ZARIA

Chapter 17

Zaria

Zaria paced across the room, every fiber of her being trembling as she thought about her current situation.

She had just about managed to calm down after her close encounter with her boss when the realization that once Kei returned, they would be alone for the first time since they met made her anxiety skyrocket.

Ren would be gone until, she suspected, late tomorrow morning, which meant that the buffer the little kid represented would be missing, leaving her to deal with his dad alone for hours on end.

She cringed, realizing just how pathetic she sounded.

After everything she had been through, was she honestly such a coward that she needed a little boy to protect her?

And it wasn't as if she thought Kei would do something to her since she knew the man would never even look at her again if she asked.

No, she wasn't afraid of what Kei would do. What she was scared of was that Kei would do nothing at all. She was terrified that the man would decide that what happened the previous night was just a fluke, a mistake, a lapse in judgment, and that they were better off without a repeat.

Zaria sighed, feeling frustrated with herself. She needed to do something because if she kept going like this, thinking and overthinking every damn word the man had ever said, she would go crazy. So, she took a calming breath and then left her room, making her way to the kitchen.

Dinner.

She was going to prepare some dinner, she decided as she went, even if the last thing on her mind was food right at that moment. At least, she hoped, it would give her hands something to do besides cracking her knuckles and pulling on her hair, which must be in a hazardous state by now.

Once in the kitchen, she opened the fridge, glancing inside while thinking about what she could make, before pulling out a package of minced beef, onions, garlic, and some tomatoes, deciding that spaghetti was the way to go.

She pulled out her brand-new phone, a Christmas gift from Nura, which she was still a bit miffed about since she thought it was too expensive, but there really wasn't a point in trying to fight with her, and put on some music. It wasn't long before she lost herself in work, chopping the onions, garlic, and tomatoes, preparing the meat, mixing it all together, and letting it cook slowly on the stove.

Soon, the kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of oregano, making her mouth water despite herself. Zaria smiled as she stirred the sauce, her muscles relaxing slowly. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed cooking, not having an opportunity to do so in a long time, especially since she had moved into the Daigo household, seeing as Betty was the one who was in charge of feeding us, and God help those who strayed into her territory.

Half an hour later, the sauce was done, so she pulled the pot away from the fire and glanced up at the clock, debating whether to prepare the pasta or wait a little while. She wasn't sure how much time had passed since Kei had gone to drop Ren off, and she didn't want his food to get cold.

She had just decided to wait a few minutes when she heard the front door slamming shut, making her jump at the suddenness of it. She turned toward the kitchen entrance, feeling her anxiety making a comeback, but Kei was there, standing at the doorway, his gaze trained on her before she had the time to fully panic.

"Um... I made..." Zaria started, but that was as far as she managed because Kei was suddenly there, right in front of her, barely a half-an-inch between them, his hand grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her closer, their mouth crashing against each other, as his other arm wrapped around her waist.