Biohuman

Chapter 406 Blame

"You're always getting saved by Lee, you know that? You're letting someone who's not at the top of his game protect you?" Manny asked as he pushed Lee Seng out of the way. Lee Seng stumbled and landed on his spot. He groaned as his burgers and fries spilled on the couch.

"My food…" Lee Seng poured. He scooped up as much of his food into the plate as Ritsuka and Manny started to push each other.

"Why don't you mind your damn business fuckboi?" Ritsuka raised his voice. "Last I checked you aren't even doing your damn job as his childhood friend! You're off fucking whatever you can get your hands on while he's suffering alone!"

"And what're you doing?" Manny asked. "Screaming when he probably needs your help? Don't think the whole house heard you two last night. What was that about him" Ritsuka's face turned red. Manny shoved him backwards, tripping over Lee Seng. Ritsuka fell onto Liz and Manny went in for the first lunch.

"Ahhh! Stop it! My food!" Liz shouted. Olivia pulled her away as the two boys started to make a mess. Food flew off Ritsuka's plate as the two pushed the table away. The two started to punch at each other, shoving Lee Seng's plate out of his hands.

"No!" Lee Seng shouted. He watched his food spill all over the couch and floor. An elbow flew into his face, sending him into a recoil. rolling off the couch and onto the floor.

"Should we stop them?" Evan asked. Liz and Olivia had gotten away and were watching.

"Yeah should we?" Olivia asked worriedly. Liz watched taking a bite out of her burger as Ritsuka managed to get out from underneath Manny and pin him against the couch.

"I like it when you pin me against the couch." Manny smiled.

"Shut up, fuckboi!" Ritsuka shouted. He punched Manny, blood spilling as he went in for another one.

"I can't even eat in peace…!" Lee Seng sighed. He stood up and flicked his index finger at Ritsuka and Manny. The two of them went sailing through the air, couches rumbling away as the two of them slammed into the wall.

Manny and Ritsuka groaned as Lee Seng flicked his fingers and watched the food and plates lifted in the air.

"You're so dead!" Ritsuka sailed a punch straight for Manny. The two of them collided with each other and continued to throw punches at each other as they rolled around the floor.

Lee Seng managed to put everything back in its place and three out his spilled masterpieces.

"What are we gonna do about the ketchup on the floor now?" Lee Seng sighed. "We bought cleaning supplies right?" He turned to look at Olivia and the others. They were watching Ritsuka and Manny as they collided into a shelf and books fell on top of them.

"Uh yeah. Underneath the kitchen sink." Olivia turned and answered Lee Seng.

"Cool. Time to clean this I guess." Lee Seng sighed

"Aren't you going to stop them?" Evan asked.

"No, why?" Lee Seng replied. "They're both idiots who can't even communicate what they both want out of the solution. They'll realize this after they've beaten each other to a pulp and made up."

"How are you so sure?" Olivia asked. She watched a book go sailing in the air past her towards the food. It bounced off the edge of the table and landed on the couch.

"Is it time to pay attention to both of them?" Liz asked. "Manny is stubborn and Ritsuka won't back down especially when he's a hundred percent right."

"See? Liz says I'm right! Apologize!" Ritsuka shouted as he rolled on top of Manny and held his fist back.

"But I wasn't wrong for doing what I did! Anyone would do the same thing!" Manny shouted. The two continued fighting. Lee Seng came back with cleaning supplies and gloves and got to work on scrubbing all of the ketchup out as Liz, Evan and Olivia all watched Manny and Ritsuka continue fighting.

"If you had just done what we were told, we would've found him!" Ritsuka told Manny. The two grappled as Manny found his way on top. Manny held Ritsuka's collar as he glared at Ritsuka. "You failed our second chance. Why can't you just apologize for that?!?"

"I did!" Manny shouted. Ritsuka could feel the heat radiating off of Manny. His face was contorted with anger. "I'm sorry, okay?!? I didn't want that to happen, either! I'm sorry to you, to Lee Seng, to Liz, Evan and Olivia, alright!?! I don't know what else you want!" Ritsuka flipped Manny over, catching him off guard as he slammed a fist near his face.

"I believed you would do the right thing. We believed you could do the right thing and allow us all to have that second chance to bring Lee Seng back to the surface, but it didn't happen." Ritsuka's one concern was coming forward. It was the one thing he wanted everyone else to say, but they didn't. He waited for Manny to say it, but he didn't. "Can I trust you to be our leader?"

The others had been listening and they all stopped what they were doing. It was the one thing that the group was wondering. Who would fill that role the best? Who could lead them to victory? Who was less likely to turn their backs on them? Lee Seng continued to clean, realizing the group had spent the last couple of months wondering if Manny was fit to lead.

'And I spend all that time wondering if I was holding them back…' Lee Seng sighed.

"Do you understand now?" Ritsuka asked. "Do you understand why they and I didn't say anything? We wanted you to figure it out, yourself, but I guess I'm the one who has to say it." He released Manny, who was shocked. Manny had thought the group was disappointed in him because he couldn't fulfill their desire to get Lee Seng. He felt like he was being pushed away and slipped back into his habits.

'What am I doing? They picked me to lead and I did that… I didn't think about them at all. I just told them I was doing it with or without their help… Do I deserve to be their leader? Especially if—' Manny's eyes went over to Lee Seng. Lee Seng was cleaning the third ketchup stained spot. He watched as Lee Seng stopped and clutched his head. Was he really having another migraine?

Ritsuka stood up and looked at Manny. Manny's eyes were fixated on someone else. He turned to follow and noticed Lee Seng's small groans.

"Hey, you okay, Lee?" Ritsuka asked. Manny watched Ritsuka move over and squat, patting Lee Seng as he questioned him, again.

"I-I'm fine…" Lee Seng waved him off.

"You rest. I'll clean up the mess we made." Ritsuka pulled the cleaning supplies and rag from Lee Seng's grasp. "Go and sit. Eat some more."

"I-I'm fine, Ritsuka. It's just a migraine."

"Go," Ritsuka lifted Lee Seng up and slowly turned him to the couch. "Sit." Lee Seng sighed and did what he was told. Manny gulped. He sat up and buried his head between his legs and arms.

"Don't blame him too much." Lee Seng groaned. "Don't blame yourself too much, Manny. It was only one mission." Manny turned slightly to look towards Lee Seng. He could tell Lee Seng had his eyes shut. He was massaging his head with one hand. "We aren't going to be a top tier team overnight. It takes time just like when we all got our powers. We didn't get this strong overnight. We trained. We worked our asses off. So don't blame Manny or each other too much. It'll make me feel bad."

"Lee…" Olivia whispered.

"I know. It was a situation I was willing to be in. I'm the best out of the six of us when it comes to scouting. I knew the risks and did it willingly. I followed orders. We all did. It may not have gone our way that time, but the next mission we should tell ourselves 'let's all come back together,' alright?" Lee Seng turned and smiled at them.

'How can you always smile like that?' Manny wondered. He turned away. 'You're the one who always hurts the most yet you're always giving hope to others…'

"Mmm!" Olivia nodded. She turned to look at everyone else. "It's only our first official mission together. Let's try better and make sure we come back successful with everyone." She stuck her hand out and looked at everyone else.

"I agree." Liz nodded, putting her hand out.

"Me too." Evan stuck his hand out.

"I'll do my best." Ritsuka moved over and stuck his hand up.

"Ah, I'll try my best as well." Lee Seng smiled. He stuck his hand out. They all looked over at Manny. He was peeking at them. "Come on, dude." Lee Seng waved. "It's only one fuck up. We're officially in it together. This house should've been every indication of our path together, but let's start that today."

"Come on, Manny!" Liz shouted. "That totally isn't like you to be hesitant like that."

"Yeah, come on, Manny. We can work harder starting today!" Olivia added.

"Even if we have different views, we can try to broaden it and understand each other." Evan added.

"Even if we get at each other's throats." Ritsuka commented. "I want to be better so it doesn't happen again. Don't you?" Manny sighed and stood up.

"Fine." Manny walked over. He looked at each of his members, letting out a small smile. "I'm really sorry I blew it, but starting today let's get stronger so we can all succeed the mission and go home together." He stuck his hand out and the whole group smiled.

"What do we chant?" Olivia asked.

"Zephyr?" Lee Seng looked at everyone. "It sticks."

"Fine." Manny nodded. The rest nodded. "On three. One… Two… Three!"

"Zephyr!" The group cheered. A strange dizziness feeling came over Lee Seng. His eyes rolled in the back of his head and he collapsed.