Archive of Our Own ^beta

"We need to talk seriously," Rin said, crossing his arms with a frown.

"What happened now? Did you finally realize that every time you walk by, the neighbor's eyes light up?" Ness teased, resting his chin on his hand with a mischievous smile.

"No, idiot. It's impossible, we just met," Rin replied, rolling his eyes.

"But you thought about it for a second, didn't you?" Reo insisted with amusement.

"That's not the point!" Rin slammed his knuckles on the table, annoyed. "It's about our money! If we keep spending like we have been, we're going to end up eating air in two weeks."

"Aren't you exaggerating a bit?" Ness raised an eyebrow. "We're not doing that badly."

"Oh, really?" Rin glared at him. "We've ordered restaurant food every single day since we moved in."

"That's not true…" Reo squinted, trying to remember. "Well… maybe it is."

"Of course, it is!" Rin huffed. "Last night we ordered sushi. Yesterday afternoon, burgers. Before that, barbecue. Before that, pizza. And don't even get me started on dessert… We're blowing our entire salaries on food!"

"But Ness is too lazy to cook," Reo pointed out mockingly.

"Hey, hey, don't blame me," Ness raised his hands in defense. "I just go with the flow. Besides, since when do you worry about household finances?"

"Since I started living with you two idiots," Rin replied coldly. "From now on, we're going to save money."

"And what's your brilliant plan? Start fishing in the plaza fountain?" Ness scoffed.

"No, genius. We're going to buy groceries at a street market," Rin said with obviousness.

Reo raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Me? At a street market?"

"What? Aren't you capable?"

"I think the last time I saw you at a market was in the gourmet section of a shopping mall," Ness pointed out with a mocking smile.

"That doesn't count."

Reo sighed in annoyance.

"Stop talking nonsense and let's go before I change my mind."

"Where to?" Ness asked, not moving.

"To the market, genius."

"Now? Rin, we haven't even made a list," Reo said, but he stood up anyway.

"We'll make it up along the way."

"You're going to end up buying three kilos of potatoes just because the vendor looked at you with pity," Ness teased as he also got up.

They went out into the hallway, still arguing, and that's when Nanase appeared, closing the door to his apartment right next to theirs.

"Are you going grocery shopping?"

The three of them turned around at the same time. Rin narrowed his eyes.

"Were you spying on us?"

"What? No, I just heard you while I was leaving," Nanase defended himself with a smile. "And my roommate was just about to go to the market now. Maybe he could guide you."

"Are you sure?" Reo asked curiously.

"Of course, I'll be right back."

Ness snapped his fingers.

"Oh, what a shame, I just remembered I have very important things to do at home."

"You don't do anything, idiot," Rin blurted out.

"Exactly, and I like doing nothing. See you at the funeral of your patience."

And with that, Ness closed the door, leaving Rin and Reo looking annoyed.

———————————

While Reo and Rin finished getting ready to leave, Nanase leaned against the doorframe with his phone in his hand.

"Well, I already talked to my roommate. He's going to do the weekly shopping, so he can take you."

"And who is your roommate?" Rin asked, crossing his arms.

"Oh, right, you haven't met him," Nanase smiled. "His name is Shidou."

As if summoned, a loud knock on the door made them jump.

"Hey, Nanasito! I'm ready to go, where are your friends?" an energetic voice called from the other side.

Nanase sighed and opened the door, revealing a boy with blond and pink hair and a wide, confident smile.

"Guys, this is Shidou Ryusei," Nanase said.

Shidou scanned them with his gaze and immediately focused on Rin.

"Well, well… I didn't expect one of the new neighbors to be so serious. Do you always have that funeral face, eyelashes?"

Rin frowned immediately.

"Shut your mouth."

"Ooh, so tough! I like you, eyelashes."

Reo watched the scene with a mixture of disbelief and resignation.

"Well, we better get going before this gets worse."

"Yeah, before Rin kills him before we even get to the market," Nanase muttered with amusement.

With that, the three of them left the apartment towards the market, although the atmosphere was already tense enough to make the walk more… interesting.

————————————

"Relax, eyelashes, or you'll get more wrinkles," Shidou said with a mocking smile, leaning towards Rin.

Rin gave him a death glare, but instead of replying, he simply quickened his pace. Shidou followed him as if nothing had happened, walking beside him with his hands in his pockets.

"Are you always this bitter, or only when you're dragged out of the house?" he insisted.

"Shut up."

"Ah, I see. It's all the time."

Reo, who was behind them, just sighed. But before he could try to calm the situation, Shidou pretended to trip on the edge of the sidewalk and, in the process, forcefully pushed Rin.

"Hey!" Rin exploded, stopping abruptly.

"Oops, my bad, eyelashes. I was distracted by that unfriendly face of yours. It's hypnotic."

"I'm going to…"

"Come on, come on! Let's not get distracted, guys. We came to shop, not to fight," Reo interjected, pulling Rin away before things got worse.

Shidou chuckled softly and adjusted his jacket with a carefree air.

"This walk will be more fun than I thought."

Upon arriving at the market, Reo clung to Rin's arm desperately, looking around as if he were in unknown and dangerous territory.

"Rin, let's go. LET'S GO, I'm scared to be here," he whispered, but with enough intensity for his panic to be noticeable.

Rin looked at him with an annoyed expression.

"Don't be such a drama queen. We have to start saving money."

Reo looked around with a frown.

"Save money or die trying? Why are so many people shouting? And that smell? Tell me it's not fish!"

"Sweetie, stepping into a market won't kill you," Shidou teased, enthusiastically guiding them. "Besides, look at this, I have my regulars."

He led them to a fruit stand where the vendor, a middle-aged man in a blue apron, greeted him with a big smile.

"Shidou, we just got some sweet mangoes for you!"

"My guy, you're the best!" Shidou confidently took one while the vendor laughed.

Reo and Rin looked at him in disbelief.

"How many times have you been here for them to treat you like this?" Rin asked, watching as the vendor gave him the mango without charging him.

"I always come, they give me things because of my beautiful smile~" Shidou replied playfully, taking a bite of the mango.

Reo clicked his tongue.

"Nah, you probably scare them so much they prefer to bribe you to leave quickly."

The vendor burst out laughing.

"This kid always buys a lot and makes us laugh. Can I get you anything else?"

"Sure, give me two kilos of mangoes for these fancy kids, they need to learn how to eat well," Shidou said, nudging Reo.

Rin nodded, although he still watched with suspicion how easily Shidou got favors. Reo, on the other hand, kept looking around as if they were about to be jumped at any moment.

"This is a completely different world…" he murmured, as Shidou handed him the mango he had been given.

"Welcome to real life, sweetie."

After buying the fruits, Shidou took them to a poultry shop inside the market. The smell of raw chicken and blood hung in the air, making Reo wrinkle his nose in disgust.

"I can't believe you're making us go through this…" he muttered, covering his nose with his hand.

"Oh, sweetie, stop with the drama. It's just chicken." Shidou dragged him to the counter where a stout woman in a white apron and a knife in hand greeted them with a smile.

"Shidou! What can I get for you today?"

"The usual, ma'am, but add some wings and drumsticks, these two need to learn."

"Sure, honey."

Rin watched attentively as the woman took out the chicken and skillfully cut it into pieces. Meanwhile, Reo paled with each slice of the knife.

"I'm going to throw up…" he whispered, clinging to Rin's arm.

"Don't be such a drama queen, Reo. This is how you buy chicken," Rin replied indifferently.

"Nah, leave him be! Let him test his resilience," Shidou said with a mocking smile. "Come on, sweetie, say what part of the chicken you want."

Reo swallowed hard and looked at the counter. His face showed obvious disgust, but if there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was being made fun of. He cleared his throat and, with as much dignity as possible, said:

"B-Breast…"

The woman nodded, but before cutting, Shidou intervened.

"No, no, he should also ask for giblets, liver, and feet. They have to learn to use the whole chicken!"

"Feet?!" Reo shuddered, feeling his soul leave his body.

Rin just sighed, while the woman laughed and began to prepare the bag.

"If you stare at it so much, you'll get even more disgusted, sweetie." Shidou nudged him, amused by Reo's reaction. "Or would you rather close your eyes and let me choose for you?"

Reo huffed, but he couldn't help but look away when the woman started packing the giblets.

"This is hell…"

Rin paid before Reo could change his mind, and the three of them walked away from the stall. Shidou carried the bag of chicken in his hand with a big smile.

"Come on, sweetie, it wasn't that bad. What's next?"

Reo sighed, still recovering from the trauma.

"Whatever… but nothing else that smells like death."

Shidou and Rin looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

After surviving the poultry shop, the three continued their tour of the market. This time, Rin took the lead with an improvised list in his head.

"Alright, now we need rice, seasonings, and other basics."

"Ugh, finally something decent." Reo sighed in relief. "Where do we buy?"

"Leave it to me, I have the best vendor." Shidou smiled confidently and led them to a small but well-stocked stall.

An older woman with glasses and her hair pulled back greeted them with a big smile.

"Ah, Shidou! Are you hungry again today?"

"No, ma'am, today I came with these two so they can learn to shop like proper people."

The woman laughed and looked at Rin and Reo curiously.

"Are they your friends?"

"They're my new neighbors. They're learning to survive without spending a fortune."

Rin rolled his eyes but decided to ignore the comment.

"We want five kilos of rice, salt, sugar, and oil."

"Ah, the basics!" The woman began packing while talking. "It's good that these boys are learning, they can't live ordering delivery all their lives."

"Exactly!" Shidou nodded, crossing his arms.

"Nobody said we lived like that…" Reo muttered, but Rin gave him a slight nudge to shut him up.

The woman finished packing and handed the bag to Rin.

"Here you go, boys. Enjoy it."

"Thanks, ma'am." Shidou winked at her, and the three of them walked away with their purchases.

As they walked towards the market exit, Reo sighed dramatically.

"I'm never doing this again in my life."

"We saved a lot of money, stop complaining." Rin checked the bag, satisfied with what they had gotten.

"Besides, sweetie, now you know how to survive in the jungle of the market." Shidou patted him on the back, making him stumble slightly.

"If this is the jungle, I prefer to stay in civilization." Reo grimaced. "Let's go home before I catch something."

"Dramatic." Rin shook his head as the three of them left the market, carrying their groceries and having learned a valuable lesson: saving money hurt, but it was worth it.

Upon arriving at the apartment, Rin, Reo, and Shidou left the bags on the kitchen table.

"Finally, I feel like I aged ten years in that market." Reo collapsed onto the sofa with a sigh.

"Don't exaggerate, sweetie, you survived pretty well for your first time." Shidou nudged him playfully.

"Never again."

Rin ignored his complaints and took off his jacket before heading to the kitchen.

"Ness, come here, we need to talk about organizing the grocery shopping."

"Huh? Why?" Ness asked from the other side of the living room, adjusting his headphones.

"Because we can't keep spending like before, so from now on, we're going to have shopping shifts." Rin sat down at the table and took out a notebook.

"Shifts?" Ness grimaced and approached.

"Yes, every week someone goes to the market and buys what's needed."

"Oh, how convenient that it was your turn today." Ness smiled mockingly. "Too bad you didn't tell me sooner, I would have definitely gone…"

"Shut up, you ran away before we could catch you." Reo narrowed his eyes.

"Details."

Rin ignored the argument and began to write.

"We can rotate. This week it was Reo and me, next week it's your turn, Ness."

"Me, alone?!"

"No, someone will go with you. But this time it's your turn to be the one who buys."

Ness frowned but sighed in resignation.

"Fine, fine. But I refuse to go with Rin, his grumpy face will scare away the vendors."

"Better, that way they won't rip us off." Rin crossed his arms.

"Then I'll go with Reo."

Reo paled.

"No… Not again…"

"Okay, then Ness and Reo go next time." Rin wrote in the notebook without leaving room for protests.

"Wait, I didn't agree to this!" Reo tried to snatch the notebook, but Rin pushed him away.

"Too late."

"Ugh, I hate this…"

Shidou laughed as he said goodbye.

"Well, I'm glad I could be your survival guide. When you need more advice, you know where to find me."

"At Nanase's house, yeah, we know." Ness waved goodbye.

"Exactly, see you later, city kids!"

When Shidou left, Rin slammed the notebook shut.

"Alright, it's decided. Now, Ness, you're cooking today."

"What? That wasn't on the list!"

"It is now." Rin handed him a wooden spoon. "Prove that it was worth wasting time to avoid going to the market."

Ness clicked his tongue but accepted defeat.

"Damn democracy…"

While Reo continued to complain about his upcoming turn and Ness resigned himself to cooking, Rin smiled to himself. Living together might be chaotic, but at least now they had a system to avoid running out of everything.

"Care to explain what you're doing?" Reo asked, peeking his head through the door to Rin's room, where the floor looked like the aftermath of a fight between hangers and winter clothes.

"Playing chess with my traumas, can't you tell?" Rin replied without looking at him, skeptically holding up a shirt to the mirror.

"Rinrin, you're taking longer than Reo picking out face cream," Ness said, walking in with a bag of chips in hand. "Didn't you say it wasn't a date?"

"It's not," Rin said, taking off the shirt and tossing it on the bed. "It's just a walk. Casual. No pressure. Nothing you two would talk about for the next six months if I messed it up, right?"

"Oh, so it is a date," Reo said, sitting in the doorway. "Because if it were just a walk, you wouldn't be color-matching socks by emotional tones."

"I'm not color-matching anything," Rin replied, pulling out another pair of socks and tossing them into the hamper with enviable aim. "I just don't want to look like a lunatic."

Ness approached him with a mischievous smile.

"Are you going to tell him you like his voice when he's angry? Or are you going to pretend you accidentally brushed hands?"

"I'm going to tell him I have friends who were clearly raised without any social filter," Rin answered, calmly buttoning his shirt, though his ears were visibly red.

"What if he realizes you're nervous?"

"I'll distract him with sarcasm. Works with you guys, right?"

Reo held up a sign that read: "FIRST DATE (but don't call it that or Rin will run away)."

"Did you have that ready beforehand?" Rin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I made it when you passed by for the third time saying, 'Does this shirt say "I'm trying without looking like I'm trying"?'" Reo replied, smiling.

Rin checked his phone. Message from Nanase:

"I'm downstairs. No rush, but if you take too long, I'll leave without you and eat your ice cream that's at the flower shop."

He sighed. He put on his jacket. He turned to the other two.

"If I get back and you two have talked about this with more than three people, I'm putting cilantro in your hygiene products."

"Romantic and threatening!" Ness applauded.

"You make us so proud," Reo added, almost emotional.

Rin shot them a murderous look before leaving. And though his steps were calm, his heart was racing.

He went downstairs with his hands in his pockets and a carefully neutral expression. When he exited the building, he saw him there: Nanase, leaning against the entrance gate, hands in his pockets and a half-smile on his lips.

Rin paused for a second. He breathed. It's not a date, he repeated mentally. But his stomach didn't seem to have received the message.

"Hey," he greeted, raising a hand in a quick gesture.

"Hey," Nanase replied, straightening up. He wore a light jacket and his hair was slightly wind-blown. A look so natural it made Rin feel overdressed, despite his attempt to appear casual.

There was a silence. Not awkward, but charged with those micro-seconds in which—

"Thanks for not making me wait," Nanase finally said. "I was ready to leave if you took one more minute."

"I know," Rin replied. "I read it in your passive-aggressive text message threat."

Nanase let out a small laugh.

"Did it work?"

"Let's say it did," Rin said, shrugging.

Another brief silence. Rin noticed how his hands wanted to hide in his pockets, but he didn't. Instead, he stood straight, in an almost defensive posture.

"So... where are we going?" he asked, looking everywhere but into Nanase's eyes.

"There's a new coffee shop a couple of blocks away. They have lavender coffee, I think. And a cat that lives there."

"Does the cat make the coffee or is it just the main attraction?" Rin asked, already walking beside him.

"I'm not sure. But if the cat makes the coffee, I'll tip it."

And so, between sentences that still carried that slight tone of restraint, they moved forward.

At first, the silence between them was more conscious than comfortable, as if both were testing the waters. But with each step, each casual comment, words began to flow more lightly.

"How's the flower shop going?" Rin asked.

"Good, it's fun to see customers who give a plant to say 'I love you forever.'" Nanase rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I feel like I work more as a therapist than a florist."

"It's exhausting. I don't even know what to do with my own emotions, let alone interpret others'."

"Oh, really?" Nanase looked at him sideways. "And what do you do with them?"

Rin shrugged, maintaining his neutral tone.

"Sarcasm. Irony. Suppress them until they dissolve somewhere deep in the nervous system."

"Ah, yes. The classic method," Nanase said, laughing. "Very healthy."

"I know. My imaginary psychologist is proud of me."

Nanase looked at him for another second and then, without warning, handed him a cereal bar he pulled from his pocket.

"What's this?"

"Emotional reward for admitting your traumas with style. Besides, we said it was a non-date date. So, we have to share snacks."

Rin accepted it, though feigning annoyance.

"I hate that you're charming."

"And I hate that you get so red when I say it."

"Shut up."

They both laughed as they continued walking. The sun was gently setting, painting the sky with warm hues. The initial discomfort dissolved between jokes, slow walks, and small gestures that, though simple, felt important.

It was a non-date.

But also, a step.

The walk led them to a quiet street decorated with soft string lights hanging from a small shop. The sign, in a cursive and somewhat cheesy font, read: "MeowMeow Cafe."

Nanase held the door for him, and upon entering, they were greeted by a soft aroma of latte and the unmistakable smell of cat: a mix of cuteness, paw dust, and domestic chaos.

"Welcome," said the girl at the counter, wearing a headband with cat ears. "You can choose a table, and the cats will choose you. Literally."

Rin and Nanase sat in a padded corner by the window. In less than five minutes, a white cat with a grumpy face jumped onto Rin's lap as if it were conquered territory.

"Is it normal for it to be judging me with its eyes?" Rin asked as the cat looked up at him with an expression of feline superiority.

"It chose you. You can't leave now," Nanase said, taking a picture with his phone.

"Delete that, or your funeral will be sooner than you think."

Nanase laughed, still looking at the screen. Then he lowered his phone, smiling more softly.

"You look calm when you don't realize it."

Rin looked up. Something stirred in his chest, but as always, he disguised it with a grimace.

"Same here. Though yours is more suspicious. You're very normal. Suspiciously normal."

"Normal? That's almost a compliment coming from you."

"Don't get excited, I didn't say pleasant yet."

The waiter brought them two coffees with latte art designs of sleeping kittens. Rin looked at them with genuine confusion.

"How am I supposed to drink this without feeling like a monster?"

"You can't. That's the secret. The coffee is sweetened with guilt."

As they drank, two more cats climbed onto the table and began sniffing their backpacks. One ended up on Nanase's lap, curled up as if it knew the place better than anyone.

"I like this place," Nanase said. "It's full of silent chaos. Like you."

"Thanks, I guess. If you were less charming, I'd get up and find another table."

"But you're not."

"No. And don't ask why."

Nanase just smiled, watching the steam rise from his cup. Outside, the sky was turning violet with the first lights of dusk. Inside, everything was warm and full of meows.

The white cat on Rin's lap yawned exaggeratedly, showing each of its fangs as if it wanted to join the conversation. Rin looked down at it and, without much thought, began to slowly stroke its head.

"Well, well, well... if your fans knew you were secretly a cat lover."

"Don't put that in your next group message, please," Rin said, still stroking the cat. "I still have a reputation to maintain."

"The sarcastic one with a hard heart? It's falling apart."

"Shut up."

They laughed again, but this time not as loudly. There was a small silence, and amidst the sound of steam from the coffee machine and the soft purr of the cat, something shifted between them.

Nanase noticed it first. Or at least, he allowed it.

"You know? I'm glad you came. I thought you were going to cancel on me last minute with an excuse."

Rin averted his gaze to the window. Outside, a group of kids rode by on bicycles, laughing. Inside, everything felt much quieter.

"I was about to," he confessed sincerely, without sarcasm for the first time all day. "But... something told me that if I didn't go, I'd regret it later."

Nanase blinked, surprised by the change in tone. Rin noticed the silence, cleared his throat, and returned to his usual shield:

"Though if this ends with you claiming my ice cream inside the flower shop, I take everything back."

Nanase laughed, but his gaze remained fixed on Rin for a few seconds longer than usual. He said nothing. There was no need.

They both continued drinking their coffee. The cat remained on Rin's lap, and the atmosphere of the place seemed the same.

But it wasn't.

Something had moved.

Small. Invisible.

But real.

The sky was already completely dyed deep blue when they left the cafe. The air was fresh, but not cold, and the city seemed to have relaxed with them.

They walked in silence, unhurried, their steps almost synchronized without intending to. In the distance, crickets chirped and distant laughter could be heard. The warm lights of the apartments flickered like small, domesticated stars.

Rin kicked a small stone on the path. Then, as they passed a closed flower shop, he pointed to a plant in the window.

"What kind of psychopath gives a heart-shaped cactus? Does that scream 'I love you' or 'I'll prick you as soon as you let your guard down'?"

Nanase let out a genuine laugh.

"Depends on who you give it to. To you, the cactus would probably get depressed."

"How thoughtful of you."

"Always."

The conversation died down again, but not uncomfortably. It was as if both knew there was no need to fill every silence.

When they reached the building's entrance, they stopped at the foot of the stairs.

"Well..." Rin said, looking towards the door.

"Well," Nanase repeated.

Rin put his hands in his pockets, as if that could control the slight tremor rising through his fingers.

"Thanks for the... non-ice cream. I guess."

"Anytime you want to non-go out with me again," Nanase replied, smiling.

Rin looked at him for a second, tilting his head slightly, as if thinking of saying something more. But he just nodded, half-mockingly, half-seriously.

"Good night, Nijiro."

"Good night, Rin-san."

They both went up the stairs, one behind the other. When they reached the hallway, each turned towards their own apartment without saying much more.

But that feeling...

As if the air between them had become a little denser, a little clearer.

As if something had just begun.

And though neither said it, both knew:

The next non-date... wouldn't be so "non" anymore.

Rin entered, calmly taking off his shoes. Or at least, he tried, until he heard a muffled scream.

"AND?!" Ness emerged from the kitchen with a green face mask and a unicorn robe. Reo followed him, wrapped in a blanket like a Roman toga. "Was there intense eye contact?! Did you accidentally hold his hand?! Did he drop something and you both picked it up at the same time and your fingers brushed?!"

"Why do you look like a telenovela aunt and you look like a Hunger Games grandma?" Rin asked, pointing at them without even blinking.

"Rin, don't evade! We want details!"

"No details," Rin said, walking towards his room.

Reo crossed his arms, an eyebrow raised.

"So, was it or wasn't it a date?"

Rin stopped at his bedroom door. He turned very slowly, with the most expressionless look in the world.

"It was a walk."

"With ice cream?" Ness pressed.

"Without ice cream."

"With romantic tension?" Reo added.

"With cats," Rin replied.

And he closed the door.

Ness and Reo stood in the hallway, looking at each other. Then, Reo sighed.

"That was a yes disguised as sarcasm."

"Totally," Ness said, adjusting his spa headband. "Get ready. Drama and feelings are coming."

It was his sacred moment.

Reo wore his lilac satin robe (limited edition, of course), a green clay mask on his face, and his hair held up with pastel butterfly clips. He had brewed himself chamomile tea and had his soft lo-fi playlist playing in the background. No one was home. No one to judge. No one to bother.

"Peace is a right," he murmured, as he settled onto the armchair with his favorite blanket.

And then...

BANG!

The crash at the door almost made him drop his teacup. Reo blinked in disbelief, put his cup on the side table, and headed for the entrance with a murderous expression... even though he still had the green mask on, his butterfly clips gleaming, and his fluffy slippers shuffling across the floor.

He flung the door open, scowling with his hands on his hips.

"What in the world was that?!" he snapped, coming face to face with a boy with messy curls, in shorts and no shirt, who looked as confused as he did.

"Uh... my frisbee got away."

"And you decided my door was the ideal place to crash it? Are you out of your mind or were you raised without rules?"

The boy looked down, a little embarrassed.

"Sorry... it wasn't on purpose."

Reo let out a long sigh, like a fed-up mother.

"Good heavens. How do you have that 'I only got F's' face and still do things like this? Do you know what a good afternoon of mental peace costs?"

"I... I didn't mean to bother you..."

"You already did, sweetie. But look," Reo said, softening his tone just slightly as he pointed at the frisbee on the ground. "Pick that up, be careful next time, and promise me you won't be playing medieval wars in the hallway."

The boy nodded, hurrying.

"And when you have time, introduce yourself like a decent person. I'm not your grumpy neighbor... yet."

Just then, the elevator opened.

Nagi, with his convenience store bag and his classic neutral face, observed the scene.

Silence.

"Reo?"

Reo turned slowly, still with the mask, the robe, the ear-shaped slippers, and a star clip hanging from a blonde lock of hair.

"...What are you doing here so early?" he asked in a high-pitched voice, acting as if nothing was happening.

Nagi narrowed his eyes.

"...Are you... punishing a child?"

"He's not a child, he's a public menace! And I'm not punishing him, I'm lovingly educating him!"

The boy timidly raised his hand.

"Uh... I'm Charles. I live next door."

"And he even has a name! A miracle," Reo said, crossing his arms dramatically. "Go on, Charles, behave yourself. And put on some sunscreen, your chest is already red like a shrimp."

He was about to turn, but stopped dead, frowning suddenly.

"Wait a second... you live with Nanase?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously as if he had just uncovered an international conspiracy.

"Yeah..." Charles replied, somewhat uncomfortable, as he began to walk away, unsure if he had been scolded, adopted, or if he should invite everyone over for dinner.

Nagi approached.

"You look incredibly busy."

Reo rolled his eyes.

"Quiet. You saw nothing."

"You look good," Nagi said, with a slight smile.

"And don't say it like it's a joke, idiot!"

Nagi leaned against the doorframe, setting the convenience store bags on the floor with a brief sigh.

"So... this is your relaxation routine?"

Reo scoffed, not moving from the threshold.

"It was. Until the frisbee apocalypse decided to knock on my door."

"Sounds intense."

"It was. And on top of that, unexpected audience showed up," Reo said, giving him a head-to-toe look. "What are you doing here so early, by the way?"

"I ran out of cereal."

Reo raised an eyebrow.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Nothing. I was just passing by," Nagi said, shrugging.

"Uh-huh."

A short silence.

"Nice clips," Nagi commented, as if talking about the weather.

Reo stood still for a second, then said dryly:

"Limited edition. If you're going to make fun, at least have good taste."

"I'm not making fun," Nagi replied, picking up his bags from the floor. "They suit you."

Reo glanced at him, as if trying to read his intention on his face, but found nothing clear. Just that usual calm expression.

"I'm going to put these away," Nagi added, pointing to the bags. "If you're still in spa mode when I get back, I'll bring you something sweet. If not, still."

Reo crossed his arms, hesitating.

"As long as you don't bring another frisbee, we're good."

"Promise."

And without another word, Nagi walked away down the hall. Reo followed him with his gaze for a few seconds before slowly closing the door, muttering:

"I'm starting to suspect the universe hates me..."

"Good morning," Rin greeted, closing the door with his foot, carrying a bag of bread in one hand and a small cage in the other.

"What... is that?" Reo asked from the dining room, frowning.

"Did you bring an animal?" Ness peeked out from the kitchen with a spoon in hand. "Is that a rabbit?"

"Yes," Rin replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "His name is Mochi."

"Mochi?" Reo repeated, approaching with a scandalized expression. "Since when do we babysit other people's pets?"

"Since Nanase asked me to," Rin replied, setting the bread on the table.

There was a brief silence.

"Ah, Nanase," Ness said, drawing out the name intentionally. "The next-door neighbor. The one who looks at you like you're his favorite balcony flower."

"Don't start," Rin grumbled, not even turning to look at them.

"I'm just saying," Reo added, already smiling maliciously, "that there are less indirect ways to tell us you're dating."

"We are not dating!" Rin put the cage in the corner of the dining room with more force than necessary. "He just had to go out and asked me for a favor. That's all."

"Uh-huh, sure," Ness said, bending down to look at the rabbit. "And I bet next time you'll be looking after his heart."

"Oh my god," Rin ran a hand over his face, frustrated. "Can you two behave like normal people for one day?"

"And miss this?" Reo laughed. "Never. But seriously, did you tell us you were bringing a live animal into the apartment?"

"Did you tell us when you made that order of face masks that left us bankrupt for two days?" Rin retorted.

"Those face masks were art," Reo huffed. "Besides, Ness approved them."

"Because I thought they were cheaper," Ness defended himself, not taking his eyes off Mochi. "Speaking of which, can I take him out?"

"Only if you don't put one of those ridiculous wool hats you make on him," Rin warned.

"Nobody says no to fashion," Ness replied dramatically, already petting Mochi through the cage. "This rabbit is going to leave here a celebrity."

"We're going to end up in veterinary emergencies, I can see it coming," Rin murmured.

"Nah," Reo flopped onto the couch, crossing his legs. "The only thing in emergency here is your denied relationship with Nanase."

"It's not a relationship!"

"Sure, sure. 'I'm just watching his pet, doing him favors, sharing coffee on the balcony...'" Ness enumerated mockingly.

"I'm going to throw you out the window if you keep going," Rin threatened without conviction, while the rabbit yawned inside the cage, completely oblivious to the human drama.

"So, can I take him out or not?" Ness asked, his hand already on the cage.

"Fine," Rin conceded, though doubtfully. "But be careful. Don't scare him."

Ness opened the little door with a triumphant smile, and Mochi hopped out onto the center of the rug.

"Look at him, he's a pom-pom with legs," Ness said, sitting on the floor. "Who's the cutest bunny, huh?"

"He's cuter than you," Reo added, also bending down to pet him.

Mochi seemed calm, letting them pet him... until, out of nowhere, he raised his hind legs and delivered a direct kick to Reo's face.

"AUGH!" Reo fell backward dramatically, clutching both hands to his cheek. "He kicked me! He kicked me in the face! My skin! MY PERFECT FACE!"

"HAHAHAHA!" Ness fell backward, laughing heartily. "That was great! Mochi, you're my new idol!"

"It's not funny!" Reo yelled, checking himself with his phone as a mirror. "Do I have a mark? DO I HAVE A MARK!?"

"What's wrong with him?! Why is he jumping like that?!" Rin suddenly approached, seeing Mochi begin to frantically bounce around the apartment. "Mochi, no! Get down from there! THAT'S A SUPER EXPENSIVE PLANT!"

"There he goes! He's going to destroy everything!" Ness announced, still laughing.

"Someone catch him!" Rin ran after the rabbit, dodging a lamp in the process.

"Not before securing my face!" Reo yelled from the floor, urgently applying cream.

Mochi made another jump and disappeared behind the couch, causing a crash as he knocked over a picture frame.

"THE PICTURE FROM THE OKINAWA TRIP BROKE!" Ness yelled with feigned drama.

"That was your finger in front of the camera, Ness! It wasn't even a good picture!" Rin replied, now crawling under the table. "Mochi, get out of there! Nanase is going to kill me!"

"Are you sure it's not his way of marking territory?" Reo joked, rubbing his cheek. "Like saying: 'I'm Nanase's, keep your hands off.'"

"WHO KICKS OUT OF JEALOUSY, REO!?" Rin shrieked from the floor.

"An alpha rabbit," Ness muttered solemnly.

Mochi continued to jump like a possessed soul, bouncing all over the living room while Rin tried to catch him with a towel, Ness cried with laughter, and Reo applied cream as if he had been the victim of an attack.

"I'm going to lose him! I'M GOING TO LOSE HIM!" Rin yelled, almost in tears. "Nanase is going to think I don't care! He's going to stop talking to me! ALL BECAUSE OF A RABBIT!"

"Relax, if you tell him he died in battle he'll admire you more," Ness joked.

"Ness, for God's sake!"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"WHO THE HELL IS IT NOW?" Reo exclaimed from the floor.

"I'll get it!" Ness sang and went straight to the door. He opened it without looking.

"Hello, little wizard," Kaiser said with a sly smile. "Busy?"

"Kaiser!?" Reo sat up abruptly, still with a compress stuck to his face.

"I came for that book you told me you had, Ness," Kaiser continued, not noticing the chaos behind him. "Everything good here or... are you summoning something?"

"CLOSE THE DOOR, IDIOT!" Rin shrieked.

Too late.

Mochi, with the speed and precision of an Olympic athlete, launched himself like a projectile directly between Kaiser's legs.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Kaiser yelled, stumbling as the rabbit disappeared down the hallway.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!" Rin let out a heartbreaking scream, running after the rabbit as if his life depended on it.

"WAS THAT A RABBIT!?" Kaiser turned, pointing down the hallway. "A RABBIT ATTACKED ME!"

"DAMN IT, MOCHI!" Ness was already running with the towel raised. "RUN!"

Reo stood in the middle of the living room, frozen, looking at the mess: a broken plant, a picture frame on the floor, his face red and his dignity in tatters.

"...Can you explain what kind of hellish sitcom this house is?" Kaiser asked, still in shock.

"One where you're the filler villain who appears once and ruins everything," Reo grumbled, grabbing another ice pack.

"THERE HE GOES!" Rin was heard yelling from the hallway. "HE WENT UNDER THE CLEANING CART!"

"OH NOOO, NOOO!" Ness shrieked. "AND THAT CLEANING GUY HATES ANIMALS! And if he steps on him we're going to have to tape him back together!"

Reo peered out, just in time to see Mochi shoot out from under the cart and through a crack between two apartments further down.

"WHO LEFT THAT DOOR AJAR?!" Rin yelled, his voice on the verge of emotional despair.

"Nanase isn't here, his apartment is locked!" Ness replied. "So that rabbit is improvising his own escape route like it's Mission Impossible!"

"I SEE HIM!" Rin threw himself to the floor. "HE'S GOING INTO THE TRASH ROOM!"

"OH NOOO, NOOO!" Reo ran too. "THE WORMS FROM THE FIFTH FLOOR ARE THERE!"

"And the guy who secretly smokes, the one who looks like he's from a horror movie!" Ness added, terrified.

Kaiser, from the doorway, watched the three disappear downstairs amidst shouts, echoes, and rabbit squeals.

"...I just came for a book."

A neighbor opened her door, curious. She saw the mess, the shouts, the towels, and Kaiser still rubbing himself.

"Everything alright?"

"Yes, ma'am. We're just fighting Satan in rabbit form," Kaiser replied, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Just then, Rin came running back with Mochi in his arms. The rabbit was covered in dust, a banana peel on its ear, and a look of complete disinterest in everything it had caused.

"I caught him. He threw himself on a bag of expired rice like it was his throne."

"I hate you," Reo murmured, doubled over, breathing as if he had run a marathon.

"Me too, Reo. Me too," Rin looked at the rabbit with defeated eyes.

"Nanase will never find out, right?" Ness asked hopefully.

"Yes, he will find out. Because I'm going to send him the hallway security video," a new voice said from behind them.

Everyone turned around. It was Charles. Boxers, coffee, sleepy face, and phone in hand.

"WHEN DID YOU RECORD THIS?"

"Ever since I saw the rabbit fly through the crack in my door. I uploaded the camera to the neighbors' group. It already has 17 reactions."

Silence.

"And are any of them good?" Ness asked.

"No."

Mochi sneezed.

"...I'll bathe him," Rin sighed.

"I'll sweep up what's left of my plant," Reo huffed.

"I'm going to read the book nobody wants to give me," Kaiser announced, walking towards the exit like someone abandoning a war zone.

Ness stretched as if he had just starred in the best episode of his life.

"Well... at least it wasn't as bad as the time with the laxative ham."

"NESS!!!"

The disaster began around seven in the morning: Rin turned on the shower, and a furious spray lifted his bangs. Within seconds, Ness and Reo came running into the bathroom, alerted by the shouts.

"What the hell?!" Rin exclaimed, as water continued to spray with pressure.

"Relax, I'll fix this with industrial tape and a funnel," Ness said with complete confidence, pulling out his "grandmother's miracle kit."

"No, no, no!" Reo yelled, watching his serums get soaked. "My sensitive skin won't survive another hydraulic disaster!"

As soon as Ness tried to cover the hole, the pipe exploded once more, this time with such force that the bathroom was soaked and Reo's exfoliator flew through the air.

The landlord, after being called, gave his verdict: the plumber would arrive the next day.

"We're stuck without water." Rin, looking at the mess, sighed. "What if we go to the communal bathhouse around the corner?" he suggested, looking at Reo and Ness as if he had offered a brilliant solution.

"The communal bathhouse?" Reo raised an eyebrow, as if he had said "let's go bathe in a sewer." "Me, taking my luxury skincare to a bathhouse like that? No way!"

"And my hair routine can't be done in a place with a time limit," Ness added, adjusting his towel band.

"It's not like we're going to war!" Rin said, exasperated. "We just need to shower, not create a five-star spa!"

The discussion quickly intensified, with Reo defending his right to a private bath and Ness insisting that no one understood the complexity of his hair care regimen. Rin tried to bring order, but every time one mentioned their routine, the other responded with an even more dramatic argument.

"Enough!" Rin shouted, raising his hands as if he were in court. "Okay, Plan B: I'll ask Nanase to lend us his bathroom. He lives next door, and well, his boiler is new and... he's my boyfriend, so there won't be any problems."

Reo and Ness fell silent for a moment, considering the offer. Neither was completely satisfied with the idea, but at least it seemed more viable than the public bath.

"Nanase?" Reo asked, after a long sigh.

"Yes," Rin replied, somewhat uncomfortably. "Come on, we have to try."

Ness snorted, annoyed, but finally agreed, seeing that there wasn't much room for another option.

After a few minutes, the three set off. Reo, with his briefcase of carefully organized bottles, and Ness, with an elephant-sized bag full of oils and creams, walked down the hallway, leaving the battle-scarred bathroom behind. Rin, carrying only a towel, walked in front, slightly flushed at the idea of asking Nanase to use his bathroom.

Upon reaching Nanase's door, Rin knocked lightly. The door opened almost instantly, revealing Nanase in a bathrobe, with messy hair but a kind smile.

"Oh, hey!" Nanase said, surprised but delighted. "Everything okay?"

"Uh... yeah." Rin hesitated a bit, looking at Reo and Ness, who were too busy organizing their things to notice Rin's nervousness. "We had a small problem with the shower... and, well, can we use your bathroom?"

Nanase laughed.

"A problem? I can imagine. Of course, come in, use whatever you need. The bathroom's free."

The three entered, thanking Nanase. Rin quickly slipped into the bathroom with impressive speed, as the mere act of asking his boyfriend to let them use his shower had made him a bit uncomfortable.

Reo and Ness looked at each other, both with their respective personal care kits in hand.

"Well, I guess I'm next," Reo said, smiling with that characteristic calm of someone who knows they'll always get what they want.

"No way!" Ness frowned, almost pressing himself against the bathroom as if to magically claim it. "I need it more, you know? Mine isn't just a simple shower, it's a whole hair routine. You just wash your face and that's it."

"Do you think you're the king of showers or something?" Reo replied, crossing his arms, his face a mix of indifference and arrogance. "My skin is sensitive, my routine is more important!"

Ness snorted, unwilling to give in so easily. "My hair is more important! I need at least thirty minutes so it doesn't turn into spaghetti!"

"Spaghetti?" Reo raised an eyebrow. "Do you have noodles on your head or something?"

"Just let me use the bathroom first!" Ness was growing more frustrated. "My hair doesn't dry on its own!"

While the argument continued, Rin emerged from the bathroom, his hair still damp, but with a somewhat more relaxed expression. Seeing him, Nanase, who was standing right at the apartment door with a cup of tea in his hand, looked at him with a smile. He approached quickly, seemingly more than ready to enjoy his time with him.

"Everything okay?" Nanase asked with a smile that made Rin blush slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. Just the usual chaos." Rin ran the towel through his hair and quickly glanced at Reo and Ness, who were still arguing with their hands raised as if they were about to fight.

Reo was about to continue his argument when Rin interrupted, looking at his boyfriend with a knowing glance.

"Ah, Nanase, would you like to come in for a moment?" Rin said, trying to smooth the atmosphere, but with a touch of mischief.

"Oh, sure, Rin." Nanase looked at him with a mischievous smile and followed his gaze as they headed to the apartment sofa, leaving Reo and Ness adrift in the hallway.

Meanwhile, Reo and Ness continued their discussion.

"I'm not going without a shower!" Ness raised his voice. "What part of 'my hair turns into a Brillo pad' don't you understand?"

"And you don't understand that my skin is more delicate, I need to moisturize in peace!" Reo retorted, making an exaggerated gesture of desperation.

Both exchanged furious glances, neither backing down, until finally, Ness let out a sigh of frustration.

"Fine, you first!" he exclaimed. "But next time, I'm showering first."

"Fair enough, but don't start crying when your hair isn't perfect," Reo said with a mocking smile, as he walked to enter the bathroom.

Ness, unable to help it, rolled his eyes and let out a small complaint before sitting on the sofa, looking at Rin and Nanase, who were now comfortably together, sharing a snack.

"So this is what you do now?" Ness began, playfully, crossing his arms. "You have a date and leave the rest of us waiting in the hallway? No solidarity with us poor mortals like me?"

Rin looked up, trying to keep calm while Nanase sipped his tea, noticing the approaching storm.

"What do you mean?" Rin asked with a slight smile. "Can't you wait your turn for the bathroom, or are you tired of living in such luxury?"

Ness approached, smiling somewhat mockingly.

"Well, someone has to bring order here. As always, chaos." He looked at Nanase and added, ironically, "Or is Nanase going to spend the whole afternoon staring into your beautiful eyes and forget that there's a bathroom occupied by a man who needs to get rid of his rebellious mane?"

"I'm gonna hit you, Ness!" Rin let out a small laugh, clearly amused by the comment, but also a little annoyed.

Nanase, who wasn't bothered by jokes, gave Ness a calm smile.

"Are you worried about the bathroom?" He smiled calmly, not offended, but clearly enjoying the interaction. "But if it really bothers you that much, you know I can ask you the favor of sharing it, huh?"

Ness sighed, exasperated.

"Yeah, right. As if I could use the bathroom in peace with all of you making noise in the living room. When will the day come when you can take a bath without having to make an appointment?"

"Sorry, Ness." Rin stood up with a mocking smile, putting a hand on Nanase's shoulder while looking at him conspiratorially. "But the bathroom is in Reo's hands, and he's taking longer than the last time he painted his room."

"Enough, Rin!" Ness complained, knowing that his time for the bathroom was still a distant dream.

Ness had had enough. He looked at Rin and Nanase, but he didn't want to remain the eternal "third wheel."

"Alright, I think I've had enough of this chat. I'm going to do something more useful... like go complain about Reo and his eternal bathroom routine."

"I invite you to relax, Ness. If you can't handle this, I don't know what you'll do when the real chaos begins." Rin laughed, watching Ness walk out of the apartment and calmly close the door.

The now empty hallway gave Ness a chance to breathe. But his patience was already exhausted. He was about to leave when he saw Kaiser, walking down the hallway, as if in his own world.

"What's up, Kaiser?" Ness greeted him in a relaxed tone, crossing his arms. "Strolling around here or looking for something to make yourself more interesting?"

Kaiser looked at him, raising an eyebrow with his characteristic arrogance.

"And what are you doing here, Ness? So bored of being cooped up that you decide to invade the hallways?"

Ness shrugged, not overly concerned.

"Boring? Nah, I was just taking a break from reality. Though now that you mention it, since you're around, maybe you can help me solve a small problem."

Kaiser looked at him with curiosity.

"And what kind of 'problem'? Are you organizing an invasion or something?"

Ness gave him a sly smile.

"You could say I have a small conflict with the bathroom." Ness paused, watching Kaiser out of the corner of his eye. "But if you're not interested, I guess I'll keep trying my luck."

Kaiser looked at him with a slight smile, as if evaluating the situation.

"A conflict with the bathroom? Should I be worried or just laugh at your misfortune?" Kaiser replied sarcastically, but his tone suggested he was willing to help.

"Well, let's say I'm not a fan of waiting my turn for hours, and the bathrooms in this place are occupied. If you don't mind, maybe you can give me a hand."

Kaiser let out a slight laugh.

"So, this is what you need, a favor to shower without waiting all day?" he said, amused but with that confident smile. "I can give you a free bathroom, though I don't know if you can handle the magnificence of my shower."

Ness looked at him with a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

"Your shower? Well, if you guarantee my hair will be just as shiny, I'll consider it." Ness joked, knowing he was accepting the challenge.

Kaiser winked at him, without losing his arrogant demeanor.

"Get ready, Ness. I'm not responsible for what happens next."

Ness decided to play along. The guy always had that arrogant way of doing things, but somehow, Ness couldn't deny that he liked him. It wasn't every day you met someone like him.

"So this is your way of offering favors?" Ness asked with an amused smile, as they began to walk towards Kaiser's apartment. "A special shower just for me?"

Kaiser let out a low laugh, enjoying the slight teasing in Ness's voice.

"I call it 'high-level hospitality.' And yes, my shower is so incredible that you'll have to prepare for a life change." he said in a serious tone, as if he were truly doing something grand.

"Wow, I can already imagine the luxury of your bathroom. I hope it lives up to your expectations, because if not, I'll be very disappointed," Ness replied, equally sarcastic, as they walked down the hallway.

Kaiser, however, walked beside him, without losing his composure.

"You laugh, but if you ask for my advice, I'd tell you not to underestimate my shower. I'm known for maintaining a high standard of living, and that includes my personal services."

Ness let out a small laugh.

"Personal services? Wow, now I feel like I'm entering some kind of luxury resort. Are you going to offer me fresh towels too?"

"What kind of person do you think I am, Ness?" Kaiser looked at him out of the corner of his eye, adding a touch of humor to the situation. "Of course. Towels are essential for the complete experience."

Upon reaching his apartment door, Kaiser opened it with a dramatic flourish, as if it were the entrance to a world of extravagance.

"Welcome to paradise, Ness."

Ness crossed the threshold, looking skeptically at the small entryway. Kaiser always made it seem grander than it was, but he couldn't help but feel curious.

"We'll see if your 'paradise' lives up to your promises, Kaiser." Ness replied as he surveyed the place, which, while not overly luxurious, did have an elegant touch. "I don't think it's that impressive, but it's not bad."

Kaiser laughed at Ness's critical gaze.

"Always so skeptical, huh? Well, I invite you to see for yourself. But remember, great experiences can't be described, only lived."

Ness snorted, looking at Kaiser with a somewhat mocking expression, but he found something endearing about his arrogant attitude.

"Yeah, right. Don't make me promise anything, Kaiser. If this shower isn't like a five-star spa, I'm going to complain for hours."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy every second." Kaiser said as he walked towards the small kitchen of the apartment. "I'm going to make some tea, if that's okay. You need to relax a bit before the 'sublime experience'."

Ness, somewhat intrigued, nodded as he took off his jacket and left it on a nearby chair.

"Tea, huh? Well, that sounds decent. But don't get your hopes up, Kaiser. You're not going to convince me so easily that your life is constant luxury."

"We'll see." Kaiser replied, in a slightly softer tone. "It's an offer hard to refuse."

Ness, now more relaxed, headed to the bathroom following Kaiser. He knew their jokes were constant, but at the end of the day, it seemed something more genuine was forming, even if Kaiser never stopped being so... Kaiser.

"Let's see how impressive your shower is, because if it leaves me with nothing but a little steam, then we'll have to talk."

Kaiser gave him a dismissive look, but without malice.

"You'll see, Ness. You'll see."

Kaiser opened the bathroom door with a theatrical gesture:

"Here's the star of the tour: thermostatic faucet, rain mode, and chromotherapy."

Ness crossed the threshold, glanced quickly at the dark stone walls and the frameless shower screen, then shrugged.

"Nice." His tone sounded almost neutral. "The Mikage spa in Kyoto has integrated essential oil diffusers; you could copy the idea."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Wow, impossible to show off with you, huh?"

"Perks of growing up surrounded by billionaires and laboratories," Ness retorted as he placed his products on a minimalist shelf. "But relax, I approve of the clean lines."

Kaiser let out a short laugh.

"I appreciate your condescension, Liebling. Shall I leave you alone or do you need a butler?"

"Just make sure Reo doesn't send me twenty messages asking where I am," Ness replied, turning on the shower; the water fell with a low, constant murmur. "And don't touch my bottles, I have a mental inventory."

Kaiser leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

"I promise nothing... except to prepare that tea." He paused. "Hey, Ness: when you're done, fancy a quick game of FIFA? The rosters have been updated."

"If I lose, I'll say the steam left me dazed," he joked, taking off his shirt. "Give me fifteen minutes and I'm out."

"Fifteen. Timed," Kaiser replied, smiling before leaving.

The hot water enveloped Ness. Between the steady drumming and the faint hum of the extractor fan, he allowed himself a sigh. He wasn't impressed, but he was grateful for the calm away from Reo's shouting and Rin's romantic scene.

He thought, with a half-smile, that perhaps Kaiser wasn't as insufferable as he made himself out to be.

Ness devoted himself to his hair ritual: sulfate-free shampoo, nourishing conditioner that had to sit for five minutes, hydrating mask, scalp massage, rinse with warm water, detangling cream, and finally, heat protectant. The echo of the extractor muffled the clock's ticking.

"Just one more second," he murmured, carefully arranging his curls.

Minute 22. Kaiser gently knocked on the door.

"Did you survive or did you go down the drain, Rapunzel?"

"Creative process in progress!" Ness replied, without a hint of guilt.

Minute 68. Ness emerged enveloped in a cloud of steam, microfiber towel, diffuser, and a faint scent of gardenia. Kaiser awaited him on the sofa, one eyebrow raised and the console controller in hand.

"Swiss internal clock, huh?" Kaiser mocked, pointing to the phone's timer: 68 min 34 s.

"Experimental variable," Ness retorted, sitting down. "Extreme hydration factor. Your shower passed the stress test."

Kaiser slid a cup of tea towards him.

"Be interested in the erosion of my pipes and then we'll talk."

"Deal," Ness said, sipping. "Now, let's go: if I win, I get your extra-thick towel."

"And if you lose, you clean the bathroom," Kaiser counterattacked, smiling.

The screen illuminates Kaiser's living room; on the low table rest the empty teacups and a bag of snacks Ness had brought "just in case."

Kaiser raises the controller:

"House rule: each goal grants a confession. The scorer decides what the other confesses. Ready?"

Ness, arranging his diffuser on the back of the sofa:

"Always."

First Half

0' - 15'

Kaiser (Bastard München) opens the scoring with a shot.

"Confess your most unexpected crush."

Ness shrugs:

"In elementary school, I had a crush on my science teacher. He knew how to pronounce 'heteroatom' with a perfect accent."

Kaiser blinks, surprised; then guffaws:

"You and your chemical quirks."

15' - 30'

Ness (Manshine City) equalizes.

"Say something that truly embarrasses you."

Kaiser snorts, looks at the floor for a moment:

"I hate flying on planes. I get motion sickness and watch cat videos to avoid panicking. Don't even dream of telling anyone."

Ness smiles, storing the info like gold.

Between chats and laughs, they decided to take a break from the game. Kaiser poured more genmaicha; Ness searched for a pack of Pocky. Between sips, the conversation loosened.

"I thought you'd be impressed by my chromotherapies. But you didn't even blink."

"When your best friend owns half of Asia Beauty, you become immune to Italian marble."

There's a brief pause; both laugh, but their gaze lingers a second too long. Ness clears his throat and resumes the game.

55' - 70'

Kaiser scores a penalty.

"What was your worst romantic flop?"

Ness runs a hand through his hair, somewhat uncomfortable:

"Kissing Rin when we were both teenagers. He ran off like a startled peacock."

70' - 85'

Ness responds with a spectacular free-kick goal.

"Describe your ideal type... in three words."

Kaiser thinks, a crooked smile:

"Competitive, straightforward... and with good hair."

Ness raises an eyebrow, aware of the insinuation; he taunts:

"Egomanic."

Minute 90

The digital referee blows the whistle. 2-2. Penalty shootout time.

Both miss the first shot due to nerves: laughter, shoulder bumps. On the fourth shot, Kaiser goes up 4-3. He needs to save the next one: he does. Kaiser wins; he raises his arms and turns to Ness, who hides his face behind the towel.

"Last challenge, loser."

He moves a little closer than necessary; Ness notices the faint cypress perfume.

"Tell me something you've never told anyone," Kaiser whispers.

The living room falls silent; even the hum of the extractor seems to stop. Ness takes a deep breath.

"Sometimes," he confesses, lowering his voice, "I think all my 'perfect hair' thing is just... an excuse not to look at more important things."

Kaiser observes him, serious for the first time. A flicker of understanding crosses his gaze; then it softens.

"I guess important people always have a mirror in front of them," he replies, enigmatically. He leaves the controller on the table.

"Tomorrow, a rematch. No penalties," he adds, breaking the tension with a slap on Ness's leg.

"And with new rules: the loser washes the cups."

"Deal," Ness accepted, high-fiving him. "And thanks for the shower, though your water pressure needs an upgrade."

"Insatiable," Kaiser scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Ness stood up, gathered his diffuser and microfiber towel. The tension dissipated into a complicit chuckle.

"I'd better head back before Reo marks me absent," he said, heading for the door.

"Don't break any more pipes," Kaiser added, leaning on the frame. "My insurance policy doesn't cover neighborhood geysers."

"I'll try... but I don't promise miracles," Ness replied, opening the door.

Ness left the apartment in his pajamas, a half-finished cup of coffee in hand, a frown on his face, and his feet dragging against the floor. He let out a sigh as he walked towards the hallway railing, thinking of clearing his head a bit, but stopped when he saw movement a couple of doors down.

A boy was dragging a suitcase, speaking quietly with the building manager. Ness squinted, immediately recognizing that messy hair and those big eyes.

"Isagi...?" he mumbled, tightening his grip on the cup.

The boy turned, noticing him right away. "Ah, hello... Ness, right?"

Ness blinked, approaching almost instinctively. "Yeah. What are you doing here?"

Before he could get an answer, Kaiser emerged from inside the apartment, barefoot, with wet hair and a towel around his neck. He ran a hand through his hair with complete nonchalance. "Already greeted the neighborhood, Isagi?"

Ness froze. "What?"

"I'm moving in," Isagi explained, scratching the back of his neck. "To this floor."

Ness's hand trembled slightly as he held his cup. "With whom?"

Kaiser let out a laugh, as if the answer was obvious. "With me?"

Ness barely managed to suppress a snort of disbelief. The cup trembled again in his hand, and without thinking, he set it down on the railing. He turned sharply, almost tripping over his own feet, and crossed the hallway in two long strides.

He burst into his apartment like a whirlwind. "REO! RIN!" he yelled, kicking the open door.

Reo looked up from the couch, unhurriedly. Rin, in the kitchen, stopped filling his glass of water.

"What now?" Reo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ness threw his arms up as if he were about to explode. "Isagi is moving in! With Kaiser! Right here!"

Rin's glass hung suspended midway. "What?" he said, quietly.

"He's moving here! With that blond idiot!" Ness repeated, gesticulating wildly. "And they live two doors down!"

Reo clicked his tongue, leaning back against the couch. "That I didn't expect..."

Rin set his glass down on the counter with a dry clink. He said nothing else; he just walked to the entrance, grabbed his jacket, and went out into the hallway, his headphones hanging around his neck.

He walked slowly, head down, until Nanase's laugh made him look up.

In front of Kaiser's door, Nanase was holding a box while talking to Isagi, who was also laughing, a little embarrassed.

Rin stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh, wait, I'll help you," Nanase said, reaching out to take another box.

"Thanks... it weighs more than it looks," Isagi replied, smiling shyly.

Rin pressed his lips into a tight line and approached, his steps barely audible. "Nanase," he called, his voice cutting through the air.

Both boys turned to him. Nanase, still smiling, waved. "Rin. Look, we have a new neighbor."

"Hello, Rin," Isagi added, looking down after greeting him.

"Hello," Rin replied, his tone flat.

A heavy silence settled between the three. Nanase moved first, returning his attention to the box he was carrying. "Well, I was helping him bring things in. See you later."

Before Rin could reply, Nanase was already disappearing through Kaiser's door, Isagi following him with quick steps.

Rin stood in the middle of the hallway, alone, his knuckles clenched at his sides.

When he returned to the apartment, Ness's complaining filled the air. "I told you he was weird! I told you! And now he's going to ruin everything!" Ness grumbled, lying on the floor.

Reo didn't look up from his book, but his smile was impossible to ignore. "I find it entertaining."

Rin snorted, slumping onto the couch. "I saw them," he murmured.

"Who?" Ness asked, raising his head like an alert puppy.

"Isagi and Nanase."

"WHAT?!" Ness shouted, sitting up abruptly. "What were they doing?!"

"Nanase was helping him with boxes," Rin explained, unemotionally. "But..."

He rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable. "They were laughing. They looked... too comfortable."

Ness's mouth dropped open, scandalized. "Comfortable?! Reo, I told you, I told you!! That guy is a virus!"

Reo let out a low chuckle, closing his book with a thud. "My God, jealous people are the worst."

"I'm not jealous!" Ness protested, flaring up like a match.

"Neither am I," Rin added, crossing his arms.

Reo looked at both of them... and let out another laugh, leaning back against the couch and shaking his head.

"This is going to be good..."

The sun barely streamed through the apartment's ill-fitted curtains, and the three of them were sprawled on the sofa like lizards in summer. A movie played in the background, but no one was watching it. The real entertainment was the absurd conversation of the moment.

"I swear Nanase looks like he stepped out of a magazine," Rin commented, arms behind his head and an arrogant smile. "He has that... elegant aura. Like he looks at you and grants you mercy."

Ness let out a choked laugh, his mouth full of popcorn. "Yeah, right. Does he also levitate when he walks or something?" he retorted, wiping his hands on his pants. "I'm not saying he's bad, but if we're talking about attractive faces, Kaiser has that 'sexy villain' vibe that works for anyone."

"Kaiser again?"

Ness shrugged. "He's handsome, and he knows it. Damned, arrogant, insufferable... sexy. I'm in the mud and I know it."

Reo, who had been silent, looking at his phone with a neutral expression, offered his input without looking up. "I think Nagi is handsome."

Silence.

Rin blinked. Ness looked at him. Both slowly turned their heads towards Reo, synchronized as if they had rehearsed this moment their whole lives.

"Nagi?" Ness said.

"Handsome?" Rin repeated.

And then, as if a floodgate had opened, both dissolved into laughter. Rin ended up hugging a cushion as he bent forward. Ness fell off the couch, rolling on the floor while delivering weak blows to the carpet.

"Can you imagine their dates?" Ness laughed. "'What do you want to eat, Nagi?' and he's like, '...Whatever.'"

"'Did you have fun?' '...Yes,'" Rin added in a muffled voice, imitating Nagi.

Both burst out again, while Reo sank into his cushion with a poorly disguised grimace of annoyance. "He has good skin. And symmetry. Besides... I don't get it, why couldn't he seem handsome?"

"Because he looks like he's been put on battery-saving mode!" Ness blurted out.

Rin couldn't take it anymore. Tears were already in his eyes. "God... this made my month."

"I forgot you two have the taste of a potato," Reo grumbled, dramatically averting his gaze. "You two laugh. I'll be happy with a wax Nagi."

"Don't say that! I imagined him life-sized in your bed!" Ness yelled, squealing with laughter.

"Well, if he sleeps like a log, at least he doesn't snore," Rin added with a sidelong smile.

"You two aren't any better!"

"Sorry, sorry," Ness said, his voice still shaky with laughter. "I just didn't expect it. I really thought you were going to say something like... Isagi."

"What?! Isagi looks like an open computer!" Reo grumbled.

Rin wiped his tears, still laughing. "But speaking of questionable tastes... Ness, since you admitted to Kaiser, are you going to do anything about it?"

Ness, who had already leaned back, face red from laughing so much, sat up a little. "Do what?"

"I don't know," Rin said, in an innocent and utterly unreliable voice. "Tell him you like him? Ask him out?"

"Are you crazy? No, not for now."

"Let us know if he gets a restraining order against you."

"Or in any case, so we can prepare your funeral."

Ness grunted, burying himself in the blanket. "Stop bothering me..."

"Nah," Rin replied. "What we want is for you to have your sexy villain and stop suffering in silence."

"And while you're at it, give us new material to tease you with," Reo added.

"Shut up!"

But as Ness pulled the blanket over himself, his ears were still red... and the silly smile that remained was impossible to hide.

"Rin, confirm for the third time that the rent's paid. I don't want Mrs. 204 coming over again with her judgmental face," Ness called from the kitchen, wooden spoon in hand and foam overflowing from the pot.

"I already confirmed it. Everything's paid. Electricity, water, rent. They're not cutting anything off or kicking us out this week," Rin replied, slumping onto the sofa with a sigh of relief so big that even Reo imitated him instinctively.

"We're alive!" Ness shouted, spinning around. "This house is a functional home again! I'm going to take a hot shower and let the water run like I'm rich!"

"Don't do that," Reo said, reclining with a green face mask on and cucumber slices over his eyes. "It literally took us two weeks to survive on rice and tears to pay for everything."

"Exactly why I'm going to do it! Because I deserve it!" Ness insisted dramatically, as Reo peeled a cucumber slice from his eye and threw it at him.

"That's not how economics works, Ness."

"Quiet, bourgeois with a face mask!"

Rin couldn't help but laugh, covering his face with a hand. "God... we're a functional mess."

After his last dramatic spin in his bathrobe and nearly slipping on a drop of soup, Ness decided the universe owed him a reward.

"Reo, Rin... I'm going out. If I'm not back in half an hour, call emergency services. Or make a movie about my life."

"Where are you going now?" Rin asked without opening his eyes.

"For something sweet. Luxurious. Expensive. Like me."

"You're ridiculous," Reo scoffed, though a smile escaped him. "Bring ice cream."

Ness put on his sneakers, still wearing his bathrobe over the most random outfit he could find: a soccer jersey and shorts with cat drawings.

Stepping out into the cool evening air gave him the same feeling as emerging from a cave. After weeks of eating whatever was at the bottom of the fridge and showering in the dark, the world felt full of possibilities. He entered the nearest store with the attitude of someone about to spend what they shouldn't.

"I did it." Ness raised his arms to the sky as he left the store. "I survived poverty and white rice with mayonnaise."

He walked with a triumphant stride, a bag in each hand. Inside: an expensive cheesecake, a bag of those fancy gold-packaged potato chips, and a Korean drink he couldn't even pronounce. Was it a responsible purchase? No. Did it matter? Not at all.

He was so engrossed in his personal glory parade that he almost didn't see him. Until a familiar voice reached him, dragging words like expensive chewing gum.

"Celebrating something, Ness?"

Ness's steps halted abruptly.

There was Kaiser, casual, as if he hadn't just moved in with Isagi, as if he hadn't caused Ness's mini emotional crisis a few days ago. As if nothing had happened.

"I'm celebrating that my electricity wasn't cut off. Something you probably don't know about, prince of unlimited outlets," Ness replied, chin raised.

Kaiser smiled, half mocking, half interested. He also carried a small bag, probably full of imported snacks.

"Hmm... sounds like you're trying to compensate for something."

"Yes. I'm compensating for the years life took from me with your existence."

Walking with Kaiser wasn't as terrible as he expected. Though Kaiser's way of existing was still irritating. And the fact that he ate the chips Ness had bought without asking made it even worse.

"Do you always walk around with that face like the world owes you something?" Kaiser asked, popping another chip into his mouth as if they were his own.

"Do you always steal other people's food like you have no shame?"

"I have plenty of shame. But I'm also hungry. Isagi cooked today and... I don't know what he was trying to make."

Ness stopped dead in his tracks. "Are you complaining about someone who cooked for you?"

"It was soup. Or at least that's what it said. But it had the texture of punishment."

"I hope you choke next time."

Kaiser let out a laugh, that laugh of his that seemed to mock everything, even the air he breathed. "You're very sensitive today."

They continued walking without saying much. The street was quiet, and the sky was already beginning to turn pink. Ness chewed harder than usual, though he didn't know if it was out of anger or to keep from saying what he really thought.

"I didn't think you were the type to go for walks," Kaiser commented, kicking a small stone.

"Sometimes I go out. It's better than being cooped up."

"Interesting."

"Don't start."

"What? I think it's fine. I've seen you more often lately. And I'm curious about what you're really like."

"Really? Are you implying I'm fake?"

"No, I'm implying you have many layers. Like onions. Or the french fries you're eating all by yourself."

"I know you're looking for an excuse to ask me for more."

Kaiser looked at him with a smile that seemed dangerous. "Maybe. But I also want to see if you'll let me accompany you more often."

Ness stared at him. His heart did an uncomfortable flip in his chest. "Accompany me in what? In walking and complaining about soup?"

"Exactly. You insult me, I laugh, and between that... something good comes out."

"Yeah, right. Indigestion."

They walked in silence for a while longer. But it wasn't that tense silence from before. It was a different kind, more comfortable. As if both knew they were entering new territory.

"Of all the neighbors in the building, it just had to be you," Ness muttered.

"And is that good or bad?"

"I don't know yet."

Kaiser moved slightly closer, still looking at him. "Well. Then give me a chance for it to be something good."

Ness lowered his gaze to his bag of chips, as if the answer lay there. But there were only crumbs.

"You're lucky I finished them," he said, trying to sound annoyed.

"Then I'd better buy you another bag, right?"

And that smile of Kaiser's, which usually seemed arrogant, this time just felt warm.

When they returned to the building, the dim hallway light seemed quieter than usual. The elevator ascended slowly, and Ness didn't say anything the entire ride. Neither did Kaiser. But the atmosphere spoke for itself.

Upon reaching their floor, they walked side by side to Ness's door. The same old ritual. But this time, something felt different.

Ness pulled out his keys, without looking at him. "You can go into your cave now," he said in a neutral, almost bored tone.

"What if I don't want to?" Kaiser asked, leaning against the wall with a half-smile.

"What if I kick you?"

Kaiser laughed. He took a step towards him. Close enough for Ness to feel the warmth of his breath. The hallway seemed to shrink.

"What if I kiss you?"

Ness didn't move. Not an inch. "I'll be annoyed."

"A lot?"

"Just enough so you won't want to repeat it."

And that phrase was his undoing. Kaiser said nothing else. He just looked at him with those eyes that seemed to see too much, and leaned in. A kiss. Short, intentional. Charged with intent, not impulse. It wasn't a game. It was a promise.

When he pulled away, Ness stayed in the same spot. Breathing harder than he'd like to admit.

"Don't think you're special because of this," he said, opening his door without looking at him.

"I already am. But thanks for confirming it," Kaiser replied, walking towards his own door with that sly smile Ness was already starting to recognize... and hate... and maybe not so much.

Ness closed the door. He stayed pressed against it for a few seconds.

The silence in the apartment seemed bigger than usual. On the other side of the wall, he heard a soft laugh. A laugh that wasn't his own.

And, to his horror, Ness smiled.

He stayed by the door for a while longer, the echo of Kaiser's laugh reverberating in his head. He ran a hand over his face, trying to dispel the uncomfortable feeling, but he knew he wouldn't succeed. He wasn't ready for this, he wasn't. Although... if he thought about it, maybe he was.

He took a deep breath before turning, ready to hide any sign that something had changed. After all, what had happened? Just a kiss. How strange could that be?

But when he crossed the threshold into the living room, there were Rin and Reo, both on the sofa, staring at him.

"What's wrong with you?" Rin asked, observing how Ness couldn't stop smiling in a strange way. Like he was thinking, 'I don't want to admit I'm happy,' but with a hint of... guilt.

Ness tried to force his usual expression. "What?" he replied, acting as if nothing was wrong. "Nothing's wrong with me."

Reo raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He simply looked at him with that gaze that saw everything, as if he could read him without needing to ask. Rin, however, was direct.

"Tell me the truth, Ness. Are you okay?" he asked, his tone softer than usual. He knew something wasn't right.

Ness averted his gaze, taking one last look at the door. He could hear the faint sound from Kaiser's apartment on the other side, but he forced himself not to think about it anymore.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, with a tone that tried to be indifferent.

Reo let out a low laugh, almost as if he had been expecting it. Rin, for his part, didn't seem so convinced.

"You're not very convincing, you know?" Rin said, getting up from the sofa and approaching him.

"Just forget it," Ness replied, leaning back in the chair. "I'm not in the mood for jokes."

But not enough for his smile to disappear completely. Rin and Reo exchanged glances.

"Are you sure?" Rin insisted, with a slight smile. "Because it looks like something happened."

Ness snorted, feigning discomfort, and crossed his arms. "Better change the subject," he said, a little more annoyed than he had intended. He wasn't ready to talk about that.

Reo, as always, remained silent, but his eyes shone with that sparkle of someone who already knew. He wasn't dumb.

"Whatever," Rin said, sitting back down. "We're not going to pressure you."

But his words left Ness with the feeling that the conversation wasn't over. And, try as he might, he couldn't stop smiling a little more.

The kitchen was silent. Too silent. Until Ness, in an apron that read "Kiss the Omega," broke it with a solemn declaration:

"Today, I'm going to cook."

"No," Reo said from the couch, not looking up from his phone.

"It's for Rin. He asked me to make something decent for when he gets home."

"And your plan is to poison him?"

Ness frowned, adjusted his apron, and blasted classical music, as if Chopin would give him surgical precision with a kitchen knife.

Reo peeked through the door a few minutes later, covering his nose with his sleeve.

"Ness, why does it smell like burnt rubber?"

"I'm caramelizing onions."

"That's not onions, that's charcoal."

Ness ignored the comment and continued his mission. He chopped vegetables with such tension that a carrot went flying and hit the fridge.

"I swear this is going to be amazing. Rin's going to say, 'Thanks for the effort, Ness,' and maybe, just maybe, he'll pat my shoulder."

"Sure. Or call the hospital for food poisoning. Are you sure that was chicken?"

"DON'T DISTRACT ME!" Ness yelled as he threw something that looked like a mix between soup and cement into the pot.

Reo, unable to let him destroy the kitchen alone, decided to intervene.

"What exactly are you making?"

"A traditional Japanese dish. Free inspiration."

"That sounds like, 'I made something up and don't know what to call it.'"

An hour later, the kitchen looked like a crime scene: flour on the ceiling, sauce on the walls, Ness sweating as if he were in a soccer final.

"Done," Ness said with a triumphant smile as he served the grayish contents onto a plate decorated with (poorly cut) cucumber flowers. "Gourmet dinner."

Just then, the front door opened.

"I'm home," Rin's voice echoed, as imperturbable as ever.

Ness stood up like a soldier. Reo covered his eyes. Rin walked into the kitchen, put a bag on the table without looking at anything.

"I brought food."

"W-what? But I... cooked..."

"Yeah. That's why I brought food," Rin said, calmly taking three steaming trays from the expensive restaurant he liked out of the bag.

There was an awkward silence. Ness was still holding the spoon, his apron stained with unidentifiable sauces.

Reo broke the tension with a laugh.

"Can we frame this as an act of unrequited love or an attempted murder?"

Ness slumped into a chair, defeated.

"Will you at least try it?"

"Do you want me to die before I go to sleep?" Rin replied, serving perfect rice into his bowl.

With all the composure in the world, he took out three perfectly organized trays. Ness watched as Rin opened one of them... and frowned.

"Is that... ochazuke?" Ness asked, leaning closer.

"Yep. Sea bream with green tea."

"My favorite...?"

"Yeah. I knew," Rin said, finally looking up at him with a neutral expression. "I didn't trust your cooking, but I trusted your bad mood if you didn't have a decent dinner."

Reo burst out laughing.

"Ah, cohabitation: the true engine of forced empathy."

"It's not empathy. It's crisis management," Rin added, serving himself from his own tray.

Ness, offended, frustrated, and a little touched, crossed his arms.

"You could've told me you already bought something."

"I wanted to see if you would really try. You did. Nobody died. Though now I have to clean up this war zone."

"It's not a war zone, it's my artistic process!"

Rin looked at him. Then he looked at the ceiling. Then the mess on the counter.

"There's flour on the vent hood."

"It was an accident!"

Reo, dying of laughter, muttered:

"This needs to be a reality show. 'Three Teenagers, One Apartment, and Zero Culinary Skills.'"

And so, between complaints, a saving grace of a meal, and the smell of a "failed experiment," they survived another night under the same roof.

The clock read 10:43 p.m. The apartment was in that strange silence that only exists when everyone pretends they're winding down... except for Reo.

In the bathroom, Reo looked at himself in the mirror, his bangs held back by a black cat headband and a purple silk robe swaying with every movement. He applied his skincare as if performing a perfectly choreographed routine: essence, toner, moisturizing lotion... everything in its place.

Rin, passing by with a bottle of water, stopped when he saw the spectacle.

"What are you doing?" he asked, with that neutral tone of someone who isn't sure if he's watching a ritual or a madman.

"Skincare. Because some of us value our skin," Reo replied without turning around.

"Right," Rin muttered, leaning against the doorframe. "How many potions do you need for that?"

"They're not potions, they're dermatologically formulated products," Reo said with indignation. "Pass me the niacinamide serum. It's right there, white bottle, black letters."

Rin looked among the bottles and found one that matched the description.

"This one?"

"Yes, give it to me."

Reo took it with the confidence of a professional. He put some in his palm and, just as he was about to spread it on his face, Rin gave him a weird look.

"That... doesn't smell like the one you used yesterday," Rin said.

"What? Of course it does, this is niacinamide..." Reo looked at the label. And he blinked.

Silence.

"'Vitamin C Brightening Booster'?" he read aloud, his voice cracking at the end.

"Says so right there," Rin added, raising an eyebrow.

"But..." Reo frowned, checking again. "But I could have sworn I bought niacinamide!"

Ness appeared from the kitchen, in pajamas and with a bowl of cereal in his hand.

"Vitamin C is for mature skin, right? Like... for people over 25."

"I'm 20!" Reo exclaimed, horrified. "I don't want to exfoliate my soul!"

"So you were the one who messed up?" Rin asked, crossing his arms, already enjoying the scene.

"That doesn't make any sense! I'm an expert at this!"

"You were," Ness clarified, who had appeared out of nowhere.

"And I still look better than you guys," Reo snapped, trying to salvage some dignity as he put the Vitamin C serum on the sink.

"Well, thanks for opening my pores with your crisis," Rin mumbled, leaving the bathroom with a small smile.

Reo stayed in the bathroom, staring at the bottle as if it had betrayed him.

"This explains why my face was itching yesterday..."

Ness appeared in the doorway again.

"You know that serum costs like 200 soles?"

"Don't say it like that makes it any better!" Reo yelled as Ness ran off laughing.

It was one of those rare Sundays where all three of them were home with no plans, and Ness, with a heart bigger than the pan he was using, had decided to surprise them with something special: a lunch made by him.

"I don't want you to come in yet," he said with a mischievous smile, pushing them out of the kitchen. "It's a surprise."

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Reo asked, peeking his head in with suspicion.

"The only thing I need is for you to trust me. And don't come in, Rin. I'm talking to you too."

Rin raised his hands, half-amused, half-resigned. "Don't come crying to me later if you set something on fire."

Ness muttered, "nothing's going to happen" just before the hot oil decided to betray him. A rebellious drop jumped out when he tossed the vegetables into the pan and landed right on his hand.

"Shit!" he exclaimed out loud, shaking his hand as if that would help. He ran to the sink, turned on the cold water, and held back tears. Not from the pain. From pride. Because damn it, he just wanted to make them a nice meal.

Of course, that attracted the other two as if they had smelled the drama from the living room.

"What happened?" Reo arrived first, his expression alarmed. Rin was right behind him, already frowning as if he had predicted it.

"Nothing, nothing, just... a minor technical burn," Ness tried to joke, but Rin was already carefully taking his hand to inspect it.

"'Minor' my ass. This is red. Why didn't you let us help you, you idiot?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise!" Ness protested, puffing out his cheeks, which only made him look more adorable and less deserving of a scolding.

Reo went for the first-aid kit without a word, while Rin looked at him as if he were debating between scolding him and hugging him.

"You're a cute idiot," Rin murmured finally, giving him a short kiss on the forehead. "But still an idiot."

Ness huffed. "That's not fair, I was trying to be romantic."

"And you ended up looking like a boiled shrimp," Reo said from the other corner, returning with the ointment. "We're going to cook you if you do this again without supervision."

The lunch was an incomplete disaster, but in the end, they ate takeout pizza amidst laughter, with Ness having a bandaged hand, and the three of them curled up on the couch watching an old movie. It wasn't the surprise Ness had planned, but it was still perfect.

Later, when Rin stepped out into the hallway to answer a call, he briefly crossed paths with Kaiser, who was returning to his apartment. "Ness almost set the place on fire today," Rin commented with an amused smile, not giving the matter much thought.

The next day, Ness woke up with his hand still sore and a strange feeling fluttering in his stomach. He picked up his phone and saw a message from an unknown number.

Kaiser: How's the bandaged hand, liebling? Did you have to call the firefighters in the end?

Ness smiled.

Ness: I'm still alive, your majesty. And my hand is getting better, thanks to your unspoken concern.

Kaiser: I wasn't worried. I just wanted to make sure you didn't burn down the whole building.

The conversation continued with jokes and witty remarks, but there was a new lightness, a familiarity that hadn't existed before. Later, Ness received another message.

Kaiser: I'm bored. Do you want to come over and watch some nonsense on my TV? I can lend you an extra pillow for your hand.

The invitation, although casually phrased, was significant. It was the first time Kaiser had invited him into his space so directly.

Ness: What kind of nonsense do you have in mind?

Kaiser: You'll see, liebling. Just bring your wounded hand and your pretty face.

Ness felt a flip in his stomach. This was a new dynamic, a subtle but undeniable closeness.

Ness: I'll be there in five.

Upon arriving at Kaiser's apartment, the door was ajar. When he entered, he found Kaiser sitting on the couch, with an expression that tried to be indifferent but failed to hide a slight anticipation. The atmosphere was different, more intimate than any previous interaction.

Upon entering, Ness found Kaiser lounging on his couch, with the television on a documentary channel about marine life, although he seemed more interested in his phone. Hearing Ness's arrival, he looked up with his usual air of self-importance, but his eyes lingered for an instant longer than normal on the blue-haired man's face.

"You're just in time to watch a giant squid devour a poor little fish," Kaiser commented, turning his gaze to the screen with disinterest. "Sit wherever you want. And don't get my couch dirty."

Ness closed the door behind him and approached with a little caution. Kaiser's apartment was surprisingly tidy, with minimalist touches and a strange obsession with gray and blue tones. He sat at the end of the couch, leaving a safe distance between them.

"Thanks for inviting me," Ness said, feeling a little out of place in Kaiser's territory.

Kaiser put his phone aside and glanced at him sideways. "Did you have anything better to do? Besides, someone had to make sure your hand didn't get infected by your culinary ineptitude."

Ness huffed, though he couldn't help a small smile. "Very considerate of you. And the extra pillow?"

Kaiser nodded his head toward a pillow that was on the other end of the couch. "There it is. Don't expect me to hand it to you."

Ness took it, propping it under his bandaged hand. There was a brief, awkward silence, interrupted only by the sounds of the documentary. Kaiser seemed to be debating something in his mind before letting out an almost imperceptible sigh.

"Why did you do it?" he asked suddenly, his gaze fixed on the screen.

The question caught Ness by surprise. "Do what? Burn my hand? Believe me, it wasn't on purpose."

"Not that, you idiot," Kaiser retorted without looking at him. "Why did you try to cook? Reo always takes care of that."

Ness felt his cheeks get slightly warm. It was a more personal question than he had expected. "I just... I wanted to do something nice for them. They always do things for me."

The sincerity in Ness's voice seemed to take Kaiser by surprise. His expression softened slightly, though he quickly tried to hide it with a sarcastic grimace.

"You've become so sentimental, liebling. It almost makes me want to vomit rainbows."

Despite the teasing words, there was something different in his tone. It wasn't the usual contempt, but rather... a kind of uncomfortable acknowledgment.

Silence fell between them again, but this time it was more intimate, charged with a palpable energy. The bluish light of the television flickered on their faces, creating dancing shadows. Kaiser's gaze drifted toward Ness several times, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know how.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kaiser sighed and shifted slightly on the couch, shortening the distance between them. His shoulder brushed against Ness's, sending a small electric shock.

"You know..." Kaiser began, his voice now lower and softer, "that time... outside your door..."

Ness's heart began to beat faster. He knew where this was going. The memory of that unexpected kiss, a flash of connection in the midst of their sarcasm-filled interactions, was still alive in his memory.

"It was a stupid impulse," Kaiser finished, but not with the conviction from before. His eyes were fixed on Ness's, searching for something.

"It wasn't," Ness whispered, barely audible. The denial left his lips almost on instinct.

The tension between them intensified. They could feel each other's breath. Kaiser brought up a hand, hesitating for an instant before gently brushing the back of his fingers against Ness's cheek.

"Ness..." Kaiser murmured, his name sounding different on his lips, softer, almost like a plea.

Their eyes met, and in Kaiser's gaze, Ness saw something he had never seen before: vulnerability, longing... maybe even something akin to affection.

Slowly, Kaiser leaned in, his face getting closer to Ness's. The blonde's breath brushed against his lips. Ness closed his eyes, waiting for the contact that, despite the initial surprise, had left a mark on him.

Just as their lips were about to meet, the sound of a notification on Kaiser's phone broke the tension like lightning. Kaiser pulled away slightly, cursing under his breath.

Ignoring the persistent sound of his phone, Kaiser kept his gaze fixed on Ness. The closeness was intense, the air between them vibrating with a contained energy.

"Do you mean it?" Kaiser asked in a husky whisper, his breath still close to Ness's lips. "It wasn't a mistake? That kiss?"

Ness opened his eyes and held Kaiser's gaze, without hesitation. There was something in the way the blonde was looking at him now, a mix of uncertainty and longing, that prompted him to be completely honest.

"No, Kaiser," he replied firmly, his voice barely a thread. "It wasn't a mistake. At least... not for me."

A shadow of surprise crossed Kaiser's face, quickly replaced by an even greater intensity. His hand, which was still brushing Ness's cheek, slid gently to his jaw, holding it with an unexpectedly tender firmness.

"Liebling..." Kaiser murmured, his thumb gently stroking Ness's skin. "I'm not good at this. At... feeling things."

Ness felt a pang of understanding. Behind all of Kaiser's arrogance and sarcasm, there had always been a hidden vulnerability.

"I know," Ness replied with a small smile. "I'm not an expert either."

Kaiser let out a small, nervous laugh, a sound Ness never thought he would hear. The tension in his shoulders seemed to ease slightly.

"So... what do we do now?" Kaiser asked, his gaze fixed on Ness's lips.

Ness felt the heat rise to his cheeks, but this time it wasn't from embarrassment. It was anticipation, a longing he had been suppressing for too long.

"We could... try," Ness suggested, his voice barely audible. "Try something more than... insults and stolen glances."

Kaiser's eyes shone with an intensity that made Ness's heart flutter. He leaned in a little more, closing the space left between them.

"Try... to be more than sarcastic neighbors?" Kaiser asked, his voice filled with palpable emotion.

Ness nodded gently, his eyes fixed on Kaiser's. "Yes. Try... to be boyfriends."

A small, genuine smile appeared on Kaiser's lips, a smile that lit up his face in a way Ness had never witnessed.

"Idiot," Kaiser murmured, but this time the phrase sounded like a compliment, a caress in the form of words.

And finally, without any more hesitation, Kaiser closed the remaining distance and joined his lips with Ness's. It was a soft kiss at first, filled with the uncertainty and expectation of something new. But as the initial surprise faded, it became a deeper kiss, a silent promise to explore what could be.

When they separated, both of their lips were slightly swollen and their breaths were ragged. The atmosphere in Kaiser's apartment had completely changed. The tension had dissipated, replaced by a palpable warmth, a newfound connection that shone in their eyes.

Kaiser brought his forehead to Ness's, their breaths mingling.

"Boyfriends, huh?" Kaiser whispered, a small smile still adorning his lips.

Ness rested his good hand on Kaiser's cheek, feeling the soft stubble under his fingers.

"Yes, Kaiser," he replied with a radiant smile. "Boyfriends."

Reo opened the apartment door with a frown and a bag of cookies dangling from one hand. He didn't expect peace—that didn't exist with Ness and Rin as roommates—but he definitely didn't expect this.

In the living room, Rin and Nanase were huddled on a couch, sharing headphones, as if they were the stars of a cheesy love playlist. On the other side of the room, Ness and Kaiser were laughing softly, so close they seemed glued together with emotional duct tape.

Reo stopped dead in his tracks.

What the hell happened?

He walked into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water with unnecessary drama, returned to the living room, and just stood there, watching the scene as if it were a practical joke.

"What is this? A double date? A Valentine's commercial? Have you all lost your minds?"

Nanase smiled at him, with the same calm you use to greet your neighbor's dog. Rin didn't flinch. Ness gave him a sly smile, and Kaiser just raised an eyebrow.

Reo took a deep breath. He sat down. He lasted five seconds.

"I can't deal with this!"

All four of them looked at him.

"What kind of soap opera are you living in?! One couple here, another there, and me as a decoration in the middle?!"

Rin let out a little chuckle.

"Are you jealous?"

"Are you lonely?" Ness added, stretching like a satisfied cat. "At this rate, you'll still be a virgin at thirty, Reo. You're already twenty. Someone's going to have to touch you eventually."

"You guys are virgins too, knock it off," Reo shot back without thinking.

Silence.

Rin and Ness looked at each other. There was a shared smile, and it was like watching a fuse being lit.

"Who told you that?" Rin asked, his voice quiet.

"We never said we weren't," Ness added, playing with the edge of his mug.

Nanase sat up a little.

"Excuse me?"

Kaiser frowned.

"You two...?"

"Oh, you already knew," Reo interrupted, shrugging. "You guys dated when we were fifteen. It was annoying. You sent each other letters with glitter."

"That was one time," Rin said.

"The glitter never left my backpack," Reo complained.

"It was with candles, incense, and a thesaurus," Ness added, looking at Kaiser with fake seriousness.

"Why a thesaurus?" Kaiser growled, horrified.

"I like to vary my vocabulary," Ness replied, shrugging.

Nanase stood up abruptly. His eyes were wide.

"Are you kidding me?"

"We didn't have sex, calm down," Ness interjected, smiling innocently. "We just wanted to see your faces."

"Why are you like this?" Nanase groaned, putting a hand to his forehead.

"We feed off other people's chaos," Rin said.

Reo collapsed onto the sofa. The cookies were forgotten.

"I don't understand how I ended up trapped between two prankster exes, a Kaiser who lives in 'I'm so sexy' mode, and a Nanase who always seems kind of disappointed."

"It's your aura," Ness said.

"It's your karma," Rin added.

"So what are you going to do? Keep making out in front of me while I try not to lose my sanity?"

Rin looked at him with a suspicious smile.

"No. We want to help you."

"I don't need help."

"What about Nagi?"

Reo blinked.

"What about Nagi?"

"You said you find him interesting. What if I invite him to watch a movie with us?"

"We're barely getting to know each other!"

"And he's too emotional..." Ness teased.

"Don't make this weird!" Reo groaned, on the verge of a breakdown.

Ness's phone vibrated.

"Perfect. He said yes."

"You texted him?"

"I told him we were going to watch a movie. He's on his way."

"No way! I don't want him to think this is a date or something! I don't even know if I like him yet!"

"Too late," Rin replied.

Reo's phone vibrated.

New Group: "Operation Nagi: Reo won't be alone even if he throws a tantrum"

Members: Ness, Rin, Nagi.

"YOU ADDED HIM TO A WHATSAPP GROUP?!" Reo yelled.

"It's for coordinating movies," Ness said, shrugging.

"And for sharing memes," Rin added.

Kaiser sighed from the kitchen.

"I'm getting popcorn. This is going to blow up in twenty minutes."

"I want my memory wiped," Nanase mumbled.

Reo covered his face with a pillow.

"This is emotional abuse."

"This is friendship," Ness and Rin said in unison.

And as if the universe had perfect timing, someone knocked on the door.

"That must be Nagi," Ness sang, getting up as if to greet a date for his best friend on a reality show.

Reo just yelled from the couch:

"Don't open it! I'm not emotionally ready!"

But of course, they opened it.

And of course, Nagi walked in.

And of course, everything got even weirder.

The apartment reeked of an explosive mix of bargain detergent and the aftermath of a shopping spree. Rin and Reo burst in with bags up to their necks, their complaints a unison, more synchronized than a circus act:

"Why does everything go up in price except your dignity?" Rin grumbled, dragging his feet.

"And Ness won't even deign to greet us!" Reo whined, giving the door a soft kick, as if he expected it to welcome him with a bow.

The door, which had no time for pleasantries, opened with a dry thud.

"We're broke again!" Reo bellowed, juggling grocery bags. "Ness, start picking which kidney looks more sellable."

"Or Rin can sell the abstract concept of his dignity," Ness added from the couch, curled up next to Kaiser as if he were part of the furniture.

"I don't have one, so good luck with the auction," Rin shot back, dropping a carton of milk on the counter with the delicacy of a brick.

Ness lifted his head from the blanket he was sharing with Kaiser, with an air of offense only he could manage.

"I'm extremely busy having a healthy relationship, thank you."

"Yeah, right. Or buying questionable knives," Rin retorted with a sneer.

"HA!" Reo burst out laughing. "Remember when you thought Kaiser was a serial killer?"

Ness opened his mouth to protest but wasn't fast enough.

"Oh, no, this is extremely interesting to me," Kaiser said, settling in like a satisfied cat, ready for gossip. "Again. I want to relive that moment of pure cinema."

"We've told that story a thousand times!" Ness shrank back, trying to disappear. "And it wasn't exactly like that!"

"Let's see, let's see," Kaiser interjected, striking a theatrical pose as if about to recite a Shakespearean monologue. "I'm in the hallway, asking a neighbor for something. Ness arrives, sees me... and goes into 'Panic' mode. All about the knife, the blood, the psychopathic look... a whole show!"

Rin doubled over with laughter, almost suffocating.

"He literally said: 'HE'S THE RESORT KILLER!'. I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there."

"Because it was HIM!" Ness insisted, red as a ripe tomato. "He had the same face! The same villainous soap opera hair, that 'I'll bury you in the woods and leave no trace' look..."

"It was strawberry juice, Ness," Reo interrupted, pointing at Kaiser with a laugh that echoed through the apartment. "And he was helping his friend get up off the floor after he'd tripped!"

"I saw it as a potential crime scene," Ness muttered, sinking further into the blanket as if it could protect him from the ridicule. "Besides, you guys weren't there... because... well..."

"Because you spent all our savings, you sewer rat!" Rin and Reo yelled in unison, as if they had practiced the line.

"DON'T START THE SHOW AGAIN!"

Kaiser whistled, a wide grin on his face.

"So not only did you accuse me of murder, you were also a traitor, a thief of luxury resorts. A full-blown criminal."

"It's not that big of a deal!" Ness covered his face with a cushion, wishing the couch would swallow him whole.

"I feel hurt, violated. You're going to have to compensate me for this trauma," Kaiser said with a false drama that was painful to watch. "How many trauma kisses do you think I need? A thousand? Two thousand?"

Rin rolled his eyes.

"And now he's getting rewarded with love. This system is more broken than my patience."

Reo nodded fervently.

"I want a boyfriend who mistakes me for a murderer. Where do you sign up for that?"

Kaiser smiled triumphantly and pulled Ness closer, who let out a moan of pure embarrassment.

"I guess not everyone has my criminal charisma, guys. It's a shame."

"I hate you," Ness mumbled, so red he looked like he was about to explode.

"And yet, you chose me," Kaiser whispered in his ear, a seductive tone that made Ness squirm even more.

Rin stood by the table and dropped a bag with a solid thump, like a verdict.

"In short: Ness robbed us in broad daylight, fled to a dream resort, mistook the love of his life for a serial killer, and is now living happily ever after."

"And us?" Reo asked, with an air of defeat.

"Carrying bags and in debt," they both replied, with a resignation that bordered on the comical.

As Reo and Rin put away the groceries, Kaiser continued to revel in the mockery.

"Imagine, you meet me for the first time and your brain goes straight to: 'Suspect number one!'. Such confidence, liebling!"

"I already said it was a misunderstanding!" Ness huffed, one step away from hiding under the couch forever. "You had strawberry juice on your chest and a guy on the floor! What did you expect!?"

"And you had prejudice and zero logic, Ness," Rin replied without even looking at him.

"Oh, and he went to the resort alone," Reo added, pulling out a bag of rice with surprising fury. "Spending our savings, by the way."

Ness pursed his lips. A tense, almost dramatic silence settled in the room. Then, he sighed and stood up, as if about to make a public confession.

"Do you want to know the truth behind this story, you pair of drama queens?!" he raised his voice, with a tone that promised a revelation worthy of a soap opera.

Rin and Reo looked at each other, their eyebrows raised.

"Ooh, the eight o'clock soap is starting," Rin murmured, getting comfortable.

"Go on, Judas," Reo said, crossing his arms, ready for the show.

Ness theatrically cleared his throat, as if he were about to read an epic poem:

"I... didn't take your money out of selfishness. I used it to pay off the debt I had with the bank for my mom's surgery."

Silence.

Kaiser blinked, with a look of bewilderment.

Rin and Reo looked at him with their eyebrows raised even higher, waiting for the continuation of the farce.

"..."

"WHAT?!" Ness suddenly yelled, breaking the silence. "IT'S A JOKE, YOU TWO ARE SO GULLIBLE! Of course not! My mom is perfectly fine and she hates resorts with a passion! I just...!"

Rin and Reo narrowed their eyes, ready to pounce on him at the slightest sign of hesitation.

"The night before the trip, you two convinced me to have a 'little celebration' because we were going on vacation and life was beautiful."

"Correct," Reo said, nodding. "We bought beers, mojitos, and wasn't there something with vodka that mysteriously disappeared?"

"There was also rum cake, I remember perfectly," Rin added, joining the reconstruction of events.

"Exactly!" Ness pointed an accusatory finger at them, indignant. "And after that... everything got fuzzy! I woke up with a HORRIBLE hangover, you guys were nowhere to be found, it was 11 a.m., and I thought you had abandoned me to my fate!"

"Excuse me?" Reo raised an eyebrow, with an air of disbelief.

"I HAD 15 MINUTES TO GET TO THE AIRPORT!" Ness dramatically threw himself on the floor, arms outstretched. "I GRABBED MY SUITCASE AND RAN! I ran like the IRS was chasing me for my debts!"

"And at no point did it occur to you to call us, genius?" Rin asked, completely incredulous at the magnitude of the stupidity.

"MY PHONE HAD DIED! AND THEN THE TAXI WAS ALREADY THERE OUTSIDE! AND I HAD A DISCOUNT COUPON! WHO WASTES A COUPON?!"

"A COUPON!?" Rin and Reo yelled in unison, horror in their voices.

"AND I WASN'T GOING TO WASTE A DREAM TRIP BECAUSE OF A HANGOVER AND BAD COORDINATION FROM IRRESPONSIBLE FRIENDS!!"

Silence.

Kaiser applauded him slowly from the depths of the couch, with a smile of admiration.

"A chaotic king. I'm in love with this man all over again."

Rin covered his face with a hand, exasperated.

"And do you know where we were that morning, you little gem?"

"Huh?"

Reo took a breath, as if about to deliver devastating news.

"On the rooftop. With our heads in a bucket and the other one throwing up in a plant, fighting for our existence."

"We didn't hear the doorbell or our souls re-entering our bodies," Rin added, with a resignation that only experience could provide.

Ness blinked.

"...did you guys also think I had abandoned you?"

Rin and Reo nodded slowly, with complicit looks.

"...wow," Ness whispered, his voice a thread. "So... we're all victims of that hellish party?"

"No," all three said at the same time, with a chilling synchronization. "You're still a vacation thief."

"BUT HOW, IF IT WAS A DRUNKEN MUTUAL MISUNDERSTANDING?!"

"Because you didn't even leave a note, you ANIMAL!" Reo shouted, his eyes blazing. "We came back to the room and you weren't there! We thought you had died in some ditch!"

"Or that you'd been kidnapped to have your organs sold on the black market!" Rin added, with equally exaggerated drama.

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW, I HAD AN EXISTENTIAL HANGOVER THAT PREVENTED ME FROM THINKING CLEARLY!!"

"And now you'll have a spiritual penance for it!" Reo exclaimed, his finger raised.

"Welcome to your trial, Ness," Rin pronounced in a grave voice. "You are guilty of emotional negligence, unauthorized flight, and betrayal of friendship."

Kaiser raised his imaginary glass, toasting the air.

"I hereby declare the Council of Vengeance open. Let the fun begin."

Ness whimpered, with a pout.

"Can't you just forgive me because it was a mutual mistake made by irresponsible drunks and be done with it?!"

"No," the three said, with an unbreakable determination that promised a lot more fun (for them).

"Doesn't it feel a little sad that you're watching dramas with us on a Saturday afternoon instead of being on a date?" Rin asked, not looking up from the screen.

"What would be sad is to be on a date with someone like you," Reo replied, stretching out on the couch.

"Hey! I have a boyfriend, remember?" Rin turned her head, with that smug little smile. "And so does Ness."

"Present!" Ness chirped from the kitchen, sticking his head in the fridge. "Want some yogurt or do you want to stick with your bitterness?"

Reo just huffed. He knew the dynamic: they'd poke and he'd fall for it, hook, line, and sinker. Every. Single. Saturday. "I'm not single because I don't want to be with someone. I'm waiting for the right person," he said, crossing his arms as if that would end the conversation.

"Uh-huh," Rin shot him a sidelong glance. "And the neighbor doesn't count as the right person? Or does Nagi not qualify on your perfect partner spreadsheet?"

Reo blinked. He blushed. He choked on his own dignity. "I didn't say that!"

"But you didn't deny it, either," Ness pointed out, yogurt in hand and eyebrow raised, now genuinely interested.

"He's handsome, of course. Very handsome," Reo admitted, looking at the floor as if the answer were there. "But I don't know... I feel like something is going on, or something happened, and I don't know if I'm imagining it or if it's just not mutual."

For a second, the atmosphere became strange. Silent. Real. Rin and Ness looked at each other and, against all odds, they didn't mock him.

"Then do something about it," Ness said, placing the yogurt on the table. "Bake."

"What?"

"A cake. Don't you know that desserts soften hearts? You take him one, give him a nice smile, and while you're at it, you'll see if he reacts or if he slams the door in your face."

"That's one of the most sensible things you've ever said," Rin murmured, genuinely impressed.

"And the most dangerous," Reo muttered. "I don't know if I'm ready to face Nagi... especially not with a cake in my hands."

"That's why we're going to make it. You just put on your romantic leading man face; Rin and I will handle the rest."

"You're roping me into this without asking, aren't you?" Rin grumbled.

"Exactly," Ness and Reo replied in unison.

The kitchen was a technicolor mess: flour floating in the air like magical mist, Rin beating with such force it looked like she was exorcizing the dough, and Ness... well, Ness had his phone camera in portrait mode since they started.

"Look! This shot is actually pretty," Ness said, posing with the bowl like a culinary influencer.

"Again?" Rin grumbled, looking at the phone. "Who are you sending that to now?"

"To my sweetie," Ness sang, sending the photo with emojis included. "He likes to see me cooking. He says I look more responsible."

Reo, who was breaking up the chocolate, raised an eyebrow. "Responsible? You just put salt in instead of sugar."

"Details. Love is salty sometimes."

At that moment, Rin put down the spatula, turned to him with a sharp smile, and yelled, "You want to send everything to that idiot! Why don't you send him a picture of your belly with the bowl on your head?! It's not like we have any dignity left!"

Reo burst out laughing so hard that half the chocolate fell on the floor.

"Oh, please, record that!" he gasped. "This is better than the drama we were watching!"

Ness, completely offended and as dramatic as a Turkish soap opera actress, placed a hand on his chest.

"You guys don't understand the art of romance."

"And you don't understand the art of measuring ingredients!" Rin grumbled as she tried to rescue the disaster in the bowl.

Reo wiped away his tears of laughter and, when he could speak again, said, "I really don't know if this cake is going to win over Nagi or send me straight to the hospital."

"Hopefully, it'll do both," Ness replied, already preparing the "set" for the next photo with the happiest of smiles.

They were about to pour the mixture into the pan when Rin, with more confidence than skill, tried to lift the bowl to empty it in a "professional" manner. The result: half the mixture ended up on his hand.

"Shit!" he grumbled, his fingers sticky, covered in thick batter and chocolate chips.

"Mmm..." Ness approached him with a feline smile, lowering his face toward his hand. "Can I lick it?"

"Don't you dare!" Rin yelled, backing away so fast he almost fell over with the bowl.

"Oh, Rin, don't be like that," Reo said with a teasing smile. "It's for the good of the flavor. Quality control."

"No, that's disgusting!" Rin wiped his hand on his own shirt without a second thought, as if he'd rather ruin his outfit than allow a display of culinary "affection."

Ness huffed, crossing his arms. "And they say I'm the dramatic one."

"You're literally recording a story for your boyfriend while all of this looks like a group therapy session with flour," Rin replied, pointing at him with what was left of his dignity.

"It's just that I want him to see that I can cook!" Ness defended, even though he dropped a spoonful on the floor right at that moment.

"Right. If by 'cooking' you mean 'making a mess,' you're doing great."

With the mixture finally in the pan and more laughter, the oven received the cake like a divine sacrifice. Reo looked at it with a mix of nerves and hope, and Ness took selfies with his stained apron, claiming it added authenticity.

Rin, on the other hand, sat on the counter, arms crossed, watching his friends.

"Well, at least if this plan goes wrong, the cake can be an excuse for Nagi to sweetly block him on WhatsApp."

"And if it goes well..." Reo murmured, looking at the oven with a certain hope.

"Then you'll have to admit it was my brilliant idea," Ness said, posing with a spoon like a microphone.

"God..." Rin sighed. "We're like one of those cooking shows but a messy, emotional version."

Ding.

The oven had done its part. Reo, with a solemn air, took out the pan as if it were the heart of the operation.

"It looks... good, right?" he asked, looking at it sideways.

"Yeah, from a distance it looks edible," Rin replied cautiously, crossing his arms.

Ness approached with a knife, cut a slice... and the blade sank with the consistency of a wet sponge. "Uh..."

Reo swallowed. "Is it... raw?"

Rin, resigned, grabbed a spoon and took a bit from the center. The sound was like sticking a spoon into flan.

"IT'S ALIVE!" he yelled dramatically, dropping to the floor. "The batter survived 40 minutes in hell!"

But that wasn't all.

Ness carefully lifted the pan and looked at the bottom. There was a shiny, almost glassy layer. "What the heck...?"

"...All the sugar sank to the bottom," Ness said, touching the hardened part. "This is a mutant inverted flan."

"CAKE A LA NESSINA!" Rin christened it, laughing so hard he almost fell off the stool.

Reo covered his face with his hands. "This can't be... how am I supposed to give this to Nagi?"

"What if you tell him it's conceptual art?" Ness proposed. "Or an experimental dessert... 'upside-down sugar,' sounds chic."

"Or that it's a metaphor for your feelings: undercooked, poorly managed, but with good intentions," Rin added, dead with laughter.

"You two are useless," Reo said, but he couldn't stop laughing with them.

Between the laughter, the kitchen battlefield, and the "cake" still trembling in its pan, Reo looked at the mess with a mix of frustration and tenderness.

"Well... at least you helped me confirm something," he said, resting his elbows on the table while Rin and Ness continued to argue about whether the center could be fried like pancakes.

"What?" Ness asked, licking the sugar from the bottom as if there were no tomorrow.

Reo looked at them. The mess, the chaos, the spontaneity... and still, that undeniable warmth.

"That maybe it's not just that I'm waiting for an 'ideal' person. It's that I'm not even sure what I want to feel," he said in a low voice, more to himself than to them.

Rin raised an eyebrow from the other side of the counter. "And what does that mean? That you're not going to try anything with the neighbor?"

Reo smiled, tilting his head. "It means I first have to understand what I expect from him... and from myself, too."

"Oof, post-failed-cake introspection. How intense," Ness laughed, throwing himself on a dining room cushion. "This chapter of our lives will be called 'Raw Cake and Unbaked Emotions.'"

"Not a bad title," Reo murmured, looking at the clock and then his chocolate-stained hands. "Not today... but maybe soon."

And while Ness uploaded another story with the text "don't ask how it turned out, just laugh," Reo kept thinking. Not about the recipe, or the mixture, or even the oven.

He was thinking about Nagi and what he wanted to do about it.

The elevator opens with a monotonous ding. Rin is carrying a bag of vegetables, his backpack, and his soul on the verge of collapse. His day had been long, hot, and full of people who didn't respect personal space.

That's why, when he sees the familiar silhouette leaning against the hallway wall, he stops dead in his tracks.

Messy hair, a sweatshirt tied around his waist, a huge smile lighting up his face.

"Rin-rin~!" Bachira greets him, as if years hadn't passed.

Rin blinks once. Then again. And then he tries to keep walking as if he's seeing a mirage.

"No," he says simply, moving forward.

"No' what?" Bachira asks, following him effortlessly.

"I'm not up for this. Not physically, not emotionally, not spiritually."

Bachira chuckles and walks beside him with that almost offensive energy.

"You live around here, huh? That's crazy. A friend of mine moved, and I came to visit him. And I just happen to see you! It's destiny."

"It's a nightmare," Rin corrects, opening his apartment door.

"Are you going to invite me in?"

"Why would I?"

"Because we were friends."

Rin looks at him, leaning against the door frame. There's something almost nostalgic in Bachira's eyes, but he refuses to fall for it. He sighs.

"We were English class partners. For a month. And you left because you said 'the conjugations made you want to cry'."

"But I learned the basics! 'Can I go to the bathroom?'" he says, in his best elementary school student voice.

Rin pinches the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

"What a nightmare to run into you today of all days."

"What about today?"

"Today I was at peace."

Bachira smiles at him as if he hadn't just spat venom in his face. Suddenly, he leans in just a little and whispers:

"Did you miss me?"

"Like you miss a pebble in your shoe."

Click. Rin closes the door.

"Hey! That was rude! Rin-rin, come on! I swear I didn't come here to bother you!"

Soft knocks on the door. Then silence. And a final comment through the wood:

"Well... we're going to see each other a lot. You'd better start enjoying my presence!"

Rin rests his forehead on the door and exhales.

"I'm moving tomorrow."

Rin enters the apartment with a battle-worn expression. He drops the bags on the table, closes the door with more force than necessary, and collapses onto the couch as if he'd just run a marathon.

Ness, from the kitchen, raises an eyebrow as he stirs his coffee.

"And what's with the Monday-with-eye-bags mood?"

Rin gives a dead-eyed stare at the ceiling.

"Don't ask."

"Did someone talk to you in the elevator? Ask you to hold the door? Or worse... did someone smile at you?"

Rin slowly turns his head.

"It was Bachira."

Ness freezes. Then he smiles as if he's just found his new favorite soap opera.

"Bachira Meguru? The curly-haired hyperactive one who used to chase you in English class like you were his favorite toy?"

"The very same."

"AND YOU DIDN'T LET HIM IN?!" Ness exclaims, dropping his spoon with a dramatic clink into the cup.

"Why would I?" Rin replies, not moving from the couch.

Ness crosses his arms, offended for him.

"Rin, honey... there are ways to be antisocial, and then there's you, who directly violates the basic conventions of cordiality. The guy was happy to see you!"

"He greeted me as if years hadn't passed. As if he hadn't made me pretend I didn't know him when he started dancing in the middle of class."

"That was iconic, and you know it."

"It was a crime against humanity."

Knock, knock.

They both freeze.

"No..."

Knock, knock, knock.

"It can't be."

Ness smiles, walks over, and opens the door without waiting for Rin.

"Hi!" Bachira greets, with a small bag of juice boxes in one hand and his bright smile in the other. "I'm back!"

Rin sinks into the couch.

Ness steps aside.

"Come in. Not everyone here is rude."

Bachira walks in as if it's his home.

"Thanks! It's good to see someone here has manners. Hi, Ness, right? I remember you from... some photo. One of those ugly selfies Rin said were 'blackmail material'!"

Ness laughs. Rin glares at him.

"I hate you," he says to Ness.

"I love you too," Ness replies, happy.

Bachira put the bag of juice boxes on the table as if he already lived there and began to look around the apartment with wide eyes.

"Wow, this is much tidier than I imagined! I thought you'd have clothes everywhere and an existential corner," he commented, peering down the hallway toward the bedrooms.

"Don't go into my room," Rin said with a sharp tone.

"Is that your room? And this one? What's behind this door? The bathroom? Secrets? Bodies?"

"Bachira," Rin warned, an eye twitching.

"Were you always this serious, or did it get worse over the years?" Bachira continued, completely ignoring him. "Do you like living here? Do you live with Ness? Since when? Do you still eat burnt toast on purpose? And what's that little plant there? Did you always have an aesthetic sense or is that someone else's influence?"

Ness couldn't stop laughing.

"We should put a microphone on him. This is better than any cooking show."

"I want to leave," Rin mutters.

"So soon?! But I just got here!" Bachira exclaimed, spinning around. "Rin, do you still get tense when someone hugs you?"

"Don't even think about it."

"Why not?! It's a normal way to greet someone. Come here, Rin-rin~!"

"No."

But it was too late. Bachira had already pounced on him, hugging him from behind like a koala about to burst with joy. Rin went stiff as a statue, while Ness laughed mercilessly.

"This is beautiful!" Ness declared, pulling out his phone as if to take a photo. "Don't move, Rin! This is going to be the new wallpaper."

"I swear, if you take that photo, I'll poison your tea."

At that exact moment, the apartment door opened.

"Hello!" Nanase greeted with his calm voice, carrying a small bag of pastries. "I thought I'd bring something—"

Absolute silence.

Nanase stands still. He observes the scene: Bachira, stuck to Rin like a limpet in a forced embrace, and Ness with a smile that bodes nothing good.

"...Am I interrupting something?" he asks, with a slightly... tense smile.

Rin, with Bachira still clinging to him, can only articulate:

"This isn't what it looks like."

Bachira, without letting go, raises a hand excitedly:

"Hi! I'm Bachira! An old friend of Rin's! Well, more like a spirit who followed him in school... though he called it stalking, but I think it was social chemistry," he laughs. "You must be his... roommate, neighbor? Distant cousin? Rin never told me he lived with such handsome people, by the way."

Nanase smiles. But his eye twitches slightly.

"Neighbor. More or less."

Rin tries to break free from the hug, but Bachira just gets more comfortable on his shoulder, as if he doesn't understand the concept of personal space.

"Your place smells just like him! Like tea with old books and a pinch of contempt," Bachira says, delighted. "It makes me nostalgic. Rin always had that scent when I made him angry. What memories!"

Nanase stays silent.

Ness, from the kitchen, mutters with a small smirk:

"Oh, this is going to be good..."

Rin only manages to say:

"I'm going to kill you."

No one knows who he's saying it to exactly.

Rin finally manages to get out of Bachira's hug, pushing him away with a growl as he straightens his shirt as if he just survived an ambush.

"Don't get so familiar," he mutters, glaring at Bachira.

Bachira just smiles as if he didn't hear.

"This place has really good energy! Who decorated it? Was it Ness? Was it Rin? Did you do it together? I want to know everything!"

Nanase stood in the doorway, still with the bag in his hand, as if he didn't know whether to enter or run away.

Ness, without missing a beat, leaned out from the kitchen with a cup of tea and a look of pure mischief.

"Since we're all here, why don't you guys stay for a snack? I bought good muffins! Reo isn't here today, he decided to take a day of deep reflection..." he looked at Rin with a mocking glint in his eyes. "He's missing out on all the drama."

"Reflection?" Nanase asked, still trying to process everything.

"Yup. He locked himself in his room with face masks, harp music, and a sign on the door that says 'Do Not Disturb: Self-Discovery in Progress'. A classic."

Bachira had already thrown himself on the sofa as if it were his.

"Great! I love muffins. And new people, too!" he looked at Nanase with a little smile. "Are you going to eat with us too? Can I ask you questions?"

Nanase smiled, tense.

"Of course. I'm used to questions."

"Perfect, because I have about seventy," Bachira replied enthusiastically as he swung a leg over the back of the sofa. "What's your favorite color? Do you have pets? Has Rin yelled at you today? Do you guys know how to cook?"

Rin slumped into the chair as far away as possible.

"I'm going to bite a table if this keeps up."

Ness shrugged, with his best angelic tone:

"I just said that having lunch with friends is good for the heart."

And with that, the chaos was already served.

The four of them were now sitting at the small dining table, with steaming cups of tea, still-warm muffins, and an atmosphere that swayed between friendly chaos and a silent cold war.

Bachira kept talking as if he had a fully charged solar battery.

"So Rin fell backward in the middle of the living room and swore it was the floor's fault, isn't that adorable?" he laughed, nudging Rin lightly. "Do you still do that when you trip, or have you learned to accept your mistakes?"

"I'm going to push you off the balcony," Rin replied, in a dry tone.

"Always so sweet!" Bachira retorted, biting into a muffin as if he hadn't just been threatened.

Nanase smiled.

A little more forced than before.

"It seems like you have a lot of stories together," he commented, turning the cup in his hands. "It must be nice to meet up with people from the past... so effusive."

"Oh, yeah!" Ness interjected, with his typical look of someone who enjoys other people's chaos too much. "Rin almost broke down when he saw him at the door. It was so emotional."

Rin shot him a murderous look, but Ness didn't flinch.

Bachira rested his chin on the table, turning his head toward Nanase.

"And how long have you known Rin? Because it doesn't seem like he talks about you much... I mean, he hadn't said anything to me. But then again, he didn't answer my messages either, right, Rin-rin~?"

Rin clenched his teeth.

Nanase replied with measured softness:

"We've known each other for a while. We see each other pretty often."

Bachira nodded, tilting his head.

"Neighbors?"

"Something like that. In fact, we're—"

"I'm so glad Rin has more friends!"

Silence.

Ness slowly chewed his muffin, watching everyone with the attention of a theater director who just saw his play turn into a tragedy.

Rin drank from his cup without looking at anyone. But between sips, his gaze fixed on Nanase. Something was off. His posture was too straight, his smile too tense. That vein in his neck... it was throbbing.

Rin frowned.

Was he... jealous?

God.

That was only going to make things worse.

And to top it all off, Bachira smiled again.

"It's great that we all get along! This feels like a therapy group where the quietest one is the most dangerous."

"You're not far off," Ness whispered, almost choking on laughter.

Rin set his cup down on the table with a clang.

"Someone's going to die today."

Bachira finished his muffin with a smile of absurd satisfaction, still looking at Rin as if he were watching a puppy that growls but secretly wants cuddles.

"It's weird, you know?" he said suddenly, his tone dropping just a little, softer. "I thought when we met again it would be different. Like... I don't know, less punching and more long hugs. Though I admit the shove at the entrance was very you."

Rin tensed.

Ness noticed and blinked, surprised by the slight change in the atmosphere. Nanase, on the other hand, looked down a bit, still listening.

"We're not the same as before, Bachira," Rin replied, not looking at him directly.

"But I still like you, Rin-rin. You were always one of those people who cared even if it didn't seem like it," Bachira insisted with a half-smile. "And I'm not saying I miss you, but well... I do miss you."

Silence.

The room shrank a little. Or at least that's how Rin felt.

His eyes went straight to Nanase, who was still silent, his fingers now clenched against the cup. Then, without thinking too much, Rin spoke.

"Stop saying those things."

Bachira looked at him, surprised.

"Huh?"

"I have a boyfriend, Bachira," Rin said, his voice firm. Almost harsh. "So don't say things you don't need to say."

The silence that followed was different from the last one. More dense.

Bachira blinked, surprised, and then laughed softly.

"Oh, really? Well, that explains the tension. You could have said so sooner, though. It's not like I was trying to seduce you or anything, Rin-rin. I was just... talking."

"Yeah, you talk too much," Rin muttered, turning his face away.

Nanase looked down a bit, a very subtle smile on his face. Not mocking, but one of contained relief.

Ness clapped once.

"Bingo! First explosive confession of the afternoon. This is so entertaining."

Bachira just crossed his arms.

"So, can I meet him? Is he here? Or is he imaginary?"

"I'm here," Nanase replied, finally raising his voice with a kind but firm tone, reaching out a hand to gently touch Rin's arm.

Bachira watched him for a moment, then smiled with less explosive energy than before.

"Ahhh... he has a kind face. Are you also patient or just brave?"

"Depends on the day," Nanase replied, not letting go of that calm smile that only Rin knew hid a thousand thoughts behind it.

And for the first time all afternoon, Rin sighed... just a little more calmly.

A soft knock echoed at the door.

"Who could it be now?" Ness murmured as he got up to open it.

He opened the door and a familiar voice came from the threshold.

"I thought I heard someone laughing who—" Ness stopped when he saw the figure behind the door.

It was Isagi.

Bachira, who was right behind him, lit up immediately, as if someone had turned on a giant spotlight.

"Isagi!" he exclaimed with the energy of a rocket. "Just in time!"

Before Ness could react, Bachira launched himself at Isagi with a hug and a long, loud kiss full of joy.

Isagi smiled, blushing, returning the kiss with patience and affection.

"Hi, guys," Isagi greeted as he walked in.

Ness blinked, both amused and surprised.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect this," he said, looking at the scene. "Since when are you guys so affectionate?"

Bachira pulled away slightly, with a mischievous smile.

"Since no one was watching, of course."

Rin raised an eyebrow and let out a resigned sigh.

Nanase simply smiled, finally relaxed.

"I think this can only get better," he murmured.

And Ness, with a sly grin, finished:

"Who wants another muffin?"

"Well, guys, it's been a pleasure to drop by," Isagi said, smiling calmly. "See you soon."

Bachira turned to Rin, with that playful smile that always made him nervous.

"Hey, Rin-rin, take care of your boyfriend because I might just take him away one day," he whispered in a teasing tone.

Rin stiffened, while Nanase let out a low laugh and Ness raised his eyebrows with amusement.

"If you keep making those jokes, I'll turn you into an extra in the next chapter, Bachira," Rin warned, trying to stay calm.

"Hahaha! That would be a sight to see," Bachira laughed as they headed for the door. "Until next time, guys. Take care and don't fight too much."

Isagi gave Nanase and Rin one last kind look.

"Thanks for the snack and the company."

And with that, they both said goodbye and left, leaving behind a mix of contained laughter, frustrated sighs, and an air of chaos that only they knew how to cause.

Ness turned back to Rin and Nanase.

"Well, who's going to tell Reo what he missed today?"

Rin sighed and shook his head.

"We'd better not talk about that."

Nanase gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

"Probably for the best."

Ness stood up, stretching and yawning.

"Well, I'm heading to my room before you guys make me sleep on the couch," he said with a smile. "I'll leave you two alone to make out or fight in peace."

Rin rolled his eyes, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Don't be so twisted, Ness."

Nanase approached Rin with a soft smile, taking his hand without rushing.

"Let's calm down a bit," he murmured.

Rin rested his forehead against Nanase's, closing his eyes for a moment.

The silence between them was comfortable, filled with the intimacy they only shared after so many trials.

Then, slowly, Nanase brushed his lips with a tender kiss, which Rin received with the same sweetness.

The outside world seemed to fade for a moment, leaving only the warmth and calm they needed.

When they separated, Rin whispered, his voice calmer:

"Thanks for being here."

Nanase smiled and squeezed his hand affectionately.

"Always."

The light of dusk filtered through the poorly closed curtains of the apartment, staining the walls a pale orange. Rin was sprawled on the sofa, half-covered with a blanket, impatiently moving one leg. Ness, on the other hand, was pacing back and forth with his arms crossed, frequently glancing at the front door, as if he could make it open with the power of his anxiety alone.

"It's been three days, Rin. Three."

"Uh-huh."

"He's not answering calls. He's not reacting to memes. He's not complaining about your spicy noodles. He hasn't screamed that someone used up his almond soap!"

Rin snorted, turning his face slightly to peek out with one eye.

"What if he just got fed up with us and went on a spiritual retreat?"

Ness gave him a look of disapproval.

"Reo? Our Reo? Leaving without a word? Impossible. It's more likely he was abducted by a cult of eco-vegan influencers."

"That would be a bit his style," Rin admitted, before stretching like a cat and yawning. "Though with how dramatic he is, he would have at least left us a letter with pressed petals."

Silence.

"...What if he's dead?" Ness said suddenly, putting a hand to his mouth.

Rin raised both eyebrows.

"Ness."

"What?! He's not answering! His last Instagram story was a blurry screenshot of a rock and the phrase 'I am this now'! That's a cry for help if I ever saw one."

"It's also literally the photo he would post if he became obsessed with zen gardening."

Ness approached the door, put his ear against it... and then, a sound: the jingle of keys. The click of the lock. And the door slowly opening.

They both turned at the same time, tense.

And Reo appeared.

Haggard. His eyes red. Mismatched clothes. Hair tied up as if he had done it in the dark. A lost look, as if he had seen things the human mind is not prepared to process.

"...Hi," he said, barely.

Ness and Rin watched him in silence for a long second. Then:

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!" they yelled at the same time, running toward him as if he were injured.

Reo dropped his backpack to the floor with a dull thud, stumbled into the apartment, and murmured:

"...I shouldn't have opened the launcher."

Reo didn't even make it to the sofa. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he dropped his backpack and stood in the middle of the apartment, as if he had forgotten how his legs worked. Ness carefully closed the door behind him, while Rin examined him from the sofa, raising an eyebrow.

"...And that?" Rin said, gesturing to his friend's general appearance: swollen eyes, wrinkled clothes, messy hair, and an expression as if he had lost a war.

"What 'that'?" Reo mumbled, scratching his neck.

"Your face," Ness bluntly stated, standing in front of him. "Are you okay? Did you sleep? Did a wasp sting you in the eyes? Did you cry? Did you get high?"

"Ness!" Rin said, though not with much conviction. It was clear he wanted to know too.

Reo looked away.

"I didn't cry."

"That doesn't answer the other questions," Ness said, narrowing his eyes. "Are you sick? Did something happen to you? You disappeared for three days. You didn't even open the group chat."

"Where have you been?" Rin added, sitting up with a slight gesture of genuine interest. "Because clearly you weren't here."

Reo sighed, leaning his body against the wall.

"At the internet cafe."

"What internet cafe?" they both asked at the same time.

"The one on the corner."

"That one is still open?" Rin said.

"I didn't know you knew about it," Ness said, almost at the same time.

Reo cleared his throat.

"I went there once with... with Nagi."

The two looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes.

"Uh-huh," Ness said, like someone mentally noting a suspicious detail. "And what were you doing there? Studying? Watching dramas?"

Reo shrugged.

"Playing."

"What game?" Rin crossed his arms.

"Minecraft."

Silence.

"...You play Minecraft?" Ness said, his eyes as wide as a confused puppy's.

"I thought that was for kids," Rin added, as if the concept personally insulted him.

Reo scratched his arm, uncomfortable.

"I thought so too, but... I don't know. Nagi showed me his world and... that was it. I stayed."

"You stayed for three whole days?"

"Not consecutively."

"Not consecutively but still for whole days," Ness pointed out.

Reo slid to the floor, sitting next to the wall with a groan.

"We built a house. Then a castle. Then a farm. Then I fell into a cave. And... that's when everything went to hell. Yesterday I dreamed I was a villager."

Ness looked at him, almost with pity.

"And you didn't eat? You slept there?"

"I slept, yes. At the internet cafe. Well... once. Maybe twice. The guy who runs the place gave me bread."

"You're eating internet cafe bread?!" Rin seemed more scandalized by that than by the three-day confinement.

"It was soft..." Reo mumbled.

"My God," Ness whispered, sitting down next to him with a compassionate expression. "We lost you."

"And Nagi?" Rin asked, also sitting down, but with his knees crossed as if he were about to interrogate a suspect.

"He went home on the second day. He said I 'was ready now.'"

"Ready for what? For perdition?!" Ness exclaimed, pointing a finger at him.

"I don't know. I just know that if I don't check my chests right now, I'm going to forget where I left my netherite pickaxe."

They both looked at him, perplexed.

Rin narrowed his eyes.

"Since when do you talk to Nagi so much?"

Reo blinked.

"I don't talk to Nagi that much."

Ness raised an eyebrow. Rin copied him.

"We just... talk sometimes. And he invited me to his world. That's all."

"Did you have dates in Minecraft?" Ness blurted out suddenly.

"What?! No!"

"Did you put beds next to each other?" Rin asked.

"IT'S FOR SPAWN EFFICIENCY!"

"Sure it is," the two mumbled.

Reo covered his face with both hands.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Yes. Do that. You smell like hot Wi-Fi."

"And after that," Rin added, serious, "we're going to install a parental timer for you."

"Just kill me," Reo sighed, dragging himself toward the bathroom.

"We're considering it," Ness replied.

Reo came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel with another on his head, lazily drying his hair. His skin now smelled of lavender (thanks to Ness, who had switched his soap without telling him), but his gaze... his gaze was still lost.

Ness and Rin were sitting on the living room floor, waiting for him with the same energy as two parents ready to have a talk with their troubled child.

"Do you feel human again?" Ness asked, offering him a cup of tea.

"More or less," Reo replied, sinking down between them. "My fingers are still in keyboard position."

Rin didn't take long to ask the question that had been floating in the air for a while:

"Why Minecraft?"

Reo looked at him for a second, as if trying to find words that could do justice to the religious experience he had just gone through.

"Because... it's changed. Everything has changed. I thought it was still the same as when I played it in middle school. That it was still just about placing blocks and that's it. But... no. Now there are villages that evolve, there are caves that look like other dimensions, there are frogs. Frogs, Rin?!"

"That sounds... normal," Rin murmured, a little confused.

"And the sniffers?" Reo added, his eyes wide. "There are sniffers! Furry dinosaurs. Did you know that? No one told me anything!"

"What's a sniffer?" Ness asked, slowly.

"An ancient creature. You can revive it! You dig in the ocean sand and find eggs!"

"...Is that real or is it part of your fever?" Rin no longer knew whether to be worried or not.

Reo put his hands to his face.

"I just wanted to see how the water moved in this version. I thought, 'well, just one quick game.' And now... now I have a world with a sanctuary, seven domesticated cats, a mine that goes to the abyss, an automatic melon farm, and a giant statue of Nagi."

"WHAT?" Ness and Rin yelled in unison.

"It's a monument! It was his idea! He said 'make something pretty near my house.' I... I did it out of respect."

Rin covered his mouth with one hand.

"...Reo, you're in love with Nagi."

"NO!" Reo exclaimed, as red as a redstone signal. "I just... it's just fun to play with him. He's relaxed. He says weird things. He lets me have a lot of cats."

Ness sipped his tea in silence.

"Reo, this sounds more like a relationship than any date I've ever had in my life," he murmured.

Reo fell back onto the rug, still with the towel on his head.

"I didn't ask for this... I just wanted to kill some time. But now I know all the new crafting recipes. I know how to make boats with chests. I know how to farm bamboo. I got excited when I found cherries. CHERRIES!"

"Do you want help to get out of this?" Ness asked, gently.

"No. I want a gaming laptop."

Rin sighed deeply, looking down at him.

"God. What did he do to our Reo?"

"He gave him blocks... and he left."

The apartment was eerily quiet. For them, that could only mean one thing: they had mutually resigned themselves to peace for the day.

"Ness! Don't put salt on the popcorn if it already has butter," Reo said from the living room, not raising his voice much.

"It's for balance," Ness replied from the kitchen. "The yin and the yang. The sweet and the salty."

"The healthy and the hypertension," Rin added, not looking up from his phone.

He was sprawled on the couch as if he'd been accidentally dropped there, with a blanket half-on and a look of eternal judgment.

"Besides, I don't want to watch another movie where people fall in love by accident," he added without looking at them. "It's emotional propaganda."

"Then what do you want to watch? A documentary on poisonous plants?" Reo said, rolling his eyes.

"That wouldn't be bad. Educational, realistic."

"Hey, I'm interested in that," Ness added, poking his head out from the kitchen. "Maybe I'll finally understand what plant you gave Nanase the other day."

"Wild wasabi. I wanted to see if he'd survive."

Reo slowly turned to look at him. "You want to poison your date?"

"And you want love to be a telenovela? Don't judge me."

Ness returned to the living room with the bucket of popcorn and three mismatched glasses. He gave the nicest one to Reo without thinking, and one with a frog drawing to Rin.

"A pretend wife, then," he announced, dropping his weight next to Reo. "A light romantic comedy. Don't complain."

"I'm about to faint from the excitement," Rin muttered, pulling the blanket up to his nose.

"Do you want a pillow with extra sarcasm?" Ness asked.

"Yes."

The movie progressed with tropical scenes, children who were better manipulators than adults, and visual jokes that didn't even try to hide the tension between the protagonists.

"If I were going to pretend to have kids, I'd at least make sure one was an actor," Rin murmured as the little girl started yelling at a dolphin at the aquarium.

"Why do I feel like you'd do that willingly?" Ness asked.

"Because I would. And I'd teach them to blackmail. Holistic education."

On the screen, Katherine smiled with that "I'm fine" face that everyone knows means the opposite. They were in the middle of a "planning a wedding for someone else while I'm in love with you" scene.

"What a way to suffer in silence," Ness said, a piece of popcorn halfway between his mouth and the couch.

"Idiots," Reo murmured.

"Them?" Rin asked.

"Yeah. They know they like each other, but they won't say it. They play dumb. They hide behind excuses. As if pretending were easier than taking a risk."

Rin barely turned his head. He didn't say it in an accusatory or hurtful tone. Just with his usual pinpoint accuracy.

"Are you talking about them... or about yourself?"

Reo hesitated for a second.

"I'm not like them," he finally said. "There's no tension with Nagi. There never was. There are no risqué jokes or moments where one of us stares at the other for too long. We're not like you and Nanase. Or Ness with Kaiser."

Ness blinked, surprised. "What? What do I have to do with this?"

"You guys were constantly getting on each other's nerves," Reo continued, looking at the ceiling. "Fights, jokes, jabs. All of it was disguised flirting. There was always something."

"And you and Nagi aren't?" Rin asked.

"With Nagi it's different. It's... peace. Silence. A 'Wanna watch anime?' at eleven at night without overthinking. He doesn't give me butterflies, he gives me calm. I feel good with him. Safe."

Ness shifted, more serious.

"And that can't be love?"

"Maybe. But if I say something and it's not mutual, I won't have this either. And I'm not sure I can handle the emptiness."

Silence. Only the movie continued playing in the background. On screen, Danny finally admitted how he felt about Katherine. Fearfully, awkwardly, but he said it.

"Not all loves start with fireworks," Rin said softly.

"Some just need space." Ness smiled wryly. "Or a blackmailing dolphin."

Reo lowered his head, but he laughed a little, too. Though not at the joke.

"You guys went for it knowing there was something. I don't even know if he sees me as an option."

Rin stretched his leg and nudged him with his foot.

"Then make him see you," Rin repeated, crossing his arms behind his head.

Reo stared at an invisible spot between the screen and the coffee table.

"The problem is, I think I was the one who didn't want to see it."

Ness raised his eyebrows, now in unsolicited therapist mode.

"You?"

"Yeah. I always said I didn't like him. That he wasn't 'my type.' That there was nothing between us but living together. What if that was just an excuse?"

"An excuse for what?" Rin asked, unconsciously lowering his voice.

"Not to think about what feeling something for him would imply. Because if I admitted I liked him, then... everything would change. And I didn't want to change anything. I liked our routine. I liked him, as a friend. Or so I told myself."

Silence.

Ness sat up a little, more serious than usual.

"And what changed?"

Reo blinked. He looked at the screen, where Danny was finally hugging Katherine and they were laughing as if they hadn't spent half the movie ignoring the obvious.

"I don't know. Maybe it's that lately it bothers me when he talks about other people. Or when he doesn't text back quickly. Or when he seems closer to someone who isn't me. And that didn't happen to me before. Or I didn't want to see it."

Rin lowered his feet from the sofa, sitting up a little straighter.

"That's tension. You don't need flirting or clichés. Sometimes it just happens."

"Shit," Reo whispered, burying his face in the cushion.

"Exactly," Rin and Ness said at the same time.

Reo peeked out from the folds of the cushion, his hair a mess.

"I don't want to be in love with my best friend."

"Too late," Rin said.

"Welcome to the club," Ness added, smiling tiredly.

"Is there a membership?"

"Just tears, chaos, and open endings."

"Perfect."

Rin took the remote and paused the movie right as the final kiss was about to start.

"Instead of talking about feelings, how about we watch the scene where the kid threatens to throw himself off the cliff if they don't buy him the inflatable dolphin?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"That one's great!" Ness exclaimed, straightening up with energy. "Wasn't that also when he does the dramatic 'my father never loved me' voice?"

"Exactly. Emotional manipulation with acting quality," Rin added with an approving nod.

Reo let out a laugh, still half-buried in the cushion.

"Thanks for not making me keep talking about my traumas."

"Don't worry, we've made a mental note to use it for your birthday," Ness joked.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, nothing. Anyone want ice cream?"

"Do you have pistachio?" Rin asked, adjusting his t-shirt collar as if he were about to sign a contract.

"Since when do you like pistachio ice cream?"

"Since I found out you can't stand it," Rin replied with a mischievous smile.

"You're a monster."

"I'm your monster," Rin retorted, raising his imaginary spoon.

Reo put his hands to his face. "Can you two flirt in silence for once?"

"We're not flirting," they both said in unison.

"Perfect, I live with a couple of idiots."

"And you're the third, so make yourself comfortable," Ness sang as he got up and headed for the kitchen.

"I can't take it anymore, if I stay here I'll die!"

"Too late! You already live with us!" Ness's voice echoed from the hallway.

Reo turned to Rin, looking for compassion. But Rin only held out the remote.

"Do you want to fast-forward to the blackmailing dolphin or rewind to the awkward massage scene?"

Reo sighed, with a half-smile he didn't bother to hide.

"Rewind. I want to see them keep lying to themselves. So I feel less stupid."

Rin obeyed. And as the movie played again, amidst jokes and ice cream and gentle sarcasm, Reo didn't bring up the topic again. But he didn't need to.

His friends already knew.

And he, even if he still wouldn't admit it out loud... did too.

—Guys, I want to adopt a cat.

Reo dropped the bombshell as casually as if he’d said, "I bought a new phone case." The three of them were sitting on the couch in the shared living room.

Ness raised an eyebrow. Rin didn't even bother to look.

"A cat?" Ness repeated. "Why not a dog? Dogs are more affectionate."

"Exactly," Reo said, smiling. "I identify with cats. Elegant, self-sufficient, unpredictable."

"You mean standoffish."

"They have standards. You wouldn't understand."

Rin let out a long sigh, leaning his head against the back of the couch. "We're not adopting anything."

"Why not?" Reo asked, turning to face him.

"Because adopting a cat would be another expense. Then you have to buy food, a litter box, toys... And in two weeks we'll end up calling a vet because it ate one of your rings, Reo."

"That sounds like personal experience."

"I don't have any rings! And I don't want a cat in my budget!"

"What budget?" Ness asked, genuinely confused. "You don't even know how much we pay for electricity."

"I don't need to know. The important thing is that it doesn't increase."

Reo rolled his eyes with elegance. "You're so dramatic."

"I'm practical," Rin replied, crossing his arms. "You want a pet? Buy a plant. It's cheaper and it won't ruin my sneakers."

Ness stood up, frowning. "Look, I have nothing against cats, but dogs are better. They're loyal, happy, they don't look at you like they hate you. Plus, they can go for a run with you."

"Are you going to go for a run with a dog?" Rin asked him.

"Well... I can try."

"You don't even run when the fire alarm goes off."

"It was just one time and I was in the shower!"

"What we need is peace," Rin sighed. "Not a battlefield of species and idiotic opinions."

Reo stood up with a hand on his hip, theatrically. "Fine, then I'll go to a shelter, I'll see the abandoned animals, all alone, without love... and not adopt one. Is that what you want, Rin? Is that what you want?"

"Yes. That's exactly it."

Ness, from the background, murmured, "I want a shiba."

"That costs more than your dignity," Rin scoffed. "The only thing we can afford is a beta fish. Just one."

"What if we train it to be our official apartment mascot?" Reo said.

"A beta fish?"

"Yeah. We'll give it a name. Teach it tricks. Give it a little crown."

"That's literally animal abuse," Ness said.

"That's literally the budget," Rin said.

They fell silent. The air filled with unresolved tension, nonsensical ideas, and a hint of impending anarchy.

Finally, Ness took out his phone.

"I'm going to look for dogs for adoption."

"I'm coming with you," Reo said, "but only to look at cats."

"We are not adopting anything," Rin grumbled, as the other two were already on their way to the door.

An hour later, they returned with a mysterious box.

"What's that?" Rin asked, frowning.

"A beta fish," Reo said, triumphant. "His name is Gyoza."

"Don't look at me. It was your idea, Rin," Ness added with a little smile.

"WHAT?"

"You said it was the only thing we could have," Reo replied, placing the fishbowl on the table as if it were a jewel.

"I... I didn't say it like that."

"Now there are four of us," Ness said, sitting down with his arms crossed. "And Gyoza doesn't pay rent, but he doesn't shed either."

"A fair trade," Reo nodded.

Rin sank into the couch, defeated.

Gyoza looked at him from the fishbowl with a bubble.

There was definitely no escape.

The afternoon sun was streaming through the apartment curtains, but the atmosphere inside was anything but warm. Ness was checking his phone insistently, swiping through screens and transit routes that weren't convincing him. Reo sat on the edge of the couch, staring fixedly at the floor with his arms crossed. Rin was standing by the window, as if he needed an excuse not to look at either of them.

"If we take the green line and walk from the second station... we could get there without paying so much," Ness mumbled, more to himself than to the others.

"And the way back?" Reo asked in a low voice, without looking up.

"We could stay in the area for a bit, there are cafes that close late," Ness replied, still checking his phone. "It's not ideal, but we could make it work. It was just... a matter of talking about it."

Rin said nothing. He just took a deep breath.

"Rin," Ness tried, raising his voice slightly, "are you going to tell us if it's a yes or a no?"

"I don't need you to force yourselves," Rin replied, still not looking at them. "If you can't go, that's it. Don't come with me."

"We're not saying no!" Ness said, frustrated. "We're trying to figure out how to make it work."

Rin finally turned to them, with a cold look.

"And do you think I want you there just because you had to jump through hoops to get there?"

"It's not about that," Reo interjected, lifting his head. "We want to go because we care. And yeah, we don't have as much extra money as we used to, but..."

"Then don't come. I don't need you to come with me. I don't want to be with people who are just dragging themselves along to do me a favor."

"Are you listening to yourself?" Ness frowned. "Nobody's dragging themselves along. We're trying, Rin. Since when is that a bad thing?"

Rin fell silent. Then, more dryly, he spat out: "If you're not going to be there when I need you, I don't want you there at all."

Reo looked at him, surprised. "What...?"

"And don't ask me to come with you whenever it's convenient for you, either. I'm tired of pretending everything's fine."

The silence grew thick, thorny. Ness opened his mouth, but said nothing. Reo lowered his gaze, as if he had just heard a door close forever.

Rin took his jacket from the coat rack. He didn't even look at them as he passed. "Don't bother texting me."

And he left.

This time, there was no slamming door. Just the dry click of the latch closing.

Ness slumped into a chair, running his hands over his face. "What was that...?"

Reo didn't answer. He got up slowly, took his phone and the apartment key. His expression was neutral, as if he didn't want anyone to see how he really felt.

"Where are you going?" Ness asked.

"For a walk," Reo said. And before leaving, he added in a near-whisper, "Sometimes it hurts more when they don't let you stay... than the fact that you couldn't go."

And he left.

Reo closed the apartment door more carefully than he would have liked. He didn't want to seem dramatic. But it hurt.

The air in the hallway was still. A light flickered at the end, as always. He took two steps, having no idea where he was going, just wanting to be far from the echo of that argument.

And then he saw him.

Nagi, crouched in front of his apartment door at the very end of the hall, with a box in his arms and an expression of vague annoyance. He was in shorts, sandals, and an open bag of chips was hanging from his wrist.

The scene was so absurd that a faint smile escaped Reo.

Nagi noticed him instantly. "Oh. Hey."

"Hey," Reo replied, his voice flat.

Silence. Nagi glanced at him, without getting up yet.

"Did Rin yell?" he asked, like someone commenting on the weather.

Reo sighed, leaning against the wall. "Yeah. A little."

"I heard something from here," Nagi commented, without judgment. "But it could have also been Shidou's blender. You never know."

Reo let out a low laugh, more from inertia than amusement.

Nagi got up, opened his door, and put the box inside. Then, without even thinking, he turned to Reo. "Wanna come in?"

Reo looked at him. "To what?"

"I don't know. To hang out."

Reo thought about it for a second. He looked at his own door, then at Nagi's, which was ajar. The hallway suddenly felt colder, quieter.

"...Yeah. I do."

Nagi stepped aside to let him pass. "I have chips. And I updated a game that has some very absurd clothing physics."

"I don't need any more reasons."

And he went inside.

Nagi's apartment smelled like cold chips and citrus air freshener. It was dark except for the bluish light from the TV screen, where a fighting game menu was blinking, waiting. Reo sank onto the couch without saying a word.

Nagi went to the kitchen, poured two glasses of water, and set one down in front of Reo, like someone offering something without asking questions.

"Wanna play?" he asked, already with the controller in his hand.

"No. I just..." Reo sighed, looking at the ceiling. "I want to be somewhere for a while without having to think."

Nagi nodded. He sat down next to him, without pressure, and turned on the game's demo mode. The characters moved on their own on the screen, throwing clumsy punches with ridiculous physics. Reo watched them without really seeing them.

"Did Rin say something really mean?" Nagi asked after a while, without taking his eyes off the TV.

"Yeah. But I think the worst part was... what we didn't say before," Reo replied in a low voice.

The room remained silent. The game's music filled the background with its silly digital sounds, as if it were deliberately contrasting with the gravity that was seeping through Reo's words.

"Sometimes I feel like everything I do for others... is for nothing," he confessed, almost as if he were thinking out loud. "That if I mess up once, nobody will have patience for me anymore. As if they forget everything else."

Nagi glanced at him, but said nothing.

Reo shrunk in on himself a little. "And I don't want to play the victim, you know? Because Ness tried too. I just... it hurts that Rin acted like we didn't care. I did care."

Silence.

"That's exhausting," Nagi finally said.

Reo turned his head slightly toward him. "What is?"

"You trying so hard not to bother anyone," he replied, shrugging. "You're sad. It hurt you. You don't have to explain yourself so much."

Reo lowered his gaze. He felt the knot in his stomach loosen, just barely.

"I don't want to lose them."

"Then fix it," Nagi said, not in the tone of advice, just as a possibility. "But do it when you're ready. Not when you feel obligated."

Reo didn't respond. He just nodded with a very slight, barely visible gesture.

A few minutes later, Nagi got up. "I'm going out for a bit. Shidou asked me to return his charger. If I'm not back in twenty minutes, I'm probably trapped in a conversation I didn't want to have."

Reo let out a nasal laugh. "Good luck with that."

Nagi took his key and walked to the door. "You can stay. You have my controller if you want to play. And if you cry, let me know before I come back so I can pretend I didn't see anything."

Reo grabbed a cushion to throw at him, but Nagi was already gone.

However, a few seconds later, the door opened again.

"Did you forget the charger?" Reo asked, without moving from the couch.

"No. But I forgot something else," Nagi said.

He approached until he was standing in front of him. Reo looked up, confused.

Nagi leaned in slightly. He didn't hesitate. He didn't give any warning.

He just kissed him.

A simple, direct touch. Without music or declarations. As if he were marking something that was already obvious.

When they separated, Nagi said nothing. But he didn't seem uncomfortable either.

Reo blinked, his heart beating a soft drum in his chest. "...What was that for?"

Nagi shrugged. "If you're going to stay longer, I'd prefer it to be as my boyfriend. Or not?"

Reo was silent for a second. Then, he laughed. He laughed for real, his face red and his eyes shiny from everything that had built up.

"Just like that?"

"I don't have the energy to complicate it," Nagi said, finally taking the charger from the cabinet and turning around. "But if you don't want to, let me know before I get my hopes up."

"Idiot," Reo murmured, smiling. "I do."

"Okay. Then save my last snack. If I get back and it's gone, we're breaking up."

"Get out of here already."

Nagi left. This time, he was definitely gone.

And Reo... he stayed there. Smiling like he hadn't in days.

Nagi's apartment was silent.

Reo lay back on the couch with his feet on the table, surrounded by an open bag of chips, a glass of now-warm water, and the video game menu still on pause.

He didn't turn on the console.

He didn't even think about touching his phone.

He just... breathed.

The TV's bluish light flickered softly against the walls, casting moving shadows that stretched across the ceiling. Outside, he could vaguely hear the screech of a distant motorcycle, and the constant hum of the calm building.

He thought about Rin. About his annoyed face. About his always-harsh tone.

But also about that time he stayed up with him all night because Ness had a fever and they didn't know whether to take him to the emergency room or just give him paracetamol.

He thought about Ness. About how he laughed when they cooked together. About his obsession with cutting fruit "in an aesthetically pleasing way."

And about how he had looked at him before he left, as if wanting to say something... but not knowing how.

He rested his head against the backrest.

"Idiots," he murmured, without anger.

He remembered how it all started. How, without realizing it, one day the three of them were sharing a home, food, series, insomnia, silences.

And how now, in such a short time, he had felt distant from them. Strange. Like he didn't belong.

But no. He didn't want it to stay that way.

Nagi was right: it was exhausting to carry everything alone. And, for the first time, Reo thought that maybe it was worth the risk of it not being perfect... just so he wouldn't have to live with that knot in his chest.

He slowly straightened up. He took out his phone. He saw the wallpaper: an old photo of the three of them, with Ness making a funny face, Rin looking away, and him in the middle, with a goofy smile.

His fingers hesitated.

Then, just as he was about to text Ness, the door opened.

It was Nagi, walking in completely naturally, as if he hadn't been gone for more than ten minutes. He was carrying a box of cookies and had his same calm rhythm as always.

"Shidou trapped me in the stairwell. He talked about existential theories while eating dried mango. I almost died."

Reo looked at him with a small laugh. "Did you survive?"

"Just enough to bring you this," Nagi said, tossing him the box. "Come with me, we're going to a cafe."

"A cafe?" Reo asked, as they walked along the sidewalk.

"Yeah," Nagi replied, with his hands in his pockets. "They opened it recently. It has good light. Not many tables. And passable apple pastries."

"And you're taking me just because it has passable pastries?"

"No. Also because it's neutral," Nagi said, with that monotonous tone of his. "It's not 'their house,' or 'your house.' It's in the middle. It's easier to say things there."

Reo glanced at him, frowning with slight suspicion. Nagi noticed, but said nothing else.

They went inside.

The place was small, warm, with light wood tables and a soft scent of cinnamon. Instrumental music was playing in the background, the kind nobody recognizes but that makes the atmosphere feel friendly.

Reo was about to look for a table when he froze.

In a corner, by the window, were Rin and Nanase.

And a few tables away, Ness and Kaiser.

"...What?" Reo blinked. "What are they doing here?"

Nagi feigned surprise with such clumsy skill that it was endearing. "Oh. Look at that."

"You knew?"

"I know a lot of things. But I don't always say them," he replied, calmly taking off his jacket. "Come on, let's go to that table over there."

But before he could move, Kaiser got up and raised an eyebrow with malicious amusement.

"Reo. Rin. Ness. Come on. We have a table reserved for the dramatic ones."

Nanase smiled kindly, although his eyes clearly said: this is not optional.

Nagi was already pushing Reo lightly on the back. "Don't worry. We won't listen. Just watch from a distance as if we're in a reality show."

Reo let out a nervous laugh and let himself be led. Rin also got up, with a tense expression. Ness was already walking over, rubbing his hands together as if he were about to file taxes.

The three of them sat down at the central table, amidst awkward glances, coffee cups, and an atmosphere they didn't know how to handle.

Silence.

Until Ness, always the most impulsive, dared to break it. "Hey... I'm sorry."

And then, finally, everything began to heal.

The cafe had a soft murmur in the background, as if everything was designed not to interfere with important conversations. And yet, at the table in the center, silence was the only sound that seemed to matter.

Ness was looking down at his cup. Rin had his arms crossed. Reo was stirring his coffee with the little spoon without drinking it.

Until Ness, swallowing, was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry. For... trying to solve things as if it were a formula," he said, in a small voice. "I just wanted everything to work out. I didn't think it would feel so forced."

Rin didn't lift his head.

"And I... I said things I didn't mean," he admitted, almost whispering. "Or I did mean them, but not in that way. It came out wrong. As usual."

Reo let out a short, tired laugh. "You're not as terrible as you think, Rin."

"And you're not as unbreakable as you seem," Rin replied, finally looking at him.

Silence. But this time it didn't hurt so much.

Ness sighed. "I got scared. I thought that if we didn't fix it fast... we were never going to talk to each other again."

Reo looked up. His eyes were shiny, but his smile was real. "I got scared too. A lot. I felt like if I didn't react well, if I didn't say the right thing... they were going to remove me from the equation."

Rin stared at him, and for the first time in days, without hardness. "You're part of the equation. Even if you're unbearable sometimes."

"Thanks," Reo laughed, rolling his eyes.

"And you too, Ness," Rin added. "Just because you're the one who tries to fix everything doesn't mean you have to do it alone."

"Well... someone has to act like an adult sometimes," Ness joked, crossing his arms.

"You, an adult?" Reo raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to cry again? Because I will, you know."

The three of them laughed. The knot, finally, was beginning to untangle.

"So," Reo said, resting his hands on the table, "do we continue with this?"

Rin nodded. "Until one of us kills the other in their sleep, yeah."

"Perfect," Ness smiled. "But if Reo leaves his clothes in the living room again, I'm going to hide his skincare products."

"What are you saying, you monster?"

"You guys argue! I just wanted some emotional peace," Rin murmured, already hiding a smile.

A few feet away, Nagi, Kaiser, and Nanase watched them from their table. Without intervening. Just smiling with complicity.

A few days passed.

The apartment was the same. The same walls, the same coffee maker that Ness insisted on cleaning with vinegar, the same passive-aggressive post-its from Rin about dirty dishes.

But something was different.

The tension no longer floated in the air. It was gone, like the smell of burning after a good airing out.

Reo was lying on the couch, with Nagi on top of him like a cat that was too long. Rin was reading a soccer magazine, and Ness, in the kitchen, was peeling an orange with surgical concentration.

"I don't understand how you guys can be so clingy all the time," Rin grumbled, without looking up.

"It's called love, Rin. You'll experience it soon," Reo replied, stroking Nagi's head theatrically.

"I'd rather get dengue fever."

Ness let out a laugh from the kitchen. "Careful, Reo. At this rate Rin will kick you out of the apartment and leave me alone with his sarcastic humor 24/7."

"And you don't want to go live with Kaiser, huh?" Rin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh? And leave my dysfunctional family? Never."

"Besides," Reo added, with a smile overflowing with affection, "if we left, what would you two do without me?"

Rin and Ness looked at each other.

"Less yelling," one said.

"Less glitter in the bathroom," the other said.

"Less love, clearly," Reo replied, crossing his arms.

There was a moment of silence, until Ness, wiping his hands with a napkin, said in a lower, almost honest voice: "Still... I'm glad we're okay again."

Reo looked at him. Rin did too.

"Yeah," Reo said. "I like that, even when everything gets messy, we can come back. That we're three."

"Three's not a crowd," Rin added, almost unintentionally, with a half-smile.

"More like... we're well-distributed chaos," Ness joked.

✦ Post-Credits Scene:

One week later.

They were in the living room, curled up amidst cushions, poorly folded blankets, and a pile of food leftovers. A movie was playing in the background, but no one was paying attention.

Reo, leaning on Nagi's chest, was absentmindedly chewing a gummy bear. Rin had his head in Nanase's lap, who was stroking his hair. Ness and Kaiser were sharing the same glass of soda because "they both said they didn't want any, and then they did."

"Hey," Reo said suddenly, with a slight frown. "Can I ask something?"

"Mmhm," Nagi replied, without moving.

"That day at the cafe... was it a coincidence?"

There was a silence. Short, but thick.

Kaiser glanced at Nanase. Nanase raised an eyebrow. Nagi chewed more slowly.

"...No," Nagi replied, without emotion.

Reo sat up abruptly. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"It was all planned," Kaiser intervened, proud. "Nanase and I talked about it. He told me that Rin wasn't going to make the first move. And I knew Ness wouldn't either. So... we set up a little ambush."

"A WHAT!?"

"You needed to talk to them," Nagi said, as if explaining something very basic. "And you weren't going to do it alone. So I took you. Then, I just stalled for time so they would arrive."

Reo looked at him with his jaw dropped. "And why didn't you tell me anything?"

"Because if you knew, you wouldn't have gone."

Rin blinked, confused, and turned to Nanase. "Wait... You were in on it too?"

Nanase smiled. With too much peace. "I just did what I had to. You were unbearable."

Rin gave him a gentle elbow jab. Ness looked at Kaiser with betrayal in his eyes. "And you tricked me too?! I can't trust anyone!"

"And did it work or not?" Kaiser said, putting an arm on his shoulder. "Come on, Liebling. Your reconciliation was so dramatic I almost cried."

"It wasn't dramatic!" Ness complained, while Rin and Reo nodded slowly.

"You guys think so too?!"

"Yeah," the two replied.

Reo crossed his arms, but couldn't help but smile. "Okay... So you were all in on it and we were the puppets."

"Exactly," Kaiser nodded.

"Basically," Nanase added.

"Yep," Nagi concluded, hugging him from behind. "But it worked."

Reo scoffed, resigned. "I'm going to get my revenge someday."

"We look forward to your attempt," Nanase said, smiling.

And so, between complaints, kisses, pinches, and soft threats, the whole group returned to the chaos they knew best.

A chaos full of affection, arguments, reconciliations...

Because in the end, three is not a crowd,

and six, it seems... isn't either.

“Ah-, can we stop?” Reo pleaded, his voice ragged and his hair messy with dampness and exhaustion.

“Please, let’s just stop now,” Ness whined, half-dragging his feet through the branches and mud.

“Uh... fine, let's stop,” Rin muttered, letting out a long sigh as he dropped his backpack onto the ground covered with dry leaves. “Happy?”

“No.” Reo collapsed to his knees. “Could you remind me why we're doing this?”

Rin rolled his eyes. “Nanase said camping is a good experience, that it's ‘reconnecting with nature’ or something. He’s from a small town, so I guess for him this is like going home.”

“And you listened to him just because of that?” Ness asked, raising an eyebrow. “Since when are you so easily swayed?”

“We met at a summer camp!” Ness interrupted with a nostalgic gleam in his voice, as if that justified everything.

“Yeah, but we had cabins, bathrooms, electricity... and adults making sure we didn't die,” Rin clarified with a dry tone. “This is different. This is... basic survival.”

“This is a hell with a tent!” Reo pulled a leaf out of his hair with a tragic look. “My moisturizer melted, Rin. It melted. Do you know what that means for my skin?”

“That it’ll survive, I guess,” Rin replied without even looking at him.

“Are you sure? Because I feel like I'm turning into a raisin.”

Ness let out a tired laugh as he sat on a rock. “At least we brought food. Or did someone else forget that too?”

An awkward silence.

“...Rin?” Reo looked at him in horror.

“I didn't know I had to bring everything.” Rin shrugged. “I put the tent in my backpack, isn't that enough?”

“WHAT ARE WE GOING TO EAT, LEAVES!?” Reo shouted, looking at the trees in despair. “I’m going to die surrounded by bugs and hungry!”

“Relax, there are snacks.” Ness pulled out a half-crumpled bag of potato chips.

“Is that all you brought?”

“Well... that and gummy bears.”

“We’re going to die,” Reo declared, lying down dramatically. “This is my end. Tell Ba-ya I love her. Tell Nagi that... that he was very annoying but cute.”

“We’re not going to die,” Rin said, massaging his temples. “We’re just going to spend one night.”

“An entire night?” Reo sat up abruptly. “Ness, I’m getting dehydrated. I need you to splash water on my face like it’s a scene from a Korean drama.”

“No, because you'd enjoy it too much.”

“Exactly! Give me that pleasure before my inevitable end!”

Rin stood up, grabbed his backpack, and announced, “I’m going to set up the tent before someone tries to start a campfire with the bag of chips.”

“How do you set up a tent?” Ness asked, looking at the aluminum poles as if they were pieces of a cursed puzzle.

“Oh my God!” Reo exclaimed, panicking. “None of us knows how to set up a tent!?”

“Well, we learned at camp, right?” Ness tried to sound optimistic.

“WE HAD ADULTS!” Reo shouted again, this time pointing at the sky as if invoking divine justice.

Rin sighed. “What if we just... sleep under the stars?”

“And have a bear use us as a pillow?” Reo said, still lying on the ground. “Great. Sounds perfect.”

“At least it’ll be comfortable,” Ness added, dropping down beside him.

Rin sat down next to them, looking up at the darkening sky. Then he murmured, without any emotion:

“The next time Nanase invites me camping... remind me to tell him I'm not a man of the woods.”

“We already knew that, Rin,” Reo and Ness said in unison.

Rin awkwardly opened his backpack and started taking out the tent pieces. Poles, canvas, stakes... everything seemed more complicated than he remembered.

“This doesn’t look so hard,” he muttered, even though the instruction manual was crumpled as if it had survived a war.

“Is that origami?” Ness asked, leaning in to look. “Or a death warning?”

“It’s the manual.” Rin shook it in his face. “If we interpret it correctly, we might even have a roof before nightfall.”

“And if we don't interpret it correctly?” Reo asked, not moving from the ground.

“We sleep under the canvas like worms,” Rin replied, serious.

“I’m too handsome to be a worm!” Reo exclaimed, sitting up abruptly. “Alright, alright, I’ll help.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Rin said, more to himself than to them.

The three of them got to work. Rin held the canvas while Ness got tangled trying to connect the poles. Reo was in charge of reading the manual... out loud and with comments that weren't helpful.

“It says to set up the main structure first. What’s the main structure? This? This?” He held up random poles. “Rin, this looks like part of a spaceship.”

“That goes on the ground!” Rin replied, wrestling with the wind trying to steal the canvas.

“I tripped!” Ness yelled, falling onto the half-built tent canvas. “It's slippery! This is cheating!”

“How many pieces does this exactly have?” Reo frowned as he counted on his fingers. “One, two, three, this one that doesn't fit, this one that looks leftover...”

“Nothing can be leftover!” Rin shrieked.

“What if we set it up without instructions?” Ness asked, his hair full of twigs.

“How? By genetic hunter-gatherer intuition?” Reo raised an eyebrow.

“You know? Maybe deep down we do have that primitive instinct.”

Silence.

“...We don’t,” the three of them said at the same time.

Eventually, after failed attempts, frustrated laughter, and more than one clumsy fall, they managed a kind of tent... a crooked one. Not perfect, but it was there. Miraculously standing.

“It’s not so bad,” Ness said, panting.

“It stands,” Rin added, with a slight touch of pride.

“It looks like an animal already slept in it, but whatever,” Reo muttered, examining the tilt of the canvas. “If it rains, Rin sleeps on the low side. Law of gravity.”

“You’ll sleep there if you keep talking,” Rin scoffed.

They sat in front of the makeshift tent, covered in dirt, dust, and leaves, but with a small sense of accomplishment between the three of them.

“Well... this is officially our first tent together,” Ness said with a smile.

“I feel like we should sign it or something,” Reo added. “‘Three overconfident idiots camped here’.”

“That’ll be on the news about our discovery of how not to camp,” Rin said, unable to hide a small smile.

“Okay,” Reo said, dusting off his hands. “Now that we have a deformed tent ready to be our grave, how about we look for some wood? If we don't make a fire, at least to heat water, I’m going to turn into a marble statue. And not in a good way.”

“Now you want warmth?” Ness stretched, letting out a yawn. “Five minutes ago you were saying the sun was your natural enemy.”

“That was before my soul abandoned my body from the night chill. I changed my mind. I'm versatile.”

Rin was already standing, looking at the surrounding terrain with a “this is a bad idea” expression. Still, he nodded. “Let’s look for dry branches. Not green stuff, Ness. We don't want a cloud of toxic smoke.”

“Oh, why do you think I would be the one to ruin everything?” Ness replied, offended. “It could be Reo.”

“I have good taste. Even the wood I choose is aesthetic.”

“Shut up and walk,” Rin ordered, but without malice.

They walked through the clearing, collecting loose branches, when Ness, out of nowhere, murmured with a teasing smirk:

“Rin... lately you’re becoming like... how should I put it? A domestic wolf.”

“What?” Rin turned sharply, a branch in his hand as if he might use it as a spear.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ness continued, amused. “Before, you were grumpy, always on the defensive. Now you come camping because ‘Nanase says it’s a good experience.’ You’re tamed!”

Reo burst out laughing from behind a bush.

“True! You don’t even complain that much anymore! You just sigh and do what he says. You're a trained Rin. Where did the loner go?”

“I am not tamed!” Rin grumbled, crossing his arms. “I just... consider the suggestions of my immediate environment.”

“Awww,” Ness cooed, overly sentimental. “Does that mean that when you say ‘uh, fine’ with a look of internal torture... it’s because you’re thinking about Nanase?”

Rin glared at him. “And what are you talking about? You’re stuck to Kaiser all day. ‘Kaiser this, Kaiser that.’ You look like melted chewing gum.”

“That’s not true!” Ness retorted, though he was clearly blushing. “I only spend time with him because... well, I don’t have to explain my life to you.”

“Oh, the drama has started,” Reo appeared with his arms full of wood.

“You shut up,” Ness and Rin said at the same time.

“Hey! I didn’t say anything bad. At least I’m not running from anyone. I have an adult and balanced relationship with Nagi. Unlike you two.”

Rin threw a small twig in the direction of his face. He missed.

Reo caught it and said dramatically, “Aggression. This is aggression.”

Back at the camp, they tried to light the fire. Rin had matches, Ness had zero skills, and Reo had too many opinions.

“Are you sure you light it like that?” Ness asked, leaning too close.

“Get away! You're going to fly away with the fire,” Reo yelled at him, while Rin tried to keep the flame alive.

“It’s not a bomb! It’s a campfire!”

“Knowing you, you could make it explode!”

After several failed attempts, a spark finally managed to catch on the finer twigs. The fire ignited timidly. The three sat around it, still covered in dirt and exhaustion, but finally feeling some peace.

“...This is better,” Ness murmured.

“Yeah,” Rin admitted. “Although muscles I didn't know I had are aching.”

“I'm itching everywhere,” Reo carefully scratched his neck. “But... well. This is nice. You two are insufferable, but it's... pretty, I guess.”

A comfortable silence. The kind of silence you only have with people you know too well.

“Next time, Kaiser, Nanase, and Nagi should come too,” Ness said, looking at the flames. “That way we have someone more directly to blame.”

“Yeah, and I'll sleep with Nagi in a decent tent,” Reo added.

“What if we all end up in the same tent?” Rin suggested, half-jokingly.

Ness and Reo looked at him.

“It wouldn't be ‘Three’s company,’ it would be ‘Seven and a half is a tragedy.’”

“Who’s the half?”

“Kaiser. Because he’s immature.”

They laughed. The fire crackled, the night wore on, and for a moment, they all felt exactly where they were supposed to be.

“Hey,” Ness murmured, rummaging through his backpack with a suspicious little smile. “Remember the snacks I brought?”

“The gummy bears?” Reo asked skeptically. “Because I already ate them. Almost all of them.”

“No. This.” Ness triumphantly pulled out a bag of large, fluffy marshmallows.

Reo and Rin looked at him in surprise.

“You brought marshmallows and didn't say anything until now?” Rin asked.

“I was waiting for the perfect moment. And don't come at me with ‘we're going to die’ when I was clearly the most prepared one here,” Ness said, puffing out his chest as if he had saved the camp.

“Fine, fine,” Reo smiled, taking one. “At least we can do this the old-fashioned way.”

They improvised skewers with thin branches, placed the marshmallows on them, and held them close to the flames. The sweet slowly browned, some becoming perfectly toasted, others completely charred (courtesy of Ness).

“It tastes better than I thought,” Rin murmured, one between his fingers. “Though that could also be the hunger talking.”

“No, they are good,” Reo said, looking at his as if he couldn't believe he was actually enjoying it. “This... isn't so bad.”

“I knew it,” Ness replied, proud.

For a while, only the sound of crickets and the fire filled the silence. Until Reo spoke, without looking at anyone:

“You know? I’ve been thinking... A lot of things changed for me since we moved in together.”

Ness and Rin looked at him, attentive.

“Before, I couldn't even go down to the store alone. I always thought someone would recognize me, or that I wouldn't know how to pay for something without them looking at me weird. But now... I go to the street market. I haggle with old ladies. They yell at me and I yell back. It’s... strange, but fun.”

Ness let out a little laugh.

“I... I’m learning to cook. Well, I’m trying to cook. Sometimes it turns out well. Sometimes I almost set the kitchen on fire. But it’s something. I like it. It makes me feel useful. Like... I don’t always need to depend on someone.”

“That’s nice,” Reo said, and he meant it.

“You, Rin, what have you learned?” Ness asked, curious.

Rin bit into his toasted marshmallow before answering.

“I was already pretty functional, thanks.” He smiled faintly, but then added, softer, “But... I think I’ve learned to trust more. To share spaces without feeling invaded. To listen. To not close the door so fast.”

There was a brief silence. One of the good ones.

“That sounds important,” Reo said, playing with his empty skewer. “I like that.”

“We became a little more human, didn't we?” Ness said, lying down on his sleeping bag. “Even though we’re still idiots.”

“Functional idiots,” Reo corrected.

“Idiots who care about each other, all the same,” Rin added, dropping his head back to look at the sky.

“How romantic you get with marshmallow in your mouth,” Ness teased.

“Shut up before I push you into the fire.”

Reo let out a soft chuckle. The night no longer seemed so uncomfortable. The tent was still crooked. The campfire was softly crackling. But everything was in its place.

And so, under a starry sky, with the sweet taste in their mouths and shared laughter, the three functional idiots let the night embrace them.

The apartment was strangely silent. Rin was in his room, Reo was checking something on his tablet, and Ness was in the kitchen when Kaiser—disheveled, with a poorly zipped backpack—poked his head around the corner of the hallway.

“Hey, Ness. Do you know which bus goes past the avenue near the old stadium?”

Ness blinked, a spoonful of yogurt in his mouth.

“What’s a ‘bus’?”

“What?” Kaiser narrowed his eyes.

“No, I know what it is,” Ness said, chuckling a bit. “It’s just… is that avenue the one near the takoyaki stand or the one with the giant fish mural?”

“What? Neither! I’m talking about Murakami Street.”

“Which one is that?”

“The one that crosses with Sakuradai, the one with the gas station.”

“…”

“You don’t know where that is?!” Kaiser yelled, bolting out of the hallway like a soul possessed.

Reo looked up from the couch.

“Oh, are you talking about the part where there’s an old Seven Eleven? I only know how to get there by car. My driver always picked me up there.”

“You had a driver?”

“I did. Before moving in with you guys. But still, I have no idea which bus goes by there. That’s an app thing, right?”

“Has no one in this place ever taken a bus?!” Kaiser shrieked, already pulling at his hair.

“I’ve taken the train,” Rin murmured from his doorway, holding his teacup. “They’re fixed points. Easier.”

“And what does that have to do with it?! I’m asking about a bus! How the hell do you people live in this city without knowing how to use public transportation?”

“My parents are scientists,” Ness added, raising a finger. “We had good finances. I rode one once, but it moved too much, I almost fell off while sitting down, I don’t know how many times I bounced in my seat. It was traumatic.”

“I had a limousine,” Reo added, shrugging.

“And I had Google Maps,” Rin concluded, returning to his room.

Kaiser covered his face.

“I’m going to lose my goddamn faith in humanity…”

“We can go with you if you want,” Ness offered.

“Why? So we can all get lost together?”

“It would be fun!” Reo said with an angelic smile.

Rin poked his head out again with his mug: “Did you try InDrive yet?”

Ness turned from the kitchen, looking scandalized.

“InDrive? No, no, no! Uber is better, it’s faster. Plus, you can see how many stars the driver has.”

“Stars?” Reo repeated from the couch, mockingly. “Since when do you trust stars? Cabify is safer, it has quality control. And the app doesn’t look so ugly.”

“WHAT?!” Kaiser exploded. “Every app you mention is more expensive than the last! Are you guys millionaires or just acting like it?!”

“Both,” the three replied in unison.

“Oh my god…”

Kaiser covered his face for the second time. He felt like he had regressed evolutionarily. Around him, Ness was already looking up Uber on his phone, Reo was talking about app aesthetics, and Rin was simply drinking his tea as if observing the extinction of collective intelligence.

“Listen,” Kaiser tried to reason, on the verge of collapse. “I just want to go to the shopping mall that’s fifteen minutes away. I don’t want a private jet, or a car with LED screens or aromatherapy. I want a bus. A simple tin can on wheels that charges me two coins and drops me nearby.”

Rin shot him a look.

“Why didn’t you say so before? You can walk.”

Kaiser glared at him.

“Walk?!”

“Yes. Ten blocks, turn right, cross the bridge, go down the hill, go up the other hill, then cross the street without a traffic light and—”

“I AM NOT CROSSING A STREET WITHOUT A TRAFFIC LIGHT!”

“Then Uber,” Ness repeated with a smile.

“Cabify,” Reo corrected.

“InDrive,” Rin finished.

Kaiser slumped onto the couch as if his soul had just left him.

“You know what? Forget it. I’m going to stay here. You guys are… the reason humanity doesn’t advance.”

Ness offered him a little cup of yogurt.

“Want one? They’re strawberry.”

“…Damn it,” Kaiser muttered, and accepted it.

“Want another bite? I haven’t slobbered on it entirely yet.”

Kaiser barely turned his head, just enough to shoot a death glare.

“I’m rethinking this relationship.”

Ness smiled.

“Hmm, you can’t. You signed a contract. Remember: Clause 3, Subsection B: ‘You shall tolerate the daily chaos of the apartment, including the geographical incompetence of your boyfriend.’”

Kaiser snorted, but a smile slipped out.

“I can’t believe you don’t know how to take a damn bus.”

“And why should I, when I can make you mad just by asking?”

“That’s not a virtue, Ness.”

“It is to me.”

Kaiser raised an eyebrow.

“And what if I get lost?”

“Then I’ll go get you,” Ness said, resting his head against his shoulder. “Though I’d probably get lost too, but… it’s the thought that counts, right?”

Kaiser let out a low laugh. Finally, he wrapped an arm around Ness and pulled him closer.

“Yeah, well… if we get lost together, it’s not so bad.”

From the hallway, Reo's voice broke the calm:

“STOP BEING CUDDLY AND GO LEARN HOW TO USE A MAP!”

Rin added from the kitchen:

“Google Maps is free, just in case you’re interested.”

Kaiser closed his eyes.

“…How about you take me and then we pretend this whole thing never happened?”

Ness took the last bite of yogurt and nodded with a mischievous smile.

“Done. But if we get lost, it’ll be Reo’s fault.”

And between their laughter, the chaos faded a little. Only a little.