It had been a few months since you and Kusuo’s arranged marriage started, and though life was far from the whirlwind romance others dreamed of, with him being a psychic on top of that, there was a quiet rhythm to your days, a sense of normalcy that Kusuo had always strived for. Kusuo remained as stoic as ever, rarely showing much emotion, but you noticed the small signs, like the way his shoulders slumped more than usual when he came home from work.

Today was one of those days. The front door opened, and Kusuo stepped inside with a sigh heavier than normal. His glasses were slightly askew, and the usual calm in his eyes was replaced by a flicker of frustration. Without a word, he dropped his bag near the entrance and headed toward the living room.

You watched from the kitchen doorway, your hands trembling just a little as you carried a small dish toward the living room. You had made coffee jelly. The one treat you knew he secretly loved but never admitted to. As you sat down, he wordlessly joined you. After debating whether you should or not, you hesitantly set the cup of coffee jelly on the low table in front of you. Kusuo glanced at it with his usual deadpan expression, then looked up at you, surprised.

"You made this?" His voice held a faint edge of disbelief, like he wasn’t sure if you had just guessed his favorite or somehow read his mind. Kusuo stared at the cup for a moment, then gave a barely perceptible nod.

"You didn't have to." No dramatic thanks, but you caught the slightest softness in his tone and the faintest smile on his usually blank expression. He sat down and took a spoonful; the tense line around his mouth relaxed just a little.