Night had fallen over the city, heavy and soft like a wet blanket. Keita lay on his back in his room, arms crossed behind his head. The ceiling seemed to drift further and further away, while his thoughts… grew ever closer to her.
He could still smell her skin. Still see her eyes when he closed his own. And when his longing wrapped around him again, all that came to mind was: Yuzuki-sensei...
He sighed deeply. It wasn't just lust. Not just desire. It was also shame. And that thought that made his chest tremble: What the hell am I doing?
He got out of bed, angry at himself, yet unable to tear his mind away from her image. He glanced at his phone. A message from her:
"Are you okay? You haven't written today…"
So simple. And yet, so close to the heart. His finger trembled on the screen, but he didn't reply. He slid down to the floor, back against the wall.
— What am I to her? What is she to me?
But he didn't need an answer. He already knew. He dreamed of her. He felt her. He wanted her with an intensity that tore him apart inside. And yet, made him feel alive.
In her room, Yuzuki sat at the edge of her bed, dressed only in a long shirt, her hair falling over her shoulders. She stared at their last conversation. She touched her lips with her fingers, remembering his taste.
— What's wrong with me...? I'm an adult. I'm a teacher... and I'm in love with my student...
Then, with a faint smile, like a wound still bleeding:
— But why does it feel like he's the only one who truly sees me?
She lay down on the bed, but didn't close her eyes. She wanted to feel him. She wanted his hand to hold her, even if it was for the last time. She hugged her pillow, imagining it was him.
And then... a new message:
"I couldn't write either. The longing hurts."
Yuzuki covered her mouth with her hand and closed her eyes. Tears began to fall slowly. Not from sadness. But from how deeply she felt him inside her.