In all my nineteen years of life…
there's only one thing I truly regret.
Existing.
If I hadn't been born… maybe my parents would still be alive.
Because of my childish selfishness… I watched them die.
I killed the very people who gave me life.
Since that day, I made a vow.
Never to love.
Never to be loved.
I don't deserve it.
Not after destroying two lives that once loved each other so much.
That's why I shut myself away from everyone.
I chose to live alone… and spend the rest of my miserable life paying the price for what I did.
But now…
Right here, under the weight of crowds staring eyes…
I find myself breaking that promise.
Kissing someone.
In front of everyone.
Does it count?
If this is just a manga world…
If she's just a character…
If this isn't real…
Do I really deserve to feel loved, even for a moment?
I pulled away, my heart hammering, as the crowd erupted into applause, cheering like I'd just accepted a marriage proposal or something. My hands dropped to my sides and I stared at the ground, feeling my cheeks burn.
There was a heavy silence that followed.
"I'm… sorry," I muttered, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
Shion opened her mouth, probably to say something, but before she could—
"The Arakawa are burning the lands!" someone screamed from the distance, their voice sharp and panicked.
Shion's body stiffened. In the blink of an eye she vanished from my side, her figure darting toward the source of the commotion.
I let out a shaky laugh, trying to hide how my hands were still trembling. "Wow," I whispered to myself, "should have come before the kiss."
"That," Rei's voice came from behind me, smooth and teasing, "was unexpected, Rin."
I spun around to see both Rei and Akari walking toward me. They were smirking, their hands linked as always, their eyes glinting like they'd just caught me red-handed.
"Hun, hun," I laughed awkwardly, scratching my head and trying to look anywhere but at them.
"I thought you disliked Sister Shion," Akari chimed in, tilting her head innocently, "but you kissed her today. Wow."
"I only did that to," I started to explain, but Rei pressed a finger lightly to my lips, cutting me off.
"Yeah, we know," she said, smirking knowingly, "you did it to distract her, right?" She winked.
I nodded quickly, my smile tight and nervous, grateful they'd bought my excuse even though my stomach was still twisting.
"Okay, then," Akari said brightly, her voice pulling the attention away, "let's continue our date before those guards find us."
The three of us strolled back toward the rows of shops and vendors. Colorful banners flapped above us, the smell of grilled dumplings and sweet rice filling the air. People were shouting about sales, children darted between stalls, and shopkeepers showed off fabrics, fans, and tiny charms that sparkled in the sun.
But no matter how much noise and color surrounded me, my thoughts kept drifting back to that kiss.
Even as Rei and Akari argued over which charm to buy, I found my hand unconsciously drifting to my lips.
I froze when my fingertips brushed them.
They still felt warm.
For the real Rin Kisaragi, I didn't know if this counted for anything, but… that kiss… it had been my first.
And even though it was just a distraction, a lie, a trick —
— it still made my heart feel strange.
...
Wow.
The taste of these noodles… was magnificent.
Hot. Slurpy.
The broth clung to my lips and sent heat all the way down to my stomach. Steam curled up into my face, making my cheeks pink and my bangs stick to my forehead.
Finally — after a long day of running, chasing, third-wheeling, and screaming — the sun had set and we sat down at this cozy little restaurant tucked into the corner of the square.
I could hardly believe my eyes when we walked in.
The lanterns glowed a soft golden color, the wood polished so clean it reflected the light, and the scent of soy sauce, sizzling meats, and fresh noodles wrapped around me like a warm hug.
I sat opposite Rei and Akari, watching them feed each other with delicate little bites — Akari blushing, Rei smirking like a cat — but honestly, my focus was on my own steaming bowl of noodles.
I held my chopsticks like they were sacred weapons.
Every bite was heaven.
Soft noodles, salty broth, little bits of green onion dancing on the surface.
If this place kicked me out right now, I'd die satisfied.
I leaned back and sighed dramatically, a noodle dangling out of my mouth.
Then a thought struck me — an idea so perfect, so evil, it made my lips curl into a mischievous grin.
"Do you know what would make this even more romantic?" I asked, tilting my head with the sweetest smile I could fake.
Akari glanced at me, confused but still blushing faintly.
"What?" she murmured.
I grabbed a long noodle from my bowl, holding it up triumphantly between my chopsticks like a trophy.
"You eat from this end…" I started, offering it to Akari.
"…and you, Rei, eat from this end," I finished, dangling the other end toward Rei's mouth.
They both froze — then Akari's cheeks flared scarlet while Rei's grin widened with an almost predatory amusement.
The two leaned in, slowly slurping their respective ends of the noodle.
Closer…
Closer…
Their noses almost touched—
SNAP!
The noodle was cut clean in half right in front of their faces.
"Hey!"
We all shouted at the same time, voices overlapping in shock.
Standing behind them was a woman I hadn't even noticed before — tall, graceful, with long dark hair and a coy smile.
She held two chopsticks pinched together where the noodle had been.
"You two must be lovers, right?" she purred.
The tension at our table instantly shot through the roof.
Rei slammed her hands down, standing so fast her chair screeched.
Her smirk turned sharp.
"No, we're not lovers, we're just sisters having a lovely date—" her voice dripped with sarcasm as she clenched her fist, sparks of fire flickering at her fingertips — "and what do you think you're doing? How dare you interrupt our romantic dinner?"
Gasps rippled through the restaurant as patrons turned to stare, chopsticks halfway to their mouths, noodles dangling midair.
I could already see faint wisps of smoke rising from Rei's palms.
My heart jumped into my throat.
The woman, however, didn't flinch.
Instead, she raised one brow, smirked lazily, and made a graceful flicking gesture toward Rei — a faint spray of water splashed across her hand, extinguishing the sparks with a hiss.
"Hey, calm down," she said, her voice light but edged with something strange.
"You don't want to make a scene now, do you? Fire and water don't mix… but the two of you really do look good together."
What the hell was with this lady?!
I jumped to my feet, grabbing Rei by her sleeve and Akari by her wrist.
"Okay, okay, cousin Akari, Rei. let's go before we burn this place down or drown in it. Everyone's staring!" I hissed, already dragging them toward the door.
But the woman called after us, her voice carrying through the quiet murmur of the other diners.
"If you truly want to be together forever… I know a place," she said smoothly.
Her chopsticks clinked as she tucked them behind her ear.
"A place where your souls will be tied together for all eternity — and no one will ever be able to separate you again."
That stopped Rei and Akari dead in their tracks.
I froze too, my hand still gripping Akari's sleeve.
My chest tightened with something unpleasant — an itch of suspicion crawling up the back of my neck.
Akari turned halfway, her eyes wide and almost… hopeful?
"Where?" she breathed, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
The woman's grin widened, revealing white, even teeth that gleamed just a little too brightly under the lanterns.
"I can take you there," she said.
"Right now. If you're brave enough."
Rei's face lit up like a kid being offered candy.
She spun around, practically bouncing on her heels.
"Take us! I want to see it! Akari, let's go!"
Akari's blush deepened, and she nodded timidly.
"Yes. Please… take us there."
My stomach dropped like a stone.
That bad feeling I get sometimes?
Yeah.
It was screaming at me now.
My fingers tightened around Akari's sleeve until my knuckles turned white.
"Uh… Rei, cousin Akari… let's not go," I said carefully, my voice cracking halfway.
"This feels… really shady. Like, scammer-level shady. You know? We should just… eat dessert instead. Yeah?"
They ignored me completely.
They were already following the woman out of the restaurant, Rei practically skipping, Akari gliding behind her like she was under some kind of spell.
My shoulders slumped.
I stood there for a second, watching their backs vanish through the doorway — my noodles still steaming quietly on the table behind me.
"…Why does no one ever listen to me?" I muttered under my breath, jabbing my chopsticks back into the bowl and letting out a long, defeated sigh.
But even as my feet dragged reluctantly after them, my chest was tight and my pulse thudded like a warning bell in my ears.
That woman…
Something about her smile…
It didn't feel human.
….
"Okay… so where is this magical place?" Akari asked, her voice soft but curious, as we trailed behind the strange woman.
Her long hair swayed like ink with each step she took, and her sandals barely made a sound on the stone path.
Rei leaned closer to Akari, whispering loud enough for me to hear anyway.
"Are you sure this is the right way? It's… kinda creepy out here."
I walked behind them, arms crossed and shoulders slouched, just quietly following without saying anything.
Every step we took, the air grew colder — and heavier — like even the lanterns hanging above were scared to shine here.
Then, at last, the woman stopped.
Right in front of… a wall.
A completely plain, gray, cold, boring wall.
I squinted at it.
"…It's just a wall," I muttered, deadpan.
Rei tilted her head and smirked, like she was solving some brilliant riddle no one else could see.
"Or maybe…" she said dramatically, planting a hand on her hip, "…the wall is a disguise for a door."
Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
I groaned.
Oh great, she was getting into it.
But before Rei could touch the wall, the woman suddenly stopped walking — and laughed.
A low, awkward, wrong laugh.
We all froze.
Slowly, she turned to face us, her smile widening unnaturally as shadows began to gather at her feet.
"You should have listened… to your friend," she said, her voice dropping lower than before — silkier and colder.
"Never trust a stranger."
My breath hitched.
My stomach dropped straight to my feet.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
We all just… stood there.
Mouths slightly open, eyes wide, too stunned to move.
Then —
Her skin shimmered.
Her neck stretched.
Her hands twisted into claws as her entire body shifted, scales rippling over her skin, her eyes splitting into slits like molten gold.
And right before our eyes — she shed her human disguise like a cloak — and turned into a giant snake.
Her tongue flicked out, hissing between razor-sharp fangs, her massive body coiling around the walls and filling the narrow alleyway, cold scales scraping the stone.
"…See?" I whispered, hugging myself tightly as my knees wobbled.
I swallowed hard, my voice dry but smug anyway.
"…Told you something was shady."