On the twelfth day, Shuo woke earlier than usual, so annoyed that he kept clicking his tongue.
He hadn't woken naturally. At six sharp, the thought of having to check on the shop today crashed into his mind, setting Lightspeed Thinking running automatically-room temperature twenty-one degrees, humidity sixty-two percent, the scent of freshly brewed tea drifting through the air, two paper bags still warm on the table, someone sitting by the window with silver-gray hair, a dark gray jacket, and a cup of tea in his hands.
He turned his head and saw Sai watching him quietly, his gaze soft.
"Awake?"
"Mm."
Shuo gave a muffled answer and slowly sat up, his hair a mess and his eyes still sleepy, without a trace of his usual composure. He looked just like a cat that hadn't fully woken up.
He got out of bed to wash up. Only when he splashed cold water on his face did he feel awake.
While brushing his teeth, he stared at himself in the mirror. The shadows beneath his eyes were finally almost gone. He gathered a few tiny particles of light at his fingertips and casually wiped the condensation off the mirror so it wouldn't blur his view. His movements were languid, yet carried an easy briskness.
He rinsed his mouth and dried his face. When he came out, two steaming cups of tea stood beside the warm paper bags, the tea's fragrance stronger now.
Shuo pulled out a chair, sat down, and opened a paper bag-plum rice balls with a fried egg. The egg's edges weren't burnt. Apparently, Sai had remembered his complaint last time.
He took a big bite of a plum rice ball, squinting instantly at the sourness, but didn't spit it out. Chewing slowly, he complained, "So sour. Can you