The rain eased to a drizzle as Arin and Mira turned onto the narrow street. Lanterns flickered against the wet ground.
The air was thick with damp earth — and something faintly off beneath it.
Mira led him down the narrow lane, past rows of wooden townhouses slick with rain. Her house waited at the end — a low structure behind a bamboo fence.
Mira unlocked the door, and they stepped inside. Warm air met them — soft and still. She helped him out of his soaked coat, then wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and pressed a damp towel to the wound.
"Hold still," she murmured, worry etched in her eyes.
Arin forced a weak smile, hiding the faint pulse of Ember beneath his skin. It hummed softly, as if listening.
The two sat at the low table while Mira made tea, steam curling in the air. Rain tapped against the windowpanes, each drop measured and deliberate.
Somewhere beyond the walls, a wooden sign creaked in the wind — too slow, too steady.
Arin's gaze drifted outside. The lanes were narrow and curved, streetlights flickering softly. Shadows of the buildings stretched long, seemingly harmless — for now.
Still, one caught his eye, shifting just slightly differently from the rest.
[Fear Index: 12%]
"You… don't look so bad," Mira said, trying to sound casual, her fingers twisting the tea towel.
"I'm fine," Arin replied, voice low but steady. He flexed his fingers, feeling the ache in his knuckles. "Just… tired."
Mira's eyes swept over his soaked coat, his shoulder. "Tired, huh? You fought like… a hero." She half-smiled, embarrassed.
Arin let out a short, dry laugh. "Hero huh.." he remembered that time again, one by one all his loved ones dying. Memories of the past life still clinging.
The rain drummed softly outside. Mira stirred the tea, then sat beside him, the steam curling in the air like fleeting ghosts.
"I thought… maybe I could patch you up, but I'm not sure I'm doing ..this right...."
"You're doing fine," Arin said, voice low and steady. He softened his tone, sensing her worry. "Really...I already feel plenty healed."
Mira hesitated, then let out a small smile, but that smile turn to a sign.
"I just… hate seeing you hurt, you should had left me...." she whispered, brushing a strand of wet hair from his forehead.
"No way." Arin shook his head faintly, calm but heavy with responsibility. "We look out for each other, right?"
Mira blinked, her chest rising and falling as if letting his words sink in. A small, grateful smile formed. "Right," she said softly, her hand lingering a moment on his arm before she moved to straighten the blanket.
Outside, the paper lantern swayed gently in the night wind. For a heartbeat, it dimmed, plunging the house into a deeper shade of dark.
Arin's head turned instinctively toward the shift, but when he blinked, the light was steady again. Mira hadn't noticed.
'Another one..?.'
Eventually, Mira helped him to a futon on the tatami mat. She stayed close for a while, checking his breathing, her eyes scanning his face as though memorizing every detail.
"Just… breathe," she whispered. "You're okay… I've got you."
Arin let out a faint exhale, his lips twitching into a small smile. "Mm… thanks." His voice was hoarse, barely audible, but it carried weight beyond his years.
Mira brushed a damp strand of hair from his forehead. "You scared me enough for one day… don't do that again, okay?" Her tone was soft, almost teasing, but there was a tremor beneath it.
"I'll try," he murmured, closing his eyes. Sleep came, uneasy but necessary, carrying the lingering warmth of her presence and the faint pulse of Ember beneath his skin.
And then, finally, the quiet settled over the house, deep and still, holding them both as the night wore on.
Arin slept fitfully, the faint pulse of Ember beneath his skin a steady hum, the shadows in the corners seeming just slightly… off, though Mira remained unaware.
[System Note: Host rest phase – Recovery ongoing]
.
.
Morning light seeped softly through the shoji screens, carrying the scent of wet earth and birds chirping outside.
Mira moved quietly, preparing a small breakfast. Steam rose from the rice bowl, curling lazily in the air.
"Finally up," she said, smiling as she set a bowl in front of him. "You were out cold."
Arin rubbed his shoulders, muscles stiff. "Feels like… I was hit by a storm twice over." His humor was dry, but Mira could see the tension in his jaw.
Mira took a spoonful of rice, watching him over the rim of her cup. "You'll survive the day, right?"
Arin smiled faintly. "I'll manage… but only because you're looking out for me." He flexed his fingers lightly, noticing the faint ache lingering from yesterday's fight.
[System Note: Health status improving – Minor injury persistent]
Mira tilted her head, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You know, if you talk to your grandpa, about those shadows, he would keep you much safer...."
"I doubt my life will ever be that simple," he replied, staring out the window at the wet street.
"But thanks… for looking out for me.. thanks for the ... advice." His tone was calm, but solemn.
Mira reached over and nudged his shoulder lightly. "Well, I'll do my best… even if it means scolding you sometimes." She paused for a moment, watching him eat.
"I'll behave… mostly," he said with a faint grin, more relaxed than last night.
A small shiver ran through him—not from the cold, but from the quiet awareness of something just out of perception. He shook it off, focusing on Mira's presence.
They lingered for a few moments, finishing breakfast in comfortable silence. Mira sipped her tea, enjoying the warmth of the cup and the soft hum of the morning.
By the time they were ready to leave for school, the rain had mostly stopped.
The streets of Kyoto glistened from the overnight shower, reflecting the soft morning light. The air was cool, carrying the faint metallic scent of wet stone.
Mira nudged Arin's arm lightly. "Arin..."
"Hmmm...?," he said, stretching his shoulders and rubbing his jaw.
"Please.... be safe. I can't lose you."
A faint ache lingered... His eyes swept over the street, catching a ripple across a puddle that didn't match the wind. It smoothed out as quickly as it appeared, leaving the surface unnervingly calm.
[Fear Index: 15% – Peripheral anomaly detected]
[Ember Monitoring: Normal]
"You won't lose me... Never. I'm like a cockroach. On the other hand, if you stick to me like this...." He voiced, gazzing her arm twirled around his.
"You already know what happened yesterday ...they will also.."
Mira glanced at him, a bit of anger flickering in her eyes. "Don't say anymore....shut up, we. Stick. Together. You forgot your promise?"
"..... I..I remember," he said, voice low but steady. "But ... I've got to keep you safe." His gaze softened toward her.
They started walking down the lane together, Mira teasing lightly. "....I'm safe, but don't start pushing me away in the name of .... safety."
"...okay," he replied, though the word carried more weight than he wanted. "Thanks for walking me."
As they passed a narrow alley, Arin's eyes caught a subtle movement in a puddle — not a reflection of the sky or buildings, but a black, twisting shape that seemed to coil beneath the water. He blinked, and it was gone.
[Alert: Demonic Presence Detected – Low intensity]
[System Note: Host awareness heightened]
'oh it's a young demon now...'