The next morning, sunlight spilled gently through the tall windows of Illumina’s guild home, painting the floor in warm gold. The air felt quieter than usual, calmer after the intensity of the previous day. For the first time since their promotion, there were no crowds, no arena walls, no S-rank pressure bearing down on them. Just morning. Shunjiro was awake before anyone else. He sat at the edge of his bed, rolling his shoulders experimentally. The cuts on his forearms had sealed thanks to Itsuki, but the soreness lingered deep in the muscle. When he clenched his fists, a dull ache pulsed along the healing tissue. He smiled anyway. C-rank. The word still felt unreal. He stood, already reaching for his training wraps. Behind him, a groan came from the other bed. “You’re not serious,” Yoshinori muttered without opening his eyes. Shunjiro paused. “What?” “You’re about to train,” Yoshinori said flatly. “I can hear it in the way you’re breathing.” Shunjiro blinked. “You can’t hear breathing patterns.” “I can hear stupidity,” Yoshinori replied. Shunjiro huffed. “We just got promoted. We should keep momentum.” The door to the room slid open. Itsuki stood there with her arms folded, still in her sleep clothes, hair slightly messy from the night. Her ocean-blue eyes were calm but firm. “No,” she said. Shunjiro froze mid-motion. “No?” he repeated. “No,” she said again, stepping inside. “We are not doing anything strenuous today.” Yoshinori opened one eye slightly, clearly enjoying this. Shunjiro tried to protest. “But-” “You were both cut deeply,” Itsuki continued, walking closer and examining his arms without even asking. “And Yoshinori forced more lightning through himself than his body can safely handle.” Yoshinori sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s not wrong.” Shunjiro frowned. “I feel fine.” Itsuki looked up at him. He immediately stopped arguing. “You feel excited,” she corrected. “That’s different.” A faint smile tugged at Yoshinori’s mouth. From the main room, the sound of something heavy hitting the floor echoed. “Breakfast!” Tetsuo’s voice called out proudly. Aiko’s voice followed. “Why does it smell like you attacked the kitchen?” Ryuji laughed. “Because he did.” The tension in the bedroom dissolved. Itsuki sighed softly. “Come on. At least eat before you pretend you’re invincible.” They stepped into the main room together. Tetsuo stood by the stove wearing an apron that absolutely did not match his build. Several cracked eggshells were scattered across the counter. A pan sizzled aggressively, though whether that was intentional or not was unclear. “I made protein,” Tetsuo declared. “That’s not a food group,” Yoshinori muttered, taking a seat at the table. Aiko leaned against the wall, watching with amusement. “If this kills us, at least we’ll die as C-ranks.” Ryuji was already eating something off a plate. “It’s actually not bad.” Shunjiro sat down, finally giving in. His body protested the movement more than he had admitted. Itsuki noticed immediately. Without a word, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, letting a faint pulse of soothing energy flow into him easing the strain. “You’re still inflamed,” she said quietly. He scratched his cheek. “I’ll take it easy.” “You will take it easy,” she corrected. Across the table, Yoshinori stirred his tea slowly. “I’ll need a few days before I can channel lightning at full output again,” he admitted. “Forcing that much current through myself… I underestimated the backlash.” Tetsuo leaned back in his chair. “Worth it though.” Yoshinori considered that. “…Yes,” he said simply. Ryuji grinned. “You guys actually made Daichi kneel.” Aiko stretched her arms over her head. “I’m more proud that we didn’t embarrass ourselves.” Shunjiro looked around the table. They were laughing about nearly losing to S-ranks. Itsuki set a plate in front of him and finally sat down herself. “For today,” she said, voice soft but firm, “we rest. We eat. We let our bodies recover.” “And tomorrow?” Shunjiro asked. Aiko smirked. “Tomorrow we start acting like C-ranks.” Yoshinori nodded slowly. “We’ll need to train smarter.” Tetsuo pointed his fork dramatically. “And stronger.” Ryuji laughed. “And faster.” Itsuki smiled gently at all of them. “And healthier,” she added. Shunjiro leaned back in his chair, letting himself relax for the first time in days. Later that afternoon, after Tetsuo had been politely but firmly banned from “experimenting” in the kitchen again, Itsuki announced that they were low on actual food. “Real food,” she clarified, glancing meaningfully at the empty egg carton and whatever Tetsuo had tried to turn into soup. Shunjiro immediately stood up. “I’ll go.” Itsuki blinked. “You don’t have to-” “I need air,” he said quickly. “And walking is technically resting.” She narrowed her eyes slightly. “…Walking,” she repeated. “Light walking,” he amended. Aiko peeked around the corner. “Ohhhh, grocery run.” Ryuji grinned. “You two have fun.” Shunjiro paused. “…We’re buying vegetables.” “Sure you are,” Aiko said sweetly. Itsuki’s cheeks warmed faintly. “W-we’ll be back soon.” Radiance’s marketplace was lively as always. Lanterns from the festival had been taken down, but the energy still lingered in the streets. Merchants called out from behind neatly arranged stands, baskets overflowing with fruits, grains, fresh fish, and bundles of herbs. Itsuki carried a woven basket in both hands, carefully examining produce with the kind of focus she usually reserved for healing. Shunjiro followed beside her, occasionally reaching for items she pointed at. “Not that one,” she said gently as he picked up a slightly bruised tomato. “It looks fine.” “It’s squishy.” “That doesn’t mean it’s bad.” She smiled patiently. “We are not feeding the guild squishy tomatoes.” He put it back. “Yes, ma’am.” They moved from stall to stall easily. Itsuki negotiated politely but firmly with a grain vendor, earning a small discount and a compliment on her “kind eyes.” Shunjiro carried the heavier bags without complaint, though he occasionally pretended they were far heavier than they were just to make her laugh. At one stall selling skewered street food, the smell of grilled meat stopped them both. Shunjiro glanced sideways at her. “Technically… groceries.” Itsuki hesitated only a second before nodding. “Technically.” They each bought one and stood off to the side of the walkway to eat. The afternoon sun filtered warmly between buildings, catching softly in Itsuki’s hair. For a while, they just talked. Not about ranks. Not about training. Just… normal things. Shunjiro asked about her sister. Itsuki asked whether his arms still hurt. He exaggerated dramatically; she rolled her eyes and lightly tapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. He laughed. She laughed. The tension that always seemed to hover around them lately was gone. At one point, Itsuki reached over to brush a crumb off his cheek without thinking. They both froze. Her hand lingered for half a second too long. She pulled it back quickly. “S-sorry.” “It’s fine,” he said, suddenly very aware of how close they were standing. A comfortable silence settled in. Then a group of passing women whispered just loudly enough to be heard. “They’re cute.” “Are they on a date?” Itsuki’s entire face turned pink. Shunjiro blinked. “…We’re buying potatoes,” he muttered under his breath. She stared down at the basket in her hands. He looked around like maybe someone else had been addressed. Another vendor nearby grinned knowingly at them. “Fresh couple discount if you need it!” he called. “We’re not-” Shunjiro started. Itsuki spoke at the exact same time. “We’re not a-” They stopped. Looked at each other. Silence. Shunjiro scratched the back of his neck. “I mean… this isn’t…” Itsuki nodded quickly. “R-right. It’s just shopping.” “Just shopping.” “Groceries.” “Vegetables.” “Potatoes.” They both looked at the skewers still in their hands. Aiko’s voice echoed in Shunjiro’s memory. You two have fun. His ears warmed. Itsuki adjusted the basket nervously. “…But it’s nice,” she added softly. He looked at her. “Yeah,” he said, quieter now. “It is.” They resumed walking. Closer than before. Not quite touching. But not as careful about the space between them either. By the time they reached the final stall and finished their list, neither of them said the word “date” again. They didn’t need to. Because somewhere between squishy tomatoes and grilled skewers it had started feeling like one. By the time they finished their shopping, the sun had begun to dip lower in the sky. Shunjiro adjusted the bags in his hands and glanced upward at the color shifting across the horizon. “…We’ve been out a while,” he admitted. Itsuki looked at the shadows stretching along the street and nodded. “Aiko is absolutely going to say something.” “Ryuji too,” Shunjiro added. They both paused. “…It wasn’t that long,” he tried. Itsuki gave him a look. They started walking a little faster. Radiance had settled into its softer evening rhythm. Vendors were beginning to pack up, lanterns slowly being relit along the streets. The warmth of the day lingered gently in the air. That’s when Shunjiro spotted two familiar figures ahead. Akira Namiki stood near a fountain, her posture relaxed in a way he wasn’t used to seeing. She wasn’t wearing her golden knight armor. Instead, she had her hair down, falling freely around her shoulders, and wore simple, elegant clothing that made her look younger. Beside her stood Hiroto Makabe, arms folded across his chest as usual, black armor with red trim catching the evening light. Even at rest, he carried the weight of command in the way he stood. Shunjiro slowed slightly. Akira noticed him first. For just a moment, something softened in her expression. “Shunjiro,” she greeted. Itsuki smiled and bowed her head politely. “Lady Akira. Sir Hiroto.” Hiroto gave a small nod. “No need for titles in the street.” Shunjiro stepped forward. “It’s been a while.” Akira smiled gently. “It has.” There was a quiet understanding in that exchange, one that hung unspoken. The last time they had seen each other, things had not been calm. Renjiro. The fallen knights. The weight she had been carrying. Shunjiro studied her for a second. “You’re doing better,” he said. It wasn’t a question. Akira’s smile deepened just slightly. “I am.” Hiroto glanced at her briefly, then back at Shunjiro. “She’s been training again.” Akira rolled her eyes lightly. “He means I’ve stopped isolating myself.” Shunjiro let out a small breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “I’m glad.” Itsuki stepped forward gently. “We were worried about you.” Akira looked at her with quiet appreciation. “Thank you.” She straightened slightly, though not in the rigid way she did while on duty. “I heard about your promotion.” Shunjiro blinked. “You did?” “C-rank,” Hiroto confirmed. “Not bad.” Akira nodded. “You deserve it. All of you.” Shunjiro stared at her for half a second. He wasn’t used to this version of her. Usually, when she spoke to him, it was during reports or battlefield briefings. Direct. Strict. Focused. Now she looked… proud. “I didn’t expect you to say that,” he admitted honestly. Akira tilted her head. “Why?” “You’re usually telling me I need to be more disciplined.” Hiroto let out a quiet snort. Akira’s lips curved faintly. “You do.” Itsuki covered a smile with her hand. “But,” Akira continued, “you also grow faster than most I’ve seen. That’s rare.” Shunjiro scratched the back of his neck. “We had help.” Hiroto’s gaze shifted to Itsuki. “You held the team together.” Itsuki blinked, slightly startled. “I-I just healed.” Hiroto shook his head. “That’s not all you did.” There was weight in his voice, approval that was not easily given. Shunjiro glanced at him. This was the most direct he’d ever spoken to Hiroto outside of battle. “Sir- I mean, Hiroto,” Shunjiro corrected awkwardly. “Do you ever get used to fighting people stronger than you?” Hiroto studied him. “No,” he said plainly. “You learn to survive them.” Shunjiro frowned slightly. “That doesn’t sound reassuring.” “It’s not supposed to be.” Akira crossed her arms lightly. “Strength isn’t about comfort. It’s about adjustment.” Shunjiro thought about Daichi’s words from earlier. Tempo control. Transitions. Pressure flow. “…I guess we’re still adjusting,” he said. Hiroto gave a faint nod. “Good. Don’t stop.” Itsuki listened quietly as the three of them spoke. There was something strange about watching Shunjiro talk to two SSS-rank level figures like this. He wasn’t nervous. He wasn’t stiff. He didn’t try to impress them. He just… spoke. Akira’s expression softened again. “I’ll be returning to active duty soon.” Shunjiro smiled. “I figured.” “Don’t fall behind while I’m gone,” she added lightly. He laughed. “We just got to C-rank. Give us a week.” Hiroto shook his head faintly, though there was a hint of amusement there. “You’ll need more than a week.” They spoke a little longer, about minor patrols, about how Radiance had felt calmer since the festival, about how Illumina’s house was settling in. Eventually, the sky darkened further. Akira glanced upward. “You should head back.” Itsuki nodded. “We’ve already been out longer than we meant to.” Hiroto stepped aside slightly, giving them space to pass. “Take care of yourselves.” “You too,” Shunjiro said. Akira smiled once more. “And congratulations again.” They parted ways. As they walked down the lantern-lit street toward home, the quiet between them felt warm rather than awkward. Itsuki glanced sideways at him. “…It’s strange,” she said softly. “What is?” “The way you talk to people.” He blinked. “What do you mean?” “You just spoke to an SSS-rank knight captain and one of the strongest men in Radiance like they were… your friends.” Shunjiro laughed lightly. “I just talk.” “You’re not intimidated?” He shrugged. “They’re just people.” Itsuki watched him for a moment. “You don’t overthink it?” “I don’t think I think at all half the time,” he admitted. She giggled quietly. “You treat everyone the same,” she said. “That’s easier,” he replied. “If I start ranking people in my head, I’ll get weird about it.” She looked forward again, but a warmth spread across her chest. That’s what I like so much about you. The thought came so naturally that it startled her. Her face flushed instantly. She shook her head quickly and sped up her pace. “We should hurry!” she blurted suddenly. Shunjiro nearly stumbled trying to keep up. “What? Why?” “They’re going to think we eloped if we’re any later!” “Eloped?!” he choked. Itsuki’s blush deepened. “I-I didn’t mean- just- hurry!” She rushed ahead, basket bouncing slightly in her arms. Shunjiro stood there for half a second, confused, then laughed and jogged after her. The lantern light flickered across the street as they disappeared toward home, neither of them quite ready to admit how different the evening had felt from a simple grocery run. By the time they reached the guild house, the sky had deepened into a soft indigo. Lantern light flickered gently along the hallway, casting warm shadows against the door that bore their bronze plaque. Guild Illumina. Itsuki slowed as they approached. “…They’re going to say something,” she muttered under her breath. Shunjiro pushed the door open with his shoulder, balancing the heavier bags in his arms. The house was quiet. Too quiet. He stepped inside cautiously. “Hello?” No answer. Itsuki followed him in, pausing just inside the doorway. The common room was empty. The table was clear except for a single cup left near the edge. No Tetsuo pacing. No Aiko lounging dramatically across a chair. No Ryuji making unnecessary commentary. “…That’s weird,” Shunjiro said. Itsuki blinked. “Where is everyone?” He set the bags down carefully on the table and glanced toward the hallway that led to the bedrooms. “Training?” She shook her head. “Yoshinori can’t train yet.” They waited a few more seconds. Still nothing. Shunjiro laughed lightly. “Did they… leave us alone on purpose?” Itsuki’s face warmed immediately. “W-why would they do that?” “I don’t know,” he said innocently. “Maybe they assumed we needed more time to, you know… pick vegetables.” She gently smacked his arm. “Stop.” He grinned. The quiet in the house felt different than before. Not lonely. Just calm. Without the others’ constant energy bouncing around the walls, the space felt larger. Itsuki moved first, lifting one of the bags and heading toward the kitchen area. “We should put everything away before it spoils.” “Yes, ma’am,” Shunjiro replied automatically. She shot him a look over her shoulder, but she was smiling. They fell into an easy rhythm. Itsuki organized the ingredients neatly, stacking vegetables carefully and placing rice and grains into storage containers. Shunjiro carried heavier sacks to the shelves and hung dried herbs near the stove where she directed him. “You bought extra,” he noted. She nodded. “C-rank missions might take us out longer. We should be prepared.” He paused for a second. “…C-rank,” he repeated quietly. It still felt strange saying it out loud. Itsuki glanced at him, softer now. “You did really well yesterday.” He shrugged lightly. “I just didn’t want it to end.” “I know.” He set down the last sack and leaned back against the counter, watching her as she sorted through the final items. The room was filled with small sounds, the rustle of paper wrapping, the clink of jars, the faint creak of wood as they moved around each other. At one point, they both reached for the same bundle of herbs. Their fingers brushed. They both froze for half a second. Itsuki quickly pulled her hand back. “S-sorry.” “It’s fine,” he said again, though his voice was a little softer this time. She finished placing the herbs in their jar and closed the lid carefully, as if focusing too hard on the simple motion. The house remained empty. No teasing voices. No dramatic entrances. Just the two of them standing in their kitchen, quietly putting away groceries like they’d done it a hundred times before. Shunjiro picked up the last item, a small bag of sweets they had impulsively bought. He held it up. “For morale.” Itsuki smiled. “You mean for Tetsuo.” He laughed softly. When everything was finally put away, they stood there for a moment, looking at the neatly organized shelves and full baskets. It felt… stable. Like something real. Shunjiro glanced toward the door again. “They really aren’t here.” Itsuki nodded slowly. “I guess… it’s just us for a bit.” The words lingered in the air. Shunjiro rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly aware of how quiet the house felt without the others filling it. “…Well,” he said, trying to sound casual, “good teamwork.” Itsuki smiled gently. “Yes,” she agreed. “Good teamwork.” And for a moment longer than necessary, neither of them moved to break the quiet. The quiet lingered for only a few seconds longer. Then the front door burst open so hard it slammed against the wall. “We’re back!” Ryuji’s voice boomed into the house. Tetsuo followed immediately after, carrying what looked like an unnecessary amount of training weights over his shoulder. “Did you miss us?” Aiko stepped in behind them, already scanning the room with suspicious eyes. “Wow. It’s very domestic in here.” Yoshinori walked in last, noticeably less exhausted than he had been that morning. “You two were gone a while.” The calm atmosphere shattered instantly. Shunjiro straightened, instinctively stepping a fraction away from Itsuki like he’d been caught doing something wrong. “We were buying food,” he said quickly. “Mm-hm,” Aiko hummed, unconvinced. Tetsuo dropped the weights onto the floor with a loud thud. “It smells organized in here. That’s suspicious.” Itsuki blinked. “Organized… smells?” Ryuji leaned forward dramatically and sniffed the air. “I smell… bonding.” Shunjiro groaned. “We bought vegetables.” Yoshinori glanced at the neatly stacked shelves and then at the two of them standing slightly too close to the counter. “…Efficient use of time,” he commented dryly. Aiko walked past them and inspected the kitchen like a detective at a crime scene. “Did anything romantic happen?” Itsuki nearly dropped the jar she was holding. “N-no!” Shunjiro’s ears turned red. “What kind of question is that?” Ryuji grinned. “That wasn’t a no. That was a panic.” Tetsuo pointed at the small bag of sweets still sitting on the counter. “What’s that?” “Morale,” Shunjiro replied immediately. “For who?” Aiko pressed. “For the guild!” he shot back. Yoshinori raised an eyebrow. “You bought the brand I like.” Itsuki smiled softly. “Of course.” The teasing began to dissolve into normal chatter. Tetsuo immediately started rummaging through the cabinets to see what new ingredients had been acquired. Ryuji flopped onto a chair and began recounting some exaggerated story about a vendor arguing with him over prices. Aiko leaned back against the wall, watching Shunjiro and Itsuki with a knowing look but choosing, for once, not to push further. The house filled with sound again. Laughter. Footsteps. Light arguments over whose turn it was to cook next. The day had come full circle. Shunjiro glanced at Itsuki for a brief second. She caught his gaze. Neither of them said anything. But they both smiled. They had their quiet afternoon. Their almost-date grocery run. Their soft moment in the kitchen. And now it was back to this. Back to noise. Back to chaos. Back to being Illumina. Shunjiro leaned back against the counter and let the sound of his guild wash over him. “Alright,” he said, clapping his hands once. “Who’s hungry?” Tetsuo shot up instantly. “Me.” Aiko laughed. “C-ranks don’t get tired, right?” Yoshinori sighed. “C-ranks also still need sleep.” Itsuki shook her head fondly and began pulling ingredients back out. The day was ending. The world was still uncertain. Threats still lingered beyond Radiance’s walls. But inside that small guild house, under warm lantern light and easy laughter, everything felt steady. For now that was more than enough.