|

♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐕

»»-----　♔　-----««

This was too much.

After everything that's happened between the both of you, you were now expected to be completely alone with him?

You rested a hand over your heart, the speed at which it was beating making you even more nervous. But why should you be nervous? Didn't you want this? Isn't that why you kissed him in the first place?

Your internal issue seemed to grow larger and larger as your body unconsciously traced Ozo's steps, suddenly finding yourself in the doorway of the main room. Your eyes were instantly drawn to Ozo.

The sun filled the room with light, the bright glow shadowing Ozo's figure as he sat on the matted floor, casually leaning back on his arms with his eyes closed, basking in the sun's warmth. A white shine outlined his body, lighting his face aglow and burning his hair a deep auburn.

He looked ethereal. It was as if he didn't belong here, on this plain Earth.

"[Y/N]?" He called, casting his dark orbs over to you, half-lidded with a lazy, almost sleepy grin. He waved a hand over, beckoning you closer. "If you don't sit down soon, I'm gonna end up eating all the food before you get a bite!"

Snapping out of your daze, you nodded in response before seating yourself across from him, averting your face down towards the table. You couldn't look him in the eye.

"What were you planning on doing today?" Ozo asked after a few moments of silent chewing. You paused, chopsticks stuck between your pursed lips.

"I... I don't know," you answered truthfully. "I haven't actually thought about that yet."

"Oh? Then you can hang out with me!" He grinned widely.

"Are we going somewhere again?"

"Hmm..." he thought for a moment, cupping his chin and screwing his eyes shut (in a way that you most definitely did not find cute) before sighing heavily.

"We can't. There's nowhere for us to go today, everyone's busy," he began counting off his fingers. "Chorosuke's already out teaching for the day, Takashi said that he was busy reorganising his kitchen at the cafe, and Jyushimatsu is already off doing his own thing. I tried to find him this morning, but he was gone by then."

"I see... But what can we do here?" Was it really okay to do anything without Chorosuke's or Dayoko's permission? You didn't want to do anything that would make them angry.

"Plenty of things! Like..! ... Like..." he hung onto the word, leaning back onto his arms again. Each time he repeated himself, he sunk lower onto the floor until he was laying flat out on his back, humming to himself in deep thought once more.

You glanced down at the table, absentmindedly eyeing the assortment of breakfast foods spread out for you. Suddenly, your eyes lit up as a thought passed through your mind.

"Would Chorosuke mind if we borrowed his kitchen for a little while?" Ozo raised his head, barely able to see you over the low table. Heaving himself upwards, he replied:

"Probably not? Why do you ask?"

"Maybe we could do some baking? Cupcakes are really easy for me to make," you proposed, setting your utensils down. A small smile etched onto your face, your excitement to bake all too clear, and too adorable, for Ozo. He blinked at you, breaking out into a grin.

"Seeing as it's you, he won't mind at all!" He swiftly stood up from his seat, hurrying to you and pulling you up as well. "Let's get started, then!"

"Wait! The dishes—"

"They'll get picked up, don't worry about it!"

You didn't get to say much else as you were led down the corridor in a new direction, presumably towards the kitchen so you could make a start.

┊ •° ੈ ⋆° ┊

The kitchen was huge, but you shouldn't have expected anything less at this point. Despite the house being mostly traditionally styled, the kitchen was more modern, with sleek table tops and the walls almost entirely covered in cupboards.

You ran a hand over the marble top, awing at how smooth and clean it was. You could almost see your reflection if you squinted.

"Nice, right?" Ozo whistled. "That idiot's just lucky his old man was loaded."

"This is really nice..." you muttered. With a small shake of your head, you focused on the task at hand. You listed off all the items and ingredients you would need, and set about to find everything in order to begin baking. Ozo sat idly on a tall wooden stool at first, seemingly bored as he watched you scurry back and forth, unable to find anything seeing as this wasn't your kitchen.

With a sigh, he heaved himself up off of his seat, removing his tie from his shirt and leaving it on the table as he came up behind you. You were busy rummaging through a cupboard above you, arms straining to reach the large pot of sugar just above your fingertips. You stilled as you felt his chest press into your back, his own arm snaking past your own to reach the pot for you.

"I can't believe you still haven't figured out where the fridge is yet," he chuckled, his voice unbelievably close to your ear, to the point where you could feel the vibrations of his laughter travel down your neck. You pushed away the shiver threatening to run down you spine, and you swallowed, glancing back at him.

"Is it meant to be obvious?" you hoped the tremor in your voice would go unnoticed, but judging by the way his smirk widened, it was clear he had heard you.

"So obvious." He moved away from you -- a part of you hating how quickly his warmth had left you -- and over to a large cabinet in the corner of the room. He grasped the handle, opening it to reveal one of the biggest refrigerators you had ever seen. It was full of fresh food and drinks, a flow of cold mist falling from the shelves. You couldn't see the back of the fridge.

"Whoa..." you gasped. You swiftly picked up a few eggs, milk, and some other items that caught your fancy before laying them out on the table. You looked back with a small glimmer of hope in your eyes towards Ozo, who was busy stealing a green beer can from the fridge. "Do you think you could tell me where all the utensils are, too?"

"Babe, I know this entire kitchen like the back of my hand," he winked, already cracking open the drink with one hand whilst the other knocked on a cabinet door behind him, the door automatically opening up to reveal stacks of bowls and other baking supplies, clean and shiny, ready for use.

You paused for a moment, your brain fighting over what it should react to first: the way he smoothly opened up that cabinet or how he so easily called you 'babe' ... You chose the former, not wanting to embarrass yourself.

"Thank you," you nodded gratefully. With everything you needed set out before you, you washed your hands before rolling up your sleeves, brushing your hair away from your face. Ozo tapped your bare shoulder, waving a baby pink apron in his hands. With a smile, you took it from him and placed it over your head, although you struggled to tie the strings behind your back.

"Here," Ozo laughed, gently moving your hands out of the way as he deftly tied the knot securely against your back. Your body was hypersensitive to his soft breaths wafting over the back of your neck and exposed shoulders. Your face felt so hot, and your hands were getting clammy.

"Hey," Ozo started. "If I help out, can I lick the bowl at the end of it?"

You stared at him incredulously before bursting out into a fit of giggles.

"You didn't have to ask for permission to do that!" you covered your mouth with your hand, attempting to smother your laughter.

"Wha- I didn't? Really?" Ozo responded, eyes shooting wide open in genuine surprise. "I've always had to ask my dad!"

"Do I look like your dad?" you chuckled. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you turned back to the ingredients. "Let's just get started, shall we?"

Ozo was clumsy at times, and messed around playfully during the whole weighing process, but he aided you a lot better than you initially thought he would. With his help, you managed to mix all the ingredients together easily until you got the right texture, soft and fluffy.

You turned away to grab a few cupcake cases, picking a stack of pale blue ones decorated in darker petals. Turning back, you gasped as a sudden splatter of flour hit your face. You coughed harshly whilst Ozo laughed with no shame nor regret.

Wiping the flour from your mouth with a splutter, you glared at him, the fire of a challenge in your eyes. Whilst he was still laughing away, you dug three fingers into the flour, scooping a fairly generous amount before you threw it at him, revelling in how his eyes widened in surprise and how he was knocked off balance, sending him crashing to the floor.

You struggled to convey any kind of empathy, your hands clasped to your sides as you gasped for air, your cheeks hurting and tears filling your eyes. You took a few deep breaths, still giggling as you spoke.

"A-Are you okay?" You held out a hand for him, trying to help him up off of the floor. The man sat up with a groan, wiping away the flour from his face with a free hand as the other reached out for yours, only to wrap his fingers tightly around your wrist, pulling you down with him. He easily placed you beneath him, his right leg settling between your own, his hands pinning your wrists above your head.

"Tut tut, [Y/N]," he grinned devilishly, "You're playing a dangerous game, here."

"H-Hey! You started it!" you squirmed underneath him, your arms twisting in an attempt to free themselves. You dared not to move your lower body, dangerously aware of what was there. "Get off me, you're heavy!"

"Not until you give in," he teased. He pinned your wrists under one large hand, the other reaching up for the flour bag, which he waved above your head. You jerked your arms suddenly, hoping to catch him off guard, but it only made him shuffle upwards, leaning his body weight against you.

Bad idea.

You bit your lip harshly as his knee brushed up against you, the pressure sending a pleasurable tingle up your spine. You held back a whine, eyes squeezing shut.

"O-Ozo, wait!" you whimpered, cheeks darkening considerably. He paused his movements. For a moment, he thought he had hurt you, and released his hold on your arms quickly, leaning back on his legs.

"Sorry, did I hurt--?"

He glanced down at his knee. He saw where it was. He looked back up towards your face, the slowly traced his eyes back down.

"...Oops."

»»-----　♔　-----««

「𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 ⇀ 𝑶.𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒐」 [OLD]

◦𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮《𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘹》 ✎❝𝒘𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏' 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚         𝒃𝒐𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚❞                  |◁              II             ▷|                           ○ ◦♔・- ❀∙ ◦ •

〖𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬𝐧𝐨 𝐎𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐮 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫〗

○ ◦♔・- ❀∙ ◦ •

𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘶𝘦

♔  

Chapter Index:

♔ | 𝐈  // ♔ | 𝐈𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐈𝐈𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐈𝐕 // ♔ | 𝐕 // ♔ | 𝐕𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐈𝐗 // ♔ | 𝐗 // ♔ | 𝐗𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈 // ♔ | 𝐗𝐈𝐕 // ♚ | 𝐗𝐕 // ♔ | 𝐗𝐕𝐈

April 2021-

THIS FIC IS BEING REWRITTEN!

I have decided to rewrite this book with a different plot and a change to the romance side of the story.

Sorry for the abrupt end to this fanfic, but I've just been having different ideas for this AU and the only way I could really put the plot into the story was to rewrite it again.

As of now, I'm not sure when I'll be publishing the rewrite. Ideally, I want to publish it when I have at least as many draft chapters as this book has (so 19 chapters O-O) but who knows what I'll do in the future lol.

Thank you everyone for reading, voting and commenting on this book! It means a lot to me that you all enjoy what I write! I will be updating my other books as much as I can, and I'll try to get the rewrite out as soon as possible! (But I am a procrastinator so plz be patient with me sksks)

Again, thank you all so much! I'll see you all in the new book!

♔

»»-----　♔　-----««

»»-----　♔　-----««

𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲↴ 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: @𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫_𝟏𝟐𝟑

┊ •° ੈ ⋆° ┊

❝Don't 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 too much; otherwise you become a 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧

Don't 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩  under the 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

Don't  𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧

Hide your 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥  without hiding your 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝

Don't 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐝𝐢𝐞 like a 𝐝𝐨𝐠

It will become a 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐠 if it is made 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲.❞

♔ | 𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

It was odd, stepping off of a quiet train and onto an even quieter platform. There weren't any large crowds bustling around the station, no queues waiting by the entrance gates. No loud chatter from the groups of people waiting for their departure.

There was only a still silence, with the occasional twitter of a bird or rustle of footsteps coming from somewhere nearby. A whistling wind carried itself through the area in which you stood, the smell of summer wafting around you.

You stood for a moment longer before allowing your feet to carry you out of the station and onto equally silent streets. You raised a hand to cover your eyes from the sudden glare of sunlight hitting your face, squinting to adjust your sight.

Once the blur had gone, you could see your surroundings better. To your left and right was a stretch of grey concrete road, just wide enough for cars to pass through. Across the street were modest sized buildings, each connected together wall to wall, with their own unique signs dangling above the doors, squeaking softly as the wind tousled them around.

There were no people. Just a few wandering stray cats that disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Street lamps scattered the sides of the road every now and then, their tall poles casting elongated shadows onto the structures around you.

A small chill ran up your spine. You weren't used to such silence. The everyday activity of the city was something you grew up with. The sudden change felt like something heavy had just seated itself onto your shoulders. You couldn't quite place how you were feeling.

You decided to follow the road down to the right, attracted to the lush greenery dancing in the wind further down. As you walked, you glanced around to see if any of the supposed shops were open, or if you could at least find someone to help you find a place to stay for the next while; but it was to no avail.

As you reached the end of the path, you found that the large trees were actually bending over to form a makeshift arch, casting soft shadows over the set of stone steps leading upwards. You tilted your head curiously. You had never seen something as intriguing as this before. A voice in the back of your mind teased you for finding stairs interesting, however you ignored it as you began to climb each step, awing at the vibrant greens surroundings you.

By the time you had reached the final step, your breath was light and legs sore. You took a moment to lean against your legs, eyes screwed shut as you focused on regaining a steady rhythm of breathing. Taking one final deep breath, you straightened back up, only to freeze.

Before you stood a vast traditional-Japanese mansion, complete with zen stone walls surrounding the perimeter of the building. You could just about see the top of a few trees beyond the roof of the structure, teasing you ever more, beckoning you forward.

You began to wonder where exactly you had brought yourself as you allowed your curiosity to get the best of you once more, stepping up to the sliding door and knocking against the wooden beams beside it. You watched the growing flowers around you as you waited, smiling gently at their vibrant colours and opened buds.

There was a patter of footsteps before the door slid open, revealing a girl with elongated cheeks, stretching her mouth wide across them. You stared for a moment, wondering whether that was natural or if something had happened to her. Her brown hair was tied up nearly into a bun, decorated with a few flowers, and she wore a simple traditional pink kimono, embroidered with cherry blossom petals.

"Dayon!" Was the only word she spoke. Her large eyes were round and inquisitive as she tilted her head towards you, bowing slightly. You quickly moved to do the same before standing straight.

"Uhm, hello!" You started awkwardly. "My name is [L/N] [Y/N], I-I just arrived here in Akashika District not too long ago. I couldn't find anyone around, and I was wondering if you knew of any hotels nearby...?"

"Dayon! Dayon!" The girl began repeating the same word over and over, sometimes in slightly different pitches than others, whilst waving her arms up and down excitedly.

"Dayoko? Who are you talking to?"

A mans voice sounded from inside. The girl, Dayoko, paused, turning to look behind her as a figure began walking up the wooden hallway of the house. Dayoko's mouth opened into a smile as she began giggling.

"What's made you so happy?" The man chuckled, only to fall silent upon seeing you in the doorway. The man looked nothing like the girl, with a simple round face and neatly styled brown hair. His eyes were large but pupils small and half-lidded. He also wore a simple kimono in a plain mossy green.

He seemed to glare at you slightly, looking you up and down. You fidgeted in your spot, readjusting your backpack on your shoulders, moving your weight from one foot to the other. Your gaze went to the grass beneath you and stayed there for a second. When you looked back up, you were surprised to see that the man was smiling, a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Hello! Can we help you?" He asked sweetly. Dayoko seemed to speak for you, repeating the same word to the man whilst pointing towards you. You had no idea what was being said, but the man seemed to understand every word, nodding with a hum.

"Ah, I see. [L/N]-san, correct?"

"[Y/N] is fine!" You replied hastily. The man smiled once more before continuing.

"My name is Midorito Chorosuke, and this is my little sister Dayoko," the girl gave a gentle wave. "She has told me that you are looking for a place to stay?"

"Yes, that's right," you nodded. "I just got here a little bit ago, and I'm completely new to this District. Would you happen to know of any hotels nearby?" You repeated your dilemma, fingers playing with the material of your clothing. Chorosuke shook his head softly with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, Akashika does not have any hotels for newcomers to stay in. However..." he stood to one side, gesturing an arm for you to enter, "We are always happy to welcome newcomers to stay in our home for a while. It is large enough to easily accommodate new guests."

Your eyes widened at the suggestion. "Th-That's very kind of you, Midorito-san, but I couldn't possibly intrude-!"

Dayoko lightly took hold of your free hand, tugging you along trough the doorway. You stumbled in after her, reluctantly removing your shoes and replacing them with the soft house slippers Dayoko handed to you. Chorosuke waited nearby, his hands tucked comfortably in the sleeves of his kimono.

"Do not worry. It is no trouble at all. Dayoko and I are very willing to take care of you during your stay," he began turning away, leading you down large corridors. "And 'Chorosuke' is just fine, [Y/N]."

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐕

»»-----　♔　-----««

"Uh... hey..?" You glued your eyes to the ground, internally smacking yourself for such an awkward greeting. What was he even doing here? His presence had thrown you off entirely! It didn't seem to bother Ozo, though, as he chuckled lightly.

"Are you nervous?" You could practically hear the grin in his tone. "C'mon, it's just me! There's nothin' to be nervous about! Although..." he leaned down close, catching your gaze with his own half-lidded eyes. "..You do look cute when you get all shy and flustered."

Your whole body felt like it was on fire as you quickly turned away from him, crossing your arms defensively against your chest. He laughed loudly, and you missed the way he ran a hand through his tousled hair, and the way his dark eyes trailed along your clothing before he snapped his gaze away.

"I'm just teasing!" His tone didn't seem to match his words, but you acknowledged it no further. "Hm? Where's Dayoko?" He asked, looking up and down the hallway. "Wasn't she supposed to take you to your room, or somethin'?"

"I-I thought so, too.." you frowned at your stutter, "But I'm not sure where she is, so I tried to find my room myself."

"Well I hate to say it princess, but all the guest bedrooms are on the other side of the house."

You froze. How did you end up at the opposite end of the house? You glared at the ground in confusion, racking your brain for an answer on just how you had managed to get so badly lost. You were so caught up in your swirling thoughts, you didn't notice Ozo move from his spot to stand in front of you.

"It's a good thing I'm here, huh?" He rubbed a finger under his nose with a smug grin. "C'mon, I'll take you back."

He didn't wait for an answer as he swiftly took a gentle hold of your wrist, tugging you along behind him. You stumbled slightly in surprise, eyes watching the way his fingers wrapped comfortably around your skin. His touch radiated a warmth you hadn't felt before.

"I know this place like the back of my hand," he glanced back at you, "Us taxi drivers just have a good sense of direction like that." You blinked.

"Y-You're a taxi driver?" tilting your head curiously, brushing away the hair that fell over your eyes.

"Yup! I'm the only one in this area, too, so we'll definitely be seeing more of each other," as you turned a corner, he pulled you slightly closer to his side so that you were walking beside him, "I told you didn't I? I'm always at your service."

You only hummed in response, too busy trying to fight the thoughts of just how smooth his voice sounded. Was it even okay to have thoughts like that? You didn't know why you didn't feel any sense of danger being near Ozo, even though he had mostly been perverted and weird half the time he was around you.

"Man, you're so lucky!" Ozo threw his head back as he whined. "Chorosuke's actually letting you stay here! He doesn't even let me stay here anymore.. You'd think he'd have more respect for his older brother.." he grumbled. The word 'cute' ran through your mind as you peered up at his pouting cheeks, but you quickly waved it away.

"I-I wanted to ask about that, actually..." you started timidly, playing with the hem of your shirt as he snapped his eyes towards you, giving his full attention. "It's just, you and Toshi- I mean -- Jyushimatsu, look very similar. I thought he was Chorosuke when he first came into the room before. Are you.. related?"

"You're really smart, [Y/N], y'know that?" Ozo sighed dreamily. He rested his free arm behind his head as he made a left turn, taking a quick glance out the window as you passed by. "Yeah, apparently we're brothers! All six of us sextuplets!"

"..Sextuplets?" You didn't remember seeing the same face six separate times. Ozo chuckled.

"There's another one of us who live here in Akashika, but he stays over at Iriabi, since he's got a little cafe gig over there. We should go sometime!" He nudged your shoulder gently, a sparkle in his eyes. "He's always giving us free food!"

"Why do I have a feeling that he doesn't have a choice in doing that?" you smiled lightly.

"What can I say? I have a certain persuasive aura about me," Ozo shrugged, raising a brow at you jokingly. You huffed a laugh, shaking your head with a teasing roll of your eyes.

"And, what about your other two brothers?" you continued.

"They live in the big city. One of 'em studies history, all that boring stuff.." he shuddered at the thought of being surrounded with mountain high piles of dusty old books, "And the other painful one is a rookie reporter for some paper."

You nodded along, certainly intrigued by this information. Sextuplets were rare to come across. You wondered just how identical each of them actually were.

"Wait, 'painful'"? You backtracked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, you'll see," Ozo rubbed a hand absentmindedly over his ribs, a slight grimace on his face. "They're actually all coming down for a visit here this weekend. So Chorosuke has to let me stay over!" he chuckled darkly, a sleazy grin crossing his lips. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you felt bad for Chorosuke. Although maybe you should be more concerned for Dayoko than anyone else...

"Anyway, that's enough about me!" Ozo came to a halt, surprising you. "Here's your stop!" He gestured grandly to the door beside him, sliding the door open to reveal the same bedroom you had been escorted to earlier that day.

"How did you know this was my room?" you looked at him incredulously. He rubbed a finger under his nose again, something you began to think was a habit of his.

"I may or may not have seen Dayoko leave this room with those clothes you're wearing," he looked down at your clothing again. You shuffled in your spot, moving closer to the door with a tint spreading over your cheeks.

"Just as I thought..." Ozo mumbled. "Red does look good on you."

You tensed, trying not to notice the way he smirked at your flushed skin and jittery movements. You had to get away from him before you ended up exploding. You felt him release his hold on you, his fingers leaving a feathery touch on your skin as he moved away, the warmth he radiated fading all too quickly.

"W-Well.."you cleared your throat, beginning to slide your door shut, stopping when your eyes could peek out the small opening at his taller frame. "Goodnight...?" Another awkward farewell. You needed to stop doing those. Ozo laughed softly, bringing his half-lidded gaze back to yours for the last time that night.

"Night, [Y/N]. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow!" he sang, turning away and heading back down the way he came. You carefully slid your door shut, turning around in the dim room to find your futon already lain out for you. You hurriedly rushed over to it, flopping down onto the fluffed covers and burying your face into the cool pillow, hoping it would remove the burn from your face.

You lay restlessly, tossing and turning as so many thoughts ran circles in your mind. Some from the past, some from the present, and many for the upcoming future.

The butterflies in your stomach seemed to multiply tenfold as you wondered if he would actually be waiting for you tomorrow.

»»-----　♔　-----««

♔ | 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

»»-----　♔　-----««

The taxi came to a slow and steady halt, the rumble of its engine dying down as the keys were removed.

"Here we go.." Ozo muttered to himself, removing his seatbelt. He quickly left the car, leaving you to start opening your own door until he opened it himself, extending a hand down to you with a grin.

"Allow me," his chivalrous act didn't fail to make you smile again. You slipped your hand into his, realising just how small yours were compared to his larger palms. He wrapped his fingers around yours firmly, tugging you up and out of your seat. You stumbled slightly as you stood, but Ozo was quick to wrap his other arm around your waist, pulling you against his broad chest so you wouldn't fall. Your eyes met, wide and flustered. There was a tense silence between you both for a split second before you nervously laughed, being the first to pull away.

"Uhm.. thank you.." you looked down at your shoes.

"It's nothing.." he rubbed the back of his neck, turning away and heading towards a nearby building. "The cafe's just over here."

You nodded silently, following along behind him, hands latching onto the strap of your bag. You walked up to an average sized building, the front of which was simply lined with small bushes and a set of chairs and tables for outside seating. Above the opened doorway was a wooden sign, white letters written across it spelling:

'Cafe New York'

"Has your brother been to New York before?" You asked as you walked through the door behind Ozo.

"Nope," he grinned. "The cafe's just named after Iriabi. It's a play on words." He looked back at your confused face before laughing. "Hey, you're a smart girl! You'll figure it out, easy!"

"You have too much confidence in me.." you shook your head with a smile. Stepping into the cafe, you were hit instantly with the smell of sweet coffee and sugared pastries. Your eyes were immediately drawn to the vast display case by the till, lined with cakes, cookies and other delicious delights that made your mouth water.

Ozo walked over to the front, leaning against it as he peered about the empty cafe.

"Oi! Takashi! Where are you?" He called. "Your favourite big brother's here to visit you!" You giggled as he looked back at you with a joking smile. You heard a muffled voice call from somewhere in the back, past a closed door.

"Wait a minute!" There was a set of footsteps approaching the door before it swung open, revealing a man similar looking to Ozo and his brothers, busy frowning down at something on his phone. His hair was shorter than Ozo's, though it was mostly covered by the black fedora he wore. He wore a pink V-neck T-shirt, a beige apron on top, with a brown beaded necklace on his neck and a similar bracelet hanging from his wrist.

He shut the door behind him, finally placing his phone down on the counter with a roll of his eyes before looking up. He ignored his brother, his eyes landing straight onto you as he gave you a cutely curved smile.

"Well, hello!" His voice was dripping with honey. "I don't think I've seen your face around here before!" He rested his chin on his hand, leaning forward.

"I just arrived here yesterday from the city!" you admitted, closing your eyes with a smile.

"Uh, hello!" Ozo glared at his brother. "I'm here, too!"

"I literally saw you yesterday. You're not important." Takashi flatly told him, not even sparing a look his way as a smile came back into his lips. You felt a stab of pain from the coldness of his words, watching as Ozo froze, mouth flailing open and closed as he clutched a hand over his heart.

"I'm Momose Takashi!" The man continued, holding a hand out to you. "What's your name?"

"..Uh, it's [L/N] [Y/N].." you stared slowly, shaking his hand (and taking note of how incredibly soft it was) before placing it back by your side. Then something clicked. "Wait.. Do you all have different second names?"

"Oh no.. You've met those idiots?" Toshio groaned, coming to terms that his opportunity to make a lady friend was promptly thrown out the window before he even got a chance.

"No, not all of you. I've met Chorosuke and Jyushimatsu, though." You clarified.

"What d'ya mean, 'those idiots?!'" Ozo suddenly cried.

"You know exactly what I mean, idiot," Takashi hissed, turning back to you. "As for the name thing... It's kinda complicated. You really don't wanna know."

You frowned slightly as the quick dismissal, but you also knew better than to pry, so you left it there. Instead, you gestured over to the display case.

"Did you make all these? They look amazing!" You praised. Takashi blushed, rubbing the back of his head, gladly taking all your kind words.

"Aha, yup! My dad taught me how to make all these!"

Ozo grinned devilishly, sidling up to your side as covering his mouth in a mock whisper, his voice still loud enough for Takashi to hear.

"He says that, but really, everything here is just from the sto-"

"WOULD YOU like to try some?" Takashi cut him off, slamming a box of assorted desserts onto the counter, his smile tense and shaky. "Since you're new here, I'll let you have these, on the house!"

"Really? Are you sure? I can pay for them!" Your hands flew to your bag, but Takashi stopped you.

"No, really! You can try as many as you'd like! I can't force myself to allow such a nice girl to pay for everything when she just got here," he winked. You blushed, thanking him kindly as he gestured for you to take a seat anywhere you'd like. "I'll make us some coffee while you get comfortable."

"What about me?!" Ozo's complaint went unheard as the back door slammed shut. He grumbled, dragging a chair out and plopping himself down beside you. Feeling bad for him, you turned the box towards him with a small smile.

"You can have some, too. I don't mind."

"[Y/N], you're the best!" He exclaimed, swiftly taking a frosted cupcake and taking a large bite, humming at the taste. You took a bite out of your own cupcake, eyes widening at the sweet taste of chocolate hitting your tongue.

"Wow, this is really good!" You spoke after swallowing a bite, licking your lips. Ozo agreed, sighing when he finished, licking the frosting off of his thumb. Looking over to him, you giggled, finding a touch of frosting on his cheek and around his mouth.

"Ozo, you got a little something here," you pointed to your own cheek, watching amusedly as he attempted to wipe it off, missing entirely.

"Did I get it?"

"No— here," you laughed, grabbing a tissue from the table and leaning forward, removing the frosting yourself. Focused on your task, you didn't realise how close you had gotten to his face until you looked up, finding yourself mere inches away from his lips. His face was tinted as red as your own, praying that you wouldn't be able to hear how fast his heart was pounding in his chest. His hands twitched, wanting to instinctively hold onto you, but he clenched them into fists on his lap instead.

"...I got it.." you breathed. A part of you didn't want to move away just yet, so you stayed there, close to him, revelling in the warmth he seemed to constantly give off. After a moment, Ozo's blown eyes relaxed back into their lazy look, finally bringing his hand up to your face.

"You've got some too, y'know.." his tone matching yours, breathless and hazy. He swiped his thumb over your bottom lip, the feeling sending a jolt of electricity up your spine, catching the bit of icing before bringing his thumb to his own mouth and licking it off. You stared, flushed and dizzy, unable to break away.

What was this? You had only just met, and you felt like your high-school self all over again. As if you were head-over-heels for him already, right? That would be ridiculous...

So why were you leaning in closer?

His breath fanned over your cheek, his hand resting itself on your waist, pulling you closer. You clutched tightly onto the front of his shirt, fluttering your eyes closed, the tingle of his lips just oh-so close to your own making you heat up considerably, and—

"I've got the coffee!"

You fell back into your seat with a jump, directing your body to face entirely away from the other two in the room. You were sure you looked akin to a tomato, and you hoped that Takashi hadn't just seen that..!

"Uh, are you two.. okay?" He asked after an awkward moment, observing your withdrawn form and Ozo's frigid look. His face was practically steaming. "Is it that hot in here? I guess I can turn the AC on.."

Takashi placed the coffee down on the table, and upon closer inspection of his brother, he paled. He struggled to contain his scream of despair as he suddenly latched a death-grip onto Ozo's arm, dragging him away.

"I-I'm sorry, [Y/N], but can you wait there a second? I need to have a little chat with my brother, haha.." he didn't wait for an answer, pulling a stuttering Ozo behind him and slamming the back door for the second time.

"What the fuck did you do?!" Takashi whispered hotly once they were out of earshot, his face morphed into horror and absolute anger. Ozo blinked, his mind still reeling after what had just happened.

"W-What? What happened? Nothing happened, why?" His voice was trembling, but he kept up the act. Takashi wasn't convinced though, ready to punch his brother in the guts.

"I'm seriously gonna kill you in a minute!" He grabbed Ozo's shoulder tightly. "If nothing's happened, then why the fuck have you popped a boner, you bastard?!"

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