~'¶\ Broken Lies \¶'~(Ai Hoshino X OC)

Chapter 14: Red Like Roses

-Time Vault-

"You did well today," praised Elder Kai, his voice carrying a tone of approval.

Chronoa sighed, her expression a mixture of relief and guilt. "That was a heavier bit of history for him than I realized... I was careless." She felt the weight of Trunks' emotional turmoil pressing down on her.

"But I didn't think he'd take off like that. If he'd actually gone through with the whole thing... Well, it would be one more mess to clean up. And that'd be even more difficult. I'm glad you were there. Thank you," Chronoa said, turning to Ace with gratitude.

Ace nodded, acknowledging her thanks with a humble smile. Elder Kai then offered his assistance. "I think Trunks could really use a break after this one. I'll keep an eye on the scrolls for a little while."

Chronoa appreciated the gesture, but then a thought struck Elder Kai. "Where's Kai, though? I thought he was with you?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming from the stairs. "I went to go and see Nii-san. He's still feeling bad about his actions," Kai said as he stepped down into the Vault, a smile plastered on his face despite the earlier tension.

"I see... Anyway, how's your watch? Have you got it fixed yet?" Chronoa asked, her maternal instinct kicking in.

Kai proudly displayed his repaired watch. "Good as new," he said cheerfully, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

He then turned to Ace and said, "Hey, you're Ace, right? I heard the story about you taking down Cooler yourself, huh? That's really impressive! Good job, junior!" He flashed a thumbs-up at him.

Ace blushed in embarrassment at the compliment. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and replied, "Thanks!"

"Alright, Ace. You can rest up now. Thanks for your hard work again," Elder Kai said, dismissing him with a nod.

Ace bowed respectfully to the Supreme Kai of Time before heading off to Conton City, leaving Kai and Chronoa alone in the Vault.

"Kai, let's head back home. I'm going to make you dinner!" Chronoa exclaimed excitedly.

"Can't wait! Let's go!" Kai replied enthusiastically as they made their way back home together.

As they walked away, Elder Kai muttered under his breath, "How the heck can that boy handle her cooking?"

His comment stemmed from a long-standing joke among the Time Patrollers about Chronoa's notoriously terrible cooking skills. There were countless records of her culinary disasters that had led to food poisoning among those unfortunate enough to sample her meals—even Shallot and Trunks had fallen victim to her kitchen experiments.
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-Kai's Home-

"Fuhh, that's sure hit the spot," Kai sighed, leaning back in his chair, feeling pleasantly full after devouring a hearty meal.

Chronoa looked at him with curiosity. "How did your watch get damaged, actually? You've never told me yet."

Kai hesitated for a moment, recalling the battle that had led to its scratches. "Oh yeah, after my battle with Turles, I noticed some scratches on it but didn’t think much of them. Until..." He paused mid-sentence, sensing Chronoa's curiosity intensifying.

"Until what?" she pressed, her eyes narrowing as she leaned in closer.

Kai gulped nervously. He had forgotten to tell his mother about his current situation regarding Ai Hoshino. "I'm cooked," he muttered under his breath.