The night air was cool and still as Cain and Kiyomi began the slow walk back toward the dorms. Crickets chirped faintly in the grass nearby, and the lamps lining the path gave off a soft yellow glow. Neither of them spoke for the first few steps, the silence carrying the weight of everything that had happened on the training grounds.
Cain finally broke it, his tone calm but direct. "Why were you looking for me?"
Kiyomi hesitated for only a heartbeat. It was so small most people would have missed it, but Cain was not most people. He saw the way her shoulders stiffened before she tilted her head slightly, feigning casualness.
"I was not looking for you," she said lightly, her voice as smooth as always.
Cain gave her a flat look but stayed quiet. He was patient, waiting for her to fill the silence.
