"About your clothes…"
Hayashi Shuichi glanced at Eri's white t-shirt and denim shorts, about to comment, when he realized their position was awkward. Eri sat on the bed, legs extended, while he sat on the floor icing her knee.
From his angle, he could clearly see her purple underwear beneath the shorts.
Can't look! He turned away, but the image lingered. They say women in purple are secretly bold. Eri… ugh, stop thinking! He shook his head.
"What's wrong?" Eri asked, puzzled. "Why're you shaking your head? And why's your face red?"
"Nothing," Hayashi Shuichi forced a laugh. "I meant to ask if your purple—uh, knee—still hurts?"
"Purple?" Eri froze, following his earlier gaze. Her fair cheeks flushed red. "Lin~Shu~ichi! You…"
Furious, she stood to kick him out, forgetting her injured knee. Pain shot through her, and she stumbled forward.
"Careful!" Hayashi Shuichi, right in front of her, instinctively reached to catch her.
Eri's fall stopped, but his hands landed somewhere… delicate. Small, but nice, he thought instinctively.
"You!" Eri's face was nearly purple with embarrassment. "Let go!"
"Sorry!" He released her, but without support, she collapsed onto him.
By pure chance, their lips met.
Uh… Hayashi Shuichi blinked, his eyes pleading innocence. You fell, not my fault!
Eri froze, staring at her childhood friend inches away. My first kiss… gone from a fall?
They locked eyes, lips touching for over ten seconds before Eri snapped out of it, scrambling to get up. Her injured knee buckled, and she fell back into his arms.
"You okay?" Hayashi Shuichi grinned. "No loss, though. It was my first kiss too. We're even."
"You jerk!" Eri pounded his chest with weak fists, more performative than forceful.
He laughed, enjoying the playful hits, then lifted her. "Stop moving. Ice your knee properly, or you won't walk this afternoon. You don't want to miss the amusement park tomorrow, right? Didn't you and Yukiko plan to bungee jump to prove your courage? You don't want her calling you a coward."
At Yukiko's name, Eri stopped struggling.
Carrying her to the living room, Hayashi Shuichi noticed her blush deepen. "Was that true?" she mumbled.
"What?" He played dumb.
"You know…" Eri trailed off, too shy to ask. Noticing his smirk, she gritted her teeth. "Lin Shuichi, you're teasing me again!"
"I didn't hear you," he said, still grinning. As she squirmed, nearly slipping, he soothed, "Relax! I swear, that kiss was my first in this life. Happy?"
"…Fine, we're even," Eri said, satisfied, then frowned. "Why 'this life'?"
"If we have past lives, I must've dated someone before," he said, expression complex. "Though those memories aren't great…"
"Huh? What memories?" Eri asked, confused.
"Just kidding," he laughed. "Who remembers past lives?"
He set her on the sofa, grabbed the ice pack from the bedroom, and resumed icing her knee.
Eri stopped him, clutching her shorts' hem.
"I swear I won't look this time," he promised, lifting her legs onto his lap and gently icing her bruise.
Watching his focused profile, Eri thought of their kiss, smugly thinking, Yukiko, I've won!
Breaking the silence, Hayashi Shuichi said, "We grew up together. You know I've never been close with other girls. Why ask about the kiss?"
"You hid those magazines from me," Eri huffed. "Who knows if you're secretly dating? In junior high, tons of girls confessed to you."
"I gave you all their love letters," he chuckled. "Isn't that clear enough?"
"You!" Eri snapped. "Because of you, I became the school's enemy. Besides Ryuri, everyone called me a meddling busybody ruining their chances."
"You asked for those letters," he retorted. "How's that my fault?"
"It's your fault!" Eri playfully kicked with her uninjured leg, but he caught her foot.
"Getting cocky, huh?" He teased, about to tickle her sole, but her reaction was intense—cheeks red before he even started.
"Let go! It's ticklish!" she pleaded, biting her lip.
"Your feet are that sensitive?" He studied her delicate, fair foot, captivated, reluctant to let go.
(End of Chapter)
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