( misunderstanding arc end )
After Hina drifted off to sleep, Haruki carefully lifted her in his arms and laid her down on the bed He sat beside her quietly She slept so peacefully, as if she was making up for days of lost rest Haruki found himself staring she looked so beautiful, so innocent while sleeping It was the first time he'd really seen her like this,A few strands of hair had fallen over her face, He gently brushed them aside, his fingers lingering as they traced the softness of her cheek. For a moment, he just sat there, admiring her then a mischievous thought crossed his mind, and a smile tugged at his lips He softly pinched her cheek and whispered"Your cheeks are so soft…
His gaze dropped lower to her lips Slowly, almost without thinking, he brushed his fingers against them and murmured, "Your lips are just as soft… like rose petals, so delicate, so fragile, I feel like kissing you right now.
He kept touching her face, her lips, taking in her beauty as though for the first time her glowing cheeks, the tender curve of her mouth He whispered in awe"You're so beautiful I know you probably wouldn't believe me if I said this to your face… but today, for the first time, I see you differently.
A small laugh escaped him"If you were awake right now, you would've probably punched me in the face already for saying all this.
But Hina was awake She had heard everything Her cheeks burned red, though she kept her eyes shut When Haruki leaned closer, her blush deepened Her heart pounded"Is he going to kiss me?,but he stopped just short of her lips The anticipation almost drove her crazy, She found herself wishing, aching for him to kiss her
Instead, he pulled back, sighed deeply, and whispered, "Maybe I don't have that right.
He only pressed a soft kiss to her forehead The moment felt like it slowed time itself His voice was quiet, tinged with sadness"This is all I can allow myself.
Then he sat back again, watching her "You know when I came here earlier, I was so scared But after talking to you after hearing that you missed me too, I can finally breathe It made me so happy.
Pouring his heart out, unaware that Hina was listening, Haruki's voice trembled as he went on"Being away from you all these days was unbearable,I realize now I'm incomplete without you. And maybe I'll always be incomplete,Because I've fallen for you but I'll never be able to say it out loud You're not someone I'm destined to have.
He caught himself then realizing his emotions were slipping free Taking a long breath he forced a small laugh"It's so much easier to talk to you when you're asleep If you were awake I'd never have the courage to say all this, Anyway we've talked enough for today.
Once more, he looked at her so still, so serene, as if she hadn't heard a word He cupped her cheek his thumb brushing across her lips "Until you come back to the café, I'll keep visiting just to make sure I don't see tears in your eyes again But now, you rest.
He pulled the blanket over her and stood up"Take care of yourself, With that he quietly left.
The moment the door closed behind him Hina sat up, her face still flushed His words played on repeat in her head filling her with both joy and embarrassment, She stood before the mirror, touching her lips with her fingers"Are they really that soft? Did he really want to kiss me? Then why didn't he? He had the chance or did he know I was awake?.
Meanwhile, Haruki walked home as evening fell, his mind restless. "Why do I feel like she was awake the whole time? Maybe she was just pretending to sleep…"
The thought made his stomach twist with fear "If she saw everything I did, she'll never let me inside her house again…
By the time he reached home, Isame was already waiting as if he'd been anticipating Haruki's return"Hey, Haruki.
Haruki turned, a little startled. "Oh, you're here."
"You coming from Hina's home?
"Yeah,I'm coming from there,Haruki admitted as he unlocked the door.
Isame followed him in without invitation"So… what did she say when she saw you?
Pouring himself some water, Haruki replied casually, "She said she was happy to see me.
Isame smirked. He couldn't resist teasing. "And what else did you two do all day, hmm?
Haruki, oblivious to his brother's mischief answered honestly "We talked a lot, Had food,Watched some movies.
"And…?" Isame pressed, leaning forward, curiosity glinting in his eyes.
Still clueless, Haruki tilted his head "And what?"
Isame finally dropped the hint with a sly grin, making a subtle gesture toward intimacy Only then did Haruki catch on and his face flushed with irritation,Without a word he grabbed Isame and tossed him straight out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
"Hey! Why'd you throw me out?!,Isame shouted from outside But Haruki ignored him He had no answer to give.
To be continued 👀