The Equation of Hearts

√𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟺𝟻ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩ

Kato was cooking in the kitchen, and Tenshi watched him intently. So who was to break the ice first? Kato forgot there was ice to break as he was busy with the pot and rice.

"Can you two please speak so that I don't have to bring a torch into the cooking area?" Camilla called from outside. Kato looked back at her and realised how gloomy the kitchen looked with the tension between them. He hummed and turned to see Tenshi standing behind him and resting his hand on the back of Kato's head.

"You alright?" He felt Kato crouch and his hand went to his ear, "I'm sorry," he apologised quickly.

"...Why?" He tilted his head, Tenshi looked almost pained, it wasn't anything Kato could remember seeing. His own father was usually calm and collected.

"I'm sorry you had to see me there with your mum." He apologised and groaned, "I don't want to ruin anything she has, and I don't want to hurt you any more than you have been." He rested his hands on Kato's cheeks, "you've been through too much to see your dad's face unable to look at your mother's." He whispered and Kato turned back to cooking,

"It's not your fault that Elena feels unlovable in this world." Kato hummed,

"True, I can barely look at her, she looks so different." Camilla chimed in and entered the kitchen, "brother~ it's done." Camilla cheered and Kato turned off the cooker, he hummed and looked down at Tenshi, who still seemed conflicted,

"Cassandra's here." Irū called and Kato began plating food.

"We can... talk after." He whispered to Tenshi. The man nodded and grumbled, taking plates and moving them to a table. Cassandra was listening to Camilla talk excitedly, she just nodded and saw the food.

"Hah! I'll never have a friend as great as Kato!" She cheered and sat down as Kato also served food. He hummed and sat down, pulling off his blindfold at last. "I'll never get used to his eyes," she pointed to them.

"You won't be used to his normal hair." Camilla giggled and Kato shook his head to see the ends of his hair curling. Cassandra had nothing to say, he was just a cute boy.

"Is there a reason you aren't colouring it anymore?" Tenshi realised, he could see the brown beginnings of it.

"I look like my mother's father with this black hair." He explained. The rest could explain itself, "this Elena was harsh, because of it... I don't want to hurt my own." He mumbled. Tenshi sighed and looked at his food, he got a cardamom.

"I still don't get it," Cassandra shrugged easily,

"Just ignore it." Irū encouraged and Cassandra leaned back,

"Anyway! Thank you, Kato, for the rich people connections," she grinned, "now I'm going Indonesia for a week just for coconuts! I love abusing the rich." She snickered and Camilla clapped,

"Dad climbed trees for them! Remember?" Camilla looked at Kato, who nodded,

"Yeah we have a video." Cassandra grinned and Tenshi hummed, "wanna go tree climbing?" She suddenly asked Kato, who looked up at her. She found that she couldn't actually stare at him like she used to, he looked too strange.

"When?" He tilted his head.

"I dunno, next week? Oh wait..." she realised she was going in 10 days, "after I come back. I'll show you how it's done." She grinned. Kato nodded absently and looked at his plate for a moment.

"Take Odele," he insisted instead, "he needs the exercise." He stood up and took his finished plate to the kitchen, where he washed it and pulled on a jacket.

"Where are you off to?" Camilla leaned back and looked at him.

"To get metal polish." He replied and opened the door. Tenshi watched him silently, "do you... need anything?" He looked back at them.