Antonio, the little southern whirlwind, and Jacob, the human skyscraper, were already waiting for me at the school entrance. The rain had stopped for now, though thick, dark clouds still hovered ominously overhead. Hopefully the weather gods would take pity on us and hold back the next downpour until after training. I wasn’t the only one who’d be grateful.

“Girl, you took your time,” Antonio joked as I approached.

I shrugged, unbothered.

“Anyway, let’s go,” Jacob chimed in, and the three of us set off toward the training area.

As we walked, I tilted my head to the sky, eyeing the clouds like they’d personally offended me. “So, riddle me this: why are we even training outside? Didn’t Mr. Walser say we’d only go out if the weather was passable? This looks more like 'potential drowning hazard' to me.”

Jacob snorted. “Apparently, his definition of ‘passable’ includes ‘still technically visible sky.’”

Antonio shrugged. “He said the ground’s not that slippery anymore and it adds a challenge. And we’re ‘young and flexible,’ so I guess broken bones are character-building now.”

“Oh good,” I said with exaggerated relief. “I was just thinking my self-esteem needed a little bruising to match my kneecaps.”

They both laughed, and I couldn’t help but smile too. I had to admit: they weren’t actually bad company. Sure, they talked a lot of nonsense, but deep down, they were decent guys. Cassy might’ve had a point with what she had said earlier. Maybe not all boys were terrible. Or maybe I was just getting soft? Okay, no one’s perfect. But perfection wasn’t the requirement. Maybe I’d been a little… okay, very narrow-minded when it came to the subject of “assholes.”

We rode a bus for about fifteen minutes in the same direction before finally getting off at a large park.
The park was massive, and despite the heavy cloud cover, it was buzzing with sporty types. A wide expanse of green stretched out before us, interrupted here and there by paved walkways. Clusters of white-barked trees, blooming shrubs, and spring flowers had been planted all around.
Together, we strolled past benches, joggers, and even a few skateboarders, until we reached what looked like the far end of the park. A paved area enclosed on two sides by low, climbable walls, which were held by large buildings connected to them. The place was packed with training options: ping-pong tables, benches, steps, ledges, and an adjoining playground that looked like it had been designed for parkour mayhem.
Like the other day, our course group was already gathered near the start of the training zone, standing in a circle around Mr. Walser. The bald man instantly spotted us and waved frantically with his ever-present clipboard. We joined the others, and I only cast the briefest glance at Raven before turning my attention to the tall teacher in track-suit.

“Listen up, everyone,” Mr. Walser began. “I know it’s not the most ideal weather today, but I wanted to give you the chance to get some first hand practice. I'm dividing you into groups now. After that, you're free to train however you want within your team. Just make sure to listen to your group leader—especially the less experienced students. If anyone doesn’t follow instructions, they’re going home. Got it?”
A resounding “Yes!” echoed through the circle. It somehow felt like drill instructions. Welcome to the military!

Mr. Walser started assigning people to groups. He actually did it fairly well—and to my immense relief, he placed me with Antonio. If only he knew how much I appreciated that small mercy.

Antonio looked equally pleased, grinning like he’d just won backstage passes to a rock concert. Without missing a beat, he sidled up next to me and leaned over to Jacob with all the flair of someone announcing a royal engagement.

“Bro, check it. Miri’s on my team,” he said smugly, jabbing his thumb in my direction like I was a trophy he’d wrestled from a dragon.

Jacob’s jaw dropped like he’d just witnessed a miracle. “No. Freaking. Way. You’re lying. Miri?! The one who drop-kicked Raven’s ego into next week?”
I groaned. “It was just a little sparring, not a gladiator match.”

Antonio smirked. “Potato, potahto. Either way, she’s legendary now.”

Jacob threw up his hands. “Why do you get the cool people? I got Kevin again. Kevin! The guy who tripped over his own shoelace standing still!”
Antonio clapped him on the back. “It’s the universe, man. Rewards charisma, punishes clumsiness.”

“Great,” Jacob muttered. “Meanwhile, I get to babysit Limp Noodle over there.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You two know I’m standing right here, right?”

Antonio grinned. “Exactly why I’m bragging.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly saw another dimension. “Congratulations on your temporary win, gentlemen. Try not to let the power go to your heads.”
Like I said—loud, ridiculous, mildly insufferable… but weirdly endearing. The idiot duo wasn’t so bad after all.
Their banter distracted me so much that I didn’t even bother finding out which group Raven was in. The less I looked in his direction, the better. I didn’t want to know if he was watching me or not. I had one mission right now: immunity through physical exhaustion.

Once our crew was assembled, Antonio led us over to the first training obstacle: the benches.
“Alright, boys—” Antonio began, pausing to shoot me a wink, “—and girls. Let’s start with some vaults.”

Vaults? I blinked at him, confused.

Seeing my blank expression, Antonio tapped his temple with a grin, like he’d just solved a mystery.

“Sure, you’re new. Chris, please show her what a vault is!” Antonio pointed to a muscular, brown-haired guy who gave me a slightly goofy grin and a thumbs-up. Then, with a short run-up, he placed his hands on the back of the bench and vaulted over it in one smooth motion. He landed with a proud twinkle in his eyes. Okay, that hadn’t looked so hard.
“Nice job, dude! Look, Miri,” Antonio said, placing a friendly hand on my shoulder, “a vault is basically a jump over an obstacle—benches, gates, you name it. There are more complicated variations, but we’ll stick to the simple version for now,” he explained surprisingly well. “All right, give it a shot!” he encouraged.

I nodded, slightly nervous. But hey, this was why I’d joined the class, right? I positioned myself behind the bench, giving myself some space. The obstacle wasn’t high, so I didn’t need too much courage. I ran up, placed my hands on the backrest like Chris had done, and swung my legs over the bench. I landed safely on the other side, completely satisfied with myself. That was easier than expected. Once again, I realised how much my Karate training with my father was paying off.
A smattering of applause followed. Cheeks flushed, I turned toward Antonio.

“Awesome, Miri!” he praised. “But let’s warm up first—almost forgot! Don’t want anyone to get hurt!”

With that, we jogged around the park for about ten minutes. Afterward, we did some muscle stretches to reduce the risk of injury. With properly warmed-up muscles, everything felt smoother and more manageable. We practiced the vault on various other obstacles, and I found myself having way more fun than I’d expected—even with the “idiot duo” and Raven around. The physical activity blew away any lingering thoughts of him, and I immersed myself completely in the training.

Next, we moved toward the high walls at the far end of the course. They bordered the area on two sides, making it feel like a secluded training arena.
“Now we’re doing wall runs!” Antonio shouted to the group. Cheers erupted all around. I’d done a wall jump before; this had to be something similar.

Antonio sprinted forward, ran up the wall like it wasn’t vertical at all, grabbed the edge, and hoisted himself up with practiced ease. I stared at him wide-eyed while he was sitting on top of the wall facing us with a big grin. Okay—admittedly, that was seriously cool. There was definitely more to this little guy than met the eye.
“That’s how it’s done!” he said, beaming, before jumping back down as lightly as a cat.

Something cold and wet landed on my heated forehead. I looked up towards the sky. The others followed my gaze. It looked like the clouds had finally decided to release all that pent up water.
“Oh, as long as it’s just drizzling…” said one of the boys, and everyone else chimed in enthusiastically. I didn’t care either—as long as it didn’t start pouring.

“Miri, come on, you’re up next. I saw your first wall jump—I bet this’ll be a breeze for you.” The curly-haired boy gave me another encouraging wink. Okay. I’d give it a shot. Super Miri was so ready!
I got into position, took a three- or four-meter running start, set my feet just like Antonio had, and ran up the wall. Focusing on the top edge, I grabbed it and found myself dangling for a moment. With a grunt, I pulled myself up, eyes clenched shut with effort. But I made it. I kneeled with one leg on the top of the wall, feeling my hair stick to my face as the drizzle intensified into a steady rain, and looked out across the other side.
A lonely alley stretched out before me. I didn’t even register the applause that echoed from behind. I only saw him.
A tall man stood a few meters away in the alley below. He wore a tailored but relaxed-looking suit jacket, the kind you’d see in a fancy magazine—stylish but not stuffy. Underneath, a simple gray henley shirt clung to his chest, slightly damp from the rain. His dark jeans were neatly cuffed, and sleek leather boots peeked out underneath. His brown hair was gelled back with that casual, effortless kind of perfection. And his beard—trimmed close, like he’d taken just enough time to care.

But none of that hit me as hard as his eyes. Those turquoise eyes. Familiar. Haunted.

He looked at me—straight at me—with something like regret. Or maybe sorrow. I couldn’t tell.

And then... he turned and ran. Without a word.

My body reacted before my brain could catch up. I jumped off the wall and bolted after him. No. No, no, no. It couldn’t be...

But it was.

It was him.

My father.

Every cell in my body screamed. I knew that face. That posture. That look. The sharp jawline, the laugh lines, the way he carried his shoulders just a little too high like he was always bracing for something.

My dad.

“Stop!” I shouted, my voice hoarse with disbelief. The rain had turned into a steady downpour. Water ran down my face, mingling with the tears I didn’t even notice I was crying. My wet clothes clung to me, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t care. I had to reach him. I had to.

He turned a corner. I followed. My heart slammed against my ribs. My lungs burned. Not even realising how I’d bumped into someone carrying an umbrella.
I turned the same corner.

Empty.

A dead-end alley. No doors. No windows. Just puddles, dumpsters and silence.

He was gone. Again.

My breath caught. I spun in a slow circle, searching every shadow, every cranny—anything. Anything that could have indicated where he’d gone. But there was no one. Not a single soul.

Just me.

Alone in the rain again.

Alone. Again.

My knees buckled, and I sank to the pavement. Even more water seeped into my clothes. I was shivering, from the cold. From the emotional barriers that had just busted open. So hard it rattled my bones. 

Hot tears spilled over and spilled out. Sobs tore from my chest, raw and angry and bitter. How? Why?! What kind of person shows up after years—just to vanish again like it was all some cruel joke?

He’d left me once. Without warning. Without goodbye.

And now this?

I pressed my forehead to my knees, arms wrapped tightly around my shivering body. My fingers were numb. My face stung from the cold. But the pain in my chest was louder than anything else.
I felt so alone. More than ever.
In this deserted place, where my father had drawn me—like a ghost—I sat in a puddle of grief. Frozen. Abandoned all over again.
What had I done wrong…? Was I not worth being cared about…?

Someone grabbed me under the arms and tried to pull me up. It wasn’t easy. I was dead weight—limp, cold, and emotionally wrung out like a soaked towel. But somehow, they managed. My body was turned gently, and then I was enveloped in a warm, reassuring hug.

I didn’t even resist.

I was still crying. My fists clutched at the soaked fabric of a sweater, my fingers digging in like I might fall apart if I let go. I hated it—how desperate I felt. How small. How seen. So powerless. Vulnerable.

I tried to wipe away the tears, angrily even. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. Not like this. Not cracked wide open because of a man who had left me behind without so much as a backward glance. And yet… here I was. Breaking down in someone else’s arms.

Hands moved slowly over my back in smooth, calming circles, not asking questions, not pressing for answers. Just... being there. And somehow, that was worse. Or better. I didn’t know.

“Shhh... it’s okay. Let it all out,” a gentle voice whispered. Familiar.

I blinked through the rain, the blur of tears and looked up—straight into those ice-blue eyes. Only this time, they didn’t sparkle with mischief or smugness. They were soft. Still. Steady. And a warm despite their cold colour.
He smiled, just a little, and used his fingers to sweep the tangled, rain-slicked hair from my face, brushing a strand behind my ear with surprising care.

“I saw you bolt,” he said quietly, like he was afraid to break the moment. “I had no idea what you were doing. But I couldn’t just… not follow you.”

There was a raw edge to his voice. A vulnerability I hadn’t heard from him before.

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My throat burned. My chest still heaved with leftover sobs. But strangely this was enough. Just knowing he’d followed. That he’d seen me, and come after me anyway.
I hadn’t had that. And now… someone was here.

“Feeling a little better?” Raven asked carefully. I had to admit, letting everything out for once quite helped. It didn’t change the way things were, but it made my chest feel a bit lighter.

“I…” I started, my voice barely working. “...Thanks.” It wasn’t much. But it was all I had. For now.

His expression softened. Then his hand moved again, slower this time, brushing over the top of my head, smoothing the mess the rain had made.

“Could you walk me home?” I asked, too tired to even pretend anymore. My voice cracked halfway through.

He looked at me carefully. Not like he pitied me—but like he understood.
Then he smiled again.

“Anything for you, Wildcard,” he murmured, like it wasn’t even a question. Like it was a promise. My heart skipped a bit hearing him say this. It was like watering a dried up flower that slowly began to bloom again. A warm feeling crept across my body, radiating from the middle of my chest. It felt… good.

Raven pulled me into his arms once more.

I leaned into him—cold, damp, and emotionally fried—but something in me finally, quietly exhaled. I didn’t feel strong. I didn’t feel okay. But I felt... held.

We walked home slowly, the world still grey and soaked around us. But the part of me that had gone completely numb began—just barely—to thaw.