The 100 Operators Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really love you

Chapter 18

0800 December 7 1096
Penguin Logistics's Break Room
Lungmen

"Texas~ can you please cover for me~"

"...Why?"

"Because~ I want to eat that apple pie I brought last night, and boss is hounding on me because I haven't delivered this parcel."

"...Buy me the usual."

"Deal~"

A female with light ash shoulder-hair with wolf ears shakes hands with a female of short red hair with a halo on her head.

"Thanks again~" The red hair grins as she skips away, leaving behind the other female who sighs at the former's antics.

"...Rhodes Island, huh?" Texas mutters as she gazes at the parcel in her hand before walking away.

0800 December 7 1096
Kal'tsit's office
Inside Rhodes Island

"So, after breakfast, you and an eleven-man squad will go to the village first for more information on the commission, deal with it, then come back by night or tomorrow morning." Kal'tsit sips her cup of coffee as she looks at Ashura and W seated in front of her, "Though, surprising that you want to follow Ashura, Wiya."

"...I told you to never say that name again." W glares at Kal'tsit while slowly taking out her knife, "That name is dead."

Kal'tsit merely glances at her action before taking another sip, "After Theresa died on that day?" She nonchalantly says, though she shivers as she feels the murderous aura spike.

"W... Calm down, please. We still haven't had breakfast." Ashura awkwardly places a hand on W's back then rubs in a circular manner, prompting the latter to flinch at the contact.

"What did I say about touching me...?" W quietly hisses as she glares at them.

"Ok, ok, my bad. Thought you would appreciate the calming since it worked so well last night," He casually mentions, prompting her to blush while shifting her glare only at him.

"Last night never existed."

"You sure? It was an interesting experience on being a pillow, after all. Maybe the talk-"

"I'm out. Old hag, pay me what you owe, and Ashura meet me at the famous restaurant." W quickly gets up as she hisses out her words without paying attention to his teasing grin, then she quickly walks out of the room.

Both Ashura and Kal'tsit don't say anything as they watch W slam the door shut, "...Was it really necessary?" The former quietly asks as he drops his teasing grin.

"...I needed to know just how far this personality swap really goes. W is a perfect candidate for testing due to her immense hatred of the Doctor, intense loyalty to Theresa and other factors." She leans back into her chair while sighing, "It's safe to conclude that... Other... Soulmates of same sex can harm another but not the opposite... Right?"

"You mean if you and W were to fight then it is allowed but if me and W were to fight, something would hold us back?"

"...Bit complicated, but yes. Also, did you remember anything else? Things that would be extremely useful to know?"

He opens his mouth before quickly closing it again, "No... Nothing else... Ah, the rest will start to unconsciously gather around me, so you might want to speed up the renovations," He awkwardly says after thinking for a few moments.

Kal'tsit looks at him with a blank expression, prompting him to fidget a little, before she sighs, "Good grief, more work... Hopefully the rest are useful like the new Operator... Nian and her blacksmithing skills."

"...Something happened?" Ashura asks as he raises an eyebrow at her.

She scoffs a bit, "More like nothing happened. She's just been lounging in the rec room and had refused any request for her to make tools." She sighs, "The only reason we know she is good at blacksmithing is because she lent an Operator a back scratcher made of very rare metals."

"...Want me to ask her to help?"

"...It would be helpful but no need since we got enough workers," She quietly adds, "The pay for her service..."

"Ok... So, erm, who's coming with me?" He asks while scratching his head, "Also, is there a barber or something some place close to us?"

Kal'tsit tilts her head a bit at him, "...Barber?"

"Oh, a place to cut my hair... One of the Annoyances I told you about."

"Ah. We call them hair cutter here, I forgot that you need to learn more about this world..." She then gets up to walk over to him, "I will be personally teaching you when you come back, so don't die." She grasps his hand while smiling a bit.

Ashura smiles, though it is a bit strained, "Thanks... Erm..." He uses his eyes to gesture downwards, prompting her to look down then looks up with her head tilted.

"What?"

"...Isn't it... Awkward? For you?"

"Awkward?"

"...Holding hands. Since... You kinda hate me?"

She squints her eyes at him, "I never said I hated you or the... Doctor, besides, it's tiring fighting my thoughts and feelings for the past few days... Only in private though," She quietly mutters at the end.

"...Private?"

Kal'tsit eeps as her cheeks redden a bit, "I-I meant that only in private will I act like this, so don't expect for me to be affectionate with you in public!"

Ashura doesn't respond, only staring at her, prompting her to fidget a little then flinching when she hears him sigh, "That-it wasn't aimed at you, just that I... Feel... Guilty for being the reason your personality changed..."

She merely blinks, stares, then sighs as she tightens her grasp, "While it is true that the... God, or something, still don't know what to call him, made me a... Soulmate of you and others, that just it. You had nothing to do with his decision, so the fault doesn't lie with you."

"But... Ata told me I could cover my eyes or just don't look at other people's eyes... Just that... I... Don't really want to live like that, having to be blind or trying to not look at eyes when even the corner of my eyes would work on them..." He slumps his shoulder while feebly trying to get out of her hold, "I don't deserve any of this."

Kal'tsit crosses her arms while huffing, "Doesn't matter deserve or not, leave that to the future."

"...Huh?"

"I meant there is no point thinking whether you deserve all of this when you can't change it when it isn't harmful."

"...Still..."

"Oh for the love of-" She starts to move to the door while dragging him, "Look, I never saw the point in living back then, Theresa wanted me to see this as my home, yet I never gave an answer to her... Until now. So, what I'm saying is, you gave me a reason to live, in this world where life is fragile like ice..." She opens the door before glancing back at him.

"I will get rid of that mentality of yours if it is the last thing I do."

Ashura doesn't respond as he lets himself get dragged by her, until he remembers a promise, "W?"

"We are going to meet with her over at the restaurant, not just you."

"Ok... Thanks..."

"Keep your thanks until I help you."