Akaimo stared up at the ceiling.
"Why am I so weak…? Do I really deserve to be on this team? They're all so much better than me…"
One day passed.
Someone knocked on Akaimo's door.
He opened it and saw no one. Just as he was about to close it, he noticed fruit, medicine, and other essentials left outside.
The same thing happened again.
And again.
For five days straight.
His teammates also visited him twice a day.
Shino whispered to Jeisuke,
"Now I'm sure of it."
"Sure of what?" Jeisuke asked.
Shino leaned closer and explained his thoughts quietly.
"Now we just need to hear it from him."
Meanwhile, Akaimo's mental state was getting worse each day. The more he spiraled, the weaker his body felt. Even after a full week, he still hadn't recovered.
Everyone except Akaimo gathered in Shinji's house.
"Hey, Shinji," Shino said, serious for once. "I think Akaimo's struggling because of his mental state. He talks completely differently now."
"The doctor said the same," Shinji replied. "I was about to tell you all. The question is… how do we fix this? We need a plan."
So they made one.
With gifts in hand, they went to visit him.
Akaimo was listening to the radio about people from the East being evacuated due to strange danger-detection signals.
Then came a knock at his door.
They stood outside with a cake — because it was Akaimo's birthday. They arrived exactly at midnight. Shinji had already spoken with everyone's parents so they were allowed out this late.
Akaimo froze. No one ever knocked at his door at this hour. His heart raced.
"Who's there?" he asked nervously.
No answer at first.
He grew even more scared — until Shinji's voice said gently, "It's me."
Akaimo slowly opened the door.
Everyone shouted together:
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AKAIMO!"
He had completely forgotten his own birthday.
"Wait… it's my birthday?" he blinked.
Shizuku gasped. "Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday!"
Akaimo laughed weakly.
"Ah… yeah. It's my birthday. You guys… remembered."
Tears slipped down his cheeks — not from sadness, but joy.
He invited everyone inside.
They cut his cake and ate snacks together.
Shinji asked, "So, how are you feeling physically?"
"Better than before," Akaimo replied, "but I still can't train like before."
Shino hesitated.
"Hey, Akaimo… can I ask you something? Please don't get mad."
Akaimo smiled faintly.
"Relax. You're all my best friends. Ask me anything."
Shino swallowed.
"…Do you have parents?"
A tear rolled down Akaimo's face.
He didn't speak for a full minute. The room fell completely silent.
"I lost them," he said quietly. "Because of me. They're dead."
He continued, voice shaking.
"I wasn't originally from the main village. I came from a smaller one under this nation. One day, a powerful Kaito monster attacked. I don't even know its reberu. It wiped out everyone there. The soldiers were all in the main village, so they couldn't reach us in time."
He clenched his fists.
"I was around three. My parents handed me to my uncle and went to fight it. They bought us time to escape. They died for me. By the time soldiers arrived, it was already over. My uncle has raised me since then… but he doesn't even live with me anymore. I don't have any family except him."
Shino placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Who said you don't have family? We're your family. I see you as my own brother."
Momoshimo smiled.
"Same here. You've got us."
Akaimo's eyes overflowed again — tears of relief this time.
Shinji added softly,
"If you don't have family, then what are we? You're the one who brightens our days. We missed you every second while you were gone."
Shino grinned.
"And Jeisuke told me to keep it secret, but… he's the one who's been delivering fruit and medicine to your door. He talks about you nonstop. He really cares about you — he wants to grow stronger with you. And honestly, we all do."
Jeisuke looked away, embarrassed.
"Hey… I told you to keep that secret… But yeah. We're family."
They spent the whole night laughing, talking, teasing, remembering old moments.
The weight on Akaimo's heart finally loosened.
Everyone left around 8 a.m., after loading him up with instant ramen and limited-edition snacks.
Within just two days, Akaimo recovered completely — not because of medicine…
…but because of his friends.