Taoreta's POV

  ....I saw.

  It made so much sense.

  "...I...see...." I whispered in realization.

  I was selfish.

  I was selfish and reserved with those close to me. It wasn't like I didn't trust anyone. I just didn't want to get hurt again.

  Just like when my mother had abandoned me, I didn't want Kishi to do the same.

  So with that in mind....

  "I was... the selfish type," I finally managed to speak.

  "...Tao?" my friend called out to me in surprise.

  I slowly raised my head with a weak smile.

  "I'm selfish. There's nothing to that. I'm the type who can't be comfortable with anyone unless I know them that well."

  That was right. I had always been like this.

  I put my hands behind my back.

  "I always tried to stay away from the crowd. I hid, I craved, I took, I stole, and I was a coward. That's what made Taoreta up to that point. In other words, I was an idiot for trying to think that I was a good person..." I chuckled to myself.

  "..." Kishi sweated.

  "I'm sorry, Kishi. I'm not as innocent as you might think. I did whatever it took to protect you. I used whatever method to gain that, too. Heh. Can you believe that? A girl like me thinking that she could atone for her actions?" I deeply sighed in relief.

  I looked up at the ceiling as if I was confessing my sin to the heaven above.

  "Don't you remember back then? I disliked you, Kishi. I didn't trust you back then either. I was the type to hold myself back. Yet I tried to reassure myself so that I didn't get hurt in the end..."

  Yup, that was true.

  My actions had been built thanks to my mother.

  I pushed people away.

  I tried to view people as disgusting creatures instead of mammals.

  Thinking that they were beyond saving.

  Yet I was the one who was beyond saving. That was until Kishi saved me. The food he provided was made by my mom, who had shut me out of her life for some man.

  I could not comprehend why someone like me was still alive.

  But...

  "...I still wanted to believe that I could change...." I muttered and chuckled.

  Yes. I wanted to change the way I viewed things. It wasn't going to change the way I viewed the world. Not right away, at least.

  I couldn't afford to be picking favorites. I needed to at least cooperate with everyone here. I needed to stop being selfish.

  Because one day, whether I liked it or not, Kishi would most likely find something that I might not like.

  By then, I might make the greatest mistake in my life. And then my worst fear would come true. So, in order to mentally prepare myself, I NEEDED to accept the fact that people could change.

  And deep down, I had known this for a long while.

  A fwed girl like me needed to accept that there were outcomes that were beyond my control. I needed to accept that there were things that I couldn't avoid.

  Love, hate, joy, sad—one of a few emotions that we humans have in our very core.

  It was made up based on our origin.

  In that case, I needed to go back to who I was. A curious girl who wanted the best for everyone around her. Someone who could use science and technology to help those in need. Just like when I was helping my mom and dad with their assignments from way back then.

  "I can't lie and say that I liked having people around me. I can't say that I won't get in a mood so horrible that you all will judge me. Based on my background—my moth-....er. My... past wasn't the best. So my judgment and actions didn't always link up with one another."

  I swallowed my broken words in my throat and tried to pick up my shaking heart. Come on, Taoreta, you can do this!

  "A selfish person like me always gets people around her in trouble. I can't say for certain that I trust all of you. Well, except for Kishi."

  I could hear the whisper from the girls.

  I didn't bme anyone here. No one got the bme but me.

  "I'm sorry... It's the truth. I... I just don't trust you all like that. But..."

  I held my chest.

  Taking a deep breath in... and then breathing out.

  "I can at least learn to try. I can't keep being this way. I can't keep Kishi down when he's trying his best to trust you all in this mission for the survival of the human race. I won't lie and say it's for my sake. Really? It's just for Kishi's well-being. Nothing more, nothing less. At least for now..."

  I gripped the cube tightly in my hand.

  "To make things even, you can all think of me as a tool of some kind. A... lost sword of the forbidden realm where no man dares to cross the path. A person who's trying to be useful for personal gain. A mutual agreement, if I might add."

  But most of all...

  "And... I secretly want to at least get to know each other without this tainted mind getting in the way of a good friendship with you all. If... if that's okay with you guys..."

  I looked up at the girls who had their eyes covered by shadow.

  I looked up at Kishi and saw him with a shadow over his eyes as well. That sight made my heart sink deeper than the whole ocean. I felt my resolve melting away as I could sense our closeness withering away.

  Kishi slowly turned around... looking at the girls.

  I lowered my head. I was ashamed for my viewpoint of the world.

  Oh well, I thought.

  I feared this might happen to me. But Kishi didn't run away at least so there was something.

  Normally, I would have cried out my tears. Run away from my problems like always. But not now. There was still a chance to change my life around.

  This was what I got for only thinking about myself.

  Now, I would face my fears.

  Wong!

  The shape of a sword was formed from the cube that glowed yellow briefly. I held it up, getting reminded of a knight who had defended her kingdom.

  Yes...

  A kingdom that should come.

  "It's okay. I don't bme any of you guys. But, at the very least..."

  ...please, let me show you that I can change for the better!

  I wanted to show everyone that Taoreta could change. I wouldn't run away anymore. I wanted to mend my friendship with Kishi. I wanted to see people for who they were.

  I WANTED to give everyone a fair chance.

  I WANTED to have a happy ending.

  I WANTED to think about Riley. I WANTED to think about David.

  I WANTED to make friends.

  All these dark thoughts had been driving me away from people. I knew the ones in the past were bastards that could not be forgiven, but still!

  Still... still...!

  "...I'll change! So please, let me make this up to—!"

  "Sigh... you two are such a dramatic duo, huh?" I heard Kuma's voice.

  I gnced and saw Kuma with a gentle look at me. She then folded her arms.

  "Good grief! Acting like this is news to us," Kuma joked.

  "H-huh?" I widened my eyes.

  "Of course you wouldn't trust us. We only met a few days ago," Kujira closed her eyes and leaned on a wall.

  "I mean, some people will trust each other on the first day, but normally, someone who you just met can't really be trustworthy," Yosei stated while looking calm but reassuring.

  "..."

  I didn't understand. No, I didn't think they understood.

  "...No, I don't think-"

  "Right, right. Someone treated you badly, so you distrust humans as a whole, right?" Kuma looked at Kishi. "Kibi told us a bit about your past beforehand. Same with how you were with him as well, the other day." Kuma scratched her blue hair. "Honestly, what you two are saying is very human and understandable."

  "So I don't expect you to trust us like that. But at the very least, have faith in us when the time comes to battle," Yosei chuckled as if she had heard a funny joke.

  "..." I sweated intensely.

  They didn't expect me to trust them...

  Strange, normally, people would be disgusted by my actions...

  I didn't understand. Why weren't they mad at me? Why weren't they yelling? Why weren't they disappointed in me? I basically admitted that I didn't care for them as much as Kishi. So why—

  "Hey, Tao..." I heard Kishi's voice.

  I looked at him and saw him looking at the floor. I could hear his breathing was a bit heavy but he seemed fine.

  No, it wasn't that he wasn't fine.

  It just seemed like Kishi felt bad for me.

  Hearing me say all of this must have guilt-tripped him somehow. I didn't want that. I didn't mean to make Kishi feel that way. I was just being honest.

  "Kishi, I-I-"

  "I'm sorry," Kishi apologized to me... huh?

  "I'm sorry for not paying more attention to you. I'm sorry for making you feel that way. I'm sorry for forcing you to be in this, even though I know you had a rough path." Kishi scratched his head. "I just wanted to make you happy. I know you dislike humans from the past. I know you had it rough. But still..."

  Kishi held his chest.

  "Let me make it up to you as my part of an atonement. Let me be your shield to your mighty sword."

  Kishi offered his hand to me.

  "A-ah..." I was frozen in pce.

  I didn't get it. I didn't understand. Why?

  Why was he doing that?

  ...Don't look at me that way.

  Don't feel sorry for someone like me...

  I couldn't stand it. I wasn't angry at his expression. Oh no, far from it. I was disgusted by my actions for making him feel that way.

  But I decided to swallow that hard. I was going to not make the boy who saved me cry any longer.

  "You don't need to ask me, Kishi." I slowly reached out my hand and met his. "You already know the answer to the question. Right?" I tilted my head with a bright smile.

  Kishi gasped in surprise. But it didn't take long before he realized what I meant.

  "Right. Tao is Tao, after all. I don't care what anyone says about you. Yourself included. In my eyes, you're always someone I would rather protect and defend no matter what. No matter what, I'll always be there for you."

  Kishi and I shook hands.

  With that statement being the bow to the conversation, we both let go of the warmth from our palms.

  I stared at the sword in awe.

  "Still, I didn't actually expect a sword to pop out like that. I was thinking more of a shield," I lifted up my sword and then swung it.

  "I know, right? Talk about irony in our weapon choices..." Kishi joked then ughed nervously.

  "Is there a factor to this?" I looked at the others who had been silent until now.

  Kuma looked around and then pointed at herself. "Wait, you're talking to me, or...?"

  "Uh, who else was she talking to? And she meant you all," Kishi sweated at Kuma's answer.

  "Huh?! So the shojo is over?!" Yosei frowned at us while holding her chest as if her favorite TV show was over and she'd have to wait until next week to view it again.

  "Honestly, I was expecting a fireworks arc after this..." Kujira joked, her eyes seeming a bit more sparkling than before. Not to mention, she was blushing as well.

  "Which reminds me. Why didn't you guys join in the conversation?" Kishi asked curiously.

  "Yeah," I nodded in agreement.

  "Huh? Why would we do that?" the girls said in unison.

  "..."

  "..."

  Kishi and I became dumbfounded. Did we miss something, or...

  "I feel like we're missing the bigger picture here. But what?" I whispered.

  "You got me..." Kishi whispered back to me.

  Well, let's hope it wasn't something that could ruin the mission in the long run.

  I hoped Kuma would expin the reason for our weapon choice as well. I was curious about that in particur.