"May I know your good name? Ohh~ Uta-rin… Uta-rin… Uta-rin~!"
Astra mimicked, fluttering her lashes and banging the table between wheezes of laughter. "Hope we meet again~" she added in an overly sweet tone, nearly falling off her chair.
The rest of the group burst into laughter well, everyone except Shion, who sat there, arms crossed, face like thunder, still silently fuming.
After Maihima and her two loyal tails finally stormed off, Arisu quietly bent down and picked up the broken fan. Her expression fell the moment she saw the crack down the middle. Astra glanced over and waved it off.
"It's just a fan, Arisu. Who cares? We'll buy a shinier one!"But when Arisu hesitated and mumbled, "It… it was a gift…..for you,"
Astra froze.
A beat passed.
Then she exploded. "That rock-headed broomstick! May her soup always boil over and her sandals break mid-walk!" Arisu blinked… then broke into sudden laughter, her sadness forgotten in Astra's over-the-top rant.
Later, after some convincing Arisu agreed to join them for dinner. They waited in a long, winding line just to get into the restaurant rumored for its famous hot pot. When they finally found a table, Astra immediately started to tease him.
She cleared her throat again trying mimicked Maihima's voice with exaggerated sweetness.
"'Uta…"
"Don't."
Seiya couldn't resist anymore and joined In, he clasped his hands and fluttered his lashes.
"Utaaaaa-rin, what a charming name! Shall I call you that forever?"Shion's eyebrow twitched,
"Shut up don't call me that!"
Astra leaned in closer. "Aww, don't be shy, Uta-rin~ I can get it."
Seiya nodded solemnly. Arisu giggled behind her hand, while Shion looked like he was mentally plotting all their slow and painful demises.
Even Seirou let out a low chuckle before commenting, "It's been ages since anyone called him like that. Especially one so… sugary. Totally unexpected."
Seiya grinned and added, "Right? And she used his nickname name too. I thought Shion only let Kaen call him that. What's going on, Uta-rin?"
Shion deadpanned, "I didn't allow her. She just said it… and left leaving me no chance to say no."
Astra burst into laughter again. "You had chance but You looked like you were stuck!"
"I was stuck," Shion muttered. "Just not the kind you're thinking of."
"Don't worry," Seiya smirked. "Next time she shows up, we'll all say it together Uta-rin~" Shion stared blankly at the hot pot. "This soup isn't hot enough to drown in."
"You guys aren't going to eat?" Arisu asked softly, already holding her chopsticks.
Shion shot her a glare from across the table. She immediately looked away, pretending to study the table's wood grain like it held secrets of the universe.
"Yes, yes, let's eat! We still need to head back soon," Astra said, finally grabbing her chopsticks. The others followed suit. But just as she reached out eagerly toward the hot pot, Seirou casually slid his hand in the way and began serving only broth and vegetables into her bowl.
"You can't eat meat yet," he said calmly. "This is better for your recovery."
Astra stared at her bowl. "Seirou, stop acting like Kaen! Let me have at least this once! We waited so long in line for this!"
Seirou remained silent, already chewing away like nothing happened.Then swoop! Seiya took the biggest piece of meat right in front of her and dunked it into his bowl with a dip.
"Mmm… juicy, tender, forbidden hot pot meat," he teased, giving her a smug look. Astra reached for a cloth not to wipe her hands, but to sob into it.
"I think you should let her eat this once," Arisu said gently. "It's a festival, after all."
Astra immediately stopped fake-sobbing and looked up with hopeful, sparkling eyes nodded rapidly in agreement. Arisu picked up her chopsticks and reached for the meat only for Shion to snatch it away mid-air with lightning speed.
"Not only is she restricted from eating it…" he said with a sly smirk, "you are too, Miss Naneko."
"It's Kaneko…..And I'm already feeling much better, I can—"
"You can't," Shion cut in flatly and slid a bowl toward her soup-less, with a mountain of boiled vegetables.
Arisu peeked into it, then glanced at Astra's bowl. At least Astra had some soup floating around in hers.They both locked eyes across the table… then simultaneously sighed accepting their fate tonight.
While stuffing her mouth with the blandest vegetables ever grown under the sun, Arisu sneaked a sideways glance at Shion.
He was already watching her with that infuriating smirk.
Then she heard it his voice clear as day. But Shion hadn't even moved his lips.
"Had fun giggling…? Now have fun with vegetables."
Arisu nearly choked on a carrot stick. She coughed, grabbed her cup of water, and gave him a death glare between sips.
"Did he just say something? Or am I hearing things again?" she muttered under her breath, looking suspiciously at him who just munched on his food.
Then it happened again his voice was more clear,
"Maybe it's the venom effect… it's still there."
Arisu flinched, her chopsticks nearly flying out of her hand. She slammed them on the table, whisper-hissing to Astra, "Tell me I'm not crazy. Did you hear that? Did he talk?"
"Who?" Astra stopped mid-slurp, clearly confused.
Arisu, still wide-eyed, slowly pointed at Shion. "Him."
Astra blinked twice, looked at Shion who was calmly sipping his soup then looked back at Arisu. "Nope. But if he is… tell him I want meat."
"Are you sure?!"
Astra leaned back, squinting at her, " what do you mean by "Are you sure?" Maybe you're just hungry. Or hallucinating. Or worse…" She looked around eyes scanning every corner. "Check if there are any spirits hovering around you." Then went back to slurping.
Shion, still saying nothing, just met Arisu's glare and this time he slowly mouthed the words,
"…..Having fun?…."
Arisu nearly flipped the table but held herself back when she saw Shion casually sipping his soup like nothing had happened. She narrowed her eyes and muttered under her breath,
"It's happening again… I'm hearing things. Maybe the venom's still messing with me." With a quiet sigh, she picked up a leaf and started munching on it.
Meanwhile,
The cool night breeze slipped through the open window, making the curtains billow softly like waves. The prince sat at the edge of the windowsill, his face lifted toward the vast sky.
Moonlight poured in, catching the edges of his golden mask, half of his face hidden behind its gleaming surface, the rest softened by the shadows. His hair fluttered lightly in the wind, brushing against the mask's curve. His hand clutched a hairpin, fingers wrapped around it tightly.
"Akira, why are you suddenly this quiet?"
Daita, who had been silently observing him for a while, finally broke the stillness as he sat opposite to the prince.
The prince didn't respond. His face remained turned toward the full moon outside the window. Daita's eyes drifted between the moon and the prince, He frowned slightly, then gave a small, knowing sigh.
"The whole of Shenghara is out celebrating tonight, and here we are…" Daita muttered with a sigh, glancing at the closed doors. "Locked in this room. Akira… my princess, are you sulking because you missed your favorite festival?"
The prince finally turned toward him, moonlight catching along the edge of his golden mask. A faint smile curved his lips.
"Why would I be sad," he said calmly, "when I have Princess Daita keeping me company?"
Daita's face twisted instantly. "I've told you a hundred times—stop calling me that. I'm not the princess here. In fact, you are! I'm just—"
"Then you should stop addressing me that way too."
Daita leaned back with an exaggerated sigh, folding his arms over his chest. "You really are nothing like the Emperor," he muttered. "The two of you look exactly alike, but that's where the similarities end. At least when I call His Majesty an empress, he doesn't look like he's about to execute me."
The prince rose to his feet, his head bowed, voice dropping into something softer and more fragile. "His Majesty…" he murmured. "I wonder when he'll truly accept me."
Noticing the shift in his tone, Daita stood as well. He stepped closer, slung an arm around the prince's shoulder, and gently turned him toward the window. Fireworks had begun to bloom across the night sky, painting the darkness in bursts of crimson, gold, and violet.
"There, there, my princess—don't get all gloomy," Daita said lightly, though his voice carried quiet conviction. "Uncle doesn't have a single good reason to hold back from you. I don't see a single fault in you. You're perfect in every way. Honestly, if I were a girl, I'd marry you on the spot." He paused, then added thoughtfully, "Or better yet, I'll marry you if you turn into a girl."
The prince let out a soft chuckle. At once, Daita grinned and gave him a gentle nudge.
"See? That's better."
After a moment, the prince spoke again. "Daita… aren't you supposed to return to the sect? You'll be in serious trouble if you don't. If Master finds out you're enjoying yourself outside without permission, especially while he's in seclusion, he'll be furious. Again."
Daita kept his eyes on the fireworks and shrugged. "He's always furious. Nothing new there." Then he glanced sideways. "Besides, I'm not about to leave you alone when I know perfectly well you won't enjoy your three-month 'vacation' outside the sect. You already wasted one whole month wandering around like a headless spirit."
"But—"
"I already prepared an apology letter," Daita cut in smoothly, waving his hand. "And copied the sutras nine hundred and ninety-nine times. In advance. Just in case he wakes up from meditation before the full three months."
The prince turned to him, visibly stunned. "You… wrote them in advance?"
"I had a feeling I'd get scolded anyway," Daita replied with a lazy stretch. "Might as well be prepared." He grinned. "Besides, Master will forgive me the moment I mention I was spending time with his most beloved disciple."
The prince couldn't help the smile that surfaced. Daita noticed immediately and lifted an eyebrow. "So?" he asked, nudging him again. "What's the plan?"
He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Are you returning to the sect… or running away with your secret lover next?"