It was the evening of July 11, 2169.
As Fukuoka sank into its summer sleep, warm winds drifted through the open windows of a place some called home.
The squad's apartment was quiet. Everyone had turned in for the night—except for two.
Tomori and Kara sat at the dining table, a single light above them cutting through the darkness. The boys slept soundly on the living room floor, their breathing the only sound in the room.
Neither girl spoke at first. There was no tension, just the kind of silence that waited for someone to be honest.
Kara smiled faintly.
"What was it, Tomo-san?"
Tomori flinched, a little hesitant.
"Ah..."
Kara leaned forward.
"Is it about the food?"
She paused.
"Was it not good?..?"
Tomori flinched, slightly panicking.
"Ah! No!... The food is absolutely delicious!... It's about... Nagasaki."
"Eh?.."
Kara blinked, confused.
In the dark corner of the living room, Itoshi lay still, eyes wide open, listening to the two voices at the dining table.
Tomori stared at the warm light above them, her voice low.
"I don't really know how to start... but it's about why I decided you guys were against my ideals."
She forced a small laugh.
"I'm pretty sure you know that by now."
Kara's eyes widened. She stayed quiet, letting Tomori speak.
"Sorry if this sounds repetitive..."
Tomori said softly, guilt edging her tone.
Kara flinched, waving her hand quickly.
"W-wait, not at all!"
She smiled nervously.
"That was quite some time ago though..."
Tomori turned toward her, sunset eyes locking onto Kara's cyan.
"Yeah... but still. I want to get this off my chest."
Kara blinked, then nodded with a gentle smile.
"Mhm! Got it!"
The silence that followed felt awkward but patient. Kara didn't rush her.
Tomori's gaze stayed on the buzzing light above, her thoughts circling. Then, suddenly, she leaned forward, tension showing on her face.
Kara watched her carefully, sweat forming on her temple.
Without warning, Tomori straightened, meeting Kara's eyes again.
"Okay! I'm ready."
Kara reached out, taking Tomori's right hand.
"Don't worry... No need to rush."
Tomori exhaled deeply.
"I decided you guys were against me because of your brother..."
Kara stiffened, caught off guard.
"Eh?"
"S-sorry,"
Tomori continued quickly.
"But I was told flame gifteds were always bad... And seeing you protect someone like him just... messed with my head."
Her voice faltered, then steadied again.
"I've always wanted to join a squad—to help me find my sister... I know it was selfish..."
She turned away, shame tugging at her expression.
Kara leaned closer, patting Tomori's head gently.
"Aren't we all?"
Tomori glanced up at her and nodded before continuing.
"I had doubts that he'd be the kind of person everyone said he was... but their words always sounded so convincing."
She paused, her voice low.
"Part of me knew those prejudices were wrong—really wrong—but I didn't know what to believe. So I told myself... if a Flame, someone supposedly 'so evil,' was walking around the city I protect—and a squad was shielding him—then something had to be off..."
Kara smiled faintly.
"Mhm. I understand."
"But then I saw you all fight... The way you guys cared for each other... and especially him,"
Tomori said, a soft laugh escaping.
"The way he dove into that battle in the park—it was... beautiful. The way you've got each other's backs... it reminded me of my sister."
The thought lingered in her chest, words she didn't say:
"And because of that... I really wanted to belong here."
Her gaze softened as she went on.
"When you saved me that day, that's when I realized how wrong I'd been. How wrong everyone was. It's not fair how they judged him."
She exhaled, her voice barely a whisper.
"So I decided I'd try to fix that."
Another pause.
"But the wall was higher than I expected. I really wanted to make peace... but—yeah."
That's when Tomori's voice broke softly under the warm kitchen light.
"That's when I realized... the evil wasn't him. It was me. I was the one who judged someone whose goal was the same as mine—someone who had something to protect."
She took a shaky breath.
"I tried my hardest to make peace. Really tried. It burned me out... but I couldn't just quit."
From the darkness of the living room, a voice cut in.
"Why didn't you?"
Tomori and Kara turned toward the sound. There, Itoshi was pushing himself up from the floor, shadows cutting across his face.
"Oh—sorry, did I wake you up?"
Tomori asked.
"Yeah. I could hear you whimpering all the way over here,"
Itoshi teased.
"Koya!"
Kara scolded.
He chuckled.
"I'm just kidding."
Then suddenly, Itoshi's tone changed. The smile faded from his face like the sunset of that day.
"What were you trying to prove?" he asked.
Tomori flinched. It was another test.
She lowered her gaze, rearranging her thoughts, eyes closed, focused.
Eventually, she took a deep breath before locking eyes with him—fiery red meeting sunset.
"How can I quit... when Kara didn't?"
Kara listened lowering her gaze beside Tomori as the two spoke.
Tomori smiled, a bitter one.
"I can't get left behind that way.. Especially if I want to protect her."
Itoshi chuckled—a sarcastic one.
"Heh?... I don't really see how you'd get any form of advantage from that. Ain't that just gonna drag you down from your goal?"
Kara jolted, quickly turning to him with a frown.
"Oi."
Tomori held Kara's hand. Kara turned to her, meeting her eyes. She was smiling, then nodded.
Tomori turned back to Itoshi.
"Not really... Without her, I wouldn't be able to take another step. I was honestly scared to get taken away too. More like... she was the one who got me out. I'm the one being a drag."
She paused.
"Which is why... I won't allow myself to get left behind by your squad."
Her tone was quiet but certain.
Itoshi lowered his gaze, long blue bangs casting shadows over his eyes.
Silence settled between them. With Tomori's words, she was vowing loyalty.
Then, Itoshi finally spoke.
"Was I a tough barrier to break through?"
Tomori blinked, then smiled, resting her elbow on the table, pressing her palm against her cheek as she tapped the surface.
"A very tough one."
Itoshi raised his head, meeting her eyes again.
A cocky smile crept across his face.
"Well then, welcome to hell, homeless wind user number two!"
Tomori chuckled.
"Haha... You're such a kid, flame boy."
Itoshi approached her, reaching his hand out for a shake.
"I've already forgiven you for what you did. Now we just do our responsibility in the squad."
He smiled.
"Let's do our best, shall we?"
Tomori froze, mouth slightly open, eyes fixed on him. Then she reached out her hand.
They shook, the tension between them easing in a single evening.
The moment they let go, Itoshi spoke again.
"I'm not sorry for what I did, homeless wind user number two."
Tomori shook her head.
"No worries, flame boy..."
Then frowned.
"And hey! I have a name! Stop calling me that!"
Itoshi smirked.
"Heh?... You started it though?"
Tomori froze, side-eyeing him as Kara chuckled beside her, cat ears sprouting again.
"Hehe... I guess you're right."
Then Kara clapped her fist against her palm, brightening.
"Ah! What about this! Tomori-san will introduce herself tomorrow morning!"
Tomori flinched.
"Eh?! Please no!"
"Come on!!"
Kara pushed, puppy eyes shining.
"Ih..."
Was all Tomori managed to say.
"Agreed! And..."
Itoshi leaned closer to Tomori's ear and whispered,
"bring back my coffee."
Tomori blinked, cheeks burning red, eyes wide.
Kara tilted her head.
"Eh?.."
As Itoshi turned away, chuckling darkly, Tomori snapped toward Kara, flustered.
"It was nothing! Kara-san!"
As Itoshi lay back on his futon in the dark, Aldrin spoke.
"They're talking, why did you butt in?" he whispered quietly.
"Why do you care?"
Itoshi shot back.
Ryujin chuckled, back against the wall, his usual sleeping position.
"You really love taking the star spot, huh?"
Itoshi lay on the futon, squeezed between Kirashi and Aldrin, hands behind his head.
"If I didn't clear things, they wouldn't go anywhere. It's a pain hearing her talk like that."
The evening in the apartment fell silent as everyone drifted into sleep—each of them smiling after hearing that small, late-night conversation.
~~~July 12, 2169~~~
[5:43H]
In the apartment's bedroom, Kara, Jayu, and Tomori slept on the same bed, cuddled under one blanket, breathing slow and steady.
Tomori's chest rose and fell in calm rhythm — until her eyes fluttered open.
She pushed herself up, the blanket rustling beside her, then turned her head toward Kara and Jayu, still huddled together, deep in sleep.
She smiled softly and let out a small chuckle, voice groggy.
"Ah... yeah..."
A quiet yawn escaped her as she slipped out of bed, stretching her back once she stood. The floor creaked faintly under her bare feet as she crossed to the window.
She tugged the curtain just enough to peek through — careful not to wake the other two.
Outside, the horizon glowed faint orange, the first sign of sunrise.
"Guess I woke up too early..."
She muttered, sunset eyes fixed on the sky.
Then she smiled, closing her eyes.
"Force of habit..."
When she opened them again, the light hit her face, and she whispered to herself,
"It's a new day."
As the sun climbed over the horizon, a lone figure stood once again on the rooftop, watching as the night sky faded into shades of orange. It was Miss Gigi.
Her hands were buried in her pockets, a thin jacket wrapped around her shoulders.
"Are you sure about this... Hachi?" she muttered.
The comms in her ear crackled to life.
"Yeah... I trust Ryujin's judgment,"
Hachi replied.
Gigi's lips curved into a small smile, eyes closing briefly.
"She's the seventh member of your squad. Ryujin didn't even consult you... yet you allowed him to recruit another member."
Hachi stayed silent.
Annoyed, Gigi frowned.
"Oi! I'm talking to you, you know?!"
"Yeah... I know,"
Hachi answered calmly.
Gigi exhaled through her nose, gaze returning to the glowing skyline.
"Forming a bond with a squad usually takes months... even years. What 663's doing is something else. It honestly feels like a science project."
Her voice softened, tinged with reluctant admiration.
"That speed is just... unreal."
"I believe true trust is forged through hardship,"
Hachi said.
Gigi chuckled under her breath.
"Heh... is it now?"
Behind her, the metal door creaked open. A U.W.D.S. staff member stepped out.
"Miss Gigi, it's time," he said quietly.
She turned her head slightly.
"Ah... alright."
Touching her comms again, she spoke one last time.
"It's time, Hachi."
"Yeah,"
Came his steady reply.
~~~To be Continued~~~