The wind lingered between them.
Not strong.
Not cold.
Just enough to fill the silence she left behind.
Takemi noticed it first.
"…She's still here."
Rauk blinked.
"…Yeah… that's new."
Lira crossed her arms, watching carefully.
"…She's listening."
The girl stood a few steps away, her back still turned.
But her grip on the staff had tightened—just slightly.
Enough to notice.
"…You said it's not your problem," Takemi continued.
"…I get that."
No response.
"…But you're still here."
A pause.
Then—
"…You talk too much."
Her voice came out quieter this time.
Less sharp.
But not softer.
Rauk leaned slightly toward Lira.
"…Is that progress?"
"…Barely," Lira whispered back.
Takemi exhaled.
"…Alright."
He scratched the back of his head.
"…Let me try this differently."
He didn't step closer.
Didn't push.
Just stood there.
"…We're not here to drag you into something."
"…We're already in it."
Silence.
"…We just don't want to die doing it."
That made her shift.
Slightly.
Not visible to most—
But Lira saw it.
"…Why you?"
She turned just enough to glance at Takemi again.
"…Out of everyone in the academy…"
"…Why are you the one involved in this?"
Takemi blinked.
"…Honestly?"
"…Yeah."
He shrugged.
"…Bad luck."
Rauk immediately nodded.
"…Very bad luck."
Lira sighed.
"…That's… not entirely wrong."
For the first time—
The girl's expression changed.
Just a little.
Not a smile.
But something close to disbelief.
"…You're serious."
Takemi nodded.
"…Yeah."
"…I didn't ask for this."
He looked at the handle at his side.
"…But I got it anyway."
Silence.
Her gaze lingered on the handle.
Longer this time.
"…Then you should understand."
Takemi tilted his head slightly.
"…Understand what?"
She turned fully now.
And for the first time—
There was no distance in her eyes.
Just something heavy.
"…What it's like to be the reason someone dies."
Silence.
Complete.
Rauk stopped moving.
Lira's expression hardened slightly.
Takemi didn't answer immediately.
Because that—
Wasn't something you respond to lightly.
"…I was part of a team," she continued.
Her voice steady.
Too steady.
"…They wanted a healer."
"…I said no at first."
A pause.
"…But they insisted."
Her grip tightened again.
"…Said it would be safer."
Rauk looked down slightly.
"…Yeah…"
"…We took a mission," she said.
"…Nothing special. Just a corrupted zone near the eastern outskirts."
"…Low risk."
Lira's jaw tightened.
"…There's no such thing."
"…I believed them."
A small breath.
"…That was my mistake."
"…It wasn't low risk."
"…It was already spreading."
"…We didn't know."
Her voice didn't shake.
But it felt like it should.
"…There were too many."
"…Too fast."
"…They weren't normal monsters anymore."
Takemi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Corrupted."
She nodded.
"…Yes."
"…I tried to keep them alive."
"…I really did."
A pause.
"…But healing doesn't matter when you're too slow."
"…One by one…"
She stopped.
Not because she couldn't continue—
But because she didn't need to.
Everyone already understood.
Rauk clenched his fist slightly.
"…Damn…"
Lira looked away for a moment.
Takemi stayed still.
"…I was the last one left."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"…And I survived."
Silence.
"…So no," she said.
"…I don't join teams anymore."
"…I don't heal people just to watch them die."
"…And I don't pretend I can save everyone."
The wind passed again.
This time—
Colder.
Takemi finally moved.
Just one step forward.
"…You're right."
That caught her off guard.
"…You can't save everyone."
"…We all know that."
He scratched his cheek slightly.
"…We almost died in the ruins."
Rauk nodded.
"…Multiple times."
"…Yeah," Takemi continued.
"…And if we had a healer…"
He paused.
"…We still might've died."
That made her frown slightly.
"…Then what's your point?"
Takemi looked at her directly.
"…My point is—"
A small breath.
"…we'd rather have a chance than none."
Silence.
"…You think going alone protects people?"
He shook his head.
"…It just means you're not there when they need you."
Lira glanced at him slightly.
That line—
Landed.
"…So I'll ask you something," Takemi said.
"…Not as a team leader."
"…Just as someone who's also stuck in something bigger than himself."
A pause.
"…If you see people about to die again…"
"…Are you really going to walk away?"
That hit.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
But deeply.
Because she couldn't.
Not honestly.
Her grip on the staff loosened slightly.
Her eyes shifted.
Just for a moment.
"…What's your name?" Takemi asked.
She hesitated.
Then—
"…Elira."
Rauk blinked.
"…Oh, that's close to Lira."
Lira sighed.
"…Don't make it weird."
"…Too late."
Elira turned away again.
But this time—
It didn't feel like rejection.
"…I'm not joining your team."
Takemi nodded.
"…Got it."
A pause.
"…But I'll think about it."
Rauk whispered—
"…That's basically a yes."
Lira whispered back—
"…That's not a yes."
Takemi smirked slightly.
"…Good enough for now."
As they began to leave—
Elira remained where she stood.
But her gaze…
Was no longer distant.
And somewhere deep inside—
A decision had already started forming.