「 bewitched 」 ᴋᴀʏɴ x ᴍᴀʟᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

Chapter XI

With a shake of your head and a playful smile lingering on your lips, you turned towards the door. "Whatever. I'm going downstairs," you said, rolling your eyes in mock exasperation. "Better start preparing breakfast rather than stay here and argue with an idiot."

Kayn chuckled behind you, his voice warm and teasing. "Sure thing, doc. I'll be down in a bit. Just need to fix the bed or else you'll throw a tantrum."

"Oh, shut up."

As you made your way to the kitchen, you couldn't help but feel a flutter of happiness. The banter with Kayn had lifted your spirits, making the morning feel lighter and brighter. You started gathering ingredients, mentally planning the breakfast you were about to whip up.

Just as you were about to crack an egg into a bowl, your phone buzzed on the counter, drawing your attention. Wiping your hands on a nearby towel, you picked up the device, curiosity piqued. The screen displayed a text from a familiar face on your instagram account.

Is this [Name]? It's Sylas. Long time no talk, little spark.

Guess what? I'm back in town and thought it would be nice to catch up.

Are you free any time soon? :)

You stared at the message, your mind racing. Sylas—your high school senior, a friend who had been a significant part of your life years ago. He had left for work out of state, and you hadn't heard from him in months. The sudden reappearance was unexpected, to say the least.

"What's up?" Kayn's voice jolted you from your thoughts as he appeared in the kitchen doorway, his curiosity evident.

You looked up from your phone, meeting Kayn's gaze with a slight smile. "Oh, nothing much," you replied casually, slipping the phone into your pocket. "Just some spam message."

Kayn raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying your explanation but deciding not to push further. "Alright then," he said with a shrug, stepping into the kitchen. "So, what's for breakfast?"

You let out a small chuckle, relieved that Kayn didn't press the matter. "I was thinking pancakes," you replied, turning back to the counter to resume your cooking.

As you flipped the pancakes on the griddle, you couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of curiosity about Sylas's return. Why was he suddenly reaching out after all this time? And why hadn't you heard from him sooner?

But for now, you pushed those thoughts to the back of your mind, focusing on the present moment. With Kayn by your side and the aroma of pancakes filling the air, you couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over you.

As you flipped the pancakes, the sizzle of batter hitting the hot griddle filled the kitchen, accompanied by the tantalizing aroma of breakfast. Kayn leaned against the counter, watching you with a raised brow.

"So, who was that message from?" he asked casually, his tone innocent but his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

You glanced at him, trying to keep your expression neutral. "Just some old friend," you replied nonchalantly, hoping to brush off the subject.

But Kayn wasn't so easily deterred. "Old friend, huh?" he teased, nudging you playfully with his elbow. "Anyone I should be worried about?"

You laughed, shaking your head at his antics. "No, nothing like that," you reassured him, giving him a playful shove in return. "Just someone from high school."

Kayn raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Oh? Anyone special?" he prodded, his eyes unreadable if he was simply asking or if he was jealous.

You chuckled, flipping another pancake before turning to face him. "Not really," you replied with a shrug, trying to play it cool. "Just wanna catch up I guess."