EPISODE 17~THE JEALOUS RADAR AND THE HUMAN SANDWICH
522 Words
The journey through the "Blind Spots" was less like a spy movie and more like a comedy of errors. The abandoned subway tunnel was pitch black, smelling of damp concrete and mystery.
"It’s too dark," Shisei whispered, her royal composure faltering as a distant drop of water echoed like a gunshot. "Saito, where are you?"
Toshiro, equipped with military-grade night vision that made his eyes glow a faint, predatory green, stepped into her personal space. "Saito is currently tripping over a rusted rail three meters back. Give me your hand, Shisei. I’m the only one who can actually see the gaping holes in the floor."
He reached out and closed his hand over hers. His grip was firm, warm, and professional—but as Shisei’s fingers laced through his, Toshiro’s "assassin" heart did a very un-assassin-like somersault. He looked straight ahead, his ears turning a bright pink that luckily no one could see in the dark.
"I’m not tripping!" Saito’s voice hissed from the darkness behind them, followed immediately by a loud clang as he kicked a metal bucket. "I’m... scouting the rear! And I don't see why you need to hold her hand so tightly, Toshiro. Use your flashlight!"
"Flashlights attract drones, 'Manager,'" Toshiro countered, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. He pulled Shisei slightly closer as they navigated a narrow ledge. "Besides, she’s trembling. Are you going to deny the Princess comfort during a tactical extraction?"
Saito scrambled forward, appearing on Shisei’s other side like a ghost fueled by spite. He grabbed her other hand. "Fine. Then I’ll hold this one. For... weight distribution. Balance is key for an idol's posture."
Shisei stood frozen for a second, sandwiched between the two brothers. To her left, Toshiro’s hand was steady and protective; to her right, Saito’s hand was warm and slightly sweaty, shaking just as much as hers was.
"Are you two finished?" Shoko’s voice drifted from the very back, the glow of her tablet illuminating her bored face. "Because I’m currently filming 'The Great Underground Romance' and the lighting is terrible. Can we move faster? My hair is frizzing from the humidity."
"Shut up, Shoko!" the boys shouted in unison.
Suddenly, Shisei’s foot slipped on a patch of moss. Both boys reacted instantly—Toshiro yanked her toward him while Saito tried to scoop her up. The result was a chaotic tangle of limbs that ended with Shisei pressed against Toshiro’s chest, while Saito was accidentally hugging Toshiro’s waist from behind.
"Toshiro," Saito muttered into his brother's back, "if you don't let go of her right now, I’m telling Shoko about the time you cried because you lost your wooden sword."
Toshiro stiffened, his face going from pink to deep red. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
Shisei burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the dark tunnel and chasing away the fear. "You guys are ridiculous. Just keep walking. And don't let go—I don't want to fall into a puddle of subway mystery water."
The two brothers grumbled, but they held on tight, walking in a clumsy, blushing line toward the exit that led to the city's outskirts.
- Writer
