Seishi set foot on the scorching earth of the makeshift airport. Almost nine months to the day after the first time, he thought. The mission he had embarked on was a long-term mission, but its members had left as planned after eight months while a new team set up camp some distance away. However, he and Ryō had chosen to stay and had thus maintained a relay in the first camp where their own team would return in a few months. Seishi ended up making a brief return to France for the Christmas holidays. He knew that his family was worried and his parents full of incomprehension about this "flight" to Africa. This stay had somewhat reassured them. It is true that the African sun gave him an apparent air of good health. And indeed, physically he felt good, the rest... The rest was slowly being rebuilt.

One of the members of the new team, who had come to welcome him, woke him up from his reverie. Seishi took a deep breath. They would pick up Ryô who, unable to stay alone, had remained in the new camp during his absence, then he would be far from it all again... And far from those still painful memories that France had revived in him.

He smiled. On the other hand, he had really taken a liking to the young Ryô. His apparent roughness and indifference repelled and alienated most people, but it was obviously only a façade masking a very great sensitivity and probably deep wounds. Once some breaches detected, Seishi had been able to bypass some of his barriers and open the young man to the outside a little. When one knew how to deserve from him and give him confidence and responsibilities in return, the young man devoted himself entirely to being worthy of it in turn. Seishi now thought he was blessed with some awkward sympathy. In some ways he reminds me... He cut his thoughts short before a pain that was still too sharp could overcome him. After their real "first contact" thanks to Sama, Ryô had imperceptibly begun to pay attention to his work and to help him more and more openly until he became his only assistant, or teammate preferred to say Seishi, during these last months. I would be really proud if he ever considers me his friend. And he really wanted to, just as he wanted to do everything in his power to understand and help the young man.

~*~

Ryô shot into a rock, annoyed. He was bored. Since Seishi-san's departure, he had been forced to remain in the new camp established by their organization. He felt useless and unwanted. Brutally thrown among them, he couldn't help but keep his distance again and this had once again tired his companions. Nevertheless... His relationship with their former team had imperceptibly improved over time, but he knew that it was only due to one person. Without realizing it, since Seishi-san had once entrusted him with the responsibility of Sama, he had become more and more interested in the doctor's task, and then had helped him more and more, until the doctor actually asked him to assist him. Had he softened being close to the doctor or had the others changed their minds about him when they saw him participate more openly in the life of the camp? The fact remained that the attitudes and tone used towards him had noticeably softened.

But this was momentarily over, and he longed to return and inquire about little Sama, whom they had reluctantly left and "abandoned" to the care of a woman from his village. And he therefore longed for the return of the doctor, without whom it would not be possible. Ryô let himself fall on a large rounded stone. He couldn't wait for Seishi-san to come back too, he had to admit it. He had come to really appreciate the young doctor, who was always so calm, composed and encouraging. Anyway, who didn't love him? He would have liked to have been his friend, he would have liked to meet people like him earlier in his life... Seeing that he had nowhere else to go, Seishi-san even offered him to come with him to France. But what would he have done there, alone in a world even more unknown except for Seishi-san, who must have been eagerly awaited? No, decidedly, he was better here in this wild environment, "almost" free...

A distant purr and a cloud of dust caught the young man's attention. Finally, a few minutes later, Seishi-san disembarked from the camp's 4x4 car. Ryô blew softly. It was a miracle, all the planes and relays had had to work perfectly to allow the doctor to arrive in the scheduled time slot! Of course, most of the team crowded around him to get either news or the equipment that Seishi-san had obviously taken advantage of bringing back for the mission.

And as usual, he could not avoid the "friendly" attentions of one of the nurses in the group. All the pretexts were good.

Seriously, what the heck does she think, sneered Ryô, this kind of failed soldier with her boyish haircut and curves that Africa was only beginning to gnaw away... That she will compete with all the pretty girls who, without doubt, were groveling at Seishi-san's feet?

Although, Ryô reflected, he has never mentioned any female relationship. But hey, Seishi-san may be a "peach", or sometimes even frankly too much of a "pushover" in his opinion, but it shouldn't be taken advantage of.

Once the luggage was unloaded and the customary greetings exchanged, Seishi-san seemed to want to dodge the attention. He waved to Ryō. The latter hesitated for a moment and then ended up going to meet him reluctantly.

- Hello Ryô-kun! Is everything okay? he asked with a big smile. Ryō ignored the unenthusiastic looks of the others.

- Very well, thank you Seishi-san.

- Well, would you be ready to leave immediately? I think I'd like to be done with all travel today!

Ryô shrugged.

- I don't have a problem with that, on the contrary. But don't you want to rest first, I bet you haven't swallowed anything yet, right?

- He's right, added the nurse, who had been neglected until then. You're going to end up killing yourself at the task, that would be a shame!

Ryô rolled his eyes.

- I had set aside a share of the meal for you just in case, we will just have to leave afterwards. You will give me instructions for the preparations while eating.

The doctor gave him a grateful look and followed him, assuring the zealous nurse that she was not to waste her time on him.

~*~

 Ryô let out an exasperated sigh and, accompanied by Sama, left the hut to head towards the screams that could be seen nearby. Seishi-san had insisted on fetching the water but he wasn't going to wait three hours until he had finished having fun! Since their arrival, the children of the village had not let go of the doctor for a moment. Both of them, however, had been concerned first of all with little Sama, but once they were reassured, they could not avoid being monopolized by a small enthusiastic crowd. He had had to deal with all this alone while Seishi-san took stock of the situation with the village chief, and then left the place to the doctor again to go and prepare their things. Faced with his refusal to wait or to leave the doctor's belongings in bulk, the doctor had tried to help him but... A brutal shock and then a cold, wet "slap" cut short his recriminations. A muffled cry echoed his. Stunned, he then realized that, lost in his thoughts, he hadn't heard the heckling approaching, which would have indicated to him the proximity of the group of children, and he had hit Seishi-san while trying to turn at the corner of a square. The laughter and joyful cries of the children erupted from all sides.

- Go... Gomen... he stammered, disoriented.

- No, no, it's me, sorry! The doctor's desolate face leaned over him. Oh my god you're soaked!

Ryô looked down and noticed that his chest and stomach were very wet... Probably the contents of the bucket now at their feet. He understood better the strange sensation he had felt!

- Luckily you won't catch a cold here, Seishi-san said, brushing against the soggy fabric. But hey, it can't be pleasant, take off your shirt and it will be dry in five minutes.

The young man stiffened suddenly.

- No need, it'll be okay like this, thank you.

- But...

- On the contrary, it's refreshing. I'm not going to melt, he added to soften the abrupt and irritated tone he realized he had used. He gently pushed away the hands of little Sama who was having fun patting him while laughing.

- All wet Ryô-niisan, it sticks!

- Listen, it's too stupid really, with the children pushing me I didn't pay attention. He reached out his hand to the young man's waist. If it's sunburns that scare you, he joked, I'll lend you my shirt but...

Ryô suddenly recoiled.

- No! Leave me alone already, it's okay I told you!!

Pushing Seishi-san, he picked up the bucket and strode away towards the well.

~

Seishi watched him leave, taken aback, until a hand slipped into his.

- What's wrong with Ryô-niisan? Sama's small voice asked.

- I... I don't know... I didn't mean to... Seishi whispered perplexed.

Until the end of the day, Ryō avoided any contact with the doctor. He had finished preparing the meal and then disappeared, muttering a few excuses that he had to finish setting up camp. Seishi quickly swallowed his meal and then put everything back in order before looking for the young man to help him. The latter was neither in his hut nor in the one of the doctor. All the belongings were however in place, beds and mosquito nets installed. As the evening was not too far advanced, Seishi took the opportunity to repair and reorganize the care part of the camp. When he finally went to bed, Ryô still hadn't reappeared.

- Well, it's off to a good start... he thought before closing his eyes, exhausted.