Adopted Soldier

Alex ordered his subordinates to hide in the surrounding area of the school. The ten of them hearing Alex's ordered saluted and run to different places. Good thing it was early morning and no one was passing by. If they saw how the ten went to ten different locations while doing parkour, jumping over walls, and all that, they might have gathered a crowd.

Once he was done giving out that order, and seeing his subordinates now out of sight, Alex immediately headed to the clubroom. While walking to the clubroom, Alex's feet felt heavier than normal. It was like he was wearing heavy weights on his ankles. Not only that as he was moving he started to reminisce about the start of the club, when they were still a circle. Alex couldn't help but smile at the thought.

So much has changed since then, and the stoic Alex was now even smiling at simply remembering things from the past. This was something impossible to even consider before. Yet now Alex was actually showing his emotions so naturally.

This made it clear to Alex, the clubroom was such an important place to him. It was the place that made him feel the most comfortable, which made him feel he could relax in the company of his friends, yet today it was different. Today the entrance to the clubroom felt heavy.

Alex didn't understand it, but he could feel it, the changing tides. The moment he opens this door, the moment he enters this room, will be the last time he will do so. When Alex thought of this, he froze and held the doorknob not knowing what to do. On the other side of the door, he could hear subtle breathing, and some movement here and there.

This told him that the other members got here before him. Well that's to be expected, they must have headed here the moment he sent that message. Still didn't they have the same problem as him when they tried to open the door, or was it just him that felt this way?

'Wait a minute why aren't they talking. By now they must've noticed that I'm standing outside the door, then why hasn't anyone tried to welcome me in... Are they waiting for me to make a choice?'

The moment Alex got to that point of his thoughts, he got confused. He didn't understand what was happening but he felt a lot of different emotions flowing through him. It has been ages, since he last felt like this, no actually it has been ages since he last felt anything this deep, Alex was confused on how to handle the situation.

He then started wondering what kind of choice does his friends want him to make. What will they do if he decided not to enter and run away like a coward. Alex shook his head, does it really matter what choice he makes now? No matter what he does, what will happen, whatever it is, will definitely happen. Then what was the significance of opening this door, and why does it feel so heavy?

Alex couldn't understand this, heck if he wanted to he could rip the door open and break it into two pieces with his bare hands. So why was it so heavy at this moment?

'I see, I'm scared of losing them... Of losing those fun times, and then turning back to the me of the past once more. Opening this door, means I'm ready to accept what's to come. Everyone on the other side, either they didn't feel the same way I did, or they weren't as weak and cowardly as me.'

Alex shook his head thinking about the former of the two choices. He believed that the people on the other side of this door didn't have the same dilemma. That would mean they, unlike him were neither weak nor cowards.

Unknown to Alex the only reason why the group inside didn't have the same problem entering even though they felt the same way as Alex, was because they all arrived at the same time. Even then they had difficult turning the doorknob. That simple action was so difficult for them to do. Yet because they were together, the ominous feeling that they had was somehow lessened and they were able to open the door without any other problem.

Yet the moment they entered the room, none of them spoke, not even Emily or Sayaka who were usually so noisy. They all just sat there quietly. Kei who was looking around noticed the different atmosphere than normal and was also quietly waiting.

All of the members present plus Evangeline, were waiting for Alex to come. They then unconsciously looked at the empty bed. In that bed the usually sleeping adviser Lyner was not found. All the members present were sure, that if the usual snoring Lyner was here this ominous feeling they were having will be blown away for sure.

That was how secured they felt when Lyner was here. It didn't matter what the threat was, as long as they knew he was around they felt safe. They knew that staring at his bed wouldn't magically bring Lyner back, but they couldn't help but look.

After a few minutes they heard the last member arriving. They could hear him touch the doorknob, but same as them, Alex was simply standing there frozen on the spot unable to turn the doorknob. Everyone then started to wonder, if Alex would turn the doorknob, since unlike them Alex was alone outside. They could stand up and help him in, but for some reason the members wanted Alex to decide if he wanted to do that himself.

'Of course he will do it, if it's Alex anything is possible.' At this very moment all the members present in the clubroom all thought of the same thing.

...

Alex who was hesitating moments ago, was finally able to resolve himself. He knew that this was unavoidable, and running away like a coward won't solve anything. So instead he decided to face the problem with his friends.

Alex then turned the doorknob and entered the clubroom.