Raijin's Room – Late Morning, Mountain Penthouse
Raijin groaned as sunlight crept through the curtains. He sat up slowly, hair a wild mess.
Raijin: "Tch… That girl in my dream? She was bad as hell. Shame there's no shorties up here in the mountains…"
Still half-asleep, he dragged his feet toward the stairs. As he passed a large window in the hallway, something outside caught his eye.
Raijin: "Huh…? No way."
Down below, on the penthouse balcony overlooking the misty peaks, he spotted Riah and Gendai sitting together—talking.
Raijin: "Yo… Riah and Gendai? Together? Talking? This vacation is crazy."
Just as he muttered that, Kazimir and Tojo walked past behind him, each holding a glass of water from their recent meditation session.
Tojo: "Yo, Kazimir—did those two always get along and we just missed it?"
Kazimir: (without looking) "Not a clue. Leave them be. Unless the penthouse is on fire, we don't interfere."
Raijin: "That's a wild way to live, bro. You're the only one who can calm them down, though."
Kazimir: "The fact you said 'calm them down' like I have control over them is even crazier."
Balcony – Overlooking the Mountain Range
Gendai stood in a training stance, sweat on her brow as her aura flickered faintly. Riah leaned against the balcony rail, arms crossed, a breeze playing with her white hair.
Gendai: "…So why are you here?"
Riah: "I was passing by. Wondering why you're training while the rest of us are trying to relax."
Gendai: "Because I'm behind. I don't need rest—I need results."
Riah: "But you are here. On vacation. With us. Don't pretend that doesn't mean something. We could all die tomorrow."
Gendai's brows furrowed. Her voice tightened.
Gendai: "Stop acting like we're friends. You don't like me."
Riah: "True. We don't see eye to eye. But we're teammates. That matters more."
Gendai: (stepping away) "I don't belong here. He said I'm useless."
Riah: "He didn't say that. You're taking it wrong. He wants you to do better—but you can't because you're too focused on him. That obsession is holding you back."
Gendai: "He told you that?"
Riah: "No. But it's what he thinks."
A silence passed before Riah added, more softly—
Riah: "I'm sorry… for how I treated you."
Gendai turned, expression sharp.
Gendai: "Oh, so now you're nice? After what you did with him last night, now you apologize?"
Riah: "You do remember it was always me and him sharing the room when we first came here, right? You were never part of that."
Gendai: "That doesn't justify it! My love for him is real—deeper than you think."
Riah: "If it was, you wouldn't have kept quiet. Kazimir's dense—he doesn't see subtle feelings."
Gendai: "…What do you know about the Nullity?"
Riah: "Enough. I warned you because I care, not because I was trying to keep you away from him. It's a dangerous force. It corrodes you, mentally and physically. You felt that, didn't you?"
Gendai: "…Yes."
Riah: "Then understand this—I'm not apologizing because I got close to him. I'm apologizing because I was wrong about you."
Gendai: "Why now?"
Riah: "Because I realized the two of us are the only ones not getting along. That needs to change. I hated demons… but you're more human than most here. You cling to Kazimir not out of love, but because he's the only one who ever made you feel safe. Am I wrong?"
Gendai froze, like the wind had knocked the breath out of her.
Gendai: "…How—how do you know that?"
Riah: "Because your actions scream it. You feel like without him, you're nothing. But you're wrong. So… truce?"
Gendai stared at her, conflicted. Slowly, she nodded.
Gendai: "Fine. But only if you keep your word."
Riah: "I will. In fact—Kazimir mentioned there was supposed to be some kind of group meeting today. Something about the team."
Gendai: "Oh? So it's happening now?"
Riah: "Maybe. Let's go find out."
Penthouse Lounge – A Moment Later
The spacious common room smelled of fresh pinewood and sunlight. Kazimir sat on one of the sleek couches near the fireplace, legs crossed, quietly gazing into space. When he heard footsteps, he looked up—and for the first time in a while, seemed surprised.
Kazimir: "So… you two actually can get along. That's good to see."
Riah: "Do you know what this meeting's about?"
Kazimir: "Something about choosing a leader for the group. Doesn't concern me—I'm not interested."
Without another word, he stood and walked toward the hallway leading to the rooms.
Gendai: "Wait—huh?!"
He didn't turn around. The door clicked shut behind him.
Moments later, the rest of the group filtered in one by one—Tojo, Xavier, Lilly, Raijin, Jessie, Angelly. The mood shifted, tension rising.
It was time for a decision.