The night, or what I think is the night, is cold. It rains what I think us water, but it's thicker and red. I had to get stronger, it's must. There is no time for sleep.
He moved through the makeshift obstacle course with extreme voracity. He couldn't stop, it wasn't an option. Sosuke repeated the course as many times as possible. What mattered to him was that he could grow in strength fast enough, fast enough to destroy Julius before he could even reach earth.
He will die in my hands for killing my family. What could've been if they had lived? Could I have had a normal childhood? No, it's not time to think about what if's. I need to focus.
Fired his lightning into the distance, trying to control the distance, power, and speed to a precise level.
If I use too much mana on my core technique, it overloads me. I almost lose control and get consumed by the power. I need to train my body to handle it. It's been two weeks and I can feel the improvement. I need a fight.
"You're still out here?" Rin leaned against the doorway, sipping a cup of water. "It's late, I think."
Why does she care? She should just go back and sleep. Be practically useless. What am I saying? She matters to me, how could I even think that?
Sosuke tried to catch his breath before he spoke. "I couldn't sleep."
"I don't believe that."
"What do you mean? That's why I…" Sosuke stopped himself. What do I say to you? Should I keep lying? Pretending like I'm the same as before?
Rin expression softened, she placed the glass of water down the walked forward toward Sosuke. "You don't have to lie to me."
"I just wanted to train, that's all." Sosuke's gaze shifted toward the sky.
"Why are you lying to me? You won't even look me in the eye half the time."
Is that true? I hadn't even realized. "I'm just bad with eye contact." Sosuke let out a fake laugh.
"Dont give me that bullshit. What's happening?" She grabbed Sosuke's hand. "Tell me the truth. How you're feeling."
I can't tell you. How would you even begin to understand. You don't even care about your family. You're not as strong as me either. How could you help You're—
"You're useless." Sosuke covered his mouth with his hand instantly. "I didn't mean—"
Rin froze, her expression a fragile mask that cracked with each second. She let go of Sosuke's hand and her eyes grew wider. "So that's what you think? She said, her voice trembling, barely above a whisper.
"No, wait," Sosuke's hand hung in the air, reaching for her as she stepped back. Shit. "I didn't mean it like that!"
"It's fine," she said, though her tone hinted otherwise. Her fists clenched at her sides. "All you did was prove what I've been thinking."
"But it's not true! I was just angry, it slipped out!"
Rin's gaze dropped to the floor. "That's not true. At least own what you really feel."
"Don't walk away! I'm sorry!" He reached further. Damn it. Why don't I go after her?
Rin reached for the pendant on her neck and snapped it off. "I get it now." She dropped it to the ground.
She turned and left, leaving him standing alone, the sound of her footsteps fading like the echo of his mistake.
The air began to spark faintly with lightning. Why am I so angry right now? Shouldn't I feel more sad? I just want to kill something right about now. Sosuke punched the tree next to him, tearing it in half and knocking it over. I could jump into the void right about now.
He returned to his room in the cabin for the night. It was time to get some sleep.
Sosuke woke to the faint creak of the window and a gust of thick air. He groaned, blinking against the pale light filtering through the window.
"Morning sleeping beauty." Reid's voice cut through the silence. It had his usual playful tone, but something felt off.
Sosuke sat up, his muscles stiff from the night. "What time is it?" He muttered.
Reid stood by the door, dusting himself off. He hesitated to speak, he usually doesn't. "There's something you might want to know."
Sosuke frowned, the grogginess melting away as unease settled in. "What's going on?"
Reid rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't want you to freak out, but Rin is gone. Her things and everything too. I thought you should know as soon as you woke up."
"Gone? What do you mean gone?"
Reid sighed, stepping further inside the room and resting on a chair. "I mean she packed her things and left. Even took a book or two from Shadow, he's a little pissed. I saw some tracks out in the mud too."
Sosuke was already on his feet, pacing around the room. "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"I tried!" Reid said, holding up his hands. "But you were out cold. Figured you were tired and thought—" He stopped, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know man. I didn't believe she'd just up and leave like that. No one saw her either."
Sosuke's jaw clenched. "We have to follow the tracks. Follow the traces of mana, something…"
The forest stretched out endlessly, the damp smell of rain-soaked earth lingering in the air. Sosuke stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the faint remnants of footprints in the mud. The trail ended abruptly near a cluster of exposed roots, the ground too churned and waterlogged to hold any further trace.
"She's gone," Sosuke muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible. His hands clenched at his sides, his knuckles white.
Reid leaned against a nearby tree, his usual smirk replaced by a rare seriousness. "Maybe she left us a puzzle," he said lightly, though his tone carried an edge of uncertainty. "You know, the whole 'disappear dramatically and leave her two best friends to figure it out' thing. Classic Rin, right?"
Sosuke didn't respond. His shoulders were tense, his jaw tight, and his eyes stayed locked on the muddied ground as though willing it to give him answers.
Reid sighed, pushing off the tree and walking over to his friend. "Look, I get it. You're worried," he said, softer now. "But this is Rin we're talking about. If anyone can take care of herself, it's her."
"That's not the point," Sosuke said, his voice strained as he finally straightened.
Reid tilted his head, watching him for a moment. "Okay, then what is the point?"
Sosuke opened his mouth, but no words came out. His gaze flickered back to the forest, his expression clouded.
Reid gave him a light nudge on the arm. "Hey, don't go all brooding on me. That's my thing, remember?" He smiled faintly. "We'll figure this out. She's not the type to disappear forever. Unless…" His grin widened slightly. "You think she's just hiding from us? Because let's be honest, we can be a lot sometimes."
Sosuke glanced at him, his lips twitching in the faintest shadow of a smile. "You're impossible," he muttered.
"Yeah, but you like me anyway," Reid shot back, hands on his hips. "Seriously, though. Rin's not gone for good. She'll turn up when she's ready—probably with some snarky comment about how slow we are. And until then…" He gestured vaguely toward the cabin. "We just do what we can, yeah?"
Sosuke exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Yeah," he said quietly, though the weight in his chest remained.
Reid clapped him on the back with a grin. "Attaboy. Now let's get back before you brood a hole through the forest. We're no good to her if you melt down."
With one last glance at the faded tracks, Sosuke turned, following Reid back through the trees. The feeling of loss still lingered, but Reid's presence kept it from consuming him entirely.
The cabin appeared ahead, its silhouette gray and lifeless beneath the overcast sky. Sosuke walked in silence, his boots sinking into the mud, while Reid trailed a few paces behind, his usual energy dimmed.
When they reached the door, Sosuke didn't stop. He pushed it open and stepped inside, the faint creak of the hinges the only sound in the stillness. The cabin felt emptier now, as though the absence of one person had drained the space of warmth entirely.
Reid followed, shaking water off his boots. "Well," he started, trying to sound casual but failing to hide the note of uncertainty in his voice. "I guess that's that. She's, uh… really gone, huh?"
Sosuke didn't answer. He sat by the cold hearth, resting his katana across his lap. His fingers brushed along the blade's hilt, his grip tightening briefly before loosening again.
Reid lingered by the door, rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey," he said carefully, stepping closer. "I know we don't know each other all that well, but… I'm pretty good at finding people. When someone wants to be found, that is." He offered a weak smile. "If she's out there, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
Sosuke looked up, his expression unreadable. "She doesn't want to be found," he said simply, his tone flat.
Reid paused, then let out a slow breath. "Okay, fair point. But still, people don't stay hidden forever. You'll get your chance."
Sosuke didn't respond, his gaze drifting back to the katana. Reid shifted awkwardly, then nodded toward the corner. "I'll get the fire going. No use sitting here freezing while we wait, right?"
The faintest flicker of gratitude passed through Sosuke's eyes, though he said nothing. Reid moved to the hearth, fumbling with the damp logs, and the crackle of a new flame soon filled the silence.
Outside, the rain began again, soft but steady. Somewhere beyond the woods, Rin was out there—untouchable, but never fully gone.