Lunar lay sprawled across her bed, one arm tucked beneath her head while the other lazily held her phone above her face, her legs shifting slightly against the sheets as she scrolled without any real direction. A quiet melody slipped past her lips, something entirely made up on the spot to match the soft contentment sitting in her chest.
"Mm… hm~ mm…"
It wasn't anything structured, just a tune that followed her thoughts as they drifted from one memory to another, each moment from the day replaying in fragments behind her eyes.
A faint smile curled at her lips as she let out a small, almost embarrassed hum, her fingers pausing mid-scroll. "…Today was nice."
There was a certain giddiness to it.. Her thumb tapped lightly against the screen, opening her contacts list again. There were new names as a small spark of excitement flickered in her chest.
Her gaze lingered on one in particular.
Lucky-cchi 🍀
The little four-leaf clover emoji sat beside the name, oddly fitting, and Lunar found herself smiling just a bit wider as she tapped it, not to call or message, but simply to look at it again.
What escalated their friendship was the moment she had accidentally caught a glimpse of the girl's phone, the wallpaper displayed so proudly across the screen.
It was Oguri Cap.
Lunar immediately asked. "Y-You like Oguri Cap too…?"
"Ah—yes…!"
That shared spark had exploded.
Lunar let out a soft giggle at the recollection, rolling slightly onto her side as her hair spread across the pillow, her humming picking up again in a slightly brighter tone.
Her thumb scrolled further downward, showing more names.
Maru-san
Her expression softened a little at that one, her thoughts drifting briefly to Cheval Maru's gentle way of speaking. There had been something so comfortable about the girl that made conversation with her felt so natural and not forced.
Lunar liked that.
Then, her eyes landed on the next two entries. And just like that, a small, mischievous glint appeared in her gaze.
Kaichou A and Kaichou B
"…Fufu…" She couldn't help it. The quiet laugh slipped out as she stared at the two contact names, her shoulders shaking ever so slightly against the mattress.
It was for Ryuno Amazoness and Plan Nine.
Even now, she wasn't entirely sure why she had decided to label them like that, but something about it had felt right in the moment—like a small, harmless joke she was the only one in on.
"…They'd definitely get mad if they saw this…"
That only made it funnier.
Her humming returned once more, softer now, her gaze relaxing as the glow of her phone reflected faintly in her eyes.
Click.
The sound of the dorm door opening broke through her thoughts.
Lunar blinked, her humming trailing off as she lifted her head slightly from the pillow, pushing herself up just enough to glance toward the entrance. "…Hm?"
She barely had time to see anything—
"LUNAR-SENPAI—!!"
"—?!"
A sudden weight crashed into her.
Her body sank back into the mattress as the force knocked her flat again, the air escaping her lungs in a startled gasp as her phone slipped slightly in her grip. "Wha—?!"
Her eyes squeezed shut for a brief second, trying to process what had just happened—
—and when they opened—
A face hovered directly above her. Bright, sparkling brown eyes stared down at her, practically shining with excitement.
"Speedy-chan…?" Lunar blinked, her voice still lagging behind her thoughts.
Speedy-chan didn't respond normally. Instead, she exploded. "Lunar-senpai!! Your running this morning—it was so amazing I mean really amazing like I couldn't even blink properly because I thought I'd miss something and the way you moved it was so smooth and fast and it felt like you weren't even touching the ground and I finally got it now!!"
The words came pouring out in one continuous stream, barely separated, her voice rising and falling with pure, unfiltered enthusiasm as her hands clenched slightly against the bed on either side of Lunar.
"Principal Sato said I'd see something special today and I didn't understand it at all at first but now I do—it was you! It was totally you, Lunar-senpai!! That's what he meant!!"
Speedy leaned even closer, her face lighting up even more as she spoke. "And I've been thinking about it all day and I just—!! I want to run like that too!! I want to feel that too!! So please—!!"
She grabbed onto Lunar's shoulders slightly, shaking her just a little. "Teach me, Lunar-senpai!! Please please please please—!!"
The entire plea came out in one breath, fast enough that even someone with trained ears would struggle to catch every word.
Lunar blinked again. "Ah…"
Another blink. "…Um"
Her brain took a moment longer to catch up. Then, slowly—very slowly—she turned her head to the side.
Across the room—
Via sat comfortably nearby, one leg crossed over the other as she watched the entire scene unfold, her chin resting lazily against her palm, her expression carrying that familiar, amused curve that meant she had absolutely no intention of intervening.
Their eyes met.
Via raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips lifted just slightly.
This looks like your problem.
Lunar stared at her for a second. "You're not going to help me, are you?" she mouthed quietly.
Via's smile widened, completely unapologetic. "Nope."
Lunar let her head fall back against the mattress with a soft thump. "Damn it…"
Above her, Speedy-chan was still there, still practically vibrating with anticipation. "Lunar-senpai?" she prompted, her voice filled with hopeful urgency.
Lunar closed her eyes for a brief moment, letting out a small breath as she gathered her thoughts, before opening them again and looking back up at her. "You're very energetic about this?" she murmured.
"YES!"
"And very loud…"
"YES!"
She shifted slightly beneath her, adjusting rather than pushing her away, her gaze softening as she looked at the girl above her. "But I don't really think I can teach you in great detail like that, I'm not exactly a qualified teacher…"
Speedy's fell face. "Eh?! WHY!! "
Lunar lifted her hand slowly, gently pressing a finger against Speedy's forehead, pushing her back just enough to create a little space between them. "Well, to me running isn't something you can copy," she explained softly.
"It's something you should feel yourself."
Speedy's brows furrowed slightly, the overwhelming excitement in her eyes turning into confusion. "Feel…?" she repeated.
Lunar nodded faintly, her gaze drifting for just a brief moment, something distant flickering behind her eyes. "A really smart aunt of mine told me before," a small pause followed before she looked back at Speedy again. "If you try to chase someone else's running… you might lose your own."
"…Then, what should I do?"
Lunar hummed thoughtfully in response. "You can run with me, and get a feel of it first..? And we'll work on it from there..?"
Speedy's eyes lit up instantly. "Really?!"
"Mm." A faint smile touched Lunar's lips. "We can figure it out together."
"YES—!!" Speedy lunged forward again, wrapping her arms tightly around Lunar in an enthusiastic hug.
"Wah—?!"
The bed creaked under the sudden movement.
From her desk, Via let out a quiet snort. "Careful," she muttered dryly, "you're going to crush your precious senpai."
"I WON'T—!!"
"You already are."
"I'M NOT—!!"
Lunar, caught in the surprising force of this small and young filly, let out a small, helpless laugh as she relaxed slightly against the mattress. "…This is a bit much…"
Her quiet murmur had barely seeped into the air when the door opened again.
This time, the motion was slower, accompanied by the faint sound of fabric shifting and a tired exhale. Hiro stepped inside, her purple tracksuit marked with light streaks of dirt and dust, the remnants of the track still clinging stubbornly to her sleeves and knees as if unwilling to let her go just yet.
She paused just past the doorway, one hand still resting against the frame as her gaze lifted—and then stopped.
There, on the bed.
Speedy was practically draped over Lunar, arms wrapped tightly around her in an overenthusiastic embrace, her entire body leaning forward with the kind of affection that bordered on suffocating, while Lunar lay beneath her, half-sunk into the mattress, clearly caught somewhere between acceptance and quiet resignation.
For a brief moment, Hiro said nothing. Then, a small, amused breath slipped past her lips. "…What a cute sight."
Her tone was light, tinged with just enough warmth to make it sound genuine rather than teasing, as she stepped fully into the room and nudged the door shut behind her with her foot. She bent down slightly to slip off her shoes, movements practiced and unhurried despite the visible fatigue in her posture.
"You're really full of unexpectedness, Lunar," she added casually, straightening up as she brushed a bit of dust from her sleeve, her golden eyes flicking briefly toward the girl in question.
Via raised an eyebrow from where she sat, her gaze shifting toward Hiro with quiet interest, the faintest hint of curiosity slipping into her expression. "…You got the news already, Hiro-senpai?"
Hiro let out a soft huff, something between a chuckle and a sigh, as the corner of her lips curled upward into a knowing smirk.
"Word travels fast," she replied easily, rolling her shoulders once as if loosening the lingering tension from her muscles. "Especially when it involves a new student who suddenly breaks Reve-chan's long-standing record by half a second on her first attempt."
There was a subtle emphasis on that last part—not disbelief, but something closer to impressed amusement.
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and made her way toward the bathroom, her steps steady despite the exhaustion that still clung to her frame. "I'm going to wash up," she added over her shoulder, already reaching for the door. "Try not to break Lunar's ribs while I'm gone."
The door clicked shut behind her soon after, leaving the room to the three of them once more.
"Speedy-chan," Lunar spoke gently, her voice soft but carrying just enough weight to be heard through the lingering energy in the room. "Could you… get off me now?"
"Ah—!" Speedy jolted slightly, as if only just realizing her current position, before quickly pushing herself up. "Sorry, Lunar-senpai—!!"
She stepped back swiftly, though the apology did little to diminish the brightness radiating from her as she stood there, fully upright, her pointy ears perked high, and her red tail swaying behind her with barely restrained excitement.
It was an oddly cute sight. Lunar sat up slowly, brushing her hair back into place before looking at Speedy properly—and then, without meaning to, a small chuckle slipped past her lips. "You look like a puppy."
"P-puppy?"
"An excited one," Lunar added, her face relaxing slightly as she tilted her head. "Trying very hard to stay still."
For some reason that made Speedy's tail wagged just a little faster. "I—I can stay still—!!" she insisted quickly, though the slight bounce in her stance and swaying of her tail betrayed her completely.
Lunar laughed a little more quietly at that, the sound light and easy as she shifted further back on her bed, pulling her legs in slightly.
Before the lightness of the moment could stretch any further, however—
"Lunar."
Via's voice cut in.
"Hm?" she responded, tilting her head slightly. "What is it?"
Via met her gaze directly this time, her expression calm on the surface, though her eyes carried something a little more focused than usual.
"I want to ask you something."
Lunar nodded without hesitation, adjusting her position as she sat up properly once more, her hands resting lightly against the bed. "…Okay. Go ahead."
There was a brief pause.
Then—
"Why didn't you just attend Tracen?"
Lunar found herself a little confused—not by the question itself, but because of who had asked it. "…Didn't I tell you before?" she replied after a moment as she rubbed the back of her neck lightly. "I made a promise to Sato-ojisan when I was little that I'd study here."
Her gaze drifted slightly as she spoke, something soft flickering behind her eyes. "So I'm just… fulfilling that promise first."
It was a simple answer, but Via didn't look convinced. In fact, her expression tightened—just slightly. "But with your ability," she continued, her voice firmer now, carrying an edge that didn't usually belong to her aloofness, "there's no way you wouldn't get into Tracen."
"…Isn't staying here just a waste?"
The words came out sharper than intended, cutting cleanly through the air and leaving behind a silence that felt noticeably heavier than before.
Speedy's eyes widened at that. She turned toward Via in surprise, clearly not used to hearing that tone from her, her earlier excitement faltering as she glanced between her two senpai-roomates, unsure of how to react.
Lunar answered with a small, gentle shake of her head.
"No, it's not a waste," her fingers resting lightly against the sheets as she looked at Via with confidence. "Because I'm fulfilling a promise I made a long time ago… and that's worth so much more to me than just going to Tracen."
"If I went there now," she continued, her gaze lowering just slightly as her thoughts drifted, "knowing that I broke my promise to Sato-ojisan along the way… I don't think I'd be able to feel good about it, no matter what I achieve after that."
Via didn't respond immediately to Lunar's answer. For a brief moment, she simply stared at Lunar, her lips parting slightly as if to argue back, only for the words to catch somewhere in her throat, leaving her silent in a way that was rare for her.
But that silence didn't last.
"…I don't understand that," she admitted at last, her voice quieter now, though something bitter lingered beneath it as her gaze shifted away. "If I had your ability, I wouldn't have looked back at all."
Her fingers curled slightly against her arm. "I would've gone straight to Tracen."
The way she said it—there was no doubt in it. Just a blunt, painful honesty that hung heavily in the air.
Speedy's ears drooped almost immediately, her earlier energy dimming as she turned toward Via, her expression softening with a kind of quiet sadness she didn't quite know how to hide. Lunar, too, fell silent for a moment, her gaze lingering on Via as something understanding passed through her eyes.
Because they both understood where it came from—the weight behind those words, the reason they sounded the way they did.
Via's mother.
The expectations placed on her.
The rejection that followed.
Lunar inhaled softly before speaking again, her voice gentle, slow, choosing each word with care.
"I think I understand where you're coming from, Via-chan," she said, her tone carrying no judgment, only empathy. "And… It makes sense, too. The way you feel, the way you think about it, it's because of everything you've gone through."
Via's shoulders tensed slightly.
"But, " Lunar continued, tilting her head just a little, her expression soft but firm, "our circumstances are different."
She paused briefly, her fingers fidgeting lightly against the fabric beneath her as her thoughts settled into place.
"My momma always valued promises a lot," she said, her voice lowering just slightly, something warm and distant threading through it. "She used to tell me that a promise isn't just something you say… it's something you carry with you, something that connects you to the person you made it with."
Her gaze softened further. "So if I just… forget about it, or leave it behind because something better showed up…" she added, shaking her head faintly, "then I think that would go against what she believed in."
And more than that—
"…it would go against what she wanted for me."
Via's expression softened, the tension in her features slowly easing as she exhaled, the breath leaving her a little slower than before as her shoulders relaxed just a fraction.
"…Sorry, Lunar," she muttered after a moment, her voice no longer carrying that earlier edge. "I shouldn't have pushed my way of thinking onto you like that."
Her gaze dropped slightly, fingers brushing idly against the book in her lap. "I just…" she hesitated, then let out a small, self-aware huff, "felt a little jealous, I guess."
"It's okay," Lunar replied sincerely. "Really."
The tension that had lingered in the room finally began to dissolve, the atmosphere softening once more as Speedy found herself relaxed again, her ears perking back up slightly now that the edge in Via's voice had disappeared.
For a few seconds, things felt… normal again.
Lunar watched Via for a moment longer, as if thinking about something, before speaking again—this time a little more hesitantly. "…But, um… Via-chan?"
Via glanced up. "Hm?"
Lunar inclined her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "I hope you can be a little easier on yourself too."
Via blinked. "…What do you mean?"
Instead of answering her directly, Lunar lifted her hand and pointed across the room, her gaze following the motion toward Via's desk.
Books.
Stacked neatly—but high. Too high.
"I've never really seen you without a book in your hand," Lunar said softly, her voice calm as she let her hand lower back into her lap. "Except when you're in the bathroom… or during training."
Via's eyes flickered in that direction, just for a moment, before returning to Lunar in question.
"At first, I thought it was just because you liked reading," Lunar continued, her tone thoughtful, as if she were carefully retracing her own thoughts. "Like… it was just part of who you are."
She paused, giving the silence just enough space to breathe before continuing. "But… I don't think that's it anymore."
Via stilled.
Lunar turned her gaze back to her, and while it remained gentle, there was something far more perceptive in it now, something that quietly saw through more than it let on.
"All the books you read," she said, her voice lowering slightly, "they're always about the same thing, aren't they?"
"Racing tactics… improvement… strategies…" Her words softened even further. "…but you don't really look like you're enjoying them."
The statement didn't land harshly, but it didn't miss either.
Via didn't respond immediately. For a while, she simply stared at Lunar, her expression caught somewhere between surprise and disbelief, as though the words hadn't quite gone through yet—or perhaps had seeped in a little too deeply.
"You don't really enjoy them, do you?" Lunar asked again.
Via's lips parted slightly, as if to answer, but no words came. After a second, they pressed together again, and her gaze drifted away on instinct, that small act of avoidance saying more than anything she could have spoken.
"…You just read them because you want to improve as fast as you can," Lunar continued, still without judgment, still without pushing, simply putting into words what had already been clear to her.
The silence that followed stretched slowly, heavy with everything left unsaid.
Via's eyes shifted again, this time landing on Speedy, who was already watching her. Not with confusion, not with judgment, but with the same quiet understanding Lunar held, as if this was something she had noticed long ago but never voiced.
Via inhaled, then exhaled slowly, her shoulders rising and falling with the motion as she gathered herself.
"…I do like reading," she said after a moment, her voice deceptively steadier than her expression. "It helps me process things… it's easier for me to understand everything when I read it properly."
It sounded reasonable. Logical. Like something she had told herself more than once.
But Lunar's expression stayed firm, her gaze never wavering. "…But you don't enjoy reading THOSE books, do you?" she asked again, just as gently.
That—
That made Via stop completely. This time, no words came. They simply… couldn't.
And Lunar, noticing that hesitation, continued, carrying a protective warmth that meant to shield rather than expose. "…Just like how I enjoy running," she said, her fingers curling lightly against her palm as she searched for the right way to say it, "you should be able to enjoy reading too."
She paused, before gently adding, "And I think… that starts with not forcing yourself to read things you don't actually want to."
Via's breath caught. Her fingers tightened against the book she had kept in her lap, the motion small but strained.
"…But if I don't," she began, and this time her voice wavered, the first real cracks forming in the composure she had held onto so carefully, "then it'll take longer…"
The words stumbled as they came, tripping over each other in their urgency.
"It'll take so much longer for me to improve… and if I don't improve fast enough, then I won't be able to reach Tracen…"
Her shoulders trembled now, the tension no longer contained. "…and if I don't get there…"
Her voice broke. "then my mom…"
The words wouldn't come at all, caught somewhere between fear and hurt, before she forced them out in a quiet, fragile breath. "She'll never acknowledge me again."
And there it was.
The truth she had been carrying all this time.
Speedy moved forward immediately, closing the distance in a single step before wrapping her arms tightly around Via, pulling her into a tight embrace as if she could hold her together before everything came apart.
Via stiffened at first, caught off guard by the sudden closeness before slowly giving in.
Her hands curled weakly against her smaller junior's back, gripping tightly as her shoulders shook, the emotions she had been holding back for so long finally slipping through the cracks.
Lunar remained where she was for a moment. Then she moved too, but not with urgency, not with the same immediacy. Her steps were slow, careful, as if she were approaching something fragile that might break if handled too harshly.
And instead of pulling Via into another embrace, she reached out and gently took one of Via's trembling hands into her own.
"…I'm really sorry you had to go through all that, Via-chan," Lunar said quietly, her voice softer than it had ever been, carrying a sincerity that didn't try to claim understanding where she didn't have it, but offered something just as real—presence.
Because she knew.
To have a mother who willingly abandons you… Her fingers tightened just slightly around Via's hand. …is much more painful than losing one who never had a choice.
Her gaze lowered for a moment before lifting again. "I don't think I can ever fully understand how much that hurts," she admitted honestly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But…"
She took a small breath. "…I don't want you to only look at the destination."
Via let out a small, unsteady sound against Speedy's shoulder, her brows furrowing slightly. "What?"
Lunar tilted her head slightly, her expression soft, but clear. "The goal is the destination," she explained gently. "But… the scenery you pass through to get there is just as important."
Via didn't respond.
So Lunar continued, her voice gaining just a little more traction as she spoke. "If I had gone straight to Tracen," she said, her gaze drifting slightly as images passed through her mind, "then I wouldn't have been able to go to school with Sakura-chan…"
A small smile touched her lips. "I wouldn't have met Rickey-chan… or Lucky-cchi… or Amazoness and Nine… or everyone else in class."
Her grip on Via's hand remained firm. "I wouldn't be roomates… with Speedy-chan and Hiro-senpai…"
And then, her gaze returned fully to Via. ."…and I wouldn't have been able to meet you, Via-chan… or share the same dream of going to Tracen together."
That—
That made Via move.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, she lifted her head from Speedy's shoulder, her tear-filled eyes meeting Lunar's as something fragile shifted behind them, something uncertain, but no longer as closed off as before.
Lunar smiled gently. "…So I think it's okay to take the scenic route," she said. "…because shortcuts don't always take us to where we truly need to go."
Via looked like she wanted to respond.
Her lips parted slightly, her brows still drawn together as she tried to find the right words—something honest, something that matched the weight in her chest, something that wouldn't fall apart the moment she said it—
—but before she could even begin—
The bathroom door slid open.
And with it came a voice that did not suit the situation in the slightest.
"I'll make you, and you, and you happy! Now, let's deliver! Falco's LOVE!!~"
The cheerful, theatrical singing spilled into the room as Hiro stepped out, freshly showered, a towel draped loosely over her shoulders while droplets of water clung to the ends of her hair,
She took a step forward.
Then stopped.
Because every single person in the room had turned to look at her.
Lunar.
Via.
Speedy.
All of them staring.
Hiro looked behind her, wondering if there was something behind, her expression shifting into mild confusion as she glanced between them. "…Uh… did I miss something?"
There was a beat of silence.
And then—
Via broke.
It started as something small, a sound barely held in, but it didn't stay contained for long. It unraveled quickly, spilling into full laughter as her shoulders began to shake, the tears that had gathered in her eyes slipping free—not heavy anymore, not suffocating, but light, carried away by the sudden absurdity of it all.
"I—pfft—what—" she tried to speak, only for another burst of laughter to cut her off completely as she covered her face, utterly unable to stop herself.
Lunar blinked in surprise before slowly a soft laugh slipped from her lips too.
Speedy followed almost right afterwards, her bright, bubbling giggles filling the space as she leaned slightly into Via, unable to hold it in either.
"G-Great timing, senpai—!" Speedy managed between laughs, her voice uneven as she wiped at the corners of her eyes.
Hiro, meanwhile, stood there for a second longer, watching the three of them huddled together, laughing like they had seen the most ridiculous thing in their life.
…and despite having absolutely no context whatsoever—
she simply shrugged.
"…Well, alright then."
Without another word, she walked over—
and joined in.
Her arms wrapped around the group without warning.
"Wah—?!" Via squealed instantly, her laughter spiking again as she flinched at the sudden contact.
"S-senpai—!! You're still wet—!!"
"I can feel it—!!" Speedy added just as quickly, her ears twitching as she squirmed in protest. "It's cold—!!"
Hiro ignored them entirely.
"Complaining won't make it any drier," she replied flatly, her tone as indifferent as ever, even as she tightened her hold just slightly, settling the matter completely.
Then, glancing over their shoulders, she added. "Lunar, you too."
Lunar simply smiled in obedience. "…Okay."
She stepped forward, moving behind Speedy this time, her arms slipping gently around the group, completing the circle as she leaned in just enough to be part of it without overwhelming the others.
And just like that, it became a mess. A tangled, uneven, slightly damp group hug that made no real sense from the outside, yet somehow felt exactly right within that small space.
They stayed like that for a while.
Long enough for the earlier tension to fade completely, replaced by something softer, something easier to breathe in, as quiet laughter and small complaints blended together.
Until—A ringtone cut through it.
Hiro lifted her head from the hug slightly. "Whose is that?"
Lunar's ear twitched in recognition, her arms loosening from the hug. "Ah—it's mine."
Carefully, she slipped out of the group, stepping back to reach for her phone where it lay on the bed, the screen lighting up as she picked it up in her hand.
Her gaze dropped to it—
and stilled.
On the screen was a name.
Saichan ☀️
Lunar stared at the screen for only a split second before she immediately pushed herself up from the bed, the movement quick enough to draw everyone's attention.
"Lunar?" Via called. "Who is it?"
But Lunar was already heading for the door. "It's my family!" her answer tinged with bubbling excitement.
She didn't wait for anything else.
The door slid open, and in the next moment she was already out in the hallway, her footsteps quick and light as she broke into a small run, her body moving almost entirely on instinct as she put distance between herself and the dorm room.
Down the corridor she went, turning corners without slowing, her pace smooth to not make as little sound as possible. When she reached the stairwell, her hand brushed briefly against the railing as she descended, skipping steps with relative ease.
The sound of her footsteps echoed faintly around her, blending with the quiet of the building, until she reached the ground floor.
And from there, she kept going.
She pushed through the exit and stepped outside, where the air instantly turned cooler and more open, the space around her expanding as she moved along the pathways that led toward the training fields. Only then, once she was sure she had put enough distance between herself and everything else, did she finally slow.
Her thumb tapped against the screen, and the call connected.
"LUNARRRRR—!!!"
The volume hit her at the maximum output.
"Wah—?!" Lunar flinched, turning the volume down as her ears twitched at the sheer force of it, before she adjusted her grip and properly looked at the screen.
And just like that, her expression lit up.
Front and center was Saiya, her face practically pressed against the camera, pink eyes pretty and energetic just like she remembered, while behind her, Anonym, Persian, and Namawa crowded in, each of them trying—some more successfully than others—to squeeze into the frame at the same time. The result was cramped and chaotic, with shoulders bumping and the small Anony, clearly getting shoved slightly out of view.
A bright smile spread across Lunar's face almost immediately, soft at first, then widening into something far more unguarded. "…It's lovely to see you, ya dorks."
Saiya's expression shifted instantly, her brows furrowing into a pout as she leaned even closer to the camera. "Oi—! Why did it take you so long to answer, huh?!" she demanded, laced with clear irritation beneath it.
Lunar let out a small, sheepish laugh, scratching lightly at her cheek.
"Hehe… sorry, sorry," she replied, her voice softening. "I had to run and find a quieter place first… I didn't want to disturb the others in my room."
The reaction came all at once, loud and perfectly synchronized, making Lunar flinch slightly at the sudden burst of volume.
Persian was the first to push forward, her usual calm slipping as her eyes widened in surprise. "There are other people in your room??" she asked, her voice rising just enough to stand out above the rest.
Lunar blinked at the intensity of their reactions, clearly not expecting such a big deal to be made out of it, before nodding simply. "Yeah," she answered. "I have roommates."
"Roommates?" Namawa echoed, tilting her head as she tried to process that. "Wait—more than one?"
"Mm," Lunar nodded again, still not quite understanding why they looked so shocked. "There's four of us in one room."
Silence. For exactly half a second.
"FOUR???"
Lunar instinctively pulled the phone back a little, her ears twitching again from the sheer volume as she winced. "…U-uh… yeah?" she replied, her voice turning slightly uncertain now as confusion began to creep in. "I mean… there isn't enough space here for everyone to have their own room, right? We even share the same bathroom…"
That didn't help.
If anything, their expressions only grew more intense, the shock shifting into something closer to alarm as they stared at her through the screen.
Then, without warning, Anonym forced her way properly into frame.
Her blue eyes were sharp—too sharp—and Lunar immediately recognized that look. It was the same one Anonym wore whenever something bothered her, or when she felt like something was wrong.
"…Who are they?" Anonym asked, her voice calm on the surface, but carrying a quiet, unmistakable edge beneath it. "Are they bothering you in any way? Do you feel uncomfortable there?"
The question didn't sound casual.
It sounded like she was already preparing for a problem—and ready to deal with it.
"W-wait, wait, wait—hold on a second—" she laughed softly, raising her free hand slightly as if to pause everything on the other side of the screen. "I'm totally fine, really."
Her expression softened immediately after, her smile returning as she shook her head lightly.
"My roommates have been really nice," she continued, her tone warm and genuine. "I actually became friends with them right away when we first met, and we haven't had any problems or arguments at all."
The tension on the other side seemed to loosen—just slightly.
Lunar glanced upward for a moment, her thoughts drifting back to the day's events, and the smile on her face grew just a little brighter. "…Everyone here has been really nice to me, actually," she added. "I've been having a really fun time at the academy."
And she meant it.
Every word of it.
The tension on the other side of the call died right after Lunar reassured them, their expressions softening one by one as they took her words at face value, trusting her in the way only they could.
Namawa, however, wasn't about to let things settle so easily.
She leaned forward into the frame with a dramatic pout, her cheeks puffing slightly as she crossed her arms. "But it's not as fun as being with us, right???"
She leaned forward into the frame with exaggerated drama, puffing her cheeks as she crossed her arms and fixed Lunar with a pointed stare. "But it's not as fun as being with us, right???" she pressed, her tone caught somewhere between demanding and pleading, the kind of question that very obviously wanted a very specific answer.
"…Of course," Lunar replied without the slightest hesitation, her voice warm and certain as her eyes softened just a little. "You guys are my family, after all."
That was all it took.
The reaction was instant, like a spark catching fire. Faces lit up across the screen, small cheers and satisfied hums overlapping each other. From there, the conversation flowed much easier like it always had, like they were all still together in the same room, sitting on the same sofa and breathing the same air.
Lunar found herself talking more than she expected, recounting bits and pieces of her day—the classes, the strange but fun atmosphere of the academy, the way things had unfolded so quickly, and the people she had met along the way.
"Rickey-chan is really energetic," she said at one point, a small laugh slipping into her words. "And Neia is very… loud, but in a fun way. Maru-san is really easy to talk to too…"
She listed them off one by one, her tone light, her smile never quite fading as she spoke, while the others listened with varying levels of interest, occasionally interrupting with comments or teasing remarks.
And then—
The roles reversed.
"Well, since you're having fun over there," Saiya started, leaning back slightly as her grin turned mischievous, "we've got some stories too, you know."
"Oh no," Persian muttered immediately, already sensing where this was going.
"It's not even that bad!" Namawa chimed in, though the way her eyes sparkled said otherwise. "Like when we found out Persian has an allergy to cats—"
"Don't you dare—"
"—the hard way!"
Lunar tilted her head slightly, curious.
Namawa continued without mercy.
"She tried to pet this stray cat that somehow wandered into the house," she explained, barely containing her laughter, "and at first it was all fine and cute and everything, but then—boom! She starts sneezing nonstop, her eyes all watery, face red—"
"It was not that bad!" Persian snapped, her face already burning as she tried to defend herself.
"You looked like you were about to cry for the entire day!"
"I was not crying—!!"
Lunar couldn't help it. A soft, sympathetic look crossed her face as she watched Persian fluster through the screen.
"…You're still cool in my eyes," she said gently.
"…Don't pity me like that," Persian muttered, turning her head away slightly while the others laughed.
And just like that, the conversation rolled on without pause, slipping from one story into the next as if there were no end to them, each somehow more ridiculous than the last, each one drawing louder reactions than before.
"Oh! Oh! Tell her about big sis Invi!" Saiya suddenly burst out, practically bouncing where she was, her excitement impossible to contain.
Namawa had an evil look on her face. "Okay so, I walked into her room to call her for dinner," she began, already grinning, "and I didn't knock because, you know—it's me."
"Obviously," Anonym muttered flatly from the side.
"—and then I saw her," Namawa continued, lowering her voice dramatically for effect, "standing there… holding a polaroid picture of big sis Sodashi…"
Lunar leaned forward slightly without realizing it, her curiosity completely hooked. "…and?"
Namawa's grin widened, clearly savoring this.
"…And she was trying to smooch it." There was a pause. "…Like, really trying to. Her lips were puckered and everything."
"And then I screamed."
"I almost dropped my tablet with how loud it was," Persian sighed, rubbing her temple.
"I didn't just scream," Namawa corrected proudly, straightening a little. "I SCREAMED it out LOUD. Like—'BIG SIS INVI IS HOLDING A PICTURE OF SODASHI AND SHE IS TRYING TO KISS IT—'"
"The maids heard it first—" Saiya added between wheezes of laughter.
"And then she beat me up," Namawa finished with a firm nod, completely unbothered. "But it was worth it."
Lunar couldn't hold it in anymore as laughter spilled out of her, bright and unrestrained as she lifted a hand to cover her mouth, her shoulders shaking while the image played out vividly in her mind.
"W-wait—" she tried to speak through the laughter, her eyes shining as she struggled to get the words out. "Does that mean… they're dating…?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe?"
"No clue."
"She definitely likes her though."
The answers overlapped in the most unhelpful way possible, only adding to the chaos. And the chaos didn't stop, it just kept going, and Lunar just kept on laughing.
Time slipped by without any of them noticing.
The sky above had darkened little by little while their conversation carried on, shifting from one story to the next without pause, laughter and teasing filling the space so completely that the world beyond it almost didn't exist—until—
Click.
Lunar blinked. Above her, the light pole flickered once… then came alive, bathing the pathway in a warm glow.
She looked up, and then slowly around her Only then did it fully register just how late it had become. "…Ah, I think curfew's going to be soon…"
"Awwww—"
"Noooo—"
"Already???"
Complaints and groans overlapped from the other side of the call, all of them protesting in different ways, none of them accepting it.
Lunar couldn't help but laugh softly at their reactions, lifting a hand in a gentle wave as she spoke. "We can always talk later, ya dorks," she said lightly, her voice warm despite the goodbye already hanging in the air.
On the screen, they waved back just as eagerly, voices stacking over one another in rushed goodbyes, half-finished sentences, and reluctant complaints.
And just before she ended the call—
"Oh, right," Lunar added suddenly, tilting her head slightly as a small smile returned. "Can you say hi to everyone else for me?"
"And… if possible… give Momma Nel a kiss on the cheek for me."
Saiya immediately shot a thumbs-up into the frame, her grin wide and confident. "Got it covered."
A soft, satisfied smile settled on Lunar's face as she gave one last wave. "…Thanks."
And with that, the call ended.
For a moment, Lunar simply stayed where she was, eyes resting on the now-dark screen in her hand. Then she let out a small, content breath and lowered it gently.
Only then did she push herself up from the ground.
Her body stretched on instinct, arms lifting above her head as she arched her back slightly, easing into a slow, feline-like stretch that worked out the stiffness from sitting so long. A soft sound slipped out of her as she rolled her shoulders once, then again, letting the tension fade from her muscles little by little. "Mmm…"
She exhaled, body relaxing as she came back to herself. "Urgh, it really is late."
A faint flicker of thought crossed her mind as she looked back toward the dorms. Hope they didn't start worrying.
With that thought in mind, she turned and began making her way back, her steps light as she followed the pathway toward the building—
—but then—
Thump.
She paused.
Her ears twitched slightly.
"…Hm?"
Another sound followed.
Thump.
Coming from somewhere behind her, deeper into the training grounds.
Lunar slowly turned her head, brows knitting together in mild curiosity as she tried to trace the source. The pattern was too consistent to ignore now—too purposeful—each impact pulling her attention further away from the path she had just been walking.
"…What is that…?"
Without fully deciding to, she changed direction.
Her feet carried her quietly past the trees lining the path, her pace slowing just slightly as she moved closer to the source, careful, curious, her eyes narrowed as she peered ahead into the distance, trying to make sense of the shape moving under the dim lights.
At first, it was just a blurry figure moving in the distance. The motion was repetitive and hard to make out clearly, shifting back and forth across the field. It repeated the same path again, and then again, without variation, as if she had locked herself into a single pattern and refused to break it.
But as she stepped closer, the outline sharpened, details slowly pulling into focus under the scattered glow of the training lights. "…Ah."
Recognition settled in.
There, in the middle of the field—sprinting from one cone to another with relentless precision, turning and driving forward again without pause—was someone she had only met and came to know of today.
It was Validissimus.
Lunar watched in silence, her gaze tracking the girl's movements as she pushed herself forward again and again, each stride striking the ground with a force that seemed to echo even across the distance.
It was intense and relentless.
Lunar's eyes lingered, picking up the finer details now—the slight unevenness in her breathing, the tension locked into her shoulders, the way her form, while still powerful and controlled, carried the faintest edges of strain that only showed themselves after repetition had worn things down.
She's been at this for a while…
That much was obvious.
Something stirred quietly in Lunar's chest, because even without knowing the full story, she could tell this wasn't casual practice. It wasn't something done just to pass time or fulfill routine.
This was something the girl had thrown herself into completely out of frustration.
Her gaze softened a little. "…I don't really know her…" she murmured under her breath.
And what little she did know wasn't exactly encouraging, either—not after what she had heard from Sakura.
Approaching her directly didn't feel right.
So instead, Lunar tilted her head slightly, thinking quietly to herself. "…Then… what can I do…?"
Her eyes drifted away from the field, scanning the dim surroundings until something caught her attention.
A vending machine.
"…Oh." A small idea landed into place.
She immediately walked over, her fingers moving quickly across the buttons, selecting a bottle of water before watching it drop with a muted clunk into the tray below. She bent slightly, picked it up, and turned back toward the field.
Then she walked right back to where she had been standing.
From there, Lunar looked out again, her gaze settling on the cones that marked Validissimus's running path. She studied the spacing for a moment, the angle, the rhythm of her movement, the distance between each turn—quietly mapping it all out in her head. This is why I like maths!
Her grip adjusted around the bottle.
Her feet shifted.
Shoulders loosened
"…Okay…"
A small breath left her.
And then, she threw it. The bottle left her hand in a smooth arc, gliding through the air in a pace she had perfectly envisioned in her mind.
It sailed upwards and fell in a perfect downward cuve.
Then—
Clack.
It struck right at one of the cones. Hard enough to knock it clean over.
The rhythm broke instantly.
Validissimus skidded to a stop mid-motion, her head snapping toward the sound as her eyes widened immediately, scanning the darkness with alert, focused intensity. "…What the—"
She walked over, bending down to pick up the fallen cone first, then the bottle. Turning it in her hand, she frowned deeply, brows knitting as she inspected it like it had personally offended her.
"…Who the fuck is there?!" Her scream traveled through the field in clear irritation.
But by then—
Lunar was already gone.
Halfway back toward the path, one hand covering her mouth as quiet giggles slipped, her steps light and quick as she disappeared into the night before she could be spotted.
Leaving behind only a bottle of water, and a very confused, very annoyed Validissimus standing alone under the field lights.