Happiness of the believer

It's been an exhausting day.

Finding the body, and then the subsequent investigation... Hiyono had made a quick trip back to the room after leaving Elliot there, though she quickly left again with Ayumu once they read the letter Misora had left behind, going to investigate her room proper. When they return, it's with heavy hearts, heavy keys, and letters.

Hiyono waits to hand Elliot his before she settles down to read her own, sitting on the edge of the bed with a certain stiffness, like she's about to stand up and go, go, go again. But she continues to sit there, a hand creeping up to cover her mouth as her eyes trace the words on the paper. They're a little watery, but a deep breath and a careful blink keep any actual tears at bay.

It doesn't, however, do a thing about the lump settling uncomfortably, suffocatingly in her chest.

The new mourning room is down to three.

[And so it is that they return to their room, the end of yet another week, the start of yet another quiet conversation. Hiyono is notably subdued after the execution and even into the short time spent at the afterparty before they retreat.

And once again, she waits until the door is clicked safely shut before speaking.]

For a moment I wasn't sure if I could create that link.

[Because she'd known. As she'd explained to Ayumu before, she'd known, that the Sage adored Sen-chan, that when it came down to who he gave the tea to, there was really only one possible answer.

But she hadn't said as much. Not until the time was right.]