"Why can't you recognize me?!"
One of Ryoma's flailing elbows caught him across the cheekbone, splitting skin. Kaen barely reacted—just gritted his teeth and held tighter, even as the copper tang of blood filled his mouth.
What's happening to him? the thought struck like thunder. This isn't like the other times—it's worse. Sharper. Violent. It's something else… something wrong.
"Damn it," Kaen whispered, a tremor in his voice. "You've never hurt me before…"
Ryoma suddenly slammed both hands against his own head, a silent scream ripping through his face. Kaen moved fast—hands at his wrists, stopping him from hurting himself more, even if it meant taking another hit.
Think, think… what do I do? How do I reach him?
Kaen's breaths were ragged now. His grip was failing. Blood pulsed at his temple, sweat clung to his skin. Ryoma thrashed harder, like something inside him was ripping free.
Then, a thought struck him—clear, sharp, like light through fog.
My voice.
I forgot that method…
His eyes widened.
Without hesitation, Kaen pushed Ryoma back—not harshly, but with just enough force to gain a sliver of space between them. Ryoma stumbled, swaying violently, hands still trembling at his sides.
Kaen reached for the pendant around his neck—the simple charm he always wore, barely visible beneath his robes. With a flick of his fingers, he undid the clasp and let it fall.
In a shimmer of light and warmth, his form shifted.
The angles softened. His frame narrowed. Hair spilled down like a waterfall of dark silk, and his voice… when he spoke again, it was no longer the sharp with command or tension.
It was hers—gentle, low, melodic.
She stepped forward, bare feet silent on the wooden floor, eyes glowing faintly in the dim room.
And then—she sang.
A soft, wordless tune, no louder than a whisper. Barely a breath. Notes that carried memory, warmth, the ache of something long lost.
Ryoma froze.
His body, tense and wild with rage, shuddered—once, then again. The tune threaded through the storm within him, wrapping around his fractured mind like light creeping through cracks. His breath caught… then slowed, syncopating to the rhythm of her voice.
Kaen moved closer.
Her hand reached out, brushing against his chest, resting gently over his heart. A subtle hum passed through her fingertips—calming, grounding.
"You know me," she whispered, voice layered with song. "Even like this… try to remember me."
Ryoma's eyes flickered—stormclouds parting, something human breaking through. His arms, once taut with violence, slowly dropped. He swayed forward, drawn to her like a moth to flame.
She continued singing, the melody unraveling like silk across still waters. It curled in the air, weightless yet undeniable.
With her other hand, she reached up, cupping his cheek.
Ryoma leaned into her touch, the rigid lines of his face softening. The frost at his skin melting under her warmth. He exhaled and collapsed forward.
Kaen caught him before he hit the ground, her arms folding around him instinctively, gently. The last lingering note of her song drifted away into silence.
She sank to her knees with him, breath shaky, her heart pounding so loud it echoed in her ears. Her hands trembled as they held his weight, the cold still clinging faintly to his skin.
Relief and fear churned in her chest—because this time… it had been close. Too close.
Then—
the door slid open.
A sharp breath was drawn at the threshold.
Seiya.
He froze, halfway through a step, his mouth open to speak, but the words caught in his throat. Whatever news he had carried vanished the moment his eyes took in the room.
Kaen turned, startled, still cradling Ryoma against her. Her eyes widened in alarm.
For a moment, the silence between them was taut, full of unspoken shock. Seiya blinked, his gaze locked onto the unfamiliar figure before him… a young woman with long dark hair, radiant even in the dimness, her face unfamiliar yet uncannily familiar.
But then his eyes dropped—and locked onto Ryoma.
Pale. Unconscious. Arms limp. His chest rising in shallow, uneven breaths.
Seiya's heart seized.
Without another word, he rushed forward and dropped to his knees beside them.
"What happened?" His voice was hushed, urgent. "What—what is this?"
Kaen didn't answer right away. Her throat tightened. She looked down at Ryoma, her hand brushing a stray strand of hair from his face.
"…It's alright now," she murmured.
Seiya stood frozen, eyes wide, his voice barely audible.
"…Kaen?"
She stiffened caught off guard. But then, slowly… she nodded.
The room held its breath.
Together, in silence, they lifted Ryoma and gently laid him on the bed. Kaen tucked the blanket around him with care, her movements precise but distant.
Seiya had questions. A thousand of them. But he swallowed them down for now. There wasn't time.
"Xue's condition is getting worse," he said at last, quietly. "Shion too. Kaen… there's something wrong. Something spreading."
Kaen paused at the doorway. Her back was to him, her hands clenched at her sides.
She didn't say anything just gave a single, small nod, then walked out without a word, her steps quick and silent as she moved to check on the others.
Seiya stayed where he was, sitting at the edge of the bed. His gaze drifted to Ryoma, pale and still beneath the covers.
His eyes swept the room scattered, shattered glass, signs of a violent storm but the real chaos wasn't around him.
It was inside him.
Was that woman really Kaen?
What was that form? That voice?
And why… why did Ryoma fall apart like that?
He leaned forward, burying his face briefly in his hands.
The world felt like it was unraveling.
Later….,
The lamp on the bedside table flickered gently. Outside, the wind stirred faintly against the shutters, and within the room, silence hung—thick, waiting.
Ryoma stirred.
His breath hitched as his body tensed, instincts snapping awake. Eyes fluttered open, then widened—slowly registering the room. The chaos from earlier had been cleaned. His head still throbbed faintly, and his chest ached with residual cold. But more than that… something felt different.
Then he saw her.
Sitting across from him, bathed in the low amber glow, was a woman. Long, dark hair framed her calm, sharp features, and her eyes held a quiet weight. Her posture was composed, unmoving, but her presence… unmistakable.
Beside her stood Seiya, arms folded, brows slightly furrowed. His mind was a storm of unanswered questions.
Ryoma blinked, then again—his voice hoarse, uncertain.
"…Kaen… you're like this?"
He turned to Seiya, bewildered. "In front of you?"
Kaen didn't answer immediately. Just met his gaze calmly.
Then, softly but firmly, she said, "What happened to you back then?"
Ryoma's breath caught. His eyes dropped for a second. "I… I don't know. Everything was fine, and then—it was like something split open inside me. I couldn't think straight. My body moved on its own."
He looked back up, gaze flickering between her and Seiya. "But you—Kaen… what are you doing like this? You shouldn't be—"
"I've already seen him like this," Seiya said quietly, cutting Ryoma off before his thoughts could spiral. "There's no point in pretending anymore."
He stepped forward slowly, his gaze fixed on the woman across from them.
"This woman… is actually Kaen?"
Both Kaen and Ryoma froze at the same time.
Neither spoke.
Seiya narrowed his eyes and leaned closer, studying her face.
Kaen looked away, visibly uneasy beneath his scrutiny.
"…I still can't wrap my head around it," he muttered, straightening again. "But those eyes… they're what's making me believe it might really be you."
He paused, his voice quieter now.
"They look exactly the same. That calm, sharp stare that always says too much without ever speaking." He stepped back slightly, arms crossing. "So? Shapeshifting?"