The sky over Akarius looked as clear as a blank sheet in an unused notebook. Proskif Park was carpeted with drifting sakura petals, each one gliding gently whenever the wind passed. A quiet romance danced in the air, making everyone who stepped inside feel as though time had slowed, while the noise of the outside world faded into a faint whisper.
Along the white-pebbled path that split the park in two, Mila and Kaito walked side by side, silent for several seconds.
Mila glanced sideways, studying her teacher's face.
"Not as serious as usual. But not exactly relaxed either. More like… someone trying to pretend they're calm."
"Um… Sensei, are you tired?" she asked playfully, tilting her head.
Kaito cast her a brief glance, one hand tucked into the pocket of his long coat.
"No. I'm used to walking."
Walking… yeah, I still remember the 12-kilometer trek when we were pulled back from Zone 14. Barefoot. Carrying two wounded subordinates. And now… I'm walking through a flower park with a smiling high-school girl.
"In that case… want some ice cream? My treat!" Mila offered cheerfully.
Kaito raised an eyebrow, suppressing a faint smile. "Suddenly generous, are we?"
"Well… think of it as a show of respect from a student to the teacher who complains the most!" Mila teased, raising a finger like a TV host.
"…Alright," Kaito agreed at last.
As they neared the retro ice cream stall positioned beneath the park's largest sakura tree, Mila suddenly stopped. Her eyes widened, narrowing slightly as though something had caught her attention.
"Huh…? Isn't that—"
In front of the 70s-style stall stood two children. One was Nana—a little girl in a black veil, with a cat's tail swaying behind her. Beside her was a boy in a white uniform, a warm jacket, and a cap. He stood straight, holding a small MP5 that looked heavier than his own body.
Mila waved and approached.
"Hi, kids!"
"Huh? Hi Sensei! Hi, Sis Mi—!" Nana replied happily, then ran over to Mila, circling around her while tilting her head. Her hands seemed to be searching for something.
"Hm… No tail means… not Sis Mita… so… Sis Mila, right?"
"Hahaha, yes, it's Sis Mila," Mila replied, bending down to pat Nana's head.
"You buying ice cream too?" she asked.
"Yes!" Nana answered quickly. "I ordered vanilla~! Big Brother Toman got chocolate! He said… 'because it's the color of the earth where soldiers sleep in peace.'"
She mimicked Toman's tone with theatrical flair.
"How do you even remember that…" Toman muttered, glancing at Kaito.
"Where's Mag?" Mila asked suddenly, her voice serious.
Toman lowered his head slightly.
"He's… handling the burial of Brother Zofy… at his school."
Silence fell. The wind stopped. Sakura petals seemed frozen in the air.
Zofy… the student from yesterday. I failed to protect him. Just like my small unit, back then.
"…My condolences," Kaito said quietly.
Suddenly, Toman asked innocently,
"Sorry, Sis Mila, Sensei… are you two dating?"
"WHAT!?" Kaito and Mila's voices overlapped. Both faces flushed red.
"Of course not!" Kaito shot back. "I'm her teacher! She's my student!"
Then why is my face this hot…!?
"Right, Mila!?" Kaito glanced quickly at her.
"Y-yeah! As if I'd like a teacher who's… so serious and strict in class!" Mila blurted, then quickly looked away.
Did she have to say 'strict'…? Grrr…
"Oh, but!" Toman began.
Before he could finish, Nana interjected, her voice as bright as New Year fireworks.
"You and Sensei would be perfect together! You'd get married, have kids, and then your kid would be friends with me, and we'd play in the park, and then—"
Toman hurriedly covered his sister's mouth. "Please… don't continue…"
Nana nodded with an exaggerated pout.
"Ice cream's ready," the vendor announced.
Toman took the two cones, handing one to his sister.
"Thanks, sir," he said.
"Enjoy," replied the vendor.
"Bye, Sensei! Bye, Sis Mila!" Nana waved as she walked away with Toman.
Kaito scratched the back of his head. "Why are kids these days so full of imagination…"
"Well… maybe because we're walking together in a sakura park…" Milamurmured.
Suddenly, a voice came from behind the stall.
"Because this park is known as the 'Fated Couple Zone.' Walking under the sakura at 9 a.m.? The romance rumors here are strong."
Kaito and Mila turned sharply.
"Appolo!?" Mila exclaimed.
The ice cream seller lifted his cap with a relaxed smile. "Yep. I'm undercover as a vendor. Gathering intel about missing students from Elizabeth. Selling ice cream on the side so I don't take a loss."
"…So you're stationed here?" Mila asked.
"Yep. But you two ended up as a cute little show for me. This is a sakura park—most popular spot for confessions. Lots of students say… anyone who walks here in the morning will end up together."
"WHAT!?" Kaito panicked. "Mila, why did you bring me here!?"
"Eh!? I-I didn't know that rumor, Sensei! I swear!" Mila protested.
Appolo raised an eyebrow. "Funny… last month you asked me about this park. Even asked what time it's busiest."
Mila's face turned red like fresh tuna.
"Ugh… fine. But that time, I just… wanted to bring Mag somewhere different. We usually only meet in meeting rooms or on the battlefield."
Kaito stared at her for a long moment.
"Alright. But from now on, we're going to places without weird myths." He touched his chin thoughtfully.
"Oh! I know! Kromision Park! No sakura trees there, but still beautiful. Perfect for a casual walk," Appolo suggested, pulling a pocketbook from his trousers.
"Good," Kaito said firmly. "Let's go."
"Happy travels, sweet couple ~" Appolo teased, scribbling something in his notebook.
"We're not a couple!!!" Mila and Kaito shouted in unison.
---
A clear sky stretched over Kromision Park. Though sakura leaves still drifted down one by one in the cool morning breeze, the air carried no trace of melancholy. Birds chirped lightly, students from various schools ran, played, and laughed in carefree tones. Some sat upon picnic mats, while others jogged around the track in circles of easy joy.
Kaito and Mila walked side by side at the park's center. The atmosphere felt almost too peaceful for a city built upon a military system.
Mila clasped her hands behind her head, her gaze wandering over the shade of towering trees.
Mila: "Um… Sensei, are you tired? We've walked pretty far."
Kaito glanced at her with a faint smile.
Kaito: "Not really. Like I said earlier, I'm used to walking. Back when I was younger… well, back when I was… a commander, I walked far more often. Even across minefields."
Mila: (blinking slowly) "Huh?"
Mila: "Sensei once said… you became a commander when you were still a kid. Did you… actually enjoy it back then?"
Kaito fell silent. His gaze turned distant, and his steps slowed.
Kaito: "…Honestly, I miss that sense of responsibility. But I don't want to go back. Not after… that incident."
Mila: (gently) "What incident… if I may ask?"
The wind stirred softly. Leaves swirled and scattered, and Kaito's silence deepened.
In an instant, a fragment of memory tore into his mind:
---
An explosion. Smoke. Dust choked the narrow space.
Before him stood a man in black armor. Blood stained his plating. In his hands—a massive sword, dripping with dark crimson. Slowly, the metal mask was removed…
That face. That sneering grin, as if mocking the world itself.
"Hahaha… So, the child commander finally loses, huh?"
---
Mila (to herself): "Sensei… silent. His expression… just changed."
Mila (softly): "Sensei? Hello?"
Kaito: "…Hm?"
Mila: "You zoned out just now. I called you twice."
Kaito: "Ah, sorry… I just… remembered someone."
Mila (concerned): "Was it… a memory that makes your heart heavy?"
Kaito: (forced smile) "A little."
Kaito: "By the way… you're the head of Juantice, aren't you? Then why do you so often put on such a cute, innocent face?"
Mila: (light laugh) "Cute? Sensei could look cute too, you know, when you pout every morning."
Kaito: "That's not even related…"
Mila: "Hehe… But actually, you know what? All this time I've been pulling night shifts to guard Oxoford. If I look strict, it's just because of lack of sleep. But… since you arrived… I feel calmer. More… like myself."
Kaito (to himself): "…Statements like that… usually just confuse the commander."
Suddenly—
Mila stopped in her tracks, her face growing serious.
Beneath a great kapok tree sat a little girl, alone. Her hair was silver-white, like morning mist; her eyes a muted yellow that reflected no light. She wore an oversized, tattered jacket, and the knees of her trousers were torn.
Mila (startled): "Huh… a little girl?"
Kaito: "All alone?"
Mila: "Strange… In a park this crowded, why is she off by herself?"
They approached slowly. Mila crouched, wearing her gentlest smile.
Mila: "Hi there. What's your name? Which school are you from?"
The child turned slowly, her gaze uncertain.
Child: "…Where… am I?"
Mila: "You're in Kromision Park. Inside Akarius City."
Child (trembling): "Why is everyone here carrying… weapons?"
Mila (to herself): "Huh? She's… afraid of weapons? Even preschoolers in Akarius are used to seeing RPGs…"
Mila (reading the girl's expression): "She's… not from this city."
Kaito: "I'm Kaito. I'm a teacher here. The lady beside me is Mila—she's kind. You're not alone anymore. We're here to help."
Mila: "Can we know your name? And… where you're from?"
Child: "My name is… Miraka. I'm from… Mestogof Village."
Kaito & Mila (at once): "…Mestogof Village?"
Mila: "That's… outside Akarius."
Kaito: "So… how did you get here?"
Miraka lowered her gaze.
Miraka: "I… was playing in my backyard. Then a man in a black suit came… He injected me with something. After that… I don't remember anything. Next thing I knew… I woke up in this park."
Mila (quietly): "…Kidnapped."
Kaito (to himself): "Miraka… your face is just like the children back then… the ones who died on the battlefield."
Kaito: "Mila, can we take her home?"
Mila: "Unfortunately… no. City regulations say anyone from outside Akarius can't freely enter or leave—unless granted permission by the governor. And even then… it's complicated."
Kaito: "But she's just a child."
Mila: "Yeah… but this city's rules… don't always care about age."
Kaito (looking at Miraka): "…She must miss her parents."
Miraka: "I… don't."
Kaito & Mila: "Huh?"
Miraka: "I don't miss my father or mother. They're… always busy. I'm just… a shadow in that house."
Mila: "But… they're still your family."
Miraka: "Could you… be my parents instead?"
Mila: "Whaaa!?"
Kaito (to himself): "Why is this kid suddenly asking us to be her parents?!"
Mila (blushing): "W-why would I be the mom!?"
Miraka (hopeful): "You two look like you match. Sensei is strict, and Sis Mila is gentle. Just like… the mom and dad in storybooks."
Kaito: "I'm just a teacher… not a fairy tale character."
Miraka (meeting their eyes): "Please… treat me as your child. I have no one else here…"
For a moment, silence hung. The wind swept a small flurry of sakura leaves past them.
Kaito lowered his head. Briefly, faces of his old unit flickered before him—children Miraka's age who once called him "Commander," before the world stripped them of everything.
Kaito (to himself): "Maybe… this is how I can atone for it all."
Kaito (to Mila): "Do you mind?"
Mila (still flustered): "…I-I mean… if you agree, Sensei…"
Kaito: "I'll… take on all the risks."
Kaito (soft smile): "Alright. From today on… we're your family."
Miraka: "Really!?"
Mila (warmly): "Yes. But you'll have to come to a shop with us first. We'll get you some new clothes, so you don't look shabby."
Miraka (brightly): "Yay! Thank you… Papa! Mama!"
Kaito & Mila: "DON'T CALL US THAT RIGHT AWAY!!"
The three of them began walking toward the park's gate. In the distance, members of the Ophiuchus Unit stood on guard.
Unit Member 1: "Untracked aircraft target likely escaped through the Kovonsis zone gap."
Unit Member 2: "Found traces of a child's footsteps… but unclear who they belong to."
Meanwhile, Kaito held Miraka's small hand. His eyes looked straight ahead, but deep down…
Kaito (to himself): "I don't know if this decision is right. But… if I can protect even one child… maybe my old wounds can begin to heal."
Their steps crunched over a path layered with fallen leaves. Miraka walked in the middle, holding Kaito's and Mila's hands as though they were a young couple suddenly forced into parenthood.
She glanced around, her small mouth slightly open.
"I've… never seen a park this big before… Everyone's carrying weapons… But they can still laugh, huh…"
Mila chuckled softly, patting her head.
"This city's strange, isn't it? But trust me… you'll get used to it. Eventually, you might even play shootouts while eating ice cream."
Kaito glanced at the two and sighed.
"Huh… Looking more and more like a real family. This is getting ridiculous…"
Kaito (to himself): "I… just wanted to help. But why does it feel… harder and harder to let go?"
Miraka looked up at Kaito, her eyes gleaming.
"Papa… Did you ever have a little kid like me before?"
Kaito choked on his own breath.
"Ugh! Don't call me that so suddenly."
Mila turned away, suppressing a laugh.
Mila (to herself): "She's kind of adorable… Feels like having a little sister, or… maybe something more than that."
Eventually, they reached an old clothing store on the southern block's edge. A ninth-grade student manned the counter, music playing softly from a portable radio. In the display, children's clothing hung side-by-side—military and casual styles alike.
Miraka immediately pointed to a yellow hoodie with a cat design, paired with cream shorts.
"This one's cute!" she exclaimed.
Mila picked it up with a smile.
"Try it on in that booth. But don't take too long, or Sensei will start thinking you've run away again."
Miraka giggled and slipped into the booth.
Kaito stared at the display for a moment, speaking quietly.
"Back then… I lost six children in a single day. They were Miraka's age. I… was too slow. They trusted me."
Kaito (to himself): "And now, I'm holding the hand of another child. I should be afraid. But… why does this feel… right?"
Mila, checking price tags, looked over gently.
"Sensei… did you know? Mag once lost someone too. An upperclassman… never came back after joining the war games between the White Wolf and Devil Wolf gangs."
Suddenly, a short siren blared from outside the shop.
[Announcement from drone loudspeaker]:
"WARNING: Presence of unregistered child detected in Southern Block 3. Citizen registration officers are en route. All residents, please remain in position."
Kaito and Mila locked eyes. Instinctively, they scanned for Miraka.
She emerged from the booth in her new hoodie, beaming.
"Look! Do I look pretty?"
Kaito knelt quickly, gripping her shoulder.
"We have to go. Now."
Mila seized Miraka's hand.
"I'll explain later. But we can't stay here."
Miraka (to herself): "Why… do they look so afraid?"
The three of them ran again, weaving through streets filled with armed students, heading for a part of the city untouched by the system's gaze.
Meanwhile, on a security room monitor…
Governor Zaid watched the footage.
"…That child… should not exist here."
Tension spread across the district square. Ophiuchus Unit officers—children trained to act as armed police—encircled Kaito, Mila, and Miraka, scanning digital forms while eyeing them sharply.
Officer 1:
"Flying Teacher: verified. Mila: Juantice leader, active status. Miraka… unregistered."
Officer 2 began raising the biometric network scanner.
Officer 2:
"Please place your right hand here, little one."
Miraka stepped back, her face pale. She clutched Mila's fingers.
Miraka (to herself): "I'm scared… I don't know who will come for me after this…"
Mila looked at Kaito, anxious.
Mila (quietly):
"Sensei… we have to do something…"
Kaito's fist clenched. But before he could move—
A fierce wind blasted through the area, whipping at the officers' uniforms.
A metallic thud rang from atop a nearby shipping container. Everyone looked up.
"Terminate that inspection."
THUD. A girl leapt down from the container, landing lightly. Her black hair streamed behind her; a red headband bound firmly around her forehead. On her shoulder rested a short laser rifle, still faintly warm.
Her uniform was distinctive—jet-black tactical vest, emblazoned on the left chest with a crossed-pistol-and-open-book emblem. Above it, in bold letters:
"Abseris."
All Ophiuchus officers froze.
The girl stepped forward, her gaze sharp as a blade.
Mira:
"This inspection is canceled. Direct order from Governor Zaid."
Officer 1 (hesitant):
"G-Governor…? But we haven't received any priority code—"
Mira lifted a badge from her vest.
Mira:
"Priority Code Alpha-Black. Inspection protocol is concluded."
Officer 2 (nervous):
"U-understood… We… we'll withdraw."
One by one, the Ophiuchus officers closed their tablets and saluted. Without another word, they departed, boots clattering away.
Mira turned, glancing briefly at Mila and Kaito—then at Miraka, for one second longer, though her expression stayed cold.
Mira:
"You're safe now. Go wherever you wish."
She strode away, back straight, weapon still slung over her shoulder.
Miraka (to herself): "Who… is she, really?"
Kaito (murmuring):
"Strange… But it's like… she's protecting us from behind the scenes."
Mila (to herself): "Abseris… the city's covert police organization."
As Mira disappeared around the corner, Miraka gripped Mila's fingers more tightly. The tension in the air slowly faded… but new questions had begun to take root.