Aether sighed and started walking with Mirakos again, rushing to pick up his metal arm and quickly catching up to Mirakos, who was happily climbing the stairs.
"Who was that?" Mirakos asked as Aether pulled him along, hurrying to his room.———
"No way! My room wasn't even like this!" Mirakos exclaimed, jumping onto the bed.
Aether shrugged off his jacket, the cross pattern on it still visible in its unique design, and let it fall to the ground along with his inner wear. Dropping down, he began doing push-ups.
"I really don't want to join that team," he said, his voice strained, "but I know Anna's going to force me."
"But you're stronger than all of them, right?" Mirakos asked joyfully.
"Yeah…" Aether muttered, though his thoughts said otherwise. He stood no chance against Ryuji or Marquis, even Kai. And Anna—if he could even get close to her—would crush him. Elara, too, could take him down.
