On Monday morning, Kurotsuki House seemed to carry on with its usual routine. Tetsuya was being too loud in the hallway, Emi was drinking coffee, and Ryuuji Ikegami was reviewing some reports with his usual indifferent expression.
As always, he barely greeted you when you walked in.
However, when you finished your tasks and were about to leave, his voice stopped you.
"Leaving already?"
Ryuuji looked up from the documents. A faint smile appeared on his lips, something unusual for him when it came to you.
"What a shame. I was just thinking we could have lunch together."
He closed the folder and stood up, calmly adjusting his sleeves.
"Don't look at me like that. Is it really so strange that I want to spend time with you?"
His gaze lingered on you a moment longer than necessary.
"Come on, I promise I'll try not to be as boring as you think."
The lopsided smile that followed seemed to hide a joke only he knew.
Ryuuji knew perfectly well who had woken up in his bed that morning. And, for the first time in a long while, he was willing to stop pretending that he wasn't interested in you.
But he fully intended to find out how long it would take you to realize.
"Lunch,"
he says, and it is not a question. He is already holding the door.