Chapter 19: Ep 19 - Unspoken Things
The lab was a miracle.
Hidden beneath the ruins of a prestigious university, the underground botanical facility was still functional — powered by solar backup, filtered through cracked but working glass panels far above. Rows of green vegetables, tomatoes, and medicinal herbs bloomed beneath UV lights. The walls hummed with warmth.
It was the first time in days any of them had tasted fresh air that didn’t reek of blood.
Kanata sat cross-legged near a hydroponic patch, his back against a support beam, watching Koko happily water a tomato plant with a metal ladle. Kanami had found her a tiny apron from the storage closet and adjusted the straps with a proud little smile.
"Doesn’t feel real," Serizawa whispered, crouching beside Kanata.
"No," he agreed, "it really doesn’t."
Godou-sensei sat with her feet soaking in a thermal basin, silently reading an old medical journal while sipping real coffee. Takiya was sharpening her wooden bokken, arms taut with quiet energy, gaze flitting toward the corners of the lab where shadows still lingered.
It was peace. But peace never lasted.
Tension crackled like static between Serizawa and Takiya. It started small — glances, half-bitten words, subtle jabs during group discussions.
Until finally, it broke.
Takiya approached Serizawa near the greenhouse control panel. Her voice was flat, but her eyes were fierce.