[Scene
Kavei and SEBIKI
Hotel room
6 am, morning
8th August]

The morning sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a soft glow across the room. A faint breeze rustled the curtains, making the fabric sway gently. The world outside was already alive with distant chatter and the occasional sound of footsteps, but inside, everything remained still-except for the two figures slowly waking from their unexpected slumber.

"Hey, Sebiki! Sebiki!"

A voice broke through the morning haze, sharp and insistent.

Sebiki stirred, her head resting awkwardly against the windowpane. The cold surface pressed against her cheek, making her shiver slightly as she blinked herself awake. Her vision was still unfocused, and it took her a moment to register where she was.

"Huh? Huh??" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes groggily.

Kavei stood in front of her, arms crossed, looking down at her with an amused yet exasperated expression. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and there was a faint crease on his cheek, as if he had been pressed against something for too long.

"Wake up. It's morning already," he said, tapping his foot lightly against the floor.

Sebiki sat up suddenly, her body protesting the abrupt movement.

"Ah! Sorry. Are we late?"

Kavei sighed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, no kidding."

Sebiki glanced around the room in confusion. The wooden floor was cool against her bare feet, and the window beside her was still slightly open, letting in a crisp breeze. Had she really fallen asleep here?

"When did I doze off here near the window?" she asked, stretching her arms with a small groan.

Kavei ran a hand through his hair, his expression thoughtful.

"I don't really know myself. When I woke up, I was lying on the floor. My face was literally under the bed."

Sebiki blinked at him, her drowsiness slowly fading.

"Huh? Weren't you sleeping in your room?"

Kavei looked away, his expression stiffening slightly.

"S-something. Maybe I fell."

Sebiki raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching.

"Pfft," she snickered, failing to hold back a laugh.

Kavei narrowed his eyes at her.

"What's more embarrassing? Falling off the bed or drooling?" he asked, his voice deadpan.

Sebiki's laughter immediately died as she stiffened, her hand flying to her mouth.

Kavei smirked.

"Just asking," he added nonchalantly, tilting his head as he watched her frantically wipe at the corner of her lips, just in case.

Sebiki scowled, swatting at him half-heartedly.

"Way to go. I'll freshen up," she muttered, pushing herself up from the floor.

Kavei shrugged.

"Sure."

She turned to head toward the bathroom when something heavy shifted on her shoulders. That's when she noticed it-the soft fabric draped around her. A jacket.

She paused, gripping the edges of the material. It was warm, slightly oversized, and carried a faint, familiar scent.

Kavei's jacket.

Realization dawned on her as she glanced back at him. Kavei was rubbing his neck, avoiding eye contact, his expression unreadable.

It clicked.

He must've placed it on her when she fell asleep by the window. That's why he had ended up on the floor-he must have been so tired that he tripped, fell hard, and instead of getting up, just succumbed to sleep right there under the bed.

But, of course, he wouldn't admit it.

Sebiki smirked slightly to herself but didn't say anything. Instead, she simply pulled the jacket a little tighter around her before disappearing into the bathroom.

Kavei let out a small sigh once she was gone, running a hand through his hair. He had hoped she wouldn't notice. But knowing Sebiki, she definitely did.

[Scene
Osaka train station
Osaka to Shinjuku line
Kai and Ryu]

The heat of August clung to the city, thick and unrelenting even in the early morning. Kai and Ryu walked briskly through the station, weaving through crowds of office workers and students rushing to catch their morning trains. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingered from a nearby stall, blending with the metallic tang of the tracks below.

Kai glanced at his watch-8:05 AM. They had two minutes before the next train to Shinjuku arrived. The electronic board flickered with updates, and the distant rumble of an approaching train vibrated through the ground.

Beside him, Ryu had been unusually quiet, his shoulders tense, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He hadn't spoken much since they left, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Kai pulled out his phone, dialing Kavei's number as they stepped onto the platform. The call connected after a few rings.

"So, how's it going there with you and Sebiki?" Kai asked, keeping his voice casual as he adjusted the strap of his bag.

There was a slight pause before Kavei answered. His voice sounded rough, as if he hadn't slept well.

"We're almost done here. How about you, Kai?"

Kai exhaled. "Yeah. We reached home. Almost."

A dry scoff came through the line. "Of course, you did."

Kai frowned. Something was off. Kavei didn't sound like himself.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing. Some more hours. I'll be there."

Kai wasn't convinced. His grip on his phone tightened as he stepped toward the yellow safety line, eyes flicking toward the tracks. The train's headlights glowed in the distance.

"Wow. Okay, seriously. What's going on with you?"

A longer pause followed, only broken by the sound of Kavei sighing on the other end.

"Not that it matters. Let's just say I miss how nobody used to care what I did."

Kai blinked, his brows knitting together. "Huh? What did she do?" he asked the conversation to Sebiki.

"She's a prying fly, all right," Kavei muttered.

Kai raised a brow at the odd description. "What? Haha."

"Not funny."

"Right."

The train finally screeched to a stop, the doors sliding open with a hiss. The air inside was slightly cooler, but the morning rush had already filled most of the seats. Kai stepped in, grabbing onto a pole for balance while Ryu took a window seat, still eerily silent.

"And she doesn't trust me. I can't deal with this," Kavei continued, frustration leaking into his voice.

Kai exhaled, weaving his way through the small gaps between passengers until he found a spot near Ryu. "Oh lord. Just come home. We'll talk."

A dry chuckle met his ears, followed by Kavei's muttered response. "Oh yeah. As if that's gonna fix things."

Kai rubbed his temple, watching the city blur past the train window. "Well, it sure as hell beats you brooding alone."

There was silence on the other end. A long exhale.

The train rocked slightly as it sped toward Shinjuku, the hum of conversations and mechanical whirs filling the air. The sun climbed higher, casting long shadows against the glass. Kai could still hear Kavei breathing on the other end, the weight of whatever was bothering him pressing heavily into the unspoken spaces between them.

Whatever had happened, it was getting to him.

Next: Begining Arc countinued