The temple was quiet.
The moment Sasaki and Mao stepped inside, the noise of the kingdom seemed to disappear behind them.
A few people were praying.
Others walked quietly through the halls.
Soft sunlight passed through the windows, casting pale patterns across the floor.
Sasaki walked ahead.
Mao followed closely behind.
They greeted several people as they passed.
Eventually, they reached the temple garden.
Large trees surrounded the area.
A small pond reflected the sky.
Birds rested peacefully on the branches.
Mao looked around.
"It's beautiful."
Sasaki nodded.
"Yeah."
His eyes wandered across the garden.
Then—
He stopped.
Someone was sitting beneath one of the trees.
A woman.
She sat quietly with her eyes closed, her hands resting in her lap.
Sasaki looked at her for a moment.
Then walked over.
Mao followed.
Sasaki stopped a few steps away.
"Hello there."
The woman slowly opened her eyes.
Sasaki smiled politely.
"My name is Sasaki Oyuki."
He placed a hand against his chest.
"One of the five Architects."
The woman's eyes widened.
She stared at him.
Not at his clothes.
Not at his title.
At his face.
Her breathing stopped.
For several seconds, she didn't say anything.
Sasaki tilted his head.
"Are you alright?"
Mao suddenly froze.
She looked at the woman.
Then at Sasaki.
Her eyes widened.
She quickly grabbed the back of his coat.
She pulled him backward.
Sasaki looked over his shoulder.
"What happened?"
Mao leaned closer.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"S-Sasaki..."
"Hm?"
"You're talking to the Sage."
Sasaki froze.
"..."
His eyes slowly moved back toward the woman.
The woman was still staring at him.
Her eyes had begun to water.
Sasaki's expression changed.
"I'm terribly sorry."
He straightened himself.
"I didn't realize."
The woman stood.
Her hands trembled.
She looked at him as though she were trying to make sure he was real.
Sasaki opened his mouth.
"Great Sage, I—"
She suddenly stepped forward.
And hugged him.
Sasaki froze.
His arms remained at his sides.
Mao's eyes widened.
"W-What's going on!?"
Sasaki looked completely confused.
"I don't know."
The woman didn't seem to hear him.
She held him tightly.
Her hands gripped the back of his coat.
Her eyes closed.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
As though she had been waiting years to feel this again.
"My dear Saki..."
Her voice broke.
"I've missed you so much."
Sasaki blinked.
"Saki?"
The woman's grip tightened.
"You came back..."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I knew you would."
Sasaki's expression slowly became uncomfortable.
He looked toward Mao.
Mao didn't know what to say.
The woman pulled back slightly.
She placed both hands against Sasaki's face.
Her eyes searched his.
His gray eyes.
His familiar expression.
The same face.
The same voice.
The same person.
Except something was missing.
Sasaki gently removed her hands.
"Are you alright, Great Sage?"
The woman stared at him.
"...Great Sage?"
Her smile weakened.
She swallowed.
"Saki..."
"It's Sasaki."
She froze.
"What?"
"My name is Sasaki Oyuki."
The woman stared at him.
The words seemed to hurt more than they should have.
She slowly shook her head.
"No."
Her voice became quieter.
"You used to hate when I called you that."
Sasaki said nothing.
She smiled again.
But this time, it was desperate.
"You'd always tell me..."
Her voice trembled.
"'Don't call me Saki in front of everyone.'"
She gave a tiny laugh through her tears.
"You'd get so embarrassed."
Sasaki continued staring.
There was no recognition in his eyes.
The woman searched harder.
"Do you remember?"
Silence.
Sasaki slowly shook his head.
"I'm sorry."
Her smile disappeared.
"But do we know each other?"
Everything became still.
The woman stared at him.
Her lips parted slightly.
For a moment, she looked as though she had forgotten how to breathe.
She had spent years imagining this moment.
She had imagined running toward him.
She had imagined him calling her by name.
She had imagined him complaining about how long she'd waited.
She had imagined hearing him say that he remembered.
Instead—
He had apologized.
Like she was a stranger.
Her eyes lowered.
"...No."
Her voice was barely audible.
She looked away.
"No, I suppose we don't."
Mao watched her.
The guilt in her chest became heavier.
She understood now.
This wasn't confusion.
This wasn't a simple mistake.
Oyuki knew exactly who Sasaki was.
And Sasaki had forgotten her.
Oyuki slowly wiped the tears from her face.
When she looked back at him, she had forced a smile onto her face.
"Pardon my rudeness."
She bowed her head.
"I must have mistaken you for someone else."
Sasaki bowed slightly in return.
"No offense taken."
Oyuki's fingers tightened around the fabric of her sleeve.
Someone else.
Those words repeated in her mind.
Someone else.
The person standing in front of her was her brother.
The boy she had known.
The person she had waited for.
And he had just told her that he didn't know her.
She took a slow breath.
Then straightened herself.
"Then allow me to introduce myself properly."
She placed one hand against her chest.
"I am Oyuki."
A pause.
"The Sage of Power."
Sasaki's eyes widened slightly.
"The Great Sage."
He bowed.
Mao followed.
"It's a blessing to meet you."
Oyuki looked at him.
A long silence followed.
Then she smiled.
"Yes."
Her voice shook.
"It is."
But her eyes remained fixed on him.
Mao noticed.
And slowly lowered her head.
She couldn't bring herself to look at Oyuki.
Oyuki noticed that too.
Their eyes met.
Mao's expression was filled with guilt.
Oyuki understood immediately.
She didn't ask.
She didn't need to.
Mao knew him.
Mao had been with him.
Mao knew the Sasaki standing in front of her.
And Oyuki had just realized that the person who knew him now wasn't her.
Sasaki looked between them.
Then cleared his throat.
"We actually came here for your blessing."
Oyuki blinked.
"My blessing?"
"Yes."
"What kind of blessing?"
Sasaki looked toward Mao.
Mao immediately became nervous.
"Well..."
Sasaki gestured toward her.
"Mao and I are lovers."
Mao's eyes widened.
"What the hell are you talking about!?"
Sasaki looked at her calmly.
"Calm down."
"Calm down?!"
"I just need the blessing for something else."
Mao stared at him.
"You could've said that!"
"I did."
"You called us lovers!"
"Yes."
"Why!?"
Sasaki shrugged.
"It seemed easier."
Mao covered her face.
Oyuki watched the two of them.
For a moment, she simply stared.
Then—
She smiled.
A genuine smile.
"Oh..."
She looked between them.
"Young love."
Mao slowly lowered her hands.
Oyuki's smile grew warmer.
"I wish for the two of you to have a happy life together."
She paused.
"For all eternity."
Mao's face turned bright red.
Sasaki simply bowed.
"Thank you, Great Sage."
Oyuki stepped closer.
She placed one hand on Sasaki's head.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Then she placed her other hand on Mao's.
A faint light surrounded them.
The blessing settled over them like a gentle warmth.
Mao closed her eyes.
Sasaki remained still.
Oyuki looked at Sasaki one last time.
Her eyes softened.
For just a second, she imagined a much younger boy standing beneath the same tree.
A boy who used to complain.
A boy who used to follow her around.
A boy who once called her his sister without hesitation.
Then she opened her eyes.
That boy was gone.
The light faded.
Oyuki leaned closer to Mao.
Her voice became quiet enough that only Mao could hear.
"You better take care of him, Mao."
Mao's expression softened.
She looked at Sasaki.
Then back at Oyuki.
"...Yes."
Oyuki smiled.
But there was sadness behind it.
The two lowered their heads.
"Thank you, Great Sage."
Sasaki turned toward the exit.
Mao followed.
They began walking away.
After a few steps, Sasaki looked toward her.
"What did she say to you?"
Mao kept walking.
"...Nothing."
Sasaki stared at her.
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Mao looked away.
"Anyways..."
Sasaki raised an eyebrow.
"Why did you need this blessing?"
Mao hesitated.
"Don't worry about it."
Sasaki narrowed his eyes.
"Mao."
"It's nothing."
"Mao."
She continued walking.
"Sasaki, you—"
Before she could finish—
Sasaki suddenly stopped.
Mao bumped into him.
"Huh?"
Sasaki turned around.
Then, without warning, he lifted her into his arms.
Mao froze.
"W-What are you doing!?"
Sasaki held her effortlessly.
Mao's entire face turned red.
She instinctively grabbed onto his coat.
"Sasaki!"
He smiled.
"You're loud."
"Put me down!"
"No."
"Why!?"
Sasaki lowered his head slightly.
He looked directly at her.
Mao's face became even redder.
Then he quietly spoke.
"What would you do if I told you I loved you?"
Mao froze.
Her eyes widened.
For a moment, she couldn't even breathe.
"..."
Sasaki waited.
Mao stared at him.
Her face turned bright red.
Then—
Her eyes rolled upward.
She immediately passed out in his arms.
Sasaki blinked.
"...Huh?"
He looked down at her unconscious face.
Then sighed.
"That was unexpected."
He adjusted his grip and continued walking.
Behind them, far back in the temple garden—
Oyuki remained beneath the tree.
She watched them disappear.
She waited until they were completely out of sight.
Only then did her smile disappear.
Her hands slowly lowered.
She stared at the empty path.
"...Saki."
Nothing.
She swallowed.
"You really don't remember me."
Her voice cracked.
She pressed one hand against her chest.
"I waited for you."
Her eyes filled again.
"I waited so long..."
She looked toward the path where he had disappeared.
"And when you finally came back..."
A tear fell.
"...you called me a stranger."
Oyuki closed her eyes.
For several seconds, she stood completely still.
Then she whispered the name she had been afraid to say aloud.
"Little brother..."
Her voice broke.
"I've missed you."
And beneath the tree—
The Great Sage finally began to cry.