Morning arrived quietly.
Soft golden light slipped through the thin curtains of Kaito's room, painting pale lines across the wooden floor and the edge of his bed. Outside, birds chirped in the distance, and the wind moved gently through the trees of the estate.
But Kaito was already awake.
He lay on his back staring at the ceiling, his eyes dull with exhaustion despite the full night that had passed.
Sleep had come. Rest had not.
The events of yesterday replayed in his mind again and again like echoes that refused to fade.
His great-grandfather's powerful presence.
The strange subconscious realm.
The overwhelming force that had rejected him.
Freedom.
Even thinking of that name made his chest tighten.
Kaito slowly sat up, letting his feet touch the cold floor.
"…Freedom…" he murmured softly.
The word still felt unreal.
A Guardian.
A being born from the very foundation of existence itself.
And somehow…
It had chosen him. Or maybe… it hadn't.
Maybe it had simply rejected him.
Kaito dragged both hands down his face, letting out a slow breath as he sat there.
"So that wasn't a dream…"
The realization settled in, heavy and uncomfortable.
Then another thought surfaced, one that bothered him just as much.
Ren. His best friend. A Guardian too.
Kaito's jaw tightened slightly.
"Why didn't you tell me…?"
There was no real anger behind the words. Not entirely.
But the feeling sitting in his chest was hard to ignore.
It was strange. Unfamiliar.
A mix of confusion… disappointment… and something sharper underneath.
Something that felt a little too much like betrayal.
They had always told each other everything.
Or at least… that's what Kaito had believed.
Knock, knock.
The soft sound broke the silence, pulling him out of his thoughts.
"Lord Kaito?"
Kaede's voice came from the other side of the door.
Kaito didn't respond right away. He just sat there, staring at the floor, his thoughts still tangled.
Kaede waited patiently.
"Breakfast is ready," she said gently.
Kaito exhaled quietly.
"…I'll come later."
His voice came out softer than usual, almost distant.
There was a brief pause outside.
Even through the door she could hear something was wrong.
Normally Kaito would respond with energy or teasing.
But today… There was none of that.
"…Understood," she replied gently.
Her footsteps slowly faded down the hallway.
Kaito sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
He knew he couldn't avoid everyone forever.
After a few minutes, he finally stood up and got dressed.
The dining room was warm and bright.
Sunlight poured through the large windows overlooking the gardens, illuminating the long wooden table where Hana and Toru were already seated.
Kaede stood nearby, calmly pouring tea.
Kaito stepped inside.
"Morning," he said.
Hana looked up first.
Her expression softened immediately.
"Kaito," she said gently.
Toru glanced at him as well.
Even without words, they could both see it.
Something was weighing heavily on their son's mind.
Kaito sat down quietly.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Only the soft clink of utensils and the sound of tea being poured filled the air.
Finally, Kaito broke the silence.
"…Father."
Toru raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
Kaito hesitated.
Then he asked the question that had been stuck in his mind since yesterday.
"…How strong are Guardians?"
The room became still.
Hana and Toru exchanged a brief glance.
Toru leaned back slightly in his chair.
"That's a difficult question," he said calmly.
"Why?"
"Because strength isn't the right way to measure them."
Kaito frowned slightly.
"Then what is?"
Toru folded his hands together. "Authority."
Kaito blinked. "Authority?"
Hana spoke next.
"Each Guardian embodies a fundamental concept of existence," she explained gently.
"They are not powerful because they train or grow stronger."
"They are powerful because the concept they represent is essential to reality itself."
Kaito thought about that.
Freedom. Judgment. Peace. Time. And many others.
"…So they can't be defeated?" he asked quietly.
Toru smiled faintly.
"Everything can be resisted," he said.
"But defeating a concept… is another matter entirely."
Kaito stared down at his breakfast.
"…Then how am I supposed to face Freedom?"
His voice carried frustration.
Hana reached over and gently placed her hand over his.
"You don't have to face it today."
Kaito looked up.
"You're still only at the beginning," she said softly.
Toru nodded.
"Your great-grandfather told us something important yesterday."
Kaito frowned.
"What?"
"He said the fact that Freedom rejected you is not necessarily a bad sign."
"…What?"
"Concepts like Freedom don't accept weak minds."
Kaito blinked.
Toru's eyes sharpened slightly.
"It may simply mean you're not ready yet."
Silence fell again.
Then Kaito slowly exhaled.
"…So I just need to get stronger."
Toru smiled.
"That's always a good starting point."
For the first time that morning, a small smile appeared on Kaito's face.
"…Yeah."
The training field behind the estate was quiet that morning.
Dew still clung to the grass, catching the early light, and the air carried that cool, fresh smell that only came right after sunrise.
Kaito rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms, trying to shake off the stiffness.
"Alright…"
He tilted his head from side to side, a faint crack following.
"Let's actually do something productive today."
He dropped to the ground and started with push-ups.
At first, it felt easy.
One. Two. Three.
But by the time he passed five hundred, his arms were already starting to shake.
"…Why does this feel harder today?"
Still, he kept going.
After that came pull-ups, then sword swings—one after another, without pause. The wooden blade cut through the air again and again, the sound sharp and repetitive.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
Sweat began to drip down his forehead, his breathing growing heavier with each passing minute.
By the time nearly an hour had gone by, his arms felt like they were made of lead.
Kaito let himself fall back onto the grass with a groan.
"Ugh…"
He stared up at the bright blue sky, chest rising and falling rapidly.
"…This is exhausting."
For a moment, he just lay there, trying to catch his breath.
"Why couldn't my Guardian be something useful…" he muttered under his breath. "…Like the Guardian of Naps?"
He sighed dramatically, letting his arm fall over his face.
"That would've been way better."
The wind drifted through the trees, rustling the leaves softly above him.
"…I wish I could just go into my mind and beat Freedom already."
The image of it flickered through his thoughts—some vague, overwhelming presence.
He imagined himself charging at it.
Punching it. Winning.
Then he let out a quiet groan.
"…Yeah, right. I'd probably just get thrown out again."
A small laugh escaped him, but it didn't last long.
Before he knew it, Ren's face surfaced in his mind.
Kaito sat up slowly, the lightness from before fading.
"…Ren."
If Ren was a Guardian too…
Then he must have already met his.
Maybe he understood everything already.
Maybe he was already ahead.
Kaito closed his eyes, his expression tightening slightly.
"…Then I can't just lie around like this."
He took a slow, steady breath. Then another.
And gradually, he stilled his body, letting himself sink into meditation.
The world around him seemed to quiet down.
The wind softened.
The distant sounds faded.
For a brief moment, everything felt calm.
Then—
Splash.
Cold water hit his face.
Kaito's eyes flew open instantly.
"WHAT?!"
He jumped slightly and wiped his face, water dripping down his chin.
A familiar laugh echoed across the training field.
A few meters away stood Ren. Grinning.
Small droplets of water floated lazily around him, gently orbiting his body like playful spirits.
"Yo, Kaito."
Kaito froze for a second, then slowly turned his head, staring at Ren in disbelief.
"…Did you just throw water at me?"
Ren tilted his head slightly, pretending to think about it.
"…Technically," he said after a moment, "the water threw itself."
Kaito blinked.
"…Ren."
"Yeah?"
"You're unbelievably annoying."
Ren just laughed and walked over, dropping onto the grass beside him like he didn't have a care in the world. He stretched his arms behind his head and leaned back, looking completely relaxed.
"I couldn't help it," he said. "You looked like some old monk trying to figure out the meaning of life."
Kaito wiped the remaining water from his face, clearly not amused.
"I was meditating."
Ren slowly turned his head toward him, giving him a long, skeptical look.
"…You?"
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "Yes. Me."
Ren held that stare for a second longer—
Then burst out laughing.
"HAHA— wait, no— you're serious?!"
"HEY!"
Kaito immediately grabbed a clump of grass and threw it at him.
"I can meditate!"
Ren brushed it off, still laughing, even wiping at the corner of his eye.
"Yeah, yeah. Sure you can."
Kaito crossed his arms and looked away with an annoyed huff, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
For a moment, the two of them just sat there in the sunlight, the earlier tension replaced by something lighter, something familiar.
The breeze drifted gently through the trees, rustling the leaves above them.
It felt normal. Familiar.
Like nothing had changed.
For a moment, it almost felt like old times again.
Ren glanced over at Kaito, watching him quietly.
"…You've been training a lot."
Kaito shrugged, leaning back on his hands.
"Just trying to keep up."
Ren's gaze shifted across the training field, the worn patches of grass, the faint sword marks carved into the dirt, the deep footprints left behind from repeated drills.
"…Looks like more than just trying."
Kaito didn't respond right away. He just stared ahead for a moment, his fingers pressing lightly into the ground.
"I kind of have to," he said eventually.
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Have to?"
Kaito hesitated.
The lightness in his expression slowly faded, replaced by something more serious.
"…A lot changed yesterday."
Ren didn't interrupt. He just watched him, sensing the shift.
The relaxed atmosphere between them began to thin out, replaced by something quieter, heavier.
After a moment, Kaito spoke again.
"…Ren."
"Yeah?"
Kaito took a small breath before looking over at him.
"…Can I ask you something?"
Ren straightened slightly, picking up on the shift in Kaito's tone almost immediately.
"…Sure."
Kaito didn't answer right away. His gaze dropped to the grass beneath him, fingers brushing lightly against it as if buying time. For a few seconds, he just stayed like that, quiet, thinking.
Then he finally spoke.
"…Are you a Guardian?"
The words hung in the air. Everything seemed to still.
Even the wind, which had been drifting lazily through the field, felt like it had gone quiet.
Ren froze.
The easy smile on his face faded little by little, replaced by something more serious.
"…So you figured it out."
Kaito's hand tightened slightly into a fist.
"You were going to tell me… right?"
Ren let out a small breath, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"…Yeah."
Kaito's eyes narrowed just a little.
"When?"
Ren hesitated, then answered anyway.
"…About two months ago."
Kaito's head snapped toward him. "Two months?!"
Ren raised both hands quickly, as if trying to calm things down.
"Hey, wait—listen—"
"You knew for two months and didn't say anything?!"
"I was trying to understand it first!" Ren shot back, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "You know how insane this Guardian stuff is!"
Kaito didn't respond right away.
Ren exhaled slowly, his tone softening as he continued.
"And then things just… got busy. I thought I'd tell you once everything settled down."
Kaito looked at him for a long moment, searching his face.
"…So you just forgot to tell your best friend?"
Ren winced. "…Okay, when you put it like that, yeah… I sound pretty bad."
Kaito held his gaze for a second longer.
Then he let out a quiet sigh.
"…I'm not mad."
Ren blinked, surprised.
"…You're not?"
Kaito shook his head, his expression easing slightly.
"I just wish you trusted me enough to tell me."
Ren's expression softened a little.
"…Yeah."
For a brief moment, he looked down, almost as if searching for the right words. Then he let out a quiet breath and extended his hand.
"Sorry, man."
Kaito glanced at it, hesitating for only a second before reaching out and gripping it firmly.
"…Just don't do it again."
Ren's lips curved into a small grin. "Deal."
They let go, and just like that, the tension between them faded. The air felt lighter, easier.
After a moment, Kaito tilted his head slightly.
"So… which Guardian chose you?"
Ren leaned back on his hands, a hint of pride showing on his face.
"Judgment."
Kaito blinked. "…You mean the embodiment of Judgment?"
"Yep."
A low whistle escaped Kaito. "…That sounds terrifying."
Ren let out a quiet laugh. "That's exactly what I thought."
Kaito shifted, lying back beside him as he stared up at the open sky. For a second, neither of them spoke.
"Have you met it yet?" he asked.
Ren shook his head. "Nope."
Kaito turned his head toward him. "What? Why not?"
Ren shrugged, clearly unimpressed. "Apparently, I'm 'not ready' yet."
Kaito snorted. "So even the Guardian of Judgment is judging you."
Ren groaned. "That joke was terrible."
"It was accurate."
They both laughed, the sound carrying easily through the quiet air.
For a while, they just talked about Guardians, about how strange everything had suddenly become, about how ridiculous it felt that two normal kids were now tied to concepts that sounded like they belonged in legends.
It still didn't feel real.
Then the air behind them shifted.
A faint ripple passed through it, like the surface of water disturbed by an unseen force. Slowly, two figures took shape, their forms forming from flowing currents that twisted and settled into something human.
Kaito recognized them immediately.
Ren's bodyguards.
The moment they appeared, Ren's posture changed. The relaxed boy from a second ago disappeared without a trace, replaced by someone calmer, more composed, someone who carried himself differently.
One of the water figures stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"Lord Ren"
Ren glanced over his shoulder.
"…Already?"
His bodyguard gave a quiet nod. "Yes. It's time."
Kaito frowned, a bit caught off guard. "You're leaving?"
Ren pushed himself to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes. "…Yeah."
Kaito stood as well, still processing it. "That fast?"
Ren hesitated for a second, then gave a small, apologetic smile.
"I probably won't be able to visit for a while."
Kaito's shoulders dropped slightly. "…Why?"
Ren looked past him, toward the horizon stretching out beyond the village. For a moment, he didn't answer.
"There are things I need to take care of," he said finally. "Training… responsibilities… figuring out this whole Guardian thing."
His voice sounded different—more serious than Kaito had ever heard it before.
Kaito got it. He didn't need more explanation.
"…Right," he said quietly.
Ren glanced back at him, the faint smile returning. "But hey."
Kaito looked up.
"You should keep training too."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Ren smirked, a bit of his usual self slipping back through.
"Because next time I come back…"
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"I want you to actually put up a fight."
Kaito's expression changed instantly, the spark returning to his eyes.
"Oh, you're on."
Ren laughed under his breath. "Good."
Behind him, the water around his bodyguards began to move, swirling softly as if responding to his presence.
Kaito crossed his arms, trying to look confident.
"Just don't start crying when you lose next time."
Ren's grin widened. "We'll see about that."
The water surged and in the next moment they were gone.
The field fell quiet again, like nothing had happened.
Only the wind remained, drifting lazily through the grass.
Kaito stood there for a while, staring at the empty space where Ren had been.
Then, slowly, he clenched his fist.
"…I'll get stronger."
His voice was low, but steady.
"Next time you come back…"
He looked toward the horizon.
"I won't be the one trying to catch up."