“Help! I’m the Chosen One (and I Didn’t Sign Up for This)!”

The trio emerged from the maze just as the sun was setting. Lyria was waiting for them at the exit, leaning casually against a hedge and munching on what appeared to be a glowing, enchanted apple.

"Took you long enough," she said with a smirk. "Did you two finally confess your undying love?"

Mika glared at her. "Don't start."

Lyria waggled her eyebrows. "That's not a no…"

"Lyria, I swear—" Mika began, but Kazuya stepped between them.

"Let's just find somewhere to rest," he said quickly, trying to diffuse the situation.

Mika huffed and stalked ahead, leaving Kazuya and Lyria trailing behind.

"You're welcome," Lyria whispered, elbowing Kazuya.

"For what?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"For the bonding opportunity, of course!" Lyria said, grinning. "Don't tell me it didn't work. You're practically glowing."

"I think that's just leftover maze magic," Kazuya muttered, his face heating up.

The Forest Camp

They set up camp in a quiet clearing, the air filled with the sounds of chirping crickets and rustling leaves. Lyria, as usual, volunteered to cook, leaving Kazuya and Mika awkwardly sitting on opposite sides of the campfire.

"So," Kazuya began, breaking the silence, "that maze was… something."

Mika raised an eyebrow. "Something stupid."

"Yeah, but, uh… it got us out, right?"

"Only because we played along with its dumb rules," she said, poking at the fire with a stick.

Kazuya hesitated, then added, "And because we, you know, worked together."

Mika glanced at him, her expression softening slightly. "I guess."

They lapsed into silence again, the crackling fire the only sound between them.

"Dinner's ready!" Lyria announced, breaking the tension as she handed out bowls of something that smelled suspiciously like roasted mushrooms.

"Is this safe to eat?" Mika asked, eyeing the bowl warily.

"Of course!" Lyria said, looking offended. "I'm an amazing cook!"

Kazuya took a cautious bite and was pleasantly surprised. "Hey, this is actually pretty good."

"See?" Lyria said, sitting down with her own bowl. "Now, let's talk about what happened in that maze."

"No," Mika said immediately.

"Yes," Lyria said with a grin.

An Unexpected Moment

Later that night, as Lyria snored loudly in her tent, Kazuya found himself sitting by the fire again, unable to sleep. To his surprise, Mika joined him, wrapped in a blanket.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

She shook her head, staring into the flames. "Too much on my mind."

"Same here," he admitted.

They sat in silence for a moment before Mika spoke. "About what I said earlier… in the maze…"

Kazuya's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah?"

"I didn't mean it," she said quickly.

"Oh," he said, trying not to sound disappointed.

"I mean, I didn't mean to make it weird," she clarified, fidgeting with the edge of her blanket.

"It wasn't weird," he said. "Okay, maybe it was a little weird. But it wasn't bad."

Mika glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "You're an idiot."

"You've mentioned that before," he said with a small smile.

She looked away, her cheeks faintly pink. "I just… don't want things to change, okay?"

Kazuya nodded. "Okay."

For a moment, they just sat there, the firelight dancing across their faces. Then Mika did something completely unexpected—she leaned her head against his shoulder.

Kazuya froze, unsure of what to do. "Uh… are you okay?"

"Shut up," she muttered.

He smiled, his heart racing. "Got it. Shutting up now."

Morning Awkwardness

The next morning, Lyria was the first to notice the subtle shift in their dynamic.

"Oh my gods, did you two cuddle last night?!" she exclaimed, pointing at them dramatically.

"No!" Mika said quickly, her face turning bright red.

Kazuya raised his hands defensively. "Technically, there was leaning, not cuddling."

"Leaning leads to cuddling," Lyria said, wagging her finger. "And cuddling leads to—"

"Say one more word, and I'll throw you into the nearest river," Mika threatened.

Lyria grinned. "You're so cute when you're flustered!"

Mika groaned, stomping off to pack her things.

Kazuya sighed. "Why do you have to make everything so complicated?"

"Because it's fun," Lyria said with a wink.

A New Understanding

As they set off on the next leg of their journey, Kazuya and Mika found themselves walking side by side more often. Their banter was still sharp, but there was a new warmth to it, an unspoken understanding that neither of them dared to acknowledge out loud.

"So," Kazuya said, breaking the silence, "are you going to deny leaning on me forever?"

"Absolutely," Mika said without hesitation.

"Fair enough," he said, grinning.

Lyria watched them from a distance, a satisfied smile on her face.

"They're hopeless," she muttered to herself. "But at least it's entertaining."