Arashi's phone buzzed against the counter, its vibration cutting through the quiet kitchen. He wiped his hands on a towel and glanced at the screen. Mizuki.
"Yeah, I reached home too. What about you?"
He typed a simple reply.
"We reached as well. What did you want to talk about?"
For a moment, the typing bubble flickered, disappeared, came back again. Then her message arrived.
"I actually wanted to ask you something."
Arashi leaned his hip against the counter, brows tightening slightly.
"Alright," he wrote. "What is it?"
The next message hit harder than he expected.
"Do you… like someone else?"
Arashi stared at the words, confused, almost amused by how sudden the question was.
"What kind of question is that?" he wrote back. "No. I don't like anyone."
But Mizuki's reply came fast—too fast.
"So you don't like me either?"
Arashi inhaled slowly, the tension in his chest turning into a dull weight. He hesitated only for a moment.
"I don't know."
This time, her response exploded onto the screen with raw emotion.
"What kind of answer is that, Arashi?! Forget it. You just broke my heart. I'm going to cry now."
Arashi rubbed his temples.
"Then go cry," he typed, half-irritated, half-exhausted.
He saw her typing again—her name pulsing on the screen—when a voice cut through the moment.
"Arashi!" Ayane's voice, soft but edged with urgency. "Dinner is going to burn. Put your phone down."
Arashi didn't turn around. His eyes stayed on his phone, his expression unreadable.
"Relax," he said calmly. "I'm paying attention to both."
Ayane's footsteps slowed. She hesitated.
"Alright…" she whispered, though the heaviness in her tone didn't escape him.
Mizuki's next message appeared.
"Fine. But there's something else… someone else likes you too."
Arashi straightened, the words hooking his attention.
"Who?"
The answer came almost immediately—short, teasing, and infuriatingly cryptic.
"Guess it yourself."
Mizuki's typing bubble flickered again. Then her final message for the night appeared.
"Anyway… I'm going now. I'll talk to you later. I'm watching an anime, so bye."
Arashi stared at the text for a moment before replying.
"Alright. Bye."
He set his phone aside and returned to the stove, stirring the pot mechanically. But his mind wasn't in the kitchen anymore.
Instead, it chased Mizuki's words in an endless loop.
Someone else likes you too.
Was she joking? Teasing? Or was she actually serious?
Arashi frowned, trying to make sense of it.
Why would she say something like that? Did she notice something? Did someone say something?
He sifted through the people he knew, his friends, his circle. Every single friend he had was already dating someone. No obvious candidate came to mind.
And then, out of nowhere—the thought hit him.
Ayane.
His hand froze mid-air.
"No…" he muttered under his breath. "That can't be it."
Ayane? Someone who barely talked about her feelings? Someone who always hid behind calm expressions and quiet silence?
It didn't make sense. It shouldn't make sense.
But the question wouldn't leave him.
If not her… then who?
The curiosity began to eat at him—slow at first, then sharper, like something crawling under his skin. He wiped his hands, grabbed his phone again, and opened Mizuki's chat.
His fingers flew across the screen.
"Please, just tell me who it is. I'm seriously asking."
The reply came quickly.
"Arashi, just guess it. It's so obvious."
He sighed in frustration.
"Fine, then give me at least something. I have one last request."
Mizuki's typing bubble appeared.
"What is it?"
Arashi stared at Mizuki's message for a long moment, then typed slowly, choosing each word with precision.
"Look… there's something you need to understand. I don't believe that being someone's boyfriend or girlfriend is a real relationship. Not for me."
He paused, then continued:
"I don't trust those labels. They're temporary… fragile. People fall in and out of them like it's nothing. I don't want something that breaks that easily. And because of that, I prefer if people don't get too close to me — not emotionally, and definitely not physically. I'm not comfortable with it."
He sent the message and let out a breath, unsure how she would take it.
Her reply arrived within seconds.
"Yeah, okay. I understand. Actually… I was testing you today. I wanted to see if you would like all that stuff or not."
Another message followed almost instantly:
"And I knew my future husband would never like that"
The message ended abruptly.
A second later, it disappeared.
Message edited.
Arashi blinked, staring at the screen, watching the revised version appear:
"That's why I chose someone like you."
She had quickly replaced future husband with something safer, something less revealing.
But Arashi had already seen it.
His heart didn't react. His mind did.
Future husband? How can she say something like that so casually?
He stood there silently, the heat from the stove warming his face while a colder, heavier silence settled inside him.
Ayane moved quietly behind him, setting plates on the table, unaware of the storm collecting in his thoughts.
Arashi slipped his phone into his pocket, but his thoughts didn't quiet down with it. They kept circling back to the same point.
He focused on the food he was stirring, using the simple motion to steady himself. The warm aroma filled the kitchen, grounding him in the present.
Dinner was ready. Arashi carried the food to the table and sat across from Ayane. The soft clink of utensils and the warm aroma of the food filled the quiet dining room, creating a calm, domestic atmosphere.
After a few bites, Ayane spoke, her voice hesitant.
"Arashi… she was your dream girl, right? The one who used to appear in your dreams?"
Arashi paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes," he replied simply.
Ayane looked down at her plate, fiddling with her spoon.
"I… I'm sorry," she said softly. "When I told you she wasn't real, I didn't believe you. I just… I didn't think you'd be serious."
Arashi shrugged lightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"It's fine. Anyway… today you were very quiet, and… a little upset," he said, his tone casual but observant.
Ayane flinched slightly at his words, a small jolt passing through her. She quickly turned her face away and muttered,
"No… that's not true."
Arashi's gaze softened, but his voice held a gentle firmness.
"You can't hide anything from me, Ayane. Nothing."
She hesitated for a moment, then finally said,
"Alright… fine. You noticed. But it's nothing. I was just thinking about my mom."
Arashi nodded.
"Okay. That's fine. She'll be back soon. Don't worry about it."
Ayane took a quiet breath, her mind racing even as she chewed her food.
I should tell him… I should really tell him how I feel.
But the question of how held her back. She needed a plan — a way to make it obvious without just blurting it out.
A small smile touched her lips as an idea formed. She would call the others, get them involved. That way, everyone would know how much she liked Arashi… she just needed the courage to do it.
I can do this. I just… need to start.
The thought gave her a quiet, determined energy, even as the meal continued in comfortable silence.
After dinner, Ayane sat quietly, thinking, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She had made her decision. No more hiding. Arashi needed to know, but she wanted to do it her way — clever, memorable, and a little playful.
Pulling out her phone, she messaged Miyu.
"Hey, I have an idea. Can you help me run a little game?"
Miyu replied almost instantly:
"A game? What kind of game?"
Ayane grinned to herself.
"Here's the plan. We'll make it a simple challenge. Ask everyone one question or give a task like 'If you had to choose the person you like the most here, who would it be?'
Miyu replied "Consider it done."
Ayane set her phone down, letting the idea settle. The plan was perfect. Fun, indirect, but also honest.
One question. One answer. And suddenly… everything will be out in the open.
Her eyes flicked to Arashi, who was cleaning up the dishes quietly, unaware that a little game was about to reveal the truth — the truth about how she felt, in a way that couldn't be ignored.
The group call was set. One by one, faces popped up on Ayane's screen: Hina, Takumi, Satoru, Arashi, Miyu, and finally her own. Cameras flicked on, lighting up their expressions in the dim evening glow.
Miyu clapped her hands excitedly. "Alright, everyone! Tonight we're going to play a game. Cameras on, all of you!"
Ayane leaned back, a small, determined smile tugging at her lips. She had already decided how this game would go. This was her chance to reveal a truth without saying it outright — a playful challenge that would leave no room for doubt.
Miyu explained the rules. "Here's how it'll work: Hina goes first, then Takumi, then Satoru, then Arashi, then me, and finally Ayane. Each person will either answer a question or perform a task.
Miyu looked at Ayane, her eyes sparkling. "Okay, Ayane, you start. Give Hina her task."
Ayane leaned slightly closer to her camera, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She wanted the game to start strong — revealing, tricky, but still playful.
"Hina," she began, her voice calm but firm, "your task is… a little challenging. I want you to tell us, honestly, the one thing you admire most about Takumi — and explain why. Be as detailed as you can."
Hina blinked, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. She glanced at Takumi, who gave her an encouraging nod, his smile small but supportive.
"This… okay," Hina said, taking a breath. "The thing I admire most about Takumi is how patient he is — with me, with everyone, really. Even when I'm stubborn or overthink things, he doesn't get frustrated. He listens, really listens, and tries to understand before judging. That's something I… I don't see in a lot of people. It makes me feel safe and appreciated, and honestly, it's one of the main reasons I… like him the way I do."
Her words hung in the air, sincere and unfiltered, making the group slightly quiet for a moment.
Ayane smiled faintly at her screen. Hina had answered honestly, revealing not just admiration, but love, without directly saying "I love him." The chain was working exactly as Ayane had planned.
Hina, after answering, looked a little nervous but satisfied, and then turned toward Takumi. It was now her turn to give him a task — the game was flowing naturally, each person building toward the next, tension and honesty mounting with every move.
Hina leaned forward, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"All right, Takumi," she said, trying not to laugh, "your task… is simple but challenging. You have to make wolf noises with your full voice — fifteen times in a row. No skipping, no whispering, and don't stop until you finish."
Takumi's eyes went wide, and he threw his hands in the air dramatically. "WHAT?! Fifteen times?! Are you serious?!"
Hina nodded, trying not to crack up. "Completely serious. Full volume. No excuses."
Takumi groaned loudly but grabbed his chair and leaned forward toward the camera. "Fine… fine! I'll do it! But this is ridiculous!"
He inhaled deeply and let out a loud, exaggerated Awooo! — his face contorted in effort. The group burst into laughter immediately.
"One… two… three… awooo! Four… five… awooo! Six… seven… awooo!" Takumi continued, his voice echoing through the room as he struggled to keep it going.
Suddenly, the door behind him swung open. His mother peeked inside, her eyebrows raised.
"Takumi! What on earth are you doing?!" she exclaimed, frowning.
Takumi froze mid-howl, his face bright red. "Mom! I… it's… nothing!"
Miyu said from call. "No! Don't worry, it's part of a game! He's just completing a task for a group challenge online!"
His mother stared at the camera, clearly baffled. "I… I just don't understand any of you new generation games," she muttered, shaking her head before closing the door again.
Takumi wiped sweat from his forehead and threw his hands in the air, laughing. "This… this is humiliating! Fifteen times! And my mom walked in!"
The group roared with laughter, Hina covering her mouth to hide her grin. "Exactly," she said. "Now it's your turn, Takumi. Give Satoru his task. Make it just as fun!"
Takumi leaned back in his chair, still catching his breath, a wide grin plastered across his face. "Ohhh, I've got the perfect challenge for him. This is going to be epic!"
Takumi wiped the sweat from his brow, still laughing from his wolf-noise ordeal, and leaned closer to his camera. His eyes sparkled with mischief.
"All right, Satoru," he said, pointing at the screen with dramatic flair. "Your task is going to be tricky, but I know you can handle it. I want you to… balance a pen on your nose for thirty seconds without dropping it. If it falls, you have to do an exercise of our choice!"
Satoru's eyebrows raised, his usual calm composure flickering for a second. "This is… ridiculous," he muttered under his breath. But he carefully picked up a pen, placed it on the bridge of his nose, and focused intently.
The group watched in anticipation as Satoru shifted slightly, holding his balance, counting silently. Thirty seconds stretched on like eternity. Finally, he let out a quiet sigh of relief as the pen stayed in place the whole time.
"I did it," Satoru said, straightening up, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Not too bad, huh?"
Everyone laughed and clapped. Takumi threw his hands up triumphantly. "Yes! Perfect! I knew you could do it, man. Nailed it!"
Satoru glanced at the screen, then turned toward Arashi with calm authority. "All right, Arashi," he said, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Your task is…"
The group leaned forward, anticipation buzzing through the call. The camera lingered on Arashi, who met Satoru's gaze with that quiet, unreadable expression he was known for.
The screen seemed to hold its breath.
"…your task is," Satoru continued, his voice steady.