The dojo sat in front of him, marking the beginning of a very anxious moment for Sota.

  It had been several days since his outing with Riku. He had pondered since then, and he had only managed to go from depression to confusion. His brain was a maelstrom, and he couldn't make heads or tails of it. The dojo was the one place that had been consistent through his entire life, so this was naturally where he would turn up to try and make progress.

  He had already called Sensei and let him know that he would be coming today to visit rather than train. He blamed an injury, which wasn't entirely fabricated, but Sensei didn't ask questions. Maybe Sensei knew, maybe he didn't, but this wasn't about him.

  This was about Sota reflecting on recent events to figure out what came next.

  Sota entered through the back doors, which led to the back room where supplies were kept. Class was underway, so he stayed quiet and made his way in. With any luck, taking this route would avoid to much direct conversation...

  "Hey, Sota!"

  Sota whipped around to see that Natsu was approaching from the training floor. He was carrying some pads and other equipment for the drills. His heart skipped a few beats - he had just barely prepared for entry.

  "Hey, Natsu," Sota acknowledged, keeping his voice lowered. "I'm surprised that you're not up there running something."

  "You know how Sensei gets when he decides he wants the class to himself," Natsu chuckled as he set down the equipment at its intended location. "Anyway, how's it been? I was beginning to think you had vanished from the face of the Earth."

  "Yeah, just an injury that was causing some issues... With any luck, I'll be back at it pretty soon."

  "Glad to hear it!" Natsu exclaimed, his excitement genuine. "Practicing with students is great, but you're the only other one I can work with at a higher level. It will be nice to have you back."

  Sota nodded in agreement. His anxiety subsided a bit after a moment. It had been awhile, but he remembered that Natsu was very laid back. They had been training together since childhood. They weren't particularly close, but he knew Natsu rarely prodded into things.

  Ironically, it was one of the people Sota was most comfortable running into today.

  "How have the students been?" Sota asked, trying not to let it become awkward. "I know I've been gone for a little bit."

  "Same as uaual," Natsu admitted. "You know how they can be. Sometimes they practice, sometimes they don't. We just do what we can, am I right?"

  "What about Shinji and Ren?" Sota questioned. "I know Shinji's been one you've had to work closely with. I also assume you've been assisting Ren a lot since I've been out."

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  "Shinji will always be a work in-progress," Natsu chuckled. "As for Ren...she's definitely an interesting one. I can see why you got so honed in on training her. She very mature and has a terrifying amount of motivation. It's super rare to see that in a highschooler."

  "I see. Glad nothing's changed, then."

  "It's been nice," Natsu chuckled. "Usually, the girls are just swarming me for other reasons. It's nice to have one actually focus on what's important."

  With that, Sota allowed Natsu to return to class to assist. Sota waited a few minutes so that he didn't draw attention, and then quietly proceeded into the training hall.

  Sota sat down just outside the supply room doorway. There, he was able to sit and watch class while drawing as little attention as possible. As expected, the structure and routines were the same as always. The consistency was calming, and gave him a chance to process his thoughts in a healthier environment.

  Instinctively, his attention made its way to Ren. She was as bubbly as ever, but Sota realized pretty quickly that something was off. She was second-guessing her movements, and there was a layer of frustration underneath everything she did.

  Old habits kicked in, and Sota began analyzing what was going on. He had only intended a short visit, but time flew by as he got entranced in his observation.

  Finally, he identified what it was - after seeing her interact with Natsu and Sensei.

  They're inconsistent patterns are messing with her. She drills them to memory, just to find out they were incorrect. It appears to be driving her nuts...

  "Alright, everyone," Sensei's voice rang out "Class dismissed!"

  Sota snapped back to reality as the class bowed out. Some panic set in - how did he let that much time slip by? People were dispersing, and he was out in the open. It was too late to retreat.

  "I see that we've been graced with your presence once more!" Riku exclaimed as he came over to where Sota was sitting.

  Riku made his way over somewhat flamboyantly, but mellowed out as soon as he got close.

  "Lighten up, Senpai," Riku teased, despite only ever using his title in formal situations. "I didn't know you were coming today, but I figured I'd come over to prevent others from engaging you."

  "Right, thanks..."

  Sota took a deep breath. It appeared to be successful. Other students who noticed him just ignored his visit since Riku was chatting him up. Not ideal, but it was much smoother than it could've gone...

  "Senpai!"

  Sota's heart dropped. Both he and Riku turned to see Ren jogging over to meet them. Sota glanced at Riku, who simply gave a concerned shrug in response.

  "Oh, I'm sorry!" Ren apologized. "I just wanted to say hi, but I might've barged in to your conversation..."

  "Not at all, girl!" Riku assured her, trying to take the lead on interaction. "Just catching up quickly before he heads out."

  "Oh, gotcha..."

  Ren seemed satisfied with that answer. Riku quickly glared at Sota - his expression was clear.

  I bought you an excuse. Now go...

  Sota didn't argue. He smiled politely and said goodbye. He then turned to exit back out the way he came, hoping not to draw further attention from the class.

  "I hope you come back soon, Senpai."

  The words were like staves through the chest. Sota's breath caught in his chest as Ren's words rattled in his mind. After a moment, he turned to meet her gaze.

  Her expression was happy, but her eyes didn't lie. They hadn't lied ever since that sparring match during her first test. Sincerity, concern, and a desire to help despite knowing it wasn't her place.

  "Of course," he replied, turning back towards the exit. "See you soon..."

  Sota left it at that as he navigated the supply room and exited through the back door.

  Words carry far more impact than we give them credit for.

  Thanks for reading this chapter!