The days after his conversation with Niko passed in a comfortable rhythm, a strange but welcome stability settling into Kujo's life. The Academy, once a place that had been purely about training, about survival, had somehow become more. He had friends, a sense of family with Niko, and then there was Mira—a thought that lingered at the edge of his mind more often than he cared to admit.
One evening, Kujo was finishing up a sparring session when he noticed Mira leaning against the doorframe of the training room, watching him with a slight smile. She waved him over, her usual confidence softened by something he couldn't quite read.
"You're getting better," she said, glancing at his training gear with a faint smirk. "But maybe a bit of a break wouldn't hurt?"
He gave her a half-smile, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Can't afford to get rusty. You should know that."
Mira laughed, crossing her arms as she watched him. "True. But, actually, I wanted to talk to you about something... off the training field."
Her tone was serious, and Kujo felt a slight flutter of nerves. He'd gotten closer to her, trusted her in ways he hadn't trusted anyone in a long time. But there was something different in her expression tonight—a quiet determination that made his heart beat just a little faster.
"Alright," he said, motioning for her to lead the way.
They walked through the Academy grounds, the quiet of the evening settling over them as they eventually reached the edge of the campus, where the lights faded into the gentle shadows of the forest. Mira stopped under a large oak tree, turning to face him.
"Kujo," she began, her voice soft but unwavering, "I don't know if you've noticed, but... well, this thing between us, whatever it is—it's more than just friendship to me."
Kujo felt his cheeks warm, his usual calm giving way to a rush of uncertainty. He'd sensed something between them, but hearing her put it into words made it real in a way he hadn't been prepared for. He met her gaze, unable to hide the vulnerability in his own expression.
"I've thought about it," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I... I'm not sure I know what to do with it."
Mira took a step closer, her eyes soft but searching. "You don't have to know everything right now. But I do know I don't want to keep pretending this isn't there. I want something real with you, Kujo—something more."
Kujo swallowed, her words sinking in as he struggled to find his own. He'd spent so long keeping people at arm's length, believing he wasn't meant for attachments, that they'd only end in loss or hurt. But with Mira, it was different. She understood him in ways he couldn't explain, her presence grounding him, steadying him when his past threatened to consume him.
"I never thought I'd feel this way about someone," he said quietly, his hand reaching out to take hers. "I don't have all the answers, but... I know I want this too. Whatever this is."
A smile spread across her face, and she squeezed his hand gently. "Then let's figure it out together."
They stood there for a moment, the silence between them warm, filled with unspoken promises. Slowly, Mira leaned in, her face inches from his, her eyes searching his one last time for any hesitation.
When he didn't pull away, she closed the distance, their lips meeting in a soft, lingering kiss that spoke of all the words they hadn't said. It was a quiet, grounding moment, a connection that felt as natural as breathing.
As they pulled back, Mira's eyes sparkled with happiness, a rare openness in her expression that mirrored his own. "So, does this make us official?" she teased, her voice light.
Kujo chuckled, feeling a rare lightness in his chest. "I think it does. Official as it gets."
They stayed there a little longer, hand in hand, the weight of the past momentarily forgotten. For once, Kujo felt something beyond survival, beyond guilt—a sense of hope, of belonging. And as he looked at Mira beside him, he knew he was ready to move forward, to let himself truly be part of something more.
YOU ARE READING
Phantom Awakening
Viễn tưởng[ALL CHAPTERS PRE-WRITTEN] a world where those with powerful abilities shape the fate of nations, fourteen-year-old Kujo enters the legendary Academy, a place known to forge heroes-or break them. Gifted with the rare power to control metal, Kujo hop...
