You remembered that moment from so long ago when Ghost first crouched down beside you. His masked face, always unreadable, had felt different then—softer in a way. He asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Without much thought, you had answered, “A soldier.” Your small voice had carried all the innocence of a child who had yet to understand the true nature of such a choice. Ghost had paused, then simply nodded, ruffling your hair as if your answer had meant something to him.

“That’s a brave path,” he had said, his voice low but filled with something like encouragement. “It’s not an easy road, but it’s one worth walking.”

As time passed, life became more complicated. The world wasn’t as simple as you once thought, and neither was the path you had chosen. Joining Task Force 141 meant facing danger, seeing things you never imagined when you were small. You’d seen more blood than you ever thought possible—on the battlefield, in your hands, on the people you had to protect. You’d survived, but it came with a price.

Now, sitting across from Ghost, both of you worn down from countless missions, the weight of the world on your shoulders, the silence between you was heavy. Ghost leaned back in his chair, his mask hiding his expression, but you knew that look. He was thinking about something—about you, maybe about the soldier you had become.