Episode 14: The Small Table
The four friends stood frozen outside Ryo's house. Silence lingered in the cold air, their footsteps heavy with hesitation.
Then, without warning, the door creaked open again.
Ryo stood there—his eyes still cold, his expression unreadable. But after a deep sigh, his voice broke the silence.
"…Come in. If you've come this far, there's no point in turning you away."
---
Inside, the house was as empty as their hearts felt. No furniture, no warmth—just cracked walls and shadows. They sat down on the floor, the silence weighing heavier than words.
"I'm sorry…" Ueno whispered, guilt in her voice. "We shouldn't have come in without your permission."
"We were just… worried about you," Hina added softly, her hands trembling in her lap.
Ryo didn't respond. His gaze was sharp, yet strangely distant.
---
Iris's eyes wandered across the room: piles of empty ramen cups, a faint smell of dust, the quiet ache of loneliness clinging to every corner. Her chest tightened, and before she knew it, tears spilled down her cheeks.
"All this time… you've been living like this? All alone?" she whispered.
Ryo turned his face away, his voice low.
"…Loneliness is kinder than betrayal."
For a moment, silence returned—until Ron reached over and gently brushed away Iris's tears with his thumb, smiling faintly.
"If you cry, Ryo will just get more stubborn," he teased softly.
---
The tension seemed unbearable. Then Ron suddenly stood, his grin wide and carefree.
"Alright, enough gloom! Who's hungry?"
He yanked open the refrigerator—only to find it completely stuffed with cans of energy drinks. Not a single piece of real food.
There was a long pause… and then laughter.
Small, fragile laughter that slowly filled the room.
"There's no way you can live on this alone!" Ueno exclaimed.
"Let's cook something together," Hina suggested, a hopeful smile breaking through.
---
The kitchen came alive in a way it never had before.
Ueno and Hina chopping ingredients they'd just bought from a nearby shop.
Ron fumbling with the stove and nearly burning the pan, making everyone laugh harder.
And Ryo… sitting quietly at first, his dark eyes watching them.
Finally, they gathered around the old wooden table—dented and worn, yet suddenly precious. Bowls of hot ramen, steaming with flavor, sat between them.
At first, Ryo didn't move. He simply stared, as though he were watching a world he didn't belong to. But then, slowly, almost reluctantly, he lifted his chopsticks… and took a bite.
"…Not bad," he muttered.
Ron grinned triumphantly.
"See? Food tastes better when you've got people around you."
---
For the first time in what felt like forever, the house wasn't silent. It was filled with voices, laughter, the clinking of bowls.
Iris watched Ryo carefully, her tears still glistening—but this time, she smiled through them.
Ryo noticed for just a second, his heart stumbling against his ribs. Quickly, he turned his face away, hiding the heat rising in his cheeks.
The camera would linger on the table: small, fragile, yet alive.
The room that once felt like a tomb now breathed with warmth.
And for the first time, Ryo wasn't completely alone.
To be continued…