Inside Rin Kisaragi's room, everything was in disarray.
Clothes lay scattered across the floor, and the room carried the faint scent of the night before. On the bed, Rin stirred beneath her blanket, the warmth of the morning sun slipping through the window and brushing against her face.
She frowned at the light, raising a hand to shield her eyes. Slowly, she turned, intending to shift her position, when she felt something holding her back. Her hand would not move.
Her brows furrowed as she blinked away the sleep from her eyes. She turned her head to see what had trapped her hand—then froze completely.
Silver hair.
Long, shimmering strands that caught the sunlight and glowed like moonlight upon water.
Rin's heart skipped.
"What… what in the world…" she whispered, voice trembling.
There was only one person she knew with hair like that. Only one.
But how could she be here?
Rin's thoughts scattered. This had to be a dream. It must be. She closed her eyes tightly and took a breath. Then she opened them again. The silver-haired girl remained there, still and peaceful.
Rin pinched her arm. Hard.
"Ow," she hissed softly.
Still there.
Her heartbeat quickened as she slapped her own cheek several times.
"Ouch! Ow! Okay, this is real—this is actually real!"
The girl shifted in her sleep, turning slightly, and that was when Rin saw her face.
Her eyes widened. Words refused to form.
It was Selene.
Rin stared at her in disbelief. The queen's lashes fluttered faintly as she breathed in rhythm, her face calm, almost serene.
Rin's trapped hand began to tingle, and she realized Selene was using it as a pillow. Carefully, she slid her hand out from beneath her, holding her breath with every small movement.
Once free, Rin backed away from the bed too quickly and lost her balance. She stumbled and fell to the floor with a quiet thud.
She winced and glanced around her chamber, noticing for the first time how chaotic it truly was. Then her eyes lowered—and she froze once more.
She wasn't wearing anything.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she frantically looked for something to cover herself. Her eyes fell on a robe draped over the chair beside her bed. Without thinking, she snatched it up and wrapped it tightly around her body.
The fabric was soft and familiar.
It was Selene's robe.
Rin's face burned as she clutched the robe tighter. She turned toward the bed again. Selene was still asleep, completely unaware, her expression calm and beautiful.
Rin stared for a long moment, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
Her mind was blank, her heart racing wildly.
"What in the world happened last night…" she whispered under her breath.
A dull ache throbbed in her head. She pressed a hand to her temple, trying to remember something—anything—but her memories were a blur. Nothing came. Just black emptiness.
All she could recall was the sound of music, dancing, the faint glow of lanterns… and then, nothing. It was as if her memories had been swallowed whole.
She felt like someone waking from a heavy dream—or worse, a hangover.
With unsteady steps, Rin walked toward the mirror by the wall. Her reflection looked back at her: messy hair, pale cheeks, eyes still heavy from sleep. She sighed.
"What happened last night…" she murmured again, but the thought only spun faster in her mind.
Then, suddenly, a soft knock came at the door.
Her heart jumped. She turned sharply toward it.
"Who could that be…" she muttered as she tiptoed to the door, careful not to wake Selene.
When she opened it just a little, a familiar face peeked through the gap.
"Rei!" she whispered. "What are you doing here? No—wait, why are you even inside the Hoshino residence? Did your clan make peace yesterday or… did something big happen?"
Her head still throbbed as she spoke.
Rei blinked at her, clearly not expecting such a flood of questions. "Which one am I supposed to answer first, Rin?" she said, giving her a tired look. Then her eyes narrowed slightly. "You look like a mess."
"Do I?" Rin sighed, leaning her forehead against the doorframe. She felt both embarrassed and lost.
"Rei," she whispered softly, almost like a child, "do you… know what happened last night?"
Rei raised an eyebrow. "What happened last night? You happened last night."
Rin blinked. "What?"
Rei grinned a little. "You became the talk of the night, that's what. But I don't have time for that right now. I need to leave—quickly. The only way out is through your window."
Rin frowned. "Wait… you spent the night here?"
Rei placed her hands on her hips. "No, of course not. I slept soundly in my own house, and now I magically appeared here before dawn," she said with a sigh. "Of course I spent the night here. I was in Akari's room. But your room is the quickest way out before someone catches me—someone worse than Master Hoshino or Lady Shion."
She glanced nervously toward the corridor. "I'm not afraid of them, but if I get caught now, I'm finished. My papa must have realized by now that I didn't sleep in my room. He'll try to keep everyone out until he finds me, and if he fails and my dad finds out…" Rei shuddered dramatically. "He'll send me to my aunt's house. Again. I can't go through that torture."
Rin sighed and opened the door wider. "Fine. Come in before someone sees you."
Rei hurried inside, her steps light and quick. She made her way straight to the window, one foot already up on the frame—then froze.
Her eyes widened as she spotted the silver-haired figure lying peacefully on Rin's bed.
"Wait a minute," Rei said, smirking. "Looks like I wasn't the only one who scored last night."
Rin's entire face turned red. She rushed forward, standing in front of Rei to block her view. "Go away," she hissed quietly.
Rei chuckled. "Fine, fine, I'm going. But I'll see you later—if I don't get caught."
With that, Rei climbed out the window, her voice fading into the morning air.
Rin let out a long breath, her shoulders sinking with exhaustion. She turned slowly toward the bed. Selene still slept soundly, her silver hair spilling across the pillow, her expression peaceful—as if the chaos of the world could never reach her.
Rin pressed a hand against her chest, feeling her heart still racing in confusion.
"What really happened…" she whispered again, her voice barely above a breath.
Then came another knock at the door.
Rin sighed tiredly and went to open it, her mind already spinning with worry.
Standing there was Akari, her cousin, looking unusually serious.
"Cousin Rin," she said softly, "did Rei leave already?"
"Yes, she did," Rin replied, brushing her hair back. "But please, Akari… do you know what happened last night?"
Akari's expression tightened, her voice low and uneasy. "A lot happened last night, but right now… I need your presence in the kitchen."
"The kitchen?" Rin blinked. "Why there? We've never even stepped foot inside before."
Akari's eyes darted to the side. Her face looked pale, troubled, as if she had seen something she couldn't quite understand.
"Okay, fine," Rin said finally. "Let me just put on something proper."
She closed the door and walked to her wardrobe, pulling out a robe. Her movements were slow, her mind still clouded. As she tied the belt around her waist, she turned toward the bed again.
Selene was still sleeping. Peaceful. Untouched.
Rin frowned a little. "Why is she still asleep? She better be awake by the time I'm back," she muttered softly. "She owes me an explanation for whatever this mess is."
With that, she slipped quietly out of the room.
…
The air in the kitchen felt heavy. The soft clatter of dishes and the faint scent of morning broth drifted through the room as maids moved about preparing breakfast.
When they noticed Rin and Akari, they quickly stopped and bowed politely.
"Good morning, Lady Kisaragi. Lady Akari."
Rin nodded lightly in return. "Good morning."
They continued deeper inside, past the cooking tables and steaming pots, until Akari led her to the far side of the kitchen—an old storage room hidden behind a wooden screen.
Rin hesitated as Akari stopped in front of the doorway.
"What is this about?" she whispered.
Akari swallowed hard and looked at her cousin, her eyes full of worry. "I wanted to check the kitchen before dawn," she began quietly. "There's a secret passage that leads outside. I was going to use it to sneak Rei out."
Rin tilted her head. "And?"
"But someone was already there," Akari said, her voice trembling slightly. "Someone I didn't expect."
She stepped aside, letting Rin see.
Rin's eyes widened.
There, sitting in the corner of the dim storage room, was Shion. Her usually perfect hair was tangled and dull, her face pale and drained. She looked up slowly, her eyes unfocused but full of desperation.
"Rin…" her voice cracked as she tried to speak. "Please… help me. I did something really bad."
Rin froze where she stood. The silence between them felt heavy, like the air itself had stopped moving.
"What in the world happened yesterday?" she whispered, her voice barely steady as she looked between Akari and Shion.
Neither of them answered. The only sound was the faint rustle of the morning wind slipping through the window shutters.