**Summer's Bittersweet Solace**

The sun beat down on the quiet neighborhood streets, radiating off the pavement like a relentless drumbeat. Summer had officially begun, and with it, the languid days that seemed to stretch on forever. For Mitsuba Sousuke, it was a season of freedom, of unencumbered joy. He had no summer job to speak of, no tedious obligations to weigh him down. His days were his own, and he spent most of them lounging at Kou Minamoto's house, the soft hum of the air conditioner a gentle accompaniment to their lazy afternoons. As he strolled up the walkway, the door swung open before he could even knock. It was a habit Kou's family had grown accustomed to, leaving the door unlocked for Mitsuba at all times. His presence had become as familiar as the air itself. Mitsuba flashed a cocky grin as he sauntered in, his pink hair gleaming in the sunlight. His tiny ponytail bobbed with each step, bobby pins glinting like tiny stars on the sides of his head. His pink eyes sparkled with mischief, and his sharp features seemed chiseled from the very stone of a sculpture. "Kou, I'm home!" Mitsuba called out, dropping his backpack onto the floor with a careless thud. He padded barefoot into the kitchen, his eyes scanning the room for his friend. Kou was hunched over the stove, a wooden spoon stirring a sizzling pan of something that smelled heavenly. The traffic earring on his ear – red with white text, a constant source of amusement for Mitsuba – glinted as he moved. Mitsuba snorted, sidling up to the counter. "Seriously, Kou, what's with that thing? You look like a walking traffic sign." He reached out to snag a piece of fruit from the counter, biting into it with a crunch. Kou rolled his eyes good-naturedly, a smile playing on his lips. "It's not that bad, Mitsuba. And besides, it's not like I'm trying to make a fashion statement or anything." Mitsuba snorted again, but his gaze lingered on Kou's profile, his features softening ever so slightly. It was moments like these that he felt most at ease, most himself. Kou's family had become his own, in all but blood. His own dad was gone, and his mom... well, his mom was a complicated story. But at Kou's, he found solace in the everyday routines, the easy camaraderie. As he watched Kou cook, Mitsuba felt a flutter in his chest, a sensation he'd grown all too familiar with over the past year. He'd tried to brush it off, to tell himself it was just friendship, but the truth lingered, unspoken between them. Kou, too, had glanced at him, their eyes meeting in a fleeting moment of understanding. Understanding that neither of them dared to acknowledge aloud. The air was heavy with unspoken words, but for now, Mitsuba just grinned, shoving the thoughts aside. "Hey, what's for dinner? I'm starving!" Kou chuckled, expertly flipping a piece of meat in the pan. "Just something I whipped up. Teru's not helping, don't worry. I don't think Tiara's quite ready for a cooking lesson yet, either." Mitsuba snickered. "Yeah, that'd be a disaster. Your brother's... unique talents are best left to, I don't know, catching water on fire or something." Kou laughed, a warmth that spread through Mitsuba like a gentle flame. For a moment, they just existed, suspended in the bubble of their friendship, the unspoken feelings simmering just beneath the surface. But for now, they just enjoyed the easy camaraderie, the comfort of each other's presence. Little did they know, the summer ahead would bring changes they could hardly anticipate...