Chapter 75

As Yukina was sitting in the living room, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Ding* Dong*

Yukina faced towards the hallway leading to the door, "Gaby is here already?"

She quickly stood up from the sofa and made her way towards the door.

Ding* Dong* Ding* Dong* Ding* Dong*

As Yukina was about to get to the door, the doorbell was spammed.

"It's definitely Gaby..."

She held the doorknob and slowly opened the door, "how did you get here so fast..." Fully opening the door, Yukina was stunned silent with shock by the people in front of her,"

"E... Erina?"

"Yukina... right?"

Gabriela tilted her head, "you two know each other?"

Yukina nodded, "well, sort of..."

Yukina looked to her left, "umm, and you are?"

"I'm Layla, Erina's friend and someone Yuji knows,"

Yukina looked closely at Layla, "hmm..."

"Is something wrong?" Layla said, feeling nervous as Yukina stared at her.

"Why do you seem... Familiar,"

"Hm?"

"Have we met somewhere before?"

"That's..."

"Gaah!" Gabriela shouted, "Yukina are you not going to let us inside or what!?"

"Ah! Sorry!" Yukina bowed, "here, come in, sorry for holding you out,"

As Yukina made a way for them, Gabriela quickly dashed inside, "I bet you were buying time! What is that guy up to!?" And so, she ran inside.

"Hey, Yukina..." Erina said.

"Yes?"

"This is... Yuji's condo, right?"

Yukina nodded, "yeah why?"

Erina looked a bit worried as Layla felt concerned, "do the two of you always do this? In the morning?"

Yukina notices the situation, "ah! I'll explain everything later, just come in for now," she then let them in.

After going inside, Layla and Erina looked around the area, as they were following Yukina to the living room.

After arriving, Yukina gave them a seat on the sofa.

Looking dumbfounded, Layla looked around, "compared to our apartment, this is..."

Erina observed the area, looking nervous, "y... yeah, this place is bigger," "Yuji lives here?" She thought.

"Just sit there for a sec," Yukina said, walking towards the kitchen, "Yuji! We got visitors!" She shouted, feeling excited.

After a short moment, Gabriela walked out with a hot pot of noodles in hand, "we got chicken noodles!" She shouted enthusiastically, bringing the dish to the kitchen table, separate from the kitchen.

After a short moment, Yuji went outside of the kitchen, "sorry it took a while, you said something about guests?"

"Oh! It's Yuji..." As Layla was about to finish her sentence, she noticed Erina already running towards him from the corner of her eye.

"Eh?" Not being able to say a word, as if in slow motion, Yukina's eyes followed Erina.

Yuji stood still, being shocked as the woman in front of him quickly approaches him.

Thud*

Erina quickly stopped and placed her head into his chest.

"E... Erina?" Yuji said in a surprised tone.

Erina nodded, as tears fell from her cheeks, "it's me!" She raised her head locking eyes with Yuji, "it's... Really you..." She smiled brightly, "I'm so glad you're ok!"

Once again burying her head into his chest, Yuji patted her head gently, "I'm glad to see you're ok too," Yuji smiled, hugging Erina.

And so, Erina cried.

Everyone stayed silent, watching the two of them reunited.

"She's fast," Gabriela thought, walking beside Yuji, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm just going to say it's bad to leave the food hanging, so don't take too long,"

"Gaby!?" Yukina dashed towards them, grabbing Gabriela by the shoulders, "s... sorry, you two! Take your time, we'll be waiting..."

"No, it's fine," Erina said, interrupting Yukina, "it's bad to leave food on the table for too long," She raised her head and smiled brightly.

"Erina..." Layla felt joy, seeing Erina smile genuinely bright in front of her.

Erina let go of Yuji, "sorry, about that, come on! You have so much to tell me, right?"

"Yeah," Yuji smiled as he nodded.

And so, they all sat at the table.

With Yukina and Yuji sitting next to each other, across them were Layla and Erina, and on the middle-end of the table was Gabriela.

After giving their thanks for the food, they began eating.

"So, we're going to tell the story on what happened back in City D until how we got here, is everyone ok with that?"

Erina tilted her head, "does everyone else know already?"

Layla and Gabriela nodded.

"I see, continue then,"

"First of all, I'll properly introduce you," Yuji pointed at Yukina, "this girl here, is one of the biggest reasons why I'm here,"

"My name is Yukina Reiz," she bowed.

"And the only one Yukina doesn't know here is..."

"Me, right?" Layla said.

"Yeah. Yukina that's Layla, Elizabeth's sister,"

"Twin sister,"

Yukina's eyes enlarged upon realization, "I see! That's why..."

"You felt as if I was familiar looking right?"

"Yeah... About your sister, I'm sorry..."

"It's ok," Layla interrupted, "let's not talk about that now, I've already faced this more than once already,"

Yukina nodded.

"Now then Yuji, tell the story,"

Yuji and Yukina nodded locking eyes with each other.

And so, they told the story, still hiding the fact about Yuji's immunity and the face-off against Alicia.

"I see," Erina said, holding her head, "that's really a lot to take in... Nevertheless, I'm glad you pulled through,"

"Thanks, I'm glad I didn't die myself,"

"So anyway, don't think of this as anything but, what is the class of your ability?"

"His ability is on the lower A class, and the current ability is labeled as strengthening," Yukina answered.

Yuji nodded, "lucky for me, Chi hid the fact of Alicia's ability, so it still remained as strengthening," he thought.

Gabriela nodded, "I see, strengthening huh, so your ability could still have potential to have a higher class,"

"Eh?" All of them reacted in confusion.

"If the ability name was more specific then this possibility would be ruled out, but the name for Yuji's ability was just strengthening, which could mean they couldn't Identify the reason for Yuji's physical boost,"

"Is that how it works?" Layla said.

"But what about body strengthening? I've seen more than one people get that as an ability,"

"It's called body strengthening, yes? It's because they all have the same source of their power or something similar, that's why the body strengthening name is quite common within people with abilities,"

"She may not act like it... But I forget that she's one of the tops in this city," Yuji thought.

"Hm? Aren't you happy?" Gabriela said, "why the tense face? You have the chance to be far stronger, you know?"

"Well... It's just I'm not sure how to react to that, if I find myself activating some sort of ability then I'd be excited, yet worried" Yuji replied.

"I see... I guess I can understand,"

"Speaking of abilities... The rank test is just around the corner isn't it?" Layla mentioned.

"Ah! Your right," Gabriela said, "I expect great things from all of you!"

"Aren't you competing?" Erina asked.

"Hehe, apparently I'm not allowed to, since the winning favor would be all on me,"

"She says that so casually, yet she's not joking... She must be really powerful," Erina thought.

"I'm sorry..." Yukina whispered.

"Hm?" Yuji tilted his head, "did you say something?"

Yukina slammed her hand on the table, "I'm sorry! I forgot to apply you to the rank test!"

"What!?"

Gabriela let out a sigh, "I told you something like this could happen,"

"There's still time! After we all eat our breakfast here..." Yukina looked straight at Yuji, "Yuji we're going straight to the school,"

"Umm, I can't miss this out?"

"Yuji you can't," Erina said, "the rank test will also serve as our entrance exam, not just to get our ranks,"

"I... I see,"

"Come on, let's all go together so you can all see the school," Yukina said.

"But before that, we need to finish breakfast first, so calm down," Gabriela said.

"Gaby... Haven't you eaten enough?"

"The food is delicious ok!? I'm not holding back!"

Layla nodded, "it's true... Me and Erina already ate breakfast but..."

"We only ate bread earlier, but this breakfast just makes me want to eat more," Erina continued

"I'll have to admit, Yukina is an awesome cook," Yuji said.

And so, they all continued to eat.

"I... I see," feeling flustered, Yukina calmed down in her seat, "then eat as much as you like!"