Chapter 20:The Observation Anomaly

The usual morning used to be quiet early morning at the ruins,until a sudden “variable” which was Mio appeared.Now every morning at the ruins feels like a death arena from Mio and Rei clashing with each other.

Today,the ruins were filled with the familiar rhythmic crack of Rei’s “Kinetic Fever” meeting with Mio’s uniquely designed Tachi from her thirteen birthday gift.But today,the “Kinetic Impact” that usually was high was off.

Rei parried a mid-level strike and noticed Mio’s stance was wide.He thinks she’s going to do her “Multiple Slashes” technique but he realized that wasn’t the usual stance she would do if she wanted to do that.

Rei felt like her mind was clearly somewhere else but he just can’t prove it yet.

“Mio. Your guard is slightly down. That usually wasn’t a flaw you would make especially in this session,” Rei said, pulling back and resting his Sam Jeol Bong on his shoulder.

“It’s true! Your reaction time has been delayed by 0.15 seconds since you both fought last session.Is there a ‘Mechanical Interference’?” Kenji,who somehow convinced both Rei and Mio to let him rest for today,sitting on the rock reading his data calculation from Hiyori’s photo of the two fighting.”Also,Hiyori,could you please don’t take photos of the landscape.Our devices are connected,so whatever you snap a photo,will be sent to my laptop for analysis which can mess up reading in the process.” Kenji asked Hiyori who was capturing the sun waking up from its slumber.

“Can’t hurt to take a picture,” Hiyori said then,she snapped a photo of the horizon of the sun which then was sent automatically to Kenji’s laptop.”You see? The horizon is too good to pass on” Hiyori said.

“Is there anything you want to tell us? Is it the lingering effect of the Inuyama Festival,with Haru? Heh” Rei asked with a serious tone that is flipped to a teasing tone at the end.

Mio’s face flushed as red as her Tachi’s pattern.”What?! No! I’m just… it was the spicy ramen I ate during that day! My stomach is still recovering from that world spiciest ramen challenge.Not to mention,I also drink cold soda in one gulp.”

Rei tilted his head.”But Mio,the capsaicin should have metabolized by now.You’re denying the variable!” Kenji said looking at the analysis of the capsaicin from yesterday’s challenge.

Rei knew that what Kenji said was true and Mio seems like she wouldn’t explain or admit anything.So,Rei did something uncharacteristically proactive,He sent a group text to Kenji and Hiyori,without Mio in the group to see the message.

Rei Koga:Yoo.. guys ,don’t you think that Mio is suddenly acting all weirdly today?Like I saw her dropping her guard down which was usually impossible for her to make such a mistake.

Kenji Sato:You seemed about right.During my calculation in the sparring session you and Mio were battling out,I saw the reaction speed and strength was momentarily delayed or lower for a split second.

Hiyori:Yeah me too. I wonder what’s up with her?

Rei Koga:I propose a mission for all of us.

1.Subject:Mio

2.Objective:Observe every second of social interaction with Haru,which I suspected.

3.Location:Meet at the park.

4.Requirements:Wear Low-Profile attire so we don't draw attention.

Kenji Sato:Wow! I feel like a spy on an undercover mission like James Bond!

Hiyori:Sure! I think we should do a bit of investigation on our own.

Rei Koga:Great,alright we’ll be in touch soon.

An hour later from the training,Mio and Haru were seen sitting down on a weathered stone bench overlooking the park’s duck pond.The sun was blazing hot but thankfully,the bench they were sitting on was under a tree,which blocks a lot of heat and sunlight from the sun.

Mio was unusually quiet,her hand resting on her knees.She felt the phantom weight of her Ironwood bokken that was used to practice controlling her strength,even though she wasn’t carrying it.

“You’re doing it again,” Haru said softly.His voice was soft as a golden retriever,smoothing and clearing her thoughts in her head.

Mio blinked,looking over at him.”Doing what?”

“The ‘Mio Scan’,” Haru teased,a gentle smile appearing on his lips.”Your eyes are checking for any exits,attacks, and the distance to the nearest target.You’re not at your dojo right now.You’re just here… with me.”

Mio looked away,her cheeks slowly appearing red.”Habits in my world,if you don’t calculate the targets,you will get hit.”

“Then,let me be the one variable you don’t have to calculate,” Haru said.He reached out his hand,asking her to hold it.”Should we get going?”

Mio holds his hand.Her breath hitched.His skin was warm– a sharp contrast to the cold steel she spent her mornings gripping.It was a “Temperature Transfer” that made her heart rate spike in a way Kenji would definitely find as “Medically Concerning”.

“Su-sure.” Mio uttered the words out of her mouth,with a bit embarrassed tone.

They both stood up from the bench and kept on walking on the park’s edge.

“Is it..weird?” Mio whispered,her voice losing its usual sharp edge.”Being around someone like me?Even though I'm loud and aggressive and like to spend half of my day trying to break things.. just because I feel like it,”

Haru looked at her,his friendly blue eyes stared at her.”I don’t see the girl who breaks things.I see the girl who fought a whole tournament to honor her friends.I see her girl who almost cried from eating the whole bowl of ramen just so she can show it to her friends that she is capable for anything.To me,you’re the most ‘unique’ person I’ve ever know– everything about you is honest.”

Mio finally looked at him,her eyes softening.”You say the weirdest things,Haru.”

“And you have the best smile in the city of Inuyama,is that a weird statement?” He countered.

Haru stopped.He leaned in slightly.Not for a kiss of course,she thought in her mind,but it was a 5 inch distance between them.For a moment,Mio’s life went silent.There was no dojo,no pressure,no Rei Koga.Just the steady,rhythmic breathing of someone who didn’t want anything from her other than her time.She didn’t see a person who put their expectations on her either.

Mio lets go of her hand.Then,she did an unexpected move that even she can’t imagine doing.She hugged Haru’s arm.

“Haru?”

Haru’s reaction to her sudden intimate response left Haru in absolute shock and a slight red appeared in his cheek.Haru luckily put himself together to give a response.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t go back to Tokyo too soon,” she said,almost too quiet to hear.

“I think I’m right where I'm supposed to be,Inuyama.” Haru replied,”God.. she’s too cute doing that… what am I supposed to do…I got to keep my friendly mask on first.” Haru thought to himself.

A nearby bush suddenly shaken.Inside the bush was the “Observation Squad” which were hiding in the most obvious way ever.

Kenji was currently “blending in” by dressing up in a bush costume he had found in a nearby costume store. Hiyori was wearing a comically large sun hat and sunglasses,hiding alongside with Rei.She was trying to frame a “romantic shot” while simultaneously whispering tactical updates.

Rei was also hiding in the bushes with Hiyori.He wasn’t hiding,but he was wearing a surgical mask and a charcoal hoodie,looking more like a poor shading shadow of the bush by the sun.

A nearby person saw the trio hiding in the bushes with a reaction of seeing a mentally delusional patient.

“Did Mio actually do that?!” Hiyori gasped but covered her mouth before saying out loud.

“I can’t believe it! Mio did something like that?!” Rei said but also covered his mouth.

“The target is moving,guys,” Kenji whispered into a walkie talkie he had forced Rei to carry.

After thirty minutes of following them through the park then into the convenience store.

“Wait here for a second? I’m going to grab those ice creams we talked about,” he said.

Mio leaned against the glass window,watching him disappear into the aisles.She felt… light weighted today.But that lightness vanished when the sound of heavy,uncoordinated footsteps approached.Three delinquents,smelling of cheap cigarettes and ill-intention,surrounded her.

“Hey,Red.You’re looking a bit lonely for a girl this pretty,” the leader sneered,leaning close to her personal space.

Mio’s right fist tightened instinctively.She was already ready to throw hands,a vertical punch to the leader’s solar plexus followed by a groin kick would neutralize all three of them in under 5 seconds.But then,she thought of Haru.She didn’t want him to see the “Monster” version of her– the one that breaks concrete because she wants to test if it is reinforced concrete or just concrete.

“I'm waiting for someone.Leave.” she said,her voice strained by the effort of restraint from her about to scream profanities at the group.

“Oh? Waiting for your boyfriend?Is he a big strong guy? Or just some loser who happened to like you–”

“Sorry for the wait Mio,” Haru came back with ice creams.He then looked at the leader,”Is there a problem here?”

“Who’s this? Your bodyguard?” The leader laughed,looking at Haru’s clean-cut Tokyo t-shirt.”You look like the type of guy who’s popular with the girls but cries when he gets a paper cut, which is the type of person I hate.”

The delinquents stepped closer to Haru,their shadows stretching long across the pavement.”Are you her boyfriend or what?”

Haru opened his mouth to speak– a soft look in his eyes but Mio cut him off.”He’s just a friend~ Leave him out of this!” She didn’t want Haru to get hurt.

“Awww a girl protecting you? How cute.” The leader said, which was then followed by a lazy,heavy punch at Haru’s face.

Something changed.The air around Haru didn’t explode like Rei’s and it certainly didn’t burn like Mio’s.It just… froze.He didn’t move his head.

That made the leader surprised and missed the punch by a fraction of a milimeter.Haru reached out and calmly handed Mio the ice creams.

“Mio,could you wait inside for a bit?The air conditioning inside is better,and I don’t want the ice cream to melt,”Haru said.His voice was still soft,but the frequency had dropped slightly.It almost sounded like a command,not a request.

Mio,stunned by the sudden change in his presence,found herself walking into the store.

Across the street,the “Observation Squad” were huddled behind a row of bicycles.

“Kenji,zoom in! Haru is about to get pulverized! Hiyori whispered,her camera shaking.”

“Should I go help?” Rei is concerned for Haru’s safety.

“If you go and help you would ruin our camouflage,” Hiyori said,

Ding

Suddenly,Kenji’s tablet made a sound effect,”Sound effect will appear when the data is collected and analysed,” Kenji said while looking at his tablet but,”Wait… Rei,look at Haru’s feet.His Base of Support just shifted into a perfect ‘Zero-G’ stance.”

Rei narrowed his eyes.”His center of gravity is lower than mine? How is that possible?”

They watched through the window as Haru approached the delinquents.There was no shouting.No flashy kicks or punches thrown this time.Haru simply leaned in and said something to the leader.

The delinquents’ faces went from mocking to absolute terror.It was as if they had looked into the eyes of a predator they didn’t know existed.The leader dropped his cigarette on the ground.Without Haru even raising a fist,the three of them turned and walked past him,one of them nearly tripping over their own feet.

An hour later,Haru walked back into the convenience store.He was adjusting his watch strap– the one hiding the small black device.

“Sorry for the wait,Mio. They… uh,realized they had somewhere else to do.I think they were just having a bad day.I think one of them said their partner broke up with them,” Haru said,his smile back in place.

Mio looked at him,then at the empty street outside.”Are you hurt? Did you hit them?”

“Me? I’m not a strong fighter like you,Mio though… I wish to be as strong as you,” he laughed,taking his ice cream back.”Let’s go.The sun is setting,let's grab dinner?”

As they walked away,the “Observation Squad” stayed frozen behind the bicycles.

“Rei,” Kenji whispered,his face turned pale.”What did he say to them?My direction microphone only picked up one sentence.”

“What sentence?” Rei asked,his mind already running a thousand “Threat Responses”.

“He didn’t say a name,” Kenji swallowed hard.”He said…”Know who gave you the position you are in.”

The convenience store incident had left Mio in a daze,but Haru’s effortless charm acted like a “Golden Retriever”,calming her stress.”I’m kind of hungry,” He said with a bright laugh.

“Well I don’t feel hungry,” Mio said,but suddenly.

Growl

Mio stood frozen,her face couldn’t be more red.Her stomach let out a slightly loud growl.

Haru laughed,”Ice cream is great,but it’s not exactly fuel for a golden medalist,is it?”

Mio feels angry from his response and pouts.”Hey I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to offend you,” Haru said panicking.”Her response is quite cute for someone like her…What am I thinking.” Haru slapped himself.

“Hey! You don’t gotta do that.If you apologize,then it is fine! Is your face alright,” Mio said.

“Yeah it’s fin-” before Haru completes his sentence,a small scarred palm touches his cheek.”Did-did she actually… Do that?!” Haru thought to himself,his outside looked calm but the internal screaming.

Mio pulls back her hand,”Why did I do that?! Is it something I learned from my annoying ‘Big sisters’?”,Mio said in her mind.

“Should we go in?” Haru, using his usual golden retriever tone.He led her to a small,cozy ramen shop tucked away in a side street.It was the kind of place with narrow wooden booths and high dividers– perfect for a private conversation,or should it be perfect for doing an undercover mission?

In the booth directly behind them,separated only by a thin wooden partition,the Observation Squad sat in a cramped row.

Rei was staring intensely at a bowl of plain white rice,his ears practically twitching.He had a small wire running from his ear to a device in his pocket.