""Why won't you stay still?!?"
"Because you keep trying to slap me! What the hell is wrong with you???"
The rest of the people were just staring wide-eyed as Lana kept trying to slap the person who saved her sister.
Louis was the first one to get his head out for the clouds and broke them up.
"Lana what the hell is wrong with you? Is that how you treat the man who saved your sister's life?"
Lana stopped and straightened her clothes as she tried to regain her composure.
"Not at all, father. I was just completely taken by surprise, that's all" Lana replied to her Father.
"I don't know about that, couz. It looked like you were trying to take his head off, and I thought you guys were friends " Louis chided with a smirk. "If I didn't know better, it looked like you were more like enemies" he added.
"God, no! And yes, we ARE friends. I was just surprised" Lana tried to respond as cool as she can.
"Sure he's not an ex? You were pretty upset earlier" Misha added.
"For heaven's sake no! We only met a few weeks back in class, he's in one of my classes." Lana replied.
"Um.. It's three classes, actually" Mark added.
"Nobody asked you!" Lana snarled, and Mark comically stepped behind Misha as of to use her as a shield.
"I guess the cigs are out of the question then, huh? In that case..." Mark cut off as he saluted to Louis, "May I be dismissed, sir?"
Louis raised an eyebrow. "For what reason, soldier?"
"I need to find an ATM so I can buy some cigs and dinner, sir!"
The colonel shook his head and sighed, then he took out his wallet to get some money and handed it to Mark.
"No need. Take this and get yourself something nice, and for the love of God get some good cigs for yourself while you're at it. This will more than cover for it."
"This is too much, sir" Mark said as he found that he was handed three thousand pesos. Heck, he can buy an entire ream with that as well as get a really nice dinner and still have change.
"Just take it as an incentive and my apology for my cousin slapping you hard. Just meet me in my office when you're ready so we can have your debriefing"
"Thank you, sir!" Mark saluted and did a snappy 180 turn before he walked off.
....
Col. Kang just finished debriefing Misha and his family and was now walking them out to their car when he caught a whiff of cigarette smoke. He looked around and found Zero smoking.
Zero also noticed him and was about to throw away his cigarette when Louis signalled that it was okay, and for him to come closer. He noticed that plastic bags containing a ream of menthol cigarettes, a large bottle of soda, and some hamburgers.
Zero noticed what the colonel was looking at. " I know I splurged a bit, but I thought I'd get some as well for when I'm studying and the commissary's closed" he said sheepishly.
"No problem with that. I'm just wondering... That's really splurging?" Louis asked.
"Yes sir, it has been a while as well since I had some good cigs. Thanks again" Zero replied.
"That won't do at all. Come, you will have dinner with us tonight."
.....
Louis raised an eyebrow at the obvious awkwardness Zero was showing. They went to a nearby Rack's restaurant. It is a western restaurant that specialized in American barbecue cooked low and slow.
"Sir, are you sure this is really okay? This place looks like it's on the expensive side" Zero whispered to him.
Louis let out a low chuckle at the question. " It's fine. Order what you want, that's an order."
Zero nodded slightly before he read the menu. Then he asked again in a low whisper. " Um, sir? which one of these is pork? I don't really like beef, but the pictures of the ribs look really good".
"You'll want the baby back ribs then. The rest of the ribs on the menu are all beef" Louis answered.
Zero thanked him. They then all placed their respective orders.
As they ate, Louis and Lana both raised an eyebrow at how Zero ate. For someone who acted like he never went to a place like this before, Zero was using his knife and fork flawlessly to strip the bones of the meat, while they used their hands to pick up the ribs after they've sliced them.
"Why were you acting like this is the first time you ate here?" Lana asked to break the ice.
"Because it is my first time eating here. I'm used to eating at places where a meal is just over thirty pesos before adding a bottle of soda. Sometimes, if there's a special occasion, or if I had the money and no other choice, I'd go to a fastfood place. Normally, I'd prefer the place near our school where I can eat for just under thirty pesos" Zero replied.
"You make it sound like you're always short of cash" Lana exclaimed. However, she has personally seen that Zero eats exactly as he said whenever she saw him around school.
Come to think of it, she barely even saw him eat at all, she thought.
"When I'm strapped for cash, then I go to the food cart near where we stay just outside of the campus. The one where you can skewer different kinds of meatballs and you pay by the piece. You know the one, I've seen you eat there too" he answered.
Lana was a bit concerned at that. "Wait, you mean THAT was your meal during those times? That is a snack at best! I've also seen you sharing, so I always thought that you were just having a snack!"
"We all do what we can to survive" Zero said as he shrugged. "I'd rather have less food than have to walk to, and from school. Besides, if I don't have enough I can get by with just some cigs".
"You know, I'm having a hard time accepting this and bringing it together with what your C.O. told me about you" Louis interjected.
Zero groaned, "Please tell me he at least said something nice about me".
"Just how true is it that you went berserk when you did your last mission? I was told you kind of went berserk and did it on your own".
Zero sighed in exasperation.
"That is supposed to be classified, sir. To answer your question, I did not go berserk. I simply did it on my own because it was a deal for me that I worked out with command. It didn't feel right if I involved my team in something that was solely for me" he answered.
"So you didn't go berserk?" the senior officer insisted.
"No sir" he replied simply. "But I admit that I may have gone a bit overboard."