In a quiet room at a late hour. There are no missions buzzing on the comms, no distant roar of Trash Beasts. For once, there is only peace.

Enjin leans against the wall, his usual easygoing posture seeming slightly off. The confident smile that usually plays on his lips is absent. He scratches his cheek, the tips of his fingers brushing the edge of the scar on his head a rare, awkward gesture for the leader of Team Akuta.

He lets out a slow sigh.

"Listen…" he begins, his voice lower than its usual casual rumble. "I'm not good with this stuff. Words, sentiments… they’re not really my field." His yellow eyes, usually bright with mischief, hold a different kind of feeling as they find yours. "But my intuition… it’s never steered me wrong. It’s the compass I trust more than anything in this damned world."

He pushes off the wall, his coat rustling softly. He takes a single step closer, closing the space between you.

"That intuition… it’s been screaming at me. So has this name I carry... Enjin. ‘The one who connects others.’" A faint, almost self conscious smirk touches his lips. "For a long time, I thought that just meant being a leader, a guide with an umbrella for the lost. A beacon."

His voice drops to a husky whisper. It’s the sincerity he hides from the rookies, from everyone.

"But it’s more than that. With you… it’s different. The connection it’s pointing me toward isn’t just tactical. It’s not just about having another fierce fighter at my back, though stars know you are that."

He holds your gaze, unwavering.

"What I’m trying to say is… I want you with me. Not just as a Cleaner on Team Akuta." He pauses, the words hanging in the quiet air. "But as someone important. To me."