As Kai and Hina walked arm in arm toward the dining room, the atmosphere between them was a mix of tension and warmth.
The grand hallway of the Suzuki mansion was dimly lit, with the soft glow of wall sconces casting gentle shadows on the polished wooden floors.
Kai and Hina kept walking together arm in arm like a beautiful couple.
Kai felt a little bit embarrassed.
Hina had totally prepared herself with some elegant clothes while he was wearing just normal clothes for the everyday life.
"She's… too… beautiful…" that's what he was thinking.
But deep down his souls, he knew that he had to have a proper talk with her about what happened.
The subtle scent of fresh flowers, likely arranged by Ayame earlier, lingered in the air, adding a touch of serenity to the otherwise somber ambiance.
Kai couldn't help but steal glances at Hina as they walked.
Everytime that their eyes met even for an instant, Hina always gave him a soft smile.
The way she moved with such grace, the delicate rustle of her dress as it brushed against her legs… it was as if she was a completely different person from the dangerous woman he had come to know.
Yet, beneath that composed exterior, he could sense the same fierce determination that had drawn him to her in the first place.
When they finally reached the dining room, the large oak doors were already slightly ajar, as if inviting them in.
Kai pushed the door open fully, allowing Hina to step inside first.
The room was bathed in warm light, the long table set with an array of dishes that looked both luxurious and comforting traditional Japanese cuisine with a modern twist.
His mother's touch was evident in every detail, from the intricately folded napkins to the carefully placed chopsticks.
She probably helped her maids to prepare the table.
Haruka was already seated at the head of the table with her husband.
Her expression softened as she saw her son enter with Hina by his side.
"Ara~, they look adorable, don't they?" Haruka said to her husband.
Fumihiro nodded his head in agreement and gave a thumbs up to his son.
"Oh yes, they really look adorable." He said, with a proud tone.
Hina and Kai both smiled at them.
Kai's offered them both another welcoming smile in return, though there was a hint of something unspoken in her eyes… perhaps a mother's intuition, sensing the complex web of emotions Kai was entangled in.
She had the feeling that Kai didn't tell her everything.
But Kai was also feeling down because he felt like a stranger in his own house.
The last time he had dinner there was one year ago.
Distant from Kai's parents, Yuna was sitting in another part of the table.
She was wearing casual clothes with her hair tied in a ponytail.
She was staying silent, probably embarrassed or shocked by the whole situation.
She tried her best to avoid looking Kai in his eyes.
"Kai, Hina, please, take a seat," Haruka said, her voice as gentle as ever. "I hope you're both hungry."
Kai guided Hina to a seat beside him, pulling out the chair for her before sitting down himself.
Hina's fingers briefly brushed against his as she settled in, a touch that sent a shiver down his spine.
He quickly masked his reaction, forcing a smile as he looked toward his mother.
Then, Kai sat in the spot between her and Yuna.
"Hello there, Yuna." Kai said with a friendly tone.
"Oh… hey, friend!" Hina added, with a "joyful" voice.
Yuna forced a smile at them.
"H-Hello…" she said.
Then, after everyone was at their place, Kai spoke.
"Everything looks delicious, Mom," Kai said, trying to keep his tone light.
But before Haruka could respond, Kai's eyes fell on Yuna unconsciously, who was seated quietly at the table.
She had probably been there the whole time, but her presence was so muted, so deliberately understated, that it was almost easy to overlook her.
Yuna's gaze was fixed on her plate, she was holding her chopsticks very tightly.
She avoided looking at Kai and Hina, her face a mask of composure that barely concealed the storm of emotions churning inside her.
The tension in the room shifted, becoming more complex, more painful.
"Oh well, of course it's delicious. We have guests." Kai's mother said.
He then gave his mother a rapid glance and forced a smile.
"Haha… can we start eating now…?" He said, with a slightly nervous tone.
Haruka nodded her head and said "Itadakimasu!" With a very formal tone of voice.
Kai's gaze then moved again towards his friend Yuna.
He was having strange feelings.
In a matter of seconds, he thought about a lot of things and "coincidences".
Yuna started to be "different" since he started dating Hina.
Since then, she used to avoid his presence.
When they met at Yuna's workplace, she felt bothered.
She knew that he had come to buy something for Hina, and that actually pissed her off a little.
Then, she asked him to stay over at her house when he "saved" her.
Kai started to realize something.
He started to think that there was more than simple friendship from her.
And in this case, this would've been a problem.
Any interaction with his girlfriend could hurt her.
But that was not his fault.
He had to behave normally.
But Kai still felt a pang of guilt as he realized how his interactions with Hina might be affecting Yuna.
He had known Yuna for a long time, and their friendship had always been something he valued deeply.
But there had been moments—fleeting, almost imperceptible—when he had sensed something more in the way she looked at him, something she had never voiced aloud, especially when he saved her.
Haruka, ever perceptive, noticed the tension but chose not to acknowledge it directly.
Instead, she kept the conversation flowing, asking Hina polite questions about her interests, and the full story about how she and Kai met.
Hina responded with calm, measured answers, her voice steady and polite.
She was the picture of elegance, answering with just enough detail to satisfy Haruka's curiosity without revealing too much.
His father was carefully listening.
Yuna remained silent throughout, her focus entirely on her meal.
She couldn't bring herself to join the conversation.
If her feelings towards Kai were feelings of love, it would've hurt too much to see the man she cared for—perhaps even loved—engage so intimately with another woman.
Every word exchanged between Kai and Hina probably felt like a small cut to her heart, and she struggled to maintain her composure.
But only Yuna had those answers, in her heart.
But Kai could still feel the undercurrent of anxiety in every word Hina spoke.
She was playing a role, one that she had perfected over time.
Yet, the more she spoke, the more he felt the weight of the secrets they were both keeping.
Hina was way too perfect.
She sounded so convincing , like she was the perfect and caring girl loved by everyone and everything.
Even Kai couldn't believe that she killed people in front of his eyes.
No wonder that she was the perfect match against Yuki Nakamura.
As the meal progressed, Kai found it increasingly difficult to focus on the conversation.
He only spoke when Hina or his parents mentioned him.
His mind kept drifting back to his mother's words earlier, when she talked about following one's instinct, about knowing when something was right.
He couldn't help but wonder if this was one of those moments where his instinct was telling him that something was off, that this façade they were all maintaining was unsustainable.
Then, after finishing the main dishes, the maid Ayame brought some special tea to the dinner table.
But Haruka wanted to serve it.
Just as Haruka began to pour tea for everyone, she paused, her gaze resting on Kai with a knowing look.
"Kai, dear," she began, her tone gentle but probing, "you've always been someone who cares deeply about those close to you. I can see that you care a lot about Hina."
He then smiled, gently holding her hand.
"Yes, of course I do." Kai said.
Hina , surprised by his genuine gesture, squeezed his hand to return the affection with a lovely smile and a small blush across her face.
Her gaze even moved to Yuna a few times, like she was worried about her.
Yuna was still being silent, except the few times that she joined the conversation.
"And I care about him a lot, Mrs. Suzuki. I should thank you for giving birth to a such beautiful person…" she said, with a voice full of love.
Kai was happy to hear her words, but at the same time Hina cared about him way too much.
Then, a random sound of something falling on the floor interrupted the romantic atmosphere.
"O-oh! Sorry! I dropped my chopsticks- haha!" Yuna giggled nervously, before picking her chopsticks from the floor.
Everyone laughed a little, to make her feel at ease.
Then, Haruka spoke.
"I really thank you for these beautiful words, Hina-Chan. I'm happy to know that you truly care about my precious son." She said, with a very gentle and soft voice.
"I promise to always take care of him." Hina replied with a smile.
"Thank you, Hina-Chan. I'm sure that Kai is going to be safe with you at his side." Haruka said.
These words seemed to have caught Kai off guard.
"What did she…" he thought…