THE KITCHEN HEAT

Yuzuru opened the fridge.
Cool air brushed against his face.
He stood in front of it for a while with closed eyes.
"What the hell are you doing?" Nive entered, closing the door behind him.
Yuzuru quickly pulled out a loaf of bread and turned to face him.
"Want some?" Pointing at the bread.
"No, thanks." He shoved Yuzuru aside and took out a juice bottle.

The kitchen floor and walls were a beige colour with off-white shelves.
Yuzuru took his loaf to the table in front of the fridge. It had shelves below it, which were full of various cookware.
Next to the fridge was a stove with an oven beneath. Nive walked past the counter adjacent to the stove.
The counter elongated along the adjacent wall with a sliding window. Much tableware was decorated on this shelf. He took a glass from it, pouring in some juice. 
The empty juice bottle pixelated and vanished.
"Can you get me the knife?" Yuzuru called out.
He sighed, opening a drawer, pulling out a knife from it. He turned to the table's side opposite to Yuzuru. This side had seats. 

"There," he handed Yuzuru the knife and took a seat.
Yuzuru began cutting the bread, while Nive drank his juice.

"So, what do you think about Sen's behaviour?" Nive glanced at Yuzuru.
Yuzuru pressed his lips together. "H-he is okay."
Nive sighed. "I get it; Sen killed that new guy to see if we can return to life, but this is the first time someone killed another member."
Yuzuru chuckled, "Dude, we kill each other all the time in fighting tournaments."
Nive took another sip and sighed, "You know that and this are two different things?"
Yuzuru shrugged, taking a bite of the slice.
"Yuzuru, you aren't that much of a simpleton," Nive smirked. "You do know that killing in those tournaments is forced and for the stupid entertainment ."
"I know, I know, they love seeing how immortal we are." Yuzuru went to the fridge and tossed the loaf in. "But Nive, Sen didn't kill for his satisfaction; he did it to see if—"
"If the batches still work," Nive shook his head, "but the thing is, now he can kill anyone, even if it's not for the fighting tournament." 

Yuzuru stood staring at the fridge.

Idiot, I know.

He should have told others what he intended.
He keeps on behaving so weirdly.
He says one thing but then another.
He said he did it to see if our immortality was still intact, but then
At that alley, he said, someone is taking advantage of him.
I don't know what I should do. 

And that Alexander is blackmailing me to tell him what's happening here.

His eyes glinted with tears.
 Sen.........

The door slammed, jolting Yuzuru back to reality.
He turned his face to the entrance, where a black-haired boy stood
"Yuzuru, what happened?" 

"N-nothing, Yao." Yuzuru smiled, taking a few steps away from the fridge.
Opening the door, Yao scanned the fridge. Without taking out a thing, he turned to Nive. "So, what did you say to make Yuzuru teary?"
Nive shook his head. "I said nothing of that sort, and it's unlike Yuzuru to cry."
"I ain't crying!" Yuzuru shouted.

Yao smiled. "So what were you guys talking about? I will be honest; I heard Sen's name."
Nive sighed, "I was just a little cautious about Sen's abrupt behavior; he shouldn't have taken any action without consulting anyone."

Yao tilted his head. "But he did tell me."

Nive sat with wide eyes. "He told you?" 
"Yeah," Yao smirked, "Guess I am his new bestie." He spoke while eyeing Yuzuru. 
Yuzuru simply stood frozen; Sen told him, Not me.
Why?
Did he not trust me?

Nive got up and pulled Yao closer. "And you never said a word."
Yao defensively raised his hands. "Come on, you know, Sen, he threatened me not to tell a single person."
"And yet here you are telling us?" Nive seemed to be losing his composure
"I thought the two of you must know; Yuzuru is his friend, and he has always consulted you for his plans." Yao glared at Nive, a vein pulsing over his forehead. "And so what if he killed a measly person outside a tournament? What's even the difference? He did this for us, all of us."

"Yeah, we all were worried when Toby never returned from the dead land, but probably the fault was in him, not the batch." Yuzuru was shivering, his eyes unable to fixate on either of them.

 Yao sighed. "For now, we can assume that maybe suiciding was the reason Toby wasn't in the dead land."
Nive was about to leave, as Yao grabbed his hand, "I bet you were actually pissed that Sen didn't confide in you." 
Nive pulled his hand out of his grip and went out.

Yao turned to Yuzuru, "Hey, there was some light flicker?"
Yuzuru stared at the floor, "Must be Damian." 

The door swung open, and the two turned and saw Ren.
"U-um....h-hello," Ren's lips twitched.
"Hey!" Yuzuru waved his hand.
"Hello," Yao went past Ren and exited the kitchen.

"Want a snack?" Yuzuru wiped the sweat over his forehead, trying to gain composure. He noticed Ren's torn clothes. "Were you training?" 
Ren moved towards the fridge, and Yuzuru opened the door for him.
"Thank you," Ren glanced at him.
"You don't need to be this distant," Yuzuru patted his back.
"You are best friends with the person who killed me," Ren kept looking in the fridge.

Yuzuru lowered his dead, Eh, Friends
Yeah, some friends we are.
"Ren, Sen is really resentful," Yuzuru diverted his gaze.
"He is?" Ren mumbled, clearly remembering the breakfast encounter.

Ren took out a golden ball-like thing. "What is this?"
"That is a 'Sorka'," Yuzuru glanced at it, "If you like peaches, you will love it."
Ren took a bite. "It tastes like an apple, not a peach."
"Guess in your world, we got the same names but for different fruits." Yuzuru smiled.
Ren took another bite.
The two stood silent.
The victim
And the murderer's best friend.

Ren looked at Yuzuru; his eyes were still wet.
Maybe I should try talking.
"U-um, I got spirit wolf power. What about you?"

Yuzuru smiled. "I got the psychic elemental power." 
I am glad he talked first.

"It's better seen than explained," Yuzuru rubbed on his nape.
"So who were you training with?"

"Dacoria and his friends," Ren noticed Yuzuru's scowl. "What happened?"

"Those guys are the worst training partners; they all are so insensitive and cruel, except Philomena," Yuzuru shouted.

"They kept making fun of me."

"Not only are they so insulting, but they keep boasting about their own strength!"

"Yeah, but why are they like that?"

"Their pride and overly long life span – because of them, no one wants to train. Their behavior makes others feel degraded."

"I never knew long lives would make someone this heartless."
It feels better talking to him.
I wish he weren't that Sen's friend.

My heart finally feels at ease.

I wish Sen hadn't killed him

Should I ask about what I heard in Dacoria's mind?

Ren glanced at Yuzuru, who looked back at him.

Ren and Yuzuru stepped out of the kitchen. Their bodies almost froze at the same sight but for two different reasons.
Sen and Yao were standing near the entrance of the lounge.
Yao patted his shoulder, and Sen let out a small chuckle.

Yuzuru's heart skipped a beat. For how long have they been close?

A wave of pain swept through Ren's body. This person has no sense of remorse. 

Am I the only one in pain