Spicy Haven - Reunion!

The warm glow of the restaurant lights flickered against the steam rising from the bubbling hot pot. The scent of simmering broth mixed with spices and fresh vegetables, wrapping the space in a comforting warmth. Laughter and chatter echoed from the surrounding tables, but for Zane, the noise faded into the background.

His mind was elsewhere.

He absentmindedly swirled the broth in his bowl, his grip on the chopsticks loose. The lively atmosphere of the restaurant felt distant, overshadowed by a nagging sensation—a presence he couldn’t ignore.

Something was off.

“Zane?” Kimiko’s voice pulled him back. She tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing in concern. “You okay? You seem… distracted.”

Zane blinked, shaking off the thought. “Yeah, sorry. Just… thinking.”

Kira scoffed, leaning lazily against the table. “Thinking? You’re acting like someone’s breathing down your neck. Did you eat too much spice? Are we gonna have to carry you home?”

Zane let out a weak chuckle, trying to play it off. “Maybe. Might’ve overdone it.”

Kimiko wasn’t convinced, but before she could press him further, Kira seized the opportunity to tease. “Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes and nudged Zane’s shoulder. “Come on, you can’t be this weak.” She held up a piece of food with her chopsticks, smirking. “Just try it.”

Zane leaned back slightly, eyeing the deep red sauce with suspicion.

Kimiko chuckled. “Honestly, Zane, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Kira smirked, leaning in slightly. “Come on, just one bite.” But as soon as she said it, her playful smirk vanished. Her chopsticks hovered midair. Her fingers stiffened, but she wasn’t even aware of it. Her gaze sharpened, locking onto something—or someone—beyond the glass. The warmth of the restaurant faded, replaced by a cold prickle at the back of her neck.

Zane, who had been enduring her teasing just moments ago, immediately noticed the change in her demeanour. “Kira?” His brows furrowed as he leaned slightly toward her. “You okay?”

Kimiko picked up on it too. Her intuition told her something was off. “What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” She studied Kira’s face carefully. “Everything okay?”

Kira blinked, her expression unreadable for a moment before she let out a small exhale. “I’ll be right back.” Her tone was calm, but there was something unsettling about how quickly her mood had shifted. Without another word, she rose from her seat and strode toward the entrance, disappearing through the doors.

Zane and Kimiko exchanged a glance.

“Well, she is sure an interesting one.” Kimiko muttered under her breath, hesitating before glancing back at him. “By the way… back when we were talking earlier, she said she found you half-dead. I didn’t want to push it before, but…” She lowered her voice slightly. “What did she mean by that?”

Zane sighed. He knew this question was coming eventually. “There was this guy,” he admitted, keeping his tone low. “He chased me down like I was some kind of prey. I barely made it out.” His jaw tensed at the memory. “If Kira hadn’t found me when she did, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Kimiko studied him for a moment before nodding. She didn’t press further, but it was clear the information weighed on her. Before either of them could say anything else, the entrance doors swung open again.

The air thickened. Conversations dulled. A presence had entered, one that made the space feel just a little too small.

Akira.

She moved with deliberate grace, her sleek hair framing her striking features. A smirk played at her lips as her eyes locked onto Zane and Kimiko. Without waiting for an invitation, she slid into the seat right next to Zane, her movement smooth and casual, as if she belonged there.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked, but the way she was already settling in made it clear she wasn’t actually asking.

Kimiko tensed immediately, her grip tightening on the edge of the table. Zane, despite himself, sat rigid but kept his expression as neutral as possible. He wasn’t about to show fear—not to her.

“Join us?” Kimiko scoffed, her voice laced with restrained anger. “Funny. Because I remember you tried to kill us.”

Akira let out a soft chuckle, reaching for one of the menus placed on the table. “Don’t take it so personally,” she said, flipping through the pages. Then she turned her attention to Zane, her gaze sharp and amused.

Before she could speak, Kira returned. “I feel much better now,” she announced, her usual teasing tone slipping back into place, though there was a tension lingering in her stance. “Maybe the spice was too much for me.” She offered Kimiko a grin. “Guess you win, but I didn’t bring any money, so—”

Her words died in her throat the moment she saw who was sitting at their table.

Her entire demeanour shifted in an instant.

With a sharp glare, she moved without thinking, her fist clenched, ready to strike. But before she could even get close, a firm grip seized her wrist—unyielding, steady, and impossible to ignore.

A voice, deep and familiar, whispered close to her ear.

“Kira.”

She froze.

Slowly, she turned her head, eyes widening as she took in the man standing behind her.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and imposing, Kaito loomed over her with an unreadable expression. His dark hair, slightly tousled, framed his face, and his sharp eyes held a quiet intensity. His grip was firm but not forceful, a silent warning rather than a show of strength.

For a moment, she couldn’t breathe.

“Kaito…?” Her voice barely made it past her lips.

A warm, almost nostalgic smile crossed his face.

Kira’s chest tightened. She knew what she was seeing, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

“Kira.” His voice was low, firm. “Not here.”

Kira gritted her teeth. “Get your damn hand off me.”

Kaito didn’t budge; his voice was low. “Just sit down and let’s talk for a moment.”

Kira hesitated. Her heart was pounding. She didn’t trust Akira, not for a second, but Kaito…

She clenched her jaw before reluctantly stepping back. “Fine.”

She sat.

Akira hummed, resting her chin on her hand. “Still quick to fight first, talk later, huh? Some things never change… little sister.”

Zane’s head snapped toward her. “Wait… sister?”

Akira gave him an amused glance. “Isn’t the resemblance obvious?” she asked with a smirk.

Kira’s expression darkened.

Akira pouted mockingly. “Oh, sis, where are your manners? Didn’t you miss me?”

Kira slammed her fist against the table, causing a few heads to turn in their direction. The noise in the restaurant dipped slightly as people took notice.

Akira’s smile barely faltered. “Careful, now,” she warned.

Zane and Kimiko both stiffened.

Kimiko’s voice was sharp. “What do you want?”

Akira chuckled. “Oh, nothing that concerns you, sweetheart.” Her gaze flickered to Zane. “I just need to talk to your friend here.”

Zane exhaled sharply. “Talk? Hello? Don’t want to be annoying, but you tried to kill me.”

Akira let out an amused laugh. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead. That, I can assure you.”

She leaned in slightly. “Come with me.”

Kira immediately interjected. “Zane’s not going anywhere.”

Akira’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “It will be a shame if something… unfortunate happened to someone at this table.”

Kaito’s voice cut through the tension. “Enough,” he said firmly. “She gets it.”

Akira’s expression flickered with irritation. The restaurant lights dimmed momentarily before returning to normal. “Don’t interrupt me again.”

Zane exhaled, glancing at Kimiko before making his choice. “I’ll come with you. Just leave them alone.”

Kimiko stood. “Then I’m coming too.”

Akira smirked. “Bold. But be careful, sweetie—the line between boldness and stupidity is very thin.”

She rose from her seat without a word.

leading the way. Zane and Kimiko exchanged a quick glance before following close behind.

Kira remained seated, her hands clenched into fists beneath the table.

As Kaito moved to leave, he paused briefly, placing a folded note on the table without a word.

“Why are you helping her?” Kira whispered, her voice sharp but low.

Kaito didn’t look at her. “Because we all had to make choices… whether we liked them or not.”

Kira’s grip tightened. “What happened to you? What changed?”

Kaito hesitated, just for a moment. Then, without meeting her eyes, he slid the note toward her.

“You did.”