Kaito stepped out of the café, the door chiming softly behind him. The street outside was as chaotic as always, but there was a strange sense of calm about him as he walked along. It was the kind of peace that only came from a day with minimal human interaction.
He adjusted the strap of his bag and was about to head down the sidewalk when a sudden, familiar screech broke through the noise.
"Momo, come back here!"
Kaito's gaze shifted to the café entrance, just in time to see Haruka darting out the door, her scarf trailing behind her like a flag in the wind. Her arms flailed as she chased after Momo, the Samoyed puppy happily tugging at her scarf, blissfully oblivious to her frantic cries. The scene was ridiculous, with Haruka stumbling and Momo expertly evading capture, clearly having the time of his life.
Kaito had to stifle a laugh.
"Don't you dare make a run for it!" Haruka cried as she scrambled after Momo, who looked back at her with those big, innocent eyes, like he was playing a game.
Kaito paused for a moment, watching the chaos unfold. His lips twitched at the sight of her. He could tell by the way she was moving, her awkward flailing and flustered expressions, that she wasn't exactly the type to take charge of situations like this. Yet there was something undeniably… cute about it.
Momo's white, fluffy tail whipped through the air like a windmill, and Haruka was soon reduced to a disheveled mess, her scarf now wrapped around the dog's neck as he continued to gallop happily.
As she darted after him, Haruka's hand swiped at her messy hair, and for a moment, Kaito considered offering some help. But then Momo made his decision, prancing right past her and straight toward Kaito's feet.
"Well, seems like it's my turn now," Kaito muttered to himself.
With a sigh, Kaito crouched down as Momo rolled over, belly up, clearly asking for belly rubs. He scratched behind Momo's ears, watching as the dog squirmed in pure bliss. He couldn't help but smile at the ridiculousness of it all.
Then, Haruka finally caught up, still looking like a frazzled mess. She had managed to gather some dignity, though it was clear she was on the verge of losing it.
"Momo, you little traitor," she muttered, her face flushed from the chase. "I'm gonna—"
Kaito smirked and gave Momo one last scratch behind the ears. "He's quite the character, isn't he?"
Haruka stood still for a moment, probably realizing just how out of breath she was. Then, she looked at Kaito for the first time properly. Her cheeks flushed a little as if she was embarrassed, but the words that came out of her mouth were a bit of a ramble.
"Oh, uh, thanks... Momo, he's a bit... well, unpredictable," she stuttered, scooping Momo into her arms like a distressed toddler.
"He seems to have a lot of energy," Kaito said, still amused.
"Well... that's an understatement," Haruka muttered, flustered, trying to wrangle the dog into a semblance of order.
After a brief, awkward silence, Kaito gave a slight nod, his smile now more of a polite gesture. "No problem. Have a good one."
With that, he stood up and turned, ready to leave.
He didn't look back as he walked down the block. His hands were tucked in his pockets, and he let out a soft sigh—half amusement, half exhaustion. That girl was something else. Not in a romantic sense, not
even close. More like… a cartoon character that stumbled out of a Sunday comic strip and into real life. Clumsy, chaotic, and somehow managing to function.
Kaito spotted Ryo leaning against a streetlamp just outside a small corner shop, hoodie up and dark circles darker than usual.
"You look like you just crawled out of bed," Kaito called out as he approached.
Ryo didn't even blink. "Bed? Haven't seen her in three days. Don't say her name in front of me."
Kaito raised a brow. "Didn't know your bed was a she now."
"She left me," Ryo muttered with a dramatic sigh. "Said she wanted someone who didn't betray her with back-to-back editing marathons and ten-hour streams."
"Tragic," Kaito said, falling into step beside him. "Want a rebound blanket or something?"
"Blanket. Coffee. Maybe a new identity."
"Don't tempt me. I could set up a GoFundMe. 'Help This Streamer Sleep.' You'd go viral."
Ryo's deadpan reply came fast. "Only if the caption says 'Burnt-out man refuses to nap due to poor life choices.'"
Kaito laughed. "We'd make millions."
Silence passed between them for a few steps before Kaito casually added, "Oh, by the way—there was a girl at the café. Total chaos. Dog nearly destroyed half the place."
Ryo blinked slowly, as if the mental effort was already too much. "That sentence made me tired."
"She had a Samoyed named Momo. Didn't catch her name, though. Looked like the kind of girl who'd trip over her own imagination."
Ryo's brow furrowed slightly. "Sounds familiar. Well... like I care ?"
Kaito glanced sideways. "You know her?"
"Sort of," Ryo said, dragging his words like his soul was lagging behind his body. "She was at the café the other day. Sat near me. Spilled sugar packets like it was a magic trick. Laughed at her own email."
Kaito smirked. "Sounds about right. She's a walking sitcom."
"She talks too much," Ryo muttered. "To herself. Like, full conversations. Out loud."
Kaito gave him a playful shove. "That's rich coming from the guy who talks to a screen for a living."
"The screen listens. She doesn't."
"You're just mad she distracted you from your script-writing crisis."
"I was already in a crisis. She just added glitter to it."
"You're such a people person."
"I am. When people don't exist."
Kaito laughed. "You sound like you're one minor inconvenience away from moving to a cave."
Ryo stared off into the distance, hollow-eyed. "Caves are underrated."
Kaito slipped his hands into his pockets as they continued down the street, the city buzzing quietly around them.
Ryo walked beside him, silent, half-asleep with his eyes open.
"Remind me again why I live with you," Ryo muttered.
Kaito grinned. "Because someone gotta keep you alive."
Ryo gave a slow nod. "Fair. But the dog girl thing… you're on your own."
Kaito chuckled under his breath. "Not my type."
"No one asked," Ryo deadpanned.
They walked a little farther, their pace unhurried. The cold air nipped at their faces, but it felt good—refreshing.
Kaito glanced up at the sky, just beginning to fade into early evening hues.
Life wasn't always exciting. But sometimes, a quiet walk with a half-awake roommate and a scarf-thieving puppy was more than enough.