The hallway smelled faintly of chalk dust and disinfectant, the kind of scent that lingered in every corner of the school no matter how often the janitors worked. Afternoon sunlight streamed in from the high windows, cutting strips of gold across the tiled floor.
Renji leaned against the wall just outside the nurse's office, letting the tide of students flow around him. Their voices were background noise—giggling, hurried footsteps, the metallic clang of lockers. His attention was fixed on Reina, who stood just a step away, speaking in that unhurried, knowing tone of hers.
"You enjoy stirring trouble, don't you?" she said, eyes scanning his face with a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
Renji's own smile curved lazily. "If trouble looks as good as you, then I'm guilty."
Her smirk deepened. "Careful. Rika's more territorial than you think."
"I know," he said simply, though inside he was already dissecting that statement. Emotional Sync with Rika meant he could feel her emotions even when she tried to mask them. That possessiveness could be dangerous—or it could be turned into fuel.
Reina's gaze lingered on him for a beat longer before she pushed the door to the nurse's office open and stepped inside. Without waiting for an invitation, she tilted her head toward the open doorway. "Well? Don't just stand there."
Renji followed, stepping into the faint scent of antiseptic mixed with her perfume. The blinds were half-closed, sunlight casting sharp lines of light across the room. Reina leaned back against the counter, folding her arms.
"You've got Rika wrapped around your finger… or so you think."
Renji cocked his head. "You sound jealous."
"Maybe I am. Or maybe I'm wondering if you can handle someone who plays a little dirtier."
Before he could answer, the door slid open again.
Rika stepped inside, a folder in hand. She froze for half a second at the sight of him and Reina alone in the office, her gaze dropping to the short distance between them. Her smile was polite, but Renji could feel the spike of heat through their sync—irritation sharpened by something else she wouldn't name.
"Medical report for the sports committee," she said, placing the folder between them on the counter. Her tone was even, but her eyes were locked on Reina.
Reina didn't move away, and Renji didn't either.
"Looks like we keep running into each other," he said lightly, his gaze sliding from one woman to the other.
Neither answered, but their silence said enough. The tension in the room was sharp enough to cut.
Rika turned toward him then, her lips curling into a faint smile that was for him alone. "Renji. Walk me back to the staff room."
Reina raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he followed Rika out.
The walk down the quiet side corridor was heavy with unspoken things. Rika didn't look at him until they reached an empty classroom, its door half-open. Without a word, she slipped inside, glancing over her shoulder.
"Close it," she murmured.
Renji did, the click of the lock echoing in the stillness.
Her voice was calm, but the pulse of her emotions through the sync was anything but possessiveness, desire, and a simmering need to stake a claim.
"You're enjoying this little game with Reina," she said, stepping close enough that her breath warmed his jaw.
Renji's smirk was deliberate. "Should I lie and say no?"
Her hand caught his tie, pulling him down until her lips brushed his ear. "You can play your games… but remember who your teacher is."
Her mouth claimed his before he could reply—hot, insistent, and unrestrained. His back met the desk as she pressed against him, her hands already roaming. The system's voice hummed faintly:
[Lust Sync: 72% – Emotional Pull Intensifying]
Her skirt hitched higher as she straddled his lap, the sharp scent of her perfume mixing with the faint vanilla of her shampoo. His hands gripped her hips, fingers digging into soft flesh as she rocked against him.
"Rika—" he started, but she silenced him with another kiss, deeper this time, her tongue sliding against his in a slow, claiming stroke.
When she finally broke away, her breathing was quick, cheeks flushed. "Say my name," she whispered.
"Rika," he growled back, his hands slipping under her blouse to feel the warmth of her skin.
Her soft moan was reward enough. She moved against him harder now, grinding in a rhythm that sent heat coiling low in his stomach. His tie was loosened, buttons undone, her lips trailing down his neck in wet, deliberate kisses.
By the time they reached the edge, her head rested against his shoulder, breathing ragged, satisfaction humming in her sync like a satisfied purr.
She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. "Don't let her think she's winning."
Renji smiled, brushing a thumb over her flushed cheek. "With you like this, she never will."
The bell rang, but neither moved right away.
Because this wasn't just about lust anymore.....well it still was about it, but it was about territory. And both of them knew it.