~ Ayano's Pov ~
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"That-"
Thud!!
"-Should be the last of all of them..."
I dusted off my hands, placing the last of the materials brought here in their respective places. That should've at least been a whole day's work in what? 15 minutes alone, give or take? It didn't really matter much, I'm actually glad that I could help in doing something around here for a change.
Grumble~
Grumble~
I pressed a hand to my stomach and sighed. I felt definitely felt that one too. 'I guess... I should eat first, huh?' I'm pretty hungry as is.
I waved the workers off, and headed back in where Chisaki's mom was still waiting for me, this time, she looked visibly stressed out...
"Uhm, are you ok?" I asked.
"Yes... It's just that. I didn't really expect you to be that powerful. It also means, we'll simply have to get extremely creative with how we test your strength levels going forwards from now on."
Thinking about it, she was right, you aren't getting much heavier than what I just hauled with absolute ease, at least not conveniently, and definitely not without size being a detrimental issue too.
"I see... But, can we talk about this later? I'm kind of hungry, and I haven't prepared anything yet... Also, I don't think I've ever gotten your name since all this time we've spoke with one another, mind telling me so I can quit calling you 'Chisaki's mom/mother' in my own head?"
That finally earned a small laugh out of her, the tension in her shoulders softening a bit. Eventually, she let out a short sigh and gave me a tight smile. "It's Yukari."
"Alright miss Yukari. You want anything? Seeing that your already here and all, I might as well whip up something for you as well."
She blinked—caught off guard, not by the offer itself, but maybe by how casual it sounded, like I was just asking a neighbor over for tea instead of a woman who'd brought an entire paramilitary-grade build crew to install a secret training facility behind my house. Right now I'm just trying to make the situation a little less tense...
I saw Yukari hesitating. "I… shouldn't. I didn't come here for that."
But the words didn't have much weight behind them... She looked past me, maybe at the hallway or maybe just at the inside, where the world felt a bit less heavy than outside. Her mouth opened again like she was about to politely decline the offer—then stopped...
"Actually…" she said, slower now, like she was admitting something to herself as much as to me. "Maybe just a little bit. If it's not too much trouble."
...
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~ Yukari's Pov ~
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The house was much… quieter than I expected it to be. Lived-in but not cluttered, not messy either.
There was a kind of simplicity to it—the kind of place that hadn't been curated to inherently impress anyone. It made me feel unexpectedly self-aware in my boots and field jacket, still a little dusty from outside.
I didn't sit down right away. Instead, I let myself wander a little through the open space of the entryway, I looked around to see the lining of relatively old furniture, the slight wear on the floorboards, all subtle marks left behind by a long time living here... There was a warmth here. Not, architecturally. Just very personal.
'Regardless, he does keep this place quite clean. That isn't something someone usually sees often from a highschooler, much less from a boy.'
Not only that, I could tell it was the kind of home that had meals cooked in it often... I could just tell.
And right on cue, I caught the first hint of something from the kitchen—soft and rich, slightly garlicky, but with that buttery, savory depth that came from knowing when to flip something just right in a pan.
'It smells, amazing...'
I stood there a little too long, arms still folded, staring down the hall like the scent alone could open doors.
This wasn't what I was used to. I came from rooms filled with blueprints, controlled air, fluorescent lighting, and metallic tangs of sterilized tools. Meals for me were usually compressed, efficient—nutritional choices calculated for output, rarely for comfort.
And yet, here I was, in a home with sunlight filtering through slightly tinted windows, and my stomach was already preparing itself to enjoy something instead of just processing it.
Ayano came back, this time, he held two plates in his arms, it looked like freshly made omelets.
"Huh? I don't think I can serve you this while you're standing..." He said to me, smiling.
"I know." I said, quickly walking towards the kitchen, and sitting quietly.
He set the plates down gently, like it was second nature to be careful with hot porcelain. The omelets looked… golden. Not just yellow or cooked-through, but golden, like he'd managed to find that perfect window between overdone and underwhelming. Edges crisped just a bit, folded neatly, with a light drizzle of what looked like soy glaze across the top and finely chopped herbs scattered with a kind of quiet confidence.
He sat across from me without saying much else, and honestly, I appreciated that. The silence wasn't awkward—it was just... calm.
I picked up my fork and cut into the omelet, and the moment it touched my tongue, I knew I was in trouble.
It wasn't just good. It was comforting in a way I couldn't remember having felt for a long time. Light, fluffy, savory with a hint of sweetness at the edges, and something creamy—maybe cheese, maybe butter, maybe both. There was thought in every bite.
He didn't throw this together just to impress me either. This was how he ate? Was this what he made when no one else was watching him?
I stole a glance at him... He was already digging into his own plate, eyes half-lidded, probably hungrier than he let on earlier.
"...You cook like someone who's been doing this for quite a while." I finally said, between bites. I kept my tone as even as possible, neutral—I didn't want him to think I was giving out praise too easily. But, it was definitely true.
He glanced up with a bit of egg still on his fork, gave a faint smile. "Kind of had to, really. It's not like I have anyone else to do it for me... Didn't you already know that?"
I quickly, shook my head, "No. Of course not! I make it a habit to not look into someone's personal life if I don't have to... I even prefer not to."
He blinked at that, then let out a small breath—maybe not quite a laugh, but something close. The corner of his mouth tilted upwards again, though this time it didn't feel like a mask or a reflex. It was... honest. Slightly tired, maybe. But still, honest.
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," he said, resting his fork down gently. "I don't peg you as the kind of person who likes stepping into where she doesn't need to."
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I took another bite. The flavor hadn't dulled in the slightest. If anything, it settled in deeper now that my appetite wasn't trying to rush ahead of itself...
"I've seen too many people get hurt because they assumed they needed to know everything..." I said quietly, eyes still on my plate. "Sometimes, leaving things alone is the most respectful and greatest thing you can do."
I could feel him watching me for a second, though not with judgment. Just... attentiveness. Like he was re-evaluating something, or maybe he was just trying to connect the dots he hadn't seen in me before.
"Huh..." he muttered, leaning back in his seat. "That's, pretty rare. Most people say that but then turn around and dig anyway, don't they?"
I gave a small shrug. "I'm not most people."
"No..." he said, more so to himself, than to me. "I guess, you're really not."
There was a bit of silence between us... Not awkward, but I didn't know what it was exactly...
"Well... How's Chisaki doing? Why didn't she come along with you?" He asked me.
I responded, "I thought it would be best for her to stay home for the time being, at least until this project is complete."
"I see..."
Hmm? "Interesting, I thought you'd pry a little farther than that." I said, completely honest.
"I don't need to really do that, do I?"
"Really? And why would you not?"
He took another bite before responding. "Because of the conditions given already; I've pretty much done the best I can to be honest, reasonably speaking at least."
I raised an eyebrow at that. "Just because of those alone?"
"Yeah, and the fact that it's not really my concern either way, isn't it? I feel like I'm already crossing a personal line as is." He then looked up at me, "Plus, you seem like the type to hold true to your promises, which is a good thing."
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Ba-Thump~
...
'H-He's honest, at least... But, I feel as though I'm speaking with an adult rather than some child who just left high school. It's quite, strange...'
"Then-"
Vrrm~
Vrrm~
He quickly checked his phone... His eyes widened for a split second, so I got a little curious, "Would you mind if I were to ask what that was about?"
He shook his head, "Not at all really... It's just that, my friend suddenly just asked me to come over to her place all of a sudden, it caught me a bit off guard for a second there, if I'm being completely real with you."
Her place...?
"I see... What do you plan on doing then?" I was even more curious now, and I didn't know why either.
I watched him gently rubbing the back of his neck, "I think I might just go. Plus, it's not like you need me to keep you company either."
For a moment, I just looked at him. The casualness in the way he said it, the way he stood up lightly from his seat and stretched a bit like this was the most normal thing in the world. Like he wasn't aware of how that answer somehow stirred the smallest flicker of... something! A vague heat, tucked just beneath my ribs. I ignored it of course...
"You're not entirely wrong." I replied, maybe a little too quickly. "I don't."
He glanced over his shoulder, smirking faintly like he'd heard that tone shift but didn't want to call it out. "I figured as much." He said, as a matter-of-factly too.
I followed him partway as he grabbed his phone from the table and slipped it into his back pocket. The sun was starting to dip a bit lower now, casting the hallway in that warm, dying amber light... He looked almost older than he was in it...
"…Who is she?" I asked, before I could even stop myself.
He paused mid-step, turning his head slightly... "Who?"
"Your friend." I clarified, softer this time. "The one who just messaged you."
A beat passed. Not long, but long enough to make me wonder if I'd crossed a line of my own.
"Well, she's just a friend." he said, voice even. "We've pretty much known each other for a little while now, that's really all there is to it I guess."
I nodded. "Alright."
That was all I needed. No, that was all I should need.
He stepped into his shoes by the door, leaning down to tie them without much fuss. "I'll be back before evening... If you're still around by then, I might even cook you something else, too."
I sighed. "Don't make promises you can't keep." I said with a raised brow.
He looked up, smiling. "Ha... I won't."
And with that, he stepped outside, the door clicking softly shut behind him. The house grew, quieter again. I just stayed there, arms folded, eyes looking on the empty doorway for a few moments now.
'Just a friend,' huh… I thought to myself, I felt my lips pressing into a rather thin line. I didn't know why, but I was annoyed with how that made me feel.
'I suppose, I should oversee the project now.'
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~ Ayano's Pov, a few minutes later... ~
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I don't think I've ever been glad to be messaged in my life... She kept bombarding me with the questions. At some point, I genuinely think she was trying to calculate my lung capacity with the naked eye. I get it—I'm apparently a new kind of anomaly, one she didn't really expect. But still... a bit of space would've been a bit nice.
I probably sounded a bit harsh. It's not like she was hostile, or anything like that...
So yeah, when Katsura messaged me, it was like someone cracked open a window in a suffocating room... Especially about the last bit.
And honestly? It was a perfect excuse. I didn't have to lie.
I wasn't even halfway down the road before I could already feel the weight easing off my chest. I didn't dislike Yukari or anything, far from it—it was just... intense, being around her. Like I had to keep scanning my own words mid-sentence. She was the incredibly smart, sharp, expressionless type. And while I could usually roll with people like that, today... it just... wasn't something I had the mental gymnastic-esq energy for.
I quickly rounded the corner past the bus stop. Thankfully, her place wasn't too far ahead of mine, just a decent walking distance. After a few minutes, I was pretty much there.
I walked up her steps, and rang the doorbell.
The chime sounded inside... I stood there for a few seconds, hands in my pockets, letting the moment settle a bit. Until, the scent of something vaguely sweet drifted through the air—a hint of vanilla, maybe touch of cinnamon too. It smelled really, really good...
Then I heard it: footsteps, soft ones, quick and slightly uneven, like someone half-running through a hallway and not caring how much noise they made. The door cracked open a second later...
It was... Kotonoha's mother, Manami.
Her eyes lit up the moment she saw me, surprise flashing across her face for just a breath before melting into something warm and unmistakably welcoming...
"Oh—A-Ayano-san!?" she said, straightening herself, though her apron was still dusted faintly with flour. "I wasn't expecting you today, at least not so early. You're here for Kotonoha, right?"
I gave a short nod, offering a polite smile. "Ah, yeah, she messaged me a bit out of the blue. Said I should come over, so I figured, why not? I'd see what was up."
Manami stepped aside without much hesitation, motioning me in with a gentle energy that always seemed to linger around her. "She's in the kitchen. She's been… well, let's just say she's been trying something... I warned her not to burn the house down." She gave a small laugh, but it was fond, not critical.
"Though... You certainly have changed quite a bit since we last spoke..."
'Oh, yeah, she's right... I almost forgot too, When we last spoke. I was just as tall as she was if not sightly shorter... She must've been surprised when she saw me at first...'
"Yeah, I've hit a growth spurt over that time, nothing too major."
Manami's smile softened at my comment, but I could tell there was something in her eyes, something that said she noticed more than just the height... It's the same look she gave me when she and Kotonoha came to the school... "It's not just that, you know. You carry yourself differently now. Almost like... you've grown into your own person."
"Well, it must be the high school graduation haze or something..." I replied, trying to brush it off with a light laugh. But the compliment, or maybe it was an observation, stuck with me longer than I expected it.
Manami didn't really push further, instead stepping toward the kitchen with a knowing glance. "Well, I'll leave you two to it then... Don't be afraid to ask if you need anything. Kotonoha might not say it, but she could probably use a bit of help."
I nodded, more so in acknowledgment, already hearing Kotonoha's voice getting louder as she muttered something about "this has to be right this time" and "maybe I can salvage it." It sounded like she was really in the zone there, but it also sounded like it was definitely about to get messy...
I walked toward the kitchen, the smell of baking filling the air as I approached the doorway, trying to steady my thoughts. When I stepped inside, Kotonoha was right there—her back to me, carefully adjusting something in the oven, looking so focused that she didn't notice me right away.
I cleared my throat just enough to get her attention.
"Uh... Kotonoha?" I asked.
She froze for a second before turning, her face lighting up when she saw me standing there.
"Oh! Ayano-kun! You came pretty quick. I—I wasn't expecting you to show up this soon."
I leaned against the doorframe with a raised brow. "You messaged me. I figured you had a reason for it."
Kotonoha straightened up and brushed a lock of hair out of her face, giving a nervous laugh. "Right. Well, I thought I'd try to... make something. I haven't exactly had much practice in the kitchen, but I thought maybe I could surprise you. And, um, I kinda wanted to show off a bit..."
She was still trying to act casual, but I could see the slight flush on her cheeks. I couldn't help but smile at her shyness, crossing my arms. "Well, you've certainly gotten my attention now madam. What's cooking?"
She glanced at the oven, a bit of pride shining through her hesitation. "Well, it's supposed to be muffins, but I might have... mixed up a couple of steps. We'll see."
I stepped closer, watching her prepare a tray of something that resembled muffins—at least, in theory. "I think I should probably step in right about now."
Kotonoha blinked, her eyes widening in surprise. "You think so? I— I didn't think it was that bad."
I raised an eyebrow, glancing down at the batter that had spilled over the sides of the muffin tin. It didn't exactly scream culinary masterpiece, but the effort was there, and that was what counted. "Well, it's a good thing I'm here then, huh?" I said with a half-smirk, teasing lightly.
She bit her lip, clearly torn between being defensive and accepting the help. But in the end, she let out a breath, standing aside with a resigned sigh. "Okay, okay. Maybe I could use a little backup..."
I moved over to the counter, picking up a spatula and quickly assessing what had gone wrong. "First things first, let's clean up the edges a bit, and then we can fix this batter. A little less flour, and then we'll be on track."
She watched me work, still hovering near the door with a mix of fascination and nervousness. "You've... done this before, haven't you?"
I chuckled under my breath as I stirred the mixture, making sure everything was even. "Yeah, a few times... It's kind of second nature to me."
Kotonoha shuffled her feet, her voice quieter this time. "I've never really been... good at cooking; But you know this already. Honestly speaking. I mean, I can get by, but nothing that's worth sharing."
I glanced up at her, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're doing better than you think. This isn't bad. Just a little tweaking."
She looked down at her hands, a faint blush coloring her cheeks again. "I just didn't want to mess it up... especially for you."
The words hit me in an unexpected way. "Kotonoha..." I said softly. "It's really fine. I appreciate the effort, and that's what matters."
She looked up at me, her eyes a little brighter now, as if the pressure had lifted just slightly. "You... You really mean that?"
I nodded, finishing the last of the adjustments and popping the tray back into the oven. "Of course! It's not just about perfection—it's also about tryin' too. And I know you've put a lot of thought ad effort into this."
She smiled, her earlier nervousness slowly fading away as she stepped closer. "Thanks, Ayano-kun. I guess... maybe I should just relax and enjoy it instead of stressing about everything."
I leaned against the counter, crossing my arms again. "That's the spirit. Cooking isn't supposed to be a chore."
"Not bad..."
Hearing the voice, I instantly turned around. Seeing Manami right beside me...
'Ayo... When did she even get here?'
Manami was standing just behind me, arms crossed in a casual but knowing way, her gaze flickering between Kotonoha and me. There was a faint smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, like she had been watching for a while without me noticing.
"Not bad at all, Ayano-kun," she repeated, her tone teasing but with a warm undertone. "I didn't expect to see you so at ease in the kitchen."
I blinked, a little caught off guard. "Uh, well, I'm just helping out. Kotonoha was, uh... trying to make muffins, but we had a little hiccup..."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Muffins, you say? I'm a little intrigued by how this turns out."
I could feel Kotonoha's presence shift slightly behind me, the silence hanging a little heavier. "Mom…" she muttered and groaned under her breath, probably embarrassed by her earlier attempts.
I saw Manami giving her daughter a knowing glance before turning back to me. "I'd offer you a drink, but it seems like you've already settled into all this." Her smile softened slightly, a warm kind of affection that didn't seem forced.
I was still trying to wrap my head around how seamlessly she had appeared out of nowhere. "How long were you standing there?"
"Oh, long enough to make sure you weren't making a mess of things." She winked playfully, but there was a deeper tone of genuine fondness beneath the joke, and something else I couldn't place my finger on.
Kotonoha, now fully focused on the oven, huffed a little, but there was a slight smile pulling at her lips. "I can tell, you're just waiting for an opportunity to embarrass me, aren't you?"
Manami laughed lightly, but it wasn't harsh. "Maybe just a little. But only because you're too stubborn to ask for help when you need it the most."
I couldn't help but chuckle a little at the dynamic between the two of them. It was clear how much they cared for each other, even if their interactions seemed a little... charged with that playful tint to it.
"Alright you two." I said, standing back and dusting off my hands, "let's just all focus on getting these muffins right, yeah?" As much as I didn't want to admit it, the atmosphere felt a bit weird, and oddly tense...
'Well, let's just get this over with...'
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END