Archive of Our Own ^beta

“I’d rather be watching Bakatono,” Granny sighed.

“Well, we're watching Ultraman!” Momo put her hands on her hips. “Okarun brought over his DVDs and everything!”

She pointed over to the boy in question, who was standing next to the TV with a stack of his Ultraman box sets held out slightly towards Seiko as if they were an offering. There were honestly too many of them—everything from Ultra Q to Ultraman Leo. Momo felt like they'd never get through them all, but that didn't really matter. If anything, it excited her to think about spending weeks with Okarun, watching stuff about aliens.

She turned her attention back to her grandmother, who had her arms in her hakamari and was leaning back. “Eh, I don't know. Seems like a lot.”

“Well, you watch Bakatono a lot!”

“‘Cause Bakatono’s timeless,” the woman huffed.

“Ultraman’s timeless, too!” Okarun spoke up, voice full of conviction, “There’s a reason it's an international phenomenon, Seiko-san!”

Granny looked him over, a deep frown on her face. She pulled her arms out of her hakamari and crossed them, “Not happening. It seems boring.”

Okarun gasped, thoroughly offended, and set the box sets on the TV stand gently before picking up the Ultra Q box and thrusting it in Granny’s face. “You'll take Ultraman into your heart, even if I have to shove him in there!”

Seiko moved the box set to the side so she could stare him in the eye. “Yeah, Wonder Nerd? You're gonna shove Ultraman into me?”

“Yes, I am, ma’am! You're going to take all of Ultraman and you're gonna like it!”

Momo stared in disbelief as they began to growl at each other and then entered a scuffle. Seiko was holding onto Okarun's wrist so he could keep hold of the Ultra Q box set; their free hands were pressed together, and they were shoving at each other, trying to push the other over. Momo felt a pang of jealousy over Okarun wrestling with someone else—that she quickly smothered, because that’s her grandma.

It’s just that… that’s their thing! They’d get into an argument, then interlock their fingers, and wrestle. Pushing at each other, growling and barking out insults, Okarun completely abandoning his polite demeanor in favor of playing dirty if she had him on the rocks. Momo loved riling him up enough that he’d come out of his shell and playfight with her. He’d been winning more and more often, though… She needed to start working out or something.

Granny widened her stance and began to overpower Okarun; she had the upper hand, and she wasn't going to waste it. She forced Okarun back, pushing him down until his knees were bent and she was standing over him.

“That's a bold claim, Four-Eyes! I'm a hard woman to please!”

“Ultraman has pleased thousands! Millions!” Okarun’s voice was strained as he tried to fight off the old woman.

“Well, I'm not just anybody! My TV is pure! I only take in true cinema, like Bakatono! No random show off the shelf will catch my eye!”

Momo was starting to get weirded out.

Okarun regained his footing and shoved back against Granny hard, forcing them back to the same height. “You won't know until you try it!”

They stayed locked in that brawl for a while, their banter dying out as they just began to growl at each other. Eventually, Seiko redirected her hands to the side and let go, sending Okarun tumbling to the floor with his own force. She stood up straight and stared down at him, considering.

Finally, she nodded.

“Tell you what. You both get me some snacks, and we'll watch half of Ultra Q.”

Momo gawked, “That's no–”

“We'll do it!” Okarun cut her off, a fire in his eyes.

He scrambled to his feet, gently placed Ultra Q on top of the stack of box sets, grabbed Momo’s wrist, and set off toward the genkan.

“Hey– Wait!” Momo fumbled along after him.

“Hurry, Miss Ayase! Get your shoes on!” Okarun shucked off his house shoes.

“Will you just wait a second!?” Momo tried to keep up, sitting on the agari kamachi and going to put on her shoes.

“There's no time, Miss Ayase!”—he began to jog in place—“We have to do this for Ultraman!”

“Okarun–”

“Forget it! We'll take them with us!” Okarun grabbed her shoes and then pulled her up, “Get on my back!”

“You're running out of time!” Granny called from the living room.

“Wh-what?! You didn't set a time limit!” Momo called back at her irritatedly, “You can't just arbitrarily–”

“MISS AYASE, WE HAVE TO GO!”

Okarun yanked on her again and lowered himself so she could get on his back. She grumbled but went along with it, getting on his back and hugging his middle, “Okay, but she didn't give us any–”

Okarun transformed in the instant—without even a word of how this was “a total bummer”—and took off like a jet, barely remembering to open the door so they didn't slam into it.

“–MONNNEYYYYY–”

With a circle back to get some money, a bit of time for Momo to put her shoes on, and an unnecessary All Out, they'd arrived at the candy store.

Okarun reminded her of Drill Sergeant Aira, running through a list of her grandma’s favorite snacks and hunting them down like a bloodhound. Momo just happily followed him while holding the basket, looking at all of the snacks and seeing what he chose. This was his mission, after all.

Okarun stalked through the aisles of the candy store towards the big box freezer. “Your grandma likes Garigari-kun, right?”

Momo nodded. “The old bag is nutty for those, yeah.”

Okarun’s glasses took on a glare, and he grinned, pulling a blue soda Garigari-kun from the freezer. “Why don't we sweeten the deal, then, Miss Ayase?”

Momo’s face began to match his own, the devilish grin shared between them. “Oh, Okarun, you sly dog.”

“Do you think she'll notice we're buttering her up?”

“My grandma loves being buttered up. Flattery is the only way into her heart.” She offered him the basket. “Get the goods, Okarun.”

The air filled with their impish snickers as he slid the Garigari-kun into their basket. They were criminal masterminds, fiends in the name of Ultraman–

“Oh!” Okarun turned around, looking to the aisles again for his next hunt. “Chipies for Turbo Granny!”

He sped off to go collect some chipies, leaving Momo to sit with a warm feeling in her chest. She meandered after him, still smiling, but something more understated and calm. It warmed Momo’s chest to see him remember all these little details. He knew her grandma's favorite snacks and knew exactly how to exploit her with them. He probably knew her own favorite snacks. Momo revelled in the feeling of being known, of her family being known. It was warm, spongy soft, and lay in her chest like a stray cat flopped on concrete.

He came back to her before she caught up and set the chips in the basket. “That should be everything, Miss Ayase.”

“Alright, let's get going!” She grabbed him by the arm. “The hag might've already put on Bakatono, and we'll have lost our chance!”

Okarun nodded determinedly and followed her up to the checkout counter.

They'd already saved time by having him run to the candy store, and it wasn't a good idea for Okarun to transform again, so they ended up walking home.

Momo smiled to herself as she really took in the familiar sights of their walk to her house. Okarun stayed at her house after school more often than at his own. If she didn't know better, she'd say he didn't even have his own place—that's how much he stayed over. She could stand to see him a little more, though.

Her face began to get hot as she thought about him staying with them full-time. Waking up in the morning to Okarun on a futon, asleep on her floor. Or maybe he'd wake up before her… Yeah, he'd wake up first, probably. He'd probably wake her to get ready early, and she’d get the joy of seeing his face first thing in the morning. Brushing their teeth together. Okarun making a fuss about her privacy every morning and only getting changed in the bathroom. Slipping on their socks with her sat on the bed, and him on the beanbag. Running downstairs together to get something quick for breakfast, before heading to school side by side.

Momo could see it in her mind. She could practically feel it.

She turned her eyes to Okarun beside her. He had his hands in one of their bags and was looking for something. Probably an early snack, which is super rude–

Okarun finally found what he was looking for and turned more towards her, “Miss Ayase!”

He held out a Pompy carton with a shy smile, “Orange Mikan!”

Momo gasped and snatched it from him. She looked down at the drink and then back up at him. “Dude, when’d you get this? I had an eye on you the whole time!”

“Well,”—Okarun rubbed the back of his neck—“not the whole time.”

“You're the best!” Momo practically launched herself at him, wrapping him in a hug that almost knocked him off balance. “You didn't have to, Okarun!”

“I got it at the last second…” Okarun fiddled with his glasses, “...because you deserve something, too.”

Momo’s heart fluttered, and her chest squeezed.

Okarun looked away from her, a smile on his face. “We’re watching Ultraman on your TV, after all. Who would I be if I didn't get you a gift in return?”

Momo stayed there with her arms around him, careful not to pull back too soon lest he see her flushed face and the tears pricking her eyes. Her face burned with the mixed sensations.

She was so happy to have Okarun be a part of her family.

With the beast known as Momo’s Granny sated with a Garigari-kun and an offering of chipies to Turbo Granny in return for staying calm during the show, they settled down in front of the flat screen and popped in the first Ultra Q disc.

“Ultra Q came out first, and doesn't actually have Ultraman in it,” Okarun hummed as he grabbed the remote, “but I think you'll enjoy it anyway, Miss Ayase!”

Momo nodded as he navigated the DVD menu. He pressed play. “Kinta might know something about this too, by the way! If you ever wanna know more.”

Momo scoffed, “Like you don't know everything.”

Okarun’s mouth dropped open, and then he smiled shyly, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away from her. “I, uh, try to gather as much information as possible.”

“Shaddup!” Granny interrupted. She was lounging behind them, her head peeking out from behind Okarun so she could see the screen, the Garigari-kun hanging precariously in her hand. “The show’s starting, you rotten tangerines!”

Momo turned back to the screen, taking in the tense music that set heavy in her head and the swirls on the screen that unfurled into the Ultra Q logo.

“The power of spirals…” Okarun muttered to himself.

Momo didn't get to ask him what he was talking about, because the opening scene was starting.

“Hey, he found your nuts!” Momo snickered and scooted closer to Okarun, pointing at the screen as if he wasn't already paying attention, “Two golden balls!”

Okarun groaned, “Miss Ayase, please don't.”

“These are golden nuggets,” The robber on screen said before the shot transitioned.

Momo shrieked with laughter. “If only it was that easy to find yours! All he had to do was break into a safe!”

Okarun shoved her to the ground. “Why do you make everything about my balls?!”

“Everything is about your balls!” Momo howled, “The past month has been centered on your family jewels!”

Okarun sighed miserably.

Momo nudged him in the side with her foot and pointed at the screen as the music changed. “Hey, that guy’s got a gun and he's pointing it at Manjome!”

“OMG, look!” Momo said as if Okarun wasn't paying attention.

The golden ball had fallen into hot spring water in a cave, grown massive, and begun to crack open. They could see the warty back of the creature inside undulate—and then two stark white eyes rose from the egg, followed by a quivering, slimy, slug.

“EWWW!” Momo squealed, pointing at the screen and hugging Okarun's arm, as the slug shot lasers from its eyes at the men counting their stolen money.

They screamed in terror as the slug inched forward, wobbling like jelly. One of them tried to shoot at it, but it took the bullets,roared, and shot more lasers at them.

The shot cut to Ippei, who was looking for Manjome, and Momo let out her held breath of disgust and untensed.

Okarun laughed, “Miss Ayase, it's not that scary!”

“Yes, it is!” She hugged his arm tighter. “I can just imagine fighting that thing! All slimy and slippery and laser eyes!”

Granny huffed, “Are you two going to talk over the whole show and not even tell me about the monster?”

“Ah, right! His name is Namegon…”

Okarun hadn't stopped word-vomiting since they'd sat down. Explaining that the Q stood for “question”, explaining the inspirations behind or influences of the creatures and investigators in a broader scope, explaining how Ultraman had come out a week after Ultra Q ended. He was like a second show—no, he was part of the show. Like an audio commentary from the actors or director, like an inseparable narrator, except the voice was infinitely more interesting and cozy.

The show went on, and when the slug—Namegon—reappeared, Momo held on tight to Okarun. He distractedly placed a hand on top of her wrist to reassure her. She wasn't scared of it, she was grossed out!

The visibly slimy shine on its skin, its hollow, white eyes, its weird tentacle mouth, the squishy, warbly, underwater-esque sound it made when it moved, how its eyes swooped when it looked over the rock face to find the fleeing people– Icky, icky, ew, ew, EW!

She focused on Okarun's voice and the way it reverberated in the small space between them to stifle her visceral disgust. He was babbling about how Namegon was the first kaiju of alien origin in the Ultra series, how it shared its roar with “Varan” and “Baragon” (from Godzilla, apparently), and how it weighed ten thousand tonnes.

Momo glanced at Granny for a second and smiled at the way she had her head turned slightly towards Okarun, nodding every couple of seconds whenever he finished explaining a fact. Her grandma liked having as much information as possible, and Okarun was second to none regarding knowledge about kaiju, cryptids, and spooky little aliens.

Kinta can jog behind him at a steady pace all he likes.

“Hurry up and put in the next DVD!” Granny spoke around the Bakauke Senbei in her mouth as she reached for the bag.

Okarun changed the DVDs quickly and pressed play on the menu, sending Momo a look as the tense intro and opening scene of an Ultra Q episode played. Granny had sat up to listen, taking in the scene with wide, invested eyes.

"For the next 30 minutes, you'll experience a parting of mind from body and become swallowed into this mysterious time...'’

Okarun had done it. He'd shoved Ultraman into her heart.

Six hours.

They'd spent six hours in front of that television, watching Ultra Q.

Momo hadn't really been aware of the time passing, but when episode 14 came to a close and the second disc was done, the hours slammed into her all at once.

The sun had gone down at some point, their snacks were all gone, it had been half the disc since Vamola had come home from her day out at the shopping district with Kinta—she'd joined them for an episode before she collected the Gunpla he'd bought her and headed off to her room to build them—and Momo’s butt hurt from sitting too long.

Momo kind of felt like her brain was melting, but her grandma just sat up and looked at Okarun expectantly.

“Put in the next one, Takakura.”

“No!” Momo launched herself towards Okarun as he began to reach for the box set. She grabbed hold of him with both her arms and her spiritual hands, and practically cried out, “This is awesome, but it's been six hours! How much longer?! My butt hurts!”

Okarun blinked at her and tilted his head to the side a bit. “Oh, uhm– Ultra Q is a little over eleven hours long. I thought you knew, Miss Ayase.”

She looked up at him like he’d crushed her soul with his own two hands.

“Wonder Nerd, she's going to try to convince you that–” Granny couldn't finish her sentence because Momo kicked her in the side.

“We've been doing this for so long, can we finish it tomorrow?” Momo gave Okarun big, pleading puppy dog eyes. “We’ll buy new snacks and start in the early morning, I promise! We don't have school tomorrow, remember? It's Sunday tomorrow! Please?”

“Think of Jun, Yuriko, and Ippei! Can you abandon them, Takakura?! We're halfway through!” Granny grabbed Momo by the legs and tried to pull her off of him, but she couldn't budge the girl at all. “Takakura, don't cave!”

“Well, you said we were only going to watch half of it anyway,” Okarun looked to the side, a flush clear on his face. “I–I mean, if we're going to stop, between discs is the best place to do it.”

Granny slammed her fist on the tatami. “God damn you, Takakura! She's got her hooks in you!”

Momo snickered as she sat up and gave Okarun a proper hug. “Thanks, Okarun~! We'll start again in the morning, promise!”

Okarun returned the hug with shaky arms. “Of course, Miss Ayase.”

Granny despaired on the tatami.

Momo had dragged Okarun outside to stretch their legs, knowing that if they stayed sitting there, Grandma would just put in the next disc herself and Momo would end up just as invested as the two of them again. Granny wouldn't watch it without them, though—especially not without the extra entertainment and information from Okarun—so going outside was a safe bet.

Okarun was sitting on the engawa, kicking his feet back and forth, watching her as she walked out into the yard. She stretched her arms overhead and stood on her tiptoes, letting out an “Mmm!” as she stretched out her sore muscles.

How Granny and Okarun would've been content to spend eleven hours on the floor watching TV was absolutely beyond her. Her butt hurt so much from sitting for six!

“Hey, Miss Ayase?”

Momo looked back at Okarun, humming curiously in response. He was gripping his pants and looking down at his lap, obscuring his expression. Momo was plenty used to this posture, but that doesn't mean she liked what it meant. Embarrassed, shameful, head full of thoughts that Momo wanted to reach in and snag out like she did to Granny’s ramen toppings.

He had a few false starts before he managed, “Thank you for watching Ultra Q with me… I- You– It means a lot to me.”

“Of course!” She smiled brightly at him. “It was super cool, Okarun! I think I’ve heard about it, but actually watching it was wicked!”

Okarun looked up at her slightly, his head still ducked, and gave her a sheepish smile. She watched him fiddle with the fabric of his pants for a second before he spoke up again, “I’m really glad to hear you liked it, Miss Ayase.”

His smile widened, and his head raised a bit. Momo’s heart skipped a beat.

“I, uh”—Okarun looked to the side before looking back at her—“you know, it makes me so happy… that you’re into the occult too. That I have someone to talk to, about aliens and about… about ghosts.” His smile became softer and more serene, as did his tone, “You're amazing, Miss Ayase.”

Momo’s heart was done skipping beats. It was either stopped entirely or going so fast she couldn't feel it.

“Okarun…”

“I just want you to know…” Okarun looked back at her and rubbed the back of his neck. “If you ever want to show me something you're into, I'll happily listen. I'd watch every Ken Takakura movie with you.”

He had to be doing this to her on purpose. He'd just agreed to watch over 200 movies with her. Did he even know? Did he care?

She floundered to open her mouth, trying to find any words to respond with. But she just sat there, staring at him, lips trembling and eyes beginning to sting.

Okarun was like everything good in the world combined into one perfect person just for her, and he didn't even know it. He had no idea how excited she was when he said he had more alien stuff, how excited she always was just to see him every morning. It was like she'd been gifted an otaku angel, always by her side and always making her day better.

“Okarun, stay the night. Please,” the words didn't betray any of her emotions, but she wasn't sure she could say anything else. She fiddled with the bottom of her hoodie, copying his movements. “Call your parents and ask them. Please.”

Okarun let out a small sound and brought his hand back down to his lap; he was looking up at her with those big brown eyes of his, the ones that she always loved to catch a glimpse of whenever a glare on his glasses wasn't blocking them.

“Okay, Miss Ayase!”

Granny didn't have to be convinced to let him stay the night. The second Momo gave the suggestion, she nodded and agreed, based on starting Ultra Q again right after breakfast.

Granny had started dinner after that, which brought Turbo Granny out of wherever she'd been hiding all day. She complained about their “dumb show” and how she’d apparently tried to watch it with them, but it was utterly boring, which sent Okarun into a tizzy.

Momo and her grandma weren't the loudest people at the table for once as Turbo Granny and Okarun fought about that for the entire meal. At some point, she'd just started insulting him while he made rebuttals to arguments she hadn't made. Momo had sat back and slurped her noodles, occasionally sending looks over to her grandma, who was thoroughly entertained.

Finally, the argument had waged on for so long that Okarun was thoroughly upset. His head snapped back for a second before his hair swirled white and krick, crack, creak–

He slammed his clawed hands down onto the table and leaned forward, getting up into Turbo Granny’s face. “–And, to be honest, you know nothing about the history of cryptids in the first place.”

“Don't scratch my table!” Grandma interrupted.

“Respect your elders, boy!” Turbo Granny screeched over the other woman, “I know a brat like you isn't saying you know more history than I do!”

“I could wipe you out in a history exam, and I don't even like human history. It's boring.”

“You're boring, you little bitch!”

Okarun suddenly stilled. He was like a statue erected to keep watch of Momo's dinner table, with eyes wide and the sneer from before gone and replaced with slack, closed lips.

And then he slumped over with a sigh.

“Yeah, I can be a real bummer,” he mumbled.

“Wha– Hey, we're fighting here!”

“Ugh, I'm tired…”

And the argument was over, and so was dinner.

Momo was likely going to heavily abuse this new method of ticking Okarun off and making him lose his cool, and she had a feeling her grandmother would be doing the same. She almost felt bad, but it was too funny seeing him get all riled up at a cat statue. Turbo Granny’s insistent ignorance about a topic they probably knew the same amount about—but in different fields, so to speak—was something they could definitely replicate. Momo wouldn't tell him that his shows and stuff were boring, though, because that would just be mean. And wrong.

He transformed back shortly after, and that's when Momo knew it was safe to take an unfortunately unsuccessful go at his abandoned food.

After dinner, they set up a futon for Okarun in the living room, but Momo knew that he wouldn't be using it until far later in the night.

“Okarun! C'mon, let's go to my room already!”

He popped his head out from the kitchen, where he'd been unsuccessfully trying to convince Granny to let him help with the dishes. “Oh, coming, Miss Ayase!”

He turned back to Granny. “I'll help with the dishes next time, Seiko-san.”

“Like hell, you will,” she huffed out of her nose and jerked her head up like she was doing her best imitation of an angry horse, “Go keep my granddaughter company instead of harassing me about my dishes.”

“I just want to help,” Okarun kind of whined.

“You're helping by eating your fill and then leaving me alone. What, is this because you're still hungry?”

“No ma’am! I just–”

“I see you, Takakura. You're greedy, that's what it is. Your stomach isn't full, so you're buggin’ me.”

Momo walked closer to see what Granny was doing as Okarun stammered out defenses for himself.

Granny was already walking over to the cabinet and pulling out a package of taiyaki, one of the ones with three little cakes in it. She handed the package to him and huffed, “There. Eat your greedy little heart out. If you want more, I've got ‘em.”

“S-Seiko-san, you don't have to–”

She pressed the package into his palms. “We have the chocolate and strawberry kind too if you're picky.”

Momo waved her hand from the doorway to get her Granny’s attention. “I want some!”

“Quick, Takakura, eat it before she takes them all!”

“Hey!” Momo marched into the kitchen. “It’s my house, I deserve taiyaki!”

“Run, Takakura! Escape with your fish cakes!” Seiko grabbed Okarun by the shoulder and pointed behind Momo. Her smile stayed for a moment before she deadpanned, “No, seriously. Get out of my kitchen.”

Okarun nodded and scooted around Momo. “Sorry, Miss Ayase.”

Momo stuck her tongue out at him and mimed hitting him with a fist to the air. “You’re a coward, Okarun! You just do what she says!”

Granny waited until Okarun was headed up the steps to Momo’s room before she spoke again, reaching into the cabinet, “He does what you say, too, Momo.”

“Hm? I mean, yeah, kinda.” Momo furrowed her brows. “What are you getting at?”

Granny shoved a chocolate-filled taiyaki into her hand before handing her three more packages: red bean, strawberry, and a custard-flavored one Momo had never seen.

Momo blinked and then narrowed her eyes. “We have custard? Where are you hiding them, you old bag?”

Seiko tapped the flavor label on the package slowly. “They’re my favorite. I don’t let anyone else have them.”

Instantly, the meaning behind her words connected. Figure out which one is his favorite.

Momo nodded. “You better give me one later.”

“Eh, you can eat this one.” If he doesn’t want it.

Momo made an affirmative noise and nodded again sharply, her mission clear. She left the kitchen with her arms full of taiyaki packages and a plan forming in her head on how to guess which one was his favorite.

Could she just ask him? No, of course not! Knowing Okarun, he might just pick the one she seemed to like the most, which would leave the custard out of the equation. She had to be stealthy enough that he didn’t know she was trying to decode his reactions to the treats, but also give herself enough room to really study him…

She headed up the stairs and entered her room, kicking her door closed behind her. “Hey, Okarun! Look what I raided the pantry for!”

He looked up from his spot on the floor with his unopened package of taiyaki. Was that good or bad?

He snorted, “And Seiko-san called me greedy.”

“Wh- Hey! I got them to share, you rudeass!” Momo turned away from him, hiding the packages from his sight. “What, I’m not allowed to bring you tasty treats now because it makes me ‘greedy’?!”

“Miss Ayase, please! I’m just messing with you.”

Momo huffed and turned back around. “I guess you can still have some th–”

“Even if you do totally pig out,” Okarun snickered.

Momo was going to beat his ass. It had to be done. There was no other option but her beating his ass right now.

She crossed over to her dresser, set the taiyaki down, and then turned back to Okarun. She sized him up and then shot a hand out. Her other hand took up after that, grabbing Okarun by the ankle and pulling him up into the air upside down.

“WAAAAH?!” he flailed, “Miss Ayase!?”

“Apologize, you octopus!”

“Ugh– Only if you put me down!” Okarun cried.

She swung him by the ankle. “Apologize or I'll bleed you, ya tuna!”

“WHAT?!”

Momo kept swinging him. “When bleeding a fish, you hang it by the tail and cut the gills! So, if you don't apologize, I'll bleed you, tuna!”

Okarun’s glasses began to slip down—up—his face, and he scrambled to catch them but failed. They fell to the floor below him, just out of his reach.

He whined at Momo, looking back at her with unfocused eyes and a quickly reddening face from lack of breath, “Miss Ayase–”

Momo put a hand on her hip and stilled the spiritual one. “Yes, tuna?”

He narrowed his eyes at her and took a deep breath. She could tell he was quickly being overwhelmed by his change in orientation and her shaking him like an ennichi goldfish bag.

“You're a skank.”

She shook him harder.

“MISS AYASE, I CAN'T BREATHE! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY–”

“Say it with conviction, ya punk!” Oh, she sounded like her grandma. Eek.

“I'M SORRYYYY!”

She dropped him so that she would stop sounding so old.

“Now”—she grabbed the taiyaki and walked over to where he was lying on his back—“do you want fish cakes or are you going to starve?”

“We just ate dinner?” He looked up at her in confusion.

Her breath was stolen for a second as she took in the sight of him. His usually messy hair was even messier, a dark halo around his crown; his big eyes were fully exposed to her in their truest state, not magnified by or hidden by a glare on his glasses—glasses which were half in his hair, destined to get tangled when he tried to sit up; a rosy flush still lingered on his cheeks and ears from the blood rushing to his head, making him look like a girl from a shoujo manga. All of it was too much for her, and Momo stuck her foot in his face to shield her heart from the sight of him.

Okarun squawked in offense and shoved her foot away, “Miss Ayase!”

“Okarun!” She mocked and then scoffed, “You gotta feed your real stomach and your dessert stomach, dummy.”

“My dessert stomach?”

Momo sat down next to him and grabbed his abandoned taiyaki package. “C’mon, Okarun. You’ve never been totally stuffed, and then someone brings out dessert, and you can suddenly eat a whole slice of cake? That's the dessert stomach!”

Okarun sat up, his glasses getting tangled in his hair like Momo had predicted and hanging off the side of his head. He turned around so they could look at each other, making their knees touch.

“Oh. I guess that makes sense,” he hummed distractedly. His attention had been turned to fishing his glasses out of his hair. Her attention hadn't left all of him.

Momo watched as fingers a bit thicker than her own unwound black strands from around one of the end pieces, then moved on to do the same to free the nose pads. A distant thought struck her that it was creepy to pay this close attention to Okarun’s hands and habits, but the louder part of her that always wanted to know more about him shut the door on it.

Okarun pulled his glasses from his hair delicately—a hinge taking a single strand with them that he didn't seem to notice—and then brought them up to his eyes. He scrutinized them with squinted eyes before apparently deciding they weren't up to his standards and bringing them to his mouth. Momo noticed she was leaning forward when Okarun huffed a breath into one of the lenses and cleaned it with his sweater—her sweater that he'd been borrowing. She sat back as he repeated the task with the other lens, and then he set his glasses on his nose and blinked until his vision was clear.

“Sorry about that, Miss Ayase.” He turned to her with a serene smile. “You were saying something about… dessert stomachs?”

“Uh… yeah.”

Momo tried to remember where she’d been going, but all of her thoughts were about Okarun blowing onto his glasses, his flushed face, and their touching knees. She wanted to run from the house and dunk her head in the rice paddy channel. Her eyes caught on the look in his—patient and open and just waiting for her to continue—and, suddenly, talking was easier.

She opened his package, pulled out the plastic tray of fish cakes, and held them out towards his face.

“Alright, eat.”

“Uh–”

Momo shoved one of the little fish against his lips.

“Miss Ayase!”

“Eat!”

“Okay, okay!”