I dont know how long I closed my eyes after opening Nagisas present. I only came to when Akane gleefully poked my cheeks, waking me up from my stupor. When I glanced at her, she had this unpleasant grin that clearly stated how amusing it was to see me this torn at dealing with what was in front of me.

Ugh. That was making me want to rip those lips off and make her cry...

Cry, huh?

That girl. Did she fall in love with me as well? Why does she have to cry just because I didnt give her my time of the day? All those times that I took advantage of her... shouldnt she wish to be freed from me as well?

Haa. Its hard to formulate a conclusion like this and its not like I needed to fully understand her reasoning. In the end, Im a slave to my desire. Nothings more important than satisfying it.

Stop having fun poking my cheek. I glared at the girl holding back her giggles next to me. The smell of the dishes she cooked was stuck to her body but somehow, I didnt find it unpleasant. Annoyed, maybe. Shes not listening to me, after all.

Im not having fun. Im waking you up. Come on, food is ready. Deflecting my glare with a wink, the girl jumped off the sofa, grabbed my hand, and dragged me with her to the dining room.

Looking at the neatly placed dishes as steam gradually formed above them, she truly went all out in making them. All of it came from my supplies though. Definitely a case of someone who wouldnt mind if she made a blunder.

Watching me reach for the plates, Akane placed her elbows on top of the table and cupped her face with her palms. She looked like a kid fascinated by something and at the same time, she was like a dog waiting to be praised.

Youll leave after I eat this, right? Before taking a bite of the rolled egg that she made, I glanced at her to probe whether she was going to continue bugging me today.

I didnt even invite her to come yet here she was, devoid of any thoughts of going home. I just couldnt get rid of her entirely. This is part of the reason why Im going to another high school. I cant have her follow me around again.

I will. But Ruki, I can accompany you all day long if you want. You dont have plans today, no?

No. Go back home and dont come in unannounced again.

I shot down her suggestion right away before taking my eyes off of her. I bit into the egg and started eating what she prepared.

As I expected, the taste wasnt phenomenal. She probably didnt know how to balance the sweetness and saltiness of an egg. Her mother taught her wrong. Or is she thinking that I still like eating sweet rolls of eggs like the old times? I dont know.

As I was about to reach for the fried fish with my chopsticks, Akane opened her mouth again.

Eh... Make me. I have the key. Auntie asked me to look after you.

No, she didnt. Dont make things up.

Psh. How did you know?

I just know... Anyway, stuff your mouth with food, I cant finish all of this.

Nonchalantly dismissing her attempts, I pointed at her empty bowl and plates.

Although indignant, she at least listened to me. She started picking up food from her plate and scooped fried rice in her rice bowl.

Following that, the girl opened up the steaming soup. Its made from beef stock and she probably added soy sauce to it. The aroma became too strong... as for the taste... I dont know.

Wordlessly, she picked up my soup bowl and filled it before also doing the same for hers.

Once she was done, she put her hands together and cheerfully muttered the usual phrase before a meal before digging into the food she cooked for us.

From here, the sound of utensils and our silent chewing and sipping into the bowl of soup engulfed the room.

We stopped talking but I could feel her gaze never leaving me. Whatever was in her head, its probably tied to what she claimed. She loves me.

Too bad, I dont even know the concept of that. And even if I know... I doubt I can say the same to her thanks to my desire.

There were only a few phrases in my vocabulary such as Youre mine, Ill steal you away, and Dont ever defy me again.

A few minutes later, I put down the chopsticks and the rice bowl before silently muttering my gratitude for the food.

That made the girl in front of me giggle in delight before following my example.

We picked everything clean so... before she could do it, I took the initiative to clear the table, putting the plates and bowls into the sink.

Understanding that I wouldnt need her help on that, the girl simply moved to prepare tea that could help push down the food to our stomachs.

When I finished washing the dishes, the girl was already in the living room with the teapot and cups waiting for me.

... Wait.

What is happening here? Why am I spending time like this here?

Arent I bored? Am I not anymore?

Ugh.

Alright. Ill give her credit for that but its about time for her to lea

Stop overthinking there, Ruki. Come here. Arent we going to talk? Interrupting my thoughts to a halt, Akane hollered.

Raising a cup of tea and gesturing for me to come and sit with her.

Is this your house now? That girls audacity...

I thought that and yet, I couldnt find anything to retort.

In the end, my feet led me there but at the very least, I didnt take the seat next to her. I sat down on the single sofa and stared at her unamused.

Drink that and leave. Theres nothing for us to talk about. I said as I took the cup she filled for me and gulped it down.

Ignoring the stinging sensation due to how hot the tea was, my eyes landed on the box I left on the table.

The cologne resting inside it was gone.

Looking for this? Hmm... This isnt even that expensive but shes thoughtful enough to buy you something that will match your preference. Im impressed.

Holding the cologne as she rolled it around her hand, checking its label and its content, the girl expressed her approval. Then as if she wanted to see my reaction, her eyes landed on me as a playful smile spread across her lips.

Put that down.

Why? Is this important to you?

No.

Liar. Akane snorted. She shook her head and ignored my threatening gaze.

Shes not afraid of me. No. I probably dont look as threatening to her. Even if my voice was emotionless, I couldnt muster getting angry at her.

A moment later, the girl still put the cologne back in the box before saying, If youre wondering, she went to Hirari High. Its still within the city.

I didnt ask you.

I know. Thats why I said if youre wondering. Its up to you whether you want to see her or not. Anyhow, Ill leave it at that. You wont talk to me about her anyway. Give me your cup, Ill give you a refill.

Acting like she already lost interest in making me talk about Nagisa, the audacious girl from next door picked up the teapot and started pouring tea into my now-empty cup...

From there, the situation didnt get any better. The girl stayed with me for the rest of the day, making an excuse that her mother went somewhere and she didnt want to be alone there.

To top it all off, I cannot refuse her because not only her parents, but even my parents who I hadnt heard from for a few months called me to take care of her.

What the hell? Its the worst thing to happen. I shouldve gone out instead...

Heh, I should thank Auntie and Uncle when they return. I got to spend a whole day with you...

Amidst that jubilant laughter, my head ached at thinking of ways how to deal with her. To save myself from the migraine, I called up those girls I decided not to see today.

(Authors Note: Like I promised. This is a shorter side story than the previous one, featuring only Akane and Ruki. Take note. This takes place only a few months before the main story. If you havent noticed, this side story delved more into showing that at this moment in the past, Ruki was already in the process of breaking away from what he believed in. His gradual change didnt start in the main story but during the last year in middle school. Chapter 21 was the nail in the coffin, sealing his fate to change entirely. As for what you can expect on other side stories if I ever write another next year... it will be within the same time frame. Anyway, Happy New Year everyone. Thank you for following this story up to this point.)