Kenji woke up to find himself alone in the tent. Aya was already up and gone. He stretched and got dressed quickly, then stepped outside.
He saw Aya and Kaito talking a few yards away. Kenji approached them and cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Aya, Kaito, what's going on?" Kenji asked.
"We've got a new mission," Aya said. "The Shogun needs our help to take down a group of rebels who have been causing chaos in the neighboring province."
Kenji nodded. "What's our plan of action?"
"We'll be heading out tomorrow morning," Kaito said. "We'll be traveling by horseback for a few days until we reach the rebel stronghold. Once we're there, we'll launch a surprise attack and take them out."
Kenji couldn't help but feel excited. He had been itching for some action, and this mission seemed like just the thing to satisfy his craving.
As the three of them discussed the details of the mission, Kenji couldn't help but notice how close Aya and Kaito were standing to each other. He felt a pang of jealousy in his chest.
He tried to shake it off and focus on the mission, but he couldn't help but wonder if there was something more between them.
The rest of the day was spent preparing for the mission. They packed their supplies and weapons, and went over their plan of attack.
That night, as they sat around the campfire, Kenji found himself sitting next to Aya. He felt his heart race as he looked into her eyes.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hey," she replied, smiling.
Kenji took a deep breath. "Listen, Aya, I know we've been through a lot together. And I don't want to make things awkward between us, but… I have to tell you something."
Aya looked at him expectantly.
"I… I think I'm in love with you," Kenji blurted out.
Aya's eyes widened in surprise, but then a small smile played at her lips. "Kenji, I… I don't know what to say."
Kenji felt his heart sink. He had hoped for a different response.
But then Aya leaned in and kissed him softly. Kenji felt his heart leap in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
They broke apart, both breathless.
"I think I love you too, Kenji," Aya said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kenji couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had always hoped that he and Aya would be more than just friends, but he had never expected it to actually happen.
As they sat there by the fire, holding hands and talking about their feelings for each other, Kenji couldn't help but feel like the luckiest man alive.
But as much as he was happy to be with Aya, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Kaito. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt like there was something Kaito wasn't telling them about the mission.
Kenji pushed the thought to the back of his mind and focused on the present. For now, he was happy to be with Aya, and he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead with her by his side.