Downstairs. In the small dining room. The wall clock on the wall ticked, its hands pointing somewhere between 9:15 and 9:20.
Gracie and Alina sat facing each other while they ate. From Alina's side the wall clock was visible. Still wearing that red sweater of Gracie but without the skirt and now replaced by grey trousers.
In front of her Gracie quietly ate from her plate, wearing that same yellow sweater. She was using both a spoon and fork while Alina ate with bare hands. The right hand.
Alina ate from a plate while Gracie was eating from a bowl. Alina had her plate with the rice in the center and veggies on the sides of the plate. In Gracie's case it was that the veggies were on top of the rice.
Alina: She was watching the wall clock as seconds went by. Beneath the table she had her legs crossed, the light red coloured sandals she wore inside the home swung back and front with her feet.
Her index finger on her lower lip which had the vegetable oil on it yet it didn't mark her lip. She had a frown at her face.
While watching the clock flow along with the passing time she chewed on what was in her mouth as her index finger left her lip and back to the plate.
With her eyes still on the wall clock she mashed some rice and some veggies together, lifting it up to her open mouth and pushing it in with her thumb.
She turns her gaze towards Gracie, Alina just watches her for a moment. After she finished chewing.
"Dear. How long would that girl be asleep?"
Gracie: She froze. The spoon full of food just inches away from her open hanging mouth. She paused and slowly the spoon descended down to rest back on her bowl.
"I don't know. She's been, for… Quite some time."
Alina: "Oh. Hm. I wished she was here. I would've loved to hear more about her."
She says as left elbow rests on the table and her cheek rests on her left hand fist. She squashed a piece of rice between her index finger and thumb.
Gracie: She internally sighs. Trying to keep a nonchalant expression on her face.
[Good thing Akeno is asleep. It would've been uncomfortable if she was here and Miss Alina starts asking questions again.]
She looks back down at the bowl and lifts up the spoon back to her mouth, taking in the bite and savoring the taste of her own cooking she admired.
[Something's going on in her mind. She didn't even compliment my cooking as she usually does. What's going on—]
After chewing Gracie glanced up towards Alina's direction and to her horror, Alina was staring right at her. Alina's cheek resting on her fist as their eyes met.
Alina: Alina was no longer looking at the clock, neither eating her plate of serving.
"Dear. In what state did you see her when she was asleep, in your room?"
Gracie: Without chewing properly Gracie swallowed the meal inside her mouth.
[Oh no. I was hoping she wouldn't have asked this. Hm.]
Resting the spoon back on the bowl. She took another spoonful. Looking at the bowl and no meeting eyes with Alina
"Ah, she was asleep. She seemed to be. Tired."
Alina: She still had her eyes on Gracie thoroughly watching her and analysing her as she spoke.
"Is that so? Tired, you say…"
She smirked.
"I'd love to believe that."
Gracie: She paused and put another spoon full in her mouth. Avoiding looking up at Alina as Gracie chewed her food.
[Why, why did I say that? I should've known it's not worth it to tell her the half truth… Just tell her the whole thing. That's it.]
With proper chewing she swallowed what was inside her mouth. And looked up to meet Alina's eyes which were onto her all this time.
"One thing."
When she said that Alina's smirk widens and lets out a "Hmmhm" Sound.
"Um. So, when I checked on her and adjusted her position to better rest on bed, I noticed her cheeks were a bit damp, as well as the sheet beneath her face."
Alina: Without missing a second beat she asked.
"Was she crying?"
Gracie: Hearing that Gracie abruptly shakes her head.
"N–n–no. I don't know what happened."
Alina: Hearing that her smirk only widens as her right hand starts moving with rice. Mushing them together.
"Hm. But wouldn't crying make the best sense? Hm, dear. What else could lead to dampness over her face and the sheets…? You meant bed sheets I suppose. Hmm?"
Gracie: "... Probably—"
Alina: "Or maybe she washed her face. Could be. Right, dear."
Gracie: She just nods. To which Alina softly chuckled in a melodic voice. Gracie pulls her gaze back to her bowl. Staring at it.
[... Was she really crying…? My fault isn't it. I made her cry again… She did say something about… Home the first time she cried and now this. Again!]
She picks up the fork and shoves it deep into the bowl. When she picked it up it came up with a fried potato on it.
[Why did I leave her alone back there?]
——{Half An Hour Before}——
Gracie had just finished cooking when she went upstairs to her room. On the stairs as she ascended towards the dark hallway upstairs.
"I wonder what she's doing right now?"
When she reaches her door and opens it she sees Akeno laying on her bed, on her side, one hand under the head and the other lying just on top of her chest.
Gracie walks over to the sleeping Akeno.
"How long has she been asleep for…? Why in my bed?" Gracie pouts. "She's not even under the blanket. Tch."
…
"... What kind of position is that?"
She climbs on the bed on her knees over the sheets and reaches out her hand and shakes Akeno, no response.
"She seems to be in a deep sleep." She mutters quietly. "But I need to get her position right… And put a blanket over her."
She tried pulling Akeno without waking her up, trying different ways. Akeno wasn't even heavy but it would've also been easy to wake her up.
"Wait. Why am I putting her in bed? Dinner's done. I should instead wake her up for it…"
She reached out to shake her body again in hopes to wake her up, she cups her cheek and notices the dampness of it. "Hm?" She touched Akeno's cheeks again.
"It's wet."
She leaned closer, her other hand came to the sheets under Akeno's face which was also damp.
"Huh?"
——{Back To Present}——
"Tch"
The sound came out in a very low voice… Maybe not low enough because…
"Hm. Dear. You said something?"
And a low laugh. And Gracie's eyes widened.