Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Sounds of students packing their things and leaving were heard as they left in droves. One such student was a blonde boy walking with another student with long blue hair as they made their way outside the school entrance.

“Again, I’m really sorry for canceling our study session,” Hyde said with a sad expression.

“It’s okay. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to afford all those groceries,” Orie replied.

Today after school, the two were going to have a study session for their chemistry exam this Friday, but Hyde remembered that today was the last day for his coupon to work at his main grocery store. Couple that with the recent sales going on and the boy could not waste this chance to save a ton of money. 

“I’ll make it up to you. I promise! Thanks Orie,” Hyde gave a warm smile.

He kissed Orie on the cheek and bolted out. “Let’s study tomorrow, Okay!?” he shouted as he went his way.

Even though they have been together for a little while, actions like those still made her a blushing mess. Orie held her cheek where Hyde kissed her and had a giddy smile on her face.

“Everything okay?” Her friend, Lex asked as she made her way to Orie.

The bluenette quickly turned to her. “Y-Yes! Never better!”

Her friend gave a lax grin at the sight of her friend's bubbly mood. “Yep… try not to get distracted on tonight’s mission,” Lex scolded.

Orie gave an annoyed look. “Of course not.”

Hyde made his way across the city of Kanzakai. Since it was a Tuesday, the city was not as bustling as it would be on Fridays or the weekends. And with school only just ending, this was the best time for him to make a beeline to the Shopping Gallery.

It was a grueling battle at the supermarket. Housewives made their way to the desired items as the boy rushed his way in to get the groceries. Fortunately, he was trained in the ways of precision and speed thanks to his time in the Hollow Night. Was it fair to exploit his almost superhuman skills with a bunch of ordinary people? Probably not, but in the battle of getting the best quality items and having people to feed, the Unknown Actor showed no mercy.

Hyde wiped a sweat off his head as he collected his spoils of war. “Got everything I need,” he turned to the big line in the store. “Nothing personal ladies, but I only have part time money and a monthly allowance as my budget,” he said as he made his way home.

With a monthly allowance his parents sent him each month, he was able to take care of himself. But ever since Linne, Waldstein, and now Vatista lived with him, the cost of groceries went up drastically. Even more so with the fact that although he is cooking for 4 people, it was really 6 because of the old man’s appetite.

‘Thank you for your services coupon. Your efforts will not be in vain,’ he gave a mental salute to the used coupon as he tossed it to the trash can.

Thanks to the use of the coupon and the sales going on, the cost of Hyde’s groceries went down by a whopping 50%. Even if it hurt to miss time with his girlfriend, he was thankful for her understanding on just how much money he saved. 

‘Maybe I can serve her a treat at the cafe on the house,’ he thought as he walked out of the Shopping Gallery.

As he walked to his neighborhood, thoughts of his life before meeting Linne came to mind. He was used to doing these shopping trips for himself, but to buy them for other people and care for them made him feel fulfilled. Before, it was like he was just going with the motions of life. But now, coming home didn’t feel so… lonely. Speaking of home, the boy was now right in front of his doorstep. Pulling out his keys, he unlocked the door and entered. 

“I’m home,” he said aloud. 

That got the attention of a little girl in an orange hoodie. Getting off the sofa, she walked up to him with a smile.

“Welcome back, Hyde. I take it the grocery trip was a success?” Linne asked.

“You know it,” Hyde placed the bags on the kitchen table. “So what’s the plan today?” he was putting away the groceries as he asked.

“Tonight you have training with me. Waldstein is off in the mountains training and Vatista is dozing off in her room. They’ll come around during dinner time I'm sure. I guess finish up your homework until then,” she said with a shrug.

“Okay Mom,” Hyde said, snickering as he saw the little girl pout. 

Linne continued watching TV while Hyde went to his room to do his homework. Most of it was material he already knew, to which he really owed Orie for all the help she gave him. Even his teacher was ecstatic to see him improve from his average grades. He almost forgot what it felt like to have people compliment him like that. Not just from the ones he’s close with, but from just people in general.

True to her word, Waldstein eventually came back and Vatista hovered down to the living not long after. With looks of hunger coming from the old man and princess, Hyde knew what was coming. With homework all done, now it was time for one of his favorite hobbies. Grabbing his black apron from the closet, the boy put it on and looked at his setup at the kitchen table.

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Hamburg Steak

‘First, dice the onions,’ Hyde proceeded to thinly cut the onions and diced them up.

‘Cut a piece of daikon. Peel the skin and grit it to get the proper shape,’ the boy glanced at the nice circular form the radish became. 

‘Now we saute half of the diced onions,’ Hyde placed the onions on the pan and watched it cook until it had a nice brown color.

‘In a bowl, place ground beef, ground pork, bread crumbs, a splash of milk, raw onions, cooked onions, salt, black pepper, and an egg,’ He did just that and proceeded to mix them around with his hands until it formed a giant meatball. 

“This goes without saying, but wash your hands before doing this,” Hyde said to no one in particular.

‘This portion is enough for two people. So with half the meat, form it to the shape of a patty and toss it back and forth between your hands to really give its shape and make sure no air comes out of it,’ the boy did so, making sure the patty will not break apart when it’s cooking time.

He proceeded to do the prior steps again so that he would have 6 patties, ready to be cooked. 

‘My pan has enough for two patties, so I place them there and let it cook at low heat,’ Hyde could see the meat has that delectable brown coloring. The fat from the pork began oozing out broth in the pan. 

‘Once both sides of the patty have that brown coloring, deglaze it with white wine (thank you Yuzu), and half cover it with chicken broth,’ he poured the two liquids as the patty began to feel much more tender and juicy.

Hyde removed the patty but kept the sauce in the pan. ‘Place the sauce in another pan so that we can make the gravy for the meal. And in the hot pan, sear the patties with a piece of rosemary on top and a small slab of butter,’ with a spoon, Hyde bathed the steaks with butter as a rich crispy color began to form. 

Once it was done, he set the patties on a plate and got to work on the gravy. ‘With the sauce on a high heating pan, add soy sauce, horseradish cream, and ketchup. Stir it a little so that they reduce the condiments and thicken the gravy,’ Hyde could feel the sauce was ready. With one taste, he knew it was time.

‘On your patty, gently add the gravy to give it that complimentary flavor,’ He took a few glances back at the living room. Linne’s eyes were sparkling and he could have sworn he saw Wald’s mouth watering. Vatista just had a look of intrigue on her face.

‘After squeezing out the liquid from the daikon, form it into a nice little ball and place it on top of the patty. Give it a little flavor with some ponzu dressing if you want,’ Hyde marveled at the meal in front of him. Of course, a meal wouldn’t do without the sides.

While repeating the process until he had 6 delicious hamburg steaks, he had bowls of rice made alongside boiled carrots and broccoli. With a proud smile, the meal was ready.

As Hyde began to place the foods at the dining table, he could see Linne’s ahoge wag around with excitement. She must be very hungry. Wald looked at his portion with temptation while Vatista simply looked at the meal in front of her. Once everyone’s plate was set, they all said the phrase with a clap of their hands.

“Thanks for the meal!” everyone said and began eating.

One bite was enough for Linne to have a big smile on her face as she could feel the soft tenderness of her meal. The gravy really added to the flavor as the daikon gave it the crunchy texture alongside it. Wald was off on his own little world enjoying the meat and even the autonomic nerve had a look of content as she ate.

“You know, Hyde… before meeting you, Waldstein and I would always be fine if the food just filled us up. Your cooking is something I never knew I needed now more than ever. So… thanks,” the little immortal gave a friendly smile as she looked at Hyde with gratitude.

Seeing everyone look happy and enjoying his food made the boy feel satisfied. When he began to live on his own, he never would have imagined that he would be cooking for someone else. One thing led to another and now here he was cooking for the people living with him and loving it.

“Of course, Linne. And thank you for looking out for me. If you want, I can always show you some recipes that you can learn yourself,” he offered with a bright smile on his face.

“Hm… I may take you up on that offer. But for now…” Linne continued nomming at her steak.

Moments like these are what Hyde lived for now. For one thing, Linne was still here. All this time, her main goal was to die and finally rid the curse of reincarnation. But if she died, she wouldn’t be here enjoying a nice meal with him. She wouldn’t be here to keep guiding him and help him prepare for the coming Nights. The house would feel that much more lonely if she were gone. So that’s why Hyde will continue to support her. Even if it might cause problems in the future with the EFG and Licht Kreis, he wants to see his friend break her curse without ending her life.

The meal continued on with banters and cheers aplenty. Night would eventually fall. There was always a chance a mini Hollow Night would appear, but none came around their specific area. It wouldn’t be until a couple more weeks when the next proper Hollow Night arrives. It was for that reason Hyde and Linne were at a secluded park for a training session.

“Well Hyde. Are you ready?” Linne asked as she held a practice blade.

“I am. Let’s do this Linne!” Hyde held his practice blade and took his stance.

The teacher and student began to spar once more to better prepare the Unknown Actor for what’s in store for him. Hyde may have defeated Paradox, but even he knew he had room to improve. For the sake of the people affected from these Nights and to have more happy memories with his friends like the dinner they shared together.

Chapter Text

“And… there!” A little girl said as she placed a wreath of flowers on top of Vatista’s head.

The autonomic nerve looked up to see the colorful flowers formed into a crown. The vibrant yellow, white, and red meshing together to form the object on her head. She wondered if this was the kind of activity kids do in this day and age.

“It looks really cute on you, Vatista!” the little girl said.

The girl in question had short black hair with a red hairband and wore a pink shirt and white skirt. Her brown eyes showed off a playful and friendly appearance when she invited the autonomic nerve to the park. She introduced herself as Chiharu and said she was Linne’s friend at school. The reason Vatista accepted the invitation was because she saw it as an opportunity to analyze how the Princess of the Night Blade lives her life in these modern times.

“Cute: Appealing in a pretty or endearing way. You think I’m cute?” The white haired girl asked with a tilt of her head.

“Of course! I’m sure your big bro is lucky to have a cute little sister like you!” Chiharu gave a big grin.

Big brother and little sister… The alias that Hyde told her to go by when she is traveling the city alone. She was currently at the park with Chiharu here because Hyde had to take care of a quick errand. The experience so far has been… informative at least. And speak of the devil, the big bro arrives just when he was mentioned. 

“Vatista! There you are. Thanks again for playing with her, Chiharu. You really helped me out big time.” Hyde grinned at the sight of the two.

“Hiya Hyde!” Chiharu waved. “Vatista has been so much fun to be with. She even made this wreath for me!” She patted the one on top of her head to show him.

Sure enough, Vatista made a beautiful crafted flower wreath. The flowers were so meticulously put together, one could swear a professional designed them.

“Yeah, it looks really cute on you. Glad to see you two are already being good friends!" Hyde held out a hand to the autonomic nerve. "Ready to go, Vatista?”

With a nod, Vatista stood up and left with Hyde. Before leaving, she waved to Chiharu. “Bye Bye,” she said.

“Bye Bye, Vatista! Let’s play again sometime!” Chiharu waved back.

The two would continue exploring the city. Every so often, Hyde would take the little girl around Kanzakai to show her what life was like outside the Night. He was hoping this would show her what she could be doing for herself instead of solely focusing on a mission she was given who knows how long ago. So far, she still kept the same monotone expression, but the fact she is adjusting to the city life was a start at least.

“I’m guessing Chiharu made that?” Hyde pointed at the wreath on her head.”

“Yes. She said this was what she did with Linne when they would play at the park,” she gave the crown a little nudge. “Do you think I’m cute?” Vatista asked.

“Huh? Well, yeah. I think you're adorable.” he wasn’t expecting that question, but he gave an honest answer.

Hyde’s answer was enough to give a warm feeling in the autonomic nerve’s chest. Other passerbys called her cute as the two walked by, but Hyde calling her that felt like it really mattered. As for why that was, she didn’t know. 

Alongside the flower crown, she was currently wearing a casual light blue dress. By the time Hyde was thinking of how to buy clothes for her, Vatista already materialized the dress in question. So far, playing off as siblings has been working. It helps that the two had red eyes to keep up that act, as well as both sporting an ahoge, even if Vatista’s was more over the top.

Eventually, their travels would take them to a bakery when Vatista remembered a conversation she had with Chiharu.

“Chiharu said that she went there with her parents and how it was really good. This sparks curiosity,” the girl's eyes focused on the bread shown in display.

“Bread huh?” Hyde looked at what was in stock. A lot of the sweet bread did look appealing. Oh what the heck, he was in a good mood. “Wanna try one?” he offered.

The little girl simply nodded.

One transaction later, Vatista stared at the sweet bread in front of her. With one bite, she felt a soft sensation envelop her with the comforting warmness of the bread coming out of the oven.

“So soft… and… so sweet… How does it work?” She stared at the half eaten bread.

That caused Hyde to smile. “Well, it’s still daylight. You can always see firsthand by baking them at home. Wanna try it?”

“Bake?” Vatista pondered for a bit and then gave a determined look. “We will bake bread as sweet as this. I must know how it contains such sweetness.”

“Haha. Well alright then. I have a dish in mind. Let’s go home and start!” With that, the two walked about to the Kido residence, ready for a new dish to make.

Now at home , Vatista put the flower wreath in her room and followed Hyde to the kitchen.

Hyde put on his apron and looked at Vatista. “Ready to help out?” he asked.

“Affirmative. Initiating Baking Mode,” With her hands out, an apron and hairnet materialized on her. “We will now commence the baking.”

With one look at the kitchen setup, Hyde smirked. 

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Custard Bread Rolls

“First, we must prepare the custard. Vatista, mind pouring the milk?” Hyde gave the girl 500ml of milk. Vatista proceeded to pour it on the pot. “Nice,” he said.

“Then we add two eggs,” Hyde cracked two eggs in a small bowl and stirred them together until they formed a yellow liquid and poured them on the pot.

“Add some sugar,” Vatista poured 100 grams of sugar on the pot. “30 grams of cornstarch and a pinch of salt,” Hyde added the cornstarch and sprinkled in the salt with a goofy grin. “And lastly, 2 teaspoons of vanilla,” Once Hyde added that, the custard was ready to be mixed.

“Ready to mix, Vatista?” Hyde asked.

With a nod, the little girl began to mix the pot with a whisk until all the ingredients began to form one combined liquid. Now it was ready to be heated.

“We turn on the fire and stir accordingly to give the custard its shape,” Hyde watched and stirred the custard until it began forming the yellow cream. Once it was ready, he turned off the fire and placed the custard on a large bowl. He placed a plastic wrapper on it and set it aside. 

“Once we cover it up, we’ll leave it at that for now. Let’s get started on the dough!”

Hyde pulled out another bowl and began to let Vatista add the following ingredients. 

“We add warm milk, yeast, sugar, vanilla, and 2 eggs,” the little girl carefully poured 200 ml of warm milk, 1 tablespoon of yeast, 100 grams of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and cracked 2 eggs.

“You’re doing great,” Hyde gave the girl a headpat which made her feel strangely warm inside. 

“We mix it up,” With a spoon, Hyde stirred the ingredients until everything was mixed together. “Add some room temperature butter,” he then added 90 grams of butter in the bowl. “And then a load of flour,” the boy then added 600 grams of flour. 

“Now we mix! Add some more flour if the mixing does not give the dough its texture,” Hyde began to mix the ingredients, adding any more flour if necessary until it eventually began forming the dough. With his hands, he began to shape the dough into an oval shape and then covered the bowl with a plastic wrapper. “And then let it rest for an hour.”

“What will we do for an hour?” Vatista asked, tilting her head.

“Hm…” Hyde pondered until he pulled something from the living room. “Cards?”

-1 hour later-

“That’s my 30th win,” Vatista plainly said as she showed him her Full House.

“A-And would you look at that! An hour has passed!” Hyde was shaken as he staggered his way to the dough. 30 straight losses on both poker and blackjack… He was going to need time to recover from that. “At least I know I won’t gamble…” he muttered.

“Anyway… Once we let the dough rest, we place it on a clean board and add just a little more flour just in case. Then we roll it,” Hyde poured the extra bit of flour and let Vatista roll it until it formed one big rectangle. “Now we add the custard,” Hyde added the cream at the center of the dough and slathered it all over with a knife. 

“Carefully roll it all up,” Hyde rolled the dough until it made one long cylinder shape. “And use a floss to cut the dough. Ready, Vatista?” Hyde gave the girl the floss and with careful precision, cut 20 different rolls now placed on a wrapped sheet pan and covered it with a plastic wrapper. 

“Let it rest for about 20 minutes. If I remember correctly... Linne said she was with Yuzu right now,” Hyde pulled out his phone and quickly texted something.

“What did you write?” Vatista asked.

“Oh just a little something for later. Now, we wait.”

20 minutes pass and Hyde removes the wrapper. “We brush some eggwash on top of each roll and add a few almonds on each,” Hyde did just that. “And now, in a 180 degree C preheated oven, we bake for about 38 minutes or until it becomes golden brown.”

Hyde and Vatista watched as the bread inside began to slowly rise up. At around 35 minutes, they could hear the door open.

“Okay Hyde, I brought Yuzuriha and Chiharu. What did you wa-” Linne didn’t finish her sentence as she began to sniff the aroma of bread.

“Ooh, something smells good, did Hyde bake something again?” Yuzuriha gave a cheeky smile.

“Wait! Your bro cooks too!?” Chiharu gasps.

“Ah! You three are just in time! And..” Hyde looks at the timer and boom, 38 minutes pass. With some mittens on, he opens the oven and pulls out the sheet pan. The girls all marveled at the golden brown coloring the custard bread rolls exuded. The dish was ready.

“Wanted to give Chiharu some bread as thanks for being friends to Linne and Vatista. And Yuzu, I just wanted you to try some since you were with Linne,” Hyde gave a sheepish grin.

“Aw, thanks kiddo,” Yuzu ruffled his hair and took a roll. “Don’t mind if I do then,” she said and then took a bite. “Ah! I’m in heaven!”

Chiharu took one and began eating. The sparkle in her eyes shined bright as she gave a blissful smile. “So soft and sweet! Hyde, this might actually be better than the bakery!” the black haired girl exclaimed.

“You think so? I didn’t make it alone though. Vatista here helped out,” Hyde patted the white haired girl’s head.

The autonomic nerve looked puzzled as all eyes went to her. “I may have assisted him, but I assure you, Hyde is the real baker here,” she said in dejection. 

“Hey now, no need to be modest. If you won’t admit it, then let me say it then. You have talent, kid!” Yuzu took another bite of her bread and gave a content smile.

Linne was off in her own little world as she kept on munching her bread. Chiharu took a look around to see everyone enjoying the food and grinned. “Linne, Vatista, you have an amazing big bro,” she said.

Linne took a moment to process her words and smiled. “You know, you may be right…”

Vatista took a moment to ponder Chiharu’s words and formed the tiniest of smiles.

“I think so too.”

The next few moments were spent with the 5 conversing and having a grand time with their baked goods. What started with just a one off conversation from Chiharu led to another unforgettable memory for the Kido family. One that the Unknown Actor and autonomic nerve won’t soon forget.

Chapter Text

It was a clear Wednesday afternoon. Hyde was at the Guardian Shrine, donned in his kendo garb. He held his practice sword in complete focus as he eyes his opponent. Yuzuriha was also in deep focus. Even in her usual attire, the way she held her practice sword was that of a master. Her usual carefree look was replaced with that of a look of total concentration.

“And Begin!” Yuzuriha yelled.

Hyde rushed in with a series of slashes, each hit using a form he recently practiced. He kept going and going, refusing to let his foe get an opening to counter. The shrine maiden didn’t back down as she blocked each hit with a proud look on her face.

“Good job. Now try this!” Yuzuriha pushed Hyde back after blocking his last strike and went on the offensive, her slashes going at blitzing speed.

“Nope!” Hyde did not relent and was now on the defensive. Despite her high agility, Hyde was able to keep up with her strikes. The training and experience from the Hollow Night flowed through him as he parried her blows, a look of resolve shining on his face.

Back and forth the two would go. Little by little, Hyde began to get faster, his movements sharper and his composure more resolute. That’s what Yuzuriha wanted to see. No more was the boy who still carried bits of hesitance that Night. Now his eyes had pure control and a goal in mind. It’s only proper respect to respond in kind.

“Think you can handle it if we pick up the pace?” Yuzuriha offered.

“Yeah! Just watch me!” Hyde gave a determined shout.

The two went at it for the next hour until it was sunset. At the end of their session, the two faced each other, both panting after a long battle. Even though they could both keep going, the trainer knew when to call it for the day and put down her sword.

“Alright, we’ll stop here for today,” She gave a cheery smile.

Hyde wiped some sweat off his head as he had a content smile.

“Woo! What a rush,” he said.

“Man. You’re getting better by the day,” Yuzuriha sat by the stairs and gave her arms a good stretch.

“Heh. You never let up. Thanks for the practice,” Hyde sat next to her and gave her a water bottle.

“Thanks,” she accepted the drink and the two gulped down their water after a hard fought sparring session. “This definitely takes me back. Things used to be a lot more… simpler.”

“I hear ya. I miss those days… But we’re still here. Right, Yuzu?” 

Hyde’s guilt from that incident never truly went away. He may have learned from it and moved on, but he still felt bad how it soured their relationship for so long. He was just happy to have reconciled with Yuzu after showing his resolve that Night.

“Yeah. It’s good to see you happier these days, Hyde,” the shrine maiden gave him a head pat. “I bet you’re even happier now that you have a special lady friend,” she said with a smirk.

Hyde’s face immediately flushed red and looked away. This gave Yuzuriha the cue to keep going.

“Speaking of which, I noticed that your neck is covered by sports tape. Did you really need that for sparring or did you two-”

“YUZU! This fic is rated G!” Hyde blurted out, his face even redder.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop teasing,” her smile turned genuine. “I am happy for you. You deserve to feel loved and I think Orie’s a good fit for you.”

“Thanks, Yuzu… That means a lot.” Hyde gave a bashful smile.

“And hey,” Yuzu gave a wink. “If you ever need any dating advice, big sis has plenty to give!”

Hyde snickered. “Dating advice from you? That’s a scary thought.”

“Oh! You wound me!” The shrine maiden fell in exaggeration as she covered her eyes with an arm. “By the way, how is it going with that other Night Blade guy of yours? Seth was his name?”

Hyde sighed. “Good luck trying to get a proper conversation with him. I can’t tell if he still wants to kill me or not. I just don’t get him.”

“Hah!” She laughed. “I swear. That boy is just afraid of change. He’s so caught up on ‘lineage’ and ‘duty’. Here’s hoping someone will help him get with the times.” 

“If you’re saying that I can do that, don’t bother. That guy just leaves if I am even remotely close to him,” Hyde looked at the setting sun. “But who knows… I never saw my life going in this direction so maybe there is a chance…”

“That’s certainly one way of looking at things. I can only guess that’s why my family left the Night Blade when they did. They didn’t want to be chained down by things they don’t agree with,” Yuzu watched the setting sun with a look of unusual contemplation.

“Heh. Still hard to wrap my head around that. All this time, your family were former members of the Night Blade. Definitely caught me off guard when I learned that.”

Yuzuriha gave Hyde a head pat. “If the Night has shown you anything Hyde, it’s that people can be much more than they let on. Who knows who else you’ll meet in the next Hollow Night that you may know.”

“Yeah…” Hyde’s face looked determined. “All the more reason to be ready when that happens. If it means I get to keep the people I care about safe, I’ll keep training.”

“Ah, they grow up so fast.” the shrine maiden sighed. Just then, her stomach began growling which caused her cheeks to blush a light pink. “Haha…”

“Guess that training worked up an appetite. Luckily, I planned ahead,” Hyde got up and gave a quick stretch.

“Oh? Do tell,” Yuzu now looked intrigued.

“At around this time, I asked Hiroha to have the kitchen ready for me,” Hyde rummaged through his bag and pulled out an apron.

Yuzuriha raised an eyebrow. “Do you just have that everywhere you go?”

“Yes, yes I do.” Hyde didn’t miss a beat and went ahead.

As the boy went inside her place, the shrine maiden could faintly see a 9 year old Hyde and let out a nostalgic smile. 

‘It wasn’t just his fault that we’ve been apart for so long… I’m supposed to be the older one here. I really am happy you’re here again, Hyde.’

“Thanks for getting things ready Hiroha,” Hyde said as he looked at the prepared kitchen.

Hiroha is Yuzuriha’s older sister. Apparently she would have been the wielder of Yuzu’s sword, Ayame but stopped when her vessel broke one Hollow Night. Despite that, Hiroha doesn’t seem too bothered at leaving the role of Ayame’s wielder to her little sister instead.  He still couldn’t believe that Yuzu’s whole family were In-Births.

“Of course, your cooking has been all the rage from what I’ve been hearing these days. Hope you don’t disappoint.” Hiroha said with a hopeful look.

“Guess I shouldn’t embarrass myself,” He wrapped his apron and checked his kitchen setup.

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Hosomaki Sushi Rolls

‘First we make white rice.’ In a pot of boiled water, Hyde poured rice and cooked it until the rice formed.

‘To make sushi rice, add sushi vinegar mixture around the rice.’ He placed the rice in a large bowl. With a small bowl, he poured the vinegar around the rice.

‘Mix the vinegar with the rice.’  With a spoon, he mixed the rice around so that the sushi vinegar would mix together. 

‘Cover it with a damp towel.’ Hyde placed a damp white towel over the bowl and let it rest.

‘Make sure the fish are certified for sushi use. Don’t want anyone getting sick here. In this case, I have salmon, tuna, and yellowtail. Have about ¼ inch of the meat for your given roll and then cut them into strips.’ With careful precision, Hyde had strips of salmon, tuna, and yellowtail fish, ready to be used.

‘Cut a nori sheet in half and place it flat on a sushi mat.’ With a clean pair of scissors, he cut through the green seaweed and had two perfect halves of nori. He then placed the half on the sushi mat.

‘In a small bowl, pour ¼ cups of water and 2 tsp of rice vinegar to make tezu.’

‘Wet your hands with tezu and with a wet half cup measuring cup, pack it with the rice and form a rice ball with your hands.’ The tezu in his hands made forming the rice ball much easier as it stuck together to make the shape.

‘Then, spread the rice evenly on the nori. Leave about an inch of nori on top.’ Hyde looked to make sure the rice was evenly placed. Moments like these require careful placements to make the proper sushi. He gave an approving nod once he deemed it good.

‘Add your chosen meat on top, hold it down and roll the sushi mat. Press it down to really form the sushi roll.’ He did just that with the salmon roll, tuna roll, and yellowtail roll to have 3 rolls of sushi. ‘You can add all kinds of foods to make sushi, but we’re going with fish because it’s dinner time.’

‘With a wet knife, cut the sushi in half, and then in thirds.’ He did so until he saw 18 sushi’s in front of him. 

He wondered if 18 was enough for three people. “Eh, I have a surplus of ingredients. Might as well.”

Hyde repeated the following steps and made more sushis, giving him a delectable 36 rolls.

Hyde watched with pride at the 3 sets of hosomaki in front of him. One tuna, one salmon, and one yellowtail. The meal was ready.

“Alright ladies, enjoy!” Hyde presented Yuzu and Hiroha the 3 sets of hosomaki with a cup of hojicha tea on the side. The two looked on with stars in their eyes at what the boy made for them.

“Oh wow! And they’re presentable to boot. Thank you for the meal!” Hiroha grabbed one tuna roll with her chopsticks and ate it. She blushed at the soft taste the food gave as she unconsciously picked another one. “Oh wow, guess those people meant it after all, you’re a natural!” The older sister ate another one and let the warm tea comfort the after taste. 

Hyde scratched that back of his head with a shy smile. “Helps that this dish is on the faster side to make when you have all the ingredients ready. Glad you like it.” He was never one to brag about his skills, but seeing people happy never stopped giving him that warm feeling in his chest.

“Man, I’m a little jealous. If everyone living with you gets to enjoy meals like these every day, I might have to consider crashing in at your place too,” Yuzuriha said before eating a yellowtail roll.

“Yuzu, you can’t be-” Hyde dreaded thinking of another freeloader. He may see Yuzu as a big sis, but could she actually take care of the house? Unlikely.

“Kidding.” Yuzuriha gave a cheeky grin. “Guess I should try to start learning some recipes myself. Can’t let you show me up like this. Just wait, you’ll like what I’d make for you.”

“Uh huh, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Hyde teased with a smirk, eating a tuna roll himself. “But you’re always welcome to visit. You too, Hiroha. I wouldn’t mind sharing a meal with you two.” He would always welcome the chance to make people happy with his cooking.

“Hm. I think I’ll take you up on that. Next time you come however, let me make you something. As thanks for this meal.” Hiroha replied with a wink.

The three enjoyed a relaxing dinner together. The next Hollow Night may be getting closer, but that didn’t stop The Unknown Actor from catching up with people outside his home. He doubts the two will ever forget the incident, but they refused to let that stop them from catching up now. 

‘I got your back, Hyde. I know you have what it takes to continue the path you’ve chosen for yourself.’ Yuzuriha thought on with a proud smile on her face.

Chapter Text

Hyde was staggering his way towards the sofa. Today was training with Waldstein and he just endured what was probably the most grueling exercise yet. It was dubbed ‘The Arm Cruncher’. Given the name, he thought it would be another workout for his arms like the weights. I mean, what else would it be? Two heavy cement blocks crashing his arms back and forth? Why not?! Needless to say, his arms were feeling it. After an hour of that, the suffering was over. The boy sighed in relief as he collapsed to the sofa.

His arms pulsed. “Ow.” His arms pulse again. “Ow.” His arms pulse again. “Ow.”

Seeing Hyde laying down, Linne approached him with a hesitant look. That’s odd. The boy was not used to seeing her look unsure. He wondered if it was something important.

“What’s up, Linne?” he said, ignoring his arms pulsing in pain.

“Hey Hyde… Are you free to talk? I know Wald put you through that training, so you don’t have to say yes.” She said, seeing the tired state he’s in.

“Eh, I’ll manage,” He sat up. “Thanks to being an In-Birth, the pain was less than I was expecting. Hurts like a truck, but no biggie. So whatcha need?” He now gave the girl his full attention.

“Well… You know the Hollow Night is a week away now.”

Hyde’s expression turned serious. Does she need him to do something that Night? Surely he won’t be left behind again after defeating Paradox, right? If it’s anything that could help ease her burdens, he’ll hear her out.

“Yeah. Need anything? You know I’ll support you as part of the Night Blade.”

“It’s just..” Linne now had an embarrassed expression. “I want to make Seth something…” she said quietly.

Huh?

“Huh?” Hyde said his thoughts aloud. “Did I hear that right? You want to cook something for Seth?” He asked with a puzzled look.

Linne had a light blush on her face as she gave a small nod.

“With the Hollow Night coming, I wanted to make him something as a sign of appreciation,” she said, touching her fingers together.

Hyde was left to ponder this idea. The two were not exactly on the friendliest of terms. How could anyone be if said person tried to kill them? But it was also true that Seth cared deeply for Linne. Behind the scenes, he has been helping her out throughout the smaller Hollow Nights this past month. That was something he could respect at least. The conversation he was finally able to get with him came to mind.

“Look Seth, before you walk away, can we at least settle this like civil people?” Hyde asked. He looked around to make sure no one was around.

“Fine…” the assassin walked up to him. “What is it you wish to discuss?”

“First off, you’re not trying to kill me again, are you?” He asked. He had enough of feeling like he had to watch his back whenever he felt his presence. 

“Normally I would. But I have to accept the way things are now,” Seth answered with closed eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Alongside making a name for yourself with your victory against Paradox, you’ve built a better reputation for yourself in school.” Seth bluntly said.

Hyde never really thought about that. It was true he started to apply himself in his studies and tried to make himself more approachable with the help of Orie, Tsurugi, and his homeroom teacher. Was he really being seen in a better light? But this begs the question.

“So what does that have to do with you killing me?” Hyde was confused with that.

“It means your death would be more trouble than it’s worth. If you were a nobody, that would be one thing, but now your death would have a rippling effect. Both in the Night and here.” he reasoned.

That made sense. Before he used to close himself off with everyone. If he died while he was still like that, it probably wouldn’t have impacted everyone as much. His parents would be devastated, Linne too, but to the rest of the city? He wasn’t sure. That doesn’t matter now, he’s come too far to think about those what-ifs. So he needed to make his stand.

“Look, we don’t have to be friends. But can’t we just support Linne in our own way? We can at least agree with that,” Hyde offered.

The assassin sighed. “Very well. But get in my way, and I will make you regret it. I can do that without killing you.”

“Fine, fine. Just wanted to clear that up. Leaving now.” Hyde waved his hand as he left.

Honestly, that guy needs to learn to chill. Actually… Maybe this might not be a bad idea. This could be just the kind of icebreaker he needed to maybe sort of bridge something between them with Linne. If only to ease the tension just a little.

“Alright, I’ll help you out. Do you know any food he likes?” Hyde asked.

Linne gave it some thought and shook her head. “He doesn’t come across as someone who dislikes anything. Maybe you could help me make something simple and comforting?” she hazarded a guess.

Hyde began thinking on what sort of dish would fit that criteria. An idea sprang to mind. “I got it. And it’s something even you can make. I did offer to teach you some recipes, remember?”

The princess gave a small laugh. “That you did. Carry on, please.”

Evening came. The Kido residence just enjoyed a hearty dinner with Waldstein and Vatista retiring for the day. Hyde and Linne were in the kitchen after cleaning all the dishes. The two put on their aprons and prepared the ingredients. Hyde had a confident look on his face while Linne was looking a little hesitant.

“You’ll do great. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it,” he gave the girl a head pat.

“I hope so… I’m ready,” she gave her apron a little tug.

“That’s the spirit!” Hyde looked at the kitchen setup and smirked.

‘Everything is all set. Let’s get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Potatoes au Gratin

“Place butter, cream, and minced garlic in a jug, Mix until combined.” Linne had 1 ½ cups of cream ready and poured it in. Hyde minced 2 garlic cloves and added it to the jug and then Linne added 30 grams of butter. The girl then stirred the jug until everything was mixed. 

“Peel the potatoes and slice them into thin slices or use a slicer.” Hyde would show Linne how to use a slicer and watched her peel the potatoes with relative ease.

“Not bad.” Hyde gave a thumbs up. 

Linne blushed and shook her head. “What’s next?”

“Spread a third of the potatoes on a baking sheet. Pour one third of the cream. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and thyme around the sheet. Then add ¾ cups of shredded cheese.” Linne spreaded the potato slices around the sheet while Hyde poured the cream on it. Linne sprinkled in the salt and pepper while Hyde would pull out the thyme and sprinkle it around the sheet. Linne then added the shredded cheese on top.

“Repeat this for the second and third layer on the baking sheet, but do not add cheese in the third layer yet.” Hyde let Linne do everything again and then stopped her when she was about to add cheese at the third layer.

“So far, so good. Now’s the long part.” Hyde said.

“Hmph,” Linne looked unamused. 

“Cover the baking sheet and with a 180 degree*C oven, bake it for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or when the potatoes at the center are soft.” The two watched as the food baked.

“So what will we do for an hour? I heard Vatista destroyed you in cards.” She said with a smirk.

The boy slouched at that. “How about Uno? I could teach you if you like?”

“Eh, what the heck? How do you play?”

-1.1 hour later-

“I win again. That makes this my 20th win,” Linne emptied out her cards with a proud look.

“Unbelievable…” Hyde’s head was on the table with complete befuddlement. “How are you two so good at card games?!” 

“Who can say?” She shrugged. “By the way, the hour’s passed.”

With a heavy sigh, Hyde slumped his way to the oven and pulled out the sheet with mitten hands.

“Once baked, add the remainder of cheese and then bake it for about 13 minutes for the cheese to become golden and bubbly. Then, leave it to rest for 5 minutes.” He let Linne add the cheese on top and put on her mittens to place it in the oven. Once the time had passed, the girl's eyes widened at how delectable the food looked. Once the 5 minutes passed, the two looked on with smiling faces. The meal was complete.

“We made a pretty large amount. Wanna taste a small bit?” Hyde gave Linne a small forkful for her. The smell tempted the princess long enough and made her take the bite. The cheesy flavor matched with the soft texture of the potatoes gave her a whimsical smile.

“I can’t believe it… I made this…” Linne was at a loss for words. 

“You did. And I know Seth will like what you made.” Hyde gave her a head pat.

Linne smiled. “I hope so…”

It was lunchtime at school. Hyde popped his head to Seth’s homeroom, which gave the assassin no shortage of irritation. With an eye roll, Hyde walked up to him.

“You have some nerve showing your face to me. What do you want?” Seth said with a glare.

“Look, Linne made you something and I’m just here to deliver it to you. So here.” Hyde handed Seth the lunch container. 

Seth looked at the container, then at Hyde, and back at the container with a little bewilderment.

Hyde gave a genuine smile. “She worked hard to make this for you. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” he then shrugged. “Well, she can’t say I didn’t give it to you. Later.” With a wave, Hyde left the room.

The assassin stared at the container and sighed. His stomach was growling and it was lunchtime. He opened it and was pleasantly surprised at what he saw.

“Gratin, huh?”

The container had a fork and he decided to take a bite. His normally stoic eyes slightly lit up. It had a very comforting taste. The soft cheesy flavor is balanced by the added thyme to give it a very pleasant feeling. He had to admit it, the princess did a good job.

“Not bad.” Seth said with a faint smile.

That did not go unnoticed by passerby students in his class.

“Seth smiled?!” He’d hear them say.

He paid them no mind and kept eating.

Later in the evening, Linne heard the door knock. When she opened the door, no one was there. She looked down and saw that it was the lunch container she packed the gratin in. Upon picking it up, she saw a note written on top of it.

“Thank you.” it read.

Linne smiled at the simple message.

“You’re welcome.” She quietly said.

“Well what do ya know? He can show gratitude.” Hyde had his hand on his hips as he gave a bright grin on his face. 

Linne turned to him and gave a warm smile. “And thank you, Hyde. I know you two are not friends, so thank you for agreeing to help me out.”

“No prob. You know I have your back.” Hyde held out a fist to her.

They were a team after all. So she gave him a fist bump. Their collaborative efforts were a resounding success. Linne would make sure to ask Hyde for more recipes. Maybe she could surprise him with a dish someday or she could just use this to cook herself in case Hyde was busy. Whatever the case may be, she was proud of today’s results.

The Hollow Night was approaching. There were still plenty of uncertainties to consider after Paradox’s defeat. But for the time being, The Unknown Actor and the Princess of the Night Blade were glad to make their distant ally feel somewhat happy with their efforts. Linne could only hope she could get him to open up someday in the future.

Chapter Text

“Kido, could you answer the problem on the board?” Ms. Kokonoe asked after writing down the question.

Hyde could hear the murmurs around the classroom, not that he was surprised. Even after the improvements he’s made, people still had assumptions about him. Even so, he’s come a long way from not caring about his studies. He can only guess why his math and homeroom teacher put him on the spot like that. 

He turned to Tsurugi and Orie, both of them gave Hyde an encouraging smile. With a nod, he got up and walked to the board. 

x⁴ - 2x³ - 3x² = 0

‘Quadratics… So I do this?’

Hyde did the equation, remembering the tutoring he got from Orie and Ms. Kokonoe. This was just another barrier he had to get over to improve himself. Factoring out x², turning it into a quadratic equation, and then using the zero factor property to get his answer.

“X = 0, X = 3, and X = -1.” Hyde wrote down his answer.

The petite teacher gave a beaming smile. “Very good, Kido. I knew you could do it.”

Amongst the surprise looks, Hyde could see Orie and Tsurugi, both had proud looks on their faces. The boy couldn’t help but smile back as he took his seat.

Classes resumed until it was the end of the day. Hyde’s phone buzzed as he was packing his stuff. Upon opening his messages, he could see a text from Orie.

*Congratulations on your answer, Hyde. Sorry if this is sudden, but something came up regarding preparations for Friday Night. Could we meet up some other time?* was her text.

Hyde had a feeling what this meant and texted back.

*Of course. Don’t overdo it, okay? Love you.* he replied.

A few seconds later, he got a response.

*I’ll try. Thank you for worrying about me. Love you too.*

Hyde smiled and put away his phone.

“What’s up, Hyde?” Awesome job on that problem!” Tsurugi put an arm around the blonde with a big grin on his face.

Hyde rolled his eyes. “Thanks. Little bummed that Orie had to leave already. Wanna walk home together?”

Now it was Tsurugi’s turn to look bummed. “Sorry, but the student council is preparing a meeting toNight.”

The boy got the message. The next Hollow Night is a couple days away. That was the reason Orie left right away. So far, Amnesia has still been radio silent ever since Paradox’s defeat.

After making sure no passersbys were listening in, Hyde asked, “What’s the EFG’s stance with me?”

“You being my friend as well as stopping Paradox has painted you in a good light. Just keep being you and we should be fine,” Tsurugi answered with confidence. 

That made Hyde sigh in relief. He was already in a complicated situation dating a Licht Kreis executor so he was glad that he didn't have to worry about another organization.

“That helps a lot. How long will the meeting go?” The blonde asked.

“If all goes well, I’d say four hours,” Tsurugi gave a resigned smile.

“Four?! That’s a long time,” Hyde could admire their determination.

“It’s all for the sake of protecting the innocents. Now I just need to pick up Phonon. Wish us luck, pal!”

With a deep breath, the orange haired boy marched past Hyde, leaving the blonde to his thoughts.

‘Phonon, huh? I remember facing her the last Hollow Night. Never would have thought she and Tsurugi knew each other.’

Part of him was a little worried how the student council would manage. He knew they were capable, but four hours was still a long time.

‘Hm… I could do that.’

Upon leaving the school, he could see a reluctant Phonon being dragged in by Tsurugi and another EFG member, Komatsu.

“Ugh. Why do I have to go? I have plans tonight,” Phonon groaned in annoyance.

“Hey now, you agreed to come back to the council to get stronger. That means you need to attend the mandatory meetings.” Tsurugi responded.

“Besides, don’t you want to make up for your loss against the Unknown Actor?” Komatsu added.

As if on cue, Hyde passed by the three, giving Phonon a chance to glare at the swordsman in question.

“Fine. I’ll go. I did agree on coming back...” she said with a sigh.

Hyde saw the three walk past him and scratched the back of his head nervously. He can imagine her being quite the handful. At least she doesn’t seem like a bad person. Overconfident, more than anything.

But, he had errands to run. Making his way to a local meat market, he used his surplus money to buy a large supply of chicken thighs. He would also stop by the grocery store to buy other ingredients he would need.

‘It’s for a good cause…’ Hyde mentally cried as he forked over his money to pay for his items.

Upon arriving home, he could see Vatista sleeping soundly on the sofa. With a soft look, he placed a blanket on her and let the girl rest. Linne and Wald were absent, so he guessed they went out somewhere. That left him alone in the house, free to do his next order of business.

Placing the ingredients on the kitchen table, he wrapped an apron around him and looked at his kitchen setup. With a smirk, he was ready.

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Fried Chicken Sliders

‘In a bowl, add ½ cup low-fat buttermilk, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Mix them all well with a whisk.’ Hyde did as followed until it became an orangish color.

‘Cut your boneless chicken thighs into thirds and then bathe them in the bowl.’ He did so with all his thighs until they were all covered in the seasoning.

‘On a plate, add all purpose flour.’ He now had a plate full of flour.

‘Cover the chicken with the flour. Add more flour in case more chicken needs to be covered.’ He did so with each thigh until all of them were white with flour.

‘On a pan, put canola oil and begin cooking the chicken on medium heat for about 12-15 minutes or until they become a nice golden brown.’ He flipped the chicken when needed as the boiling oil was cooking until they became that nice color.

‘With a slider bun, place a chicken on the bun and place the other bun on top. You can add all kinds of toppings like lettuce or pickles but I’m just keeping it simple.’ In front of him was a nice simple slider, perfect for a little pick-me-up meal.

And now for the fun part. Hyde looked at the wide array of slider buns and boneless thighs at his arsenal. He was not only making sliders for the EFG, but also for himself, Linne, Vatista, and Wald. He repeated these steps for who knows how long until he was satisfied at what he saw.

120 chicken sliders.

10 for himself, 10 for Linne, 10 for Vatista, 30 for Wald, and 60 for the EFG.

With a proud smile on his face, the meals were ready.

Placing the 60 sliders in a container, Hyde bolted out of the house. Linne and Waldstein just entered right when Hyde dashed out, leaving the two curious on where he was heading.

“That boy seems to be in a hurry. Did something happen?” Waldstein asked.

“I don’t know, maybe-” Linne’s thoughts were interrupted when she smelled the tasty aroma coming from the kitchen.

At that very moment, Vatista woke up from her nap and she, too, smelled the aroma. When the three went to check it out, they were shocked at what they saw. Three containers of sliders, each with their names on it.

“Hah! The boy has gone above and beyond this time!” Waldstein gave a hearty laugh. “I believe he was also carrying a large container with him.” He said as he eyed the sliders in front of him.

Linne took one slider out and tried it. She immediately gave a happy look as the warm and tender flavor melted into her mouth. Vatista ate one and was able to express the most joy she could muster while Waldstein chowed down like there was no tomorrow.

Needless to say, the residents of the Kido household were very happy that evening.

“Let’s see… should be around…” Hyde was going past the school hallway, searching for the student council room. After asking for directions, he was eventually able to find the door. “There it is!”

The boy knocked on the door and waited. He could hear some rummaging as footsteps were heard. The door opened showing Tsurugi who had an unusually serious expression. Almost like a switch, his face turned cheery when he saw Hyde.

“Hyde! What are you doing here? You came at a good time, We’re on a break right now,” Tsurugi said.

“Thought I could do something to help you all push through the meeting. Here ya go.” Hyde handed the container of sliders to the student council member.

This made Tsurugi’s eyes go wide. “You really did all this?!” He looked at the container. This was 60 sliders, all recently made.

“Yep.” was his response.

“Well don’t be a stranger, come in!” he let Hyde enter. His attention turned to the student council. “We still have a few more minutes for break time, Hyde here has made us a little pick-me-up!” Tsurugi announced.

Hyde placed the container at the central table, giving off a tasty smell to all the members in the room. One by one, each member looked starry-eyed at the fresh sliders in front of them. One such member was Phonon who caught a whiff of the aroma.

“Wait, Hyde made this?” Phonon asked, shocked. 

“Oh yeah, I never told you that Hyde’s an amazing cook.” Tsurugi patted the blonde’s back.

Her and the other members began eating and immediately started to feel recharged. Hyde was impressed at the number of people the EFG had. For this meeting, he would say roughly 30 were present. He was happy that he had enough for each of them in the room. He could see Phonon and Komatsu happily eating their meal, he could spot the student council president, Sakaki, who gave an approving nod. And next to him was a girl he did not recognize. She had long light blue hair tied in a ponytail and hazel eyes. Seeing everyone here reminded Hyde of what Yuzu said. About how people can be more than what they let on.

“Looks like everyone likes it. Thanks a bunch, Hyde!” Tsurugi said with a huge grin.

“Don’t mention it. You’ve done alot for me, so it’s the least I can do. I’ll let you all focus on your meeting.” Hyde said.

Before he left the room, he turned to Tsurugi. “Oh yeah, be sure to return the container when you can. Enjoy!” With a wave, Hyde left.

Phonon watched on with intrigue. “So he’s more than just an idiot then.” She munched on her slider and smirked. “Just you wait, Hyde. We’ll settle the score once I get stronger.”

Man, it got late fast. Hyde hurried back home as he could feel the weather getting chilly. With the Hollow Night coming, it also meant December was coming. Now the city was getting a lot colder which meant it was time to pull out the jackets. As for Vatista and Linne… He was considering asking Vatista to materialize jackets to see how they’d look, but they would cross that bridge when they got there.

Hyde returned home and gave a big stretch. It was a tiring evening, but he also felt satisfied. Seeing the people in the EFG happy gave him a warm feeling that made it all worth it. When he turned to the living room, he could see his fellow roommates all sleeping soundly, content with the meal they had.

“Heh, glad you all liked it.” Hyde said as he munched on his own sliders.

All in all, it was money well spent.

Chapter Text

November’s Hollow Night was wrapping up. There was still no word of Amnesia’s whereabouts which was concerning. About as concerning as the abundance of powerful voids that were popping up. Luckily the efforts of the Night Blade, Licht Kreis, and the EFG were able to save many victims from being bitten and becoming those creatures. At the very least they could take solace in that.

Hyde was currently sitting on a bench, waiting for Orie by the Somnus Fountain. She was currently wrapping things up with her team about matters of the civilians and the threat of the voids. While waiting, Linne’s pet dragon, Kuu dropped in with a letter. Every void horde was taken care of on the Night Blade’s end which was a relief. It still haunted him to fight recently turned voids, but it’s just another burden gathering in the Night entails. Moments like those really showed him how much he needed to steel himself for.

Hyde could see Orie walking to him. He smiled and got up from the bench.

“How are things on your end?” Hyde asked.

Orie gave a wry smile. “Well enough. Dawn is almost upon us, so it would be safe for everyone to return home,” she gave Hyde a warm smile. “Thank you for assisting me, Hyde. Your efforts saved many lives this Night.”

“Don’t mention it.” Hyde was about to be bashful until he saw Orie stumble. “Woah!” He caught her just in time. “You okay? You didn’t push yourself again, did you?!”

Orie held onto Hyde as she stood up. She tried masking a smile. “I’m fine. All that matters is that the voids have been taken care of and-”

Orie’s thoughts were interrupted when Hyde placed a hand on her cheek, causing her to blush. Upon looking in her eyes and gently brushing the spots under them, Hyde could see it.

“Orie, how many hours have you slept this week?” Hyde asked with a stern look.

The executor was stunned. She could try hiding it again, but Hyde was already giving a worried frown. There was no escaping this. 

“Less than I should…” Orie admitted with her head down.

Hyde sighed. “You know what I’m going to say next, right?”

“I know…” Orie said. “Sorry. It’s just… the mission needs to take priority. I know I should take care of myself, but-” Orie was interrupted when Hyde pulled her in a hug.

“I’m not telling you to stop. But it's not just me who worries, you know. Lex and Mika wouldn’t want to see you pushing yourself to your limits.” He said, holding her close.

“Hyde… I’m trying. l really am.” She hugged him back.

While the two were wrapping any loose ends, an idea was already forming in Hyde’s head on how to support her exhausted mind.

Another day came as Hyde was getting ready for school. Already seeing Linne off with Chiharu, it was time to put the plan in motion. Pulling out his phone, he’d hoped things would work out.

*Tsurugi, could I ask you to do me a solid?* he typed.

A few seconds later, he got a response

*How can I help?* was his friend's response.

With a smile, Hyde began texting his plan.

Orie slumped on her desk. To say she was exhausted would be an understatement. Before the Hollow Night, the past week was nothing but meetings to attend and mini Hollow Nights she was deployed to. Hyde saw right through the makeup covering the bags under her eyes and seeing him worried made her feel guilty.

Speaking of… Where is he?

She looked around and saw no sign of the blonde. Class was starting in ten minutes, she clearly remembered seeing him off when they parted ways yesterday. Surely something didn’t happen to him.

“Ms. Kokonoe. Do you know where Kido is?” She asked.

The petite teacher gave a light chuckle and adjusted her glasses. “Kido is currently assisting the Student Council with some tasks. He’ll be back by Break Period. No worries.” 

Orie was left confused while Tsurugi gave a whimsical smile at the back of the classroom. With hands over his head, he looked at the door.

‘I did my part, Hyde. It’s all up to you now.’ thought the student council member.

Hyde really owed Tsurugi for this. He was alone in the cooking club room with a bunch of ingredients in front of him. His friend understood his plight and offered himself and Komatsu to gather some ingredients and free use of the cooking club room until Break Period. It could have been gratitude for the sliders, but Hyde was thankful regardless.

He also thanked Ms. Kokonoe for allowing this to happen. She also noticed Orie feeling fatigued and thought his idea would help her alot, so she gave the full okay. He promised to follow up with notes and tutor sessions for the things he’s missing to assure his teacher.

With that, he was now on a time limit. Break Period is two and a half hours away. He pulled out his apron from his jacket like how one unsheathes a sword. Putting it on, the boy gave a confidant smirk.

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Strawberry Shortcake

‘In a bowl, place 4 eggs and pour warm water on them to make the eggs room temperature. Make the oven preheat for about 350* F.’ Hyde did just that and left them alone.

‘Use parchment paper to cover the cake pan. One for the base, and one for the side.’ He made sure the cake pan was properly covered for the eventual batter.

‘Mix 40 grams of melted butter and 40 grams of milk.’ Hyde made sure the mixture was properly combined.

‘On a large bowl of hot water, crack open the 4 eggs. Place 95 grams of sugar. Then whip it until it has a pale color. So about 5 to 8 minutes. Honey can help give it that color. Do it so that there are little to no bubbles seen in the batter.’ The last thing he wants is for any stray bubbles to ruin the shape of the cake.

‘With a hand sifter, add some flour and mix it with a rubber spatula until the flour is fully mixed. Add the butter and milk mixture to the pot and mix it until it is properly mixed together.’ Hyde did so until all the ingredients were mixed together.

‘Pour the batter on the cake pan and if needed, drop it flat from about half a foot high to remove any bubbles.’ He made sure the drop was flat and did not cause any spill. Not too hard.

‘Lower the oven to 320* F and bake the cake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until it is a nice brown color. While it’s baking, prepare the strawberries by cutting some in halves.’ Hyde kept cutting until he had a nice set of strawberry halves. 

‘Once the cake is fully baked, drop it flatly two times to prevent any shrinking.’ He REALLY doesn’t want the cake to shrink. This is a delicate procedure.

'While the cake cools off, let’s make the cream. In another bowl, place 500 Grams of heavy cream, 75 grams of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whisk it all together until it's ready..’ Once he thought it was good enough, it was time to put it all together.

‘Gently remove the cake from the cake pan and horizontally cut it in half. On a cake board, put one half of the cake there. With a bowl scraper, add the cream and spread it evenly with a cake spatula.’ Hyde made sure the top was thinly covered in the cream.

‘Flatly place strawberry halves on top of the cake and then cover it with cream again. Once evenly spread, add the other cake half on top. Evenly spread the cream at the top and around the cake.’ The boy carefully spread the cream until he was looking at one white cake with satisfaction.

‘For presentation, use a piping bag to add any remaining cream and add what you want on top.’ He piped the top edges of the cake, added whole strawberries between them, and then with an extra piping bag with red dyed cream, wrote a message for Orie.

Hyde marveled at the sweet treat in front of him. The dish was ready.

Break Period eventually came. Orie was starting to get worried with Hyde still not being around. As if on cue, Hyde burst in the room with a look of excitement on his face.

“Ah, Kido. Were you able to handle those tasks from the Student Council?” Ms. Kokonoe asked with a chuckle.

“Sure did. Thanks again for understanding.” Hyde bowed to the teacher. His attention then turned to Orie. “Orie, mind if we went somewhere for break?” Hyde asked, reaching out his hand.

The two didn’t keep their relationship a secret which did cause people to gossip about how a delinquent got together with the honor student, but word of that died out in time. 

Orie, just happy to see him, accepted his hand as Hyde led her out of the room. Tsurugi just had a proud smile on his face, happy to see his bud’s efforts paid off.

“Hyde, why are we in the cooking club room?” Orie asked.

Hyde didn’t answer as he hummed a tune while walking. He opened the fridge where he placed his dish and placed it on the table for Orie to see. The bluenette gasped in shock at what she saw. A carefully crafted strawberry shortcake with a fresh cup of green tea on the side. The sheer sight of it made her want to try it right away. Her eyes gazed at the message written on top.

‘You can do this.’ It said.

“Hyde… This is…” Orie was at a loss.

Hyde gave a soft smile. “It was what you said to me when I fought Paradox. Gave me just the push I needed to defeat her.”

The two remembered that moment fondly.

“Now! Go, Kido! You can do this!”

“Roger that. Veil Off!”

“Now then.” Hyde cutted a slice of the cake and placed it on a small plate. “Care to try?” He took a forkful and placed it near Orie’s mouth.

Orie blushed at the action. “Hyde… I can feed myself.” She said with embarrassment.

“Humor me. Please?” Hyde attempted to make puppy eyes. 

Orie couldn’t resist that face. Brushing some of her hair to the side, she opened her mouth, allowing Hyde to feed her. As usual, it was delicious. The soft, sweet flavor with the strawberries being the perfect addition to the cake. This along with the green tea was enough to let all her exhaustion melt away at this moment.

“Thank you… I needed this.” Orie said, looking completely relaxed.

Hyde gave a big grin. “I’m glad.” He then held her hand. “I may not know everything you’re going through and I won’t stop you from your duties. Just please, try not to overdo it. If only for the people who care and love you.” He said with caring eyes.

Orie wished she could tell Hyde everything she was going through. Her pains, her struggles, but she still didn’t feel ready. She would always be thankful for his understanding of her situation. One day, she will tell him without any reservation. For now, the best she could do was this.

“Hyde.” she said, caressing his hand.

“Yeah?”

Orie placed a soft kiss on his lips. The boy’s eyes widened before kissing back and embracing her.

“I love you.” Orie said, nestling into his hug.

Hyde couldn’t stop his grin from widening.

“I love you too.”

The two spent the rest of the Break Period together with the sweet treat and soothing tea. Orie would also feed Hyde the same way he did to her, to which the boy accepted with no complaints. 

Happy moments like these gave the couple the encouragement needed to keep fighting in the Hollow Night. Until the next Night comes, moments of respite are times to be cherished.

Chapter Text

“Man… What am I doing wrong?” asked a 13 year old Hyde.

He sat on a bench at the Riverside Esplanade, his fingers covered in bandaids. With his parents being in the house less and less, it was up to him to cook for himself. The results being… less than ideal.

It was supposed to be a simple curry dish. How hard could it be? For young Hyde, pretty darn hard. Not being used to a knife, he would cut himself by accident, accidently burn the meal, or just add the wrong amount of ingredients. Right now he just needed to clear his head off of any frustrations.

That’s when a pink dog walked up to him and nuzzled his head on his leg. From the looks of him, he seemed to be a beagle. The expression the dog gave was that of care and worry. Was he trying to comfort Hyde?

“Oh my. It seems that Courage is worried about you.” said a voice.

Hyde looked up to see a kind elderly lady. She had short white hair and had glasses on with a winter coat to match the chilly weather.

“He’s a cute one,” Hyde had to admit as he rubbed the dog’s head.

“You seemed to be troubled. Is something wrong?” asked the lady.

“Well…” After some deliberating, Hyde decided to explain his situation. The elderly lady and dog listened intently. 

“Ah…” Hyde laid in the soft grass, content and relaxed. 

Moments like these are just what the boy needs to take his mind off his everyday life and the life threatening Hollow Night. Laying under the oak tree of his favorite spot, letting the natural air pass him by. Nuzzled up to him was the pink beagle he saved in the previous Hollow Night. Who would have thought it would be the same dog he befriended four years ago.

“Nothing beats the fresh air and rest.” Hyde gave his arms a stretch. The dog nodded in agreement.

That was when the two heard something. Was it an animal? No, that wasn’t it. Listening closer, it sounded like someone crying.

“Crying? That’s not good. Wanna go check it out?” Hyde asked the dog to which he nodded.

The two got up and made their way to where the crying was coming from. It was the last day of November as the air started to get a little more chilly. Despite that, the autumn leaves were still hanging on the trees, living out the remainder of their time until winter.

Their travels took them to a lone tree with an entrance in the middle. There sat a little blonde girl, sobbing in her lonesome.

“Wait, you’re… Mika, right?” Hyde asked. The beagle walked up to her and nuzzled his head on her leg.

“Huh? Oh, Mr. Doggie. Thanks for that.” Mika patted his head and then noticed Hyde. “And Orie-chi’s boyfriend. Hid, was it? What are yuu doing here?” 

“It’s Hyde. And the dog’s name is Courage.” the boy shook his head. “We were relaxing by a tree when we heard you crying. Is something wrong?” Hyde crouched to her level.

Mika wiped her tears before explaining. “I just wanted to make a nice meal for Orie-chi, but she… she…"

Orie did not know what she was looking at. She knew Mika could cook basic meals like fish, so she was expecting something edible, but this bento…

“Um…” the bluenette tried to think of something to get out of this.

Looking at Mika, she realized there was no escape. The little girl gave her XL puppy dog eyes so she had no choice. Well, she’s faced death countless times before, so this should be no different. She took a bite and…

“!!!” Orie’s eyes widened.

“Orie-chi?”

Orie was silent. Then her face started to turn blue. And then she collapsed.

“Orie-chi?!”

BREAKDOWN

“ORIE-CHI!!!” Mika rushed to her aid.

Lex and Erika witnessed the whole thing. The former was in awe while the latter was doing her best not to burst out laughing. 

“She fainted?!” Is she okay?!” Hyde asked in a panic.

Mika nodded and moped some more. 

“I just don’t know what I did wrong. I only wanted to make her a nice meal… She always cooks for me, so I wanted to return the favor yuuu,” the little girl sobbed some more. Courage comforted her to which Mika accepted and hugged him.

After listening to what she was using in her bento, Hyde’s eyes widened. Clearly this girl does not have a grasp of the metric system. Not that it was a surprise given her age, but still.

“Oh boy…” Hyde has heard it all.

Orie did warn him about Mika’s… tendencies. He witnessed it first-hand when the kid tried to headbutt him when they first met. Still, Hyde could tell Mika meant well and just wanted to do something for her friend. That was something he could respect.

“Hm…” Hyde began to think of a plan. “I don’t think you’re at that level of cooking yet. How about I show you a dish I enjoy making that even you could pull off?” Hyde offered. 

“Really?” Mika wiped her tears. “Yuu’d do that?”

“Yeah.” Hyde nodded. “I can tell Orie means a lot to you, so I want to help out.”

Without warning, the girl gave Hyde a bone-crunching hug.

“Oh thank yuuu! We’ll make Orie-chi something good for sure!”

Hyde was starting to lose breath. “That’s very sweet of you, but could you-”

*CRACK*

“Hahaha…” he gave a dry laugh before passing out.

“HID!!!” Mika yelled, trying to wake him up. Courage was in a panic, trying to wake him up too.

After Hyde recovered offscreen, he led Mika and the dog to his place. Borrowing Linne’s apron, Mika put it on and had a bright smile. Hyde could appreciate the enthusiasm at least.

“This dish is a simple snack. I think this will serve as a nice dessert after a meal from Orie. Ready to help out?” Hyde asked after wearing his apron.

Mika gave a thumbs up. “Yuu betcha! I want to make Orie-chi and my friends happy!”

The beagle gave an encouraging bark for the both of them.

With one look at the kitchen setup, Hyde gave a smirk.

‘Everything is all set. Let’s get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Happy Plums

‘Preheat the oven to 350* F. Cut Your plums in half and remove the pits.’ Hyde did just so as Mika watched with eagerness. 

‘Coat the baking pan with cooking spray and place the plum halves there. Brush coconut oil on the plums and then sprinkle in a thin layer of sugar on each.’ With Hyde’s guidance, Mika was able to successfully follow the instructions. He almost panicked when the girl considered dumping the sugar on the plums. Crisis averted. 

‘Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.’ Once they were ready, the plums were nice and soft. 

‘In a pot, mix balsamic vinegar and rosemary and bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer. Let it rest for about 8 minutes.’ Mika was confused at the use of vinegar, but Hyde assured her that the taste was worth it.

‘Add sugar and vanilla and stir it until it dissolves. Then strain the mixture to separate the rosemary from the syrup.’ Mika was amazed to see the syrup begin to form. Hyde held the strainer as Mika poured the syrup to a bowl. The rosemary has done its job.

‘With a mug, place the plums, then the syrup, a touch of honey, and for my preference, some greek yogurt.’ Mika looked in awe at the warm and cozy dish in her hands. Hyde was happy to see her eyes full of wonder. The dish was ready.

“Woah, this looks tasty. Let’s try it!” Mika took a spoonful and she gave a big smile. “Yuuu! So good! It’s so warm but also cool. A combination made from heaven!”

“Haha. Glad you liked it,” Hyde also took a spoonful and had a nostalgic smile on his face. “A kind old lady taught me this dish when I was learning how to cook.”

“Really?” Mika asked with wide eyes.

“Yeah.” Hyde looked at his mug. “It was around the time I started to live alone. She would give me pointers on how to handle my kitchenware and gave me advice on various dishes. Heh, she always had a habit of adding a wee bit of vinegar.” he said.

“Wow. Where is she now?” Mika asked.

Hyde’s expression turned somber. Courage also had a sad expression on his face. 

“She’s… no longer here. It’s been a few years since then.” The dog rubbed his head on his leg, to which Hyde gave him a light hug. 

“Was Mr. Doggie close with her…?” the girl asked after seeing their expressions.

“Yeah… She used to be his owner when I first met her. I only knew her for a year, but she definitely helped me a lot when it came to cooking,” He said as he headpatted Courage.

“It’s my first time seeing yuu, and you’re a wonderful little doggie.” Mika showered the beagle with affection, to which he gave a happy laugh.

“Yeah, he’s been doing good for himself,” Hyde said with a smile. “I’m guessing you’re still watching over her?” 

Courage nodded, but also had a sad smile on his face.

“Ah, it’s okay.” Mika gently rubbed his fur. “It’s part of life. I know she was happy having yuu until the end.” Mika soothed the beagle.

Seeing Mika comfort Courage made Hyde smile. “Thanks, Mika. Today’s cooking was a lot of fun. I know you’ll do a good job replicating this for your friends.”

“Yuu bet!” she gave a proud fist in the air. “Although… If you don’t mind, what was her name?”

Hyde remembered fondly of all the interactions he had with her and looked at her with a happy smile. 

“Thea. Her name was Thea.”

Mika would take Hyde’s lessons to heart as she began to make the dish herself. Erika was invited for dinner today so that meant one more person will try this. 

She was glad Hyde allowed her to use his place to make them so she could keep it a secret for dinner. When they were done, he gave a thumbs up which made the girl excited. With dinner time coming soon, she packed the dish and left the Kido residence. 

After a nice dinner from Orie, the little girl pulled out the container and gave each of them a mug of the dessert. She could already see the reactions coming from them, but she insisted that they were good, even taking a spoonful to prove a point. Mika watched with anticipation as her friends ate the Happy Plums. 

“Mika! This is…” Orie’s eyes widened at the comforting flavor of the dessert in her hands.

“Did you really make this?” Lex was also surprised after taking a spoonful.

Mika nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! I wanted to make something for yuu all as thanks for everything! We lived through one Hollow Night together, so I want us to keep staying together!”

“Mika…” Orie gave the little girl a head pat. “Thank you, truly. I can tell you put a lot of heart in this. I’ll be counting on you for the fights ahead.”

“Yuu betcha, Orie-Chi” Mika said with a salute. She then turned to Erika. “What about yuu, Erika, did yuu enjoy it?”

“Hm....” Erika gave a content smile. “I don’t know why, but I feel… very happy.” She took another spoonful which made her smile brighter.

“Funny, I was about to say the same thing.” Lex pointed out. She knew good food when she saw one, but these plums gave her a very warm and cozy feeling. As if any traces of unhappiness had melted away.

“I have to ask,” Orie said to Mika. “Where did you come across a recipe like this?”

MIka kept her big smile as she answered.

“I learned it from a kind lady named Thea.”

Chapter Text

The first couple days of December came by with a vengeance. Already was the city of Kanzakai set for the holidays as lights and decorations were placed all around. You could see Christmas trees being decorated, Christmas music playing in the shopping areas, and all kinds of winter activities being opened. The cafe, Kunugi-Kaze was no exception with red and green decorations plastered around. Topped off with a sizable Christmas tree placed inside the entrance.

Outside the cafe however was a middle school girl with long brown hair tied in twintails waiting impatiently by the entrance. The changing season also meant people wore coats to combat the winter weather. She wore a fluffy green coat over her uniform. Her arms were crossed to match the frown on her face while she waited. 

‘I can’t believe I have to ask for his help,’ she groaned.

She saw the sign being changed to ‘closed’ as the cafe doors opened, revealing two people coming out. One was a nice looking young man who was conversing with the guy she wanted to see. The tropical fish-like hair color was enough of a giveaway for anyone.

“Today went amazing! We really have the holiday mindset handled,” said the young man.

“Only because you have my back, Isogai. Thanks as always,” Hyde gave a cheery grin. 

The two’s attention turned to the girl. Isogai had a curious expression while Hyde frowned. 

“My apologies, Miss Nanase, we just closed the cafe for the day,” Isogai gave a polite bow.

The girl gave a faint blush. “T-That’s okay! I-I just needed to talk with Hyde if that’s okay!” she replied. Seeing him act so kindly gave her the impression that he was Prince Charming.

‘No! No time for fantasizing, Nanase! I need to ask for his help!’ She shook her head to focus.

That caused Isogai to raise an eyebrow. “With Kido? I know you’re one of our regulars, but I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

“She’s… an acquaintance, you could say,” Hyde sighed. “Well, great work as always. See you next shift,” he said, attempting to smile.

The two fist bumped as Hyde waved his coworker away. His expression turned sour when he faced the girl. “Alright, Nanase. What do you want?” he asked with a blank look.

“Look! I already said I was sorry about the misunderstanding. I just… need a favor…” Nanase turned away after saying that. 

That got Hyde’s attention. Normally, he would want nothing to do with this girl, but he did admit she makes for a capable In-Birth. He heard from Tsurugi that she and Phonon made quite the team when they handled the hordes of voids last Hollow Night. He also understood that it’s better to shake off any bad feelings he might have had to have a fresh start, so he relented.

“A favor? Well, you were willing to talk to me, so it must be important. How can I help?” Hyde asked with a genuine want to assist.

Nanase shuffled her hands as a blush began to form on her face. 

“This Saturday will be the anniversary of me and Yoshiko Senpai being friends. I wanted to make her something special…” She said, the winter breeze brushing her twintails back. “Lately, it feels like she’s brushing me off. But I want to show her that she still means a lot to me!”

‘I remember hearing Yoshiko is Phonon’s real name,’ Hyde nodded. ‘Though brushing her off? That’s a bit harsh.’

“I see. Do you have any ideas?” He asked.

Now it was Nanase’s turn to be puzzled. What would be a dish that she could make that was special to them and easy to make? She began to mull it over.

“If it helps, say a bunch of meals you two had. Maybe you can find one that way?” the blonde suggested.

With that in mind, Nanase listed all sorts of foods she had with Yoshiko. Hyde listened intently and began deciding the choice in his head.

“How about this?” Hyde brought up the meal in question.

“Hm… That might actually work. It was one of our favorite dishes when we were kids.” The girl gave a big smile.

“Alright then. I can monitor your cooking. That way, you can learn it yourself in case you want to make it again in the future,” the boy suggested.

“Sounds like a plan! And um…” Nanase gave a pouty blush. “Thanks…”

This wasn’t how Hyde expected his evening to go. But if it means making things water under the bridge with Nanase, he would take it. Plus, he was also trying to find the time to make this dish again. Now was his chance. 

“By the way, any reason you wanted my help in particular?” the blonde asked.

“Well, you’re kind of the talk of the area with how well you cook,” Nanase replied with a chuckle.

“Ah…” Hyde sweatdropped.

After one quick trip to the grocery store to buy the necessary ingredients, the two made their way to Hyde’s house to begin preparing the kitchen.

“Thanks for letting me use your place. I would have had a field day explaining to my parents about you,” Nanase said with a sigh of relief.

“Couldn’t you just say I’m an acquaintance helping you?” Hyde raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t get it!” she snapped.

Nanase brought her own apron and already had it on, which left Hyde to do the same. Now ready to cook, the two looked at their kitchen setup and gave a prepared smile.

‘Everything is all set. Let’s get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Omurice

‘First up, the sauce. Chop garlic and saute it with olive oil on a frying pan.’ Nanase did just that. So far so good.

‘Add a can of tomatoes and crushed consomme. Add salt, pepper, and sugar. Melt butter in to finish it.’ Hyde had to help her a little when she was about to dump the salt in, but all in all, good job.

‘Now for the rice. Coarsely chop an onion, thinly slice mushrooms, and dice chicken thighs.’ He was impressed at how well she could chop the foods herself. He did stop her just in time when the knife almost cut her finger though.

‘Saute chicken, add onions and mushrooms and saute more. Add some salt, ground pepper, crushed consomme, and ketchup. Mix it thoroughly.’ With his guidance, Nanase was able to witness everything being cooked accordingly.

‘Add white rice, fold it in mixtures, then mix in with the rest.’ Nanase beamed when she saw that familiar orange color from the rice. Once it was ready, she placed the rice on a plate.

‘Now for the omelet. In a bowl, crack an egg and stir it. Heat olive oil and butter in a frying pan. Add a dash of salt and pour in the egg. Mix with chopsticks and bring it to a half cooked state.’ The girl winced when a stray oil hit her arm, but all in all, she got the omelet in that state.

‘Once half cooked, slide it over to one side, adjust it and flip it.’ Hyde showed her how to properly flip it and nodded in approval when she replicated it.

‘Put it on top of the rice.’ The girl’s grin widened when she could see the dish she loved as a kid was made by her own two hands.

“And as a little bonus, you can use the sauce to write little messages. Like so.” Hyde wrote a little ‘Enjoy!’ at the top right corner of the omurice. “Why not try it?”

Nanase used the rest of the space to write ‘For Yoshiko!’. The boy was impressed with her neatness. What can he say other than great work!

“I did it… I did it!” Nanase cheered at the completed meal in front of her.

“That you did. And take it from me when I say it looks amazing,” Hyde complimented.

“Now for the moment of truth,” the girl took a spoonful and ate it. Her smile shined at the simple, but tasty flavor of the omurice. Like she was snuggled up in a blanket enjoying this dish by the fire.

“Good job. You have this recipe down pat,” Hyde said after taking a bite as well.

“Thanks! And um…” Nanase started to look embarrassed. “I really am sorry about all those accusations I made. You didn’t deserve it. This moment really showed me that you’re a kind and considerate guy.” She gave a polite bow to show her sincerity. 

The blonde sighed. It really was an honest misunderstanding. Anyone would be scared after being bitten by a void and not knowing what happened next. This was as good a time as any to just let go of any hard feelings about the whole situation.

“It’s alright. All that matters is that you’re alive and well,” Hyde looked away and frowned. “It’s better than what some people got…” He quietly said. The memories of those recently turned voids still plaguing his mind.

“Hyde?” Nanase looked concerned.

Realizing she was still there, he quickly shook his head and changed the subject.

“A-Anyway! I know Yoshiko will like this. I guarantee it!” He gave his best grin.

They still had a surplus of ingredients and Nanase’s cooking gave Hyde the inspiration to cook his own batch of omurice. Eventually, the cooking caught the attention of the other residents of the Kido household which led to a lively dinner that evening.

“Haha! Is it always this busy for you?” the brunette asked as she saw the many plates of omurice.

“Oh you bet. But you know…” Seeing the happy looks everyone had brought a smile to his face. “I wouldn’t trade it for the world…”

“Oh wow!” Yoshiko marveled at the meal in front of her. 

Saturday came, so it was time for Nanase to enact her plan. After school, she invited Yoshiko over to her place and got to work making omurice for the both of them. Once it was ready, the twin tailed girl presented the plates with ‘To our friendship!’ written on them with simple doodles of both of them as well.

“We had this all the time when we were kids. I wanted to make it feel special by making it myself, you know?” Nanase tapped her fingers nervously with a blush. 

“Nanase…” Yoshiko gave a soft smile before trying the dish. She immediately felt eternal bliss from the taste. “Ah! So good!”

As the two continued eating, other memories came to mind as they conversed with one another. All the times they played together, talks of building a sand castle if they ever go to the beach, the times Nanase followed Yoshiko as her technical elder, all of that came flooding back. Yoshiko began to wonder when her pride began to push her away and why for so long.

“Listen, Nanase… Sorry if it felt like I was leaving you behind. It wasn’t fair for you and it only took until the last Hollow Night when we fought together to see how much we both grew from back then.” She had a guilty look on her face when speaking. “This really means a lot. So thank you.”

Despite that, Nanase gave a cheery grin in response.

“Oh, it’s water under the bridge. I mean we’re here now, right? I’m just happy we can hang out like this again, Yoshiko Senpai!” Nanase kept on smiling.

The two spent the remainder of their evening enjoying one another’s company. There was bound to be a lot of catching up to do, but they knew that they had plenty of time for that. The anniversary meal was a resounding success.

‘Thanks, Hyde… I really mean it,’ Nanase thought, earnestly.

Elsewhere at the Kido residence, Hyde sneezed.

“Is something wrong?” Vatista asked.

“Either someone was talking about me or I’m getting sick. Hopefully it’s the former.” Hyde said before rubbing his nose with a tissue. “Anyways, what do you think of the Christmas movie so far?”

“My analysis tells me those two bad guys should have been dead at least 7 times.” Vatista pointed at the TV when one of them took an ironer to the head.

“Haha… It’s just a movie, Vatista.” Hyde chuckled.

Chapter Text

“Well darn…” Hyde muttered as he looked at his thermometer.

39* C. Yup, still a fever. Man, talk about bad luck. The following Monday, Hyde was bedridden and had to miss school because of it. He made sure to keep himself warm by snuggling in his blanket. Guess even the prepared can still get sick. Still sucks though. He felt so weak and had no energy to do anything except rest in bed. He didn’t even have the energy to feel bored.

“Subject has consumed porridge. Rest is essential,” Vatista said as she placed a new wet cloth over his head and picked up his bowl.

Upon getting sick, the little girl took it upon herself to become his caretaker, even to the point of materializing a face mask for her and Linne to wear. Linne meanwhile, was trying to figure out how to make a nutritious dinner to help Hyde to no avail. 

Alongside the two helping, Waldstein left behind some medicine that would help Hyde. Linne explained that the old man picked up on medication during all the times he’s taken care of her. Sure enough, it helped drop his fever down quite a bit.

“Thanks, you two…” Hyde gave a weak smile.

“Just focus on getting better. We’re here for you,” Linne gave a caring smile.

The boy nodded and went back to sleep. A few hours later, a knock was heard at the door, to which Linne opened. It was Orie holding bags of ingredients in her hands and a worried expression on her face.

“Tsurugi told me Hyde has a fever. May I help out?” she asked.

The princess sighed. “More the merrier I guess.”

She let the bluenette in and showed her Hyde sleeping soundly. Orie frowned seeing the sight of her boyfriend. His red face and his slow breathing added to her worry. This only made her want to help him even more.

“He’s taken medication and has had porridge so far. Just trying to figure out what to do for dinner,” Linne was in deep thought.

Vatista materialized a face mask for Orie to wear. Orie’s heart fluttered seeing the little girl work so hard to care for him, so she accepted the mask.

“Any support for Hyde Kido’s recovery is appreciated,” Vatista nodded.

Orie giggled. “It’s encouraging that Hyde has two capable caretakers for him. How can I help?”

“Well, got any ideas for a nutritious dinner? I tried making chicken soup but…” Linne had a downcasted expression.

Orie could see the mess in the kitchen. Poor princess did her best, but alas. Fortunately, that’s where she comes in. Linne was on the right track at least.

“Worry not, I can handle this!” Orie said with pride.

“Oh right. Hyde did say you are a great cook. I’m guessing you have something nutritious in mind?” Linne wondered.

“Indeed… My parents used to make this meal whenever I got sick,” Orie’s expression turned somber after that.

“Parents? Hyde Kido’s parents are currently away for work. Are your parents away too?” Vatista asked.

“Yes… they’re somewhere… far away,” Orie gasped when she felt Vatista giving her a hug.

“Hyde Kido says that this can help ease tension. Is it helping?” the autonomic nerve asked with genuine wonder in her eyes.

“Vatista… Yes. Thank you so much,” she hugged the little girl back. She even felt Linne pat her back which she appreciated. “Would you two like to help out?”

Linne and Vatista nodded. Orie liked this feeling. This way, the meal would be coming from the three of them. Once Hyde wakes up, he’ll be so delighted at what he’ll see.

“Before all that however…” the bluenette looked at the mystery soup in front of her.

Linne comically fell to her knees and gave a deep sigh. Vatista patted her back for comfort.

“There, there,” said the autonomic nerve.

One offscreen montage of kitchen cleaning later, the ingredients were all set. Orie brought her apron with her and put it on with a determined look.

“Alright. This is for Hyde’s health. Are you two ready?”

“Ready!” Vatista and Linne cheered, both with their aprons on.

With one look at the kitchen setup, Orie nodded.

‘Everything is all set. Let us begin!’

Today’s Dish: Chicken Soup

‘Fill the soup pot with roughly ⅙ full of water and begin heating.’ Orie did this one, given her height.

‘While heating, cut the whole chicken into various pieces. The legs, the wings, as well as the breasts and thighs.’ Orie showed Linne how to properly cut the chicken and watched proudly as the princess cut the rest with no issue.

‘Once cut and placed in a large bowl, squeeze two limes on the chicken and wash it thoroughly with water.’ Vatista cut two limes in half and with a squeezer, spreaded the lime juice around the chicken. The autonomic nerve then washed the chicken so that it would be ready to be used.

‘Once washed and the water is boiling, place the chicken in the pot.’ Orie took care of this one. ‘Careful not to let the chicken splash water, it is hot.’ The chicken would make broth to help create the soup.

‘Spread a little salt evenly around the chicken.’ Opting to use a stool, Orie showed Linne how to spread the salt and watched closely as the princess carefully spreaded the salt.

‘While the chicken is cooking, prepare the green beans, carrots, potatoes, green pepper, tomato, onion, and cabbage.’ With two extra pair of hands, getting the vegetables ready went by even faster than expected. Linne took out both ends of the green beans while Vatista cut a few slices of the onion, half a green pepper and diced the tomato. Orie took care of the potatoes, carrots and cabbage. In due time, the vegetables were ready.

‘Once you see the chicken is cooking, add the carrots, tomatoes, onions and green beans first.’ Vatista got on the stool and added them in, stirring it afterwards.

‘A few minutes later, add the potatoes and cabbage.’ It was Linne’s turn to add them in and stir.

‘Let it cook for about 5-10 minutes and then add a little cilantro.’ Orie added the herb and stirred it.

‘You can tell it’s ready once the potatoes and cabbage are nice and soft.’ The three saw the cabbage starting to feel soft.

With Linne tasting a piece of potato and complimenting its softness, Orie smiled in satisfaction. The meal was finished.

After giving the soup a taste, their blissful faces showed that the meal was a success.

“Just like how I remembered…” Orie said fondly. “Thanks, both of you. Normally, cooking this meal brings me a somber feeling, but working with you two has brought happiness with it as well.”

“I… still do not comprehend the value in sentiments, but if it supports you, I am glad I helped,” Vatista gave a slight bow.

“Just don’t push yourself. I already have to deal with Hyde being worried about you every other day,” Linne grinned.

“Haha. Noted. Let me go check up on him. I can take him to the table if he’s awake.” Orie said before heading to Hyde's room.

“It seems Hyde is still asleep,” Orie gently placed a new wet cloth on his head. “Rest well. You will like what we made for you when you wake up.”

With a caring smile, she got up and went for the door. What Orie didn’t know was that Hyde was waking up. From his perspective, he saw her leaving, but he was not seeing Orie. Instead of blue eyes, he saw red eyes. Instead of long blue hair, he saw long black hair. And he saw her walking out of his room. He tried desperately to reach out for her to the point where he fell out of his bed.

“Hyde!” Orie rushed to his side, alarmed. “Why did you do that!? You need to-” she was interrupted when Hyde grabbed her wrist. “Hyde?”

“Don’t go… Please… Don’t go…” Hyde spoke.

Orie could see Hyde’s face was still red from the fever. However, she saw a vulnerability in his face that she was not used to seeing. His eyes were watery and his hands were shaking.

“Why? Why do you always leave? I feel so lost without you two!” he yelled. Tears were falling down his cheeks.

Orie surmised Hyde must be going through a fever hallucination and she had a feeling on who he was seeing. Throughout their time together, Hyde never really mentioned his parents much. She admired how he was able to take care of himself, but until recently, she always saw a sense of loneliness coming from the boy. Was this his inner feelings about his parents leaving him alone?

“Hyde…” Orie held his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Look at me, please.”

The blonde sniffed a tear and looked at her.

“I’m right here. You’re not alone anymore. Me, Linne, and Vatista, and so many others all want you to get better. So please, do not ever think you’re lost or alone. We’re here for you whenever you need us,” she assured. 

Her soft and soothing voice was enough to calm Hyde down. Slowly the images of his mom faded away. Red eyes went back to blue, black hair went back to blue, his mom turned back to Orie.

“O-Orie?” he realized that he was holding her hand and bashfully let go. “S-Sorry! I don’t want you to get sick because of me!”

The bluenette shook her head. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re yourself again,” she used a thermometer to check his temperature. “Good, it’s going down somewhat. Are you feeling hungry? The three of us made something special for you.”

Her, Linne, and Vatista made him something? That got his attention. And right on cue, his stomach began to growl, causing him to give a blushy smile.

“Guess that answers that. Yes please,” Hyde said. “Thanks so much for this, Orie.”

“What kind of girlfriend would I be if I did not worry about your health?” She gently helped him up. “Come, this will surely help you,” she said as she led him to the dining table.

What was waiting for Hyde was a nice warm bowl of chicken soup already placed at the table. Linne and Vatista were watching with anticipating faces as Hyde slowly sat down.

“You all really made this for me? Thank you,” Hyde gave a weak smile. 

The poor boy still looked weak, but that didn’t stop him from eating. The three must have worked really hard to make him this soup. And from the looks of it, it looked really tasty. Down the hatch!

With one spoonful in his mouth, Hyde’s taste buds welled up with flavor. The warm chicken complimented with the soft texture of the carrots and potatoes melting in his mouth made him feel warm and relaxed. Already he feels the nutrients from the chicken and the vegetables helping him in a big way. Coupled that with it being so darn good and he was gonna enjoy this.

“This is amazing! Thank you, Linne, Vatista, Orie,” Hyde said with a grateful expression.

“You should really thank your girlfriend. Best we could do was assist her,” Linne dismisses.

“Nonsense, the cooking went by a lot smoother with both of your cooperations. It was a group effort,” Orie affirms.

“Regardless, we hope this will help you recover soon, Hyde Kido,” Vatista’s said.

“I’m sure it will. Thank you,” With that, Hyde kept on eating.

Yeah, he’s not alone. While a part of him still wished his parents would come home, there were still plenty of bonds he had in this city that he can lean on. So long as he has those, he will never truly be alone.

‘Speaking of, alongside the medicine placed in my room, the old man sent me a letter for his training. Gotta get well soon!’

The rest of the evening was spent with the four conversing and enjoying one another’s company. For a sick day, he’ll take what he can get.

Chapter Text

“Are you ready for this, Boy?” Waldstein asked.

“Yeah! Lay it on me, Old Man!” Hyde cracked his knuckles.

“You got this, Hyde!” Mika cheered.

Hyde readied his hands as he placed them on the weights. 150 kilos. He’s endured the harsh training from the warrior for so long. In just these two months, he not only grew stronger as a fighter, but also in his innate abilities as an In-Birth. Now was the time to show off what he’s learned.

The struggle was real. It was as if everything in his body was telling him to stop as he used all his might to lift it up. He could hear Mika’s loud cheering and could feel Waldstein’s piercing stare as he gave this lift everything he got. Slowly but surely, it was rising. Rising, getting higher and higher until…

“YAH!” Hyde lifted the whole weight above him.

“Excellent! Well done!” Waldstein gave a proud smile.

“You did it, Hyde!” Mika yelled as she casually lifted a 200 kilo weight like it was nothing.

“Where do you find all that strength?!” Hyde sweatdropped as he placed his weight down.

“The child just has that innate potential of a warrior. I look forward to seeing her grow,” Waldstein nodded.

“Thanks, Teach!” Mika saluted.

“Haha…” Hyde nervously laughed. That’s when he got a message from his phone. Upon checking it, his eyes brightened. “The order’s ready!”

“Order?” Waldstein looked puzzled. “Ah right, that thing for the holidays, yes?”

“Ooh! Ooh! Does that mean?” Mika’s eyes sparkled.

“Yup! Mind getting the goods from your place?” Hyde asked.

“You got it! I’ll see you in a bit!” And in a blink, the kid bolted out of the house.

“Wanna come along, Wald?” Hyde asked after drinking a bottle of water.

“Very well. To be honest, I was curious about this part of the Christmas custom.” the warrior agreed.

“Thank you for your patronage!” Said the salesman.

Hyde and Waldstein were making their way home. Snow was lightly falling as the lights of the holidays brightened up the city. Right on time, Mika met up with them, holding a vast assortment of ornaments. Not wanting the little girl to carry it all herself, Hyde offered to take one as well.

“Oh please, this is nothing compared to training,” Mika scoffed.

“I know, but still,” Hyde chuckled as he held it.

Waldstein, on the other hand, was carrying the Christmas tree they just bought over his back. What would be a heavy and difficult thing to carry was a simple matter for a giant like him.

“This is probably the first Christmas I ever had with a real tree. Thanks, Wald!” Hyde said with a big smile.

“Hah! Think nothing of it. I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked on your training. I say it’s worth helping you out in a matter like this. Keep up the good work,” The warrior smirked.

That was true. Hyde has only become a more formidable fighter as the days went by. He was able to lift heavier weights, brave the Arm Cruncher, and even have shorter times in his sprints around the neighborhood. All the while, Waldstein looked on like a proud guardian.

“I can’t wait to decorate the tree. I think this will be Vatista’s first Christmas. I hope she likes it,” Hyde hoped.

“Orie-chi and I have already set up our tree. It was so much fun! She will definitely enjoy it!” Mika cheered.

“Besides, That girl has been glued to you for a while now. She should be back with the princess and- ah, there they are.”

Hyde grinned at the trio in front of them.

Coming across their path were Linne, Vatista, and Chiharu. The three of them were wearing poofy winter coats that were orange, red, and pink respectively. Even though the autonomic nerve says she doesn't need to bundle up for the winter, Hyde couldn’t deny that it looked adorable on her along with the other two.

“Did you three get to enjoy your walk?” Hyde asked.

Linne gave a soft smile. “It was enjoyable. Really took for granted how much the city changes during the holidays…” Linne felt the dropping snow in her hand.

“Yuh huh! Told you it would be fun!” Chiharu gave Linne a friendly hug. “You should have heard Vatista sing. It was amazing!”

“Heh, I believe it.” Hyde said, giving Vatista a head pat. The white haired girl looked away, seemingly embarrassed. 

Prior to today, Linne and Chiharu overheard Vatista sing one time and both thought she was amazing. Their point was only proven more today when walking around the city. All it took was Vatista singing along to a holiday tune for her to start drawing an audience with her voice. From ‘Jingle Bells’, to ‘Let it Snow’, to ‘This Christmas’. She sang them all to perfection.

“I only sang out of reflex, nothing more.” Vatista said.

“Heh, could have fooled me.” Linne responded.

“Yuuuuu! If I’d known that, I would have joined you three!” Mika pouted.

“Anyway,” Hyde jumped in the conversation. “We were going to set up the Christmas Tree at my place. Wanna help out, Chiharu?” 

“Would I? Yeah!” Chiharu beamed at the idea. 

“Haha! Then come along, Children! The tree won’t set itself up!” Waldstein led Vatista, Mika, and Chiharu along, leaving Hyde and Linne looking speechless.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him act this friendly out in the open like that,” Hyde said with a laugh.

Linne chuckled and shook her head. “Must be from all the times he’s raised me when my vessels were young. He still treats me like a child because of this body,” she gave her coat a tug.

“Well, this is nice. Let’s go set up that tree!” Hyde looked on at the path to his house.

And so, the two hurried along with the others for the Kido Residence.

Work was immediately done as they arrived home. Waldstein set the tree by the corner of the living room, while Hyde opened the container of ornaments. He and Vatista got to work wrapping the tree with red and green decorations and lights, while Linne, Mika, and Chiharu placed the many ornaments around the tree.

A few that caught Waldstein’s eye were the ones that resembled each of them.

“Where’d you get these, Boy?” the warrior asked.

“Oh yeah, Mika and I made these. She showed me the basics and we just went and did all of us. Cool, huh?”  Hyde answered. (Picture the BBTAG chibi avatars for the ornaments)

“And it was fun!” Mika added.

The giant marveled at the one looking like himself and Chiharu was in awe at the one looking like her and her friends. Lots of fun was had setting up the tree until they got to the final step.

“Care to do the honors, Princess?” Waldstein handed the star to her.

“Heh, might as well,” Linne gave a lax smile.

With Waldstein picking her up, Linne placed the star at the top of the tree, completing the Christmas tree. Ornaments, decorations and lights all placed.

All six looked on with proud faces, satisfied with their hard work. That was until Linne’s stomach rumbled, causing her to blush.

“Guess that built up an appetite. No problem.” Hyde rummaged through the ornament container and pulled out a surprise apron, shocking everyone. “Oh yeah, since it’s winter time…”

One quick rummage in the closet and Hyde came back with a nice warm kotatsu. “Enjoy!”

“Kotatsu!!!” Mika leaped inside and already was in a lax daze at the warm comfort it gave. Linne and Chiharu followed suit and joined Mika’s reaction. Vatista, while hesitant at first, entered the kotatsu and soon sank into a happy sigh. Waldstein watched on with a hearty laugh when seeing Linne’s expression. Seeing everyone already getting comfortable in the kotatsu made him happy as he went to the kitchen.

‘Training was tough, and it was pretty cold outside. A nice warm meal should do it!’

One quick look at his kitchen setup and he smirked.

‘Everything is all set, time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Miso Ramen

‘Slice and mince ginger, mince one shallot and crush 2 garlic in a bowl.’ Hyde did so and placed the three ingredients in the bowl.

‘Grind 1 tbsp of sesame seeds.’ Hyde used a mortar and pestle to grind the seeds.

‘Add 1 tbsp of sesame oil on a pot. Once heated a little, add the ginger, shallot, and garlic.’ Upon placing them, he mixed them around as they began cooking.

‘Add ¼ lbs of ground pork and cook it until there is no pink left.’ He could see the pork mixing with the ingredients. Good, it’s all coming together. 

‘Add 1 tsp of la doubanjiang and add 3 tbsp of miso, mix them well.’  He made sure the two were mixed all over the ingredients so not one side had too much.

‘Add the grinded sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp of sake (Thanks again, Yuzu) and after mixing them a bit, 4 cups of chicken stock.’ he could see the stock covering everything up. He began to mix it around for a little bit.

‘After some mixing, add 1 tsp of salt, ¼ tsp of white pepper, and then keep the soup simmering.’ After tasting the soup with a small spoon, he nodded in approval, it was ready.

‘Now we boil water in a large pot and begin cooking the ramen noodles.’ He did so until he could see the noodles were all ready.

‘Once cooked, we can put the noodles in a bowl, add the soup, and then add our toppings.’ For toppings, he decided to go for chashu slices, corn kennels, ramen eggs, nori, bean sprouts, and chopped scallion. 

He made plenty to have a whopping 8 servings for everyone. With a satisfied nod, the meal was finished.

“Alright everyone, soups on!” Hyde had bowls ready for everyone and placed them on the kotatsu and dining table.

“Thank you for the meal!” Everyone said before they began to chow down.

Mika had her chopsticks out and began slurping blissfully with Linne and Chiharu giving joyful expressions while eating. Vatista would also enjoy the dish in her own way, even giving a faint blush as she ate her meal. Hyde and Waldstein watched on fondly as they had their dinner by the dining table.

“The young sure do have a lot of energy.” Waldstein said with a proud laugh.

“They sure do,” Hyde agreed as he slurped his ramen.

The rich flavor from the miso soup was enough to send the warrior to an almost zen-like state. He may be an advocate for meat and protein, but even he admitted the vegetables really added to the flavor with the pork and noodles.

“Ah, just what I needed after seeing the sights,” Chiharu said, cheerfully. She turned to Hyde. “You really should have heard Vatista though. She has the voice of an angel.”

“I… only sang what was asked of me. Nothing more…” Vatista downplayed.

Hey now, give yourself some credit. Hyde and I heard you sing around the house sometimes.” Linne snickered. “You really got his attention when he heard you sing Silver Will.”

“Yuuuuu! I want to come next time!” Mika yelled, waving her hands.

The kid’s banter continued on as everyone enjoyed their meals. There was just something so warm and fuzzy seeing everyone full of smiles and cheer. With the Christmas tree set and the city in a highly festive mood, it was truly the sign that the holidays are fast approaching.

“MIssion accomplished.” Hyde said. “We got training done, we set up the tree, and we had another great dinner.”

“You are improving as a warrior by the day, Hyde. Keep at it,” Waldstein patted Hyde’s back, unintentionally knocking him off his seat.

As Hyde got up, he looked on at the tree they all set up. He faintly remembered celebrating Christmas with his parents as a kid and felt a little somber. It soon turned to joy when he saw his loved ones being placed around the tree. Orie, Tsurugi, Yuzu, along with others. The four placed in the center however, made him feel immense joy. Linne, Waldstein, Vatista, and himself placed together like a family. Maybe not the most conventional household family, but one he cherishes all the same.

Chapter Text

Another day of school had ended, Hyde was outside the entrance and was about to head home when he was stopped by two girls. 

“Hyde Kido, correct?” asked one of the girls.

One had long brown hair with sharp brown eyes while the other had short black hair with a more playful pair of black eyes. Hyde remembered these two. They were…

Uh, yeah? You’re… Murayama and Sakurai, right?” he responded.

“Splendid, that saves us the introduction.” Sakurai clapped her hands with a cheery smile. “We’ve been hearing around the school that you’re quite the cook.”

I mean, I don’t brag about it.” He lightly scratched his cheek with a faint blush.

Murayama gave a light smile at the boy’s modesty. “We just have a favor to ask you, if you’re willing. It involves Erika.”

“Miyashiro?” That piqued his interest.

Sakurai gave a dry laugh. “She recently tried cooking for herself again and well… it went bad.”

“How bad exactly?” Hyde dreaded the answer.

“The whole pan was burnt to a crisp.” Murayama said in an objective tone.

“That bad, huh?” Hyde sweatdropped.

“So if you don’t mind, would you be willing to help Erika out? Maybe teach her some recipes she can cook for herself?” Sakurai asked.

“Are you sure you want my help? Doesn’t Miyashiro hate guys? Orie’s a good cook, wouldn’t she be a better choice?” Hyde didn’t want to cause any trouble.

“Haha. Erika would rather die than ask Orie for help. That and we’re hoping you could help her get more comfortable with guys. Word has spread of you being a nice guy, after all.” Murayama explained.

Huh. Hyde knew he was trying to better his image, but he didn’t think it was already having an effect. Then again, Orie always saw the good in him, Tsurugi and the student council have also put in a good word for him as well. Not to mention Ms. Kokonoe’s optimism gave him reason to improve. Moments like these, he felt blessed to have these bonds.

“My only other concern is, will she be bitter about seeing me? You know, given how our battle went…” He still remembered the fear of almost getting lit on fire.

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that.” Sakurai giggled. “Erika has always seeked to better herself. So losing to you simply adds to her competitiveness.”

“Well… When you put it like that, alright then. When do you want me to help?” Hyde asked.

“We have to meet up with Erika right now, so could you come over at around 5 today? Here is the address.” Murayama gave the boy a slip of paper. 

“Later today. Alright, got it.” he nodded.

“Thank you for your cooperation.” Sakurai said.

The two girls bowed and left to go pick up their friend, leaving Hyde alone with his thoughts. 

‘So this is going to be my evening, huh?’ He was picturing how things will play out. ‘Still, people seeing me in a better light. It feels… nice.’ he smiled.

“Off to help another person?” Said a voice of someone walking to him.

Hyde smiled at seeing his girlfriend. “Hey, Orie. Looks like it. Does Miyashiro have bad blood with you or something?”

Orie sighed. “She sees me as a rival and is too prideful to ever ask for my help. Honestly, that girl…” She had a conflicted look on her face.

“Haha…" Hyde could relate. “Guess we’re both on the same boat when it comes to prickly rivals.” he immediately thought of Seth. “Well, wish me luck.”

“If it’s you, I know things will end up well.” Orie kissed Hyde on the cheek. “Don’t overdo it,” she said with a wink.

Seeing her leave, Hyde shook his head with a laugh. That perked him up as he left the school with a confidant grin. 

‘Nothing earned, nothing gained. Now, what kind of recipes can be good for her…’ Hyde proceeded to spend the following time thinking of what to do.

It was the appointed time as Hyde was at the front door of Miyashiro’s place. Would she even listen to him? Will a fight start? Who can say? He might as well see this through. After a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

He could hear a few rummaging sounds before the door opened. Erika frowned upon seeing the boy.

“So, they roped you into coming…” she said, arms crossed.

“Well, your friends care, and if I can help, I’ll do it.” Hyde responded with confidence.

“Hm.” Erika gave Hyde a quick lookover. 

She could see him carrying a bag of ingredients in his hands and his school bag over his back. She could also see it in his face that he truly meant well. Her battle with him last Hollow Night showed her as much. With a sigh, she relented.

“Fine, you can enter. But only the kitchen, got it?” Erika glared at Hyde at that last part.

“Obviously.” he rolled his eyes. “Your friends sent me to help and that’s what I’m gonna do.”

With that, the two made their way to the kitchen.

‘So far, so good. Just do your job, Kido.’ Hyde told himself. 

‘Hmph. Could he actually help? Cooking for myself is always helpful, but…’ Erika felt unsure.

Hyde had a confidant smile on his face as he wrapped his apron around him. Erika didn’t know why, but the cheery look he was giving gave her a sense of ease. This feeling was all new to her when it came to cooking. Normally, she was tense and serious. Was this why Murayama and Sakurai chose him?

“Tell me, Kido. You seem to enjoy cooking. Why is that?” she asked, her eyes showing genuine curiosity.

“Why?” the boy pondered a bit. “I guess it started out of necessity. If I didn’t cook, I didn’t eat. Like you, I also messed up alot.” he mentally winced at those times.

“You? Messing up? Are you serious?” She was surprised. 

This whole time at school, she heard of the master chef, Hyde Kido. From the sliders, to the strawberry shortcakes, not to mention the delectable bento boxes he’d make. Before all that, he messed up too?

“So how did you improve?” she asked.

“Heh.” Hyde remembered that fateful meeting at the Riverside Esplanade. He would always be thankful to Thea for giving him a reason to better his cooking. “Because seeing others happy makes me feel happy too. To know I can brighten others' day makes it all worthwhile, ya know?”

“To make people happy… Interesting… Very well, show me.” Erika eyes the kitchen setup.

Seeing her put on her apron, Hyde smirked.

‘Everything is all set, let’s get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Steak Sandwiches

‘With 2 garlic cloves, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, ¼ cup worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, and ¼ cup teriyaki marinade sauce, marinate your steak by combining the ingredients in a plastic bag.’ Hyde watched and helped Erika as she carefully added each ingredient together, telling her there was no pressure. He grinned when it was all done. 

‘Spread the contents around evenly and seal it up. Place in a refrigerator for 1-2 hours.’

“So we have to wait for an hour? What are we gonna do then?” she crossed her arms, annoyed.

“Eh, might as well catch up on homework. That's why I brought this with me.” Hyde motioned his school bag.

“I never took you for the studious type.” she smirked.

“Heh, when you spend time with an honor student long enough, studying kinda rubs off on you.”

The two spent the time waiting for the steak to refrigerate by studying. Before they knew it, the time went by just like that.

‘Add olive oil to a frying pan on medium heat, Cook your meat on each side until it has cooked through.’ Hyde explained to Miyashiro why cooking on high heat was a bad idea for some meals. Dishes like steak require less heat so that the meat would cook properly and not end up burnt and raw. 

‘Now we cook our egg sunny side up by cracking it in the pan and letting one side fully cook before flipping it over.’ The boy nodded in approval at her being able to make the egg properly.

Slice up your French Bread and spread mayo on the bottom layer. Follow with spinach, egg, sriracha sauce, and steak. Place the bread on top and here it is!’ While Erika was making the dish, Hyde cooked his own sandwich alongside her. He smirked upon seeing two proper sandwiches made. The meal is ready.

“See? Wasn’t so bad, wasn’t it?” Hyde asked as he saw both sandwiches looked appetizing.

“Did I… really make this?” Erika looked at her meal, surprised it wasn’t charred or inedible.

“It only takes practice. Like I said, I’ve been in your situation before,” the boy looked at his hand, remembering all the times he accidentally cut himself.

“Heh, with how much better your sandwich looks than mine, that is hard to believe, master chef.” Erika scoffed.

Hyde shrugged. “We all start somewhere. That can go for a lot of things.” He looked on with a grin. “Well, don’t just stand there, try your work.”

With a nod, Erika took a bite of her sandwich. Her eyes widened at the familiar, yet delicious flavor. The egg and steak worked in tandem as the sriracha gave it just the kick needed to cap off the taste.

Hyde smiled at her reaction. It reminded him of himself when he finally learned how to make meals he struggled with properly. It was almost like looking in a mirror. What Hyde was not expecting was seeing Miyashiro look sad, which caught him off guard.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, worried.

“It’s just… Even though this is so much better, it reminded me of the sandwiches from my former school…” Erika tried hiding her frown.

Oh yeah, Ms. Kokonoe did mention that Miyashiro, Murayama, and Sakurai were transferred from an all-girls school. He remembered from their introduction that the girl looked disheartened from the transfer. 

“Do you miss that school?” Hyde asked.

“I’m used to transferring and I know I have those two by my side, but… I enjoyed just living with my classmates, seeing those trees bloom from the rooftop, befriending my classmates…” Erika’s face softened. “Heh, I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.” she scoffed.

Hyde had to choose his words carefully. Even with this much progress, he still had a feeling that she was still uncomfortable around guys. It was clear that she was hurting, however. With an idea in mind, he spoke up.

“We may not be your former school, but I like to think we’re a good bunch.” Hyde recalled his journey to better himself, how the people who had the wrong idea about him actually talked to him when he decided to open up. “Think you could give us a chance?” He hoped this would work.

Erika did think about his words. The people in her current school have been welcoming to her. As a Wagner, she knows her duties come first above all else, but as Miyashiro, she wasn’t opposed to the idea of adjusting. Murayama and Sakurai went out of their way to ask for this boy’s assistance, after all.

“I’ll consider it.” Erika gave a small smile. “Thank you for teaching me this dish. You showed me I have what it takes to make my own meals.”

“Glad I can help. I have a few other recipes I can teach you, if you like?” Hyde pulled out a set of recipes from his bag.

“Hmph. I suppose it never hurts to learn more. Very well.” she nodded.

The remainder of Hyde’s time there was spent showing Miyashiro other recipes she could make herself. His suggestion of cooking it with her colleagues did spark consideration for her. During the whole time, she realized she wasn’t too put off by Hyde’s presence. For a guy, he was not bad.

‘Guess I’ll have to thank those two after all.’ she mentally sighed.

Chapter Text

“Okay, I got table 3, Isogai, get table 7, Tokisaka, get table 1.” Hyde called out, holding a set of finished plates.

“Right!” His two coworkers nodded.

Things were getting hectic over at Kunugi-Kaze. Hyde went back to the kitchen and got to work in readying the orders. Thanks to Isogai’s prep work for the dishes and Tokisaka’s organization of the cups and plates, everything was going smoothly.

“One caramel brulee latte and oolong tea!” Hyde placed the drinks at table 3. Orie happily took the tea while Erika was amazed at the carefully made latte in her hands.

“Thank you so much, Hyde.” Orie sipped her tea and gave a happy sigh.

“I suppose having a little rest wouldn’t hurt.” Erika sipped her drink and blushed and the wonderful flavor.

“Heh, glad you two liked it!” Hyde grinned.

“Here’s your almond roast and triple berry sunrise.” Isogai winked as he placed the order at table 7.

‘He’s prince charming!’ Nanase gushed, then immediately was in pure bliss after taking a spoonful of her frozen treat.

“You probably shouldn't be eating ice cream in the winter, Nanase. You’ll catch a cold.” Yoshiko reminded her with a laugh.

“Hope you two enjoy.” Isogai gave a gentle smile.

“I have a chestnut praline latte and green tea here.” Tokisaka arrived at table 1 with their drinks.

“Ah, just what I needed.” Tsurugi gave a big smile while drinking his latte. “Now I’m ready to handle the rest of the student council work!”

“And handled with such care too. Give my thanks to the brewer.” Komatsu said with a light smile.

“I will, Kido has been a great help to us.” Tokisaka smiled.

The three kept going at it. With the holiday season still going strong, customers came in droves. It was one week before Christmas. The cafe was in peak business hours with all the seasonal drinks becoming available. That didn’t deter the hardworking part timers however. Hyde and Isogai took pride in their cooking and Tokisaka was their invaluable support. When together, they’re unstoppable.

“Woo! Nice and toasty.” Yuzuriha sipped her hot cocoa.

“I’ll say. Well done, Kido.” Hiroha agreed, enjoying her peppermint mocha.

“Ah, don’t mention it,” Hyde downplayed. “Oh yeah, that bento you made me the other day was delicious. Thanks, Hiroha.”

“I believe it is my turn to say ‘Don’t mention it’.” Hiroha laughed.

“You actually went and ordered for me.” Linne couldn’t help but laugh as she took a forkful of some mouthwatering honey toast.

“I could see stars in your eyes when you stared at the display.” Seth said with a hint of snark in his voice. “Sometimes I wonder if food is all you ever think about.”

“Hmph!” Linne pouted and took another forkful, immediately being on cloud nine.

Isogai looked on with a proud smile, happy to see Linne’s reaction.

“Your presence here is an anomaly. Just what are you?” Vatista asked, an almond croissant in her hands.

“Just a visitor here, don’t worry your little head about it. I’m sure the readers will see more of me in time. Don’t keep me waiting, dear author.” the visitor flicked her purple braided hair and sipped her tea, feeling at ease at the soft flavor.

‘What the heck are those two talking about?’ Tokisaka sweatdropped.

Tokisaka was picking up the finished plates, Isogai waved goodbye to the satisfied customers, and Hyde had another batch of orders to make. Despite it all, the trio kept at it.

With customers coming and going, it was only a matter of time before it became evening. Only about 30 minutes left until closing. Business had slowed down since the afternoon rush, but that didn’t stop the three from being on top of things. Tables clean, plates clean, store clean.

The entrance bells rang, more customers. Hyde walked over to greet them.

“Good evening, welcome to-oh.” Hyde recognized one of the pair.

Short gray hair, lax expression, it’s Orie’s friend, Lex. Next to her was someone Hyde did not recognize. The person in question was a young man with icy blue hair and eyes. He looked a little older than Hyde and wore business casual attire.

“Is he a friend, Lex?” The blonde decided to ask.

“An acquaintance more or less,” the man said. “My name is Londrekia Light.”

“Hyde Kido, Nice to meet you.” he smiled.

“The pleasure is all mine, Unknown Actor.” Londrekia smiled back.

‘Okay, he used the alias. Definitely an In-Birth.” Nervousness rose for Hyde.

“A-Anyway, table for 2?” Might as well get back to serving them.

“That would be helpful, yes.” Lex answered.

Taking them to an open seat, it was only just the two of them at the cafe now. With it being close to closing time, he was not surprised. Was this on purpose?

“So how can I help you two?” Hyde pulled out a notepad.

“Hm…” Lex looked at the menu. One dish caught her eye, for it was a recent dish that was all the rage when it first came out. “Could I have this one with an order of black tea?”

“Funny, I was going to ask for the same thing myself. I could use something sweet about now.” Londrekia added. “Oh, and could I have it with mint tea?”

Hyde noted it all down. “Alright, I’ll be back shortly.” With that, he went to the kitchen. Before leaving however, Lex added on to something quietly so only he could hear.

“I have some information that could be beneficial to you. You can join in the conversation if you want.” she casually said.

Information? Hyde knew that Lex supports Orie in regards to intelligence and reports. Is that the reason she is with Londrekia right now? Actually, who is he anyway? Licht Kreis is supposed to be an all women organization, right? Is he an exception?

“I see…” the blonde turned to his coworkers. “Would it be okay if I chatted with them after hours? I can close up shop.”

“Oh sure, go ahead. You’ve done alot for us already.” Isogai smiled.

“We’ll be sure to clean up before leaving.” Tokisaka added.

“Thanks, guys,” Hyde turned to the kitchen. “Lemme just get their orders ready first.”

With that, Hyde made his way to the kitchen. Readying the premade dish reminded him when he made it himself to his coworkers' delight.

‘Everything is all set, time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: White Chocolate Bread Pudding

‘With stale brioche bread, start by tearing them into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.’ Hyde did so and placed the teared bread in the bowl.

‘Pour 3 ¼ cups of heavy cream over the bread pieces. Let this soak for 30 minutes.’ He watched as the bread took in the cream.

‘In another bowl, combine 3 beaten eggs, 2 cups sugar, ¼ cup melted butter, and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Add 1 cup white chocolate chips and 1 package of butterscotch chips, along with 1 tsp nutmeg, and ½ tsp salt. Fold everything together gently.’ Mixing it all up, Hyde could see everything coming together.

‘Pour your egg and sugar mixture into the mixing bowl with the bread and heavy cream. Fold to incorporate all ingredients evenly and set it aside.’ The boy kept at it until everything was mixed.

‘Butter your casserole dish, then pour your bread mixture into the casserole dish and spread evenly.’ He did so and was proud to see the mixture fill up the casserole.

‘Set oven to 350*F and bake for 1 hour or once it is browned on top and is firm up.’ Placing it in the oven, Hyde let the bread pudding bake.

‘While the pudding is baking, let’s make the sauce.’

‘With a pan and at medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of butter, mix 1 cup of heavy cream once the butter melts, and 1 tsp of salt. Mix well.’ He did just that and carefully mixed it.

‘And then slowly mix in a pack of white chocolate chips. Only put a little at a time for the sauce to keep consistency. Once the whole pack is added and mixed, let it rest for 5 minutes.’ Hyde was careful to add small amounts of white chocolate chips at a time so that eventually the whole pack would be mixed in the pan.

‘Once the bread pudding is done, take a piece of it and put it on a plate, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, and then drizzle the sauce around it.’

Tokisaka and Isogai were completely mesmerized at the smell and shine the dish gave off. Hyde looked at the treat with delight, it was finished.

“Here it is! 2 White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Black and Mint tea.” Hyde placed the orders at the table.

Lex’s eyes lit up at the presentation of the dish while Londrekia was left in awe. The intricate care to make the bread pudding look soft and warm with the ice cream on top giving it the cold support with the sweet sauce around it. It looked delectable.

“My word, did you make this?” the icy haired man asked.

“Heh, just a skill I picked up along the way. Enjoy!” Hyde grinned.

The moment the two took a spoonful, they were immediately enraptured by the flavor. The rich, warm texture of the bread pudding supported by the coldness of the ice cream as the sauce gave it just the touch needed to top everything off.

“Goodness, this is amazing! You never cease to surprise me with your cooking.” Lex praised. The sip of her tea gave her just the comfort she needed after the tiresome day she had.

“I’ve heard word of the Unknown Actor being a skilled cook, how fortunate to be proven right!” Londrekia ate more with delight in his eyes, feeling even more energized after drinking the mint tea.

“Glad you both enjoyed it!” Hyde felt proud. Nothing like seeing others happy with his cooking to brighten up his evening. By the time they were chowing down, it was closing time. Turning to his coworkers, he nodded to them. “Thanks again for letting me do this.”

“No problem! You know how to close up shop.” Tokisaka waved back.

“We’ll leave you three alone.” Isogai winked.

“You guys…” Hyde laughed.

Seeing them off with the closed sign placed, Hyde pulled up a seat next to his last two customers. He could feel the atmosphere grow tense as the two had more serious expressions. Whatever is going to be said, it must be important. 

“I’ll cut to the chase.” Lex started. “Paradox is back.”

Hyde froze, flashes of his fight with her came back. His fist tightened as he hid them under the table. “So that means Amnesia is at it again?”

“That is most likely the case,” Londrekia nodded. “I never encountered her during October’s Hollow Night, but it is impressive you were able to defeat her, given her prowess.”

“Oh? Isn’t that because your group sent you to face the Crimson Knight?” Lex asked, amused.

“I’ll have you know it was for a valid reason. That is all there is to it.” Londrekia huffed.

“Haha…” Hyde nervously laughed at the two staring at each other.

That’s when it dawned on the blonde. Miyashiro mentioned a knight got in her way when she challenged him during November’s Hollow Night. Would that be him?

“I’ve been meaning to ask, who exactly are you? I thought the Licht Kreis was women only?” he decided to just ask.

“You are right. I suppose you could call us a subdivision, The Ritter Schild.” Londrekia explained.

“So another organization, huh?” Hyde nodded.

“Every now and again, we collaborate in group efforts, such as right now with Paradox’s return.” Lex added.

“Right, Paradox,” Hyde got back on track. “What else do you know about Amnesia’s movements?” He still remembered Gordeau and Chaos who retrieved Paradox that Night.

“We have found sightings of the Harvester of Greed and Bloody Chaos, they are most likely going to be involved as well.” Lodnrekia answered.

Hyde grimaced. While Gordeau was a pretty chill guy, he couldn’t forgive Paradox or Chaos for harming Vatista and Orie.

“Additionally, we also learned that another member of Amnesia, Enkidu, has left the organization. The reason is unknown.” Lex added.

“Strange,” Hyde processed all this. “Jeez, so alongside Amnesia’s return, there’s also the surge of voids appearing last Hollow Night.”

“You bring up a good point,” Londrekia nodded. “The timing of that alongside Paradox’s recovery bodes ill for the coming Hollow Night. Best be on your guard.”

“I will. You two do the same. I… don’t want to see anyone fall in the Night.” Memories of the humanoid voids made Hyde frown.

“Heh, don’t worry. I know when to flee if I’m ever in danger.” Lex smiled.

“And I have no intention of dying either. Funny, we should be worrying about you, given you’re still fairly new.” Londrekia pointed out.

“Depending on how things play out, Licht Kreis will send another Executor as a sort of insurance,” Lex clapped her hands after that. “Okay, I think we’ve had enough of the downer talk. You know what’s coming, after all?” she gave a smug look at Hyde.

“Ah! Um, yeah, Christmas! I already have my gifts ready, yup!” Hyde couldn’t hide his blush.

“Did you now?” Lex chuckled at his reaction. “Including a certain friend of mine?”

“Well obviously, I-” he immediately covered his mouth.

“By any chance, are you referring to Ballardiae? Come to think of it, I have seen her happier lately. Are you the reason why?” Londrekia smirked. 

Hyde covered his face as it flushed red.

‘Heh, good to know.’ Lex mentally noted that down.

“Well, it’s getting late now. Thank you for the tasty treat, Kido.” Londrekia paid for both him and Lex. “You take care now.”

“You as well. And thank you both for the information.” Hyde smiled.

“No problem. Consider it thanks for looking after Orie all this time.” Lex answered sincerely.

The blonde saw the two off from the cafe. While he was closing up shop, he began forming a plan on how to handle THAT day of December. Perhaps it was time to start sending out those invitations… 

It is unknown how the coming Hollow Night will play out. He hoped his idea would give people a fond memory and have some fun before they have to go back to the Night. After all, it is the season.

Chapter Text

Near a remote village surrounded in a vast green field, a young man was practicing his swings with a wooden sword. His black hair swayed with each slash, his red eyes focused as he held onto his form. One, two, three, he kept on increasing speeds, each swing more ferocious.

“Brother Kuon! Are you there?” Said a voice of a young girl.

The young man stopped his swings, wiping off the sweat in his head. He turned and smiled at the sight of his little sister.

“I’m here, Linne. Just been training since noon.” Kuon held his sword over his shoulder.

Linne shook her head. “Honestly, it is already sunset. Did you really spend most of the day training?”

“It can’t be helped, you know what my role is as part of the Night Blade’s assault team.” he reminded.

“I know… I just worry.” Linne looked away.

Kuon could understand his sister’s concerns. It was hard to imagine how long it has been since the Hollow God graced their village. The introduction of EXS, the fascination everyone had as they manifested their powers. Little did anyone know at the time what tragedy that visit would entail. 

Starting with just a handful of people who were curious about the village, to armies, government intelligences, and soldiers coming for the knowledge of EXS. The swordsman didn’t want any of this, he just wanted to live his days with his family.

That was the reason the Night Blade was formed. The people of the village needed to keep this power hidden, so a band of warriors proficient with EXS was sent to face off these aggressors. Looking back, Kuon knew this was bound to happen. Regardless of if they kept it hidden, gossip would spread, leading to curiosity, leading to force being threatened. That day an aggressive attacker was felled by them was the breaking point. 

To this day, he still has no idea where the Hollow God is. He just went for a stroll one day and never returned. Could he have visited other places and gave more people EXS like their village? Kuon has lost count how many times he was deployed to fight the invaders coming their way. He was thankful for his EXS’ healing factor, but the injuries received were very real.

“Brother Kuon?” Linne looked at him with concern.

“Ah,” the swordsman realized he was deep in thought. “I’m sorry, Sister. I was lost in thought. I’m also sorry for leaving most of the day. Guess I’m still a ways away from being a good brother, haha…” he scratched the back of his head.

Linne gave him a tackling hug. “Don’t be sorry. I know you do this to protect me. Not just me, but everyone in the village as well. I just wish I could help more…”

Kuon smiled at his sister’s words. She always tended to be harsh on herself.

“Not just anyone is able to calm everyone down in the village when they started sending armies after us. Or fulfill all the requests the village had in record time.” he smirked.

“Haha, noted,” Linne admitted. “Anyway, I think you trained enough. You have been at it for hours now.”

“I was about to say the same thing. See? I have been getting better.” Kuon puffed his chest with pride, leading to Linne rolling her eyes.

“Yes, yes, you don’t need me twisting your arm. Let’s go, you know what time it is, yes?” she asked.

“Ah, right. Let us not keep them waiting then.” the swordsman laughed.

Cleaning up the training area, the siblings made their way back to the village. Seeing Linne cheered up always puts a smile on Kuon’s face. The fact that she is the only family left after their parents… well… it still doesn’t feel real. That is why he keeps training, why he keeps fighting. He truly wants Linne to live happily, free of the burden the village has forced on them. 

Passing by the grassy trail, the two basked at the pleasant weather greeting them. After dealing with the rain the past few days, they welcomed the clear skies. Seeing the wind gently flow through Linne’s long brown hair made Kuon want to gush how cute his sister is.

The sight of the village was getting closer. It was always convenient that his training spot was close to home. Made it a quick trip back in case an ambush were to occur. That has sadly been the case when a teammate rushed in to warn him one time.

“I see Kuon and Linne!” a little boy said.

“Kuon and Linne!” a little girl said.

“It’s time! It’s time!” another kid cheered.

Once the siblings arrived at the entrance, they were huddled by a group of kids, all with eager faces.

“Heh, guess you all have been waiting.” Kuon guessed.

“We wanna hear you play.” a boy waved his hands.

“Are you busy? We don’t want to intrude…” a girl touched her fingers nervously.

“You help us so much, so…” another boy looked at his feet.

“Haha, you all are too kind. Of course I have time. Let me just get ready.” Kuon gave his arm a stretch.

Before the siblings could prepare, however, the sounds of stomach growling was heard amongst the children. 

“Well, well. Did you all have dinner while waiting?” Linne asked.

The kids had embarrassed looks on their faces, giving the two a good laugh.

“How about I make us something before the main event?” the swordsman offered. He could see their beaming excitement.

“Really?!” One kid had stars for eyes with others joining in.

“Of course. Want to help, Linne?” Kuon looked at his sister.

“I’ll follow your lead, Brother.” Linne agreed.

Arriving at the dining hall, Kuon and Linne had the ingredients set and ready to be used.

“Alright, think we can pull this off?” the swordsman asked with a teasing grin.

“As if you haven’t made this before.” Linne chuckled.

“Very true.”

Looking at the setup, Kuon smiled.

‘Everything is all set. Let’s do this!’

Today’s Dish: Chicken Dumplings

‘To make the dough. combine warm water with flour in a medium bowl and fold it together until it is mixed.’ Linne did as such until the dough started to form.

‘On your work surface, sprinkle a little flour and place the dough on it. Kneed it for about 3-5 minutes.’ Kuon gently did it until the dough became nice and soft.

‘Once soft, place it on a bowl, cover it, and place it to the side. Now for the filling.’ Linne took the bowl away as Kuon got the ingredients for the filling ready.

‘WIth a bowl of ground chicken, combine sliced green onions, chopped garlic, a pinch of salt, a little soy sauce, pepper, and sesame oil. Mix everything together.’ With a wooden spoon, he mixed everything together, already giving an appetizing smell.

‘Now for the dumpling wrappers. With some flour sprinkled in the work surface, roll the dough to make it very flat. Cut out a bunch of circles and remove the excess dough. If possible, you can use the excess dough to cut more circles for more dumplings.’ By the time all the dough was used, Linne had several circles of dough on her.

‘With a covered tray, place the circle dough on it. Now scoop the chicken and place them on the circle dough. Be sure not to overfill them.’ Kuon gently added each scoop of chicken to the dough, careful not to put too much.

‘Now to wrap them. With the circle on my left hand, pinch a piece and with your thumb, press it against my pointer finger, making a pleat. Then work your way around the dumpling. Once it is covered, place it down and give it one more twist all the way around.’ Linne was able to do so with precision until a nicely wrapped dumpling was shown.

‘Repeat this process for the rest of the dumplings you plan on making.’

‘Now to steam them. With a little water in a pot, heat it on top of a fire. Cut slices of cabbage and place them on a bamboo steamer so that the dumplings don’t stick when they cook. With a ring to hold the steam on top, place the steamer on top of the pot and let it steam for about 7 minutes.’

Kuon repeated the steaming process until he had a basket full of dumplings. The siblings looked on in satisfaction, the meal was ready.

“Alright everyone! Dinner is ready!” Kuon had a basket full of freshly made dumplings, the aroma attracting the kids with mouths watering.

“So good, so good!” One kid awed at the meals.

“Dinner is ready?” Another kid asked with sparkling eyes.

“It is. Enjoy, everybody.” Linne smiled.

Everyone in the group took a dumpling and began eating. Instantly, they were all taken aback at how delicious the dumplings were. The kids could just taste the love and care placed in their dinner. The softness of the cover supported by the rich flavor of the chicken inside it made it a wonderful combination. It also helped that it was a simple dish to make, so it meant the siblings made a bunch of them for everyone to have their share.

“How did you get so good, Kuon?” a girl asked.

“It just takes practice. I’m sure you all will be great cooks yourselves.” The swordsman grinned.

“Wow. Mama and Papa are already teaching me onigiri. I will ask them to teach me this.” a boy chomped on his dumpling.

Linne watched on as her brother was surrounded by the kids. He truly was one of a kind. A gifted swordsman, a great cook, a morality booster, and so much more. Meanwhile, she wondered what she was like compared to him.

“Miss Linne.” a little girl tugged on her kimono.

“Oh, what is it, little one?” Linne crouched to her level.

“Thank you for the meal.” the girl gave a small bow.

“Oh, I didn’t do much, it was all bro-”

“No, I am not hearing that.” Kuon interjected.

The brother told all the kids that his sister played just as much of a role in making this dish as him. The rest of the boys and girls went to her and offered their thanks as well. Linne was speechless, seeing so much gratitude on her. Kuon would keep reminding her that she is no burden, but she couldn’t help comparing herself to him.

“Alright, now that we all had dinner, I think we are ready for the main event.” Kuon clapped his hands.

Linne smiled seeing everyone give happy cheers. Even when the Night Blade has to eventually leave and fight, small pleasantries like these are always welcome.

“Okay, let us get ready, Sister.” Kuon walked home with Linne following suit.

The kids went to a gathering spot underneath an oak tree, sitting with anticipation.

“It’s been a while since I played this. Hope I’m not too out of touch." The swordsman tuned the instrument. 

“I wouldn’t worry. I’m sure you’ll do great, Brother.” Linne was polishing her instrument.

“Heh, all that matters is having fun. Okay, I’m ready.” Kuon finished tuning.

Upon arriving at the spot under the oak tree, the kids cheered seeing the siblings arrive with their instruments. Even though this is not her first time performing, Linne felt nervous and started shaking.

“Remember, Sister. Let’s have fun.” Kuon smiled.

Her nervousness lessened, he always did have knack in calming her down. She looked at the little audience around them and smiled. Yeah, this was something they practiced and like her brother said, have fun. With that in mind, she placed the flute close to her mouth.

With his shamisen ready, Kuon played the first set of notes. The song they were playing was called ‘Hikari’, a song that represents hope, determination, and a drive to keep going with the bonds one’s forged. The melody Kuon started was supported with Linne’s flute, giving the song that sense of wonder and courage.

The kids were all mesmerized and entranced at how well the siblings played together. For some, it was a form of entertainment. For others, they listened and prayed for the safety of their family who fought in the Night Blade.

Moments like these are brief. It was inevitable that Kuon would be called to fight more aggressors. Until then, they want to still keep spirits high. To have faith that they could weather this storm and find peace.

Eventually, the day came when Kuon was to be sent on a scouting mission. Before departing, Linne and a handful of village residents were at the entrance to see him and his team off. She could see some of the kids hugging their parents who were joining her brother.

“I know you’ve gotten stronger, but be careful.” Linne clasped Kuon’s hands with worried eyes.

“I will. Make sure the people here keep their morality high. And Sister,” Kuon pulled her in for a hug. “You give yourself far too little credit. Have a little more confidence.”

And just like that, Linne saw her brother and his team leave. She knows he’ll come back, despite her fears plaguing her. Have a little more confidence, huh? She doubts she could match her brother’s combat prowess, and yet Kuon thinks she has been a boon? Well, worrying won’t do her any good. For now, she will just do what she can.

“Linne? Are you feeling okay?”

“Is something wrong, Princess?”

Linne’s eyes widened as she looked around. She was at Hyde’s place at the kotatsu. Seth dropped by with a basket of dumplings. All it took was a single bite for her to be in this trance. The two boys looked at her with concern.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. I guess I felt… nostalgic…” Linne looked away.

“Nostalgic? In what way?” Hyde tilted his head.

“I just remembered… a distant memory…” Linne wiped a tear that fell down her cheek and kept eating.

Hyde and Seth looked at each other and nodded. The two sat beside Linne and comforted her. Hyde patted her head, while Seth rubbed her back.

“Come on… I’m not a child…” Linne pouted.

She welcomed the comfort, though. Even though that time was so long ago, she was glad she had people here to share this warm feeling.

Chapter Text

After being dragged into the whole Hollow Night business, Hyde thought nothing would make him more flabbergasted than when he first summoned Insulator. The two letters he was holding right now might be a close second.

‘Going to be spending Christmas Eve with Wald and Chiharu. House is all to yourself. Try to keep it in tact for tomorrow. 🙂 -Linne’

“W-What are you implying, Linne?!” Hyde was flushed red. The second letter wasn’t any better.

‘While I wish to spend Christmas Eve with you, I’m afraid I would be considered a ‘third wheel’. I will simply wait for tomorrow with everyone else. -Vatista’

“It’s like they’re just pushing me to her… Well, thanks, you three.” He smiled.

Hyde looked at a carefully wrapped bag on his desk. Beyond anything else, he had to double, triple, and quadruple check that it was protected at all cost.

“I hope she likes it.” He said to himself.

Well, if Linne and Vatista are encouraging him, he’ll just have to go for it. Pulling out his phone, he began texting.

*Looks like I have the house to myself today. Wanna spend Christmas Eve together?* He typed.

A few seconds later, he got a response.

*Sounds lovely. Conveniently enough, my friends pushed me out to go see you. Would you be okay if I came in an hour?* Was her response.

“Ah, so it’s not just me.” Hyde laughed.

*Works for me! See you then!* He typed.

With that, he got to work. He made sure the house was spotless like always and put on a new set of clothes to appear presentable. A festive green sweatshirt and black plants should do.

“Lookin good, Kido,” He said, posing in the mirror. 

He already had a good idea what to do once she arrived, but he was also a little nervous about it. After a few deep breaths, he went to the kitchen.

“Something light should be good for today. The real fun starts tomorrow.” He grinned.

Putting on his apron, he gathered the ingredients and placed them on the kitchen setup. She will appear in an hour, so he had to hop to it. Alongside the nervousness, he was also excited. This will be the first Christmas Eve he’ll spend with someone like this. 

Looking at his ingredients, he smirked.

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Vegetarian Red Borscht

‘Put 2 tbsp olive oil in a soup pot.’ Putting in the oil, he got the ball rolling.

‘When oil is hot, add diced onion, celery and leek, stir to coat, and season with salt and pepper for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep stirring until onion has softened and just begun to brown.’ Hyde could see the vegetables cooking, very good.

‘Add minced garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp paprika, ½ tsp caraway, bay leaf and thyme, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.’ Adding them all in the pot, Hyde kept stirring.

‘Add 8 potatoes, 6 beets and 4 cut carrots, all peeled and cut in chunks. Then add 6 cups water and 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Simmer with lid ajar for 20 minutes, or until potatoes, beets and carrots are fork tender.’ Testing it with a fork, Hyde smiled when he felt the tenderness of the three foods.

‘Add chopped kale and vinegar, and stir to distribute. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. Simmer for about 8 minutes until kale is done.’ The blonde gave an approving nod after a sip, it was just right.

‘While it’s simmering, let’s make some cream. Put 2 tbsp horseradish, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and sugar in a small bowl. Let it macerate for 5 minutes, then stir in thick sour cream.’

‘To serve, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with chopped dill, parsley, tarragon and chives. Add a spoon of horseradish cream on top.’ After doing just that, Hyde gave a happy sigh at a job well done, the meal was ready.

“Alright, it’s done!” Hyde looked at the borscht with satisfaction. Perfect for two.

That’s when he heard knocking at the door, she’s here. Removing his apron and taking one last look at the mirror, he went to the door and opened it. 

“Good to see you, Orie. Hope the walk wasn't too bad.” He greeted.

“A little snow would not bother me. Thank you for having me.” Orie held his hand as he let her in.

“Heh, the snow kinda reminds me of when we saw the lights.” He looked outside with her.

Orie looked on with nostalgia. Sure that was almost two weeks ago, but it was still another fond memory the executor had of her time here. Never would she have thought that she would have so many cherished memories the day she was assigned here. And the guy in front of her was a big reason for that. Sitting with him at the bench and watching the lights together…

“It does. Seeing the people there walking around with smiles and cheers makes me hopeful in our efforts.” she let out a small laugh when Hyde gently rubbed her hair. 

“You just have some snow on you.” He grinned when it was all gone. “There we go. And yeah, I hope so too. We just have to keep at it.”

After setting her winter coat to the closet, Hyde got to have a better look at Orie’s outfit.

“I see you’re looking festive too.” He pointed out.

Orie hid a blush, but gave a small nod. She had a red dress over her white turtleneck sweater with a red hairband instead of her usual white. 

“It only felt natural, given the occasion. You look festive yourself.” She gave a playful grin.

“Heh, got me there. Anyway, this way.” Her boyfriend led her to the kotatsu where their dinner would be served.

“So this is the kotatsu Mika was crazy about.” One moment laying there was enough for the bluenette to fall in love with it. Couple that with the comforting taste of the borscht and she immediately felt right at home. “So soothing.”

Seeing her look so bright always made Hyde happy. Lately, whenever he helped her patrol the Night, he got the impression that she was forcing a smile, pretending to be okay when she was not. He just hoped his support was enough to help her get by, however much he can give.

“I’m glad. I take it that things have been busy for you lately?” he asked, sipping his dish.

Orie sighed. It was routine, but with the holidays in mind, her team was given even more locations to scout so that the people could roam around without any issue.

“I really am taking time to rest, Hyde. It is just rather difficult to find the time…” she looked down.

Hyde could see her eyes were not as tired as they were before, yet still carried some level of exhaustion. Her persistence to keep going for the sake of others was something he always admired about her.

“Hey,” He gently held her hand. “One step at a time. You really are amazing. Fighting voids and criminals for so long while still being the kind and hardworking girl I fell for. You can do this.”

Orie locked her hand with his. “Having you by my side has helped me more than you could ever know. Thank you, Hyde. For everything.” Her smile was so bright and warm.

Hyde could tell it was genuine and blushed at the sight. While he had a feeling she was hiding some things, it was not his place to pry. If his support is making her happy, he’ll do his best to keep it that way.

The two continued on with their meals. The beets giving the soup that bright red color complimented well with the potatoes and carrots. Orie may have said the snow didn’t bother her, but seeing her feeling so relaxed with the meal and the kotatsu told him enough that she needed this. They would eventually finish their meals in quiet satisfaction.

“Was it to your liking?” He jokingly asked.

Orie rolled her eyes. “You know it always is.”

The couple washed the dishes together and spent the next few moments cuddling in the Kotatsu.

“Feeling ready for tomorrow?” Hyde asked.

Orie nuzzled close to him. “I am. Mika is ecstatic for it too. I appreciate you doing this for us.”

“Of course. In a way, I owe it to you all for helping me be where I am now. As an In-Birth, as a person, something, something, bonds.” He chuckled. 

“Always happy to help, Hyde.” She kissed his cheek. “It has been the same for me as well.”

The blonde noticed her face looked a little down. It was brief, but it made him concerned. 

“Something wrong?” He asked.

“It’s just… are you curious about me?” Orie looked at him with a rather guilty expression.

“Curious?”

“I appreciate you for not asking about my past, but lately, I feel like this has not been fair for you.” She started to feel tense.

“Orie…” Hyde’s eyes softened.

“Throughout the year we’ve known each other, I learned so much about you, yet I still hide things about myself. Does it bother you?” She decided to just let it out in the open.

Hyde gave it some thought, his expression unreadable. After a few seconds, he turned to her with an assured smile. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious, but that’s okay.”

“Okay?” Orie was surprised to hear that.

Her boyfriend held her close. “I’m sure you have your reasons for not telling me, so I won’t ask. If you ever feel ready to talk about it, I will listen.” He gave a warm smile.

“Hyde…” She held him close. “Thank you. Someday, I will tell you, I promise.”

It was true Hyde wanted to know more about her, he always noticed the pain and sadness in her eyes whenever she brought up certain memories. If it ended up hurting her, he wouldn’t want to hear it until she feels ready. For that reason, he’ll keep waiting, accepting the possibility of never hearing it at all.

“You’re welcome.” Deciding to lighten the mood, he decided to bring up the humorous coincidence. “Heh, it’s funny how it seems like our friends set us up.” He thought back to those letters.

“So it seems. Mika practically pushed me out of the house after Lex whispered something to her ear." She also remembered the little girl apologizing profusely when she accidentally pushed her to a pile of snow when that happened.

Remembering how Lex tricked him into revealing a certain detail, he chuckled shakily. “Haha… how about that.” 

It was already dark. Just five more hours until it was Christmas day. While it may be a little early, Hyde wanted to do this while it was just the two of them. 

“Um… Orie. Mind waiting here for a sec?” He said, blushing.

“Oh, okay.” Seeing his flustered face gave her ideas.

One quick trip to his room later, Hyde appeared with a white bag. “For you.” he gave it to her.

This was it, Hyde’s Christmas gift. She could feel her face heat up from receiving it.

“T-Thank you. I have this for you as well.” Rummaging through her bag, she gave her boyfriend a small black box with a red bow on top.

“Haha, thank you.” He blushed as he accepted the gift. 

Opening it, both gasped at what they were seeing. Hyde was holding a gold necklace he was eying for a while. Orie was holding a blue hat with a cute white bow on the side. She was considering getting it herself at some point after the holidays. Both looked at each other in shock.

“This was what I wanted, how did you know?” She asked.

“I was gonna ask the same thing. My budget made me put off getting this.” Hyde said.

Putting their gifts aside, the two gave each other a loving hug.

“I love it. Thanks, Orie.” Hyde grinned. He would be sure to wear it the next time he goes out.

“I love your gift too. Thank you so much.” Orie smiled. “May I try it on?”

“O-Oh, sure!” 

After putting it on, the boy was left in awe at the sight of her. She was just so cute!

“It looks amazing on you.” He praised.

“Heehee, I have a few dresses in mind for this hat. Thank you so much.” Orie said as she took off the hat.

Looking at each other lovingly, the two leaned in for a passionate kiss, holding each other close. After parting to catch their breaths, they watched the snow fall outside the window, content in each other’s arms.

“It looks like the weather’s picking up.” Hyde pointed out.

“So it is. I don’t think I can leave in this weather.” Orie nodded.

“Are you saying…” Hyde was beat red.

“If you’ll allow it.” she gave a blushy smile. In truth, she also had her nightclothes in her bag as well.

Hyde answered with another kiss. “Of course. I can’t wait to begin Christmas with you.” he hugged her tightly. 

“Yes, for me too. Until then…” she eyed the vast assortments of DVD boxes near the TV.

“Oh yeah, I was showing Vatista and Linne some Christmas movies I had growing up. We could see some if you want.” He offered.

“I like the sound of that.”

With a bowl of popcorn, the two snuggled close and enjoyed the rest of Christmas Eve enjoying the various Christmas movies Hyde had in stock

I’ve got the Christmas feeling. I’ll take it everywhere I go.

And make that Christmas feeling grow.

It feels like Christmas. Christmas. Come on, I know you don’t want to miss this!

Let’s make that Christmas feeling grow! Oh!

Let’s make that Christmas feeling grow.

Chapter Text

The morning sun slowly brightened the room. It was the dawn of December 25. Hyde’s eyes slowly opened as he gave a light stretch. He suddenly felt something pressed on his chest and looked down. Orie was nestled up to him with a content smile on her face. He slowly put together what happened last night.

“I’m coming, Love.”

The couple started tearing up as they finished the movie. What a wonderful film of connections and an endearing take of the Christmas folklore. Hyde was not ashamed to pull out the tissue box for the both of them.

After watching the third movie, they realized how late it had become. Hyde was about to form a bed on his sofa when Orie spoke of another idea.

“Could we… sleep together?” Her face was flushed red.

To say that Hyde was a stuttering mess when he eventually said yes would be the understatement of the century.

Seeing his girlfriend look so at peace though warmed his heart. He gave a soft laugh when he heard her sigh and nuzzled close to him. He gently brushed some of her hair and let her rest for a little longer. It was still early in the morning, after all.

“Mmm…” Orie’s eyes slowly opened. Once their eyes met, she gave a tired smile.

“Merry Christmas, Hyde.” Orie greeted.

“Merry Christmas, Orie.” He kissed her forehead. “Time to get ready for the main event.”

“Let me know what I can do.” She smiled brightly.

They eventually got up to get ready, as much as they wanted to stay in bed together. After changing out of their nightclothes, the couple began to get the place ready for the festivities. 

“It never ceases to amaze me how well you take care of the house.” Orie said, realizing there was hardly anything to clean.

“Haha, what can I say?” he shrugged.

That was their early morning. Getting the living room decorated for a festive party Hyde was throwing this afternoon. The place was already lively with the Christmas tree placed, as well as seeing Orie’s reaction at the cutesy version of herself as an ornament. Setting up a long table row for the guests, as well getting the pantry table ready was manageable for the two of them. And after a few more decorations were placed here and there, the place was set for the party.

Orie let out a light yawn. “That was quite the extracurricular.”

“Come on, Orie. We’re in Winter Break now. I don’t want to think about school.” Hyde moaned.

The bluenette laughed until she heard her stomach growl.

"Guess all that prep worked up an appetite.” The blonde laughed, feeling his own stomach rumble. “Does pancakes and coffee sound good? Tonight will be the main act, after all.”

“That will do just fine.” She smiled.

Through some unforeseen force, the pair heard Mika wail in despair in missing out on Hyde’s pancakes. Though it could have just been their imagination as they made their way to the kitchen.

The feeling in Hyde’s chest whenever he cooked with Orie and all the other times he spent with her made him feel so happy. Setting up the pan and boiling water after she finished whisking the batter and they were already close to finishing their breakfast. Even if there are things his girlfriend was hiding from him, he hoped she feels the same happiness he feels around her. It was a simple breakfast, but it was enough to bring comfort and joy.

“Amazing as always.” Orie said blissfully.

“Even better with you.” Hyde smirked at her flustered reaction.

By the time they finished washing the dishes, it was 11am. Now is the time to get his part ready and Orie had a similar mindset. “Right then, time to step it up.”

“You have a lot of energy today.” She giggled.

Orie remembered Hyde when they first met. Hardly anyone acknowledging him and feeling like he was alone. To see him all bright and cheerful warmed her heart. She hoped she was doing enough for him to feel loved. He deserves as much.

“I never would have imagined you would bring so many people, Hyde.” Orie continued.

“Well, like I said. It feels like I owe it to all of them for helping me be where I am now.” He smiled. “This just feels like a way to show my appreciation.” He finished with a faint blush.

“I think it’s sweet. You’re a good guy, Hyde.” She held his hand.

There was still plenty of time before the party, but Orie had to wrap up her contribution, as well as making sure Lex and Mika finish theirs. 

“I’ll see you in a few hours then?” Hyde saw her off by the door, the weather thankfully calming down.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Orie answered back, her bag packed and carefully holding her gift.

The two shared a kiss before he saw her off.

“Alright.” he turned his sights to the kitchen. “The meal will not cook itself. I gotta get moving!”

Fortunately, he planned this in advance. While his skills with cooking was nothing to scoff at, when he really wanted to impress, his skills became immaculate. 

‘If I remember, Linne and Seth will be coming in together and Wald will also have something ready too. I wonder what Vatista will bring?’ He pondered the possibilities.

There was also the question on who the rest of the people he invited will bring. It was just one of the many fun questions someone has when planning a potluck. That will be put aside for now, he had a meal to prep. He had everything he needed for this dish placed at the kitchen table. With an apron on and a look at his setup, he gave a firm nod.

‘Everything is all set. Time to get to work!’

Today’s Dish: Roast Turkey and Gravy

‘Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.’ That’s the easiest part.

‘Remove the neck and giblets of the turkey and put it aside for later.’ Hyde carefully placed them in a bowl.

‘Mix together salt, black pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under bird and season the cavity with about 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mixture for later.’ Adding in the seasoning, things were off on a good start.

‘Toss together 2 chopped onions, 3 chopped celery, and 2 chopped carrots in a large bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup vegetable mixture, sage, and rosemary sprigs into the turkey cavity. Tie legs together with kitchen string.’ Tying it all together, Hyde was careful nothing were to fall off the turkey.

‘With a small spatula, loosen skin over turkey breast. Place about 2 tablespoons of butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread remaining 6 tablespoons of butter all over the outside of skin. Sprinkle turkey with remaining poultry seasoning mix.’ He was careful to not break the skin when loosening it and finished off adding the rest of the seasoning mix after the butter.

‘Spread remaining vegetable mixture into a large roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Shape a sheet of aluminum foil over breast of the turkey.’ Putting it all together, Hyde was excited to begin the roasting.

‘Roast turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink near the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 ½ hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking and baste turkey with pan juices.’ It will take some time for it to cook, so Hyde would work on other things while it’s roasting.

‘Such as stock! Place neck and giblets in a medium saucepan with water and bay leaf. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain stock and discard neck and giblets.’ It’ll be done before the turkey finishes roasting, but it’ll go really well with the meal.

‘Once roasted, remove turkey from the oven. Carefully pour pan juices, about 3 cups, into a shallow bowl. Skim off turkey fat from pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons fat. Set aside pan juices. Cover turkey with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil and allow it to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.’ Having the juices and fat from the turkey in a bowl, Hyde was ready for the final addition while the turkey rested.

‘Which is gravy! Heat 2 tablespoons of reserved turkey fat and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned.’ After about 5 minutes, Hyde smiled at the browned onions.

'Stir in ¼ cup flour; cook and stir for about 5 minutes more. Whisk in 4 cups stock and reserved pan juices until smooth. Stir in ¼ tsp balsamic vinegar. Simmer, whisking constantly, until gravy is thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped sage; season with salt and black pepper.’ Once everything was mixed, the meal was ready. The turkey, stock, and gravy are all ready to be served.

“And voila!” Hyde’s eyes sparkled at the roast turkey in front of him. 

Everyone else was going to bring their own food, so he was looking forward to what the others would bring. Might as well get the ball rolling and place it on the party table he set up with Orie earlier.

The total prep time took him all the way to 4pm. It was only a matter of time before-

*Knock* *Knock*

Oh, it’s starting. Opening the door, the first arrivals were Seth and Linne, each carrying a dish in their hands.

“It seems we are the first guests. Nice to see everything set up.” Linne marveled at how festive the living room looked.

“Good to see you, Linne.” Hyde smiled, then looked at Seth. “And good of you to come as well.”

The assassin sighed. “I’m willing to oblige if it’s for the princess.” His eyes looked intrigued when he caught a whiff of Hyde’s meal at the table. “She also wouldn’t stop talking about your cooking, so don’t disappoint.”

“Come on, Seth. It never hurts to be a little more honest.” Linne gave him a slight nudge.

“Hm…” Seth simply nodded and entered the house with the princess.

Seth placed a platter of grilled fish next to the turkey with Linne placing freshly made mashed potatoes as well. Hyde smiled fondly at the day Linne asked for his help to cook Seth something. He may not know where he stood with the assassin now, but he hoped it’s not hostile anymore.

More knocking was heard. Opening the door, Waldstein appeared with a large bowl of rice.

“Woah! That’s a lot.” Hyde was glad the table was more than big enough to hold it.

“But of course. You all need to eat lots of rice to grow big and strong. Especially Puny Arms over there.” The warrior eyed Seth saying that.

“Small Legs.” The assassin scoffed.

Hyde laughed at their banter and then saw that Mika was sneaking in with a container of her offerings, candied apples.

“Hey, I recognize the caramel dressing.” He crouched to her level to see them. “This is Thea’s version. Nice job.” He gave her a head pat.

“It took a few tries, But I got it right. Even Orie-chi was proud of me! I hope yuu all like em.” She gave a big grin.

Seeing the kid place the apples at the table, the boy smiled. Even though she has passed, he was glad Thea’s memory lives on in the recipes he and Mika make.

“Mika, you shouldn’t run ahead like that.” he heard Orie’s voice coming from the door.

Walking to them, he almost gawked when he saw her wear the hat he gave her yesterday. Similarly, she also froze when she saw him wearing the necklace she gave him. Lex gave a sigh and patted both of them in the back.

“Are you two just gonna stand there ogling each other, or are we gonna enter?” Lex plainly stated.

“Uh, right!” He saw Lex was holding a box of cupcakes in her hands and Orie was holding a container of carbonara pasta in hers.

“Oh wow, my mouth’s already watering at that.” Hyde admitted as he stared at the pasta.

“I hope you enjoy it. It was a recipe I learned during a mission in Italy.” Orie giggled.

“Yes, yes, you’re a great cook.” Lex looked down at the cupcakes. “She also helped me put these together…”

“Never hurts to have help when you need it. Come on in.” He welcomed them both in, sneaking in a kiss on his girlfriend’s cheek and laughing at her flustered reaction.

Vatista was next to come with a plate of holiday cookies right out of the oven.

“Chiharu says she will spend Christmas with her parents. But they helped me make these and offered their regards for a Merry Christmas.” She said, holding the plate in front of him.

“You did wonderful, Vatista.” Hyde gave her a head pat, which led to her giving a faint blush.

Looking at the cookies closer, he could see they were frosted to look like various Christmas themed pictures. Christmas trees, holiday wreaths, ornaments, you name it. They also smelled pretty darn good too.

“Everyone’s sure to love them.” He grinned, watching her place the treats at the table.

“Ahoy, Hyde! We’re here!” Tsurugi came in with energy to spare, boxes full of Kentucky Fried Chicken in his hands.

“Honestly, do you have to be so freaking loud?” Yoshiko groaned, following him.

“It’s Christmas, Senpai. Let him have his fun.” Nanase said, walking in with her. “Look Hyde, we made french bread together.”

“Smells really good. I can tell you two put in a lot of effort baking it. Right this way.” He led them to the table, snickering at the two of them giving a pouty blush from the compliment.

“Heh, it's already piling up, I don’t even know where to start.” Tsurugi eyed the table so far.

“And it’s only gonna get bigger.” Hyde added. Case in point, when he heard another knock. 

“Merry Christmas to you, Hyde!” Yuzuriha had an arm around him, Hiroha laughing at the boy flushing red in embarrassment. 

“Oh come on, Yuzu.” Hyde rolled his eyes. He was used to this by now, but that didn’t stop him from feeling flustered by the gesture. “Good of you to come too, Hiroha. I see you two brought the drinks.”

“That we did. Having food is great and all, but drinks are just as important as well.” Hiroha held up bottles of sodas and fruit punches along with her sister.

“Just give it a few more years and we can share the good stuff someday.” Yuzuriha winked.

“Haha, sure.” The blonde sweatdropped.

“Alright, that’s twelve.” Everyone looks like they’re already settling in nicely. That’s good. Which just leaves…

*Knock* *Knock*

That’s them. Opening the door, he was greeted by the last three people he invited. 

“I must say, I wasn’t expecting to be invited.” Murayama said.

“We appreciate it, Kido. Erika admits it as well.” Sakurai giggled, seeing her friend hiding between them.

“Am I really that unapproachable, Miyashiro?” Hyde asked with genuine curiosity.

“It’s not that…” Erika came out of hiding and showed him her dish. “Here.”

“Oh wow.” Hyde’s eyes widened.

It was a well crafted caesar salad bowl neatly wrapped. “It was something the three of us made. Like you suggested…” Erika looked away.

“And you three did an amazing job. Right this way.” Hyde welcomed them in.

That was everyone now. He had a feeling why Londrekia denied the invitation, given that Miyashiro is here, but he still wanted to know more about the guy, he seemed cool. One look at the pantry table made him whistle in amusement at how well put the food was. With his turkey in the center, it was going to be a feast for the ages.

“Alright!” Hyde got everyone’s attention as he walked up to the Christmas tree. “The next Hollow Night is gonna be in a few days from now, so I thought it’d be nice to have a Christmas feast before then. Thank you all for pitching in.” He raised a glass of fruit punch up. “Now dig in!”

Hearing the cheers from most of the participants there filled the blonde with satisfaction. It really was a longshot of an idea, but he was glad he saw it through to the end. Hearing the sound of a barking by the door, Hyde smiled at the true final guest who made his appearance. Walking to the door and kneeling down, he petted his beagle friend.

“Good of you to make it, Courage.” Hyde smiled. “Did Thea like the flowers?”

Courage gave a happy nod. Mika spotted the beagle by the door and rushed in to give him a loving hug.

He sighed in relief at how everything worked out nicely. The Christmas tree lit up with bright colors as the star shined around the living room. He could already see the guests getting their plates and getting their portions, so he may as well join in. The Christmas potluck has well and truly begun.

It was a challenge trying to get one of everything, but after doing so, the Unknown Actor decided to make the rounds to see how everyone was faring.

Song: Kaede - Lucrezia

There exists a song like magic

That only I know

But I wonder if my voice will reach?

I can only doubt

There’s something the night taught me

When the town’s scenery began to change

Now, it’s like I’m gazing at you

In my everyday

The first stop was seeing Hiroha, Mika and Vatista playing with Courage.

“Oh? Are you familiar with him, Hiroha?” Hyde asked.

“I see him from time to time. Thea would often come by to offer some treats.” Hiroha held a candied apple with a fond gaze. “I’m sure she’d be happy to see you loved.”

The beagle nuzzled his head on the woman.

“Yuu! He’s so adorable!” Mika munched on a cookie and went back to petting him.

“Doggie. I believe the proper phrase should be, ‘Who’s a good boy? You are.’ And this?” The moment the autonomic nerve rubbed her hand on his fur, it sparked a sort of excitement she didn’t know existed, it made her smile faintly.

“Glad to see you enjoy yourself, Vat. You too, Courage.” Hyde smiled.

Even in his old age, the beagle still had energy to spare. Even with Thea gone, he was still loved by the people here and she will be remembered by the recipes she shared to the people who remember her.

Ah, just like a dream that don’t know how it ends

Our stories will never lose in colors

Ever since the day I made the promise with you

No matter how much time flowed, I won’t ever forget

Since it’s with you, I’m sure

“I’ll have you know, I can pull a whopping 200 kilo weight no prob!” Tsurugi said confidently.

“Haha! That would be amusing to see. I can sense a mighty warrior in you.” Waldstein admitted.

Hyde stopped by to see the EFG member and warrior down their protein filled plate. No surprise to see what they focused on as they went straight for the rice right after.

“Perhaps we should schedule a training session with the boy. He could always use the motivation to get stronger.” Waldstein eyed the blonde.

“Haha…” Hyde slowly walked back.

“What a great idea! You’re up for this, right Hyde?” Tsurugi looked at his friend.

“Uh…” With both of them looking expectantly at him, there was no winning this. Might as well accept his fate “Sure…” The boy could already feel his muscles bursting.

Heart that like a glass marble

Will be complete under the moonlight

But I wonder if it can be seen?

I can only doubt

There’s something the shadow taught me

To walk in the night where no light can shine

Now, it’s like I’m gazing at stars

In my everyday

His next stop was seeing Miyashiro catch up with Orie and Lex. He really ought to thank Orie for the pasta, it was amazing as he expected. That’s when he began to overhear their conversation.

“I have noticed Hyde using certain Iaido strikes to catch me off guard.” Orie nodded.

“Indeed. I’ll admit it even surprised me as well. It makes me want to learn more of the eastern styles of the samurai.” Erika’s eyes sparkled.

“Heh, I’ve never seen you like this, Erika.” Lex said with a shaky laugh.

“Ah, is little Hyde using some of Big Sis’ techniques?” Yuzuriha came in and patted his head. “Guess you learned it first hand during our sparring sessions.”

“More than you know…” Hyde sighed. “I seriously wonder how I haven’t broken anything trying to keep up with you.”

“Ah, so you must be Kido’s trainer.” Erika saw the fuschia hair and went to her.

Hyde backed off when the two were conversing and used that time to see Orie and Lex.

“Haha, seeing Yuzu looking overwhelmed is a sight.” Hyde could see her getting pressured by questions.

“Seeing Erika like this almost makes me forget she is one of the strongest of the Licht Kreis.” Orie added.

“Indeed…” Lex tasted some of the turkey. “Excellent…”

Ah, just like you who woke from your dreams

Our stories will never come together

Gathering the light that flutters down

To shine upon every person’s way

No matter how much time flowed, I’m sure

“And that is how you defend yourself if any unsavory individual would try to make advances towards you.” Murayama explained after enjoying a nice plate of fish

“Oh wow. You are a real expert at this, Senpai.” Nanase said in sheer awe.

‘What the heck were they talking about?’ Hyde sweatdropped. Turning to his side, he saw Yoshiko talking with Sakurai.

“Seriously? You can shoot from that far away? Wouldn’t want to be on your bad side.” Yoshiko nervously laughed.

“Then I better not see you causing mayhem in the Night. We should be fine, otherwise.” Sakurai kept her cheery smile.

‘Note to self, don’t tick her off.’ Hyde nodded and walked on.

If you find yourself deeply hurt

Then, here exist a home to return to

But, you, always more more than what you thought,

You’re not as weak.

You don’t need to worry.

Let’s search for a beginning, in the unending world

I’ll make a promise, just like back then

That there are some things that are unchanging.

Hyde saw Seth and Linne looking at the tree. Noticing that the assassin was staring at a cutesy version of himself as an ornament gave him reason to check up on him.

“You even included me?” Seth asked, bewildered at seeing a tiny him.

“Eh, I think we tolerate each other enough. Let’s keep at it, okay?” Hyde gave a confidant smirk.

“Hmph, do whatever you like.” Seth crossed his arms and looked the other way.

“I think it’s progress. It won’t be long til you two become best friends.” Linne nodded while nomming on some fried chicken.

“We will not!” “Not gonna happen!” Both boys yelled.

The princess laughed seeing their immediate outbursts. Progress indeed.

♪Ah, just like a dream that don’t know how it ends. Our stories will never lose their color.♪ Vatista sang.

Hyde played the guitar to match the melody of her singing with Orie supporting him with her violin. This was something they planned for a while and now they get to actually do it.

 ♪Ever since the day I made the promise with you. No matter how much time flowed, I won’t ever forget.♪ The little girl kept going.

♪Since it’s with you, I’m sure.♪ She finished the final set of lyrics.

Hyde and Orie finished off the instrumentals until the song came to an end. After everyone had a plate and ate, the three decided to perform a song for everyone. The thunderous applause they heard told them their efforts paid off immensely.

“You were wonderful, Vatista.” Hyde had a hand out.

Remembering what a high five was, the little girl held an open hand and connected with Hyde’s with a small smile.

“You were not kidding when you said Vatista had a wonderful voice. It was a lot of fun.” Orie gave her a gentle hug.

Vatista wasn’t sure how to compute this feeling. To have everyone cheer her on and see them full of joy. Turning to see Linne give a small nod, she nodded back and hugged Orie back. She did not dislike this feeling…

“Hoo boy, did they go all out.” Hyde was flabbergasted at seeing how empty the pantry became.

All in all, it was wonderful for everyone to get together and share a meal for the holidays. You never know what could happen the next Hollow Night, or even the next day. So before any of that, he was glad he could pull this off and see everyone leave in high spirits.

“Need help cleaning up?” Linne offered.

“I’ll help too.” Vatista raised her hand.

“Let us do our part for the gathering you put together.” Waldstein gave a proud grin.

Hyde closed his eyes and smiled. It wasn’t that long ago the house felt empty, almost suffocating. Now, he has people here who welcome him home, care for him, and wish him well. Not only that, but he’s formed many other bonds ever since that Night, ones he’s sure to keep close.

“You all are the best. Let’s do this. And then we can exchange presents later.” he responded.

With everyone in agreement, they all got started on cleaning up the festive feast that was had. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Elsewhere in the Abyss

Surrounded by vast torrents of red EXS was a man covered in a white jacket, parts of his body already black as a void. Despite that, he had a content look on his face.

“Merry Christmas, dear Sister…” Kuon said.

His expression then turned to one of sadness before turning neutral.

“Which makes what I must do most regrettable come this Hollow Night…”

He began to glow red, the hood of his jacket coming out revealing his long black hair.

“Yes… System Celestial is nigh…”