Yumix; Unveiled Chapter 27: The Gap Between Us

Read chapter 27 of Yumix; Unveiled by iiPilix on NovelPedia.

The Original LightNovel Project Volume 02, Chapter 11: [ The Gap Between Us ] Original work, all rights reserved to the Author ‘Pili’, until we get an adaptation contract Hiroki rose from his slumber, and his features reflected fatigue. It seemed like he was having a restless sleep, even though he had woken up later than usual. His body felt heavy, and his mind even heavier. Amaya was still missing. The memory of last night clung to him, suffocating his thoughts. "The sun had already risen." He forced himself to get out of the bed. Sitting around wouldn’t bring her back. He walked out of his room, finding the hallway completely vacant. The usual sounds of morning chatter weren’t there—just only silence. He made his way outside, stopping at the sink nearby the PHG walls to wipe the fatigue off his face. The cold water splashed on his face, waking him up slightly. His reflection in the water looked… different. Tired and unfocused, unlike his usual self. After quickly washing up, he headed to the cafeteria. The place was mostly empty. Most of the recruits had already eaten and moved on to their duties. Hiroki sat alone, barely touching his food. His appetite was gone. But he forced himself to eat anyway. "Sienna was right… I need to get stronger." He couldn't shake those thoughts out of his mind. As he finally finished, he stood up, exhaling sharply. "I have to join them… they probably started ahead of me." Upon arriving at the training area, he spotted both Kenji and Yoru there. Kenji was already in the mid of training, throwing rapid punches to a tall, bouncy bamboo branch, demonstrating sharp movements. Yoru, on the other side, was slowly stretching her muscles, preparing as usual. Neither of them noticed Hiroki until his approaching footsteps became more audible. Yoru turned over to see him heading their way. "Hiroki!" She left what she was doing and walked over to him, which Kenji also noticed. "Hiroki, how have you been since yesterday? Are you alright?” Yoru asked with noticeable concern on her face. "Yeah. Don’t worry about it," he replied before facing towards Kenji with a serious look, "Kenji, I want you to go hard with me in training today." Kenji was surprised by his words, but he quickly shifted to a bold smile. "Well, that definitely sounds like something outta the ordinary. Don't worry, I won't go easy on you." Yoru, who had been quiet, glanced at Hiroki with mild intrigue. "Are you really serious about this?" "Yeah," Hiroki responded confidently. "In the end, this is the only way to protect everyone… Including Amaya." Hiroki glanced at the clouds while lost in his thoughts. "I hope you're okey." Kenji noticed his distraction, "You good?" Hiroki turned his gaze towards Kenji, then smiled and nodded affirmatively, "I'm ready." Minutes later… Kenji sighed heavily, rolling his shoulders in the training area. "Alright, come on dude. You’re already moving like an old man." Hiroki didn’t react. His gaze remained fixed ahead. Kenji frowned, stepping closer. "Oi. If you keep spacing out like that, I’ll start thinking you’ve got a thing for me." Hiroki blinked, finally looking at him. "…Shut up." Kenji smirked. "There you go. A response. Good progress." Nearby, Yoru crossed her arms, watching Hiroki carefully. He had barely spoken since last night. Something about him felt… different. Kenji grinned. "Now, get ready— ‘cause I'm not holding back." Kenji quickly dashed over to Hiroki, aiming to bring him to the ground. He dodged the first blow, but the second one came suddenly towards his midsection, yet he was able to deflect it using both hands partially. The impact of Kenji’s fist was sharp, but Hiroki barely flinched. Instead of stumbling back, he gritted his teeth and launched forward, countering with a direct strike to Kenji’s ribs. Kenji let out a grunt, but his grin widened. "Oh? Not bad." He quickly stepped back, resetting his stance. "Still, you’re way too tense." Kenji noticed the intensity in his gaze. From his eye