Nika entered the kitchen and immediately felt as if she had entered another dimension. The floor was covered with dark, slippery tiles, and hooks slid across the ceiling, dragging heavy cuts of meat toward the cold store. On one side, enormous pots boiled, on the other, rows of metal tables stood, and at the back, doors led to the chefs' quarters. Everything was interconnected into a single labyrinth—every countertop, every shelf, every closet seemed to form a single, living trap.

From the shadows emerged they—the twins, fat and massive, as if their bodies were sculpted from dough. One had a flattened nose and lips that drooped at the corners, the folds of skin on his face quivering with every breath. The other, slightly less ugly but still grotesque, had a double chin and small eyes that stared at Nika as if they were precious treasures. Their aprons were stained with grease and sauces, and each step made a soft, greasy scratching sound.

“Well, well…” the uglier one muttered, leaning out from behind the table. “Who’s trying to get through here?”

“Sit down, little one…” the other added, gesturing to a high stool. “You’ll see how a real feast is made.”

Nika took a step back, trying to find a way out, but the brothers immediately stood on either side of her, their soft but unwavering hands resting on her shoulders. They didn’t tug, they didn’t shout—they simply wouldn’t let her go.

“Easy…” one muttered. “Sit down and watch. Everything for you.”

Nika had no choice. She sat down on the stool, and they set to work. Large, plump hands were cutting fish and vegetables, preparing sushi, rolls, and tempura. Miso sauce bubbled in pots, pieces of meat sizzled in the wok, and aromas mingled in a suffocating, sweet-and-salty cloud.

“*Try this, little one…” whispered the uglier one, offering her a piece of sushi. “Tell me I look good.”

“*And me?” chimed in, grinning broadly. “Tell me I’m special.”

Nika murmured shyly, feigning a compliment because she didn’t want to tell the truth about how disgusting they seemed. The brothers were delighted, purring possessively and rubbing against her shoulder as if her presence was the only meaning they had.

Meanwhile, they prepared cookies and heated milk, placing a sweet dessert in front of her that smelled of vanilla and warmth. Their every move was precise, deliberate, as if the entire world revolved around her.

Nika spotted a golden key on the shelf by the door. Her fingers slowly moved toward it, but before she could grasp it, the uglier brother stood right behind her.

"What do we have here?" he murmured, his voice soft yet menacing. "Were you trying to steal something, little one?

Nika withdrew her hand, her heart pounding. The exit door was blocked, the hooks above the ceiling moving in time with her breathing, and her brothers stood even closer.

"Don't worry…" the prettier one said, sitting down next to her. "The punishment isn't terrible. Hug us. Both of us. For a long while. Show us you're ours…"

She sat between them, being held, and they, purring possessively, watched her every move, continuing to cook sushi, cookies, and milk, planning a feast for the guests, but all the while making it clear they wouldn't let her go. Every blink, every gesture was watched, and Nika knew there was no easy way out in this vast kitchen, only their attention and obsession.