Finally, as the sun dipped low in the sky, Akihiko sought solace in the palace onsen. The warm steam greeted him as he entered the bathing area, the gentle hiss of the water a soothing contrast to the chaos of the day. He undressed slowly, folding his clothes with care, the ritualistic movements helping to calm his racing thoughts. The room was warm, the contrast between the cold dry air outside and the humid air inside the onsen creating a comforting, enveloping atmosphere. It was a place of peace, where the burdens of leadership could be set aside, at least for a brief moment.

The water was inviting, the heat immediately soothing his tired muscles as he stepped in. Akihiko leaned back against the smooth stones, closing his eyes and letting the warmth seep into his bones. But the peace didn’t last long. The door to the onsen slid open with a soft, almost imperceptible sound, and Akihiko flinched involuntarily, his senses sharply attuned to any disruption of his solitude. He opened his eyes, squinting through the thick steam that filled the room, and saw a figure emerging through the misty haze. It was Kaito, stepping into the room with an expression that conveyed a mix of surprise and uncertainty.

Kaito had been in the process of loosening the ties of something that Akihiko could barely see, each movement deliberate and methodical. However, the sight of Akihiko caused him to pause mid-motion. His fingers hovered uncertainly over the fastenings, caught between the act of removing it and the sudden intrusion of the moment, like a deer in the headlights.

“Would you like me to leave, or can I join you?” Kaito asked, his tone steady and clear.

“No, stay,” Akihiko replied, his voice calm but firm. “I’d like to talk to you.”

Kaito met Akihiko’s gaze directly, and after a moment’s consideration, he gave a decisive nod. His movements as he undressed were fluid and deliberate, although his hands were shaky and seemed unwilling to reveal something, As he slipped into the water though,  Kaito’s demeanour was composed, his eyes meeting Akihiko’s with a clear, unwavering confidence.

The atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension as the steam continued to swirl, wrapping them in a cocoon of warmth and isolation. The silence stretched, Kaito’s hesitation palpable as he shifted uncomfortably, his neck cricking as he glanced around the room.

Akihiko hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly but firmly. “Kaito, I’m worried. I’m sorry that you were kicked out of my investiture”

“I knew it was going to happen one way or another”

Akihiko observed as Kaito slipped into the onsen, watching the tension in his brother’s body slowly melt away in the warmth of the water. But something strange caught his attention. Some patches of Kaito’s fur didn’t flow with the water like the rest; instead, they stood stiff and awkward, almost as if on edge. In those areas, Akihiko thought he glimpsed pink skin beneath the fur, resembling human skin.

Kaito shifted uneasily, his movements becoming more careful, almost guarded. Akihiko noticed a flicker of unease in Kaito’s eyes—a hint of concern he couldn’t quite place. It was as if Kaito was worried about something, though Akihiko couldn’t fathom what it might be. He felt a strange tension hanging in the air between them, a subtle indication that something was off, though he didn’t know what.

Once Kaito was settled in the warm water, the coiled tension within him seemed to unwind, but only slightly. Akihiko observed him intently, noting how Kaito’s body appeared to relax, yet there was an underlying rigidity he couldn't ignore. The peculiar appearance of his fur, with certain patches standing awkwardly and resisting the flow of the water, only intensified Akihiko's curiosity. There’s definitely something not right here, he thought, struggling to dismiss the nagging sense that Kaito was concealing something significant.

Kaito’s unease grew under Akihiko’s penetrating gaze. He kept his arms crossed over his chest, as though trying to shield himself from an unseen force. His eyes repeatedly darted away, avoiding Akihiko’s. The oppressive atmosphere in the room turned the otherwise soothing environment of the onsen into a space fraught with tension.

Akihiko’s attention was drawn to Kaito’s eyes. Initially, they bore the familiar boarlike black sclera with yellowish-white irises. But as Kaito shifted, an unsettling change occurred. The sclera began to take on an opaque, shadowy quality, and his irises shifted from their usual yellowish-white to a dull, eerie blackness. The transformation was subtle yet deeply disturbing, as if the once-clear features of his eyes were becoming obscured or altered.

Kaito’s eyes, now reflecting this strange, shifting darkness, seemed to struggle to stay focused. This odd transformation was mirrored by Kaito’s growing confusion. He appeared puzzled, his brows furrowing as if trying to understand why Akihiko’s gaze felt so penetrating. The more Akihiko stared, the more Kaito’s composure faltered, adding to the mounting discomfort.

“What’s wrong?” Kaito finally asked, his voice tinged with frustration and a hint of defensiveness. His eyes, now mostly black with unsettlingly white sclera, locked onto Akihiko’s. There was a clear sense of confusion in his gaze, as if he were struggling to grasp why Akihiko was looking at him so intently. 

Akihiko leaned forward slightly, his voice puzzled. “Your eyes—”

Before Akihiko could finish his sentence, Kaito’s eyes widened in sudden terror. It was as though a switch had been flipped; the expression he had worn moments ago shattered into one of raw fear. His face went pale, all colour draining from it as if he had just seen a ghost. Without another word, Kaito shot up from the bath, the water splashing wildly around him, sending ripples across the otherwise calm surface.

"Kaito!" Akihiko shouted in alarm, reaching out instinctively, but his hand only grasped at empty air as his brother scrambled to the edge of the onsen.

Kaito moved with a frantic urgency that Akihiko had never seen in him before. His usually fluid, deliberate movements were now erratic, driven by sheer panic. He grabbed his clothes in a clumsy, desperate motion, almost tripping over himself as he pulled them on, water still dripping from his fur and pooling on the stone floor.

The look on Kaito's face was one Akihiko would never forget—wide-eyed, wild, and utterly terrified. It was a look that sent a cold shiver down Akihiko’s spine, freezing him in place even as Kaito stumbled out of the onsen, his footsteps heavy and unsteady. The sound of wet feet slapping against the stones echoed through the bathhouse, adding to the surreal, almost nightmarish quality of the moment.

"Kaito! What’s wrong? What’s happening?" Akihiko called after him, his voice bouncing off the walls of the now-empty bath. But Kaito was already halfway out the door, his silhouette a blur in the thick steam that still clung to the room. The lingering scent of the hot springs, usually so calming, now felt oppressive, mingling with something else—a sharp, acrid scent that Akihiko could almost taste. It was fear, raw and unfiltered, hanging in the air like smoke.

Kaito shouted back over his shoulder, his voice shaky and strained, "Nothing… I'm fine!" But his words rang hollow, a weak attempt at reassurance that only deepened Akihiko’s confusion.

For a moment, Akihiko stood there, rooted to the spot, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. The onsen, so warm and serene just minutes ago, now felt empty and cold, the steam swirling around him in a ghostly dance. The water, once inviting, now seemed to mock him, the ripples left by Kaito’s hasty exit slowly fading back into stillness.