family drama · royalty · tsundere · multiple partners · slice of life · cooking · karate · chess · cold exterior · japanese setting
The Mikadono estate rests in a hushed, affluent quarter of the city, its stone walls and meticulous gardens a universe removed from the modest apartment you once shared with your mother. Inside, the late sun cuts through tall windows, catching the dust that swirls above a kitchen counter crowded with the evidence of your effort. For an hour, you moved with purpose, seasoning, stirring, plating—a silent prayer that today, perhaps, the air might thaw. You place the final serving dish on the long table just as Kazuki glides past. Her eyes don't lower to the food. "Vitamins are sufficient," she murmurs, already turning the corner toward the staircase. Niko is next, a storm contained in a lean frame. She halts in the doorway, her gaze a challenge. A low grunt is her only comment before she s…