"There is no use getting angry at him anymore. If I do that, it will only show him that I still care. It will remind him of how I behaved when I found out he was seeing other girls. I don't want him to think that I want to return to the past."
"But even so, I don't think letting him off the hook the way you have been doing is such a good idea either."
"True, but hmmm," Sumire pointed to the newspaper. "When he gave me that bracelet, I honestly didn't know what to do. He has never done something so out of character before."
"Well, it does seem a bit weird. Are you sure he isn't pretending?"
"It was handmade."
Aika seemed dumbfounded. "Uh- yeah, I can see why you would be troubled but isn't this weird? Why would he suddenly do that?"
"That's exactly what I want to find out. Besides, he has his use."
Her sentence fell short when she heard the sound of her phone.
From: Sano
I want to see you soon.
When can we meet?
Sumire holds up her phone to show Aika. "See? He can even say things like this now."
Aika frowned when she read the text. "Are you going to meet him? You just got discharged."
"I won't meet him for at least a week."
"Huh, why a week specifically?"
"It's probably his time limit before he explodes."
"I thought I was ruthless."
Sumire laughed. "Well, I shouldn't mess around too much. I don't want my dearest to get mad."
"Speaking of Yuhi, for you to ask me that question. Is he pushier?"
"It's more like I am more aware of how he looks at me now."
Aika grinned. "Well, the poor guy has been holding it back, so maybe you should indulge in his fantasies a bit."
"It's not that simple; as I said, I have no experience with such things. I don't even know if I am reacting the way I should."
"Hmm, if your thinking that seriously, then maybe I can lend you some learning material."
"Learning material?"
..
It is nightfall when Sumire finishes reading the books. Her entire face was red, and she felt her body tremble. 'T--that stuff- Am I supposed to do that?' The books all had plain covers, so Sumire thought they were genuine learning materials. But the stuff written in them was very explicit.
Uhhh, to think she has to do that. Isn't it embarrassing? Then again, if she thinks about all they have done, doing that stuff shouldn't be wrong. But uh, can she? Whenever Yuhi touches her, it feels like her heart is about to leap out from her chest.
'I can't do such things!' But lately, Yuhi's desire for her is uncontrollable.
"I didn't know you were into this stuff." A familiar male voice said.
D--don't tell her that Yuhi-- Sumire hesitantly turned around indeed to confirm her suspicion. Yuhi held up one of the books she finished earlier.
"So, this is what you do when I am not around?"Yuhi seemed half amused and half curious.
"N--No! You got it wrong." Sumire exclaimed. "Aik-chan, have me these!"
Yuhi rolled his eyes. "Why would she give you if you didn't ask?"
Uh, he makes a point there. Indeed Aika only gave her these books because she asked for advice.
"But that's your fault."
Yuhi put the book down and walked over. Sumire tried to take a step back, but that only led to her back hitting the wall. Yuhi cupped her cheeks. "You know I don't mind you being inexperienced. I never expected you to know such things."
"But that's, it's not like it was my first time with you."
"Right Atsuro, Mamoru and Kanagwa Ren?"
At that comment, Sumire laughed awkwardly. So he knew about that.
"There are also some unconfirmed rumors about you fooling around with some design student."
"Uh--"
"But even with all this, you say you know nothing?"
"The only one I remember was with Ru. The other's mind went into that weird mode I mentioned before." Sumire trailed off. "So I don't know Yuhi-" She stops when she saw the look he gave her.
What a gentle gaze, and yet Sumire felt that something else was there. It feels like her skin is burning with this simple touch on her cheek and gaze.
"So, tell me. Why were you reading these booms?"
"You-You just said the reason."
"The reason?"
"I want to make you happy. I want to do something for you." Sumire mumbled. "So Yuhi--" His lips made contact with her before she could finish.
It was a light and yet passionate kiss. 'He is so stupid, but it seems he understood. I don't have to waste words when I am with Yuhi.'
After five minutes, Yuhi pulled away with a gentle gaze on his face. "Do you understand now?"
"I think so."
Yuhi laughed. "Your as vague as ever." He pulled back after flicking her forehead. "You don't have to read such things. If you want to know, I could teach you."
Sumire puffed her cheeks into a pout. "It sounds like you are treating me like a kid."
"A kid, huh? If that were the case, then I wouldn't have kissed you the way I did just now."
He always has a counterattack for everything. This isn't fair at all. Sumire watched as Yuhi picked up the books from the ground.
"But really, Sumire. Are you okay asking Aika for this type of advice?"
"I know you slept with her before."
"Yeah, more than once."
He is way too casual about this. Then again, Aika-chan mentioned it casually too.
'Back then, I was troubled about my boyfriend dumping me for a prettier girl. I asked Yuhi to sleep with me since he said I was prettier and that it was his loss.'
That story surprised her, but Sumire understood why the girl told her. Aika didn't want her to, later on, learn about it from someone else.
Indeed if she heard it from others, there would have been a chance that she would misunderstand.
"You're okay with it?"
"It does make me feel strange, but I understand the circumnstances."
"Understand, huh? Back then, I slept with many women. Initially, I wanted to find the right timing to talk to you about this. I didn't think it was right for me just to bring it up. Tell me, Sumire, do you not mind?"
"I don't."
'I already had a talk with Sano regarding this.'
"No matter the past or present, I have already accepted everything about you, Yuhi." Sumire paused when she noticed Yuhi's heated gaze.
'He is an idiot, but I truly like him.' She hesitantly stood up before walking over to where Yuhi was. The moment she got closer, he grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her to his arms.
"I want to do some bad things to you."
Sumire laughed. "Uh, bad things?"
"Yeah, terrible things. But you have your big show tomorrow."
"Pervert."
Yuhi chuckled. "If you truly want to know the definition of that, I could show you."
Sumire shook her head. "Tell me where you went? Is it to do with the articles?"
Yuhi paused and awkwardly scratched his head. "Actually, Yoru got hurt-"
He barely finished that sentence when she quickly put on her coat. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"But he is fine now."
"I need to see for myself."
Sumire figured they would start targeting the members of Akagumi but isn't this way too fast?