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The crowd’s screams and cheers became muffled behind the closed door of UNDEAD’s dressing room; although the live concluded, Kaoru’s head still pounded as he collapsed into the sofa. Paying no mind to his bandmates, he closed his eyes, sinking deeper into the couch. He was aware of everything around him: the blinding fluorescent lights, the excessive chatter of his bandmates, and the ringing in his ears. Until Koga interrupted his trance.
“…Hakaze! Hey! Are you even listening to me?! I was talking about the choreography of the fourth song! We should have switched spots, ‘cuz you totally stumbled on your choreography when you tripped on my guitar cables! And we should seriously set the barricade further back for our next live, the fans’ screaming nearly made me go out of tempo during my guitar solo! Can’t you use your playboy abilities to make them shut up or something? Like some kind of wink? Nah wait, that would for sure make them scream louder! Ugh, can you not just stare at me and say something?!”
Kaoru tugged on his itchy and restrictive shirt collar, angrily removing his gloves. “Shut up. Just shut up for five minutes! My head feels like it’s going to split open!”
Rei quietly observed his bandmate through the corner of the dressing room. Although Koga and Adonis hadn’t noticed, he could tell Kaoru was under immense psychological pressure—his trembling hands, his pale face, and the dissociation behind his gaze—all were telltale signs of his personal anguish. Rei walked over, calmly putting a hand on Koga’s shoulder.
”Now, now, Koga-kun. Don’t bark at our dear Kaoru-kun while he’s so fatigued.”
”HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU I’M NOT A DOG, I’M A W— MMPH!!! MPHMHFPH—“ Adonis covered Koga’s mouth and dragged him away from the dressing room, leaving Kaoru and Rei in silence.
Rei softened his voice, leaning in close: “You worked very hard tonight, Kaoru. Please, let yourself rest. I’ll leave you be.”
The dressing room’s door closed once again, but the throbbing in his head was replaced with fluttering in his heart. Kaoru’s breath hitched once he felt his heart pound. Must be the exhaustion, he thought, before exiting the venue and commuting to the dorms.
Kaoru tiredly dragged his feet to his dorm room, assuming his bandmates would do the same. Meanwhile, Rei had been watching him the whole time, pulling out his phone once he was sure Kaoru had safely entered his dorm room.
Rei created a group chat.
Rei added Adonis and Koga.
10:21 PM
Rei: Good evening, everyone. A mission of grave 🪦 importance awaits us tonight. ⚰️Koga-kun, please bring the white powder— I mean flour. Adonis-kun, if you are able to, please bring your physical strength to the communal kitchen. 🍓 Oh dear, the text is going sideways again. How do I stop this. Please ignore that last part. Send
Adonis: Understood, I will bring my muscles to the kitchen. I am on my way.
Koga: what the fuck
Koga: STOP TEXTING LIKE AN ANNOYING OLD MAN!! AND CUT IT OUT WITH THE EMOJIS!!!!
Rei: Please, hurry.. This old man’s back will break if he is kept waiting… 👴
Rei briefed Adonis and Koga on the situation once they arrived.
“Koga-kun, Adonis-kun, a matter of upmost importance has risen… Our dear Kaoru-kun is completely and utterly exhausted. We shall bake a treat to revive Kaoru-kun’s spirit.”
”Are you out of your damn mind, you old vampire?! If Hakaze is tired, he can just go to sleep?! Why do we have to wear these frilly aprons and bake cookies like a bunch of schoolgirls? Fine! Whatever! I’ll help, but I’ll bite you if you tell anyone about this!” Koga’s face went red, crossing his arms at the thought of other ES idols seeing him in an apron.
“I understand, Sakuma-senpai. Hakaze’s energy was depleted, and it is a grave matter. I will put my full strength into restoring his lifeforce. Oogami, do not be disrespectful. Baking requires coordination and stamina. We must work together to ensure our bandmate is healthy once more.”
“Koga-kun, your image is safely protected by us. We are simply crafting a strawberry shortcake. Kaoru-kun happens to hold a soft spot for them.”
”Eugh! Strawberries?! Gross! Come on, you creepy old man! How did you even find this out?!”
“Sakuma-senpai is right, strawberries are a great source of vitamin c. May I suggest hunting a wild boar to add a source of protein into the dish?”
”NO ADONIS, NO BOARS!!” Koga facepalmed and sighed loudly. “God, I feel like I’m going insane!”
Rei hums one of their unit’s songs, pouring a mountain of flour into the mixing bowl as Koga and Adonis bicker. Half of the flour bag’s contents ended up in the mixing bowl, leaving no room for the rest of the ingredients. He took pride in his feat, thinking about how the dessert would cheer Kaoru right back up once he takes a bite of it.
Koga glanced Rei’s way as he retrieved the measuring cups. Sensing something off, he did a double take, eyes widening at the sight of Rei’s flour avalanche.
“You senile grandpa! The recipe recalled for two cups of flour, not half the damn bag!
Koga lunged for the mixing bowl, attempting to grab it but ultimately losing his grip. Meanwhile, Rei stuck his foot out, tripping Koga as he took the bowl down with him. Koga landed with a loud thud, and a cloud of white dust adorned his face, hair, apron, and clothes with flour.
”HEY! WHAT THE FUCK?! YOU TOTALLY JUST DID THAT ON PURPOSE, BASTARD!”
Koga stood up as layers of flour caked on his face fell onto the floor, revealing a bright red complexion overtaken by embarrassment.
Rei bared a smug smile on his face. ”What are you talking about? These old bones can hardly move themselves. Surely it was your own inattentiveness, no?”
Koga knew he was full of shit. “Do you think I was born yesterday?! I’ll kill you and wipe that smirk right off your stupid vampire face!”
Adonis interfered at the perfect time, trapping Koga in a head lock and dragging him away as he kicked and fought to escape Adonis’ grasp. ”We will never be able to get this done if we spend our night bickering. Remember, the goal is to ensure our Hakaze-senpai is healthy and well nourished.”
”Fine, but Sakuma needs to stay at least five feet away from the counter! That bonehead has no idea what he’s doing.”
Meanwhile, Rei sent Kaoru a text to check on him.
11:48 PM
Rei: Dear Kaoru-kun…♪ Are you resting comfortably? Tonight was a harsh battlefield, and your face was nearly as pale as mine. Please close your eyes and dream of warm things. This old man is taking care of everything tonight, so you don’t need to worry your pretty head. 😴 Oops, I dropped my glasses. Goodnigh
For the next three hours, Koga worked tirelessly and barked out orders for Adonis to follow, as well as keeping Rei far, far away from the mixing bowl. They managed to steer the disastrous situation into a better outcome with Adonis’ help—an outcome that included light, fluffy frosting churned into soft peaks and chock-full of strawberries, and a cake tin full of batter rising in the oven. Adonis, Koga, and Rei began cleanup once the dessert was perfected and ready, placing the cake in the fridge while handling it with care as if it were a hard-earned trophy. They fell asleep in the kitchen as a result of their hard work, all far too exhausted to bring themselves to bed.
The moon came and went, and Adonis was the first to stir from his sleep. He did some light stretching before checking on the shortcake in the fridge and cooked up a healthy breakfast. On the other hand, Koga woke up sore and stiff, likely from getting tripped by Rei and dragged away by Adonis. He cursed at Rei once he opened his eyes, grumbling something about needing more sleep before tearing off the apron he was still wearing and stomping around while preparing to make coffee. Rei remained asleep, all thanks to his nocturnal sleeping schedule.
Koga's incessantly irksome stomping and additional racket in the kitchen caused Kaoru to wake up; he stumbled out of his dorm room and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. A distinct sweet vanilla and fresh strawberry scent wafted through the hallway, leading Kaoru to the kitchen like a cartoon character following the scent trail of a freshly baked pie. He paused in his tracks once he spotted Rei—slumped over a chair, sound asleep—and still in his apron.
”What could this guy possibly be doing sleeping here?” Kaoru thought, before opening the fridge for a drink and a quick bite to eat. His breath caught in his throat once his eyes sat upon the strawberry shortcake in pristine condition. Fluffy yellow cake sat between layers of white, strawberry-filled frosting, adorned with glazed whole strawberries. A note sat beside the cake, with handwriting that was unmistakably Rei’s. Before Kaoru could reach in to touch the plate, a sleep-roughened voice rumbled from the table behind him.
"Good morning Kaoru-kun...♪ If you need breakfast, I believe the contents on that shelf were crafted specifically for your palate."
"Wha- Rei-kun, you were awake?!" Kaoru slammed the fridge's door as he turned around, hoping his embarrassment wasn’t reflected on his face.
"Mm..I was not awake, but my soul always recognizes your footsteps...♪" Rei sat up straight at the table, stretched, and smiled with a soft smirk on his face. “Good morning. Did you find what you were looking for in there?”
Kaoru blushed, gesturing toward the fridge, “So.. you actually made that? For me? What the hell is going on, Rei-kun? Did you lose some kind of bet? You don’t even like sweet things…”
”I do not care for sugar, that is true. But you do, Kaoru.”
Rei spoke softly yet deeply, dropping the honorific made Kaoru freeze in his tracks. His heart hammered as he mumbled, “Rei…”
“Last night, in the dressing room, you looked so fragile. The weight you carry on those shoulders of yours…it was breaking you. It broke my heart to see it.”
Rei continued his confession as warmth coursed through Kaoru’s body. “I wanted to show you compassion. Something different, where your heavy burdens cannot touch you. This old vampire cannot change your situation, but I surely can be of help, by making your mornings a little sweeter. I want to be the one that brings the life back into your beautiful face.”
Kaoru’s cheeks turned hot. He stayed silent for a moment before opening his mouth to speak, his voice slightly trembling.
”You know… you’re really unfair.. you know that right? You can’t just spend the whole night baking something like that, and look at me like..like I’m the only thing that matters to you.” Kaoru exhaled a tension he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, staring at everything but Rei. From the windows, to the countertops, and then the hallway, he couldn’t look him in the eye.
Rei reached out toward Kaoru’s face, moving a piece of hair behind his ear. “But, you really are the only thing that matters to me. You were the first to treat me like a normal person, rather than someone of the Five Eccentrics. Before I met you, I was a monster to be feared or someone expected to solve everyone’s woes. I am entirely yours, if you will have me.”
Kaoru’s heart pounded so hard, making him unable to hear his rapid breathing. “Rei, I… I don’t even know what to say…”
Rei chuckled as he got the cake out the fridge, cutting Kaoru a slice onto a small dessert plate. “Here, let me get you a slice. To ease your nerves. Come sit at the table.” Rei slid Kaoru a slice of the homemade shortcake as he sat down, topped with its very own glazed strawberry and a small fork beside it.
Kaoru’s hands trembled—this time in anticipation rather than stress—as he lifted up the fork from the dessert. The taste was amazing. After all, he had a soft spot for strawberries, and who could blame him?
Rei’s confession truly had hit him once he processed the taste of the sweet strawberries and perfectly fluffy vanilla frosting; this wasn’t a bet Rei lost, he was genuine. The realization made Kaoru’s heart speed up tenfold, his guard let down as the sweet taste melted into his mouth. It was the best thing he ever tasted, mostly because he knew exactly who made it.
He chewed slowly as he gathered his thoughts, figuring out what to say next. His normally flirtatious, confident exterior was broken down into a soft, vulnerable whisper, “You’re really amazing, Rei-kun. I never expected for someone to do something like this just for me.”
Rei smiled as his hands softly held onto Kaoru’s free hand, moving closer to the other man. “You deserve to be cherished, Kaoru. Always.”
They made eye contact, making a wordless agreement of what they were about to do. Kaoru’s hands cupped Rei’s face as they kissed for the first time. Their lips parted for two seconds before they dove back into the kiss. Rei’s arms found themselves around Kaoru’s waist as his hands soothingly massaged his hips. Rei tasted the vanilla frosting and the fresh strawberries as they made out; although he didn’t like sweets, he surely enjoyed the taste of sugary sweetness that remained on Kaoru’s tongue.
A trail of sugar-sweetened saliva connected the two once they pulled apart. Rei licked the remainder of the strawberry glaze off Kaoru’s lips, sucking and biting on his bottom lip. Kaoru whined softly as he pulled Rei close into a hug.
”I love you, Rei.”
”I love you too.”