"What's exactly going on outside?"
Ken's question just floated without an answer. Sasaki just kept silent while staring at one of the three teenagers who gave him a look demanding answers. While still waiting for an answer to his question, the lights in the room, which had previously been shining brightly, began to blink as if it had reached its limit. It's just that the light does not blink arbitrarily and in patterns.
One. Two. Three. The lamp flashes only three times at the same tempo, after which the light returns to its original state. Ken, Chikara, and Yamashita looked up with astonished gazes.
Sasaki sighed, then finally opened his mouth. Instead of saying something that the three of them expected, it was a sentence that made them even more overwhelmed with curiosity.
"You three stay here and don't go anywhere!"
After saying that, Sasaki went straight out of the room without giving any more explanation. The sound of Chikara's tongue was the first thing that was heard after the door closed. Yamashita sighed heavily. Meanwhile, Ken was still looking up, staring at the light bulb that was on the ceiling right above his head.
"Oi, Yamashita, didn't you say that you knew everything? Shouldn't you be aware of this situation? This place, and that light code?"
"I don't know!" Yamashita seemed to be somewhat depressed so he responded to Chikara's question in a high pitch that was both upset and frustrated. "For this one, I've never heard of this kind of incident before. All I know is that whoever they are, they have such evil intentions towards Imai-kun that I have to cover up the traces of his existence with mine, even if the results are not one hundred percent helpful."
Ken glanced at his hand which was still in Yamashita's grip.
"You mean by doing this?" Ken asked as he raised his hand that Yamashita was holding. Yamashita nodded. "What's that mean?"
"You remember, when I first spoke to you in the hall, I once said that you have an unusual aura, right?"
Ken nodded. He clearly remembered Yamashita saying that to him. At first he wanted to ask about it, but other topics always came up and he felt it was more important to ask first until Ken forgot about that one.
"I'm not kidding. I notice you have an unusual aura in comparison to other people I've ever seen ... or perhaps yours is the only one."
"Explain in more detail! Ken can never understand if you're just twisting your words."
Ken, who at first was seriously listening to Yamashita's explanation, elbowed Chikara reflexively. Chikara clicked his tongue as he brushed Ken's elbow away from his stomach. Yamashita cleared his throat and continued his explanation in more detail and in a language that would have been easier to understand.
"Okay, so here we go. In my eyes, everyone is in a transparent shield like a shell. What I saw as a shell was the aura I mentioned earlier. This aura has various shapes and its essence is like that of a person in a transparent anti-burst bubble, " Yamashita took a breath for a moment. "Well, what I mean by Imai-kun's aura being different from others is that yours is not shaped like a shell."
"Then like what?"
"Hmm, I don't see your body as being in a shell. Instead of a shell, I see your body shining as if there is a sun inside your body. It is like your body wants to show itself to the world, you know?"
Ken was silent, just like Chikara. They are not even sure whether to believe that statement or not. Even before deciding to believe, they almost thought Yamashita was insane and his words were a joke. But, can a joke be told with such a serious look on his face?
"So, you've been holding my hand so that my body can take shelter in your 'shell' ?"
"Thank God that Imai-kun understood my explanation. I don't know what else to explain if you still can't understand it," Yamashita replied with a big smile while Ken refrained from letting his hand slip out of control. "But unfortunately Imai-kun, your aura is too bright that I can't cover yours with mine for a long time."
"Hold on, then are there indeed people who can see the aura besides you?" asked Chikara.
Yamashita shrugged his shoulders. "All I know is, after I covered up Imai-kun's whereabouts, those people started moving in any direction as if they had lost the target they were looking for."
"Then why is only Ken's aura different?"
For the second time, Yamashita only shrugged his shoulders.
Although Ken seemed to listen to Yamashita's words from beginning to end without even interrupting, it did not cover up the fact that Ken was still in the midst of indecision. He was still unsure whether he could trust Yamashita or not. In fact, he wasn't sure whether Yamashita was an ally or a foe.
Another confusing part from Yamashita's statement was when he said that his aura was not the same as most people he had ever seen. As a result of his words, Ken's head was getting crowded with questions that never found the answers.
Is there something wrong with him? Or does this have something to do with his new status as The Chosen Elementor?
At that moment, the only access in that small room was suddenly open. Sasaki opened the door widely. With a hand gesture, he told the three teenagers in the room to follow him outside. While leading the way, Sasaki said that the atmosphere outside had begun to be controlled safely. However, all new members are not advised to go out and go directly to their homes for at least the next hour.
After their return to the third floor, the other new members seemed to scatter and blend in all directions because the lights were back on and the window protectors had also been lifted so that the atmosphere was no longer pitch black. There was no longer a single adult there other than five burly men dressed all in black, plus Sasaki. Sasaki said they were still checking the situation around the building. Therefore, the new members are free to occupy and surround the first floor to the third floor freely for the next one hour.
"Imai-kun, if you don't mind, can you come with me?"
Ken was silent for a moment before nodding his head. Behind Sasaki, Ken followed his steps which turned out to be getting into an elevator that was far away and cornered from the crowd. Sasaki pressed the number nine button and then the elevator door closed and brought them up slowly.
Looking suspiciously at the elevator buttons, Ken asked the man beside him, "Sasaki-san, what exactly happened earlier? This time, please answer me and don't ignore it again."
Sasaki turned his head and smiled. "I thought you wanted to ask me about where we were going."
Ken realizes that Sasaki is avoiding his question again. He let out a long sigh.
"Sasaki-san, come on. I've asked you this twice and you still don't want to answer it. If so, at least please answer this one. Does this have anything to do with me? The Chosen Elementor who endangers the peace and tranquility of the country?"
A soft subtle 'ding' rang at the same time as the elevator opened. They had reached the destination floor, which was the ninth floor. However, the two of them didn't come out right away. Only moments later, Sasaki stepped out, stopping his steps while turning his head to the side.
"I think, it might be better if Imai-kun heard the answer directly from the Leader. Isn't it?"