⇲ 𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐎𝐄 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘,
𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄    〉 𝐉𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐍 !
XXXX.      ✿      CIRCA JUNE 2012.
𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔
CHRIS GREY.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Jin Enjoji's unexpected entrance into the Ayase household left the room in a stunned silence—well, except for Seiko, who merely smirked knowingly, as if she had been waiting for this exact moment.

Odette finally took in a breath, feeling her shoulders relax for the first time since Jiji had stepped into the doorway. Okarun, who had been hyper-aware of her tension, noticed the way she leaned back into his chest ever so slightly, her posture loosening as if she had just let go of some invisible weight.

He wasn't sure what had been bothering her, but he was relieved to see her ease up. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.

Momo, on the other hand, was still reeling. Her brows furrowed deeply as she pointed an accusatory finger at Jiji, her mouth slightly agape. "Huh? What? Why is he here?!"

Okarun, already piecing things together, glanced between Momo and Jiji. So this guy was her childhood friend? He assessed the way Jiji carried himself—confident, charismatic, athletic. It wasn't hard to see why someone like him might've been a first crush.

'He looks cool. From how he's built, he's definitely an athlete,' Okarun thought to himself, begrudgingly admitting that Jiji had a presence that made people take notice.

Odette, however, was having a battle of her own in her head. The moment she locked eyes with Jiji, a single word echoed through her mind: Evil Eye.

It made no sense.

Jiji wasn't a yokai. He wasn't an otherworldly being. His spiritual levels were completely normal—just another human who could probably see spirits, but nothing out of the ordinary. So why did that name appear in her mind the second she saw him?

She was so deep in thought that she barely registered the way Okarun reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers with gentle insistence. His thumb ran over her knuckles soothingly, an unspoken way of grounding her. She exhaled, allowing herself to melt into his warmth.

Then, as if breaking the spell of tension in the room, Jiji's calm and composed demeanor completely shattered.

With a dramatic flourish, he threw his hands into the air and declared, "Momo, you're such a cutie!"

Odette arched a brow, thrown off by the sheer absurdity of the shift in energy.

'The hell?' She certainly hadn't expected that. Judging by the blank expressions on Momo's and Aira's faces, neither had they.

"And your terrible impression... So priceless!" Jiji added with a bright grin.

Aira, Momo, and Odette collectively deadpanned, while Okarun scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

Jiji beamed, undeterred by the lack of enthusiasm. "It's been a while, Momo. Wanna hug for old times' sake?"

Momo's nose scrunched in irritation, her arms crossing over her chest. "You're so annoying. What's going on with you?"

Odette finally let out a small breath of amusement. Yeah, no. This guy isn't Evil Eye. Not even close.

Jiji, as if taking pride in Momo's exasperation, twirled dramatically on his heel before striking a pose. "Ah! I got called annoying!"

Momo groaned. "Okarun, help me kill this guy."

Odette giggled at the whole scene, shaking her head. "You sure know how to pick 'em, Momo."

Aira chuckled in agreement. "Yeah, what the hell was little you thinking?"

"I was in elementary, okay?!" Momo snapped, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

Seiko finally decided to step in, shaking her head in amusement. "Long time no see, Jiji."

Jiji turned to her, suddenly serious as he straightened up. "Oh, good evening, Auntie Seiko." He gave a respectful bow. "It's been a while! You're still as beautiful as ever!"

Seiko smirked, clearly entertained. "You've grown up into quite the little genius, huh? Well, come on in."

As Seiko invited Jiji to make himself at home, Momo—who had just begun recovering from her embarrassment—was hit with another wave of disbelief.

"Wait. What do you mean, come on in?" She blinked rapidly, looking between Jiji and Seiko.

Seiko exhaled. "He's staying here."

"Absolutely not!" Momo wailed, throwing her hands up as Jiji danced his way inside. "Thanks for having me, fam!"

Odette clapped her hands together, a mischievous grin stretching across her lips. "Momo will finally have a friend that aggravates her more than we do. Congratulations!"

Aira huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm not Ayase's friend."

"That's not the point right now!" Momo groaned, visibly defeated.

Jiji, meanwhile, took a moment to look around before his gaze settled on Odette. He grinned, stepping closer. "Hey, you're new! Woah, your hair is so pretty!"

Odette, who had been lounging beside Okarun, stood up to properly greet him. She smiled, always appreciative of a good compliment. "Thank you! And it's nice to meet you too."

"Silly me, I didn't introduce myself properly." Jiji offered a dramatic bow. "The name's Jin Enjoji, but you can call me Jiji."

Okarun's fingers twitched where they rested on his lap, eyes narrowing slightly as he watched their interaction. He wasn't jealous, per se...

Okay. Maybe he was.

His gaze flickered to their handshake—the brief but firm grasp of their fingers. Jiji's hands were bigger than hers, larger than his too. His expression darkened.

He wasn't used to this feeling.

Odette, blissfully unaware of Okarun's internal monologue, withdrew her hand and turned back to Momo. "Well, at least now you've got extra help dealing with Aira."

Aira, however, had her own ideas. She suddenly gasped dramatically. "Wait, wait, wait—so this is it! This is the beginning of Momo Ayase's army!"

Momo recoiled. "What?"

Aira pointed at Jiji with determination. "You're gathering your forces, aren't you? This is your next step in world domination! I won't allow it!" With that, she bolted out of the house.

Momo, watching her go, pinched the bridge of her nose. "Unbelievable. I just got rid of her."

"I should probably head home too," Odette finally said, stretching her arms over her head. "But thanks for letting me cook in your kitchen, Grandma Seiko! Everything was great."

Seiko glanced at her, cigarette resting lazily between her lips. "Heh, maybe you can give Momo some pointers. I'm too young to slave away in the kitchen. Stay safe getting home you two."

Odette walked over to Momo, wrapping her in a warm hug. "Good luck, pookie. You got a lot on your hands."

Momo groaned. "I'll try my best... actually, wait, Dot, I think I need one more."

Odette chuckled and hugged her again.

Meanwhile, Okarun had already gathered Odette's things, neatly placing them into her tote bag before slinging it over his shoulder. He was more than ready to walk her home and—finally—ask her the questions he had been holding onto all evening.

As they made their way to the door, Momo turned on the porch light, watching them go.

Odette lifted her hand in a final wave.

Okarun smiled beside her, mirroring the gesture.

"Wait!" Momo called after them, crossing her arms. "It's your turn to say goodbye!"

Odette blinked. "Huh? Mine?"

"Yeah! We take turns! Next time, it's Okarun's job!"

Odette snorted, finally catching on. "Ohhh! Okay. We'll see you tomorrow, Momo!"

She waved one last time before turning to Okarun, taking his hand in hers as they started down the road together.

——

Odette rummaged through her tote bag as they approached her front door, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration. She knew she had dropped her keys in here somewhere, but with all the random things she carried, finding them felt like a mission.

Okarun, standing close beside her, glanced down and spoke softly. "It's in the smaller pocket inside the bag."

She paused, blinked up at him, and then reached into the mentioned pocket. Sure enough, her keys were there. A small, appreciative smile curved her lips as she glanced at him. "Thanks, Kenny."

He gave her a tiny, lopsided smile in return, his hands tucked in his pockets.

Unlocking the door, Odette pulled him inside by the wrist, giving him enough time to kick off his shoes. As she shut the door behind them, she sank into the chair near the entrance to unlace her boots, stretching her toes once they were off.

As they moved further inside, they were immediately met with the sharp but refined presence of Charles, Grandma Mo's ever-dutiful butler. His perceptive eyes briefly scanned Okarun before settling on Odette.

"Good evening, Miss Monroè," Charles greeted in his usual smooth, professional tone. His eyes shifted toward Okarun with the same polite yet scrutinizing gaze. "And... Mr. Takakura, I presume?"

Okarun straightened slightly at being addressed so formally. "Uh, yes! Nice to see you again, sir."

Charles hummed, clearly sizing him up for a moment before offering a small nod. "Mm. Miss Monroè, your grandmother is currently resting, but she expects you to join her for tea in the morning."

Odette rolled her eyes slightly at that. "Of course, of course."

Charles's gaze flickered to Okarun one last time before he dismissed himself, disappearing down the hallway with the kind of smooth efficiency only a seasoned butler could have.

Odette exhaled through her nose, shaking her head slightly before turning to Okarun. "He acts like I be bringin' random dudes here every other day," she muttered.

Okarun chuckled softly. "He's just looking out for you. I mean... you're kind of a big deal around here."

She scoffed, waving him off playfully as she led him down the hall toward her room. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Once inside her room, she threw her bag onto the bed and flopped down beside it, stretching her limbs. Okarun remained standing near the door, his fingers twitching slightly in hesitation.

Now that they were alone, he finally built up the courage to ask the question that had been gnawing at him all night.

"Dot," he started, voice quieter than before. "What was up with you earlier? When you saw Jiji?"

Odette blinked at him, her expression briefly unreadable.

She sat up slowly, crossing one leg over the other as she played with the hem of her cropped sweater. "You noticed that, huh?" she murmured.

Okarun gave her a dry look. "You got all stiff the second he walked in. And your grip on my hand got real tight."

Odette exhaled through her nose, biting the inside of her cheek. She figured she should've known better than to think Okarun wouldn't catch onto her change in demeanor.

"...I don't know how to explain it," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "It wasn't anything he said or did. Just... when I first looked at him, something clicked in my head. Like, some part of me knew him. But that doesn't make sense, 'cause I've never met him before."

Okarun frowned, stepping closer to the bed. "You felt like you knew him?"

Odette nodded, her fingers idly tracing patterns against her leg. "Yeah. But not in a good way." She finally met his eyes, and there was something unsettling in her expression—like she had just touched something cold and unfamiliar. "The second I looked into his eyes, the name Evil Eye popped into my head."

Okarun's entire body tensed.

"...Evil Eye?" he repeated carefully.

Odette nodded again, her gaze distant now. "I don't understand how that could be him, and I don't even know why I thought it when I looked at him. But it wasn't just some random intrusive thought. It felt more like a warning."

Okarun swallowed, his grip tightening at his sides. He hated that. Hated that she had felt something so ominous, and even worse—he had no idea what it could mean.

"...Did you tell Ms.Seiko?" he asked.

Odette shook her head. "Nah. I didn't even tell Momo..honestly why would I tell her that. I figured... if it is something, it's not happening yet. There's no point in causing a panic over a feeling."

Okarun wasn't sure he liked that logic, but at the same time, he understood. If Odette really thought it was something immediate, she would've acted on it.

Still, it left a bitter feeling in his gut.

He sat beside her now, close enough that their legs brushed. "...Then what do you wanna do?"

Odette sighed, rubbing her temples. "For now? Nothing. I'm gonna keep an eye on him, but I'm not about to accuse him of anything off a gut feeling."

Okarun hummed, leaning back on his palms. "...I don't like it."

Odette glanced at him, a brow raised. "You don't even know him."

"Exactly." Okarun's lips pressed into a firm line. "But I do know that I trust your instincts. And if your instincts are saying something is off, then something is off."

Odette looked at him for a long moment, her expression softening. She leaned her head against his shoulder, sighing deeply. "...Thanks, Kenny."

He blinked, slightly startled but quickly melting at the contact. His shoulder tensed briefly before relaxing as he turned his head slightly toward her.

Odette sat on her bed, her laptop resting on her thighs, as she scrolled through a selection of alien conspiracy videos. The glow from the screen cast a soft hue across her face, highlighting the sharp definition of her brows and the gleam of her glossy lips. Okarun, seated beside her, leaned back against her plush pillows, occasionally stealing glances at her while pretending to be deeply interested in the videos.

Just as she was about to click on a documentary about UFO sightings on Mars, a soft knock came at her door.

"Miss Odette, may I have a moment?" Charles' voice carried through the wooden frame, calm and professional as always.

Odette groaned, rubbing her temples. "This better not be about some etiquette lesson," she muttered under her breath before getting up.

Okarun watched as she sauntered toward the door, her hoodie hanging loosely off one shoulder, the curve of her silhouette emphasized by the fit of her leggings. He quickly shook his head, forcing himself to focus elsewhere.

'Why am I noticing these things right now?!'

She cracked the door open, giving Charles a mildly suspicious look. "What's up?"

Charles cleared his throat. "Firstly, your grandmother has taken the liberty of acquiring a new school uniform for you. I assume you will find this satisfying."

Odette's eyes brightened slightly, a grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "Finally. I was getting tired of looking like a walking disaster."

Charles nodded, then his expression grew slightly more serious. "Secondly, I require the contact information of Mr. Takakura's parents. Should there be an emergency or if the young man happens to fall asleep here again, it would be best to have a way to reach them."

Odette smirked, folding her arms. "Oh, so you did think he was gonna stay the night, huh?"

Charles only raised an unimpressed brow. "I merely wish to be prepared for all circumstances."

Rolling her eyes, Odette turned to glance at Okarun, who was busy pretending he wasn't listening in on the conversation. "Kenny, you got a contact number for home?"

Okarun blinked, slightly flustered. "Uh—yeah, I can write it down."

"Good. Then that will be all," Charles said smoothly. He took the note from Okarun and gave a slight bow before disappearing down the hallway.

Shaking her head in amusement, Odette closed the door and plopped back onto the bed, grabbing her phone. As she settled in next to Okarun again, she caught sight of a new message lighting up her screen.

Mo Boo 👻
: We have SOOO MUCH to talk about.

She sighed, already feeling the impending interrogation that awaited her the next time she saw Momo. But instead of replying right away, she put her phone down and turned her attention back to Okarun, who was still sitting stiffly, clearly lost in thought.

Deciding to break him out of whatever was swirling around in his head, she leaned over and pressed a soft, lazy kiss to his cheek—lingering dangerously close to the corner of his lips. His breath hitched slightly, his fingers tightening around the hem of his hoodie.

"You okay?" she murmured, her own eyelids beginning to feel heavy.

Okarun swallowed, nodding stiffly. "Yeah. Just—caught me off guard."

She chuckled sleepily, letting her body relax against his. "Mhm. Sure."

She declared that she wouldn't fall asleep, but Okarun could already tell it was inevitable. The warmth of her body against his, the slow rise and fall of her chest, the way her soft perfume wrapped around him like a haze—it was lulling her into slumber.

He exhaled through his nose, a small, fond smile curling on his lips as he shifted slightly, letting her lean into him more comfortably.

——

Jiji's voice was unmistakable, carrying across the classroom like an overenthusiastic announcer.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have arrived!"

Odette, who had been trying to get some extra shut-eye at her desk, cracked one eye open, instantly regretting it when she spotted the cause of all the noise.

Jiji was already surrounded by a small crowd, effortlessly charming everyone with his wide grin and casual bravado. Momo, sitting at her desk with her arms crossed, looked like she was contemplating strangling him. And honestly, Odette could relate.

With a groggy sigh, she straightened up, rubbing her temples. "So early in the morning for this kinda shit..." she muttered.

Muko, sitting behind her, leaned forward. "You missed the best part—he already flirted with three girls, and we're not even fifteen minutes into homeroom."

Odette rolled her eyes, dragging a hand down her face.

Meanwhile, Jiji, completely oblivious to the collective suffering he was causing, continued with his introductions, happily embellishing his relationship with Momo as being 'close, affectionate, and full of history.'

Momo's patience finally snapped, her chair screeching against the floor as she shot up. "Jiji, SHUT UP!" she roared before lunging for his throat.

Chaos erupted in the classroom, and Odette simply shook her head.

Meanwhile – Okarun's Classroom

"Jealousy is an adjective which describes nouns," the teacher droned on, writing on the board with slow, deliberate strokes.

Okarun, however, barely registered the lesson. His chin was resting on his desk, his fingers absentmindedly spinning a pen between them. His notebook lay open beside him, but instead of notes, the page was filled with doodles.

Lips. Expressions. A certain pair of expressive, pink-glossed lips. Odette's face drawn with little details—her smirk, her rolling eyes, her amused pout.

There were also little sketches of Turbo Granny, Momo looking exasperated, and even a tiny version of himself in Turbo Form holding hands with Dot.

He frowned at the latest drawing, tapping his pen against the paper. It wasn't up to his usual standards. Frustrated, he scratched it out and laid his head down again.

'Maybe I should just ask her for a picture... she wouldn't mind, right?'

He sighed deeply. It wasn't like he could just take a picture of her out of nowhere without looking weird.

The bell rang, snapping him from his thoughts. As the students filtered out, Okarun straightened up, shaking off the daze.

Right. Training. That should help clear my head.

Okarun was mid-stretch when a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Oh hey, Okarun! I knew you'd be here."

He froze momentarily before sighing. "Miss Ayase."

Momo sauntered over, plopping down onto the grass and pulling out her bento. "So, what's up? Practicing a new ultimate move?"

"Uh—just, y'know, training." He scratched his cheek.

Momo raised an eyebrow, popping a piece of food into her mouth. "Did you tell Dot you were gonna work out over here?"

Okarun stiffened. "Uh... no. Why?"

Momo sighed heavily, putting her chopsticks down. "She asked to go back to the nurse's office for a headache, but I really think she did it because she's exhausted." She gave him a knowing look. "If she wakes up and has to search the whole school for us, we're cooked."

"Oh... right." Okarun rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Momo pulled out her phone. "Lemme just text her before she wakes up and hunts us down."

As she typed, she scowled. "Ugh, and that idiot Jiji has been down my back the entire class."

Okarun pursed his lips at the mention of Jiji, his grip tightening slightly on his water bottle.

Momo smirked, catching the slight change in his expression. "What's that look for, huh? Something on your mind?"

Okarun quickly looked away, feigning disinterest. "Nothing."

Momo snickered, nudging Okarun's arm playfully. "Yeah, sure. Still think you should just confess already and save us all the trouble."

Okarun huffed, crossing his arms defensively. "What if I mess up like I always do and ruin our existing friendship? I could never live with myself after that."

Momo rolled her eyes. "It's you still calling what you guys have a 'friendship' that's killing me. I'm sure she'd accept no matter how goofy you sound." She laughed, the wind picking up slightly, rustling the nearby trees.

Before Okarun could retaliate, a familiar voice broke through the quiet afternoon.

"Momo!" Jin's voice boomed as he rounded the corner, his larger frame appearing suddenly, effectively interrupting their conversation.

Okarun and Momo turned in unison, spotting not only Jiji but Odette walking beside him, looking much more rested than she had earlier. In her hands, she carried two brown paper bags.

Jiji beamed as he presented Momo with a yogurt, her favorite snack, which immediately lifted her spirits. "Brought this just for you."

Momo's eyes lit up as she accepted the offering, peeling the lid back with enthusiasm. "Jiji, you angel."

Jiji only chuckled before turning to Okarun, tilting his head. "Oh? You're the guy who was at Momo's place yesterday."

Okarun nodded, his expression neutral, though he was more focused on Odette, who had just sat down beside him.

"Dot! You look better," Momo noted, observing Odette closely. "What's in the bags? And did you sleep well?"

Odette nodded, meeting Momo's gaze. "Yeah, I actually did. Nurse Queen held onto these for me earlier." She lifted the bags slightly. "These are for you."

Before Momo could even react, Odette tossed a bag of chips onto her lap before pulling out the rest of her lunch. Without hesitation, she started sharing her meal with Okarun, offering him portions of what looked like homemade yellow rice.

Okarun hesitated briefly before accepting, his cheeks tinged pink as he watched her struggle to open her apple juice. Her long nails made the task harder than necessary, her expression adorably focused.

"How'd you know we were here, anyway?" Okarun asked, clearing his throat. "Unless Momo texted you..."

Odette popped the juice open with some effort before answering. "I saw her text, yeah, but Jiji found me when I left the nurse's office and insisted on walking me here... probably because I looked like I just got out of bed." She chuckled at her own words before stuffing her face with another spoonful of rice.

Okarun found himself smiling. He was relieved she'd actually gotten some rest after everything. He glanced down at his own meal, realizing just how hungry he actually was. Without thinking, he dug in, the comforting taste of home-cooked food filling his mouth.

But before he could fully settle, Odette suddenly stiffened. Her gaze flickered toward something behind them, something small... something with a tail?

Without a word, she set down her fork and stood up, excusing herself from the group as she quietly walked around the corner. Her steps were cautious as she searched for whatever had caught her attention.

And then she saw it—a tiny pupppy!

The little thing was small and delicate, its golden-brown fur appearing slightly ragged, as if it had been left to fend for itself for far too long.

The tip of its head bore a patch of white fur, a small contrast against the golden hue. Its floppy ears twitched as it sniffed at the air, its dark, expressive eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and hesitation.

Odette's heart clenched at the sight. "Aww..." She crouched down, pulling out a small piece of bread from her lunch. She extended it toward the pup, hoping it would take the offering.

The puppy hesitated, sniffing at the bread cautiously before inching forward and taking a small bite. Odette smiled as she watched it chew, her heart melting at how scruffy yet endearing the little thing was.

Just as the pup ate the piece of bread, a loud huffing sound broke across the courtyard.

Okarun looked around as well, his body tensing. And then he saw it—an anatomical model, one of those skinless, muscle-mapped figures from the science rooms, running toward them.

"Get outta my way! Nobody can stop me!"

Odette barely had time to react before the puppy yelped, darting into the bushes. Her instincts flared, and without thinking, she grabbed Okarun by the wrist and yanked him away.

"Move!" she shouted, pulling him aside.

But Okarun's legs got caught on a broken branch, throwing both of them off balance. They tumbled to the ground, landing in a heap.

"Miss Ayase! Incoming!"