A Quiet place between us

---

The soft morning light poured into the room, casting warm hues across Sayaka's face as her eyes fluttered open. Her body ached in places she couldn't name, wrapped in the dull weight of pain and exhaustion.

Voices buzzed around her—soft, worried, familiar.

"She's awake…"

"She's really okay…"

Sayaka shifted slightly. Blurred faces came into focus: her clan's healers, guards, even her younger siblings peeking in with wide eyes. Relief washed over everyone.

"You were unconscious," the healer murmured as she pressed a cool cloth to Sayaka's forehead. "You almost didn't make it back."

Sayaka didn't speak. Her mind replayed images—swords, blood, darkness—and then… the glint of a white mask, cutting through it all.

Her heartbeat quickened.

She scanned the room slowly, eyes dragging across each person.

And then they stopped.

Reina stood at the back, silent, leaning slightly against the doorframe. No teasing smirk. No clever words. Just her usual distant, unreadable look.

But Sayaka's gaze lingered—not on her face, but on her arm.

The sleeve of Reina's robe had slipped slightly. A small gash, freshly made, curved along her upper arm, stained with a dark blotch of dried blood. It wasn't there yesterday.

The room bustled with concern, no one else noticing.

Sayaka didn't say a word.

She simply watched… and remembered.

How the White Masked Girl had stood before her. How her sword had moved with frightening grace. How she had bled, just slightly, during the final strike that saved her life.

The same place. The same kind of wound.

Sayaka looked away, heart quiet, thoughts loud.

When the crowd began to thin and people started stepping out to give her rest, Reina turned silently to leave.

And in that brief moment—just as her profile faced Sayaka—the morning light caught the faint edge of the dried wound again.

Sayaka didn't speak.

She just… watched.

And for the first time since waking, her lips curved faintly—not in amusement, but in quiet knowing.

FLASHBACK — Reina's Perspective

The air was thick with smoke and screams.

Hidden among the shadows, Reina's breath came heavy beneath the White Mask. She hadn't intended to reveal herself. Not so soon.

But when she saw Sayaka surrounded, blood dripping from her shoulder, vision blurring—something cracked inside her.

She didn't think.

She moved.

Blades sliced through the chaos. She twisted like a specter, each step driven by a hunger she couldn't name. Sayaka had fallen to her knees. One more second, and she would've—

No. Reina's blade intercepted the fatal blow.

In that instant, pain surged through her side. A cut. She barely flinched.

Sayaka looked up then—weak, dazed, eyes locked with her mask. But Reina didn't speak.

She turned, disappearing into the smoke before the girl could reach out.

---

Back in the quiet room, Sayaka lay still.

That wound… it wasn't random. That mask…

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Because part of her—ashamed, stubborn, afraid—wanted Reina to be just a girl. Not the ghost who saved her.

Not the girl she was starting to need.

Evening fell like a hush over the Kiryuu grounds.

In the middle of the open courtyard, Reina stood alone. The pale moonlight clung to her white robe, making her glow like a ghost between shadows. Her arms were folded, eyes distant—staring up at the quiet window of Sayaka's room.

She hadn't meant to linger. But she couldn't sleep.

The memory of Sayaka lying bloodied on the field kept slicing into her thoughts.

And now… Sayaka was awake. Alive.

Reina's breath escaped in a slow exhale.

A breeze passed, rustling the loose strands of her hair. That's when she felt it.

A presence behind her.

Not loud.

Not clumsy.

Just there.

She didn't turn. Her hand slipped quietly to her side, where the hidden knife rested beneath her sleeve. But before she could reach it—

A dark shadow passed through the stone floor beside her. Silent, then forming the shape of a hand—claw-like, cold.

She stepped back instinctively, eyes narrowing, ready to react.

But then the figure stepped from the shadows.

Tall. Calm.

His voice was smooth, deep, and coldly amused.

"You know how to fight, right… Reina?"

Her heart skipped. That voice—

She turned, expression unreadable, but her fingers twitched slightly.

He was the elder warrior from Sayaka's side—the one who led training battles and rarely spoke unless necessary. His gaze held something unsettling now.

Knowing.

Reina didn't answer.

He stepped closer, circling her slowly, not unlike how she circled Sayaka days ago. His eyes slid to the slight bandage hidden under her sleeve.

"I saw that move. That step-back twist. The blade reach. That's not the move of someone pretending to be lost."

Still, she said nothing. Her jaw tightened.

He leaned in, voice low near her ear.

"Tell me… how long have you been hiding behind masks?"

The wind blew harder now.

But Reina stood still. Calm. Cold.

Inside, her chest thundered.

I'm not sure what you mean," Reina said, her tone clipped, cautious.

"You hid it well. Most of them see a wounded girl. I see balance in your steps. I see how your fingers twitch near your waist." He stepped closer, not threatening, but steady. "Only warriors walk like that. Controlled. Heavy in the heel. Light in the toes."

Reina stayed silent.

"I fought beside Sayaka Kiryuu for twenty years. I taught her to read liars by the way they breathe." He smiled faintly. "You're not a liar. But you're hiding something."

Reina's gaze darkened. "And who are you?"

He stepped fully into the light now.

"Kazuo Ren," he said, bowing slightly. "Commander of the Kiryuu Guard. And... a man who knows how to keep secrets."

A long silence passed.

Reina didn't move. But her heart slammed against her ribs.

Kazuo tilted his head. "Don't worry. I won't speak to Sayaka. Not yet."

"Why?" she whispered.

"Because you bleed for her," Kazuo said softly. "Only a fool misses a wound like the one on your back. You protected her. That's not the work of a spy."

Reina's breath caught.

"You're not my enemy," he said. "But if you ever become hers, I'll be the first to strike you down."

Reina's stance stiffened, eyes narrowing. "What do you want from me?"

Kazuo didn't blink. "I'm not curious about who you are," he said calmly, "as long as you're not a danger to Sayaka. If you're protecting her… I'll allow your secret."

That took Reina aback.

Her fingers twitched by her side, barely visible. "You speak as if you can decide."

"I can," he said simply. "And I will."

A pause.

Then Kazuo added, "Do you want to meet her?"

Reina's throat tightened.

She glanced up toward Sayaka's window—light still burning dimly through the rice paper. "It's too late. It's suspicious. If I leave my room now, they'll ask questions."

Kazuo stepped forward, close enough for his voice to lower. "So... you've met before."

Reina looked at him, dead in the eye. "I never said that."

"You didn't have to."

A brief silence.

Then, before she could argue, Kazuo reached out and took her by the wrist—not roughly, but with enough weight that she couldn't easily shake free.

Her eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

He offered a quiet, rare smile. "Sayaka is alive because of you. She should know."

"She doesn't need to know—"

"I disagree."

And before Reina could fight it, Kazuo had already turned, leading her silently through the corridor toward Sayaka's room. His grip was steady. Her steps, hesitant. Her heart, a storm.

The night was quiet.

Too quiet.

And just behind that thin sliding door... Sayaka Kiryuu was awake.

Waiting.

The door slid open with a whisper.

Sayaka sat upright in bed, the pale moonlight brushing her features. Bandages wrapped her shoulder, and her breath still came unevenly—but her eyes were alert. Watchful. She had heard the footsteps before the door even moved.

Kazuo entered first, but stepped aside.

Reina stood just outside the light, half-hidden in shadow. Her white robe made her look ghost-like, almost unreal. She didn't speak. Her hand still tingled from Kazuo's grip, now gone.

Sayaka stared.

Not at Kazuo.

At her.

"Why… are you here?" Sayaka's voice was quiet, but something in it trembled.

Reina stepped forward once, then stopped. Her eyes flickered to Kazuo—he gave her a silent nod, then closed the door behind her.

Now, only the two of them.

"I… was passing by," Reina said, a weak, transparent lie.

Sayaka tilted her head, pain in her shoulders forgotten. "You don't pass by at this hour. What are you hiding?"

Reina didn't answer.

Sayaka's gaze dropped, then froze.

Her eyes caught something: a clean, fresh cut on Reina's side, just visible beneath the edge of her robe.

A cut. Exactly where Sayaka remembered slashing during the chaos of the battle.

Sayaka looked up again, slower now, eyes sharp and unreadable.

But she said nothing.

Just let the silence stretch.

"I thought you were asleep," Reina finally whispered, her voice almost guilty.

"I was." Sayaka leaned back, her eyes never leaving her. "Then I started thinking."

Reina's breath hitched.

Sayaka's voice lowered, almost soft. "About you."

The room was quiet enough to hear the wind brushing against the paper walls.

Reina stood still, her heart pounding in her throat. But Sayaka didn't say what she saw. Didn't ask what she already knew. Instead, she let the tension sit between them, heavy and full of meaning.

Reina moved closer to her bed, gaze uncertain. "You… you look like hell," she said, trying to deflect.

Sayaka smiled faintly. "So do you."

Their eyes met.

And for the first time, there was no teasing, no masks, no lies.

Just silence.

And something neither of them could name.

The pain came in waves—sharp, persistent, crawling down Sayaka's spine like fire. She winced despite herself, shifting under the weight of the bandages. Night had swallowed the Kiryuu residence again, leaving only the pale glow of lanterns outside the paper doors.

"You shouldn't move so much," Reina said softly, breaking the silence.

Sayaka barely turned her head. "Hard not to when everything hurts."

Reina sat on the edge of the futon, arms crossed, eyes watching her with that same unreadable look. "You're strong. But even strength has limits."

Sayaka scoffed. "Are you lecturing me now?"

Reina didn't answer. Instead, she reached out and pulled the extra cushion behind Sayaka's back, easing her down gently. Her touch was careful. Almost reverent.

Sayaka exhaled slowly.

For a moment, nothing was said.

Then Reina murmured, "I'll stay until you sleep. You look like you're about to pass out anyway."

Sayaka didn't protest.

She only shifted, resting her head gently against Reina's lap, eyes fluttering closed. "Fine. Just don't talk too much."

"I wasn't planning to."

The quiet hum of night wrapped around them. Reina looked down, watching Sayaka's breath slow, the tension in her body easing little by little. Her fingers twitched, then slowly brushed a lock of Sayaka's hair away from her eyes.

Sayaka stirred faintly, but didn't wake.

Reina leaned her head back against the wall. Her own eyelids began to drop.

And before she could realize it, the weight of exhaustion pulled her under too.

---

The morning sun spilled into the room in golden streaks.

Sayaka stirred first. Her body still ached, but the warmth pressed against her side distracted her.

She blinked open her eyes.

Reina.

Sleeping beside her.

Their arms tangled. Her head tilted toward Sayaka's shoulder. Hair messily fanned over the blanket. She looked soft. Peaceful. Almost unreal in the morning light.

Sayaka's breath caught.

Her heart kicked once—hard.

She watched her in silence, eyes tracing every line of her face. The faint curve of her lips. The way a strand of hair stuck to her cheek. Sayaka reached out, hesitated—then gently brushed the strand away.

Then she closed her eyes again. Pretending to sleep.

Just as Reina stirred.

Eyes blinking open.

She sat up slowly, careful not to wake the girl beside her—unaware Sayaka was already awake.

Her fingers rose quietly and brushed her own hair aside. She rubbed her hand across her mouth, letting out the softest sigh. Then, with a single look at Sayaka's sleeping form, she stood.

She opened the door without a sound.

And stepped out.

But Sayaka's eyes opened the second the door closed.

Her hand rose to her cheek, exactly where Reina had just touched her own.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

She knew.

She remembered everything.

(To be continued)