"Alright, I think that about covers everything I wanted to say. Let's get the rice together, Soyo."
Kyo acted as if nothing had happened—like she wasn't the same person who had just said all those shameless words, thrown herself into Soyo's arms, and outright admitted that she liked her.
Seeing that Soyo was still frozen in place, Kyo waved a hand in front of her face.
"Hey, hey, you still there?"
Meanwhile, Soyo's mind was a complete mess.
The cold and distant Kyo from their walk to her house… the soft and delicate Kyo fresh out of the bath… the ruthless Kyo who had torn her apart with brutal honesty… and the smiling, honey-sweet Kyo who had just confessed so naturally.
All these different versions of Kyo were chattering inside her head, like tiny Kyo clones having a full-blown discussion.
One sat silently, responding to the others with absentminded nods. Another was lost in thought, twirling her slightly damp hair. One was glaring at Soyo, hurling accusations, while another chimed in with praise, the two of them practically putting on a routine together.
They were all Kyo, yet each was so distinct that it left Soyo completely disoriented.
Which one was the real Kyo? Or… were they all just different sides of the same person?
She couldn't tell. She really couldn't tell.
"Soyo—I'm hungry!"
Noticing that Soyo was zoning out more and more, her gaze growing increasingly vacant—almost like she was about to leave this world behind—Kyo raised her voice, nearly shouting her name.
At the same time, she grabbed Soyo's shoulders and gave her a light shake.
"Uh—huh? Ah!"
After letting out three meaningless syllables, Soyo finally snapped back to reality.
She looked at Kyo, still a little dazed, and for a brief moment, her first thought was that one of the little Kyos in her head had jumped out into the real world.
"Sorry, Kyo, I was just thinking about something and spaced out."
She quickly apologized, waving a hand to show she was fine. "Let's go get the rice together."
The rice cooker had finished cooking a while ago.
Soyo had assumed Kyo wouldn't eat much, but just in case, she had prepared about three servings.
So after they each took what they needed, there was still some leftover rice.
Kyo, noticing this, was about to scoop the rest into her bowl when Soyo stopped her.
"I can reheat the leftover rice for my bento tomorrow, so we don't have to force ourselves to finish it."
"It's fine. As long as there's soup, I can eat more."
Kyo patted her stomach—her firm, toned stomach that made barely a sound when she hit it. No matter how she looked at it, she didn't seem like someone who could eat that much.
But since she seemed confident, Soyo let her take the extra portion.
Still, watching Kyo pat her stomach like that… Soyo couldn't help but feel the urge to give it a tap herself.
"Soyo? What is it?"
After serving herself, Kyo turned around and found Soyo staring at her—with her head slightly lowered, no less.
Even though Kyo was about three centimeters shorter, the way Soyo was looking down didn't seem like she was making eye contact.
"My chest isn't as full as yours. There's nothing to stare at, you know?"
"N-no, that's not it!"
Misunderstood as someone ogling her chest, Soyo panicked and waved her hands in denial, her voice raising an octave in distress.
"Then what were you looking at?" Kyo pressed.
Secretly eyeing someone's stomach and debating whether or not to poke it… That did seem pretty rude.
But surely that was better than staring at her chest, right?
"Um… Kyo's stomach…"
"Worried I'll overeat?"
Kyo didn't seem to take it the wrong way at all.
Given an easy excuse, Soyo eagerly nodded. "Y-yeah, I was just a little worried you might be forcing yourself…"
"Don't worry. I wouldn't keep eating if I started feeling sick."
Her older sister had even acknowledged how good she was at taking care of herself—except in situations involving large bodies of water.
The two of them returned to the dining table, sitting across from each other.
Kyo looked eagerly at the pot of vegetable macaroni soup.
The transparent lid was fogged up with steam, droplets of condensation trickling down the surface, allowing only glimpses of the ingredients inside.
Kyo had always thought of soups as a kind of drink. After all, they were just ingredients mixed in a specific ratio—only prepared differently.
And really, the reason she considered them the same thing was much simpler.
They were both liquids!
They were both water!
And that was more than enough for her!
Soyo noticed how Kyo's blue eyes sparkled, glancing back and forth between the steaming pot of soup and Soyo herself—almost as if waiting for its creator to unveil it.
"Hehe."
Soyo chuckled softly, covering her mouth.
"Kyo, you can open it yourself."
Kyo didn't hesitate. She placed her hand on the lid and, with great ceremony, lifted it.
The moment the lid came off, a wave of steam surged upward, filling the air with rich, tantalizing aromas that had been simmering in the pot for so long.
Even before seeing the soup, the scent reached them first—carried by the steam, wafting through the air.
It wasn't overly greasy; instead, a bright, tangy-sweet tomato fragrance stood out the most, instantly making one's mouth water.
As the mist dissipated, the soup finally revealed itself.
A deep red broth—explaining why the tomato aroma had been so strong—practically confirmed that this was less of a vegetable soup and more of a tomato-based one.
Chunks of macaroni swam among an assortment of colorful vegetables, their vibrant hues making the dish even more appetizing.
Soyo picked up the ladle she had set aside earlier, thoughtfully scooping some into Kyo's bowl.
She made sure to include a good mix of vegetables, and even ladled a few spoonfuls of the rich broth on its own.
"Alright, here I go."
For someone like Kyo, whose appetite was instantly sparked by the presence of soup, this was a serious moment.
After all, if she thought of soup as a kind of drink, then that made Soyo the bartender and herself the customer.
And as someone who prided herself on mixing drinks, Kyo naturally respected another's craft when it came to their own "beverages."
But right now, it seemed like the "bartender" had something on her mind.
Before taking her first sip, Kyo noticed that after serving her, Soyo didn't pour any soup for herself.
She just stopped, her expression still clouded with hesitation.
Geez.
She's the one in the bartender's role right now, and yet I'm the one who has to check in on her?
"If there's something on your mind, Soyo, you can just say it."
Kyo tapped the side of her bowl lightly.
"We've already laid everything out on the table—literally and figuratively. If you start hesitating and holding back now, that wouldn't be like you."
Soyo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to make the gesture look casual.
But in truth, she was still worried.
Would what she was about to say make Kyo angry again?
Even so, with the warm atmosphere at the table, this seemed like the best time to ask.
"Kyo… I think I still want you to join the band."
Her voice was soft, but sincere.
"Would you?"
Soyo looked at Kyo with hopeful eyes, waiting for her answer.
---
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