Chapter 7 - Warmth

Mishiro High, 4:13 PM.

Classroom 3-B smelled like crayons and exhaustion.

The rest of the students had already gone home, club meetings clattering in distant corridors, their laughter echoing faintly through the stairwells.

But Reiji Kazama was still here—mostly because Yume Minazuki, age five and self-declared chaos ambassador, had curled up in a pink beanbag chair in the back of the classroom and promptly fallen asleep halfway through arts and crafts time.

She snored faintly. There was a crayon stuck to her cheek.

"I swear she gets more energetic after lunch," Asuka Minazuki muttered with a tired smile, gently brushing Yume's bangs back.

Reiji stood awkwardly nearby, his hands in his pockets. He had stayed behind after school without really thinking about it—just one more "not a big deal" thing that felt a little too natural now.

"Babysitter canceled again?" he asked.

Asuka sighed and nodded. "Third time this month. I really need to start bribing them with cookies."

Reiji tried not to grin. She really is tired.

She looked up at him, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her voice dropped a bit.

"…Would you mind walking us home?"

He blinked. "Me?"

"Well, I've got a sleeping child, a tote bag full of ungraded tests, and a broken umbrella. You're strong, punctual—ish—and scary enough that no one will bother us."

"…You're seriously weaponizing my reputation?"

"I prefer the term 'recruiting a guardian.'"

He scratched the back of his neck. "…Yeah. Fine. I guess."

---

Minazuki Residence – 5:12 PM

It was a modest apartment building in a quieter part of town, tucked between a dry cleaner and a cat café. The walls were sun-faded. The elevator was broken. They lived on the third floor.

Reiji carried the sleeping Yume up the stairs without complaint, her small hand clinging to the collar of his uniform.

She mumbled something about robot dinosaurs. Drooled a little.

By the time they reached the door, Asuka was fumbling with her keys, muttering curses under her breath.

"Sorry," she whispered. "This lock hates me."

"…Or it just wants your attention," Reiji mumbled.

She snorted.

The door creaked open to reveal a warm, lived-in space that smelled faintly of lavender and soy sauce. There were children's books stacked neatly in corners. A laundry basket balanced precariously on the kitchen table. A stuffed bunny sat on the couch like a smug houseguest.

Reiji laid Yume down on the futon gently.

Asuka watched silently. The sunlight filtering through the curtain made the room glow.

"Hey, Reiji," came a small voice.

Yume's eyes were still half-closed, but she was awake.

"You should stay for dinner."

Reiji stiffened. "Uh—no, I mean, I shouldn't—"

"Please?" Yume pouted, eyes round as saucers. "Mama makes curry. The good kind."

Reiji looked at Asuka, expecting her to say no.

But she bit her lip… then nodded.

"If you want to," she said.

Dangerous, he thought.

Very dangerous.

---

6:30 PM – Dinner Table

Curry simmered on the stove. The room was filled with warm smells—onion, ginger, a hint of cinnamon. The table was cramped but clean, mismatched chopsticks laid out on folded napkins. A cartoon-themed cup sat beside Reiji's glass like it belonged there.

Yume insisted on telling a story about how her friend Kento licked a battery at daycare and now thinks he has "light powers."

Asuka laughed so hard she snorted.

Reiji chuckled, despite himself.

The moment felt… still. Like a snapshot of something real. Something fragile.

He didn't belong here. But he didn't want to leave.

---

7:24 PM – Dishes

He offered to wash the dishes.

Asuka blinked. "Seriously?"

"I'm not a total animal."

She smiled. "I never said you were."

They stood at the sink, shoulder to shoulder, the sound of water and clinking dishes between them.

"Thanks," she said.

"For what?"

"For coming. For staying. For being kind."

"…I'm not," he said. "I just… didn't want Yume to cry again."

Asuka tilted her head. "Even if that's true, you still made her happy. That counts for something."

Reiji didn't respond. But he didn't look away, either.

---

9:01 PM – The Living Room

Yume had fallen asleep again, this time in front of the TV. Her head rested on Reiji's lap, drool pooling dangerously close to his shirt.

Asuka returned from the hallway, carrying a spare pillow and a folded blanket.

"She's out cold," she whispered.

"Like a log," Reiji muttered.

He slowly moved her onto the futon. She didn't stir.

Asuka hesitated.

"Would you… like to stay the night?"

Reiji blinked. "What?"

"It's late. The rain's picking up again. I'd feel better if you didn't have to walk home soaked."

He hesitated. Then nodded.

"…Just for tonight."

---

11:03 PM – Couch

Reiji lay stiffly on the living room couch, blanket over him, his borrowed shirt slightly too small, the soft hum of the refrigerator filling the silence.

The lights were dimmed. The room smelled faintly of baby shampoo and curry. A forgotten stuffed rabbit stared at him from the shelf.

He stared at the ceiling.

And for the first time in a long while, he felt something pull inside him—like a string tied to a place he never thought he'd belong.

---

Inner Monologue:

This is dangerous.

This quiet. This warmth. The way they laugh. The way she smiles.

I'm starting to forget how empty my apartment feels.

I don't want to leave.

---

"Some houses don't feel like homes. But sometimes, someone lets you borrow theirs… just long enough to remember what 'home' meant."

---