Morning bled slowly into the ruined store, the pale sun painting the cracked walls and debris in muted gold. The survivors stirred one by one, but the air still carried the weight of the night before.
Saya was the first to move. She hadn't let go of Imura even in her sleep. Now she rubbed her eyes blearily, then tucked herself back against him, whispering something soft and almost childish under her breath. He rested a hand on her hair, and she melted instantly.
Rin, by contrast, avoided looking at them altogether. Her face was pale from lack of sleep, her jaw tight as if she had been grinding her teeth all night. She sat by the wall, arms wrapped around her knees, silent but restless. Every time her gray eyes flickered toward Imura and Saya, she turned away quickly, as though scorched.
But someone else was watching.
She had been there the whole time—hidden in the shadows behind the toppled shelf near the corner. Imura had noticed her the previous night, though he hadn't exposed her. He let her watch, let her see how easily he bent the others around him. Now, as the first true daylight touched the room, she finally stepped forward.
Her auburn hair caught the light, matted in strands but still catching faint glimmers of red. Her clothes were torn—a jacket hanging loosely over a thin shirt, dust and dirt staining both. She was slender, her movements cautious but not clumsy, eyes sharp beneath the exhaustion. Her lips pressed together tightly as she looked at him, as though weighing something unspoken.
Imura's smile was faint, but it tugged at the corner of his mouth as their eyes met.
"So," he said, breaking the silence first. "You've been watching."
The girl froze for a moment before replying, her voice low, careful, but steady. "You knew?"
"Of course." He leaned back slightly, stroking Saya's hair without looking away from her. "You didn't exactly hide your curiosity. I could feel your eyes on me."
Saya blinked up at the girl now, frowning faintly. "Who…?"
The auburn-haired girl ignored her, her focus fixed entirely on Imura. "I didn't step in. I didn't stop you. Does that bother you?"
Her question was sharp, almost a test.
Imura chuckled softly. "Not at all. If anything, it tells me something important about you."
Rin finally glanced toward them, her gray eyes narrowing. "Who the hell are you?" she snapped, the edge in her voice sharper than usual.
The girl turned slightly toward her, hesitating only a moment before speaking. "Natsumi."
Rin's eyes narrowed further. "And what do you want, Natsumi?"
Natsumi's gaze returned to Imura. "I want to know what he is."
The words rippled through the air, cutting cleanly through the quiet. Saya stiffened against Imura, Rin's expression darkened, and Imura himself laughed quietly, a low sound that seemed to echo in the ruined store.
"What I am?" he repeated, his smirk widening. "That's simple. I'm the one who decides whether you survive or not."
Natsumi didn't flinch. She held his gaze, steady despite the weight of his words. Then, after a long moment, she nodded slightly. "Then I'll stay close."
Saya shifted uneasily, Rin bristled outright, but Imura only leaned back, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. Another piece had stepped willingly into play.