After all the ingredients were finished cooking, the warm aroma of sukiyaki filled the room. Steam slowly rose from the small pot in the middle of the low table, making the traditional house feel far more comfortable than before. Jun sat cross-legged on the tatami, while Akeno elegantly poured hot rice into a bowl.
Her movements were gentle, graceful, and for some reason made the atmosphere resemble a young family scene from a late-afternoon drama.
Jun accepted it casually as if all of this was normal—though deep down, he was a bit awkward. Extremely awkward, in fact.
He picked up his chopsticks, blew lightly on the steam rising from the meat and vegetables, then brought the sukiyaki to his mouth.
As soon as the taste touched his tongue, his eyes widened slightly.
It was absurd—say whatever is the most surprising in life: training in high-level martial arts, fighting supernatural beings, or realizing that your cooking skills are miles below a girl who smiles softly while holding a ladle.
"Hm…" Jun swallowed his food, trying to keep his expression calm. "You seasoned it well."
A simple sentence, but sincere.
Because in reality, his cooking skills were still at the level of "as long as it's not bland, that's already good enough." Living as a cultivator, a fighter, and a man who had repeatedly come close to death meant he never really focused on the art of flavor. His meals had always been mixtures made for survival—and they often just tasted like food.
But what Akeno served…
There was a balance of flavors that was gentle yet strong, a harmonious aroma, and the touch of someone who cooked with heart.
Akeno smiled faintly at his words, as if that comment alone was enough to make all her effort feel appreciated.
"Fufu~ I'm glad you like it, Jun-san."
Jun nodded slightly while taking another bite.
The warmth of the sukiyaki slowly spread from his tongue to his body, making him truly relaxed for the first time that day.
In the midst of eating, he glanced at Akeno, who was arranging small bowls filled with simple side dishes. There was a tranquility in her movements, as if she was used to handling everything by herself.
Jun let out a soft sigh.
"By the way…" he started, spinning his chopsticks between his fingers, "…I want to learn how to cook."
Akeno raised her head, slightly surprised yet clearly pleased to hear that.
"Oh?" Her gentle tone sounded teasing but natural. "That's quite sudden, Jun-san."
Jun rested his elbow on the table, head slightly lowered.
"It's really hard living alone," he lamented in a flat tone—though it was actually a complaint from the depths of his heart. "Sometimes I eat whatever's there. Sometimes just rice with soy sauce, sometimes instant soup… and when I'm too lazy, well, fast food. But that's expensive… and definitely unhealthy."
It was ridiculous—say whatever is most ironic in life: being able to fight monsters with bare hands, able to manipulate Qi to create air currents, but unable to handle a frying pan without making the kitchen smell burnt.
Akeno looked at him for a few seconds… then chuckled softly.
"Fufufu~… you sound like a college student who just ran away from home," she said, her voice playful yet warm.
Jun turned his face slightly away.
"I'm just… ah, yeah. Maybe like that."
He was actually embarrassed to admit it.
Akeno rested her cheek on her hand, her gaze gentle.
"In that case, how about you come again every week? I can teach you one or two simple recipes."
Jun blinked, slightly surprised by the offer.
"Of course." Akeno smiled even sweeter. "I don't mind teaching someone who wants to learn."
Jun swallowed his next bite slowly, trying to hide the small smile that appeared without him noticing.
There was something comfortable about this atmosphere—warm, calm, and not at all forced.
"In that case… I'll study seriously," he said.
"Fufu~ is that so?… I'll be looking forward to my new student," Akeno replied with a gentle smile that always carried a naturally seductive aura.
But a few seconds after that, Jun suddenly glanced left and right, as if something had caught his attention. His movement was subtle, but enough for Akeno to stop cutting the meat and look at him in curiosity.
"Jun, what is it?"
Jun lifted his chin slightly, still looking toward the corner of the room.
"It's just… it seems you also live alone."
Akeno followed his gaze.
And instantly the atmosphere grew a little somber.
In the corner of the room, right above a small wooden table, stood a photo of a woman with a gentle face very similar to Akeno's—just an older version. In front of it was incense that had long gone out.
It was the photo of Shuri Himejima, the mother Akeno deeply loved.
Akeno looked at the picture for a moment, then let out a soft breath.
"There are days I miss her," she said quietly, without a smile this time.
Jun lowered his head slightly.
"Sorry for reminding you."
Akeno shook her head softly. "It's alright. I'm used to it."
Then she looked back at Jun, trying to give a small smile. "May I ask something? Jun-san… do you live alone because you want to be independent?"
Jun shrugged, his tone light as if not wanting to make it a big deal.
"Me? Yeaah~… I've been alone since I was little."
Akeno froze for a moment.
"…Ah, sorry."
"It's fine," Jun replied quickly. "It's not something I worry about."
He said it casually, but Akeno could feel there was something deeper behind that simple sentence. Something he didn't want to open up about. At least not yet.
A few seconds of silence passed before Akeno suddenly asked a strange question—so strange that Jun raised an eyebrow.
"So, Jun-kun…" Her tone grew softer, more serious. "…what do you think of an irresponsible father?"
Jun looked at her for a moment.
"Hm? In my opinion… it's really terrible if he doesn't give any explanation at all."
"Hee…" Akeno gave a thin smile, but her eyes didn't smile with it. "Anoo… actually, there's a close friend. We were very close, and I knew her family. They used to be a normal harmonious family… a slightly clumsy father, a very kind mother, and a child who loved that… clumsy father."
Jun stayed silent.
He knew who that "close friend" was even before Akeno continued, that this wasn't someone else's story.
"But one day…" Akeno's voice weakened, "…her mother was killed. The child waited for the father she loved so much… but that father never came. Never showed up. Never did anything. And because of that, the child watched her mother be killed in front of her eyes."
Jun closed his eyes for a moment. The scent of the matcha he sipped wasn't enough to cover the bitterness that suddenly filled his mouth.
Akeno stared at the food before her, her fingers gripping the edge of the tatami. "In your opinion, Jun-kun… what should this child do? Should she hate her father?" Her tone grew darker. "…or forgive him?"
Jun exhaled softly, setting down his tea cup.
Jun stirred the matcha in his cup, his movements slow yet thoughtful. Warm steam rose gently, as if giving his mind a moment before he spoke. Akeno watched him without blinking—not pressuring, but clearly waiting for something meaningful.
Jun took a light breath.
Then he spoke.
"In my opinion," he said softly, "there's no answer that's truly easy for a pain like that."
Akeno was a little surprised—because Jun didn't answer quickly or with fake certainty. He chose to pause, arranging his words.
"If that child chooses to hate her father… I don't think that's something that can be blamed. A wound like that is too deep."
Jun's tone remained gentle, as if careful not to break something fragile.
"But if she decides to use him… well, that might be her way to survive. Not everyone is given the option to heal themselves in a beautiful way."
Akeno fell silent. That sentence, strangely, was calming.
Jun placed his cup down, staring at the table instead of at her directly. Not because he was afraid—but because he knew direct eye contact could feel like judgment.
"But… if I'm being honest," he continued, "I feel that the child has the right to choose the path that lets her live a little lighter. Without forcing herself to forgive… and without letting hatred bind her forever."
Akeno blinked once. Slowly.
"You're saying… she can choose without feeling guilty?"
"Yes," Jun answered with certainty yet still gently. "Because in the end, it's not about her father. It's about her. About how she wants to continue living, without being dragged by the past."
Silence filled the room. Not a tense silence—rather one that allowed someone to breathe a little easier.
Akeno stared at her cup, her fingers tracing the rim as if searching for an anchor for faint memories. Her smile emerged slowly—small, thin, but this time truly sincere.
"Your answer… is very strange, Jun-kun," she said softly.
Jun shrugged casually, as if that wasn't anything new to him.
"Well, people often say I'm strange. Someone even said I was crazy once," he said with a light laugh, more like a joke than a sad confession.
Akeno covered her mouth as she laughed softly, her shoulders shaking lightly. The laugh was contagious, and Jun joined in, turning the previously heavy atmosphere into something warm and effortlessly flowing.
For a moment, the room felt like a small world belonging only to the two of them—calm, gentle, and far from past wounds.
However, not everyone in the room was laughing.
Not far from them, Issei Hyoudou—who had been silently watching their interaction this whole time—could only stare blankly. His expression was hard to read—somewhere between confused, jealous, and a little heartbroken. As a member of the Gremory household and someone who liked Akeno, moments like this felt like a tiny needle slowly piercing him.
He took a short breath, lowered his head, then turned around.
Issei's steps were heavy, not because he was tired, but because he didn't want anyone to see that expression. With his hands tucked into his pockets and his shoulders slightly drooping, he left the shrine slowly, letting the sound of Jun and Akeno's laughter fade behind him.
At the shrine gate, he glanced back once.
Just for a moment.
Then he gave a bitter smile. "Well… I just don't have any luck today," he muttered before walking away.
//--//
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