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It happened over breakfast, a rare moment when all four members of Akuta were gathered. Enjin stirred his porridge aimlessly with a spoon, as if searching for his wandering spirit that had slipped away since dawn. No one could stay fully lucid after working nonstop for over ten days — neither he nor Zanka.
That was how Enjin consoled himself in hindsight.
Breakfast for the cleaners was always plain: grain porridge, black coffee and toast. Nutritionally balanced yet utterly monotonous.
On days off, they usually wandered around the building and streets, dragged colleagues out for drinks until dead drunk before staggering back to bed. Laughter and card games filled the hours, and they might spare two hours watching their teammates train.
Never in this routine would touching Zanka’s teeth ever occur. Yet reality proved otherwise. Enjin’s index and middle fingers rested lightly on Zanka’s neat incisors, parting slightly to glide toward the canines and molars deeper inside.
It all started when Zanka took a sip of coffee and let out a soft hiss. He tilted his head, half covering his cheek, the blue tassels of his earring swaying and brushing his shoulder in a meek slant.
Oddly enough, among the four of them, it was Zanka with the most regular daily routine who ended up suffering from a toothache, not Enjin with worn teeth or Rudo with cavities. Some irrational impulse surged through Enjin’s mind, making him abandon his spoon at once.
"Want me to take a look?"
Rumors spread among the cleaners that Zanka would never turn down any request coming from Enjin. Enjin had heard the tales but remained skeptical. Could sheer admiration make someone obedient without reserve? It sounded far-fetched. He always thought Zanka only complied with team arrangements when paired with Rudo for lessons or missions.
But now Zanka parted his pale red lips, revealing half his set of neat white teeth. The obvious favoritism left Enjin unable to feign ignorance.
He could still pull back before his fingers made contact.
Should I stop?
He could not tell if his body moved on its own accord, or if deep down, he had no wish to retreat. Enjin lifted his hand. The instant his fingertips touched the firm, slightly damp surface of the teeth, a strange sense of satisfaction washed over him.
Zanka’s teeth were exquisite, evenly aligned and pearly white. His canines were not sharp, resembling four blunt cones separating incisors from molars. Enjin’s chipped black-nail-polished fingers pried his slightly closed jaws open, slipping halfway into his mouth.
The stark contrast of black against white reminded him of diamonds laid on dark velvet in jewelry stores. Yet could mined gems ever surpass the preciousness of teeth grown from living flesh? Lost in this thought, he barely noticed how intimate his gesture had become.
His fingers slid further, gliding across smooth incisors, grazing mild canines, until black-painted nails vanished amid the rugged grooves of the back molars.
This is far too intimate, Enjin thought.
This is far too intimate, Zanka thought.
Zanka was equally caught off guard. He held his tongue and upper jaw tense, fearing he might accidentally bite or lick Enjin’s fingers. Catching sight of Rudo and Riyo staring dumbfounded across the table, he grew flustered, yet he did not pull away as the fingers traced slowly over his teeth.
He had never realized how sensitive the nerves in his teeth were. Unaware that his body trembled subtly, he endured the repeated light presses, knuckles occasionally brushing his lips.
What exactly was this interaction?
Zanka tried convincing himself Enjin was merely careless and clueless. Still, a stubborn streak arose within him. He would not back off so long as Enjin stayed close, striving to mask the ambiguous tension with a childish competitive mindset.
It brought little comfort.
Their eyes locked. Zanka’s jaw suddenly snapped shut, nearly clamping down on Enjin’s fingers. The two black-nailed digits hastily withdrew, glistening with moisture, hanging awkwardly in mid-air.
Regaining composure as an adult, Enjin turned his face aside. "Doesn’t seem serious. I’ll take you to the old healer this afternoon."
"Ah… Alright."
Silence settled between them.
Enjin resumed stirring his porridge, his gaze fixed on his damp fingers.