Jin's sword rested quietly by the wall now, its black edge glinting under the cold crystal chandeliers. His chest still heaved gently from the echo of combat, yet his presence had shifted—less like a weapon drawn, and more like a noble beast at rest.
But the most disarming thing of all was the **smile**.
It wasn't wide. It wasn't innocent. It was soft, graceful, and entirely polite. A gentle curl of the lips that suggested cordiality—perhaps even warmth—but underneath it, there was something unreadable. It wasn't a smile that reached his eyes. It was like a mask—charming, unsettling, and utterly deliberate.
His crimson gaze drifted once again to Rina, who still sat frozen in her chair, her hands awkwardly folded in her lap.
"You look nervous," Jin said, voice calm, unassuming.
"I—" Rina stumbled, then quickly forced a composed posture. "I'm not."
His smile lingered.
Then, without turning his head, he spoke again. "I heard a door open earlier. Someone left."
"That would be me," Leona's voice rang from the hallway as she reentered the room, her footsteps echoing softly across the stone floor. Her silver hair fell like a silken waterfall down her back, and her blue eyes scanned the space with practiced calm—until they landed on Jin's exposed chest.
Her face betrayed nothing. But her pace slowed.
"You returned quickly," Jin said, offering her the same gentle smile.
"I didn't want to miss anything," Leona replied, arching a pale brow. "You make quite the entrance."
"Do I?" he asked, feigning mild surprise, then glanced down at himself. His shirt was still in tatters, clinging by threads to his shoulders. He made no move to adjust it. "I suppose I should've changed."
"You came from the training hall?" Amelia interjected, her voice still as smooth and unreadable as ever. Her golden eyes met his directly.
"Yes," Jin answered, turning toward her. "I lose track of time there sometimes. My apologies."
"No need," Amelia said, waving a hand delicately. "You're among family now."
He inclined his head slightly. "That word still feels... foreign to me."
The room fell quiet for half a second.
It was a simple phrase, spoken without weight. But it carried with it a history none of them dared touch. Jin didn't elaborate. He simply smiled again, the same mild, haunting curve of the lips that never left him.
Leona stepped beside Rina, folding her arms. "You asked earlier about the strongest in our Academy."
Jin nodded.
"Well," she continued, "strength isn't everything. Personality matters too."
"Oh?" he replied, eyes lighting with subtle amusement. "Do I seem like someone lacking in personality?"
Rina opened her mouth to interject—to say something, anything—but her mind spun. The strange calm in Jin's voice, the way his eyes roved across every inch of their faces without ever lingering long enough to feel intimate—it all unsettled her.
"You seem polite," Leona answered carefully. "Too polite."
"I've been told that before," Jin said. "Apparently, it makes people nervous."
"People don't like masks," Leona said sharply.
Jin laughed softly, the sound velvet-smooth and void of any real humor. "Everyone wears them. Mine just fits better."
Amelia leaned back in her chair, her golden gaze never leaving him. "You're very composed for someone your age."
"I was raised to be," he replied. "You understand, I'm sure."
Rina looked between the two of them. Her mother and her fiancé. There was something so alike in the way they spoke—layered, precise, veiled. Every word felt rehearsed, but never dishonest. They were two predators circling each other, smiling with teeth behind silk.
She felt out of place.
Then Jin's eyes returned to her. "You haven't said much, Rina."
Rina tensed.
"I'm just listening," she said quickly, then added, "There's not much to say."
"But I'm sure you have questions," Jin replied, his tone light. "About me. About this arrangement. About... our future."
The way he said "our future" sent a cold shiver down her spine.
He tilted his head ever so slightly, the smile still carved on his face, unwavering.
"I don't bite," he added.
Leona scoffed. "Debatable."
That made Jin actually chuckle. A real sound this time—low, smooth, and oddly pleasant. "You're very entertaining."
"I'm not here to entertain you," Leona shot back.
"And yet you do."
Amelia tapped her fingers once on the polished arm of her chair. "You're enjoying yourself."
Jin turned to her. "Shouldn't I? You invited me into your family. I'm just trying to make a good impression."
His words were like silk dipped in honey, but none of them believed the sweetness entirely.
Amelia narrowed her eyes slightly. "What kind of impression do you want to leave on my daughter?"
Jin didn't flinch. "One she remembers."
That was too much.
Rina stood abruptly, the legs of her chair scraping against the stone. Her heart beat violently in her chest, her golden eyes wide with confusion and heat.
"Excuse me," she said, her voice too fast, too sharp. "I need some air."
She turned and left the room before anyone could stop her, her heels tapping hurriedly down the hallway.
Leona glanced at Amelia.
Amelia only sipped her tea again.
Jin watched the empty doorway where Rina had vanished, his smile still gently resting on his lips.
"I suppose I was too forward," he said quietly.
"No," Amelia replied, "you were exactly as I expected."
Leona narrowed her eyes. "What is she supposed to do with someone like you?"
Jin looked at her then. Really looked. And for the briefest moment, his smile faltered.
"Learn," he said.
And then, the smile returned.
...........
Heat: Well the seasons are a little long because today I am free to write