I see you || Kimi Antonelli

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Kimi's eyes sparkled with surprise as he tasted the soup, and I couldn't help but watch him closely. "This is amazing, Mrs. Harper," he said, and I saw my mom's face light up with his praise. Her smile was soft, but her eyes were dancing with joy. "I'm so glad you like it," she responded, her voice filled with a mix of happiness and nostalgia.

I caught Kimi's glance and grinned. "Now you see why I've been hyping up this soup," I teased, eager to share the experience with him. "It's the best, isn't it?" I added, my words bubbling with excitement.

Mom's smile stretched even wider, and I noticed a shimmer in her eyes that hadn't been there before. It was more than just pride in her cooking; it was a connection to Grandma, whose recipe this was. Grandma had passed away way before I was born, but Mom kept her memory alive for me. Through stories and old photos, I felt like I knew my grandma, even though we'd never met.

Amelie piped up then, her voice hopeful, "So, Kimi, does this mean we'll be seeing more of you?" She looked at him with those big, expectant eyes. Kimi glanced my way, a silent question in his gaze, and I nodded, giving him the go-ahead. "If it's cool with your parents," he replied, his tone casual but sincere.

"The door's always open for you," Dad chimed in from across the table, his voice steady and welcoming.

Kimi's smile was genuine, and I couldn't help but return it. "You're always welcome here," Mom added, her tone light. "Thanks, that means a lot, Mr. and Mrs. Harper," he said, meeting my parents' eyes with gratitude.

Dad waved off the formality with a laugh. "Please, call me Brian," he insisted, and Mom jumped in too, "And I'm Sarah. 'Mrs. Harper' just makes me feel ancient!"

We all laughed, and the room felt warm and full of life. "Got it," Kimi said, and I felt a rush of happiness at how easily he fit into our family.

It was weird, but having Kimi at our dinner table felt like the most natural thing in the world. I almost forgot he was kind of a big deal and that we'd only met a couple of days ago.

Watching him chat and laugh with my parents, I felt a surge of contentment. The room was filled with laughter and good vibes, and it was awesome.

As the evening wound down, Kimi stood to leave, and Mom handed him a container of the leftover soup. "Thank you for everything," he told them, his voice warm. "Don't mention it, come back any time," Mom said, pulling him into a hug. He hugged her back, then shared a bro hug with Dad and did the secret handshake he and Amelie had concocted just a short while ago.

Seeing Amelie so happy, especially with Kimi, made my heart swell. It was cool to see her connect with someone like that.

"I'll text you later, okay?" Kimi said to me, pulling me into a hug. "Sure," I replied, smiling as I held the door open for him. "Don't get lost on your way out!" I called after him, and his chuckle was the last thing I heard before I closed the door behind him.

ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᶠᵒʳᵍᵉᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵛᵒᵗᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᶜᵒᵐᵐᵉⁿᵗ シ︎