[Kei]
The place wasn't far.
Of course it wasn't.
He didn't plan that much.
Didn't need to.
He just picked the first place that looked decent—
and dragged her along.
Not literally this time.
…mostly.
Kei walked a step behind her, hands in his pockets, gaze drifting lazily—
but not really.
Because even when he looked away—
he was still watching.
No-Ah didn't say anything.
Didn't look at him.
Didn't acknowledge him.
Like he wasn't even there.
…yeah.
There it is.
That same thing.
"…you always this quiet?" he asked.
"…you always this annoying?" she shot back immediately.
A beat.
Kei huffed lightly.
"…fair."
☆☆☆
The ramen shop was small.
Warm.
Nothing special.
Which was good.
Too much attention would've been annoying.
Kei stepped in after her, letting his gaze sweep the place out of habit—
exits, people, space—
then dropped it just as quickly.
No threat.
No problem.
His attention shifted back to her.
It always did.
She slid into a corner seat like she'd already decided it was hers.
Didn't ask.
Didn't hesitate.
Kei sat across from her, leaning back slightly.
"Order whatever," he said.
"…you're paying."
"That's what I said."
She didn't hesitate.
Didn't even glance at him.
"Two."
Kei raised a brow.
"…you didn't even ask what I wanted."
"You said anything."
"…you're bold."
"You're slow."
A pause.
Then—
he let out a quiet breath through his nose.
Amused.
"…you've got a mouth on you."
No-Ah ignored him.
Of course she did.
☆☆☆
The food came fast.
Steam curled up from the bowls, thick with heat.
Kei didn't move right away.
He watched her.
The way she picked up her chopsticks—
steady.
Like everything she did had a reason.
"…what," she said flatly.
Didn't even look up.
"…nothing."
"Then eat."
"Bossy."
"You're welcome to leave."
"…nah."
That was new.
He wasn't.
Not yet.
Kei finally leaned forward, grabbing his chopsticks, taking a bite.
A pause.
"…not bad."
"Obviously."
"…you picked well."
"I know."
A small silence settled between them.
But it wasn't empty.
Not like before.
There was something in it now.
Something he didn't hate.
☆☆☆
"…you always carry that around?"
Her chopsticks paused slightly.
"…what."
"The kit."
A beat.
"…yeah."
"Why."
"Habit."
"That's not an answer."
"It is to me."
Kei tilted his head slightly, studying her.
She didn't like answering questions.
Or maybe—
she just didn't like answering his.
"…you treat people often?"
"…no."
"Just me?"
A pause.
"…unfortunately."
Kei let out a short laugh.
"…lucky me."
"…don't make it weird."
"Too late."
"…you're doing it on purpose."
"Maybe."
Yeah.
Definitely.
☆☆☆
"…why'd you really pick that fight."
Kei didn't answer right away.
He leaned back slightly, gaze drifting past her—
but not really seeing anything.
"…they were talking."
"People talk."
"Not like that."
"…so you hit them."
"…yeah."
She looked at him then.
Properly.
Not just a glance.
"…that's stupid."
"Probably."
"…you could've gotten seriously hurt."
"I didn't."
"That's not the point."
A pause.
Then—
"…you sound like you care."
Her expression didn't change.
"…I don't."
Kei hummed softly.
"Mm."
"Don't 'mm' me."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"…sure."
She looked away.
Clicked her tongue.
"…you're insufferable."
"And you still helped me."
"…I regret it."
"You don't."
"…I do."
"You came."
That—
made her pause.
Just for a second.
"…you said ramen."
Kei huffed a quiet laugh.
"That's all it took?"
"…don't flatter yourself."
☆☆☆
They ate slower after that.
Not because they had to.
Just—
because neither of them moved to leave.
"…you avoided that alley."
Her hand stilled slightly.
"…what."
"For a week."
Silence.
"…you noticed?"
"…yeah."
"…why."
Kei leaned his head back slightly, eyes settling on her again.
Simple answer.
"…because I was there."
She frowned faintly.
"…that's not a reason."
"It is to me."
"…you're weird."
"I've been told."
A pause.
Then—
"…you kept coming back?"
"…yeah."
"…every day?"
"…yeah."
Silence stretched.
Longer.
"…that's stupid."
"Probably."
"…what if I didn't come."
Kei didn't hesitate.
"…you did."
Her grip tightened slightly.
Barely noticeable.
…but he saw it.
Of course he did.
"…that doesn't mean anything."
"Mm."
"…stop doing that."
"Doing what."
"That."
Kei didn't answer.
Just watched her.
A little too closely.
Like he was trying to fix something in place.
Memorize it.
☆☆☆
"…why me."
That—
he didn't expect.
Kei blinked once.
"…huh?"
"…why are you so—"
She stopped.
"…persistent."
A pause.
Kei leaned forward slightly, resting his arm on the table.
Not too close.
Just enough.
"…you really don't get it?"
"…no."
A small breath left him.
"…everyone else looks at me like they already know what they're seeing."
He didn't rush it.
Didn't joke.
Didn't smirk.
"…you didn't."
Silence.
"…you just looked."
She didn't move.
Didn't interrupt.
Didn't deny it either.
"…so?" she said finally.
Quieter.
Kei leaned back again.
Like it didn't matter.
"…so I wanted you to do it again."
Simple.
Honest.
Done.
No-Ah looked at the clock as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world.
"... it's getting late." She said as she picked up her things.
He watched her for half a second—
then stood too.
"It's literally only 8..."
The bowls were empty.
Neither of them said it first.
But they both knew.
"…we're done, right?" she said.
"Yeah."
☆☆☆
Outside—
the air was cooler.
Quieter.
Better.
Kei rolled his shoulder slightly, then glanced at her.
"…hold still."
She frowned.
"…what."
"Payment."
"…you already—"
"Not that."
Before she could step back—
he reached out.
Not rough.
Not sudden.
Just—
direct.
His fingers caught her wrist lightly.
Turned it.
A faint red mark sat along her skin.
From earlier.
From him.
"…you bruise easily," he muttered.
"…whose fault is that."
"Mine."
No hesitation.
That made her pause.
Just slightly.
Kei reached into his pocket, pulling out a small strip—
nothing fancy.
He pressed it lightly against her wrist.
Careful.
More careful than she expected.
"…you don't have to—"
"Yeah, I do."
"…why."
A beat.
Kei's grip loosened slightly, but he didn't let go immediately.
"…I said I'd treat you."
Silence.
Then—
he let go.
Just like that.
No lingering.
No extra.
But the warmth stayed.
☆☆☆
"…thanks," she said.
Quiet.
Like it slipped out.
Kei glanced at her.
"…for what, hmm?"
"…nothing."
A pause.
Then—
"…i'm going back home."
Simple.
Flat.
But—
not the same as before.
They walked.
Same direction.
At first—
it didn't mean anything."You're still here."
"You too."
"…are you following me?"
"…are you?" Kei asked back.
He stopped.
"…I live there."
A small nod forward.
She followed his gaze.
…same block.
"How come I've never seen you around here?"
"That's because I'm too busy."
"...yet you can still have ramen with me?"
Kei's expression changed.
…tch.
She caught that.
"...whatever. So you can't avoid me anymore."
"Don't change the subject, Kei." No-Ah smirked playfully.
"...don't do that."
"Heh." A genuine laugh escaped her lips.
"I'll let you off this time."
She laughed...
He stared at her, eyes darting around her face as if he was searching for something.
"..." She straightened up.
"what? Never seen someone laughing before?"
He didn't look away.
"You look nice when you laugh."
"What?"
"N-nothing."
A beat.
No-Ah narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…you're bad at lying."
"…I didn't lie."
"You did."
"I didn't."
"…you stuttered."
Kei clicked his tongue softly, looking away.
"…drop it."
"No."
"…why."
"Because it's funny."
A pause.
Then—
"…you're annoying."
"And you're easy to read."
"…I'm not."
"You are."
Silence.
Not heavy.
Just—
different.
☆☆☆
They kept walking.
Same direction.
Still.
Neither of them pointed it out this time.
Which—
somehow made it more obvious.
"so you live around here too."
"coincidence?"
"Maybe."
"…if you drag me into another alley—"
"I won't."
A beat.
"…probably."
"…Kei."
"Relax."
"…you're not convincing."
A quiet huff left him.
Amused.
☆☆☆
The street grew quieter.
Less people.
More space between footsteps and everything else.
"…you really never saw me?" he asked.
"…no."
"Not even once?"
"No."
A beat.
"…you're not very memorable."
Kei scoffed lightly.
"…that's a lie."
"…prove it."
He glanced at her.
"…you remembered me."
Her steps slowed—
just slightly.
"…I remembered the situation."
"Mm."
"…not you."
"Mm."
"…stop doing that."
"Doing what."
"That."
"…you noticed."
"…that doesn't mean anything."
"Sure."
She clicked her tongue softly, looking away.
"…you're irritating."
"Yeah."
☆☆☆
They passed one house.
Then another.
Still walking.
Still side by side.
"…so," No-Ah said after a moment.
"…this is getting weird."
"…what is."
"We're still walking together."
"…and?"
"…and nothing."
A pause.
"…just saying."
Kei glanced at her.
"…you can leave."
"…I didn't say I wanted to."
That—
made him pause.
Just for a second.
"…didn't say you did."
Silence.
But this time—
it shifted.
Subtly.
☆☆☆
"…there," Kei said after a while.
He nodded forward slightly.
A house.
Not far.
Not separate.
Just—
there.
No-Ah followed his gaze.
"…you weren't lying."
"…I usually don't."
"…you literally just did earlier."
"…details."
"…unbelievable."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
☆☆☆
They slowed.
Not stopping.
But—
not continuing normally either.
Like neither of them decided what this part was supposed to be.
"…so this is it?" No-Ah said.
"…yeah."
A pause.
Neither moved.
"…okay."
"…okay."
Silence.
Then—
"…don't get into fights again," she said.
It came out the same way.
Flat.
But not really.
Kei tilted his head slightly.
"…can't promise that."
"…then try."
A beat.
"…we'll see."
She looked at him for a second longer.
Then—
"…bye."
She stepped forward.
Passed him.
Kept walking.
Didn't look back.
But—
not fast.
Not like before.
☆☆☆
Kei stood there.
Hands still in his pockets.
Watching her walk away.
Of course.
"…you didn't want to leave either."
A quiet exhale.
Then—
a faint smile.
"…good."
He continued walking.
Steps light.
Door not far.
Not far at all.
☆☆☆