"Who's there?"
Aikari asked as the shadow got close to the door. But the person then just walked towards him normally and said "Calm down, it's me." The shadow that walked towards them appears to be Hana.
Aikari calmed down as it was not an enemy or Lucien. He still feels like he is guilty of something from Hana. So he then doesn't know what to say and stays silent. But Hana then broke the silence and says "It's okay, I'm not mad at you or something. If so, I want to understand you." As Hana said that, Ardia then walked out from the behind of Aikari with a smile.
"That's the correct way. You two must have achieved something here, do you?"
Hana was so shocked to see Ardia are there. Because she never thought that she would see it. But right now, she is witnessing that Ardia is a real human in front of her and she was able to talk and touch them directly. Than just a person who appeared in their dream. Hana could see how close Aikari and Ardia are. So that then just makes her ask them.
"So are you two a... lovers?"
Aikari blushed, but before he could even say anything, Ardia answered the question calmly: "We do not say we're lovers, but we're not saying that we're not. It's hard to say." Ardia think for a while and winked at Aikari.
Aikari flushed and sighed. He then told Hana that both of her and Ardia loved each other. But they never kissed or did any lovers sign like the people usually do because of some reason, but love isn't about that. Ardia told Hana about it and Hana was just weird about it. Maybe the world that they're living in is different? But what is the difference between it as they're both human?
Hana asked herself about it but then Ardia just smiled and told Hana that the love that she knows is love that goes through understanding each other. Because that is what their trust is and believe in each other. It might sound weird but that is what she stands with. Not just her but Aikari too.
Hana understands it and for her she already found out what is the relationship is between Ardia and Aikari. But if they're that close, then why don't Aikari get into Quantum World with her instead of Hirumi? If that happens then Hana should be able to know her more.
Aa Ardia heard that question, she just smiled. While Aikari looked down as he wasn't sure how to explain it.
"That because of I'm not alive. I died 7 years ago. In the world that u believe you and Aikari are. I just remain in this world because of just how strong Aikari couldn't forget about me. Because of how hard he wanted to meet me again. Besides, it's his promise to me that one day, when all of us were able to meet again, he would tell me about his journey after I died."
Ardia just smiled brightly as she said that while Aikari couldn't say anything. There is a thing that Aikari thought it might be their secret. But it seems like Ardia already told Hana about it. That just makes Aikari think if they have met before. But how and why did that happen?
Ardia then goes to Hana and asks "I'm sure that you want to tell someone about your journey too, right? Since we're that close. why don't you tell me?" Hana flushed as she heard that. She clearly understands the point that Ardia wants her to spill out. But of course she is not falling for that and says "I don't think that this is now a time to say that." Ardia got it and she then smirked and told Hana that it's fine. Besides, she knows that there is something that they need to settle for now. Ardia believes that by doing the thing that they're about to do, Aikari was able to achieve something.
But before that, Ardia then says.
"We sure have gone through a lot of things. Right? So instead of having a bad thoughts about each other. Why don't we just apologize to each other and figure the things out together? Hana and Aikari?"
When both of Aikari and Hana heard that, those words just hit them hard. Hana is wondering if her action did cause Aikari to get hurt by it while Aikari is thinking if his words did hurt Hana at some point. So at the same time they both looked down and then at the same time, they both said to each other.
"Please forgive me if I did something wrong to you, so can we get back as usual?"
They both were so shocked as they knew that the same thing was in their head all this time. If only they knew this, then the thing might have been easier for them. They feel bad for each other all this time; they don't know how to correct everything out. When the thing that they need to do is just to tell each other how they feel all this time. Ardia, who is there, just smiled and told them that it would be better if they knew each other and understood each other. Because that is how the world works. So with that, then maybe they can now get to the main point.
Ardia then told both of Hana and Aikari to follow her. But before they go, Ardia reminds Hana that she can actually read her thoughts. So there's no need for her to keep a secret from her. Hana flushed as she heard that and told Ardia not to do that. But Ardia just laughed and walked with them.
Hana couldn't help but blush red as they walked. Because of she was thinking if Ardia already knew everything that she never told her about, that would be worse. She had no idea how to avoid it and just bear with it.
The three of them then arrived at where Akaru and Ageru are configuring Ardista. When Aikari looked at it, he saw that Akaru was optimizing the control pod. It looks like it's an optimized one now. Aikari then goes to Akaru and asks him "Is there a problem there?" But Akaru then told Aikari that it's nothing. It just Ardista is getting old. So he was thinking of changing that so that it would be comfortable for Aikari and the system. But when Aikari looked at the wire that connects Aikari to the system. He then asked Aikari if everything is good with him when Ardista is being connected to him. As far as Akaru knew from the previous Ardista Pilot, that function has been used by the pilot so that Ardista could be connected to him fully.
That could enhance both of the fighting style of Ardista and also the special weapon of Ardista. Akaru wasn't sure how Aikari would activate it. Because of that, things are not a thing that exist in the system configuration. But Akaru knows that Aikari would be able to do it. He still wasn't sure how to combine both of him and Hana for Ardista, but he believed that they would find it out.
Akaru told Aikari that there is a lot of optimization on Ardista. Plus with the material that they used from Hikari. Akaru knows that Ardista is different now. Maybe now, Aikari and Hana could become the true pilots of Ardista or what he is known now as the new Ardista. That could save the future that they wanted to protect.
Aikari agreed with it too and told Akaru that he wanted to see it together with everyone. Akaru takes the bottle and drinks some water as he sits down near Aikari. He saw that there's a girl next to Hana and he then asked Aikari "I never thought you had a daughter with Hana." Aikari got choked for a while by that and he then told Akaru that it was not their daughter. But instead that is somehow someone he is close with. Much more closer than him to Hirumi or Hana.
Akaru tried to understand it and he then asked Aikari, "So you are three timing them?" Aikari then couldn't help but feel hopeless about how to explain it. But she just tried to explain it in the simplest way she could. Aikari told Akaru that he actually met Ardia long ago and he was deeply in love with her even until now; she couldn't forget about her. Ardia is someone who has died long ago. But right now, this world brings them all together. And also.
Aikari looked at Ageru who was working and Akaru next to him with a warm smile.
"This world is really a miracle and a curse at the same time. I do not regret anything that I have done here. But I do appreciate it. Maybe there's something that is going to happen here. Ardia is the person that I love. Hirumi is the person that chose to understand me and Hana is the person whom I try to understand. That's how to put it."
Akaru just nods his head and tells Aikari that he could see now that Aikari is close with all three of them. No wonder why Aikari wanted to be with all three of them. Akaru didn't want to ask further about it, and he then told Aikari that there's been something that has been watching them from outside the kingdom all this time, and he heard that Hikari asked the knights to take care of everything that seemed like it was trying to breach through the kingdom. With the help of Atrium City Heroes, it's not that hard for them.
Akaru got a feeling that the enemy might want the system inside of Ardista to do something. As Ardista has a system that is known as something like connecting the people's thoughts. But it also depends on their intention. If it falls to the good person, then Akaru didn't think that it would be a problem. But imagine if it fell to the wrong hand. Then they won't be able to do anything about that. So Akaru and Ageru need to make sure it won't happen even if it costs their lives.
Hearing that from Akaru that he met inside of the Quantum World, it just couldn't help but remind him of Akaru that he used to know. Not just Akaru but also Ageru. Because of long ago when the Americans hunted Aikari down for that Quantum System secret that they wanted, Akaru and Ageru were the people who willingly helped him with everything that they got and by the bonds that they created, they gained trust from the other hackers and somehow they were able to make a bigger and stronger group.
Together, they stay in a group that they called as 'family' protecting each other. understand each other and help each other. So that they could have a beautiful story with each other. Until the disaster happened. It is something that they couldn't run from it. But even so, Aikari was so happy to meet all of them and he will never forget about them.
Aikari didn't want to lose anyone anymore. He hope for even the last moment of his life, he would be able to save everyone. He meet with Nefier or Andrius, that make him gain a hope that he could save everyone. But he need to keep on working hard to achieve that.
A world on where everyone could be saved and live peacefully.
Aikari couldn't help but smile as he thought of that. Akaru saw it and he then told Aikari that there's nothing he should be worried about. Everything will go on smoothly and all they need to do is do their best. Akaru told Aikari that Ardista could be used for now. But they still weren't sure where did the enemy hid in. So they might wait for the chance to use Ardista. Because this time, Akaru believes that this one shot from Ardista with the combined resolve from the both of Aikari and Hana. They will be able to finish everything off.