After the detective left, Gen and Sophia remained in silence, trying to think about their next step.

“We should put the medal back where it was. I shouldn’t have been fuckin’ doin’ this, as much as I want to,” Gen uttered, looking at the floor.

“Didn’t you hear him? Your grandfather would be proud! You’re doing the town a service!” Sophia retorted, evidently frustrated that her friend, usually impulsive to a fault, was doubting himself.

“Yes, but my grandpa also said I shouldn’t get close to the Gainen, and I shouldn’t call attention to myself.” Gen slammed his fist against his knee. “And I fuckin’ failed on both fuckin’ things.”

“Look, you respect your grandfather, and that’s cool, but I bet he wouldn’t want you to stay sitting on your ass while people die. I didn’t know the man, but he seems like a nice, if strict, person,” Sophia tried to argue.

“Ya don’t understand. When I left home, I was more or less acceptin’ that I’d live on the street and scrounge whatever I could. He gave me a roof over my head, food, and… well, he cares enough to tell me when I’m a fuckin’ idiot,” Gen explained, standing up and turning toward Sophia.

“That means I care a lot, because you’re being a fucking idiot,” she quipped as she began walking toward the closed-up room.

“What the fuck do ya think ya’re doing?” Gen snapped, moving past her and blocking her path.

“We’re going to find out more about the Gainen, and you’re going to realize that fighting them is the right thing to do,” she challenged, getting angrier by the moment.

“How many people did you save since we started, Gen? Do you know?” she queried. “Do you even have an idea?”

“I don’t. I’m not counting them like some kind of fuckin’ game,” he replied, pissed off at her idea.

“Well, I do. I’ve been counting, because it gives me the strength to keep risking my life and spending my time. Because it helps me think we are doing something instead of letting monsters kill our friends.

“You helped a lot of people in town, and you’re going to keep on doing it,” she told him, more a statement of fact than a proposal.

“But what about the fuckin’ gove-” Gen began to question her.

“We will handle it when it comes to us. And to do that, we need to enter that office,” she tried to convince him as she pushed past him and grabbed the door handle.

It was open.

“Wait… this has been open the whole time?” she asked, baffled by the realization.

“Yeah, I ain’t dumb enough to go against the old man’s rules,” Gen replied, shrugging.

“For somebody with the reputation of being a delinquent, you’re awfully obedient,” Sophia commented as she opened the door.

“I haven’t punched ya in the face yet so that ya could say that,” he retorted, leaving her momentarily speechless.

“Never thought of that… well, things to ponder later. Right now...” She fully opened the door. “Let’s see what’s behind door number one!”