Fox Life

The inside of 'Sunflower Garden' was no different from before. It was a world of light brown and warm yellow lighting. The walls were still decorated with the same paintings of couples sitting together and enjoying their time together at a beech, park, or the swings.     

"I already regret it," Kyro murmured under his breath as they went toward a table at the far end. There was not a chance they were going to sit somewhere in the middle for all to see, even if no one would probably glance at them once.     

"Come on, be brave. You chose this."     

It was hard for Iris to hold back her laughs, but she tried. Soon though, his discomfort spread to her as well.     

The waiter once again came to their table and lit up a handmade candle of two doves on a sunflower after presenting them with the menus. They were filled with the same cheesy names, and Iris felt her insides churn. How was she going to voice any of them again?     

A glance to the side didn't help her either. There were around five more couples present, and they were all eating spaghetti from a single bowl. Most ate it normally, but one couple was really into it and made sure to pick up the same spaghetti every single time. Their chuckles as their lips met up again and again were a constant in the room.     

"It's not as bad as it looks," Iris said, looking back at the menu with an iron gaze. Her mind created an image of her and Kyro in that couple's place, and her cheeks went red.     

'Impossible! No way!' Iris shook her head and resolutely went to page eight like before.     

It was time for Kyro to laugh at her. "You were saying?"     

"I just liked their… chicken so much last time that I just can't not order it again!"     

They looked at each other then and laughed together. "What are we even doing?" Kyro asked rhetorically.     

The answer was too obvious, so Iris just glanced back at the menu. Should she go with 'Youthful Kiss' again or try something more daring this time? 'Summer's Embrace' sounded innocent enough, and it was chicken wings with a spicy sauce.     

"Are you ready to order?" asked the waiter upon return, and they ordered.     

To Iris' surprise, Kyro said two cheesy names, not one. She wanted to swiftly find what it was, but the waiter collected their menus and she was left in the dark.     

Asking Kyro would have been an exercise in futility, so she just readied herself for the wait. In the meantime, she reminisced about their first time in the place. When she asked Kyro about what he'd thought back then, he admitted that he felt like a fish out water, but that it was the first time that he considered her as a potential partner and not just someone that pushed its way into his house.     

The chicken came first, and they chatted about the summer while eating. Iris shared how she'd thought he was her savior when he protected her from the kid, and how she was furious when he thought to get rid of her. "I actually believed you didn't want me at first, that's why you were so eager to find my 'owner'."     

"Who could not want you? You were the most adorable thing I've ever seen. You have no idea how happy I felt for every attempt that failed to find the owner."     

In a while, when they were about finished with their meals, the last thing came. It was a bowl of ice cream with a heart-shaped strawberry on top of it. Iris couldn't resist smiling at the sight of it.     

"We had to try something," Kyro said, picking up the sole spoon. "Say ah."     

Iris covered her face with her hands while laughing under her breath. That crazy man, did he want her to die from embarrassment? How could he say something like that in such a normal voice?     

Something cold poked her hand, and Iris spread her fingers to see the spoon next to her face. "No way," she refused, still laughing.     

"Yes, yes, we can't leave it uneaten. The cook might might fall into depression if we abandon the ice cream after the first scoop," Kyro said full of righteousness.     

All Iris could do in reply was roll her eyes. "I can eat by myself." She made a grab for the handle of the spoon, but Kyro evaded it.     

"Nah, that won't work. Open up. How bad can it be?"     

He seemed to be really enjoying her embarrassment, and Iris finally gave up. She leaned over and ate the ice cream. It was cool and refreshing after her spicy meal, but she felt little of it. Her cheeks were flaming hot enough to melt the whole bowl on the table.     

Luckily, a quick glance around showed that no one had been looking. Breathing a sigh of relief, Iris glared at Kyro. "Happy?"     

He nodded, looking mightily amused at her reaction, and she used that moment to grab the spoon from him. His eyes widened a little when it left his fingers, and Iris grinned in victory. She scooped some ice cream and presented it to him with a smirk. "Your turn."     

By the time they left the place, they were both red-faced from all the laughing and feeling like teenagers again. They were still teasing each other. Their mirth attracted gazes in the busy street, but neither of them minded it. That evening was theirs, and so was all the time in the future.     

When they got close to home, the excitement of the dinner started to fade, and tiredness asserted itself. "Sleepy?" Kyro asked when he stopped the car. Iris shook her head, ready to open her door, but he stopped her. "Wait."     

The next moment he opened her door and leaned in, his hand going under her knees and back. "Wait, what are you— Ah!"     

Iris grabbed onto his neck, realizing too late what he had planned. "Why would you—"     

"I thought I should show you what you missed out on last time," Kyro said with a grin. He locked the car and walked to the elevator.     

"You're crazy," Iris murmured, but didn't struggle to get to her feet.     

She put her head against his shoulder and enjoyed the moment. His strong hands around her made her feel safe and protected, and she could feel his heartbeat. It was steady and calm, hypnotizing.     

"Are you going to fall asleep on me again?" he asked in a soft voice, but Iris could hear the threat in it.     

She smiled to herself and closed her eyes. "Maybe."     

Kyro somehow managed to unlock the door without putting her down, and she admired him anew for managing such a feat. The door closed behind them, and Kyro walked some ten steps before Iris suddenly felt herself flying through the air.     

Before she could scream out or start flailing, she hit the soft bed. It was the familiar one in his bedroom, and she pushed herself to a sitting position. The room was dark since it was nighttime, but Kyro didn't turn on the light.     

He instead closed the bedroom door and came to her side. "Wouldn't want Lucy to interrupt us again, would we?"     

Iris blushed, but shook her head. No, they wouldn't.