Kenta's palatial villa offered a private hot spring to match its already bourgeoisie appeal. Jaja was shaken. "I can't believe there's a hot spring inside, too!" she bellowed, her excitement echoing off of the walls.

She and Kenta stood next to a freshly bathed Shunta in matching light blue and white cotton hemmed robes.

"Come try our private hot spring, Maya!" Kenta called. "You're going to love it!" Maya whirled around with a gleaming joy welling up in her. "Hot spring?!" She cracked a huge smile and raised her eyebrows high. "Really? I can use them? For real?!" - "Yes, go ahead!" Shunta was still dazed from his bath. "I'm so dizzy..."

While Kenta and Jaja took Shunta to finish getting ready for bed, Maya quickly changed out of her violet robe and into a plain white towel. She was equal parts excited and relaxed as she slid the glass partition over and entered the bubbling hot spring foyer. She paused a moment at the stone path before letting her towel slowly droop off of her and fall at her feet near the bath's edge, stepping in gingerly and giggling.

A calm and wistful grin sprouted across her cheeks as she carefully slid down the embankment and into the rocky basin, greeting the effervescent waters like an old friend. She lowered herself fully and cast her head back, nearly surrendering to the bliss before something just out of sight alerted her. "Huh? I-is someone there?" Murky water pushed aside. Loi and his fluffy lump of brown hair moved within the mist and began to materialize. Maya closed her eyes and reopened them...he was really there. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! GET OUT!" Maya screamed with a bloodcurdling pitch and intensity. "Maya? Are you okay? I heard screaming!" Jaja called out to her as she opened the sliding glass door, not missing a beat. Maya stood up, mist barely covering her breasts, lining her midriff and pubic area.

"Ahaha, I'm okay...I thought I saw a frog, that's all!" she reassured her with a playful chuckle, hand tucked behind her head, ruffling her dark amethyst hair. Jaja stood in the conducting area of the hot spring between the partition and the bath within, her figure smaller owing to the mist and haze of the humidity. "Phew, you really scared me! Are you sure that you're okay?" "Sorry...hehe... (stay still, if you know what's what)" Loi, stone still, was pressed up against the wall behind her, as shocked as he was grateful for his chance erotic peek at Maya. Maya, on the other hand, was none too pleased at what she presumed were his antics. She sighed heavily. "That was close... Now, mister..." she dropped her tone an octave and raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Why exactly are YOU in here right now?"

"I was here first..." Loi began. "I mean, I came in first. I couldn't see anything in the fog and had nowhere to go once you had already gotten into the bath, honest." Loi cleared his throat. "By the way, why did you hide me?" The pair sat nearly back to back, the subtle hiss and drift of the steam swirling the pubescent sexual tensions into a nervous froth - this was their first real opportunity at skinship, even if they weren't touching. Maya broke the settling silence like a ton of bricks.

"So...did you see?"

"Huh? See what?"

"You know what I mean, you pervert...admit it!"

"I didn't see anything, like I said!"

Maya whirled around to his protests and turned defiantly before Loi, not realizing what she'd done.

"Now I can see everything, Maya!" Loi yelled at her. "Wha?! I-I-I, YEARRRGH!" Maya tripped on a stone and hurtled into him, sending the pair splashing into the water and into an accidental embrace. Loi moved back and then forward to get his bearings, but not before encountering an odd sensation between. His lips were touching...hers? Is this...could this be...kissing? Maya was dizzy from the fall and quite disoriented by the steam, but she definitely felt it too. Their eyes met, lips still locked. Maya's face flushed and Loi's cheeks burned. "Ugh, what happened?" Maya asked, still dazed, pulling gently away, adjusting. "I think...we just kissed each other. Not on purpose, but...yeah...that." Loi replied, somewhat reservedly.

Maya exited first, towel wrapped firmly around her. She donned her robes and waited for Loi with her back turned, embarrassment setting in with wavelike progression. Loi fastened his robe at the front and silently joined her as they stepped out of the bathing area. "...are you two okay?" Kenta asked. "We're...fine...yeah." the pair answered in unison. They grew pale and averted their eyes, shuffling apart. "Alright, before bedtime, let's play "pillow fight" first!" Shunta interjected, a pillow raised already. Jaja cackled. "Good idea, that sounds like fun, Shunta!" she added triumphantly. Maya looked puzzled.

"Pillow fight? What's that?" she asked naïvely. "Eh? Seriously? You mean you really don't know?" Jaja said in disbelief. Maya shook her head hurriedly. "Nope, I've never done that before...is it fun?" she quizzed. Jaja picked up a pillow and smiled. "I'll show you. Hey Kenta!" She hurtled the pillow forcefully. "Hm?" Kenta turned to look as a pillow flew into the side of his head, knocking the wind out of him instantly. "Haha! That looks fun, indeed!" Maya spilled out. Jaja took her new friend by the shoulder and leaned into her. "See, told ya!" Shunta was aghast. "I take it back...it was a bad idea after all!" His eyes grew wide as saucers while violet energy enveloped Maya and two pairs of nearby pillows, suspending them in the air. 

"See you in the afterlife, kid..." Loi conveyed grimly. Shunta froze. "Eh? Eeeh? Eeeeeeeeh?!" He cowered behind Loi as Maya calmly addressed him. "Good night..." He smirked at her before being beaten across the face by another projectile pillow, just like Kenta. - K.O.

---

Shunta lie between Jaja and Kenta, like parents and their child. All were sleeping. It would have been a heartwarming picture if not for the fact that Jaja's relaxed fist jabbed into Kenta's eye socket. Kenta, unflinchingly, settled into a snoring squint - aware of the pain, but also preternatually aware of her touch and savoring it. Down the long hall, looking out of over the edge of the banister, Maya was restless.

Loi, a little worse for wear, sporting a nice scuffed up face strode up and stood next to her. "Can't sleep?" "Yeah..." Maya glossed, contemplatively. "Sorry about earlier-" he started to say before she cut him short. "Don't be, it's mostly my fault. If I weren't so clumsy, I wouldn't have tripped and put you in that position in the first place. - Hey, Loi? Do you believe in reincarnation?" Loi paused for a moment.

"Well, I DO believe in ghosts now...so, I guess I believe in that as well." Loi said, with solace in his voice. "You know..." Maya turned to her face over to meet his eyes again, the first time since their impassioned, yet accidental, embrace in the bath. "I've had so much fun ever since I met you guys, but part of me says that something is missing." she said, lowering her gaze. "I want you to help me regain my memories so that I can go rest peacefully." Maya trailed off at the end. She knew that she wouldn't be able to stay by his side as a ghost forever, even if she was becoming steadily more attached and comfortable - it was all fleeting at best. Loi looked out into the night before replying "I will help you, but only on one condition," he slowly breathed. "Help me with Nena."