They spent the rest of the afternoon cultivating and left the facilities only as evening approached. After a brief word with Ryan, they decided to postpone the shopping trip to another day.
After returning to the villa, Soren cooked dinner and ate it together with Ethea and the Emperor. Aunt Clara arrived soon after and wasted no time in pulling him along for his second lesson. This time, Soren moved more confidently, and his face burned less, though Ethea’s cheeks still stayed pink. By the time Clara declared herself satisfied and left, the night had fully fallen.
Soren left Ethea in the bedroom and returned to the training hall, where the Emperor was already waiting. What followed was a late session that pushed his aching muscles well past their limits, every drill and sparring exchange driving the day’s lingering tension out of his body through sheer exertion. By the time he dragged himself through a quick wash and finally collapsed into bed beside Ethea, the clock had already crept past midnight.
He took one last look at Ethea’s sleeping face before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.
───────
"Meow~"
"Meow-!"
"Urgh..." Soren shifted under the sheets, subconsciously turning his head away from the persistent nudges. "S-stop it..."
"Meooow!"
Another sharp paw pressed against his cheek, accompanied by an insistent cry.
He reluctantly opened his eyes, blinking through the morning light until his vision cleared. Sitting squarely on his chest was Raine, her purple eyes staring down at him with zero patience.
"Raine..." A smile spread across his face. "Are you that hungry?"
"Meow." The reply came immediately, as if to say, ’What kind of question was that?’
"Alright, I’m awake now," Soren chuckled, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Let me get up."
"Meow~" Raine hopped off his chest with a satisfied flick of her tail, padding toward the door while throwing a pointed glance over her shoulder, as if urging him to hurry up.
"Haha." Soren chuckled as he dragged himself out of bed. Then he headed straight to the bathroom, washed his face, and went through the familiar steps of their morning routine. While eating breakfast, his eyes accidentally fell on the calendar pinned to the wall.
"Oh, I’m free today, huh?"
He turned back toward Raine, who was busy happily eating from her own bowl. Soren watched her for a moment, his smile widening.
"Alright, I’ve decided!" he said, tapping the counter. "Let me get dressed, and we can go out and play all day today."
"Meow?"
Raine lifted her head from her bowl, tilting it to the side with a curious glance before returning to her food with renewed focus.
Soren chuckled and walked over to his room to change into a nice t-shirt and jeans. Once she finished eating, he grabbed her favorite shoulder bag, opened the flap, and held it low. Raine hopped right inside, settling into the canvas pouch with her head resting on the edge, ready for the day.
They left the apartment and headed straight into the city. The summer heat was mild, softened by a gentle breeze that swept through the crowded streets. Their first stop was the local amusement park, a place Soren had been meaning to check out for a while.
With Raine comfortably tucked against his side, they spent hours wandering through the colorful park grounds. He bought a giant stick of pink cotton candy, tearing off small, fluffy pieces to feed her while they waited in line for the ferris wheel. They rode the big carousel, played the booth games where Soren managed to win a plush fish key chain, and grabbed lunch at an outdoor café table where Raine thoroughly enjoyed her share of grilled chicken skewers.
The hours slipped by unnoticed.
Soon, the afternoon sun began its slow descent, and the crowds gradually thinned as families packed up and headed home. Soren gathered Raine into his arms and carried her out of the park, her plush fish still clutched between her paws.
They wandered through streets and along familiar paths until they reached the hill of their favorite park, the one with the old bench overlooking the lake.
Soren sat down on that bench, gently lifting Raine out of her bag and setting her down on the slats beside him.
Raine sat up straight, curling her tail neatly around her paws as she looked out over the glowing city skyline. The plush fish lay forgotten beside her now, its stitched smile catching the amber light.
Soren leaned back, stretching his legs out as a tired but content sigh escaped him. "We should do this more often in the future."
Raine’s ear twitched, but she did not turn. Her purple eyes remained fixed on the horizon, where the sun was melting into shades of gold and violet.
For a while, neither of them moved. The breeze stirred the leaves overhead, and the distant hum of the city faded into something softer.
"..."
Raine shifted closer until her shoulder pressed against his thigh.
Soren reached down, running his fingers over the soft fur behind her ears. She leaned into his palm, narrowing her eyes in contentment. They sat together on their favorite spot, watching the sun slowly sink toward the horizon. Deep shades of orange and violet spread across the sky, stretching long shadows across the lawn.
"Soren..."
"You knew from the start... right?"
Soren’s hand paused for just a moment before resuming its gentle rhythm.
"...Yeah."
Raine closed her eyes, leaning further into his touch.
"...Don’t you want to ask me anything?"
"...Will you tell me?"
"..."
"That’s what I thought."
Soren let his gaze drift toward the horizon where the last sliver of sun was about to disappear. There were a hundred things he wanted to ask. About her disappearance, her true strength, where she was now, or when they would be able to meet again. But in the end, none of it mattered more than the simple truth he already knew.
"I’m satisfied with knowing you are alive. As for the rest, I trust you have your reasons. And you will tell me when the time is right."
Raine’s eyes opened, a flicker of surprise passing through them before softening into something deeper. "...You really have grown."
"...I had no other choice."