Raizen woke up to warmth.

Not the greenhouse warmth - something closer, softer. His cheek pressed against fabric that smelled faintly like cinnamon and dried herbs. His head rested on something that moved slightly when he shifted.

Raizen's eyes opened halfway.

A shoulder.

Saffi's shoulder.

He froze so hard his whole body went rigid, like he woke up in the middle of a battlefield.

Then reality caught up. No danger. No alarms. No whisper. Just the greenhouse, the soft light filtered through glass, and Saffi sitting beside him with her back against the railing.

Raizen straightened up so fast his neck popped.

"Oh, my! I - sorry" he blurted. "I didn't mean to - I just fell asleep."

Saffi looked at him, then smiled in that quiet way she had when she tried not to make a big deal out of anything.

"It's okay" she said. "I needed a break too."

Raizen rubbed his face once, trying to wake his brain up. "Still, you could've ignored me."

Saffi shrugged lightly. "You looked like you might fall over if I did."

Raizen stared at her for a second, then exhaled slowly. He hated how accurate that sounded.

He glanced around. The greenhouse felt emptier now. Less movement. Less voices. He didn't know how much time passed, but the light looked different. Softer. Lower.

"What time is it?" he asked.

Saffi tilted her head as if estimating. "Afternoon."

Raizen blinked. "Afternoon?"

Saffi nodded. "Yeah. You slept for quite a while."

Raizen's stomach sank. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or embarrassed. Probably both.

He pushed himself to his feet, then offered Saffi a hand. She took it and stood, brushing some pollen off her skirt once.

Raizen looked around again. "Where's Kenzo?"

Saffi's eyes shifted away, unsure. "I honestly have no idea! He disappeared with Atman at some point, then Mina took us here, then… Dunno"

Raizen nodded. Yeah, that sounded just about right.

Saffi looked toward the greenhouse doors. "We should go back. If it's already afternoon, they're going to starting to wonder where we are."

Raizen made a small sound of agreement and started walking with her. "After I mysteriously disappeared for an entire day and came back at 3 am, I'm not even surprised…" he mumbled.

The moment they stepped outside, the rain greeted them like it didn't even plan to stop soon. The huge trees of Ukai helped, of course, catching a lot of it, but the paths were still wet and slick.

Saffi opened the transparent umbrella Mina gave them earlier - the only one they still had - and held it between them.

Raizen automatically stepped a little to the side, letting Saffi stay fully covered while his shoulder took a few stray drops. Then he remembered how she pulled him closer earlier and forced himself not to be weird about it. He shifted under the umbrella properly so both of them fit, shoulders close but comfortable.

They walked in quiet for a bit, their steps matching.

Raizen's body still felt heavy. His ribs reminded him they still existed, sting still here. But his mind felt clearer now, like the nap forced his thoughts to stop racing.

After a few minutes of silence, he tried initiating conversation.

"Soo… What do you think about Mina?"

Saffi's eyes lit up instantly.

"She's awesome" Saffi said, like she didn't even need to think. "She really knows her field. Like - really knows it. The way she explained things, the way she noticed details… She's basically a genius!"

Raizen nodded quietly. He couldn't disagree.

Saffi glanced at him with curiosity. "You two knew each other, right? Where did you meet her?"

Raizen hesitated a bit before answering. "We… Um… Worked before" he finally answered.

Saffi blinked. "Worked before? But you were always In the lab or on missions!"

Raizen nodded, keeping his gaze forward. "Before I signed up in the Academy."

Saffi's brows rose. That answer only made her more curious, but she didn't push immediately. She watched him for a second, then asked:

"And… What did you do while I was looking around? Before you woke up, I mean"

Raizen glanced at her. She looked calm, but the tips of her ears had a faint pink to them, like she already regretted asking. He didn't want to tease her though. At least not right now.

"I didn't really do anything" he said. "I sat down and fell asleep"

Saffi's blush deepened slightly, but she forced her face neutral again. "I meant… before that."

Raizen understood what she meant. He also understood he couldn't answer it… So he gave her the only safe truth.

"Ah, well… I looked around for a few minutes, then some stuff happened, I guess…" Raizen answered.

Saffi stared at him, then sighed like she accepted it for now.

They kept walking.

The rain kept falling.

Ukai's streets looked different in rain. Blurred or shiny around the edges. Shops and walkways felt closer together under the gray light. The smell of wet wood and leaves followed them everywhere.

Raizen didn't talk much after that. He didn't have the energy for a long conversation, and Saffi seemed to sense it. So she stayed quiet too, walking beside him.

Then Raizen noticed a sign between two small shops.

Simple, straightforward letters.

Preserved Flowers

He instantly slowed down.

His hand moved toward his chest pocket without him thinking about it. The fabric pressed lightly against the two tiny shapes inside. The black lotuses were still there. Safe. Dry.

Saffi followed his gaze. "Hm? What is it?"

Raizen pointed with a small nod. "Uhh… Sorry, can you wait here a second?"

Saffi blinked. "Huh? Raizen -"

"I'll be quick, promise." he said, then stepped toward the shop.

Saffi stayed under the umbrella, watching him with that quiet patience she had, hands behind her back, shoulders relaxed.

Raizen ran the few steps to the shop through the rain and pushed the shop door open.

A small bell chimed.

Warm air met him immediately, carrying a faint scent of dried petals and tree sap. The interior was cozy and packed, but not cluttered. Transparent shelves lined the walls, filled with flowers in every shape and size - roses, long-stemmed lilies, delicate little blossoms he didn't recognize - all preserved in clear coating that made them look frozen in time.

Not dead.

Just… Preserved.

Raizen stepped further in, eyes moving slowly across the display.

Some flowers were resting in small stands like artwork. Others were set inside clear blocks, like insects in amber. Some were framed behind glass, arranged in neat patterns.

It was strangely beautiful.

At the counter sat an old man with a wide smile and thin eyes.

He looked up the moment Raizen entered.

"Welcome, young man!" the man said warmly. "What can I help you with?"

Raizen hesitated for a second, suddenly feeling awkward. This wasn't a weapon shop. This wasn't a tool shop. This was a flower shop, and he stood here soaked at the edges, looking like someone who barely knew what sleep was.

He cleared his throat. "I'd… Want to keep something."

The old man's smile widened just a little. "Of course! What are we looking at?"

Raizen reached into his chest pocket carefully. He opened his palm, then placed the two tiny black lotuses on the counter like they were fragile coins.

The old man made a small pleased sound.

"Mmm" he murmured.

Raizen watched his face closely. He expected confusion. Instead, the old man looked intrigued.

"I assume you got these custom-made" the man said, thin eyes shining "right?"

Raizen's throat tightened slightly. "Yeah. Something like that."

The old man didn't laugh or question. He simply reached under the counter and pulled out a few different magnifiers, then took the biggest one, as big as a plate, and leaned in.

Raizen stayed still, hands clasped together, waiting.

The man examined the flowers carefully, turning his head slightly to catch different angles of light. He hummed quietly to himself, then set the magnifier down.

After a moment, his smile softened into something apologetic.

"They're too small" the old man said. "And too complex for me to do properly right now, on the spot."

Raizen tried not to show his disappointment, but it still came through in his face.

"So you can't help?" Raizen said, more statement than question.

"Oh, but I most definitely can!" the old man replied quickly. "But I just need more time."

Raizen blinked. "Time?"

The old man reached behind him and pulled out a small jar of something clear, thick like honey but brighter.

"I preserve flowers with a special kind of tree resin" he explained. "Completely clear. It hardens like glass when treated properly. But for delicate pieces like these, I need to layer it slowly, very thinly, so the petals don't shift and the shape stays perfect. If I rush it, it'll look wrong."

Raizen stared at the jar, then at the lotuses again.

"How long?" he asked.

The old man thought for a second. "If you come tomorrow evening, they should be ready."

"Alright" Raizen exhaled, relief quietly sliding through him. "Thank you so much!"

The old man waved a hand, still smiling. "It's my job to keep beauty from fading."

Raizen hesitated, then asked, "So how much do I owe you?"

The old man chuckled softly. "We'll see when the pieces are ready."

Raizen frowned. "That doesn't sound very fair to you!"

The old man's thin eyes crinkled. "I've been doing this a long time. I know what's fair."

Then the old man leaned forward slightly, voice lowering like he shared a secret.

"Also, if you want" he added, "I can turn them into something else. Hair clips, brooches… A pendant, maybe?

"Simple is good, I wouldn't want to bother you even more" Raizen said.

The old man nodded approvingly. "Simple it is."

Raizen gave him a small bow, then stepped back from the counter.

"I'll come tomorrow, then" Raizen said.

"I'll be here." the old man replied warmly.

Raizen left the shop.

The bell chimed again as the door closed behind him.

Outside, the rain felt colder after the shop's warmth, but Saffi's umbrella waited like a small shelter.

She stood in the same spot, hands behind her back, smiling faintly as if she already guessed what happened.

Raizen stepped under the umbrella and adjusted his position so they both fit comfortably.

Saffi tilted her head. "Never knew you were into flowers."

Raizen glanced at her with tired amusement.

"Look who's talking" he replied.

Saffi's smile widened a fraction, and she looked forward again, walking beside him as the rain continued to fall, steady and quiet over Ukai.

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