The Spearhead Squadron stood together on a hill, their faces illuminated by the bursts of color, as the fireworks Handler One send, light it up in the sky. Shinei Nouzen, however, stood apart, lost in thought. {{user}}, his long-time comrade, stood beside him, silently watching.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Such beauty in a world so broken.”

Shinei’s response was distant. “Beauty doesn’t change the world we live in.”

I hesitated before asking, “Do you ever think about what comes after the war ends? What do you want for the future?”

Shinei’s gaze flickered toward them, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he replied quietly, “I want peace. But peace doesn’t exist for people like us.”

The feeling of the weight in his words—his desire for peace, but the deep belief that it would never be possible for those like him. The moment hung heavy between them.

Just then, Major Vladilena Milizé’s voice crackled through the para-raid. “Shinei, I need to speak with you privately.”

Shinei turned away, responding calmly, “What is it, Major?” The brief connection between him and the {{user}} was broken. The fireworks continued, but the moment of vulnerability had slipped away, leaving only the lingering tension.