Naivety

*Kiyoko Sasaki's POV*

//June 14/2040//Thursday//

Ichi left the room, and all of us felt relieved when he was gone. It became a habit for all of us to be tense when Ichi was around and felt at ease when he left us or when he was not around.

"It's already lunchtime everybody! Just like what I promised, I will be cooking lunch for all of you!" Megumin said.

"Oh! Megumin is cooking for us?" Ichika asked.

"Yeah! Did you know, we saw Megumin earlier in the kitchen cryi-."

*SMACK*

I punched Raku in the stomach to interrupt what he was about to say. Didn't he even think what Megumin would feel if he told Ichika that she cried earlier? Sigh… Sometimes you can rely on Raku in keeping those kinds of things a secret, but there are also times that Raku looks like he has a few screws loose.

"Hmm? What are you going to say, Raku?" Ichika asked.

Raku looked at me, and I glared back at him. If this man tries to tell Ichika what happened to Megumin earlier, I will seriously beat the crap out of him.

"N-Nothing! Don't mind about it hehehe…"

Megumin looked at me and smiled. She may be thanking me for stopping Raku by telling me that she cried earlier.

"But first of all, why is Machida here with all of us? I thought that you liked working alone."

Ichika glared at Kei, and he just gave her his cold gaze as usual. I told Kanade, and Asahi earlier, the reason why Kei is here. They seemed to understand the plan that the two of us had in mind, and had accepted the presence of Kei with us.

To prevent an argument between them, I explained to Ichika, and also to Megumin why Kei is with us, and why he is willing to cooperate with everyone.

"If Sasaki agrees with this, Then I am in!" Megumin said.

"As long as this plan of yours works then it is fine with me, but don't you think that I trust you, Machida." Ichika said.

I am glad that the two of them agreed with the plan that we had in mind. Now that means that the five of them are on board with the plan. That means only Hyakuzawa is the only one who doesn't know about this, but how can we even approach him if he is hostile towards us, especially to me, and Kei?

"Kei, huh? It looks like you two have been calling each other by your first name even if you just met yesterday." Ichika said.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Ichika. I don't mind if people call me by my first or last name."

Sigh… The first time they heard about how me and Kei are calling each other by our first name gave them an impression that there is something intimate between us.

Seriously, what is it with these people?

"Hmph! Whatever." Ichika said.

"Well then, I'm off to cook for our lunch. Hmm… This might take a while so you might want to do the things you want in the meantime, and I will message everyone if lunch is ready. Machida, can I get your contact number?"

"Oh yeah, we don't have your contact number yet, Machida. Can you also give it to me?" Raku asked.

"Sigh… Just contact me if you have anything useful to say."

Kei gave them his contact number, and It looks like he was vexed about it. I can tell that he is asking himself why they need his contact number if I am here that they can talk to.

But he just kept silent about it to prevent another argument between him, and them.

"Oi Asahi, how long are you going to be quiet?"

Ichika approached Asahi, and the atmosphere became awkward once again. After their conversation earlier when Ichi was around, we do not know what to do with the situation between them. Asahi looked at Ichika with irritation after she questioned him.

"Shut up. I thought you don't want me to care about you?"

This is what I am talking about. The way Ichika told Asahi that his concern was not needed was kind of rude. After that, it looks like Asahi was anxious around Ichika because of what she told him earlier.

"What are you talking about? Are you still bothered about the things I told you earlier? Sigh… It's time for you to teach me about Cinematography today."

Asahi looked at Ichika and smiled at her. From the things Ichika told Asahi, there are two things that I had in mind from how I understood it. First, Ichika was insensitive about Asahi's concern for her, and she really doesn't care about it. Second, I felt like Ichika wanted to tell Asahi that he doesn't need to worry about her since she can handle the situation well, and it looks like Asahi interpreted the second one I had in mind to what Ichika said.

"Let's go." Asahi said.

From these two I realized something. If you are not strong enough to handle Ichika's attitude, then there is no way you can understand or befriend someone like her.

I give my respect to Asahi for how he can handle someone like Ichika. The two of them left to go inside the library.

"Big Sister, Raku, can the two of you help me with an experiment that I want to try out?"

Kanade asked both Raku, and I about an experiment she wanted to try out but she didn't ask Kei to go with her. Maybe she was not comfortable talking with Kei yet? Besides, it seems like nobody wants to befriend Kei because of the way he acted yesterday towards us.

"Gladly! I'll help you with that experiment of yours, Kanade! Sasaki, you will tag along with us right?" Raku asked.

Sigh… Now I am in a tight spot. If I decide to go with Kanade and Raku, Kei will be left alone. But if I decided to stay with Kei, those minds of theirs might give them some other thoughts between the two of us.

"You two go on ahead. I'll stay here with Kei."

I don't mind anymore what they think about the two of us. Besides, the relationship between me, and Kei only exists just to solve the mysteries in this place.

"Ok then, Big Sister. I'll see you later!"

"Bye, Sasaki! Kei doesn't do anything lewd to Sasaki, okay?"

See, just like what I thought. Raku is a perfect example of thinking about other things between two people who are together.

Kei ignored what Raku told him, and the two of them left, leaving only the two of us together inside this cafeteria.

"These people are quite annoying to be with." Kei said.

"That is just how they are. Remember, you promised me that you will get along with them."

"Right, right…"

"Kei… Did you, and Ichi talk about something earlier while we were inside the kitchen?"

I still can't get it out of my head how the two of them were together when we left the kitchen. It seems like they talked about something that only the two of them know about.

I observed Kei earlier, and I know from his eyes alone that Ichi just came in, and asked us about our whereabouts. But I am still making sure if there is something more than that.

"Nothing. He just asked me where all of you were."

From what he said, I can tell that he is not lying. I guess I need to trust Kei from what he said.

"This makes me happy, Kei."

"What are you happy about, Kiyoko?"

"I mean look at all of us. First, Raku, Kanade, and Asahi agreed immediately on the plan that we had. Second, Megumin vented out all of the things she has been carrying out since the first day we got here, and it looks like she can now trust us more. It also looks like Ichika really is a strong person. After what happened yesterday, she got over it quickly, and it looks like she is willing to find a better way of getting out of this place."

"Oh… Is that so?" Kei asked.

"Yeah, I know that Hyakuzawa is still someone that we need to reach out to. But to think that the five of them are handling our situation in a mature way, it really amazes me-."

"Kiyoko… You are so naive."

******** TO BE CONTINUED ********