3. Hiro

When Ayame has woken up the next morning she had a tour of the Team V Headquarters building, in which the team members also live. She liked the design very much, it was full of detailed models engraved into the doors and eye-catching paintings on the walls.1

During lunchtime, they entered a huge room with many tables and a buffet.

"This is our Dining room. We used to dine together at the large table in the middle, but now we are too busy to align our schedules to dine at the same time. This room is also used for festivities which involve a large number of people. Tough they do not seem to be planned too soon." explained Makoto to Ayame.

"We have a surprise for you after lunch!" whispered Ren into her ear with a large grin hoping Makoto would not notice. 1"Ren, would you mind giving Ayame a little space?" said Makoto throwing stones at Ren just with a glance.

"Why did I not see other people in this large house? You said that others are living here.." wondered Ayame while looking around for a trace of another human being.1

"They are mostly busy with their missions and paperwork so when they are closed in their rooms, completing reports or preparing for the next mission. Since we are the 'law and order' in this Kingdom, we do not get time off. The military is under our command and whatever they cannot do, is being taken care of by us." replied Ren while stuffing food into his mouth and still being able to talk properly, somehow.

"But you two are here at the same time? How can this be?" stated Ayame out of curiosity.

<<You smart little...>> thought Ren for himself clenching the spoon in his fist while rising it up closer to his face, his veins were twitching and he was thinking of giving the kid a lesson to not outsmart the adults.

"We are doing our duties. Our current task is to take care of your well-being." explained calmly Makoto after gracefully applied a lot of pressure on Ren's foot. Ren just chocked with his food and grabbed with one arm the foot which was in pain. He was glaring with evil intentions at Makoto while hitting his torso to help the food get in his stomach.

"Oh, I see. But Why do I need two people to ensure that I am fine?" continued Ayame to voice her concerns.1Ren was just going to say something mean to her but Makoto took a spoon full of food and inserted it into his mouth, the whole spoon, with the food, and without even looking in his direction, smiled: "This is only for today. We made a special exception."

After Ren managed to swallow just the food and take the spoon out in one piece, a little bent tough, stood up, and said: "Then I am going to find him. We'll be meeting in the garden I suppose." and walked away from the table because he did not want any more bruises from Makoto.

After the meal, Makoto took Ayame to the garden. After a short tour, they found a young boy seated on a bench.

His dark green eyes were looking straight ahead, his white hair was slowly blown by the wind, caressing his pale face. He was a quiet boy with a pure soul. Even when he was having no expression, his face had a gentle look. Happiness gathered in Ayame's chest, she was not alone in this world of adults. She thought that it would be nice if the boy would be her friend.

"Oh, there you are! What are you doing?" Asked Makoto with a surprised expression the young lad.

"Ren was talking about having things to do and left me here." answered the boy with a nervous smile this time, realizing that Ren just ran away in fact.

"Ayame, this is Hiro, he uses water element." changes Makoto the subject, thinking <<I'll kill him later when I see him.>> while trying to find what punishment should be fit for those who ditch their duties. "This girl here is our new member, you will be pairing with her from now." explains to Hiro.

"Nice to meet you Ayame!" He smiles and asks: "What is your element?"

Ayame's eyes move from his face to the ground, she clenches her hands into fists and does not know how to begin.

"She did not awaken her attribute yet. We have to be patient with her as she did not use magic before." comes Makoto into rescue, placing his hand on her head.

"I see. Then I will do my best to help you learn!" replies Hiro immediately smiling brightly.

"Nice to meet you, Hiro!" replies Ayame with another faint smile, but deep inside she was happy to be accepted as she was.

"Now let's go to your first official meeting as a member of Team V, Ayame!" said Makoto as he stretches out his hand toward her.

She takes the hand and smiles. This is how she began falling for Hiro's kind heart.

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After 2 years

Ayame is becoming more and more capable of doing missions along with Hiro. They make a great team.

A very important mission is coming soon: they have to get inside The Academy and check if any documents regarding a special Team are to be found. Team X is suspected of hiding another team that was supposed to have disappeared.

To get close to The Academy is impossible on land. It is at the edge of the Moon Forest, not an ordinary forest but an enchanted one, that no one can get out of once entered. The students have special portals through which they can pass to get inside. The Academy is placed on the beach of the Moon Island, and one freeway to enter would be the sea. Passing through the traps inside the water is easier than even trying to get close to the forest.

Ayame and Hiro successfully stepped on the beach and run towards the building of the school while remaining close to the water, just in case. Their black uniforms were almost unnoticeable on the wet sand during the night time.

After reaching the walls, they started climbing using a little gravitation magic, unnoticeable to the security, but strong enough to keep them stick to the wall. On top of the large walls, motion sensors were placed. They had to jump straight into the yard, and higher, to avoid the motion detection range. Gravity magic is useful tomake high jumps and land safe from high places without breaking a bone.

That was the only security simple and tough for unprepared year before the incident, his name was Kaito, and lived with his uncle in a house near Ayame's house. The two children got along well, they were always playing in the same park with their group. Kai to would always be a good friend and take Ayame home, that implied passing his house and coming back again, but he said that he wants to protect his friends. For the other children parents always come to pick them up, but for Ayame, her dad never had time to come outside and take her home, so Kaito decided to do it himself.

"Kaito... But how? You are alive? Are you really Kaito?" Were all the things she could phrase as she stared at a boy around her age, with dark blue hair, long bangs that covered his "bottom of the ocean" blue eyes, into which anyone who saw up close, got sucked and drowned like in a good dream. He was wearing a black long cloak, that covered all his body. From inside the coat came a hand:

"Come with me Ayame, you do not belong with them. You do not have the mark that proves your belonging to the team, just like the mark on his wrist. Every member has one, exactly the same."

Ayame suddenly felt the urge to see what expression Hiro had on his face and quickly turned around to have a look at him. She saw a combination of regret, surprise, and pain that were reflecting in his eyes as he turned his gaze to meet hers. He knew everything but hid the truth from her.

She kept looking at him, waiting for an explanation that at least contests the words said by Kaito earlier. She hoped until the second he averted his eyes. He could no longer look her in the eyes and have a straight face. The guilt he felt when seeing her trust shatter with a movement of his eyes was devastating, but he could not lie anymore.

She felt betrayed for the first time in her life. But she could swear that any other betrayal would hurt less than this one. The only and one person she trusted her life with, her only good friend, the boy she liked. Hiro was from the start more than a simple teammate, he became a pillar for the little girl, who lost many things at a young age.

She was standing between two important people of her past and present: her best friend since childhood and her precious teammate who she also holds dear.

She wanted to trust Hiro one more time, but Kaito took her hand and pulled her toward him. His eyes were glowing in the dark as he spoke to her:

"I am your friend and I want what is good for you. Friends help each other. Please believe me."

Ayame wiped a few tears off her eyes and nodded her head.

"Good. We have to get you book back. The one from your father." Said Kaito as he squished her hand and left towards Hiro. "You need a ride to the Headquarters? Or you good by yourself?" asked looking at the member of team V.

"I can manage to get back, thanks for asking. I just want one last word with Ayame." Replies Hiro while lifting his eyes from the sand to look at her again.1"Well, I am so sorry, but we do not have time for that. Now, we shall take our leave. Goodbye!" Kaito excuses himself as he turns his feet in a different direction, contained walking. A portal appears. He draggs Ayame by hand and walks into it.

Ayame has not enough time to react and before going into the portal, she calls his name for one last time before being absorbed in the mass of floating circular gas:

"Hiro-"

He reaches his hand and runs toward her but the portal vanishes and ge falls on his knees in the wet sand. He was left alone the lovely Moon Beach.

As he was staying still, looking at the waves in the distance, his eyes teared up. For a few seconds he was surprised, but he wiped the tears, stood up and walked into the water, on the way he came. He realised that thinking that the road is long and he is now alone is useless, but he could not help the pain...

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