Alive || 86: Eighty-Six [ vers. ENG ]

found you

Charlize's injuries were not as serious as she had feared. On the other hand, fatigue was a major cause of her condition. Both physically and mentally. Once the recovery time was over, the doctor gave her the green light to resume her activities. Between meetings and all that went with them, she quickly realized that getting back to work was not going to be easy.
 
Much had changed since the end of the previous operation. With the Republic's actions exposed, the Federation had offered them only the minimum of help. The other Eighty-Six had been rescued by the Federation, but Charlize had no further information on the condition of any of them. As for the soldiers on this base, everyone seemed busy, so she couldn't imagine what might be happening elsewhere. However... she had no desire to join the collective effort. Let alone deal with her paperwork at the moment. Instead, she decided to wander aimlessly around the base. Along the way, she came across a familiar face.

"Working hard, captain?"

Shin turned as he heard Charlize's voice. The mischievous grin on her face made him wary. He quickly realized that she'd try to make fun of him again. After Grethe had let the others listen to the recording of the conversation he'd had with Lena, Charlize hadn't hesitated to join Anju to made fun of him.

The captain didn't reply immediately. He looked first at the paint can he was holding with his one free hand, since the other was still under splint. There was enough distance to throw the contents at her. She wouldn't react fast enough to run away. Besides, she was much slower than he was. He'd catch up with her in a few strides. Unfortunately, they were indoors. Grethe would not be pleased by this kind of behavior.

A memory suddenly came back to him. A discussion he'd had that very morning.

"Natsume Sôseki," he simply said.

Charlize remained frozen in place, her mouth ajar. Her reaction almost made him smile with satisfaction.

"... Theo?" she dared to ask, having regained her composure.

 "Yes. He asked me if there was a meaning behind that sentence."

 "And...?"

 "I told him I didn't know."

The tension finally subsided. She let herself fall to the floor. It hadn't been very long since that conversation. She hadn't forgotten the words she'd spoken that evening. She had simply decided to act as if none of it had ever happened.

 "... Thank you," she said without looking at him.

  "He'll figure it out by himself eventually."

 "I understand... but you know if I said that it's mainly because..."

Putting her true thoughts into words seemed difficult. However, if there was anyone who would understand even a little, it was Shin. The only person who could hear the dead.