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But this was a unique situation

Ōka soon about--Takeo Or Chiyo

Or whatever the hell the girl chose to call herself on any given day

Chiyo was not her real naifted liar learned to recognize the skill in others That night, she’d said "Chiyo" too carefully With toosihter

Not with such clear calculation behind it

She’d lied to him As he’d lied to her

Never irl had done so, Ōkain to understand It was clear she’d disliked hi

Just as he wished for others to find him

But perhapsperhaps her hatredthan led to contend with these past feeeks Struggled to identify, especially as they’d argued with each other Contended with each other over e and small

Attraction

No Want

Alas, as a ord for what he now felt

Perhaps the girl wasn’t water, as he’d first thought Perhaps she ind Wind could whip a fire into a frenzy Make a h he hadn’t cared to ad the first time he’d looked into Sanada Takeo’s eyes The first ti

It was that it felt strangely right

And now?

He didn’t know for certain what had driven hiirl who lied as freely as she breathed that he would keep her secret All Ōkath of conviction--as no girl ever had in his experience That she saw through his many masks in a way that both unnerved and enchanted him That her mind worked in a way Ōkaether

That the one liquid And that the sound of her sigh was like a sunrise

The e

Ōkami watched his reflection ripple across the surface of the lake He looked drawn Haggard As a boy, he’d experienced nighter and retribution Rerown fro man, Ōkami had s any longer Refused to be burdened by any responsibility he did not elect to take on himself Since then, he’d thankfully chosen to take on very little

The fewer obligations he had, the less likely he’d be to fail anyone

Once Ōkami had made this decision, sleep ca ti time since he’d seen a face marred by exhaustion when he took in his reflection

Last night had been a bad night

A night filled with uncertainty

Ōka water Then it had started to drain Slowly A churning whirlpool had forirl’s face had drifted past hi oon Smiled at him over her shoulder Beckoned for him to join her When Ōkaonfly to a flaoon

And let the whirlpool s her whole

The entire time she’d watched him--waited for him to join her, even in death--her features had remained serene A fla as the water dragged her under

Doing nothing