HSBA Delta Branch: Where Paths Cross Again - CHAPTER 21

[HSBA Delta Training Camp Branch — Administration Building | Conference Room & Main Instructor Office | 10:03 A.M.]

The laughter slowly settled.

Not because the warmth had disappeared.

But because reality could no longer wait.

Around the conference table—

The eight chosen main instructors exchanged quiet glances.

Each of them still carried red eyes.

Each of them was still processing everything they had witnessed.

Yet—

Duty came first.

Instructor Sapphire noticed their wristbands one more time.

Then she smiled knowingly.

“…Go.”

Her voice was gentle.

“We’ll take care of everything here.”

No one argued.

No one needed convincing.

Instructor Faye slowly nodded.

“…Thank you.”

One by one—

Instructor Mark.

Instructor Landrieu.

Instructor Azhette.

Instructor Syndie.

Instructor Arch Jude.

Instructor Monique.

Instructor Jonathan.

Carefully gathered the graduation folders and evaluation reports that remained scattered across their section of the conference table.

The rustling of paper quietly replaced the laughter.

Folders stacked.

Pens collected.

Clipboards tucked beneath arms.

Nobody rushed.

Yet nobody lingered either.

Before leaving—

Instructor Faye stopped in front of Counselor Jeff.

An apologetic smile appeared.

“…Looks like we won’t be able to tour the camp with you today.”

She glanced at the thick stack of documents in her arms.

“Headmaster Gaius already wants all of the graduation records prepared for the ceremony.”

Counselor Jeff smiled warmly.

The understanding in his eyes came naturally.

“I understand.”

He lightly nodded toward Instructor Ravielle and the others.

“Besides…”

“I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to help me familiarize myself with the camp later.”

Several members of the group behind him immediately nodded.

Instructor Bryce even raised his hand dramatically.

“I volunteer!”

Instructor Bailey sighed.

“You volunteered before anyone asked.”

A few quiet chuckles escaped.

Small.

Gentle.

Enough to ease the awkwardness.

Instructor Faye bowed her head slightly.

“…Thank you for understanding.”

The other seven main instructors smiled apologetically as well.

Some offered polite bows.

Others simply gave awkward smiles while balancing stacks of paperwork in their arms.

They had promised him earlier.

They really had intended to show him around the HSBA Delta Training Camp Branch.

But promises sometimes had to wait.

Responsibilities could not.

With one final nod—

The eight main instructors silently left the conference room.

The door closed softly behind them.

Their footsteps echoed quietly through the long corridor.

Nobody spoke.

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable.

It was heavy.

Each step seemed slower than the last.

Their arms carried paperwork.

Their minds carried something much heavier.

Instructor Britney’s voice.

It refused to leave them.

“Didn’t all of you teach us that?”

“Team interests come before personal interests.”

“Not to make your family worry.”

“Not to burden your leaders.”

“To keep moving forward.”

“To do your best.”

“No matter what happens.”

Instructor Faye lowered her gaze.

Those words…

They weren’t wrong.

But they felt terrifying.

Not because of what they meant.

But because of how literally Instructor Britney had lived them.

Years.

Entire years.

Without asking anyone for help.

Then another thought surfaced.

Counselor Jeff.

Instructor Ravielle.

Neither of them had looked proud.

They had looked…

Heartbroken.

Guilty.

As though they recognized every single word.

As though they knew exactly where those beliefs had come from.

Instructor Landrieu quietly frowned.

How long have they all known each other…?

Instructor Azhette wondered the same.

Five years…?

Ten…?

Longer…?

Nothing about their reunion looked forced.

Nothing about their trust looked rehearsed.

Nothing about their affection could be faked.

Then—

One name echoed through every one of their minds.

Leader Hyacinth.

None of them had ever met the woman everyone called “Leader Hyacinth.”

In fact…

They knew almost nothing about her.

They didn’t know where she was.

They didn’t know what position she held.

They didn’t even know who she really was.

Was she another senior instructor from a different HSBA Branch?

Someone working directly under Headmaster Gaius?

A respected senior of the organization who had perhaps already retired?

Or simply someone they had never crossed paths with despite the vastness of the HSBA?

No one among the eight main instructors could answer those questions.

All they had were assumptions.

And far too many unanswered questions.

Yet one thing had become impossible to ignore.

Everyone who truly knew the woman they called “Leader Hyacinth” reacted exactly the same way.

The moment her name was mentioned…

Their posture instinctively straightened.

Their voices became more careful.

And behind the smiles and laughter…

There was an unmistakable respect that none of the eight main instructors could explain.

Which only led to another question…

Why…?

Why did everyone who truly knew Instructor Britney seem so determined to stay close to her?

To protect her.

To support her.

To believe in her.

A few minutes later—

The eight main instructors arrived outside the Main Instructors Office.

Instructor Faye shifted the heavy stack of folders against one arm before carefully pushing the office door then entered while still carrying nearly a dozen of folders.

Instructor Mark caught the door before it could swing shut.

The others filed inside.

Within moments—

The familiar sounds returned.

Folders opened.

Rubber stamps pressed against paper.

Pens scratched across signature lines.

Computer keyboards clicked.

Printers hummed quietly.

Everything looked normal.

Everything sounded normal.

Yet—

Nothing felt normal.

No conversations.

No casual jokes.

No teasing.

Only work.

Or rather—

The appearance of work.

Because nobody’s thoughts were actually on the paperwork.

Instructor Britney’s words still lingered.

So did Counselor Jeff’s response.

“That wasn’t supposed to mean suffering alone.”

“We taught responsibility…”

“Not isolation.”

Instructor Faye signed another document.

Without realizing—

She had written the wrong date.

She quietly crossed it out.

Started again.

Nearby—

Instructor Landrieu had been staring at the same page for nearly three minutes.

He hadn’t read a single word.

Instructor Jonathan typed the same sentence twice before deleting it.

Instructor Monique accidentally stamped the wrong folder.

Nobody commented.

Nobody had the energy.

Then—

Instructor Azhette looked up.

“…Syndie?”

No answer.

Instructor Syndie remained perfectly still.

One document rested quietly in her hands.

She wasn’t reading it anymore.

She was simply staring.

“…Syndie?”

Still nothing.

Then—

A single tear landed on the paper.

Instructor Syndie instinctively wiped it away.

Only—

Another tear followed.

Then another.

She blinked.

Confused.

Almost surprised.

As though she hadn’t realized she was crying.

The office slowly became silent.

Finally—

She spoke.

“When I was the one who needed reassurance…”

“…Britney noticed.”

Nobody interrupted.

“She told me not to doubt myself.”

“She reminded me…”

“…that I had earned my place.”

Her fingers tightened around the folder.

“She saw me struggling.”

“She wasn’t even here at that time.”

“She was supervising another branch.”

“She already carried responsibilities much bigger than ours.”

“…Yet she still found time to notice me.”

Another tear fell.

“But…”

“When she was the one suffering…”

“I was in the same branch.”

“I saw her every day.”

“…And I still couldn’t find the courage to stand beside her.”

The room remained completely still.

“I noticed too.”

“…But I stayed silent.”

Her voice broke.

“…Why couldn’t I do the same for her?”

“I wish…”

“…I had at least stood beside her.”

Silence.

Then—

Instructor Azhette slowly noticed the document still trembling in Instructor Syndie’s hands.

Trainee Ysabelle.

Instructor Britney’s assigned unit.

Below the evaluation—

Another familiar signature.

Reviewed on behalf of Instructor Britney — Instructor Maeve.

Instructor Syndie’s breathing faltered.

That single signature had reopened memories she thought she had already buried.

The personal message.

The one Instructor Britney had sent from her private number years ago.

Not to comfort her.

To correct her.

To stop her from measuring her worth against her own twin sister.

To remind her—

That positions were earned.

Not inherited.

That Instructor Maeve had earned hers.

And Instructor Syndie had earned hers too.

Not because of family.

Not because of recommendations.

Because of capability.

Because of responsibility.

Because she deserved it.

Back then—

Instructor Syndie had mistaken the message for a scolding.

Now—

She finally understood.

It had been reassurance.

Delivered the only way Instructor Britney knew how.

Around the office—

No one spoke.

Instructor Faye lowered her eyes.

Instructor Mark quietly clenched his jaw.

Instructor Landrieu remembered every time Instructor Britney had defended him from his older half-brother, Instructor Zhandrieu.

Instructor Monique and Instructor Jonathan felt the weight of the past settle even more heavily on their shoulders.

Neither of them could ignore it anymore.

Because the woman they had once portrayed as their bully…

Had quietly protected all of them.

Again.

And again.

Without ever asking for recognition.

Without ever asking for repayment.

Only now—

When it was far too late—

Did they begin to understand just how much she had carried alone.

Meanwhile—

Inside the conference room…

The laughter slowly faded again.

Not because the warmth had disappeared.

But because everyone had finally calmed down.

Instructor Britney quietly smiled.

She glanced around the room.

At every familiar face.

At every brother.

At every sister.

Then she gently shook her head.

“…Alright…”

A small chuckle escaped her.

“We’ve already spent enough time talking about me.”

Several people immediately looked at her.

Knowing exactly what she was doing.

Without waiting for anyone to object—

Instructor Britney slowly turned toward the young trainee sitting nearby.

Her smile softened.

“…Let’s talk about someone who’s going to need all of us from today onward.”

She looked directly at Trainee Kaycee.

Immediately—

Everyone’s attention shifted.

Not because Instructor Britney had ordered them to.

But because they understood.

She was gently steering the conversation away from her own pain…

And toward someone else’s future.

Trainee Kaycee blinked.

“…M-Me?”

Instructor Britney nodded.

“You.”

Before Kaycee could say another word—

Instructor Sapphire spoke first.

“We’ll need to rebuild her confidence.”

Instructor Raphael folded his arms.

“And prepare her mentally for her Second Day Zero Test.”

Instructor Bailey nodded in agreement.

“One failure doesn’t define a trainee.”

Instructor Patrick leaned forward.

“We should redesign her recovery schedule.”

Instructor Louie immediately added,

“And adjust it around her rehabilitation.”

Instructor Blade calmly nodded.

“We also need to monitor her physical conditioning while she’s healing.”

Before anyone else could continue—

Instructor Bryce suddenly raised his hand dramatically.

“I volunteer to supervise her confidence training!”

Instructor Nexcialine immediately raised her hand too.

“Me too!”

The room instantly became livelier.

“No.”

“I should handle it.”

“You’re both terrible influences.”

“Excuse me?!”

“You literally started crying first.”

“I was emotionally invested!”

“That’s not helping your case.”

Counselor Jeff blinked.

Then looked toward Instructor Ravielle.

“…Are they always like this?”

Instructor Ravielle sighed.

“…Unfortunately.”

“They’re actually being quiet today.”

Counselor Jeff stared.

“…Quiet?”

Instructor Ravielle nodded with complete seriousness.

“…Very.”

Counselor Jeff slowly looked back toward the arguing group.

“…I’m afraid to ask what ‘loud’ looks like.”

Nearby—

Instructor Britney simply shook her head.

A genuine laugh escaped her.

The sound immediately drew everyone’s attention.

For just a second—

The room fell silent.

Because they realized…

She was laughing.

Really laughing.

Not forcing herself.

Not trying to reassure anyone.

Just laughing naturally.

Instructor Ravielle smiled.

Then looked toward Trainee Kaycee.

“Kaycee doesn’t lack capability.”

Instructor Britney immediately nodded.

“She lacks confidence.”

Instructor Sapphire smiled.

“Confidence can be trained.”

Instructor Raphael crossed his arms.

“Fear can be trained.”

Instructor Bailey added calmly,

“Bad habits can be corrected.”

Almost simultaneously—

Instructor Bryce and Instructor Nexcialine spoke.

“…Except my eating habits.”

Silence.

Then—

Everyone answered at exactly the same time.

Including Instructor Britney.

Including Counselor Jeff.

Including Instructor Ravielle.

“…We’re talking about Kaycee.”

The inseparable twins froze.

They slowly scratched the backs of their heads.

“…Right.”

Both exchanged awkward glances.

Then laughed sheepishly.

“…Sorry.”

The room immediately burst into laughter again.

Even Counselor Jeff couldn’t help smiling.

Instructor Ravielle simply shook her head fondly.

“…You two never change.”

“They’re consistent.”

Instructor Patrick muttered.

“…Consistently hungry.”

“I heard that.”

“You were supposed to.”

Another wave of laughter spread throughout the room.

Trainee Kaycee looked from one face to another.

Still overwhelmed.

Just minutes ago…

Everyone had been comforting Instructor Britney.

Now—

Without hesitation—

The entire conversation had shifted toward helping her.

Toward making sure she wouldn’t face her next challenge alone.

Instructor Ravielle smiled reassuringly.

“…Alright.”

She looked around at everyone gathered.

“We’ll make sure she doesn’t face her Second Day Zero Test alone this time.”

Immediately—

Every single person nodded.

“Agreed.”

“Absolutely.”

“Count me in.”

“We’ll prepare together.”

“We’ll get her through it.”

“We’ll make sure she graduates.”

Trainee Kaycee’s lips trembled.

She slowly lifted her uninjured hand.

Only then did she realize…

Her cheeks were wet again.

Fresh tears quietly rolled down her face.

Not from fear.

Not from despair.

But because…

Without anyone asking.

Without anyone hesitating.

Her military family had already begun planning her future.

Her rehabilitation.

Her recovery.

Her training.

Her confidence.

Her Second Day Zero Test.

And beyond that…

Her graduation.

For the first time since her injury—

Trainee Kaycee truly believed…

She wouldn’t have to walk that path alone.

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