"Kyouko?" Haruki murmured between kisses, his lips trailing along the curve of her neck.
"Hey~" she whispered, gently pulling his head back with a playful glare. "Don’t leave any marks where everyone can see!"
"Hm?" Haruki blinked innocently, already leaning in again.
"I don’t want my family questioning where I got it," she said softly. "They might think I’m having an affair here..."
He smiled faintly, brushing her cheek with the back of his fingers.
They held each other for a few quiet seconds.
Then Haruki leaned in close again, his lips brushing just beside her ear.
"Oh, by the way, Kyouko..."
He leaned closer, his voice low.
"The PIN code for the debit card I gave you..."
She blinked, looking at him.
And she turned away slightly.
"How do you know my birthday?" Kyouko asked softly.
Haruki smiled, his arms still gently wrapped around her waist.
"Oh? I checked your ID before."
Kyouko’s eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity. "When?"
Haruki leaned in, brushing his lips close to her ear.
"Remember... the first time we had sex on the couch, after coming home from my office?"
"When you were asleep," he said with a quiet grin, "I took your wallet and looked."
"You what?" she blinked, flustered.
"Just curious," Haruki chuckled. "By the way... your picture in there, that’s an old one, right?"
Kyouko raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Still looks the same as now," he said, softly tracing a finger along her jawline. "Only difference is... the hairstyle."
She looked away, trying to hide the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.
Because she realized.
He didn’t just want her.
Even when she thought no one did.
"Hmmph!!" Kyouko huffed softly, turning her head slightly with a teasing pout. "Don’t blame me if I end up spending it on something expensive later~"
Haruki only smiled, that calm, confident smile she had come to know so well.
"It’s up to you, Kyouko," he said gently.
Then without another word, he leaned in and kissed her.
Their lips met, soft and hungry. And the moment she let her lips part, his tongue slid in to meet hers.
"Mmhh~" Kyouko melted into it, her hand resting against his chest as their kiss grew deeper, slower, filled with everything they couldn’t put into words.
Just full of the quiet, aching desire they always carried when they were apart.
When they finally parted, barely a breath between them, Kyouko whispered against his lips.
"...Don’t spoil me too much."
"So..." Haruki leaned in, a glint in his eyes. "Another round?"
Kyouko gave him a flat look, though her lips curled into a small smile.
"No~ Look at the time. It’s already past 6 p.m. I’m sure my parents will be mad if I stay any later."
She gently untangled herself from his arms and adjusted her clothes with practiced grace.
"Now let’s go, Haruki. We’ll head to my parents’ house, you take your scooter, and go home."
Haruki sighed, pretending to sulk. "Mmm... okay..."
Kyouko grabbed her purse and gave him a sidelong glance. "You already had two rounds today."
She walked ahead, pausing at the door before turning to him with a soft, knowing smile.
"So... tomorrow, if I can come here again..."
Haruki’s face brightened immediately.
"I said if," she said, teasingly.
Then added, with a gentle blush:
They sat quietly in the car as Kyouko drove back toward her family home, the setting sun casting a golden glow through the windshield. Neither said much, but the air between them felt full of warmth, of afterglow, of everything unsaid.
Once they arrived, Kyouko parked the car neatly in front of the house.
Hanako, who had been tidying the front porch, looked up as she spotted them.
"Kyouko? Why so late?"
"Ah..." Kyouko stepped out calmly, closing the door behind her. "Since Haruki-kun didn’t have his transport, his scooter is here, he asked if I could pick him up after work."
Hanako looked toward Haruki, who stepped out, bowed politely.
"Yes, Ma’am," Haruki said, scratching his head. "I asked my... mother-in-law to help me out."
He gave Kyouko a quick glance.
Just in time, Kitayama appeared at the door, adjusting his yukata.
"Ah, sorry we couldn’t find your key earlier," he said.
Haruki gave him a quick bow. "No worries, Mr. Kitayama. I... actually found it inside my bag."
Kitayama let out a laugh. "Such a clumsy one, aren’t you?" he grinned, clearly fond of Haruki already.
As Haruki began walking toward his scooter, Kitayama called out again.
"Hey, how about dinner and a drink before you go?"
"Kyouko!" Kitayama barked with a playful scowl. "Don’t just stand there! Drag him inside!"
"B-but... Father—" she stammered.
"No excuse!" he grinned. "He’s Satomi’s husband, isn’t he? So he’s family. Come on, get inside!"
"Y-yes, Mr. Kitayama," Haruki said quickly, bowing as he played the role of the kyouko awkward son-in-law to perfection.
As he stepped toward the house, Hanako let out a small laugh, watching the two of them closely.
"Kyouko... you helped him clean his house, didn’t you?" she said with a teasing smile. "Yet you two still look like you barely know each other."
"Umm... yeah..." Kyouko replied, brushing her hair behind her ear, forcing a smile.
"He’s living with you in Tokyo, right?" Hanako added. "You two barely talk?"
Hanako sighed gently, shaking her head.
"At least try not to treat him like a stranger. Just look at me and your father, we never treat Hitomi or Kazuma like that."
Kyouko let out a nervous laugh.
Haruki glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Come inside, young man," Hanako said with a cheerful firmness, reaching out and tugging Haruki gently by the arm.
"O-okay..." Haruki replied, pretending to be flustered.
Kyouko watched as Haruki was pulled into the house.
"Kyouko," Hanako added without looking back, "go take a shower. Dinner will be ready soon."
"Okay..." Kyouko answered softly, her eyes lingering on Haruki for a moment.
Then she turned away.