“F1 is out…” He said, lowering the semi-automatic rifle. He stared into the faraway distance, closely studying the scenario revolving around Tokyo’s military base. Once he had certified himself of the super soldier’s death, he jumped out of the tall building’s rooftop. He mumbled as his body free-fell into the ground. “Only 144 left…”

With his speed and stealth, returning to his new home was easy. The loud alarm ringing all over the base and the anxiety and confusion it had instilled in its soldier made his return even easier to mask. Under those circumstances, no one would pay him much attention even if they caught a glance of him.

No one but those always around him, of course.

“Thank you for looking after this for me,” said Rei, softly petting the German Shepherd’s head. His touch was retributed with a loving rub of its muzzle on his arm. Rei retrieved the wristwatch the military dog had been left in charge of and placed it once again on his wrist, much like he had been taught that morning. “I was still halfway with walking Shinigami. Can I continue walking him or do we need to return because of the alarm?”

“What are you… doing… Rei?” asked Eki, a shocked expression twisting his features. Murayama had instructed him to take Rei back to the super soldier area while he was out getting the incident report and further instructions for their squad from Nakatani. He had never thought the locating device would lead him to catch the super soldier red-handed. “Rei, what have you done!?”

“Earlier, you said the Japanese government doesn’t know of our existence and presence in Tokyo’s military base,” started Rei, completely ignoring Eki’s question while continuing to gently pet the military dog. “That was a lie, wasn’t it, Eki-san?”

“What? That doesn’t have anything to do with this,” interrupted Eki, his gaze jumping from the super soldier and his squad’s dog to the semi-automatic rifle next to them. “Were you the one who attacked the entrance? Rei, why did you-”

“The Japanese government knows about us,” said Rei, cutting Eki’s words halfway through his sentence. He removed his hands from the dog’s soft fur and grabbed the rifle on his way to a standing position. “Of course they know. They know about everything that happens inside of this base. From what is said in the barracks to the documents General Nakatani-san issues. Right, Eki-san?”

He knows…, inwardly gasped Eki. He could feel all the blood draining from his face and his hands became as cold and sweaty as melting ice. He unconsciously took a step back, his gaze quickly switching between Rei’s expressionless demeanour and the rifle he held in his hands. “Are you also going to kill me? Since you always prioritise your own safety above anything else, killing a spy would be the best course of action.”

“Should I?” inquired Rei, tilting his head at Eki’s confession. He quickly removed the safety and pointed the semi-automatic weapon at the soldier. His index finger remained on top of the trigger. Faster than the speed of light, Rei appeared only a few inches away from Eki, pushing the rifle to his hands. “I’ve known you were providing the Japanese government, or to be more precise, the Ministry of Defense with information from this base even while I was still locked inside of the lab.”

“...Eh?” incredulously gasped Eki, his hands reflexively tightening around the weapon’s barrel.

“A known spy isn’t much danger, for as long as you keep an eye on them,” said Rei, slowly dropping his empty hands to the sides of his body. His grey eyes, however, intently observed Eki and the confused expression he featured in his face. “But eliminating a spy might urge those they work for to set their plans into motion earlier than expected. That can be dangerous, especially if you don’t know what it is they’re planning. Please continue feeding the Japanese government with information about this base, just like you’ve always been doing, Eki-san.”

“...Why? This doesn’t make any sense. You’re not making any sense!” exclaimed Eki, his grip around the rifle tightening even further. “You suddenly attack the base without any plausible reasons but refuse to kill the one that can possibly pose as a future threat to you? I know you’re the one who attacked the base and you know I’m a spy providing the Ministry of Defense with classified information. With your abilities as a super soldier, why would you even let me catch you red-handed and not eliminate me afterwards?”

“I’m sorry,” apologised Rei, tilting his head to the left. “Iru-kun said we seek those that suit us best. Those that will make us complete by providing us with what we are missing. If so, then that would mean we try to repeal those that are just like us. Eki-san, I know very well the way you always look at me. It’s the same eyes and expression some of the lab workers had on them whenever they were near me. See? You’re doing it again.”

Rei silently observed as Eki took one of his trembling hands to his face.

Eki always had a smile on his lips. His gentle and understanding personality was what he was most well-known for within the base. Even while admonishing Tsugi and the other Ms, he did so with patience, teaching them the correct way of doing things afterwards. For a soldier, he was calm, level-headed during regular and crisis situations and, most of all, very lenient and merciful to everyone around him.

But whenever Eki was looking at Rei, the eye half-hidden behind his long fringe tightened into a glare. His gentle smile dissipated into a fake curl of his lips. He used his lenience and mercifulness as a mask to hide the scorn, hate and disgust.

“We're similar to one another,” said Rei, leaning his upper body forward to be able to keep his grey eyes on the expression Eki was now trying to hide. “If you feel that it's the most correct to reveal I was the one who killed Tou Kurose, please do so. If you feel that it's the most correct to keep it a secret and retain your role as a spy, please do so. Neither of the two will change the fact you’ve been lying to your own squad, deceiving your superiors and pretending to be someone you’re not.”

“...!” Eki’s body flinched when Rei took hold of his clothes and gently tugged at them. It was such an innocent and child-like action that Eki lifted his head to look at him.

“I won’t tell anyone you’re a spy. I won’t let the others tell anyone you’re a spy,” offered Rei, a gentle, reassuring smile on his lips. “We’re both liars, after all.”