Sensing that a battle was about to ensue as Reika stalked after a gravely unbalanced Naoki, Kai decided it was a good time to take a smoke break. He tipped his head toward the front door as he rose, and an anxious Kirin followed him outside.
When they were seated on the rail lining the curb, Kai lit up without a word, regretting for the second time that day that he hadn’t thought to bundle up on the way out. Kirin sat upwind of him, jealously watching the glowing embers which flared briefly as Kai took a deep drag.
“Did it hurt?” asked the drummer.
Kai almost choked on the smoke as he took in that cliché, and turned an incredulous expression on his friend. “What kind of a question is that?” he asked, oblivious to the cliché of his own response.
“A stupid one,” Kirin replied, ruefully.
