Chapter XCII: Warmth
Before he can answer, Akiko's grandma and the two identical twin aunts appear behind her, all just as surprised to see him. The sight of Kota, looking like he's been through a polar expedition, catches everyone off guard.
"I swear, I've never been so cold in my life," Kota mutters, still recovering from the shock of the freezing shower and the cold dawn air.
Akiko can't help but smile a little, despite her concern.
"You look like you need some serious warming up," she jokes, though there's a clear undertone of worry in her voice.
Her grandma, ever the practical one, wastes no time.
"Get him inside, Akiko. We need to warm him up. I'll make him some tea."
As Kota finally steps inside the warmth of Akiko's home, he feels a wave of relief wash over him. It's like he's finally escaped the madness of Tengen's house. But in the back of his mind, he knows this won't be the last time Tengen and Hanako pull one of their mischievous pranks.
For now, though, he's just grateful to be somewhere warm.
Kota sits on the couch, wrapped in layers of blankets, still shivering slightly. His face is pale, and his nose has that red tint that comes with battling the cold for too long. Akiko's family gathers around him, concern written all over their faces. Akiko's grandma is busy in the kitchen, preparing something warm, while Akiko's twin aunts—Hina and Hana—hover nearby, trying to make sure Kota is comfortable.
Akiko sits beside him, holding his hand, her voice soft with concern.
"What happened, Kota? You were supposed to be with the group. How did you end up here?"
Kota takes a deep breath, his voice hoarse from the cold and exhaustion.
"It all started when we got to Tengen's house. Everything seemed normal at first. We were supposed to prepare the ingredients for the project, right? But... Tengen was acting weird."
He pauses, glancing up at Akiko's worried expression.
"He... he did something to me."
Akiko's brother, standing nearby, frowns.
"What do you mean? Did he hurt you?"
"No, not like that," Kota says quickly, shaking his head.
"But he was... strange. Like, at first, it was just small things—like making me put my phone away because we had work to do. But later, when I was taking a shower, they messed with the thermostat from outside. I ended up freezing the whole time. Then, during dinner, they gave me this weird drink with something in it, and I swear, Tengen was watching me the whole time, waiting for me to drink it."
Akiko's eyes widen.
"What?! That's horrible!"
Her brother scoffs, folding his arms.
"Sounds like a prank gone too far. Tengen and Hanako, right? They've always been a bit... mischievous."
Kota nods, rubbing his throat, which feels sore now that he's warming up.
"Yeah. But I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't feel safe, so I snuck out early this morning and came here. I didn't know where else to go."
Akiko's grandma reappears from the kitchen, holding a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup. She gently places it in front of Kota, her face lined with sympathy.
"Poor thing. Here, eat this, dear. It'll help you feel better."
"Thank you," Kota says, his voice barely a whisper as he accepts the bowl.
He wraps his hands around the warmth, taking in the comforting smell. As he takes his first sip, the heat soothes his aching throat, but he still feels a dull sense of sickness in his chest, like the cold has burrowed deep inside him.
Akiko sits beside him, stroking his back gently.
"I'm so sorry, Kota. I didn't know Tengen could be that cruel. We won't let this happen again, I promise."
Just as things seem to calm down, Akiko's phone buzzes on the table. She picks it up, sees the message, and frowns.
"It's from Hanako," she says softly.
"She's asking if I've seen you."
Kota's eyes widen in surprise.
"What are you going to tell her?"
Akiko pauses for a moment, her thumb hovering over the screen.
"I don't want them to know you're here. Not yet. You need to rest first."
She quickly types out a reply:
"No, I haven't seen him. Why? Is something wrong?"
Then she locks her phone and sets it back down on the table.
Kota sighs in relief but leans back into the couch, feeling the warmth of the soup spreading through him. His throat still aches, and the exhaustion from the cold has him on the edge of sleep. Akiko's family continues to fuss over him, offering him more blankets and a hot compress for his throat.
Meanwhile, back at the coast, Tengen and Hanako have given up their search for Kota. After a while of wandering the beach, they decide to head into the city proper for some food. The two of them sit in a small café, sipping on hot chocolate and eating breakfast sandwiches. The mood is light, and they've already moved past the morning's drama.
Tengen leans back in his chair, taking a bite of his sandwich.
"You know, I think Kota's probably just blowing off steam. Maybe he wanted to leave early."
Hanako nods, but she still seems a little distracted.
"Yeah, maybe. But I still feel like we went a little too far last night."
Tengen waves it off.
"It was all in good fun. He'll be fine."
As they eat, their conversation drifts toward more casual topics. Hanako starts talking about a K-Pop group she's been obsessed with lately.
"Have you heard the new song by Solar Symphony? It's so catchy, I can't get it out of my head!"
Tengen laughs.
"I think you've mentioned them about a thousand times now. You're obsessed!"
Hanako grins, pulling out her phone to show him a clip from one of their music videos. But just as she's about to play it, Tengen's phone buzzes loudly on the table. He picks it up, glances at the screen, and his expression immediately changes.
"What is it?" Hanako asks, noticing his sudden shift in mood.
Tengen shows her the screen. It's a message from a mutual friend asking if they've heard from Kota. Apparently, no one has seen him since the early morning, and there's some concern that he's gone missing.
Hanako frowns, worry creeping back into her mind.
"Do you think he just went home?"
Tengen shrugs.
"Maybe. But we should check. He didn't seem like the type to just disappear without telling anyone."
Without wasting any more time, Tengen flags down a taxi, and the two of them hop in, heading back toward the city to see if they can figure out where Kota might have gone. The playful mood from earlier is gone now, replaced by a sense of urgency.
Back at Akiko's house, Kota finishes his soup, feeling a little better but still exhausted. As he leans back against the couch, his phone buzzes in his pocket. Akiko looks over at him, concerned.
"Is it them?" she asks quietly.
Kota checks his phone, seeing a flurry of missed calls and messages from Tengen and Hanako. His stomach churns. He doesn't want to deal with them right now, not after what happened.
"Yeah," he mutters, locking his phone again.
"I'm not ready to talk to them yet."
Akiko nods in understanding, reaching over to take his hand.
"It's okay. You don't have to. You just focus on resting. We'll take care of you."
As Kota leans back into the warmth of the blankets and the comfort of Akiko's family around him, he can finally relax, knowing that for now, he's safe from the chaos.