CHAPTER 27: RIKA YAMAMOTO’S INVITE. (⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠♪

She glanced over her shoulder, stuck her tongue out with one eye closed. "Hentai."

Leo leaned on the counter, his eyes still trailing her every movement. Still not minding her playful insults.

His gaze dropped to her bare, plump thighs under the apron. His jaw clenched slightly.

Sarah noticed again. Of course she did; his stares were very intense...

She leaned back against the counter, licking a bit of tomato sauce off her thumb slowly, never breaking eye contact. "Hentai... Perverted... Game Developer."

While stirring the stew-pot, her hips swaying just enough to be playful and tempting. "You know, babe," she added, looking at him, "if you keep staring like that, I’ll start charging you."

"Huh." Leo raised an eyebrow. "Charging me? For what, exactly?"

She turned slightly, spoon in hand, lips curled into a smirk. Premium access. Until I become your wife, you’re still on the free trial."

Leo burst into laughter, but it faded into a soft chuckle as he looked at her... Really looked at her. He stepped closer and gently flicked her forehead...

"Fine, fine..." he said with a smile, walking over to the small dining table tucked in the corner of the kitchen.

Ever since the job offer came in his mail, the fear, the pressure, and the constant weight of uncertainty had all started to fade. For the first time in a long while, the future didn’t look so frightening.

Then Sarah placed two plates of steaming curry stew on the table, then sat across from him, folding her legs underneath. The scent of tomatoes and spices filled their apartment...

Leo stared at the dish, then up at her, and clapped his hands together. "Itadakimasu."

They both started eating, but she didn’t stop looking at him while he ate.

Then it came to him: he hadn’t complimented her food yet. Don’t get it wrong, she was a good cook, but it was almost a tradition for him to compliment her food.

He reached across the table and gently tapped her forehead. "This is the best curry I’ve eaten all month. Like seriously, your stew should win awards. I’d honestly pay money for this."

She smiled proudly, her cheeks were puffed out. "Of course. I’ve been practicing my cooking..." She blushed. "Just in case I end up cooking for you for the rest of my life."

His fork paused mid-air. That sentence hit differently...

She noticed his stare and quickly looked down, suddenly shy. "I mean—not like that. I just meant—uh—never mind."

Leo smiled. It was a calm and sincere smile. "I’d like that."

She peeked up at him, her cheeks flushed. "You can’t propose over stew, idiot."

Out of all the times she had said she would be his wife, this was the first time Leo reacted normally. Not just normal—calm, easy, like the idea didn’t scare him anymore. Like he meant it.

And maybe... he did.

After they’d finished eating and cleaning up, Sarah lay quietly on his chest, her fingers tracing slow, lazy circles on his skin. The room was peaceful, the air warm, filled only with the hum of the ceiling fan and their soft breaths.

But her phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. One notification. Then another. And then another.

She shifted slightly, grabbing it from the side table. A few seconds later, she turned toward him, hesitating.

"Babe... babe..." she said gently.

Leo, half-lost in his thoughts, blinked and looked at her. "Hmm? What?"

She was nervous. Not playful-nervous. Real nervous.

She held up the phone, screen still lit. "You know Yamamoto, right?"

Leo blinked, confused for a second. "Rika?" How could he forget someone who gave him one of his most disgraceful moments of his life?

"She is inviting me out for fishing; she also said that you can come along," Sarah added.

"When?" Leo asked, still not sure what to make of the situation.

Sarah glanced back at her phone, scrolling to the bottom of the message thread. Her smile twitched, caught somewhere between amused and awkward. "Tomorrow."

Leo sat up fully this time, running a hand through his hair. "Tomorrow? That’s... sudden."

"She’s always been like that," Sarah murmured, placing the phone down gently on the table beside the bed. "Last-minute ideas. Last-minute tests."

Leo raised an eyebrow. "Tests?"

"I don’t know," she admitted. "Maybe she just wants to talk or... make up for the last conflict. You know how she is...she watches people before she decides whether they can belong in her friend group... It’s part of her narcissistic traits."

Leo leaned back against the headboard, letting out a long breath. "I know we have settled our differences, but she still scares the hell out of me sometimes."

Sarah chuckled, her fingers lightly tracing his arm. "Same."

They both fell quiet for a moment, the weight of tomorrow hanging between them.

Then Leo looked at her. "You still want to go?"

She nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I do, but not without you."

Leo reached over and laced his fingers with hers. "Then we go. Together."

Then it came to his mind. "What time, babe? At what time?"

She scrolled back to the message and read it out loud, "She said... ’Be at the bus stop by 7 a.m. sharp. Dress light. Don’t bring too much."

Leo groaned and leaned back, covering his face with a pillow. "Seven? Why does every mysterious invite start at an ungodly hour?"

Sarah laughed softly, though the nerves still lingered in her voice. "We can sleep early tonight."

"Sleep early, huh?" he lifted the pillow just enough to peek at her with one eye. "But she just saw you, though. On set. Why fishing all of a sudden?"

He sighed heavily, tossing the pillow aside. "Fine. Fine. Seven it is."

They both sat in silence for a few moments, the hum of the fridge filling their apartment.

Then Leo added under his breath, "Let’s just hope it’s really about fishing..."

Sarah didn’t respond.

She wasn’t sure how to feel either. A part of her wanted to say no...wanted to cancel, to forget the fishing trip and just stay home. She had missed too much time already while working on the movie set. What she really wanted... was this.

Quiet mornings. Leo’s warmth beside her. Laughing over breakfast. Falling asleep with his heartbeat in her ear.

With a small sigh, she turned off her phone screen, letting the darkness swallow the light.

She slid a little closer to him. Leo shifted slightly, his arm instinctively draping over her waist.

Neither of them said another word. They both pulled up the bed sheet over their shoulders.

And slowly, together, they drifted into sleep.