Fortune's Favor Pt. 2

The seasonal market stretched out before us like a living snow globe—twinkling lights strung above wooden booths, swaying gently with the winter breeze. Rows of lanterns lined the cobblestone path.

The scent of roasted chestnuts, caramel, and something sweet—maybe cinnamon?—drifted through the air, warm and inviting. I heard the soft hum of holiday music playing from a nearby speaker, blending with the low chatter of bundled-up couples and families walking hand in hand.

It was crowded, but not suffocating. Just the right amount of people to feel alive without being overwhelming.

Chloe let out a small gasp next to me, her eyes lighting up as she looked from one side of the market to the other, spinning a little on her heels.

"I didn't know it would be this pretty…" she murmured, voice barely above a whisper.

Lana practically bounced in place, pointing at a booth that sold hot cocoa topped with marshmallows stacked like towers. "We have to go there. And then there. And definitely there—look, they’re selling fried mochi!"

Alice walked a bit ahead, her hands tucked neatly in her coat pockets, her posture graceful even in the chill. But even she was looking around more than usual, eyes catching on tiny details—the glow of a hand-painted lantern, the steaming cups handed out at a tea stall, the flicker of a candle shop.

I found myself walking in the middle of it all, pulled along by their energy but not in a bad way.

If anything… it felt right. Not something I'd have ever chosen to do on my own. But with them?

Yeah. This wasn't so bad at all.

After much passionate debate between Lana and her own stomach, we finally settled on a small food stall selling warm soba served in cups. Simple. Comforting. Perfect for the cold.

We each grabbed a cup and made our way to a wooden picnic table nearby, the plumes of steam rising from the noodles like little signals of victory.

Lana clapped her hands like a kid unwrapping a present. "Ooh~ I'm so excited! Chloe, Chloe! Let's try it at the same time, yeah?"

Chloe eagerly picked up a bite with her chopsticks. "Ready when you are!"

"Alright—here we go!"

With a playful clink of their chopsticks—like a toast with sake—they took their bites. And just like that, their eyes lit up as if they had been served ambrosia straight from the heavens.

Lana stared down at her soba with reverence. "This might be it… This is the one."

Chloe gave an emphatic nod. "I already want another cup."

"What?! You haven't even finished that one yet!"

"I know, but it's so good. The creaminess, the warmth—not too oily, just the right amount of spice. How do they get it so perfect in such a small cup? Hey, you think they'd give me their recipe if I asked?"

"Pssh~ Asking for their trade secret? They'd be crazy to hand it over that easily."

“Hmm… Maybe I can get hired, learn it from the inside, then quit.”

"Eh?! Chloe, that's corporate espionage!"

"Anything for good food."

Their spirited back-and-forth continued, drawing a few chuckles from passersby, while I sat on the other side of the table... just quietly watching them.

That's when Alice, seated beside me, leaned in and nudged my elbow.

"What?" I asked, glancing at her.

She smirked. "You've been staring at them quite a bit, darling. Something you'd like to share?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh please. We're long past the point where I'd believe a flimsy lie like that. Come on—tell me. I promise I won't judge."

I sighed, taking a slow bite of soba. "It's just a nice atmosphere. The chilly weather, the quiet hum of the crowd… and this. Hanging out with you like this. Still getting used to it. That's all."

"Mmm~ Is that really all? Because right now, you're looking at my sisters, when I'm the one speaking to you."

Suddenly, she placed a finger under my chin and tilted my face toward hers. Her elbow rested lazily on the table, head propped up, and her eyes curled with amusement.

"There it is," she whispered. "Keep looking at me like that, darling. Otherwise… I might get jealous."

My brain went completely blank. All I could see was her—smiling, eyes gleaming, that teasing softness in her voice. My heart skipped, or maybe stopped. And despite the cold, my face felt like it was catching fire.

I finally jolted. "W-what the—?!"

The sound came out louder than I intended, snapping Chloe and Lana out of their food talk.

"Aikami?" Chloe blinked at me. "Everything okay?"

"Y-yeah!" I blurted, a little too fast. "Don't worry about it. Alice just told me a weird joke."

Lana narrowed her eyes with a sly grin. "Oh yeah? And what kind of joke was it?"

"T-that's…" I stalled, mentally scrambling for anything that didn't sound suspicious.

Alice let out a giggle. "Now, now, sister. Isn't it a bit unfair to interrogate him like that?"

Lana blinked. "Huh? I'm just asking a question..."

"And yet your truth-seeking methods seem quite... forceful. Poor Aikami looks like he's on trial. Honestly, you'd think he cheated on someone with how defensive he's being."

"Eh?! I didn't cheat on anyone!" I exclaimed.

"Exactly. Which means you don't owe anyone an explanation, do you?"

Lana pouted. "Ugh, fine… buzzkill. But I will get to the bottom of this eventually."

As she huffed and returned to her soba, Alice leaned in a little closer, her breath brushing just beneath my ear.

"See?" she whispered, amusement dripping from her voice. "Now you know how dangerous it is to look at me like that. People start asking questions."

I swallowed, feeling the heat creep back into my cheeks. "You're enjoying this way too much."

"Of course I am." She leaned back with a soft sigh, her smile gentle now—though her eyes still carried that teasing sharpness. "Besides… I rather like being the reason you lose your composure."

Her words echoed in my head like a bomb that had just gone off in the middle of an otherwise peaceful festival. I stared down at my soba, now lukewarm, while trying to keep my expression neutral. My heartbeat, however, had very different plans—slamming against my chest like it was trying to break out and run away without me.

I took a sharp breath through my nose, trying to calm the internal screaming.

Do I say something back? Should I compliment her? No, that's stupid. If I compliment her, she wins. Do I ignore it? Play it cool? I don't even know what 'cool' looks like anymore.

Just as I was about to go into cardiac arrest, a soft but firm voice broke through the chaos.

"Alice… you're leaning a little too close to Aikami."

Everyone froze.

I turned, and so did the others. Chloe was staring straight at her sister, brows furrowed and hands balled into her sleeves like she was trying to keep her courage from slipping away. Her voice hadn't been loud, but it had a strange, almost commanding weight to it.

Alice blinked, visibly caught off guard. "Oh?"

Lana slowly grew a grin. "Oho~ What's this? Chloe getting protective?"

Chloe's expression shifted in an instant, her mouth twitching into a flustered stammer. "N-no! I just—! I mean, he looked uncomfortable! That's all!"

"Uh-huh~" Lana leaned across the table, wagging her chopsticks like a finger. "Sure, sure. Just looking out for a friend, right? Not because you've got a little crush on our dear, innocent Aikami?"

Chloe turned bright red, practically steaming from her ears. "Wha—I—! I don't—! Stop saying weird things!"

I tried to say something to defend her, but I couldn't get a word out. The heat from earlier was now a full-on fever, and I was pretty sure I'd forgotten how to blink.

Alice, meanwhile, narrowed her eyes toward Lana, her teasing smirk dropping into something more dangerous.

"Lana."

"Hmm?"

"You're being awfully inquisitive. Prodding at feelings that aren't yours to toy with."

Lana tilted her head, unbothered. "Says the one who was practically climbing into his lap two minutes ago."

"A little flirtation is one thing," Alice said with a cool smile. "But cornering Chloe like that? I think you're getting a bit too comfortable."

"Ohhh, someone's jealous and defensive? I'm hitting all the marks today, huh~?"

And just like that, the table exploded into chaos. Chloe was squeaking apologies, Alice and Lana were full-on sparring with words so sharp they might've drawn blood if they weren't sisters, and I—

I was just sitting there in the middle of it all, trying to breathe.

"Um... G-guys...?"

Of course, they totally ignored me.

I knew going out today was a mistake.