No one's ever hugged me.
And now I just stood there, unsure.
"What?" I asked, caught completely off guard.
Yui's voice danced with her usual mischief.
"Aren't you going to congratulate me?"
Same old Yui.
But this time… something was different.
Softer. Sadder.
I tried to smile.
That's what I always do when I don't know what to say.
"What kind of weird congratulations is that?
Where do you come up with this stuff?"
Her smile faded. Her gaze sharpened.
Just like that, my own smile disappeared too.
"Hayato… I'm still mad at you," she said quietly.
"Why do you always keep us at a distance?
Why are you so cold to us?"
I hesitated.
Because closeness weakens.
Because warmth fades.
Because letting someone in… hurts.
I opened my mouth—
But nothing came out.
"Just… Yui—" I whispered.
She cut me off.
"No. Don't say anything.
Just show me you're not as far away as you pretend to be."
I lowered my eyes.
Not out of shame.
But because I had no answer.
She was still hugging me.
Her scent was soft. Familiar.
My hand moved—
Slowly.
Unconsciously.
I wasn't thinking.
Just feeling.
My hand reached up—quiet, careful—toward her head.
Just before it touched—
Takumi appeared.
"Or am I interrupting something?"
My hand froze in midair.
The moment broke.
I slowly lowered it.
Not out of guilt.
But because it was already too late.
I let out a long breath.
"Your eyes are as twisted as your character, Takumi."
But I knew him.
He wouldn't stop.
"What would Kana say if she saw you like this?" he added, circling like a vulture.
"Ever thought about that, one-eyed demon?"
Kana…
I looked at Yui.
She didn't move.
Takumi grinned.
Like he'd just won something.
"This demon… is in love with Kana."
I didn't flinch.
I'm used to silence.
But something inside me shifted.
Maybe I admired her strength. Her calm.
But admiration… isn't love.
Then I thought of Watari.
He loves Kana.
He told me.
I told him he could take my place in leadership.
Yui stepped forward, her voice sharp as a blade:
"Don't say her name.
What does Kana have to do with any of this?"
Takumi leaned closer, still smiling.
"Oh, everything.
This demon's clearly obsessed with her."
Yui snapped back:
"Is that why you're here?
What the hell are you even talking about?"
Takumi turned to me now, eyes locked.
"Second day I arrived… he attacked me.
Just because I went a little hard on Kana."
I stepped forward too.
Voice low, steady.
"A little hard?
Then I guess I responded with medium force.
But if you don't want to see what I'm really capable of…
stop stalling and say why you're here."
I didn't raise my blade.
I didn't need to.
The tension in the air spoke for me.
Takumi smirked.
"We're both Third Flame now, demon.
I'm taller… stronger… and—"
Before he could finish, Yui cut in:
"He bragged for ten minutes and all he got right was 'taller.' Pathetic."
I nearly laughed.
Takumi's face twitched.
He tried to smirk—failed.
He paused. Then, colder:
"Suit yourself.
But I've got bad news."
A cold knot tightened in my gut.
"New mission orders just came in."
He smiled again—this time, not kindly.
"Two-person teams."
He looked at me.
"Yui stuck with Watari.
And you, demon… Kana's waiting.
Lucky you, right?"