บท 36: Our Home

Sato wore mittens to take out the finished lasagna. The smell of the cheese and tomato wafted in the air as he brought the dish to the dining table. Looking at the clock, it was 6.30, and Gray was scheduled to be home at 6.35.

Based on what Sato had seen this past week, he realised that Gray sticked to his schedule plan really strictly. If he was set to go for a meeting at 3.30,he would reach at 3.30, no more no less.

As the clock in the dining room ticked by, the long needle eventually lands on the number 7. The door for the house opens and a man dressed in a long black coat walks in. He looked calm and composed. Gray was home.

The man turned towards the dining room as he places his work bag on the sofa. He reached Sato and looked at today's dinner dish.

"Lasagna? It smells good." Gray complimented.

"Really? It just came out of the oven 5 minutes ago so it is still hot." Sato smiled. "I made the whole thing from scratch, with a little help from Potter."

"Oh. Well im curious about how it tastes. Cut me a slice, will you?"

"Sure!" Sato happily used the spatula as he cut a portion of the lasagna for Gray. As he pulled the portion out, the cheese stretched and pulled, not willing to let go from the lasagna in the dish. The mouthwatering smell grew stronger when cut in.

Gray waited for Sato to place his own portion on his plate before digging in to the food. They enjoyed the meal together.

"How was your meeting today?" Sato started the conversation.

"It was boring." Gray answered. "Thomas was talking about the statistics and analytics on the development of some military technology."

"Thomas is the head of R&D right?"

"Yeah. He has a tendency to go off topic when it came down to these types of things. If I had not stopped him early, I would not have made it home on time. "

"If the meeting was important, you could send me a text. I could just place it in the oven to keep warm and then wait for your return."

"Nah. I would very much rather spend the time eating dinner with you than listen to him blabber on." Gray smiled at Sato. "How was school for you?"

"It was as per normal. It's just lately I have been debating on whether I should join an extracurricular activity."

"You mean the gaming club for ROL?" Sato had told Gray about his experiences in the club. It made Gray rather displeased.

"No. I dont mean that. Maybe some sport?" Sato had put some thought into this. "Your comment the other time got me thinking. Maybe I am too skinny and I should do something to gain some muscle."

"That's a good idea." Gray nodded along. "How about swimming?"

"That's a good suggestion! It has been a while since I swam."

"Yeah. You can not only practice in school, but also at our home's lap pool."

"Our home?" Sato was startled by Gray's choice of words.

"Yeah. It is your home now, Sato." Gray smiled warmly at the young man. When Sato heard those words, he could feel something in his heart well up. It felt very familiar and emotional at the same time. Unknowingly, Sato had a tears rolling down his face as he looked into Gray's eyes.

"Thank you..." Sato choked on his words.

"Silly boy, " Gray stood up and reached out his hand as he wiped Sato's tears away gently. "There is no need to cry over this. This will always be your home."

Sato did not know if his words would hold true in several years from now. But, he knew that the past 5 days that he spent living with Gray has been wonderful and if not, unforgettable. The feeling of having someone with you when you are home. The company and care that Gray gave him made him feel like he was part of a family.

"Thank you!" Sato stood up and hugged Gray from over the table. The table width was quite long which made the hug quite awkward. Yet, the atmosphere in the room was only filled with love and care.