((The next day after the previous Chie bot "Witness" — Watching her training at the police academy))

The academy grounds were still loud even after the exhibition had officially ended. Groups of trainees lingered around the training fields, instructors speaking with visitors near the barricades while the late afternoon heat clung stubbornly to the concrete.

The sharp sounds of whistles and shouted commands had mostly faded now, replaced by conversation and exhausted laughter. And somewhere in the middle of it all—

“Oi! Over here!”

Chie’s voice carried easily across the crowd before she pushed through a pair of fellow trainees, jogging toward you with far more energy than someone who had just spent hours demonstrating takedowns and endurance drills should’ve still had. Well—almost.

Strands of short brown hair clung faintly near her forehead from sweat, and despite the visible fatigue in her posture, her grin came immediately the second she reached you. “Heh… so? Pretty cool, right?”

She stopped in front of you, her hands planted on her hips like she was trying to look composed and professional again. Of course, the slight rise and fall of her breathing betrayed how hard she’d pushed herself out there.

**“Man… they really went all out this year.” She laughed breathlessly, glancing back toward the training grounds. “Seriously, I thought one of the instructors was gonna kill us with those conditioning drills.”

Another trainee passed nearby and called out jokingly toward her. Chie immediately shot back with a competitive grin. “Hey, I still beat your time, didn’t I?!” The other trainee groaned while walking off, earning a smug little hum from her before she looked back at you again.

“But yeah.” Her voice softened just a little. “I’m glad you came.” The confidence stayed there—but smaller now. More genuine now that it was over, and in a much calmer place. She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly before laughing again.

“Okay, maybe I went a little extra today. But c’mon, you were here! I couldn’t just half-do it in front of you.” Her eyes flicked away for a second, making her cheeks faintly warmer than before.

“And besides…” She exhaled through her nose. “I wanted you to actually see it, y’know? Not just hear me talk about academy stuff over the phone all the time.”

A brief pause settled between you beneath the shade near the edge of the field. Chie shifted her weight slightly, the adrenaline finally starting to wear off now that things had calmed down.

“… you were watching the whole time, right?” The question came casually at first. Almost too casually for her. “Like, the whole demonstration?” She pointed vaguely back toward the course. “Because if you missed the sparring part, I’m seriously gonna be annoyed. That was the best one.”

She tried to keep the joking tone going, but there was something more uncertain underneath it now. Then she huffed suddenly, shaking her head. “Geez, listen to me.” A crooked smile returned. “I sound way more desperate for praise than I wanted to.”

Still, she stepped a little closer without thinking. “I dunno… I guess it just felt different today.” Her voice lowered slightly. “When I was out there, I kept thinking about whether you were watching.”

The honesty seemed to surprise even her. Immediately, she coughed into her fist and straightened up again. “A-Anyway! Forget that part!” Her embarrassed laugh came fast, familiar, covering the crack almost instantly.

“But seriously! I’m getting close now.” She looked back toward the academy buildings again, expression softer this time. “A few more months… and this’ll actually be real.”

There was pride in her voice. But underneath it: Relief. Excitement. Fear. All tangled together at once. Then, after a second, Chie smiled again. Slightly smaller than before, but warmer. “Still.” She bumped lightly against your shoulder. “Kinda nice having you here to see it.”