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the fire and the flood.

The smell of smoke was still different. It wasn't the same as the day of the fire. That day the air seemed to scream, it was too hot, it tasted like the end of the world. But even so, the smell of smoke now made Taichi's stomach turn.

He tried to hide it. He took a deep breath, with his mask already hanging around his neck, his boots still a little loose on his feet. The others were excited. They laughed, threw water at each other as if it were just another child's game.

But for him it wasn't.

Not at all.

Taichi stood there, standing at the edge of the courtyard, watching the metal structure set up to simulate a house on fire. They were going to go in there, into the real fire. He felt cold sweat running down his back, his hands tingling. And suddenly, it was as if he were back at that night again. The crack of wood breaking, his mother's voice calling his name for the last time, and the scream of his little brother he never heard again.

"Hey."

Taichi turned his face too quickly, as if he had been caught in something embarrassing. It was Haruto, one of his classmates he barely knew but whose face he would see many times from now on. "Are you okay?" Haruto asked.

Taichi tried to smile, but it stopped halfway. "Just.. memories." Haruto nodded, as if that was enough. As if he didn't need any more explanation.

"Want to stay with me on the first roubd?" He offered, adjusting his helmet on his arm. Taichi hesitated. But then he took a deep breath, this time letting it in slowly.

"Yea.. thanks."