A Subtle Bond

"I didn't even get to come on the news..." Hina muttered, her lips forming a pout as she slumped in her chair. Her fingers toyed with the rim of her coffee cup while her chin rested on her palm. 

I said lightly. "Does it matter that much?" 

She lifted her gaze, her expression a mix of irritation and dismay. "Of course, it matters! It's all your fault!" Her voice rose slightly as she made a dramatic, almost crying face. 

I leaned forward, resting my chin on my hand. "Why does it matter? To come on the news?" 

Her face turned slightly red in frustration. "Because people will know how great I am! How good my deeds are!" 

I raised an eyebrow. "So, you do good things so that people can praise you? To please them?" 

Hina froze mid-sentence. Her confident demeanor faltered as she considered my words. 

I continued, my tone calm but firm. "Or do you do them because you truly want to? From your heart?" 

She hesitated, opening her mouth to respond but then closing it again. Her expression turned contemplative, her brows furrowed. 

"You want to be Queen, right?" I asked, leaning back in my chair. "Do you want to become Queen so that people will love you? Admire you? Or is it because you want to do great things with the power you'll have?" 

Her lips pursed into a pout, her gaze drifting to the side. "Of course, I want to do great things for everyone," she admitted, her voice softening, "but it's so nice to be admired too..." 

Her tone trailed off, hinting at a sadness she didn't want to express openly. 

I sighed, leaning back. "Alright, alright. Enough philosophizing. I'm starving. Let's eat." 

Her face brightened slightly, though a small pout remained. "Fine," she muttered, picking up her spoon. 

We left the café as the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and pink. The city lights flickered on, casting a soft glow over the bustling streets. 

"You're pretty strong," Hina said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence between us. "How did you absorb that fire earlier?" 

I lifted my hand, opening my palm toward her. "Like this," I said, the faintest trace of amusement in my voice. 

She scrunched her nose, lightly hitting my hand. "Ugrgh, stop making fun of me." she expressed. 

I shove my hands into my pockets as we continued walking. 

"So, where are you going now?" she asked, tilting her head toward me. "What will you do?" 

I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe find a tree in the mountains to sleep on for the night." 

Her face twisted in disgust. "You don't have a place to stay?" 

"Nope," I replied simply. "I came here today. It wasn't exactly planned." 

"How weird," she said, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. After a pause, she placed her hand on her chest, her expression softening. "Come and stay with me then." 

I stopped in my tracks, turning to her with a raised brow. "You're okay with a stranger staying at your place?" 

She rolled her eyes. "You're not a stranger. You helped me take down bad guys and saved that kid on the road. You're clearly not a bad person." 

Her words made me pause. As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with a vibrancy I couldn't quite understand. There was something undeniably alive about her—a quality that drew people in. 

I sighed, shaking my head slightly. "Alright." 

"Yay!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. Without missing a beat, she grabbed my wrist and began leading me down the street. 

We arrived at her apartment building, a modest structure with neatly trimmed bushes and a small courtyard. As we approached the door, an older woman peeked out from behind her door, her eyes fixed on us. 

I tilted my head toward Hina and pointed my finger at that woman's door. "There's a woman staring at us." 

Hina's gaze followed mine, and her cheerful expression shifted to irritation. "Mind your own business, old hag!" she shouted, pushing her leg ahead. 

I tensed slightly at her outburst, glancing nervously at the woman, who quickly retreated behind her door with a low thud* 

"That was... loud," I said, scratching the back of my neck.

Hina huffed, pulling out her keys and unlocking the door. "She's always like that even though I am always alone here." she muttered. 

We stepped inside, and I took in the sight of her apartment. It was a cozy 1BHK with walls painted a soft pinkish-white. The living room was modestly furnished with a couch, a small coffee table, and a shelf lined with books of heroes of past and sword figurines. A faint floral scent lingered in the air. 

I turned to her. "Your parents doesn't live with you?" 

She froze mid-step, her back to me. 

"...No," she said after a long pause. Her voice was quieter than usual, almost hesitant. Without turning around, she walked into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home. I'll get you some water." 

After showing me around the apartment, Hina went into the bathroom to take a shower. I wandered around the living room, trying to make myself comfortable. The apartment was cozy enough. 

When the door creaked open, I turned instinctively, only to find Hina stepping out wrapped in nothing but a towel. Her damp hair clung to her neck, and a few stray drops of water slid down her shoulder before disappearing beneath the fabric. 

"Your turn," she said casually. 

"Right," I muttered, grabbing the spare towel she'd left out for me and heading into the bathroom. 

The warm water was a welcome relief after the long day. However, I stood in front of the shower for a good minute, staring at the knobs like they were an alien invention. I tried turning one, only for the water to come out icy cold, making me jump back. 

"Uh, Hina?" I called out reluctantly. 

The door cracked open, and she peeked her head in. "What is it now?" 

"I, uh... I don't know how to turn this thing on." 

She sighed dramatically, walking in and brushing past me. "Seriously? It's not that hard." She reached for the knobs, demonstrating how to adjust the temperature. Her hand was mere inches from mine, and I stepped back slightly. 

"There. Easy," she said, turning to me. 

"Thanks," I mumbled. 

The warm water washed over me, relaxing my muscles and clearing my mind. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt refreshed. 

When I came out, I found her in the kitchen, stirring something in a pot. The smell of soup wafted through the air, and I could hear the soft hum of a tune she was singing. 

I walked toward the bedroom to change. Tossing the towel aside, I slipped on my pants and reached for my hoodie. Just as I pulled it halfway over my head, the door flew open. 

*Thud* 

"Hey, would you like it spicy—" Hina started, but her voice stopper as her eyes landed on me. 

I was frozen mid-motion, my hoodie only partially covering my head. Her gaze dropped to my abs for a split second before she turned on her toes.

"S-sorry!" she stammered, shutting the door with a loud thud. 

I finished pulling on my hoodie and sighed. "Relax," I called out. "I have my pants on." 

"Still!" she shouted back from the other side of the door, her voice higher-pitched than usual. Her heart was pounding hard. 

Shaking my head, I stepped out of the room, finding her already back in the kitchen, furiously stirring the soup like her life depended on it. I decided not to press the issue and instead set the table for dinner. 

We ate together in comfortable silence. The soup was surprisingly good, and I made a mental note to compliment her cooking later. After finishing, she handed me a spare blanket and a pillow. 

"You can sleep on the mattress," she said, pointing to a spot on the floor near her bed. 

I raised an eyebrow. "You're putting me on the ground?" 

"Of course!" she said, crossing her arms. "What, did you think I'd let you sleep on my bed with me?" 

"Not really," I replied with a shrug, spreading out the blanket. "Thanks, I guess." 

As I lay down, Hina climbed onto her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. "Don't think about anything lewd at night," she teased, pointing a finger at me. "And try to take chances on me." 

I sighed, turning onto my side. "Relax, I won't."

"Good." She yanked the blanket over her head, muffling her voice. "Goodnight." 

"Goodnight," I echoed, staring at the ceiling. 

The room fell into a peaceful silence, broken only by the soft sound of her breathing. Soon enough, she began to snore lightly, her steady noise filling the room. 

I remained awake, my mind wandering as I stared up at the ceiling. The events of the day replayed in my head—Meeting her—Saving that boy—Stopping that small gang, her fiery personality, the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke. 

Sighhhh*