𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐭 ❄️

24: Sugar and Spice

"So you're going to train at Kazuma's dojo again?" Shigure asked. "But why only three times a week?"

"That's . . ." Kyo trailed off rather than answering.

"Suspicious," I said, sipping some of my miso soup. If he really wanted to beat Yuki, shouldn't he be training more than just that?

"How is that suspicious?!" Kyo exclaimed.

Shigure hummed. "It's quite suspicious," he agreed with me. "Tohru, do you know why Kyo's only going to the dojo three times a week?"

Tohru blinked in confusion, but before she had the chance to answer, Kyo intervened. "Don't ask her about me!" He snapped. "And what's it matter to you anyways?"

The two started bickering as a softer voice spoke up from another direction. "Good morning."

I turned and smiled up at Yuki. "Good morning," I greeted.

Yuki settled into his usual spot at the table, then frowned. "What are those two doing?" He asked, nodding at Kyo and Shigure.

Tohru hummed. "Apparently the number of times Kyo visits the dojo in a week is suspicious."

"So it's the usual nonsense," Yuki sighed. His chopsticks reached towards the middle of the table to pick up a piece of the rolled omelette, but it seemed like Kyo had the same idea. Yuki's chopsticks suddenly interlocked with Kyo's and both boys froze in either surprise or horror before shooting glares at each other. The next second, Yuki stood up and threw his chopsticks into the sink, flinging them away with a large sweep of his arm.

"SERIOUSLY?!" Kyo yelled, offended. "YOU'RE GONNA TOSS THEM OUT?"

"I don't want your cat germs," Yuki answered coolly.

Kyo visibly struggled to wrangle down his anger. "Whatever, you damn rat," He grumbled. "I'm not going to let your words get to me anymore. Starting today, I'm gonna change."

At his words, I raised my eyebrows. Really? Good luck with that, I thought as I sipped my tea. Of course I thought Kyo could change, but it would take more than just a declaration of his intentions to convince me it was really going to happen.

"I'm so proud," Tohru gasped and clasped her hands together happily. "Kyo is working so hard." Is he, though?

Yuki returned to his seat and pulled a pair of disposable wooden chopsticks apart with a 'snap!' "Well," he said. "This ought to be interesting. I wish you luck, stupid cat." He spoke the last words with emphasized syllables, an obvious taunt to see if Kyo could keep it together.

For a moment, Kyo was silent. I almost had the thought that he was doing a good job with his self-improvement, but at that moment, he rose from his seat with a dark look on his face. "YOU GIRLY BOY!" He roared.

"That didn't take long," Shigure, Yuki, and I all commented in unison.

"I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOU! DAMN RAT! YOU FREAKING PISS ME OFF SO MUCH! I HATE YOU! A CHANGED MAN OR NOT, I HATE YOU. AND I'LL HATE YOU UNTIL THE DAY I DIE!" Kyo broke the porch door right off the hinges in anger. "GO TO HELL!" He shouted, grabbing his school bag and storming down the outdoor hallway.

All of us looked between Kyo's retreating figure and the ruined remains of the paper door. "Really makes you think, 'Geez, that violent son of a bitch,' doesn't it." Shigure said.

I snorted. Shigure had a point. The door was already open, so Kyo could have just stormed through, but he'd chosen to break it instead. "Yes. It didn't seem like he was trying at all. Though I suppose things like this take time." I glanced at Yuki. "You didn't really need to antagonize him."