Rui stood breathless in the center of the courtyard, sweat beading her forehead. The adrenaline from the battle still coursed through her veins.
Elder Sun approached slowly as the crowd of monks parted before him, their whispers fading to silence.
He held a stern face as he stopped before Rui.
Then, to everyone's astonishment, he bowed— a deep gesture of respect.
"Today you fought not with chaos, but with clarity," Elder Sun said, his voice carrying across the courtyard.
"We are grateful for your help, Princess."
Rui blinked rapidly as she thought she had misheard.
Was the Elder monk who had once commanded her banishment now bowing to her?
As she walked through the crowd, monks who had previously scurried away from her path bowed respectfully.
Instead of basking in the attention or striking a dramatic pose as she might have done before, she shrank slightly under the spotlight.
Beside her, Kee Kee pulled out a tiny silk napkin and blew his nose loudly.
"She's grown up so fast," he wailed dramatically, dabbing at nonexistent tears.
"One moment she's burning brooms and the next she's slaying serpents. My little chaos is becoming a proper disaster!"
"It was nothing," she muttered. "Just… applying what I've learned here."
"Besides, it wasn't just me. It was a team effort." A small, proud smile tugged at her lips.
She glanced around, expecting to see Jin among the gathered monks, but he was nowhere to be found.
Her smile faded, just a little.
---------------------------------
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the paper windows of Rui's small room, casting warm golden patches across the floor and onto her face.
She groaned and rolled over, shoving her head under the thin pillow. So much for sleeping in.
A soft knock echoed at the door.
"Go away," she mumbled, voice muffled.
Rui peeked out from beneath the pillow; she saw a young monk carefully placing a wooden tray outside her door.
"What's this?" Rui sat up, hair wild around her face.
The monk bowed deeply. "A token of our gratitude, Princess."
He scurried out before she could respond, leaving Rui with the tray.
On the tray, there was a steaming cup of jasmine tea, a bowl of vegetable dumplings, and a plate of sliced peaches.
"Is this what appreciation tastes like?" she muttered, popping a warm, perfectly seasoned dumpling into her mouth.
She flushed slightly. "This is the best thing I've had since I came here."
Later, Rui was strolling through the temple courtyard when a group of young monks spotted her.
"Princess Rui! Would you show us that shield technique? The one with the pink flames?" The youngest couldn't contain his excitement.
"I... It's not really a technique. More like panicked flailing." She said as she stuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
"But it worked!" Another monk chimed in. "Master Tao said your chaotic energy has a structure different from anything taught here."
Before she could answer, an older disciple approached with a bow.
"Princess, if you're joining morning meditation, I'd be honored to escort you to the best spot."
"I wasn't really planning—"
"Princess!" A monk with carefully combed hair interrupted.
"Is it true that chaos cultivation improves complexion? Your skin is absolutely flawless."
"Um… Thanks, I just drink lots of water."
Rui gave Kee Kee a helpless look. She felt overwhelmed by the sudden attention.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Princess," said Kee Kee
As she continued her walk, more monks joined her procession. Some asked questions while others walked nearby, occasionally stealing glances at her.
By midday, she found herself answering all sorts of questions, from chaos magic to demon culture to skincare.
Jin's brow furrowed as he watched the courtyard from beneath the shadow of a pavilion.
He watched as Rui seemed to enjoy herself, surrounded by a circle of monks. Her charisma and laughter were contagious.
One of them offered her his prayer sash while another handed her a steamed bun with both hands, like an offering to a goddess.
A strange heat rose in his chest, and his grip on his prayer beads tightened.
"Well, who do we have here?" Kee Kee walked by, tail swishing smugly.
"You know, jealousy doesn't go with your whole monk aesthetic."
"I'm not jealous," Jin said sharply.
Jin forced his fingers to relax around the beads.
"I'm just concerned about Rui's... influence on the disciples."
Kee Kee raised a brow. "Right... That's why you hide here, radiating silent disapprovals like a spurned incense stick."
Jin didn't answer.
Kee Kee beamed. "Don't worry, holy boy. She's probably only flirting with all of them at once."
Jin's eye twitched.
"Don't you have someone else to torment?" Jin muttered.
Kee Kee fluffed his fur, smug. "And miss this performance? Not a chance."
Across the courtyard, Rui's eyes met Jin's as she noticed he was watching.
She turned to the young scholarly monk seated beside her.
"You know," she said, her voice just loud enough to carry across the courtyard,
"I've always had a weakness for men with sharp minds."
She laid a hand gently on the monk's arm, her smile contagious and dazzling.
"I—I, uh—well—th-that is—thank you, Princess." The monk's face flushed.
Without a word, Jin turned sharply on his heel and strode away.
Evening hours rolled in, and Rui returned to her quarters. She immediately sprawled across her bed, one arm draped dramatically over her eyes.
The day's constant attention and questions had drained her more thoroughly than any battle.
Kee Kee was sound asleep, snoring in soft puffs from his cushion in the corner.
A gentle knock interrupted the quiet. Rui recognized the pattern immediately.
Rui crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the door, making no move to answer.
Another knock, followed by Jin's voice, barely audible through the wooden panels.
"Please, Rui. Just for a moment."
His shadow stayed visible beneath the door, still and steady.
Rui slid off the bed with a long, dramatic sigh and padded to the door.
She opened the door just enough to peer through the narrow gap.
"What do you want?" Her voice was cold and sharp.
Jin stood in the doorway, his expression a mixture of uncertainty and determination.
Without a word, he untied the sash at his waist and slipped off his outer robe. He folded it neatly before placing it on the ground.
On the floor, Kee Kee peeked open one eye, scanned the charged atmosphere, and immediately sat up.
"I..." he said, already stretching. "Suddenly remembered extremely urgent demon business. Very life-threatening. Absolutely cannot wait."
He squeezed past Jin's legs and disappeared down the hallway.
Jin closed the door quietly behind him. The space between them hummed with unspoken words.
Rui turned her back to Jin, moonlight tracing the curve of her cheek and the stiff line of her shoulders.
She stared out in silence, her arms folded tightly.
He took a step forward, then another, each step careful as if approaching a wounded creature.
When he reached her, he paused. Jin stood motionless for several heartbeats.
Then, with a courage that surprised even himself, he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
His chest pressed against her back, and his head came to rest against her shoulder.
"I was wrong," he said quietly, his voice stripped of its disciplined formality.
"About you. About me. About keeping my distance, like it would protect either of us."
This wasn't Monk Jin speaking. This was just Jin. Pure Jin.
His arms tightened around her slightly.
"When I saw you today, with the others…"
"I realized I didn't want to watch you from a distance anymore."
Rui didn't move. Her breath was shallow, but her heart was beating fast.
"I know I've hurt you," he breathed, lips brushing against the curve of her neck.
"And I won't let it happen again."
"Please forgive me, Rui."
She turned in his arms to face him, her eyes finding his.
"I owe you an apology, too," she admitted. "I treated your life like it was expendable. Like it didn't matter."
She paused, her voice catching.
"I was wrong. I didn't realize how much you mattered to me… until you weren't there."
Rui stepped forward, arms sliding around his waist.
She leaned into him fully, resting her forehead against his chest.
Jin exhaled as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. His chin settled gently atop her head.
Neither spoke for a moment, basking in the warmth of their embrace.
Then, Jin's hand rose to Rui's face, his thumb brushing gently across her cheek.
He gently lifted her chin until their eyes met. Jin's eyes filled with devotion while Rui held a gleam of anticipation.
Then he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers with deliberate tenderness.
The kiss wasn't like before; there was no demonic influence or clashing auras.
Rui's hands slid up his chest, fingers curling behind his neck as she pulled him closer.
The kiss deepened as Jin backed her against the wall, one hand bracing against the surface while the other tangled in her hair.
Jin's breathing was fast and uneven.
"We should stop," he murmured, voice rough with restraint.
Rui brushed her fingers along the sharp line of his jaw, pausing where his pulse raced beneath the skin.
"No," Rui said softly.
Her lips hovered near his ear, her breath warm against his skin. "I want you, Jin."