Hori's eyes widened, and she quickly began waving her hands frantically in the air, her face turning pink.
"Ah! Stop, stop! Don't make me remember such embarrassing things!" She huffed, quickly trying to change the topic before she died of shame. "Anyway... I'll just give a call to my mother and see if she lets me stay."
Shido finally closed the fridge door with a soft click, holding a carton of orange juice. He put on a very serious, obvious look, mimicking a wise old philosopher or a grand sage. "Ah, yes. The Dreaded Empress of Kagachi..."
Shido began, using the famous family code name they all secretively used for her powerful mother.
He raised a finger in the air dramatically. "My dear Hori, instead of celebrating so early, you must first ask the permission of the main villain who controls the entire end-game. If the Empress says no, your little castle falls to pieces."
Hori frowned fiercely, crossing her arms tightly. "Hey! My mother is not a villain! She's just strict!"
Kento smiled softly at her defensive pout. Walking away from the counter, he stepped closer to her chair, gently placing a warm hand on her shoulder.
His green eyes softened completely, giving her that incredibly lovely, reassuring look that always made the world slow down. "Don't worry about Shido's words. Just give your mother a call and see what she says. It's going to be fine."
Hori looked up, meeting his warm gaze. Her breath hitched slightly, and a bright, deep blush rushed across her cheeks. She quickly looked down at her lap, her fingers twisting together nervously.
Kento blinked, his expression turning confused as he tilted his head. "Hori? Is something the matter? Did I say something wrong?"
Still blushing furiously, Hori kept her eyes averted, whispering in a shy, flustered voice, "Don't... don't give me that look right now."
Realizing he might have overstepped, Kento quickly pulled his hand back, a wave of panic hitting his face. "Ah! I'm so sorry! Did I offend you? I didn't mean to—"
"No, idiot," Hori corrected him in a very low, quiet voice, her heart fluttering as she peered up through her bangs. "You're just... too charming for your own good."
"Oh, look at them! Truly, my eyes have been blessed by the heavens themselves!" Shido gasped dramatically, dropping the orange juice carton onto the counter with a loud Thud so he could press both hands flat against his heart.
He threw his head back, fluttering his eyelashes like a tragic hero in a romance play. "Ah, the arrows of love have struck again! 'Oh, Master Kamitani, you are simply too charming for my fragile mortal eyes!' 'Forgive me, my fair Princess Hori, for my beauty is a heavy burden to bear!'"
Hori's head snapped up, her blush instantly turning into a deep, furious red as her hands clenched into tight fists. "Shido! Shut up! I did not sound like that!"
"Oh, but you did!" Shido shouted, instantly breaking out of his pose to point a mocking finger right at her.
He leaned forward over the kitchen table, his chaotic smirk widening. "You were practically melting into the floorboards, Hori! If Kento smiled at you for two more seconds, we would have needed a mop to clean you up. Seriously, Kento, what's your secret? Do you practice that burning 'prince' face in the bathroom mirror every morning?"
Kento rubbed the back of his neck, coughing lightly into his fist as he looked away to hide the faint pink flushing his own cheeks. "Shido, drop it. You're making it weird."
"I'm not making it weird, I'm celebrating art!" Shido declared proudly, throwing his arms wide into the air like a grand director.
"I am Cupid's chosen representative in this house! The ultimate matchmaker! I should honestly start charging you two a fee just for setting the perfect, romantic lighting in this kitchen. You're welcome, by the way!"
Hori grabbed the nearest clean kitchen towel from the counter, twisting it tightly in her hands as her pink eyes flashed with pure rage. "I am going to throw you out the window, Shido! See if your Cupid wings can save you then!"
Shido didn't back down. Instead, he let out a loud, mocking laugh, putting his hands on his hips and tilting his head back. "Oh, I'm shaking! Go ahead, Hori! Throw it! I dare you! Let's see if you've actually got the guts to hit the Mighty Judge!"
Hori's grip tightened on the fabric, her knuckles turning white. "Shido, I am warning you!" She muttered, her voice dropping to a dangerous murmur as she glared at him. "Do not force me to do things you'll regret. Just shut your mouth before I actually make you swallow this towel."
"Oh, please! You wouldn't throw a tantrum in front of Kento, would you?" Shido teased, waving a hand dismissively. "Come on, if you're so tough, throw it! Stop talking and show me if you've got the guts!"
"That is the final warning! Do not underestimate me, Shido!" Hori snapped, raising her arm back, completely ready to launch the balled-up cloth right at his smirking face.
"Whoa, whoa! Alright, let's calm down!" Kento interrupted quickly. Sensing the kitchen was about to turn into a literal war zone, he stepped directly between the two of them, holding his hands up to block Hori's line of sight.
He turned to look at her, offering a gentle, reassuring smile. "Hori, don't let him get to you. If you're really that worried about calling your mother, you don't have to stress over it. How about I give her a call for you?"
Hori froze, her arm dropping slightly as her pink eyes widened in utter, complete shock.
"Wait... what?" she stammered, the anger instantly draining from her face, replaced by pure disbelief. "Kento, no! Don't you dare!"
"Why not? It's really no problem at all." Kento said casually, completely missing the panic flashing across her features.
Before she could react or pull away, he reached over and smoothly picked up her phone from where it sat on the smooth dining table.
He unlocked the screen, his fingers effortlessly tapping over the glass as he opened her contact list. "I'll just explain that tomorrow is Saturday and politely request her to let you stay over at our place for the night. I'm sure if I ask nicely, she won't mind."
"Kento, give that back! You don't understand!" Hori cried out, her face flushing a deep pink as she reached for the phone, but Kento lightly shifted his shoulder, keeping the screen just out of her grasp while his green eyes scanned the list of names.
"Let's see..." Kento muttered, his thumb scrolling down the alphabetized list. "I'm looking under 'M' for Mother or 'Mom,' but I don't see anything. Hori, by what name did you actually save her number in here?"
Hori's movements stopped instantly. A bright, burning blush rushed across her cheeks, and she quickly looked down at her feet, her fingers twisting together nervously.
"It's... it's not under 'Mom'..." she whispered silently, her voice so low it was almost a whisper.
Kento tilted his head, a confused smile tugging at his lips. "Sorry, I didn't catch that. What is it?"
Hori hid her face behind her bangs, wishing the kitchen floor would just open up and swallow her whole. "...The Dreaded Empress," she muttered under her breath, her face burning hot. "I saved it as 'The Dreaded Empress'."
Kento blinked for a second, processing the words, and then a soft, amused chuckle escaped his lips.
He looked from the screen back to her flushed face, his green eyes glowing with genuine entertainment. "Wow. 'The Dreaded Empress'? I have to admit, Hori... I definitely didn't expect that from you."
Shido, who was currently leaning against the counter and gulping down orange juice, lowered his glass.
He nagged loudly, looking over at them. "Seriously, what is the point of calling her mother anyway? We could have just called her father instead! He's way easier to handle."
Kento let out a long, slow sigh, rolling his eyes. He strolled casually over to the counter, his hands in his pockets. "Where exactly did Dad go? He's out there dealing with things, and here you are just raiding our fridge."
Before Shido could even react, Kento reached out and smoothly snatched both the juice carton and the glass right out of his hands.
"Hey!" Shido shouted, his face twisting in a desperation as he became completely disheartened. He slumped his shoulders, staring tragically at his empty hands. "Come on, Kento! That was my juice! It's mine!"
"You can have it during dinner." Kento said smoothly, turning around to put the carton away. "Stop being a freak, Shido."
Hori watched them, crossing her arms tightly. "Anyway, even if we wanted to call my dad, we can't..." she explained, huffing a bit. "My parents... well, they take turns in solving my matters."
Kento paused, closing the refrigerator door with a soft Click. He turned back to face her, his expression turning confused as he tilted his head. "Turns? What do you mean by taking turns?"
Before Hori could even answer, Shido completely lost it.
A loud snort erupted from his throat, and he burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. He rolled over, holding his stomach with both hands as his whole body shook. "Turns?! Are you serious right now?!" Shido laughed, actual tears of laughter forming in the corners of his blue eyes.
He wiped his eyes, pointing a mocking finger right at her flushed face. "Why on earth do your parents need to take a shift schedule just to deal with you?! 'Step aside, dear, it's my week to handle the kid!' Man, your family is a riot, Hori! Do they clock in and out on a machine before they give you permission to breathe?!"
Hori's temper instantly exploded. Her pink eyes flashed with pure rage, and her face turned a deep, furious red.
"Take this, you absolute idiot!" Hori shouted.
Twisting the kitchen towel tightly in her hand, she launched it directly toward his smirking face with immense, funny force.
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