"May I know your good name? Ohh~ Uta-rin… Uta-rin… Uta-rin~!"
Astra mimicked, fluttering her lashes and banging the table between wheezes of laughter. "Hope we meet again~" she added in an overly sweet tone, nearly falling off her chair.
The rest of the group burst into laughter well, everyone except Shion, who sat there, arms crossed, face like thunder, still silently fuming.
After Maihima and her two loyal tails finally stormed off, Arisu quietly bent down and picked up the broken fan. Her expression fell the moment she saw the crack down the middle. Astra glanced over and waved it off.
"It's just a fan, Arisu. Who cares? We'll buy a shinier one!"But when Arisu hesitated and mumbled, "It… it was a gift…..for you,"
Astra froze.
A beat passed.
Then she exploded. "That rock-headed broomstick! May her soup always boil over and her sandals break mid-walk!" Arisu blinked… then broke into sudden laughter, her sadness forgotten in Astra's over-the-top rant.
Later, after some convincing Arisu agreed to join them for dinner. They waited in a long, winding line just to get into the restaurant rumored for its famous hot pot. When they finally found a table, Astra immediately started to tease him.
She cleared her throat again trying mimicked Maihima's voice with exaggerated sweetness.
"'Uta…"
"Don't."
Seiya couldn't resist anymore and joined In, he clasped his hands and fluttered his lashes.
"Utaaaaa-rin, what a charming name! Shall I call you that forever?"Shion's eyebrow twitched,
"Shut up don't call me that!"
Astra leaned in closer. "Aww, don't be shy, Uta-rin~ I can get it." Seiya nodded solemnly. Arisu giggled behind her hand, while Shion looked like he was mentally plotting all their slow and painful demises.
Even Seirou let out a low chuckle before commenting, "It's been ages since anyone used an honorific like that for Shion. Especially one so… sugary. Totally unexpected."
Seiya grinned and added, "Right? And she used his first name too. I thought Shion only let Kaen call him that. What's going on, Uta-rin?"
Shion deadpanned, "I didn't allow her. She just said it… and left leaving me no chance to say no."
Astra burst into laughter again. "You had chance but You looked like you were stuck!"
"I was stuck," Shion muttered. "Just not the kind you're thinking of."
"Don't worry," Seiya smirked. "Next time she shows up, we'll all say it together Uta-rin~" Shion stared blankly at the hot pot. "This soup isn't hot enough to drown in."
"You guys aren't going to eat?" Arisu asked softly, already holding her chopsticks.
Shion shot her a glare from across the table. She immediately looked away, pretending to study the table's wood grain like it held secrets of the universe.
"Yes, yes, let's eat! We still need to head back soon," Astra said, finally grabbing her chopsticks. The others followed suit. But just as she reached out eagerly toward the hot pot, Seirou casually slid his hand in the way and began serving only broth and vegetables into her bowl.
"You can't eat meat yet," he said calmly. "This is better for your recovery."
Astra stared at her bowl. "Seirou, stop acting like Kaen! Let me have at least this once! We waited so long in line for this!"
Seirou remained silent, already chewing away like nothing happened.Then swoop! Seiya took the biggest piece of meat right in front of her and dunked it into his bowl with a dip.
"Mmm… juicy, tender, forbidden hot pot meat," he teased, giving her a smug look. Astra reached for a cloth not to wipe her hands, but to sob into it.
"I think you should let her eat this once," Arisu said gently. "It's a festival, after all."
Astra immediately stopped fake-sobbing and looked up with hopeful, sparkling eyes nodded rapidly in agreement. Arisu picked up her chopsticks and reached for the meat only for Shion to snatch it away mid-air with lightning speed.
"Not only is she restricted from eating it…" he said with a sly smirk, "you are too, Miss Naneko."
"It's Kaneko…..And I'm already feeling much better, I can—"
"You can't," Shion cut in flatly and slid a bowl toward her soup-less, with a mountain of boiled vegetables.
Arisu peeked into it, then glanced at Astra's bowl. At least Astra had some soup floating around in hers.They both locked eyes across the table… then simultaneously sighed accepting their fate tonight.
While stuffing her mouth with the blandest vegetables ever grown under the sun, Arisu sneaked a sideways glance at Shion.
He was already watching her with that infuriating smirk.
Then she heard it his voice clear as day. But Shion hadn't even moved his lips.
"Had fun giggling…? Now have fun with vegetables."
Arisu nearly choked on a carrot stick. She coughed, grabbed her cup of water, and gave him a death glare between sips.
"Did he just say something? Or am I hearing things again?" she muttered under her breath, looking suspiciously at him who just munched on his food.
Then it happened again his voice was more clear,
"Maybe it's the venom effect… it's still there."
Arisu flinched, her chopsticks nearly flying out of her hand. She slammed them on the table, whisper-hissing to Astra, "Tell me I'm not crazy. Did you hear that? Did he talk?"
"Who?" Astra stopped mid-slurp, clearly confused.
Arisu, still wide-eyed, slowly pointed at Shion. "Him."
Astra blinked twice, looked at Shion who was calmly sipping his soup then looked back at Arisu. "Nope. But if he is… tell him I want meat."
"Are you sure?!"
Astra leaned back, squinting at her, " what do you mean by "Are you sure?" Maybe you're just hungry. Or hallucinating. Or worse…" She looked around eyes scanning every corner. "Check if there are any spirits hovering around you." Then went back to slurping.
Shion, still saying nothing, just met Arisu's glare and this time he slowly mouthed the words,
"…..Having fun?…."
Arisu nearly flipped the table but held herself back when she saw Shion casually sipping his soup like nothing had happened. She narrowed her eyes and muttered under her breath,
"It's happening again… I'm hearing things. Maybe the venom's still messing with me." With a quiet sigh, she picked up a leaf and started munching on it.
Meanwhile,
The cool night breeze slipped through the open window, making the curtains billow softly like waves. The prince sat at the edge of the windowsill, his face lifted toward the vast sky.
Moonlight poured in, catching the edges of his golden mask, half of his face hidden behind its gleaming surface, the rest softened by the shadows. His hair fluttered lightly in the wind, brushing against the mask's curve. His hand clutched a hairpin, fingers wrapped around it tightly.
"Akira, why are you suddenly this quiet?"
Daita, who had been silently observing him for a while, finally broke the stillness as he sat opposite to the prince.
The prince didn't respond. His face remained turned toward the full moon outside the window.
Daita's eyes drifted between the moon and the prince, He frowned slightly, then gave a small, knowing sigh.
"The whole of Shenghara is out celebrating tonight, and here we are… locked in this room," Daita muttered with a sigh. "Akira-sera, are you upset you couldn't celebrate your favorite festival?"
The prince finally turned toward him, the moonlight catching the edge of his golden mask. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he replied,
"Why would I be sad when I have Daita-sera with me?"
Daita's expression immediately twisted into a scowl. "I've told you a hundred times stop calling me that. I'm not the crown prince here… I'm just—"
"Then you should stop addressing me with it too, I may be the crown prince, but before that I'm your friend."
Daita leaned back with a sigh, folding his arms. "You really are nothing like Uncle… even though the two of you look exactly alike."
The prince stood, his head hung low as his voice lowered. "His Majesty… I wonder when he'll truly accept me."
Noticing the change in tone, Daita stood as well, stepping beside him. He placed an arm around his shoulder and gently turned him toward the window again where fireworks had begun to bloom across the night sky, casting vibrant colors across the darkness.
"Uncle doesn't have a single good reason to hold back from you," Daita said with quiet conviction. "I don't see a single fault in you. You're perfect in every way. If I were a girl, I'd marry you on the spot!"
The prince let out a soft chuckle at that, Daita grinned at the sound, nudging him lightly.
"See? That's better."
"Daita, aren't you going to return to the sect? You'll be in trouble if you don't. Ginkgo-Mira will be angry again."
Daita, eyes fixed on the fireworks outside, shrugged, "He's always angry. Doesn't change much, But I'm not planning to leave you alone tonight. Not on the festival."
"But—"
"I already sent an apology letter," Daita interrupted, waving it off. "And wrote the sutras a hundred times in advance, just in case. So why worry now?" The prince turned to him, slightly stunned.
"You wrote them in advance?"
" I had a feeling I'd get scolded anyway, so I came prepared." He stretched, then added with a grin, "Besides, Mira will forgive me the moment I mention I was spending time with his most favorite disciple."
The prince couldn't hold back a smile at that. The subtle pride in Daita's tone wasn't missed. Daita noticed it too and raised an eyebrow. "So?" he asked, nudging him slightly.
"Are you planning on returning to the sect again?"