Hajime's arrival threw a new layer of mystery—and stress—into Myraa's already chaotic life. Every time she turned around, she felt like someone was either watching her, talking about her, or plotting against her.
"Do Reizeis ever just relax?" Myraa muttered to Kyra as they walked to school the next morning.
"Not particularly," Kyra replied without missing a beat.
"Of course not," Myraa grumbled. "That would make too much sense."
Her cousin's arrival had already stirred up a whirlwind of rumors at Camellia Academy, where Hajime's sleek black car had become a hot topic.
"Did you see the guy who picked up Miss Myraa yesterday?"
"He's definitely some kind of mafia boss."
"I heard he's here to test her worthiness as an heiress!"
Worthiness? Myraa thought as she passed a group of gossiping students. Do I look like someone who knows how to be worthy of anything other than eating five donuts in one sitting?
Kyra, walking beside her with her usual cool confidence, gave her a sidelong glance. "You're making that face again."
"What face?" Myraa asked defensively.
"The one that says you're imagining a terrible scenario involving donuts and fire."
"Okay, wow," Myraa said, glaring at her. "Stop reading my mind. It's creepy."
---
Reina's Boldest Scheme Yet
If Reina was unnerved by Hajime's presence, she didn't show it. Instead, she seemed more determined than ever to bring Myraa down.
"She's not worthy of being a Reizei," Reina declared to her minions during lunch. "And I'm going to prove it once and for all."
Her plan? To sabotage Myraa during an upcoming Reizei Family Tea Ceremony, an exclusive event where tradition, grace, and etiquette were on full display. Camellia had insisted that Myraa attend, despite Myraa's complete lack of tea-making skills.
Reina smirked as she went over her checklist:
Tamper with the tea utensils.
Switch Myraa's instructions with something completely ridiculous.
Ensure Myraa spills tea on someone important.
"It's foolproof," Reina said confidently.
"Didn't you say that last time?" one of her minions muttered under her breath.
---
Kyra's Unspoken Dilemma
Meanwhile, Kyra found herself in unfamiliar territory. Protecting Myraa was second nature by now, but Hajime's presence complicated everything. Her uncle wasn't just watching Myraa—he was watching her, too, and Kyra had no intention of letting him interfere.
Still, it wasn't just Hajime that unsettled her. It was Myraa herself.
Kyra had always prided herself on being calm, logical, and detached. But when it came to Myraa, all of that seemed to fall apart. She caught herself noticing things she shouldn't—how Myraa's eyes lit up when she laughed, the way she scrunched her nose when she was frustrated, the way she always managed to bounce back no matter how many disasters came her way.
It was infuriating. And distracting.
And it wasn't going away.
---
The Tea Ceremony Disaster
When the day of the tea ceremony arrived, Myraa felt like she was walking into an ambush. The event was held at the Reizei estate, in a serene garden pavilion surrounded by cherry blossoms and koi ponds. Myraa had spent the entire morning trying to memorize tea ceremony etiquette, but all she'd accomplished was giving herself a headache.
"I don't know why they're making me do this," she muttered to Kyra as they approached the pavilion. "I can barely pour orange juice without spilling it."
Kyra smirked. "Tea is easier than orange juice."
"That's not comforting!" Myraa snapped, glaring at her.
Camellia greeted them at the entrance, her sharp eyes sparkling with amusement. "Ah, Myraa. You're looking very… spirited today."
"Thanks, I guess?" Myraa replied, tugging nervously at the sleeves of her kimono.
The ceremony began, and Myraa quickly realized she was in over her head. Between the intricate hand movements, the delicate utensils, and the unspoken rules about when to bow, she felt like a toddler trying to operate a spaceship.
To make matters worse, Reina's sabotage became apparent almost immediately.
The tea whisk was mysteriously broken, the water in the kettle was too hot, and the "instructions" Myraa had been given were downright bizarre.
"Uh… are you sure I'm supposed to spin the tea bowl three times counterclockwise while humming a lullaby?" Myraa whispered to Kyra.
Kyra frowned, her gaze flicking to Reina, who was sitting nearby with a suspiciously smug expression. "No. Ignore that."
"Great," Myraa muttered. "That's what I thought."
Despite the sabotage, Myraa somehow managed to keep things under control—until it was time to serve the tea. As she carried the tray toward Hajime, her foot caught on the edge of the tatami mat, and the tray tilted dangerously.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no—"
Before disaster could strike, Kyra moved. She was out of her seat in an instant, steadying Myraa with one hand and the tray with the other.
The room fell silent.
"Careful," Kyra said softly, her hand lingering on Myraa's arm for just a moment longer than necessary.
Myraa stared at her, wide-eyed. "Thanks," she whispered.
Kyra nodded, stepping back as if nothing had happened. But her jaw tightened as she caught Reina's smug expression from across the room.
---
Hajime's Unexpected Comment
As the ceremony ended, Hajime approached Myraa, his sharp gaze assessing her.
"You're not exactly what I expected," he said.
"Uh… thanks?" Myraa replied awkwardly.
"That wasn't a compliment," Hajime said, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. "But I'll admit… you have a certain resilience."
Kyra, standing nearby, stiffened at the comment, but Myraa was too flustered to notice.
"Resilience?" Myraa repeated. "That's just a fancy word for 'barely hanging on.'"
Hajime chuckled—a low, brief sound that somehow made him seem even more intimidating. "Perhaps. But don't underestimate the value of that, Myraa."
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Myraa more confused than ever.
---
Reina's Latest Failure
Back in her room, Reina was fuming.
"How did she not spill the tea?!" she ranted, pacing back and forth. "It was the perfect plan!"
One of her minions hesitated. "Maybe it's because… Kyra saved her?"
Reina froze, her expression darkening. "Of course. Kyra. She's always protecting her."
Her eyes narrowed as an idea began to form. "If Kyra's the reason Myraa keeps succeeding… then it's time to take Kyra out of the equation."
Her minions exchanged nervous glances, but Reina's smirk widened. "Get ready. We're taking this to the next level."