The hallway buzzed faintly with lingering footsteps and chattering students. Haru's fingers fidgeted with the hem of his blazer, still flustered, his cheeks flushed from everything that had just happened. Sora, of course, looked completely at ease—calm, composed, even with his shirt collar slightly out of place and his tie tugged a little too low from all the action.
They walked back to their classroom slowly, the air between them charged with a quiet sort of intimacy.
As soon as they slid open the classroom door, the first thing they saw was Aiko, lounging in her seat like a queen on her throne, her legs crossed and arms folded. She looked up immediately and grinned.
"Well, well, well," she said, her voice laced with teasing delight. "Look who finally decided to show up."
Haru froze. "A-Aiko…"
Sora smirked and waved casually. "Yo."
Aiko narrowed her eyes playfully, then leaned forward over her desk, her ponytail bouncing behind her. "You two were gone for quite a while. Don't tell me…" she paused dramatically, "you were doing something naughty behind the door~?"
Haru's entire face turned beet red. "W-We weren't! I-It wasn't like that!" he stammered.
Sora chuckled, utterly unbothered, as he strolled past her desk. "Maybe we were. Maybe we weren't."
"Wha—! Sora!" Haru squeaked, swatting at his arm in panic.
Aiko laughed, thoroughly enjoying the reaction. "Haru-kun, you're such a terrible liar. Look at you! Your face is glowing! You're practically confessing with those red cheeks."
"S-Stop it…" Haru mumbled, ducking his head, trying to hide behind Sora.
Sora turned back to Aiko with a half-lidded smirk. "Maybe don't tease him too much. He might combust."
"I won't combust!" Haru squeaked.
"I dunno," Aiko said, tapping her chin, "with how pink your ears are? You're already halfway there."
Haru whimpered, burying his face in his hands. "This is the worst…"
Sora leaned down and whispered in his ear with a smirk, "No, I think you loved every second of it."
"Shut up!" Haru hissed in a whisper, swatting at him again, completely embarrassed.
Aiko was watching them with a sparkle in her eye. She rested her chin in her hands, smiling in that annoyingly smug way she did when she was reading a romance manga. "You two are seriously too cute. Like, offensively adorable."
Haru slumped into his seat with a loud sigh, trying to disappear into the desk. His heart was still racing from earlier, but now it had added panic from Aiko's teasing gaze. He peeked up from his arms.
"Aiko… please don't tell anyone…"
Aiko leaned in. "Don't worry. I won't tell everyone. Just maybe Shin-kun. Or Yuki-chan. Or both."
"Aikooo!!" Haru cried, covering his face again.
Sora laughed, already sitting back in his chair and pulling out his notebook like nothing had happened. "Let her tease you. You're cute when you're all flustered like this."
"I-I hate you both…"
"No you don't," Aiko and Sora said in unison.
And Haru—well, Haru just groaned louder into his arms as the teacher walked in and began calling for silence.
---
As the classroom settled into silence, the teacher began writing on the board, explaining something about equations and coefficients—but Haru could barely hear any of it. His cheeks were still warm from the earlier teasing, and he kept his eyes glued to his notebook, scribbling nonsense just to look busy.
Then, he felt it—Sora's foot lightly tapping against his under the desk. He tensed a little, glancing to the side. Sora wasn't looking at him. His face was pointed toward the front, eyes half-lidded in boredom, chin resting on his hand. But then—
"Hey," Sora whispered, just loud enough for Haru to hear.
Haru blinked and looked over, trying not to seem too obvious. "...What?"
Sora leaned in, his voice smooth and low, close enough to send a shiver right down Haru's spine.
"Don't be mad at me," he murmured, his tone warm. "I love you, you know."
Haru's breath caught in his throat. His chest thumped so loud, he was sure the entire class could hear it.
His pencil paused mid-word. Slowly, his lips curved in a soft, shy smile. He turned his head ever so slightly and whispered back,
"I know… I love you too."
Sora's eyes shifted just enough to meet his, and he smirked. That signature Sora smirk that made Haru's knees weak every time.
"Then let me make it up to you."
Haru blinked. "...Make what up?"
Sora leaned even closer, and this time his voice dropped into something lower. Dangerous. Teasing.
"For teasing you earlier. I'll take you to bed tonight."
Haru's eyes widened. "W-What…?" he whispered, voice squeaky with panic.
"Hmm… maybe five rounds tonight?" Sora murmured, as if casually talking about homework. "You'll let me, right? You're too cute to stop at just one."
Haru slapped a hand over his mouth, his face a deep shade of red. "Sora!!" he hissed under his breath, absolutely dying inside. "Not here…!"
Sora chuckled softly, satisfied. "You're already trembling. And we're not even in bed yet."
"Stop talking—!!" Haru begged, sinking into his seat and trying to vanish behind his notebook.
Sora just grinned, picking up his pen and finally pretending to pay attention.
But Haru couldn't focus on the lesson at all. Not with his heart racing, his hands shaking, and the promise of five rounds echoing in his head like a fever dream.
---
Chapter 53: Egg Sandwiches and Blushing Promises
The cafeteria was buzzing with its usual midday chatter, trays clattering and the air rich with the scent of warm food. But in a corner, near the window where the sunlight poured in softly, sat Shin and Yuki—just the two of them.
Yuki looked down at his empty hands, a soft frown crossing his features. "Ugh… I forgot my bento today," he muttered under his breath.
Shin glanced up from his tray. "You did? That's rare for you. You always make those adorable little ones with the egg rolls."
Yuki huffed, turning his head. "Don't call them adorable… they're just normal."
"They're cute. Just like you," Shin said casually, but without his usual teasing lilt. His tone was warm, sincere.
Yuki's cheeks tinted just a little, but he didn't snap back like he usually did. Instead, he softly mumbled, "I was just in a rush this morning… I guess I was distracted."
Shin didn't ask what distracted him. He could guess. He was pretty sure he was the reason.
"Then, here," Shin said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a small, neatly wrapped bento box.
Yuki blinked. "Huh? What's that?"
"For you," Shin said, offering it gently. "I made this. It's egg sandwich."
Yuki hesitated, looking from the bento to Shin's face.
Shin scratched the back of his neck and gave a small, sheepish smile. "It's kind of a… peace offering. Or maybe an apology. Remember our first day at school? About five days ago?"
Yuki tilted his head.
"The cafeteria. You were eating your egg sandwich, and I… kind of took a bite without asking."
Yuki stared at him, remembering. That moment when Shin had leaned forward and taken a bite, looking right into his eyes. His heart had skipped then—though at the time, he only knew how to respond with flustered tsundere panic.
"You—! I forgot about that…" he muttered, then glanced at the sandwich now in his hand. He'd already taken a bite without thinking.
Shin laughed softly. "So that's two indirect kisses now. We're getting quite the collection."
Yuki's face went pink in an instant. "Y-You tricked me again!"
"No tricks this time. I just wanted to make it up to you properly. That sandwich… I made it the very next day after that incident. I was going to give it to you."
Yuki blinked. "Wait, really? Then why didn't you?"
Shin sighed, resting his chin on his hand. "Because that ridiculous competition between you and Haa-chan started."
Yuki looked away. "Oh… right."
"And then the next day, I asked you hang out with me, so I couldn't give it to you then either."
Yuki peeked at him. "You… really made it again last night? Just for today?"
Shin nodded, looking down, cheeks subtly red now. "Yeah. I thought, if you forgot your bento today, maybe it was fate."
Yuki stared at him for a moment, the sandwich halfway to his mouth. His heart felt strange—light and heavy all at once.
"Shin…" he murmured softly, then took another bite.
Shin watched him eat, the warmth in his eyes softening into something deeper. "You like it?"
Yuki chewed slowly, swallowed, then nodded. "Yeah… it tastes like you. I mean—it tastes like your cooking! Idiot!"
Shin chuckled, delighted. "So, you've memorized my flavor already? That's kind of romantic, don't you think?"
Yuki nearly choked. "D-Don't say stuff like that!"
But his voice lacked real anger. It was fluttery, gentle—like he didn't want to push Shin away at all.
Shin leaned in just a little. "Yuki."
Yuki looked up, startled by how serious his voice had gotten.
Shin looked at Yuki, eyes gentler than usual. "I like spending time with you," he said quietly. "Not because it's funny to tease you. I just… like being around you."
Yuki blinked, his cheeks warming as he looked down at the bento in his lap. "You say things like that so easily…"
"I mean them," Shin said, his voice calm. "I like watching how you react to things. I like how your eyes light up when you talk about stuff you like."
Yuki's fingers brushed the edge of the box. "I don't even notice when I do that."
"You do. And it's cute."
Yuki sighed through his nose, embarrassed but not pushing him away. "You're annoying."
"But you're smiling."
"…Shut up."
They both laughed softly, the air between them warm, like a blanket just out of the dryer.
Then Yuki paused. "Wait, I dropped a bit of sandwich earlier—"
Before he could reach for it, Shin leaned over and casually plucked it from the plate, popping it into his mouth without a second thought.
Yuki stared at him. "Seriously?!"
"Five-second rule," Shin said with a grin. "Plus, it's yours. I figured I'd steal another indirect kiss."
Yuki groaned and buried his face in his hands. "You're unbelievable…"
"You're still blushing."
"I'm always blushing around you!"
"Exactly."
Shin leaned back in his seat, eyes soft and content. Outside the cafeteria window, the sunlight filtered in, catching in Yuki's hair and making it shimmer at the edges. Shin found himself quietly mesmerized.
There were no games right now. No one else to impress. Just this—this quiet closeness that neither of them dared name yet, but both of them wanted to hold onto.
And somewhere between stolen bites and sidelong glances, something gentle and real was growing.
---
END OF CHAPTER : 53 : SORA AND HARU!
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