As the old saying goes, make your whole year's plans in the spring, and your whole day's plans in the morning...
Sunlight stubbornly squeezed through the gaps in the curtains into the cozy little room, signing its name in golden straight lines on the floor.
Kiana's eyelashes fluttered, and she began to slowly wake up.
Control over her body was gradually rebooting. Everything in her dreams was rapidly losing color, replaced by the sights of reality.
Eyes still closed, she instinctively stretched—
Arms reaching up—
Body leaning back—
Then, she suddenly felt the support beneath her vanish.
"Eh?"
Before she could react, her whole body went tumbling down.
"WAAAAAHHH—!!!"
Thud.
A muffled sound.
Then the world went quiet.
Kiana lay on the floor, eyes wide open, staring blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling, her mind completely blank.
Her upper body was on the floor, her lower body still draped over the sofa, legs kicked high in the air, creating a near-handstand posture.
But it didn't hurt, because her head was resting on something soft—the pillow Shu had placed beside her after she fell asleep last night. At this moment, it perfectly fulfilled its mission of catching Kiana.
However, Kiana currently lacked the spare brain capacity to notice this. Only three questions were rapidly scrolling through her mind.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Did I find Shu?
Her brain was "active" like never before, yet for a short while, it couldn't produce a single answer.
She remained in that position—upper body flat, lower body elevated—staring blankly at the ceiling, as if someone had pressed the pause button on her.
Until—
A face poked into the edge of her vision, looking down at her with a complicated expression.
Kiana's gaze instantly focused on that complicated face, and the answers to the three questions in her brain suddenly appeared.
I am Kiana.
I am at Shu's house.
I found Shu!
Her eyes lit up instantly. She raised a hand, scratched her head, and flashed an embarrassed smile at that face.
"Hehe..."
Even though I just woke up and am still dazed, I still know you.
Shu stared at Kiana, who looked like a little turtle stuck on its back, and couldn't help but sigh.
Then he bent down and extended a hand.
Kiana naturally reached out and grasped Shu's hand, pulling hard. She made Shu stumble, but successfully used him as leverage to flip over and stand up.
Once steady, Kiana patted the nonexistent dust off her body and smiled at him again.
"Thanks~"
Shu withdrew his hand and gave her a helpless look.
Her hair was a bird's nest, her face had pillow marks, and her clothes were wrinkled from sleep, the collar slipping to one side to reveal a large expanse of her shoulder.
She looked thoroughly disheveled, but her smile was brilliant.
Shu slowly looked away, no longer avoiding her gaze like the plague as he had before.
"Breakfast is ready," Shu said plainly, tucking his hands in his pockets.
Kiana's eyes brightened another degree.
"What's for breakfast!"
"Milk, fried eggs, toast, jam."
Kiana's eyes turned into two lightbulbs.
"Really?! I'm gonna—"
She was about to rush to the dining table when she suddenly remembered something and stopped.
"Ah, wait, gotta wash my face and brush my teeth first!"
She hadn't forgotten that every time she ate with Shu, he would remind her to brush her teeth.
After speaking, she rushed towards the bathroom like a gust of wind.
"Wait, the new toothbrush is in..."
Shu watched as the white-haired girl, who had been dazing just moments ago, transformed into a youthful gale in an instant. The words stuck in his throat, eventually turning into a soft chuckle.
Forget it. I put the new toothbrush in a very obvious place. Kiana shouldn't mistake it...
The bathroom door slammed shut with a bang.
Shu stood there, listening to the sound of running water from inside, then turned and walked to the kitchen.
Breakfast was already laid out on the dining table.
Twelve fried eggs were piled golden-high on a large plate.
Two whole loaves of toast had been toasted, sliced, and neatly arranged in a bread basket.
A large 1.5-liter carton of milk stood beside them.
Two jars of jam were open, one strawberry, one orange, with two clean small spoons placed next to them.
Shu looked at this table of "breakfast" and felt it was a bit exaggerated even for himself.
But there was no helping it.
After witnessing her appetite yesterday, he was immune to these numbers.
Whatever.
As long as she gets full.
Just as he sat down at the table, he heard the bathroom door woosh open.
Then came the pat-pat-pat of bare feet running.
Three seconds later, Kiana had rushed to the table.
"I'm back!"
Shu looked up at her.
Kiana's face still had water droplets that hadn't been wiped clean.
Forehead, cheeks, chin... wet everywhere. A few strands of hair were wet too, sticking to her face.
But she didn't notice any of this, her eyes staring straight at the breakfast on the table, already swallowing her saliva.
"Um..." Shu started, wanting to remind her to wipe her face.
But Kiana had already plopped down, reaching out to grab a slice of toast.
"Itadakimasu!"
She took a big bite, cheeks bulging, a look of bliss on her face.
Shu: "..."
He silently swallowed the words "wipe your face."
Forget it.
Let her eat first.
He stood up, turning towards the bathroom, intending to get a towel for Kiana to wipe her face.
...
Kiana was feasting.
Toast in her left hand, right hand already reaching for a second fried egg, chewing happily, jam on her face, looking like she was ascending to heaven.
Then she suddenly felt a chill down her spine, as if some primordial beast had suddenly fixed its eyes on her.
No, if it were just a primordial beast, Kiana absolutely wouldn't feel such panic... this feeling... was very familiar, and very wrong.
Hm?
Oh no! It's the "I'm in the wrong so I'm gonna get scolded" feeling!
Toast still in her mouth, a drop of cold sweat beaded on her forehead. She turned her head slowly and stiffly, while her brain rapidly cycled through every possible mistake she could have made.
Did I eat Shu's portion?!
No... Shu wouldn't be that petty.
Is it because I didn't clean up after waking up?
Uh...
amid her brain storm, she finally saw the scene behind her. Shu was indeed standing behind her, in his pajamas, holding a toothbrush and a rinsing cup, looking at her gloomily.
Kiana blinked.
Shu looked at her.
The two stared at each other for three seconds.
Then Shu spoke faintly, his voice drifting as if from some distant corner.
"The toothbrush you just used... which one was it?"