Chapter 68: Ouch, its falling

Leaving the tea party, we stepped into the hallway, bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight streaming through the open windows.

I walked beside Aya, glancing at her. Her expression was calm, as always, but her lips were pressed together in a thin line, her eyes, while serene, seemed to hold… something hidden. “…Aya.”

She stopped walking at the sound of her name, and I stopped beside her, turning to face her. “Is something bothering you?”

Her long eyelashes fluttered, her blue eyes, shimmering in the sunlight, meeting mine, their gaze intense. “…Yes,” she replied softly, the single word heavy with unspoken emotions, a quiet admission of a burden she’d been carrying.

And then, a warm hand enveloped mine. Aya took my hand, her fingers intertwining with mine, her breath catching slightly.

“Rina,” she said, her voice low and steady, and my heart skipped a beat. Holding hands with Aya wasn’t unusual, but this… this was different. It wasn’t just casual physical contact; there was an intensity in her touch, a heat that radiated through my skin.

“…Aya?” I looked at her, and she took a step closer.

“During the exams…” her blue eyes wavered, but her gaze didn’t falter, “…I wanted to say so many things, but I held back.”

My breath caught in my throat. “…What did you want to say?” I tried to smile, but it felt… strained, an attempt to maintain a semblance of composure I didn’t feel.

And then, Aya’s arms wrapped around me, her warmth enveloping me, my heart pounding against my ribs.

“Aya…?”

“Just for a moment…” she whispered, her breath warm against my ear, “…just like this…” Her fingers tightened gently around my back.

I closed my eyes, my arms hesitantly rising to return her embrace. “…Okay.”

Her warmth was comforting, my cheek pressed against her shoulder, her body a solid, reassuring presence. But… it was also… overwhelming, the closeness leaving me nowhere to escape. I took a deep breath, inhaling her scent – a light fragrance, a hint of shampoo… Time seemed to stop, and I… I was the one who broke the silence.

Leaning closer, I whispered in her ear, “…You don’t have to hold back anymore.”

Aya’s body trembled at my words, her arms tightening around me, and my heart raced.

“Rina,” she murmured, her voice trembling slightly, as if she’d been holding back tears. But there was also a strength in her voice, a newfound resolve.

I closed my eyes, a soft smile playing on my lips. We were finally being honest with each other. I don’t know how long we stood there, embraced in the quiet hallway.

When we finally separated, Aya’s gaze, filled with a lingering warmth, held mine. Her expression was calm, as always, but the emotions swirling in her blue eyes were impossible to hide.

Ah, I realized. She didn’t want to let go.

Her vulnerability, so endearing, made me smile awkwardly, my own heart still racing. I glanced around. The hallway was empty, the tea party still in full swing in the student council room. Most students would have gone home after the exams.

Perhaps that was why Aya had wanted to prolong this moment, this quiet interlude, away from prying eyes. “Good work on the exams,” I whispered, and Aya’s eyes widened slightly. She looked away, then replied softly, “You too.” Her expression was slowly returning to its usual composure.

I grinned, teasing her gently, “You must be disappointed about missing that one question.”

And with my words, she stepped closer, her face inches from mine, her warm breath tickling my ear as she whispered, “Then… I’ll just have to do better on the next exam, won’t I?”

My mind went blank, my lips dry, my jaw stiff. A shiver ran down my spine.

“A-Aya…?”

And just as I was about to speak, she pulled away, then, as if reluctant to completely break the contact, gently brushed my hair aside, her fingers lightly caressing my cheek.

“Rina,” she whispered, her eyes, filled with a lingering warmth, meeting mine, her scent, a mix of perfume and something uniquely her, filling my senses.

My heart pounded, the sound echoing in my ears. We were so close… Too close.

“…” My throat suddenly felt dry, and I took a deep breath, my chest tightening, my heart racing.

This was… strange. I was used to being close to Aya, but… she seemed different now.

Her expression, while calm, held a certain… longing, her eyes, though slightly wavering, fixed on me with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat.

This was… unfair. I tried to speak, to break the tension, but…

“…” No words came out. Aya was still watching me, her gaze unwavering. Just as I was about to open my mouth, she gently took my hand in hers, her touch warm and comforting, then slowly interlaced her fingers with mine, her grip tightening.

“—!!” A wave of heat washed over me, my face burning.

“Rina,” she whispered, her voice so soft, so tender, it made my breath hitch.

“A-Aya…?” But she didn’t answer, just looked at me, her hand tightening around mine, a possessive gesture that sent shivers down my spine.

Aya… what were you doing…? I tried to regain my composure, but my mind was a blank, my heart pounding, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps.

‘This is… too much…!’

I turned my head away, but I couldn’t break free from her grasp. Her grip tightened, as if she were afraid I’d disappear.

‘…I can’t just… let her do this…!’ Wasn’t the guy supposed to be the decisive one in these situations?

Then… I would be! I forced myself to focus, to act before I was completely swept away by the moment. “…!” I leaned in, pressing my lips against her cheek.

Chu.

I did it.

And in that moment, time seemed to stop. The soft, smooth texture of her skin against my lips…

Aya’s eyes widened, her usual composure shattering, her face flushing crimson as she pulled away, stumbling backward.

‘I… I actually did it…’ It was too late for regrets. I’d crossed the line.

“Hieeeeeeeek!!” I almost wanted to scream, but it was Aya, her face burning, her ears bright red, who let out a half-stifled shriek.

“R-Rina… what are you doing…?!” Her voice was trembling, her composure completely shattered. I’d never seen her like this.

“J-Just…!” ‘I don’t know! I couldn’t just… stand there!’ I couldn’t say that. Flustered, I blurted out, “I-It was… a challenge!”

Aya froze, then, after a long moment of silence, “…”, she just stared at me, her cheeks and ears still flushed, but instead of her usual calm retort… “…”, she started to say something, then stopped, her lips pressed together in a thin line. She touched her cheek, her fingers tracing the spot where I’d kissed her, her expression a mixture of disbelief and… something else I couldn’t quite decipher.

This was bad. I’d gone too far.

“I-I’ll be going now—!” I had to escape. Even if I’d “won” this round, if Aya retaliated now… I quickly turned to leave.

But… “…Wait,” a hand grabbed my wrist.

‘Huh?’

And then, she pulled me towards her.

“—!!” My back hit the wall, and I felt the familiar warmth of her body so close.

“Huh?” Aya, her face still flushed, stood before me, but her expression… was strangely calm, a disconcerting composure that made my heart pound even faster.

“…” She stared at me, her lips pressed together in a thin line, her usual indifferent mask firmly in place. But I could see her eyes… they were flickering, wavering, with a suppressed emotion.

‘Oh no, not this close—’ My heart was about to explode!

“Rina,” she whispered, her voice a warm caress against my ear, “Rina… what did you just do to me?”

‘…’ This was… bad. Really bad. “I-It was… a challenge… remember?!” I tried to sound casual, but…

“Then,” she said, her voice low and steady, “let me answer that challenge.” And with that, she gently lifted my chin with her finger.

‘—!!!’

“A-Aya…?” Her sudden assertiveness made me freeze, her gaze too intense, too close. Her eyes, usually so calm and distant, were now…

…flickering with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher, a possessiveness that sent shivers down my spine.

‘Is she going to… retaliate…?!’ My lips felt dry, this sudden turn of events… unexpected. ‘I shouldn’t have done that…!’

Aya leaned closer, her warmth enveloping me, our bodies almost touching.

“…” I instinctively closed my eyes, bracing myself. But nothing happened. “…?” I cautiously opened my eyes, and then…

“…”

Aya…

…was looking down at me, her lips pressed together in a thin line, a deep sigh escaping her lips. And then… “…I can’t do this.” And with that, her forehead rested against my shoulder, her warm breath against my skin.

“…?” I stared at her, dumbfounded. She’d literally collapsed against me, her weight pressing against my shoulder, as if she’d reached her limit.

“Aya…?”

“…”

“Are you… okay?”

“Mmm…” She didn’t move, her body still pressed against mine, seeking comfort, her warmth a welcome weight against my own racing heart.