Kyouko knew. Sooner or later, if she kept letting Haruki hold her like this, if she kept giving him space this close to her heart and body, they would cross that final line. The one she shouldn't let either of them cross.
And once they did, there would be no going back.
She wasn't naïve. This wasn't just harmless comfort anymore. Haruki's hands weren't just seeking warmth—they were filled with want and desire. And her body… was responding. Worse, her heart was starting to crave it too.
What am I doing? she thought.
Letting him hug her like this, letting his hand roam her body, even if it was still just a subtle touch.
Yet she didn't move away.
You're being stupid, Kyouko. Letting another man hold you like this. Letting him kiss your neck, hug you, and touch the places another man shouldn't touch. Letting him see this side of you.
A married woman. A mother-in-law.
But still, she stayed in his arms. Because deep down, she already knew Haruki wouldn't stop.
Not after this.
And the most dangerous part—the part that scared her most—was that she didn't want him to.
Kyouko turned with a smile, slowly leaning in as if inviting a kiss but stopping just before their lips touched.
Haruki leaned forward instinctively, caught in the moment, only for her to pull away with a soft giggle.
"Hehe~ I know you want it~" she teased.
Haruki let out a breathy chuckle, the tension thick between them. "You're evil, Kyouko-san."
She traced her finger gently along his lips. "Am I? They said we should be friends, just friends. Remember?"
He leaned back slightly, trying to cool the heat rising in his chest. "You're going to drive me crazy."
Kyouko laughed softly, her eyes shining with mischief.
She stood up slowly, giving him one last look before stretching with deliberate grace.
"Now be a good boy, Haruki… and no kissing without permission."
Then she walked away, her hips swaying gently—teasing, tempting—leaving Haruki there with his pulse still racing.
"Haruki?"
"Hmm?" he replied without looking up, still focused on his laptop.
Kyouko glanced back at him over her shoulder, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
Let's see how he reacts~
Without warning, she gave her ass a light slap—subtle but deliberate, just enough to make sure he noticed.
"Finish your work and go to sleep," she said teasingly. "I'm sure your wife is already sleeping upstairs."
Haruki froze, his eyes locked onto the view as she casually walked away.
His lips parted slightly, an involuntary breath escaping him.
"Damn… you're dangerous, Kyouko-san," he whispered under his breath, watching her climb the stairs.
Without turning around, Kyouko raised one hand in a soft wave.
"Good night, Haruki~" her voice floated back, sweet and laced with mischief.
Haruki leaned back into the couch, dragging a hand down his face with a sigh.
"This is getting harder…" he muttered, his laptop forgotten.
Inside Kyouko's mind, thoughts swirled like smoke from a lit candle—soft, hazy, but impossible to ignore.
She knew that once she let him kiss her, it wouldn't stop there. Not with the way his eyes lingered on her, the way his hands held her like she was something precious and desired.
They would end up in bed.
Not tonight, maybe. But soon.
And once that line was crossed... she wouldn't be the same.
It had been over twenty years since she'd last felt that kind of intimacy. True, deep, consuming. Her husband had stopped seeking her long ago—no warmth, no desire. Just silence stretching between them like an ocean.
She wasn't naïve. She knew that the moment she let another man claim her, even if it was slow and gentle, something inside her would break open. Some door she'd sealed shut would swing wide, and there'd be no closing it again.
The part that scared her was what came after they crossed that final line.
What if she changed?
What if she was the one who carved it deeper, hungrier, until she couldn't recognize herself anymore?
Because she knew—once it happened, once they crossed that final line, it wouldn't be gentle anymore. It would be wild. Desperate. Uncontainable.
"No matter how I try to act proper... I'm still a woman. A lonely one," she whispered to her heart.
Her fingers brushed the spot on her neck where Haruki's lips had lingered earlier.
It still tingled.
She let out a quiet sigh, as if trying to exhale the guilt. But it didn't leave.
Only heat remained.
Later that night...
Kyouko tossed and turned in bed. She hugged her pillow tightly, trying to calm the racing thoughts in her head, but it was useless.
Her skin still tingled from Haruki's lips. The way he kissed her neck... her shoulder... it wasn't supposed to go that far. And yet, she let it happen. She wanted it. No. She needed it.
Her body felt warm, aching in ways it hadn't in years. The empty space beside her felt colder than ever. The scent of her old perfume lingered faintly on her skin, but it wasn't enough. Not anymore.
She pressed her thighs together instinctively, biting her lower lip.
How could she sleep now? How could she go back to pretending?
Mou! It's because Haruki kissed that sensitive spot on her neck and shoulder that she's this aroused.
Now I can't sleep!
The pulse, that tingling heat between her thighs, wouldn't fade. It had been building ever since Haruki's lips touched her neck, and now it was unbearable. Her body felt like it was on fire. She needed release. She needed something. Someone.
She turned in bed to face her husband. The room was dark, but she could make out his sleeping form, his back turned toward her. She reached out and gently shook his shoulder.
"Dear...?" she whispered.
A groggy voice replied, "Ugh... I'm tired, Kyouko. What's wrong?"
She paused, swallowing her frustration. "Just for a moment... please, just hold me. I just..."
"I said I'm tired," he groaned, pulling the blanket over his head.
Kyouko stared at him. Her hand was still on his back. No response. No movement. Nothing.
She let her arm fall to the bed and turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Her thighs rubbed together involuntarily. The heat was still there—worse than before. Her body was screaming. Her heart was aching.
This wasn't just desire anymore.
It was desperation.
Kyouko stood up and quietly slipped out of the bedroom.
She didn't even bother putting on a robe. The air brushed against her bare skin beneath her pajamas, but the heat inside her burned far stronger.
She padded down the stairs, each step heavy with frustration and restlessness. The house was quiet. Still. But her heart wasn't.
The need, the ache between her thighs was almost unbearable. She hated herself for feeling like this, for being consumed by longing. But it was there—raw and persistent.
In the kitchen, she switched on the small light above the stove and began making tea. Her hands moved while her mind raced.
She leaned against the counter, watching the kettle slowly come to a boil.
What's wrong with me?
She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to will the desire away.
But the tingling wouldn't stop.
After finishing her tea, Kyouko felt the sudden pressure in her bladder.
She rinsed the cup and headed to the bathroom.
Once inside, she closed the door and sat on the toilet.
Afterward, she decided to take a shower.
Steam curled gently in the dim bathroom air.
Kyouko stood under the spray with her arms wrapped around herself, water running down her body in warm, soothing streams. At first, she only meant to clean herself. She'd gotten up to wash away the restless heat that had troubled her sleep.
Her hand guided the showerhead lower, rinsing her thighs.
The moment the stream touched her there, she flinched.
It wasn't pain. It was... surprising. The warmth touched a place that hadn't been reached like that in years. A pulse stirred low in her stomach, like something fluttering, trapped deep inside.
She jerked the showerhead away, confused by how intense it felt.
What was that?
She'd never... she'd never done anything like that before. Not even when she was younger. It had always seemed improper, something she shouldn't do.
But the ache was still there. Worse now.
Hesitantly, she brought the showerhead back, telling herself she was just rinsing. Just cleaning.
The water touched her again.
Her breath caught.
The heat built slowly, spreading through her body in waves she didn't understand. Her breathing deepened without her meaning to; her lips parted. Her body responded on its own, hips shifting slightly, chest rising and falling. Her thighs squeezed together instinctively before opening again.
I should stop. This isn't—
But she didn't stop.
She didn't know how to stop.
Her hand tightened against her chest. Her head tilted back. She bit her lower lip as the tension grew, building into something she'd never felt before—something overwhelming and frightening and desperately needed all at once. Her breath hitched.
Her legs trembled.
"Ah..."
She gasped.
A wave broke inside her, like light flashing behind her eyelids. Her hips jerked forward, stomach muscles tightening. Her back arched.
The release was overwhelming. It wasn't just pleasure—it was everything she'd buried: loneliness, desire, need.
Her body jolted once, then again, as the sensation flooded through her.
Her lips parted wider, soft cries escaping with each breath. Heat bloomed across her face.
And through it all... she saw Haruki in her mind.
His hands. His eyes. His smile.
When the wave finally passed, she slowly sank to her knees, palms resting on the wet floor, heart still racing. The water ran on, but she barely noticed now.
She wasn't ashamed.
She was... alive.
"Haruki..." she whispered under her breath, barely audible over the rushing water.
( End of Chapter )