She set his hand back on the mattress.
Careful.
She sat back on her heels and pressed both hands flat against her thighs.
Looked at the ceiling.
Held there for a moment.
Then her gaze dropped.
Back to him.
Still asleep.
Mouth slightly open.
Unaware.
She looked at his lips.
Soft.
Exposed.
Right there.
Her finger moved before she stopped it.
It touched his lower lip.
Warm.
She pulled back at once.
Her hand closed into a fist and pressed hard against her own mouth.
Her eyes stayed on him.
Wide.
Bright.
Too focused.
Control.
She held that word in place.
Her breathing slowed.
Didn't steady.
Hana.
The memory came without permission.
Hana rising onto her toes.
Eyes closing.
Her grabbing his sleeves.
Leaning in.
His lips meeting hers.
The color in his cheeks when she pulled back.
That stayed in her chest, like a dagger.
She needed to overwrite that.
Shizuka leaned forward.
Stopped.
Held there.
Just once.
He wouldn't know.
He couldn't know.
