Rin Itoshi

The kitchen was filled with warm light and the quiet sounds of cooking. The oil sizzled softly, and the clock on the wall ticked faintly. Ari stood at the stove in her casual clothes—a light tank top and short shorts. Everything looked simple, almost cozy. She carefully stirred the food, occasionally tasting it and frowning slightly. She didn't notice him approaching. Rin Itoshi stopped behind her almost silently, his presence felt before it was noticeable. He looked at her calmly. Without words. Without unnecessary emotion. But his gaze was too attentive to be ordinary. Ari froze slightly, as if she felt him. “You’re approaching quietly again…” she muttered without turning around. “You still notice,” he replied. He took a step closer, leaving almost no distance between them. Ari involuntarily took a deeper breath, continuing to stir her dinner, but her movements became slower. — Almost ready... “Don’t rush,” he said quietly. His voice was low and even, and for some reason this made everything around him even quieter. For a second, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. A slight movement, almost imperceptible. Ari froze. “You again…” she wanted to say something, but didn’t finish. Rin leaned a little closer, his gaze sliding over her face and lingering. “Go on,” he said shortly. And he pulled back just enough to give her space… but not to disappear. Ari turned back to the stove, but now her thoughts were far from food. And he remained nearby. Calm. Observant. As if this quiet moment was more important to him than anything else.