“Noarin!” I shouted, my voice cutting through the chaos around us.

“On it!” Noarin’s eyes blazed with determination as she thrust her hands forward. I watched in awe as a torrent of flames roared from her palms, crashing against the towering pillar of ice before us. Steam hissed violently as fire met ice, and within seconds, rivulets of water streamed down the rapidly melting structure.

“Tch!” Our attacker, a lean man with frost-blue eyes, leapt from his crumbling perch. His coat whipped around him as he descended, and I tensed as I saw his hands weaving intricate patterns. Shards of ice, wickedly sharp and glinting in the sunlight, materialized and hurtled towards Noarin.

My heart raced as I watched Noarin call forth her flaming sword. The blazing weapon sang through the air, leaving trails of light as she deftly parried each icy projectile. The clash of fire and ice filled my ears with a sizzling cacophony.

As I caught my breath, my mind drifted to how much had changed in just a month since our meeting at the ADF base. The world we knew was transforming rapidly around us. Whispers of magic had begun to circulate among the populace, growing from hushed rumors to open speculation. I’d seen the government scramble to enact laws to regulate and control these mystical phenomena, forced to acknowledge this new reality.

The ADF had taken a calculated approach, using the first supernatural incident on the island as a cornerstone for gradually introducing the concept of magic to the public. It was a delicate balance – some embraced this new world with wonder, while others clung stubbornly to disbelief. And here we were, right in the middle of it all.

“He’s running away!” Lyra’s shout snapped me back to the present. Without hesitation, I focused my power, feeling the familiar rush as I move. In an instant, I vanished and reappeared directly in the fleeing man’s path.

The Ice-wielder’s eyes widened in surprise, but he recovered quickly. With a snarl, he conjured an ice sword and swung it in a vicious arc towards my face.

Time seemed to slow as I concentrated, reaching out with my senses to feel the flow of the man’s magic. I traced the patterns of energy, deciphering the intricate dance of power that formed the ice. Just as the blade was about to strike, understanding crystallized in my mind. I extended my hand, and to my amazement, an identical ice sword materialized, meeting his weapon with a resounding clash.

image [https://i.imgur.com/s3ZLdm9.jpeg]

“Wha-“ The man’s expression morphed from confidence to shock, his stance faltering for just a moment.

It was all the opening Lyra needed. I heard her grunt with effort as she slammed her foot into the ground. The earth responded to her will, surging upward around the attacker. In seconds, he was encased to his chest in stone, his struggles futile against the unyielding grip of the earth.

“Damnit!” The man thrashed, his face contorted with fury and fear.

I watched as Noarin approached, her flaming sword now a slender dagger of concentrated heat. She held it mere inches from the man’s nose, close enough that I could almost feel the searing warmth from where I stood. Her voice, when she spoke, was as cold and sharp as the ice he wielded.

“Don’t move. You’re under arrest for attempted robbery.”

The screech of tires announced the arrival of backup. A nondescript car pulled up, and Agent Chen emerged, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips. “Good job, guys,” she said, striding towards the immobilized criminal. From her pocket, she produced a syringe filled with a pale blue liquid. “We’ll take it from here”

I saw the captured man’s eyes widen at the sight of the needle. “No, wait-“ his protests were cut short as Chen smoothly injected the contents into his neck. Within seconds, the man’s struggles ceased, his eyes rolling back as unconsciousness claimed him.

Kai stepped forward, his brow furrowed in concentration. With a gesture, the unconscious man rose from his earthen prison, floating gently through the air and into the waiting car. The vehicle’s engine rumbled to life, and it sped away, leaving only a swirl of dust in its wake.

Rishia ran a hand through her hair, expelling a weary sigh. “Well, that’s the second case this week, and it’s still only Wednesday.” Her voice carried a mix of pride and concern as she gazed at us. “The number of Holders is really increasing.”

We exchanged glances, each of us pondering the implications of her words. As the adrenaline of the fight faded, I was left with the sobering reality of our new world – a world where magic was no longer hidden, and where our roles as protectors grew more vital with each passing day.

Kai let out a low whistle, his eyes scanning the crowd that had gathered to watch our fight. I followed his gaze, noting the mix of awe, fear, and curiosity on the onlookers’ faces. “But really,” Kai said, shaking his head in disbelief, “they have the balls to still try to commit crimes after the government starts publishing the new laws. Hell, the numbers are even increasing. Looks like they took ‘rules are made to be broken’ to an extreme level.”

I could hear the frustration in his voice, and I felt it too. Every new incident seemed to push us further into the public eye, a spotlight I wasn’t sure any of us were ready for.

Rishia shrugged, her expression thoughtful. “Maybe they just don’t know about us yet.” There was a note of hope in her voice, but I could see the doubt in her eyes. We all knew that ignorance wouldn’t be an excuse for long.

“Anyway,” Lyra chimed in, her eyes bright with excitement as she turned to me, “this Absolute Resonance power is really cool, huh?” Her gaze was intense, filled with curiosity and a hint of envy. “So you can really copy any power of the Holders?”

I felt a twinge of discomfort under her scrutiny. My power was still new to me, and I was acutely aware of how little I truly understood it. “Not every Holder,” I explained, shaking my head. “I can only do it with an ornament that has never been broken. In other words, the Absolute candidate.”

I stretched my hands, feeling the lingering strain from using my power earlier. “But I have to understand how their magic works, so I can’t copy their power right away. Besides,” I added with a grimace, “it puts a heavy strain on my body.”

Noarin’s brow furrowed with concern, and she placed a gentle hand on my arm. The warmth of her touch was comforting, grounding me in the moment. “Well then, you better rest now,” she said softly. Her eyes darted to the edges of the crowd, where I could see people with phones out, no doubt recording or livestreaming. “Our work here is done, so let’s flew away from this scene before the media gets us.”

Kai’s face scrunched up in disgust at the mention of media. “Oh right, I hate it when they start throwing questions,” he agreed vehemently. He started to rise a few inches off the ground, clearly eager to make his exit. “Well then, I’ll go straight home. See you tomorrow,” he called out as he and Rishia began to float away, their figures becoming smaller against the backdrop of the city skyline.

I turned to Lyra and Darius, our newest team members. “See you tomorrow,” Noarin and I said in unison, waving goodbye. Lyra returned the gesture with enthusiasm, her smile bright and genuine. Darius, ever the stoic one, simply nodded, his eyes alert as they continued to scan our surroundings.

As Noarin and I walked away from the scene of our recent battle, the adrenaline slowly ebbed from my system. The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, casting long shadows across the bustling city streets. I could feel the day’s fatigue settling into my bones, a reminder of the strain my Absolute Resonance power had put on my body.

“So,” Noarin’s voice broke through my thoughts, “what should we do for dinner?” She glanced at me, a small smile playing on her lips. “I don’t know about you, but using my powers always makes me hungry.”

I chuckled, grateful for the shift to more mundane concerns. “You’re right. I could eat a horse right now.” I pondered for a moment, considering our options. “How about that new ramen place near our apartment? I’ve heard their chashu is amazing.”

Noarin’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “Oh, that sounds perfect! I’ve been wanting to try that place.”

As we walked, our conversation flowed easily, touching on the events of the day and our plans for tomorrow. It struck me how comfortable we’d become with each other, how natural it felt to end our day together like this.

We were about halfway to the ramen shop when Noarin suddenly went quiet. I glanced over, noticing a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Aruta,” she began, her voice hesitant, “I’ve been thinking about something.”

“What is it?” I asked, curious about what could make her suddenly so serious.

She took a deep breath before continuing. “Well, I’ve noticed that I’ve been spending most of my time at your apartment lately. I only really go back to mine to sleep, and even then…”

I nodded, encouraging her to continue. My heart rate picked up slightly, wondering where this conversation was heading.

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“I was thinking… maybe it would make sense for us to… get a place together?” The last part came out in a rush, and I could see a blush creeping up her cheeks.

I felt my own face grow warm as the implications of her suggestion sank in. Living together? The idea was both thrilling and terrifying.

“Oh,” I managed, my mind racing. “That’s… that’s a big step, isn’t it?”

Noarin nodded, looking slightly crestfallen at my hesitation. “I know it is. It’s just that we spend so much time together already, and with everything that’s been happening with the Holders and the ADF, it might be practical to have a shared base of operations, so to speak.”

I could see the logic in her argument, but something held me back. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” I said carefully, trying to organize my thoughts. “It’s just… living together, just the two of us, it’s something newlyweds would do, isn’t it?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Noarin’s expression fell slightly, and I hurried to explain.

“What I mean is, we’ve been dating, but we haven’t really… progressed much beyond that, have we?” I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated with my inability to articulate my feelings. “I care about you, Noarin. A lot. But moving in together feels like a big jump from where we are now.”

Noarin was quiet for a moment, considering my words. “You’re right,” she said finally, her voice soft. “Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. It’s just… being with you feels so natural, I guess I didn’t think about how fast we might be moving.”

I reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Hey, I’m not saying no. I’m just saying… maybe we should think about it more? Take things one step at a time?”

She nodded, a small smile returning to her face. “You’re right. We’ve got enough on our plates with all this Holder business anyway.”

As we approached the ramen shop, the savory aroma of broth and spices wafting out to greet us, I felt a mixture of relief and regret. Part of me wanted to throw caution to the wind and embrace the idea of living with Noarin. But another part, the part that still marveled at the fact that someone as amazing as her would want to be with me, held back.

“Come on,” I said, gently tugging her towards the shop’s entrance. “Let’s get some food and we can talk more about this later. Who knows? Maybe the answer will come to us over a bowl of chashu ramen.”

Noarin laughed, the tension from our conversation dissipating. “Now that sounds like a plan I can get behind.”

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The digital clock on my bedside table blinked 11:42 PM as I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying the conversation with Noarin from earlier. The ramen had been delicious, but it hadn’t provided the clarity I’d hoped for. After returning to my apartment, the question of our living situation still weighing heavily on my mind.

With a sigh, I reached for my phone. My thumb hovered over Kai’s contact for a moment before I hit the call button. It rang three times before he picked up.

“Aruta? Everything okay?” Kai’s voice was groggy, and I immediately felt guilty for potentially waking him.

“Hey, Kai. Sorry, did I wake you?”

“Nah, I was just dozing off watching some late-night TV. What’s up? You sound… troubled.”

I hesitated for a moment, then decided to just dive in. “Noarin asked about us getting a place together today.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then a low whistle. “Wow, that’s a big step. What did you say?”

“I… kind of froze up,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair. “I told her it seemed like something newlyweds would do.”

Kai’s groan was audible even through the phone. “Oh man, Aruta. You didn’t.”

“I know, I know,” I sighed. “It’s just… we’ve been dating, but we haven’t really progressed much beyond that. Moving in together feels like such a huge leap.”

“Look, Aruta,” Kai’s voice took on a more serious tone. “You can’t keep Noarin waiting for you to take the lead. She’s putting herself out there, showing you what she wants. If you keep hesitating, you might lose her.”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. “I don’t want to lose her,” I said quietly. “I care about her so much. I’m just… scared, I guess.”

“Of course you are,” Kai said, his voice softening. “Moving in together is a big deal. But sometimes you’ve got to take risks for the people you care about.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “How did you and Rishia do it?” I asked. “How did you know it was the right time to move in together?”

Kai chuckled. “Man, that’s a story. You sure you want to hear it?”

“Please,” I said. “I could use all the advice I can get.”

“Alright, well,” Kai began, “it wasn’t exactly a smooth process for us either. We’d been dating for about a year, and honestly, I was perfectly content with how things were. But Rishia… she’s always been the more forward-thinking one.”

I smiled, picturing Rishia’s determined face. “That sounds like her.”

“Yeah. So one day, she just comes out and says, ‘Kai, don’t you think it’s ridiculous that we’re paying rent on two apartments when we spend most of our time together anyway?’ And I’m sitting there, thinking about my game collection and my ratty old couch, and I just kind of panic.”

“What did you do?” I asked, curious about how Kai had handled a situation so similar to mine.

“I did what any mature, responsible adult would do,” Kai said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I changed the subject and pretended I hadn’t heard her.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously?”

“Oh yeah. And let me tell you, that did not go over well. Rishia gave me the cold shoulder for days. It was awful.”

“So how did you fix it?”

Kai sighed. “I had to do some serious soul-searching. I realized that my hesitation wasn’t really about not wanting to live with Rishia. It was about being afraid of change, of taking that next step in our relationship. Once I figured that out, I knew what I had to do.”

“Which was?” I prompted.

“I surprised her with a key to a new apartment I’d found. Told her I wanted to start our next chapter together.”

I whistled low. “That’s pretty smooth, Kai.”

He laughed. “Yeah, well, don’t give me too much credit. I was sweating bullets the whole time. But you know what? It was the best decision I ever made. Living with Rishia… it’s not always easy, but it’s made our relationship so much stronger.”

I absorbed his words, feeling a mix of emotions swirling in my chest. “Do you think Noarin and I are ready for that?”

“That’s something only you can answer, buddy,” Kai said. “But I will say this: Noarin is an amazing woman. She’s strong, she’s kind, and she clearly cares about you a lot. If you feel the same way about her, then maybe it's time to take that leap."

I nodded, feeling a sense of clarity starting to form. “Thanks, Kai. I really appreciate the advice.”

“Anytime, man. Just… don’t wait too long to make a decision, okay? And when you do, make sure you communicate it clearly to Noarin. No more of this ‘newlyweds’ talk.”

I winced at the reminder. “Yeah, definitely not my finest moment.”

“Hey, we all stumble sometimes. It’s how we recover that matters.” Kai yawned loudly. “Alright, I should probably get some sleep. Early training tomorrow, you know?”

“Right, of course. Thanks again, Kai. Sleep well.”

As I ended the call, I felt a new sense of determination. Kai was right – I couldn’t keep Noarin waiting forever. It was time for me to figure out what I really wanted and to have an honest conversation with her.

I glanced at the clock again. 12:23 AM. Too late to call Noarin now, but tomorrow… tomorrow, we’d talk. And this time, I’d be ready.

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I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, my damp hair clinging to my ears after a long, hot shower. The clock on the wall showed it was nearly midnight, but sleep felt impossibly far away. My mind kept replaying my conversation with Aruta from earlier, his hesitation echoing in my ears.

image [https://i.imgur.com/c4AX4Kc.jpeg]

With a sigh, I reached for my phone. My fingers hovered over Rishia’s contact for a moment before I tapped out a message:

“Hey, Rishia. Are you still up? I could really use some advice.”

To my surprise, the reply came almost instantly:

“I’m up! Everything okay? Want to video chat?”

Grateful for her quick response, I agreed. Moments later, Rishia’s face appeared on my screen, her usual cheerful expression tinged with concern.

“Noarin! What’s wrong? You look troubled.”

I bit my lip, suddenly feeling silly for bothering her so late. “I’m sorry for messaging you at this hour. It’s just… I did something today, and I’m not sure if I messed everything up.”

Rishia’s brow furrowed. “What happened? Is this about Aruta?”

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. “I… I asked him about us getting a place together.”

Rishia’s eyes widened. “Wow, that’s a big step! What did he say?”

I closed my eyes, recalling Aruta’s reaction. “He kind of froze up. Said it was something newlyweds would do.”

“Oh, Noarin,” Rishia’s voice was soft, sympathetic. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know,” I said, opening my eyes to look at her. “It’s just… we’ve been dating for a while now, and I thought we were ready for the next step. But maybe I was wrong? Maybe I’m pushing too hard?”

Rishia was quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “You know, this reminds me of when Kai and I first talked about moving in together.”

“Really?” I perked up, curious. “What happened?”

Rishia chuckled. “Well, let’s just say it wasn’t smooth sailing at first. When I brought it up, Kai basically pretended he hadn’t heard me. Can you believe it?”

Despite my mood, I couldn’t help but laugh. “That sounds like Kai. What did you do?”

“Oh, I was furious,” Rishia admitted. “I gave him the cold shoulder for days. But looking back, I realize I might have sprung it on him too suddenly. Kai... he needs time to process big changes.”

I nodded, seeing the parallels. “Aruta’s like that too. He always thinks things through so carefully.”

“Exactly,” Rishia said. “And that’s not a bad thing. It means when he does make a decision, he’s fully committed to it.”

Her words made me feel a little better, but doubt still nagged at me. “But what if he decides he’s not ready? What if I’ve scared him off?”

Rishia shook her head firmly. “Noarin, I’ve seen the way Aruta looks at you. Trust me, you haven’t scared him off. He just needs some time to wrap his head around the idea.”

“You think so?” I asked, hope creeping into my voice.

“I know so,” Rishia said confidently. “But here’s my advice: give him a little space to think it over. And when you do talk about it again, make sure you’re both open about your feelings and expectations.”

I nodded, feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders. “You’re right. I guess I was so excited about the idea, I didn’t really consider how big of a change it would be for both of us.”

Rishia smiled warmly. “That’s understandable. Moving in together is a huge step. But Noarin, it’s also an amazing one. Living with Kai… it’s had its challenges, sure, but it’s also brought us so much closer.”

“Really?” I asked, eager to hear more.

“Oh yeah,” Rishia’s eyes sparkled. “There’s something special about sharing your daily life with someone you love. The little moments, you know? Like making breakfast together, or just lounging on the couch after a long day of training.”

Her words painted a vivid picture in my mind, one that made my heart ache with longing. “That sounds wonderful,” I said softly.

“It is,” Rishia agreed. “But it also takes work. You have to learn to compromise, to communicate even when it’s difficult. Are you ready for that?”

I took a deep breath, considering her question. “I think I am,” I said finally. “I love Aruta, Rishia. I want to build a life with him, challenges and all.”

Rishia’s smile widened. “Then hold onto that feeling. And when the time is right, share it with Aruta. Be honest about what you want, but also listen to his concerns. You two will figure it out together.”

I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. “Thank you, Rishia. I really needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, Noarin. That’s what friends are for.” She yawned, covering her mouth. “Sorry, it’s getting late. Will you be okay?”

I nodded, feeling much calmer than I had at the start of our call. “I will be. Thanks again, Rishia. Sleep well.”

As I ended the call, I felt a new sense of peace settle over me. Rishia was right – Aruta and I would figure this out together. And whatever decision we made, I knew our relationship would be stronger for having had this conversation.

I glanced at the clock. 12:45 AM. Too late to call Aruta now, but tomorrow… tomorrow, we’d talk. And this time, I’d be ready to listen as well as share my feelings.

With that thought, I finally felt ready for sleep, looking forward to what the new day would bring.