The silence after the battle… was oppressive.
Too sudden.
Too empty.
---
I stood rooted to the spot, still staring in the direction where Kairel had vanished.
As if he might return.
At any moment.
---
'Ha Jin…' So Ah called softly.
---
I didn't reply.
---
Aki came closer.
'Hey… it's all over.'
---
A pause.
---
I exhaled slowly.
---
'Yeah… I suppose so.'
---
My body suddenly felt heavy.
Very heavy.
---
And the next moment—
my legs gave way.
---
— HA JIN!
---
I didn't fall.
---
They caught me.
Immediately.
From both sides.
---
So A.
And Aki.
---
— You idiot… — Aki whispered. — Do you even know what you looked like?
---
— Like… a hero? — I gave a weak smile.
---
— Like a corpse, — she replied coldly.
---
So A squeezed my hand tighter.
---
'You… you scared us…'
---
I looked at her.
---
Her eyes were trembling.
---
And suddenly…
I understood.
---
She really was afraid.
Not for herself.
---
For me.
---
"I'm alive," I said quietly.
---
"Bye," Aki muttered.
---
But she didn't let go.
---
We stood like that for a few seconds.
Just…
side by side.
---
No fighting.
No shouting.
---
Just breathing.
---
And for the first time—
I felt at peace.
---
So A suddenly looked away.
---
'Will you… always be like this…?'
---
— What? — I didn't understand.
---
— Fighting alone.
---
A pause.
---
I thought for a moment.
---
And then…
I shook my head.
---
— No.
---
She looked up.
---
— I'm not alone.
---
Silence.
---
Her face flushed slightly.
---
Aki snorted.
---
— Yeah, right. Until you die defending everyone in sight.
---
— Hey…
---
But she was smiling.
---
Gently.
---
And it was strange.
---
Because usually—
she doesn't smile like that.
---
'You were cool,' she said quietly.
---
I froze.
---
— Is that… a compliment?
---
— Don't get used to it, — she turned away immediately.
---
So A laughed softly.
---
And suddenly—
she pressed herself against me.
---
Gently.
Carefully.
---
'I really… got scared…'
---
I froze.
---
My heart beat faster.
---
'So A…'
---
'Just… stay like this for a moment…'
---
I didn't move.
---
Because…
I didn't want to.
---
Aki looked at us.
---
A second.
---
And…
she came closer.
---
— Are you two serious?
---
But instead of stepping back—
she put her hand on my shoulder too.
---
"All right… just a little."
---
A pause.
---
And suddenly—
the three of us…
burst out laughing.
---
Quietly.
We were tired.
But…
genuinely.
---
For the first time in a long while—
without fear.
---
I looked at them.
---
— Thanks.
---
So A smiled.
---
— We're a team, after all.
---
Aki nodded.
---
— And if you ever decide to die alone again…
---
She gave me a light tap on the shoulder.
---
— I'll kill you myself.
---
— Got it.
---
Silence again.
But now—
warm.
---
The sun began to break through the clouds.
---
As if…
the world had breathed a sigh of relief too.
---
I closed my eyes.
---
And for a second—
I simply allowed myself not to be strong.
---
…
---
Somewhere deep inside—
the SCAR stirred again.
---
But this time…
it was silent.
---
As if…
it were watching.
---
And waiting.
---
And I…
just stood there.
---
With them.
---
And that was enough.