Cards Of The Silent King-Chapter 29: Hana Asks About the Cards

The classroom was quiet. Most students were at the club meeting or the cafeteria. The afternoon sun cut through the dust motes. It landed on the desk.

Kaito sat alone. His jacket was off. It hung on the chair back. His hands were on the wood.

He held the deck. He shuffled them. The sound was soft. Paper against paper. A rhythmic whisper.

He was not gambling. He was checking.

Luna was new. The card felt heavier than the others. It sat near the bottom. He needed to ensure the seal was holding. He needed to ensure she was stable.

Kaito thought: Do not fluctuate.

The card remained cool. Stable.

He heard footsteps. Light. Familiar.

He did not look up. He continued shuffling.

Hana said: "You are still here."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Hana said: "Ryota said you skipped lunch."

Kaito said: "Not hungry."

Hana said: "That is not an answer."

She walked around the desk. She sat on the edge of the table next to him. Her skirt brushed his arm. She did not move away.

Kaito stopped shuffling. He held the deck in one hand. His thumb rested on the Ace of Spades.

Hana said: "What are those."

Kaito said: "Cards."

Hana said: "I know that. Are they lucky."

Kaito said: "Something like that."

Hana said: "You carry them everywhere."

Kaito said: "Habits are hard to break."

Hana said: "You have had them since the first week."

Kaito said: "Yes."

She looked at his hands. Her eyes were brown. Warm. They missed nothing. She had been watching him for months. She collected data. She did not share it.

Hana said: "Can I see one."

Kaito froze. Just for a fraction of a second.

He thought: No.

He thought: They react to intent. She has no intent. But she has presence.

He thought: If she touches Luna, the temperature drops. If she touches Kuro, the shadows shift.

He could not say no. Not without making it important. If he said no, it became a secret. If he said yes, it was a game.

Kaito said: "One."

He fanned the deck. Face down.

Hana smiled. It was a small smile. She reached out. Her fingers hovered over the cards.

She picked the one near the middle. The Seven of Hearts. Ember.

Kaito thought: Not Ember.

It was too late.

Her fingers touched the card stock.

The air in the room shifted. The temperature dropped three degrees. The card went cold. Not paper cold. Ice cold.

Hana flinched.

She did not drop it. She held it for one second. Two seconds.

The cold radiated into her fingertip. It was unnatural. It was impossible for a card sitting in the sun.

Hana said: "It is cold."

Kaito said: "Put it down."

His voice was flat. It was not a request.

Hana looked at him. She looked at the card. She placed it back on the desk.

She rubbed her thumb against her finger. The sensation lingered.

Hana said: "Why is it cold."

Kaito said: "Storage."

Hana said: "In your pocket."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Hana said: "It feels like... winter."

Kaito gathered the cards. He squared the deck. He slid them into the inner pocket of his jacket. He buttoned the pocket.

He thought: Ember is awake. She is curious. Stop it.

Inside the pocket, the heat spiked. Then it settled.

Kaito exhaled. Slowly.

Hana watched him. She did not look away. She was not scared. She was thinking.

Hana said: "You protect them."

Kaito said: "They are important."

Hana said: "More than important."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Hana said: "Okay."

She did not push. That was Hana. She found the edge of the thing, and she stopped. She did not jump over. She waited to see if he would build a bridge.

She hopped off the desk. She stood in front of him.

Hana said: "You should eat something."

Kaito said: "Later."

Hana said: "I have a melon bread."

She held it out. It was wrapped in plastic. Still warm from the bakery.

Kaito looked at the bread. He looked at her hand. Her fingers were normal now. Warm.

He took it.

Kaito said: "Thanks."

Hana said: "Two words. I am counting."

Kaito said: "Thank you."

Hana said: "Three. You are spoiling me."

She laughed. It was light. It filled the empty classroom.

Kaito thought: She felt it.

He thought: She knows something is wrong.

He thought: She is not running.

Hana turned to leave. She stopped at the door. She looked back.

Hana said: "Kaito."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Hana said: "If they are cold... keep them warm."

She left. The door clicked shut.

Kaito sat alone. The sun moved across the desk. The dust motes danced.

He put his hand over his pocket. The cards were warm again. Ember was settling. Luna was silent.

Kaito thought: That was too close.

He thought: She is too observant.

He thought: I cannot hide this forever.

He stood up. He picked up his jacket. He put it on. He checked the button. It was secure.

He walked to the window. He looked down at the courtyard. Hana was walking across the pavement. She was rubbing her thumb.

She stopped. She looked up at the window.

She could not see him. The glass reflected the sky.

She waved anyway.

Kaito did not wave back. He stood still.

He thought: She knows.

He thought: Not everything. But enough.

He turned away from the window. He picked up his bag.

He needed to walk. He needed to move. The classroom felt too small. The air felt too thin.

He walked into the hallway. It was empty. The lights hummed.

Kuro said: "She has strong senses."

Kaito said: "Yes."

Kuro said: "Most humans do not feel the temperature shift."

Kaito said: "She is not most humans."

Kuro said: "No. She is not."

Kaito walked faster. His boots echoed on the tile.

Kaito thought: Why did Luna react.

Kuro said: "She recognizes intent. The girl was not curious. She was caring. Luna responds to care."

Kaito said: "That is dangerous."

Kuro said: "It is interesting."

Kaito said: "Stop."

Kuro said: "Fine. But do not be surprised if she touches another one."

Kaito said: "She will not."

Kuro said: "You do not know that."

Kaito did not answer. He reached the stairwell. He pushed the door open.

The air outside was cooler. The sun was lower. Shadows stretched across the school grounds.

He walked toward the gate. He passed the vending machines. Ryota was there. He was fighting the machine.

Ryota said: "It ate my coin."

Kaito said: "Hit it."

Ryota said: "I am trying. It is resistant."

Kaito kept walking. Ryota called after him.

Ryota said: "Hey. Wait. Do you have change."

Kaito did not stop. He needed space. He needed to check the seals. He needed to ensure the cards were quiet.

He reached the street. The city noise washed over him. Cars. People. Signals.

He put his hand in his pocket. He touched the Seven of Hearts. It was warm. He touched the Queen of Ice. It was cool.

Normal.

He thought: Next time. Do not fan them.

He thought: Next time. Say no.

He knew he would not.

If she asked, he would answer. If she reached, he would let her.

He was protecting her from the truth. But he was not protecting her from himself.

That was the problem.

He walked home. The bread was in his bag. He would eat it later.

The cards hummed against his ribs. A quiet rhythm.

Fourteen hearts. Or twelve. Soon fourteen.

They were waiting.

He was waiting.

The city did not know. The cards did.

Hana did.

That was the new variable.

He turned the corner. His apartment building came into view.

He climbed the stairs. He unlocked the door.

He stepped inside. He locked it.

He took off the jacket. He laid it on the table.

The cards shifted.

Kaito said: "Stay."

The cards settled.

He sat down. He opened the bread. He took a bite. It was sweet.

He thought: She said keep them warm.

He thought: I will try.

He finished the bread. He washed his hands.

He sat in the dark. He listened to the city.

Nothing moved in the cracks. Not tonight.

Tonight was quiet.

He closed his eyes.

The cold feeling on his thumb lingered. Not his thumb. Hers.

He remembered the flinch.

He remembered the look.

Not fear. Curiosity.

Kaito thought: She is not afraid.

He thought: That is worse.

He stood up. He turned on the light.

He opened his notebook. He wrote the date. He did not write about the cards.

He closed the book.

He went to bed.

Sleep did not come quickly.

When it did, he dreamed of ice. And fire. And a hand that did not pull away.

Morning would come.

He would see her.

She would not mention the cold.

He would not mention the heat. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

They would sit together.

That would be enough.