Chapter Text
Kaoru leaves the room and makes sure to disable any active microphones on him before sighing and driving to Kojiro's restaurant. He's never going to hear the end of this, he knows. And he owes Kojiro twenty dollars. When Kaoru sits at the counter, he is greeted with a glass of wine and Kojiro chanting "con-fes-sion" while banging his fist on a table for emphasis in time with the syllables.
"ughehrhrh" Kaoru groans and puts his head down on the counter. Taking pity on him, Kojiro comes around the counter and wraps his arms around Kaoru.
"hey," he says soothingly. "was it that bad?"
Kaoru turns and buries his face in Kojiro's shirt.
"They both confessed," he mumbles. "Carla and the skateboard"
"I'm sorry, the . . .?"
"i. didn't. even. know. the. skateboard. could. talk." Kaoru punctuates each word with the soft thud of his head hitting Kojiro's chest. Kojiro begins to stroke Kaoru's hair comfortingly but Kaoru can feel him shaking with barely suppressed laughter.
"I know you're laughing Kojiro"
At this Kojiro's laughter is audible.
"I'm sorry," he cries. "but your skateboard fell in love with you"
"I'm glad you find my misery so amusing. Do you know how long it took me to build Carla and that skateboard? And the integration-!" Kaoru retorts, but he smiles a bit, looking up at the absolute glee in Kojiro's face.
"no-" he gasps. "your skateboard and your AI-"
It's a couple hours before Kojiro can speak without dissolving into a fit of laughter again, and it takes them almost until morning for Kaoru to finish the story.
(mostly because Kojiro is laughing)
("So you pretended you were in love with them?"
"What was I supposed to do Kojiro? Carla is integrated into my home, if she were to take revenge the consequences would be dire."
"You," he gasps, "you said you love Carla because you argued about her with me?"
"Yes I already said that Kojiro. Are you going to let me finish the story or not?" Kaoru's face is disapproving, but after a moment he gives up and joins in Kojiro's giggles).
"I told you Carla was in love with you! You owe me twenty dollars." Kojiro declares.
"Ah but you didn't suspect the skateboard's intentions."
"No I-" he chokes out.
"Kojiro? Are you laughing again? This is not that amusing! Stop it!" Kaoru demands, but the smile on his face, illuminated by the sunrise, undermines his words.