Chapter 0.11

Rei stopped, tilting his head as he considered her words, clearly curious.

Rei (frowning, puzzled): Hide and seek? What's that?

Athea's excitement bubbled over, and she crouched down to his level, her hands motioning energetically as she explained.

Athea (grinning, animated): It's a game! One person hides, and the other has to try to find them. The person hiding has to stay really quiet and still so they're not found easily. And the one searching has to look everywhere and try to catch them before they can run back to the starting spot!

Rei listened intently, his face shifting from confusion to a spark of interest. He seemed to be piecing the game together in his head.

Rei (nodding slowly, thoughtful): So... one of us hides? And you're supposed to be... super quiet?

Athea (nodding enthusiastically): Exactly! And if you're hiding, you need to find the best spot. Somewhere really sneaky, so the other person won't think to look there!

Rei (scratching his head, uncertain but intrigued): Hmm... okay, I think I get it. Sounds... fun?

Athea beamed and grabbed his hand, pulling him forward.

Athea (excited): Trust me, it's so much fun! You can go first—let me hide, and you try to find me!

They began their game under the shade of the tall trees, laughter echoing through the forest. Athea darted off first, her steps light and quick as she slipped behind a wide tree trunk.

Rei closed his eyes and counted, just as Athea had shown him, though he peeked a few times, eager to start searching.

Rei (calling out, amused): Ready or not, here I come!

He began his search, circling the nearby trees, occasionally pausing and pretending to look in the wrong direction just to keep her guessing. Finally, he spotted a little hint of her bright hair sticking out from behind the tree. Grinning, he snuck up and jumped out with a playful shout.

Rei (triumphant): Gotcha, Athea!

Athea (laughing, caught off guard): Ah! No fair—you're getting too good at this!

They switched roles, and this time Rei had his turn hiding. He tried curling up behind a boulder, a spot he thought was perfect. But Athea quickly spotted him, creeping up and tagging him with a giggle.

Athea (proud, teasing): Got you, too, mister "super sneaky"!

Rei's eyes sparkled with excitement, and they laughed as they reset for the next round. Now it was Athea's turn to hide again, and she scrambled up into a low-hanging tree branch, barely able to contain her laughter as she watched Rei searching below.

Rei (scratching his head, looking around): Hmm… where could she be…?

She couldn't hold in her laughter and accidentally let out a giggle. Rei's eyes shot up, and he caught sight of her in the tree, his face lighting up with a smile.

Rei (grinning): Found you!

They played again and again, taking turns and growing bolder with their hiding spots. Each time, they became faster, trickier, and even more determined to outwit each other. They explored every nook of their little corner of the forest, from behind rocks to under thick bushes.

Athea (out of breath, still smiling): Okay, one last round… but I'm definitely winning this time!

Rei (laughing): We'll see about that!

As they began their last round of hide and seek, Athea darted deeper into the forest, finally hiding behind a wide tree trunk, pressing herself close and trying not to laugh.

Athea (whispering to herself, grinning): No way he finds me here!

Back where she'd left him, Rei scanned the area, his gaze sharp as he checked bushes and glanced up at branches, listening for any sound.

Rei (playful, muttering): Think you're so sneaky, huh?

Scene shifts to Athea, peeking around the tree, barely able to contain her excitement. She waited quietly, convinced she'd hidden perfectly. Then, she heard soft footsteps nearby. A smirk spread across her face as she prepared to leap out.

Athea (thinking, excited): Gotcha, Rei!

As the figure got close, Athea sprang out from behind the tree.

Athea (triumphant): I win, Rei—!

But her voice trailed off as she stared at the figure. It wasn't Rei.