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Chapter 1: the first chill
The first breath of autumn drifted through the small town, wrapping the streets in a crisp, amber glow. Fallen leaves crunched beneath hurried footsteps, swirling into little eddies of gold, orange, and brown. The smell of cinnamon and woodsmoke lingered in the air, mingling with the last remnants of summer warmth. It was the kind of afternoon that invited comfort—sweaters, warm drinks, and slow conversations by the fire.
She didn't have time for any of that.
She hurried down the cobblestone streets, juggling a purse full of who knows what had been stuffed inside with car keys, her wallet, lip gloss, tissue and her water bottle that sloshed dangerously with each step. It's 9AM in the morning, she is almost in her final year of college. Her mind was a whirl of unfinished projects, upcoming deadlines and millions fleeting ideas that refused to be pinned down.
As she rounded the corner, the scent of caramel hit them first—a rich, sugary sweetness that tugged at something deep in their memory. It stopped her in her tracks, just outside the Warm Hearth Café, the little coffee shop they'd passed a hundred times but never entered. She thought that she could try it someday with Kuroo but she is sure that he's gonna keep criticising her for being a caffeine addict and keep on wasting her money for just $5 on a 16 oz drink.
Again, this is not the time for that now.
She is almost graduating this year, struggling to pay rent and catching up with her part time job. It was a good catch and it paid her really well. She was more than grateful for her boss who was always considerate and kind enough about her time management trying to balance out between her studies and her work. Her landlord on the other hand....well let's say Kenma wasn't really that kind, though he lived just below the building, except that his place was rather lively when brought his friends over sometimes. Who she is to complain anyway, she always asked him that if she could delay her payments much to his annoyance (though he rarely showed any expression, she could tell it anyway by his face, his half assed response and sigh) but hey, she paid it anyway. The idea of getting in debt already gives her a headache. It's already enough that she was in student debt.
Pressing his ID contact on her phone as she waited for a reply, after a while there was still no response from him as she kept on walking towards his place. She swung open the door, scanning the place as her gaze fell on the three figures in the kitchen.
She sighed.
It was a humorous scene for her. Kuroo and Bokuto are reacting in fear to a cockroach on the floor. Kuroo was wearing cat-patterned shorts and was being lifted off the ground by none other than Daichi, likely to avoid the bug. Meanwhile, Bokuto is crouching behind them, also hiding in fear and gripping the pants of the standing Daichi, almost pulling down his pants.
