A FRIENDSHIP IS BORN?

Naru and Kaito left the palace, accompanied by a few of their most trusted warriors. Clouds gathered on the horizon as they disappeared through the gates, leaving Leyla alone in the palace.

She decided to take the opportunity to visit the library. If she couldn't be directly involved in the search, at least she could try to find something useful in the old documents and records. She knew the key to the artifact was connected to her in some way, and if there was a clue they had overlooked, perhaps she would be the one to find it.

As she sat at a massive wooden table, surrounded by books and scrolls, the silence of the room was interrupted by soft footsteps.

She looked up and immediately blinked in surprise.

"You?!"

Standing before her was Naru's cousin—the very same one who had openly flirted with her in front of Naru before, provoking him and playing with his jealousy.

This time, however, he didn't seem like a provocateur. His face was serious, his posture calmer.

"I came to help you," he said smoothly.

Leyla raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Oh, and I'm supposed to believe that? Where are all your jokes and provocations now?"

He smiled slightly. "That was just to annoy my dear cousin. I had no serious intentions."

"So, you just wanted to get under his skin?"

"Exactly."

Leyla eyed him suspiciously, but she couldn't deny that he seemed sincere now.

"Fine," she finally said, turning back to her books. "If you're here to help, then go through these records with me. But if you try anything stupid—"

"I won't," he cut her off with a small smile. "This time, I'm serious."

Leyla continued flipping through the old writings while Naru's cousin sat across from her, studying the texts with the same curiosity, though with a noticeable distance. He seemed calmer than usual, but she knew there was more behind that face than he let on.

"Can I ask you something?" she said without looking up from the pages.

"Of course," he replied, slowly turning the pages of the book in front of him.

"You and Naru… it's not just about jealousy, is it? You're not exactly on good terms, are you?"

He paused for a moment, his fingers tracing the edges of the parchment before sighing.

"We're not. But it's not that simple."

"Then explain it to me."

He looked up at her, considering whether he should tell her. Finally, he leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and said:

"Before Naru became prince, we both had the right to fight for the throne. We grew up together, trained together, competed in everything… And in the end, he won."

Leyla raised an eyebrow. "So, you were rivals?"

"Not just rivals. For a time, we were also brothers-in-arms. And I wanted to be prince. I believed I was worthy of it. And then, when the day of decision came…"

His voice grew quiet as memories resurfaced.

Many years ago…

The enormous courtyard was bathed in light as two young warriors stood face to face before the gathered advisors and court elders. Naru stood on one side, his silver hair gleaming under the moonlight, his sword steady in his hand. On the other side stood his cousin, the same determination burning in his eyes.

"This is not just a battle," the elder declared. "This is a test of strength, strategy, and wisdom. The one who proves himself most worthy shall be the heir."

The fight was brutal, fast, and powerful. Both of them used everything they had learned over the years. Their strikes were precise, but Naru had something his cousin didn't—the ability to sense the essence of his opponents, to anticipate their emotions and movements.

In the final moments, when both were exhausted, Naru made the decisive move—one strike, one shift in position that secured his victory. His cousin fell to his knees, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

The elder approached and placed a hand on Naru's shoulder.

"The winner has been chosen."

As everyone celebrated, his cousin remained kneeling on the ground, fists clenched. He felt everything slipping through his fingers.

"Since then, we were never the same," he said now, returning to the present.

Leyla watched him closely.

"But you don't hate each other?"

He shook his head. "No. There's no hatred, but… we never tried to reconcile, either. He became prince, and I remained in the shadows. And that was that."

Leyla sighed. "It sounds like you're both just waiting for the other to make the first move."

He chuckled softly. "Maybe."

"Well, maybe it's time one of you did something about it."

He looked at her with a small smile but said nothing. Instead, he simply returned to studying the documents.

As they continued flipping through the books, Leyla noticed that Naru's cousin had grown quieter. He no longer seemed like someone who had just come to help her—he seemed like someone who wanted something more.

After a few minutes of silence, he looked up at her and asked:

"And what about you?"

Leyla was taken aback. "Me?"

"Yes. I know a few things about you, but nothing personal. How did you end up here? Why did you even come to Japan? What was your life like before all of this?"

His sincerity surprised her. Until now, she had always seen him as someone who enjoyed provoking and playing games, but now he seemed different—like someone who genuinely wanted to listen.

Leyla leaned her elbow on the table, staring thoughtfully at the book page before finally saying:

"Well… I came to Japan for work. I was a young lawyer, just starting my career, and I got an opportunity to work here. It was a decision I made quickly, but I never regretted it."

"So, you were ambitious," he noted with a small smile.

"I was," she laughed. "I always have been. No one in my family was like me. My parents are ordinary people, warm and kind, but they never really understood my need to keep pushing forward. I have a younger brother—he's always been more relaxed, more of an artistic soul."

"Do you miss them?"

Leyla paused for a moment. "Yes, of course. But I'm not the kind of person who gets attached to one place. Japan quickly became home. I had friends, I enjoyed the food, I loved exploring the cities…"

She leaned back in her chair, smiling as memories flooded back.

A few months ago…

Leyla sat in a small restaurant in Tokyo with her colleagues from the law firm. Everyone was laughing as they ordered food, and she, as always, tried to keep up with the rapid Japanese of the waitress.

"Leyla, what are you having?" her colleague asked.

"Hmm… Everything looks good! Maybe ramen?"

"Or that katsu curry you loved last time?"

"Oh, yes! That one was amazing!"

Her friends teased her about how quickly she had adapted to Japanese cuisine, but the truth was, Leyla loved everything new and unknown. On weekends, she explored Kyoto, Osaka, even the smallest villages with traditional festivals.

It was a time when she felt free, when she didn't have the weight of fate on her shoulders.

"It sounds like you really loved your life there," Naru's cousin said, pulling her back to the present.

Leyla shrugged. "I did. I still do. It's just… This now is a bit more complicated than I planned."

He laughed. "A bit? I think this is far beyond 'a bit complicated.'"

Leyla laughed along with him. Maybe he wasn't someone she always got along with, but right now, in this moment, it felt like they shared something—the feeling that they were both in a place they had never imagined they would be.