The night stretched on, heavy and silent except for the occasional creak of the old hotel building shifting under the weight of the storm outside.
Raito stirred slightly on the bed.
Raika, Yumi, and Akemi instantly leaned forward, tension snapping through the room like a drawn bowstring.
His eyes barely cracked open, a hazy, unfocused gold glinting beneath heavy lids.
"...go away," he mumbled, his voice rough and weak like dry paper, before his head lolled back against the pillow and he sank into unconsciousness once more.
The three girls exchanged glances, hearts heavy but oddly relieved. At least he was responsive, even if just barely.
Raika sighed quietly. "I guess... that's something."
Yumi nodded grimly, brushing a stray lock of hair from Raito's forehead and adjusting the damp towel. "He needs rest more than anything."
Akemi, still standing stiffly nearby, muttered under her breath, "This is so not how I imagined crashing at someone's hotel room."
Yumi shot her a glare. "You can sleep on the couch. Raika and I are taking the other bed."
"What?" Akemi's eyes widened in protest. "That lumpy couch?"
"Should've thought about that before you barged in here," Raika said flatly, pulling the blankets up over Raito's still form.
Akemi grumbled but didn't argue further. She grabbed a pillow and a thin throw blanket from the closet, flopping dramatically onto the old, slightly squeaky couch.The cushion springs groaned under her as she shifted, muttering indignantly to herself.
Meanwhile, Yumi and Raika settled into the bed beside Emi, who was already sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the chaos around her.
The lights dimmed.
The snowstorm outside softened into a steady whisper.
Slowly, exhaustion pulled them all under.
The next two days passed in a sluggish blur.
Raito remained unconscious, his fever gradually burning itself out.The girls took turns watching him, changing the towels, making sure Emi was fed and entertained, and occasionally bickering quietly with each other when the stress got too heavy to bear.
The storm outside finally cleared, leaving the mountains wrapped in thick, blinding sheets of white.
On the third morning, golden sunlight slanted through the curtains.
Raito's eyes flickered open.
His body felt heavy, like stone, and there was a dull, aching pressure in the back of his mind—Seigi's lingering presence, powerful and silent.Kurai, too, though much quieter than he was used to.
Slowly, he pushed himself upright, blinking blearily at the unfamiliar quiet.
The room was empty.
No Raika. No Yumi. No Akemi. Even Emi's little makeshift bed was abandoned.
The world outside the windows gleamed with snow, untouched and silent.
A strange, hollow feeling settled in Raito's chest as he sat there, the too-quiet room pressing down around him.
Raito dragged himself out of bed, the world still tilting slightly as he stood.
His head throbbed dully — not sharp pain, just an oppressive weight that made every movement feel slower than it should.Still, out of habit more than anything, he began his morning routine in the hotel room.
Sluggishly, he splashed cold water on his face, brushed his teeth with slow, deliberate motions, and stripped down for a shower.
The hot water hissed against his skin, soothing the ache in his muscles, but doing little for the pounding inside his skull.
As the steam filled the cramped bathroom, a soft, unfamiliar voice floated into his mind.
"You held up better than I thought you would," Seigi said, a faint trace of embarrassment threading her usually calm tone because of Raito's current appearance.
Raito grunted, his voice muffled by the spray of water."Why isn't Kurai talking?"
There was a pause, then a slight giggle from Seigi that echoed warmly inside his mind.
"My dear sister is just moping because you didn't listen to her and let me into your body," Seigi said with a teasing lilt.
Almost immediately, another sharper voice cut in.
"I wasn't moping," Kurai snapped, clearly defensive. "I was mad."
Seigi giggled again, a light, almost musical sound that contrasted so strangely with Kurai's irritation.
"I may have... buttered her up a little while you were unconscious," Seigi admitted cheerfully."She's not as mad anymore."
Raito leaned against the shower wall, sighing tiredly."...Sorry for not listening," he muttered toward Kurai.
There was a surprised pause from both of the voices.
"I just figured..." he continued, eyes half-lidded, "...this will help you too. Your power will come back faster now."
Kurai's presence softened noticeably, the prickly anger bleeding away into a more familiar warmth.
"...yeah yeah but there better not be a next time," Kurai mumbled in response, almost affectionate.
Raito finished rinsing off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel loosely around his waist.His movements were still sluggish, but his mind felt a little clearer now, the quiet company of Seigi and Kurai strangely grounding.
He dried off with slow, mechanical motions and changed into fresh clothes before shuffling back toward the bed.
Collapsing onto the mattress with a heavy thud, he stared at the ceiling blankly.
Seigi's voice returned, more thoughtful now.
"Those girls... Raika, Akemi, and Yumi. They really took care of you seriously," she said, as if marveling at the fact.
"That kind of genuine care... it's rare. I haven't seen it from humans in a long time."
Raito remained silent, his face unreadable.
The minutes ticked by.
Finally, he asked, voice low and expressionless,"...What happened to them?"
Both Seigi and Kurai answered at the same time, their voices layering eerily.
"They haven't come back since yesterday evening."
Raito's eyes narrowed slightly, a flash of irritation breaking through his usual calm.
"...What," he said, his tone flat but carrying a subtle, brewing sharpness.
The room grew still again, the storm having passed outside — but inside Raito, a new unease was beginning to stir.