Later that night, the mansion was quiet.
Shisui sat by the open balcony, sipping herbal tea as Naoko laid beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. The moonlight filtered through the delicate flowers on the vine-covered walls.
They didn't speak much—words weren't necessary.
But Naoko finally broke the silence.
"Do you ever wonder how far you'll have to go?" she asked, voice low. "How much of yourself you'll give to protect others?"
Shisui exhaled slowly. "All the time."
She nodded, then looked up at him. "Just promise me… no matter how powerful you become, you won't shut your heart. You'll still let people in. You'll still let me in."
He turned to her, smiling softly.
"I already have."
They stayed like that until sleep tugged at their eyes, comforted by each other's presence and the warmth of the home they'd built together.
But in the back of Shisui's mind, one thought lingered:
> "Synthetic Arch Energy… who is trying to twist what was meant to protect into something meant to destroy?"