Azura, Easton
The trio finally made it home, the moon casting a soft glow over the quiet streets of Azura.
"Arrrgh, I'm beat," Code yawned as he dragged himself to his room.
"I'm taking the hot bath first!" Hina shouted, darting past him like a bolt of lightning.
"What—?!" Nara blinked. "She totally got me!" he growled, biting his thumb in frustration.
Then something clicked.
"Wait... sugar cubes! No one can stop me now!" he declared, making a mad dash to the kitchen like a man on a mission.
A few minutes later, Code emerged from his room in a white bathrobe, his hair messy but his mood relaxed. Even though they all had private showers, there was only one shared hot bath—an indoor sauna room they treated like a sacred treasure.
He glanced around.
"Hmm. Nara? Hina?" No response. No signs of life. "Guess they're in their rooms," he muttered, heading down the right corridor toward the sauna.
He paused when he heard it—splish, splash.
His hand froze on the doorknob.
"...Someone in there?" he whispered, but the sound stopped.
"Probably the kitchen," he shrugged, and pushed the door open.
Creak...
Steam rose like a curtain, and the warm scent of soap and heat filled the air. He stepped inside, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Nothing hits like a hot soak after a long day—"
Splish splash.
He froze mid-step. His eyes slowly shifted toward the water's rippling surface.
And that's when he saw her.
Hina.
Eyes wide. Hair damp. Just barely above the waterline.
Their gazes locked.
Then there was dead silence. Time seemed to stop.
Then—
"AaaaaaaAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
Hina's scream shattered the calm like a bolt of lightning. Code snapped out of it, eyes bulging, his face turned redder than a tomato as a thin stream of blood trickled from his nose.
"I-I didn't see anything! I swear!" he blurted, flailing backwards.
But it was too late.
Thwack!
A bowl hit him square in the face.
"You pervert!" Hina screamed, grabbing another.
Code yelped and bolted from the bath, slipping as he barely dodged the second projectile. He slammed the door shut behind him, panting like he'd just escaped death itself.
"What the hell just happened?!" he gasped, clutching his chest.
Nara, who'd heard the scream from down the hall, peeked out—sugar smeared across his mouth.
"Hey, what's with the yelling?"
Code said nothing. He kept his eyes on the floor and briskly walked past him like a ghost trying to avoid confrontation.
Nara raised a brow, glanced at the sauna door, then back at Code's suspiciously red face. Realization dawned like a sunrise.
"Ohohohoh! Code!" Nara cackled. "Looks like someone's becoming a man!"
"Shut up!" Code snapped, diving onto the sofa and burying his face in his hands.
"Nah, nah, it's fine," Nara said, walking over and patting his back like a proud dad. "Today, you've taken your first step into manhood."
"I said shut up!" Code groaned louder, trying to disappear into the couch.
"I just wanna melt into the ground right now," he muttered.
Then, all of a sudden—
BAM!
The front door jolted open with dramatic flair, and Van strolled in.
He looked like a lost child who had finally found his mama.
Code and Nara stared at him, dead silent, their eyes following him as if they couldn't process whether he was real or a ghost.
Van waved enthusiastically. "Yo!" As his eyes sparkled.
Then he plopped onto the sofa across from Code.
Code, meanwhile, sank deeper into his seat, head still buried in shame.
Van blinked. "...What's with him?"
"He's shy 'cause he just took his first glorious leap into manhood," Nara said, patting Code's back like he'd just come back from war.
"I could strangle you right now," Code muttered, voice muffled in his hands.
Van leaned forward, nodding with a solemn gaze. "Good grief, you really did it, huh, Code? Girls don't usually appreciate a surprise audience, y'know."
"I didn't mean to! I just—!" Code started, but Van raised a hand.
"It's okay," Van said gently, his voice suddenly serious, like a wise monk passing down sacred advice. "It's not like you did it on purpose."
The sun through the window hit Van's back just right. His words glowed with quiet, forgiving warmth. Code lifted his head. His eyes watered.
That was exactly what he needed to hear.
Then Van spoke again.
"The important thing is satisfying your little guy."
"...HUH?!"
Code's soul nearly left his body.
Van and Nara burst into chaotic laughter.
"I seriously forgot how stupid Van could be," Code wailed, slamming his forehead back into his hands like a man giving up on humanity.
After several minutes of relentless laughter, the bath door suddenly creaked open.
Hina stepped out, fully dressed with a white towel draped around her neck.
The trio instantly froze.
Her steps echoed softly as she walked into the living room. Her eyes scanned the scene—Van awkwardly trying to shift his gaze, Nara shaking like a soda can about to explode, and Code, practically melting into the couch cushion.
Her glare swept across them like a winter breeze. Silent. Icy. Dangerous.
No one dared speak.
Even Van, who usually lived for chaos, kept his mouth zipped.
Hina took a seat beside Nara, crossing her arms.
"Arrrgh," she sighed, breaking the unbearable silence. "Why are you all staring like that? Do I look different or something?"
"Nah. Nope. Totally normal. All good," Van stammered, clearly on the brink.
"So... why is it so quiet?" she asked, raising a brow at Nara, who looked like he was about to implode.
He pinched himself hard, desperate to suppress the laughter bubbling inside him. It wasn't working.
"I-I'm gonna use the bathroom!" he blurted, bolting to his room with a loud thud behind him.
"What the heck was that?!" Hina exclaimed, jumping slightly.
"Thunder, probably. Been raining a lot lately," Van said, trying his best to stay composed.
Moments later, Nara returned, face washed clean of all laughter.
Van stood up, clapping his hands.
"Right—back to business. We've got a mission."
"Finally!" Nara said. "I was starting to think the demons were scared."
"This one's not your everyday raid," Van said, his tone dropping. Even Code raised his head slightly at the change.
"We're dealing with an upper-class demon."
"An upper-class?" Hina repeated, eyes narrowing. "Haven't heard that in a while."
Van nodded. "Remember Hersch Forest?"
"The cursed forest between Azura and Kaida?" Hina asked.
"Yeah. That one," Van said. "Apparently, a castle appeared out of nowhere a few months back. Ever since then... people go in and never come out."
Nara shuddered. "Eek."
"Guilds, sorcerers, adventurers—no one comes back. Something's luring them in," Van added gravely. "So I took the mission, you guys can go."
"You guys?" Hina raised a brow. "So we are the ones going?"
"Training purposes!" Van said. "Code's close to hitting the emission phase. Perfect timing."
"Just admit you're being lazy," Hina and Nara deadpanned in unison.
"But think about it!" Van countered proudly. "If I go, the battle ends in seconds. Where's the fun in that?"
"Tch..."
"But I've got a feeling," Van added, tone darkening a shade. "Something big's waiting in that castle."
That made them pause.
"Tomorrow, you head out," Van said, turning to leave. Then he stopped, voice soft but firm:
"If things go south, don't expect help. No one's coming."
"You're such an airhead," Hina muttered.
Van walked past Code and leaned in. "Get over it, man. And take a nap. You'll need it," he said with a wink, then vanished into his room.
Nara followed, giving Code a quick shoulder tap before disappearing down the hall.
The room fell quiet.
Only Code and Hina remained.
"God, what do I even say now?" Code sighed, clutching his chest.
A few minutes passed. He cautiously raised his head, hoping she'd gone.
But their eyes locked.
His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
Badum. Badum.
Hina sat calmly, gazing at him with unreadable eyes.
"U-uh," Code stammered, cheeks flushing, hands fidgeting.
Hina sighed and smiled faintly.
"I know you didn't mean it," she said.
Code blinked, unsure if he'd heard right.
"Oh thank God, she understands!"
"I'm sorry about the bowl. Reflex," she added, reaching out and gently ruffling his hair like a mother with her child.
Then she stood up and stretched.
"Tomorrow's gonna be rough. Get some rest," she said, disappearing into her room without another word.
Code exhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"...I actually survived that," he whispered to himself, collapsing back into the couch.
***
TBC