At Yoriha's office, the sun is setting, with the four Beast Hunters standing with nervousness, screaming on their face. As Amuro explained and reported the details of recent events during the investigations in Katori.
"So far, no casualties have been reported within the area. But it's not an exception, knowing about 3-4 Beasts were lost roaming within Katori."
Amuro spoke with confidence in his voice, but his face said otherwise as he was visibly sweating.
Yoriha moved her office chair to face the four.
"I see…"
She spoke calmly, swaying her coffee mug left and right with the side of her face resting on her arm, which rested on the armrest.
"Have you sent the patrol team over to scout the area?"
She added, continuing to sway her coffee mug.
"Yes, I've contacted five patrol teams to scout the area."
Amuro responded nervously.
"So far, they haven't spotted or reported any beast sightings within the area."
He added.
Yoriha placed down her coffee mug on her desk before standing up from her chair and walking in front of the four.
"Hmm…"
She hummed, looking down at the ground as if she were thinking.
"Since the four of you were unable to finish an investigation handed down by the Cross Safety Team, and not only that, letting 4 or more beasts roam within Katori…"
She leaned backwards to her desk, letting her take a slight seat.
"It's only fair for you four to be punished."
She added, while putting her tongue out slightly, trying to come out silly.
The four had their faces shocked, as if they weren't expecting a punishment for their actions, yet Amuro had a calm and collected expression on his face.
"Is it- Is it necessary…? Ms. Yoriha?"
Kisho asked, nervous to hear what kind of punishment would be placed on them.
"Hmmm… It is a pretty big mistake, considering you four failed an investigation, and basically put the entirety of Katori on lockdown."
Yoriha said with a finger placed on her chin, her eyes was staring up at the ceiling, trying to think of what kind of punishment to set them in.
Zaki looked nervous; his face didn't match his physique, yet it still looked goofy with the look on his face.
"Even me…?"
He mumbled, asking in a way as if he were a baby doing so.
Yoriha nodded, with a grin on her face,
"Mhm, even you, 'V'."
Shiro looked around him, seeing his comrades all nervous about the punishment aside from Amuro, but even he was sort of calm about it since he was still quite tired.
"Why is he called 'V'? It's one weird title to hold."
He thought to himself, whilst looking at Zaki.
"I'll give the punishment statements tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Shiro will be getting a different punishment cause he was able to kill a few during the incident."
She said while walking back to her office chair, taking a seat, and sipping on her coffee.
Shiro's eyes widen, looking at the sight of Yoriha taking a sip of her coffee, but even then, her eyes reflect a purple gaze for Shiro.
"I wonder why I'm an exception."
…
It's night, 7:03 PM. The four walked out of the B.S.C. Headquarters, with Kisho's face in disappointment to himself, Zaki was chilling with his arms resting on his head, and Amuro still being formal. Shiro was looking around, his eyes slightly opened, still quite tired from the recent events.
Kisho looks at Shiro with eyes of anger.
"You really are her favorite, huh?"
Shiro looked back at Kisho with surprise.
"Huh?"
Kisho sobbed, looking down at the floor.
"I guess I'm no longer her favorite," sniffs
Zaki placed a hand on Kisho's back, reassuring him.
"Cheer up! At least you got to see her, right?"
Kisho looked at Zaki with a frowning face.
"HOW CAN I CHEER UP?! WHEN GODDESS YORIHA IS GONNA PUNISH US?!"
He snapped.
Zaki was startled by the sudden snap, as he immediately removed his hand from Kisho's back.
"Okay, okay.. maybe it is pretty bad."
He looked down at Shiro, who was seemingly tired.
"What about you, half-beast?"
He asked.
Shiro didn't look back at Zaki; he just stared at the streets in front of them.
"Sheena…"
In the distance, he sees a faint figure of Sheena in the streets, wearing her casual clothes with her black button-up shirt, with her hair waving in the wind.
"Sheena…"
He spoke, his eyes half closed, his back hunched.
Zaki notices this, and he then tries to look in the direction Shiro was looking as he leaned his head right beside his.
"Huh? What are you looking at?"
A car passes by at the same position Sheena was in Shiro's vision.
Shiro exhaled, looking in the same direction.
"Right, I must be hallucinating again."
He thought to himself.
Zaki looked back at Shiro with concern.
"What are you looking at, kid?"
Shiro looked back at Zaki, his eyes more open now.
"Sorry, it was nothing. What was that?"
Zaki was skeptical, but he brushed it off.
"You two wanna get dinner? I'm starving!"
Shiro looked around them to see that Kisho wasn't around anymore.
"What about Kisho? Where'd he go?"
He asked curiously.
"He ran off crying after finding out you were Ms. Yoriha's new favorite."
Amuro replied.
"How am I Ms. Yoriha's favorite?"
Shiro was confused, making a weird face, trying to piece things out.
Zaki looked at him.
"Hmmm.. let's see. You two lovebirds were having a blast talking to each other this morning with her cats, aaand she was weirdly smiling a lot more often with you."
Zaki explained, with his eyes looking at the sky while his arms rested on the back of his head.
"Huh…? Isn't that normal, friendly interactions?"
Shiro asked back.
"Clearly, but her smile was a lot wider than compared to other people she talks to."
Zaki said while pointing to the sky with his lips.
Amuro spoke suddenly."It's definitely something. She's friendly, but she seems too friendly with you."
He explained with his voice calm, his face completely collected.
"You two are overlooking this."
Shiro replied with a blank face.
"I'll say this one thing, though, you two are fit together~"
Zaki pointed out, with a teasing voice.
Shiro didn't reply; he just stayed silent, thinking about Yoriha.
"Anyways, let's get some dinner! I'm damn hungry."
Zaki said as he began walking before Amuro started following him.
Zaki looked back at Shiro, who was staring at the ground."
You comin'?"
Shiro takes notice, as he then ran to catch up with the two. But he stayed silent during the walk, questioning Yoriha's feelings and why everyone is saying he's Yoriha's new favorite.
"'Ms. Yoriha's new favorite, huh?"
"What does that even mean…?"
"'She seems too friendly with you.'"
"But… Sheena.. She told me not to fall for Yoriha."
He recaps on the time when Sheena spoke through his mind when he was unconscious, during the time he was butchered by a group of beasts earlier today.
—Chapter 17, End : Too Friendly