12 Roses

12 | Little Pleasures

The next morning, you dragged your feet out into the kitchen with a book clutched in your right hand, where Toge was trying to figure out the coffee machine.

Yuta, who sat at the kitchen island, noticed you and waved.

You sat beside Yuta and the two of you watched Toge try to figure out the coffee machine, staring at crumpled instructions that looked like they had been stepped on.

You slipped off the chair and joined Toge in the kitchen, doing the first step of the coffee machine's instructions, which was plugging it in.

Toge stared and slowly put down the instructions, yielding to the master as you placed the coffee pot underneath and began searching the drawers for a coffee filter.

"I think she's got it," Yuta said, to which Toge nodded.

Not long later, you had three mugs of coffee. "How do you like yours?"

"Black," Yuta answered, and you handed him the untouched cup of coffee.

Toge waved his arms in front of him. "I don't really drink coffee. Too bitter."

You hummed and pulled out a carton of hot chocolate powder, replacing the sugar you normally put in and then adding cream. You placed the mug in front of Toge and sat down beside him at the counter, sipping your own.

After taking a sip, Toge let a warm smile take over his features and he leaned back on his chair, satisfied.

"What's this?" he asked, lifting the book you brought.

"Poetry," you answered. "People like having little poetic messages attached to their bouquets, so we have a lot of books like that."

"Can I read?"

"Sure."

You watched Toge open the book and his eyes begin to scan through the pages, examining the way the corners of his lips quirked into a smile, the way his brows furrowed, raised, twitched.

The violet of his eyes glimmered, orchids blooming as time came, soaking in words like the Spring rain.

Yuta finished his coffee and left the two of you alone in the kitchen, joining Panda on the couch.

You sat silently, waiting for Toge to finish - whether that meant he got bored or that he reached the back cover not mattering to you.

Eventually, he put the book down on the island, stopping on page 143. "I didn't know you'd like that kind of thing."

You shrugged. "Poetry is like flowers."

"How so?"

"It says things that only a few can understand. Things people can't say out loud and clearly."

"Well, now you seem like the type to write little things in your books."

"I would, but my handwriting's awful when I'm not trying to make it look good for a customer."

You looked past him, seeing Maki emerge from your shared room with eyes squinting from the light in the kitchen, her hair going in every direction.

She collapsed onto the couch and you went to join her

"We should try making dinner tonight," Toge suggested.

Eyes went to Panda and Yuta, who almost burnt down the cabin that morning. You didn't realize, not hearing the sound of the smoke alarm.

"I'll assign roles." Maki pointed her finger at Panda. "You're not allowed near the stove."

You stood at the counter as Maki tried teaching Panda how to mince the carrots for the instant curry they found in the cupboard. Toge stood at the stove, trying to figure out how it worked, while Yuta was washing rice in the sink.