Chapter 3

Two weeks have passed since then.

 Returning to the 19th ward in Fukuoka, I never knew I would miss this place so much.

Ward’s are massive plots of land surrounded by two even larger circular outer walls towering over the area. Its purpose is to facilitate us, the Front Lines, as well as the Safeguard.

I grunted in exhaustion as I swung my swords against training mannequins.

After the battle in the city, Sora really chewed me out. I was wrong to worry her like that.

Sweat dripped down my forehead, and my body ached throughout. Regardless, I pushed through and continued to work my body. I haven’t fully recovered from my injuries, but I felt a sense of urgency to get back in shape.

My swords clanged against the sleek concrete floor below me as I fell to my knees in exhaustion. My throat dried up as I sighed. Reaching to my right, I grabbed the small towel and ran it across my face, absorbing my sweat. 

The bright sun beamed down on me through the branches of the trees surrounding the training area as I laid on the hard flooring.

I heard light footsteps approaching my direction. And a few seconds later, those footsteps raised their voice. “Tired already?”

Facing the voice, I gradually swayed my gaze upward from the person’s shoes to their face. They wore washed-out blue shorts, revealing their slender pale legs that glistened in the sunlight, a cropped brown leather jacket, and a thin navy-blue scarf around their neck, with their hair tied in a ponytail.

“Stand up. If you lie down in this weather, you could get heatstroke."

“Ah, but I love the summer heat, Fumia,” I said while staring towards the sky.

“Don’t remind me that it’s the worst season of the year, Kanade.”

“What’s wrong with the summer?”

“I just can’t stand the heat. It’s this constant feeling of me being boiled alive.”

I gazed at her for a minute. “But just a few months ago, you said you hated the winter. So what is the ideal weather for you?”

“I’d prefer fall, not too hot, but not too cold.”

“Fall. Interesting.”

Walking towards me, Fumia extended her arm in front of me. “As I said, don’t just lay on the floor with the sun beaming down on you. Let’s go over into the shade.”

Agreeing, I took her arm, and she pulled me to my feet. Standing up, I remarked at the height difference between us. Although we’ve known each other for about a decade now, I still found it amusing that she was exactly one foot smaller than me. She was like a perfect arm stand.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.” I raised an arm and placed it onto her head.

“Knock it off!” She chuckled.

Pushing my arm off her head, the two of us walked towards the steps which led out of the training area.

Sitting down on the glossy concrete steps. The thick trees surrounding us, with vibrant colored leaves, shaded us as a small gust of wind breezed through.

“I heard what you did a few weeks back. You shouldn’t do stupid stuff like fighting an Original alone.”

“Ah,” I ran my hand across the back of my neck. “If it weren’t for Sakura, I would probably be dead.” I giggled nervously.

“That isn’t something--” She cut herself off and sighed. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Peering down towards her. I noticed her glossy black wooden katana sheath sitting to the right of her. “Were you going to use the training area?”

“Ah, maybe just a little. I mainly came here to see you. But if you’re done here, you should get going. As well as take a bath, you reek of sweat.”

“Hey!” I laughed. 

Grabbing her sheathed katana from the ground, she marched towards the center of the hexagonal-shaped training area.

“Okay, I’ll see you around.”

She nodded.

Before leaving, I paused and watched Fumia train with her katana. The swift swings of her blade were both elegant and intimidating. Even from where I stood, I could feel the wind created by her sword each time she swung.

***

Walking down a long dirt path, I threaded towards the barracks, far south of the ward.

Do I really smell that bad? I raised an arm and sniffed myself.

Reaching my destination, I was greeted by a warm blast of air, as if opening an oven, when I pulled the front doors open of the left-most building.

It’s hotter here than it is outside. You’d expect them to have at least one air conditioner provided for us.

As I reached my room and opened the door, my roommate greeted me with a familiar welcoming grin.

“Yo!”

“Hey, Eiji. It’s so hot in here. I don’t know how you can just hang around here.”

“It’s not that bad.” He said as he turned the page of his comic book.

The room was compact, with our two beds taking up most of the space. As well as being rather bland. With the walls having no decoration, just a plain cream color.

Removing my trench coat, I scrunched up the long black fabric and tossed it into my wardrobe. And retrieved a long white towel, as well as a change of clothing. Unstrapping the swords attached to my torso, I also placed them into my wardrobe.

Peering over at Eiji, who sat with his back leaning against the backboard of his bed frame. He seemed so absorbed in the pages of his comic book.

“What are you reading?”

“It’s about a guy traveling the world with his two companions to find magical flowers that can heal any wound and disease. You can read it when I’m done.”

“Mmm, I’m not really into fantasy. I don’t think it would interest me.”

“Awe, no way! Who doesn’t like fantasy? You should at least give it a try!”

“I’ll get back to you on that one,” I smirked.

“Okay.” Eiji pouted.

Placing my belongings onto my bed, I waltzed over to the window seal. “It feels like I’m suffocating in here. You should have opened the window.”

“Hehe, about that.”

Sliding the thick plastic pane upward, it flung itself right off.

“I was going to tell you that it broke last week. But you were still hospitalized.” Eiji grabbed the window pane and fixed it back to its original closed position.

“We’ll worry about that later. I’m heading out.”

With my things in hand, I began exiting the room.

“Huh, where are you going?”

“Ah, to the bathhouse.”

“Okay…” He paused. “Hey…you’ve been training a lot recently to get back into shape. I know you know what’s best for yourself. But know your limits.”

His words of worry reminded me of my kid sister. Sighing, I glared in his direction, “You want to go to the bathhouse with me?”

“R-really?” He gasped.

“Yes, let’s go,” I said as I walked down the hall.

Taking a right outside of the barracks were the bathhouses in the distance. Due to the hot weather of the summer, I doubt many people will use the baths. They’d much rather take a cold shower than bathe in some steamy water.

Making it to the bathhouse, the two of us went straight towards the locker rooms. Removing my black tank-top, Eiji remarked at the large scars running from top to bottom of my chest. In all honesty, I had forgotten they were even there.

Removing the rest of my clothing, I fastened my white towel around my waist and slid the door open that separated us from the bath.

Sitting down near the ledge of the bath, I slowly sunk my feet in. While Eiji had a different idea, completely submerging himself already. The warm sensation of the water on my skin sent a tingly feeling throughout my body. And before I knew it, I had also submerged myself in the water.

“Regardless of the season, nothing beats a warm bath.”

My snowy white bangs hung over my eyes like window shutters.

“You got that right.” His smile was as warm as the water.

Sinking into the bath, the steam of the water rose into our faces and created a relaxing atmosphere.

“You know,” I paused. Cupping the water, I splashed it onto my face. “not many people manage to make it through the Recruit Regiment. How many people signed up the year you joined?”

“I think somewhere around three-thousand.”

“Geez, and only fifty make it each year, sometimes one-hundred.”

“What’s this out of nowhere?”

"I was just thinking about how difficult it is to be recruited."

Leaning my head back, I shut my eyes.

“Well, it’s because I looked up to you that I was able to preserve.”

Springing my eyes open, I looked in his direction. “Mmm?”

The boy’s eyes sparkled as he spoke. “I’m not sure if you remember. But on the second day of training, all the Aleph ranked Front Lines members showed up to set an example of the people we could become. All of them looked so serious, but one stuck out to me in particular. The tall man whose white hair covered even his eyes. He wore all black and felt out of place. And yet the ominous feeling I got from him only made me more intrigued. Over time I began hearing stories about the Black Tenshi. That’s what they called you. And I guess I began looking up to you.”

He looks up to me? I became self-conscious at the thought.

Leaning my head down, I stared at the reflection of myself in the water.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? I’m fine.” I said as I looked up. Stretching my arms upward, I yawned. “I think I’m just about done here. I’m getting out.” 

“O-okay.”

Standing up, water dripped profusely from my body. And before leaving, I made sure my towel was still around my waist.

Making my way to the lockers, I swiftly dried myself off and changed into my clothes. Before exiting the building, I looked back towards the doors of the bath.

“I’m not someone you should look up to,” I muttered.