Back to the present.
Ever since that day when Reina saved Yuna from her bullies, her daily life started to change.
Every morning before class, Reina would try to talk to Yuna-try, because Yuna often struggled to keep up with her energy. And when Reina showed up with Kiana, it became even more overwhelming. With Kiana's bright, cheerful personality and Reina's calm but oddly persuasive presence, it became hard for Yuna to refuse when they invited her to tag along.
In the end, she had been dragged around by the two of them for five days straight since the week started.
But strangely, she didn't dislike it.
In fact, it was the first time since enrolling that her days felt normal. There were no cruel words whispered behind her back, no sudden shoves or mocking laughter. The other students now kept their distance, clearly hesitating to mess with her again-not when Reina and Kiana were always watching, their sharp glares enough to make anyone think twice.
"You know, it's been a while since we became friends," Kiana suddenly said, forming a triangle with her hands in front of her mouth as if she was making a serious declaration.
"It's only been two weeks for Mei, and just a week for Yuna," Reina replied without looking up.
"Doesn't matter!" Kiana shot back, her voice loud and determined. "Anyway, we've been friends with Mei and Yuna, but we've never actually done something together as friends!"
She slammed both hands on the ground, causing Yuna to flinch a little.
"So far, Mei barely hangs out with us because she's always so busy, and Yuna keeps disappearing right after school! The only thing we've ever done together is eat lunch!"
Yuna always went straight home because she needed to take care of things at home-her mom came back late from work every night. Meanwhile, Mei just couldn't bring herself to say no whenever someone asked for help, so her time was always taken by others.
"I'm sorry..." was all Mei could say, lowering her head slightly. Yuna stayed quiet, eyes cast down.
"No, no, you don't need to apologize. We know how kind you are, Mei," Kiana said quickly. "It's just... we've never had a proper day together as friends, that's all."
She brightened again. "So, how about tomorrow Sunday we all hang out together?"
After a short pause, everyone gave a nod. They had finally agreed.
A few hours later, after school, Kiana was once again hugging Reina's right arm as they walked home together.
This had become their daily routine ever since enrolling at Chiba Academy. In the end, they decided not to join any clubs. They both preferred to spend their time together instead of getting involved in club activities.
Reina knew this would be her last normal school. Sooner or later, they would move to St. Freya High School, where Kiana would begin learning about Honkai Beasts. That was also where Reina could start her search for Otto's backup bodies or consciousness-so she could finally erase him.
But before that, she needed to find Cocolia. Reina had already planned to sabotage her scheme where she planning to plant false evidence implicating Mei's father in an embezzlement scandal.
The problem was, she didn't know where Cocolia was hiding. Even with Siegfried's help they still couldn't track her down.
She also needed to tell Siegfried that his treatment would be delayed until tomorrow night...
"What are you thinking about? You've been deep in thought for a few minutes now," Kiana suddenly asked from beside her.
"Nothing. I'm just enjoying our moment together," Reina replied with a small smile.
Kiana narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously but chose not to say anything further.
---
---
---
---
---
"By the way," Reina said, shifting the conversation, "why did you suddenly suggest we all hang out together?"
"You've always liked Sundays, haven't you? Every week, you wake up earlier than usual, clean yourself up, and try to look extra pretty-because that's the day we always have our date. But now you're using that day to invite Mei and Yuna. That's pretty rare of you."
"Hehe, that's because I thought it'd be fun if more people came along," Kiana replied, giggling.
"Really?" Reina raised an eyebrow. "You even once trapped Uncle Siegfried in our apartment using Sora's power just so he wouldn't follow us during a date. But now you're letting Mei and Yuna join?"
She leaned closer and pinched Kiana's side. "If you're not telling the truth, I'll just go on a date with Sora instead," she said with a teasing smirk. "Actually, Sora's never really walked around the city before... maybe tomorrow should be her turn to have fun~"
That was true-every time Reina asked Sora to go out with her, she always refused, saying she felt disgusted being around too many people.
But, of course, Kiana didn't know about that ever since they decided to take turns controlling their shared body, Reina found out if one of them was asleep, they wouldn't know what the other did while the person sleep.
"What? No!" Kiana pouted. "Alright, fine, I'll tell you why!"
Finally giving in, she let go of Reina's arm and instead reached down to hold her hand, intertwining their fingers. Then, without another word, she tugged Reina along toward a small park nearby.
They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments, until they reached a quiet corner of the park where a bench sat under a tree. Kiana gently pulled Reina to sit down with her.
The afternoon sun peeked through the leaves, casting a soft light over them as Kiana glanced down at their joined hands, fidgeting a little before speaking.
Kiana leaned back against the bench, still holding Reina's hand, her expression more serious than usual.
"It's because..." she started slowly, her eyes watching the sky above, "I realized something."
Reina tilted her head slightly, waiting for her to continue.
"We've been friends with Mei for a while now, right? But when I really think about it... we barely hang out with her," Kiana said softly. "She's always helping someone. Always busy. And when she actually came to the rooftop during break, did you see her face?"
Reina blinked, then gave a slight nod.
"She looked so tired... like really tired," Kiana continued, frowning. "Like, even though she was smiling and talking to us, I could tell she was drained. She keeps giving her time to everyone else, but she barely has anything left for herself."
Then, Kiana looked down at their hands again. "And Yuna... ever since we started eating lunch together, I noticed she never really talks. I mean, she responds when we ask her something, but it's always simple. Short. It feels like she's not used to being around others."
Reina stayed quiet, listening.
"So I thought... maybe if the four of us hang out together, like really spend time together, then maybe Mei can relax for once and Yuna can feel a little more comfortable. Less awkward."
She gave Reina a small smile. "That's all. I just wanted all of us to be closer. Like real friends."
Reina's lips curled into a soft smile as she listened to Kiana's honest words. Her gaze softened, warmth flickering in her eyes as she watched the girl beside her.
"My Kiana... you really are too kind for your own good," she said gently, her voice low but affectionate.
Kiana blinked and glanced up at her, only to let out a tiny yelp of surprise when Reina raised her other hand and began caressing the top of her head.
Her fingers moved slowly, brushing through Kiana's white hair with care, like she was touching something precious. Kiana instinctively leaned into the touch, her body relaxing almost instantly.
"...Mmm..."
Reina chuckled softly when she heard it-a faint, barely audible sound coming from Kiana's throat. It wasn't quite a word, more like a small purr, as if she were a content cat basking in the warmth of her favorite spot.
Closing her eyes, Kiana didn't say anything, but the way her shoulders loosened and her breathing grew calmer made it clear-she was enjoying every second of it.
The wind stirred gently around them, rustling the leaves overhead and brushing through their hair like a whisper of the moment. The park was quiet, peaceful, and time seemed to slow just for the two of them.
Kiana's eyes locked with Reina's-those deep, mesmerizing ruby-red eyes that shimmered like polished gems under the sunlight. Her breath caught in her throat. No matter how many times she stared into them, she never got used to how beautiful Reina looked. Her long black hair swayed in the breeze, each strand glowing faintly in the light, and her face-so calm, so elegant-always felt like something out of a dream.
And then she saw it.
That gentle smile.
A soft, warm smile meant only for her.
Before Kiana could say anything, Reina slowly leaned in closer. Her movements were delicate, unhurried-as if every inch was something to savor. Kiana's heart thumped wildly in her chest, but she couldn't look away. She didn't want to.
Then she felt it.
A warmth, soft and lingering, touched her forehead.
A kiss.
Reina's lips gently pressed against her skin for a quiet moment... before slowly trailing lower, brushing down to her right cheek. Another kiss-just as soft, just as tender. Kiana's breath trembled, her whole body frozen under the warmth of Reina's affection.
After kissing Kiana's right cheek, Reina's slowly moving her fingertips brushing tenderly against Kiana's left cheek-her touch slow, affectionate, and delicate, like she was handling something precious.
Kiana felt like she was melting.
Then, Reina leaned back just a little-but only just enough for their faces to be aligned. Now, their foreheads nearly touched, and their noses barely an inch apart. Close enough that Kiana could feel Reina's breath brushing against her lips. Warm. Soft. Steady.
Her heart pounded so hard it was deafening in her ears.
'Did Reina hear it?
Please don't hear it-
Actually, no-do hear it. It's your fault, after all...'
Then Reina whispered, voice smooth like velvet in the breeze, "This isn't Sunday, but oh well... just for today~"
Kiana blinked, confused for a second-until her mind clicked into place. Wait... does she mean...
That...? That "thing" we agreed to only do on Sundays?
It was an agreement they made months ago-because if Reina didn't set limits, Kiana would've never stopped asking for it. A kiss, a real kiss. Not on the forehead. Not on the cheek. A proper one.
And now Reina's face was inching even closer.
Kiana's breath hitched.
Her heart raced.
Every inch closed between them made her nerves tingle more. She wanted to move, to say something-but her body refused to listen. Reina's eyes fluttered shut first, and as if drawn by instinct, Kiana's did the same.
And then-
Soft.
Warm.
Reina's lips pressed gently against hers.
The world fell silent. Nothing else mattered. Just that one kiss-quiet, tender, filled with a love Kiana could feel deep in her soul.
---
---
---
---
---
And so the next day finally arrived.
After Reina told Siegfried about their plan, he surprisingly seemed proud that Kiana had managed to make friends besides just Reina. With a smile on his face, he happily waved them off, staying behind in the apartment for some reason of his own.
They left at 9 a.m., planning to meet at 9:30 in front of Nagazora Mall. The mall wasn't far from their apartment, and after a short ten-minute walk, the two of them arrived.
To their surprise, Mei was already there-though she wasn't alone.
Three college-aged men were standing in front of her, surrounding her as they pressed their advances. It was clear from the look on Mei's face that she wasn't enjoying the attention.
"C'mon, instead of staying here by yourself, it's better if you follow us. We can have fun together," one of them said with a smirk.
"Yeah, it'll be fun with four people. Much better than just waiting alone like this."
"So how about it? Let's go."
"Please stop," Mei responded, her voice tense. "I already said I'm waiting for my friends."
The three men didn't seem to care, continuing to pester her.
Reina and Kiana, having just arrived, immediately noticed the situation-and without hesitation, they made their way toward Mei.
"Heeyaa, Mei! You arrived so early!" Kiana called out cheerfully, quickly walking up and hugging Mei without a second thought. The sudden act caught the attention of the three men.
"Ki-Kiana? When did you get here?" Mei asked, startled by the sudden save.
From behind the men, Reina's voice cut through the air-cold and sharp.
"My~ my~ I didn't expect to see three men ganging up on a defenseless girl like this," she said, her tone laced with warning.
The men jolted and turned around-only to freeze upon seeing her.
Their eyes widened.
Reina's presence was overwhelming. Her beauty was undeniable-her mature appearance, her big breast, and her curved body especially the way her casual clothes accentuated her body made them stop in their tracks. From her refined face to her shapely figure, she was the kind of woman that made them forget how to speak.
But before any of them could say a word, their vision suddenly blurred.
Their eyes lost focus. Within moments, they fell silent-lifeless glints in their eyes indicating they were now under Reina's control.
Without another word, Reina ordered them to leave. Like puppets, the three men turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Once they were gone, Reina approached Mei and Kiana.
"They didn't do anything to you, right?" Reina asked, her voice calm now, but still edged with concern.
"No, they didn't. Thank you for saving me," Mei replied, bowing her head slightly in gratitude.
"Yeah, right..." Kiana mumbled under her breath.
She knew full well-even if they hadn't stepped in, those guys would've been in for a world of pain if they'd tried anything. After all, Mei had sparred with Reina before and Kiana knew just how strong Mei was.
"Well, let's just wait for Yuna now," Reina said, her eyes glancing around the area.
The three of them stood together, chatting casually as they waited, occasionally scanning the crowd for any sign of their fourth friend.
Nearly twenty minutes passed. Just as the time hit exactly 9:30 a.m., a small figure came running toward them in a hurry.
"I'm sorry I'm late!" Yuna called out, panting heavily as she reached them. Her breath came in short, rapid gasps, her shoulders rising and falling from exhaustion.
"Yuna, are you alright? You look so exhausted... maybe we should rest first?" Mei asked, her expression full of concern.
"N-no, I'm fine, really," Yuna replied quickly, trying to catch her breath. "I don't want to be a burden."
But Reina didn't buy that. "No. We should rest," she said firmly. "I don't want you suddenly collapsing because you pushed yourself too hard."
With that, the four of them walked away from the front of the mall, searching for a nearby café where they could sit and let Yuna cool down.
"I'm sorry..." Yuna mumbled as they walked, her voice filled with guilt. "Because of me, the plan's already messed up before it even started..."
The truth was, she had been anxious since the night before. This was her first time hanging out with friends since she'd enrolled at the school. She spent hours fretting over what to wear—worrying about whether her outfit would look strange, if her style was off, or if she'd stand out in a bad way. By the time she'd finally chosen something, it was already far too late.
She'd ended up sleeping past her alarm and waking up in a panic. Without even eating, she had dashed out the door in a hurry, trying to make it on time.