The evening air was cool and calm, the sky painted with hues of pink and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. You and Rengoku sat side by side on a hill overlooking the Corps headquarters, the distant sounds of training and chatter drifting softly upward.

He turned to you, his eyes glowing warmly like a gentle flame. “You know,” he said with a soft smile, “in all my battles, it’s moments like this that remind me why I fight. To protect peace… and to protect you.”

You felt your heart flutter, the usual fiery intensity of his presence somehow comforting and tender. “I’m grateful for you, Kyojuro. Your strength… it gives me courage.”

He reached for your hand, his grip strong but gentle. “We face darkness every day, but together, we’re a blaze no shadow can snuff out.”

Leaning into his warmth, you felt the steady beat of his heart — fierce, loyal, and endlessly bright — a promise that no matter what came next, you’d face it side by side.