The rain had stopped hours ago.
By the time night settled over the mountain camp, the air had cooled into a crisp, whispering breeze. The clouds that had hung over the gym earlier had scattered, revealing a sprawl of stars across a black-violet sky.
A bonfire burned just outside the training hall tall, golden flames licking at the dark. Sparks danced upward like fleeting fireflies. The smell of grilled food mixed with the faint smoke of cedar wood, and laughter echoed through the open courtyard.
Coach Hikari had given them permission to unwind for the night.
"Tomorrow," she'd said, "you rest. Tuesday, you fight."
The words still rang in Marcus's head.
Now, sitting on a log beside Yuuto and Ren, he poked absently at the fire with a stick, the orange glow painting his face in shifting light. The team gathered around Shunjin flipping skewers on a makeshift grill, Daichi teasing Kenji about over-seasoning the meat, and Riku strumming a guitar softly near the back.
