The morning sun shone warmly on the rooftops of the dorms. Light slipped through the curtains and gently brushed across Yamato's face. His eyes opened slowly, blinking at the brightness. He sat up in bed, rubbed his face, and stretched his arms wide.
He whispered to himself, "Another day… but a better one."
After washing up and getting dressed, Yamato stepped out into the hallway. He wore a calm smile on his face. His feet padded softly across the floor as he counted the doors. Two rooms down, he stopped in front and knocked twice.
Knock knock.
The door creaked open, and Lumei peeked out. His expression was a bit stiff, like he was trying not to feel too much.
"Oh, it's you," Lumei said quietly, trying to stay serious.
Yamato smiled wide and pushed his way in gently. "You remembered not to talk too much, huh?" he teased as he dropped onto Lumei's wooden chair with a heavy thud. The chair gave a loud creak under him.
Lumei chuckled a little, but stayed guarded. "I did. I said I wouldn't bring up anything besides the mission."
Yamato leaned back, still smiling. "Alright then. Mission talk it is." He paused for a second, then looked Lumei in the eyes and asked,
"So... what did you notice about Ichiha?"
Lumei's face changed quickly. His eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what?"
Yamato nodded, his eyes curious but calm.
Lumei scratched his head, then let out a small breath. "Honestly… I didn't notice anything weird about him. Not until you mentioned something. And even after that, I didn't think too hard about it. I was more focused on Master Ozaki. On what he might teach me."
Yamato laughed, shaking his head. "Now who's the dumb one?"
Lumei burst into laughter. "Maybe me, but I'm still smarter than you."
The two friends shared a moment of loud laughter, the kind that cleared the air and brought peace with it.
After a bit, Yamato leaned forward, his expression turning a little more serious.
"Hey… when we faced Rujer, Master Ozaki touched my shoulder. I remember his aura. It felt… different. Like he mixed rage inside it, even though he was smiling."
Lumei's eyes lit up. He pointed a finger toward Yamato and said, "Yes! That's exactly it! I felt it too. His aura was never like that before. It was like… all his power got pushed into a different space. Like he was furious, but still in control. He stayed that way until Kaku died."
Yamato looked thoughtful. He nodded slowly. "Yeah. And when I heard that voice—I was terrified. I could barely move. Was that… how you all felt when I talked about the god back then?"
Without thinking, Lumei replied, "Yes."
He caught himself too late.
Yamato's grin returned. "Ha! Told you I'd get you to say something."
Lumei laughed but then turned a little sad. His shoulders lowered, and he looked away. "Yeah… I said it. But please, Yamato. Let it go now."
Yamato's smile softened. He stood up and gave Lumei a friendly nod. "Alright. It was good talking with you, though. I'm heading to see my mom."
Lumei smiled back gently. "That's nice. Greet her for me, will you?"
"I will." Yamato stepped toward the door and waved. "See you later, smart guy."
"Later, dumb one," Lumei replied with a grin.
Yamato went back to his room and took his bag, walking down the road he noticed Sora's dorm. He moved to her dorm paused in front of her door and knocked softly.
Knock knock.
No answer.
He leaned his head closer to the door. "Hmm… she must've left already."
Shrugging, he turned and made his way out of the dorm building. The wind was gentle, and birds flew above the trees. Yamato walked toward the forest path, the way that led to his hometown.
---
He moved through thick forests, quiet valleys, and even passed through a small village where a few people waved as he passed. Hours later, he finally reached the edge of his home village.
A worn wooden sign greeted him:
Welcome to Bers Village.
Yamato stopped for a moment, taking in the peaceful air. The village looked cleaner than he remembered. There weren't many people outside. He walked past a small grazing field, where some cattle slowly munched on grass. His footsteps echoed lightly on the dusty road.
He walked onto his street and saw familiar houses and corners from his childhood. A few villagers looked at him as he passed… but none of them waved. None smiled. He raised his hand to greet an old woman, but she turned her head.
"They still treat me badly," Yamato thought sadly.
He lowered his hand and picked up his pace, heading straight to a small, one-story house at the end of the road. The roof was patched in a few places, and flowers grew in pots outside the door. It wasn't big—just enough for four people to live in—but it was home.
Yamato opened the wooden door and stepped inside.
"Mom?"
Before he could say anything more, a woman rushed from the kitchen. Her eyes welled up as she dropped the towel in her hand.
"Yamato!" she cried, and wrapped her arms around him tightly.
Yamato hugged her back, his face buried in her shoulder. His voice cracked. "Ooh mom… it's been a while."
Esther, his mother, held him tightly. "My baby… you've grown so much."
She stepped back and wiped her eyes, then suddenly smiled. "Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? Anything you ask for, I'll make it."
Yamato smiled, a tear still running down his cheek. "Anything is fine, mom. Don't stress yourself to start cooking now."
Esther nodded. "Alright, then go take a bath and rest. Use my room."
Yamato blinked. "Why your room?"
She chuckled. "The roof over yours is bad, I'm getting it fixed."
He laughed softly and said, "I'll take care of it. I'll be staying here for a week, so don't worry."
His mom smiled again and placed her hand gently on his cheek. "You've become so strong."
Yamato held her hand and nodded. "I'll make sure no more leaks happen in our house again."
And with that, Yamato walked toward the shower room to get cleaned up, a peaceful warmth in his chest—for once, he felt alive again.