If someone had told me I'd one day fly on the back of a giant ice bird, I would've laughed and told them they needed sleep. Yet here I was — and Kokonoe-kun had been right. It really was the fastest route.
No wonder he could travel between Romania and home in just a few hours.
We were high enough to overtake most planes, and eventually the cold began creeping into my bones.
Kokonoe-kun noticed immediately and handed me his jacket.
Then Haruka-chan pulled me close, her warmth cutting through the wind and keeping me steady.
Kokonoe wore a hoodie, Haruka a sweater. Of course — snow people don't feel the cold like humans do. I've been around the supernatural for a while, but some things still take getting used to. Even my own healing power.
When we reached Romania, Kokonoe-kun's expression shifted, sorrow threading through it. He didn't stop — not really — but his gaze lingered on the cities below, on the curves of the Carpathians, on places that clearly meant something to him.
"Sometimes I wonder what kind of ancestral curse was placed on this country," he sighed, voice low enough for the wind to almost take it.
"What do you mean…?" Haruka asked softly from beside me, her tone gentle, the kind she used when she wasn't sure if a question would hurt.
"As if servitude to foreign powers wasn't enough… we got vampires too." He let out a small, dry chuckle.
I already knew how much he disliked France and the whole political mess tied to it. But he also knew we had nothing to do with the decisions powerful people made. That was just who he was. Sharp, but fair.
Haruka tilted her head.
"…Even so," she murmured, "you speak about it like it hurts you more than it should. A country isn't defined by the things that fed on it. People live there. You lived there."
Her words were soft, almost fragile, as though she was speaking to him and to herself at the same time.
Kokonoe-kun didn't answer—just stared down at the landscape slipping beneath us, jaw set, eyes distant.
I tried to lighten the mood with a smile.
"Still… I'd love to visit Romania with you two one day~"
It came out more wistful than I intended. But it was true. I wanted to see where he grew up. He'd been in my city—twice, actually—yet I'd never stepped foot in his.
Haruka-chan's arms around me tightened just a little, like she understood exactly what I meant, and Kokonoe-kun's shoulders shifted—subtle, but enough to tell me he'd heard.
"Well, that's why I'm pissed," he snapped, irritation sharp enough to cut the air. "I wanted to stop in Brașov, let Nelu rest, and actually show you around. But with the vamps and… everything going on? Tough luck."
The anger dissolved as fast as it came, replaced by quiet disappointment.
"Guess Budapest will do…" he muttered, softer this time, resignation bleeding through.
Nelu let out a small, strained shriek, wings dipping a little. Kokonoe-kun's expression softened immediately; without thinking, he leaned forward and stroked the bird's neck.
"I know, buddy… you're exhausted." His voice dropped to a tenderness he almost never used around people. "Hang in there a little longer. We'll land soon."
Nelu's feathers quivered as if he understood.
Kokonoe-kun chuckled under his breath. His head tilted slightly, eyes sliding toward me with that sideways look he always gave me when he was trying to play things cool.
"See, girls? He can't fly non-stop at full speed. Last time he pushed himself, he crashed in Bucharest and I had to take the train all the way to Brașov."
Haruka let out a small laugh, but Kokonoe's expression softened almost immediately afterward. He turned his gaze back forward, voice dipping lower.
"Sorry, Suzuka. I wanted to take you there sooner."
I shook my head quickly, leaning forward a little so my voice wouldn't get lost to the wind.
"...You don't have to apologize," I said, smiling despite myself. "Really. I'm already happy just being here with you two."
Haruka-chan squeezed me gently, like she agreed without needing to say a word.
And soon, we reached Budapest.
The landing was smoother than I expected. Nelu flapped once, then dissipated inside Kokonoe's arm like nothing had happened.
Kokonoe-kun guided us gently to the cobblestone streets, and Haruka-chan kept a hand on my back as we stepped off the bird. The air here was crisp, carrying the faint scent of the Danube.
Budapest was alive. The architecture stretched upward—gothic towers, baroque rooftops, modern glass. Kokonoe-kun led us first to Buda Castle, its stone walls catching the afternoon light. Haruka-chan googled facts about its history as we wandered the courtyard.
Next, we strolled down Andrássy Avenue, past the Opera House, and across Chain Bridge, the Danube flowing beneath us. I couldn't stop snapping photos, trying to capture the sunlight on the river and the two of them laughing.
Haruka-chan's eyes flicked toward a small ice-cream stand.
Kokonoe-kun caught the look instantly.
"Want some?" he asked, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Your treat," she grinned.
"Hát persze," he said in Hungarian, then glanced at me. "That means 'of course.'"
He didn't miss a beat. "Suzuka, pistachio for you, right?"
I nodded quickly. Pistachio was my favorite — and the fact he remembered made my chest warm.
"And you, Haruka?"
"Vanilla for me!" she answered with a bright little hop.
Kokonoe-kun turned to the cashier.
"Három fagylalt, kérek. Egy vanília, egy pisztácia és egy csoki."
"Ezerkilencszázötven forint," the man replied.
"1950 forints," Kokonoe-kun echoed to us before placing a bill on the counter.
He handed each of us our cones, gave the cashier a short nod, and we walked away with chilled fingers and sweet, melting swirls.
We dug in without hesitation.
Eventually, Kokonoe-kun spotted an arcade. "Pool first?" he asked, grinning.
We agreed. He made it look effortless, clearing the table in record time. I sighed in defeat.
"Your turn, Haruka," I teased. She just smirked.
Haruka and Kokonoe were practically tied the whole game.
I barely knew where to look—Kokonoe-kun's sly grins, Haruka-chan's determined smirk.
And then, just like that… he scored the last point. Barely.
"Table soccer, then. You might regret your smugness.", Haruka bristled.
"First of all, it's football. And second, try me!"
Haruka-chan moved like she had a sixth sense for the ball, blocking Kokonoe-kun's strikes and scoring goal after goal. He groaned, laughing at the same time.
"Fine," he said, still smiling. "You win this round. But pool was mine."
The sun began to dip low, casting a golden glow over the Elizabeth Bridge. We stopped halfway, the Parliament building rising majestically behind us.
"Selfie time," I said. Kokonoe-kun held the phone, Haruka-chan leaned in, and I pressed the button. The photo caught our smiles, the bridge, the Danube, and the Parliament—all in one frame.
I studied it, grinning. No politics, no battles, no stress. Just three of us, in a beautiful city, enjoying a perfect afternoon.
Kokonoe-kun's arm brushed mine as he looked at the photo. "Not bad," he said softly. Haruka-chan peeked over my shoulder and nodded, eyes sparkling.
For a moment, everything felt… simple.
I slowed my steps.
Something felt… off.
A man across the square was staring straight at us — not moving, not blinking.
The street noise swallowed him the moment I looked twice, like he'd never been there.
Then, the man brushed past us—too close.
He stopped. His head turned just a fraction, like a robot on autopilot mode.
"Kokonoe Takashi?"
Kokonoe-kun barely blinked.
"Yeah, that's me… Who's asking?"
The man's voice came out flat. Dead.
"On behalf of the Oblivion Syndicate… you are sentenced to death."
Every muscle in my body turned to stone.
Oblivion Syndicate.
My breath caught. My stomach flipped. My hands went cold.
They destroyed Nagano.
They killed Aika-chan.
They were the reason Kokonoe-kun had gone crazy… the reason Haruka-chan had cried behind closed doors…
the reason this entire nightmare started.
And now they were here. In Budapest.
Standing three steps away from us.
Kokonoe-kun exhaled once—a slow, annoyed breath, like he'd been told his food order was wrong.
"...You picked the wrong evening," he muttered.
The man's hand moved toward his coat.
And everything snapped.
Haruka-chan reacted before I even understood what was happening.
Her arm shot out in front of me—barrier-fast, protective, instinctive.
"Stay behind me, Suzuka."
I didn't argue. Couldn't.
My legs moved on their own, stepping back until Haruka's body shielded mine completely.
My power was healing.
And healing meant nothing if they killed me before I could use it.
The man's coat shifted—metal glinting.
Haruka's stance dropped low.
Knees bent, fingers tensing, frost whispering across the pavement at her feet.
"Kokonoe-kun," she warned, voice tight.
"He's armed."
He smirked.
"Oh, I know."
I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears, drowning out the city around us.
Bystanders kept walking, oblivious.
Budapest didn't even notice the knife-edge we were standing on.
The Syndicate agent finally revealed the weapon—
a compact device, humming with dark energy I'd only ever seen once before.
Once was enough.
My breath hitched.
"That's the same tech they used in Nagano—!"
Haruka shoved me back gently, eyes never leaving the man.
"Don't look at it. Stay behind me, don't move."
Kokonoe stepped forward—just one pace—but it felt like the whole street bent around him.
"Alright…" he exhaled.
"First Săcele, now here… you really don't know when to quit, huh? Lucky for you, I've got a score to settle."
In his hands, a blade of pale ice crystallized into existence, long and heavy like something straight out of Game of Thrones.
He'd named it Icecalibur.
"I'll kill every last one of you motherfuckers. "
The air tightened.
The man lunged.
And the fight began—
with Haruka between me and the danger, and Kokonoe already moving like he'd been waiting for this the entire time.
Icecalibur slashed out — too fast for my eyes to follow. The blade's glow blurred into light. I heard the impact before I even understood the movement.
Cultists dropped one after another. It felt like the blade itself was hungry for blood.
More footsteps echoed around us—too many, too fast. Shadows slipped out from behind cars, from alley mouths, from the crowd dispersing like they'd rehearsed this moment.
At least eight of them.
Haruka stiffened.
Ice crawled across the ground in a thin, circular web—the instinctive defensive perimeter she made every time she prepared to die for someone.
"Kokonoe-kun…" she murmured, voice quiet but razor-sharp. "There's more."
Then one of them locked eyes with her, visor flashing.
"Yamamoto Haruka," he announced in that same dead mechanical tone.
"You are also designated for elimination."
My heart dropped.
Haruka didn't even flinch.
She just inhaled slowly, exhaled even slower, and shifted her stance—one arm still out in front of me, refusing to give up even an inch of protective ground.
Then she laughed. That psychotic war laugh she had sometimes—the one that meant she'd already accepted she might die here,
and was perfectly fine taking all of them down with her.
"That's funny," she said lightly, almost sweetly.
Then something snapped behind her eyes.
The pupils tightened, the edges sharpened—that dangerous glint I'd only ever seen when someone threatened me or Kokonoe-kun.
Her smile widened just a little too far.
"You're nothing but prey...," she whispered, voice low and icy. "Know your place."
Frost crawled out from her feet in a sudden explosive bloom—a jagged ring of ice that cracked the pavement, forcing two Syndicate agents to step back.
The agents tightened the circle.
Haruka's frost thickened.
"Focus on Suzuka," Kokonoe murmured.
"I'll clear the front."
Haruka nodded once.
But I couldn't stay quiet—not now.
"Haruka-chan—if they're after you too—"
She cut me off gently but firmly.
"Suzuka. I'm your shield. Stay behind me."
Her voice didn't shake.
Mine did.
The agents raised their weapons—
each one humming with that same sickening vibration that made my stomach twist in Nagano.
The circle constricted.
The Syndicate moved.
And the street erupted into chaos.
Kokonoe-kun's aura flared, Icecalibur firm in his hands as he lunged at the nearest Syndicate agent.
I barely had time to blink before he moved again, blade slashing through two more attackers like they were paper. The air smelled of ozone and blood.
Haruka shifted beside me, her movements precise and lethal. She didn't hesitate, her fists and kicks sending agents sprawling, bones crunching on the cobblestones.
Every time someone tried to flank her, she was already there, countering with brutal efficiency. Her eyes glinted like steel—cold, sharp, unyielding.
They fought in sync, Kokonoe-kun's Icecalibur dancing with Haruka-chan's devastating precision.
Agents fell one after another, but not without consequence.
Kokonoe's shoulder took a glancing strike, flames of pain shooting through him, while Haruka winced as a blade nicked her forearm. Still, they didn't slow, didn't give the Syndicate a single inch.
I clutched Haruka's hand, heart hammering as the chaos unfolded around us. The screams, the clang of metal, the sparks—everything blurred together.
Finally, the last agent crumpled. Kokonoe's chest heaved, Icecalibur dropping from his hands, and Haruka's breathing was ragged, a thin line of blood streaking her arm.
They looked at me, bruised and battered, but alive. I dared to exhale.
Later, we ended up in a cheap motel, the kind with flickering neon outside and the faint smell of cigarette smoke lingering in the hallway.
Kokonoe-kun had some money—enough for a night's stay. I didn't ask where it came from; honestly, I didn't want to.
He was bloodied and bruised, but he waved me over. "Patch Haruka first," he said, voice rough. I nodded, kneeling beside her.
[Amatsukaze no Nayami] flared blue one last time, warmth spreading across her cuts and scrapes. Haruka-chan stretched, rolling her shoulders and arms, and then she smiled at me.
"Feels like new," she said, her voice soft. Then, without warning, she hugged me. "Thanks, Suzuka."
I held her for a moment, letting the calm settle.
Then I turned to Kokonoe-kun. He was leaning back against the wall, rubbing a hand over his jaw, every muscle still taut from the fight.
I placed my hands over his bruises, and the soft blue light of my Sacred Gear flared, sealing the worst of the wounds. He grunted, not from pain but from the strange sensation, and finally exhaled, letting himself relax—just a little.
"Thanks, Suzuka", he smiled at me when I was done. Then, a yawn escaped him.
"We should rest," he said, his voice low, tired. "Tomorrow, we'll be on our way to Paris."
"That's your bed — share it however you want. I'm just gonna hit the sack now. Good night."
He yawned, flopped down, and was asleep almost instantly, still in the same clothes he walked in with.
"Good nig—" I started, only to be cut off by a loud snort as he rolled onto his side.
I sighed, then gently pulled the blanket over him. As I did, Haruka-chan drifted up beside me, leaning close enough that her breath tickled my ear.
"Want to sleep on his side instead?~" she murmured, a sly smile at the corner of her lips.
My breath hitched. Heat fluttered low in my chest — not just embarrassment, but the sharp, unspoken memory of what had happened the last time I trusted one of her "suggestions." My fingers froze on the edge of the blanket for a heartbeat.
"…H-Haruka-chan," I whispered, trying to steady myself.
Her grin only grew.
"Just kidding… unless~"
I flicked my finger against her forehead — a light boink that made her squeak.
Haruka pulled back, rubbing the spot with an exaggerated wince.
"Ow… Suzuka-chaaan, you're no fun," she pouted.
I crossed my arms, trying not to smile. "You're impossible, that's what you are."
She leaned closer anyway, eyes glinting.
"And yet you still love me~"
I felt my face heat up again.
"…G-Go to sleep."
Haruka giggled, satisfied, and slipped under the covers. I lay down beside her, pulling the blanket up and trying to calm my racing thoughts.
…God, I hoped this girl wouldn't try anything while I was asleep.
With Haruka, you never really knew.
To my relief, she only took my hand and rested her head on my shoulder. I couldn't help it — my arm tightened around her. She really could be a cutie when she wanted to.
Sleep pulled me under quickly.
That night, I dreamed of the days before I died.
Of waking up in my sister's flat, of breakfasts filled with laughter and pointless gossip while I devoured Renée's crepes.
Of the two of us heading out together for uni, of me always trying to match her pace.
And then… the hospital.
Renée at my bedside, clutching my hand, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Then, suddenly… Aika-chan stood at my bedside, her silhouette soft in the dark, sadness pooling in her eyes.
"You got a second chance, Suzu-chan…"
My breath caught.
"…I didn't."
She tried to smile, but it came out thin, trembling—more grief than comfort. Before I could reach for her, a sharp creak split through the silence.
Cracks spiderwebbed under her feet… and then she shattered, piece by piece, like glass giving way.
I jolted awake.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the lingering sleepiness. The room was still cloaked in darkness.
A shadow shifted behind the balcony curtains, catching my attention. My gaze flicked instinctively to Kokonoe-kun's bed — empty and silent.
I grabbed my phone. 2:40 AM.
I stretched, keeping my movements quiet, and edged toward the balcony. Kokonoe-kun crouched on the pavement below, a thin curl of cigarette smoke spiraling into the night air.
He tilted his head at the sound of me.
"Hey… Suzuka. Nightmare again?" His voice was low, bitter, the kind that made the shadows around him seem heavier.
I rubbed at my eyes and nodded, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah. But… are you okay, Kokonoe-kun?"
My gaze flicked to the cigarette smoke curling around him, to the way his shoulders were tense even in the dim light.
"You've been out here… for a while. Don't tell me you couldn't sleep either?"
He exhaled, eyes drifting back over the city.
"I was just gazing at the view. It hits me with nostalgia. I'd always meet my family here whenever I came to Hungary."
Kokonoe-kun inhaled another puff of smoke from his cigarette, then tapped ash over the balcony edge.
"They lived out in western Hungary—some village near Szombathely. I'd take a plane to Budapest from Brașov, and my brother would come pick me up from the airport."
I tilted my head, keeping my steps light as I edged closer.
"Really…? That sounds… nice, actually. Visiting family like that."
My fingers brushed against the railing, though my eyes stayed on him. "It must feel strange, being back here after all this time."
I paused, unsure if I should ask, but my concern won over.
"Do you… miss them?"
"All the time," he exhaled, weariness threading his voice.
Then his eyes met mine. "So… what about you, princess? What's bothering you?"
I let out a dry chuckle. "The same thing, actually…"
"I… dreamed about Renée, and then Aika-chan," I admitted, my voice tight.
"Renée was at my side… crying, like she always did. And Aika… she was there too, telling me I'd gotten a second chance—"
I stopped, my breath catching. "…And then she… shattered. Just like that."
He looked at me, eyes challenging me silently, as if daring me to voice the truth we'd both avoided since Nagano.
"Kokonoe-kun… at the funeral…" My voice trembled, and before I could stop myself, the dam broke.
"I blamed you for Aika-chan…" Tears slipped freely down my cheeks. "I'm… I'm sorry."
He reached out and patted my head so gently it almost hurt.
"I know," he said softly, shrugging as if the weight of it all had worn him down. "Still, I owe you my life now, don't I? You really think I'd be mad over that?"
He gave me a look that was half incredulous, half tired.
"I wish I could've been there before she… before she died," he added, quiet sorrow threading his voice.
Then his eyes flicked elsewhere, darkening. "Haruka and Koneko at my house at the same time? The first time they met?...," he muttered, and the warmth left his gaze, leaving it empty and distant.
I yelped, the thought of that fight sending chills crawling up my spine. My hands clenched at my sides, and I shivered despite the mild night air.
"They wrecked the living room. Then… Mom came," he said, his eyes distant, completely hollow, like he'd already retreated somewhere far beyond the present.
I took a cautious step closer, my voice barely above a whisper. "…That must've been… awful."
My chest tightened, and I wanted to reach out, but I didn't want to break the fragile thread connecting us right now.
Kokonoe-kun's gaze didn't waver from the pavement, but there was a shadow of something—pain, maybe regret—lurking behind his stoic mask. I swallowed hard, trying to steady my trembling hands.
"Aika-chan, that day... she kept nagging me about you. And I wanted to invite you out to hang with us, but you weren't answering my messages".
Now I understood why.
I sank into Kokonoe-kun's chest, letting the weight of everything I'd been holding in spill out.
Quiet sobs shook me, and his hand brushed over my hair with a tenderness that made the tears sting even more.
As he guided me inside, I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He returned it bashfully, and we wished each other good night.
The next day, the three of us resumed our journey. In just two hours, we reached Paris, the sight of the Eiffel Tower stirring a rush of memories.
As Nelu landed near the line of tourists waiting to climb, I turned to them with a grin.
"Kokonoe-kun, Haruka-chan, bienvenue à Paris," I said, smiling.
And as I looked at the two of them, I realized… seeing Paris with him was no longer a dream.