After a long and tiring journey, Noah and the girls finally arrive at a cozy inn by the port town of Inazuma. The salty breeze fills the air as they enter the small, welcoming building. The innkeeper, a friendly middle-aged woman, greets them with a warm smile but quickly apologizes for the limited room availability.
"I'm afraid we only have two rooms left," she says, "and they each have double beds. There's been a merchant caravan stranded here for a few days due to the storms in the north. Most of the rooms are occupied by them. We've had almost no visitors besides that—so you're lucky to have arrived when you did."
A heavy silence falls over the group as they realize the situation: only two rooms, and four people. The awkwardness is palpable as the girls exchange uneasy glances. It's clear that nobody is eager to room alone with Noah, but the awkwardness of the situation makes it difficult to voice their true feelings.
Elysia tries to act nonchalant. "I'm fine with anything. I mean, sharing a room with anyone won't be a problem for me, really."
Kiana shifts uncomfortably. "Uh... sure, I can room with Elysia, I guess. I'm not picky."
Noah, scratching the back of his head, attempts to break the silence. "We'll figure this out, right? It's just one night..."
The tension in the air continues to grow until Lumine, in an attempt to break the silence, nervously suggests a solution.
Lumine stammers, flustered as she speaks quickly. "W-W-What if we settle this with a game? Like... rock-paper-scissors?"
The others pause for a moment, their eyes widening at Lumine's suggestion. There's a brief silence, but the awkwardness makes it impossible to turn back now.
Lumine, blushing deeper, tries to justify herself. "I-I mean, it's just a way to decide, right? It's simple... so, um, how about it?"
The others, though clearly embarrassed by the situation, nod in agreement. There's no other option, after all.
The game begins, with the girls trying to hide their embarrassment behind playful smirks and awkward laughter. The stakes are clear: who will room with Noah? They quickly get into the rhythm, and after a few rounds, it's down to Lumine and Elysia.
In the final round, the two face off: Lumine's scissors beat Elysia's paper, and the decision is made.
Lumine, eyes widening in surprise, blushes furiously. "I-I won! I guess that means... I'll room with Noah."
Elysia and Kiana both blink in surprise. Their faces turn pink, and though neither of them says anything, it's clear from their expressions that they're not thrilled by the outcome.
Elysia, trying to mask her slight jealousy with a teasing smile, says, "Well, well, Lumine. You really don't waste any time, do you? Rooming with Noah, huh?"
Kiana, glancing at Lumine, her voice tight, says, "I mean... yeah, it's fine. It's just for one night, right?"
The slight tension between the two girls doesn't go unnoticed by Noah. He feels his face heat up as the awkwardness grows.
Noah, trying to be polite, awkwardly asks, "Lumine, are you really okay with it? I mean... I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything."
Lumine, quickly, but shyly, replies, "No, it's fine. I'm sure we'll be fine. It's just... a room."
Despite her words, Lumine's face is red, and her voice is soft. She's clearly just as embarrassed as everyone else.
The innkeeper, having been watching the exchange with quiet amusement, chuckles softly and speaks up, her voice teasing.
Innkeeper, smiling knowingly, says, "Ah, youth... or young love? It's always so entertaining to see such flushed faces. You all are quite the sight."
The words hang in the air, and suddenly, everyone is frozen. Their faces turn even redder, and they all start scrambling for a response, each more flustered than the last.
Elysia, laughing nervously, says, "N-No, that's not... We're just friends traveling together, that's all!"
Kiana, fiddling with her hair, says, "Yeah! Nothing more than that. Just adventurers, you know?"
Noah, shaking his head, mutters, "Right, just friends... traveling together..."
Lumine, murmuring with a shy smile, adds, "Just... friends..."
The awkwardness is palpable as they finally make their way to the rooms. As Lumine and Noah head to theirs, both still red-faced from the events of the past few minutes, Kiana and Elysia linger behind for a moment near the stairwell.
Kiana watched the pair disappear into the hallway, her arms crossed, a conflicted look crossing her face. "He didn't even hesitate," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.
Elysia stood beside her, eyes still fixed on where Lumine and Noah had gone. Her usual playful demeanor was softened by something quieter—an emotion she didn't voice. "She looked nervous," she said quietly. "But... not unhappy."
Kiana's jaw tightened just slightly. "He's been watching over her more lately. I guess it makes sense. Still..."
Elysia bumped her shoulder gently. "Come on. Let's not start overthinking. He's still our captain."
Kiana exhaled slowly, then smiled faintly, though her eyes didn't quite match the warmth. "Yeah... Captain."
Together, they finally turned toward their own room. But in that brief pause, something unspoken lingered between them—jealousy, maybe. Or maybe something more uncertain. Whatever it was, it followed them like a whisper.
Meanwhile, there's an awkward silence as Noah and Lumine enter their room, and for a moment, neither knows what to say.
Noah, scratching his head, speaks hesitantly. "Uh, I hope it's not too uncomfortable... It's just for one night, after all."
Lumine, smiling shyly, says, "Yeah, don't worry. It's fine. Really."
Despite the awkwardness, there's a sense of calm between them. Lumine glanced at Noah once, catching him watching her from the corner of his eye. Not warily, but gently—like he was making sure she was really okay. The concern in his expression wasn't loud or intrusive, but it was there. It made something warm flutter in her chest.
Noah cleared his throat softly and looked away, pretending to examine the ceiling. Lumine smiled quietly to herself and settled onto her side of the room, the corners of her mouth tugging up just slightly. Their bond was growing—anchored in shared struggle, quiet gestures, and moments like this. Even if neither of them could name what it was yet, it was there. It mattered.
Later, the group gathers in the inn's dining area, where they share a warm, hearty meal. Lumine sits beside Noah without hesitation this time, a small but telling shift. Noah doesn't say much, but he makes sure to pour her tea when her cup runs low. Elysia notices it all, arching a brow. Kiana stabs her food a little harder than necessary.
Noah, of course, remains blissfully unaware of the shifting undercurrents.
When Elysia's gaze sharpens just a touch and Kiana's spoon clinks a little too loudly, he simply blinks and offers the breadbasket with a polite, "Want some more?"
Lumine, cheeks warming, murmurs a quiet thanks—and that, too, he doesn't question. Not the way her smile lingers, or the way she glances at him like she wants to say something more.
The tension hums beneath the laughter—unspoken but felt. The mood is lighter now, though the earlier awkwardness still lingers just beneath the surface. And through it all, Noah remains the calm center of the storm, utterly unaware that the storm is him.
Elysia, grinning playfully, says, "So, what's the plan for tomorrow? I think we should head out and check out Inazuma. Maybe get into some trouble, huh?"
Kiana, grinning back, though there's a slight edge to her smile, says, "I'm all for that. But first, we should probably visit the Adventurer's Guild and check for commissions."
Noah, nodding, says, "Agreed. Let's report what we've learned so far. After that, we can head to the Grand Narukami Shrine like the old man suggested."
Lumine, thoughtfully adding, "Yes, we'll need to be careful. The monsters we've seen... they're unlike anything we've encountered."
Elysia, teasing, says, "Let's make sure we don't get too distracted, okay, Lumine? You're already close to Noah, after all."
Kiana, muttering, says, "Yeah, close..."
The subtle jealousy in the air is almost tangible, but it goes unspoken. Elysia and Kiana exchange glances, both of them a little put off by the fact that Lumine will be sharing a room with Noah.
Noah, smiling lightly, says, "We'll get through it, just like we always do. Together."
The group shares a laugh, the tension slowly fading as they continue their meal, readying themselves for the challenges ahead.