The elevator ride up was quiet except for the low hum of machinery. Rin still held Sosuke's hand. He could feel the tension in her grip—stronger than before.
"You really don't have to force yourself to—"
"Force myself to what?" Rin cut in, not looking at him. "I'm not forcing anything."
Sosuke hesitated. "Y-yeah."
Rin didn't let go. She pulled him along into the small theater, her steps quick and purposeful.
"You get comfortable. I'll pick something." She knelt by the projector, scrolling through the selection.
Sosuke sat down, watching her. "Why are you doing this?"
Rin didn't answer. She clicked on a movie, and the projector whirred to life. She moved down to the seat next to him.
"I picked a horror. Hope you like those."
"They never scare me."
"Good." Rin smirked. "Cause I'm gonna need you. I hate scary movies."
They watched in silence. The film flickered against the dark walls, casting shadows that stretched and moved like ghosts. Rin flinched at a sudden jump scare and, without thinking, her fingers dug into Sosuke's palm.
He barely noticed at first. It was only halfway through the movie—when his own fingers twitched in an attempt to pull away—that he realized.
She wouldn't let go.
He glanced at her. She faced the screen, her expression unreadable. He looked down again, debating whether to say something.
"You don't look like you're enjoying this," Rin muttered, breaking the silence.
"I'm… trying to," Sosuke said, unsure if he meant the movie or something else. His gaze flickered to their intertwined hands. "Sorry."
"I need this," Rin said, her voice quieter now. "I need a day to take my mind off things. I really need it." Her grip tightened.
Sosuke frowned. "What do you mean?"
"My dad. He's sick." She swallowed, keeping her eyes on the screen like it was easier that way. "It's happened before, but they say this time… it's worse."
Sosuke stiffened. The words felt heavy, something fragile underneath them.
Rin turned to face him, and for the first time, he saw it—one tear, sliding down her cheek. "What am I supposed to do?"
He didn't answer right away. Rin never showed this side of herself. She was the one who pulled him out of things, dragged him forward when he got stuck. He'd never been the one to do that for her.
But right now, she needed him to be.
"Hope for the best," he said finally. "I think you should go see him. Spend time together. He'll make it through. If he's anything like you, he will."
Rin blinked at him, surprised. Then, slowly, she smiled. She wiped at her eyes and let out a small breath. "You're right. He's better than me. He'll be okay."
Sosuke stood up with her. "Let's enjoy the rest of today."
He reached out his hand.
She took it.
They wandered out of the small theater, their hands still loosely connected, but neither of them mentioned it. The entertainment floor wasn't anything extravagant—just a break from the usual sterile halls and cold training grounds. Rows of old arcade machines flickered in one corner, a small café setup sat unattended, and a lounge area held a handful of soldiers either playing cards or half-dozing on the couches.
Rin stretched, then nudged Sosuke with her elbow. "Wanna lose to me in a game?"
Sosuke scoffed. "You mean win?"
She smirked and pulled him toward the arcade. The machines were ancient, their screens slightly faded, but still functional. She tapped one—Iron Strikers II, a classic one-on-one fighting game.
"You sure about this?" Sosuke said as he sat down.
Rin cracked her knuckles. "I'm about to humble you."
The match started. Sosuke chose a balanced swordsman; Rin picked a wild, unpredictable brawler. The first round was a mess—Rin button-mashed, barely dodging Sosuke's precise attacks. He won easily.
"Wow. That was sad," Sosuke teased.
Rin narrowed her eyes. "Okay, okay. One more."
The next match, she adapted. Learned his patterns. The moment Sosuke thought he had the win, Rin's character landed a brutal combo, finishing him off.
She shot him a triumphant look. "Humbled."
Sosuke stared at the screen, then at her. "…Beginner's luck."
"Sure." Rin leaned back, grinning.
They played a few more rounds, exchanging small jabs, their laughter blending into the quiet hum of the room. Eventually, Rin stood, stretching her arms above her head. "Alright, I need a drink."
Sosuke followed as she grabbed two cans of something vaguely labeled as Energy Beverage from a vending machine. They sat on a couch, sipping in comfortable silence, watching a few off-duty soldiers argue over a game of poker.
Rin stretched her arms over her head, letting out a small sigh as she slumped back into the couch. "Feels weird, doesn't it? Just sitting here, not training, not fighting… almost like we're normal people."
Sosuke took another sip of his drink, grimacing slightly at the artificial aftertaste. "Yeah. But I guess even soldiers get breaks."
"Not enough of them." Rin twirled the can between her fingers, her gaze drifting toward the poker game still going on. "You ever played?"
Sosuke shook his head. "Not really. You?"
"A few times. I'm terrible at it."
"I'm not surprised." He smirked.
Rin shot him a glare. "Excuse me?"
"You're awful at bluffing," Sosuke said, leaning back against the couch. "You make it obvious when you're holding back. It's the same in a fight."
Rin huffed, crossing her arms. "That's different. Fighting is… instinct. Poker's all about lying, and I don't like lying."
Sosuke raised a brow. "Oh, really?"
Rin hesitated, then groaned. "Okay, I suck at it. Happy?"
He chuckled. "A little."
She nudged his arm, her pout fading into a small smile. "Next time, we should play. Maybe I'll get better."
"You'll lose."
"I'll make sure you lose first."
He shook his head with a smirk. "We'll see."
A comfortable silence settled between them. The sounds of shuffling cards and quiet conversation filled the air, but neither of them spoke for a moment. Then, Rin's voice softened.
"Hey… what do you think happened to Ren?"
Sosuke glanced at her, noting the way her fingers fidgeted against the can. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… sure, they said he switched up out of nowhere, said 'I only do things that benefit me,' but is that really him?" She sighed. "Was he always like that, and I just didn't notice?"
Sosuke hesitated, then let out an awkward chuckle. "I'm surprised someone as smart as you couldn't tell."
Rin gave him a dry look. "You're not helping."
He exhaled, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "I wasn't sure about it either, but I always had a feeling. Something about him never felt… solid. Like he was trying to be someone he wasn't." He took another sip. "I just hope he comes to his senses eventually."
Rin hummed, but her expression remained troubled.
"Unlike Arthur," she muttered.
Sosuke scoffed. "Yeah, unlike him. That man will never change." He mimicked Arthur's voice, "'I'm going to be strong for my father,' or whatever he said. I don't even understand what he was on about during our tournament fight."
"Oh my god, that tournament feels like a lifetime ago," Rin said, shaking her head.
"We're gonna be nineteen soon," Sosuke mused. "Feels like we've been training and fighting forever."
Rin sighed dramatically. "Right? Almost like we missed out on something."
"Almost."
She tapped her fingers against the can. "This is just like that conversation we had a while ago. I don't know if I agree with myself anymore, though. Having no powers at all would be boring… I just wish we had more time to be, I don't know, normal."
Sosuke nodded. "Yeah. More personal time would be nice."
Rin let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "We're really just complaining about our lives now, huh?"
"Guess so."
She stood, stretching her arms again. "You think we should head back?"
"Already?" Sosuke raised a brow.
She gave him a look.
"…Fine," he relented. "I actually do want to catch up on sleep. For real this time."
She smiled, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him up. "Then let's go."
They walked in step, their pace unhurried as they made their way back through the quiet halls. The facility never truly slept, but at this hour, it felt different—less tense, less suffocating.
Rin took a long sip of her drink, grimacing as she examined the can. "Ugh. I don't know why I thought this would taste better the more I drank it."
Sosuke chuckled. "Tasted bad from the start. You just committed to it."
She sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "I guess I did."
They turned a corner, the familiar stretch of dormitories coming into view. Their footsteps echoed softly, the silence between them lingering but comfortable.
"You're really gonna sleep?" Rin asked, side-eyeing him.
Sosuke stretched his arms behind his head. "That's the plan."
"Wow, a rare moment of responsibility." She grinned. "I'm impressed."
He rolled his eyes. "You act like I never sleep."
"You don't. You just stare at the ceiling until morning."
Sosuke huffed but didn't deny it. They reached their rooms—adjacent as always. Rin leaned against her door, hesitating for just a moment before looking up at him.
"Hey." Her voice was softer now. "Thanks for today."
Sosuke blinked. "For what?"
"For letting me drag you around." She smiled, smaller this time, but real. "I needed it."
Sosuke rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away. "Yeah, well… I guess I didn't hate it."
Rin laughed quietly. "You really suck at being nice."
"I wasn't trying to be nice."
She tilted her head. "Then what were you trying to be?"
Sosuke opened his mouth, then closed it. He had no answer for that.