One Month Later
"Foolish Kiana actually got fourth place. Unexpected."
Bronya's eyes moved over the exam results posted on the board before she turned her usual blank look toward Kiana.
"Hmph! I'm a natural genius!"
Kiana stood next to her. Her voice still had that light, proud tone, but there was a new steadiness about her now. The careless, scatterbrained girl was fading, replaced by someone who seemed… reliable.
But a quick flicker of disappointment passed through her eyes.
Xia Qi had promised to tell her everything if she got first.
Who could have guessed?
Fu Hua got first. Bronya got second. Mei got third. And she was stuck solidly in fourth.
"Kiana, you've been working so hard. Let me make you something special tonight."
Beside her, Raiden Mei looked at Kiana with soft, gentle eyes, full of quiet, proud warmth. She'd seen how fiercely Kiana had pushed herself this past month.
Mei thought it was because of her own situation and Kiana's feelings about her missing father—something that had clearly lit a fire under her.
Truthfully, part of Mei missed the old Kiana—the wild, joyful, lazy girl. She was proud of this new drive, but a thin thread of worry ran through it. Kiana was pushing herself like something terrible was chasing her.
"Mm!"
Kiana nodded eagerly, her face brightening. "Mei! I want chicken legs!"
"Alright, you can have as many chicken legs as you want tonight~"
Standing invisibly to the side, Xia Qi facepalmed, feeling a mix of annoyance and something more complicated.
I knew she was smart but never applied herself. I just never realized how smart. She blew past 99% of the academy. Good thing I didn't go easy on her. Once she gets first… I can start telling her things.
Evening came quickly.
Kiana was in the living room, controller in hand, playing a fighting game with Bronya—a break after their exams.
From the kitchen, the rich, savory smell of roasting chicken filled the air, making even Xia Qi's phantom senses react.
Himeko and Theresa were sprawled lazily on the big sofa. Himeko nursed a bottle of vodka; Theresa happily sipped her bitter melon juice.
"Hic… Not bad, Kiana. Who knew you had a working brain under all that foolishness?"
"Who's foolish?! This lady is a prodigy!"
Kiana lifted her chin, oozing smug satisfaction.
"Heh." Himeko snorted, then nudged Theresa with her elbow. "Hey, why isn't your niece more like you? No proper training, first big exam and she's in the top five. Dragging the Kaslana name down?"
"Y-you! Take that back! This principal is incredibly smart!!"
Theresa bristled, her tiny fists shaking at Himeko.
"Alright, alright~"
Himeko laughed, easily dodging the half-hearted swats. The movement made her chest bounce, which only made Theresa angrier.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, Xia Qi watched. Without meaning to, the corner of her mouth turned up in a faint, soft smile.
"Ahem. Gotta use the bathroom."
Right as she was about to lose the round, Kiana hit pause, jumped up, and headed straight for the hallway.
"Kiana is trying to run away again," Bronya stated flatly, setting her controller down.
"I am not! I'll beat you as soon as I'm back!" Kiana called over her shoulder before darting into the bathroom.
She's probably planning to sneak a bite from the kitchen, Xia Qi guessed, settling invisibly onto the sofa. She stared absently at the paused game on the screen.
Come to think of it… it's been forever since I just played a game.
In her two sets of memories, one was nothing but constant missions, with no time to rest after leaving the academy. The other, her original life…
"Psst… Hey, other me. You there?"
Xia Qi was pulled from her thoughts. Kiana's voice was a barely-there whisper from the bathroom.
"Come on, come out! It's a celebration! It doesn't feel right without you."
"?"
Xia Qi blinked, and her form vanished from the sofa.
A moment later, Kiana—crouched in a kind of suspicious pose in the bathroom—heard a voice right next to her ear.
"This win is yours, Kiana. You earned it."
"I knew you were around!"
Kiana's face lit up with happiness. She looked toward the sound and saw Xia Qi's reflection in the bathroom mirror.
"That's… nice of you. But I can't just show up."
Xia Qi's voice stayed calm, but her gaze had softened a lot from its usual sternness.
"No way! If you hadn't pushed me and helped me, I'd probably… still be way down in the rankings." Kiana's tone was a little embarrassed, but she quickly perked up again. "Besides, you're me too. You must… really want to taste Mei's chicken legs, right?"
"…"
As Kiana said it, Xia Qi's memory faithfully brought back the exact feeling—the crispy skin, the juicy meat, Mei's special mix of seasonings. She swallowed without thinking.
"See! You do! Come with me, I'll help you grab a sneak taste!"
Looking at Xia Qi's reflection, Kiana broke into a wide, happy grin, her blue eyes shining like clear summer sky.
"Is that… really okay?"
Xia Qi looked hesitant, almost nervous.
"Hey, we're family here!"
Kiana turned, carefully cracked open the bathroom door, and muttered under her breath, "Besides, you're me. Stuff I've done, you've definitely done too. Heh."
"Well… that's true…"
A faint blush touched Xia Qi's cheeks.
"Oh, right! Just think at me. I can… hear your thoughts directly."
"Huh?"
Kiana paused, then tried it.
'Testing… can you hear me?'
'Loud and clear.'
'This is so weird… It's just a voice in my head.'
'The first time I talked to someone like this, I thought it was weird too.' Xia Qi let out a soft mental laugh before going quiet.
'Huh? Who was the first person you talked to like that?'
Kiana carefully made her way toward the kitchen while keeping up the conversation in her head.
'That… I can't tell you either. You'll find out later.'
'Boring…'
Kiana mentally pouted. Then, while everyone in the living room was good and distracted—Himeko teasing Theresa, Bronya staring intently at the paused game—she used her honed, exam-cramming focus to its fullest and slipped, quiet as a ghost, into the kitchen.
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A/n: New content and Story posted on my patreon go check it out!
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