𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 | 𝐓𝐨𝐣𝐢 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐨

- Chapter 25 -

Two days have passed since the night of the fireworks, and the events that took place on the rooftop have not left her mind.

The memory of the colorful display, the unexpected kindness Toji showed - all of it has been playing over and over in her thoughts like a broken record.

But life in the compound has continued as usual, and she's been preoccupied with her work, her mind constantly returning to these memories in moments of quiet reprieve.

The thought of Toji's unexpected kindness continued to nag at her mind. Helia recalled his words about it being because of her progress in her training, but there was something about it that just didn't sit right with her.

Why would such a minor achievement warrant such an unprecedented act of kindness from him?

It didn't make sense, and despite her best efforts to ignore the feeling, she couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that there was more to it than he had let on.

The more she thinks about it, the more it becomes clear that Toji's uncharacteristic kindness goes against everything Helia knows about him. He's usually cold, indifferent, and distant from everyone around him.

So, why had he suddenly decided to do something nice for her? Her mind races as she tries to make sense of Toji's actions.

Could it be possible that he isn't as heartless as he pretends to be? That perhaps there's a hint of kindness buried deep beneath his tough exterior? It seems like a far-fetched idea given his usual behavior.

It was true that Toji had been a jerk when they first met, and many times during the time she has known him.

His callousness, disdain, and cold indifference had been the norm in her interactions with him this far.

The thought of him suddenly showing kindness felt almost alien, as if two different people had swapped personalities overnight.

As she mulls over the question, she finds herself slightly puzzled. Why did she care so much about whether Toji had a kinder side to him or not?

Why does her mind keep circling back to thoughts of him, his behavior and actions constantly taking up space in her thoughts, even when she tries to push them aside?

A wave of frustration washes over her as she comes to the realization that focusing on Toji's behavior is pointless.

It feels absurd to be giving so much thought to a person who's been rude and distant towards her most of the time.

He may have had a few moments where he appeared somewhat decent, but his overall behavior has been far more unpleasant.

Focusing on the negative aspects of his character, she tries to convince herself that it's not worth wasting any more mental energy on him.

But the more she tries to push thoughts of Toji out of her mind, the more they seem to cling to her thoughts like a stubborn stain. It's as if they have a mind of their own, refusing to be ignored, no matter how hard she tries.

It's infuriating. He is infuriating.

And since the night of the fireworks, Toji has returned to his typical aloof manner, acting as if that small bit of kindness never happened.

There have been no further discussions, no mention of that evening, as if it had been erased from his memory.

It seems that he's determined to revert to his usual behavior, perhaps out of a refusal to acknowledge any show of vulnerability or sentiment.

[...]

The evening is quiet, the stillness broken only by the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle night air. Helia had just finished her report on Toji.