Reiko POV

"hah, one two three four... twenntyyyy, wentttyyy ooonnneee..."(Reiko)

Boomp

I fell straight onto my face, dirt and dust covering my face. With heavy breaths turning to mist, I wiped off my sweat. Readying in a running stance, I bolted, running as fast I can.

Gently brushing my cheeks like a mother to a child, arms and legs jittering from the chill of the atmosphere. My legs tensed as my heart beat at speed of sound. It came to a point where my run was reduced to a mere jog. Stiff and shaky, unstable and hard to move. It came to a point where I could no longer run.

Eyes were closed and without noticing in the branch nearby, I tripped.

Bloop

Ground 2 Reiko 0

I supported myself with my stick like arms, gasping for air, mouth open life fish.

"That was amazing Reiko!"(Cheryl)

"th- th- thank youuu"(Reiko)

Early in the morning before the sun was even out, I was out busting my butt. It's about three days since I challenge Mr. Umesou. It's been hectic ever since then, there was a suffocating aura in the air whenever I see him. I haven't heard any news from Moume also.

I can feel my heart beat whenever I think about it. From talking, or eating and even sleeping, whenever I am around him, I feel like I am about to be assassinated. It became so bad I began sleeping outside...

Well that doesn't matter, what does matter us my progress! It's only been three days and I can do about twenty one push ups! I can also run for a longer time! 

Hehe~

Maybe my species is really strong. I might even be able to win! 

...

That's a lie.

Even with all the training I can do, I can't win. The only way I have a chance of victory is with a plan, but even so, I doubt my chances of winning is high. 

If everything goes south, I can always resort to running away, undetected, but I don't think that's possible. Looking around and observing things closely, it's very heavily guarded, and too dangerous to escape alone. There are guards patrolling the edges of village and even the more wild and forested areas, there are still a lot guards.

But not only that, I could hear bushes rustle and branches sway and very rarely I see people cloaked in green zoom past.

That means I only have one choice. I mean, I could always choose to settle here, or wait a couple years to train and set up... wait why didn't I do that... NO! I can't wait that long, yeah, what if by the time I leave Kana is already all grown up with a husband and children and and, or or dead! You can't trust anyone nowadays!

...

I shouldn't be the one talking...

Uwahh... I hope she's at least eating well...

I stretched my arms high in the air, relaxing onto a bunch of leaves I gathered into a bed. 

It's not as good as a bed but still better than a chair! A yawn escaped my mouth as I got comfortable. Second day of sleeping outside and can't say it's all too bad, especially with the nice cold breeze and the gross bugs and the weird smell and... mosquitos... Oh God I made a mistake.

B- but that's all right! It will all be over, it will all be over and it will be smooth sailing after all this... hah hah... that's not going to happen.

Welp, might as well get some sleep.

"goodnight Cheryl."(Reiko)

"Goodnight Reiko~"(Cheryl)

---------

Squeeekk...

The door creaked open. The walls were a slight yellowish white, a rhythmic beeping sound. Quietly walking on the hard flooring, with a little gift behind my back. Looking straight towards, I saw her, my little baby sister.

"Hello~"(Reiko)

"mhh? Brother?"(Kana)

"That is me~"(Reiko)

With a smile on my face I walked up to her. Having the same deadpan look on her face. Her short bob cut and squishy cheeks lit up my world. Jubilant grin on my face, I cheerfully said

"Guess what day it is?"(Reiko)

"Uhm, a Thursday."(Kana)

"Yes but, not what I was looking for. Happy Birthday Kana!"(Reiko)

Kana's eyes popped open, mouth wide open making a giant '0'. She giddily reached her arms out, her hand opening and closing many, many times.

"GIMME GIMME GIMME!"(Kana)

For her to look so happy, it truly is a miracle. Thank you Mr. Misaki for letting me leave work early, I am eternally grateful. Taking the little bag from behind I handed to Kana. 

She greedily snatched it from my hands, excitedly taking the thing from inside. Her eyes were glowing like a starry night sky looking at the rabbit dog thing plushy. She hugged it tightly, nearly to the point where it exploded!

Mah heart, it's melting!

Yeah, it's days like these that reminds why I have to keep going, why I have to-

"WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"(???)

What's that? Huh? 

------

"Hmm?"(Reiko)

I woke up with a splitting headache. My hair was messy and tangled with twigs and leaves. Kamoume, standing next to me, was shaking me up, shouting out loudly. 

Sluggishly I got up, shielding my eyes from the bright rays of the sun. Kamoume was staring at me refreshed and energetic. 

"Reiko, momma is calling you, come one let's go!"(Kamoume)

It must be, my chance of leaving unscathed. I nodded, drowsiness being completely washed away. As Kamoume ran, I followed behind.

...

Only a few minutes went by, we had reached Kamoume's home. I took a deep breath in, looking at the trap door. My hands were sweaty and shaky. I swallowed my saliva, feeling a heavy weight on my shoulders. What felt like hours were mere a seconds.

I grabbed the door handle, and yanked it open.

Entering the burrow and descending down the levels, I was greeted by Moume, she was not in a good state. She was sitting down on a chair, her hand supporting her head. Her face resembled that of someone who had just made huge mistake. A tint of worry shining in her eyes. 

Approaching her slowly I raised my arms and tapped her on the shoulders, catching her attention.

"reiko, I- I am sorry..."(Moume)

That's all she mustered.

I blankly gazed at her, frozen.

"I-"(Reiko)

"it's okay to be angry, it was my own carelessness that brought you here and-"(Moume)

"When is the date?"(Reiko)

I firmly said with a serious expression. Moume was agape in confusion. I should be worried, anxious to death, but I wasn't. Maybe it was because I was suspecting it from the beginning but, at the moment, there was no other feeling, but the feeling that I had to do this, pure resolution.

"I-, it's exactly a week from now, your opponent is a man named Moushi, an ex-soldier."(Moume)

A week, only a week. 

"Alright."(Reiko)

-------

It was a cold dark knight. Sitting alone in a stump, with my thoughts and emotions, well I was not quite alone. Thinking about the uncertain future, I worry. An ex-soldier, really? They're expecting a little kid to beat an ex-soldier, I guess this is what I get for challenging Mr. Umesou in the first place.

"Doing alright? You were very brave there, you looked cool listening to all what Moume said!"(Cheryl)

"not really, I wasn't really-"(Reiko)

"Fearless right? I understand, going up against-"(Cheryl)

"no, it's not that... not at all, it was strange, I wasn't scared at all when I heard the news or surprised, maybe I thought it was going to happen subconsciously."(Reiko)

Cheryl smiled at me, sorrowful eyes alongside it. But, seriously, I wish things would've gone better than it did. It's too late to complain about it all. 

"or just stubbornness"(Reiko)

I was truly feeling unsure, it feels like I don't have a choice even though I do.

"Say, Reiko, what do you like to do?"(Cheryl)

"huh? Oh, I don't really have a hobby or anything."(Reiko)

"R- REALLY!?"(Cheryl)

"yeah..."(Reiko)

"Oh no, oh no no no, little lady, that's no way to live life! You must have something you like to do!"(Cheryl)

"uhm, I like sleeping I guess."(Reiko)

Cheryl facepalmed at my response, looking at me with one eye, the other hidden from her hand. She was grabbing a tuff of hair when she told me

"Reiko. After all this, when we leave, we are going to go out and have some fun okay?"(Cheryl)

"uhh, I don't think that would be nec-"(Reiko)

"It one hundred percent is necessary! The three important things to a good life is work, rest and play y'know!"(Cheryl)

One of my brows was high up while the other was down low. 

"but I have more important things t-"(Reiko)

"What is more important than that! Missy, the only time I've seen you have fun is with other people and even so, you don't even choose what you do! You're still a child so act your age!"(Cheryl)

"but, isn't going out and having 'fun' kind of the same as doing it with other people and not choosing what I get to do?"(Reiko)

"That's not the point here!"(Cheryl)

In the distance, one could hear an aggravated outcry of an adult woman.