Whisked Away

Chapter 6: Stirring the Pot

Sky stood in front of her mirror the next morning, brushing through her hair with an absent-minded focus. Her mind was racing, swirling with thoughts of what she had agreed to. Drinks with Kito. She hadn't mentioned it to Ash yet, but there was no way she could keep this secret for long. She was teetering on the edge, and part of her felt an undeniable thrill.

Still, the guilt lingered like a dull ache. Kenji was coming home soon. She should be excited, but her emotions were too tangled to unravel right now.

She threw on her uniform and headed to the restaurant, her nerves buzzing under the surface.

The Unexpected Visit

When Sky arrived at the restaurant, the first thing she noticed was the unmistakable figure of Kenji standing outside, waiting for her. Her heart dropped.

Kenji smiled, his face lighting up as soon as he saw her. "Surprise!"

Sky froze for a moment, taking in the sight of him. He had told her he was coming home in a few days, not today. The suddenness of his arrival made her chest tighten with panic.

"Kenji," she managed to say, forcing a smile. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I know. I thought I'd come a little early and take you out to breakfast before your shift. I've missed you." He leaned in for a kiss, and she allowed it, her heart pounding for all the wrong reasons.

"That's... so sweet of you," Sky said, trying to keep her voice steady. She wasn't ready for this—wasn't ready to deal with seeing him right now, not with Kito's message still fresh in her mind. She thought she had time to figure things out. "But I don't have a lot of time before work starts."

"That's okay. Just wanted to see you for a bit," Kenji said, giving her a warm smile that made her feel even worse. "I'll come by after work, too. We can have dinner, yeah?"

Sky nodded, though her thoughts were in turmoil. "Yeah, that sounds great."

As they parted ways, Sky felt like she was walking into the kitchen with a weight on her chest. Today was already off to a rocky start.

The Kitchen Dynamics

The kitchen felt more tense than usual today. Sky moved around the space, setting up her station while trying to push her emotions to the back of her mind. But it was impossible to ignore the weight of Kenji's unexpected return—and the fact that Kito would be here any minute, unaware of what had just happened.

Ash shot her a curious glance as she walked past, likely sensing that something was off, but she didn't say anything. Sky was grateful for that.

When Kito finally entered the kitchen, their eyes met for a split second, and Sky's breath caught in her throat. His usual cocky grin was there, and she could see the unspoken question in his gaze: Are we still on for tonight?

Sky quickly turned her attention back to her work, not daring to respond with anything more than a nod.

But Kito wasn't the type to be ignored. He sidled up next to her at the counter, keeping his voice low. "You okay? You look... different today."

Sky's jaw tightened. She didn't want to tell him about Kenji's surprise visit, not here, not now. "I'm fine," she said shortly, chopping vegetables with more force than necessary.

Kito didn't back off, leaning a little closer. "You sure about that?"

Sky glanced up, meeting his intense gaze. His proximity made her stomach flutter in a way that was far too dangerous. "Can we not do this right now?"

Kito's eyes narrowed slightly, as if sensing something had shifted. But instead of pressing her, he gave a small shrug and stepped back. "Fine. But tonight, we're talking."

Sky swallowed hard. Tonight. The thought loomed over her like a dark cloud.

Ash's Confrontation

It wasn't long before Ash found her opportunity to corner Sky. After the lunch rush had subsided and they were taking a quick break, Ash leaned against the counter next to her.

"Okay, spill it," Ash said without preamble, crossing her arms. "Something's going on, and I want to know what."

Sky sighed, rubbing her temples. She was exhausted—mentally and emotionally—and the weight of keeping everything inside was becoming too much. But how could she explain this mess to Ash?

"It's complicated," Sky muttered.

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Clearly. But I'm here, Sky. You can talk to me."

Sky hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her apron. "Kenji showed up this morning. Out of the blue. He was supposed to come back later."

Ash's eyes widened. "Wait, Kenji's back? And you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't know he was coming," Sky said quickly. "He surprised me."

Ash looked at her for a moment, studying her face. "And... how do you feel about that?"

Sky bit her lip, unsure of how to answer. How was she supposed to explain the knot of confusion in her chest? She loved Kenji—of course, she did. But every time she thought about Kito, the lines blurred, and she couldn't make sense of anything.

"I don't know, Ash," Sky said quietly. "I don't know how I feel."

Ash sighed, her expression softening. "Sky, you're in a tough spot. But you need to figure this out before things get messy. You're playing with fire here."

"I know," Sky whispered, her heart sinking.

Ash gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You'll figure it out. Just... don't keep running from it."

The Evening Dilemma

By the time Sky's shift ended, she was on edge. Kenji had sent her a few more sweet messages throughout the day, reminding her of their dinner plans. She should have been looking forward to it, but all she could think about was her conversation with Kito. She couldn't meet him tonight—she had to cancel. This was too risky.

As she grabbed her things and headed out of the restaurant, her phone buzzed again. It was Kito.

Kito: You still on for tonight?

Sky hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen. She needed to end this, whatever it was, before it spiraled out of control.

But before she could type her response, a familiar voice called out to her. "Sky!"

She turned, and her heart nearly stopped. Kenji was standing just a few feet away, a bright smile on his face as he walked toward her. He must have gotten off work early to meet her, and his presence was a stark reminder of everything that was on the line.

Sky quickly locked her phone and forced a smile as Kenji wrapped her in a hug. "Hey," she said, her voice tight. "You're early."

"I couldn't wait to see you," Kenji said, his arms still around her. "Ready for dinner?"

Sky nodded, though her mind was elsewhere. Her phone buzzed again in her pocket—another message from Kito, no doubt—but she ignored it, choosing to focus on Kenji.

"Yeah," she said softly. "Let's go."

As they walked away, Sky's heart pounded with guilt. She was trapped in a web of her own making, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep this up.