"Seriously though…" Shin leaned his chin into one palm, his other hand already reaching sideways like it had a mind of its own. "You're pinker than a strawberry milkshake today."
"Sh-Shut up!" Yuki hissed, jerking slightly away as Shin poked his cheek.
Soft. Ridiculously soft.
Shin smirked. "What's this? Is your face made of mochi?"
"It's made of normal skin, you creep!" Yuki growled, swatting at his hand, but too slow. Shin had already poked again, just to confirm.
Yup. Mochi.
He poked once more. "Boop."
"Stop booping me!"
"You're just so squishy, though." Shin snickered, eyes gleaming with delight as Yuki turned his entire body away, hugging his notebook like a teddy bear. His fluffy white hair swayed slightly with the motion, catching sunlight like fresh snow. "Seriously, Kiddo, you should come with a warning label. 'Caution: Dangerously Adorable.'"
"I'M NOT ADORABLE!"
"Baka," Shin teased, ruffling the boy's snowy hair until it puffed up in every direction like a cotton ball. "You look like a little cloud. No wonder I didn't see you at the gate—you must've floated off."
"I'm going to scream," Yuki muttered, sinking lower in his seat, his cheeks so red they were practically glowing.
"And what was with that serious face earlier, huh? Sitting here like a little prince brooding over love letters or something."
"I wasn't thinking about that!" Yuki protested.
"Thinking about me?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
"Your face says otherwise."
"I HATE YOU!"
"You love me."
"Shut up!!"
Shin laughed, the sound deep and musical, like it echoed with warmth through the classroom. A few nearby students turned and looked, already used to the chaos that trailed him wherever he went.
"C'mon, Yuki," he leaned over again, hand under his chin, voice teasingly smooth. "Why so blushy today? You've always been my number one fan."
"I-I am not!"
"You always follow me around…"
"I don't—!"
"…Wait for me at the gate…"
"Coincidence!"
"…Peek at me from the hallway windows during club…"
"I WAS JUST—admiring the…curtains!"
"Curtains, huh?" Shin raised an eyebrow. "You like them as much as you like my smile?"
Yuki screamed into his notebook.
"Should I be flattered or concerned?" Shin grinned, leaning close until his face hovered inches from Yuki's ear. "Or maybe I should just hug you right here and now."
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
But Shin was already moving. Not a full hug—yet—but his arms stretched around Yuki's back in a mock gesture, just enough for Yuki to tense like a spring-loaded trap. The moment Shin's fingers touched the back of his uniform shirt, Yuki squeaked and jerked forward.
"BAKAAAAA!"
"You squeaked," Shin pointed out, voice practically purring. "Like an actual plush toy. That was amazing."
"I DIDN'T!"
"You totally did."
"I SWEAR TO GOD—!"
Shin ruffled his hair again, more vigorously this time, until it looked like Yuki had just rolled out of bed in a wind tunnel. "You're like a human stuffed animal. I should keep you in my bag."
"Do you have a death wish?!"
Shin clicked his tongue playfully. "Nope. I have a Yuki wish. I wish you'd admit you like being teased."
"I DON'T!"
"You say that, but your cheeks say otherwise."
"I have a condition!"
"What, chronic cuteness?"
"STOP SAYING THAT!"
Shin leaned back with a huge grin, lacing his fingers behind his head like he'd just won a prize. "Man, today really is weird. Aiko's acting shy, you're acting even cuter than usual—it's like the world flipped upside down."
Yuki lowered his notebook slightly, peeking over the top with a mixture of suspicion and embarrassment. "…What do you mean she was acting shy?"
Shin's smirk softened slightly. "She just… never acts shy when I touch her. But today she held onto me like her whole world was about to collapse. It was kinda…" He trailed off. "Nice, I guess."
Yuki said nothing, but he stared, the heat from his blush now spreading to his ears. He hated that he was jealous. He hated that he couldn't say anything.
He hated that he'd written the second letter.
But Shin didn't know.
Shin didn't even suspect.
Still completely blind to the fact that the boy beside him was the one who poured his heart out onto that lined paper with trembling hands and a pounding heart.
"I bet the second letter was from someone like you," Shin joked casually, snapping Yuki from his thoughts.
"W-What?" Yuki stiffened.
"You know. A cute, blushy tsundere who can't admit he likes someone even if his life depended on it."
Yuki gripped his desk like it might fly away.
"Not that it was from you," Shin said with a shrug. "You'd probably just call me an idiot and throw the letter in my face."
"Y-Yeah! Of course I would! I'd rather die than—than write a stupid love letter to a dumb pervert like you!"
"See?" Shin chuckled. "Exactly what I mean."
Yuki groaned into his hands, face buried in his palms.
"Aw, come on, Kiddo." Shin poked his cheek again. "Give me one smile. One real one. Don't make me tickle you."
"Don't you dare—"
But Shin was already lifting his fingers again.
"No. NO. NO—!"
Too late.
Two quick pokes to his side and Yuki nearly jumped out of his seat, letting out an undignified squeal that earned him a few giggles from the front row.
"SHIN!"
"Still think you're not cute?"
"YES!"
"You're delusional," Shin said, grinning ear to ear. "But you're my delusional, grumpy, tsundere Kiddo."
"I'M DROPPING OUT!"
"You said that yesterday too."
"I MEAN IT THIS TIME!"
Shin smirked again, leaning forward with a lower voice, gentler but still teasing. "You're really that embarrassed about being adorable?"
"I'm not adorable," Yuki mumbled, voice small now. "I'm a guy."
Shin's smirk softened slightly, but it never left.
"I know."
Yuki looked up at him slowly, unsure.
"I know you're a guy, Yuki," Shin said, eyes serious for a second before that crooked smile returned. "But that doesn't change how damn cute you are. Doesn't make you any less you."
Yuki blinked.
That wasn't teasing. That was… real.
Before he could respond, the bell rang, and Shin immediately stretched like he hadn't just broken the smaller boy's brain.
"Break time," he said cheerfully, grabbing his bag. "Time to see who wrote those love letters."
Yuki stiffened again. "You're really going?"
Shin smirked. "Yup. Don't worry, Kiddo. I'll be back. Unless one of them proposes on the spot."
"THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"
"Maybe I'll say yes. Settle down. Grow sakura trees together."
"GO DIE!"
Shin winked as he started walking out. "Don't miss me too much."
"I WON'T!"
"Liar."
Yuki sat there alone as Shin disappeared into the hallway.
His heart pounded against his ribs.
He gripped his desk, cheeks red, lips trembling.
And still, despite all the chaos…
He smiled.
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END OF CHAPTER 111: You're Way Too Cute, Yuki!
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