"You know, the bad thing about this Linda-Alina bet is that I can't have the leftovers when I'm hungry." Cayne complained a few hours later. He glanced at Alina, chomping away at some sushi, sitting in the sea of food as she read a book on her phone.
Korū nudged the bag of onigiri -now containing only two- towards Cayne. Mostly because Hikari and Kumori were glaring at him to offer them up. Mostly because. Not only because.
"Thanks." Cayne said, reaching out to take one, a little guilty for stealing the second last one.
"Just take everything, we're done." He stood up. "I'm gonna sleep." No, he still couldn't sleep, but the bed was honestly far more comfortable than the sofa.
Cayne grabbed the last one and watched discreetly as Korū disappeared back into the room, knowing that he wasn't going to sleep.
"I just realised," Hikari said. "When are your birthdays? Mine's in like, December."
"What did you realise? Mines in July." Alina said.
"Late October." Cayne answered.
"August." Liam said.
"January." Cole said.
"Um, also October." Linda mumbled, her focus on her sketchbook.
"December." Richard stated.
"February," Kumori added.
"Hey, doesn't that mean your birthday's soon?" Hikari asked Cayne.
Cayne nodded, then finished off the rest of the onigiri. He stood up. "I'm going to see if Korū is up for another game of PUBG."
"Isn't he sleeping?" Alina asked, picking up an onigiri from her pile of food.
"Maybe." Cayne said before he disappeared into the room again, shutting the door behind him quietly.
Korū glanced up from his notebook as Cayne entered, then decided to continue with whatever he was doing.
"What are you doing?" Cayne asked him, sitting on the edge of his own bed.
"Writing shit." He closed the notebook, tossing it and his pen onto the bed.
"Ah." Cayne said.
"Why'd you come in?"
"I��m not sure. Figured you would like silent company, and if you didn't, you'd chase me out so I wouldn't be disturbing you either way."
"Mh." Korū stuffed the notebook into his bag. "Do what you like. You're staying here as well so I can't exactly chase you out."
Outside the room, there were the sounds of arguing.
"Why'd you make the doors soundproof?" Alina whined.
"Mind your own business, Ali. I made it soundproof after you guys prevented me from taking a nap."
"Fair enough." Alina huffed.
"But we won't be able to hear anything if someone commits murder," Hikari stated, referring to Korū.
"Even if the walls weren't soundproof, we won't hear anything, anyway," Kumori pointed out.
"Huh, true."
"Don't underestimate Cayne. He's actually pretty good." Linda said, not glancing up from her sketchbook, "He might have time to scream."
"Nah, he might not even notice my brother until he's bleeding," Hikari said. "He's practically an assassin."
"Whatever you say."
"Who's up for dinner?" Richard asked.
Each of them glanced at Alina, who had been slowly but continuously eating the food from lunch.
"Not me." She said. "I'll stuff whatever's left of this in the fridge and if I find out that any of you stole any, I'm coming after you."
The cats perked up at the word 'dinner', and Kaguya attempted to steal one of Alina's chicken wings.
"No! They're too salty for you anyway! You'll get sick and might die." Alina exclaimed, snatching the bag away. She gathered all her food and put them in the fridge.
Kaguya gave her the most dejected look he could manage. Alina washed her hand and gave him a conciliatory pat.
Korū suddenly emerged from the room with an open tin of cat food, placed it in front of the cats, and went back in.
"Cat radar," Kumori commented.
"So, what do we want to eat?" Cole asked.
"I'm not really hungry," Kumori said.
Hikari watched the cats eat. "Salmon daikon."
"The unagi Alina was hogging." Liam said.
"Same." Cole nodded in agreement. "Just get that for Cayne too. I'm sure he won't mind."
"I'll try whatever Hikari is having." Linda said.
"What about Korū?" Richard asked, turning to Hikari.
Hikari poked her head into Korū's room, then retreated. "He says he doesn't want anything."
Richard nodded. "Pray I return safely, guys."
Hikari held up a small cross. "Amen."
"Where in the world did you get that?" Kumori questioned.
"Comedic purposes." Alina said helpfully.
"I've never thought about this, but if you worlders have your own set of gods and goddesses, what's your religion called?" Liam asked.
Alina and Linda exchanged glances.
"Good question." Linda said.
"I wouldn't really call it a religion… I don't know." Alina said, frowning.
Hikari left the cross beside Kage, who sniffed curiously at it. "Worldism," she offered.
Alina shrugged. "Possibly."
"Well, I'll be going now." Richard bid goodbye. "Please don't let anything or anyone die."
As he shut the door, however, Alina shouted, "Wait, König, be careful."
Richard looked back, an eyebrow raised questioningly. "I'm just getting food, Ali."
"I know, but-"
"Yeah, I will. Don't worry so much."
The door shut and Alina turned back around to meet multiple sets of eyes, staring at her.
"What?"
"So, you and Rich?" Hikari voiced out after a pregnant period of silence, smirking.
"No."
"Really?" It was Linda this time.
"Yes, really."
"I'm not buying it." Liam said, getting a glare.
"What makes you guys think that?" Alina asked.
"Everything." Cole answered, also smirking.
"Goddess, you too?"
She got a nonchalant shrug. She sighed, "Think what you want, I'm gonna shower." she casually brushed past all of them. As she entered the room, however, a smile found its way to her face.
Their company was nice, no matter how chaotic or annoying they may be. It was how she imagined having a real family would feel. Like having siblings who wouldn't judge you for who you are, or what you do, and what you think.
It was a new feeling, being accepted by a somewhat tightly knit group of people. Or at least, the tension had long loosened up. She didn't think the others consciously realised it, though.
It was generally happy.
Full of broken people trying to find their way.
Cosy.
Comforting.
It felt like home.