The morning sun filtered through the iron bars of the school gate as Shin stepped onto campus, adjusting the strap of his bag across his shoulder. The usual noise of morning chatter buzzed in the air, but something immediately felt… off.
Yuki wasn't there.
He always was.
No matter how much Shin teased him, made him blush him, the petite boy with doll-like features and snow-white hair always waited at the gate, pretending he just "happened" to be there.
Weird, Shin thought, scanning the usual corners Yuki would pretend to hide behind.
Maybe he's late?
He shrugged it off for now, stepping through the entrance toward the lockers.
As he opened his shoe locker, the familiar rustle of paper greeted him—but surprisingly, only two envelopes lay inside. That made him pause.
Normally, the poor locker was stuffed to the brim with frilly, perfume-sprayed love letters. It was almost annoying how consistent the girls were.
"Only two?" Shin muttered, blinking as he pulled them free. "Did I lose my touch?"
He chuckled to himself and tore the first open.
> Please meet me behind the school under the sakura tree during break.
The handwriting was neat, unfamiliar. No name. No hints.
He frowned slightly and opened the second letter.
> Can we please meet behind the school under the sakura during break?
His brows lifted. "Same time. Same place. Different handwriting?"
He stared at the letters, then tucked them into his blazer pocket.
Guess break time's going to be interesting.
With that thought, he headed for his classroom.
But just before turning the hall, he caught a familiar silhouette ahead.
"Haa-chan!" Shin's voice rang across the corridor, confident and sharp as always. His eyes locked onto the familiar figure ahead, the girl with brown hair that shimmered even under fluorescent lights. She walked with that easy, proud gait he knew since childhood—shoulders relaxed, posture straight, and just enough sway in her hips to remind him she was all grown up now.
At the sound of his voice, Aiko turned, strands of her silky hair fanning out around her face. Her brown eyes lit up as soon as she saw him, and her lips curved into that warm, teasing smile she always wore for him.
She didn't even flinch when he closed the distance and, without warning, drove his fist lightly—but firmly—into her stomach.
"Ugh…!" Aiko grunted, her breath catching as she instinctively folded a bit, clutching the spot with both hands. Her long lashes fluttered, and her smile wavered for the briefest second. Then… she straightened slowly, still holding her stomach, and looked up at him again.
But the punch never came back.
Shin stood there, bracing for it—his stance ready, his expression expectant. That was their thing. Their unspoken ritual. Ever since they were kids, a punch from him meant a punch from her. It was their strange, violent affection. Their way of saying "I missed you."
But she didn't move.
Instead, her fingers loosened over her belly, and her smile softened.
"Good morning, Taa-kun," she said gently, her voice quieter than usual. There was warmth in her tone, but also something else—something fragile, something hesitant. She still had a faint wince in her features, but she made no effort to retaliate.
Shin blinked.
"…Haa-chan?"
His voice lost its playful edge, eyes narrowing with confusion and a flicker of concern. Slowly, his shoulders relaxed as he stepped closer to her. His hand lifted instinctively, brushing a loose strand of her hair back behind her ear.
"You didn't punch me back," he murmured.
Aiko looked away for just a second, then gave a small shrug.
"I didn't feel like it today," she said with a sheepish grin.
He didn't hesitate—his arms wrapped around her waist, tugging her close. It wasn't like their usual half-hugs or teasing side bumps. This one was tighter, more grounded. Protective.
His chin rested atop her head as he held her, and when he spoke, his voice was low, worried.
"Are you okay? You're not sick, are you? Did you eat breakfast? Do you have a fever or something?"
Aiko froze for a heartbeat, then slowly, gently, she hugged him back. Her fingers gripped the back of his blazer, and she tucked her face into his chest. She could smell the clean scent of his shampoo and the faintest hint of his cologne—familiar and overwhelming.
"I'm fine," she whispered, her cheeks heating up as she pressed against him, her voice muffled in his chest. "Just… I dunno. It felt better letting you win for once."
Shin didn't let go. If anything, he held her tighter.
Her body was warm against his, familiar and soft in all the right places. But it wasn't just physical comfort that made him keep her close—it was something in the way she clung to him. Like she didn't want the moment to end. Like something inside her was wound tight and he was the only one who could keep her from unraveling.
So naturally, as if it were muscle memory, his hand drifted lower.
Under her blazer. Down her back. Slipping beneath the hem of her pleated skirt.
His fingers found their usual resting place—her soft, shapely butt—and gave it a firm, slow squeeze.
That's when it happened.
Aiko gasped.
Not her usual over-the-top, exaggerated grunt meant to draw attention or throw him off. This one was quiet—sharp—and real.
Her shoulders jerked slightly.
Then stilled.
Her breath caught in her throat, and her fingers clutched his blazer tighter, wrinkling the fabric between them.
Shin blinked.
Wait... what?
Usually, when he pulled this stunt, she rolled her eyes. Maybe swatted his hand away with that cocky grin of hers, calling him a perv while sticking her tongue out like a brat. But now—
She was trembling.
Blushing.
Actually blushing.
Shin tilted his head slightly, peering down at her. Her face was buried in his chest, and all he could see was the top of her brown head—those strands of brown hair that shimmered even under the washed-out hallway lights.
"Haa-Chan…?" he said carefully.
She didn't answer.
Just sucked in a long, shaky breath against him, her whole body taut with tension.
That wasn't normal.
That wasn't her.
His fingers flexed again, giving her butt another squeeze—this one more deliberate. Testing.
Aiko's breath hitched again. Her thighs squeezed together reflexively, and she clung to him like he might disappear if she let go.
Shin raised both brows.
"Okay, what the hell?" he muttered under his breath.
Because this wasn't just different.
It was weird.
His fingers stayed where they were, just resting against the soft curve of her rear, his thumb brushing the hem of her panties now—another spot that usually made her roll her eyes and fake a punch to the gut.
But now?
She was silent. Breathing hard. Hiding her face like she couldn't bear to look at him.
And her ears—he finally noticed—were bright pink.
"…You're not gonna yell at me?" he asked slowly, still pressing his palm against her.
No response.
"You're not gonna punch me?"
She shook her head once—barely.
Shin blinked again. His hand retreated a little, resting on the small of her back instead, but he didn't let her go.
"Okay. Seriously. What's going on with you today?"
Aiko hesitated.
Then—very softly—she whispered, "Nothing."
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You never let me grab you like that without putting up a fight. Did someone replace you with a clone or something?"
Her voice came even quieter. "You always do it…"
"Yeah. And you always threaten to kill me afterward."
Aiko pressed her forehead tighter into his chest.
Shin tilted his head down, trying to see her face, but she wouldn't look up. Wouldn't even glance at him.
And that's when it hit him.
This wasn't just about the touch.
This was something else.
Something deeper.
The letter.
His eyes flicked toward the inside of his blazer where the two envelopes were tucked.
Both asking to meet under the sakura during break.
Both anonymous.
But written in completely different hands.
And now Aiko, suddenly acting like this?
It couldn't be a coincidence.
She had to be one of them.
That thought twisted something in his chest—a hot little coil of curiosity and thrill. Because if she wrote one of the letters… then that meant she wanted something from him. Something private. Something secret.
His grin returned slowly.
Smaller this time. Sly.
He leaned close, brushing his lips against her ear. "Did something happen this morning, Haa-chan?"
Aiko flinched. "N-no."
"No love letters written in a rush before school?"
"I-I don't write stuff like that."
He smirked. "You used to write letters to Santa in middle school."
"That was different!"
"You threatened him with a wrench if he didn't bring you new sneakers."
"…And I got them, didn't I?"
Shin chuckled.
She was trying to get her footing back. Trying to play it cool. But her voice was still trembling slightly, and her grip hadn't loosened. Not even a little.
He pulled back enough to see her face.
Sure enough—cheeks flushed, lips parted, eyes darting away from his.
Aiko looked shy.
Really, genuinely shy.
Shin almost didn't recognize her.
"You know," he said slowly, eyes narrowing playfully, "if you're gonna write me a love letter, you should at least sign your name."
Aiko's head snapped up. "I didn't—!"
Her words cut off mid-burst, and she froze again. Realizing what she just revealed by denying it so quickly.
Shin just stared at her.
Expression calm.
Smirk growing.
Aiko looked away fast, ears going pink again. "I didn't write anything."
"Sure you didn't."
"I didn't!"
"So what's with the red face, then?"
"It's hot in here."
"It's barely spring."
"You're a space heater."
"Then why are your knees shaking, Haa-chan?"
"I hate you."
Shin chuckled again, voice low and warm. "Liar."
Aiko glanced at him—only for a second—then turned her face away, nose crinkled, trying so hard to hide that stupid embarrassed smile curling at the corner of her lips.
And for some reason, that smile—shy, crooked, rare—made Shin's chest tighten in a way he didn't expect.
Today really was weird.
But weird in a way he didn't want to stop.
So he stepped closer, hands sliding around her waist again. This time without sneaking under the skirt.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked again, softer now.
She nodded. "Yeah. Just… don't be so nice about it."
Shin tilted his head. "You keep saying that."
"Because it's annoying."
"You want me to be mean?"
"No. I want you to be you."
"So… grope you in public?"
"No!"
"…So you do want me to be nice."
She groaned into his chest. "Why are you like this?"
He laughed.
Then he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head.
Aiko froze again, but didn't complain.
Didn't swat him.
Didn't even say baka.
Which, honestly, was a little worrying.
He grinned again. "If I pinch your other cheek, will you melt into a puddle?"
She groaned. "Taa-kun…"
"You're kinda cute like this."
"Shut up."
"You get all flustered when I say nice things."
"Taa-Kun…"
"…You did write one of the letters, didn't you?"
That time, she didn't answer.
Didn't deny it.
Didn't look at him.
Just clutched his blazer again and mumbled something so low he couldn't hear it.
Shin didn't press.
Not yet.
But he'd figured it out.
One of the letters was hers. He'd bet his life on it.
And the other?
Well… he had no idea. But it wasn't going to matter much if she was bold enough to come forward first.
They stood like that a while longer—two bodies tangled up in something too familiar and too new at once.
When the second bell rang, Aiko finally pulled back.
Not all the way.
Just enough to look up at him with those brown eyes of hers, still red at the corners, still shy, still not quite ready to explain herself.
Shin ruffled her hair with one hand, letting the moment stretch out.
Then said, "I'm still gonna check both letters at break, you know."
Aiko rolled her eyes, lips twitching. "Do whatever you want."
"But if one of them smells like peaches, I'll know exactly who wrote it."
"I swear to God, if you sniff my letter—"
"Then I'll probably grope you again."
"I knew you were a pervert."
"And you like it."
"No I don't!"
"Your face says otherwise."
She stomped ahead, cheeks red, fists clenched.
But he could still see the little smile she was fighting to hide.
Shin shoved his hands in his pockets, trailing a few steps behind.
Today was weird.
Definitely weird.
But weird had never looked so good on her.
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END OF CHAPTER : 109 : LETTERS UNDER THE SAKURA!
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