" so... that means no coffee for me? "
KAORI was planning on doing what she does every single day. Until fireworks and a strange blackout brought her onto a place where she would have to play some twisted games to survive.
" i don't know who's in ch...
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"YOU CAUGHT MY ATTENTION THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU."
Amongst all the things that crossed Kaori's mind at Chishiya's words and the never-ending flutters in her stomach, she thought it was more clever to give him a smirk, "I didn't take you for a sappy guy."
Earning a death glare in return, she gulped but deep down thrived when pushing his buttons.
"People don't interest me," Chishiya clarified. "Whether they are happy, sad or angry. They don't make me feel anything."
Even with all the witty comebacks piling up in a corner of her brain, Kaori chose to stay quiet. Making Chishiya talk was already a big victory but to have him opening up was unheard of. She wasn't about to ruin the moment.
"I don't know why you did."
"Never seen a pretty girl before?" Kaori joked, chuckling when she witnessed him eye rolling. "It's either that or you're trying to get discounts on your medical books."
"Your smile."
Her heart missed a beat. Stealthily, yet the pinching sensation lingered and spread in her entire body. Probably because she would have never expected such a compliment. Was it even one?
"I don't smile often though," Kaori confessed in a low voice.
"That's true," he hummed. Chishiya looked up at the sky for a few seconds before letting his eyes wander to the girl sitting next to him, "But you smile with your eyes."
She made eye contact with him, intrigued by his words. His gaze was steady, determined as if he was searching for something in her irises.
In the past, she would have fallen weak in front of him. She would have felt vulnerable. Not today. Maybe, it was because she was on the verge of death —injured and exhausted, but something within her knew it was because she liked being around him.
Chishiya was full of complexity, almost impossible to define, difficult to understand. Filled with flaws and very unlikable traits. But everybody was. And unlike Chishiya, people spent their lives hiding this part from the world. They would hide and lie to protect a fake version of themselves.
In the end, this part would always emerge, just as ugly and devastating.
And maybe Kaori liked knowing what was worst in the people she cared about. This way, she knew what to expect.
So, Kaori relaxed under his gaze, her eyes softening with a light breath.
Chishiya half-grinned, "You're doing it right now."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied jokingly.
