The five pairs of feet made a rhythmic, shuffling sound down the hallway as they all walked toward the kitchen. Hori stepped closer to Kento, her long hair swaying slightly as she leaned in, her pink eyes bright with curiosity.
"So, Kento..." Hori murmured, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "What exactly are you planning to make for me today?"
Kento didn't look back right away. He kept his eyes on the kitchen door ahead, a mischievous, goofy grin spreading across his face. "You'll have to be patient, Hori. A real chef never reveals his secrets until the plates are on the table."
Hori immediately pouted, crossing her arms over her chest with a tiny huff. "That's not fair! You're just making me more hungry on purpose."
Kento let out a bright, hearty laugh that bounced off the hallway walls. Behind them, the mood was much quieter. Mr. Kamitani slowed his long steps, his eyes drifting down to the quiet blonde boy walking silently beside him.
"Kashima..." Mr. Kamitani spoke up, his deep voice smooth and gentle. "Would you like to stay at our house for the night? It's been a while since we had a full house, and there's plenty of rooms."
Kashima stopped mid-step. His body went entirely rigid, his feet clicking sharply against the wooden floor. Shido turned around at the sound, his brow furrowing as he looked back.
"Hey, Ice Prince, what's wrong?" Shido asked, spinning on his heel. "You look like you just ran into a brick wall."
Kashima's blue eyes flickered with a sudden, hidden panic, but he quickly forced his face back into a cool, polite mask. He looked up at Mr. Kamitani. "I'll have to ask my father about it first."
Mr. Kamitani didn't answer right away. He stood in the quiet hallway, his sharp, experienced eyes studying Kashima's stiff posture for a long, heavy moment.
Then, the tension broke as Mr. Kamitani reached out, placing a heavy, warm hand directly onto Kashima's blonde hair. He ruffled it thoroughly, letting out a soft, reassuring laugh. "Don't worry so much, kiddo. Everything is going to be alright."
"Hey! Enough with the serious talk! Step aside!" Shido yelled, suddenly running past them towards the kitchen door. He threw his arms wide, his face twisting into an exaggerated expression of absolute greatness.
"I am about to enter the kitchen and create the world's largest pizza! It's going to be so massive we'll have to eat our way through the walls just to see the sun again!"
Kento let out a long, dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes as he pushed the kitchen door open.
"Shido, if you want pizza that badly, just pack your bags and move to Italy."
"Maybe I will!" Shido answered back. He quickly struck a wierd, dramatic pose, tucking one hand behind his back and blowing a fake kiss toward the ceiling. "In my past life, I was definitely an Italian prince. From now on, you will all address me as Signor Shidoliini!"
Hori burst into a sudden giggle, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook. "Shidoliini? That is officially the most ridiculous name you've ever come up with!"
The kitchen was pitch black when Shido stepped inside. He slammed his hand against the plastic switch, and the above fluorescent light flickered twice before buzzing to life, bathing the room in a bright, yellow glow.
Shido immediately spun around, nagging loudly as he pointed an accusing finger at Kashima and Hori.
"Wait a minute! Why were the lights off?" Shido huffed, crossing his arms. "I thought you two were already in here raiding the fridge! There isn't even a single crumb on the counter. What have you been doing this whole time?"
Kashima walked in, sliding his hands smoothly into his uniform pockets as he leaned his tall frame against the wall. He shot a cold, sideways glance at Hori.
"I don't even know how to use a stove. And besides, Hori's cooking is absolutely horrible. I actually value my life too much to touch anything she makes."
Shido let out a loud, mocking laugh, slapping his knee. "Oh, he's totally right! Hori, remember last month when you tried to fry a single egg? The edges were so black and rubbery it looked like a piece of an old car tire!"
"You—both of you are terrible!" Hori snapped, her face turning bright, angry red. She stomped her foot against the floor, turning her back to them with a furious pout. "I am officially never talking to either of you again! Enjoy starving!"
Kento immediately stepped closer to her, his voice dropping into a soft, incredibly soothing tone.
He reached out, his green eyes warm as he looked down at her. "Don't listen to those two idiots, Hori. I'll eat every single thing you ever make. Even if it's completely burnt to a charcoal brick, I'd love it because you made it."
The air in the kitchen instantly shifted, turning incredibly sweet and lovey-dovey as Hori's anger melted, her pink eyes looking up at Kento with a shy smile.
Shido watched them, a soft, sad look crossing his eyes. Seeing how effortlessly close Kento and Hori were made a sudden, quiet longing in his heart.
He didn't want to interrupt their peace, but looking at them made him think of a certain girl who never got to have moments like this.
Sighing softly, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, his thumb rapidly tapping against the glass screen until the name Tamiko popped up. He pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear, hoping just to hear her voice.
"Who are you calling now?" Kashima asked from the corner, his voice flat.
"Tamiko," Shido muttered, his usual arrogant energy draining away as the phone began to ring.
The call connected with a soft beep. Shido's posture instantly changed, his shoulders dropping as he closed his eyes tightly. "Hey, Tamiko... are you free right now?" He listened to the rushed, muffled voice coming through the speaker for a few seconds, and a wave of pure guilt washed over his face.
"Ah... actually, you know what? Never mind. It's nothing important. I'll call you later tonight. I'm really sorry for troubling you while you're busy, okay? Bye."
He cut the call before she could even answer, letting out a long, heavy sigh that seemed to drag from the bottom of his lungs.
"Did she scold you?" Kashima asked directly, not moving from his spot against the wall.
Shido's eyes snapped open, his head jerking up in pure shock. "Who? Me? Scolded? By Tamiko?" He stammered, his sentences breaking apart as he waved his hand frantically in the air.
"Are you insane? Tamiko is literally an angel disguised as a human being! She has never scolded me for a single thing in her entire life!"
"Then why are you making that pathetic face?" Kashima countered, narrowing his eyes.
Shido's hand dropped, and his broad shoulders slumped completely. He stared down at his feet, his voice falling into a sad, quiet whisper.
"She's working her shifts at the convenience store right now. She was so busy that her manager started screaming at her in the background the second she picked up my call. Because of me, she got scolded. I feel like a total idiot."
"Oh," Kashima said softly, his blue eyes drifting away.
As he stared blankly at the kitchen floor, a sudden image of a completely different girl flashed through his mind. An angel who never scolds... A slight, unwanted warmth crept up Kashima's neck as he pictured Shiyi.
She was definitely no quiet angel. He could almost hear her sharp, impatient voice echoing in his ears, remembering the way her pink eyes flashed whenever she was scolding him for being too distant or rolling his eyes at her.
She was stubborn, loud, and constantly snapping at him, yet... the thought of her anger didn't make him feel guilty or heavy like Shido did.
It made his chest tighten in a completely different, fluttering way.
Kashima quickly cleared his throat, pushing the image of Shiyi out of his head before his face could turn red. He shifted his weight, forcing his attention back to his best friend.
Shido, entirely unaware of Kashima's inner panic, glanced across the kitchen, his eyes landing on Kento and Hori.
The two of them had moved to the sink and were currently tangled up over a sponge. Kento was gently trying to take it from her fingers, his voice low and nagging.
"Hori, stop it. Give it to me. The soap is going to make your hands all rough."
Hori giggled, her pink eyes sparkling as she suddenly scooped a handful of soapy tap water and splashed it directly into Kento's face. Splash! "So would yours!" Hori laughed, leaning back against the counter. "What, are you too 'princely' to handle a little dish soap, Master Kamitani?"
Kento blinked, water dripping from his eyelashes and chin. Instead of wiping it away, he suddenly threw his head back, extending one arm outward in an incredibly dramatic, poetic pose. "A true prince could never splash his princess back." he declared, his voice echoing with fake royalty. Hori let out a helpless laughter, leaning against his shoulder.
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