Chapter 20: Bonding

STAM HQ

“Rank 3 team,” Blue’s secretary, Shizune, spoke without looking up from her clipboard.

Ryuichi stepped forward, “Returning with two yellow mutants,”

She nodded and scribbled on her paper, “Rank 2 Team,”

Shoutarou stepped forward, “Returning with one Yellow and one Orange mutant,”

She nodded again, “Rank 1 team,”

Kyoushirou stepped forward, “Two Red mutant,” all eyes turned to him and Kenji, “status: alive,”

Shizune nodded and looked at them, “Don’t forget that it is your duty to protect this country from mutants, not to hunt the black mutants,” with that she turned and left.

“Two Red mutants?!” Seiji mumbled.

“To think there is such a divide between rank 1 and rank 2 huh?” Shoutarou crossed his arms and grinned.

Kyoushirou immediately left the room without so much as looking at the others.

Ryuichi sighed, “What up with Kyou lately?” he crossed his arms behind his head, “He seems more stoic than usual...don’t you think Hiro?” he turned around to see that Hiro was no longer standing beside him, but had left as well, “heh?”

“Who needs those sour pusses?” Shou grinned at the rest of the group, “We have the rest of the night off...I’m thinking late night ramen run?”

Ryuichi gave a thumbs up, “We haven’t gone since training haven’t we??”

Seiji grinned as well, “A victory ramen?”

“Oh am I invited as well?” Kenji’s hands were deep in his pockets.

All three of them turned to Kenji and Shou grinned, “You’re part of the team aren’t you?”

The Roof

Kyoushirou was staring out at the night sky, his arms resting on the rail. He liked to look over the sector- the bright lights and muffled noises of the people below him were soothing. Yet again his mind seemed to wander straight to Arisa, to the mutant he had caught feelings for, why does she have to be a mutant? In truth, Kyoushirou didn’t hate mutants like everyone else did, in fact, he didn’t think mutants were bad at all.

Sure there were mutants who took advantage of humans with their strength, but humans used to do that to other humans before mutants existed. He let out a deep sigh, Kuma Arisa...what am I supposed to do with you?

“I knew I’d find you up here,”

Kyoushirou turned around to see Hiroto walking toward him with drinks, “Oh, it’s just you Hiro,”

Hiroto tossed him one of the cans and leaned over the rail next to him, “What’s got you all down? You aren’t usually this outward with your feelings,”

Kyoushirou wasn’t sure what to say, he had known Hiroto the longest out of all the members. He felt like he could trust Hiroto..maybe he could tell him, “Arisa-” he stopped dead in his tracks, How could I be so stupid?! Hiroto hates all mutants….he hates them probably the most out of us all!

“Hmmm? Having problems with your girlfriend?”

“She isn’t my girlfriend and you know that,” Kyoushirou took a sip from his drink, happy that he had stopped himself from telling Hiroto….

“Why not? It’s pretty obvious you like her,” Hiroto tried his best to hide the jealousy in his voice, it isn’t fair.

“You know it would be dangerous for her...what if she would be put in danger because of me?”

“Like mutants are smart enough to actually hold her hostage,” You don’t deserve her.

“I just don’t feel like I could risk it...”

She was mine...You saw how happy I was...how excited I was to introduce her to you...and YOU stole her!!! “I guess you’re right...but is that really it?”

“I just want her to be happy...I want to see her smile everyday and see her blush when she catches me looking at her...”

Hiroto let go of his anger. He had accepted this the moment he saw how she looked at him. Arisa had already fallen for Kyoushirou...and there was no room for him in that equation. I have to let her go.

2115: Sector 1

“Yes, yes I’m on my way now. I won’t be late,” Hiro yawned as he walked out of the STAM building talking into his phone, “No I’m not wearing my uniform to a brunch mother-”

Unlike most of the other agents, Hiro kept in contact with his family. His mother often hosted brunches with other political figures to help boost the reach of the Light Party and every so often Hiroto would come as some kind of power play for his mother. All of the agents of STAM were revered and respected for the work that they do and Hiroto was no exception. Although his mother had begged him in the past to bring Kyoushirou along because he was the top agent, Hiro never did. It was a nuisance enough for him to come so early on his day off.

Hiroto’s mother lived in a penthouse apartment right across the street from the Government Quarter, a 4 block stretch of all the government-related buildings and offices. As he walked into the familiar building the man at the desk bowed deeply. Hiroto waved at him without looking at tapped the button for the elevator.

The lobby had a few people in it, all staring at Hiroto. Some had recognized him he was sure, but some were just curious about why the desk man would bow at someone so young like himself.

Hiroto walked into the elevator a tapped the button for the top floor. The doors started to close but were blocked by an arm that held the door open, “Ah got it!” the man in a pressed suit grinned to himself and nodded at Hiro, “Hurry up!” the man hurriedly pulled a small boy, no doubt his son, on to the elevator and hit the button for floor 12.

The man, distracted by fixing his tie and checking his hair in the bronze elevator reflection, didn’t notice his son push every single button for the elevator.

The elevator lurched to a stop and the father glared at his son, “Daniel!” he snatched the boy’s arm to pull him by his side and gave a short apologetic nod to Hiro.

Hiro sighed softly and let his head rest against the cool metal wall and listened to the uniform sounds of the elevator: huuuum, brake, ding, “floor 2”, the closing door, huuum, brake, ding, “floor 3”. It relaxed him.

He fell asleep.

Hiro awoke to his phone ringing in his pocket. His eyes opened lazily as his hand fished through his pocket, “Hello?”

“Where are you?!” his mother barked at him, “It’s been half an hour! I thought you were 5 minutes away?!”

Hiro sighed, “I’m here, I’m here-” he hung up before she could respond, yawned widely, and stretched his neck. It hadn’t been a good nap.

He hit the top floor of the elevator again and the doors opened to the small entryway. It was all white and large enough for 10 people to step off the elevator before knocking on his mother’s door. He rang the doorbell to alert his mother of his arrival and opened the door without waiting.

Nothing had changed of this place since he was a child. Everything was white: the walls, floors, dishes, frames, cabinets, furniture- all of it white.

“Oh Hiroto!!” his mother, in a white dress too tight for her and shoes too tall for her, took quick short steps over to him and escorted him to the main room where the guests were, “You all know my son, Hiroto,” she smiled widely and patted his arm as she said his name.

He bowed and held back a yawn, “Nice to see you all,”

An elderly man with round, golden glasses nodded and waved at him, “How are things at STAM lately?”

Hiroto poured himself a cup of coffee at the long table against the wall, “No different than usual.”

A young man that Hiroto hadn’t met before scooched forward to the edge of the white couch, “Ah you’re the Rank 3 disposer right?”

Hiro nodded and took a sip from his black coffee.

“Ah Hiroto,” his mother hurried over and motioned to the young man, “This is Tao Smith, from the Bridge party-”

Hiro raised his brow, “The bridge party?” It was rare for his mother to even share the same air as a Bridge supporter much less allow one to sit on her couch.

She gave him a forced smile, “Now, now Hiro. Mr. Smith is new to his office and I thought I’d have him over to help him adjust to politics here...”

He nodded. It made sense now, his mother would fund Mr.Smith’s career and help the bridge party, in doing so making her own Light party look good. In the end she would throw him under the bus, scorning the Bridge Party and gaining momentum.

Tao Smith’s focus was on Hiroto, “So uh-” he stumbled, unsure what to call a STAM agent in person. Rank 3 Disposer sounded so stiff and formal, Mr.Moru felt strange considering his age.

Hiro sipped his coffee, “Hiroto is fine, I don’t mind.”

Mr.Smith nodded, “Hiroto then, what exactly is your job as a disposer?”

The other brunch goers laughed and patted Tao Smith on the back. The old man with the glasses grinned ear to ear, “Oh Tao ma boy-” he chuckled, “Hiroto is doing God’s work!”

The other brunchers nodded in agreement.

One woman with a large hat clapped her gloved hands together, “He cleans the streets of filth!”

Hiro’s mother poked her head out from the kitchen, “My Hiro keeps us humans safe from those rats!” she shuddered.

Tao’s jaw hung open in shock, “Excuse me?” his brow furrowed in rage.

The old man patted Tao’s back again, “Excuse us. You’re a mutant lover-” the room gave a soft chuckle at his tone.

Tao stood up outraged, “Those “filthy rats” are living, breathing people! They have jobs, dreams, families-”

The gloved woman laughed, “Families! Have you seen how one of those things are born?”

The man beside her nodded, “They’re murders!”

Tao couldn’t believe how casually the room spoke of the matter. He wheeled around and saw Hiro casually sipping his coffee, hardly paying attention to the situation unfolding, “Hiroto! As an agent you must understand. You have seen mutants, how they live- please-”

Hiro set his coffee down and scratched the back of his neck, “My job is to kill mutants.”

2121 Present Day: Sector 1-The Ramen Stand

“So you were actually in a gang?!” Ryuichi stared in awe at Kenji as he slurped his noodles.

Kenji nodded, “My dad is the leader of our village even,”

“Wow...life is so different here from the higher sectors...” Shou mumbled to himself before drinking his broth.

“So Kenji,” Seiji spoke while picking at some side dishes, “How is it being partnered with Kyou?”

Kenji looked confused, “Why do you ask?”

Shou sighed, “None of us have ever been with Kyou except Hiro...and Hiro won’t say a word,”

Ryuichi nodded in agreement.

Kenji thought for a moment,“He’s a jerk,”

The four boys broke into laughter and patted each other on the back as they laughed together.

Their laughter was quickly broken by all of their phones going off.

“What they-” Shou grabbed his first and read the message, “Ugh-”

“What is it?” Ryuichi asked as he reached for his own phone.

“We have a surprise physical exam tonight...right now actually,”

They all groaned and got up from their seats and walked back to STAM HQ, joking around and teasing each other.