𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐒 - 𝐒. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐀

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

TWENTY-THREE
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The night was once again quiet as it usually was, though it was not filled with silent one-sided quarrels that Sayo would respond with when Shinsuke would utter a blunt remark. Instead, they each held a light feeling that hugged each other's spaces as they walked alongside each other, with the stars and clouds mindlessly following right above.

    It was dark besides the yellowish streetlights that stood meters away from each other by the road and each step that the two of them took towards the destination that they headed, are filled with memories that are now engraved on the very front of their minds. And Sayo was sure that she would be thinking about this later on before she would lay down over her bed.

Perhaps for this midnight, she would shut her eyes without tears outlining her bottom lids, as well as the bitter stinging on the tissues of her throat – because tonight, maybe she would fall asleep with a light heart instead of a heavy one.

    One that did not weigh down on her chest that made her muscles press against the bones, that would push down on her skin, and that made her feel suffocated – ridden of the air that freely surrounded her as if it was not there.

    Today was different. She felt it earlier from the moment her eyes laid down on Shinsuke this late afternoon, down to this date that was unfortunately about to end. So, she allowed herself to smile genuinely without anything holding her back compared to how something always did in the other days.

    Once they approached Sayo's house that had a fairly small wooden porch, they walked up to the steps and halted in front of their small door. She looks up at Shinsuke and clasps her hands together awkwardly and nervously when she feels his gaze on her face, though she did her best and decided to give him a grin.

    Shinsuke was taken-aback at the sudden sight of her pink lips that were pulled up that caused her cheeks bunch up slightly. He breathed in sharply when his eyes trailed up to her eyes that were crinkled up happily and noticed how the left side of her cheek had a dimple. He then breathed out after a few moments.

    He had never seen an expression on her face other than a scowl, or a flat expression, and lastly (the one that irritated him), the certain smile that could rival all of the plastics that floated in the Pacific Ocean. But this – this felt like his heart paused for a long moment before it continued to beat once again, though rapidly.

    When Sayo's smile slowly diminishes, she felt a wave of warmth spread over her cheeks before she ducked her head to hide her face. She then muttered, "I uh- thank you for taking me out on a date. I had a uh- great time even if it was simple. I liked it. Y-Yeah..."

    She stiffens when she sees his feet take a step forward, before she felt a warm hand grasp her chin, lifting it up. He looks down at her flustered face before saying, "I thought I told you not to hide your face?"

He chuckles deeply when he sees her throat bob slightly as her eyes widened considerably. He could hear how loud her heart was pumping against her chest because of how close they stood in front of each other, and he could not believe it, but he could hear his own heart pump probably just as strongly and loudly as hers that he could even hear it in his eardrums.

And although he felt nervous for the first time, it did not hinder him from projecting the natural confidence that he always had. So, he leaned down closer with his warm breath brushing over the skin of Sayo's face though she did not make a single move to turn away.

"Sayo,"

Her breath caught to her throat and she squeaked out, "Y-Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

She froze for a second before she nodded stiffly, "O-Okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm sure."

Sayo cursed inside her mind for the multiple times that she heard herself stutter her words out, but before she could even cuss herself out further, she felt something soft and warm shakily press against her own. She could hear the sound of him intaking a large portion of air through his nose when he did it, while her eyes widened a fraction.

They paused there awkwardly and unmoving before Shinsuke pulled away and scratched the back of his head.

"I apologize. I am not sure of how this works." He spoke before lifting his gaze back at Sayo who still had not recovered from the action. He shifts his feet when he sees her lips part then lift her hand up to place her hand on her lips lightly.

She snaps out of her daze when she realizes that he was still there, and she could still hear how her loudly her heart beat that echoed through her ears. She cleared her throat and turned back to her natural defense mechanism – sarcasm and bluntness.

"T-That wasn't much of a kiss," Sayo says then glances at the way his shoulders drooped slightly in disappointment and felt it resonate within her own heart, though he covered it up by maintaining his serious expression. She immediately felt guilty then quickly continued, "So- So you should give me another one."

It was his turn to freeze in his place when Sayo shifts closer towards him once again. She tugged down on the bottom of his shirt, signaling for him to lean down and he slowly followed. Sayo stared into his brown eyes for a few moments, admiring the way its color reminded her of old stocked honey that was stored away in a glass jar.

It was all glossy, rich, and mesmerizing to look at with its fluids moving smoothly slowly around.

Shinsuke bit his bottom lip and averted his eyes away for a moment before it landed on hers again that was busy observing his. She blinks then trails her eyes down to his lips that was positioned just approximately five inches away from hers that he almost looked blurry in her eyes at the proximity.

She breathes in deeply then leans in, pressing her lips unsurely over his. She stiffened when it made contact once again, but she felt a burst of courage that pushed her to start moving. Her lips parted, and soon enough, he started responding as well. He unconsciously snaked his hands to place it on her waist, digging his fingers down causing her to sigh lightly.

When he accidentally grazes his teeth over her bottom lip, she unintentionally lets out a quiet sound that made him freeze in place. Sayo panicked in embarrassment and was about to pull away, when he tightens his hold on her waist to dominate the kiss. He experimentally opens his mouth to swipe his tongue gently against her lip, causing her to gasp.

He smirked then began trailing his lips away from her mouth, down to the side of her jaw, before it trailed down to the side of her neck. She immediately grabs for fabric of the bottom part of his button-up shirt, clenching it in her hand tightly while she stares ahead at the dark empty street in shock as he was busy peppering kisses on her neck.

Only now had she realized how starved he was of affection because of how he always maintained his stoic demeanor – she figured that he was not the type to be touchy. And now, she could feel how softly he placed his kisses as if he was afraid of causing her any kind of pain – like he was afraid that he would cause her to feel uncomfortable if he would be too hasty.
He did not want her to move away.

It was safe to say that both of their lips were swollen by the time it ended – and it ended after quite a long time.

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