Akari sat on the low stone bench, her knees drawn slightly together, eyes fixed on the glowing horizon. The garden was awash in amber, every leaf of the tall hedges trembling with a soft breeze. The scent of wet soil rose faintly from the ground. Akari's fingers toyed with the hem of her dress, but her gaze stayed locked on the sun as if she could draw strength from its warmth.
"Still into the sun, I see," a voice floated over—soft, teasing, and familiar.
Akari didn't even glance up. She knew that voice. Her shoulders stiffened.
"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with Father, running his stupid errands or something?" Her tone was flat, but a flicker of tension moved through her hands.
"I just came back last night," Shion said, stepping out from between the hedges, sunlight glinting across her dark hair.
Akari let out a faint sigh and brushed invisible dust from her skirt. "So what do you want? Do you want me to throw a ball for you, or scream to the world that my sister has returned from gods-know-where?"
Shion rolled her eyes, but her lips curved faintly as she walked closer. The grass bent under her sandals, whispering against her steps. "I just want to ask where Rin is. I didn't see her last night or this morning for breakfast."
Akari finally turned her head. Sunlight caught her lashes, making her eyes seem sharper. "Where did you put your ears during breakfast? And what happened to the word cousin?" Her gaze narrowed. "She's not your girl."
Shion's expression darkened, a ripple of something unreadable passed through her eyes. "Looks like you forgot your place sister."
"What place?" Akari rose slowly from the bench, straightening her dress.
"Cousin Rin has gone on a romantic date with her fianceee and stayed overnight." Akari's lips curled into a small, knowing smile.
Shion's eye twitched.
"Wow… isn't that great? The Ice Queen happens to be more romantic than you. I'm sure by now Cousin Rin has had her first night with the—"
Before Akari could finish, water shimmered around Shion's hand. It rose from thin air like liquid glass, coiling and shaping into a larger, translucent palm. With a sudden snap, it shot forward and slammed into Akari's chest, forcing her back a step.
The shock made Akari's hair whip across her face. She steadied herself, breathing hard, one hand pressed to her ribs. "Do you always have to use violence? Why can't you just accept that Cousin Rin will never love you if you don't chase her?"
Shion's water-hand trembled but didn't vanish. She moved closer, her shadow falling over Akari. Her voice lowered into a cold murmur. "You said I couldn't fight for my love, right? Well now, I won't just fight. I'll kill anyone who gets in my way for the person I love."
The pressure around Akari's ribs made her wince—until another voice cut through the garden like a blade of wind.
"What is going on here!?"
Master Hoshino stood at the archway, his presence rolling over them like a thunderclap. His silhouette framed by the sunlight made the air between the sisters freeze.
Shion's eyes widened. The water slipped from her hands, falling as droplets into the grass. She straightened immediately and bowed, head low, her pulse hammering in her throat. Akari stumbled, clutching her side, then dipped into a bow as well.
"Nothing, Father," Akari said sweetly, tilting her head just enough to glance at Shion. "Sister Shion is just giving me a big welcome present."
Shion kept her gaze down. Her fingers trembled slightly, water sliding soundlessly off her palms and soaking into the earth.
Master Hoshino walked toward them, the hem of his robes brushing softly against the grass. The faint smell of incense clung to him, a reminder of the hall he'd come from. "For once, I would like to see you two sisters get along—always on each other's necks. If you can't get along, this will become a big problem in the future. You're meant to be fighting the enemy, not each other."
"Well, the only enemy I've seen in my life happens to be my mother's first bad fruit," Akari muttered under her breath, her eyes sliding sideways.
Shion's head snapped up, eyes narrowing into ice. "Who are you calling bad fruit?" She raised her hand again, water swirling faintly around her fingers, droplets catching the light like tiny mirrors.
"When will you two ever get along!" Master Hoshino's voice boomed, echoing against the garden walls.
"We will try our best, Father!" both sisters said in unison, though their voices overlapped awkwardly.
Master Hoshino exhaled slowly, then smiled faintly, a glimmer of pride softening his stern face. "That is good to hear. Shion, come on. We have a meeting to attend at the hall."
Shion followed him, her expression unreadable. The water around her fingers finally dissolved into mist. Akari snorted softly and shook her head, a small puff of air leaving her nose. She wondered when her sister would ever change.
Her eyes drifted toward the gate—then she noticed Rin slipping through. The girl's steps were light but hesitant, as if she hoped no one would notice.
Akari's face lit up. She rose quickly to meet her. "Hey, Cousin Rin! You're back."
"Hiiiii… what's up?" Rin's voice wavered as she tried to hide her nerves. Her hands shifted on the jar she carried. "Yes, I just came back from… em…"
"Are you heading out?" Rin asked quickly, trying to shift the topic.
"No, I was waiting for you there." Akari pointed at the garden bench where the sunlight had begun to dim.
"Wow… for how long have you been waiting?" Rin asked, blinking.
"About three hours now. How was your night with the Ice Queen?" Akari's eyes flicked to the jar Rin held. "What is that? Is that a gift from the Ice Queen?"
"My night with Selene was good and comfy," Rin said, hugging the jar tighter to her chest, "and this is… em… a gift from another queen."
"Good and comfy?" Akari leaned closer, her voice playful but sharp. "I was hoping to hear amazing, breathtaking, best night I ever had. You know, words like that."
Rin glanced at the guards by the gate, cheeks warming. She hugged the jar tightly, fingers pressing into the smooth surface.
"Can you just accept the word good and comfy? You and Cousin Koko are just having bad intentions," Rin muttered, her voice dropping a little.
"Cousin Koko? Did you visit the Maiden's Club before coming home?" Akari's expression shifted, a sly gleam in her eyes.
Busted. That was the word Rin heard ringing in her mind. She looked away, lips pressing into a thin line. "Kinda…" she said slowly, moving past Akari, wanting to escape before she said something worse.
"Where did you go? And I think I heard the words a gift from another queen…" Akari called after her, curiosity rising. Rin prayed silently for someone—anyone—to rescue her.
"Rin!"
She turned. Shion was striding toward her, her presence sharp as ever, cutting through the garden's calm.
"Oh! Cousin Shion, you're back. It's so nice to—"
Before Rin could finish, Shion grabbed her wrist and yanked her away from Akari, pulling her through the hall.
"What is happening? Where are you taking me?" Rin gasped, clutching the jar as they moved. Her sandals slid against the polished stone floor.
Shion finally stopped, pressing Rin gently but firmly against the wall. Her lips curved into a faint smile, eyes glinting with something unreadable.
"I missed you, Rin."
"Wow… that's so nice to hear, but why… why are you so close?" Rin stammered, holding the jar tightly, feeling Shion's breath ghost over her skin. Her heart stuttered once, hard.
"Did you miss me?" Shion asked softly.
"Well… a lot of things have happened, and the part of me missing you kind of went aside—"
Before Rin could finish, Shion leaned in and kissed her.