The Calm Before The Storm

On the way to the train station, I decided to strike up a conversation with Reina, just to calm her nerves, and honestly, my own.

"You know, our mothers are pretty alike," I said teasingly, nudging her elbow. "They're both not afraid to tease us every chance they get."

Reina let out a small giggle. "Yeah... but it gets kind of annoying sometimes, doesn’t it?"

"You can say that again," I agreed with a chuckle. "If dinner goes well, maybe we should get our parents to meet up?"

"Sounds nice..." she sighed, slowing her pace down to a slow, hesitant walk. "But that’s a huge 'if,' especially when it's my father we're talking about."

"Is he really that ruthless?" I asked, matching her slow steps as we descended the concrete stairs leading into the train station.

"You can't afford to be kind in the business world," she murmured, her smile slowly vanishing, turning into a cold, deadpan expression. "Once you show a little weakness, you'll be exploited out of everything. The next thing you know, your company ends up going under."

I felt the atmosphere around us thicken instantly. "Well, good thing I’m not a businessman…" I nervously joked, adjusting the sleeve of my jacket.

She let out a small, genuine laugh, her warm smile returning to her lips just as the train entered the station. “I guess you’re right…” she whispered.

When the doors opened, and the passengers started flooding into the train, I reached out, extending my hand toward her. “Hold on tight; I don’t want us to get separated," I said, with a faint smirk.

She silently held onto my hand, our fingers interlocking as I guided us through the crowd and into the carriage.

It wasn’t rush hour, but there was still a decent amount of people on the train. Reina managed to snag a seat near the doors while I was left standing directly in front of her.

”Lucky you, getting a seat," I said, grabbing onto the handrail to stabilize myself as the train lurched forward. “Looks like I won’t have to be your human shield this time.”

I saw a bright pink flush bloom across her cheeks, stretching all the way down to her neck. “D-don’t remind me of that...” she whispered, frantically pulling her bag up to hide her face.

The rest of the train ride was a silent one, probably because both of us were too flustered to say anything. Once our stop came, we stepped off onto the platform and walked side-by-side the rest of the way into the commercial district.

We eventually stopped in front of a classy, high-end tailor shop; I grabbed onto Reina’s shoulders just as she was about to push the glass door open. “Reina, this place looks expensive. Are you sure about this?”

“Relax, Kaito," she insisted, turning around and taking my arm as we walked in. “I’m the one paying this, so don’t be nervous.”

The inside was even more extravagant; it was filled with rows of bespoke suits and dresses, which made me feel even more out of place in my worn-out clothes.

Reina calmly approached the front desk and requested a private fitting room. One of the employees led us through the velvet curtains to a room complete with a large couch, drinks, and appetizers.

A few minutes later, a sharply dressed man walked in the room. “My, my, if it isn’t the Kujo heiress herself," he greeted.

Reina stood up from her seat and offered a small, polite bow. “Thank you for accommodating us on such short notice. Mr. Vance.”

“How could I not?" He replied with a soft laugh, his eyes drifting over to the framed pictures on the wall. “I owe all of my success to your father. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be standing in this shop today.”

He made his way to a large wooden table, taking out his measurement tools and a chart. “So, what brings you in? A new gala dress? Or perhaps a fresh set of your uniform?”

“Neither actually,” Reina said, turning around and pointing towards me. “It’s for him.”

I could feel the man’s gaze instantly shift onto me. His sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe, gauging my face, posture, and the way I carried myself... He approached closer, raising an eyebrow. “And who might this young man be?”

I stood up, offering the same gesture as Reina earlier: “I-I am Kaito Akizuki.”

The tailor started to walk in a circle around me. “Tell me... What is your relationship with Miss Kujo?”

“She’s uhh... My clas—"

“He’s my boyfriend." Reina cut in, answering for me.

The man froze on the spot, completely caught off guard. His eyes darted between the both of us before a subtle smirk broke out on his face. "Boyfriend, huh... Good frame, decent height. Just lose the glasses and a bit of concealer for those terrible dark circles on his eyes... Not bad, Miss Kujo.”

He paused, his expression turning slightly more serious. "Do your parents know of this... arrangement?”

“That’s why we’re here," Reina answered, resting her hands behind my back. “Father invited him for dinner tonight. He needs to look sharp.”

"My, how bold of you, Miss Kujo. Bringing a boy straight into the dragon’s den...” Mr. Vance laughed, shaking his head as he pulled out a measuring tape from his pocket. “Then I’ll make sure that this young man doesn’t get burned tonight.”

As Mr. Vance was doing the measurements, Reina was suggesting which type of suit I should wear, down to the number of buttons, pockets, and even the interior lining.

Fifteen minutes flew by; it was just me and Reina in the room. I stepped off the pedestal, walking over to sit beside her on the couch. “Is this really going to be fine? Are you sure I won’t look like a complete idiot?”

“Trust me on this, you’d look amazing," she said, turning her head and throwing a playful wink at me, which admittedly made me flustered. “Besides, why would I sabotage my own boyfriend?"

Boyfriend... The way the word just casually rolled off her tongue, it honestly made my chest tighten.

I swallowed the feeling down before locking eyes with her. "So... what are you going to wear tonight?"

"Oho? Why do you ask?" she teased, leaning in a fraction closer, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes.

I scratched the back of my neck. "Nothing really... I'm just curious."

"Don't worry," she said, smoothing down the front of my sweater that she was still wearing. "I'll wear something that compliments your outfit. Nothing too extraordinary, yet not too plain either."

"Wow, you really thought of everything, huh?"

“Of course!” she gleamed, with a smug look on her face as she placed both hands on her waist. “Now, doesn’t your amazing girlfriend deserve a little something?”

“I’ll treat you to lunch later," I said, turning away and reaching for a glass on the table. “I heard there was a restaurant just down the street that serves amazing Carbona—"

Reina’s hands suddenly shot out, cupping my jaw and forcing me to look at her. “You know that’s not what I want, Kaito.”

“Well... What do you want?" I mumbled nervously, caught off guard by her sudden boldness.

She leaned in, closing the distance between us on the couch. Her breath felt warm as it brushed my ear. “A kiss will suffice," she whispered.

I reached out without a word, my hand finding the soft fabric over her waist as I tilted my head. Her silver hair fell forward like a soft curtain, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes flicked back up to mine.

She closed her eyes, and I closed mine; time felt frozen at that very moment. Just when our lips were about to touch

The heavy velvet curtains suddenly swung wide open.

“...It’s going to take a few hours for the suit. Why don’t the both of you head off to lunch firs—" Mr. Vance stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he saw us, our faces near inches apart.

I saw him first; meanwhile, Reina still had her eyes closed.

"Reina," I whispered, tapping her back.

“What is it, Kaito?” she whispered back, leaning in even more.

I leaned away, pulling the sweater she was wearing. “You might want to open your eyes...”

She sighed, finally opening her eyes and turning around to where I was pointing. “What could be more important than our ki—"

Reina instantly bolted upright, her entire face bursting into a brilliant, fiery shade of crimson.

“S-sorry to intrude on your moment...” Mr. Vance whispered, immediately taking a step backward and retreating right back through the curtains.

The silence that followed in the fitting room was deafening.

When the coast was finally clear, Reina buried her face directly into her hands, letting out a muffled, embarrassed groan, while I sat there staring at the swaying curtain, wishing the hardwood floor would open up and swallow me whole.

"I... I am going to die of embarrassment," Reina muffled into her palms, her ears practically glowing red.

"You were the one asking for a kiss in a public area," I mumbled back, my face burning as I cleared my throat and stood up from the couch.

"Shut up, Kaito!" she hissed, though there was zero venom behind it. She quickly stood up, desperately smoothing down her clothes and trying to compose her ruined aristocratic dignity.

After waiting a solid two minutes to ensure Mr. Vance wouldn't walk in on us again, we finally stepped out from behind the private fitting area. 

He was standing at the front counter, pretending to be very deeply invested in a ledger, though the subtle twitch of his lips gave him away entirely.

"We'll be back in two hours for the final fitting, Mr. Vance," Reina said, her voice remarkable in how fast it recovered its refined, polished edge, despite her cheeks still carrying a faint pink hue.

"Of course," Mr. Vance replied smoothly, handing her a claim ticket. "Enjoy your lunch, Miss Kujo, and you too, Mr. Boyfriend.”

Reina grabbed my wrist and dragged me out of the shop and right into the busy streets of the commercial district.

 “So, are we still going to that restaurant?” I asked, trying to lighten up the mood.

“A-anywhere but here, Kaito...” Reina replied, her face still burning a bright red as she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead.

We only walked for a short distance before stopping in front of a fancy-looking restaurant. It wasn’t like those five-star places, complete with valet parking and six-figure price tags... More like a fancied-up version of a family diner.

The hostess at the front desk greeted us with a warm smile, guiding us to a cozy booth near the window. She handed us a shared menu before quietly stepping away.

“How did you even find this place, Kaito?" Reina asked, looking around to take in the homey decorations.

“I found it online a while back,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. "Saved it for... well, a special occasion, I guess."

“Really now? Wow, Kaito. You're finally stepping up your game now, huh?" She rebutted, picking up the menu from the table. "Well, do you recommend anything, Mr. Food Critic?”

“The Carbonara here is supposed to be incredible,” I said, leaning back slightly. “...But you would’ve already known that if you weren’t so keen on your ‘reward’ earlier.”

Reina froze. “...My bad,” she murmured, instantly raising the menu to hide her blushing face completely.

After a few minutes of staring at her—well, at the back of the menu, I finally broke the silence with a soft chuckle. “Order whatever you want. It’s my treat, after all.”

Reina peeked over the top of the leather-bound menu, her sapphire eyes narrowing playfully. "Your treat? On a high schooler's budget? Are you sure you can afford me, Kaito?"

“I brought the one-million yen with me,” I said with a faint smirk tugging on my lips. “Besides, if going I'm going to be executed tonight, at least I was able to enjoy my final meal with a beautiful girl."

She definitely didn’t expect me to just casually call her beautiful. Because she lowered the menu down, revealing a soft pink flush on her cheeks, rather than retreating back into the border of the menu.

We ended up ordering the signature carbonara to share, alongside a side of garlic crostini. When the food came, the atmosphere around us lifted.

While we were eating, my phone, which was placed on the table, suddenly rang.

I checked on who it was, fully convinced it was probably my mother again, but—

It was Megumi.

“Who is it?” Reina asked, casually twirling the pasta onto her fork.

"Megumi Hasegawa.” I adjust the collar on my neck. “The girl from the library… I was supposed to tutor her tonight.”

“Give me the phone.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “I’ll just say that I can’t make it tonight–“

“Let me do it," Reina said calmly, extending her hand across the table, our gazes locking.

Realizing there was no arguing with her, I handed the phone over. Reina tapped the screen to answer and placed it on speaker, setting it right between our plates.

“Kaito! ~ The professor told me that you were out sick!" Megumi’s sweet, somewhat timid voice chirped through the small speaker. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? I can swing by to give you medicine if you want!”

Reina leaned in slightly. “Hello, good evening."

A heavy, sudden silence fell over the other end of the line.

“...Huh?" Megumi stammered, her voice dropping an octave in sheer confusion. “Wait... Who is this? I swear I dialed the right number…“

“You did,” Reina replied smoothly. “This is Reina Kujo. Kaito is currently with me, and he won’t be able to make it to your study session tonight.”

“K-Kujo!?" Megumi gasped, the rustle of papers audible in the background as if she had just dropped her notebook. “Wait, why are you with Kaito? Is he okay? The teacher said he was sick—”

“He’s recovering well,” Reina interrupted gently, adding a subtle "He will be able to attend classes tomorrow.”

I sat there with my mouth half-open, taking a quiet sip of water just to keep myself from suffocating under the sheer tension radiating across the table.

“Oh...” Megumi mumbled, sounding completely thrown off-guard. “I... I see.”

“Anything else? I’m kind of busy right now.” Reina said, keeping her voice firm.

“N-no, sorry for intruding, Kujo.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Reina said, her lips curving into a small, victorious smile as she looked at me. “Thank you for your concern. Have a good evening.”

Before Megumi could ask another question, Reina tapped the screen to end the call and casually slid the phone back across the table to me.

“There,” Reina said, picking up her fork as if she hadn’t just completely shut down Megumi over the phone. “Handled.”

I picked up my phone, staring at the blank screen before looking up at her. “You know... You sounded suspiciously like a jealous girlfriend just now, Kujo.”

Reina froze mid-bite, a sudden, bright pink flush exploding across her cheeks as she quickly swallowed. "W-well, we’re together now, so…”

“That’s why you’re the best, Reina," I teased, a genuine smirk breaking across my face.

We finished the rest of the carbonara in comfortable, quiet enjoyment, the delicious food and easy banter giving us a much-needed sanctuary from the chaos of the world outside.

Once I paid the bill, much to Reina’s not-so-subtle disapproval, we made our way back to the tailor shop.

On the way there, Reina reached out, her fingers quietly weaving into mine as we walked side-by-side down the pavement. “Now let’s get you suited up for battle, shall we?”

I squeezed her hand, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Let’s go."