In the other car...
Since Syd's vehicle had gone ahead, the remaining three were still stuck in traffic on the main road, trailing behind.
"Ugh!"
Sera quickly pulled her hand away from Mickey's ribs.
"Shit, shit, shit—sorry! Did that hurt?"
"...Still okay."
The two of them were seated in the back while Toshi drove. Once Mickey's wounds were stabilized, he climbed over to sit in the front passenger seat, leaving Sera with the entire back row to herself.
"..."
"Phew..."
Mickey let out a soft breath, then turned to look back at Sera.
"...Are you wearing a different perfume from the one you usually wear at base?"
"Okay, I can understand you smelling it just now 'cause we were close... but when the hell did you smell it back at the base?"
"With you? I could smell it from two meters away—ack!"
Mickey got put in a headlock by Sera from behind. He tapped her arm, powerless to fight back.
"Answer properly!"
"Okay! Okay! My neck!"
"Ah—sorry..."
Sera let go immediately, forgetting he still had lingering pain from that neck injury.
But she gripped the back of the seat, glaring at him like she'd squeeze the truth out one way or another.
Mickey glanced at her, and even Toshi noticed...
She was like a cat about to pounce.
"When did you smell it, huh!? Spill!"
"Remember when you were doing pull-ups in the gym?"
"...Ah."
"That time. And at the cafeteria... Then I snuck a whiff near your room... and just now again..."
Mickey gestured vaguely around his neck and hair.
"And then—"
"Bro..."
Toshi had to cut him off.
"That's straight-up creepy, man."
"...Really?"
Mickey tilted his head, confused.
"Yes, really! You absolute weirdo!"
"You can't do that to people, man. Sera could have you arrested for social misconduct."
"Isn't perfume meant to be smelled? If Sera didn't want it smelled, why wear it?"
"No—no, that's not how it works. Perfume has its range. Getting all up in her space like that? Way too close."
This time, Toshi took Sera's side. He wore cologne too, after all.
"Oh... I see."
Sera: "Yeah! Tell him, Toshi. Educate him."
"So what's the 'right' distance?"
"It depends on the person. But around here—this distance is fine."
"Got it... Makes sense... Achoo!"
"Whoa—!"
Toshi swerved slightly in alarm.
"..."
Mickey wiped his nose with a tissue.
"Why does perfume have to be so strong anyway?"
Sera glanced down at herself, sniffing her shirt—was her perfume too strong?
"Well... I mean... depends on the context..."
"And what context calls for stronger scents?"
"...Um..."
Toshi got a little flustered but answered anyway.
"Clubbing. Or... when you want to raise the temperature, emotionally."
"You mean for sex, right?"
Both Toshi and Sera flinched.
This kid was way too direct.
"N-Not necessarily! Jeez, can't you just imply things instead of saying them out loud!?"
"I tried to be subtle..."
Toshi rolled his eyes and hit the turn signal.
"When are you going back to your original body? Aren't you tired from using your power this long?"
Mickey raised a good point. Toshi had stayed in his disguise—the sexy woman in a disco-style dress—for a while now. Sera found it strange too: the voice, the body language... everything made it feel like she was talking to a stranger, even though she knew it was Toshi.
"You think I carry spare suits in my pocket or something?"
Toshi squinted at him.
"I could change back, but fair warning—it'd be visually scarring. You sure about that?"
"...Hmm..."
Mickey and Sera both stared at him.
Sera pictured it—Toshi's handsome face on that sexy, busty body in a cleavage-revealing dress...
"..."
Pop.
Her cheeks flushed.
"Hey, you know what? I wouldn't mind."
Her eyes said it all.
Toshi looked terrified.
"That was sarcasm earlier, okay? I'm sorry."
"Be honest, Toshi—have you ever considered becoming a model under my sister's agency?"
Sera scooted forward to the middle seat so she could talk to both boys easily, savoring the eye candy.
"...Huh? Your sister?"
"Yeah. She's an agent for some of the top modeling agencies worldwide. Think about it."
She leaned in, tapping her lips.
"You do all this dangerous spy work... isn't it exhausting?"
"Well... yeah, kind of."
"And risky?"
"Definitely."
"Think about it—you risk your life for this agency gig, and even if they pay well... can money really cover that kind of risk?"
"...No, not really."
"Toshi... look at you. Flipping through explosions and bullets every week... and you get a paycheck. But if you modeled for the Gilmore brand? You walk a runway four times a week and earn more than most agents."
She gave his shoulder a squeeze.
"Toshi... people should use what they've got to their advantage."
"...Damn..."
"Here."
Mickey handed them a pen and paper.
"Sign here. That way, she legally owns your soul."
"You—!"
Sera squished his face.
This guy saw right through her.
And Mickey's snark gave Toshi the clarity he needed.
"Nah—no way. I'm not falling for showbiz. That was close. Thanks, but no thanks, Sera."
"God damn it, Mannix!!"
Sera screamed into Mickey's ear in frustration.
"Hey, you're a great salesperson, I'll give you that. From someone who also talks for a living—I almost bought it."
Toshi gave her a sincere nod.
"Hmph."
Sera flipped her hair and smacked Mickey's face with it.
"Whoa—!"
Drown in my shampoo scent, you little gremlin.
"Hey Sera... I've been wondering—don't your school friends get suspicious that you disappeared? Like close friends? Boyfriends?"
"I handed in a leave letter, okay?"
Whack! Another hair slap.
"And I don't have a boyfriend, thank you very much."
"Really?"
Toshi arched an eyebrow as he turned the wheel.
"Seriously? You?"
"What? Gonna hit on me, playboy?"
"No! Just surprised. Never had a boyfriend?"
"I've had some."
"Oh? How many?"
"About... five or six? Last one was a girl. Before that, a guy... guy... girl... girl... guy..."
"Ah, I see. So you've been around."
"Let's just say I'm experienced."
She winked and joked:
"Take a number if you're planning to woo me."
She crossed her legs confidently—but that confidence crumbled when you-know-who chimed in...
"Give it two weeks. Then they'll dump her."
Mickey whispered to Toshi loud enough for Sera to hear. The Japanese boy burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"LOL!"
Sera: "What did you just say!?"
"Who'd put up with that temper, huh? Always yelling and dramatic."
"HAHAHAHA!"
"Only a blow-up doll could handle that much toxicity."
"WHAT THE HELL!?"
Steam was practically coming out of her ears.
Because... they weren't wrong.
None of her relationships had lasted more than a month—because of her ego.
"MAAAAAAANNIIIIX!!!!"
"There it is! Truth hurts—URGH!"
Sera yanked off her fashion collar and used it to choke Mickey, not caring if he was still hurt.
"Whoa whoa! Sera! Calm down! He's still injured!"
"He's got enough energy to talk shit—he's recovered then! Huh, Mannix!?"
Bzzz! Bzzz!
Just then, both Mickey and Toshi's phones vibrated.
"...?"
Mickey pulled his out—only 2% battery—so he glanced at Toshi.
"...We both got a message."
Toshi: "Yup."
"What does that mean?" Sera asked.
"It means Jade just messaged us."
Mickey turned to her.
"If we both got it, that means the other car did too..."
Toshi: "Use mine."
"Got it."
Mickey took Toshi's phone and opened the message. Sera leaned in to read along.
The central lab has finished testing Jody Johansson's blood sample, code Vol-Am6563.
The result came back: positive.
Jody Johansson has officially been confirmed by HQ as an Elementalist — Wind.
Repeat: Jody Johansson is an Elementalist of Wind.
"Elem—what now?"
Sera furrowed her brow, puzzled—but one glance at Mickey told her it wasn't funny anymore.
He had gone still, eyes locked on the screen in shock.
Toshi noticed too, and asked,
"What is it?"
"...They just got Jody's test results."
That single sentence made Toshi's whole mood shift.
"...And?"
"..."
Mickey looked at him.
"...Positive."
"..."
The atmosphere turned heavy. Even Sera could feel it—Toshi was no longer the cheerful jokester. He had gone stone serious.
"...Hey, what's going on?"
"...Something we didn't expect to come so soon."
Mickey answered.
"We're in big trouble now. We'll have to explain it all later... But for now, you and Jody should rest. You've both been through enough for one day."