Outside, the night air was still – punctuated only by the soft...
Chirp... chirp...
...of crickets hidden in the grass, their song filling the darkness like a whisper from the earth itself.
Two figures walked along the path weaving through the forest, chatting as they went.
One was Hikaru Nozomi, and the other – his soon-to-be-girlfriend – was i Tomita.
They were on their way to the Safehouse of the Order of the Elents. For i, this would be her first ti ever seeing it.
"I see." i said, nodding thoughtfully. "There are seven of you guys in the Order now, huh?"
"Yes." Hikaru nodded. "There are only three more Elents left to go."
i looked ahead at the dirt path, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked.
"So you're the Light Elent, Haruto is Water, Moriya is Wood, Reito is Ice, the other blonde guy is Thunder, and the last two are Earth and Air, correct?"
"That's right. Only the Elents of Fire, Darkness, and Steel remain." Hikaru confird.
i turned her head toward Hikaru, raising an eyebrow with mild curiosity.
"I'm surprised you guys haven't found the Elent of Fire yet."
Hikaru glanced at her, curious himself.
"What do you an, i?"
"I watch a lot of ani," i explained. "And from how the story usually goes, Fire is always one of the first Elents introduced. Sotis it's even the main character's power."
"Is that so?" Hikaru said.
"Yeah!" i nodded, confident in her ani logic.
As they continued their walk through the trees, a large, worn-down building ca into view. The bricks were faded, the roof slightly caved in at the corner, and vines crawled along the sides like fingers from the forest reclaiming what was once forgotten.
i narrowed her eyes at the sight of it.
"Hikaru, is that the safehouse?"
"Yeah." Hikaru nodded. He motioned toward the building with a grin. "Welco to the Safehouse of the Order of the Elents, i!"
i stared at it, visibly unimpressed.
"It looks... abandoned and old, Hikaru."
Hikaru chuckled at her reaction.
"Trust , i. I said the exact sa thing the first ti I saw it." He turned to her and gave a reassuring smile. "So... ready to co in?"
i nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitent at what was inside.
Hikaru reached out and placed a hand on the door handle – and turned.
CREEAAAKKK...
Hikaru slowly opened the door of the safehouse. i's eyes imdiately widened as she took in the view inside.
"Woah!" i breathed. "It's so modern and high-tech inside... compared to how it looks on the outside!"
Hikaru smiled proudly.
"Told you."
Both of them stepped into the safehouse. i looked around, her eyes gleaming as she admired the interior in awe.
"This place... is amazing!"
Then–
BAM!
Hikaru suddenly gasped for air as soone tacked him and lifted him off the ground, hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe.
"W-What the hell?!" Hikaru shouted, looking down.
It was Teshii, holding him in a crushing embrace.
"T-Teshii?"
"What's up, my baby brother! It's just your big bro giving you a big, tight hug!" Teshii said with a grin.
Hikaru, struggling to breathe, placed his hands on Teshii's head, trying to pry him off.
"C-Can you let go, Teshii?" I... can't... breathe!"
Teshii finally unwrapped his arms and let Hikaru go. Hikaru dropped to his feet, bending over and panting for air.
"Damn..." he muttered, still catching his breath.
Teshii chuckled and turned to the right – where he noticed i standing.
"Oh? Look at that, Rich Girl is also here."
i gave him a little wave.
"Hi, Teshii."
"Honestly..." Teshii adjusted his crimson sunglasses. "I did not expect to see you here, Rich Girl."
i giggled softly.
"Sa."
Teshii turned his attention back to Hikaru.
"By the way, Sunshine, the Zephyr we t earlier? He was a fake."
Hikaru straightened up, now fully alert, and raised an eyebrow.
"What do you an, Teshii?"
"It was a mutant nad Chaleon. He was disguised as Zephyr." Teshii explained.
"Disguised?"
"Yeah." Teshii nodded. "Chaleon's ability is shapeshifting."
"So what does that an exactly?" Hikaru asked, growing serious.
"It ans..." Teshii said darkly, turning toward both Hikaru and i, "...Chaleon can disguise himself as anyone."
He narrowed his gaze.
"And... it could be one of you two."
Both Hikaru and i blinked in confusion, surprised by the sudden suspicion.
Teshii pointed a finger toward i again.
"So, Rich Girl, how do I know I'm speaking to the real Rich Girl?"
"U-Um..." i stamred, caught off guard.
Hiikaru stepped between them, shielding i.
"Teshii, this is the real i. I've been with her this whole ti while we were talking to Aoi."
"Oh really?" Teshii narrowed his eyes behind his shades. "Then tell , Rich Girl – say sothing only the real Rich Girl would now."
"U-Um... I play for the local volleyball team?" i offered, nervously.
"Oh co on, everyone knows that," Teshii dismissed with a wave.
i gulped and glanced nervously at Hikaru, who simply stared at Teshii in disbelief. She took a deep breath, then blurted out:
"I... I... I love Hikaru with all of my heart!"
Silence...
Hikaru slowly turned to i, his face completely red.
"Huh?"
Teshii imdiately grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
"You are Rich Girl! I never even doubted in the beginning." He chucked shalessly.
I was definitely trying to make Rich Girl confess her feelings to Sunshine!
He glanced between Hikaru and i, both of whom were still blushing and clearly feeling the awkward tension.
"Say... did sothing happen between you two?" Teshii asked, suspiciously.
"What do you an?" Hikaru asked, eyebrows raised.
Teshii placed a hand under his chin, eyes wide behind the shades as he suddenly pieced it together.
"Don't tell ... you two kissed."
"W-What?!" i stamred, face turning red as a tomato.
"I can clearly imagine how it went." Teshii said, grinning. "You two were walking sowhere, and Hikaru tripped on sothing, fell toward i, and your lips touched... BAM! Accidental kiss!"
Silence.
Hikaru and i's jaw dropped as they glanced at each other – and then back at Teshii.
H-How does this guy know?!
"I'm only joking, guys!" Teshii laughed heartily.
Then–
BANG!
The three of them imdiately turned toward the source of the loud BANG.
"What was that?" Hikaru asked, his voice alert.
"Not sure. It ca from the living room." Teshii said, already stepping forward in the direction.
Hikaru and i quickly followed him.
As they entered the living room, they were t with a tense scene: Sora was on the floor, visibly shaking. Reina was crouched beside him, trying to help, while the rest of the team stood nearby, watching in concern.
"What happened?" Hikaru asked, eyes darting between Sora and Reina.
Satoshi turned around, arms crossed, and t Hikaru's gaze. Then his eyes shifted to i, studying her.
"Hikaru," he said, acknowledging him, before glancing at i. "Oh... you must be i Tomita, Hikaru's girlfriend."
A deep blush imdiately blood on i's cheeks.
"N-No... I'm just Hikaru's friend," she said quickly, her voice faltering.
"Sunshine's soon-to-be-girlfriend," Teshii added smugly.
Without missing a beat, both Hikaru and i turned toward him with matching glares and–
POW!
–elbowed him in the ribs in perfect unison.
"Ow," Teshii muttered with exaggerated sarcasm, clutching his side. "So violent... yet so synchronized."
Hikaru let out a sigh and glanced over at Sora, who was still wearing his high school uniform.
Wait a minute...
Is Sora still in high school?
He turned his head toward Teshii.
"Is Sora a high schooler?"
"Yeah," Teshii nodded. "Zephyr is a high schooler."
"I see..." Hikaru replied, turning his eyes back to Sora, who was still on the floor, visibly shaking.
"Are you okay, Sora?" Reina asked gently, concern etched across her face.
"Y-Yeah," Sora stamred, his body rembling.
Reina extended a hand toward him, offering to help him up.
But–
When Sora saw her hand, he recoiled slightly, his trembling worsening.
"Sora?" Reina called again, her voice soft.
"I-I'm sorry," Sora murmured, still shaking as he stared down at the floor, refusing Reina's hand.
From across the room, Moriya – who had been sitting on the couch – stood up and calmly crouched beside him.
"Sora," Moriya called, his tone even.
Sora glanced at him, his eyes wide, still clearly rattled.
"Tell us... what's wrong?" Moriya asked, sincerely.
But Sora looked away from him, eyes averted.
Moriya's brow furrowed.
"Sora?"
"I'm sorry..." Sora said again, voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't think I can say it here."
"Why not?" Reito asked, curiosity flickering across his expression as he sat on the couch beside Haruto.
"Because... it's too... embarrassing," Sora admitted, eyes fixed on the floor.
"I'm sure it won't be embarrassing if you tell us, Sora," Satoshi said calmly, standing at the front of the room ahead of Hikaru, Teshii, and i.
But...
Sora remained silent.
Refusing to speak.
Refusing to et their eyes.
Teshii stared at Sora and stepped forward, crouching down in front of him.
Sora glanced at Teshii, eyes wide.
"Mr. Teshii?"
Teshii gently wrapped an arm around Sora's shoulders.
"C'mon, Zephyr. You can tell us," he said reassuringly.
But Sora remained silent, eyes low.
"You know..." Teshii began, "most people think the wind is wild. Unpredictable. But the truth is... the wind can also listen."
Sora looked up at him, confused.
"Huh?"
"If you're afraid of sothing... the wind can listen to that fear. It doesn't make you weak. It makes you human."
Sora blinked, trying to process Teshii's words.
"So what I'm trying to say, Zephyr..." Teshii continued, voice calm, "...just think of us as the wind."
Silence fell over the room.
Everyone stared at Teshii.
Why is everyone staring at ?
Did I say sothing weird again?
Then–
"Fine. I'll tell you guys."
Teshii blinked behind his shades, raising an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
Sora slowly stood up from the floor, his fists clenched at his sides. He exhaled a deep breath and then muttered:
"The truth is... I have a fear of... won."
Teshii smiled at first, nodding behind his shades.
"See! That wasn't hard, was it?"
Then – his eyes snapped open in shock.
"Wait?! You have a fear of won? Gynophobia?!"
"Y-Yeah..." Sora nodded, his voice barely audible.
"B-But why?!" Teshii said. "Won are great. And – and – they can give you a–"
POW!
In a flash, Teshii was flat on the floor, unconscious.
Standing above him, Reina held her fist out, clearly the one responsible for the knockout.
Ikazuchi chuckled from behind.
"Looks like Mrs. Ogata's the only one who can shut Teshii up."
Daichi crossed his arms and turned toward Sora, his expression curious.
"Sora, can I ask? Where did your gynophobia co from?"
Sora let out another sigh, then looked Daichi directly in the eye.
"It... ca from my older stepsister. And her friends."
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
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