That night, I slept deeper than I had in weeks.
No dreams of forests cracking open. No roars. No lightning tearing through my chest.
Just darkness.
Morning light pulled me back slowly, warmth brushing my face. I sat up, blinking, the quiet of the dorm unfamiliar after months of chaos.
"Rain?" a voice called. "You awake?"
I froze.
"…Juno?"
Before I could answer, and there he was—brown hair a little longer, posture straighter, eyes brighter than I remembered.
"Rain!" he said, grinning. "It's summer break!"
I laughed softly. "You haven't changed at all."
"That's a lie," he said immediately. "I totally have."
"Sit. Before you explode."
He dropped onto the edge of the bed, bouncing slightly. "So? What are you doing for break?"
"I… don't know," I admitted. "Maybe… a beach?"
He tilted his head. "You don't sound confident."
"I'm not," I said honestly.
Juno laughed, then shrugged. "That tracks."
We talked for a while. About classes. Training. How busy everything had been since the Dratonian Forest. How neither of us had really had time to just… talk.
Then he scratched the back of his head, suddenly awkward. "Oh—uh. I ranked up."
I looked at him. "You what?"
"Class 1-C," he said, trying not to smile too hard. "I passed the assessment."
My chest warmed. "That's incredible."
He puffed up a little. "Yeah. Took a while, but… I'm getting there."
"You are," I said firmly.
He stood as I started packing—simple things. Clothes. Training gear. The essentials. My hand hesitated over the folded academy uniform.
Juno watched quietly.
When I slung my bag over my shoulder, he raised his fist.
I bumped it.
"I'll catch up to you," he said. "You and Class 1-S."
I looked back at him.
"I'll be waiting," I said. "See you after summer break."
He grinned. "Don't get too strong without me."
"No promises."
Class 1-S was already loud when I arrived.
They were laughing, shoving, arguing—until I stepped inside.
Then they all turned.
And pointed.
"You don't know what a beach is?!?!" Seraphyne yelled.
I flinched. "I just said that to Kazen."
Kazen raised his hands. "I had to tell them."
"I'm a commoner," I said weakly.
That only made it worse.
They laughed, patting my back, ruffling my hair, teasing without malice. For once, it didn't feel like distance—it felt like belonging.
"We're going to the beach," Kazen announced.
Silence.
"…You are?" Liam said.
"With Rain," Kazen added.
The room exploded.
"What?!"
"Unfair!"
"Take us too!"
Before it could escalate into a full argument, the door slid open.
Instructor Aldred stepped in.
He surveyed the chaos, sighed, and said calmly, "If Rain's going, you're all going."
Everyone froze.
Then—
"Yes!"
"Best instructor!"
"Wait you're going to—?"
Aldred pinched the bridge of his nose. "Pack responsibly. We leave in two days."
Theon nodded solemnly. "This is a good idea."
Everyone facepalmed.
I just stood there, heart light, watching them argue again.
For the first time in a long while, summer didn't feel like a pause.
It felt like the beginning of something serene.