Kai’s Day Off

As the sunlight filters through the window blinds, the warmth of its rays gradually rouses Kai from his slumber. Groggily, he sits up, still keeping his eyes closed. He pushes the loose strands of hair from his face and pauses for a moment, relishing in the peace and quiet of the early morning. Reaching for the hair tie he keeps around his wrist, he lazily gathers his hair into a messy ponytail. Eyes still shut, Kai swings his legs out from the warmth of the bed and feels a small shiver run down his spine as his feet hit the cold wood floor. Gathering enough energy to stand, he shuffles toward the bathroom, still dazed.

Kai usually keeps his room neat, so he doesn’t think twice about the path he’s taking. But as he rounds the corner into the bathroom, his foot catches on something, sending it—and him—crashing to the floor with a loud bang. He barely manages to avoid crushing the guitar he had left against the wall the night before. “Guess that’ll teach me not to leave her out,” he mutters, standing up and carefully placing the guitar back in its stand.

Finally in the bathroom, Kai splashes cold water on his face and pats it dry with a neatly folded washcloth from the counter. His gaze catches his reflection in the mirror, and he notices the dark circles under his eyes. I really need to stop staying up so late binging volleyball anime before my days off, he thinks.

He grabs his phone to check notifications as he makes his way to the kitchen. One in particular catches his eye: I wonder if Kara knows that streamer has a live today?

Moving on from the thought, he focuses on his morning routine. He hums a few melodies from the previous night’s writing session as he runs a brush through his messy hair. I wonder what Kara’s up to this morning… He tugs his now neater hair back into its usual style, I imagine she’s been up for awhile now.

As he dresses, his thoughts wander freely—something rare for him. Usually, his life is filled with constant movement, one task after another. But today, there are no meetings, no rehearsals, no rushing around. Just...relaxing. Today, we can both do whatever we want. Kai smiles at the thought, comforted by the idea of a rare day off for the two of them.

Heading into the kitchen, Kai makes a simple breakfast—just a piece of toast with peanut butter. I'm already in the mood for tea anyway. If I get hungry again I can always pick up a croissant at the café.

While eating, Kai scrolls through social media again saving bits of inspiration for later. I can come back to these tomorrow when I get back to work, he thinks, saving another guitar riff to his “Inspiration” folder. Once finished with breakfast but still craving his favorite Earl Grey tea, Kai slips on his shoes and leaves the house.

The cold air hits him immediately, and he regrets not leaving his hair down to shield his ears from the chill. I can’t wait until I have a cup of tea warming me up, he thinks, daydreaming about the warmth that awaits him just around the corner. But suddenly, he is startled by someone barreling around the corner, just barely avoiding a collision.

“Kai! Sorry, gotta run! She’s about to start streaming!”

Kai opens his mouth to respond, but before he can, Kara’s already halfway down the block. He scratches his head and chuckles. Guess she knew about the stream after all. He shrugs and continues on his way to the café, where he orders his usual— an Earl Grey tea with cream and sugar.

Finding a quiet spot on a green couch in the back corner, Kai waits patiently as his tea steeps, taking in the comforting sounds of the café; the clink of glasses and silverware, the rich scent of coffee beans, the soft hum of conversation. Normally, he would have been too consumed by his thoughts or caught up in music to pay attention to more than his drink, but today, he lets himself slow down to savor the moment, his surroundings, and his tea.

A couple of hours pass, with Kai switching between scrolling through social media, jotting down lyric ideas, and people-watching. Eventually, he gathers his things and makes his way home. But as he walks, he finds himself standing outside the recording studio instead of his front door. His hand hovers over the door handle, but then he pauses, sighing. I’m itching to play around in the studio, but if I do, it wouldn’t really be a day off. His hand drops to his side, and he looks up at the sky, considering his next move.

Remembering his plans to watch Great Bake Off with Kara, he decides to surprise her with some snacks. He makes a quick stop at the nearby gas station, picking up a bag of hot chips for himself and Kat Kits for Kara.

Back at home, Kai checks the time—still a few hours before the show. Since he is already in the kitchen, he decides to prepare some meals for the next couple of days. As he works, the smells rising from the pots and pans make him smile. I really did need today. Just a chance to relax and breathe... without worrying about falling behind Kara. It’s a weight off my shoulders.

Once the dishes are cleaned and the food stored, Kai retreats to his room for a couple of games of Nitefort, eager to explore the new season’s mechanics before the show begins.

When the time finally arrives, Kai grabs the snacks he picked up and joins Kara, who is already waiting in the lounge. He sneaks up behind her and tosses the Kat Kits over her head, landing them in her lap. Kara jumps, startled by the candy, but quickly whips her head around and grins. “Kat Kits!” she exclaims. She pats the couch next to her, signaling for him to hurry up and sit. 

As he settles in, she studies his face for a moment, then furrows her brows and points at his eyes. "You really should drink more water and go to sleep earlier. Don’t go back to forting after this unless you want those eye bags to be permanent." Her face softens as she asks, "K?" 

Kai smiles and gives her a teasing salute, to which she responds with an eye roll. With their snacks now open, the pair ends their day off debating which dessert on the show would have tasted the best.