[Tokyo Revengers] LOOK INTO YOUR PRETTY EYES

CHAPTER 8: Morning joy

Shinae entered the brightly sunlit kitchen. Her first impression of it was that it is adorably neat, the dream kitchen of any housekeeper. The wide slide window that shed dancing light into the whole room looked into the sink with a slide curtain. The gas stove next to the sink was new and clean, and wooden cupboards with glass doors sat next to the window. Under the sinks and the stoves are glass-doored shelves with cutlery, bowls, plates, cutting boards and knives. The mini oven sat in one of the spaces between the shelves, and the microwave lay on the granite-covered kitchen counter. The small refrigerator fitted nicely into the remaining space between the counter and the wall. In the middle of the room was a simple wooden table covered with a white embroidered cover piece and four chairs surrounding it. The flooding golden sunlight lathered the kitchen with a homey, cozy atmosphere. She leaned into the doorframe and fell into silent enrapture at the scene.

This very moment, frozen and perfect, is exactly what she had yearned for every time she wakes up, every time she drops in during lunch time, and every time she returns home from school, what she could only dream of her whole life. To see Aniki sitting at the table with his unsolved jigsaw puzzle before him, patiently trying every piece by piece, seeing which one fits, to see Mother peacefully and cheerfully doing the dishes, to walk to Mother to offer help with the dishes, or to sit down next to Aniki and work on his puzzle together.

Her eyes burned up again, and she had to look down and let out a tiny sniffle, breaking the silence surrounding her.

The sniffle brought Ran and Rindou, who were sitting at the table, back turned to the door, to look behind their backs.

"Shin-chan! Come and sit with us!", Ran cracked a smile at her as he patted the chair next to him. Rindou only scoffed.

She stared slightly resentful at Ran, who quickly avoided her stare, but the peaceful moment had temporarily drained all dark hatred and wild intentions from Shinae.

Reiko-san, who was washing the dishes, turned back to see Shinae and gave her a warm close-eyed smile.

"Yes, dear, come and sit down. I've gotten your breakfast ready right here. Ran, boy, come and take Shinae-chan's plate over to her!"

Ran rose from his seat and walked around Shinae's seat to the kitchen counter, not forgetting to stroke her head. Shinae slightly shunned his touch.

He reached for the dish of food on the granite surface and set it down in front of Shinae, while looking at her wonderingly.

What's wrong with her this morning? She seems uncomfortable and- even hateful?-  to me... Is it because she's shy? Because I had taken her for a boy? Because she had called me Aniki? But she wasn't quite conscious at that moment. Or because I had taken her home? Her attitude wasn't embarrassment either. No, it is something deeper than that. Did I do anything wrong yesterday? But she was saying sorry and thank you when I stopped her...

Ran returned to his seat and persisted in his unbroken stare at Shinae. Shinae slightly twitched in discomfort and looked into her plate instead. It was mounted full of eggs, bacon and buttered toast.

"Help yourself, dearie. I hope you like fried eggs and sausages, though I'm afraid it might be too greasy for you. Oh, and there's orange jam in the refrigerator, too. You can try spreading it on your toast, Shinae-chan, it is very good.", chattered Reiko-san while giving Shinae another kind smile. "If you think you can't finish all of the food, you can always share it with Ran or Rindou. Young men are always hungry, you know."

Her small talk had relaxed Shinae a little, as she flashed a small smile as she looked at the small figure standing before the window. Ran caught sight of it, and all his wonderings melted away.

"Hey, you. You can give me your eggs and sausages if you don't eat them". Rindou called from over Ran while sliding his plate to Shinae.

"Really, Rindou?", scoffed Ran. "And she has a name, you know!"

"Watch what you say, young man.", his Mother said warningly from behind her back.

Rindou smirked discontentedly.

"Okay, whatever."

He leaned over to take his dish back, but a small hand held onto it.

Shinae smiled again and laughed a little.

He... seems a little like Aniki in his cranky morning mood. And Aniki would always want more sausages on those mornings as well. He wouldn't like me calling him Aniki, but he would want me to call me by his name.

She was surprised that she didn't feel any pain like every time she thought of Aniki, but instead she sensed a gentle, soft warmth in her.

"I want to eat them, but if you want them then we can always share, Rindou-kun~!"

"..."

"You don't have to, Shinae-chan."

"It's okay, Reiko-san. I wanted to."

Rindou stared in amazement as she cheerfully scooped one of her two sunny eggs and some sausages onto his plate. She gave him another warm smile as she slid the plate back to him.

"T... Thanks.", he stammered.

"You're welcome."

Ran stared at both of them in disbelief, which made Shinae's smile become a bit awkward. She looked at Rindou again.

"Anyways,  thank you for lending me your sweater, Rindou-kun. It's very comfortable."

"...You're welcome."

"I'll wash it clean and return it to you as soon as possible, Rindou-kun."

Rindou didn't reply. Instead, he looked away and nodded.

Goddammit, stop smiling and calling me by my name!

Only Ran saw the faint blush in his face, and he looked even more uncomfortable and left out than ever.

Shinae nibbled on a piece of jammed toast as she gazed at the jolly, almost sparkling sunlight landing on her hand.

What a peaceful morning. The most peaceful morning I had ever enjoyed, even though I had not spent it with Mother or Aniki... I wish this moment would last forever...

P/s: Omggg this chapter is so full of cuteness I'm just gonna go dieee- ❤💖💕💞💓

P/s 2: Yayyyyyy 101 reads already??!! Talking about goals when you achieved it 2 chapters early ~~!!