off limits | petalz

9

When Kazuha returned home, holding bubble tea in one hand and a shopping bag in the other, she heard a voice.

After some contemplation, Kazuha recognized it as Sakura's. She was talking briskly, the Korean bouncing from her mouth like water from a waterfall. Her soft hesitations were careful and deliberate as keyboard clacks interspersed themselves within her dialogue, and Kazuha stopped in the hallway, listening.

Just listening; her head against the wall and Sakura's soft, fast-moving voice in her ears.

"There's a flight at 5... you want later? Okay. There's one for 7:20, but I have a client canceling their flight to the same area at 6:35, so I can try to book that one for you, if you want? Yes? Perfect, I'll keep you posted."

Kazuha carefully set her bag on the table, careful not to disturb Sakura, and took a quick swig of the bubble tea before making her way into the kitchen. Kazuha would be lying if she said that her heart wasn't beating unusually fast, so she tried to be as unnoticeable as possible as she opened the fridge and took out ingredients. She had no idea what Sakura liked, but she had seen the older girl eat common Japanese foods like they were the last thing on earth, so she decided to make udon.

Udon was relatively easy to make, if you had frozen noodles, hot water, broth, and toppings. Kazuha's favorite toppings were kamaboko, eggs, green onions, and pork. She boiled the water and began to chop onions and kamaboko, setting them aside on a cutting board for after the dish was complete. The pork was currently warming up in the microwave, so she tossed the noodles into the now-warmed water and waited for them to defrost.

Three minutes later, she spooned the noodles into a bowl, and put the toppings on the completed dish. The whole thing felt oddly domestic, and Kazuha's traitor mind flashed ahead to years in the future: if Sakura ever dumped Kento and chose Kazuha instead.

As if that would ever happen.

Kazuha sighed and turned off the stove, cleaning up the kitchen, and set the completed udon on the kitchen counter with a note: Heard you working. Just in case you haven't eaten yet. - Kazuha.

Kazuha herself had already eaten with Yunjin, and had to exercise. She had overeaten with Rei and Aeri, and had to make up for that by trying to burn some calories. She tiptoed upstairs and changed into sweatpants and a sports bra, then darted into the basement gym, starting her routine with music playing in her earphones.

Leg raises.

Bicycles.

Rainbow planks.

Side plank crunches.

Since she had been extremely sedentary that whole day, she strolled over to the pullup bar and started to work, pulling herself up. Kazuha mainly focused on abs, but when she had the time, she worked out her arms as well, doing compound exercises that targeted her lats and biceps. After, she did several bicep curls and a little lifting, leaving her a sweaty mess.

Kazuha normally didn't exercise that much, but since she'd splurged, she decided that she needed to make up for it- even just a little.

She didn't even realize an hour had passed until she heard Sakura's voice.

"Kazuha?"

Oh, shit! 

Kazuha leaped up, tossing her earphones aside, and grabbed around for a sweater, and found none.

Fuck fuck fuck-

"There you- Oh."

Sakura was standing in the doorway of the gym.