Special Dinner

After Asaka stepped into the room, Takeuchi closed the door behind her, the faint click echoing through the quiet space.

The evening sun filtered through the small windows, casting long, golden shadows across the floor.

It felt like a regular evening, but the weight between them made everything feel different.

They moved to the kitchen, a shared space that doubled as a living room, where they had spent so many evenings before.

Takeuchi pulled out a chair for her, and she sat, giving him a small smile.

He tried to return it, but there was a knot in his stomach, a feeling he couldn't quite place.

Something about her felt different—subtly, almost imperceptibly, but undeniably so.

As they sat down, Takeuchi couldn’t help but think about how much had changed.

It had been more than a few weeks since Asaka had left the academy after the assassination attempt.