Saito lounged back on the bed, arms tucked behind his head, staring up at the ceiling with a lazy grin.
"Man..."
"Can't wait to fight those scientist guys tomorrow."
He stretched, yawning.
"Finally some real action instead of paperwork—"
Then he paused.
A faint sound echoed from somewhere nearby.
Water running.
His brow furrowed.
"Huh?"
He sat up slowly, listening closer.
Definitely a shower.
"Wait a second..."
He glanced around the room.
"Is someone already in here?"
Cautiously, he swung his legs off the bed and crept toward the bathroom door, muscles tensing with every step.
"Did someone sneak in?"
He pressed his ear against the door.
The shower continued running, steady and undisturbed.
Saito's mind raced.
"Crap..."
"Enemy? Already? On night one?"
He inched the door open slightly, peeking through the gap.
A silhouette moved behind the fogged glass, humming softly to themselves, completely unaware of him.
Saito froze, hand hovering near his side out of habit, even without a weapon.
"...Or maybe—"
He tilted his head, reconsidering.
"Maybe someone just mixed up rooms."
He glanced back toward the hallway, remembering the room number.
"Wait... this is fifty-six, right?"
He scratched his head, completely unsure now whether to be alarmed or just mildly annoyed.
"Okay, this is either a very bold assassin..."
"Or a very confused hotel guest."
He took a cautious step back, weighing his options carefully before deciding on his next move.
Saito leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, waiting for the mystery guest to step out.
His eyes drifted toward the small table nearby—
Then stopped.
A dagger.
Resting casually beside a cup, as if placed there without a second thought.
Saito's expression hardened instantly.
"Nope."
"Definitely not a normal guest."
His hand shot to his side, drawing his sword in one swift motion, blade catching the dim light of the room.
Then—
"Ugh! Why doesn't this brush work?!"
A muffled voice rang out from the bathroom, followed by a sharp smack against the wall.
Saito froze mid-stance.
That voice...
Young.
Feminine.
Definitely not an assassin's growl he was expecting.
His sword arm wavered.
"...Wait."
His eyes widened.
"That's not—"
Panic flashed across his face.
"Oh, crap—"
He scrambled sideways, practically diving behind a nearby locker, sword still clutched awkwardly in hand.
He pressed himself against the wood, whispering frantically to himself.
"Okay, okay, think, Saito—"
"Wrong room?"
"Did I get the wrong room?!"
He peeked around the locker's edge nervously.
"What are you even doing right now, Saito?"
He smacked his own forehead lightly.
"It's your first night in Feerus City and you're already hiding in some stranger's bathroom hallway with a sword like some kind of weirdo—"
The shower shut off.
Saito's whole body stiffened.
"Oh no."
The girl stepped out of the bathroom, towel-drying her hair, muttering to herself.
"Okay, so... bed."
She glanced around the room.
"Where are Dad and big bro?"
She shrugged.
"Probably out on patrol or something."
She reached for the hem of her sleepwear, about to change—
Saito's eyes shot wide open behind the locker.
"NOPE."
He slammed them shut instantly, whole body going rigid.
"Bad Saito. Bad Saito."
"Do not look. Do not look. You are a gentleman. You are an ally to Balance Table. You are NOT that guy—"
He pressed himself as flat as physically possible against the locker's interior, sword still clutched awkwardly against his chest, muttering under his breath like a mantra.
"Just wait it out. Just wait it out. Any second now she'll go to sleep and you can sneak out and never speak of this again—"
A floorboard creaked beneath his foot.
He froze.
The girl's humming stopped.
Silence.
Saito's stomach dropped.
"...Oh no."
A blade suddenly pierced straight through the locker door—
Missing Saito's shoulder by less than an inch.
His eyes bulged, breath catching in his throat.
"H-holy—"
The girl's voice rang out, sharp and unwavering.
"I know you're in there."
"Come on out."
Saito exhaled shakily, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Okay, okay... this is fine, this is totally fine—"
He slowly pushed the locker door open, raising both hands in surrender, offering the most awkward smile he could manage.
"...Hi there!"
SMACK!
Her palm connected with his face so hard he flew sideways, crashing straight into the wall with a heavy thud.
He slid down slowly, dazed, stars practically spinning around his head.
"Ow..."
The girl scoffed, flipping her damp hair over one shoulder.
"Pervert."
She turned on her heel, marching over to the small makeup table, grabbing a brush and running it briskly through her hair like nothing had happened.
Saito groaned from the floor, rubbing his throbbing cheek.
"I—I wasn't even looking, I swear—"
He winced, sitting up slowly.
"...Okay, maybe for like, half a second, but that wasn't on purpose—"
The girl shot him a sharp glare over her shoulder.
Saito immediately raised both hands again.
"Nope. Not saying anything else. Staying quiet now."
He slumped back against the wall, utterly defeated, already dreading how he was going to explain this to the others in the morning.
The girl crossed her arms, studying him with a sharp, assessing gaze.
"Blue Scarf Saito."
Saito blinked, still rubbing his cheek.
"Wait—you know my name?"
She smirked.
"I'm a Red Sun gang member."
"Word travels fast."
Saito's face went pale.
"Oh no—"
He immediately dropped to his knees, practically groveling at her feet.
"Please forgive me!"
"I'm so sorry! Please, please don't tell anyone about this—about any of this—"
"I have a reputation to maintain! I just united five villages! I can't be known as 'the guy who hid in a locker'!"
The girl tilted her head, clearly enjoying his panic far too much.
"Mm... one more thing."
Saito looked up warily, still on his knees.
"...What?"
Her smirk widened.
"I'm Hashima's daughter."
Saito's entire face drained of color.
"...WHAT."
He immediately slammed his forehead against the floor.
"OH NO. OH NO NO NO."
"I ALMOST GOT SWORD-STABBED BY MY ALLY'S DAUGHTER AND THEN GOT SLAPPED FOR BEING A PERVERT ON MY FIRST NIGHT IN FEERUS CITY—"
He banged his head against the wood again for good measure.
"Please, I'm begging you, have mercy—"
"If Hashima finds out about this he's going to laugh me into the ground and then probably actually kill me—"
The girl leaned down slightly, watching him spiral with clear amusement.
"Relax."
She flicked his forehead lightly.
"I won't tell him."
"...Yet."
Saito froze mid-groan, glancing up at her with pure dread.
"...Yet?"
The girl straightened, brushing a strand of damp hair behind her ear.
"Name's Lily, anyway."
Saito rubbed the back of his neck, still kneeling awkwardly on the floor.
"Well... you already know my name, so..."
"Guess that's only fair."
Lily crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
"So."
"Why exactly are you in my room?"
Her smirk sharpened.
"Were you peeking on me?"
Saito's hands shot up instantly.
"No! No, absolutely not—"
He scrambled to his feet.
"I swear, I thought this was room fifty-six!"
Lily tilted her head, unimpressed.
"This isn't room fifty-six."
She gestured toward the door.
"It's room sixty-five."
Saito froze.
Slowly, he turned his head toward the door, squinting at the numbers.
"...Oh."
"Oh no."
"I read it upside down."
He groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"Of course I did. Of course this is what happens—"
Lily leaned forward slightly, arms still crossed, clearly not letting him off the hook that easily.
"Mm-hm."
"Sure."
Her smirk widened further.
"Just admit it."
"You wanted to peek on me during my bath."
Saito's jaw dropped.
"WHAT? No! I didn't even know you existed until five minutes ago!"
He waved his hands frantically.
"This was a genuine, tragic, upside-down-number-reading accident!"
Lily giggled, clearly enjoying his flustered denial far too much.
"Relax."
"I'm just teasing you."
She turned back toward the mirror, resuming her hair-brushing with a satisfied hum.
"...For now."