She wasn't anyone special when they met, just another cadet who was still in training to join the ranks of the Red Army.

Red Leader had just recently allowed his 12 year old son join in with cadet training with the group rather than keeping him alienated from others. Most avoided Tobi when he was on the training course with them, and she had been one of the few to actually talk to him.

The cadet was a sweet, optimistic girl and she made it easy for Tobi to get along with her, and he started to feel part of the group.

Tobi loved his friends. But the three months he spent in Norway ever winter always felt so lonely, so having her around made him feel at ease again, and he started looking forward to training each day even though he knew it would only last a few months.

When Tobi told her that when winter ended he'd be returning to Neo London, and the two agreed to message until they could meet up again, and that promise gave him a bit of hope.

The next day, the cadet pulled him aside, saying she had a gift for him, and when they were alone, she kissed him.

It was his first kiss.

Gentle with a warmth that lingered even after they separated.

It was also the first time Tobi ever felt those butterflies fluttering in his stomach. So this was what it felt like to have a crush. Excited, and happy, Tobi ran to his father's study after training to tell him, not realizing what would happen when he did.

Tord listened to what Tobi had to say, ruffled his son's chestnut hair and smiled before letting the preteen run off to find Yuu to repeat the story. The fluttering in the boys stomach didn't stop the rest of that day, his face hurt from smiling so much and he could barely sleep, excited for the next day to come.

But when he went to training the next day, the cadet girl was gone.

Just gone.

The preteen later found out this would be something that would keep happening whenever he would start to fall in love.