The door opened with a barely perceptible whisper, as if even the air bowed to the figure that slipped into the dining room. Her walk was slow, elegant, almost rehearsed, as if each step was meant to fit perfectly into an invisible script. The newcomer's long, straight hair fell down her back like a cascade of shadows, with neatly straight fringes that framed eyes of deep violet, bordering on crimson.
Riku, sitting serenely beside the others, looked up slightly. Not with surprise, but with the stillness of someone watching a new piece enter the board. His expression did not change. His eyes remained impassive, open just wide enough. As if he was not looking at the young woman, but at the invisible tension that was beginning to brew in the air.
-Good morning," said the newcomer with an impeccable smile, as smooth as velvet, but with a tone that seemed too polished to be genuine.
Hazuki Klein looked up only slightly. His face reflected no emotion, but his posture shifted just an inch. Claire, pouring tea without looking up, didn't respond. Takashi, for his part, seemed to stiffen. He lowered the spoon with a slight clink that resonated more than necessary on the porcelain.
-Can I sit here? -Rika asked, her voice laden with a honeyed politeness, addressing Hazuki directly.
-It's not my table," Hazuki replied in a neutral voice, neither warm nor cold. An answer that didn't concede ground, but didn't offer overt resistance either.
Rika smiled, grateful. But the twinkle in her eyes - that slight glint that can only be noticed by those who watch silently - seemed to laugh, not with her, but at her. She sat to one side, very close to Hazuki, sliding into her chair as if the very gesture was a demonstration of trust. Riku, without a word, watched every detail: the slightest tilt of her shoulders, the way the edge of Hazuki's lips seemed to tighten as she noticed the closeness, and how Claire, in the background, stopped serving just a second too long.
-I couldn't sleep last night," Rika commented in a casual tone, almost like an intimate confession. I heard footsteps in the hallway. Wasn't it creepy? This mansion has so many secrets...
Hazuki took a sip of tea, leaving silence as the only answer. Claire barely raised her eyebrow. Takashi pretended to ignore them, but his spoon was paused in the air, not reaching his mouth.
-I guess someone had insomnia..." Rika continued. Or maybe he wasn't alone. You never know.
-Claire heard the same thing," Hazuki finally said, setting the cup down gracefully. But she at least has the good sense not to open the door for any nonsense.
-Oh, right. Claire has always been... wise," Rika replied, smiling at the maid. Claire, expressionless, bowed slightly as a sign of respect, but without saying a word.
Riku slowly averted his gaze to Takashi, who was currently staring at his plate, though the muscles in his neck betrayed a growing tension. Like a caged animal, waiting for something - a signal, a crack, a provocation.
-It's admirable to see how close the three of them are," Rika continued. Claire, always by Hazuki's side. Hazuki, so worried about her dear little brother. And Takashi... always so strong, so mature for his age.
Hazuki slowly turned his head towards her.
-You're wrong. He doesn't need to be treated like a child. And I'm not worried. It would only be a loss to the family if he suddenly collapsed in a hallway from missing breakfast.
Rika let out a restrained chuckle, bringing a hand to her mouth gently.
-Wow, that sounds almost... motherly. How unexpected of you.
-And you sound almost sincere. How unexpected of you too," Hazuki replied, not altering the tone of his voice.
Takashi's spoon fell against the plate.
-Hypocrite," he muttered.
It was a single word, thrown like a knife. And for an instant, the air seemed to freeze.
Rika slowly turned to face him. Her eyes remained soft, her smile did not fade. But something - something invisible - registered in her gaze. As if her brain had engraved Takashi's name on a silent list.
-Oh, did I say something to upset you? -she asked with unreal sweetness.
Takashi didn't answer. He looked down at his plate again, his jaw now slightly tense. Riku silently watched the way Claire closed her eyes for a split second. And how Hazuki, without moving, kept her attention on her cousin, as if waiting for the next blow.
-I didn't mean to offend," Rika continued, though her tone was now slower. Sometimes I let things slip that others don't want to hear. But that's just concern, of course. We're all family, after all.
-Do you worry? -Hazuki said, cocking his head slightly. Interesting. Then perhaps you'd like to sleep in the farthest room in the west wing. Where the wind sounds like whispers... and no one hears you if you scream.
Rika blinked. Just once. Then she laughed, as if she'd been told a sophisticated joke.
-You're so funny. You always make me laugh, Hazuki.
Riku slowly put his empty cup away. He looked at Rika's face, so perfect, so kind. And behind that mask, the tension. The subtle flicker of pent up anger. The smile that didn't change, not because it was constant... but because it was designed to never move.
The rest of breakfast passed in thick silence. And when Claire finally got up to clear the plates, Rika stood up as well, with the same measured grace as always.
-Thank you for allowing me to join you. It was... lovely.
And without waiting for an answer, she left.
Hazuki didn't follow her with her eyes. Takashi was still motionless. Claire was picking up the cutlery without a sound. Riku, still in his seat, thought for the first time about the nature of silent poison: not the one that hides in the drink, but the one that slips between polite words and soulless smiles.
Yes, he thought. That board was already in motion.