Chapter 46: Stop! The Kitchen Is Not a Battlefield!
The kitchen brimmed with the rich scent of chocolate, eggs, and flour, the air heavy with the promise of something sweet. The clatter of spoons against bowls rang through the space.
Mina stood at the counter, stiff as a soldier at attention. Her eyes darted from the measuring cups to the mixing bowl, then swept the unfamiliar kitchen. The steady hum of the refrigerator and the tick of the wall clock pressed on her nerves. It was her first time in Syler's house, and her chest tightened with a mix of excitement and dread.
Her eyes roamed the house, taking in every corner. It was small, yes, but alive. Photos of Syler and his grandmother crowded the walls, shoes scuffed the entryway, and well-tended plants filled the corners with green. It felt lived in. It felt real.
Her chest tightened. This was nothing like her own apartment. A boxy space with bare walls and a bed meant only for sleep. She could have afforded something larger, something nicer, but she never saw the point. Money was rarely an issue for awakeners, even after she cut ties with her family. And after years of living in vast estates that only amplified her loneliness, the thought of pouring money into another hollow space felt meaningless.
Syler's house, though… this felt like a home. And Mina realized, with a pang, how much she wanted that.
Syler moved easily through the space, sleeves rolled, whisk in hand, utterly at home. His ease pulled her out of her thoughts, and she forced her focus back to the counter. The ingredients waited before her like lined-up enemies, daring her to make the first move.
Years of independence had taught her to cook well enough. At the very least, she could say she was leagues better than Elias, who managed to ruin everything he touched in the kitchen. But baking was different. Baking demanded patience. Precision. No room for instinct, no freedom to toss in a dash of this or a splash of that.
If cooking was art, baking was merciless science.
And science was Mina's worst subject.
Syler peeked over at Mina, noticing her frozen in place. "Everything okay?" he asked, anxiety threading his voice. He was nervous too; having Mina in his house made his chest tighten.
For years he'd kept this place hidden from his friends, afraid they'd wonder why he didn't live with his parents. Afraid they'd find out he was the child of an affair. What would he do if they started seeing him differently? Or worse. What if they started hating him? But just this once, he wanted to be brave and so he brought Mina home.
"Erm, actually… I'm not very good at baking. I might make a terrible kitchen aide," she admitted, cheeks heating red.
Syler paused. It was odd, seeing her so flustered. Mina usually radiated confidence, but now she seemed almost shy. The sight stirred something strange in him.
"Well, then I'll help. I can watch and guide you, if you'd like," he offered, setting down the bowl he'd been mixing.
"It's just… baking cookies from scratch intimidates me," she muttered, shivering at the memory of her last attempt. Her oven had nearly exploded. The last thing she wanted was to burn down her friend's house.
Syler rubbed his chin in thought. His eyes lit up as an idea struck.
"Maybe we don't have to make them from scratch. We can try cake cookies instead. They only need a few ingredients. A box of cake mix, an egg, some oil and water, and maybe one or two extras depending on the kind. Easy enough, right?" He smiled, walked to the cabinet, and set a bag of cake mix on the counter.
"I can still walk you through it, if you'd like," Syler offered.
Mina found herself staring at his bright smile, dazed, and nodded.
Mina measured out the oil and water just as Syler instructed and poured them into the bowl with the cake mix and egg. She frowned at the lumpy mixture. Wasn't it too dry? Would the water really be enough? Doubt gnawed at her. She filled the measuring cup again and lifted it, ready to add more, but a hand caught her wrist.
"Wait! Why are you adding more water?" Syler asked, exasperation in his voice.
Mina tilted her head, guilt flickering across her face. "Um… it looked dry?" she mumbled, like a child who did wrong.
Syler sighed. She looked so cute when she was confused that he couldn't bring himself to scold her. "It's fine. I know it doesn't look like enough, but it is. It just looks that way because it isn't mixed yet. If you add more water, the batter will get too thin, and when it bakes, it'll turn rock solid."
Mina's eyes lit with understanding. She glanced down at his hand still wrapped around her wrist. Syler followed her gaze, awkwardly letting go as a flush crept up his pale neck. "S-sorry. Uh, you can try mixing it now," he said, urging her forward.
But he put far too much faith in her. The moment Mina started stirring, the bowl turned into a flour storm, cake mix flying like shrapnel across the kitchen.
"Wait—stop! You're gonna lose the whole thing to the floor if you stir like that!" Syler yelped, grabbing her wrist again to stop the chaos.
Mina blinked at the splatters dotting the counter, the floor, even her hair. She gave a sheepish chuckle. "...Oops."
Afraid she'd whip up another tornado of batter, Syler stepped in close behind her, guiding her hands with his. "Let me teach you before we lose the rest of it," he murmured, his voice low, the vibration brushing her ear.
Mina's face burned as Syler's chest pressed warmly against her back. She hadn't noticed it before, but even if he wasn't tall or broad like Elias, he still stood a few inches above her. His build was slight, yet he was bigger than her, his hands steady and warm as they covered hers over the bowl.
He was only sixteen, but what if he grew taller? Mina adored the boyish Syler standing with her now, yet the thought of an older, more mature Syler made her cheeks flare hotter. While her imagination wandered, Syler's words drifted past her unheard.
"So, if you stir like this, it won't fly everywhere—" Syler paused when he realized Mina hadn't responded. Why wasn't she saying anything?
He turned his head over her shoulder and froze. Her face was bright red.
His eyes widened as it hit him—this position was far too close. It was too intimate… wasn't it? If she turned her head, their lips would meet, as if…they were kissing.
Syler jerked his head back, heat rushing to his cheeks. 'God, what are you even thinking about right now?' His face burned like a lobster fresh from the pot.
A click at the front door jolted Syler. 'Oh no! If Bibi sees us like this, she'll definitely get the wrong idea!' Panic rushed through him.
But the voice that followed wasn't his grandmother's. It was another all-too-familiar one, one he dreaded hearing, especially now.
"Oh my. It's been so long since I last visited, and you already have a girlfriend? Is this why you never answer my calls or texts these days?" The teasing words cut through the air, draining the warmth from the room.
A woman with brown hair and eyes so much like Syler's stepped inside as if she owned the place. It was Georgia, his estranged mother.
Syler yanked the bowl out of Mina's hands, set it on the counter, and pulled her behind him in one swift motion—his body forming a barrier between her and Georgia.
Mina's eyes flicked between them, the tension in the room thick enough to choke on.
"Mom, what are you even doing here?" Syler growled.
Mina jolted. She had never heard Syler sound this angry before. She knew from his grandmother that his relationship with his parents wasn't good, but this… this was different. For the sweet, mild-tempered Syler to turn hostile…just what kind of person was his mother?
"Who do you think you're talking to like that? I'm your mother. Why shouldn't I be allowed to visit my own son?" Georgia shot back, arms crossed as she dropped onto the couch.
"Because we both know it's never just a visit with you. Are you here for money again? Bibi already told you not to come back, and I'm not giving you anything," Syler snapped through clenched teeth. Mina felt his grip tighten around her hand.
"Oh, come on, Syler. What's wrong with a mom asking her son for a little help once in a while? I've been busting my back just to scrape by." She tugged at her shirt, flashing the fast-food logo printed across it. "See this? I'm working myself to the bone. Meanwhile, you're blowing all your money on this little girlfriend of yours? Let me tell you something from experience. Spending money on romance will ruin your life. Just look at my—"
"Shut up! She's not my girlfriend, and stop dragging her into your guilt trips." Syler's voice cut like a blade. "We both know romance isn't the reason your life's a mess. That's on you. All of it."
Georgia froze, caught off guard by the venom in his words. Her jaw tightened. Since when had he grown so sharp? He was supposed to be timid, easy to control. He was the reason her life had fallen apart, and now he dared to talk back? If he had never been born, she would still be living in the lap of luxury.
She forced her face smooth, burying her anger beneath a practiced smile. How could she let him have the last word?
"Oh, so she's not your girlfriend? Maybe just someone you're experimenting things with?" Georgia's voice dripped with mockery. "I don't mind you fooling around, son. Just make sure you use protection. Wouldn't want diseases or a baby by accident, like—"
"Mom." Syler's voice cut like a blade, low and cold enough to chill her blood. He flashed his phone, the screen already glowing with 911 dialed in. "If you don't shut your mouth and leave right now, I'll finish what Bibi promised you last time."
Georgia's eyes widened, her body trembling. That expression… it reminded her of someone. Images of a handsome man with dark skin, black hair, and dark eyes flickered through her mind. Gilderoy. Yes—Syler's real father. She had gotten involved with him during her marriage, drawn in by what she thought was his charm and excitement compared to her dull husband.
But she had never planned to stay with him. For all his meek, kindhearted appearance as a college student, he carried a terrifying side—a side she had seen only once, when he discovered her lie, that she had been married all along. Once was enough.
Her fingers brushed the side of her neck, tracing the faint scars etched there like claw marks. She hid them well, under collars, scarves, turtlenecks. But she could never erase the memory of how they'd formed. That day, Gilderoy's grip had burned into her skin, cold and merciless. If he hadn't caught sight of little Syler watching, she was certain she would have died that day.
The only reason she dared cling to her son and his grandmother was because Gilderoy had vanished. He vanished shortly before her marriage collapsed, after her husband discovered the affair. No one knew where he'd gone. She once suspected her ex-husband, but while he wasn't above throwing punches, he was far too much of a coward for murder.
Seeing Gilderoy's true nature had stripped away all her illusions. He was a wolf in sheep's clothing, while her husband was nothing more than a sheep in a wolf's disguise. Her body trembled as her gaze locked onto her son's familiar dark eyes. Of course a wolf would sire another wolf.
She shuddered with relief that she had never told Gilderoy the truth—that Syler was his son. Otherwise, wouldn't he have been raised by the very monster who still stalked her nightmares? Deep down, she felt certain Gilderoy was still alive, lurking somewhere. If he had known, would he have taken Syler with him into whatever darkness he'd fled to?
"Are you going to get out, or do I have to make you?" Syler threatened, cutting through her thoughts. Georgia pursed her lips.
"Fine. Sounds like you're too good for your mom now anyway," she muttered, storming out. She didn't want to spend another second under that gaze.
The door slammed shut. Syler let out a heavy sigh of relief and turned to Mina. Her expression was caught between confusion and amusement.
"Um… sorry you had to see that. And sorry for what she said about you. That was way out of line," he said, glancing away nervously. His stomach twisted. Did she think he was pathetic for having a mother like that? Did she despise him now?
Mina scratched her nose with her free hand. "Hmm. Well… I get why you don't talk about your mom." She shifted uncomfortably. "She kind of reminds me of my dad."
Syler stiffened. He knew about her father's serial cheating. Did she pick up on his mom's same toxic vibe?
"Like him, she seems like a self-righteous bitch," Mina blurted, then slapped a hand over her mouth. "Oops. Sorry, that was too forward, wasn't it? She's still your mom. Not my place to say that. I just—ugh, I got heated thinking about my dad. Sorry." She squeezed his hand tighter.
Syler's bad mood cracked like glass. Mina's clumsy apology was too much. Laughter burst out of him, startling her. Her puzzled expression made him want to do something reckless.
He pulled her into a hug. A tight one. Mina froze as his arms wrapped around her, his chest and arms warm against her body.
"You don't need to apologize, Mina. I don't usually say this word, but you're absolutely right. She is a bitch, isn't she?" he murmured, leaning his head into the crook of her neck. His breath made her squirm with ticklish heat.
"Thanks for cheering me up. I was in a pretty dark mood," he whispered before letting go.
"Uh—y-yeah. You're welcome," Mina stammered, mentally kicking herself. Wasn't she usually the bold one, the flirt who made him stutter? What happened to that girl?
"Let's go finish those cookies! Elias is waiting for us," Mina said in a robotic tone that betrayed her nerves. She turned back to the bowl, mixing this time with the right amount of force. Syler smiled faintly at her stiff mannerisms.
He wasn't completely clueless to Mina's feelings for him. But his self-esteem refused to let him believe that an amazing, cute girl like her could like someone like him. He wasn't tall, handsome, or effortlessly charming like Elias. If not for the constant chaos Elias's luck dragged along, he would probably be one of the most popular guys around. Syler always believed that if life had been different, if Elias hadn't been burdened with that cursed luck, they never would have become friends.
So it surprised him when he caught hints that Mina liked him. Wouldn't it make more sense to like someone like Elias or anyone else? What could she possibly see in him? Was she blind?
In addition to his doubts, he was too ashamed of his origins to start anything. If he ever told her the truth, would she still feel the same? He was too afraid to find out.
He glanced at her as she busied herself, his eyes softening. Right now, he only wanted to cherish this moment with her. He didn't know if they'd always have chances like this. One day, he would have to tell her the truth—but not today.
Turning back to his bowl, he began mixing his own ingredients. 'For now, this is enough.'