The headquarters felt unusually quiet. After submitting their report the previous day, the responsibility of investigating the Kichatsu incident had been handed over to the senior Guardians. For once, Team Astra had no mission waiting for them. Their room, which had slowly become home over the last two months since they had been assigned to Batch C under Kazen Arashi, was finally peaceful. Taro threw himself onto his bed with a loud sigh while Ryo sat near the window. Haru calmly arranged a few things around the room, Ren quietly read through an old strategy book, Mei wiped the blade of her sword without saying a word, Kaito sat nearby with a notebook in his hands, and Aiko looked around before smiling. "Everyone looks exhausted. I'll make some lemonade." Nobody disagreed.
As Aiko walked toward the small kitchen, Taro looked around the room and laughed. "Can you believe it? Two months ago we were still taking that final test in the basement. I thought we'd barely survive training." Ryo smiled. "Honestly, I thought the same." Haru nodded. "A lot happened in just two months." Ren closed his book for a moment. "More than most Guardians experience in years." Taro scratched the back of his head. "When I think about it... we never actually talked about how we ended up here."
He turned toward Ryo. "You first."
Ryo stayed quiet for a few seconds before speaking. "After we got separated, I kept walking without any idea where I was going. I thought if I kept moving I'd eventually find someone." He smiled bitterly. "Instead, a Westling found me." Everyone looked at him. "I didn't even know how to fight back then. I thought that was the end." He looked down at his hands. "Then someone suddenly stepped between me and the Westling. He defeated it so easily that I couldn't even understand what had happened. He didn't tell me his name. He just pointed toward the Edge of the Guardian headquarters and told me to keep walking." Taro already knew the answer but still asked, "Kazen?" Ryo nodded. "Yeah. I only found out later who he really was."
Taro laughed. "Looks like fate really wanted you alive." He leaned back against the wall. "Mine wasn't that lucky." Everyone turned toward him. "I wasn't fighting. I was running. That Westling wouldn't stop chasing me. No matter where I went, it kept coming. I was completely exhausted." His expression became serious. "When it finally reached me, I threw my hand forward without even thinking. Suddenly a huge blast of wind exploded from my arm. It sent the Westling flying across the street. It wasn't dead, but it gave me enough time to escape." He looked at his palm. "That was the first time I awakened Zephyros."
He continued quietly. "I kept running until I found a building. I thought it was just another abandoned place where I could hide." He smiled. "Turns out it was the Edge of the Guardian headquarters." Ryo laughed. "So we both ended up in the same place." Taro nodded. "Yeah. They gave me food, a bed, and somewhere safe to stay. I remember sitting there that night thinking... if I have the power to fight back now, why should I spend the rest of my life hiding?" He looked around at everyone. "That's when I decided I wanted to become a Guardian."
"You made the right choice," Haru said calmly.
"Definitely," Ryo agreed.
Before Taro could answer, Aiko returned carrying a tray with several glasses of lemonade. "Here," she said with a smile as she handed the first glass to Ryo. As he reached for it, their eyes met for just a moment. Ryo immediately looked away, took the glass too quickly, and spilled some lemonade onto his shirt. The room stayed silent for half a second before Aiko covered her mouth and laughed softly. "Sorry... I really tried not to laugh." Ryo scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. "It's fine..." Taro had already started grinning.
He waited until everyone had taken a sip before quietly leaning closer to Ryo. "Honestly... do you like Aiko?" Ryo almost choked on his lemonade. "W-What? No! Of course not!" Taro burst into laughter. "You know... if you had just answered normally, I might've believed you." Even Ren couldn't stop himself from smiling while Haru quietly shook his head. Aiko looked confused. "What are you laughing about?" Taro waved his hand. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Ryo glared at him while everyone else enjoyed the moment.
After the laughter faded, Mei stood up and placed her empty glass on the table. "I'm going to train." She picked up her sword and walked toward the door. Kaito closed his notebook. "I'll join you." Without another word, the two left the room, leaving the remaining five alone.
For a while nobody spoke. Then Taro looked toward the ceiling. "Still... that fight against Kichatsu was insane." Ryo nodded slowly. "If Kazen hadn't arrived when he did, I don't think any of us would've survived." Haru agreed. "We all gave everything we had." Ren added, "It also showed us how far we still have to go." Taro laughed quietly. "At least we managed to come back alive." Ryo smiled. "And together." The conversation continued for a while as they remembered different moments from the battle. Some memories made them laugh, while others reminded them how close they had come to never returning home. Even after everything they had experienced, they were still just teenagers trying to understand the world they had entered.
Time passed without anyone noticing. Outside, the sun had long disappeared, and the headquarters had become completely silent. Taro stretched again and let out a long yawn. "It's getting pretty late." He stood up and looked around the room. "We should get some sleep." Nobody argued. Aiko gathered the empty glasses, Ren placed his book beside his bed, Haru switched off the lights, and Ryo lay down, staring at the ceiling for a brief moment. One by one, the members of Team Astra closed their eyes. After weeks filled with training, battles, and missions, they finally spent one quiet night together, unaware of what awaited them when morning came.