Kara suddenly woke up, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she gasped for air, eyes wide with panic. She was in Kirashi's arms—his hands steady but tense, holding her close as if afraid she might vanish again.
"Jeez! Your startled me!"
He said softly, voice laced with concern,
"Are you alright?"
Her gaze darted around, disoriented, before finally settling on his face. The fear in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by recognition—and something else. Trust.
"Y-Yeah.. I'm alright... What happened?.."
"You suddenly faded... I don't know what's happening down the road right now.. But it's been quiet for quite some time. Sorry."
Kirashi replied, hesitant.
"Nah! It's alright Kira-san!.. You stayed to protect me right?.."
Kara replied with a soft smile.
Kara sat down slowly, the lingering tension in her body easing as she took a deep breath. The soft light caught the edges of her face, still a little pale, but her eyes—clear now—locked onto Kirashi's with unwavering warmth.
A gentle smile spread across her lips, and she tilted her head slightly, sincerity pouring through her expression.
"Thank You!"
She said, her voice filled with quiet emotion and gratitude.
Kirashi couldn't help the faint flush that crept across his cheeks at Kara's words. He wasn't used to gratitude—especially not from a woman. It settled over him like unfamiliar warmth, disarming and quietly profound.
[Ryujin Vs Roger]
"Guess it's over... huh?"
Itoshi muttered.
Ryujin tilted his head slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, eyes gleaming with mischief as he remarked,
"I really thought you were gonna switch sides back there, kid."
Itoshi scoffed, throwing an incredulous glance Ryujin's way, a spark of defiance in his tone.
"Jeez! Like hell I will... Besides, I can't switch sides—I still owe you, remember? And hey! Our age gap isn't that big, so quit calling me a kid!"
Ryujin let out a soft laugh, the tension in his shoulders easing.
"Hahaha..."
Then, with a rare note of sincerity threading through his voice, he added,
"Great to have you back... Itoshi."
Itoshi's voice dropped to a quieter note, his gaze drifting for a moment before returning.
"What do you mean have me back?.. I never left.."
Ayro, resting with his back against a tree nearby, couldn't help but overhear the quiet exchange between the two.
A small, knowing smile crept across his face as their voices carried through the stillness. After a pause, he rose with a quiet ease, brushing the dust from his coat, and made his way over—drawn by the warmth of reunion.
Ayro's voice broke gently through the calm,
"Not that long, but it certainly felt like we'd lost you for a while."
His words hung in the air, a quiet acknowledgment of the time that had slipped away between them.
Itoshi's voice softened with a teasing lilt, a playful edge breaking through the lingering tension:
"Aww! You guys care that much about me? I'm flustered!"
His words danced between jest and genuine warmth, easing the moment with a lighthearted charm.
The rain eased to a gentle hush, droplets thinning until they ceased altogether. Itoshi's eyes caught the fading rhythm, a wistful sigh slipping from his lips.
"Ahh... the rain is stopping. If it weren't for this rain, I probably wouldn't have needed to pretend at all."
His words lingered, heavy with unspoken truths beneath the softening sky.
A sudden laugh from a man caught the three off guard. They instantly turned toward the sound, which emerged from the low fog slowly lifting. There, lying on the ground, was Roger.
A booming laugh cut through the mist—
"Hahahah! Amazing, truly amazing! So you found them at last, didn't you, Ryujin?"
His voice echoed, weaving through the clearing fog like a challenge wrapped in triumph.
Roger lay cloaked in black dust, the remnants of Itoshi's blue flame clinging to him—a fleeting strike that had drained his stamina deep. A harsh cough rattled from his chest before his voice, low and steady, broke the silence:
"But... he's no different from me now."
"A traitor?"
Ryujin's voice cut through the tension, sharp and probing.
"Heh... you're quick to catch on, aren't you, Ryujin?"
Roger's tone dripped with a dark amusement, eyes gleaming with a knowing edge.
He muttered softly, a quiet surrender threading through his words:
"Oh well, I guess I lost."
Kirashi and Kara joined the three, breath caught in hurried harmony. They stared in shock as Roger stood, but worn and weak, not feeling good. His battered state was clear to see—no strength remained to claim victory.
Roger coughed harshly a few times, blood staining his lips as he clutched his right abdomen.
"Guess that explosion did a lot on me" He rasped.
His gaze shifted to Itoshi, admiration flickering through the pain.
"Itoshi... your flame... it's amazing."
With a trembling hand, he reached out toward Itoshi—then collapsed, unconscious, onto the wet road.
Roger's men hurried forward to lift their fallen leader, moving with practiced urgency. Ryujin and his squad held back, choosing not to interfere as the Control members withdrew into the shadows.
"Shouldn't we go after them?"
Itoshi asked quietly, his eyes lingering on the fading figures.
"Nah... his defeat should be enough to keep the control away.. But Roger.. Will definitely return. I will make sure I'm strong enough when that day will come. I'll take him on alone from that point forward."
Ryujin replied with a sharp glance, confident that the message had been made clear.
Ryujin smiled once more at Itoshi, his grip firm and steady as he rested a hand on his shoulder—an unspoken gesture of reassurance and solidarity.
"But once again, Itoshi. I thank you"
"KOYAAA!!!"
A soft, clear voice echoed through the park—delicate yet urgent. Kara's footsteps pounded softly on the earth as she ran toward Itoshi, her presence breaking through the quiet with a gentle rush.
She wrapped her arms tightly around Itoshi, her voice barely a whisper as tears welled in her eyes:
"I really thought you were gonna leave me! Don't ever do that again!"
The weight of her fear and relief mingled in that trembling confession, raw and unguarded.
They all laughed together, the sound lightening the heavy air around them. Afterward, Ryujin stepped forward to Kirashi, nodding with genuine gratitude.
Without a word lost, his thanks for holding off the Seele's forces hung quietly between them—unspoken but deeply felt.
From a distance, the same girl who had watched the entire battle unfold from the nearby road stood quietly, a gentle smile curving her lips.
Her eyes lingered on the group, witnessing their laughter and victory—a silent witness to their hard-fought triumph.
As the girl strolled away from the park, a bubblegum bubble popping softly between her lips, Ryujin turned to the field men.
His voice was steady as he instructed them to report the battle that had unfolded in Shioizaki Park to the higher-ups.
"Report every single thing you've witnessed this evening to the peeps in the seat."
"Yes sir!"
The Field-Men saluted in chorus.
He made sure to emphasize the casualties and those in urgent need of medical attention—every detail vital in the aftermath of the fight.
"Also.. With our usual protocol"
He paused, taking a breath.
"Prioritize our injured comrades and make sure they get treated properly. Honor those who have fallen as well."
Ryujin rejoined the others, a determined glint in his eyes. With a nod, he asked,
"Let's go?"
Without hesitation, everyone answered in unison,
"Mhm!"
~~~To be Continued~~~