The car drove down a quiet street in a residential neighborhood… After a few minutes, it stopped in front of Damian's house.
The driver stepped out immediately and quickly opened the back door.
Damian was the first to get out.
Rin followed with slightly hesitant steps, her gaze still carrying a faint confusion and a certain scrutinizing look, assessing Damian's profile.
As if she wanted to confirm whether the person in front of her was really as she had imagined… did he have a split personality?…
"Good work." Damian nodded to the driver.
"I do not deserve such praise, young master Damian." The man bowed his head deeply with reverence. "If you need anything else, you only have to say the word."
The driver returned to the vehicle, closed the door softly, and the black Alphard drove away.
Damian turned to Rin and once again gave that calm smile.
"Come on. Your cousin…" he pointed to the front door of the house, from which some indistinct noises were coming, "she must be back already."
"..."
Rin paused for a moment to look at him but in the end only nodded, saving her questions for later.
They walked together to the entrance.
But when Damian pushed the door open, a strange smell immediately reached them: the unmistakable aroma of burnt food.
From the kitchen came a chaotic clatter of pots and spoons clashing, accompanied by hurried muttering.
Rin stopped dead, her eyes widening with an expression that hovered between understanding and resignation.
Damian's smile also faltered for an instant, then shifted into an expression of resigned acceptance.
"…It seems the process of making oyakodon is turning out to be quite intense."
At that moment, a small metallic sound signaled that someone had heard their footsteps. Suddenly, a blonde ponytail appeared from the kitchen doorway.
Marin emerged with her face smudged with sauce and an apron covered in small dark splashes. In her hand, she held a spatula with something unrecognizable stuck to the tip.
"Rin-chan!" she shouted excitedly the moment she saw her cousin.
In two strides she crossed the room and, without thinking, shoved the spatula into Damian's hand before throwing herself entirely at Rin.
"I missed you so much!"
Rin took a small step back to keep her balance from the impact and, instantly, a sweet scent with notes of caramel and burnt soy sauce filled her nose.
Instinctively she held Marin to keep them both from ending up on the floor and, despite herself, the corners of her lips curved upward.
"It's only been six months…"
"Six months are one hundred and eighty-two days!" Marin protested, clinging like a koala and burying her face in Rin's neck. "Ahhh… the smell of Rin-chan~"
From the kitchen came a sudden thud, followed by the sound of something rolling.
Damian was in the middle of the chaos, a bottle of mirin spinning out of control across the counter while he held a blackened frying pan in one hand and, in the other, an egg still dripping a bit of raw white.
His expression was pure helplessness.
Marin, upon seeing this, immediately let go of Rin and darted barefoot toward the kitchen.
"Damian-kun~ my oyakodon!"
"Theoretically…" Damian poked at the burnt rice left in the pan with the spatula. "This should be called 'charcoal-grilled oyakodon'."
Marin stuck out her tongue, "It's because you can't stand half-raw egg! I thought I'd cook it a little more… I just overdid it."
"Sigh…"
Damian let out a resigned breath and shook his head.
He set the pan aside, grabbed a napkin, dampened it with fresh water, and approached her. Without an unnecessary word, he gently held her chin with one hand while with the other he wiped the sauce and something else off her cheek.
"..."
Marin stayed still, looking at him with wide eyes, like a docile kitten just rescued from the mess it made.
"All done." Damian tossed the used napkin away and, before stepping back, ruffled her hair softly, the gesture ending as a light caress. "Go keep your cousin company. I'll handle things here."
"Yes, yes!" Marin nodded quickly, happy as if she had just received a prize, and hopped away.
As she passed Rin, she even winked proudly, "Damian-kun's food is delicious!"
"..."
Rin, who had been watching everything from the doorway, couldn't hide her surprise.
Through the glass she could see Damian naturally tying on an apron that had been hanging nearby, rolling up his sleeves a bit, and beginning to bring order to the chaos with quick yet calm movements.
Every gesture was steady and elegant. He didn't look like the man who, just minutes earlier, had chilled the air inside a car with a threat that still gave her shivers.
"Does he… really know how to cook?" she murmured without realizing, more to herself than anyone else. "Should I help him?"
"No need." Marin appeared at her side and, with a mischievous smile, grabbed her arm to drag her back to the living room. "Rin-chan, don't worry, Damian-kun cooks super well."
The two of them dropped onto the sofa, sinking into its soft cushions.
Ñ
Marin pinched her own cheeks lightly and let out a small playful groan, "Look, since I've been living with him, I've gained weight!"
?
"Wait a second…" Rin blinked, sharply turning her face toward her cousin. "You two… live together?"
"Uh-huh!" Marin's eyes lit up. "Three months and seven days already~!"
The cushion Rin was holding almost slipped from her hands in shock, "And your dad… didn't say anything?"
"My dad…" Marin swung her feet and shrugged with a mischievous smile, "At first he came every day to inspect. Once he even showed up at three in the morning…" she laughed at the memory. "But that time he found Damian-kun making me ginger tea with brown sugar because I had a cold… After that, he never came back."
From the kitchen came the rhythmic sound of the spatula hitting the wok, and a warm aroma began to fill the whole house. Marin, who until that moment had been speaking cheerfully, suddenly lowered her voice and leaned in a little toward her cousin. "Actually, now Dad adores him. Last week he even secretly asked when he planned to marry me."
!
Rin, who had just taken a sip of her tea, almost spit it onto the table. She coughed lightly to cover it up, while her eyes opened a bit wider than usual.
"I'm teasing you~." Marin stuck out her tongue, amused by her cousin's reaction. However, her smile softened immediately, and she adopted a more sincere tone.
"Although… Damian-kun really is incredibly thoughtful. He even remembers my menstrual cycle better than I do."
Rin blinked, processing the information, unsure whether to laugh or feel slightly overwhelmed.
From the kitchen came one last sizzle and then the sound of the fire shutting off. Damian came out a moment later, still wearing the apron, carrying steaming dishes in his hands.
In a matter of minutes, the table filled with colors and aromas: tomato with egg in a vibrant yellow mixed with the bright red of the tomato, stir-fried pork with glossy, juicy peppers, fresh lettuce lightly tossed and scented with garlic, golden and crispy dumplings, and a clear nori seaweed soup with dried shrimp that still released gentle steam.
"Miss Rin, excuse me," said Damian as he calmly took off the apron and folded it. "The ingredients we had at home were limited… I could only prepare something simple."
Rin quickly waved her hands, "No, not at all. This is already a feast."
She picked up the chopsticks and first tried a piece of pork with peppers. As soon as the meat touched her tongue, her pupils narrowed in surprise. The meat was incredibly tender, without the slightest strong odor, and the sauce was perfectly balanced, just the right point between salty and sweet, making her immediately want another bite.
Then she tried the tomato with egg.
Fluffy, silky, with the tomato perfectly caramelized and sweet, without raw acidity or any egg smell.
Even the simple stir-fried lettuce was perfect: fresh, crisp, with just the right aroma of garlic and that smoky flavor only achieved by mastering the fire.
She, who was not unfamiliar with this type of cooking and understood the level of skill required, couldn't help but slightly loosen her grip on the chopsticks.
'This man… how many sides does he have?'
"It's delicious, isn't it?!" Marin stuffed a dumpling into her mouth with so much energy she nearly choked. With puffed cheeks, she spoke with pride, "Rin-chan, you eat too!"
Rin, speechless, nodded and continued to eat slowly but with growing appetite.
The sweet acidity of the tomato, the salty freshness of the pork, the crisp lettuce, and the gentle ocean flavor of the soup seemed to calm something inside her.
Meanwhile, Marin watched her with satisfaction, "See what good taste I have."
Half an hour later, the three of them set down their chopsticks with the plates practically empty.
"I'll wash the dishes." Rin stood up without hesitation and began stacking bowls and chopsticks.
"Ah, Rin-chan, you're my guest!" Marin jumped up, trying to stop her.
Damian also spoke up, "Miss Rin, leave it, I'll take care of it."
But Rin had already taken two steps toward the kitchen, dodging any attempt to stop her decision.
"You cooked. It's only fair that I wash the dishes."
Marin and Damian exchanged a resigned glance and shared a small smile. Insisting would be useless.
From the kitchen soon came the sound of running water and the controlled clinking of dishes lightly hitting each other.
Taking advantage of the lull, Marin took Damian's hand and gently tugged him along. On tiptoe, she led him to the bedroom.
The moment the door closed, the restrained energy inside her burst out.
She threw herself straight into his chest, burying her face against his shirt, greedily inhaling his masculine scent.
"Ah… a whole morning without your smell…"
Damian hugged her without hesitation, letting the warmth between them fill the space.
He knew Marin hadn't brought him there just to cuddle.
And as he expected, after a few seconds nestled against him, she lifted her head. Something different showed on her face — a mix of doubt.
Her fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of his shirt, searching for courage.
"Damian-kun…" her voice dropped several tones. "This… can I talk to you about something?"
He tilted his head slightly to look at her, "Tell me."
Marin bit her lip; it seemed hard for her to find the words, but finally she let them out softly, "This time Rin-chan came back… because my aunt, her mom… passed away."
!
Marin sank a little deeper into his chest.
"Before leaving…" she continued, her voice breaking, "M-My aunt specifically asked me to stay by Rin-chan's side and take good care of her…"
Damian tightened his embrace, saying nothing, but the gesture alone was enough to hold her together.
"In reality, my aunt didn't want to cause me problems…" Marin went on, her face hidden and her voice barely more than a whisper against his shirt, "b-but… Rin-chan's dad also passed away not long ago. She just wanted someone to look after her a bit day-to-day, so she wouldn't be so alone."
Taking a breath, she lifted her head again, letting her eyes meet his — vulnerable but determined.
"And I… now I have income. I work as a model, and sometimes I also go with you to concerts. Besides, I'm an adult now. I was thinking that… maybe I could become Rin-chan's legal guardian."
Damian's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but Marin noticed.
Becoming a legal guardian… It was an enormous decision. Marin was strong and hardworking, but she was still very young and had little experience for something so complex, and she was only just beginning to build her connections and responsibilities.
Even so, seeing her so determined moved him.
For an instant, a fleeting thought passed through his mind: 'If I use the influence of the Gojo family, this could be solved.'
At that moment, Marin's eyes were shining with a trembling light, and she clung desperately to the hem of Damian's shirt.
"Damian-kun…" she finally said, "I want to take care of Rin-chan. So… can I let her live with us?"
Immediately her cheeks flushed with anxious color, and regretting putting him in an awkward position, she quickly added, "It won't be for long! Rin-chan will soon go abroad to study… Just when she comes back to Japan, could she stay here for a while?… I don't want her to be alone."
As she spoke, her voice grew smaller and smaller until it nearly faded away. She clutched the fabric tightly between her fingers, and her big eyes looked up at him pleadingly, trying not to seem demanding and yet begging with all her heart.
"..."
Damian held her gaze for a long moment, long enough for Marin to feel she could hear her own heartbeat.
The slight frown he had worn earlier completely relaxed.
And with a warm gesture, he stroked her head, sinking his hand into her blonde strands, and smiled.
"Of course she can."
He didn't say it as a favor but as something obvious.
!
Marin's eyes lit up instantly, surprise and joy bursting together and seeming to fill the room.
"Really?!"
"Yes." Damian nodded, hugging her a little tighter to reinforce his words. "This is your home too, you decide."
He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes and spoke calmly, without the slightest shadow of doubt, "Rin is alone… it's natural for someone to take care of her."
"You're the best!" Marin almost shouted, rising on tiptoe to plant a loud kiss on his cheek.
Damian laughed, his fingers affectionately catching her puffed cheeks and giving them a gentle pinch.
"Don't get too excited so fast. But tell me, how do you plan to convince her?"
Marin puffed out her chest, regaining her characteristic confident sparkle. "Leave it to me!" she said enthusiastically. "You'll see, I'll take care of Rin-chan!"
With that said, she spun around full of determination and headed straight for the bedroom door, ready to rush out.
Damian followed her with his eyes and, before she could open it, raised his voice slightly, "Marin, keep it down. Rin might have already finished washing the dishes."
He had just finished speaking when the door opened and the light from the living room spilled into the room.
"..."
There was Rin, standing not far away, a kitchen towel still in her hand, her movement just stopped.
She had clearly just come from the kitchen.
Her ice-blue eyes were calm and deep but hard to read; they landed first on Marin, then on Damian, and then back to Marin.
A kind of silence that wasn't hostile but impossible to define.
Marin, who had her mouth half open to speak, suddenly smiled with an exaggerated mix of nerves and enthusiasm.
"Rin-chan! Are you done already? That was fast!"
Rin held her gaze for a moment before nodding, then set the towel down on the arm of the sofa.
At the doorway to the bedroom, in the living room, the three of them looked at each other with a strange tension hanging in the air.
________
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