Chapter 18: — "Training: Movements and Dodging"

I hesitated at the front door of Kaito’s house, my fingers hovering over the handle. “Okay, Yuzuki… you’ve been inside before, but this time it’s different. You’re here for training. Real training. Not cereal and drones in your bedroom…”

I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Sup!” Kaito called from somewhere downstairs, without looking up from whatever he was fiddling with.

I swallowed, trying to play it cool. “Sup,” I mumbled back, hoping my voice didn’t betray how nervous I actually was.

I made my way down the stairs and my jaw nearly dropped. The basement was set up like a mini-arena, mats neatly laid out on the floor, wires cleared from the ground, and tiny drones hovering in formation, hums vibrating through the air. 

My stomach twisted into knots. “Drones? Stun beams? Me? Are you serious?” I muttered under my breath, forcing myself to look casual.

Kaito didn’t even glance at me. He was busy adjusting a few wires, tapping on a console, and nodding at some settings. The mats were spread out on the floor, neat and clinical, and the faint hum of the drones gave the entire basement a “battle arena” vibe. My nerves spiked.

“I-I just… uh… I need to… pee real quick,” I blurted, waving a hand in front of my face like it would make me sound casual.

Kaito paused, raised an eyebrow, then nodded without a word. “Hurry up,” he said, voice flat, but I swear I caught the tiniest smirk.

I bolted toward the bathroom, muttering to myself as I shut the door behind me. Okay, Yuzuki, deep breaths. You’ve survived drones before… sorta. You can do this. You’re not gonna die… probably.

I splashed some water on my face, stared at my reflection, and tried to will my heart to stop thumping like a drumline. “Alright… time to face the tiny death machines. Just don’t scream, don’t trip, and don’t embarrass yourself.”

By the time I stepped back into the basement, Kaito had finished tinkering with the last drone. He looked at me and simply said, “Ready?”

I gulped, trying to hide my fear behind a thin layer of confidence. “Yeah… totally… ready,” I lied, my voice wobbling just a little.

FIRST DRILL: Footwork.

I stood on the mat, trying to act like I knew exactly what I was doing. Kaito, arms crossed, gave me one of those looks that screamed “You’re about to embarrass yourself, Yuzuki.”

“Movement is just as important as aim,” he said flatly. “If you can’t dodge, position yourself, or keep your balance, all the blasters in the world won’t save you.”

I nodded, trying to look confident. “Yeah, yeah… I got this,” I muttered under my breath.

He gestured to the floor. “First drill: footwork. Forward, back, side to side. Simple. But precise. No tripping, no overstepping.”

Simple, huh? That word should’ve warned me.

I took a step forward. Too far. My foot caught a mat edge. I stumbled, flailing, and almost toppled over.

“Smooth,” Kaito deadpanned. “Try again.”

I flushed red, trying to act nonchalant. “Just… warming up!” I said, shaking it off like a pro… and promptly tripped again.

He sighed and stepped closer. “No, no, no. Stand like this.” He adjusted my shoulders, my waist, and finally my feet. I froze internally. His hands brushed over my sides, my stance, my balance… Oh god… oh god… My face heated up instantly.

“Yuzuki! Focus! This is training! Not… not… panic central!” I reminded myself, trying to take a deep breath.

“Better,” Kaito said. “Now move.”

I took cautious steps, careful to stay inside the lines. Too cautious. I overcompensated on a side step, wobbled, and nearly fell into him. My face went bright red.

“Careful,” Kaito said, sighing as he steadied me upright. “I said precise, not desperate.”

“Not desperate!” I mumbled, glancing away, my ears practically burning. “Oh my god, he’s touching me… calm down, Yuzuki, this is just movement training, don’t faint.”

I started over again, slower this time, repeating each step under his watchful eye. He occasionally touched my shoulders or feet again, correcting my balance. Every time, my heart skipped and my brain screamed, “Why is he so close?! Why is this happening?!”

Kaito finally let me try without touching me. “There. Now do five rounds of this, back and forth, without overstepping. Keep your eyes up, and focus.”

I nodded vigorously, almost tripping again from my own nerves. Each movement felt like a battle, not against Kaito, not against me, but against my own flustered brain.

By the time I finished the fifth round, I was sweating, my legs shaking, and my face red enough to rival a tomato. Kaito merely shook his head. “You survived. Barely. Next drill, and it gets harder.”

I muttered under my breath, trying to regain some dignity. “Next drill? What, are we running from drones while I blush uncontrollably? Please don’t let it be like that…”

SECOND DRILL: Dodging and avoiding drones.

Kaito activated the small training drones, and I immediately regretted not asking if they shot harmless stun beams until I felt the first zap.

“Move!” Kaito commanded, stepping back.

I jumped, rolled, and flailed like a fool. A second zap hit my arm, and I yelped. “Ow! Okay… okay, got it!”

“You’d be dead five times already if this was real,” Kaito said flatly, his eyes tracking my every clumsy movement.

I froze mid-roll, face heating. “Five… times?! Are you kidding me?!”

He didn’t even blink. “Nope. And that’s just your first minute.”

Panic made me stiff, my movements jerky, and I got zapped two more times. Each beam felt like a small reminder that I wasn’t exactly ready for the field.

Slowly, under his guidance, his voice calm, his corrections sharp, I started moving more naturally. Step, roll, duck, slide. My dodges became smoother, and my body started remembering what to do without thinking.

I bit my lip, determined. “I can do this… I will nail this… and maybe impress him too.”

Kaito smirked, though he didn’t say much. Just a quiet, “Better.”

I got competitive, swearing silently to myself. Every zap that hit me fueled my determination. Every successful dodge made my chest swell. By the end of the round, I stood with my hands on my hips, chest out, smirking as if I had conquered the world. “Not bad, huh?” I said nonchalantly, trying to sound cold and cool.

Kaito glanced up from his console. “You would’ve been dead… fourteen times if this was real.”

My smirk faltered. “W-what?”

He shrugged. “Don’t feel down. This is just the start. You’ve got a long way to go, and we’re far from done.”

I groaned, crossing my arms. Annoyed, yeah. But determined? Absolutely. If I wanted to be a part of this team, a real part, I had no choice.

I nodded, gripping my fists. “Alright. Next round. Let’s go.”

Kaito ramped up the difficulty. The drones multiplied, their beams faster, darting unpredictably across the room. My heart raced, and sweat dripped down my face. I felt my lungs burning, my legs heavy, and for a second, I wanted to throw in the towel.

But then I remembered Rin, her energy, her determination, and Kaito. How they believed in me. How they trusted me to improve and actually contribute. I couldn’t give up now.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to move. Step, roll, duck, slide. Step, roll, duck, slide. Slowly, a rhythm emerged. My dodges became smoother, more fluid, almost instinctive.

A drone shot directly at me. I twisted, rolled, and then, without thinking, I spun under its beam and rolled again, coming up behind it. My chest heaved, and I froze, glancing up at Kaito.

He was smiling. Smiling. Not just a smirk or a teasing glance, a real smile. “Not bad. You might actually survive out there,” he said, eyes glinting with a rare spark of approval.

I felt my face heat up instantly, a blush creeping across my cheeks. I tried to act nonchalant, hands on my hips, voice low and smug. “Told you I’d get it.”

Kaito said nothing further, just kept watching, and I let my adrenaline carry me through the rest of the drill. Each dodge, each roll, each narrowly avoided beam made me feel… alive. Stronger. More capable.

By the end, my legs were jelly, my chest heaving, but a grin spread across my face. I had pushed myself, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I might actually be ready for what’s coming.

I collapsed onto the mats, letting out a shaky breath that turned into a small laugh. My chest heaved, my arms tingled from all the dodging and rolling, and sweat was plastered across my hair and clothes. I felt like I’d run a marathon while being shot at by every drone imaginable.

Kaito stepped closer and tossed me a water bottle. “Here. You did better than I expected,” he said, his tone flat but… there was that faint glimmer in his eyes again.

I grabbed it, taking a long swig, trying to catch my breath. “Better than expected?” I repeated, smirking despite my exhaustion. “You mean finally competent?”

He let out a small chuckle, which made my heart skip a beat. “Sure. Competent enough not to get us killed tomorrow.”

I flopped back onto the mat, staring at the ceiling, letting my limbs relax. A week ago, I could barely hold a blaster properly. Now… I had just spent the evening dodging flying drones and not getting zapped more than a dozen times. Well, that was a victory in my book.

“You’re improving fast,” Kaito added, crouching nearby, hands resting on his knees. His eyes lingered on me for a beat longer than necessary, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Then, just like that, he turned back to the console in the corner, pretending he hadn’t just been watching me.

I shook my head, a small laugh escaping me. “Okay… that smirk? Totally unnecessary,” I muttered under my breath. My cheeks heated a little, but I forced myself to focus.

“I still have a long way to go, though,” I admitted, sitting up and stretching my arms above my head. “One more week, and maybe I won’t embarrass myself in front of you or Rin.”

Kaito tilted his head slightly, not looking at me directly. “You’ll be fine. As long as you keep at it, you might actually survive the infiltration tomorrow.”

I blinked. Survive? The thought made my stomach twist, excitement and nerves battling inside me. “Yeah… survive,” I echoed softly, more to myself than to him.

He didn’t say anything after that, just turned to adjust something on the console. I noticed the faintest lingering glance he threw my way before he looked completely focused again. I didn’t blush this time, at least not outwardly. Inside… I was screaming.

I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, taking one last look at the basement. My legs were still shaky, my muscles screaming, but my heart felt a strange mixture of pride and adrenaline.

“See you tomorrow,” Kaito said casually as I moved toward the stairs.

“Yeah… see you tomorrow,” I replied, my voice steadier than I felt.

Walking home that night, I kept replaying the training over and over in my head. Each dodge, each roll, each drone I managed to avoid, it all made me feel stronger. More capable. And yes… a little nervous. Because tomorrow wasn’t practice. Tomorrow was the real infiltration.

But for the first time in a long while, I felt ready.