Later that day, Jon returned to Asha's home to find her resting with her mother. With Asha's pregnancy nearing its end, she had been advised to stay off her feet.
Asha (cheerfully):
"Oh! Satsuki. It's been a while."
Satsuki (bowing):
"Lady Asha. You seem well."
Asha (grinning):
"I see you've met Jon."
Jon (smirking):
"She's like a shadow with a rulebook."
Asha (laughing):
"She's always been like that. We grew up together, kind of. She's... not the best at relaxing."
Satsuki looked slightly away, her tail fluffing once.
Satsuki:
"Duty brings peace of mind."
That evening, Satsuki invited Jon to tea near the village shrine. It was a simple affair—an outdoor table, moonlight filtering through the trees, steam rising from porcelain cups.
Satsuki (pouring tea):
"This is made from moonflower leaves. It calms the spirit."
Jon:
"Thanks."
They sat in silence for a while. Jon drank slowly, watching the moonlight ripple on the water.
Satsuki (suddenly):
"…You're different from most outsiders. You don't look at us like curiosities."
Jon (quietly):
"I've seen a lot. Spirits, monsters, cruelty… but I've also seen kindness. Doesn't matter what form it comes in."
She nodded slowly.
Satsuki:
"I find it hard to trust. But watching you… seeing how you treat Asha, how you carry yourself—"
She paused.
Satsuki (softer):
"—I understand now why the elders allowed you to stay."
Jon met her gaze. Her seriousness was still there, but there was something else behind it now—a flicker of cautious interest, perhaps.
Jon (lightly):
"Well. If I'm ever out of line, you'll tell me, right?"
Satsuki:
"Immediately."
They shared a small, rare smile. It was the first time Jon saw her expression soften genuinely.
And under the stars, with tea between them and quiet understanding growing, a new chapter quietly opened in Jon's strange, spirit-blessed life.