The night was quiet.

  The shrine rested peacefully on its hill, surrounded by ancient trees whose leaves whispered secrets to the passing breeze.

  Lanterns cast soft cones of light over the steps of the torii gate, bathing the sacred place in a warm, golden shimmer.

  Tessa stood in the shadow of the trees, hidden.

  Invisible.

  Silent.

  Her concealment spell held perfectly.

  No flicker.

  No sound.

  No mistake.

  She was a ghost.

  And Miko was her prey.

  Miko moved through the shrine with graceful calm.

  Her slender fingers lit candles—precise, almost ritualistic.

  The white sleeves of her robe flowed like slow-moving waves with each motion.

  She opened a small incense box; a fine, sweet fragrance rose, heavy and seductive in the air.

  Her lips moved in silent prayer, carried away by the whisper of the wind.

  Tessa watched every movement, every twitch, every subtle gesture.

  Her plan was clear:

  See. Learn. Understand.

  But the longer she stared at Miko, the less sharp her thoughts became.

  Something wasn’t right.

  Miko’s movements had something hypnotic about them.

  The way her fingers held the candles.

  The way a loose strand of hair brushed across her face.

  The way her lips shaped words Tessa would never hear.

  Tessa stepped closer.

  Just one step.

  Then another.

  Now she was so near she could feel Miko’s breath against her skin—

  warm, soft, like a gentle touch.

  Then came the scent:

  Fresh rice.

  Sweet incense.

  And something floral, delicate, that burrowed deep into Tessa’s senses.

  She didn’t know why, but it felt... good.

  Familiar.

  Alluring.

  Her gaze wandered over Miko’s face—young, flawless, radiant with calm.

  And suddenly—

  something stirred inside her.

  A need.

  A longing.

  Her hand lifted, almost without her will.

  Just one touch.

  Just one moment—

  "WHOA! WHOA! What exactly do you think you’re doing?!"

  Mike’s voice slammed into her consciousness like a whip crack.

  Startled, Tessa stared at her own hand—only centimeters from Miko’s hair.

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  A jolt shot through her, as if she had touched live lightning.

  She jerked back, heart hammering in her chest.

  What in the world had she almost done?!

  Mike laughed—half horrified, half thoroughly entertained.

  "Tessa... a little more, and she would’ve been expecting a marriage proposal."

  Tessa growled softly, fists clenched.

  This was too close.

  Way too close.

  She retreated hastily, trying to rebuild distance, trying to regain her shattered thoughts.

  But then—

  Miko twitched slightly.

  She laid a hand on her shoulder, as if she had felt something—

  a breath, a presence.

  Her breathing hitched.

  Her eyes searched the darkness.

  Directly toward Tessa.

  No fear in her gaze.

  No panic.

  Just... a pondering.

  A question.

  Tessa barely dared to breathe.

  She turned sharply and slipped away into the darkness.

  Heart pounding.

  Magic trembling.

  She had lost control.

  But why?

  Why had she gotten so close to Miko?

  Why had she wanted to touch her?

  What was this irrational, burning need?

  Mike grinned inside her mind, and of course he didn’t miss the chance.

  "Well. That was... interesting."

  Tessa said nothing.

  Hoping he would do the same.

  Of course, he didn’t.

  "I mean—we’ve got a village, a shrine, a divine priestess, and an invisible stalker with severe cuddling urges. What could possibly go wrong?"

  Tessa growled:

  "Shut. Up."

  Mike chuckled.

  "Seriously, Tessa. One more centimeter, and I would've started planning the wedding myself."

  Tessa pressed her lips tightly together.

  She couldn’t even explain it to herself.

  And that made it worse.

  Back at the shrine, Miko glanced around carefully.

  The wind stirred the shrine, making the candle flames flicker.

  Something... she had felt something.

  Something that still tingled across her skin.

  But there was nothing.

  No one.

  Only the wind.

  Slowly, she shook her head, forcing herself back into her rituals.

  But the doubt remained—

  a whisper she could not silence.

  Chapter End – Tessa No Longer Understands Herself Tessa returned to the cool darkness of her cave.

  But her thoughts remained outside.

  At the shrine.

  With Miko.

  With her face.

  Her scent.

  The feel of her breath.

  And the longing she didn’t understand.

  What was this?

  What was wrong with her?

  And why—

  why couldn’t she just ignore it?

  End of Chapter 19