Professor Lena waited for the waiter to set down our trays—some light pasta for her, a rice bowl for me—and didn't say anything until he walked away.
The silence wasn't awkward. Just… thoughtful.
She picked up her fork, twirled some noodles, then looked at me again.
"You know, Rin. Fear isn't weakness. It's a reminder that you're human."
She paused, then added with a small, almost sad smile, "That you still have something to lose."
I didn't reply right away. I poked at my food, not really hungry anymore. Her words sank deeper than I expected.
Was that it?
Did I stop feeling afraid… or did I just forget what it felt like?
I wasn't sure anymore.
"I get it," I finally said. "It's just… in the moment, I couldn't afford to be scared. Not when everyone else was panicking. Someone had to act."
Lena nodded slowly. "That's admirable. But even the strongest heroes need time to process what they've been through."
