Chapter 48: Yuki's Inner Monologue
I remember the first day I arrived at the headquarters.
The doors were enormous.
The walls were tall, and the corridors seemed endless.
When I stepped inside, it felt like my heart was about to stop.
I thought they would judge me.
That they would look at me coldly.
That they would pass by in silence.
But that's not what happened.
There were people.
Real people.
Some looked tough, but they weren't cruel.
Some were quiet, but there was curiosity in their eyes.
Most of them… were kind.
And then there was Haruto.
He was the first to approach me.
He was smiling.
As if this wasn't a headquarters at all, he acted so at ease.
"Don't be so tense," he had said.
"Everyone's like that on their first day."
His voice was calm.
But sincere.
When I asked something, he listened patiently.
When I made a mistake, he didn't get angry.
Sometimes… he even turned it into a joke.
When you were around Haruto, you didn't feel stupid.
You felt understood.
And then… Kaito.
Kaito didn't speak at all.
He was leaning against the wall,
his arms crossed.
His gaze was sharp.
I noticed he was watching me.
But there was no contempt in his eyes.
They were cold…
but not empty.
He saw everything.
And somehow, that gaze made me feel safe.
Even when Kaito didn't speak,
he was saying, "I'm here."
Kenji, on the other hand…
Kenji was completely different.
Quiet, but fun.
Even in the most serious moments, he would say something ridiculous and lighten the mood.
He bent the rules a little—
but never in a way that hurt anyone.
"You need to laugh to survive here," he once said.
He was right.
Over time, I noticed Sora's warmth.
Daichi's quiet, thoughtful nature.
The strange jokes hidden beneath San's serious expression.
Ren's silence that caught every detail.
They were all different.
But no one pushed me away.
Time passed.
Some people left.
Some voices fell silent.
But those who remained…
were still here.
Haruto still smiles.
He still touches someone's shoulder and says, "You're okay."
Kaito is still quiet.
But in the most dangerous moments, he stands at the very front.
And Kenji…
Kenji is no longer here.
But what he left behind remains.
This headquarters doesn't scare me anymore.
Sometimes it's heavy.
Sometimes it hurts.
But there are people here.
People who understand.
People who protect.
People who stand silently beside you.
And I…
I don't feel alone anymore.
Because this isn't just a headquarters.
This is a place where people hold on to each other.
And I…