The taxi pulled up outside the diner, and as the door swung open, it revealed a striking man who seemed plucked straight from the set of a K-pop music video. He exuded an effortless charm, with soft, messy black hair framing his slender face and piercing dark blue eyes that sparkled with mischief. His blue sweater and dark gray jeans added to his captivating aura, making it impossible not to notice him.
Inside the diner, Hisashi noticed Hen Akoto's immediate reaction to the man's arrival. His expression shifted from composed to a mix of panic and resignation. He cursed under his breath, ducking slightly to avoid being seen through the window.
"Shit." Hisashi barely caught the second muttered expletive, her eyes flicking between Hen and the mysterious newcomer.
The man entered the diner with the confidence of someone who owned the place. His voice rang out brightly, filling the space, "My dearest Niko!"
Hen Akoto groaned audibly, slumping slightly in his seat as if bracing for impact.
The man, completely unfazed by Hen's apparent discomfort, walked over and plopped down beside him with a dazzling smile. "Yuri," Hen greeted with a tone of begrudging acceptance.
"Oh, Niko dearest," Yuri replied, snagging a bacon strip from Hen's plate before he could stop him. "Alexander said you went out early this morning. I had to see what's keeping you so busy."
Hen moved his plate away, glaring at his friend. "Weren't you supposed to come next week?"
Yuri grinned, leaning back casually. "Surprise. I couldn't miss the chance to meet the lady who's got you all worked up."
"Hey, hey—" Hen cut in quickly, his tone flustered as his cheeks betrayed him by turning pink. Hisashi watched the exchange, trying to suppress a smile.
Yuri's attention shifted to her, and his smile widened as he extended a hand. "The talented Black Panther," he said with genuine enthusiasm.
Hisashi, caught off guard by the dramatic introduction, hesitated before shaking his hand. His warm demeanor was disarming, and she couldn't help but blush slightly. "Nice to meet you," she managed, unsure how to respond to his energy.
"Yuri Kurosawa," he introduced himself with a theatrical bow of his head. "You have no idea the impact you've made on our dear Hen here."
"Impact?" Hisashi asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yuri chuckled and leaned toward her conspiratorially. "This man has been texting nonstop about you—"
"Yuri, please," Hen interrupted, his voice a mix of exasperation and embarrassment as his fork aimlessly poked at his hash browns.
"Oh, come on, Niko. Admit it." Yuri's teasing grin grew as he turned back to Hisashi. "He's been smitten since the moment you beat him in that race."
Hisashi, both flattered and overwhelmed, glanced at Hen, who avoided her gaze, his ears red. "I think you're exaggerating," she said, trying to steer the conversation back to neutral ground.
Yuri, however, was on a roll. "Exaggerating? Hardly. The great Hen Akoto, rendered speechless by a woman." He clapped his hands dramatically, eliciting another groan from Hen. "It's a sight to behold!"
"Yuri," Hen warned, his voice low, but the mischief in Yuri's eyes only grew.
"And soon-to-be girlfriend, I presume?" Yuri added with a wink, earning a choking sound from Hen, who had taken a sip of his iced tea at the wrong moment.
"Jesus, Yuri!" Hen sputtered, glaring at his friend.
Yuri's laughter filled the diner as he leaned back, savoring the chaos he had unleashed. "Relax, Niko. I'm just saying what we're all thinking."
Hen's expression softened slightly as he glanced at Hisashi, who was now avoiding his gaze, her cheeks tinted with a faint blush.
"Would you like coffee?" Hisashi asked, her tone steady as she tried to steer the conversation into calmer waters.
Yuri turned to her with a grin, his dark blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "That would be lovely," he replied, his voice oozing charm.
Moments later, Hisashi returned with a steaming cup of coffee, placing it gently in front of him. "If there's anything else you need, let me know," she said with a polite smile.
Yuri's grin widened as he raised the cup in a mock toast. "Will do, darling," he mused, his tone as playful as ever.
"What the fuck, Yuri?" Hen growled, his annoyance clear as he slammed his fork down onto his plate.
Yuri, unbothered, leaned back with a leisurely grin. "Oh, come on, Niko," he teased, the playful edge in his voice barely masking the mischief. But then his tone shifted slightly, dipping into something more sincere while retaining its provocative charm. "You know I'm right. Every girl that walks into your life eventually ends up in your pants."
Hen's cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red, his fists clenching in exasperation. He leaned forward, lowering his voice to a heated whisper, desperate to keep the conversation private. "This is different, Yuri. She's different. There's something about her—an aura I can't figure out. It's not like the others."
Yuri's smirk widened as he leaned in slightly, a knowing glint in his dark blue eyes. "Ah, the 'different aura.' The ultimate Niko kryptonite." He raised his coffee cup in a mock toast, savoring every ounce of his friend's discomfort.
Hen shot him a warning look, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "Cut it out," he muttered, though his flustered state betrayed his usual composure.
Meanwhile, Hisashi lingered in the background, trying to focus on her work but acutely aware that she was the center of their whispered discussion. She couldn't decide whether to feel flattered or mortified as she caught snippets of their exchange. The tension between the two men, coupled with Yuri's audacious commentary, left her both amused and self-conscious.
Yuri took another sip of his coffee, his playful demeanor unwavering. "She's got you all tied up, doesn't she?" he said, his voice laced with amusement. "The great and manly Hen Akoto, turned into a stammering, blushing schoolboy."
Hen glared at Yuri, his knuckles whitening as he resisted the urge to retaliate. "Yuri," he warned, his tone low and deadly.
Unfazed, Yuri leaned back further, holding his cup with both hands, as if savoring every moment of the spectacle. "Oh, Niko, you can't hide it from me. You've got it bad, my friend. And frankly…" He paused, his grin growing wider. "It's about time someone knock you off your pedestal."
Hen opened his mouth to argue, but no words came. Instead, his eyes flicked to Hisashi, who was now pretending to organize cutlery at the counter, her face turned away as if she wasn't eavesdropping.
Yuri's gaze followed Hen's, and a soft chuckle escaped him. He tapped his finger on the rim of his coffee cup, a gleam of triumph in his eyes. "Oh, this season is going to be pretty damn interesting," he mused aloud, clearly enjoying the unfolding drama.
Hen groaned, slumping slightly in his seat. "You're impossible."
Yuri raised an eyebrow, the grin never leaving his face. "And you, my dear Niko, are in deep trouble," he said with a wink, his voice dripping with amusement.
Hisashi couldn't help but sneak a glance their way, her curiosity piqued. Whatever had just transpired between the two friends, she couldn't deny that Yuri's antics had added a layer of unexpected intrigue to her already eventful morning.