HSBA Delta Branch: Where Paths Cross Again - CHAPTER 19

[HSBA Delta Training Camp Branch — Administration Building | Conference Room | 9:43 A.M.]

The room remained silent.

Counselor Jeff stood beside Instructor Britney.

One hand rested gently against her shoulder.

Steady.

Patient.

Waiting.

Instructor Britney was still trying to calm herself.

Still trying to regain control.

Still failing.

Then—

A chair moved.

Everyone turned.

Instructor Ravielle had carefully risen from her seat.

For a few seconds—

She simply stood there.

Watching Instructor Britney.

Watching the younger woman struggle to hold herself together.

Something painful flickered through her eyes.

Regret.

The kind carried for years.

Then—

She took a slow step forward.

“…Britney.”

The room instantly quieted.

Instructor Britney looked up.

Their eyes met.

And for the first time—

Everyone noticed something unusual.

Instructor Ravielle looked nervous.

Actually nervous.

Then—

To everyone’s shock—

She lowered her head.

A full apology.

Instructor Faye froze.

Instructor Azhette’s eyes widened.

Instructor Monique nearly dropped the folder in her hands.

Even Instructor Jonathan stopped adjusting his glasses.

Nobody had ever seen Instructor Ravielle do that.

Then she spoke.

Softly.

“…I’m sorry.”

The room became completely still.

Instructor Ravielle swallowed once.

“…I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

Instructor Britney blinked.

Instructor Ravielle continued.

“When you needed someone.”

“When everything became difficult.”

“When you were carrying everything by yourself.”

Her voice trembled.

“If I hadn’t changed my number before, after all of you left…”

A bitter smile appeared.

“…maybe things would’ve been different.”

Instructor Britney’s eyes immediately filled again.

Instructor Ravielle looked down.

“Maybe you wouldn’t have suffered alone.”

“Maybe you would’ve called.”

“Maybe I could’ve listened.”

“Maybe I could’ve helped.”

Another pause.

Then her voice softened further.

“You already had your senior brother.”

She glanced briefly toward Counselor Jeff.

Then back at Instructor Britney.

“But you should’ve had your senior sister too.”

The tears finally escaped Instructor Britney’s eyes.

Instructor Ravielle smiled sadly.

“I should’ve been there to nag you.”

“To scold you when you overworked yourself.”

“To remind you to rest.”

“To tell you when you were being stubborn.”

A weak laugh escaped her.

“Which was often.”

Several people immediately laughed through tears.

Then Instructor Ravielle’s smile faded.

“But most importantly…”

Her voice broke.

“I should’ve been there during your darkest days.”

Instructor Britney immediately covered her mouth.

A sob escaped.

“…Leader…”

The room’s atmosphere shattered.

Instructor Sapphire wiped her eyes.

Hard.

“…Seriously.”

Instructor Skyrish pointed accusingly while crying.

“Why you didn’t tell us?!”

Instructor Amethyst nodded repeatedly.

“Exactly!”

Instructor Bailey folded her arms tightly.

“So what?”

“You thought you were protecting us?”

Instructor Raphael looked away.

“You should’ve trusted us.”

Instructor Nexcialine was already crying openly.

“We would’ve helped.”

Instructor Sahm nodded.

“No matter what.”

Instructor Patrick sighed.

“We’re family.”

Instructor Blade lowered his head.

“You weren’t alone.”

Instructor Bryce pointed dramatically.

“Do you know how offended I am right now?”

Nobody knew whether he was crying or angry.

Possibly both.

Instructor Louie shook his head.

“You carried everything by yourself.”

“That’s not fair.”

One after another—

The complaints continued.

Yet none of them sounded angry.

Only hurt.

The hurt of people who wished they had been allowed to help.

Nearby—

Trainee Kaycee quietly wiped her own eyes.

Because this was the first time she had ever seen this side of them.

This wasn’t an instructor group.

This wasn’t a professional team.

This was a family.

And one of their sisters had suffered alone.

Across the room—

The eight main instructors stood frozen.

The guilt hit them all at once.

Because they knew exactly what everyone was talking about.

The loneliness.

The distance.

The isolation.

The accusations.

The two lost years.

Then—

Instructor Britney slowly stepped away from Counselor Jeff.

Her hands trembled.

Her eyes remained red.

She looked around the room.

At every familiar face.

Every brother.

Every sister.

Then—

Without warning—

She bowed deeply.

“…I’m sorry.”

The room fell silent again.

Instructor Britney’s voice shook.

“I hid it from all of you.”

“I know.”

“I know I shouldn’t have.”

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

“But I knew what would happen.”

Nobody interrupted.

“I knew all of you.”

A small smile appeared.

“I knew exactly how you would react.”

She laughed weakly through tears.

“You would’ve taken my side immediately.”

“All of you.”

Instructor Bryce immediately nodded.

“Obviously.”

The room briefly laughed.

Even while crying.

Instructor Britney shook her head.

“See?”

“That’s exactly why.”

Her voice cracked again.

“I didn’t want any of you carrying my burden.”

The result was immediate.

Several people cried harder.

Instructor Nexcialine covered her face.

Instructor Sapphire groaned.

Instructor Skyrish looked genuinely heartbroken.

Instructor Patrick sighed deeply.

Then Instructor Bryce pointed again.

“You’re cruel.”

Instructor Britney blinked.

“What?!”

“We could’ve helped!”

Everyone immediately agreed.

“Exactly.”

“That’s right.”

“You are cruel.”

Instructor Britney could only lower her head again.

“…I’m sorry.”

Then—

She turned.

Toward Instructor Ravielle.

Slowly.

Quietly.

Until she stood directly in front of her.

Instructor Ravielle looked confused.

Then surprised.

Because Instructor Britney suddenly dropped to her knees.

“…Leader.”

The room froze.

Instructor Britney looked up.

Completely unable to stop crying.

Like a younger sister who had finally found home.

Instructor Ravielle’s eyes widened.

Then softened.

Without hesitation—

She carefully knelt down too.

Her uninjured hand gently wiped away Instructor Britney’s tears.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Even though her own tears were falling as well.

The sight nearly destroyed everyone.

Counselor Jeff quietly looked away.

Trainee Kaycee openly cried.

Several instructors sniffled loudly.

Then—

Instructor Ravielle suddenly smiled.

A teasing smile.

“…Who was the one who claimed she wouldn’t miss me after leaving?”

Instructor Britney froze.

The room blinked.

Instructor Ravielle continued.

“Who was the one who said she wouldn’t get attached?”

A pause.

Then she lightly tapped Instructor Britney’s forehead.

“And yet…”

“…she ended up searching for me everywhere towards other people.”

Instructor Britney immediately gasped.

“…Leader!”

Instructor Ravielle laughed.

Still crying.

“And every time she couldn’t find me in others—”

“Leader!”

“—she only got hurt in the end.”

“LEADER!”

The room erupted.

Instructor Britney immediately fake-pouted.

“You’re so mean!”

“Oh?”

“Yes!”

Instructor Britney dramatically clutched her chest.

“My heart is bleeding!”

She tapped her chest repeatedly.

“Look!”

“Right here!”

“It’s bleeding!”

Instructor Ravielle burst out laughing.

The others followed immediately.

Even through tears.

Then Instructor Britney suddenly pointed toward Counselor Jeff.

“It’s his fault!”

Counselor Jeff blinked.

“My fault?”

“Yes!”

“Everywhere you go people cry!”

The room exploded again.

Instructor Britney continued dramatically.

“You’ve been counseling people forever!”

“Look at this!”

She pointed around the room.

“Everyone’s crying!”

Counselor Jeff laughed helplessly.

“Britney.”

A pause.

“I’m a counselor.”

Another pause.

“That’s literally my job.”

The room laughed.

Then Counselor Jeff pointed toward everyone.

“If all of you decide to cry in front of me…”

“…that sounds like a personal problem.”

“COUNSELOR!”

The entire room protested simultaneously.

Even Trainee Kaycee.

Even Instructor Ravielle.

Even Instructor Britney.

Laughter echoed through the conference room.

Tears remained.

Pain remained.

Regret remained.

But now—

Nobody was carrying it alone.

And standing quietly at the edge of it all—

The eight main instructors watched in silence.

Because for the first time—

They were seeing the real Britney.

Not Instructor Britney.

Not the calm and professional Instructor Britney they’ve worked with every day.

But Britney.

A younger sister.

A friend.

Someone who laughed loudly.

Cried openly.

Complained dramatically.

And leaned on people she trusted.

The realization hurt.

Because after all these years—

They suddenly understood something painful.

They had spent one year trying to get closer to her.

Trying to know her best…

Yet the people standing around her now…

Already knew her heart.

And that realization hurt far more than any accusation ever could.

Because it made them wonder—

After all these years…

Had they ever truly known her at all?

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