Gilded Ashes-Chapter 270: Door Hit First

Raizen walked with his collar pulled up and his hair damp enough to cling to his forehead. The streets of Ukai stayed bright even at this hour - not loud bright, not festival bright, but warm. Lanterns under eaves, small lights behind glass, golden reflections on wet stone that made everything look polished.

He kept his hands in his pockets and his thoughts half-elsewhere.

The bench. The little roof. Hikari’s fingers hovering, then the way she exhausted herself over a cut so small he almost forgot it existed.

Raizen flexed his palm inside his pocket. The skin felt tight, new. He didn’t look at it. If he looked, he’d start thinking too hard again, and he didn’t trust himself to stay calm right now.

He just kept walking.

Then his chest pocket pressed lightly against him, and his mind snapped to something else.

The flowers, the two tiny black lotuses.

He pictured the shop again - the old man’s smile, the glass-clear resin, the rows of blooms frozen in perfect shape like time didn’t apply to them.

Raizen slowed down.

He couldn’t go tonight, it was late, it was raining... The man told him "tomorrow evening". Raizen didn’t want to be that annoying customer who showed up and stared until the worker felt guilty.

Still... It wouldn’t hurt to take a look, right?

Just to see if it was open.

He told himself he wasn’t going in. He told himself he was only checking. That it was only a coincidence his feet drifted toward that street.

Ukai’s lanes narrowed as he moved deeper. Buildings leaned closer, roofs overlapping like the city wanted to shelter itself. Rain ran in sheets off wooden edges and fell in straight lines like little waterfalls.

And yet – all of the shops were still open.

He passed a stall that sold steamed buns and sweet skewers, the smell mixing with wet air. A glass-fronted tailor shop still had people inside, heads bent over fabric. Even a small bakery glowed from within, someone wiping a counter like the night never ended here.

Raizen stopped under an awning and stared across the street.

The sign was still there. Preserved Flowers.

Light leaked from the really thin windows. Inside, he saw shelves and colors, blurred by rain on windows. He even saw movement behind the counter - the old man, probably, or maybe someone else.

Raizen stood there longer than he meant to.

A part of him wanted to step inside. Just to ask how things were, if the flowers were ready, if he could pick them up.

Another part of him - the larger part - remembered what it felt like when a tired adult looked at you like you were extra work.

Raizen exhaled slowly.

He’ll go tomorrow. Then nodded once to himself like he made a deal, and turned away.

The streets slowly shifted back into familiar routes. The temporary house area didn’t have the same glow as the market, but even here, lanterns hung everywgere.

Raizen approached the door quietly. He reached for the handle...

Suddenly, the door slammed open, and the edge of it hit him square in the face.

Raizen made a sharp sound and stumbled back, hands flying up to his nose on instinct. Stars flashed across his vision, and for a second all he could do was stand there like the world just insulted him personally.

"RAIZEN - !"

A voice rushed in, panicked. Hands grabbed his shoulders. A soft sleeve brushed his arm.

"Oh my days, I’m sorry - I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you were right there, are you okay? Let me see, let me see -"

Raizen kept his face covered and bent at the waist like he got folded. He was half in pain and half fighting laughter so hard it made the pain worse.

Saffi’s voice climbed higher. "Stop hiding, I need to check if your nose is broken!"

"It’s fine" Raizen managed, muffled behind his hands. "It’s not broken."

"How do you know?"

"What do you mean- It’s my nose!" he said, and that almost made him laugh again. "I can still feel it"

Saffi’s hands hovered, indecisive between concern and embarrassment. "I opened the door like normal..."

"Like normal?" Raizen repeated, voice still squeezed. "You opened it like you wanted to fight a truck."

"I thought Atman came back" Saffi said immediately, then added, smaller, "Or... someone else. I didn’t expect you to be standing here like a statue."

Raizen straightened slowly, still covering his face. He peeked between his fingers and saw Saffi’s expression - wide-eyed and guilty, like she wanted to crawl under the floor.

He lowered his hands carefully.

His nose hurt. His eyes watered. But at least he didn’t feel blood.

Saffi leaned in like a doctor. "Tilt your head."

Raizen tilted. She inspected him for half a second, then exhaled hard. "Okay. Okay. No blood, no broken nose... Still - I’m sorry."

"I said it’s fine" Raizen couldn’t keep the grin out of his voice. "Next time, knock the door open without knocking out the person outside."

Saffi groaned and shoved his shoulder, stronger than Raizen anticipated. "Just get inside, idiot."

Raizen stepped into the house, still blinking hard, and immediately felt the warmth hit him.

The space was dim but not dark. A small lamp. The smell of food lingering from earlier. Wet coats hung by the entrance.

Kenzo sat at the table, shoulders slumped forward, leaning on his elbows. He looked like he’d aged ten years since morning.

He lifted his head when Raizen entered, and his eyes narrowed.

"Where’ve you been?" Kenzo asked, tone teasing by habit.

Raizen rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I kind of got abducted."

Kenzo’s mouth twitched. "By who? The special forces?"

"Keahi" Raizen said, because that part was safe. "Which is asa close to special forces as you can get"

Saffi froze mid-step. "Wait" she said slowly, eyes widening. "Keahi’s here?"

Raizen nodded. "Don’t know much, just some mission."

Saffi’s face shifted into a mix of confusion and excitement. "Keahi - in Ukai - right now?"

Raizen shrugged like it was normal. "Yeah. She grabbed me, yelled at me, and so on."

Kenzo leaned back a little, interested despite himself. "That does sound like Keahi..."

"It is" Raizen said.

Saffi looked between them. "Why didn’t you tell us?"

Raizen raised his brows. "She literally kidnapped me before I could.

"That’s fair" Saffi admitted, then immediately leaned in again. "Did she say anything? Is she staying long? Is she okay? Did she mention anyone else?"

Raizen kept his face neutral. "Nope" he lied in her face. "Just that she’s here for some work."

Saffi made a frustrated noise, but she didn’t press too hard. Her attention drifted back to his face again.

"Your nose still hurts" she said.

Raizen nodded. "Yeah, because you attacked me with the door."

Kenzo snorted.

Saffi puffed her cheeks like she wanted to argue, but then the house settled into a small, comfortable silence.

Rain ticked against the roof. Water ran down the window in thin lines. Raizen sank onto the chair by the table, letting his shoulders drop, while Kenzo looked at him like it was something actually interesting

"You look wiped" Kenzo said, softer.

Raizen didn’t answer. He didn’t want to start telling truths while his nose still throbbed. Saffi stepped away toward the kitchen area, then stopped like she remembered something. "Eiden isn’t back, by the way."

Raizen blinked. "Not back?"

Kenzo rubbed his face with one hand. "He must still have... Things. At Echelon."

"Echelon?" Raizen echoed, as if he didn’t know exactly what he was talking about.

Kenzo made a tired, vague gesture. "Don’t ask, I honestly have no idea..."

Saffi poured herself a cup of water, then kept walking in circles like she didn’t know where to put her energy. Before she could speak again, there were light knocks at the door.

Three taps. Not aggressive. Not hesitant.

Polite.

Saffi brightened instantly, relieved. "That’s probably Eiden!"

Kenzo muttered, "Eiden doesn’t knock like that."

Saffi ignored him. She crossed the room quickly, careful this time, and opened the door.

A small silhouette stood in the doorway, barely bothered by the weather. Damp curls clung to pale green hair. A mischievous face looked up, eyes bright like this was the funniest place she could possibly be at this hour.

"Hi" she said, raising a hand in a casual little wave.

Saffi stared, completely blank. "And... Who are you?"

Enya leaned slightly to peek past her, eyes instantly catching Raizen at the table.

Her grin widened. "Oh. There you are."

Raizen felt his whole body go still in the worst way.

Kenzo straightened in his chair, gaze sharpening.

Saffi’s expression twisted. "Raizen" she said slowly, "why is a kid at our door."

Enya put her hands on her hips, posture dramatic, like she took offense at the word child.

"I’m not a kid" she said. "I’m a future botanist, thank you."

Raizen exhaled through his nose, careful not to hurt his face.

Kenzo’s eyes narrowed. "And why is a future botanist knocking on our door in the rain, at this hour"

Enya looked at Kenzo like she assessed him in two seconds. Then she looked back at Raizen.

"Because" Enya said lightly, "I needed to make sure he got home safe."

Saffi blinked harder. "What."

Raizen stared at Enya, mind racing through every possible reason she could be here - none of them good.

Enya’s smile didn’t move. Not even a little. "Chill out, I’m just joking" she said.

Saffi instinctively shifted aside, still too confused to block her. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Enya crossed the threshold, shaking a few drops off her hair with a quick motion, then looked around the room like she was inspecting it.

Raizen watched her, stomach sinking.

Of course.

Of course it was Enya again.