Snow drifted quietly through the courtyard.
For a moment, neither sister answered.
Maki simply stared at him.
Mai leaned against the wooden corridor pillar, arms crossed, her eyes narrowed as if examining a strange animal that had wandered into their yard.
Sora stood calmly in the snow, hands tucked inside his jacket pockets.
"…Did you think about my offer?" he repeated.
Maki stepped forward slightly.
"You disappeared for a week."
Sora shrugged.
"I had school."
Mai snorted.
"You're joking."
"No."
He tilted his head slightly.
"I'm twelve. What did you expect?"
The answer made both sisters pause.
Maki blinked once.
"…You're twelve? You are lying."
"No, I am twelve."
Mai frowned.
"…You're breaking into the Zenin estate at twelve?"
"Technically," Sora said with a nerdy gesture, "I'm just visiting."
Mai looked at Maki.
"…He's insane."
Maki ignored the comment.
Her eyes were still studying him carefully.
"Why us?"
The question came out quietly.
Sora raised an eyebrow.
"You already asked that."
"I'm asking again."
Snow crunched softly beneath Maki's boots as she stepped closer.
"There are stronger people in this clan."
She gestured around the estate.
"People with better techniques."
"Better training."
"Better status."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"So why help us?"
Mai watched silently.
She wanted the answer too.
Sora looked at both of them for a moment.
Sora looked at them as if gazing at idiots.
"They are stronger, better and have status. So they don't need help. Secondly, I like helping good people and preferably girls."
Mai blinked.
"That's your explanation?"
"Basically."
Maki didn't look impressed.
"That makes no sense."
Sora shrugged again.
"Most people turn bad when things get difficult."
He gestured toward the large estate around them.
"You didn't."
His eyes lingered briefly on Maki.
"Especially you."
Silence settled for a moment.
Mai spoke next.
"…You talk like you know us."
"I heard enough last time."
"How much did you hear?"
"All of it."
Mai sighed.
"…Unbelievable."
But Maki's attention had shifted elsewhere.
She was watching his posture.
His stance.
The way he stood in the snow without looking tense.
Like someone who wasn't worried about being surrounded by Zenin sorcerers.
In reality that was far from the truth. And he was lazy to look tense.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You said you'd help with training."
Sora nodded.
"Yeah."
Maki crossed her arms.
"Then show me."
Sora blinked.
"…Show you what?"
"How strong you are."
Mai straightened slightly.
"Oh?"
Maki stepped into the courtyard center.
Her voice was calm.
"You snuck into the Zenin estate twice."
"You talk like you're confident."
She raised her fists slightly.
"So prove it."
Snowflakes landed on her dark hair.
The wooden training post stood behind her.
Mai watched with growing interest.
"…This should be good."
Sora stared at Maki for two seconds.
Then he sighed again.
"…Kids these days."
"I'm older then you."
"Still counts."
But he stepped forward anyway.
The snow crunched under his boots as he walked to the courtyard center.
Then he stopped a few meters away from her.
His hands remained in his pockets.
"Alright."
Maki frowned.
"You're not even getting ready?"
Sora tilted his head.
"You said show you my strength."
"Not fight seriously."
Mai whistle slightly.
"Oh, this is going to end badly."
Maki stepped forward suddenly.
Her fist shot toward his face.
Sora didn't move.
At least—
That's what it looked like.
At the last moment, his head shifted slightly to the side.
The punch missed him by barely a centimeter.
Maki's eyes widened.
Sora's voice came calmly from right in front of her.
"The punch was not proper. It was easy to telegraph."
Before she could react—
His foot moved.
He lightly swiped the forward leg.
That was all.
But Maki felt something strange.
Her body suddenly lost balance, shifting slightly off trajectory.
Her stance collapsed.
Sora had already stepped aside.
Maki rolled over to avoid the maximum impact.
Her eyes were sharp now.
"…What did you do?"
Sora turned to her.
"I simply exploited the flaw in your form."
Mai's eyes held confusion from the corridor.
Maki stared at him.
Her heartbeat had sped up.
That swipe was not too strong but it was enough to throw her off.
But it had disrupted her balance completely.
Like her movement had been redirected.
She slowly raised her fists again.
"…Again."
Sora sighed.
"Do you really want to go again?"
"Yes."
"…Fine."
Snow continued falling quietly as the two stood facing each other in the courtyard.
Mai leaned forward slightly, watching closely now.
Her earlier boredom had completely disappeared.
"…This guy might actually be interesting."
Snow fell softly between them.
The courtyard had grown quieter somehow, as if even the wind had slowed to watch.
Maki stood with her fists raised again, her stance steadier than before. Her eyes were sharp now, focused completely on the boy standing a few meters away.
Sora, on the other hand, looked exactly the same as before.
Relaxed.
One hand back in his pocket.
The other hanging loosely by his side.
"…Again," Maki said.
Sora tilted his head slightly.
"You're very enthusiastic."
"Stop talking."
"Fair."
Maki moved first.
This time she didn't rush in recklessly.
Her steps were controlled as she closed the distance, her feet sliding lightly across the snow.
Then she attacked.
A jab aimed at his shoulder.
Sora leaned slightly.
The punch passed beside him.
Maki immediately followed with a second strike toward his ribs.
Sora stepped back.
The movement was small.
Barely noticeable.
But it created just enough space for the punch to miss.
Mai leaned forward from the corridor.
"…He's not even blocking."
Maki noticed it too.
He wasn't defending.
He wasn't countering.
He was simply moving.
Every time she attacked, he adjusted his position just enough that her strikes couldn't land.
Her frustration began rising.
She stepped in again.
A feint with her left.
Then a sharp right hook.
Sora's eyes tracked the motion calmly.
His shoulder shifted.
The hook missed.
Maki pivoted immediately and tried to sweep his leg.
Sora lifted his foot casually.
The sweep passed beneath him.
He stepped down again, still perfectly balanced.
Maki froze for half a second.
"…You're doing that on purpose."
Sora shrugged.
"You said show you my strength."
"This isn't strength."
"It is."
He gestured lightly toward her stance.
"You're trying to hit me."
"Yes.."
"But you can't."
"…That's because you keep dodging."
"Thats the agenda."
Maki's jaw tightened.
Mai watched from the side, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
She had noticed something strange.
Sora's movements were… minimal.
Too minimal.
He wasn't moving like someone dodging desperately.
It looked more like—
He was already standing in the right place.
Before the attacks even happened.
Maki stepped forward again.
Her fists were tighter now.
She attacked faster.
Three punches in quick succession.
Left.
Right.
Straight.
Sora moved once.
Just a small step sideways.
All three attacks missed.
Maki stopped.
Her breathing had grown heavier now.
"…You're reading me."
Sora smiled faintly under his mask.
"Partly."
Mai raised an eyebrow.
"Partly?"
Sora tapped his temple lightly.
"You're predictable."
Maki frowned.
"That's insulting."
"It's not."
He gestured toward her stance again.
"You're trained to fight head-on."
"Because that's how I win."
"Against people weaker than you."
Maki didn't respond.
Sora continued calmly.
"But against someone faster… or more experienced…"
Sora dashed towards Maki.
He lightly tapped her shoulder with two fingers.
"…you'll never land a hit."
Maki hadn't properly seen the movement.
Her eyes widened slightly.
He had been standing in front of her.
Then suddenly—
He was beside her.
And now he was already stepping away again.
Mai sat up straighter.
"…Wait."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Did he just—"
Maki turned toward him slowly.
Her expression had completely changed.
The frustration was still there.
But now something else had appeared.
Excitement.
"Is that your limit?
Sora raised an eyebrow.
"Obviously."
Mai stared at him.
"It feels like you are lying."
Sora pointed toward Maki.
"She asked for honesty."
Maki stared at him for a few seconds.
Then—
She smiled slightly.
It wasn't a cheerful smile.
It was the kind someone made when they finally found something worth chasing.
"…Good."
Mai blinked.
"…Good?"
Maki raised her fists again.
Her voice was calm.
"Then teach me."
Sora paused.
For the first time since the fight started—
He looked slightly surprised.
"…That was fast."
Maki stepped forward again.
Snow crunched under her boots.
"You said you wanted to help."
She stared straight at him.
"So help."
The winter wind brushed through the courtyard again as the three children stood there.