"Xiao…" Xyon murmured, his eyes narrowing as he noticed her stiff movement and the way she clutched her temple. "You're still in pain, aren't you?"
"A little…" she replied, her voice soft but unfocused as she looked up to meet his gaze.
Xyon leaned closer, concern etched across his face. "Why? Did something trigger it?"
Xiao's heart skipped. He looks just like him… she thought, blinking slowly. Seeing him up close is different. He's far more alive than the fragment of memory I clung to. Liu… but not.
She shook her head quickly. "Nothing. I'm alright."
Before Xyon could press further, a quiet creak from the doorway stole both their attention. A man in a sharp gray coat stepped forward, clearing his throat. Detective Jericho.
"Miss Xiao," he started, his tone neutral yet probing. "May I ask for your cooperation regarding the incident with Lia?"
Xiao instinctively turned away, the atmosphere shifting instantly. Her breathing quickened, and she began to tremble slightly.
"I… I don't remember much," she whispered, eyes watering. "It was terrifying… I was so scared."
Tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks, her expression morphing into one of helplessness—like a child searching for her mother in a storm. Xyon immediately reached out and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"You must have been in shock," he said gently. Xiao clutched onto him, sobbing into his chest.
Jericho's eyes, however, remained sharp. "I understand… but I must ask—do you remember these?"
He pulled out a sealed evidence pouch. Inside were several glimmering diamond shards, each reflecting the dim hospital lights ominously.
"I… I only got a glimpse of the attacker," Xiao murmured. "He wore a black hoodie. I didn't see his face…"
Xyon held her closer as she spoke, his protective instinct bristling.
"I went to shower after arriving. When I came back, Lia was on the floor… blood everywhere. I froze. I couldn't scream or even move…"
"And after that?" Jericho pushed.
"He attacked me. I don't remember much else. I must have passed out."
Her voice cracked again, more tears falling. "I was so scared."
Jericho paused, narrowing his gaze.
"So you believe the attacker is male?"
"Yes," she answered, barely audible.
Jericho held up another evidence bag. Inside was a single, long silver strand of hair.
"We found this. Possibly from the attacker. Long hair… male, most likely."
At the sight of it, Xiao's eyes flickered—just for a moment—but she began sobbing again before Jericho could ask further.
"Any idea about a motive? Anyone you or Lia had conflicts with?" he asked.
Xiao lowered her head, saying nothing.
"Can we stop this for now?" Xyon finally said, his patience worn. "She needs rest."
Jericho nodded and stepped back, but suspicion danced in his eyes.
Meanwhile – Eri Kingdom
Chipi raised a brow. "Are you okay, Shiya? You look like you're staring into the abyss."
Shiya snapped out of her daze with a sigh and crossed her arms, pouting. "It's nothing."
"Oh no, don't give me that. Talk," Chipi insisted, stepping closer.
Shiya hesitated. "Have you… ever been kissed?"
Chipi blinked. "Uh, yeah. Wait… are we talking about you getting kissed?"
Shiya bit her lip. Her face turned a deep red.
Chipi squealed and covered her mouth. "Oh my stars—it was Yon Zue, wasn't it?!"
"Shh! Keep it down!" Shiya whispered furiously, glancing around.
"But it was Yon Zue?!"
Shiya nodded faintly, then frowned.
"What's wrong then?" Chipi asked, suddenly serious. "Was it… not a good kiss?"
"No! I mean, yes, it was… but after that… he pushed me away."
Chipi's jaw dropped. "He pushed you?"
Shiya nodded again, the sting of rejection still fresh in her eyes. "And this morning, he avoided my gaze. He just apologized and left."
Chipi fell silent, her expression thoughtful.
"Maybe it's because… you're pretending to be Sushie?" she offered gently. "He's probably torn. If he likes you, he's in trouble. You're supposed to marry Prince Liu."
Shiya swallowed hard. "Exactly… so he shouldn't have kissed me."
Back in his room, Yon Zue paced back and forth, cursing himself under his breath.
What have I done? I kissed her. I let it slip. Stupid, Yon Zue! That must never happen again…
But despite his resolve, her image lingered like a phantom—her warmth, the surprise in her eyes, the softness of her lips. I have to protect her… but not like this. Not emotionally involved. I can't…
Spirit World – Shadow Woods
The ancient trees loomed like silent sentinels, their twisted branches cloaked in a fog so thick it felt alive. Every breath Kaium took was heavy with the scent of damp moss and the whisper of something old, something waiting.
He wandered through the mist, his footsteps sluggish. His mind was a storm—flashes of memory, flashes of her face—each thought crashing into the next like waves against stone.
He kicked a loose pebble on the path without thinking. It skidded across the damp earth and hit something with a sharp thwack.
"OW!"
Jaya's voice cut through the fog.
Kaium blinked, startled out of his daze, and turned. She was rubbing her forehead, glaring at him.
"…Sorry," he muttered, barely audible.
Jaya froze. "Sorry?" she echoed, her voice rising with disbelief. "Wait, you just said sorry? Are we under a spirit world eclipse or something?"
Jana Lee gasped theatrically. "Quick, someone check the sky. He might be possessed!"
Kaium turned his back to them without a word, the mist swallowing his silhouette like a curtain.
Jaya stared after him. "Okay, no insult? No sarcastic jab? Who is that?"
"I'll check," Luthor volunteered, already striding forward. "If I don't make it back, avenge me."
He jogged after Kaium, catching up just as the latter vaulted silently onto a thick tree branch. Luthor followed, perching beside him with practiced ease.
"You've been off," Luthor said after a beat. "Tense. Distant. And weirdly quiet around Jaya. Which is very not you."
Kaium didn't respond. His gaze remained locked on the fog, but his hands clenched against the bark beneath them.
Luthor leaned in. "You like her, don't you?"
Instantly, the sky above rumbled, thunder echoing like a warning from the heavens.
Luthor laughed nervously, scooting back. "Whoa! Easy! Just a joke, man—mostly."
Still no answer.
After a long silence, Kaium finally spoke, his voice low and rough. "She's like a sister. All of you are."
"But you treat her differently," Luthor pointed out. "You're constantly clashing with her, correcting her, throwing shade like it's a reflex. That's not just brotherly protectiveness."
Kaium's jaw tightened. "She's reckless. Her invisibility makes her arrogant. She acts like she can't die."
"And yet she's still standing," Luthor said. "Maybe because she knows she can die. Maybe she's just not afraid of it the way you are."
Kaium's eyes finally turned toward him, sharp and unreadable. "You think I'm scared?"
Luthor held his ground. "I think you're scared of losing. Not battles—people."
Before Kaium could snap back, something heavy collided with both their heads. Thunk. Thunk.
"OW—again?!" Luthor groaned.
Jaya stood there, arms crossed, hair tousled, her glare hot enough to burn through fog.
"How many times do I have to tell you losers not to say my name when I'm not around?" she snapped.
Kaium rubbed the back of his head but said nothing.
Luthor chuckled weakly. "You know, most people knock on trees. You just knock heads."
Jaya ignored him. Her gaze was on Kaium. "If you've got something to say about me, say it to me."
Kaium stared at her, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "Fine," he said, voice cold. "You fight like you're invincible. You act like you've got time to waste. But when the curse breaks—when we all lose these powers—what then?"
That stopped her. Jaya's breath caught in her throat.
Kaium continued. "What happens when your invisibility is gone, and it's just you, with no tricks to fall back on?"
The silence that followed was heavier than any thunder.
Luthor finally spoke, voice quieter. "He's not wrong."
Jana Lee and Chipi, who had quietly joined behind, said nothing. The truth hovered between them like a blade.
"We can't keep depending on cursed power," Luthor said. "The Shin Fairy wasn't training Sushie just for fun. We all need to be ready."
Kaium's fingers tightened into fists. "Power used without control will kill you faster than having none."
Jaya looked down at her hands, trembling slightly, but her voice didn't waver. "I know I'm not the strongest. I know I mess up. But I'm not afraid to try. I won't sit back and wait to be saved."
Her eyes met Kaium's, raw and unflinching. "So yeah—train me. Criticize me. Just don't pretend you don't care. That's the biggest lie of all."
Kaium's breath hitched.
For the first time in a long while, he didn't have a comeback. He only looked at her—and in his silence, something shifted. His mask cracked just enough for the others to glimpse the storm underneath.
Then, to everyone's surprise, he gave her a small, crooked smile.
"Wouldn't dream of going easy on you."
Jaya smirked, the fire in her eyes returning. "Good. I'd hate to win without a fight."
Thunder rolled overhead again, but this time, it sounded less like a warning—and more like applause.