Even though it wasn't quite time to clock out, Byakuya never liked staying in the office unless something important came up.
As usual, he returned to the 20th Ward
Eto was almost always there, sipping coffee, reading, or working on her writing. Not long ago, Byakuya had given her a lightweight laptop so she could write more conveniently on the go.
"You're back"
Hikari happened to be sweeping near the entrance.
"Yeah, thanks for your hard work."
Byakuya greeted her casually.
As soon as she saw him, Eto put down her book.
She picked up an apple from the table and asked, "Want one?"
"Sure, it's good to eat more fruit anyway."
Byakuya nodded.
Eto then grabbed a small paring knife from the counter and began peeling the apple herself.
"You really don't have to go through all that trouble..."
Seeing this, Byakuya spoke up.
"I already started, so don't make a fuss about it."
Eto's knife skills were impressive. In just a few swift movements, she had perfectly peeled the apple.
"So, should I go the extra mile and feed you piece by piece?"
She smirked teasingly.
"If you're really not bothered by it, sure."
Byakuya knew she was messing with him again, and if he backed down, she'd definitely take that as a win.
"Of course, I don't mind at all."
Eto then sliced the apple into small pieces.
Despite the nearby toothpicks, she deliberately ignored them and opted to use her fingers instead.
"Here, open wide. Ahh~"
She smiled playfully.
Byakuya maintained a neutral expression as he opened his mouth and ate the apple piece. Naturally, his lips brushed against her fingers, but his face remained unreadable.
At that moment, it was as if the two were locked in a silent contest, waiting to see who would crack first.
"My, my~ Byakuya and Eto sure are close, huh? The old man might be a grandfather sooner than we expected."
Hikari commented with a teasing grin.
Of course, she was still unaware of Eto's true age.
She had never thought to question it—Eto had always carried herself with a mature demeanor.
"Well... it's still a bit early for that…"
Yoshimura muttered with a slightly complicated expression.
"Early? I think it's perfect timing."
Hikari responded casually.
Yoshimura then leaned over and whispered something into her ear.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"Wait... seriously?!"
She had never imagined that Eto's actual age was so far from what she had assumed.
No wonder the old man thought it was too early—because it definitely was.
Meanwhile, Byakuya and Eto were still locked in their battle of nerves.
Seeing that simply using her fingers wasn't enough, Eto suddenly had another idea.
She grabbed another apple piece and lightly bit down on one end, leaving the other side sticking out toward Byakuya.
"Hold on… you're actually doing this?"
Byakuya was momentarily stunned.
"What's the matter? I thought you were unshakable just a second ago."
Eto taunted him with a sly grin.
"But... there are other people here..."
He said, glancing around.
"And? So what?"
Clearly, Eto didn't care if anyone saw.
Although, if she was being completely honest, a faint blush was beginning to creep onto her cheeks.
"So you're not totally unfazed either."
Byakuya immediately caught on.
"Shut up."
Without giving him another chance to react, Eto grabbed Byakuya's collar and pulled him forward, pressing the apple piece against his lips.
Their lips nearly touched—just a hair's breadth apart.
Finally, Eto let go of his collar, and Byakuya, still slightly caught off guard, bit down and ate the apple.
"So? How does it taste?"
Eto grinned triumphantly, though her faint blush hadn't entirely faded.
"...Good."
The word slipped out before Byakuya even thought about it—he was still processing what had just happened.
"Well then, you can finish the rest yourself. I'm going to wash my hands."
Eto placed the plate of apple slices in front of him before heading to the restroom.
Yoshimura, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was left speechless.
Hikari covered her mouth, eyes wide with excitement.
She never expected to witness such a pure and romantic moment in real life.
"Byakuya and Eto are such a sweet couple. My heart is melting~"
Irimi chimed in, smirking.
"Okay, now that's just creepy…"
Koma shot her a disgusted look.
"Like you'd understand, you're just a lonely single."
Irimi retorted with a chuckle.
"You say that like you're not single yourself."
Koma rolled her eyes.
Even Yomo, who was quietly polishing a glass, briefly hesitated in his movements.
Byakuya was human, while Eto was a ghoul.
Seeing them act so naturally affectionate was definitely an eye-opener.
As for Roma, she was just enjoying the show.
Her personal freedom had been restricted ever since Aogiri Tree took control, but ironically, that just meant she had even more drama to watch—thanks to the arrival of the One-Eyed King, Byakuya.
Whether it was the forbidden love between a half-human and a half-ghoul, the shifting power dynamics of the underground world, or even the restructuring of the CCG itself… in her eyes, it was all just entertainment.
At that moment, Byakuya silently stared at the plate of apples in front of him.
Meanwhile, Eto was in the restroom, washing her hands while staring at her reflection in the mirror.
The faint blush on her cheeks had finally disappeared.
She lightly touched her lips with her fingertips, as if recalling the moment from earlier.
That was close... almost kissed him for real…
Guess I can't completely keep my composure either.
When she stepped out of the restroom, she returned to Byakuya's table as if nothing had happened.
However, just as she was about to sit down, something caught her attention.
His hair.
It wasn't obvious at first glance, but now that she was looking closely, she noticed the strands of white mixed within his black hair—more than before.
"Byakuya... you're getting a lot more white hairs…"