Chapter 36: The Calm Before

The Tuesday morning drizzle painted the Sato household in soft grays, a quiet backdrop to the chaos of the past week. Riku woke early, the memory of Aiko's toothpaste ambush still tugging a grin from him despite the knot of nerves in his chest. Family Day was weeks away, but it loomed like a thunderhead, and every day felt like a countdown. He rolled out of bed, tugging on a hoodie, determined to seize this calm before it broke.

Downstairs, Aiko was already in the kitchen, flipping toast with a lazy grace, her hair in a messy bun that slipped strands across her shoulders. She wore an oversized sweatshirt—his, he realized with a jolt—and shorts that peeked out beneath the hem, her bare legs catching the morning light. She glanced up as he entered, smirking. "Morning, knight. Sleep off your toothpaste trauma?"

"Barely," he said, grabbing a mug for coffee. "You're a menace."

"Always," she replied, sliding a piece of toast onto a plate and shoving it toward him. Their fingers brushed, a spark of warmth in the routine, and he caught her eye, her smirk softening into something real.

His mom bustled in, still in her robe, and beamed. "You two are up early! No school fights today?"

"Not yet," Aiko said, smirking as she spread jam on her toast. "Riku's saving his energy for the big stuff."

"Big stuff?" Hana asked, pouring tea with a curious tilt of her head.

"Nothing," Riku said quickly, shoving toast into his mouth to dodge the question. Aiko's foot nudged his under the table—a silent *nice save*—and he nudged back, the contact steadying him.

Hana hummed, eyeing them, but let it drop as she sipped her tea. "Well, behave. Your dad's got a meeting tonight, so it's just us for dinner."

"Perfect," Aiko said, her tone light but her eyes glinting with mischief. Riku groaned inwardly—alone with her and his mom spelled trouble.

---

Yamato High was a buzz of normalcy when they arrived, the rain keeping most students indoors. Riku walked in beside Aiko, their shoulders brushing as they split at the lockers, a quiet rhythm settling between them. No big gestures, just a shared glance that said *we're okay*. The rumors had dulled to a murmur—*"They're weird, but whatever"*—and he clung to that fragile peace.

Class 2-B was a mixed bag. Haruka greeted him with a smile, handing him a pencil she'd sharpened "just in case." "You've been dropping stuff a lot," she said, her tone teasing but warm.

"Thanks," he said, taking it, grateful for her steady presence. She didn't push, didn't pry—just stayed, a friend who'd weathered the storm.

Mika slipped in next, her book tucked under her arm, and offered a shy nod. "Morning," she said, her voice soft. "I finished that knight book. Want it?"

"Sure," he said, and she smiled, sliding it onto his desk. Aiko's knee bumped his under the table—a playful *watch it*—but she stayed quiet, her smirk subtle.

Yuna was the wildcard, bursting in with a grin and a candy bar she tossed at Riku. "Morning, cutie! Keeping your princess happy?"

"Shut up," he muttered, catching it, but Aiko smirked, snatching half before he could protest.

"He tries," she said, chewing with exaggerated delight. "Poorly."

The class chuckled, and Yuna winked, dropping into her seat. "You two are too fun. Don't break up—I'd lose my entertainment."

"We're not—" Riku started, but Aiko's laugh cut him off, and he let it go, the banter a shield against the deeper questions.

---

Lunch was their oasis. They escaped to the roof, the drizzle gone, the sky a pale blue streaked with clouds. Aiko kicked off her shoes, sprawling on the concrete with her bento, her sweatshirt—his sweatshirt—slipping off one shoulder to reveal the strap of her tank top beneath. "Peaceful up here," she said, popping a rice ball into her mouth.

"Yeah," Riku agreed, sitting beside her, his bento open. "No Yuna, no rumors."

"Yet," she teased, smirking as she stretched, the sweatshirt riding up to flash her stomach. His eyes flicked there, then away, his face warm. "Caught you," she said, grinning.

"Shut up," he muttered, shoving her lightly, and she laughed, rolling onto her side to face him.

"Admit it," she said, her voice dropping. "You like the view."

"Maybe," he said, smirking back, bolder than he felt. Her grin widened, and she leaned in, brushing a quick kiss against his cheek—soft, real, a spark in the calm.

"Testing me again?" he asked, his heart thudding.

"Always," she replied, pulling back with a smirk. "You're passing so far."

He chuckled, leaning back on his hands, their shoulders brushing as they ate in companionable silence. The world below buzzed on, but up here, it was just them—a moment to breathe before the storm.

---

Dinner that night tested their truce. With his dad out, Hana cooked a cozy spread—chicken katsu, rice, and miso soup—and insisted they eat in the living room, a rare treat with a movie on the TV. Riku and Aiko sat on the couch, plates balanced on their laps, his mom perched in the armchair with a grin.

"Nice to have a quiet night," Hana said, sipping her tea. "You two have been so busy lately."

"Yeah," Riku said, focusing on his katsu to avoid her gaze. "School stuff."

"School stuff," Hana echoed, her tone teasing. "And all that giggling I keep hearing?"

Aiko smirked, nudging Riku's leg with her foot. "He's just ticklish, Aunt Hana. Can't help it."

"Am not," he protested, shoving her foot away, but she laughed, her bare toes brushing his shin again, sending a shiver up his spine.

Hana watched them, her smile sharpening. "You're awful close for cousins who fight so much."

"We don't fight," Aiko said, her tone light but her eyes flicking to Riku. "We're perfect."

"Perfectly annoying," he muttered, and she flicked a grain of rice at him, grinning when it stuck to his cheek.

Hana laughed, but her gaze lingered, thoughtful. "You remind me of me and my brother sometimes. But… different."

Riku's stomach tightened, and Aiko's grin faltered, just for a second. "Different how?" she asked, her voice casual but her foot stilling against his leg.

"Just… closer," Hana said, her tone soft but probing. "Be careful, okay? Family's tricky."

The words hung there, heavy with meaning, and Riku nodded, his throat dry. "Yeah," he said. "We will."

Aiko squeezed his knee under the table—a quick, grounding touch—and they finished dinner in silence, the movie's laugh track a thin cover for the tension.

---

Later, they lingered in the hallway after his mom went to bed, the house dark and quiet. Aiko leaned against her doorframe, her sweatshirt slipping off her shoulder again, her eyes catching the dim light. "She's sharp," she said, smirking. "We're screwed."

"Maybe," Riku said, stepping closer. "But we've got time."

"Time," she echoed, her smirk softening. She reached up, brushing his cheek where the rice had stuck, her fingers lingering. "You're a mess, knight."

"You made me one," he murmured, catching her hand and pulling her closer. Their lips met—slow, real, a promise in the quiet—and she melted into him, her arms looping around his neck.

The kiss deepened, her body warm against his, until she pulled back, breathless and grinning. "Night," she whispered, slipping into her room.

"Night," he said, his voice hoarse, leaning against the wall as her door clicked shut. The calm held—for now—but the storm was coming, and they'd face it together.

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