Gu Jin nodded at Lin Yue's words, her fingers gently closing around the small box.
The party ended not long after, with laughter and lingering hugs echoing in the hallway as the team slowly went their separate ways. Gu Jin walked back to her dorm alone under the silver glow of moonlight.
The moment the door closed behind her, the room fell silent. She sat on the edge of her bed, the unopened box resting on her lap. Her fingers hesitated at the ribbon for just a second before she pulled it free and lifted the lid.
Inside, nestled on black velvet, was a single golden feather.
Her breath caught.
....................................
Weeks ago, in one of their first joint training sessions, Instructor Luo had called the entire team together.
They sat cross-legged on the grass under the morning sun, still unsure of each other, still testing the waters of teamwork.
Luo stood before them, his hands behind his back.
