Heroes of the Cause

Chapter 13: Opposites Attract (2) / Kill or Capture (2) / Good 'ol Times

POV: Third Person: Ziko

"It's a professional's room."

Ziko looked at Takina, "It doesn't match Chisato's character at all." He shook his head, "Where's Aiko anyways?"

The two looked at an empty living room as Chisato, who was in her pajamas, called out to the two of them, "Oh, it's not that way. It's this way."

"Knew it."

Ziko and Takina followed the blonde Lycoris to an empty wall. Chisato then pushed up on the wall and it opened to a hidden entrance with an open hatch and a ladder that led down.

"Huh?" Takina questioned but Ziko just followed Chisato, carrying the duffle bag that contained Takina's belongings. Chisato climbed down the ladder as Ziko watched. Takina followed shortly after.

Chisato then got down the ladder and looked up at Ziko who looked down the hatch as she motioned for him to lend her the bag he was carrying. Ziko then hung the bag down as Chisato had her hands ready, "You can let go now." Ziko then let go of the bag as Chisato caught it and carried it into the room below.

Ziko and Takina climbed down the ladder and made their way into a messy living room, DVDs scattered on the coffee table in front of a TV with Aiko sitting on a couch across the room, checking her phone. Tsuji was also there, lying down on the soft carpet in front of the brunette Lycoris, his tail slightly wagging.

"Make yourselves at home," Chisato sang, as she made a drink in the kitchen area, "Is iced coffee okay? Oh yeah, how's your leg?"

"It's fine..." Takina replied.

"That's good."

Aiko then called out to the two who had newly arrived, tucking away her phone, "Heya, you two!"

"Hey," Ziko slightly waved.

"What's going on here?" Takina questioned, her eyes scanning the messy living room.

"When you work in this field for a while, all sorts of things happen," Chisato answered, "This is Safe House Number One. There are three others."

"Safe house?"

ーーー

After a bit of cleaning up within the living area, Ziko, Chisato, and Aiko sat at the dining table in front of Takina who had a board full of the lists of chores split evenly between the four of them.

"Since we'll be living together, I've split up the chores evenly," Takina said, pointing at the board with a marker in hand.

"That's boring," Chisato remarked as she took a sip of her iced coffee.

Aiko looked at Chisato with an unamused gaze as she spoke, "Oi, don't even think about–"

"Boring?" Takina echoed, "Then, how about we decide with rock-paper-scissors?"

"Oh yes, that sounds really good. Yeah, rock-paper-scissors!" Chisato agreed happily.

"Not this again..." Aiko sighed in defeat. Ziko looked at her as he replied.

"How bad can it be?"

ーーー

"Rock comes first! Rock-paper-scissors, go!"

"Rock comes first! Rock-paper-scissors, go!"

"Go!"

"Go!"

"Go–!"

"Go...!"

"What in the actual fu–"

For the whole week, all the chores like cooking, laundry, and cleaning listed on the board were filled with Ziko's, Takina's, and Aiko's names. Chisato hadn't lost a single round of rock-paper-scissors.