Maruki’s fingers twitched at his sides, his gaze lingering on Akira as the boy moved around the kitchen. The mention of LeBlanc nestled uncomfortably in the back of his mind. LeBlanc.
his Akira had spent his probation there, hadn’t he? The memory surfaced, sharp and vivid, of another time, another world. He couldn’t help but wonder—was this just a coincidence? Or something else entirely? Better
His thoughts trailed as Akira reached for the coffee pot, the question about the tumbler hanging in the air. Maruki shook his head slightly, raising a hand to wave him off. “Oh, no, no. The last time I tried carrying coffee in a tumbler, I ended up spilling it all over my shirt,” he said, chuckling sheepishly.
“It was... not one of my finer moments.” He glanced down at himself as though reliving the embarrassment. “I think I’ll just drink it here, if you don’t mind. Besides…” He gestured vaguely toward Akira, a lopsided smile forming. “I know that place from my world. Leblanc has one of the best coffees I have ever had sooo I’d like to see if that job of yours has taught you to strike gold.”
With that, Maruki turned his attention to the cabinets. His morning routine always started with his trusty snacks, and he automatically opened the first cabinet where he usually stashed them. His hand paused mid-reach as his eyes scanned the shelves.
The snacks weren’t there.
He blinked, closing the cabinet and opening the one next to it. Still nothing. A slight frown tugged at his lips as he checked another cabinet, only to find it filled with neatly organized jars and spices—none of which belonged to him. “Don’t tell me you ate my snacks, did you?” he asked, his voice tinged with lighthearted disbelief. He gestured vaguely toward the empty cabinet, his hand lingering in the air as though the missing items might magically reappear. “They were right here yesterday. What happened to them? Did they… get caught up in your cleaning frenzy?”
no subject
his Akira had spent his probation there, hadn’t he? The memory surfaced, sharp and vivid, of another time, another world. He couldn’t help but wonder—was this just a coincidence? Or something else entirely? Better
His thoughts trailed as Akira reached for the coffee pot, the question about the tumbler hanging in the air. Maruki shook his head slightly, raising a hand to wave him off. “Oh, no, no. The last time I tried carrying coffee in a tumbler, I ended up spilling it all over my shirt,” he said, chuckling sheepishly.
“It was... not one of my finer moments.” He glanced down at himself as though reliving the embarrassment. “I think I’ll just drink it here, if you don’t mind. Besides…” He gestured vaguely toward Akira, a lopsided smile forming. “I know that place from my world. Leblanc has one of the best coffees I have ever had sooo I’d like to see if that job of yours has taught you to strike gold.”
With that, Maruki turned his attention to the cabinets. His morning routine always started with his trusty snacks, and he automatically opened the first cabinet where he usually stashed them. His hand paused mid-reach as his eyes scanned the shelves.
The snacks weren’t there.
He blinked, closing the cabinet and opening the one next to it. Still nothing. A slight frown tugged at his lips as he checked another cabinet, only to find it filled with neatly organized jars and spices—none of which belonged to him.
“Don’t tell me you ate my snacks, did you?” he asked, his voice tinged with lighthearted disbelief. He gestured vaguely toward the empty cabinet, his hand lingering in the air as though the missing items might magically reappear. “They were right here yesterday. What happened to them? Did they… get caught up in your cleaning frenzy?”