Shadows of Regret

CHAPTER TWENTY

Ryujin Matsumoto

It had been two weeks since Imani and Kai moved in with me, and every day had been a strange mix of tension and small, unexpected comforts. Imani had been slow to warm up at first, her words measured and careful, but gradually, she’d started to talk more, her laughter coming more easily.

I could see her loosening up, and it was a relief. It felt like a small victory, one I didn’t take for granted.

Despite this progress, I knew she hadn’t forgiven me. The walls she’d built were still there, strong and tall, but the fact that she was even here, that she’d given me a chance to spend time with Kai and talk with her, meant more to me than I could put into words.

Even if our conversations were sometimes awkward, even if the air between us was still heavy with the past, it was something. It was a start.

I was drifting in a dream that felt too good to be true. Imani was there, her skin like polished mahogany, glowing under a soft light that made her look almost unreal.

Her eyes held that fiery spark that always drove me wild, and her lips curved into a teasing smile that promised something more.

She moved closer, her touch sending a wave of heat through me.

The way her body pressed against mine, the warmth between us, the way she whispered my name—it all felt so vivid, so intoxicatingly real.

But before the dream could get any more intense, I felt a sudden weight on my chest. The sound of giggles pulled me out of the haze.

My eyes snapped open, and there was Kai, bouncing on the bed, his innocent face beaming with excitement.

"Ryujin! Wake up! Mommy says breakfast is ready!" he shouted, his energy contagious even though I was still groggy and disoriented.

For a moment, I couldn’t quite process what was happening, caught between the remnants of my dream and the reality before me.

But then Imani burst into the room, her voice firm but laced with love. "Kai, what did I tell you about barging into someone’s room without knocking?"

Kai looked up at her with wide eyes, his enthusiasm fading a little. "But Mommy, I thought it was okay! Ryujin’s my friend!"

The innocence in his voice hit me hard, stirring something deep within me. Friend.

The word felt both warm and painful, a reminder of the time I had missed, the years I had left them to fend for themselves.

Guilt gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Your mom’s right, Kai," I said, my voice still rough from sleep. "Next time, make sure to knock first. But you’re forgiven." I smiled at him, trying to make sure he knew I wasn’t upset.

Kai’s face lit up again, the earlier disappointment forgotten. "Okay, Mommy! Okay, Ryujin!" He dashed out of the room with that boundless energy of his, and I couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm.

Once he was gone, Imani’s expression softened as she turned to me. "I’m sorry about that. He’s just… full of energy."

I waved off her apology, trying to sound steady. "It’s okay. Really."

But as she spoke, I found myself unable to focus on her words.

My eyes traced the delicate arch of her brows, the fullness of her lips, the rich, deep color of her skin.

The morning light played on her skin, making her look almost otherworldly.

My heart started to pound, the lingering heat from my dream mixing with the reality of her standing right there.

She cleared her throat, glancing away for a moment before meeting my gaze again. "So… did you sleep well?" she asked, her tone light, but there was an underlying tension in the air.

"Uh, yeah," I replied, trying to shake off the awkwardness. "Had a, um, pretty vivid dream."

Her eyes flickered with curiosity, but she didn’t press. "Oh? What about?"

I hesitated, my mind racing for a safe answer. "Just… you know, random stuff." I forced a smile, but I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

Imani raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, but she let it go. "Well, I hope it was a good dream."

"Yeah," I said, my voice a little too eager. "It was… interesting."

She chuckled softly, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "Interesting, huh? Sounds mysterious."

"You could say that," I replied, my own smile starting to feel more natural. "Maybe I’ll tell you about it one day."

"Maybe," she teased, a playful glint in her eye.

There was a brief pause, the room filled with a silence that was both comfortable and charged with something unspoken. Finally, Imani glanced toward the door, breaking the spell. "I should probably head downstairs. Kai’s probably getting impatient."

"Yeah, wouldn’t want him to start eating without us," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Imani laughed, the sound warm and genuine, and it made my chest tighten in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time. "He’d eat the whole table if we let him."

Imani glanced at me, her expression soft. "Thanks for being so good with him. It means a lot."

Her words caught me off guard, and I found myself at a loss for how to respond. "He’s a good kid," I finally said, my voice quieter. "He deserves the best."

Imani’s gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, something unspoken passing between us, before she nodded and started to leave my room.

I watched her close the door, my thoughts swirling as I tried to make sense of the emotions that had taken root inside me.