God Eater: Infinity Paradise

46. Sorry...

"Sorry..." The blonde sighed in apology, seeing him walk into the maintenance room, his eyes nowhere but on his God Arc. Lenka really isn't sure why she's apologizing for something none of them can help. "I know it's a bad time, with the relaunch of Meteorite and all, but do you see that blinding bright orange glow?" She cocked her head at the direction of the weapon's core. "That's a bad sign."

He wouldn't deny it was feeling a little odd already during the battle against the Prithvi Mata.

"Licca suggested we salvage whatever parts we still could get from this one—I highly doubt there's any—and I checked with the doctor the current progress of the God Arc he has designed for you," she was saying as she fiddled with the terminal, eyes locked on the screen. "Apparently, it still is a work in progress; with how complicated he planned it to be, and his own valuable research sharing the plate right now."

"It's okay," he managed. He somehow did fine without a complete God Arc during the first Meteorite Operation. It shouldn't be that hard to do it again, right? They are only setting up the guiding devices today anyway. "Aren't you a part of the preparation, Yuka-san?"

She looked up from the terminal. "Oh, me? I told the Major I'm ditching it." Green eyes stared at her in surprise and confusion. "I have this to take care of." She gestured at his God Arc. "... And I kind of want to be away from Kota and Alisa for a bit. They've been restless with their questions."

"I'm sorry..." He then said, averting his gaze. Yuka furrowed her eyebrows in question. "This... This whole thing between us... is being an inconvenience to you."

She gawked at him for a few good seconds before bursting into laughter. "What are you talking about?" She asked, flicking his forehead with her index finger. "I told you it is normal, didn't I? There's nothing to be sorry about." She returned her attention back to the terminal. If there's anybody that should be sorry for this whole... 'thing', it is her, isn't it? "Now, get that idea out of your head and run along. Major Amamiya wouldn't appreciate you being late on duty, Captain."

There were the faint sounds of her chuckling as the door closed behind him and he bolted across the halls.

He didn't know what it is called when feeling both disappointment and relief at the same time, but that was what existed in his chest when he was told the Major couldn't meet them before their departure. He asked his team why, but the only reply he received was Soma snorting "Whatever it is should be pretty fucking important," as he climbed aboard the helicopter. The engineers with them had secured the guiding device prior, and they were set to go.

Lenka figured making an attempt to start a conversation with Soma was not a good idea considering the presence of other people, but he also figured that if he would let this opportunity pass, it might never come up again. "Soma-san—"

"Drop the formalities," he scowled.

Their company stared at him, absolutely horrified as if he had just asked for a death sentence.

"—are you still in an argument with Yuka-san?"

"Bitch is the one making things up and getting angry over them," he scoffed, glaring up at him. Well, that technically is a yes. Maybe starting a conversation like this really is not a good idea, but he had seen them quarrel many times in the past, and most of those did not really give them any good. The two were in an argument when Yuka just ran off and killed an Aether. They were in a terrible argument too when she decided to vent out her anger and destroyed two Sariels by herself. The air also was pretty strained between them before the thorn incident; so maybe, they were in some kind of falling out during that time as well. The last one even brought his blonde senior to a self-induced coma.