CHAPTER 44: I SWEAR IT WAS JUST ONE KISS

I woke up warm.

Which was weird, because I usually kicked off blankets in my sleep. But this warmth wasn’t from fabric.

It was her.

Elira’s arm was slung lazily across my waist, and my face was buried halfway in her hair. Her breathing was soft and steady, brushing against my collarbone. She smelled like the forest after rain. And also like trouble.

For a second, I didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Just... existed in that exact moment, like if I even blinked too loudly, she’d vanish.

Then the memory hit.

The kiss.

My brain practically short-circuited.

We kissed. Last night. Really kissed.

And then... nothing. No follow-up. No explanations. Just her letting me fall asleep on her lap while she played with my hair like I was some enchanted house cat.

And now here we were.

Wrapped up together. Fully clothed. Slightly tangled. Emotionally compromised.

She stirred.

I panicked.

Her eyes fluttered open just enough to meet mine—sleepy, confused, and way too close. For one silent heartbeat, we just stared at each other.

Then—

"...Good morning," she said, her voice hoarse with sleep.

"Hi," I croaked, like I was thirteen and about to confess to my first crush.

She blinked. "You’re still here."

"I live here."

"...Right."

Neither of us moved. Which only made it worse. Her hand was still on me. My arm was definitely around her. Our legs might have been doing something that would’ve given the others plenty to tease us about if they walked in.

"Last night—" we both said at the same time.

Then stopped. Then both awkwardly chuckled.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "So... that happened."

"It did," she said slowly.

"And we’re... cool?"

She hesitated. Just a beat. Then nodded. "Yes. Cool."

Neither of us were cool. We were lukewarm at best, awkward at worst, and dangerously close to "do we kiss again or pretend it didn’t happen."

She sat up carefully, brushing her fingers through her hair to tame the sleep-mess. "I should probably go before the others start forming theories."

I sat up too, clearing my throat. "Right. Don’t want to feed the harem gossip mill."

She looked at me with a raised brow. "You named it?"

"...I journal."

She smiled—barely—but it softened something in me.

And just before she stepped away completely, she turned back.

"You... sleep better when you’re not alone."

I didn’t know what to say to that. So I just nodded.

And then she was gone.

Leaving me with warm sheets, a racing heart, and the ghost of last night’s kiss still clinging to my lips like it hadn’t quite decided to fade yet.

---

I took my time in the bathroom.

Longer than usual.

Maybe it was the steam. Maybe it was the memory of Elira’s lips on mine. Or her fingers in my hair. Or that one moment where time had slowed and my heart had practically begged me to stay in her lap forever.

Or maybe... I was stalling.

Because now, with the morning sun filtering in through the hallway windows, I found myself creeping through my own mansion like a fugitive.

I wasn’t avoiding them. Not really.

Okay. I was. A little.

Not because I’d done anything wrong. I’d kissed Elira. Big deal. I’d kissed others, hadn’t I? More than once. More than kissed.

But this... this felt different. Realer. More earned than stolen.

Like if I talked too loud, the whole thing would unravel and float away.

So yeah, maybe I was peeking around corners and walking on my toes like a cartoon thief. Just until I could make it to the living room without bumping into a crowd.

Spoiler: I didn’t make it.

"Why are you sneaking?"

A blade pressed against my back.

My soul? It left my body.

I spun around so fast I nearly tripped over my own regret.

Ayame stood behind me, barefoot, in her loose training yukata. Hair messy. Eyes sharp. Katana unsheathed. And smirking.

Because of course she was.

I put my hands up, dramatically surrendering. "I wasn’t sneaking."

"You were sneaking," she said flatly, eyes narrowing like a predator sizing up a squirrel. "I’ve seen less suspicious behavior from assassins."

"That’s not fair," I muttered. "Assassins are trained to be sneaky. I’m just—" I paused. "—trying to walk quietly."

"With your back to the wall and breathing like you committed treason?"

"...Maybe."

She leaned in slightly, pressing the flat of her blade against my shoulder like she was knighting me for cowardice. "Who did you kiss?"

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Your energy’s off," she said bluntly. "Your posture’s guilty. Your aura smells like someone who made a move and doesn’t know if it was the right one."

"Wow," I said. "Thanks, Ayame. Didn’t realize you were trained in emotional telemetry through steel."

"You didn’t answer me."

I gave a helpless shrug. "Maybe I just had weird dreams."

She narrowed her eyes. "Dreams don’t make your heartbeat go sideways."

"Neither does walking into a room full of mildly dangerous women I may or may not have flirted with," I said, trying to edge past her.

The blade nudged me back.

She tilted her head. "So? Who?"

I lifted both hands like I was swearing under oath. "No one."

Ayame stared at me, unreadable.

Then—shnk—she sheathed her sword with a casual flick and stepped past me, patting my shoulder on the way.

"Liar," she muttered.

I turned. "Wait—you’re just going to let that go?"

She was already walking toward the living room, humming to herself. "You’ll trip over your own guilt eventually. I’ll be there when it happens."

I stood frozen for a second.

I was not expecting Ayame to be this perceptive.

Or this calm.

Or this terrifying in the early morning.

I let out a breath, my heart rattling like it hadn’t yet decided whether to calm down or start sprinting.

Then I followed her.

Because at this point, the damage was already done.

Might as well walk into the fire myself—before someone decided to drag me.

---

I walked into the living room like a man heading into a battlefield with no armor.

Technically, I had done nothing wrong.

Emotionally? Spiritually? Mentally?

I was screwed.

Mei was at the stove, humming softly as she served up the morning meal. She turned with two plates—one for herself, one for me—and gave me a smile way too sugary to be real.

"Morning, Ren~"

"Hey," I muttered, sitting down, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

She slid my plate in front of me. "Sleep well?"

I cleared my throat. "Sure."

"With Elira?"

I stiffened.

Mei plopped down beside me, clearly enjoying herself. "Come on, it was her night."

"I know that."

"So... how was it?"

I looked up warily. "How was what?"

She blinked innocently. "The night. The bonding. The kissing."

I nearly spat out my drink. "What?!"

"Oh please." Rin leaned over from the couch, eyes sharp. "We all know something happened."

"You were in the same room, same bed—" Akane chimed in, "—and she didn’t come out till sunrise."

"Her hair was messy," Mei added. "You know what that means."

"It means she was sleeping!" I said.

Ayame smirked from the corner. "You’re sweating."

"I am not—!"

"Ren," Mei interrupted sweetly, "how many times did you kiss her?"

"I—what?! I didn’t say—"

"So you did."

I blinked. "Wait. No—"

"How many times?" she repeated, faster.

"None," I lied.

"Once?" she tilted her head.

"Mei—"

"Twice?"

"NO—I mean—JUST ONCE!"

The room froze.

All eyes turned.

Spoons clattered. Rin gasped.

Akane let out a low whistle. "Well, well."

"I knew it!" Ayame pointed. "I knew they kissed!"

Mei leaned back with a satisfied grin. "Called it."

"I didn’t mean to say that," I muttered.

Sora adjusted her glasses. "So you kissed her. On her night. In your room. In your bed."

"Was it before or after the lights went out?" Rin asked quickly.

"Did she kiss you back?" Akane demanded.

"Did you touch her ears?" Sora added, deadpan.

I threw up my hands. "What is this, an inquisition?!"

"Yes," Mei said. "Now answer the question."

"She... kissed me back," I admitted reluctantly.

Rin clutched her chest like she’d been shot. "Romantic and mutual?!"

"Was there tongue?" Akane blurted.

"I’m not answering that!"

"There definitely was," Mei added.

"Elira’s been acting quiet," Sora observed. "Did something else happen?"

I glanced at Elira across the room. She hadn’t said a word this whole time. Her eyes were on her tea, not me. Calm. Too calm.

I started sweating for real.

"Did you cuddle?" Rin asked.

Ayame: "Were clothes involved?"

Akane: "Were clothes removed?"

Mei leaned in with a wicked grin. "Did she moan?"

"NO!"

"Not even a little?" she purred.

I buried my face in my hands. "It was just one kiss. That’s all."

"And the rest of the night?" Sora asked.

I hesitated.

Everyone leaned forward.

Even Elira looked up now.

I was cornered. I couldn’t lie. But I couldn’t tell the full truth either.

"...We just talked," I mumbled.

That did not satisfy anyone.

Mei raised a brow. "That better not be code for something."

Rin groaned. "Ugh, I wanna know what she said that made you fall into her lips!"

Ayame clapped once. "Okay! Trial’s over. Verdict: guilty."

I stood up. "I’m done with breakfast."

"YOU BARELY TOUCHED IT," Akane shouted.

"Not hungry."

"You’re going to regret not finishing that once we start part two of this interrogation," Mei warned.

I didn’t stop. I just made a beeline for the hallway, heart pounding.

And behind me, I heard Elira quietly rise from her seat.

---