Kain ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.
His brain was still processing everything.
The warlord.
The betrayal.
The way Tsuki had been used and discarded, not for what she had done, but for what she was.
It made him… angry.
Not the usual annoyance he felt toward her.
Not the frustration from being teased into oblivion.
But actual anger.
A slow-burning, uncomfortable heat in his chest that he didn’t know how to deal with.
He wasn’t used to caring.
At least, not like this.
---
Tsuki was still sitting by the window, staring at the moon, her expression back to its unreadable mask.
Like the conversation never happened.
Like she hadn’t just told him centuries of betrayal in the span of a few sentences.
Kain scowled.
He hated that.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Hated that she could say something so awful and then act like it was nothing.
Like she didn’t expect anyone to care.
Like she didn’t deserve anyone to care.
That thought pissed him off even more.
He crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall.
"Alright."
Tsuki’s ear twitched slightly, but she didn’t turn.
"Alright, what?"
"I’ve decided something."
"Oh?"
She finally glanced at him, amusement flickering at the edge of her voice.
"What brilliant decision has my dear thief come to now?"
Kain smirked.
"That I’m too dumb to figure out magic, but smart enough to know when someone’s full of shit."
Tsuki blinked.
For just a second, he caught a glimpse of real surprise in her eyes.
Then, she laughed softly, shaking her head.
"Ohh~? Such a bold statement."
Kain shrugged. "Yeah, well, I’m a bold kind of guy."
She rolled her eyes. "Bold is a strong word."
"Reckless. Stubborn. Lacking survival instincts—"
"Fine, fine," Kain muttered, waving her off. "But I’m not wrong."
Tsuki’s grin didn’t reach her eyes.
"And what exactly am I supposedly lying about, dear thief?"
"That you don’t care."
Tsuki went silent.
Her fingers curled slightly against the windowsill.
Kain crossed his arms.
"You told me all that like it was just a footnote in history. Like it didn’t matter. But it does."
"And I think you know it does."
Tsuki’s golden eyes flickered, but her smirk stayed.
"Oh?"
"And what makes you think I care?"
Kain scoffed. "Because if you didn’t, you wouldn’t have told me in the first place."
Silence.
Tsuki’s tails flicked once.
Then she let out a slow, dramatic sigh.
"Ughhh. And here I thought you were just another handsome idiot."
Kain blinked. "Handsome?"
Tsuki grinned. "Ohhh, ignore that part~."
Kain narrowed his eyes. "No, no, let’s circle back to—"
"ANYWAY," she cut him off, stretching her arms above her head, "what exactly is your plan now, dear thief?"
Kain tilted his head. "Plan for what?"
"For me~."
Tsuki winked, propping her chin on her hand. "If you’re so insistent that I care about my past, are you going to make it your life’s mission to fix me~?"
She expected him to deflect.
To get flustered and deny it.
To be his usual, sarcastic self.
But instead—
Kain just grinned.
And it wasn’t a smirk.
Not mocking.
Not playful.
Just—a real, lopsided, reckless grin.
"Nah."
Tsuki blinked.
"Nah?"
Kain shrugged. "You’re already too broken to fix."
She snorted. "Wow. Inspiring."
"But—" Kain continued, tilting his head slightly, "I figure someone should be around to remind you you’re still here."
Tsuki’s grin faltered.
Just for a second.
Just long enough for him to notice.
And that made her annoyed.
She leaned back, flicking a tail toward his face. "Ugh. I take it back. You’re not handsome. Just annoying."
Kain dodged, laughing. "Too late, you already admitted it!"
Tsuki rolled her eyes. "Tch. You’ll make me regret this bond at this rate."
Kain smirked. "Like you already don’t?"
Tsuki’s lips quirked slightly.
She wouldn’t say it.
She wouldn’t admit it.
But for the first time in a long, long time—
She didn’t feel alone.
And maybe, just maybe—
She didn’t hate that.
But she’d never tell him that.
Not in a million years.
