CHAP 13-16

Chapter 13

Kyoya and Hiro stood in front of the Aoyama household, glancing at each other.

"Are we really doing this?" Hiro asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Of course!" Kyoya grinned, knocking on the door enthusiastically. "It’s an honor to be invited to a friend’s house! Besides, I’m curious to see what kind of embarrassing childhood photos Misaki has."

Hiro sighed. "I don’t think that’s why we were invited."

Before Kyoya could reply, the door opened, revealing an elderly woman with kind yet sharp eyes. She was dressed in a simple kimono, her graying hair tied neatly.

"Ah, you must be Misaki’s friends," she said with a warm smile.

Kyoya put on his most charming grin. "That’s us! The amazing Kyoya and the silent but dependable Hiro."

Hiro gave an awkward nod. "Uh… hello, ma’am."

Misaki’s grandmother chuckled. "Come in, come in. Misaki and her mother are out buying ingredients for lunch. You can wait inside."

They stepped in, taking in the traditional-style home. It was cozy, with neatly arranged furniture and the faint scent of incense in the air.

After a few minutes of sitting in the living room, Misaki’s grandmother returned and looked at them with amusement. "Are you two getting bored?"

Kyoya, being Kyoya, leaned back and sighed dramatically. "Ah, yes. This is absolute suffering, ma’am. How could you invite us over only to leave us waiting?"

Hiro sighed. "He’s joking. We’re fine, really."

Misaki’s grandmother chuckled. "How about I read your fortunes while you wait?"

Hiro blinked. "Uh… fortune-telling?"

Kyoya’s eyes sparkled. "Ohhh! That sounds fun!"

Hiro hesitated. "I don’t really believe in these things."

"Then think of it as a harmless game," the old woman said with a knowing smile.

Hiro sighed. "Alright, sure."

She gestured for him to extend his hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, he did. Her fingers traced the lines of his palm, her expression growing thoughtful.

"Your future… will be filled with joy and laughter," she started, then her eyes darkened slightly. "But before this school year ends, I see waves in your eyes… as if you will drown in emotions."

Hiro frowned. "Waves?"

She nodded. "A storm in your heart, one you will not expect."

Hiro stared at her hand on his, then chuckled nervously. "Well, that’s… vague."

"You’ll understand when the time comes," she said mysteriously.

Kyoya whistled. "Ooooh, Hiro, sounds like you’re gonna have some serious drama soon!"

Hiro rolled his eyes. "Or maybe it’s just nonsense."

Misaki’s grandmother turned to Kyoya. "Now, your turn."

Kyoya eagerly placed his hands in hers. "Alright, tell me, oh wise grandmother, what fate has in store for the great Kyoya!"

She studied his palm, her smile softening.

"I see a future where you are smiling," she said gently.

Kyoya blinked. "That’s it?"

She nodded. "Yes. After that, I see nothing else."

Kyoya pouted. "Aw, that’s kinda disappointing. But hey, I guess it means I’ll always be happy!" He beamed. "Maybe the future you saw is today because I’m smiling right now!"

But when he looked into her eyes, there was something… different.

A mix of sadness and kindness. As if she knew something he didn’t.

Kyoya’s grin faltered for just a second.

Before he could say anything else, the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that must be Misaki and her mother," Misaki’s grandmother said, rising to answer it.

Kyoya and Hiro exchanged glances, but neither spoke.

A moment later, Misaki and her mother stepped inside, holding bags of groceries.

Misaki looked at them and raised an eyebrow. "You two didn’t break anything, did you?"

Kyoya instantly perked up. "Misaki! Welcome home! Your dear grandmother just told us our futures!"

Misaki sighed. "Oh no, you let her do that?"

Hiro shook his head. "It was… interesting."

Maria Rose, Misaki’s mother, chuckled. "I hope she didn’t scare you two."

Kyoya waved a hand. "Nah! I’ve got the best fortune ever!"

But as Misaki’s grandmother watched them with that same gentle sadness in her eyes, Hiro couldn’t help but feel that something was… off.

And for the first time since meeting Kyoya, Hiro found himself wondering—

What exactly was Kyoya hiding?




END OF CHAP 13










Chapter 14

Misaki led Kyoya and Hiro through the house, moving smoothly in her wheelchair. The two boys followed closely behind, glancing around with curiosity.

Kyoya nudged Hiro. "Man, this place is nice. It’s got that traditional Japanese vibe, but it also feels really homey, you know?"

Hiro nodded. "Yeah, it’s different from what I expected."

Misaki rolled her eyes. "What were you expecting? A creepy haunted mansion?"

Kyoya gasped dramatically. "Wait, don’t tell me you actually live in one and you just lured us here to sacrifice us to a vengeful spirit!"

"Yeah, sure. That’s exactly what’s happening," Misaki deadpanned. "I specifically invited two idiots for the ritual."

Hiro sighed. "I knew something felt off."

They entered the dining room, where the table was set with plates and chopsticks. The scent of cooking filled the air, making Kyoya and Hiro’s stomachs growl. Misaki smirked.

"Sounds like you two are starving."

Kyoya held his stomach. "I was born starving, Misaki. That’s why I have to eat at least three times more than a normal person."

Hiro chuckled. "That’s just called being a glutton."

They sat around the table, chatting casually while Misaki’s mother and grandmother worked in the kitchen. Maria Rose glanced toward the dining room, watching as Misaki interacted with her friends.

"Look at her," she whispered to Misaki’s grandmother. "She’s actually talking and laughing."

The older woman smiled warmly. "She’s finally letting people in again. It took time, but… I think these boys are good for her."

Maria Rose nodded, her eyes soft with relief.

Back at the table, Kyoya was telling some ridiculous story.

"So, there I was, running late for school, and I was so sure I could make it on time. But the universe was against me. First, I tripped over a cat—"

Misaki frowned. "Wait, again?"

"Listen, I don’t know why cats hate me, but they do. Anyway, I tripped, fell flat on my face, and when I looked up, the cat was just sitting there, judging me."

Hiro smirked. "Sounds like your natural enemy."

Kyoya gasped. "You’re right! I’ve been cursed!"

Misaki rolled her eyes. "You’re cursed with clumsiness, that’s for sure."

Before Kyoya could respond, Maria Rose and Misaki’s grandmother entered the dining room carrying plates. The centerpiece of the meal was a sizzling plate of sisig, the smell making Hiro and Kyoya’s mouths water.

Maria Rose set the dish down in is that?"

Hiro examined the dish. "It smells amazing."

Misaki smiled slightly. "It’s sisig. A Filipino dish. It’s my favorite."

Kyoya’s eyes sparkled. "Ohhh, a specialty dish? Alright, let’s try it!"

The two boys eagerly grabbed their chopsticks and took a big bite.

The moment the spicy flavor hit, their expressions changed.

Kyoya’s face turned red. Hiro’s eyes widened as if he had just been electrocuted.

Then—

"Ahhhhhh!" Kyoya grabbed his glass of water, chugging it down.

Hiro coughed. "Spicy—so spicy!"

Misaki, completely unaffected, took another bite and smirked. "Weaklings."

Kyoya pointed at her accusingly. "You set us up!"

Hiro gasped. "You didn’t even warn us!"

Misaki shrugged. "I thought you guys could handle it. Guess I was wrong."

Kyoya groaned. "This is a betrayal of the highest order."

Misaki laughed—a real, genuine laugh.

Maria Rose and her grandmother exchanged a glance. Seeing Misaki laughing and teasing her friends like this warmed their hearts.

The three continued eating, chatting about random things—school, classmates, dumb stories.

Hiro, wiping his eyes from the spice, muttered, "This is revenge for all the times we annoyed you, isn’t it?"

Misaki smirked. "Oh, absolutely."

After the meal, Kyoya stretched. "Man, I am so full. That was amazing."

Hiro nodded. "Spicy but good."

Maria Rose smiled. "Glad you liked it."

Misaki’s grandmother chuckled. "You two should visit again. You make our house lively."

Kyoya grinned. "Oh, don’t worry. Now that we know where Misaki lives, we’re basically part of the family!"

Misaki sighed. "Great. Just what I needed."

Kyoya and Hiro laughed as they stood up.

"We should head out," Hiro said. "Thanks for having us."

Kyoya clapped his hands together. "Yeah, thanks for the delicious food!"

Misaki’s mother smiled. "Come by anytime."

As they stepped outside, Kyoya turned to Misaki.

"See you at school, Misaki!"

Misaki nodded. "Yeah… see you."

As the two walked away, Maria Rose placed a hand on Misaki’s shoulder.

"They’re good boys," she said softly.

Misaki watched them leave and, without thinking, whispered, "Yeah… they are."

Chapter 15: The Morning Chaos Trio

Early in the morning, Kyoya and Hiro stood in front of Misaki’s house, waiting for her.

Kyoya knocked on the door, grinning. "Misaki! Your two handsome, charming, and wonderful friends have arrived!"

Hiro sighed. "You’re going to get us kicked out."

The door opened, and Misaki’s grandmother greeted them with a smile. "Oh? The two boys again. Here to take my granddaughter to school?"

"Yup!" Kyoya grinned.

"Well, she’s almost ready. Why don’t you boys come in and wait?"

A few minutes later, Misaki rolled into the room, arms crossed. "You two again?"

Kyoya gasped dramatically. "What kind of reaction is that? Shouldn’t you be happy to see us?"

Misaki deadpanned. "Oh yes, thrilled. Absolutely thrilled."

Hiro chuckled. "Good morning, Misaki."

Misaki sighed. "Alright, let’s go before you two make my morning worse."

And so, the trio set off on their chaotic journey to school.


---

The Cat Incident

As they walked, a small cat suddenly ran up to Misaki, jumped onto her lap, and curled up.

Kyoya’s eyes sparkled. "OH MY GOSH! It’s so cute!"

Hiro nodded. "Yeah, it is."

The two crouched down and reached out to pet the cat.

The cat stared at them.

The cat’s ears twitched.

The cat hissed.

Then—SMACK!

Kyoya and Hiro yelped as the cat scratched both of them and leaped off Misaki’s lap.

Misaki burst out laughing. "Pfft—HAHAHAHA! You guys got destroyed!"

Kyoya clutched his hand. "WHY?! I just wanted to pet it!"

Hiro sighed, staring at his scratched hand. "That was a mistake."

Misaki wiped a tear from her eye. "I think the cat sensed your idiocy."

Kyoya groaned. "This is unfair!"

Hiro looked at Misaki. "Why didn’t it scratch you?"

Misaki smirked. "Because I’m not an idiot."

Kyoya pouted. "I feel betrayed."


---

The Mysterious Money

As they continued walking, Kyoya suddenly gasped. "Wait—LOOK!"

He pointed at a ¥1000 bill lying on the ground.

Hiro’s eyes widened. "Whoa, free money?"

Kyoya grinned. "Lucky day! I’m treating myself to takoyaki!"

He bent down, picked up the bill, and turned it over.

Silence.

Misaki rolled closer. "…Kyoya?"

Kyoya groaned. "It’s fake."

Hiro looked over his shoulder. "Wait, is this… MONOPOLY MONEY?!"

Kyoya’s eye twitched. "Who just leaves this lying around?!"

Misaki burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHA! You seriously thought you got lucky?!"

Kyoya pouted. "I got scammed by the universe."

Hiro chuckled. "Well, at least we almost had free money."

Misaki grinned. "This is why you never trust random money on the ground, Kyoya."

Kyoya sighed. "My hopes… my dreams…"

Misaki smirked. "Shattered?"

Kyoya nodded. "Completely."


---


Takoyaki Disaster

To cheer Kyoya up, the trio stopped by a takoyaki stand.

Kyoya grinned. "Alright, now this is real happiness!"

They each took a skewer of takoyaki and popped one into their mouths.

Kyoya and Hiro immediately froze.

Their faces turned red.

They grabbed their drinks and chugged water.

Misaki, chewing calmly, watched them suffer. "…You two okay?"

Kyoya fanned his mouth. "WHY IS IT SO HOT?!"

Hiro coughed. "IT’S LIKE LAVA!"

Misaki smirked. "Oh, didn’t I tell you? Takoyaki is super hot when it’s fresh."

Kyoya glared at her. "You knew?!"

Misaki sipped her drink, looking smug. "Maybe."

Hiro groaned. "I think I burned my tongue."

Kyoya pouted. "This was supposed to be comfort food!"

Misaki grinned. "This is what you get for being impatient."

Kyoya sighed. "I feel betrayed again."

Hiro slumped. "This morning has been a disaster."

Misaki chuckled. "And yet, you two keep showing up."

Kyoya grinned. "Of course! What’s life without a little chaos?"

Hiro sighed. "I regret everything."

Misaki smirked. "No, you don’t."

Hiro sighed again. "Yeah… I don’t."


---

Finally at School

After their chaotic morning, the trio finally arrived at the school gates.

Kyoya stretched. "That was a great morning!"

Hiro sighed. "It was something, alright."

Misaki smirked. "And yet, you two keep dragging me into your mess."

Kyoya grinned. "Because we’re friends! Right, Misaki?"

Misaki hesitated.

Then, she sighed. "…Yeah. I guess we are."

Kyoya and Hiro grinned.

"YES! Misaki admits we’re friends!" Kyoya cheered.

Hiro smirked. "This feels like an achievement."

Misaki groaned. "Don’t make a big deal out of it!"

Kyoya nudged Hiro. "She likes us."

Hiro nodded. "She does."

Misaki rolled her eyes. "I immediately regret this."

Kyoya grinned. "Too late! You’re stuck with us forever!"

Misaki sighed. "…Fine. But next time, we’re taking the normal route to school."

Kyoya smirked. "No promises!"

And with that, the trio entered school—ready for whatever chaos awaited them next.

END OF CHAPTER 15

Chapter 16: A Heartbeat Too Loud

The classroom buzzed with the sound of students chatting, the occasional shuffle of papers, and the faint hum of the air conditioning.

At the back of the room, Misaki, Kyoya, and Hiro sat together, discussing their latest assignment.

Hiro sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ugh, why do we even have to write an essay about the cultural impact of folklore? This is too much work."

Kyoya smirked. "What, scared of a little research?"

Misaki flipped through her notes. "I already finished mine."

Hiro groaned. "Of course you did."

Kyoya chuckled. "Well, I haven’t even started, so Hiro, you’re already ahead of me."

Hiro sighed. "I need a break. I’m going to the bathroom." He stood up and stretched. "Don’t let Kyoya copy my notes while I’m gone."

Kyoya gasped, feigning offense. "I would never!"

Misaki deadpanned. "You literally copied my answers last week."

Kyoya grinned. "And they were all correct! You’re welcome."

Misaki rolled her eyes.

Hiro shook his head and walked toward the restroom. "Be right back."


---

A Moment Alone

Now alone, Kyoya leaned back in his chair, glancing at Misaki.

She was focused on her book, but her long bangs slightly covered her eyes.

Without thinking, Kyoya reached out and gently brushed her hair aside, tucking it behind her ear.

Misaki blinked, freezing mid-sentence.

Her breath hitched.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice unusually quiet.

Kyoya smirked. "Your hair was in the way. You look beautiful when I can actually see your face."

Misaki’s heart skipped a beat.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

She frowned, confused.

What was that?

Was her heart… racing?

She scoffed, looking away. "Maybe I just look better because you’re seeing me after staring at your blank homework for so long."

Kyoya laughed. "That is a possibility."

Misaki, still distracted by the strange feeling in her chest, clenched her fists.

No way.

This isn’t—

It’s probably just irritation. Yeah. That’s it.

She nodded to herself. I’m just annoyed. That’s why my heart feels weird.

Totally.

Definitely.

Not.


---

Meanwhile, in the Bathroom…

Hiro sighed as he stood at the sink, washing his hands. "This stupid assignment is too much work…"

Just then, a voice echoed from behind him.

"Hey, Hiro."

Hiro stiffened.

That voice…

Another voice chuckled. "It’s been a while, huh?"

He turned his head slightly, catching sight of two familiar figures standing near the bathroom entrance.

A cold sensation ran down his spine.

They smirked at him, stepping closer.

"How’ve you been, buddy?"

Hiro clenched his jaw.

Not now… Not here…


---

Where’s Hiro?

Back in the classroom, Kyoya tapped his fingers on the desk. "Hiro’s been gone a while, huh?"

Misaki glanced at the clock. "It’s been over ten minutes."

Kyoya stretched. "Maybe he fell in?"

Misaki rolled her eyes. "You’re an idiot."

Kyoya grinned. "You say that with so much love."

Misaki sighed. "Let’s just go find him."

They left the classroom and checked the usual places—near the vending machines, outside the library, by the shoe lockers.

Nothing.

Even the bathroom was empty.

Kyoya scratched his head. "Weird… Where’d he go?"

Misaki frowned. "Maybe he went home without telling us?"

Kyoya pouted. "How rude. We’re supposed to be best friends forever."

Misaki crossed her arms. "You literally left him at the arcade last week."

Kyoya gasped. "That was an accident!"

Misaki raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe slightly on purpose."

Misaki sighed. "Let’s just go home."

Kyoya grinned. "Ooooh, so I get to walk you home today? What an honor."

Misaki rolled her eyes. "No, you get to push my wheelchair home."

Kyoya smirked. "Even better. Now I have an excuse to be your personal chauffeur."

Misaki scoffed. "I should start charging you for your nonsense."

Kyoya grinned. "You love my nonsense."

Misaki opened her mouth—then closed it.

Her heart skipped again.

What the hell is wrong with me today?


---

The Walk Home

The late afternoon sun bathed the streets in gold as Kyoya casually pushed Misaki’s wheelchair along the sidewalk.

"Man, we should do this every day. It’s nice," Kyoya said, stretching his free arm.

"You mean you like getting free exercise," Misaki replied.

Kyoya smirked. "And you like having a free chauffeur. Admit it, we’re a perfect team."

Misaki rolled her eyes. "You’re almost tolerable."

Kyoya gasped. "Wow. That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me."

Misaki chuckled.

A light breeze blew, making her hair sway slightly.

Kyoya glanced down at her and smiled.

"You know…" he started.

Misaki looked up. "What?"

Kyoya smirked. "You really do look pretty up close."

Misaki stiffened.

Thump.

Thump.

Her face turned slightly warm.

She frowned. What. The. Hell.

Kyoya laughed. "Awww, are you blushing?"

Misaki huffed. "It’s just the sun."

Kyoya grinned. "Sure, sure. The sun."

She turned away.

Why was her heart acting up today?!

Kyoya leaned closer, his chin practically resting on her shoulder.

"You like me, don’t you?" he teased.

Misaki tensed. "S-Shut up!"

Kyoya laughed. "I knew it!"

Misaki took a deep breath.

Nope.

Nope nope nope.

She did NOT have feelings for this idiot.

Definitely not.

Right?

…Right?

As they reached her house, Kyoya grinned. "See you tomorrow, Miss Totally-Not-Blushing."

Misaki groaned. "Go away."

Kyoya chuckled. "Sweet dreams~"

As she wheeled herself inside, she exhaled.

Her heart was still racing.

She frowned.

What was that?

What was he doing to her?

End of chapter 16

Chapter end