Chapter 16 Hot and Cold

Chapter 16 – Hot and Cold

[-Miya-]

The clinking of silverware and the soft murmur of conversations filled the restaurant, but I barely noticed any of it. My focus was on the table near the corner—where Kei and Yukino sat.

At first, I had no reason to be bothered. After all, Kei was only meeting Yukino tonight to finalize the contract for the acquisition of her family's bathhouse. It was strictly business.

It should have been.

But from where I stood behind the counter, finishing up my last orders before my shift ended, it didn't look like just business at all.

Yukino was leaning in too close—closer than necessary. Her arm brushed against Kei's as she passed him a document. She smiled in a way that felt more intimate than professional.

And Kei...

He wasn't pushing her away.

He wasn't reacting much at all, just calmly flipping through the paperwork, pen in hand, the same unreadable expression on his face.

But that was the problem.

His indifference.

It meant that this wasn't the first time.

That he was used to her being like this.

I clenched my fingers around the tray in my hands, a strange, unwelcome heat spreading through my chest.

Why did she need to touch him so often? Why did she have to laugh so lightly, tilting her head just enough to let her hair brush against his shoulder?

Did she always act like this around him?

I told myself it wasn't my place to care.

Kei and I hadn't even defined what we were.

We weren't dating. We weren't lovers.

We were just... something in between.

Something unspoken.

Something fragile.

Something that could easily be shattered if Yukino decided to take him from me.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

Why am I thinking like this?

Kei wasn't mine to lose.

And yet, the jealousy still burned.

I exhaled, forcing myself to focus on finishing my shift. I wasn't going to act stupid over something that shouldn't even matter.

But just as I was wiping down the counter, I noticed Kei standing near the entrance, his sharp gaze scanning the restaurant.

Then his eyes landed on me.

And for a moment, my heart skipped.

Why was he looking for me?

I quickly turned away, pretending to be busy. But within seconds, I heard his deep voice.

"You're almost done, right?"

I froze before glancing up. "Yeah… in ten minutes."

Kei nodded. "Then wait for me."

"…Huh?"

He slid his hands into his pockets, tilting his head slightly. "I'll walk you home."

I blinked. "You… don't have to."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you not want me to?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Did I want him to?

After seeing him with Yukino just now, should I let him?

"…You're not busy?" I asked instead.

"Not anymore."

I hesitated. "Then… why?"

Kei let out a small sigh, shifting his weight. "Because I want to."

That simple.

That direct.

And suddenly, I felt ridiculous for hesitating.

I nodded, ignoring the warmth creeping up my neck. "Okay."

Kei glanced at the time. "Do you want to go somewhere first? Or head back to my place and watch something?"

My eyes widened slightly. "Your place?"

His expression didn't change. "Yeah."

It wasn't the first time I'd been there. In fact, we spent most of our meals together in his unit. But this…

This felt different.

I swallowed, lowering my gaze. "I don't mind…"

Kei watched me for a second longer before nodding. "Then it's settled."

As he turned away, waiting for me to finish up, I let out a slow breath.

Maybe I wasn't ready to face these feelings yet.

But for now, I was fine with this.

Just the two of us.

[-Kei-]

The night air was crisp as we stepped out of the restaurant. The streets were quieter now, with only a few lingering pedestrians making their way home. Miya walked beside me, her hands tucked into her coat pockets, her expression unreadable.

I glanced at her briefly. She had been quiet ever since we left.

I wondered if she was still thinking about Yukino.

I wasn't oblivious. I caught the way Miya looked at us earlier—the way her gaze lingered a little too long before she turned away.

Was she jealous?

I didn't know.

But something about the way she reacted made me uneasy.

"You seemed busy tonight," she finally said, breaking the silence.

I tilted my head slightly. "You were watching?"

Miya's steps faltered for half a second before she quickly regained her pace. "I was working."

A small smirk tugged at the corner of my lips, but I didn't press.

"It was just business," I said simply.

She hummed, unconvinced. "She looked… comfortable with you."

"She's a business partner. It's natural to be comfortable when working together."

Miya scoffed, though she tried to hide it. "She was all over you, Kei."

I stopped walking.

Miya walked a few more steps before realizing I wasn't beside her. She turned, a slight frown on her lips.

I stared at her for a moment before speaking.

"Does it bother you?"

Her eyes widened slightly, her lips parting—but no words came out.

Then, she quickly looked away, crossing her arms. "Why would it?"

That reaction was answer enough.

A slow exhale left my lips.

So she was bothered.

But she wouldn't say it.

And I—I couldn't explain myself either.

Because even though Yukino and I were nothing more than business partners, I had never actually told Miya that.

I never clarified what she was to me either.

And maybe that was why she was acting this way.

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair before turning away.

"Come on. Let's go," I muttered.

Miya blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. But after a few seconds, she sighed and followed.

We walked in silence for a while, until we finally reached my apartment.

I opened the door, stepping inside first, while Miya hesitated at the entrance.

"You coming in or not?" I asked without looking back.

She mumbled something under her breath before slipping inside, taking off her coat and placing it neatly on the chair.

I loosened my tie, glancing at her. "You hungry?"

Miya shook her head. "I already ate at work."

I nodded before heading toward the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"You pick the movie," I said, tossing the remote onto the couch.

Miya hesitated for a moment before walking over to the TV. She scrolled through a few titles, her expression thoughtful, before finally settling on something.

I walked over, sitting beside her. The opening credits rolled across the screen, but my focus wasn't on the movie.

It was on her.

The way she sat with her legs tucked beneath her, her hands loosely holding the remote.

The way she occasionally glanced at me, only to quickly look away when she realized I caught her.

The way she seemed bothered, yet refused to ask me why Yukino was acting like that around me.

I leaned back against the couch, exhaling.

"I don't like Yukino," I said suddenly, cutting through the silence.

Miya stiffened slightly but didn't turn to face me.

"I didn't ask," she muttered.

I smirked. "You wanted to."

She grumbled something unintelligible, pulling a pillow onto her lap and hugging it.

The corners of my lips twitched.

She was so easy to read sometimes.

And yet—I still couldn't tell her the words she wanted to hear.

I still hadn't clarified what we were.

The movie continued playing, but the tension in the room hadn't faded.

I let out a small sigh before speaking again.

"You don't have to be jealous, you know."

Miya finally turned to me, her eyes narrowing. "I'm not jealous."

I held her gaze, amused.

Liar.

She huffed, turning back to the screen, pulling the pillow tighter against her chest.

I chuckled lightly, resting my arm on the back of the couch.

Even if she wouldn't admit it, I knew the truth.

And strangely enough…

I didn't mind it.

[-Miya-]

The movie played in the background, its soft glow casting flickering shadows across the room. I wasn't really paying attention, though. **Not when Kei was sitting so close beside me.**

He hadn't said much since the conversation about Yukino. He just leaned back, arms casually resting on the couch, his expression unreadable.

I sighed inwardly. **Why does he have to be so hard to read sometimes?**

Just then, my phone buzzed on the table, its sudden vibration breaking the quiet. I glanced at the screen—

**Hayato.**

I hesitated before picking up. I put it in Speaker

"Hello?"

Hayato's lighthearted voice came through immediately. "Hey, Miya. Just checking—are we still on for our date tomorrow?"

My brows furrowed slightly, and I opened my mouth to correct him, but then I heard the slight teasing lilt in his tone.

Hayato **was joking**.

But Kei—

I caught the way his posture subtly changed. His relaxed position stiffened ever so slightly, his gaze flickering toward me.

I swallowed.

"Yeah, of course," I replied, deciding not to correct Hayato on the wording.

Because **technically**, it wasn't a date. Hayato and I had agreed to visit **Ryo's grave together** since his **death anniversary** was in a few days.

But Kei **didn't know that**.

And judging by the way his expression darkened, he had completely misunderstood.

Hayato, unaware of the tension brewing beside me, chuckled. "Great. I'll pick you up in the morning then."

"Alright," I muttered. "See you tomorrow."

As soon as I ended the call, I felt the shift in the air.

Kei reached for the remote and **turned off the TV**, cutting the movie short.

I blinked. "Kei—"

"I'm sleepy," he said flatly, standing up. "I'm going to bed."

I stared at him, confused. **Just a second ago, he was fine.**

And now—

My heart sank slightly.

"...Oh. Okay," I muttered, shifting in my seat.

Kei didn't even look at me as he walked toward his room. "Lock the door when you leave."

I frowned. "You're kicking me out?"

He paused for a fraction of a second but didn't turn back. "You said you're meeting Hayato tomorrow. You should get some rest too."

Then, without another word, he disappeared into his room, shutting the door behind him.

I sat there for a long moment, gripping my phone.

**What just happened?**

Something in his voice—his mood—had **completely changed** the moment Hayato was mentioned.

But **why?**

Was he…

**Jealous?**

I bit my lip. **No. That's ridiculous.** Kei and I **weren't even anything**.

But still…

The way he dismissed me just now—without giving me a chance to explain—left an ache in my chest.

I let out a slow breath and stood up, gathering my things.

I didn't bother addressing the misunderstanding.

And neither did he.

[-Kei-]

The soft *click* of the door shutting echoed through my quiet apartment.

She left.

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, **my chest feeling oddly empty**.

I wanted to chase after her.

**Tell her to stay.**

Ask her what she really meant by that call with Hayato.

But I didn't.

Because **what if she actually wanted to go on that date?**

What if I wasn't someone she'd even consider choosing?

The thought made something tighten in my throat.

I exhaled sharply and **shut my eyes**, willing myself to sleep.

But no matter how long I lay there, my mind wouldn't rest.

I could still see her expression before she left—**confused, maybe even a little hurt**.

Did she realize I was upset?

Did she care?

I turned onto my side, restless. **This is ridiculous.**

I was never the type to let emotions control me.

And yet, the idea of Miya **being with someone else—**

*RING.*

The sudden vibration of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I reached for it without checking the caller ID.

"Kei speaking."

A familiar voice answered.

*"Kei, it's me. Yukino."*

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "What is it?"

*"Are you free tomorrow? I need to discuss something about the acquisition."*

Tomorrow.

The same day Miya was going out with Hayato.

My grip tightened slightly around the phone.

"...Yeah," I said after a pause. "I'll meet you."

*"Great. I'll send you the time and place later."*

Yukino's voice was cheerful, but I barely heard it. My thoughts were elsewhere.

As she hung up, I set my phone down and closed my eyes again.

Even with exhaustion settling into my bones, sleep never came.