As Mark headed back to his room, lost in thought about what the boss had said, he wandered aimlessly around the Seirei Exorcist building. After a while, he realized he was completely lost.
"Where the hell is it again?" Mark muttered to himself, rubbing the back of his head in frustration. "I swear it was this way… Damn it, this place is way too big for the number of people we have!"
He kept wandering until he came across Miwafe, who was reading a book while sitting on a couch. Miwafe noticed Mark and jumped in shock. "What are you doing here?" she asked, startled.
Mark smirked. "Taking lewd pictures," he replied sarcastically, earning an annoyed glare from her. He quickly added, "Relax, I'm just kidding. I can't find my room."
Miwafe tilted her head in confusion but then offered, "I could show you all the rooms on this floor if that would help… not like I care or anything," she said, blushing slightly.
"Sure," Mark replied, sitting next to her.
Miwafe stiffened, trying to maintain her composure as Mark sat close. Trying to distract herself, she looked at her book. Mark noticed and asked, "What are you reading?"
"The Seirei quote for exorcisms," she answered.
Mark peered over her shoulder and saw strange words. "You can read this?"
"Of course, idiot," Miwafe replied, rolling her eyes. "It's no big deal if you study the manual."
Mark gave her a skeptical look, prompting Miwafe to snap, "Stop looking at me like that, you creep!"
Changing the subject, Miwafe asked, "How did you even get lost?"
"I went to get some ice," Mark said casually.
Miwafe raised an eyebrow. "Where's the ice?"
Mark froze, realizing it had melted. "Crap…"
Miwafe chuckled softly, surprising Mark. "No way… you can laugh?"
"Of course, you idiot! What, did you think I was some kind of monster?" she retorted, though her cheeks turned pink.
Mark smiled. "You remind me of my sister."
Miwafe's interest was piqued. "You have a sister?"
"Not really," Mark replied, confusing her. He clarified, "I was adopted by her family. We're not blood-related."
"Oh… So why do I remind you of her?" Miwafe asked.
"She's tough, but even though she has a soft side, she hides it behind anger and comes off as scary and strong. She's the main reason I joined the Seirei Exorcists," Mark explained.
Intrigued, Miwafe asked why.
Mark's expression softened. "She has a serious illness and couldn't survive for long without treatment. Smith offered me a job here, and at first, I wasn't interested in becoming an exorcist. But it was the only way to save her, and I owed her family everything. So I joined."
Miwafe looked concerned. "Is she okay now?"
"She's resting after surgery," Mark reassured her before asking, "Why did you join?"
Miwafe hesitated, blushing as she said, "None of your business!"
Her sudden change in tone shocked Mark, but she eventually sighed and muttered, "If you tell anyone about this, I'll rip out your eyes."
Mark nodded, intrigued, as she began, "Vanessa and I are best friends. She's always been too kind and caring, which made her an easy target for bullies. I always stood up for her, but as we got older, the bullying got worse. Vanessa wanted to learn to defend herself, even though she couldn't hurt a fly, Mark asked but if you are from the west how are you and Vanessa friends but miwafe explains that though she is from the west she spent her live at they center where she meet Vanessa.
"One day, we met Smith, who told us about Standz and Seireis. Vanessa saw it as an opportunity to get stronger, and even though I wasn't interested, I joined to protect her… just in case."
Mark smiled. "You know, I now like you more than just your…" He gestured vaguely. "Massive melons."
Miwafe turned bright red. "Pervert!" she shouted before storming off to bed.
Mark chuckled and waved goodbye, only to realize she was supposed to show him his room. "Damn it!" he yelled, resuming his aimless wandering.
THE NEXT MORNING
Jack, Rin, and Miwafe woke up to the smell of food. They headed to the kitchen to find Vanessa cooking.
"Oh no… this is bad," Miwafe muttered under her breath.
Vanessa turned and smiled. "Good morning! I made breakfast!"
Jack eagerly ran to his seat, Rin followed calmly, and Miwafe hesitated, trembling. She had lived with Vanessa long enough to know one thing: Vanessa couldn't cook. But she didn't have the heart to tell her.
Vanessa served overcooked noodles and burnt chicken. "Eat up!" she said cheerfully.
Jack and Rin exchanged horrified looks before Miwafe glared at them, silently warning them to keep quiet. Reluctantly, they began eating, swallowing down their revulsion. Miwafe followed suit, forcing a smile as Vanessa beamed with pride.
Mark entered the kitchen looking disheveled. Miwafe apologized for forgetting to show him his room, but Mark waved it off, admitting he'd slept on the floor.
Jack teased, "So that's why you look like a run-over rat!"
Ignoring him, Mark approached the table. "What's that?" he asked, pointing at the food.
Jack, Rin, and Miwafe froze. Vanessa served Mark a plate, and he stared at it before asking, "What the hell is this?"
Miwafe lunged to stop him, but Jack and Rin held her back. Mark tasted the food and immediately declared it terrible. Miwafe fainted, but to everyone's surprise, Mark kept eating.
"Why are you still eating if it's so bad?" Vanessa asked, puzzled.
Mark smiled. "You worked hard to make this for us. I can't waste it."
Miwafe looked at him, a small smile forming.
After finishing, Vanessa asked if he wanted seconds. "Are you trying to kill me?" Mark quipped.
Just then, Smith entered. "Get ready. We've got a call—Seireis spotted nearby. Time for your first exorcism!"
The group cheered, except for Mark, who sighed but followed along.