The weather became chillier for Daichi. His room was as cold as ice. No matter how many layers of clothing he put on, his fingers still felt numb while holding his pencil.

It's like an avalanche overcame his house, or maybe it was him only. Maybe Oriana was to blame for the icy weather. Ever since that strange guy appeared with the creepy mask and that black robe, he knew his chances of keeping Oriana to himself were slim.

Shit, why is it so cold.

Daichi had to do something about this cold, something that could distract him, but she was gone forever and he might never even recover. Would she ever recover? Her words were only in case she couldn't come back, but they felt like final words to Daichi. They crashed into his heart like a wave of ice. He wondered if she would miss him while she was gone. Would it be forever? Was there no way she could visit him? Would she even… survive to do so?

The first time he saw her talking with Suga outside the volleyball club gym, he knew she was something special. Maybe it was the colour of her eyes, maybe it was the way she laughed. Oriana came into his life so casually and managed to leave such a big scar on his heart. He had been hoaxed and confused from the start, but even so, he loved her.

Daichi got up from his homework to turn on the heater. It has to be something he could do about the cold.

There was nothing he could do though, because it was his heart that was freezing.

Unable to run back home, Oriana dragged her feet on the road. She knew it was the right thing to do, to break up with Daichi, to spare him from any more pain.

As soon as she got inside of her house, she wrapped her arms around herself and let the back slide down the door. It was like a drowning sensation and this time there was no hand reaching out to her. She was the one who did it, she would die for him, she was going to if she had to. She could never promise to come back, it was war and there was no way to know what was going to happen. Who even knew she had the guts to break up with Daichi face to face.

"What are you even doing?"

Oriana heard the disembodied voice, but didn't look up for a while.

"Hey, bean. Are you feeling okay?" the voice persisted.

"Yeah." Oriana sighed, pulling herself up. "I took too long. We lost the boat, didn't we?"

"What were you even doing? You said it would be quick."

"Well, it wasn't." she said.

Although Zora's questions weren't over yet.

"What about your friend, is he coming?"

"I couldn't talk to him, but I can leave a message." her voice became weaker as she spoke. "He can meet us there if he wants."

Oriana felt Zora's presence following her to the living room. He sat across from her, leaning his elbows on the table while she pretended to be interested in the program on the TV.

"Did you even tell anyone you're leaving?"

"I'm leaving them a letter."

"Don't do that."

"What?" Oriana glanced sideways in his direction.

"Don't leave letters. It sucked when you did that." he reprimanded, his eyes narrowed at the TV screen.

Oriana remembers the day she wrote two separate letters. Those two letters were not to end friendships, but to reassure them. A letter was left for the Black Bulls, clarifying why she left and asking to announce her death to the other squads. The second one was for Zora only, although with different words, the intent was the same as her last conversation with Daichi. The Black Bulls were the family she chose, as much as she wanted to leave, she didn't want to leave without an explanation. Those were always hard to do in person, so she wrote letters instead and maybe, one day, if she saw them again, she would have the chance to admit how much she missed them. That moment approached at a fast rate.

"Were you mad about the letter?"

"Furious." Zora answered honestly. "I deemed you a coward for running away. Didn't even tell me…"

Oriana bit the inside of her cheek, turning her glance back to the television.

"But I got over it. After that, I came to understand why." he continued.

"I explained better in the letter." Oriana said.

"I wish I had read it. It went directly to the trash." his tone seemed like he just delivered a joke, but he was dead serious.

"You didn't even read it? You suck."

"The shrimp took out the trash by the time I regretted it." Zora paused. "But you can tell me what was written on it."

"I don't remember." Oriana spitted out.

"Are you lying to me?"

"I'm not telling you." she corrected. "It's embarrassing. It doesn't even matter anymore."

"It doesn't matter, huh?" Zora murmured.

Oriana felt a pull in her chest after saying those words. She wouldn't take it back, but she wished she hadn't phrase it that way.

"For what counts, I'm sorry I didn't have anything to say that night." Oriana said, hoping this would make up for what she said before.

Oriana reminisced about the night after they defeated the demon and made amends with the elves. She didn't even wait to recover from her injuries, she took the last boat after writing the letters and left the Clover Kingdom, with an aching body and haunted heart. She had the chance to have a proper farewell with Zora, between leaving her letters and catching the boat, but she had nothing to say and left him standing in the hallway of headquarters.

With a wave of sorrowful memories, her eyes were clouded by everything she saw.

The day after, Oriana missed her classes once again, but by the time the club activities started, she waited for the volleyball club in the gym entrance wearing her Karasuno uniform one last time. Before leaving the house, Zora had to make his little comment.

You look ridiculous, he said

Remembering it made Oriana shift her weight to one leg and cross her arms. Zora was a big asshole when he wanted to be. This might be the last time they would see her and she wanted them to remember exactly like this. Their old highschool friend.

When the boys arrived, they were confused at first, but she asked them to hear her out. Conjoining all courage left in her, looking at Daichi for some reassurance and getting none, she was still able to muster the words she wanted to say.

"I'm leaving Karasuno High.''

At her first announcement, some of the boys started shouting questions, only to be reprimanded by Suga.

"I believe Daichi already told all of you that I'm not from here. My home is the Clover Kingdom, in the north. The family I left behind, they need me now. I have to help them." Oriana continued.

"But-But you can still come back here! You don't have to leave forever." Hinata blurted.

"That's the thing. I can't promise I'll be back. It's a dangerous mission, anything could happen." Oriana tried her best to not let her voice tremble, but they could see her shaking hands.

"No way…" Tanaka mumbled.

"Listen, Oriana, I don't really understand anything about mages or what is it that you guys do in the north." Nishinoya started. "But you shouldn't have to be put in danger like this. Do you really have to?"

"As a matter of fact, I don't." these words uplifted some of the long faces around Oriana. "However, if I have to choose between being in danger for my family or hide in the safety of my cowardice. I choose my family. Always." even if her eyes were filled with tears, her voice was assertive. "It hasn't always been like this, I've made many mistakes, but not anymore."

"We're gonna miss you, kid." coach Ukai showed up from behind the group, a little later than usual, but just in time for Oriana's farewell. "That's a very respectable attitude. Not everyone would have the courage to leave the comfort of their current lives for other people."

Suddenly, Oriana felt arms around her and was surprised to see Yachi bawling her eyes out into Oriana's shirt.

"I'm really gonna miss you." Yachi cried.

In a matter of seconds, more arms were surrounding her in a group hug. She couldn't stop her tears anymore as they ran down her cheeks.

"Thank you for being my Miyagi family, you guys," Oriana said. "One day, if I ever get to see you again, I'll tell you all about being a mage."

"We will hold you on to that!" Hinata shouted by her side, filling the collar of his own shirt with tears.

Taking a step back, Oriana cleaned her tears,

"There's one more thing. Suga, we could really use a mage with your level of magic, I'm sure your family is waiting for you too." Oriana held out her hand, waiting for Suga to grab it.

When they first met, Sugawara told Oriana about her family in the Coral Peacocks and every now and again, he would remember small stories from their adventures and how much he admired her captain, even asleep half of the time, Captain Dorothy was one of the strongest mages alive, her dream magic unbeatable to most.

Sugawara looked at the expectating faces around him. Oriana knew it was a lot to ask, he has lived in Miyagi for longer than she had, so she could imagine how hard it could be for her friend. However, Oriana also realized he held his peers in the Coral Peacocks close to heart.

"I'll do my best." Suga promised, holding Oriana's hand.

Then, Sugawara was also treated to a group hug from the Karasuno team.

"Yo, Kageyama!" Suga called. "I'm leaving this team to you."

"Yes, sir. I won't let you down." Kageyama bowed slightly to his older teammate. The torch as the official setter of the Karasuno team had been passed down.

As time was running out and as much as Oriana hated to rush these moments, they had to leave. After a few individual good-byes, it truly was time to go. Sugawara and Oriana ran down the hill to meet with Zora in Oriana's house, with the winds of tomorrow hitting their faces, their tears flew into the air.

"We are idiots for leaving something so good as this, aren't we?" Suga asked jokingly, laughing.

"You're an idiot. I'm an idiot. We're the co-presidents of Club Idiot."