Story:

For a moment, the room felt crowded with questions nobody wanted to ask in front of them.

Shiki cleared her throat. “You should speak with Seira-sama.”

Peach’s head turned sharply. “Has she healed them?”

“Seira-sama can explain what has happened.”

“What has happened to their memories?”

Ai’s face changed. “Our memories?”

Peach immediately regretted the words.

She turned back, taking care to soften her voice. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Mai looked toward Shiki.

The shrinemaiden remained composed, but she had lowered the iPad to her side.

“Please,” she said. “Come to the main chamber. It would be better to hear the explanation from her directly.”

Peach rose.

The twins stood with her, no longer smiling.

She had wanted this reunion so badly that she had almost accepted every reassuring detail without question. Their ease. Their health. Their familiar affection.

She wanted those things to be real. She needed to know what they meant.

“Then take me to her,” Peach said.

Shiki inclined her head.

Peach caught her sleeve before she could turn away. “Now.”

Her voice rose enough to carry into the corridor. “I want to see the shrine master immediately.”

Shiki met her eyes, then nodded once. “This way.”

Peach picked up her bag with an unsteady hand.

Before following, she looked back at Ai and Mai. Both were watching her leaving anxiously.