Chapter 20: This Is (Not) a Date

"Kyo! Hurry up!" Nia urged as she pulled Kyo along the bustling streets of Akihabara. "Our reservation is in six minutes!" 

Kyo laughed tiredly as he sped up his pace, letting himself be dragged around before the two stopped at a cafe. A cardboard cutout of Tokiya was propped up out front, presenting a meal set with his signature scowl. I hope they have a raspberry dish on the menu, he thought to himself as they were seated.

——————I am the dividing line that flashbacks——————

Nia scribbled furiously on her paper, mumbling obscenities to herself under her breath. From the living room, Kyo watched her in silence. For some reason or another, I think she's pissed.

-CRACK.

"Ah." Nia looked down at her pen, which she had unconsciously pressed down on with enough force to split clean in half. Ink spilled all over the page, completely ruining whatever she was sketching before. Kyo walked over and sighed.

"It's already been three days since Ratatoskr pulled their bullshirt. Shouldn't you give it a rest already? [White]'s gonna be dispelled if you get any angrier..."

"You're way too relaxed about this!" Nia snapped back, her tone indicating mild betrayal. "I thought you were the type of person to cleave your way through a secret government organization when they act against you. What changed?!"

"Like I said, [White] becomes way less effective when someone it's cloaking harbors an intense intent to harm. And besides, I've already threatened them with the safety of every other lifeform in this city, so I'm thinking they'll know their place this tim-"

"You did what?" Two wide eyes looked at him in shock. Kyo laughed. 

"You heard me. So seriously, just forget about them for now. They know I won't hold back again, and they're not arrogant enough to risk the lives of innocents." 

Nia's face scrunched up in mock suspicion. "You're sounding an awful lot like a villain right now."

"Buzz off." The two looked at each other for a moment before sharing a laugh. "Anyway, I've recently found a cafe in Akihabara that you might be interested in."

"Oho~ Kyo, are you asking me out on a d-"

"They're running a promotion with Chronicle." 

Nia immediately grabbed his hand, her eyes shining. Every trace of stress from the past few days disappeared from her stature. "We're going."

Well, she forgot about Ratatoskr quickly.

—————I am the dividing line that flashes forward—————

"-a 'Villagers' Luxury' appetizer, the 'Tokiya's Choice' drink, and the 'Burning Hometown' main dish, please," Nia recited. "Oh, and a 'Fleeting Sweetness' as a dessert."

"Wonderful. And you, sir?" The waiter turned to Kyo, who was scrutinizing the menu confusedly. What the hail are these names? 'Burning Village', 'Sizzling Rivalry', 'Bloody Battlefield'? Am I just supposed to know what these dishes are?

"Um, are there any raspberries in these dishes?" He asked. The waiter shook his head.

"No, sir. However, the 'Hibari's Love' dessert is garnished with raspberries. We can remove them if you're allergic," he offered with a slight bow.

"Nah, that's fine. I'll get that, and…" Kyo turned to Nia. "Did you want anything else on the menu? You can order it, and I'll finish whatever you can't."

Nia brightened. "You couldn't have told me that before I spent so much effort choosing? Waiter, please get us an order of the 'Traveler's Rations' appetizer, 'Bloody Kotetsu' drink, and 'Sizzling Rivalry' please!" 

"Certainly." The waiter bowed and took off. Nia smiled. 

"Oh, and thanks, Kyo," she added. 

"Not a problem," he replied nonchalantly. They'll all taste the same to me anyway…

—————I am the dividing line that shifts time and perspective—————

"Uwaaaa…" 

Nia made a sound of excitement as the waiter set down a glass of a rather plain-looking tea drink and a platter of grilled cheese with some insignia drawn on top. In contrast, Kyo looked on with a hint of disappointment as he received a glass of red juice and what appeared to be a piece of bread and a canister of butter. 

"Well then, thank you for the food!" Nia clapped her hands together before taking a sip of her tea and spitting it out. "BWA! HOT!" 

"I- yeah, it's tea." Kyo handed her his glass of juice and, with a helpless look on his face, watched her gulp it all down. "Slow down before you choke yourself."

"MmmMmMMMm," Nia mumbled as she struggled to down the remaining dregs of Kyo's drink. After a few seconds, she set down the cup and let out a sigh of relief. "Still tingles, but that's way better. Thanks, Kyo."

"Hold on, open your mouth for a second." 

"Eh?" Nia gave him a dubious look but complied. "Hwhat's thith for- UWAH!"

Kyo retracted his finger from poking the tip of her tongue. "Any better now?"

"Uh… yeah, actually," Nia said with a slight blush. "But give me some warning next time? What was that, anyway?"

"A basic application of Nihility. I just temporarily numbed the feeling on your tongue. Be careful not to bite it." Nia shot him a look that screamed 'There's no way you just used your reality-erasing power to numb my tongue'. Kyo smiled. "So what was the flavor of 'Bloody Kotetsu'?"

"Tomato juice…?" Nia answered with uncertainty. "Wait, you didn't erase my sense of taste too, did you?"

"Relax, it's totally safe. I've been practicing on myself for days now, and I still can't feel any side effects," Kyo joked. Nia chuckled worriedly.

"Oh, it's fine," he assured. Ripping off a piece of bread, he offered it to Nia. "Here, see for yourself."

Nia's eyes sparkled. Before he could ponder its significance, Kyo found both the bread he was offering and his fingertips inside Nia's mouth.

"AWK!" He quickly took his hand back and wiped it on a tissue as she chewed with a satisfied look. Quickly afterwards, however, the satisfaction faded from her face.

"Um, don't tell me I actually erased your sense of taste," Kyo sweated.

Nia shook her head. "Nope, it's just that this bread is… quite bad, actually."

"..."

————————I am the dividing line that skips time————————

"Here's your 'Burning Hometown'." The waiter set down a plate of multiple cubes of crispy rice covered in curry sauce in front of Nia. A small image of Tokiya holding his sister-lover Hibari was somehow branded into a large chunk of potato. Then, the waiter proceeded to pour a small amount of alcohol on top and set it on fire.

"Mm, ten points for selling the "Burning" part of the name," Nia nodded. "And they even have a little carrot-katana on the side as a reference to the only lead Tokiya had when he set out on his quest for revenge!" 

That carrot looks raw, Kyo noted as Nia assumed a bunch of different poses to find the perfect lighting for a picture.

"And for you, the 'Sizzling Rivalry'." The waiter set down a platter of a still-sizzling steak and multiple shrimps, arranged in something of a battle formation on opposite sides of the plate and accompanied by a white and red sauce that was already beginning to mix in the middle. Kyo raised an eye.

"I'm assuming the shrimps have to be Ryougo, who's from a seaside village. Does that make the steak Tokiya? But why would Ryougo's sauce be red…"

Nia humphed. "The red sauce is a reference to the name of the arc where Ryougo and his militia fight Tokiya, who was framed for murder, back before they became rivals in the Bloodied Seas arc. And the addition of Tokiya's white sauce is a callback to the white flash of his cloak being slowly stained red as he beat back the militia to prove his innocence! Jeez, did you even read the manga?"

Kyo threw his hands up in surrender. "My bad, my bad."

"Well, since I'm so nice, you're off the hook for now. But I expect a five-page dissertation on the Bloodied Seas arc on my desk tomorrow morning."

"Oh, spare me." Kyo complained, wilting in his seat. Nia stuck out her tongue. 

"No complaints, mister! I'll have you an expert on all things Chronicle by the end of the month, whether you like it or not. Anyway-" Nia suddenly slid closer to him and held up her phone. "Say cheese!"

Despite himself, Kyo smiled.