Sai and Akane sat side-by-side on the grassy bank of the pond, rods resting loosely in hand as they gazed out over the shimmering water. It was a peaceful afternoon, with sunlight filtering lazily through the trailing willow branches to dapple the pond’s surface. As dragonflies danced among the lily pads, a comfortable silence stretched between them.

After some time, Akane shifted, a hesitant look flitting across her face. “Um Sai...about yesterday...” she began, voice already sounding flustered. “I wanted to apologize for being so forward and impulsive with you. Kissing you like that with no warning, especially since we’ve been just friends for so long...” 

She trailed off, cheeks flaming as she avoided his gaze. Sai watched her fidget for a moment, surprised to see the normally reserved Akane so agitated. “You don’t need to apologize,” he finally replied gently. “I didn’t mind at all.” 

Akane shook her head, still not meeting his eyes. “But it’s not something I’ve ever done before yesterday,” she admitted quietly. “It was my first...that kind of kiss I mean. I don’t know what came over me in the heat of the moment.”

Understanding dawned on Sai and an unexpected thrill ran through him realizing she had given him her first real romantic kiss. The knowledge sent a rush of affection through him for her honesty and vulnerability in telling him.

"Well, there's no need to feel embarrassed about it,” he said soothingly. “Emotions can run high in intense situations sometimes. I’m honored to have been your first kiss.”

He smiled gently at her as Akane finally glanced up, appearing relieved by his reassuring words. But before she could reply, hurried footsteps behind made them both start. 

"There you two are!" Mona's bubbly voice called out as she appeared from the direction of the house. Her gaze sharpened as she seemed to sense the atmosphere still hanging between them. "Hmm...did I interrupt something?" 

"Not at all!" Akane answered hastily, half-rising from her seated position in flustered panic before apparently thinking better of overreacting. She cleared her throat, calming her tone. "I should actually go see if your mother needs any barbecue help now.”

Not waiting for a response, she hurried off, face still tinged pink. Mona stared after her quizzically for a moment before turning the questioning look on Sai instead. But Sai just shrugged, lips quirking in wry amusement. Some things were better kept private for now. 

“Shall we head back too?” he suggested. Mona agreed readily, already chattering about the mouthwatering smells wafting from the grill as they ambled around the pond. But Sai found his thoughts continually returning to Akane’s shy confession about the kissing being her first. He couldn’t deny the intimacy of knowing he’d been the one she chosen in a rush of impulse to share that experience with... 

"Sorry, what did you say?" Sai asked, realizing Mona had asked him something while he was daydreaming about Akane yet again. Mona just giggled, skipping ahead toward the tantalizing aroma of sizzling meat where the rest of the family was gathering. Sai spotted Akane looking far more composed as she chopped vegetables beside his mother, who shuttled about giving orders.

Settling onto a picnic bench, Sai let his gaze stray back toward the pond as he turned recent events over in his mind. This place was steeped in nostalgia for him. As a child, he had sat for endless hours on that bank willing his inner spirit circle to life...watching in awe as the small shimmering orb strengthened over the years, transitioning through rainbow hues indicating his increasing power.

Sai closed his eyes, sensing again for the spirit circle’s presence within his core. There now pulsed a deep crimson orb of vast, tightly-leashed power capped by glittering gold and silver bands. The preparations and focused meditations by this very pond through his youth had built the foundation enabling him to reach incredible heights of Spiritual mastery. 

Yet at this moment, Sai found himself far less preoccupied with mystic abilities or his rise to become an eventual Ascendant than with replaying Akane’s kiss over in his mind. Everything about embracing her slender figure against him was burned into sensory memory - from her feather-soft lips tentatively meeting his own to the racing heart he could feel pounding through her chest.

In the span of one impetuous moment on her part, Sai’s awareness had shifted to realizing Akane was no longer just a treasured friend or comrade in his eyes. Powerful new emotions were undeniably kindling between them now. And learning to understand and navigate this unfamiliar territory together could prove just as great a test as his years of honing spiritual focus beside these very waters.