Hiro stood in the kitchen bathed in morning light, an apron tied at his waist hanging slightly crooked because he had tied it too quickly without really paying attention.
It was eight o’clock in the morning, almost nine.
He took a small glass vial from the storage ring on his finger with a fluid, practiced motion that suggested he performed this gesture regularly.
The liquid inside was a pearly white that glowed faintly under the natural light filtering through the window, almost luminescent in its purity.
Milk.
He brought the vial straight to his lips without even bothering to pour the contents into a glass, then took a long, deep swig with his eyelids half-closed.
A shiver of pure pleasure visibly ran through his entire body from his spine to the tips of his fingers.
It is even better when it is harvested recently.
So much better.
The taste is incomparable.
Hiro had decided never to label his milk vials again after the incident with Lucia, who had discovered his secret simply by reading the label he had stupidly stuck on it.
It had been a monumental mistake to label it.
Now I can show this vial to anyone without risk.
No one will ever know the exact source.
Except Lucia of course.
But she will not tell anyone.
I am certain of it.
She promised to keep the secret.
He generously poured a substantial amount of milk into a large white porcelain mixing bowl, then carefully filled a tall transparent glass to the brim and placed it strategically at the exact center of the table.
Hiro began preparing breakfast while softly humming a wordless melody that came to him naturally, his hands moving with surprising ease for someone who had considered himself completely incompetent in the kitchen until recently.
He whisked the pancake batter with an almost divine precision that would have impressed any professional chef, each movement of the whisk creating exactly the right number of air bubbles in the mixture.
The milk makes this batter incredibly smooth.
The texture is perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
He heated a cast-iron pan over the fire that created perfectly even heat, gently poured the batter in regular circles, then watched with satisfaction as the pancakes gradually puffed up until they became golden and fluffy.
A sweet, milky aroma now filled the entire kitchen like an invisible and delicious cloud.
Back on Earth I was completely useless in the kitchen.
I only knew how to make instant noodles or approximate omelets that often ended up burned on one side.
But strangely now I feel culinary inspiration coming to me naturally.
Complex recipe ideas appear spontaneously in my mind just from smelling this milk.
Infinite possibilities that only ask to be expressed through my hands.
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Next to the pancakes cooking slowly, he simultaneously prepared a creamy porridge using round rice that he patiently cooked in even more milk with a measured pinch of cinnamon and a generous spoonful of golden honey.
The texture became so velvety and smooth that it seemed to melt before even reaching anyone’s mouth who would have the chance to taste it.
He finally plated his dish with an almost manic care that bordered on obsession, stacking the pancakes perfectly aligned on top of each other, drizzling the whole thing with a generous portion of butter that immediately melted into a golden cascade, placing a bowl of creamy porridge right beside it.
And next to the carefully prepared plate sat the tall glass filled to the brim with pure milk that shone innocently.
Cassian entered the kitchen at that precise moment, her long blonde hair still slightly tousled from sleep.
“It really smells good in here.”
Hiro turned around instantly with a soft and completely innocent smile that betrayed absolutely nothing suspicious.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
Cassian advanced slowly while nodding with a measured movement.
The night had not been the best she had had recently.
But it had not been catastrophic or unbearable either.
Just… normal.
Seeing her nod affirmatively, Hiro felt a tangible relief relax his shoulders.
Good.
I did not take too much last night then.
If I had taken an excessive amount, she would surely have shown more alarming and specific symptoms.
But she seems perfectly fine.
Hiro gestured toward the set table.
“I was just about to start eating but actually I would rather you eat what is already ready while I prepare another batch for myself, it does not bother me to wait a few extra minutes.”
Cassian sat down on a chair without protesting because frankly she was hungry.
Hiro placed the carefully arranged plate in front of her along with the tall glass of milk that seemed to almost glow under the light.
Cassian first took a cautious sip of the milk, bringing it to her lips.
Her blue eyes widened enormously.
“Wow.”
She looked at the glass with disbelief.
“Is this supposed to be milk?”
She took another longer sip to confirm.
“It is… incredibly rich in taste and texture. Creamy in a way that should not even be possible naturally. Sweet but not in a sickening way.”
She frowned slightly while trying to analyze the sensations.
“It feels weird in the mouth frankly but in the good way, like every taste bud is activated simultaneously.”
Hiro watched her drink with a strange look that remained carefully neutral on the surface but carried something deeper and impossible to clearly identify.
She likes it.
She really likes it.
Cassian took a second long sip almost greedily this time, emptying half the glass in one go, then immediately attacked the pancakes with her fork.
She cut a generous piece, brought it to her mouth, chewed slowly.
“What the hell is this exactly?”
Her voice carried a note of almost offended accusation.
“They are so fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth that it is almost suspicious. The taste is… I do not even know how to describe it properly with words.”
She took another bite without waiting for an answer.
“It is as if it has a personal taste in a certain way. As if these pancakes were made specifically for me and no one else.”
She took a second portion, then a third, now eating almost voraciously without even taking the time to breathe properly between bites.
Cassian looked up at Hiro who was observing from the counter.
“I had absolutely no idea you were so good at cooking, frankly this is a total revelation because I have never seen you cook anything more complex than basic scrambled eggs.”
Hiro approached with that same soft and innocent smile that never wavered.
“If you really want, I can make it for you every day without exception, it would not bother me to wake up a little earlier each morning to prepare exactly this kind of breakfast for you.”
Cassian nodded vigorously without the slightest hesitation, her mouth still full of fluffy pancakes.
Obviously I want that.
Why would I refuse something this delicious?
That would be stupid.
She did not see the small shiver of pure satisfaction that ran through Hiro’s shoulders for a fraction of a second.
Lucia observed the entire scene from the doorway leading to the living room, barely hidden behind the wall but clearly making no effort to conceal her presence.
Her face was completely neutral and empty of any identifiable emotion.
---
Constantine was sitting comfortably at home in his spacious and well-decorated apartment, his feet resting nonchalantly on a carved wooden coffee table.
He stared at the white ceiling without really seeing it, lost in thoughts that turned in loops.
Cassian did not come to train today.
It has only been two days that we have been training together in the mornings.
But I honestly thought it was going to become our new daily routine.
That it was the beginning of something regular between us.
He thought back to the exact words Hiro had said to him yesterday during their tense confrontation.
All that nonsense about how close they are.
That they wake up together.
That they sleep together.
That they press themselves against each other.
He smiled slightly while shaking his head.
Hiro was definitely lying.
It is impossible for him and Cassian to be as close as he claimed.
Just two days had been enough for Constantine to learn the basics of Cassian’s personality through their morning interactions and training fights.
She is an extremely proud elf.
She hates showing the slightest weakness in front of anyone.
It is impossible for her to behave in a vulnerable or dependent way with Hiro like he suggested.
It simply does not match her personality.
Constantine had methodically gotten closer to Cassian these past days while being extremely careful never to bruise her oversized ego or put her in a position where she would feel inferior.
Quite the opposite in fact.
By complimenting her on her real skills.
By acknowledging her strengths without exaggerated flattery.
It had obviously worked perfectly according to his plan.
Our relationship is rather good now.
She trusts me in a certain way.
She accepts my training advice.
She even laughs at my jokes sometimes.
Constantine suddenly found Hiro completely ridiculous.
He tried to impress me and destabilize me with his suggestive insinuations.
But in the end it just shows his own deep insecurities.
He straightened up slightly in his armchair.
Cassian clearly cannot stay with a guy as unstable and violent as him.
I saw what he did in that house.
The blood spurting out the door.
His completely empty and dead gaze.
It is dangerous.
She deserves better than that.
He crossed his arms behind his head.
I have to get her out of that group as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
Without forcing things.
---
Hiro was absentmindedly tidying the kitchen after Cassian had finished eating and left.
His gaze naturally drifted toward the closet near the entrance where he had hidden the maid outfit a few days earlier.
He discreetly opened the door.
Empty.
The outfit is no longer there.
He froze for a few seconds while searching his memory.
Did I move it myself and forget?
No.
No I do not think so.
I had definitely put it there.
His gaze slowly and discreetly shifted toward the spot where Cassian had eaten a few minutes earlier.
It is her.
It is definitely her who moved it.
No one else would touch that closet.
A satisfied smile stretched his lips.
I am going to pretend I know nothing.
Play the game to the end.
