“Well, why don’t we rest for ten minutes since Yuuri isn’t conscious yet either?” I suggest.
“I can agree to that plan. It’s not like we can move around right now anyway,” Tachibana says and sits on the floor.
And so, we decide to take a break in the engine room until the sprinkler system does its job throughout the facility.
Two hours’ worth of exhaustion washes over me the second I sit down. A sharp ache shoots through the ribs I banged up when the flashover blew me back. With how long the pain has lingered, I must’ve cracked a rib or two. Fatigue isn’t the only thing that’s been building up—so have my injuries.
“…How are you ladies faring?” I ask the women sitting in a circle with me.
“I’m as good as new—except for my numb fingertips.” Moribe shakes out her hands.
“Same here. I won’t have any complaints if I can rest a little more.” Miss Ena stretches her arms over her head.
Tachibana rubs her arms as she answers. “I can keep going as well. The numbness in my arms seems to have gone away after I injected AD.”
Then our fears were correct—Tachibana’s various health issues were caused by radiation damage.
“Then that proves AD works as advertised. I’m surprised it kicks in right away,” I note.
“It’s working too fast if you ask me. Perhaps the radiation’s negative effects and the drug’s effectiveness are just products of our imagination. A placebo effect, if you will.”
“Placebo or not, it’s better to be safe than sorry. We’ll be in bad shape if we don’t keep up the injections.” I glance at the Procyon. The reading has jumped even higher. “Look, it’s at 2,929 mSv now. Doesn’t seem like we have long before it passes the first danger standard of 4,000 mSv.”
“I see… There were people who stayed in an environment over 4,000 mSv to minimize damage during the Chernobyl disaster as well,” Tachibana says.
“What happened to them?”
“According to one theory, the mortality rate for all the workers who stayed was one hundred percent.”
Each person’s expression freezes.
Miss Ena quietly remarks, “…The longer I’ve been down here, the more I’ve grown indifferent to the reality of it, but we really are being exposed to a tremendous amount of radiation. I sure hope Tenkawa and the girls have access to AD.”
“Don’t panic, Miss Ena. The very fact we’ve been finding empty medical boxes and used AD means there’s a high chance they’ve been getting a hold of AD too.”
“Th-That’s true…” She offers a weary smile. Even someone who’d been so argumentative with us in the beginning has started to listen more now that exhaustion has caught up to her.
“…Hasn’t this been pretty tough on you, Miss Ena?”
“Honestly, it has been. Running around nonstop is taking a toll on me… And while I’m at it, I haven’t had a thing to eat since morning, so I’m getting hungry.”
Mentioning food makes me conscious of my own hunger. I don’t know when I last had something to eat, but my stomach feels empty.
“…The thirst is getting to me over hunger. My throat is dried out after inhaling smoke and running from fires. I want to get my hands on some water.”
“Please give up on that idea,” Tachibana scolds me.
“Huh? Why?”
“In all likelihood, the water within this facility has already been contaminated by radiation. Drinking contaminated water will expose your innards to radiation.”
“Seriously?”
“It’s called internal exposure. AD might not protect you at that point.”
That means we can’t even get a sip of water while we’re trapped in this facility. We have at least seven more hours to go before the lockdown lifts. Knowing that is extremely depressing and distressing.
“Oh my gosh, why did my life come to this?” Miss Ena groans in a gloomy voice. “I had such a peaceful life up until yesterday too. I guess it’s true what they say about how you never know what the future holds.”
Depression hangs heavily over us. Moribe and Tachibana force the conversation in a cheerful direction to stop the group from giving in to despair.
“C’mon, Ms. Tsubakiyama, let’s stop with all the gloom and doom talk. We’ll definitely rescue your students and get out of this hellhole.”
“Moribe’s right. I give you my word as a professional that we won’t let a single person die.”
Their encouragement strikes a chord with Miss Ena. She lowers her head and meekly mutters, “Thank you, both of you… And sorry for all the rude things I’ve said to you until now. I’ve been all talk and no action…”
Moribe’s eyes widen at the unusually modest teacher. “D-Don’t let it get you down, Ms. Tsubakiyama. Anyone would be on edge in our situation.”
“But I’ll be sure to listen to your instructions from now on.”
Moribe and Miss Ena have finally opened up to each other after being at odds since the moment they met. Relieved, I toss out an idea: “Well, since we have the time, why don’t we have a fun chat?”
“A fun chat? Okay, I can think of a good topic for that.” Miss Ena grins. “You were very cool back there, Captain Kasasagi! Hero of the hour for carrying two of us at once!”
“Oh, you were still conscious?”
“Barely. You were very manly and dreamy.”
“D-Dreamy? This coming from the woman who called me undependable?”
“Those are the types who come across all the more dreamy when they do something unexpected when it counts, no?”
Heat rises to my cheeks. But it’s not uncomfortable being complimented.
…Wow, she’s pretty cute when she’s not being standoffish. Did my face melt into a dorky smile by accident? Tachibana is shooting daggers at me with her eyes.
“Captain, please don’t grin like a lovesick boy while we’re on duty. It’s unbecoming of you.”
“U-Unbecoming?” My jaw drops.
Miss Ena giggles beside me. “Oh dear, is that you being jealous, Ms. Tachibana?”
“D-Don’t be foolish! Me, jealous? Never.” Red-faced, Tachibana falls silent.
“You’re off the mark with that one, Ms. Tsubakiyama,” Moribe cheerily chimes in. “My big sis here is a workaholic. She’s just bad at handling anything remotely romantic.”