Episode 22: Shadows and Laughter
Ryu paced outside Tanji's room, her curiosity bubbling over. "I just need to see for myself," she whispered, gathering her courage. With one swift motion, she pushed the door open.
Inside, Tanji sat calmly, reading an ancient scroll. His eyes flicked up, amused. "Ryu," he said, raising an eyebrow, "to what do I owe this... surprise visit?"
Ryu froze. Her face flushed red as she stammered, "Uh... I was just... um... passing by! And... thought I'd say hi!"
Tanji leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Say hi? By barging into someone's private room?"
Before she could respond, her eyes darted around the room. She felt it again—something or someone else was there. But there was no one in sight.
Trying to cover up her awkwardness, Ryu picked up a strange artifact from a nearby table. "Oh, what's this? It looks old! Is it a treasure from the Demon Realm?" she asked, waving it around clumsily.
"Careful!" Tanji stood up quickly. "That's fragile."
But it was too late—Ryu accidentally dropped the artifact, and it shattered into pieces. Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh no! I'm so sorry!"
Tanji sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're lucky I'm patient, Ryu."
Just then, Kai stormed into the room. "Ryu! What are you doing here?" he shouted, dragging her by the arm.
Ryu protested, "Wait, Kai! There's something weird about this room! I can feel it!"
"Yeah, the weird thing is you," Kai muttered, pulling her out.
Once they left, Zhai emerged from the shadows, letting out a sigh of relief. "That girl is impossible. I thought she'd never leave."
Tanji chuckled, shaking his head. "She's curious. It's not a bad quality. But yes, she's also a handful."
Zhai frowned. "Master, you're too lenient with her. She almost discovered me!"
Tanji's expression darkened slightly. "Let her wonder. It's more entertaining that way."
Meanwhile, outside, Ryu clung to Kai's arm, whispering, "Kai, I'm telling you, there's someone else in that room. I can feel it."
Kai rolled his eyes. "And I'm telling you, you're imagining things. Now let's go before you get us both in trouble."
Ryu huffed, but her curiosity only grew. She was determined to figure out wh
at—or who—was hiding in Tanji's room.