Mikado sat in disbelief, jaw left hanging wide open. Of course, being the idiot he is, interpreted it as an insult.
He grits his teeth in frustration, believing the delusion that he made up. In an ego-stricken tone, he muttered, "I can't believe that she thinks she can insult me so casually…"
Fast forwarding a few hours or so, Gan, Tenma and a blonde-haired man who we will call 'Seismo' are sitting beside him, listening to the story he told about what happened earlier.
Gan let out a sigh as he face-palmed himself, his cannon clanging against the chair—causing Mikado to flinch slightly. "Clearly, she hates you little man!" Gan yelled out, his voice slowing down deeply for some reason.
Tenma screamed at him. "Stop doing that stupid voice-slowing Gan! That's not godlike of you!" He grabbed Gan by his metal collar. "And she was clearly challenging him to a duel! I bet your stupid oil-brain couldn't figure that out!"
Seismo, sitting next to them—just stared in disbelief at the two idiots arguing with each other, despite both being blatantly wrong. "What are you guys?! Stupid idiots?! She was clearly showing that she had some type of interest in the little boy!"
Mikado, Gan and Tenma focused their attention on Seismo, giving him unconvinced stares.
Seismo grew more puzzled. "What?! I'm not wrong!"
"No, no, clearly, you're wrong banana boy." Gan replied, picking his nose while remaining unfazed. "I've talked to many girls and when they speak like that, it's pure hatred."
Mikado's face transformed into shock and dejection. "S-she hates me…?"
Seismo nearly fell off his chair, baffled. "No, no, no! She does not, she—"
"You got it wrong again, Gan." Tenma shot back. "If I was wrong about the duel, then clearly, she just hates him!"
Gan and Tenma made eye contact with a brief silence following. Then they dapped each other up, screaming in unison. "SO, WE'VE COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION!!! WE REALLY ARE BROTHERS FOR REAL!!!"
The two laughed like maniacs.
Mikado looked astonished. Seismo covered his face in embarrassment. I can't believe I was working with extremely stupid people… he thought to himself.
As the arguing grew louder, Mikado instinctively covered his ears as sweat began to beat down from his face.
Seismo, noticing this, yelled at the two to shut up, telling them that it's affecting the young boy.
The room goes quiet. So quiet that you can hear the soft hum of the engines outside—and the wind blowing against the windows.
"Trauma is still fresh isn't it?" Seismo spoke softly. "Sorry if we're being too loud, I can kick these guys out if you'd like."
"We're not going anywhere!" Gan whispered in an angry tone, feeling offended.
"You think you can just kick a deity like me out? I can get you executed for that!" Tenma added, sounding like a delusional maniac.
"Do you… think she hates me…?" Mikado mumbled, feeling embarrassed that he asked such a question.
Seismo paused, then let out a chuckle. "No, she doesn't, you just don't understand it yet. In fact, I think she has an interest in you."
"Interest? As in wanting a toy?" Mikado questioned.
Seismo gave a blank stare. Gan and Tenma struggled to hold their laugh from behind.
"No, no, no, not like that! As in a friend, she might be interested in being friends with you." Seismo replied, a bead of sweat running down his cheek.
Mikado thought for a moment before responding. "If she becomes my friend, can you guarantee that she won't explode?" Mikado asked, his tone covered in innocence.
The room was filled with heavy silence.
Gan and Tenma couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Seismo just facepalmed.
Gan and Tenma collapsed into their chairs, howling with laughter, pounding the table like maniacs.
"I'M DONE—" Gan wheezed, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. "THIS KID THINKS HIS FRIENDS WILL EXPLODE LIKE BEFORE—"
Tenma slammed the table. "HE'S NOT WRONG THOUGH— I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN—"
"OUT!" Seismo snapped.
The sudden sharpness in his voice cut through the laughter instantly. Gan and Tenma froze.
"Both of you. Out. Now."
"But—" Gan began.
"NOW."
The two exchanged a look. Then, in perfect sync, they stood up.
"We're leaving," Tenma said dramatically. "But this conversation will be remembered in legend."
Gan pointed at Mikado. "If she explodes, I called it."
The door slid shut behind them, leaving the room quiet once more.
Too quiet.
Mikado's shoulders slowly relaxed, though his hands still clenched the fabric of his blanket. Seismo exhaled and leaned back in his chair.
"…Sorry about them," he muttered. "They mean well. In their own… deeply concerning way."
Mikado nodded faintly, eyes lowered.
Seismo studied him for a moment before speaking again. "You don't see people as threats because you're stupid," he said calmly. "You do it because you've learned that things disappear without warning."
Mikado didn't respond.
"That's not something you unlearn overnight," Seismo continued. "And Yoriko knows that."
At the mention of her name, Mikado's fingers twitched.
Seismo stood up. "She's not dangerous," he said, walking toward the door. "She's patient. And for someone like you—patience matters."
Before Mikado could respond, the door slid open again.
Yoriko stood there.
She blinked once, glancing around the room. "Where'd the idiots go?"
"Banished," Seismo replied instantly. "For the safety of humanity."
Yoriko nodded approvingly. "Good." Her eyes shifted to Mikado.
They held there.
The room felt… different now. Smaller. Warmer. Mikado didn't know why his chest felt tight again.
Seismo cleared his throat. "I'll leave you two alone." He paused, then added, "Try not to explode."
Yoriko stared at him.
"…Get out."
The door shut.
Silence.
Yoriko stepped closer, pulling a chair and sitting in front of Mikado—not towering over him, not looming. Just… there.
"You heard them, didn't you?" she asked gently.
Mikado hesitated. "…Yeah."
She tilted her head slightly. "You don't understand people very well."
"…No."
"You don't understand yourself either."
That hit harder than anything Gan or Tenma said.
Yoriko rested her elbows on her knees, her gaze steady, unwavering—but not cold.
"That's okay," she said softly.
Mikado looked up at her.
And then she said it.
Not teasing.
Not playful.
Not loud.
Just honest.
"Let me teach you everything."
Mikado's heart felt like stopped for a split second.
The silence lingered.
Mikado stared at Yoriko, unsure what to say—if he was even allowed to say anything after that.
Before he could respond—
The door slid open again.
No knock.
No warning.
"Hey."
The voice was flat. Lazy. Almost bored.
Yoriko turned her head.
Standing in the doorway was a boy about her age—maybe a little taller. Messy pale hair. Half-lidded eyes. Hands stuffed into his pockets like he'd just wandered in by accident. He wore a standard fleet uniform jacket, sleeves rolled up, like rules were more of a suggestion to him.
This was Maximillius Seishiro.
Behind him—
Three other kids peeked in.
One leaned in too far and nearly fell.
One waved enthusiastically.
One stared at Mikado like he was witnessing a legendary artefact.
"…You're in the wrong room," Yoriko said calmly.
Maxi blinked once.
"Mm. Nah," he replied. "Pretty sure this is the one."
His eyes drifted to Mikado. Took in the tubes. The bandages. The pale skin.
"…Oh," he added. "He's smaller than I thought."
The three behind him immediately erupted.
"WOAH—HE'S THE SURVIVOR KID—"
"THE ONE FROM ERODUS??"
"DUDE! HE'S REAL—"
"Shh," Maxi muttered, lifting a finger without looking back. "You're loud."
They froze instantly.
Yoriko narrowed her eyes. "Who let you in?"
Maxi shrugged. "No one stopped us."
That… was unfortunately believable.
He walked in casually and leaned against the wall, completely unfazed by the medical equipment, the tension, or the fact that Mikado was staring at him like a startled animal.
"You're Mikado, right?" Maxi asked.
Mikado hesitated, then nodded slowly.
"…Yeah. Mikado Martinez."
"Cool."
Pause.
"…I'm Maximillius. Maximillius Seishiro. I'd prefer if you called me 'Maxi'. Anyways thre people behind me are Kokuine, Monboro and Mikami."
One of the kids behind him leaned forward dramatically. "HE SAID HIS NAME—WRITE THAT DOWN—"
"Don't," Maxi said flatly.
The kid zipped his mouth shut.
Yoriko sighed. "Why are you here?"
Maxi tilted his head slightly, thinking. "…Bored."
Then he glanced at Mikado again.
"And I heard you think friends explode."
The three lost it.
"WHAT—"
"THAT'S REAL THOUGH—"
"I—"
Mikado's grip tightened on the blanket. "…I didn't say that."
Maxi hummed. "Didn't deny it either."
He pushed off the wall and stepped closer—slow, unthreatening—stopping a safe distance from the bed.
"You don't have to worry," he said plainly. "We don't explode."
Beat.
"…Usually."
The Trio burst out laughing again.
Yoriko shot them a look. "Shut up."
They instantly straightened.
"Yes ma'am."
Maxi glanced at Yoriko. "You teaching him?"
She nodded.
"Everything."
Maxi thought about that. Then shrugged.
"Sounds hard," he said. "Good luck."
He turned to leave.
Then paused.
"Oh," he added, looking back at Mikado. "If you want… you can hang with us later. When you're not full of tubes."
Mikado blinked. "…Really?"
Maxi nodded once.
"Yeah. You seem… interesting."
The trio gasped like he'd just proposed marriage.
"HE CALLED HIM INTERESTING—"
"THAT NEVER HAPPENS—"
"HISTORY—"
Maxi walked out, already bored of the moment, the other three trailing behind while glancing back at Mikado.
The door slid shut.
Silence returned—but this time, it wasn't heavy.
Mikado slowly relaxed against the pillows.
"…They're weird," he muttered.
Yoriko smiled.
"Yeah," she said softly. "But they don't explode."
Mikado let out a small, shaky laugh.
And for the first time—
The future didn't feel quite as terrifying.