The night air carried a faint chill, the kind that made the streetlamps glow softer, as if the world had decided to dim its lights just for them. Renji walked beside Reina, his steps slow, unhurried. His body had the practiced discipline of a soldier, yet his mind was restless in a way he couldn't quite name.
Reina, in contrast, looked like she had finally breathed for the first time in years. She held her handbag lightly against her hip, her hair brushing against her cheek whenever the breeze passed. The street wasn't crowded, most people had already settled at home—but the occasional car humming by added a background rhythm to their shared silence.
Renji broke it with a smirk. "You know, Reina-san, you walk like someone carrying a secret."
Her lips curved in a small smile, her eyes darting toward him for just a second before returning to the pavement. "A woman my age always has secrets, Renji-kun."
