The three kids had run off to play.
Now it was just the two guardians standing awkwardly in the entryway.
The noise of their cheerful voices faded into the distance.
The air felt like it had been partially vacuumed out of the house—leaving behind a sudden, awkward silence.
The space that had just been filled with the kids' energy now felt way too empty.
Only the soft shifting of sunlight in the living room made any sound.
And then… the silence. That heavy, creeping awkwardness.
Kobayashi stood there clutching a fancy dessert box like it was a hot potato.
She glanced to her left.
Michiru Hyōdō—a bubbly, high schooler who looked about the same age as her own little sister.
Right now, she was tilting her head in a weird angle, scratching at her messy blue hair, eyeing the living room setup like she was scoping out an exhibit.
That abstract painting on the wall seemed to have really caught her attention.
Then Kobayashi looked to her right.
Yor Briar—polished, graceful, straight out of a fashion catalog.
She wore a flawless, polite smile, her posture perfect, her eyes soft.
And yet, Kobayashi couldn't help but feel… tense?
Or maybe just painfully aware of how rough-around-the-edges she looked in comparison.
Who was she in all this?
Wearing old pajamas, hair lazily tied up, and still rocking those under-eye circles from pulling overtime last night—just your average tired office worker.
Three women.
Three totally different worlds.
Burnt-out salarywoman.
Energetic high schooler.
The perfect (but fake) housewife-slash-assassin.
What am I even supposed to say right now?
How do you start a conversation that doesn't instantly crash and burn?
Kobayashi's under-socialized brain kicked into overdrive, CPU overheating.
Talk about work?
Michiru's still in school.
School life?
She and Yor graduated forever ago.
Hobbies?
Hah. What hobbies? She's too busy surviving corporate life.
Kids?
She's got Shin, her hyperactive little gremlin.
Yor's Anya's guardian (whatever that means).
Michiru definitely doesn't have any.
Weather?
Please. Too basic.
…
And clearly, it wasn't just Kobayashi who was struggling.
The silence between the three of them was thick—like some invisible goo.
The sun kept shining, but it didn't do anything to melt the weird tension in the air.
"Uh…"
Kobayashi finally croaked out a syllable, trying to break the deadlock.
She forced a dry smile and gestured stiffly toward the living room.
"Um… Briar-san, Michiru, please, make yourselves at home. Would you like some tea? I-I'll go make some!"
It was like she'd grabbed onto a lifeline.
Clutching the dessert box, she nearly tripped over herself rushing toward the kitchen to escape the socially suffocating silence.
Yor maintained her perfect smile and gave a soft nod.
"Th-thank you, Kobayashi-san."
She moved gracefully to the couch, sitting down with practiced elegance.
Hands folded neatly, eyes calmly taking in the living room layout—like she was silently giving the place a polite once-over.
But her gaze seemed… strangely focused.
Scanning everything, like it was second nature—
a habit leftover from her not-so-normal profession.
Meanwhile, Michiru seemed completely unfazed by the vibe.
She followed Kobayashi halfway to the kitchen before chirping,
"Need a hand, Kobayashi-san? I make a decent cup of tea!"
Her voice was practically glowing with high-schooler energy.
"Ah? No, no, you're guests—just relax! I've got it!"
Kobayashi's voice floated out from the kitchen, tinged with a hint of panic.
"Alright then…"
Michiru flopped back down on the couch and waited quietly.
…
A few moments later, Kobayashi returned, carefully balancing a tray with three teacups.
She placed them in front of Yor and Michiru one by one, then slid her own into place and sat down.
The dark tea shimmered softly in the cups, thin wisps of steam curling up.
The three of them sat at the tiny coffee table, each claiming a corner of the couch.
Kobayashi wrapped her hands around her cup, hoping the warmth would somehow calm her nerves.
Yor sipped her tea gracefully, like it was second nature.
Her gaze lowered, long lashes casting soft shadows under her eyes—the whole scene looked like something out of a painting.
Michiru, on the other hand, was clearly restless.
She tried to mimic Yor's graceful sip, immediately burned her tongue, let out a quiet "ow," and put the cup down.
Then she started glancing around the room again, tapping her fingers on her knees like she was keeping time to a beat only she could hear.
…
Silence.
Toe-curling, unbearable silence.
Only the occasional clink of porcelain broke the stillness—and the faint sounds of giggling and shrieking from the kids' room down the hall.
"Anya, can you really… read minds?"
"Mm-hmm!"
"Kanna-chan, are you really a…?"
"Yup! Look—."
"Whoa! That's so cool, Kanna-chan!"
…
You couldn't really hear what they were saying clearly, but the chaotic, happy energy leaking in from down the hall made the stillness in the living room feel even weirder.
Kobayashi felt cold sweat gathering at her temples.
Nope. I have to say something. Anything!
I'm the host. I cannot let this turn into an awkward mess.
She took a deep breath, summoned whatever social battery she had left, and glanced between Yor and Michiru—searching for even the tiniest opening.
"Um… Briar-san?"
She tried to make her smile look as casual as possible.
"How's Anya doing at school? Is she getting along with Shin and Kanna okay? Shin's pretty hyper at home—I hope she hasn't been a handful."
Yor looked up and gave her a soft, elegant smile.
She gently set down her teacup and folded her hands again.
"Thank you for asking," she said, her voice smooth and calm like a spring breeze.
"Anya really loves school. She's been so happy spending time with Kanna-chan and Shin-chan. They've become such good friends."
~~~
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