The heavy oak door swung open.
Rei entered first, her sharp golden eyes sweeping the office with subtle curiosity. Misaki and Doctor Yuna followed, chatting quietly as they stepped inside. Riku trailed just behind, flanked by two of his other personal attendants, both dressed in white-and-silver research uniforms.
Shin turned toward them, now composed, seated on the edge of Serena's desk. His jacket was back on, every sign of earlier intensity erased with practiced ease. President Serena managed to spray the room with floral scent to cover up the scent of their dirty acts.
"So," he asked casually, "how was the tour?"
Rei folded her arms and leaned against the wall. "Not bad. The vibe's colder than Hano, but in a good way. Streamlined. Focused. Our university is more focused on medical research and providing food and nutrition, while Koto is more focused on tech advancement."
Misaki nodded in agreement. "Their robotics wing is massive. They have just as good security features as Hano Medical University has. Even though it's smaller, it isn't a huge disadvantage."
Doctor Yuna gave a small, pleased smile. "I was impressed by their biotech labs. Some of the female researchers here are young, but their minds are razor sharp. I ended up speaking to three girls working on MK-V resistance modeling. They're ahead of the curve in theory, just lacking access to some resources we have back at Hano. Our alliance makes it easier for both of our groups to advance research and other things."
Shin raised an eyebrow at that, then looked to Riku.
Riku grinned, hands in his pockets. "What can I say? I take pride in my hardworking harem."
Shin's eyes narrowed slightly.
Riku winced, immediately correcting himself. "I mean, our harem. Of course. Our collective effort. All of us."
Shin's expression softened into a smirk. He stood up, placing a firm arm around Riku's shoulder.
"That's better. We're all family now. And if we're going to survive what's coming… we protect each other."
Everyone in the room grew still for a second, the gravity of Shin's words settling in. Serena stood off to the side, adjusting her glasses, watching him with thoughtful eyes.
"Family," Rei echoed. "Feels weird. But I'll take it."
The tension diffused after that. The group exited the office together, strolling across the gleaming walkways of Koto Research University. The crisp air carried hints of sakura and ozone from the nearby environmental labs.
Students, mostly girls in black-and-silver, still watched them in awe from behind glass walls and balconies, whispering excitedly. Shin ignored the looks, walking with calm authority, surrounded by those now under his banner. He smirked. All of this was now his. Shin hoped that Riku would do a good job of maintaining everything for him. I might speak to the National Affairs Director, Shin thought to himself as he came up with a risky idea that may pay off.
They stopped at the central food court built near the engineering sector. The group grabbed meals. They grabbed rice bowls, high-protein bentos, and energy drinks while chatting at a shaded terrace.
Misaki tried to challenge Rei to a protein intake contest. Yuna got into a surprisingly animated discussion with one of the nutrition lab girls about neuron accelerants. Riku flirted gently with a shy robotics girl who was too nervous to make eye contact. Shin himself relaxed a bit. Even though Koto was smaller than Hano and less luxurious, it was built for utility, which gave comfort to everybody who resided within it.
"This place," he said, sipping from a tea bottle, "could be something powerful. More than just a base. A sanctuary away from the virus."
Before anyone could reply, a staff member sprinted across the courtyard.
Breathless. Pale. Panic in her eyes.
She nearly tripped before catching herself at their table.
"Quick!" she gasped. "Everybody! Follow me to the main auditorium! Now!"
Shin was on his feet instantly. Everyone else rose with him.
"What happened?" he asked.
"You need to see it for yourself," she said. "It's on the UW live channel. Every campus is tuning in."
They hurried across the campus. Students were already funneling into the main auditorium, a massive dome-like building at the center of Koto. Inside, rows of cushioned seats were filled, the lights dimmed. All eyes were fixed on the gigantic holoscreen projected above the stage.
A spinning logo, UNITED WOMEN – WORLD HEADQUARTERS, faded out.
A cold, female narrator's voice echoed from the speakers.
"This is an official announcement from the United Women World Command."
The screen shifted to display a news-style broadcast. The anchorwoman wore the UW crest and sat rigidly upright.
"Today, the World Headquarters has confirmed that the American UW Branch has been harboring an immune male, a subject not registered with global databases and withheld from our authority."
Murmurs erupted in the crowd. Shin's fists clenched at his sides.
"This direct act of concealment violates Articles 3, 7, and 14 of the Immunity Act. This man's location is currently undisclosed. The United Women World Headquarters has issued an order to reclaim the subject and evaluate the American branch's compliance. Any further obstruction will be met with full protocol enforcement."
The screen zoomed in on a blurry image. Just a glimpse of a man in a sealed research chamber. His face was obscured. The footage was shaky. Clearly not meant for public eyes. The message was clear. Yuna leaned closer to Shin, whispering just loud enough for the others to hear:
"If they find out we've been hiding you and the others…"
"They'll come for us next," Shin finished.
The screen glitched briefly before cutting to black.
Silence.
The screen went black.
Shin stood frozen, his mind racing.
The secrets the Japanese UW Branch had been keeping might put them all in great danger. Shin knew something was off about the UW World Headquarters. He was a bit confused on why the Japanese UW Branch didn't announce his awakening to the world or some of the other Code Numbers. There are more Code Numbers outside of Japan? Shin thought to himself as his expression became darker.
This information makes things a lot more complicated.