Gaio's palm was warm, enveloping Fubuki's hand as they strolled through the sycamore-shaded dessert street. She could feel his fingertips lightly brushing the back of her hand. Glancing down at their intertwined shadows, a faint blush crept up her ears.
We've held hands before, so casually, but this time… why does my heart skip a beat?
"Don't take what Eriri said about 'bullying' to heart," Gaio said suddenly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "She's all talk. Last time, she secretly drew me into her manga, saying I'd be the male lead."
"Eriri's manga?" Fubuki looked up, her eyes curving into crescents. "Is it that kind of manga? Bet it's got a ton of female fans."
"After all, Nero's quite the heartthrob for a lot of girls," she teased.
"And you?" Gaio leaned closer, his voice low near her ear.
"Me?" Fubuki slipped her hand from his, spun playfully, and clasped her hands behind her back. "Guess."
With a laugh, she turned and skipped ahead.
Gaio watched her retreating figure, shaking his head with a smile. He quickened his pace, catching up to grab her hand again. "Slow down, we've got plenty of time."
"Didn't Marin say to be home by seven?" Fubuki squeezed his hand back, its warmth grounding her.
"Yeah, she told me to cook you a big dinner." Gaio held her hand, their shoulders brushing as they walked.
"Then I'm in for a treat with the 'Tyrant's Cuisine,'" Fubuki said with a playful wink.
Hand in hand, they soon reached the underground parking lot. Amid the roar of the car engine, they headed toward Gaio's mansion.
When they arrived, both paused. It was late winter, and though the mansion was brightly lit, it was oddly quiet—no sign of Marin or the other girls.
After stepping out of the car and crossing the Japanese-style garden corridor, they reached the spacious living room. A note on the table caught their eye, written in Marin's handwriting.
"Gaio-kun~ Tonight we're having a 'Girls' Party!' We might not be back~ So, take good care of Miss Fubuki~ Your Little Sunshine, Marin."
Gaio picked up the note, his fingers lingering on the words "Little Sunshine" as he chuckled. "Looks like it's just the two of us tonight."
Fubuki leaned over to read it, noticing the cute sun doodle in the corner. Her eyes curved with a smile. "Didn't they say they were preparing a 'surprise' for me?"
"Maybe it's somewhere in the house." Gaio folded the note and pocketed it, glancing toward the kitchen. "Come on, let's check the ingredients. Marin said I'm cooking you a feast, so they probably set everything up."
Fubuki followed him into the kitchen, where the counter was neatly arranged with ingredients: tomatoes still on the vine, beef brisket pre-cooked in a pressure cooker, washed greens in a basket, and a note in Kaguya's elegant handwriting: "Gaio-kun, the ingredients are prepared for your signature dishes. Please showcase your culinary skills."
"Kaguya helped too?" Fubuki picked up the note, meeting Gaio's gaze as he tied on a black apron, his posture tall and striking. "They really went all out, didn't they?"
Reading the two notes, Fubuki realized the girls' intentions—they were welcoming her, deliberately giving her and Gaio space to be alone.
"Those girls…" Gaio finished tying his apron and grinned at her. "They've all got their own ideas, don't they?"
"I can tell." Fubuki's cheeks flushed again as she understood Marin and the others' plan.
But unlike her hesitation that morning, she now embraced their kindness. Rolling up her sleeves, she stepped to the sink. "Need any help?"
"Hmm, everything's prepped." Gaio glanced at the ingredients. "How about you make some tea?"
"No problem. I watched Kaguya brew tea the Todai way this afternoon—it looked pretty intricate." Fubuki tapped her chin thoughtfully.
Gaio laughed. "That's just her rich-girl flair. She studied Todai's fancy kung fu tea method. Everyday tea's much simpler. I'll show you."
He walked to a cabinet, pulling out a small tea tray and set. "Alright, let's learn. I'm curious how it compares to your usual way."
Fubuki followed him to the dining table. Gaio scooped a pinch of Biluochun tea from a canister into a celadon gaiwan. "First, warm the cup. Rinse the teaware with hot water to let the tea's flavor bloom."
He poured hot water from a kettle into the gaiwan.
"That's it?" Fubuki peered at the unfurling tea leaves, her voice soft like the steam rising from the cup.
"Yup," Gaio chuckled. "Todai tea ceremonies can get elaborate, but the everyday method is simple. They call it 'the way to simplicity.'"
He covered the gaiwan, gave it a gentle shake, then tilted the lid slightly to pour the tea into a fairness cup, releasing a fragrant aroma.
"It smells amazing—so different from the Da Hong Pao Kaguya brewed this afternoon." Fubuki sniffed, noting the floral-fruity scent of Biluochun compared to the orchid-fruit notes of Kaguya's tea.
Gaio poured the tea into two tasting cups. "This first pour is for washing the leaves, to rinse off any dust. The second pour is for drinking." He brewed another round swiftly and handed a cup to Fubuki.
She took a sip, her eyes lighting up. The green tea's crisp freshness washed away the lingering sweetness from the dessert street.
"After all those sweets this afternoon, green tea's perfect for cutting through the richness," Gaio said, brewing another round and standing. "Alright, Miss Fubuki, tea duty's yours. I'll start cooking."
Fubuki watched him head to the kitchen, her hands resting on the table, one propping her chin. She gazed at this man—capable of obliterating enemies with a commanding glare yet transforming into a gentle, domestic chef.
Her eyes softened with charm and warmth.
Thanks to Kaguya's instructions to Hayasaka to have the Kaguya Family chefs prep the ingredients, Gaio worked quickly.
Soon, dishes appeared on the table: tomato beef brisket stew, yuxiang eggplant, kung pao chicken, beef chow fun, and a simple tea mushroom pork rib soup.
Fubuki stared at the steaming dishes, inhaling deeply, her eyes curving into crescents. "It smells incredible. Who knew the 'Tyrant' had such impressive cooking skills?"
Gaio pulled out the chair next to her, scooping a piece of brisket into her bowl. "Back when I lived in a house in Suginami, I did all the cooking. Give it a try."
Fubuki blew on the brisket and took a bite, her eyes sparkling. "So flavorful… the tomato's sweet-tartness has soaked into the meat. It's tender, no effort to chew."
Gaio picked up a piece of yuxiang eggplant, its glossy sauce melting in the mouth. "Glad you like it. Neon's flavors tend to be mild, but cuisine's all about bold variety."
Fubuki nodded eagerly, reaching for more eggplant. After blowing on it, she popped it into her mouth, her eyes narrowing in delight at the taste.
Gaio grinned at her reaction and started eating too.
Fubuki clearly loved his cooking. The portions weren't huge, but together they polished off most of the meal.
She was so engrossed in eating that she barely spoke, her expressions and movements conveying her enjoyment.
When they were nearly done, Fubuki began clearing the dishes. Gaio helped her tie on an apron, and they stood side by side at the sink, washing dishes in a warm, intimate atmosphere.
After tidying up, they headed to the tea room. Though Gaio had promised Marin to be home by seven, their early return and Kaguya's prep work meant it was only 7:40.
Their afternoon date and dinner had brought them closer, their fingers interlocked and arms brushing as they walked to the tea room.
As Gaio prepared to boil water, he spotted another note from Marin on the tea table.
"Gaio-kun~ I knew you'd come to make tea after dinner~ So, we left a note. The 'surprise' for you and Miss Fubuki is in the backyard~ Go check it out~ (๑˃́ꇴ˂̀)"
Gaio picked up the note, chuckling, and turned to Fubuki. "They say the 'surprise' is in the backyard. Wanna go see?"
Fubuki took the note, smiling. "They really know you well."
"It's a habit," Gaio said, taking her hand again. "After dinner, I usually have a few cups of tea to settle the stomach, then hang out with the girls—playing games or watching movies."
They stepped into the backyard, greeted by misty air, the faint sulfur scent of a hot spring, and a hint of floral fragrance.
The hot spring pool was encircled with warm yellow string lights, its surface dotted with flower petals—a gentle snow in late winter, somehow sourced fresh by Marin.
"A hot spring?" Fubuki said, delighted.
"Looks like they really wanted to welcome you," Gaio said, glancing at her. "Wanna try it?"
Fubuki nodded eagerly. The hot spring was divided into two sections, likely to spare her any embarrassment from sharing a single pool.
They each went to separate changing rooms, rinsed off, and entered their respective sides of the spring.
Gaio sank into the oval-shaped pool, separated by a bamboo wall, and let out a contented, "Ahh~"
"Pfft," Fubuki's voice came from the other side, teasing. "Gaio, you sound like an old man."
"Haha, it's just so relaxing, I couldn't help it." He leaned against a rock near the bamboo wall.
In the misty air, Fubuki's laughter was sweet like honeyed spring water. "Did Marin pick the rose petals?"
She flicked a petal floating near her arm, its red tip glistening with water as it spun.
"I'd bet on Kaguya," Gaio's voice carried over, fond. "She and Yukino are the detail-oriented ones, but Kaguya's the one who makes things happen."
"Really?" Fubuki giggled, gently stirring the water, her graceful silhouette shimmering faintly. "Tell me about them."
As Gaio shared funny stories about the girls, Fubuki's bright laughter rang out.
Time slipped by, and soon it was eight o'clock.
Lost in their easy, joyful conversation, they didn't notice a click from the bamboo wall's joint.
Gaio's muscles tensed—he recognized the sound of a mechanism loosening. Marin and the girls are up to something, trying to get Fubuki and me to 'meet honestly.'
But Fubuki, still caught up in a story about trying to outdo her sister and Sykes in high school, hadn't noticed.
The ropes on the bamboo wall began to unravel. Instead of falling as physics would dictate, the bamboo sank straight into the water.
As the wall vanished, Gaio caught a fleeting glimpse of Fubuki's stunned silhouette in the misty water.
He froze, his brain nearly short-circuiting at the sight.
(Thumbs up, Fubuki. B-Class Queen? Nah, D-Class Empress—36D, no less.)
"Eek!" Fubuki's short yelp accompanied a scatter of petals. She curled up, arms wrapping tightly around her chest, her ears red enough to bleed. "Gaio! Did you and the girls plan this?!"
He quickly turned away, his throat bobbing as he laughed. "I swear it wasn't me! I heard the mechanism and was about to warn you, but you were in the middle of the story about Sykes burning your skirt…"
He reached for a beige towel nearby and held it out at arm's length. "Here, wrap up so you don't catch a cold."
Fubuki took the towel but didn't put it on right away. Biting her lip, she said, "I'll take your word for it. But those girls… they're so sneaky, forcing us to 'meet honestly' like this."
Her eyes sparkled like stars dipped in spring water, her tone playfully scolding but not truly upset.
Gaio turned back, catching a glimpse of a water droplet sliding from her hair down her collarbone. His heart skipped a beat.
Softly, he said, "So… wanna come over to my side? The wall's gone, might as well share the spring."
Fubuki tilted her head, her telekinesis nudging her closer to him. "I'm worried you'll take advantage of me."
But her body betrayed her words, drifting closer, water splashing against his arm.
Gaio pulled her into his arms, his nose brushing her hair, inhaling the scent of rose petals. "I'll be a perfect gentleman."
Fubuki wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling his heartbeat against her chest. She looked up at him, eyes shimmering. "Do you really think now's the time to be a gentleman?"
Her voice was soft, dripping with charm, her gaze full of allure.
Gaio looked down, swallowing hard.
His throat bobbed again as his hand slid along her smooth back. Fubuki trembled slightly, her skin burning hot.
Her eyes met his, slowly closing, her glossy lips parted.
Gaio leaned down, their reflections merging on the water's surface.
---
At the Spencer Household
Eriri, no longer in her afternoon outfit, wore loose athletic clothes, her golden twin-tails let down.
She hunched over her drawing desk, where a manga was taking shape.
In one panel, the male lead was panting heavily, his low growls almost beastly.
A closer look revealed his profile bore a striking resemblance to Gaio.
In another panel, the female lead was also breathless, her hair disheveled, her body swaying with movement.
Eriri's art was bold and explosive, the kind that made you think she was a seasoned master.
Her pen flew across the page, the characters' movements and expressions growing vivid.
The male lead was doing push-ups, sweat dripping down his torso at a rapid pace.
The female lead was performing barbell hip thrusts, drenched in sweat.
After finishing a set, they switched. The female lead stretched into a cat-like yoga pose, while the male lead spread his legs, gripping a barbell for deadlifts.
Soon, they switched again—the female lead doing squats, the male lead cranking out sit-ups.
Eriri's attention to detail was impeccable, their movements perfectly captured.
When she finally set down her pen, she leaned back in her chair, panting heavily, drained from her burst of inspiration.
Her cheeks flushed, Eriri smiled at her work. The male lead's face was nine-tenths Gaio, and the female lead… looked an awful lot like Fubuki.