[Yuki Kazu]

After round one of the exams and talking to a few individuals about it, Haruka and Asahi in particular, Kazu was finally starting to feel better about what had happened. Still, he couldn't stay in his room. The same room that Tokaku had been in. It felt hollow and empty, too much of a reminder that she was gone. He sat in the back of the dormitories. Contemplating what he would do in the coming rounds. He didn't want anyone else to die for sure, but he wasn't sure if it'd be the same groups going forward, or if they'd be paired differently. There was too much uncertainty in it all.

Still, now wasn't the time to worry, he had a couple days for that. For now, he needed to relax. He could only worry about it so much before it became all he did. It wasn't of any benefit either, there was very little point to it. So instead, he sat down in the grass behind the dorms. 

[Nara Yoru]

Round one was more painful than Yoru thought, "losing" his beloved was too much for him, the weight of guilt too, the boy kept mulling over in his head the idea that he could sacrifice himself in her place, just to see her sweet smile once again, the Nara gets up from the bed, trying not to think about that, about the possible death of his beloved.

Yoru slowly walked out of the dorm, looking at nothing with his usual lackluster gaze, "I can't get over it, I don't want to lose her, I have to learn to bear the loss, just like Toshizou-san." The boy thought about it, while hitting a wall by the immersion of his thoughts, the young Nara puts his hand on his forehead and leaves that facility, trying to find somewhere he can think more clearly, on useful things like strategies, he walks a bit around the area until he finds a grass behind the dorm, where he finds someone familiar, "Kazu-san, huh? It's good to see you again... How is the situation at Tokaku for you...?" The tone that the boy used was a serious tone, but it carried a hidden sadness, it also reinforced the dull look in the Nara's black eyes, which looked seriously at Kazu.

[Yuki Kazu]

Kazu's rest was interrupted by none other than Yoru Nara. His former teammate from the first round of the exams. The one that had gotten his final kiss from his lover as she sacrificed herself. "I-I'm doing okay, Yoru. No need for honorifics, we survived round one together." He would say. Usually, his sensei or teammates back in Yukigakure would get mad at him for disregarding honorifics. But they weren't here. Granted, neither was Tokaku. 'Stop, you need to focus on the second round.' He would think to himself. Continuing to look at his former teammate, "How are you doing, I know you two were... more than close. It has to have been hard." But at least Yoru didn't have the empty bed next to him every night. Always a constant reminder to Kazu that he'd caused her sacrifice. He wasn't the only one to blame, but he was one of the offenders. 

[Nara Yoru]

Yoru seemed to express a surprised reaction when Kazu dismissed the honorifics, the Nara didn't think it was impolite, maybe the Yuki was speaking on an equal footing between them, if that were true it would be something very interesting in the eyes of the young genius, who seemed to rub his eyes and look around, looking a little uneasy. "It may seem strange, Kazu... But do you like to think? Thinking about strategies and tactics for the good functioning of a group, for me if the brain is working well, the body will work the same way, I get asking me about it." Yoru seemed to exchange serious words with Kazu, apparently trying to divert tokaku's subject, he was already learning to overcome the loss, but even so the boy was restless, like how a genius who knows everything don't know how to control his own feelings? Yoru was drowning in these thoughts, showing a serious face.

Yoru snapped back to reality when Kazu mentioned Tokaku again, he sighs, as if trying to find courage to say something. "I have to get over it, no matter if my world falls apart, if my legs and arms are taken away, as long as I have a healthy and functional mind I must get over the loss, we really were close and I would be very sad if she really has died, but if I persist in it, I could never evolve as a shinobi and it's something I don't want and I imagine she wouldn't like." Another serious exchange of words, the Nara didn't really seem to like talking about it, although it was necessary, the boy looks away, waiting for an answer from Kazu.

[Yuki Kazu]

The conversation was naturally more serious than most Kazu had. They were talking about someone's death after all. Kazu was asked if he liked to think about strategies and tactics. The simple answer was yes, it was giving him an edge even though it had only recently been pointed out by his sensei. Prior to that, he did it without even realizing. Now that he was aware of it, his strategy had only gotten better. "I do yea, it's something that I've only recently been made aware of. I used to do it more subconsciously than anything. That being said, I also try to give myself an edge before any type of fight happens. Studying my opponent's abilities beforehand, seeing what they can and can't do, what they excel at. Though, I generally don't give the information I have to anyone, apologies."

Yoru was taking the loss of Tokaku fairly well, all things considered. He needed to move past it for sure, but he also needed to grieve. He took in the boy's words, then spoke. "You're right that you are gonna have to get past this. But, that doesn't mean you should just go forward. Sometimes you have to stand still, allow yourself to grieve. And, when you're ready, then you can start moving forward again. She might not like you standing still on her account for a bit, but it's needed sometimes." Kazu finished, his sensei's wisdom was starting to rub off on the boy it seemed.