Sakiko: "I'm glad we were able to switch our shifts!"

Sakiko: "I haven't been to the zoo in forever!"

It's weekday, and Sakiko and I have taken the day off... so we can go to the zoo.

Meimei: "Me too! But actually, I think this is the first time as I'll see a panda in person!"

Sakiko: "No way!"

Sakiko: "Then today will be your panda anniversary!"

Meimei: "Ahahaha, what are you talking about?"

We chatter away excitedly with each other, but in the back of my mind because I'm still thinking about Soryu. It's been two weeks since the shooting in the basement parking lot... and I haven't see him since... but still someone who knows me as granddaughter of Fire Dragons.

(But he hasn't been to the hotel, either. I wonder if he still hasn't found the shooters.)

(I want to ask him, but he hasn't called me.)

Sakiko: "Hey now, Meimei!"

Meimei: "Now what!"

Sakiko: "Don't give me that. You're totally thinking about Soryu right now, aren't you?"

Meimei: "No..."

Sakiko: "Ugh, why are girls always like this!"

Meimei: "I'm sorry. I haven't seen him lately."

Meimei: "...But I'll try to forget about him today!"

Sakiko: "Seriously?"

Meimei: "Yes, I promise."

Sakiko: "Likely story."

Sakiko: "Oh, geez..."

Meimei: "What is it?"

Sakiko: "Soryu's coming this way right now."

Meimei: "WHAT!?"

I look and sure enough, Soryu and Ryosuke are walking towards me. Soryu notices us.

Soryu: "Meimei...?"

Meimei: "No. WAY!"
___________________________________________________

Ryosuke: "What a coincidence! I haven't seen you for a while, Miss Yae!"

Apparently they just finished up with work, so Ryosuke suggests... that all four of us to a café.

Sakiko: "It really is a coincidence."

Sakiko: "Because we were just talking about you, Soryu."

Soryu: "Talking about me?"

Meimei: "H-Hold up, Sakiko..."

Ryosuke: "Wow, sir! You sure are loved!"

Ryosuke: "So what were you saying about him?"

Meimei: "Huh?"

(Actually, we were talking about how I wasn't going to think about him all day.)

Meimei: "Well, we were discussing... how hot he is!"

Soryu: "...Don't say that in front of other people."

Meimei: "Sorry..."

(Is he being shy?)

Ryosuke: "Whoa, you two really are crazy about each other!"

Sakiko: "No kidding. Pretty steamy, if you ask me."

Meimei: "H-Hey, Sakiko! And Ryosuke! Don't tease us..."

Soryu: "..."

Ryosuke: "Um... are you mad, sir? I'm sorry!!"

(Those two, I swear... but I finally got to see Soryu, too...)

*RIIIING*

Ryosuke: "Telephone."

Ryosuke: "Excuse me."

After Ryosuke leaves his seat, Sakiko says quietly...

Sakiko: "Soryu, Meimei has been complaining... about that she never gets to be alone with you as since Ryosuke always comes on your dates."

Meimei: "!?"

Sakiko: "And she was saying how lonely she was since as she hadn't seen you."

(Damn it, Sakiko! Don't tell him like that!!)

Soryu: "Is that true?"

Meimei: "W-Well, I..."

Sakiko: "She sure is."

Sakiko: "That's right! Why don't you two go on a date right now?"

Sakiko: "Ryosuke's not looking, so here's your chance!"

Meimei: "Oh, come on. There's no way Soryu would-"

Soryu: "Let's go."

Meimei: "What!"

He stands up and gestures for me to follow him.
___________________________________________________________

We leave the café and Ryosuke who's still on the phone outside... but he notice Soryu and me.

Ryosuke: "Well, I'll have to check with Mr. Oh first..."

Ryosuke: "Huh? Where are you two going, sir?"

Soryu: "...Spotted us, huh?"

Soryu: "Meimei, let's run!"

Meimei: "Okay!"

He grabs my hand and we starts running at full speed.

Ryosuke: "Ahhhhh! Wait! Wait!"

I turn my head and I see Ryosuke chasing behind us.

Meimei: "He's chasing us!"

I says when Soryu pulls me by the hand behind him and I run as fast as I can.

Soryu: "Let's hide over there!"

Meimei: "Okay!"
______________________________________

Ryosuke: "Sirrrrr! Miss Yae!!!!!"

Ryosuke runs right past us.

Soryu: "...He's gone."

Meimei: "...Yep."

We let out a sigh of relief and then we busts out of laughing.

Meimei: "Well, I'm so happy to see you."

Soryu: "Yeah? I'm sorry because I haven't called."

He strokes my head gently.

Soryu: "So what should we do?"

Meimei: "Are you going to stay with me?"

Soryu: "Yeah. But I don't have to go back to the office today."

(Oh, but what about my zoo date with Sakiko...)

*BUZZZZ*

Meimei: "Oh, it's a text from Sakiko."

Meimei: "It says 'Don't worry about me. Have fun with Soryu.'..."

Soryu: "Heh. You've got a good friend there, Meimei."

Meimei: "Y-Yeah."

Soryu: "Where were you planning on going today?"

Meimei: "Well..."
__________________________________________

Half an hour later, Soryu and I are at the zoo.

(But I never thought he'd come here...)

(And he even requested as we go see the tigers first...)

Soryu: "What's wrong?"

Meimei: "Um, nothing... but the tigers are cool, huh?"

Meimei: "I really like tigers, too. They're so strong."

Soryu: "Yeah. They might be the strongest animals on the plant."

Meimei: "But what about lions? They're the king of the beasts."

Soryu: "Lions hunt in groups. Tigers hunt alone."

Soryu: "So tigers win."

Soryu: "And the strongest tigers are Bengal tigers."

Soryu: "They eat bears, crocodiles... they can even take down an elephant."

Meimei: "W-Wow..."

(Does Soryu really like tigers or something?)

(But I thought he wasn't interested in animals.)

Tiger: *Grrrrr*

Meimei: "W-Whoa, he's really intimidating..."

Meimei: "That tiger's glaring at us... Soryu!?"

I say to him, frozen in place. Soryu's standing in front of the cage, staring at the tiger with a sharp gaze.

Meimei: "Oh my god... why are you glaring at each other!?"

I says when I shocked.

Soryu: "Exercising my eyes. Whoever looks away first loses."

Soryu: "I used to do this all the time as a kid."

Meimei: "So you're having a staring contest with a tiger..."

(I thought he like them... but maybe he thinks of them as enemies!?)

After they stare at each other for about ten minutes the tiger plods back into its shed.

Meimei: "Looks like it's finally over."

Meimei: "So can I pick where we go next?"

Soryu: "Sure."
____________________________________________

Soryu: "This is..."

Meimei: "Yeah, the petting zoo!"

Meimei: "You can even hold these animals!"

There are bunch of bunnies and guinea pigs running free in this fenced-in area.

Soryu: "I'll pass."

Meimei: "Wha! Do you not like bunnies?"

Soryu: "I don't like small animals. I'm afraid I'll break them."

Meimei: "Oh Soryu... don't worry. Just hold them gently like this..."

When I get close to Soryu, the bunny what I'm holding in, but my arms starts flailing.

Meimei: "Ah!"

The bunny jumps out of my arms and the bunny starts nuzzling up to Soryu's legs.

Meimei: "Well. It looks like he likes you. All animals doesn't likes me..."

Soryu: "...For some reason animals have always liked me."

Meimei: "Like the Chihuahua at the pet store."

Meimei: "Animals can tell who likes them by their instincts."

Soryu: "Did your instincts choose me as well?"

Meimei: "What?"

Soryu: "When we first met. Why did you choose me over the other guys?"

Meimei: "Well, because..."

Meimei: "It's a secret."

(I picked him on intuition, so I'm not really sure, either.)

Soryu: "...Hmph. Okay, then."

(Is it just me or does he sound a little disappointed?)

Soryu: "Let's move on."

He starts to walk as I watch his back, I think...

(Maybe he's right.)

(Maybe I just instinctually knew that he would protect me.)
____________________________________________________

Meimei: "This is why I came here today!"

We walk towards the panda enclosure.

Soryu: "There's a ridiculous amount of people here."

Meimei: "But the pandas are really popular. They're so cute!"

Soryu: "Don't be fooled, Meimei."

Soryu: "Pandas are bears, after all. They're ferocious."

Meimei: "Seriously? But they looks peaceful eating their bamboo."

Soryu: "Look carefully. They look happy, but their eyes are sharp."

Soryu: "It's those kinds of people who are the most dangerous in the underground."

Meimei: "Soryu, will you stop acting like all these animals... are your rivals."

Meimei: "Don't have a staring contest like you did with the tiger..."

Meimei: "Huh!?"

Before I know it, the rest of the crowd backs up and makes a space around Soryu and me.

Person 1: "Please go ahead..."

Person 2: "There's a space in front of the cage."

(Did they hear our conversation!?)

(Most people get scared of Soryu when they just look at him.)

It's a little awkard, but we walk right up to the cage. Soryu seems uncomfortable in front of the baby panda.

(Hehe, he's so cute!)

(But I had no idea how he'd react at the zoo... but I'm glad we came.)
_________________________________________________

Meimei: "Today was so fun! The day just flew by!"

Soryu: "Heh. I'm glad to hear it."

Soryu: "I called the office. I'll drive you back to the dorms."

Meimei: "Thanks."

(I want to stay with him longer, but I shouldn't be demanding.)

Soryu: "Don't make that face. It makes me not want to let you go."

Meimei: "!?"

Soryu: "But the situation's a little difficult right now. Night time is especially dangerous."

Meimei: "Have you not found the shooters yet?"

Soryu: "They were hired thugs."

Soryu: "But I'm not sure who paid them."

We walk along the deregistered road as we talk... when suddenly three unsavory looking men approach us. Right as we pass by them...

Soryu: "Meimei!"

Soryu pulls me by the arm and he covers me.

Meimei: "!?"

(What the hell is going on!?)

I'm confused as I look over his shoulder...and I see glinting knives flying through the air.

(A knives!! Did the're attacking us!?)

The three men have us surrounded.

Man 1: "Heh. I can't believe you didn't get hit."

Man 1: "Can you really fight us with that woman, though?"

The men face Soryu who shove me behind his back for protection.

Soryu: "Meimei, don't move."

Meimei: "Okay..."

The three men attack us all at once...

*THUMP* *CRACK*

But Soryu fights back, not allowing them to get close to me... it looks like he's at a disadvantage, though.

(Oh no, Soryu's going to lose! But... I can't fight. I remember why I feel scared cause someone who knows as I'm granddaughter of Fire Dragons.)

A knife slices through the air and he grazes Soryu's arm. The moment as I see that happen, my body moves forward before I can think.

Meimei: "No... I shouldn't to move, but...."

Meimei: "Soryu...!"

Soryu: "Idiot! Don't move!"

Man 1: "So you're his weakness, eh?"

The man grabs my arm.

Meimei: "Let go of me!"

Soryu: "Meimei!"

Man 2: "This is no time to be worried about your woman!"

*CRACK*

Man 1: Arrghh..."

The man who's holding my arm falls to his knees.

Soryu: "I'm glad and I made it."

Meimei: "I'm sorry, Soryu... oh no!"

I look at him as I see blood staining the side of his shirt.

(He got injured!!)

Man 2: "I can't believe you turned your back during a fight!"

Soryu: "...!"

I realize the other man is behind Soryu, wielding his knife high in the air.

Man 2: "You're finished!"

*BANG*

Ryosuke: "Don't move, you bastards! You wanna get shot!?"

Ryosuke emerges from the shadow of a building, he holding a gun.

Meimei: "Ryosuke!!"

Soryu: "Inui!"

Ryosuke: "Heheh. See, you do need me, sir!"

Ryosuke: "Stop walking around without your bodyguard!"

Soryu: "Guess you do come in handy occasionally."

Man 1: "Hey, let's get outta here!"

The three men start to run away.

(We're safe...)

The moment, I breathe a sigh of relief... one of the men who turns around and he throws something.

Soryu: "!?"

Soryu: "Damn it! Why are they throwing a grenade here!?"

Meimei: "!?"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Soryu covers me with his body. An intense blast of wind blows over us and I lose consciousness.

~End of Sequel 3~

TO BE CONTINUED...