The guild's common room was abuzz with conversation, the air thick with speculation about the fate of Team Nobles. The doors burst open, and Shinji strode in, his face etched with concern and his eyes scanning the room for Kai.
As he made his way through the crowd, the conversation around him turned to the upcoming match, and the impact Lila's injury would have on the Nobles' chances. "Tomorrow's match is going to be cancelled, mark my words," one of the adventurers said. "The Nobles are missing a fighter since is Lila out of commission..."
Kieran, who had been silent until now, burst into laughter. "So the SSS rank adventurer couldn't even save his girlfriend!" he jeered, his voice dripping with malice.
Shinji's eyes flashed with anger as he rushed to Kieran's side, his intimidating face inches from Kieran's. "You think that's funny?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
But before things could escalate further, Kai stepped forward, his eyes locked on Shinji. "That's enough, Shinji."
Shinji's anger faltered, and he took a step back, his eyes never leaving Kieran's face. He remained silent, his gaze fixed on Kai, waiting for his next move.
Kieran, sensing an opportunity to stir the pot, chimed in, "Yes, Kai, you better tie your dog up before you have two sick dogs in the healing room."
Shinji's face darkened, but he kept his silence, his eyes fixed on Kai.
Just then, the guild master walked out of the healing room, a look of relief on his face. "Okay, Kai, she'll survive. Let's just give her some time to rest."
Kai's face lit up with relief, and he nodded, his eyes locked on the guild master. "Thank you, Guild Master."
The guild master nodded and turned to leave, but not before adding, "But unfortunately, I don't think she'll be able to compete in tomorrow's fights."
The room fell silent once more, the only sound the quiet murmur of concerned voices.
"How are the matches going to occur tomorrow with Lila out of commission?" one adventurer asked, his voice cutting through the din of conversation.
The guild master's expression turned stern. "The matches will still take place, but the Nobles will have to find a third member. And if they don't... they'll have to win every single match, or it will be an instant loss when they lose even one match."
The room erupted into a cacophony of gossip and speculation. Kai stepped forward, his voice calm and collected. "Okay, Guild Master."
Kieran shouted out loud, "Kai, you still have time to surrender, you know, right? They is no chance that you and Shinji will both win your matches!"
The room fell silent, with all eyes on Kai. But he remained silent, his expression unreadable. His eyes seemed to bore into Kieran's, as if daring him to say more.
Shinji took a step forward, his eyes blazing with anger, but Kai's subtle gesture stopped him in his tracks.
Kai turned back to the guild master. "Okay, can we now go and see Lila in the healing room?"
The guild master nodded. "Yes, but I'll only allow you and Shinji to see her."
Kai nodded, and turned to Shinji. "Let's go."
Shinji followed Kai, and together they made their way to the healing room, leaving the chaos and speculation behind. The weight of the guild master's words hung in the air, a constant reminder of the daunting task ahead of them.
As Kai entered the healing room, his eyes fell upon Lila's serene form, her long pink hair cascading down the sides of the bed like a waterfall of silk. The soft light of the healing room danced through her locks, illuminating subtle hints of crimson and coral, like the gentle hues of a sunset.
Kai's gaze lingered on Lila's peaceful face before he took a seat beside her, his eyes drifting toward Shinji, who seemed to be smiling to himself.
Shinji's smile grew wider as he approached Kai. "Hey, Kai, do you want me to give you some alone time there, pal?" he asked, his tone dripping with amusement.
Kai's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Shinji chuckled, his eyes glinting with mirth. "Come on, Kai, I'm not blind. I can see the way you two look at each other. You've got that whole 'lovey-dovey' thing going on, l mean even everyone else sees it."
Kai's expression seemed to blush a little, and he looked away, his voice taking on a defensive tone. "Be reasonable, Shinji. I don't have those kinds of feelings for Lila."
Shinji just smirked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Yeah, right, Kai. Keep telling yourself that. I saw it from day one – you two have feelings for each other."
Kai's voice dropped to a low murmur. "Do you really think she feels that way about me?"
Shinji paused, his smirk still plastered on his face. "Wow, I didn't think you were this dumb, Kai." With that, he left the healing room, leaving Kai to his thoughts.
As Kai sat beside Lila, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Shinji's words had stirred within him. He thought about how he had felt when he first met Lila – the way his heart had skipped a beat, the way he couldn't take his eyes off her. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time, not since... Sakura.
Kai's mind whispered her name, and he felt a pang of nostalgia. He had kept his feelings for Sakura hidden, even from her. He had been too afraid to reveal his true emotions, fearing rejection and heartbreak. But in the end, it hadn't mattered. Sakura had betrayed him, along with Akira and Kaito.
The memory of Sakura's betrayal still lingered, a painful reminder of the dangers of letting his guard down. Kai's thoughts grew turbulent, his mind racing with doubts and fears.
He stood up, leaving the healing room to catch some air. The cool breeze outside did little to calm his turbulent thoughts.
Unbeknownst to Kai, Lila had been awake the whole time, pretending to sleep. As she watched Kai leave, a soft smile spread across her face. "So, Kai has feelings for me," she thought, "but who is this Sakura he kept talking about?"
A faint glimmer of curiosity sparked in her eyes. "Could it be Sakura from the Three Heroes?"