The sun was barely up, a pale orange glow stretching through the kitchen windows.
Everyone else was still asleep, their soft breathing echoing faintly through the hall.
I tied on the apron I borrowed from Rei's pantry and started cracking eggs.
There was something calming about mornings like this — no noise, no chaos, just the faint hiss of the pan and the sound of the waves outside.
"...Morning."
The voice was small, half-asleep.
I turned.
Naoko stood there, hair a little messy, still wearing her oversized sleep shirt. She froze when our eyes met — like she'd just walked into something she wasn't supposed to see.
"K-Kaito-kun?" she blinked. "You're… cooking?"
"Yeah," I said, smiling. "Thought I'd make breakfast before everyone wakes up."
She rubbed her eyes gently. "Ah… I thought there was a smell of something good."
Then, after a short pause — "You look like a dad."
I almost dropped the spatula. "...Huh?"
Naoko's face turned red instantly. "I-I mean! In a good way! Warm… dependable… not—uh—old!"
She waved her hands frantically, then sighed in defeat. "...I should stop talking."
I chuckled. "You're fine. Want to help?"
Her head tilted slightly. "Can I?"
"Sure. I could use another pair of hands."
She smiled softly and stepped closer — careful, almost tiptoeing, like she didn't want to break the calm in the room.
When she reached for the cutting board, her hand brushed mine. She froze for half a second, then quietly pulled back.
"I'll handle the vegetables," she said quickly, cheeks still pink.
It didn't take long before I realized she still wasn't great at it.
Her cuts were uneven, some pieces too big, others nearly transparent.
But she was trying — brows furrowed in total concentration, tongue poking out slightly in focus.
"Naoko," I said gently. "You're holding the knife a bit too high."
"Ah—like this?"
"Closer. And keep your fingers curved in so you don't cut yourself."
She followed my guidance carefully.
For a while, the only sounds were the knife tapping and the quiet sea breeze drifting in through the open window.
Then she spoke again — softly.
"I wanted to get better," she said. "So I can help next time too."
I paused, looking at her. "You don't have to force yourself, you know."
"I'm not forcing myself," she said with a small smile. "It's just… fun when it's with you."
For some reason, that made my chest tighten a little.
I didn't say anything — just smiled back and stirred the pan quietly.
A soft yawn drifted from the hallway.
Then the faint sound of slippers dragging.
"…smells nice…"
Hana appeared at the doorway, hair slightly messy, sweater sleeves too long, eyes still half-asleep. She blinked a few times — then noticed us.
Me at the stove.
Naoko beside me, cutting vegetables with shy determination.
Hana froze.
Just for a moment.
Her gaze flickered between us — the apron on me, the gentle atmosphere, Naoko standing a little too close.
The quiet kind of jealousy settled on her expression.
Not angry. Not loud.
Just a small tightening around her lips… and her fingers curling around her sleeve.
"…You two… woke up early," she said softly.
Naoko turned, startled. "Ah—g-good morning, Hana-chan."
"Morning," I said. "Breakfast almost ready."
Hana nodded slowly.
Then she stepped closer — too casually for someone trying to look casual.
"What are you making?" she asked, voice lower than usual.
Polite, but there was something else behind it.
"Just simple stuff," I said. "Miso soup, grilled fish, a few sides—"
Hana stared at the pan.
Then at Naoko holding the knife.
Then at me.
"…I can help."
Naoko blinked. "Eh? Hana-chan, you don't have to—"
"I want to."
Her tone was gentle… but firm in a way that left no room for argument.
I tilted my head. "Are you sure? You look like you just woke up."
"I'm awake now."
She said it while tugging lightly on her sleeve — hiding the tiny blush on her cheeks.
I offered her another cutting board.
She stepped forward and took it, but in the process her fingers brushed mine.
She stiffened — eyes widening for a second — before she quickly looked away.
"…S-sorry," she murmured.
"It's fine," I said.
Hana took a quiet breath, then began cutting green onions with surprising precision.
No hesitation.
No clumsiness.
Naoko smiled softly. "Hana-chan's really good at this…"
Hana shrugged a little. "…I cook sometimes."
Her voice was calm, but the subtle tension around her eyes said everything:
I can do this too. I can stand beside him too.
For a moment, the kitchen fell into a peaceful rhythm.
The sound of chopping.
The bubbling miso.
The quiet sea breeze slipping in through the window.
I glanced at them — Naoko concentrating with her usual quiet warmth, Hana focused but stealing tiny sideways glances at me whenever she thought I wasn't looking.
"…Kaito-kun," Hana said suddenly.
"Mm?"
"You're… surprisingly good at mornings."
I laughed. "Is that a compliment?"
She bit her lip — barely — like she hadn't meant to say that aloud.
"…Maybe."
Just a whisper.
Soft enough to miss if you weren't listening.
Naoko glanced at her, then smiled faintly — like she noticed the little triangle forming, but didn't mind it.
We continued cooking together, the three of us standing close around the stove, the early morning light spilling across the counter like a warm blanket.
We were just finishing the miso soup when the sound of frantic footsteps echoed from the hallway.
Thud thud thud—
"WAIT—IS THAT FOOD!?"
Rei's voice.
"Rei, don't run—!!"
Akane's voice.
Too late.
Rei practically slammed the sliding door open.
"MORNING—HUH!?"
She froze on the spot.
Akane crashed into her from behind.
"Oof—Rei, what are you—"
Then she saw us too.
Me in an apron.
Naoko and Hana standing beside me, holding cutting boards like they'd been caught doing something illegal.
The room went silent for one long, painful second.
Then—
"WHAT—THE—HEEECK!?" Rei screeched.
Akane pointed dramatically.
"WHY ARE YOU THREE COOKING WITHOUT US!?"
Naoko squeaked immediately.
"W–we weren't—! I mean—! It's not—!"
Hana stiffened, her face turning pink in under a second.
"S-stop shouting… It's too early…"
Rei gasped, scandalized.
"Ka–KAITO, you—APRONS—MORNING—COOKING TOGETHER!? WHAT IS THIS!?"
Akane leaned toward Naoko with a wicked grin.
"Naoko… did you wake up early just so you could cook with him?"
Naoko nearly dropped her knife.
"E-eh!? N-no!! I-I didn't plan anything!! I just—he said good morning—then I—um—then—!"
Her words dissolved into panicked noises.
Hana crossed her arms, trying to stay composed but failing miserably.
"…It's not like that. I only joined because… I smelled something good. That's all."
Rei squinted.
"Oh? Just that~?"
Hana looked away, brushing her hair behind her ear, cheeks burning.
"…Yes."
Akane smirked.
"Why're you answering so quietly then?"
"I-It's morning… My voice is just… sleepy."
Rei tapped her chin suspiciously.
"Hmmm. Suspicious."
Akane nodded.
"Extremely suspicious."
Naoko: melting from embarrassment
Hana: dying inside but pretending not to
I blinked, completely lost.
"Uh… guys? We were just making breakfast."
Rei turned to me with exaggerated betrayal.
"KAITO. You cooked with them, in the morning, in the same kitchen, the three of you—AND YOU SAY IT SO CASUALLY!?"
I nodded. "Yeah? They just came to help."
Rei clutched her chest.
"His purity is too strong…"
Akane sighed dramatically.
"This man… We can't win."
Naoko hid behind a bowl of chopped vegetables.
Hana pretended to check the seasoning to avoid eye contact.
I shrugged.
"Anyway, breakfast is done. You two want to help set the table?"
Rei snapped back instantly.
"YES, CHEF!!"
Akane saluted.
"Aye aye!!"
Naoko giggled softly.
Hana let out a tiny laugh she immediately covered with her hand.
We finally finished arranging the dishes on the table — grilled fish, miso soup, tamagoyaki, and rice. The whole room smelled warm and comforting.
Rei and Akane were still whispering suspicious theories in the corner when—
BAM—!
Another sliding door flew open like someone had kicked it.
"MORNING!! I HEARD A RUMOR—!!"
Mika.
Bed hair everywhere.
Eyes wide.
Still wearing her oversized T-shirt.
She pointed straight at me like she was accusing a criminal.
"KAITO. YOU. COOKED. WITH. TWO. GIRLS. AT. DAWN."
I froze mid-sip of miso soup.
"…Good morning to you too."
"No no no don't 'good morning' me!!" Mika stomped inside dramatically, almost tripping on the mat. "Rei told me EVERYTHING!"
Rei gave a triumphant thumbs-up.
Akane added, "She ran full speed from the guest room. I tried to stop her. I failed."
Mika planted herself between Naoko and Hana like she was interrogating them.
"You two! What happened!? Why were you up so early!? Why did he have an apron!? WHY DO YOU LOOK EMBARRASSED!?"
Naoko shrank back like a startled kitten.
"I-I wasn't planning anything… I just woke up and… he was already cooking…"
Her voice dropped to a tiny whisper.
"…and he looked warm."
"WHAT WAS THAT LAST PART!?" Mika screeched.
Naoko nearly evaporated.
Then Mika turned to Hana with laser eyes.
"AND YOU! Why'd you join!?"
Hana stayed still — too still — her posture stiff, ears red.
"…I smelled food."
"And!?"
"…It smelled good."
"And!?"
"…I wanted to help."
"And!?"
Hana hesitated… then muttered under her breath, barely audible:
"…and I didn't want Naoko to have him all to herself."
The entire room went silent.
Even the ocean outside paused for a second.
"HUH!?" Mika exploded. "I KNEW IT!! THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPEN—"
Hana instantly panicked.
"I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT—I MEAN—NOT EXACTLY—I—UGH—JUST EAT—!!"
Her voice cracked halfway. She quickly turned away, pretending to fix the chopsticks, face glowing pink.
Naoko looked down too, fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve, her cheeks equally red.
Meanwhile, I stood there holding a ladle, completely lost.
"…We really just made breakfast."
Rei patted my shoulder with a sigh.
"Kaito, sweetie… you are the main character of a romcom and you don't even know it."
Akane nodded.
"He's hopeless but that's why they like him."
Mika crossed her arms dramatically.
"Fine! Since you betrayed us—"
("I didn't?")
"—I demand compensation. I'm sitting next to Kaito during breakfast."
Hana immediately turned.
"…No."
Naoko quietly:
"…No."
Mika:
"…Huh?"
Rei burst out laughing.
Akane nearly dropped her rice bowl.
I exhaled.
"Guys… let's just eat."
And somehow, despite all the chaos, everyone sat down — awkwardly, embarrassingly, with too many sidelong glances — but smiling.
A messy, noisy, warm morning.
Exactly the kind of trouble that made staying with them feel like home.
Breakfast gradually quieted down.
No shouting.
No flailing.
No interrogation squad.
Just the gentle clinking of chopsticks and the soft sound of waves rolling outside. Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, painting everything gold.
Rei was the first to break the peaceful silence.
"Kaito," she said, stirring her miso soup, "you're probably wondering something, right?"
I blinked.
"Mm? About what?"
"Well…" She glanced around the room. "You didn't see anyone else in the house, right?"
Right.
Now that she mentioned it — ever since yesterday, no adults, no footsteps, no voices. Just us.
"Yeah," I admitted. "I was wondering where your parents are."
Rei gave a tiny shrug — casual, but not hiding anything.
"They're out of town for a few days. Business trip plus visiting relatives, I think. So they won't be back until after the weekend."
"Oh."
I nodded slowly. "So it really is just us here."
Rei smiled. "Mm-hm. Sorry if that surprised you."
"It didn't."
I gave her a soft smile back. "I'm just glad you're not alone."
Her spoon stopped halfway to her mouth.
Just for a moment.
Then she looked away, ears turning faintly pink.
"You always say stuff like that so easily…"
Across the table, the others reacted too:
Hana paused mid-bite, eyes flicking toward me with a small, unreadable expression.
Naoko's fingers stilled on her teacup, her gentle smile softening even more.
Akane let out a quiet huff that almost sounded like a laugh.
"See? He really is the dependable big-brother type."
Mika jabbed her chopsticks at me.
"But also dangerously clueless!"
I scratched my cheek.
"I'm… trying my best?"
Naoko giggled under her breath.
Hana looked like she wanted to smile but was holding back.
Rei finally relaxed, leaning her cheek into her palm.
The room felt warm again. Not chaotic — just… safe.
After breakfast, the mood shifted naturally, like the tide easing into a new rhythm.
Rei stretched her arms.
"Well! Since everyone's up and fed… how about we go outside for a bit?"
Akane nodded. "Morning air sounds nice."
Hana adjusted her hair. "And… it's been a while since we walked together."
Mika pumped a fist. "Let's go already!"
Naoko looked at me shyly.
"…It might be nice. Walking, I mean."
I stood, brushing off my apron.
"Sure. Let's get some fresh air."
And just like that, the morning rolled forward — calm, warm, and easy.
We stepped out of the house together, into the crisp coastal breeze. The sunlight sparkled on the ocean surface, and the cool wind carried the quiet promise of autumn.
Rei clasped her hands behind her back.
"Okay! Since fall break is ending soon… let's talk about what we're doing for our last day of vacation."
Everyone hummed in agreement.
The conversation drifted lightly — plans, ideas, small laughter.
A slow, gentle moment shared between five girls and one boy, walking side by side toward the end of their autumn days.
Rei walked ahead of us, humming something softly as the morning breeze brushed past.
That's when Akane suddenly snapped her fingers.
"Ah! That reminds me!"
I turned to her.
"Hmm?"
She grinned.
"Remember that time I dragged you into the music room? Y'know, when we accidentally created Sakura Noise?"
"Accidentally?" I raised a brow. "You forced us into it."
"Tch—details."
She nudged my arm lightly. "Anyway, I was thinking…"
Here we go.
"…since fall vacation's ending, why don't we… try it again?"
I blinked.
"Try what again?"
"You know—music stuff. Practicing. Playing together. That whole vibe was kinda nice, right?"
Rei laughed softly. " 'Nice' is generous. It was chaos."
Mika spun around and walked backward.
"But fun chaos!"
Hana giggled. "Even if the room barely survived…"
Naoko nodded sleepily. "Mm… but the sunset was pretty…"
Akane pointed at them triumphantly.
"See? Everyone liked it!"
I scratched my cheek.
"I didn't say I hated it."
Her eyes sparkled. "So you'll join again?"
"…I'll watch."
"WATCH!?" she barked, grabbing my shoulders dramatically. "Why watch!? You literally saved us with your guitar!"
"That was luck," I said flatly.
"Liar."
Her pout deepened. "You're good at it. And you know it."
I looked away.
"…I'll still watch."
Hana smiled a little too knowingly.
"It's okay. Having him watch is… nice in its own way."
Naoko added, "Kaito watching makes things calmer."
Mika grinned. "Or maybe he's shy~"
"I'm not shy," I muttered.
Rei clapped her hands. "Alright! So if we want another music session—"
Akane took over, eyes glowing with inspiration.
"—we should do it during our next trip!"
Everyone paused.
Hana blinked. "Trip?"
"Mhm!" Akane put her hands on her hips confidently. "Since tomorrow's still part of our break, I thought… why not travel a bit? Y'know, one last autumn getaway!"
Rei's expression brightened. "Oh—that sounds good."
Mika jumped. "YES. LET'S GO."
Naoko's smile softened. "Where… would we go?"
Akane turned to me — a little smug.
"I already picked a place."
"…That scares me," I said.
She ignored me.
"Hear me out! Kawaguchiko. Lake view. Autumn leaves. Fresh air. And—AND—if we rent a room, we can play music together again! Imagine it! Sakura Noise: Lakeside Edition!"
Rei gasped. "That actually sounds nice."
Hana nodded gently. "It's peaceful there."
Mika waved her hands. "I'm in! I'm in!"
Naoko tilted her head.
"…I want to see the lake."
Akane looked at me expectantly.
I shrugged.
"I'm fine with it."
Silence.
Then she burst into the brightest smile of the morning.
"YES! I knew you'd say that!"
Hana gave me a soft look.
"Thank you, Kaito."
Naoko smiled shyly.
"…It'll be fun."
Mika pumped her fist. "Let's PACK!!"
Rei laughed. "Calm down, we're still walking."
And just like that—
our warm morning conversation
flowed effortlessly
into a plan.
A simple one.
A quiet one.
A trip to Kawaguchiko,
where the lake shimmered under autumn light,
and where Sakura Noise — disaster or not —
would play again.
By the time we finished talking about Kawaguchiko, the sun had climbed high enough to warm the streets.
Plans were set.
Bags were half-packed.
And before any of us realized, we were already standing together at the train station.
Not rushed.
Not chaotic.
Just… natural.
The kind of flow where one moment melts into the next without anyone announcing it.
Rei checked the time.
"We should stock up before tomorrow. There's a mall two stops from here."
Akane raised a fist.
"Shopping episode! Let's go!"
Mika bounced.
"YAAAY—wait, what are we buying again?"
Naoko tilted her head.
"…Supplies?"
"That! Supplies!" Mika repeated proudly.
The train arrived with a gentle rumble, and we all stepped in.
By the time we reached the mall, the noon crowd had already filled the place. Sunlight poured in through the glass roof, warming the floor tiles and giving everything this… lazy weekend vibe.
We found a spot near the lounge area and dropped our bags.
Akane immediately complained,
"My legs are dying. Next time, we teleport."
Mika laughed. "That's not how trains work."
I checked the mall directory on my phone.
This place was huge. If we didn't split up, we'd be wandering for hours.
Rei must've read my mind.
"Let's divide into teams. It'll be faster."
"Three pairs?" I asked.
Naoko nodded beside her. "We have six people, so it's… convenient."
Akane snapped her fingers.
"Hey, let's draw lots! Pure luck. No drama."
Seemed fair.
I didn't think much of it. They were probably just excited.
We tore tiny slips of paper, scribbled numbers, shuffled the pieces in Mika's hands, and drew.
I unfolded mine: Number 1.
"Same," Hana said softly beside me.
She looked strangely relieved. Or maybe I imagined it.
So the pairs became:
Me & Hana
Rei & Naoko
Akane & Mika
"Alright," I said. "What's our task?"
Hana held up the section of the list assigned to us—her fingers trembling just a little.
"Music equipment. Cables, picks, spare stand, and… maybe another stuff."
"Oh, easy," I replied. "The music store's on the third floor."
Her eyes brightened for a moment.
"Then… let's go?"
We walked ahead while the others split off in different directions.
But before we got too far, I caught something in the corner of my eye:
Rei whispering something to Naoko.
Akane and Mika exchanging a weirdly synchronized grin.
…Whatever it was, they hid it fast.
I shrugged. Probably nothing.
Hana matched my steps quietly.
Every time I glanced her way, she'd look away a split-second later.
Was she nervous about the task?
About working together?
About something else entirely?
I wasn't sure.
But for some reason…
this didn't feel like a random pairing at all.
Still, I kept my thoughts to myself and led the way toward the escalator.
"Hey, Kaito?" Hana said softly.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you… for not walking too fast."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
I felt my ears warm.
"Oh. Uh… yeah. Sure."
We continued walking side by side—
close enough that our hands almost brushed,
but not quite touching.
And somehow, that tiny distance felt louder than the whole mall around us.