Angel Beats! A Step Closer

Act V Chapter 17: Admitting

Within the Battlefront existed groups, each separated by their respective characteristics. Cliques, groups of friends, work buddies. Like any other organization that existed, imperfections were always present. Actions taken may reduce trust, or gossip can cling to one's back like a persistent fly. Assumptions and prejudices were hard to discard and had caused trouble on a few occasions one way or another.

As the Top Brass was always one group and had more or less run the entire operations that the Battlefront conducted, it avoided large amounts of scrutiny by others simply because of their high stature. Like a bridge, many supports only allowed it to move slightly but kept it stable. Even the strongest of winds were only capable of nudging this bridge in uncomfortable directions, but it would always return to its original state with minor to no damage. These supports can be compared to the bonds of the Top Brass: nearly unbreakable.

It was to be said that if anything would destroy those bonds, it would be because of the people within, not because of some outside adversary.

At various times were the Top Brass put to the test in regards to their relationships, or so had Shiina said. However, considering I was the most recent addition, there was a decent chance that could change. Various people held their views about me. Some were strong, while others weren't as favorable. According to her, even those who disliked me supposedly had a fair amount of respect for me. If that was true, I couldn't see it. I still felt like a cub compared to these wolves.

One thing that Shiina had emphasized was that the bonds the Top Brass held with the rest of the members that weren't a part of them weren't as strong as before. I took this opportunity to keep asking her questions and find out more missing pieces of the Battlefront's history. Unfortunately, she was not a person who often paid much attention to her surroundings or remembered details as such. She only remembered details that Yuri or anyone talked about in regards to objectives or operations. Everything else was discarded or was vague.

Still, there was much to learn from her. Other than the incident with the fish in the Afterlife, the Battlefront never made themselves out as a bunch of philanthropists. Them going out of their way to support good causes, lending their workforce and money for the sake of doing good was unheard of. Even so, there's no way they would perform good deeds unless it benefited Yuri and her cronies.

Yet now, I was being explained that it was an activity they often partook in. I raised an eyebrow, wondering how they could manage to advertise their presence and get approved to help underneath a name like the Afterlife Battlefront. I made an assumption, and Shiina had told me that I was correct. They went under a single pseudonym to whatever events they participated in.

What a shady business practice, but I still wonder what good could they possibly get from it. I had a couple of guesses, but even Shiina never really knew what the purpose of such things was. There were never any extra chips to cash in, nor has she seen the people that they had helped do anything for them. Maybe they did it for good karma, but the number of lives that I've helped save never seemed to be enough. This world, even as a second chance, was still unfair.

Looking at Shiina as we engaged in short conversations, her facial expression never really changed from a blank poker face. Her words were always straight to the point, speaking in a flat tone, and never any changes in pitch to emphasize a point or whatnot. A girl lost in time, unable to communicate in the same fashion as the words around us. I had wanted to ask her what her background was like, but it felt like a line that shouldn't be crossed. While her choice to move in with me was something that I obliged, and we were made partners through mutual agreement, the distance she closed with me was at most minuscule.

I am curious about her, but this wall of silence we comfortably share was already more than enough. Unable to fit in a way to stir up conversation, I maintained my silence. Whenever her red eyes meet mine, I give her a simple smile and resume whatever I was doing.