Chapter: Tangled Threads - Part One
Rena's fingers gently flipped through the pages of the mana tome, her golden eyes scanning the text with usual ease. The weight of knowledge grounded her, allowing her a fleeting distance from the whirlwind called Jin Ruichi—who, as expected, sat down next to her uninvited.
He didn't speak at first. He just watched her, his chin resting in his palm, his crimson eyes tracing her features as if she were a riddle he would never solve—and would never stop trying to.
After a short pause, his voice broke the silence.
"I spoke to the principal."
She raised an eyebrow, still focused on the page.
"You will no longer be staying at the academy dorms," he continued nonchalantly. "Starting tonight, you will be returning to the Roche family home."
Her hand froze in the middle of the page.
He waited.
Then, without looking at him, she nodded lightly, almost imperceptibly. "I guessed it."
Something shuddered in her chest—not quite fear, not quite excitement. A strange mix of emotions that only Jin could stir.
"I mean," he said with feigned innocence, leaning down just enough to touch her shoulder, "you're my wife now. It would be a shame if we had to sleep in separate beds for so long, wouldn't it?"
Rena didn't look up. Her eyes narrowed at the ancient runes in front of her, even though she couldn't really read them anymore.
He smiled. "Or wait... are we going to have separate rooms? You know, I don't mind that either. Though I can't promise I won't sneak into your room at night. Just for a late-night mana exchange, of course."
She slowly looked up. Her golden eyes narrowed like a melting sun.
Without a word, she reached out and pinched his cheek hard.
"Oh-hello!"
"Why," she said in a low, dangerous voice, "do you always ruin perfectly decent moments?"
"You say ruin," he whispered, his voice a touch humorous, "I say *enhancement.*"
She released his cheek and sighed, turning back to her book. "Hopeless."
He rubbed the sensitive spot with exaggerated drama, then leaned back against the wall, allowing the silence to stretch long enough to make her wonder if he had actually stopped.
He didn't have it.
"So… speaking of sleeping arrangements," he said slyly, "I've been thinking."
"Oh no," I muttered.
"When my mother comes back to the estate—which will be very soon—I thought maybe she and I could… you know… play this game again."
Rena blinked. "What game?"
"Remember," he said innocently. "The one we played on our wedding night. *Bold questions*."
I stared at him.
He smiled wider. "Just you, me, and my terrifyingly elegant mom. What could possibly happen?"
Rena closed her book with a thud. "Do you want to play *Truth or Dare* with *your* mother?"
"She liked it," he said, shrugging. "She won."
"She asked me if I was a virgin."
I didn't ask you any questions about your virginity. I asked this question to your mother when you were drunk.
"And you fainted. Classic."
Her face turned red, but she suppressed her sharp glare. "Do you enjoy annoying people?"
He leaned towards her, his voice whispering close to her ear. "Only you, Rena."
She was out of breath—and she hated that he noticed.
"I should curse you," she muttered.
"I would thank you for that."
"I could throw this book in your face."
Will you miss me if I die?
"I will build a shrine to celebrate."
He chuckled. That real, low sound that warmed the air between them. I hated it too—how I craved it.
Anyway, he said, stretching his arms behind his head like a relaxed devil, "You'll love having your own room at the property. It overlooks the Moon Garden. You love moonlight, don't you?"
"I like silence more."
"Ah."
She smiled sarcastically despite herself.
A long silence fell between them. It wasn't awkward, just... tense. Filled with words neither of them wanted to say.
Finally, Jian asked calmly, "Are you afraid?"
She turned to him in surprise.
"About returning," he explained. "To the property. To it…"
Her lips parted, then pressed into a firm line. "I'm not afraid."
Watch her closely. "But you're not comfortable either."
"No," I admitted.
He nodded, without pressing her further. That alone—that adjustment—told her more than any joke ever could. Despite all the teasing and provocation, Jin Ruochi still felt the weight of their world. Those sharp edges. The repressed sadness. The pressure of names that carried a long history.
"I'll be there," he said quietly.
"I know."
"You can yell at me if that helps."
"Tempting."
"Or hit me."
"I already did it."
"I'll let you win next time."
She raised an eyebrow. "You let me win?"
"always."
She rolled her eyes, but there was a softness behind them now. A flicker of something warmer.
"You're still sleeping on the floor," she warned.
"Sure," he agreed. "Until I sneak into bed and you forget about my dismissal."
Her face turned red again. She hated it. And she also hated how right he was probably.