Chapter 48: In Memory of Kenji
Yuki's Inner Monologue
I remember the first day I arrived at the headquarters.
The gates were huge.
The walls were high, the corridors long.
When I stepped inside, my heart felt like it was about to stop.
I thought they would judge me.
That they would look at me coldly.
That they would pass by in silence.
But that wasn't what happened.
There were people there.
Real people.
Some looked tough, but they weren't bad.
Some were quiet, but there was curiosity in their eyes.
Most of them… were kind.
And then there was Haruto.
He was the first one to come up to me.
He was smiling.
As if this place wasn't a headquarters at all.
"Don't be so tense," he said.
"Everyone's like this on their first day."
His voice was calm.
But sincere.
When I asked something, he listened patiently.
When I made a mistake, he didn't get angry.
Sometimes… he even turned it into a joke.
Around Haruto, you didn't feel stupid.
You felt understood.
And then… Kaito.
Kaito didn't say a word.
He was leaning against the wall.
Arms crossed.
His gaze was sharp.
I noticed him watching me.
But there was no contempt in his eyes.
He was cold…
But not empty.
He saw everything with just a look.
And somehow, that gaze made you feel safe.
Even when Kaito didn't speak,
he was saying,
"I'm here."
And Kenji…
Kenji was different.
Quiet, but fun.
Even in the most serious moment, he would say something silly and lighten the mood.
He bent the rules a little.
But never in a way that hurt anyone.
"To survive here, you need to laugh too,"
he once said.
He was right.
Over time, I noticed Sora's warmth.
Daichi's way of thinking deeply while speaking little.
San's strange jokes hidden behind his serious face.
Ren's silence that noticed every detail.
They were all different.
But no one pushed me away.
Time passed.
Some people left.
Some voices fell silent.
But those who remained…
They were still here.
Haruto was still smiling.
Still placing a hand on someone's shoulder and saying, "You're okay."
Kaito was still quiet.
But in the most dangerous moments, he stood at the very front.
And Kenji…
Kenji was gone.
But what he left behind remained.
This headquarters no longer felt frightening to me.
Sometimes it was heavy.
Sometimes it was painful.
But there were people here.
People who understood.
People who protected.
People who stood beside you in silence.
And me…
I don't feel alone anymore.
Because this place isn't just a headquarters.
It's a place
where people hold on to each other.
And I…
I'm a part of this place now.