𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐀𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 | 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝

☑ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵃ ᵍᵒᵒᵈ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗ

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｎｉｎｅ

♟

She shoved a handful of assorted salted truffle into her mouth while seeping in the cheesy aroma that lingered around her living room. Her cheeks puffed from the excessive food, indulging into the salty-sweet taste of the delicacy.

Darkness engulfed the area with the television screen as the only source of light. For a girl who is apathetic towards her looks, it was a surprise that her house is arranged and clean. Despite the size, it was very comfortable to live in considering the fact that she's the only one who resides in it.

Her relaxed chewing was interrupted after hearing a sudden knock on her front door. She shifted her gaze towards the wall clock and saw that it was already 8 in the evening. Putting both of her hands on her lap, she used it to support her body in standing up before proceeding towards the door and checking who it was.

"Hey uh.. my mom made me deliver this." A relieved smile climbed up her face, pleased that the person standing in front is not that certain man who she thought would ruin her perfect break time again. She gladly wrapped her fingers around the small casserole pot and bowed in gratitude to the teenage boy living next door.

"Thank you! And tell your parents I sent my regards!" She gave him a cheeky grin before patting his head with her free hand, making the boy fluster in embarrassment. He bashfully rolled his eyes and went on his way.

(Y/N) mentally laughed on his timid reactions, turning her heels away and closing the door behind her. She inhaled the mouthwatering scent of the pot and gently placed the casserole on top of the coffee table.

Just as she was about to sit back on the loving arms of her couch, she heard another round of knocks. She puffed out a huff and resumed in walking once again to her door and opening it, revealing a raven-haired male that almost gave her a heart attack.

She was about to spat a rebuke at him but decided to just silence her self and not exert any effort into questioning this man who keeps on popping in the most despicable moments in her time of rest. Her hands were placed against each side of her waist while she waited for him to say whatever it is that he needs.

"Are the written reports ready?" Her mind, for some reason, immediately alerted her nerves to start moving and get the required items that the boy just mentioned. 

"Wait, let me get it for a sec." She sprinted towards her room to get the files before proceeding back to her living room, only to see the ravenette now scanning through her figurines that she sneakily took from all of the wedding ceremonies that she was invited to. It was their fault tho.. they never really gave any souvenir that would give the guests something to remind about the ceremony but just some lousy photographs of the couple that were wedded.

"Hey! Who told you that you can just go inside without my permission?" Daisuke paused on his little sight seeing and turned to look at the young woman that was currently wearing a duster for senior citizens. Despite her fashion sense being very strange, he never really tried to ask her about it since he can see that she's very comfortable in wearing one.

Her sight followed his figure as he went to her door to make his exit. Before he could completely go out, (Y/N) noticed that he was in bare low cut foot socks. She consecutively blinked in confusion as she tried to process why he was not wearing any shoes.

"Sir uh.. Kambe.." She cleared her throat awkwardly after seeing his ice blue orbs looking at her. She figured out that maybe the reason why he took off his shoes before entering her house was because he noticed her doing the same in the past year everytime she's in his manor to work. The young woman sighed and took a pair of fluffy slip-on slippers, putting it in front of the male.

 "Please wear this.. I don't want you to blame me if your socks get dirty."

Daisuke observed its hamburger design, his eyebrows raising while he inserted his feet on its opening. A feeling of satisfaction resided in him as he was overwhelmed with the foam that was hugging his toes. (Y/N) ignored his obvious amazement over a simple object, signing him to sit down on her sofa so he could check the documents and proofread it. Surprisingly, he did as he was told like a little kid.

"Did you eat already?" Without taking his sight from the papers, he shook his head from left to right. The (h/c) haired girl took note of his response and went out of the living room.

After a few minutes, the ravenette shifted his sight away from the documents and landed on the woman who was currently bringing two small black bowls and chop sticks. She handed him one of the said containers to which the boy received hesitantly. She plopped her self beside him before opening the lid of the casserole that was given to her a few moments ago. 

"Hey, I'll allow you to eat.. if and only if you wash your own dish after you're done. Understood?" Daisuke lightly nodded in agreement with her deal, a small smile hanging on his face. Her lips released a huff while she filled his bowl with the food in the casserole.

The aromatic scent brushed against his nose while he studied the contents of the delicacy. (Y/N) noticed his confused staring on the food, her putting a piece of meat in her mouth afterwards.

"That's oxtail and feet by the way." (Y/N) visibly saw the boy taut as if the dish was new to him. She took another piece of the feet's skin, however, instead of shoving it in her mouth, she placed it on the bowl of the ravenette.

"The dish's called Kare-Kare and my neighbor makes a really good one. Come on, try it.. I mean, if you'd like to.. of course." She gently suggested since she doesn't want to force something that would make the boy uncomfortable.

Daisuke took another look on the meat before carefully placing it inside his mouth. At first, he was perplexed with the different flavors that burst in it; the saltiness of the meat, the sweetness of the peanut butter in the sauce that was soaked in the feet and the bitterness of the string beans that was added. When it all settled in his tongue, he finally started to enjoy its exotic taste.

He took another bite of the delicacy which later on proceeded to him feasting on his bowl. (Y/N) grinned after successfully persuading him to eat something that he was just introduced to and to think that he actually liked it. She placed her own bowl on the coffee table and opened her trusty old laptop to check if the pirated movie that she was illegally downloading is ready.

The boy paused on his subtle chewing after having a glimpse at the condition of her laptop: A large part of it was covered in duct tape and its monitor had a large crack in it. His sight shifted towards her face that was illuminated with the light from the screen.

"What happened to your laptop?" The young woman jolted with his sudden question since not one of them was talking in the past minute. Her (e/c) eyes snapped towards Daisuke, a sarcastic smile conquering her face.

"You happened."