Meanwhile on the other side..
How could we possibly think these stupid kids are still alive out here…" one of the soldiers muttered, kicking a broken branch out of his path.
Kaito flinched—not enough for anyone to call it out, but enough that his jaw tightened. He kept walking, eyes forward. He wasn't about to start a fight. Not here. Not when they were this deep in the woods.
Reeves didn't even turn around.
"They're smarter than you morons," he said flatly, adjusting the strap on his rifle. "General Harada believes in them. That's why he sent us out to bring them back."
"Oh yes, sir Reeves, defender of the delinquent children," another soldier mocked.
"Shut it," Reeves snapped. "Eyes up. We're in the red zone now."
The forest felt heavier the deeper they went—humid, tangled, thick with the buzzing echo of insects. Everyone's boots sank slightly in the soft mud. Kaito kept scanning the trees, fingers tapping anxiously on the grip of his rifle. Thinking of Anna. Wondering what kind of shape she was in. Wondering if she still hated him.
A low growl cut through the air.
Everyone stopped.
"What the hell was that?" someone whispered.
Then it stumbled out from behind a fallen tree—a wild boar, but wrong. Its skin bubbled with infected blisters, patches of fur missing, eyes milky white and dripping. It let out a warped screech that made one of the younger soldiers take a step back.
"Oh great," Reeves muttered, "one of these things."
The boar charged, foam flying from its jaws.
"On me!" Reeves barked.
The team reacted instantly.
Two soldiers flanked left and right. Another raised his shield panel. Reeves stepped forward, calm as stone, and fired a single controlled burst.
The infected boar dropped mid-charge, sliding in the dirt.
Silence fell again—heavy, sharp.
One soldier exhaled shakily. "Damn… imagine a whole herd of them."
"Then hope we never piss off their family," Reeves said, slinging his rifle back. "Keep moving."
Kaito stared at the corpse a moment longer than the others.
This place was getting worse.
If infected animals were mutating this far out…
He swallowed hard and started walking again.
"Hey Kaito," one of the guys called from behind, half mocking, half curious. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Don't tell me you're worried about the kids now."
Kaito kept walking.
"I'm worried about everyone," he said quietly.
Even Reeves glanced at him at that.
The squad continued forward, deeper into the forest—one danger down, countless more waiting in the silence.
Back to treehouse..(night time)
Night wrapped around the treehouse like a thick blanket, the forest humming softly below. Everyone else was asleep, breaths slow and steady in their beds. But Mirko wasn't.
He climbed, almost without thinking, up the thick trunk and onto the big branch he always liked. The one high enough to see the sky clearly. He sat with his legs dangling over the side, the cold breeze brushing his skin as he stared up at the stars scattered like silver dust.
He didn't know how long he sat there before he heard it—
a sharp twik, wood bending under cautious weight.
He whipped around, heart jumping.
A small figure crawled toward him in the dim moonlight.
"Aiko—" he hissed, hand to his chest, "—you scared the living crap outta me. What are you doing here?"
She didn't answer right away. She just kept crawling, carefully balancing on the wide branch until she slid down next to him. Her knees tucked under her chin. Her hair messy from sleep.
"What are you doing here?" she shot back with the same tone.
Mirko looked away, embarrassed.
"Umm… I just came up here to look at the stars…"
His eyes drifted upward again.
"Umm… they're beautiful."
Aiko didn't look at the sky at first.
She looked at him—how the moonlight hit his face, the soft awe in his eyes that he didn't let anyone see during the day.
Then she followed his gaze upward.
"Yeah… look." She pointed. "I like that big glowing star."
"It's called Sirius," Mirko said quietly, almost proudly.
"Umm… Mom used to teach me all kinda stuff about stars."
Aiko's expression softened at the mention of his mother.
She hugged her legs a little tighter.
"That's… really nice," she whispered, eyes drifting between him and the sky. "I didn't know you liked this kind of stuff."
Mirko shrugged, a tiny embarrassed smile tugging his lips.
"I dunno. Makes things feel less… scary."
Aiko nodded.
"Yeah. I get that."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The wind rustled through the leaves, brushing against their skin like a gentle hand. The forest was alive, but quiet—respectful, almost.
"Hey, Mirko?" Aiko said softly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm… glad you're here."
Mirko blinked. Turned. Met her eyes.
"Yeah," he whispered. "Me too.
Umm… ju… h—"
Aiko tried to say something, but the words tangled in her throat. She covered her face with both hands, cheeks burning.
"S–sorry… I don't know what I was gonna say."
Mirko laughed under his breath, nervous and warm.
"Umm… you look really cute when you're shy," he said, eyes darting everywhere except directly at her.
"Stop…" Aiko whispered, turning an even deeper shade of red.
But she didn't move away.
They just… sat there.
Two idiots staring at each other while the whole forest held its breath.
Seconds stretched.
Aiko's eyes flicked down to his lips for a heartbeat.
Mirko swallowed.
Then—before she could change her mind—Aiko leaned forward and gave him a tiny, soft, shy peck on the lips.
Just a quick, warm touch.
Mirko froze.
Aiko instantly jerked back, covering her mouth, her cheeks blazing.
"There you go…" she muttered, trying—and failing—to sound casual.
"You said you've never kissed…"
She scrambled back along the branch, flustered, moving too fast.
"Hey—be careful! You're gonna trip and fall!" Mirko said, half standing to steady her.
"I'm fine! I'm— I just— goodnight!" she squeaked, practically fleeing down the trunk.
Mirko sat there, stunned.
Then he slowly touched his lips, eyes wide.
"Oh my god…" he whispered to no one.
"I kissed a girl…"
A smile stretched across his face—bright, stupid, unbelievably happy.
And for the first time in days, the world didn't feel so heavy.
Morning
The sun peeked through the cracks of the treehouse walls, warming the room with soft light.
Aiko woke first.
The second her eyes opened, the memory of last night slammed her brain like a brick.
I kissed him.
Oh my god—I kissed him.
She grabbed her blanket and covered her face, quietly squealing into it.
Across the room, Mirko stretched and sat up, hair messy, eyes half-closed.
He yawned—then spotted Aiko.
Their eyes met.
Both froze.
"Umm… morning," Mirko said, voice cracking like a teenage boy in a cartoon.
"M-morning…" Aiko replied, staring very intently at literally anything except him.
Anna, waking up beside them, blinked.
She glanced at Aiko.
Then at Mirko.
Then back.
Her eyebrows lifted slowly.
"Oh?" she said softly, lips curving into a smirk.
"What's all this awkward silence? Did someone die or something?"
"We're not awkward," Aiko said immediately.
"Totally normal," Mirko added… at the exact same time.
They both winced.
Izuku rolled over in his sleeping bag. "Why are y'all talking so loud… it's—"
He squinted at them.
"Wait. Why are you two acting weird?"
"We're not!" Aiko shot back a little too quickly.
Mirko nodded aggressively. "Yeah! We're just—just—uh—breathing. Regularly. Like normal humans."
Anna covered her grin with her hand.
"Right. Totally believable."
Tenya sat up, hair sticking in three different directions.
He pinched his nose.
"Oh god. Please don't tell me you two actually—"
He waved his hands.
"Never mind. I don't wanna know."
Aiko choked on air.
Mirko coughed so badly he almost fell off his blanket.
Anna leaned over to Aiko and whispered,
"Your lips look extra moisturized today…"
"Anna!" Aiko slapped her arm, mortified.
Mirko hid his burning face behind his shirt.
Izuku sniffed dramatically.
"Wow… smell that?"
Everyone looked at him.
He smirked.
"Smells like someone caught feelings."
Aiko threw a pillow at him.
Mirko threw another.
Anna howled with laughter.