CTS TIME: RE250.05.27 – 9:15 PM (Kamizuki Village – Market District & Hotel Inn)
LOCATION: Kamizuki Village – Central Market
Jasper walked through the bustling Kamizuki night market, his hands in his pockets, eyes scanning the stalls. Lanterns lined the streets, glowing in soft amber hues, casting flickering shadows across the cobbled ground. Vendors called out, trying to sell fresh seafood, exotic spices, and crafted weaponry.
And behind him—one step away—was Sienna.
Still following him.
Still acting like nothing happened.
Jasper clenched his jaw, his frustration growing with every step.
It wasn't just the fact that she was following him—it was the way she did it.
Casually. Calmly. Effortlessly.
Like she wasn't the slightest bit affected by everything he had done to make her hate him.
He stopped at a stall, pretending to examine some small mechanical devices.
Sienna stopped, too.
Jasper gritted his teeth, took a few steps toward another stand.
Sienna moved with him.
His patience was hanging by a thread.
Jasper finally spun around, his blue eyes burning with irritation.
"Why the hell are you still following me?!"
Sienna blinked, tilting her head slightly.
"I'm not following you," she said smoothly, her silver eyes gleaming under the lantern light. "I'm just collecting data on how this village looks at night."
Jasper's hands curled into fists.
"Bullshit!" he snapped. "You've been shadowing me the entire time! What do you want?!"
Sienna simply shrugged.
"I told you. Just doing my work."
Jasper's frustration snapped.
Before he could even process it—he reached out and shoved her.
Hard.
Sienna stumbled backward, her boots slipping on the wet cobblestone.
And then—she fell.
Right into a small puddle in the middle of the market.
The entire street went silent.
Vendors stopped calling out. People turned. The flickering lanterns illuminated the sight of Sienna, one of the top Pro Heroes, sitting in the mud.
Across the street, four familiar faces stared in horror.
The same four thugs Sienna had beaten earlier.
"Wait… did that guy just—push her?" one whispered.
"Holy shit—someone actually made her fall?"
They had seen firsthand how brutal she was.
How she had flattened them without a second thought.
And yet… this guy just knocked her down like it was nothing.
Sienna sat there for a moment.
Her hands wet.
Her clothes damp.
Jasper towering over her, scowling.
And then—she smiled.
A genuine, unbothered smile.
She picked herself up, brushing the dirt off her sleeves.
"That was a strong push," she said lightly.
Jasper felt something crack inside him.
She wasn't angry. She wasn't yelling.
She was still smiling.
Why?
Why the hell was she still acting like everything was fine?!
"You should head back," Sienna said, adjusting her damp jacket. "I'll see you later."
And with that, she turned around and walked away.
Not a single trace of hurt on her face.
Not a single trace of anger in her voice.
Just calm acceptance.
Jasper stood there, frozen, watching her disappear into the distance.
And for the first time… he felt uneasy.
Serena leaned back on a chair, lazily stretching her arms while Aiko poured tea. The hotel room was small, but cozy—warm lanterns hanging from the ceiling, a wooden table in the center, and futons stacked in the corner.
"So Kai is really your type, huh?" Serena smirked, nudging Aiko playfully.
Aiko's face turned bright red.
"N-No! I never said that!"
"Uh-huh. Sure."
Before Aiko could protest further, the door slid open.
Sienna stepped inside, her clothes slightly damp, her silver hair falling over her shoulders.
Serena raised an eyebrow.
"Fishing?" she asked, noticing the state of her clothes.
Sienna, still smiling, walked past them and grabbed the necklace Jasper had given back.
"Yeah," she said cheerfully. "Fishing."
Serena stared at her.
That was not the response she expected.
Not after what had happened earlier.
And yet—Sienna looked completely fine.
"You're acting weird," Serena said, watching her closely.
Sienna simply sat down, opened her wristwatch's holographic panel, and continued typing her reports.
"Just another normal day," she replied lightly.
But as she typed, her fingers trembled slightly.
Not with sadness.
Not with anger.
But with determination.
"You can push me all you want, Jasper."
"But I'm not going anywhere."
Kai stood effortlessly on the surface of the shimmering lake, his Yamigan glowing faintly in the moonlight. The water beneath him rippled gently, but he remained steady, his arms crossed as he looked down at the soaking-wet mess that was Ryuji.
Ryuji coughed, spitting water from his mouth, his clothes completely drenched. His hair was plastered to his forehead, and his frustrated glare was locked onto Kai, who hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Tch. Took you long enough, loser," Kai muttered, tilting his head arrogantly. "I got it in a hundred tries. You needed a thousand."
"I—IT WAS NOT A THOUSAND!!" Ryuji barked, dragging himself back onto the water's surface, only for his foot to sink instantly. He yelped, flailing his arms.
Kai simply stepped aside and watched as Ryuji plunged back into the lake with a loud splash.
From the tree line, Kenshiro sighed, rubbing his temple. "At this rate, the lake is going to run out of water before he figures it out."
Aiko giggled from beside him. "At least he's trying."
"Trying and succeeding are two different things," Kai muttered, stepping off the water and landing lightly on the shore.
Ryuji finally climbed out of the water, panting. But despite the countless failures, his determination hadn't faded.
"I swear on my sword, I'll become the strongest shinobi AND Blader!" he declared, pointing dramatically at the sky.
Kai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Keep dreaming."
By the time they returned to the hotel, the scent of grilled fish and spices filled the air. The dining hall was small but cozy, illuminated by warm lanterns hanging from the wooden ceiling. A large wooden table sat in the center, now filled to the edges with plates of freshly cooked seafood—fried fish, grilled squid, seared octopus, and various side dishes.
Kenshiro and Aiko had already set the table, their work making the place feel almost like home.
Jasper entered last, hands in his pockets. His blue eyes briefly flickered to Sienna—only to immediately look away.
He hadn't spoken to her since the incident at the market.
And yet… there she was.
Sitting perfectly normal.
Acting like nothing happened.
Jasper clenched his jaw and took his seat across from her, ignoring the way she greeted him with a calm smile.
Serena, noticing the tension, hid her smirk behind her glass. Oh, this is getting good.
"Well, since everyone's here, let's eat!" Kenshiro said, sitting at the head of the table.
Ryuji, still buzzing with post-training energy, immediately started boasting.
"I finally did it! I mastered walking on water!" he announced proudly, puffing out his chest.
Kai, already picking up his chopsticks, snorted. "After a thousand tries."
Ryuji's eyebrow twitched. "It was NOT a thousand!!"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever helps you sleep at night," Kai muttered, taking a bite of grilled squid.
Aiko leaned in slightly, her eyes shining with admiration. "You were so cool, Kai."
Kai nearly choked on his food. He quickly coughed into his sleeve, his ears turning slightly red.
"Tch. You're just saying that," he grumbled.
"No, really! You mastered it so fast. You must be really talented." Aiko smiled brightly.
Serena, watching the entire exchange, grinned wickedly.
"Ohhh? What's this? Ai-chan thinks Kai is cool? Should I start planning the wedding now?" she teased.
Aiko turned bright red. "I—N-NO! I didn't mean it like that!"
Kai, now glaring at Serena, scowled. "You're annoying."
Serena winked. "I know."
As the dinner conversation carried on, Jasper kept his focus on his plate.
He was actively ignoring Sienna.
Every time she spoke, he would pretend he didn't hear her.
Whenever she asked him something, he would respond to Ryuji instead.
But no matter how much he pushed her away…
Sienna acted like nothing was wrong.
After some time, Sienna turned to Jasper casually.
"What do you think of tonight's dinner?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.
Jasper didn't respond. He continued eating, pretending she wasn't there.
Sienna continued anyway.
"It's different from Exohorizon cuisine, don't you think? The seafood here has a more distinct, earthy taste."
Still, Jasper ignored her.
"The octopus is really flavorful. You should try it."
Nothing.
Serena, watching all of this, snickered into her drink.
"So, Jasper, how long do you plan on pretending she doesn't exist?" she finally said, smirking.
Jasper's eye twitched.
Sienna, unfazed, simply continued eating.
"It's fine, Serena," she said smoothly. "Jasper can ignore me as much as he wants. It won't change the fact that I'm still here."
Jasper stabbed his chopsticks into his plate.
Sienna smiled at him sweetly.
Jasper looked away, irritated.
Serena, dying of laughter internally, took another bite of fish.
"Damn, Jasper. You really met your match, huh?"
As the meal continued, Jasper couldn't help but glance at Sienna from the corner of his eye.
She wasn't mad.
She wasn't upset.
She was just… normal.
Like the humiliation at the market had never even happened.
Jasper's chest felt tight.
"Why?" he thought. "Why the hell won't she break?"
He had done everything to make her hate him.
And yet…
She was still here.
Still smiling.
Still acting like nothing had changed.
Jasper clenched his fist under the table.
"She should hate me by now."
"So why… does it feel like I'm the one losing?"
The last of the grilled fish bones and squid skewers were cleared from the table. The warm glow of the hanging lanterns flickered as the group settled into a more serious tone.
Kenshiro, sitting at the head of the table, took a deep breath and leaned forward.
"Tomorrow morning, we head to the Landlord's estate," he announced, voice firm.
The room fell silent.
"The Daimyo's men have taken control of the bridge, and no one can pass through. We need to convince the Landlord to give us access—or find another way."
Serena leaned back, crossing her arms.
"Tch. Sounds like we're gonna have to fight either way."
"That's the worst-case scenario," Kenshiro replied. "We don't want to start unnecessary conflict."
Kai scoffed, his Yamigan flashing faintly.
"Then what? Beg?"
Kenshiro's gaze sharpened.
"If we have to."
Ryuji, still feeling proud from his water-walking training, pumped his fists.
"Whatever it is, I'll handle it!"
Kai rolled his eyes.
"You'll handle tripping over your own feet, maybe."
Ryuji glared.
"You wanna fight, pretty boy?!"
"You wouldn't last five seconds."
Serena snickered, nudging Aiko.
"They've got more chemistry than you and Kai, Ai."
Aiko's face turned bright red.
"S-SHUT UP!"
Jasper, meanwhile, wasn't paying attention.
His focus was entirely on Sienna.
She was still acting like nothing was wrong.
Still talking. Still smiling.
Like he hadn't shoved her in the mud in front of an entire marketplace.
It was driving him insane.
Later that night, Jasper found himself on the hotel rooftop, the cool night air brushing through his silver-blue hair. He sat on the edge, looking up at the moonlit sky, trying to calm the storm inside his head.
And then—footsteps.
Jasper clenched his jaw.
He didn't even need to turn around.
"You just won't quit, will you?"
Sienna walked over, her silver hair glowing softly under the stars.
"It's a nice night," she said casually. "Figured I'd enjoy the view."
Jasper exhaled sharply.
"Cut the act, Sienna."
She tilted her head.
"What act?"
Jasper stood up abruptly, turning to face her.
"You know exactly what I mean! Stop pretending nothing happened!"
Sienna crossed her arms.
"Why should I?"
Jasper's frustration boiled over.
"I shoved you into the dirt in front of an entire market! You should be pissed! You should hate me!"
Sienna's silver eyes stayed calm.
"So that's what you want?" she said softly.
Jasper felt his chest tighten.
"I want you to stop acting like this isn't a big deal!"
Sienna let out a small sigh, shaking her head.
"You don't get it, do you?"
Jasper clenched his fists.
"Get what?!"
Sienna took a step closer, her expression unreadable.
"You think pushing me away will make me stop caring about you?"
Jasper froze.
Sienna placed a hand on her chest.
"You can shove me. Humiliate me. Ignore me all you want."
Her silver eyes locked onto his.
"But you don't get to decide how I feel about you, Jasper Tyros."
Jasper felt something crack inside him.
His breath hitched.
His heart pounded.
And for the first time, he had no idea what to say.
Sienna took another step forward, closing the distance.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Jasper's entire body tensed.
She was too close.
Too calm.
Too unshakable.
And for once…
He felt completely powerless.