He nodded but remained tense. “It’s not like you could’ve texted me, but man…I was really worried.”
“So, you’re saying you missed me?” I teased, flashing him a playful grin.
“More than missed you.”
Hearing the sincerity in his voice made my heart ache in the best way. His concern wasn’t just friendship; it was something more profound, and it felt good to be cared for like that. Still, I wasn’t sure how to respond without opening a door I wasn’t ready to walk through.
“She’s not what I expected,” I said, shifting the focus to Reina. “I thought I was in trouble, but she quickly eased my fears. I get the feeling she disagrees with her husband’s methods and feels conflicted.”
“It could be.” Kenji rested a hand gently on my thigh. “Promise me something.”
“Sure, anything.”
“If Reina contacts you again, you’ll tell me. No secrets, Akiko.”
“I promise.” Another lie. How many promises would I break before this was all over?
“I just…” He hesitated, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I can’t stand the thought of anything bad happening to you. I lost you once before. I?—”
I pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here.”
As I looked into his eyes, my thoughts drifted to Reina’s parting words. The information she’d shouted out through the car window, the one thing I hadn’t shared with Kenji, hung heavy in my mind. I hoped keeping that secret wouldn’t come back to haunt me.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Two days had passed since my secret dinner with Reina, and I was still wrestling with Kenji’s claim that there was a hidden agenda behind Reina’s reaching out. Was it truly about women cheering on other women, or was there something more?
Reina had warned me that the challenges were designed to be deceptive. We were supposed to be fooled. That was the test. But did that thinking extend to every encounter we had in the program? Was my meeting with Reina part of the same manipulation? If so, I couldn’t trust what she said or believe she had my best interests at heart.
Still, she’d seemed so genuine during our meeting. I never would have questioned her motives if Kenji hadn’t planted that seed in my head. Now I was twisted, second-guessing myself, overthinking every word, every smile, every gesture.
Akiko, you still have nearly four more weeks to go and five more challenges to survive. It’s too early to break down. Stay strong.
During breakfast, I was quieter than usual. Kenji picked up on it, of course, and kept asking if I was okay. I brushed him off with a smile and a quick excuse about being tired. I didn’t want to get into my sleepless nights, the constant doorknob jiggling, or the doubts swirling in my head.
For the first time, I looked forward to chores. Bathroom duty again. Perfect. A chance to be alone and away from everyone. I scrubbed the tiles harder than necessary, trying to shake the funk out of my head.
After lunch, Iron Face surprised us by allowing us to explore the compound. The Sakamoto residence was still off limits, but everything else was fair game. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was Reina’s doing. From the way Iron Face sneered at us, it certainly wasn’t his idea.
Like kids on the first day of summer break, Kenji and I took off immediately. We wandered along the moat, marveling at the wildflowers and the darting fish. Everything was immaculate, yet I’d never seen a landscaping crew. Maybe they came at night.
We avoided the others hanging out in the open pavilion and followed the pebbled path leading to the library.
“You want to research?” Kenji asked.
“No, let’s stick with the path and see where it takes us.”
“The Sakamoto residence is beyond. Iron Face said it’s off limits.”
“Oh, Kenji, stop being such a worrywart. We’re just skirting past it, that’s all.”
A narrow pathway led between tall hedges. We realized it was the start of a maze when we stepped inside.
“This is so cool. An actual maze!” I grabbed Kenji’s arm with excitement.
“I know. That means this place is bigger than we thought.”
We reached a T intersection.
