Shizuka was feeling kinda bored, or would lonely be a better word? She wasn't sure, was she missing her best friend? Or the only person besides her best friend whom she found fun to be with, Arthur? Or probably both?

Anyway, the cause of her boredom was also that she had a lot of free time, the only work she was allowed and was asked to do was to perform occasional checks on Maresato-San. They didn't let her any more work, that Saya told her that she was too ditzy and spacey!

Humph!

She was not ditzy!

'I just like to think about various things all the time, that's all.' She thought as she walked down the spiral staircase.

She tilted her head cutely and raised her brows and then, she looked at the readers, "Also, I was written this way..."

|A/n: fourth wall breaking won't be a common thing... :):):):)|

'Ah!', She came out of her idle musings as her ears perked up, listening to a familiar voice.

Spotting Arthur, her mood suddenly elevated!

"Aarthur~ you're back!" She rushed to him and hugged him from behind. Her peaks mushed against Arthur's head.

"Hey, Shizuka." Arthur's brows twitched and an awkward smile escaped his lips.

"Where's Rika?" She asked. "Ah, she must be in your inventory."

The night before leaving after their short chat, Arthur had asked Shizuka a favor and told her about his plan of bringing Rika the way he did. For some reason, Shizuka had no qualms with it. Heck! She was even excited to see her friend all confused and dumbfounded when she opens her eyes. She wanted to accompany Arthur, but he rejected her request.

"Yes, you will meet her soon," Arthur said as he removed her hand from his neck.

"Wait, you can store people too!" Kohta asked in bewilderment.

Kazu was a bit shocked too. But Saya wasn't surprised, not surprised at all.

Arthur nodded confirming the fact.

"My back is aching~ I'm gonna lay myself on the couch~." Shizuka yawned and went to the couch and plopped herself on it like a tired cat. Sweet snoring sounds soon fell on Arthur's ears.

After talking a bit more and seeing Arthur's 'yawns' and 'sleepy expression', Saya rolled her eyes, she wanted to talk about something in private with him as soon as possible, but since he wasn't in the mood, she won't press it. "Let's call it a day, guys. It's already midnight. They need to rest too."

"Yeah," Saeko approved with a smile.

'Something about them...' Saya narrowed her eyes but couldn't wrap her head around it.

Since Shizuka was already deep in her sleep, Arthur decided to bring out Rika in the morning.

Arthur stood up and went upstairs to his room. And Saeko too, after putting the empty bowls into the sink, followed him into his room and locked it from inside.

Saya, Kazu, and Kohta furrowed their brows... "Eh...?" They spoke in unison.

Kohta chuckled, "I knew it! Saeko-senpai had a thing for Arthur since day one!"

Saya shook her head in exasperation. "Good for them, I guess." With the corner of her eye, she looked at Kohta. "Hey, fat tub, wipe that victorious smile off of your face, I don't like it in your gross face!"

"Hehe," Kohta rubbed his nose, not minding her comment.

This time it was Kazu's turn to shake his head in exasperation, 'They get along so~~ well.'

He smiled.

.

.

.

Feeling the cold sensation of water sprinkled gently on her face, she winced her face before with a start she shot her eyes open.

Her heart started thumping fiercely, but the danger she felt moments before passing out was nowhere to be seen, instead, a familiar ceiling welcomed her.

The ceiling of her own bedroom...?

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Then she saw a familiar blonde-haired figure, she calmed down with a sigh and smiled.

'Is this afterlife, this looks like my apartment...' The tanned woman thought, not believing her own eyes. Oh well, whether it was her mind playing tricks on her or she was actually in heaven it doesn't matter now, does it? It'll be fine. She was with her sister in all but blood, the only person she cared about in the whole world.

Rika sat up and removed the blanket. She was still in her black combat suit. While Shizuka was wearing simple straps and shorts, she was sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Guess you didn't make it too, huh, Shiz? Looks like we're gonna be roommates in heaven as well..." Rika said, her voice carrying dizziness, solemness, and sweetness, all at the same time.

"Hahahaha~ Rika, what are you talking about...? This is not heaven this is our own apartment."

"Yes," Rika sighed with a helpless sleepy smile.

Shizuka pouted and furrowed brows, 'This wasn't funny anymore... Being ditzy and all was her job!'

Grabbing Rika's shoulders, she shook her vigorously, "You! Wake up already!"

"Huh, eh!?" Rika's eyes widened, and her initial drowsiness vanished with Shizuka's shaking.

"Okay hahaha~okay, stop now! I'm fine, now! I said I'm fine, Shizuka!" Rika spoke between her laughs.

Seeing her dear friend, whom Rika had even lost hope of ever seeing again, tears welled up in her eyes.

Shizuka sighed, she had missed her friend too. She took Rika in a tight bear hug.

"Um... lea..ve me... yo..u ...re... suffo..cati..ng...me", Rika's muffled voice fell on Shizuka's ears.

"Hehe," Shizuka separated herself from her.

"Honestly gurl, your boobs are terrifying! I hope your man doesn't comes to hate your cow tits" Rika shuddered and then both devolved into gales of laughter.

"So, how did I come here? I don't suppose you came to rescue me from that man who attacked me, then that man must've brought me here. Shiz, you know him..." The purple-haired woman narrowed her eyes at the blonde woman. It was easy to deduce

Shizuka smiled, "Yup, I know him! Arthur, come inside, Rika's awake." She called out.

On his cue, Arthur entered the bedroom, a small smile on his face. "Hey, Rika." He waved.

'Those blue eyes...' Rika scowled, remembering what she last saw before passing out, it was clear as day... 'He's definitely him.'

Seeing Rika's expression, Arthur gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, for that night."

She pursed her lips, "Tajima is alive too, right?"

Arthur nodded.

Rika sighed in relief.

"If you just wanted to bring me here then you could've just told me... I was coming back to the city in a couple of more days anyway." She cracked her sore neck. His chop still hurt.

Well, even though for the world it had been more than two days since she vanished into Arthur's inventory, for her, it just had been a few moments. That's why, it still hurt her.

There was no concept of time in his inventory after all.

"I wasn't sure if you were the type to abandon your duty... and I didn't have time to explain everything properly to you, I did what I did for various other reasons... And again," He lowered his head a bit, "I apologize."

"It's fine, it's fine." She dismissed his concern with a wave. "Still kid, you're good at hand-to-hand combat, even if it was a surprise attack, you did well. You look so young to have those skills, how old are you anyway?"

Shizuka giggled smugly, "Fufu, you talk as if had he didn't take you by surprise you could've beaten him. Know this my dear fourth best police officer of this country, he can wipe the floor with your fat ass in any situation."

Rika snorted and tilted her head, and her hair fell off her shoulders, 'Hah, he has impressed Shizuka quite well, eh.'

"So, who is he anyway, your student? You're not going out with him, right? That's illeg-... never mind." Rika sighed.

Her joke was halted by a rational but depressing thought, 'who cared about what's legal and what's not...'

"Eh!? I'm not dating him yet!" The blond woman brought her fists together and huffed with a blush.

"Hmmm..." Rika narrowed her eyes at her friend... 'She likes him, huh... Is it one-sided?'

"Anyway, you didn't tell me who he is." She turned to the black-haired and blue-eyed boy sitting on the chair across the bed.

"I'm an otherworlder, a mercenary. Omniversal Mercenary to be exact. Someone who hops around worlds to accomplish missions."

Arthur introduced.

Rika rolled her eyes as she spoke, "It's not the time for jo-"

But her words got stuck in her throat as she saw a gun just appear out of nowhere in Arthur's hands.

She blinked a few times and turned to Shizuka, seeing the stars in Shizuka's eyes, she dismissed the thought of asking the blonde clutz about his credibility.

Arthur then vanished the gun with just a thought.

'There was no trick.' Rika sighed, it didn't make sense.

But... with the things ongoing, moving dead and shit... it didn't have to make sense.

"Create a cigarette out of thin air for me, only then I'll believe you." She smirked.

"I don't 'create' things, I just take out things that I already have. Anyway, here, catch!" He tossed a pack of cigarettes he took out from his inventory toward Rika.

And without any effort, she grabbed with her one hand. "Neat! Now, be a dear and give me a lighter too."

Arthur chuckled, "Here," He tossed her a lighter too.

Rika smirked.

Arthur pressed his knees with his hands for support and stood up, "Okay then, I'll leave you two friends to catch up. And Shizuka do explain everything in detail to your friend. I'll be downstairs if you need me for anything."

Saying so, Arthur closed the door behind him.

Rika turned to Shizuka, "What are you doing sitting idly? Bring something to stuff my tummy with, I'm hungry."

Shizuka giggled, liking the fact that her friend was back to her usual.

[author]

Thanks for reading!

And uh.. a lil' bad news. I won't be able to update on Friday and Sunday. I have week-long monthly exams...

Can't neglect acads, you know... :')

Also, I'll be picking the pace up a bit...

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[/author]