Raito rose before the sun.
The room was dark and still, only faint glimmers of early light slipping in through the parted curtains. Emi lay quietly nestled in her carrier at the foot of the bed, her little chest rising and falling in rhythm with the softest of snores. Raika was curled into a tight ball under the sheets, hair mussed, her arm flung over a pillow. Yumi lay facing the opposite way, still deep in sleep, her lips parted slightly.
He moved soundlessly.
Years of practice made his routine efficient: teeth brushed, hair tied loosely back, face washed. The sink barely made a sound under his practiced hands. He slipped on a hoodie and dark pants, neat but casual, then returned to the main room and sat on the sofa.
He picked up the TV remote and turned the volume down low—barely above mute—and flicked through channels until he settled on an old rerun of Kawai Kitty Adventure Parade. He didn't smile, didn't even react, but his eyes lingered on the screen for a moment longer than necessary before he leaned back and folded his arms.
Behind him, the girls began to stir.
It started with Raika shifting in bed, groaning into her pillow like she'd been rudely awakened by life itself. She sat up slowly, squinting in the dim light like a confused cat. Yumi followed a few minutes later, blinking blearily as she rubbed at her eyes and sat up straight.
"…You're already up?" Raika mumbled, her voice hoarse with sleep.
Raito didn't look away from the TV. "I always am."
"That's creepy," she muttered.
Yumi yawned beside her. "What time is it?"
"Almost six."
"Why."
"You have a schedule," he said simply.
Raika groaned again and flopped backward on the bed. "Don't remind me."
Eventually, after much dragging of feet and shared yawns, the girls got up to do their morning routines. Raito remained on the sofa, flicking to the local news and watching with vague interest as weather maps flashed across the screen, predicting a clear and sunny day in the mountains.
Emi woke last, blinking up at the ceiling with wide eyes before stretching her tiny arms upward. Raito picked her up effortlessly and balanced her on one arm while prepping a bottle one-handed. She gurgled happily when he handed it to her, content to drink while perched on his lap.
By the time Raika and Yumi emerged from the bathroom—hair combed, teeth brushed, and faces washed—Raito was already on his second cup of black coffee. He gave them each a glance, then Emi a pat on the back.
"You're finally human again," he said dryly.
Raika rolled her eyes. "Barely."
Yumi chuckled as she collapsed onto the second bed. "Do all insurance agents wake up at ungodly hours?"
"Only the good ones," Raito said flatly.
Raika plopped down on the edge of the sofa beside him and took a sip from a can of cold milk tea she'd grabbed from the hotel mini fridge. She stared at the screen for a second, then remembered something.
"Oh, right—the schedule."
"Finally," Raito muttered.
She pulled her phone from her pocket, thumbed through her messages, and opened the itinerary that had been sent out to all students and guardians.
"Okay, so today's mostly orientation stuff," she said. "We're supposed to meet up in the lobby at eight for a headcount, then they'll take us on a nature hike with guides. The teachers are planning a 'bonding exercise' and we'll stop by some waterfall or something along the way."
"Do I have to participate?" Raito asked immediately.
Yumi gave him a flat look. "You're not going to ditch us again, are you?"
"Depends on how boring the bonding is."
Raika smirked. "It's probably gonna be super cheesy. You know—'trust falls,' maybe yelling at trees about our emotions."
Raito said nothing. He merely took another sip of his coffee and stared forward like a soldier mentally preparing for war.
Raika scrolled down. "After the hike, we have lunch back at the hotel. Then there's a free period where people can either go to the lake, do indoor crafts, or just relax. In the evening, there's a group campfire thing."
Raito's eyebrow twitched. "Crafts."
"Yep."
"This is supposed to be educational?"
"Emotional education, maybe?" Yumi said, suppressing a laugh.
"I'll be skipping the glitter and glue," he said. "I have better things to do."
Raika gave him a side glance. "Like sneaking off again?"
He didn't answer.
Yumi looked between them and then glanced at Emi. "Well… at least we'll have the afternoon free."
Raika smiled faintly and leaned back against the sofa. "It might actually be nice."
As the others prepared for breakfast, Raito glanced at the schedule one last time. Kurai's sister… was still out there, somewhere in the same mountain range. But for now, he'd play along. Watch. Observe. Wait.
Because if anything unusual happened on this trip—if there was even the slightest sign that power was stirring from that sealed tomb—Raito would be ready.
He always was.