⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 𝐔NKoWN .𖥔˚ dream x wayv ˎˊ˗
CHaPTER NiNE

KOHANA WAS RUNNING LATE. it's no surprise, considering she's never been on time a day in her life. but this is a very important day, she cannot be late.

except she was.

two of her students at the dance school she teaches at got into a fight and kohana was forced to speak with their parents. now, that's a good excuse for being late. what's not a good excuse is kohana stopping to get coffee at coffee shop and not leaving when she saw the huge line.

but finally, thirty minutes after the meet up, kohana made it to the restaurant the four of them agreed on.

she walked in and immediately spotted the three of them. kento and kiyomi sat on one side of the table while kazuki sat on the other. it looked like kento was talking, kiyomi nodding to what kento was saying and kazuki was just playing with his bendy straw.

"hey guys." kohana greeted as she slid in next to kazuki.

"hey, hani." kiyomi waved.

"sorry i'm late, dance stuff." kohana said.

"and coffee apparently." kazuki quipped, gesturing to the coffee cup in her hands. "coffee before lunch, some things do change."

"i already ordered for you." kento informed her. "the same thing you always get whenever you come here."

kohana nodded. "thanks." she smiled. "so, what's new?"

"you mean other than everything?" kazuki asked, taking a sip of his water.

"how was america, zuki?" kento questioned.

"loud." kazuki answered. "met my boyfriend there though, so."

after kazuki finished his sentence, he eyed the two in front of him as if waiting for them to say something.

"aw, that's cute." kiyomi beamed. "how long have you been together for?"

"i-uh, almost six years." kazuki replied.

"six years?" kento asked. "might as well get married at that point."

kazuki looked down, pink dusting his cheeks.

"how's your love life going, yomi?" kohana redirected the conversation.

"oh, it's kind of nonexistent." kiyomi said quietly. "it's just me and my baby."

"baby?" kazuki interjected. "you mean you're a mom now?"

"your inner brother is coming out, relax." kiyomi teased, rolling her eyes. "and yes, yukinari. i had him three months ago."

"three months?" kento asked. "should you be away from him so long?"

"it's okay, i made sure it was okay before i left him with babysitters." kiyomi reassured them.

kohana nodded, feelinf slightly overwhelmed. it was incredible-- how one of has a child and another is deeply committed in a relationship.

"hey, kento," kiyomi spoke up. "that guy, yohan. have i seen him before?"

kohana and kento shared a look of absolute disbelief. there's absolutely no way.

"key, that's literally yousuke." kento explained. "our next door neighbor?"

kohana stifled a laugh as she watched kiyomi's jaw visibly drop.

"yousuke?" kiyomi asked. "holy shit, he really grew into his nose and ears that's for sure."

this time kohana really laughed.

"thank god he ditched those hideous neon green glasses." kiyomi said.

"i mean, we are 23." kento shrugged. "i'd be worried if he still had them."

silence engulfed the group again, as they all thought of conversation topics. finally, once caught kohana's attention.

"kiyomi, if you don't mind me asking," kohana started cautiously. "what happened to your son's father?"

kiyomi's face changed and oh dear kohana felt a twinge of regret. "oh, it's okay." kiyomi said. "we're not together anymore."

"are you interested in dating?" kento asked between bites of food.

"eh, never really crossed my mind." kiyomi shrugged. "if i meet the right guy, that's all really."

"interesting." kento said.

the afternoon continued on and the four siblings caught up on each other's lives. theres still a lot of tension and it's extremely awkward, considering that it has been a decade since the four of them were all together. but, they made it work.

it felt like home, like it used to when the four of them were in middle school and sat around the dining table, waiting for their mother's cooking.

as the afternoon sunlight softened through the restaurant windows, casting a warm glow over their table, kohana couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia settle in. despite the awkwardness and the years that had passed, being together again with kento, kiyomi, and kazuki brought a comforting familiarity. they reminisced about childhood memories, shared laughs over old inside jokes, and updated each other on their current lives. it was as if time hadn't completely changed their bond, just evolved it.

as they finished their meals and lingered over coffee, kohana realized how much she missed these moments of genuine connection. even though they were now adults with their own paths and responsibilities, there was an unspoken understanding among them-a shared history that anchored them together. she glanced around the table at kento's easy smile, kiyomi's quiet strength, and kazuki's playful demeanor, feeling grateful for this unexpected reunion that reminded her of the depth of sibling ties.

with promises to stay in touch more often and plans tentatively made for another get-together, they finally parted ways, each carrying with them a renewed sense of closeness and belonging. kohana walked away from the restaurant with a lighter heart, knowing that despite their differences and the years apart, some things, like family, remained steadfast and true.