CHAPTER 150: CH 150: CAN YOU GIVE IT TO ME? - PART 2

Kana lay back down on the bed, but no matter how tightly she shut her eyes or how deeply she buried herself under the blankets, sleep refused to come peacefully.

Every thirty minutes or so, her body jolted awake with the same suffocating sensation—like an invisible hand was pressing against her chest, stealing her breath .

The unease that had started the previous night hadn’t left her. It lingered, growing heavier and sharper with each restless moment.

By the time dawn finally came, Kana felt like her entire body had been drained of energy. Her head felt heavy, her vision blurry, and her eyelids stung with exhaustion.

She wanted to crawl back under the covers and sleep for another day—but she knew she wouldn’t find rest even if she tried.

Lysera stirred first. The moment she turned and caught sight of Kana’s pale face and the dark shadows under her eyes, her entire expression shifted from grogginess to concern.

Without hesitation, she leaned closer and cupped Kana’s face in her hands, gently turning it from side to side as if checking for any sign of fever or injury.

"Kana...You don’t look well. Did you sleep at all?"

Lysera’s voice was soft but steady, laced with quiet worry.

Kana, startled by the closeness, blinked and gave a small, tired smile.

"...I’m fine, Lysera. I just didn’t get enough rest, that’s all.

She raised her own hand, lightly resting it over Lysera’s on her cheek.

That small gesture, though simple, sent a visible jolt through Lysera. Realizing what she was doing, her face flushed bright red almost instantly.

She froze for half a second before she hurriedly pulled her hand back, straightening her posture and turning her gaze away.

Kana tilted her head, puzzled by Lysera’s sudden retreat.

"Lysera? Did I say something wrong?"

Lysera, still avoiding eye contact, cleared her throat and stood up quickly.

"I-It’s a good thing you’re feeling better."

she muttered, forcing her tone into something neutral before turning toward her own belongings.

Kana frowned faintly, her lips parting as if to press further—but after a moment of hesitation, she swallowed back her questions.

It didn’t feel right to corner Lysera when she was clearly flustered.

Besides, Kana wanted to give her some time to sort out her thoughts before bringing it up again.

Before Kana could dwell on it any longer, a groggy voice mumbled from the other side of the bed.

"If the two of you are done putting up your little morning show, then maybe I can finally get up too."

Irielle grumbled as she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Kana blinked at her, caught between amusement and exasperation.

"...We weren’t putting up a show, Irielle."

Irielle puffed out her cheeks, crossing her arms and narrowing her sleepy eyes.

"You were! Sitting there all close and dramatic while I’m over here suffering in silence! And now Lysera’s getting all your attention first thing in the morning—what about me? Don’t I deserve the same treatment?"

Kana gave her an incredulous look.

"Irielle, you just woke up. You’re not even fully conscious yet."

"That’s exactly why I need attention! "I’m jealous, Kana. You’re spoiling Lysera and leaving me out."

Irielle pouted harder, leaning forward slightly as if to make her point more convincing.

Kana sighed, dragging her hand down her face, too tired to argue.

"I’m not spoiling anyone, Irielle. You’re imagining things."

"I’m not imagining things! Don’t you dare try to fool me—my eyes aren’t just for decoration, you know."

Irielle huffed and jabbed a finger toward her.

That made Kana pause for a beat, caught between laughter and defeat. In the end, she let out a soft sigh and reached over to pat Irielle’s head gently.

"Alright, alright... I’ll make it up to you later, okay? For now, just stop sulking."

Irielle made a small sound of reluctant satisfaction and leaned into Kana’s touch, though she still kept her pout firmly in place.

Kana, meanwhile, finally pushed herself up from the bed, her movements sluggish as she dragged her body toward the washroom.

Every step felt heavier than the last, exhaustion weighing her down like chains.

She splashed cool water on her face, hoping to wash away some of the lingering fatigue, but it only helped a little.

The feeling of unease from the night before still clung stubbornly to her chest, making it harder to breathe.

Behind her, Lysera glanced toward Kana’s back, her fingers tightening slightly around the edge of the bed.

She didn’t say anything, but her expression was tense—troubled, even. Watching Kana stumble around so wearily made her stomach twist with frustration.

Irielle, meanwhile, seemed oblivious, humming to herself as she stretched lazily, basking in the small victory of getting Kana’s attention.

The room fell into a quiet lull after that, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging between them.

or Kana, it was the exhaustion and the strange sense of danger still gnawing at her.

For Lysera, it was the guilt of not being able to ease Kana’s burdens—and something else she didn’t want to put into words just yet.

But for now, at least, the morning passed without further incident.

______

Kana could barely keep her eyes open as she followed Lysera and Irielle through the quiet streets.

Every step felt heavier than the last, her body sluggish and uncooperative, as though she were wading through invisible weights.

Her thoughts wandered sluggishly, but deep down, there was a creeping sense of familiarity in the way her limbs refused to listen to her.

It felt like she had experienced this before—this drained, dizzying haze, where even breathing felt like a chore.

But no matter how hard she tried to recall when, the memory slipped through her grasp like water.

Despite her fatigue, her senses pricked faintly with unease. That subtle tension in the air, the whisper of movement behind them—someone was following.

Kana’s gaze flickered sideways, catching glimpses of shadows trailing at a distance.

The sluggishness gnawed at her, but so did the growing certainty that they weren’t walking alone.