"Okay, here is the soba," Selene said as she finally set down three bowls of soba with tempura and a few side dishes. The aroma drifted through the air immediately, and my stomach almost growled out loud. The colors, the steam, the way the broth shimmered in the light—everything about it looked so mouthwatering I didn't know where to even begin.
"Wow, this is amazing!" I said, my voice almost cracking from both hunger and disbelief. She sat down right beside me, close enough that our shoulders nearly brushed. Resting her hand gently on her cheek, Selene tilted her head toward me with that calm smile that always made my chest feel too tight.
"You should have the first bite, Kisaragi," she said softly, her voice like a breeze slipping right into my ears.
"Huh?! Yeah, sure—it will be an honor for me to have the first bite," I stammered, fumbling with the chopsticks. My hand felt shaky. I picked them up, ready to eat, but… how could I? Her face was way too close. Her eyes, her lips—everything distracted me. The food was right there in front of me, but all I could do was swallow my saliva nervously and stall.
She must have noticed, because then she leaned a little closer. "Do you want me to feed you?"
Her voice—damn. I don't even know how to explain it. It wasn't teasing exactly, but it carried this strange softness that sent chills down my spine.
"No!" I blurted out way too quickly, burying my face into the food and pretending to dig in. My cheeks were probably redder than the chili oil floating on top of the broth.
But Selene wasn't done. No, of course not. With an almost mischievous calm, she reached for another pair of chopsticks from the table. She dipped them into her own bowl, caught a neat bite of soba, and then—she blew on it. Slowly. Gently. The steam curled away, and then she lifted the chopsticks toward my lips.
"If you wanted me to feed you, Kisaragi, you should have just said so," she teased, her smile curving faintly, her words too casual and yet heavy with something else.
"Ehe! No, no, no—I wasn't thinking about you feeding me," I said quickly, my voice embarrassingly fast, almost cracking.
"Shhh. Open up," she ordered softly, her tone switching into something more like a mother coaxing a stubborn child.
I shook my head furiously, like a kid refusing to eat vegetables.
Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned closer. Her scent brushed against me faintly—soap, broth, something warm. Her fingers gently touched my jaw, holding it with an unexpected firmness. "C'mon, open up, Kisaragi."
My heart thudded so loudly it felt like my whole chest was shaking. Seriously—what does she think I am, a toddler? But deep down, I already knew Selene always gets what she wants. There was no winning against her.
So I gave up. With a small sigh, I opened my mouth and let her feed me the soba.
The noodles slid over my tongue, rich and warm with flavor. It was ridiculously delicious—probably one of the best things I'd ever tasted. But honestly? I couldn't even focus on the food. Not when Selene was this close. Not when she was still holding my jaw gently, her eyes steady on me.
"Wow, it tastes so amazing… how did you learn to be this good?" I asked quickly, trying to say something, anything, to distract myself. But I meant it too. It really was amazing. Honestly though, I'm kinda jealous. An anime character knows how to cook way better than me. Me? I don't even know how to turn on a rice cooker without messing up.
"Hey, Ice is eating," I blurted, desperate to change the atmosphere. I turned toward him. "I thought you don't eat food—maybe ice cubes or a snow shake or something."
But there he was, eating his soba quickly, like he'd been starving.
"Yes, he does eat," Selene replied with a small laugh. "But only homemade food. He's used to that."
Her words had a strange warmth in them. I glanced at Ice, then back at her. "So… how did you learn how to cook, mostly this soba dish?" I asked, my curiosity genuine now. I really wanted to know.
"...Ice taught me how to," Selene said simply.
"Oh, Ice is the chef here? That sounds good," I said with a chuckle, imagining him with an apron on.
"Yes, somehow," she replied, her eyes softening as she glanced at him. "He learns from the town. He watches the food vendors, observes carefully, and then he comes back and shows me exactly how they cook it. That's how we've been doing things for years now. He buys the groceries, he watches and learns, and then he teaches me step by step."
Her voice carried this subtle pride, like she was speaking about something precious.
"Wow, that's really good teamwork," I said quietly, watching them both. "You guys really look out for each other."
My eyes lingered on Ice for a moment as he kept eating. I wondered how long the two of them had been together. What's his story, really? Behind that blank face and quietness. My chest tightened a little, a weird mix of curiosity and unease settling in.
Still… his short hairstyle caught my eye. "His new hairstyle looks good though. Did you help him with it? It's really great," I said honestly.
But the moment I said it, Ice stopped eating midway. His chopsticks froze in his hand.
"No, I didn't," Selene said immediately, her tone sharpening. "He left this morning with his hair intact and came back with that." Then her voice changed completely—low, dangerous, like a threat that prickled the air around us. "I won't ask what happened to his hair. But he should know that I am not going to regenerate it for him."
The atmosphere shifted. Heavy. Even I could feel the chill spreading through the room. Ice's expression changed into something almost pitiful—like a baby on the verge of crying. He sat frozen, completely still, not daring to move.
"There is nothing to talk about, Ice. You will stay like that," she said coldly. And just like that, she turned her attention away from him and back toward me, as if the whole exchange never happened.
Her eyes softened again, and she gave me a small smile. "Okay, Kisaragi. Finish up, and let me wash your hair."
"Ehhh?!" I choked, noodles slipping back into my bowl. I was still slurping the soba when she said it. Wash… my hair? What does she mean by that?!