Rei had leaned against the low archway into the kitchen, watching Nahoya work. “Naho, sorry we’re home a little late.” She said, soft smile because she didn’t know what else to offer him. It was hard to atone when her judge did not know her fault. He met her with enthusiasm she felt like she should have been able to return, but instead found herself resisting the urge to pull away from his intent gaze. His hands on her shoulders and his smile made her feel exposed and she had to laugh to keep from shrinking away.<br/><br/>“You’re being dramatic.” She said. “But it… it was quite a first day.” She agreed. “There is no aircon in the room, which I expected, but there’s also barely any breeze through the windows. I thought my students might all melt. I thought I might melt.” Rei told him. “If I’m glowing, I’m probably just flushed still.” She laughed again. Nayoha returned to his cooking and she sighed softly. Relief, maybe, that he hadn’t seen through her immediately. She followed him into the space, leaning over the pot to test the aromas it offered. “How can I help?” she asked him, moving to transfer more of the ingredients he was working on into the pot. Her shoulders were tense, like she half expected Nahoya to see traces of Kitato on her skin and dispel the bewildering peace. It might have made her feel better. Nothing of the sort came.<br/><br/>It was good to busy herself with the foodstuffs. It kept her from having look either brother in the eye. Still, she bristled a little to hear Kit carrying on with Nahoya that way. Wasn’t he at all bothered by how little his brother questioned him? She felt he was teasing her in plain view, and it made the back of her neck heat. “Ah, you boys keep on. I’m going to freshen up really fast, before supper.” She said, a bit abruptly, when she’d finished moving Nahoya’s ingredients to the pot. She kissed Nahoya’s cheek before she left, sweeping past Kitato without pause. She didn’t want to see his expression. She was certain it would make her feel sick. Rei didn't understand how he could be so relaxed. It occurred to her that it must have simply been an extraordinary lack of meaning in their unsanctioned dance, but Rei had tasted something different on Kitato's lips. It hadn't been chased away by anything she or Nayhoya offered each other now, either. How unfair that she was being left to shoulder all the guilt and misery of their brief pleasure.<br/><br/>She went up the stairs to close herself in the bathroom, splashing cold water on her face and running her fingers through her tangled hair. Nahoya hadn’t noticed the quiet disarray, which even Rei had to admit had been poorly settled back into place by her efforts. Or, if he had noticed, he had too kind a heart to find reason to question it. Drying her face, she stared at her reflection. She didn’t want to be conflicted. She shouldn’t be. And how frustrating that she felt alone in it. She took a deep breath. Kitato had said he'd forget, so she would also. Her fingers brushed her own lips, and she withdrew her hand sharply, as if she'd burnt herself. Was she disappointed? "Ridiculous." She said to her reflection. What on earth had she been thinking? What was she thinking now? That damnable boy and his insufferable ego. As if he had had any right to unbalance her like this... and with so little effort, too.<br/><br/>After she had changed into something more comfortable—one of Naho’s old t-shirts and a pair of cotton pajama shorts—Rei told herself to move forward. Still, she was slow coming back down the stairs and avoided looking in Kit’s direction when she took her seat at the table.