"I was too obsessed with power. Ever since I lost Miki, that's all I've cared about. I thought that if I was strong enough, I could protect anyone."

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The calm before the storm

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The school day was winding down, and the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows, casting soft shadows across the classroom floor. Akihiko stood near the entrance of his classroom, his bag casually slung over his shoulder, absently adjusting the straps as his gaze wandered out the window. The low murmur of students chatting in the hallways echoed faintly, but it didn’t break the focused quiet in his mind. He’d been training non-stop for weeks, trying to keep up with the demands of SEES and the growing uncertainty of what was to come. It was wearing on him, though he kept it to himself, as always.

The spring air outside beckoned, the warm breeze fluttered through an open window, carrying the scent of fresh grass and the faint bloom of cherry blossoms. There was something about the season that made everything feel a little more hopeful, like the promise of peace amidst the chaos. Akihiko paused, letting the soft air brush against his face. He wasn’t one to stop and appreciate moments like this, but today it felt almost impossible to ignore.

With a quiet sigh, he shifted his weight and turned to head down the hallway. Most students had already filtered out for the day, and his footsteps echoed softly in the empty corridor. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for, but sometimes just stepping out of his usual environment was enough to clear his mind, if only for a moment.

As he pushed open the door to the courtyard, Akihiko caught sight of Junpei, who was lounging on one of the benches, tossing a ball up and down in his hands. The last of the students scattered across the area seemed to be enjoying the warm spring sun, but Akihiko had little interest in small talk. But, then the look on Junpei's face said that he wouldn't be getting away that easily.

"Hey, Junpei," Akihiko called, his tone easy but still carrying the weight of the thoughts he hadn’t quite been able to shake. He approached the bench and leaned against the wall nearby, crossing his arms. "Still wasting time, huh?"

Junpei grinned up at him, clearly unbothered by the challenge in Akihiko’s voice. "Someone’s got to keep things interesting, man. You’ve been all work and no play lately. You need a break," he teased, tossing the ball higher into the air before catching it again.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking over to Junpei. "I don’t have time for breaks," he muttered, though it wasn’t an accusation—more of a statement of fact. He shifted his stance, looking out across the courtyard for a moment, letting his thoughts wander. "The next full moon’s coming up soon. We’ve got a lot to prepare for."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Junpei said with a casual shrug, not missing a beat. "But even you gotta take a breather every now and then. If you keep pushing yourself like this, you’ll burn out. You don’t want to end up like last time, right?"

Akihiko stiffened for a moment at the mention of “last time,” but he quickly masked it, giving a tight-lipped smile. "I’m fine. I just want to make sure we’re ready."

Junpei dropped the ball into his lap and sat up straighter. "Well, maybe we could all be ready if you’d lighten up once in a while." He tossed a glance at Akihiko, then added with a smirk, "Besides, there’s more to life than just punching things, you know."

They shared a brief silence then, the quiet hum of the courtyard filling the gap between them. Akihiko allowed his thoughts to linger for just a moment longer on everything they had ahead of them, but Junpei’s easy-going presence helped him feel a little more grounded. Sometimes, it was the small breaks—those few moments of ease—that kept everything from getting overwhelming.

Akihiko straightened up, glancing at the cherry blossoms that dotted the courtyard, and with a half-smile, said, "Fine. Maybe I’ll take a minute." He looked back at Junpei, the light from the setting sun casting a glow on his features. "But don’t get used to it."

Junpei just grinned in response, clearly satisfied with his small victory.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, content to simply sit in the warm afternoon, the soft rustle of the breeze mingling with the distant sounds of students wrapping up their day. Akihiko closed his eyes for a second, letting the quiet wash over him, but as the breeze shifted, the weight of the coming days loomed once again. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to let himself linger in moments like this—but for now, he stayed.