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You were hoping for a quiet evening — noodles boiling on the stove, lo-fi music humming from your speaker, maybe even a nap on the couch. But fate had other plans. And by fate, you mean Kaiser.

The front door swings open like it’s a stage entrance.

“I brought people. Try not to scare them,” he says smugly, like he pays the rent here.

You turn from the kitchen just in time to see the parade march in: —Kaiser, obviously, with that I’m-a-god energy. —Kurona Ranze, calm as ever, hoodie half-zipped. —Hiori, all soft looks and pretty lashes, hovering close to Kurona like gravity depends on it. —And then… Ness.

Ness.

He walks in like a sparkly kitten came to life. Blinking those big blue eyes, wearing something pastel and fluffy, hands clasped behind his back like he’s in a shoujo anime opening.

“Ohhh~ Is this your place? It’s sooo cozy!” he says, twirling like he just got off a merry-go-round. You blink.

Kurona nods politely at you. “Thanks for letting us crash.”

You nod back. “Sure. Just don’t break anything.”

Then your eyes flick to Ness again — because seriously, what is this boy made of? Bubblegum? Whipped cream? You’re this close to asking if he came out of a Sanrio factory.

But while you're distracted by Ness’ existence, you catch it— That tiny, unmistakable flicker of sadness in his eyes when he glances at Kaiser.

Kaiser, who doesn’t even look at him. Kaiser, who sits down, tosses his phone on the table, and says, “Hiori, Kurona, make yourselves at home. Ness, go sit or something.”

“Go sit or something.” That’s it? That’s how he talks to the literal embodiment of cuteness?

You frown a little.

Ness quickly obeys though, plopping beside Kaiser on the floor, way too close to be just “a friend,” but clearly not close enough to be anything else. His knees are almost touching Kaiser’s, but the blond doesn’t even blink.

And then—click. Kurona quietly reaches for Hiori’s hand on the couch. Hiori smiles, soft and genuine, leaning his head on Kurona’s shoulder. The room slows down for a second.

Ah. They’re dating. No drama. No fireworks. Just peaceful, real affection.

You glance back at Ness.

His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

You feel it—that weird ache. Not yours, but his. The ache of trying to matter to someone who already gave their heart to someone else. In Kaiser’s case? To that striker prodigy Isagi Yoichi, who isn’t even here, but somehow still takes up all of Kaiser’s attention.

Ness laughs at a joke Kaiser doesn’t react to. Tries to brush lint off his sleeve. Looks away before anyone notices the tremble in his lip.

You notice.

You sigh internally.

You lean back against the kitchen counter, crossing your arms, watching the chaos unfold quietly. Then, you mutter in Korean under your breath: “얘네 다 왜 이렇게 복잡해… 드라마 찍냐?” (Why are they all so complicated… Are they filming a drama or what?)

One thing’s for sure: You wanted peace. But what you got instead is a front-row seat to Kaiser’s Kingdom of Emotional Wreckage™.

…You’re gonna need stronger coffee.