For some reason, your futon seemed unusually warm and comforting that morning. A sliver of sunlight slipped its way past the curtains and shone directly onto the spot in which you slept. You stirred and opened your heavy eyes, letting out a small yawn as you did. You continued to lay still for a moment, allowing your vision to adjust to the light. You rolled over onto your side, suddenly coming face to face with Kuroh, who was still fast asleep. It was then that you realized his arm was loosely draped across your body. Your face reddened, and you hastily scooted away from him, removing yourself completely from the futon. Your sudden movements must have been enough to wake the man who rested beside you, as he looked up at you with a concerned expression.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice a bit raspy.

"I- We- Uh," You found yourself flustered. "We must have fallen asleep...together."

"Did we?" He sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. You could see the pink tint spreading across his cheeks.

You sat there on the floor, unable to form an appropriate response. You could still feel the sensation of his skin against your own, and you turned an even darker shade of red at the very thought. Kuroh, in an attempt to ease the uncomfortable situation, finally spoke up.

"Do you, um...have to work today?"

"Unfortunately, yes." You stood to your feet, shaking off the uneasiness of the moment. "But you're welcome to stay here while I'm gone." You approached the closet and skimmed through the clothes that hung within, finally choosing an outfit. "Make yourself as comfortable as possible, okay?"

You went into the bathroom to change clothes and wash off your face. As you did so, you could hear the rustling sounds of Kuroh folding up your futon and placing it in its original spot. You thought about what a gentleman he had grown up to be, and how you would not mind if he were to stay around a while. You exited the bathroom and picked your purse up off of a nearby spot on the floor, then pulled out some money and handed it to Kuroh.

"Here, this is for when you get hungry. There's nothing to eat here except instant noodles."

"I cannot accept this." He attempted to give it back to you. "Noodles will be sufficient enough for a mere beggar such as myself."

"Kuroh," you started, pushing his hands away. "Just let me help you. This is the most useful I've felt in a long time."

He held the money close as he dropped to his knees, bowing to you.

"No, no, no. Not this again." You knelt down so that you were face to face with him and rested your hand on his shoulder. "We're friends, right? This is the kind of thing that friends do for each other. You don't have to be so humble about it, okay?"

"Thank you, _." He looked directly into your eyes, and you felt your face warm up a bit. "I will find a way to repay my debt to you."

"Look, I've missed you all these years. You were my best friend... Just having you here with me is payment enough." Getting lost in the moment, you lightly ran the back of your hand along his jawline. His pale eyes widened a bit at the contact. "I- I'm sorry! I should be going now!" You picked yourself up off of the floor and ran to the door, and with a quick "goodbye," you were gone.

The work day, being incredibly uneventful, seemed to drag on for what seemed like forever. Business was slow, meaning less tasks for you to busy yourself with. With the shop empty of customers at the end of the day, your uncle allowed you to sit at the counter. He tidied up the area, glancing up now and then to make small talk. At one point, you found your thoughts wandering, and he must have noticed the blank look in your eyes.

"What's on your mind?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."

"Is it a boy?"

"W- What? No way."

"I'll bet it's that boy from yesterday."

You sat in silence, trying to ignore him, but you couldn't hide the redness that spread across your cheeks.

"Mhm," he chuckled. "I knew it. Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. He's a nice-looking boy."

You continued to ignore him.

"But you'd better be careful. I know how dirty-minded boys can be. I remember when I was that age. I was quite the lady killer, you know." He continued rambling, elaborating on his younger years. You eventually decided you had heard enough.

"I'm going home," you said, hopping down from your chair.

"Alright, have a good evening. And remember," He picked up a nearby knife and pointed it in your direction. "If he tries to pull anything funny, you send him to me."

You nodded and waved goodbye before leaving the building, eventually finding yourself back at your apartment. You unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"I'm home!" You stopped in your tracks, unable to recognize your own apartment. The clutter that once was spread all throughout the space was now nowhere in sight. The cobwebs were gone, and everything in the room seemed to shine. Kuroh stepped out of the kitchen, clad in a pink apron.

"I hope you don't mind that I tidied up a bit."

"No- Not at all. This is...wow."

"I also took it upon myself to prepare dinner."

You followed him into the kitchen area, where a feast was spread across the table.

"You did all of this?"

"I used the money I was given to buy the ingredients. I hope you don't mind."

You seated yourself at the table, and Kuroh sat directly across from you. You both exclaimed "itadakimasu" before digging in. The flavor tantalized your taste buds in such a way that you felt you had taken a bite directly out of Heaven. It was quite the treat, considering you had been surviving on junk food from the nearby convenience store.

"Kuroh, this is amazing! I didn't know you could cook like this!"

"I am glad it meets your approval." He smiled at you and you returned the gesture, your cheeks full.

The two of you finished your meal and cleaned up before heading back into the main room. After bathing, you spent the rest of the evening watching television together, and this time made sure to keep a distance between yourselves as you settled down to sleep that night.