The academy was usually a place where time felt like a relentless march of days marked by physical exhaustion and mental strain.

But today, it felt different.

As I walked through the halls, there was an odd sense of calm, as though the pressure of training had lifted, if only for a moment.

It was the 25th of December, it was Christmas, and the academy had allowed a rare break.

Family and friends were permitted to visit for the day, a small reprieve in what had been an otherwise grueling schedule.

For the first time in weeks, the weight on my shoulders felt a little lighter.

I’d survived another month—no, we had survived another month—and now I had a chance to reconnect with the world outside these walls, even if just for a day.

I pulled out my phone to check the time.

Sasaki and Hana were supposed to arrive soon.

Aiko, however, couldn’t make it.

She’d sent me a message earlier in the week explaining that her daughter had fallen sick and she couldn’t leave her alone.

I could hear the regret in her voice when we spoke on the phone, but I assured her that it was fine.

“Take care of her first”

I had said.

“I’ll be here.”

She had promised to make it up to me, but I didn’t need her to.

My niece was sick and she was still worried about me!

I almost cried.

There would be other chances, other days.

Besides, seeing Hana and Sasaki was more than enough.

The academy courtyard had been transformed for the occasion.

Snow had fallen the night before, blanketing the grounds in a soft, powdery layer.

The cold air was biting, but it felt refreshing against my skin after being cooped up in the training rooms for so long.

In the center of the courtyard, a large Christmas tree stood, decorated with lights and ornaments—an unexpected but welcome touch of holiday cheer.

Recruits milled about, some laughing with family, others chatting with friends.

For a brief moment, it felt like we weren’t in an academy at all, but just a group of people enjoying a winter afternoon.

I spotted Sasaki first.

His tall, sturdy frame was hard to miss even in a crowd, and next to him was Hana, bundled up in a thick coat, her breath visible in the cold air.

I waved as I approached, a smile already tugging at the corners of my lips.

“Keisuke... You are so... Different.”

Sasaki said with a smirk as he pulled me into a firm handshake, the kind that communicated both respect and affection.

“Really?”

I replied, shaking my head.

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“I didn't notice.”

Hana gave me a soft smile, her eyes filled with concern as always.

“You look tired, Keisuke”

She said, her voice gentle but firm.

“Are they really working you that hard?”

I shrugged, trying to downplay it.

“It’s not as bad as it looks. Just… a lot of running.”

Sasaki chuckled.

“It’s always the running, isn’t it?”

“Yeah”

I said, laughing with him.

“My friend Ishikawa won’t shut up about it either. He swears the academy has a secret deal with shoe companies to wear us out.”

“So you made even friends now?”

Sasaki said, shaking his head with amusement.

“Jokes apart, I’m glad you’re still holding up.”

We found a bench near the courtyard’s edge, away from the larger crowds.

The three of us sat there, the conversation flowing easily.

For a while, we talked about everything but the academy—about how Hana had been keeping busy at work, about the holidays, and about Aiko’s daughter, who was apparently feeling better but still needed some rest.

We talked about Nagasuki.

Sasaki said that last week someone with his features robbed a small bank.

He managed to flee.

"But wouldn’t that be a bad choice for him? Why did he just disappear to rob a bank shortly after and risk being caught?"

Sasaki looked at me straightly in the eyes.

"I don't know. We have been tracking him down for almost three months and yet there's no hint of who helps him and where it happens. It's so annoying."

"We are gonna do it."

Hana said, while looking at the sky.

"For Kento, and for you."

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat.

Kento’s absence was still a shadow over all of us, but moments like this—when I heard his name, when someone reminded me of what I was doing this for—it made the weight feel just a little lighter.

“Thanks”

I said quietly, glancing away for a moment to compose myself.

“That means a lot.”

Sasaki leaned back on the bench, exhaling slowly as he watched the other recruits with their families.

“You’ve come a long way, Keisuke. But I’m going to be honest with you—next month, it’s going to get tougher.”

I turned to look at him, my expression tightening.

“Tougher than it already is?”

Sasaki nodded, his face serious now.

“The first two months are made of various exercises. Getting you physically and mentally prepared for what’s coming next. But at the third month, they start focusing more on practical scenarios—real-world applications. The drills get more intense. They’ll push you harder than they have so far.”

“Great”

I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck.

"i can't tell you more than this, i'm sorry. Just, be ready. You’ve already proven you can handle the physical stuff, but when the pressure really kicks in, when they start throwing real situations at you… that’s when things get serious.”

I nodded, taking in his words.

There was a weight to them, a gravity that I couldn’t ignore.

Sasaki had been through this before—he knew what was coming, and if he was warning me now, it meant I had to take it seriously.

“I’ll be ready”

I said, my voice firmer now.

“Whatever they throw at me, I’ll handle it.”

Hana placed a hand on my arm, her touch warm despite the cold.

“Just remember to take care of yourself too. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

I smiled at her, appreciating the concern even if I knew it was impossible to avoid pushing myself in this place.

“I’ll try, Hana. But you know how it is.”

She sighed but didn’t argue. She understood.

We sat there for a while longer, watching as the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the snow-covered courtyard.

The laughter of recruits and their families echoed around us, mingling with the distant sound of Christmas music playing somewhere in the background.

For a moment, everything felt… normal.

Peaceful.

Like the world outside the academy still existed, and I was a part of it.

But as much as I wanted to hold on to that feeling, I knew it wouldn’t last.

Tomorrow, the training would resume, and the academy would reclaim its relentless grip on all of us.

But for today, I allowed myself to breathe, to enjoy the presence of people who cared about me, people who believed in what I was doing.

When it was time for them to leave, Hana hugged me tightly, her arms lingering for a moment longer than usual.

“Take care of yourself, Keisuke”

She whispered. “We’ll see you soon.”

Sasaki clapped me on the shoulder, his expression softer now.

“Sooner you would expect...”

I look at him confused.

They left shortly after, walking away through the snow as I stood there, watching them go.

The cold air bit at my cheeks, but I didn’t mind. In a way, it felt refreshing—a reminder that I was still here, still standing, still moving forward.

As I turned to head back to the dorms i reunite with Matsuoka and Ishii.

"Was that who i think he was?!"

Ishikawa shouted out.

"Who? Sasaki?"

"Ta-Ta-Taichi Sasaki?! You know him?"

"I could tell we are friends..."

Ishii almost passed out at the info while Matsuoka just smirked.

"It seems that our Mori became famous, now he talks with-"

He stopped for a second.

"THE LEGENDARY SASAKI!"

Matsuoka shouted too and went hugging Ishii.

It seems that Sasaki was known for many dangerous investigations.

It was like the SSR Hero in that mobile game with half-naked girls...

As we kept walking I couldn’t help but think about what Sasaki had said.

Next month would be harder.

But Sasaki, Hana and Aiko believed in me.

And, of course, Kento too.