𝗢𝗢𝗚𝗢𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗗────── k. aren x original character

𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐨

"i'm home!"

just as the clock hit 6:30 p.m., kotoe entered the saiki residence.

"ko-chan!" her mother peeked from the end of the hallway as kotoe slipped out of her shoes. "why were you out so late, did something happen?"

the worrisome expression on her mother's face was enough to crunch her heart into crumples—if there is something that she and kusuke has in common, that is loving their mother more than anything in the world.

"i'm sorry!" she placed her palms against one another, "i was out looking for a lost ball, it took a really long time!"

she jogged in the house only to see her father and twin already on the dining table, ready to have dinner. her mother, in her white apron, frowned, "you shouldn't be staying out so late on your own!"

"hey hey, kusuo," her father's mischievous voice appeared and kotoe turned to see what was going on with the two boys. "can't you read kotoe's mind to see if she's telling the truth?"

"dad—!" she gasped, placing her hand against her chest, "i'm telling the truth!"

"don't you remember that i can't read kotoe's mind at all, you—" kusuo transmission stopped for a moment. he glanced up to kotoe and his mother. "nevermind what i said."

"you didn't say anything though," their father muttered.

"nevermind that," kusuo interrupted, "are you implying that kotoe would lie to her parents—"

"we're your parents too!"

"—about where she was? this kotoe? there might be some other kotoe out there who's a liar and a delinquent but this is the same kotoe who almost got us robbed of our belongings because she was too honest."

"kusuo!" she shrieked—at that moment, each person in the room's mind quickly flashed back to the time when kotoe blindly told a group of, obviously, yakuzas where the spare keys to the house was.

"you have to stop being so naive, kotoe," their father had tears streaming down his face as he recalled catching some gang members slowly taking his gundam out of its display case.

"i—" she whined, "but, the point kusuo was trying to make is that i never ever lie!"

"she's right," she felt some weights on her shoulder as her mother spoke up. "our ko-chan is an honest and diligent girl!"

seeing the two most important woman in his life staring at him with such ridicule and disappointment in his eyes, saiki kuniharu raised a white flag.

"good grief," kusuo sighed. "can we just eat dinner now? i want some coffee jelly—"

"ah, right right!" kotoe turned on her heels, "i'll take a quick shower and join you guys in a sec—go have dinner without me!"

the dining room turned quiet, the only sound heard was kotoe's footsteps against the stairs.

oh.

wait—the footsteps stopped.

another series of footsteps could be heard, quickly and jogging down.

"kusuo—i forgot to tell you!" kotoe's head peeked pass the walls and kusuo only sighed.

"what is it this time?"

"while i was looking for my ball, i talked to your friend, the new transfer student!" she grinned, her eyes disappearing behind her cheeks as she gave him a thumb up. "kobayashi aren-kun!"

"you mean kuboyasu," kusuo sighed. "also, don't call him my friend, we barely—"

kotoe escaped the conversation by hurrying up the stairs. their mother would have dropped a boiling pot of soup if it weren't for kusuo's interference.

"ku-chan!?" she gasped, eyes wide and hand dramatically pressed against her mouth as soup and it's container were floating in the air.

"kusuo—you have friends!?" his father joined in the shock.

kusuo closed his eyes for a moment.

he opened them back up.

he might not be able to read her mind, but he was sure that kotoe meant for this to happen.