SHARPER || Chishiya Alice in Boarderland

-44- just trauma

After a few minutes, and him finishing my cake, he leans back in his chair, pushing his empty plate away with a sigh. "God, I forgot what good food tastes like."

"You have been living off hospital trays for weeks," I remind him.

He gives me a mock glare. "Yeah, and half of that was your fault. You brought me that protein mush thing two weeks ago."

"It had nutrients."

"It had the consistency of drywall."

I laugh, and for a while, we talk about nothing. About stupid little things that don't matter. And somehow, that feels like everything.

Then, as we wait for Hanai to come back for us to pay our bill, he glances at the window and says, "You know, I still can't believe Kuina convinced me to visit her mom."

"She told me about that," I say, surprised by how easily her name fits into conversation again.

He laughs softly, the sound tinged with real affection. "Yeah. She dragged me halfway across town, said I needed to 'practice being a good influence.' I told her she's the last person qualified to say that."

"And how was it?"

"She's... good," he says, and his voice softens. "Healthier. Stronger. Kuina cried when her mom walked without help for the first time."

A small smile pulls at my lips. "That sounds like her."

"Yeah," he agrees, stirring the condensation on his glass. "She's different now. Calmer, somehow. Still loud, but—" he pauses, his gaze flicking toward the city lights—"you can tell she's trying. We're looking at an apartment together, actually."

I blink. "You're moving in together?"

He laughs at my expression. "Not like that. We just... get each other, you know? She doesn't treat me like I'm broken."

That hits deeper than I expect. I nod slowly, my chest tightening. "That's nice."

"Yeah." His voice turns thoughtful. "She's got this thing about living, even when it sucks. Says we owe it to the people we lost to try."

I smile faintly. "Sounds like something she'd say."

"And you?" he asks suddenly. "You still living with Kenji, Nio and the dog that hates shoes?"

I laugh. "Goro doesn't hate shoes. He just... doesn't not like shoes."

"Wow, much better."

I shake my head, smiling as I sip my drink. "Yeah, Nio's been good. Always busy. She has, like, seven projects going on with dog school, volunteering, teaching a class, probably building a rocket somewhere."

"She sounds like chaos."

"She is. But it's the good kind."

Takumi smiles knowingly. "And Kenji?"

I hesitate. "He's... okay. Better, I think. He's made friends at in school. Laughs more. But..." I trail off, staring at the table. "He doesn't want his parents to come back. He won't say it, but I can tell."

Takumi nods slowly. "He's scared the silence will come back when he goes home."

"Yeah."

A waitress arrives with another dessert—two slices of cheesecake and steaming cups of green tea. The scent of it calms me. Hanai's Orders, she said.

Takumi takes a bite and groans in appreciation. "Okay, I forgive you for the protein mush."

"Good," I say, but I'm watching him again. Watching the way he moves, the easy grace of someone who's pretending not to be fragile.