"I'm home." Makoto said as she stepped into her and Sis's apartment and began taking off her boots. A faint crackling sound along with savory smells indicated that lunch was being prepared.

"Welcome home." Sis had her laptop out on the table and was typing away, but at least looked up to greet her.

"You didn't come home last night," Tao-san stepped out of the kitchen, leaning into Makoto's line of sight. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she wore an apron over her crop top and baggy pants.

"That's right." Makoto finished putting away her shoes and stepped into the main area of the apartment where she could be seen by both women. "Please don't worry about me. I had a late breakfast."

"Nah, I got this." Tao-san was already back at the burners, but turned her head towards Makoto to respond. "There'll be plenty."

"Thank you." Makoto knew better than to argue.

After stopping by her room to set down her bag, Makoto headed to the kitchen as Sis was likely too absorbed in her work to help prepare the table. She looked over Tao-san's work-in-progress, mentally forming a checklist of which dishes they would need. Noticing the ingredients in use, Makoto couldn't help but admire, envy even, how Tao-san seemed to be able to find bargains she never would have even thought of and then use the resulting odd assortment to do so much. Frugality was a point of pride for Makoto, but Tao-san's creativity and know-how put her skills to shame.

Sis always seemed to find it quite flavorful too…

"Oh, you don't have to get those," said Tao-san as Makoto started pulling out chopsticks, stands, and placemats.

"It's no bother," she replied.

Setting the table while Sis was working took extra time as Makoto didn't want to be disruptive. Rather, it worked best to be just present enough to make Sis aware that work needed to be wrapped up soon.

Sis seemed to take the hint. Her last few taps on the keyboard made audible thumps, like she was making the closing argument on whatever work she was doing. Not long after, she closed the lid and slid the laptop into the briefcase at her feet.

It was perfectly timed. Tao-san came out with the rice at that very moment.

"So that guy you're seeing," she said as she placed the bowls at their settings. "Are you sure about him? I-"

"We've been over this," Sis tilted her head up. "I've known him for a long time. He's a good kid. I don't think he's up to anything untoward."

Sis's eyes shifted towards Makoto for a moment, as if silently asking for confirmation.

Makoto nodded. Ren would have told her if there was anything else involving that world.

"You never know," countered Tao-san. "I got a bad feeling, like I've met him somewhere before."

"He only moved back here recently," said Makoto. "After an eight year gap. And even back then it was only for a year."

"Yeah and the people I knew eight years ago… some of them weren't very nice people," Tao-san crossed her arms, shifting her weight to favor one leg.

"He was just a boy back then," Sis reminded her. "Believe me, I've fully investigated him. I know things about him even Makoto doesn't."

"What?" Makoto blinked. "What do you-"

Sis grinned, but otherwise continued without acknowledging her, instead keeping her focus on her girlfriend. "It's kind of you to worry, but don't, focus on your show piece, that's coming up isn't it?"

She motioned Tao-san to come to her.

Tao-san compiled, walking over to stand behind where Sis was seated before answering her question. "In a few weeks."

"You've got this," Sis smiled, lifting her hand to rest on Tao-san's neck and craning her own so she could plant kisses on Tao-san's cheek.

Tao-san smiled, leaning in closer and turning her head so she could meet Sis's lips.

Makoto looked away, still unsure if it was appropriate for her to be witnessing their intimate gestures.

They were really cute though.

Tao-san couldn't really be dangerous, could she? If Sis thoroughly investigated Ren, then surely she would have done the same for Tao-san. Surely.