“Your choice,” Kenji said.
I grabbed his hand and led him right. Left. Left again. Dead end.
“You think there’s an exit?” Kenji asked, looking around.
“There has to be. What’s the point of a maze without an exit?” As soon as I said it, I realized a maze without an exit wouldn’t be out of the question. Nothing here was what it seemed.
We backtracked to a small stone fountain at the center of a four-way intersection.
“It doesn’t even feel like the maze should be this big,” Kenji said. “We should’ve left some sort of marker on a hedge or something.”
“I can’t decide if getting lost here is dangerous or just embarrassing.”
“I vote embarrassing. I can deal with that.”
Eventually, we emerged on the other side. My breath caught as a large Japanese garden spread out before us. Cherry blossoms and maple trees dotted the area. Azaleas, irises, and peonies added vibrant splashes of color.
We followed a path of stepping stones bordered by stone lanterns and water basins until we reached a pond filled with koi fish. We sat on a bench under a cherry blossom tree, its branches forming a pink canopy overhead. The water reflected the blossoms, making it feel like we were in a bubble of pink light. Birds sang, and squirrels scurried across the grass, giving me a fleeting sense of peace.
Kenji rested his arm around my shoulder, his warmth drawing me closer. “Do you think this is the Sakamotos’ private area? It’s a lot nicer than the other parts of the compound.”
“Iron Face never mentioned a garden,” I replied, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I say we feign ignorance if we get in trouble.”
We sat in the sanctuary of the garden, an untouched haven amid the chaos of the program. It was serene and surprisingly romantic. For a moment, the stress of the competition and the haunting memory of Miyo’s screams melted away. The gentle rustling of sakura petals in the breeze soothed me as I leaned into Kenji’s chest.
Our conversation flowed naturally, peppered with playful teasing and lingering touches. It felt different, though—more intimate. Kenji wasn’t just the boy from my childhood anymore. He had grown into a confident man, his features sharpened with maturity. His steady presence was comforting to my nerves.
With my head against his chest, I listened to the timbre of his voice as he spoke further about his dream restaurant. His vision was so clear and purposeful that it made me forget, for a moment, where we were.
But guilt crept back in, uninvited and sharp. Reina’s warning, her cryptic words, replayed in my mind. She had painted a picture of survival, and it gnawed at me. What if Kenji and I were destined to turn on each other?
Kenji must have sensed my shift. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly, glancing down at our entwined hands. His brows furrowed as though he was searching for the cause of my unease.
I mustered a smile and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “Nothing,” I lied. “What happened since our arrival here… It’s a lot to process.”
Kenji tilted my chin up with gentle fingers, searching my eyes. His gaze lingered, and the world around us faded for a moment. His lips descended on mine, tentative at first but quickly deepening into something more. His hand slid into my hair, anchoring me as his kiss stole my breath.
Butterflies danced in my stomach. His kiss was an escape, a promise, and a challenge all at once. My hands gripped his shirt, holding on as though letting go would mean thrusting myself back into the darkness of this place.
When he finally pulled away, his lips curved into a sheepish grin. “Was that okay?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to…”
“It was more than okay,” I said. “It was perfect.”
His shoulders relaxed, and he chuckled, running a hand through his messy hair. “Good. For a second, I thought I had overstepped.”
“Not at all,” I said as I traced patterns on the back of his hand. “There’s just so much happening here. My mind keeps snapping me back to reality and how everything feels like a trap and trust is an issue.”
“You can trust me,” Kenji said, his voice firm and unwavering. “Not even an army of undead samurais could stand between us.”
I giggled despite myself. “That’s oddly specific.”
“I’d fight them all,” he said, his smile softening. “You have no idea how far I’d go to protect you.”
His words sent a warmth spreading through me. I wanted to believe him, to trust in his loyalty. Yet Reina’s parting words echoed in my mind, a warning I couldn’t ignore.“Your biggest threat here isn’t the challenges. It’s your friend, Kenji.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Another day of bathroom duty wrapped up. I stood, brushing off my knees, before giving the showers one last look to ensure I hadn’t missed anything. Iron Face had scrutinized every little detail lately, his glare sharper than the fillet knives we weren’t allowed to touch yet. Maybe he was pissed I wasn’t breaking under the monotony of this chore.
