Chapter 15 - Reina, Kiana, Yuna and Mei

After that, Reina took the lead, guiding the group down the street to a café she had noticed a few days ago. It was a quaint, charming place tucked between two larger buildings, with soft pastel colors and a cozy atmosphere. The inside had a gentle warmth to it, perfect for a calm morning hangout.

She didn't want them to eat anything too heavy this early in the day—just a light breakfast, something sweet or refreshing to start their outing.

"For four people," she told the waiter politely.

They were then led to a table beside the window, where sunlight filtered in gently and the view of the quiet street outside added a nice touch to the peaceful mood. Reina took her seat beside Kiana, and across from them sat Yuna and Mei.

"So, what do you all want to order?" Reina asked, glancing toward the other three.

"Hm, I already ate breakfast before coming, so I'll just get a cappuccino," Mei said with a light smile.

"Me too! I'll order that," Kiana added right away.

Reina turned to her, narrowing her eyes. "No, you don't even like coffee. I'll order a chocolate drink for you instead."

Kiana pouted but didn't argue further, leaning a bit against Reina's side.

Meanwhile, across the table, Yuna quietly flipped through the menu. Her eyes scanned the prices, then flicked away again. Everything was expensive—far beyond what she had brought with her. Her fingers hesitated, then she slowly put down the menu.

"Umm… can I just have some water?" she asked softly.

"Alright," Reina nodded.

She raised her hand to call the waitress. Once the waitress arrived and took their order, Reina added casually, "Can I also have one breakfast menu?"

"Yes, would you like to add something else?" the waitress asked.

"That's it, thank you."

The waitress gave a polite nod and left.

A few seconds later, Yuna looked up. "U-uh… You didn't give her my order yet…"

"I did," Reina replied calmly.

"But… I didn't hear you say water."

"That's because I ordered something else for you," Reina said with a small smile. "Water's fine, sure, but sometimes it's okay to treat yourself to something nice, you know?"

Yuna feels surprised as Reina leaned slightly forward.

"Don't worry about it. Since Kiana invited you today, everything's on me."

Her voice was gentle, but firm—leaving no room for protest.

Yuna sat there for a moment, unsure how to respond. But slowly, her expression softened. "Thank you…" she said, almost in a whisper.

"No problem. You don't need to worry about money today," Reina said warmly, resting her chin on her hand as she smiled at Yuna. "Just focus on having fun~ That's the reason we're hanging out together."

"I will…" Yuna replied softly, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she looked down slightly, grateful.

Seeing that, both Mei and Kiana smiled too. Mei, in particular, seemed thoughtful—her eyes lingered on Reina, as if she were quietly reflecting on something.

A few minutes later, the waitress returned, carefully placing their orders on the table. Steaming drinks for Reina, Mei, and Kiana—and a full breakfast set in front of Yuna: warm toast, eggs, and crispy bacon.

"…This is mine?" Yuna asked, surprised, her eyes fixed on the plate.

"Yep," Reina nodded. "At first, I was going to get you pancakes, but I figured you'd need some protein. We're going to be busy today~"

"You have a plan for today?" Mei asked curiously.

"Ah—me, me! I do!" Kiana suddenly leaned forward with excitement, pulling a folded piece of paper from her jacket pocket and laying it flat on the table.

"What's this?" Mei asked, peering at it.

Her eyes scanned the sheet—and slowly widened in disbelief. The page was packed top to bottom with scribbled activities and times, some underlined or circled for emphasis.

"This is what we're doing today!?" Mei surprised after reading it

It was a full-on schedule. From morning to night, the paper was filled with plans: shopping, karaoke, watching a movie, walking through the city, sightseeing M.E Corp's massive tower, visiting parks, and more. It was obvious that there was no way they could fit all of it into a single day.

"I might've… gone a little overboard," Kiana chuckled awkwardly, scratching her cheek while still grinning with pride.

"Fufufu, I know you're excited," Reina said with a soft laugh, reaching over to gently caress Kiana's head, "but we only have a day to enjoy ourselves. I don't think we can do everything you wrote there."

"But this is…" Mei paused, her eyes narrowing slightly as she leaned closer to the paper. "Carnival? We have one in this city?"

"Yep!" Kiana immediately perked up, nodding enthusiastically. "I did some research last week and found out a carnival's opening today—and it'll stay open for the whole month!"

She beamed, clearly proud of her planning. "So at night, we can go there and enjoy the scenery. I'm sure it's going to be beautiful!"

"Hm…" Mei seemed surprised. It was rare for a carnival to suddenly appear in a city like Nagazora without much buzz. But in the end, she just brushed it off as a pleasant coincidence.

"Well then," Reina said with a light smile, picking up her cup and taking a sip, "let's finish our orders quickly, and we'll get started. There's a long day ahead of us."

"Y-yeah," Yuna nodded, still chewing slowly but already looking a little more relaxed.

Their day had only just begun, but already, a warm and comfortable energy settled over the group—one filled with gentle laughter, friendly chatter, and the quiet excitement of a day full of new memories.

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The morning slowly slipped into late noon as the group strolled together through the grand expanse of Nagazora Mall. Towering glass ceilings let in rays of sunlight that bounced off polished tiles, and the soft buzz of weekend shoppers filled the air.

From the moment they entered, Kiana's excitement never dropped for a second. "This place is huge!" she exclaimed, spinning once in the middle of the walkway as she took it all in. "So many shops!"

"Actually," Mei spoke up with a slight smile, "there's a boutique I usually go to for clothes. Want to stop by and take a look?"

"Sure!" Kiana replied instantly, eyes already sparkling.

Following Mei's lead, they soon found themselves standing in front of an elegant store with a minimalist, high-class design. The kind with soft music playing inside, a delicate scent in the air, and prices that could make your chest tighten just by looking.

Yuna, as soon as she stepped through the door, instinctively tensed up. Her steps grew slower, and her eyes were wide as she took in the immaculate displays and luxury tags. "I… really shouldn't be in here…" she murmured to herself.

But just before she could do something, she felt a gentle warmth on her hand. Reina had taken hold of it and smiled softly at her.

"It's alright. Just enjoy it. I'll be with you," she whispered, guiding her deeper into the store with the same graceful confidence she always carried.

Meanwhile, the shop staff immediately recognized Mei and greeted her with a polite bow, clearly familiar with her frequent visits. Kiana, already brimming with energy, wasted no time picking outfits off the racks. "Try this one! And this one! Mei, you have to wear this one too!"

Mei let out a small laugh but humored her, heading to the fitting room with arms full of clothes.

On the other side of the store, Reina gently helped Yuna browse, holding up simpler outfits that still looked beautiful but wouldn't overwhelm her. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, the girls exited the boutique carrying bags in hand.

Yuna's face, however, had turned noticeably pale.

"…I didn't realize… this was that expensive," she muttered, looking down at the receipt still folded in her hand. The bag she carried looked like it belonged in a designer catalog.

"Thank you again, Mei," Reina said with a chuckle, waving the receipt in the air. "I didn't know this place only takes credit cards. You really saved us."

"It's fine," Mei replied, adjusting her hair calmly. "I was planning to buy something anyway."

Their laughter drifted down the hall as they continued their journey through the mall, hopping from one store to another—checking gadgets, sampling perfumes, and even sharing a few funny hats at a novelty store.

Eventually, Kiana clapped her hands together. "Okay! Next stop: karaoke!"

The room buzzed with excitement and bad singing for the next three hours. Kiana belted out songs like she was performing at a stadium, Mei calmly sang with surprising grace, Yuna nervously tried a few lines but warmed up after encouragement, and Reina… well, her sultry voice caught everyone by surprise, enough that even Kiana went silent for a few seconds mid-cheer.

By the time they left, it was already past 3 p.m. Their stomachs growled almost in sync.

"Let's get something to eat," Mei suggested.

They agreed and made their way to the nearby WcD, ordering burgers, fries, and drinks to refuel their energy. Sitting by the window, they chatted about which song was the best—or the worst—and teased each other over silly lyrics.

After lunch, they walked around the mall a bit longer, exploring a few last shops. Unfortunately, there was no arcade in the building.

"Ah… this mall doesn't have one," Kiana sighed, slightly disappointed. "I forgot the arcade's in the other part of the city."

"It's okay," Reina reassured her with a gentle pat on the back. "We still have the carnival tonight, right?"

"Right!" Kiana instantly brightened up. "That'll be the best part!"

The four of them continued walking—arms filled with bags, laughter trailing behind them—as the sunlight outside started to shift into the mellow gold of late afternoon.

By the time the clock pushed past 5 p.m., they decided it was best to leave the mall. Carnivals didn't come to Nagazora often, and they were sure the place would be packed once night fell.

"Well… I kinda forgot something important," Kiana said, scratching her cheek. "How are we getting there?"

"It's pretty far," Reina answered, thinking aloud. "We could take the train, maybe?"

If it had been just Reina and Kiana, they could have used Sora's portal ability—but they hadn't told Mei or Yuna about Honkai or any of the stranger parts of their lives yet. Reina planned to explain to them soon especially since Mei's herrscher core and Yuna's unusually high Honkai resistance made them far from ordinary girls.

"Leave it to me," Mei said, already tapping on her phone. "I'll call my chauffeur and have him drive us."

"Chauf…fur?" Kiana tilted her head. "What's a chau–fer?"

"It's like a private driver," Yuna explained softly.

"Ohhh, okay. Mei really is a rich girl." Kiana grinned. "You've got someone who drives you anywhere you want."

"Did you forget the boutique a few hours ago?" Reina teased, giving Kiana's forehead a gentle poke.

"Hehe, finances and all that economic stuff are too complicated. I leave that to you, Reina~" Kiana declared, hugging Reina's arm.

"Yes, yes," Reina replied with a laugh.

Soon Mei's chauffeur confirmed the pickup spot, and the four of them headed off together, chatting as they walked to meet the car that would carry them to the carnival.

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After getting stuck in traffic for nearly two hours—thanks to the flood of people all heading to the carnival—they finally arrived.

The moment they stepped out of the car and thanked Mei's driver, their eyes were met with a dazzling sight. The carnival was huge, bursting with life and color. Strings of glowing lights draped over every booth and ride, casting a warm, magical glow across the night. The towering spinning wheel in the distance sparkled like a star, slowly turning under the night sky.

But while the carnival itself was beautiful, the crowd was overwhelming. People swarmed around the entrance like bees to honey, forming an enormous line for tickets.

"Oh no…" Mei murmured, seeing the crowd. "It's going to take forever to get in…"

But Kiana proudly stepped forward, puffing her chest with a grin. "Nope! Already got that covered!" She pulled out four printed tickets from her pocket. "I bought these ahead of time—ta-dah!"

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

"You… planned ahead?" Reina blinked.

"H-Hey, I can be responsible too, you know!" Kiana beamed.

With their tickets ready, they skipped the massive line and entered the carnival without issue, their hearts filled with excitement and dreams of cotton candy, games, and glowing rides.

But reality had other plans.

The moment they passed through the entrance, the chaotic sea of people swallowed them whole. In just a few seconds, their hands slipped apart. The crowd pushed and shifted, and before they could react, they were separated.

"Reina!" Kiana shouted, trying to look around.

"I'm here!" Reina called out, her hand holding tightly onto Mei's wrist to keep her close. She looked around quickly but couldn't spot Kiana or Yuna in the tide of people.

Meanwhile, Kiana had grabbed Yuna's hand just in time, pulling her away from being pushed further by the crowd. The two clung together, dodging elbows and shoulders as they tried to regroup.

"W-Where's Reina and Mei!?" Yuna asked, her voice anxious as she looked around the shifting ocean of people.

"I don't know..." Kiana said, tightening her grip on Yuna's hand as they moved through the crowd.

What was supposed to be a fun night had already turned into a chaotic mess.

While Kiana and Yuna wandered around the carnival, trying to find Reina and Mei amidst the crowd, the two girls could be seen going through the sea of people, searching for an open space where they could stop and catch their breath.

Reina kept a firm grip on Mei's arm the entire time, making sure they wouldn't get separated.

Mei stayed quiet, letting Reina guide her through the crowd. Her attention, however, had shifted to the sensation of the hand holding her. It was warm—soft, even. A stark contrast to her own hands, rough from years of kendo training since childhood.

Reina's touch didn't feel like someone who had ever gone through martial arts training, and yet, Mei knew very well she wasn't a normal person. Her other self had mentioned it a few times now, and during their sparring match, Reina had completely overwhelmed her in just a few moves.

"[Now's your chance to ask her about her power,]" the voice of her other self echoed in her mind.

But Mei shook her head internally. That would be intruding on Reina's privacy. They had only known each other for a couple of weeks. For now, Reina was just a friend—a very kind, warm friend.

Eventually, they reached a less crowded corner of the carnival. Reina pulled out her phone and started typing a message to Kiana.

"Hm… looks like we're separated pretty far," Reina said while still checking her screen. "If we try to meet up again, we might not have time to enjoy any of the attractions."

"So… what do we do? Cancel it and go back next week?" Mei asked.

Reina continued texting for a moment before finally putting her phone away and turning to Mei.

"Well, Kiana thinks it's better if we enjoy the carnival separately for now and then meet up later. What do you think, Mei?"

"Eh? You mean… just the two of us?"

"Yeah. Or… do you not want to be with me?" Reina asked, her voice suddenly soft and her eyes glistening with mock sadness.

"No—I mean, yes! I do want to be with you!" Mei blurted out in a panic, flustered by the look on Reina's face.

Reina grinned. "I see, I see~ But unfortunately, I'm already in a relationship, so I can't be with you, Mei~"

Mei's face instantly turned red as she realized how her words could've been misunderstood. "T-That's not what I meant!"

"Hahaha! You're so cute when you get teased. Now I get why Kiana's always picking on you," Reina said, clearly enjoying herself.

Then she reached out her hand. "Anyway, let's go. We should hold hands so we don't get separated again."

"…Alright," Mei replied softly, shyly taking Reina's hand.

And so, the two of them walked hand in hand toward the heart of the carnival—where the fun truly began.