Jin woke before the sun.
He sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders, letting the stiffness in his muscles settle before pushing himself to his feet. The school was quiet, the only sounds coming from the soft wind outside and the distant shuffling of those on the last shift of night watch.
For a moment, he simply stood there, taking in the stillness.
It had been a long time since he'd woken up like this—before the chaos, before the noise. It reminded him of those early mornings back at the station, when Ryu would wake them up before dawn for training. Back then, it had felt like a punishment. A cruel routine designed to break them.
Now, he understood.
Jin walked to the nearest window and glanced outside. The horizon was painted in deep blues and the first hints of gold, the sky slowly bleeding into the light of a new day. The reinforced gate stood tall at the school's entrance, the watchtowers looming over the perimeter, the training grounds still and untouched.
