After Ren left, only Mei and Kiana remained in the alley. For some reason, seeing her once best friend now avoiding her gaze, Kiana felt a heaviness in her heart.
But she skillfully hid her inner thoughts and grabbed Mei's wrist. "Mei, is what Ren said true? Did you really join The Obsidian Concord for my sake?"
"Kiana... I..." Faced with the girl's direct question, Mei's lips trembled, unsure how to confess.
Before, she could still put on a strong, aloof front. But now that Ren had revealed everything, how could she be cruel enough to keep hiding it? Besides, the reason she left in the first place was fear of worrying Kiana; somehow, they had ended up back at square one.
"Mhm." In the end, she could only lower her head silently. Just as she expected Kiana to get angry, she was instead gently embraced.
"Thank you, Mei." Kiana's voice was unexpectedly gentle, completely different from the Kiana Mei remembered.
Mei looked up, meeting those azure eyes. In that instant, the hardships of the past few months of wandering finally seemed worth it. She no longer had to hide; she could stand openly before Kiana again.
An unspoken bitterness surged in her heart. The strength she had forced herself to maintain crumbled completely in that moment. It felt like she was back three years ago, in the ruins of Nagazora City.
She was no longer the defiant Herrscher of Thunder facing Kevin, just an ordinary girl.
"I'm sorry..."
"Mm, it's okay," the girl replied softly, tilting her head. A smile curved her lips, like winter sunlight, completely melting away the months of icy distance between them.
Mei's eyes flickered. She suddenly understood why Ren had created The Obsidian Concord, why he had pushed Kiana onto the throne with all his might.
Perhaps... he just wanted that light to shine upon the entire world.
Understanding Ren's goal solidified Mei's own conviction in The Obsidian Concord's mission. She would be the sharp blade clearing obstacles for Kiana, forging the world the girl desired.
"Mei, now that you're back... will you leave again?"
"..."
"It's okay. I know you still have many things to do, Mei. When you left before, I was really worried. But now that I know why you left, I actually feel much more at ease."
"After all, I know... Mei, just like Ren, you're both protecting me in your own ways."
"...Kiana." Looking at the mature girl before her, Mei felt a sense of wonder. When had that impulsive girl grown up so much?
Perhaps... leaving back then had been the right decision. The one holding Kiana back... had actually been her.
...
Raiden Mei left, leaving Kiana behind with complex emotions swirling within her. Only when the alley was completely empty did a flicker of worry surface in her eyes.
Mei's return was unexpected. Although she now understood Mei's connection with Ren, somehow, the restlessness in her heart refused to dissipate.
She didn't know what she was worried about. Was it Mei's safety? Ren's secrets? Or was she worried... simply about herself?
"Your inner crack is widening constantly."
Those were the Herrscher of the Void's words. Kiana had initially dismissed them as mere manipulation tactics. But the feeling in her heart seemed to confirm Sirin's claim.
"Am I... sick?" Kiana murmured.
Only when she walked out of the alley, heart full of apprehension, and saw the boy standing under the streetlight, smiling at her, did the unease finally begin to fade.
After retrieving their clothes from the store, evening arrived. The distant setting sun hung like a crimson disc, much of its body hidden behind the shadows of tall buildings.
Back home, Himeko had already returned. Wendy and Eden, however, were still out due to concert-related matters.
With only the three of them home, Ren personally cooked a lavish dinner.
After eating and cleaning up, he retreated to his own room.
Kiana, after some internal debate, knocked on Himeko's door.
"Himeko-sensei?"
"What's up?" Himeko was currently tidying her room; with autumn approaching, seasonal clothes needed organizing.
"..." Kiana opened her mouth slightly but didn't speak.
When she first noticed the restlessness inside her, Himeko was the first person she thought of. After all, back at the academy, Himeko had often helped her sort things out.
But now that the moment was here, the words felt difficult to say.
Himeko, busy folding clothes, didn't notice Kiana's odd behavior. From her perspective, she'd chatted with Ren that morning, then the two had spent the whole day shopping, and they seemed fine when they returned that evening.
She assumed they had finally confessed to each other and their relationship had deepened.
"Right, where are those clothes I packed for you? Don't tell me they're still stuck in Imaginary Space."
Before the trip to Coral Island, Himeko had prepared a large suitcase of clothes for Kiana. Unfortunately, the suitcase remained unopened throughout the entire ordeal.
"Mhm." Kiana nodded mutely and retrieved the suitcase from her personal space.
"Sigh, now that you two are dating, you should at least put in some effort! Did you forget what I packed for you?"
Himeko opened the suitcase, revealing meticulously chosen lingerie, including some rather revealing pieces clearly not meant for everyday wear.
"These clothes... don't really suit me." Just looking at the styles made Kiana blush. She couldn't imagine herself wearing them.
"Eh? What do you know? When couples are dating, appropriately showing off your feminine charm is key to keeping the other person hooked!"
"But Himeko-sensei... you've seemingly never dated anyone..." Kiana pointed out weakly.
Himeko, who had been lecturing enthusiastically, froze mid-sentence. She stubbornly retorted, "Even if I haven't dated, doesn't mean I haven't researched! It's not my fault I couldn't find a boyfriend; those guys just had poor taste."
"Oh."
"Oh, your head! Spill it, how far have things gone between you and Ren?" If Kiana kept talking like this, Himeko felt her 30 years of single-life resentment might boil over. She quickly changed the subject, redirecting the focus onto Kiana.
However, faced with Himeko's question, Kiana's face was completely blank.
"Me... and Ren?"
"Yeah! Haven't you two been dating for ages?" Himeko gave her an 'don't-play-dumb-with-me' look.
But the response she got was even more bewildered silence. "Are... we dating?"
"How could you not be? You..." Himeko, assuming Kiana was joking, started to continue, but then realized something seemed wrong. Kiana's expression didn't look fake.
It seemed... she genuinely didn't know she was dating Ren.
"Wait a second..."
Himeko's expression suddenly turned serious. She finally realized where the strong sense of dissonance came from. Recalling Ren's attitude that morning, she abruptly understood she might have made a critical error in judgment.
"Kiana, do you... know what [like] means?"