"I know this is a huge burden we're putting on you... but we really need you to do this, Itoshi,"
Ryujin said, his voice grounded and heavy.
"Hmm... proving that Flame users aren't violent by using Koya probably isn't the best example,"
Kara muttered, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Exactly! He's way too stupid for that!"
Kirashi added with a sharp grin.
Itoshi didn't react immediately, resting his chin on his fingers as he pondered aloud.
"Hmmmm..."
Suddenly, the realization clicked.
"Who are you calling stupid?!" He snapped at Kirashi, his face twisting into an irritated scowl.
Kara leaned in, teasingly.
"See, Ryujin-san... Koya is kind, but with his... you know,"
She gestured vaguely toward his head, "He gets misunderstood so easily."
A single word cut through the bickering, bringing a sudden, sharp silence to the room.
"Alright,"
Itoshi said.
"I'll do it. I take pride in my flame. What do you want me to do?"
A rare, genuine smile touched Ryujin's lips.
"Alright. For now, we stick to our usual business—cleansing Seele and climbing the ranks. As for Itoshi... we'll make sure his flame works from the shadows."
"But... hiding me won't prove that a Flame is actually doing anything,"
Itoshi countered.
"Besides, it's hard to hide a light in the shadows."
"No,"
Ayro replied, his voice cool and calculating.
"We're going to make your moves more and more obvious as the days go by. Slowly, but surely."
"Hoh! It's just like those vigilante comics! What was it... Bat—uh, Base-Man?"
Jayu exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"Ehh? You're a fan of those, Jayu-chan?"
Aldrin asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yep! Mama told me Papa loved them,"
She replied with a cheerful nod.
"Yes... something like that,"
Ryujin said, refocusing the group.
"You can do it, right, Itoshi?"
"Hm... of course!"
Itoshi answered, his confidence flaring. He stood up abruptly, bursting with sudden energy.
"Wahh!! Let's not waste time!! Let's go fight some Seele now!!"
Itoshi continued.
"Let's go find them!"
Ayro added with a low chuckle. Then his expression shifted, becoming unreadable.
"Actually... we aren't finding them. We'll make the Seele find us."
The squad stared at Ayro, the implication hanging in the air. Ryujin was the only one who didn't look surprised.
"It's not that hard... we have the rhythm."
Kara's eyes lit up as the tactical meaning clicked.
"Oh! I get it now! I might be wrong, but... back when Koya awakened his rhythm... Seeles came dashing toward him."
"Oh yeah! That's right!"
Kirashi added.
"The massive Seele attention back at my place zeroed in on Itoshi the moment he used that thing!"
"W-wait! You're not going to use me as bait to make cleansing easier, are you?!"
Itoshi cried out, his bravado wavering.
"Do you have a more efficient idea?"
Ayro asked flatly.
Itoshi trailed off, the logic hitting a dead end.
"I mean... I'm not sure how to fully control my rhythm yet. There've been moments when I wanted to use it, but I just couldn't."
"Ah... that's definitely going to need some work,"
Ayro noted.
Ryujin let out a heavy sigh, signaling the end of the meeting.
"Well... Itoshi already agreed to represent the salvation of the flames. That's all I wanted to hear." He stood up, his tone softening.
"Shall we have dinner, everyone?"
The tension broke. As they gathered around the table, Kara cracked open one of the windows. The biting, salt-heavy winds of Nagasaki swept into the apartment.
From a nearby rooftop, an observer watched them eat. Inside, there was the warmth of a family; outside, the air around the watcher was ice-cold. To the kunoichi's touch, the wind felt like a blade
[May 5 2169 - 8am]
Itoshi woke up on his futon on the floor. When he caught sight of himself in the mirror, a horrific sight greeted him.
"Ahh! My face!!" he shouted.
Meanwhile, outside the building, Kirashi and Aldrin giggled quietly at his reaction.
Kara opened the door to the boys' room and saw Itoshi, shirtless, trying to wipe his face clean. His cheeks were bright red—he looked like a native caught in the sun.
Kara sniffled, doing her best to hold back laughter. Meanwhile, Jayu was laughing uncontrollably.
"Oi! What do you want?!"
Itoshi asked, flustered.
Between giggles, Kara replied,
"W-we're g-gonna h-have b-b-breakfast! Hahaha!"
"Dang it... Kirashi got me back already.."
Itoshi grumbled.
"You kinda deserved it"
Kara teased with a smirk.
In a split second, Itoshi humorously scrunched his nose and flared his nostrils like a monkey.
"What did you say?!" he challenged.
Kara's face froze in mock terror as she grabbed Jayu's hand tightly.
Without missing a beat, Itoshi started chasing them down the hall and down the stairs, while Jayu laughed joyfully in Kara's arms with fear still etched on her face.
[9:41am]
The squad sat together at a nearby Chinese restaurant for breakfast.
Itoshi's head hovered low over his bowl, his long hair hanging loose and unkempt—not tied back like usual.
Kirashi smirked and leaned forward.
"Hey, Itoshi! I thought you always stood tall with pride" he teased.
"Shut up and eat... or do you want me to feed you?"
Itoshi shot back, not even looking up.
Aldrin, Kara, Kirashi, and Jayu all giggled—just quiet enough to think they were safe.
"I can hear you guys, you know."
Itoshi muttered.
After finishing breakfast, the squad left the restaurant and split up to explore the city, each taking time to familiarize themselves with the surroundings.
Despite the calm morning, they stayed alert—knowing that while unlikely, Seele's could still be active.
Kara, along with Jayu and Itoshi, headed to a nearby seaside park, letting the salty breeze and quiet atmosphere ease the tension.
Meanwhile, Aldrin and Kirashi decided to return to the apartment, both claiming they needed a bit more sleep.
Ayro and Ryujin made their way to the nearby United World Defense Society station, where they submitted their daily logs and diaries as part of their duties to the UWDS.
In the silence of the UWDS office, where only the soft rustle of papers echoed through the room, Ayro suddenly spoke.
"She's nearby."
Ryujin didn't look up.
"Ah... is she now? She's really taken an interest in you, Ayro."
Ayro closed his eyes, his voice calm and firm.
"You should focus, Leader."
"Hmm... I wonder what'll happen to the squad with two Wind Gifteds"
Ryujin mused aloud.
"Well... definitely more efficient"
Ayro replied, then added with a slight smirk,
"Or a competition."
"She's the kunoichi, right? Has she ever revealed her identity?"
Ryujin asked.
"No, I don't think so"
Ayro replied.
"Ah... what a shame"
Ryujin said with a faint sigh.
It was a strangely quiet day for the squad—not peace, exactly, but a stillness rare enough to feel unfamiliar. For those who had lived too long at war, even silence could feel like a trick of the wind.
They each tried to savor it, this fleeting breath between storms.
Laughter came softer, steps felt lighter, but behind every smile lingered a shadow—the quiet understanding that growing too comfortable could be dangerous.
In their world, moments like this weren't gifts; they were warnings wrapped in calm. Because even peace, if trusted too deeply, could kill.
~~~To be Continued~~~