C-23

Rafta's stomach growled loud, cutting the tease short. He plopped beside Haari, eyeing the tiffin. "Alright, let's eat."

"Huh?" Haari blinked.

"What? You can share, right?" Rafta said, shrugging. " It's not like she put some restriction on not to share lunch with others."

"Fine," Haari muttered, unwrapping the cloth.

They froze. "Huh?" they said in unison.

The tiffin gleamed—sleek, odd, nothing like the usual. "What is this?" Haari muttered, lifting it, squinting for an opening. "No front, no back—how's it work?"

Rafta leaned in, spotting a tiny button on the side. "There." They set it down; he pressed it. With a soft click, the tiffin whirred open—steam wafted up, food was still warm. Two mechanical arms snapped out, each clutching a spoon, hovering like some sci-fi gimmick.

Haari and Rafta locked eyes, jaws dropping. "Technologia," Rafta deadpanned.

"Technologia," Haari just repeat after him.

They burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the roof, spoons clinking in their hands.

Rafta stood, brushing crumbs off his hands, and took a step toward the stairs. He paused, half-turning, voice lazy but pointed.

 "You know, not just any girl spends an entire day with a guy unless she finds something interesting about him." His voice was calm but carried an unmistakable hint of amusement. "And whenever I see Nicawa-san with you, she seems... different. Like she actually enjoys being around you, even when you're not doing anything special."

Haari, who was still seated, furrowed his brows. "Huh?"

Rafta turned slightly, a teasing smirk playing on his lips. "If you ask me, you should ask her out on a date sometime, You got full chance with her."

"A date?" Haari echoed, voice flat, brain stalling.

His mind spun hard. We spent the whole day together because of you two! Nicawa-san wasn't into me—her curiosity just got the better of her, that's all.

Rafta didn't seem concerned about the internal chaos he had just unleashed. He simply shrugged, as if amused by Haari's reaction. "Yeah, a date." His eyes gleamed with playful mischief as he stepped down the stairs. "Think about it."

With that, he sauntered off, the rooftop door creaking as his easy stride faded down the steps, leaving Haari rooted, thoughts churning like a storm.

"He's got it all wrong," Haari muttered, dragging a hand through his already-tousled hair, tugging at the roots. His eyes lingered on the empty spot where Rafta was standing, smug and sure. 

But then—flashes of yesterday flickered in his mind.

Ashi's smile.

Holding hands.

Pretending to be a couple—just for some movie tickets.

Haari's hands flew to his head, gripping his hair as if physically trying to shake away the thoughts.

No, no, no. That was just—

Rafta's words looped, relentless: Not any girl spends their whole day with a man unless they found something interesting. Haari's chest tightened, frustration boiling over. Rafta's words echoed through his mind like a curse."Argh—damn you, Rafta!" he growled, kicking the bench leg, the clang echoing sharp.

He slumped back down, elbows on knees, staring at the tiffin—its sleek shell mocking his mess of a head.

The evening air bit at Haari's skin, sharp and cold as he trudged home, hands shoved deep in his coat pockets. Rafta's words clung like damp fog—date her for real—replaying, relentless. The city thrummed: traffic growling, neon flickering against the twilight, voices tangling with shopfront tunes—a pulse he tuned out, lost in his head.

At the cozy shop's door, Mina, Nilu, and Riya spilled out, their chatter trailing into the night. The Old Man leaned on the counter, silver hair catching the light, a warm smile crinkling his eyes. "Don't forget to swing back, alright? I'll have it ready next time."

Riya lingered last, glancing at the faded photo—young him, all smirk and spark. "We'll be back," she said, lips quirking soft.

"Take care, get home safe," he called, voice rough but kind as the door swung shut behind them.

It creaked open again—Haari stepped in, the shop's heat melting the chill from his coat. Broth simmered, meat sizzled, wrapping him in a quiet welcome. He slid onto a stool at the counter, shoulders slumping.

The Old Man got to work, knife flashing through ingredients with practiced ease, but his eyes flicked to Haari. "You seem down tonight," he said, voice low, steady. . "What's on your mind?"

Haari exhaled slow, fingers sketching aimless circles on the worn wood. "Nothing. Just office junk."

The Old Man snorted, unconvinced, chopping steady. "Come on, kid. I've been in this business long enough to know when someone's got something weighing on them. Spill it."

Haari clicked his tongue, head shaking. "What, you're my life coach now? Gonna map me out?"

"Hey," the Old Man grinned, pointing the knife mid-slice, "Hey, if you need one, I wouldn't mind. I give pretty solid advice," 

Haari leaned back, stool creaking, eyes drifting to the ceiling's chipped paint. "It's… something dumb. Happened recently—not a big deal, but my coworkers are making a huge fuss over it."

The Old Man kept slicing, rhythm unbroken, but nodded. "What kinda dumb?"

Haari tapped his fingers against the counter, his thoughts a tangled mess. I should just tell him the truth—it's safer for both me and Nicawa-san. But knowing him, who knows what kind of nonsense he'd come up with? He sighed internally. Why am I even bothering to explain myself? I could just say no and be done with it… But I don't see a way out of this mess, gotta cook something fast.

He hesitated, then let it spill, slow and guarded. "I...spent the whole day with a coworker yesterday. It wasn't planned, but we ended up visiting a bunch of places together… And now Rafta is acting like it was some kind of date."

The Old Man paused mid-slice, knife hovering, then flicked his eyes up. "This coworker__Was that a woman you were with yesterday?"

Haari tensed. He caught on fast. "Yeah, she was," he admitted, voice tight.

A low, amused hum rumbled from the Old Man's chest. He set the knife down, leaning on the counter, grin tugging his lips. "Well… Rafta did have a point then."

Haari's brow shot up, skeptical. "How can you be so sure?"

The Old Man's hands splayed on the wood, steady, his gaze locking Haari's with a glint of mischief. "Kid, I've been around longer than you've been breathing. You think I don't know how this stuff plays out?"

Haari tilted his head, wary. "This 'stuff' what do you mean…?"

The Old Man's eyes sparkled, sly and knowing. "Women," he said, voice dropping like he was spilling a secret. "I know everything about women, More than anybody else could ever know."

Haari blinked, leaning back, stool creaking. "I… don't understand what you're talking about."

The smirk widened, the Old Man leaning in closer. "Alright, let's test it. How many girlfriends you have back in university, huh?"

Haari frowned, caught off-guard, then corrected flat. "Many? None—I never had a girlfriend."

The Old Man's grin held, undeterred, the air thick with his unspoken told you so as Haari's guard flickered, pinned under that weathered stare.

The Old Man's eyes bulged, mock horror painting his face. "You're kidding right!" he boomed, slapping both hands on the counter like Haari had just confessed a crime.

" Why do lie about something like that," Haari said, shrugging, unfazed by the theatrics.

The Old Man heaved a sigh, heavy and dramatic, shaking his head like the world's weight had crashed down. Then, voice dropping to a conspiratorial hush, he leaned in close. "I've never told this to anyone, but I'll tell you now… Back when I was in university, I had six girlfriends."

Haari choked, air catching in his throat. "Six?!" His stare locked on the Old Man, pure disbelief. " And you?" 

A proud nod, chest puffing slightly. "And here's the kicker—they were all in the same class. None of them knew I was dating the others."

Haari's jaw unhinged, dangling. "How the hell did you pull that off?"

The Old Man tapped his temple, grin sharp as a blade. "Experience, my boy. Skill."

Haari squinted, arms crossing tight. "And… what exactly does that have to do with me?"

The smirk stretched wider, mischief glinting. "It means you're in trouble and just don't know it yet."

"Trouble?" Haari scoffed, leaning back. "What trouble? I don't think I'm in any kind of problem right now,"

A low, knowing chuckle rumbled out as the Old Man rested a hand on the counter, steady and sure. "That's exactly the problem with today genration. People lie you fail to understand what's happening around you and end up regretting it later."His eyes softened, just a flicker. "Trust me, kido… before you even realize it, you'll look back and wonder why you didn't notice it sooner."

Haari's brows furrowed, confusion creasing his face. " Notice what? What are you getting at?"

The Old Man leaned closer, voice dipping like he was handing over a sacred truth. "Go confess to her. That's it."

Haari jolted, nearly tipping off the stool, arms flailing. "Whaaat?! Confess? To who?!"

The Old Man's grin held, unshaken, the shop's warm hum wrapping around Haari's spiraling shout.

"To her, duh," the Old Man said, rolling his eyes like Haari was missing the sun in the sky. "Tell her you love her, and wanna marry to her—get it done man."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Haari threw up both hands, head shaking fast enough to blur. "You're way off!"

The Old Man arched a brow, unfazed. "Huh?"

"She's just a friend!" Haari snapped, voice spiking with exasperation.

A chuckle rumbled out, low and smug. "Everything start with friendship, kid."

Haari groaned, palm pressing his temple like it could shove the nonsense out. "Listen… we spent the whole day together because we were investigating something that had been bugging us for quite some time. And it just happened to take the whole day."

The Old Man stroked his chin, mock-pensive, eyes glinting. "Hm… just what were you two investigating that took an entire day?" His lips twitched, a smirk creeping up, teasing and sharp.

Haari's patience cracked. With a loud, fed-up sigh, he slammed a hand on the counter, stool scraping as he shot up. "I'm going. Thanks for the meal."

" Don't mention it " He spun on his heel, strides long and stiff, aiming for the door. The Old Man's grin didn't budge, his voice chasing after. "Come back when you realize I'm right!"

Haari didn't bite—just shoved through the door, the night air hitting him cool and crisp. "That old man's lost his damn mind," he muttered, breath fogging as he stormed off, the shop's warm glow fading behind him.

The night air was cool, and the distant hum of the city outside Ashi's apartment window mixed with the occasional honk of a car. She trudged into her home, the soft glow of the single ceiling light barely enough to brighten the small, cozy space. The moment she shut the door behind her, she let out a deep, exhausted breath.

"Haaah… today was so tiring," she groaned, slipping off her shoes. "I'm completely drained. I don't even wanna think about cooking."

Dragging herself to her bed, she collapsed onto it face-first like a lifeless corpse. The soft mattress welcomed her, but just as she started to relax—

Grrrrr…

Her stomach let out a long, demanding growl.

Ashi's face was buried in the pillow, but she still managed to whimper, "Ahhh, nooo… just for today, can't you give me a break? I really don't wanna move right now."

Another loud growl.

"You're not gonna let this go, are you?" she muttered in defeat.

With great effort, she peeled herself off the bed and dragged her feet to the fridge, her every movement slow and reluctant. She yanked open the door and peeked inside.

"…I'm sure I have something in here," she mumbled, scanning the empty shelves.

The dim refrigerator light illuminated a sad sight—half a bottle of water, a small container of pickles, and a lone expired yogurt cup sitting at the back.

Ashi blinked.

"…I really am the worstless." She shut the fridge, sighing in disappointment. "How do I live like this?"

Just then—

Ding dong.

Her head snapped toward the door.

"Huh? Who's coming at this hour?" she muttered suspiciously. "Is someone here to kill me? Well, that'd be convenient. At least I wouldn't have to die of hunger…"

Grumbling, she shuffled to the door and pulled it open, only to find her aunty, standing there with a gentle smile.