The room was still, painted in the soft blue hues of early dawn. Outside, the trees rustled with a breeze that carried the crisp scent of morning dew. Inside, Ai stirred beneath the warm sheets, her delicate fingers stretching across the bed in search of the warmth she had fallen asleep beside.
But the sheets were cold.
Empty.
Her fingers twitched as they found only rumpled fabric. She blinked, eyes adjusting to the soft light filtering in from the window, and slowly sat up.
A tight, form-fitting top hugged her chest—so snug it outlined the gentle rise and fall of her breathing. The hem of her skirt barely grazed her thighs, short and snug, clinging to her hips as she shifted. The neckline of her top dipped low enough to whisper a hint of cleavage, and her disheveled hair tumbled down her shoulders like waves of midnight silk.
Her heart clenched for a moment.
That painful flicker of fear.
He left.
He didn't—
No. She silenced the thought. Shin wasn't like that.
Without a word, she slid out from the bed, bare feet silent on the floor. Her hips swayed naturally, the motion accentuated by the way her skirt rode up slightly with every step. She didn't care. She wasn't trying to be seen. She just… needed to know.
She padded down the hallway, heart quietly thudding. She paused outside a door—Yuki's room.
A gentle exhale left her lips.
Then, with a soft breath, she pushed the door open just enough to peek through.
And there he was.
Shin, curled protectively around Yuki, one arm draped loosely over his waist, their breathing slow and in sync. Yuki's white hair spilled across the pillow, cheeks faintly flushed even in sleep. Shin's face was turned toward him, a faint, sleepy smile still resting on his lips.
Ai's chest tightened again—but differently this time.
Not with pain.
With something softer.
Something bittersweet.
She smiled. A real one. Faint, fragile, but filled with something pure.
She didn't disturb them.
She simply closed the door quietly and turned away, letting her hand rest against her heart as she walked back down the hall.
---
Evening – Around 7:00 PM
The room was bathed in the dim amber hue of the evening. Shin stirred first, eyes blinking open slowly to find Yuki curled up beside him, his white hair rested on the pillow like snow. A lazy smile tugged at Shin's lips.
He brushed a few strands away from Yuki's cheek and whispered, "Still sleeping like a kitten…"
Yuki's nose twitched, and his eyes fluttered open with a soft groan. "Huh…? Sh-Shin?" he mumbled, then blinked twice and scowled. "Tch… You're still here?"
Shin chuckled, shifting closer, bare chest brushing against Yuki's shoulder. "Still pretending you don't want me here?"
Yuki turned his face away, cheeks immediately pink. "I-I didn't say that! Don't assume things, you jerk!"
"You're so cute when you're flustered," Shin teased, leaning in to nuzzle his neck. "Were you dreaming about me again?"
"I was not!! B-baka!" Yuki snapped, though his voice cracked and his fingers clutched at the sheets nervously.
Shin grinned and kissed his temple, then trailed a soft peck down to Yuki's cheek. "You were snuggling so close. Like you couldn't stand being apart."
"I—I was cold! Idiot!"
"Sure you were," Shin murmured, brushing his lips against Yuki's. The kiss was gentle and brief—just enough to leave Yuki breathless.
As Shin pulled back, he slid out from beneath the sheets, stretching as he reached for his clothes.
Yuki turned his head, watching silently from the pillow, face red. "W-Where are you going?"
"To make dinner," Shin said with a wink, slipping on his shirt. "Try not to miss me too much while I'm gone."
"I won't!"
"You will."
"I—!" Yuki clutched the blanket over his chest. "Y-you're so full of yourself!"
Shin leaned down, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "Get some more rest, Yuki. I'll call you when it's ready."
Yuki grumbled and turned away, but the small smile tugging at his lips betrayed him.
Shin walked out quietly, leaving behind only the scent of him and the warmth that lingered. Yuki sighed into the pillow, cheeks still flushed. "Baka…" he muttered softly.
But his fingers stayed curled in the sheets where Shin had just been.
Down the hall, Shin was already getting dressed. His shirt hung open, revealing the faint scratches Yuki had left on his skin—little reminders of the night before. He smiled as he buttoned up, tousling his hair into place.
He didn't rush.
He walked barefoot, quiet and casual, toward the kitchen.
Ai stood by the counter.
She didn't turn when he entered, her back to him as she stirred something in a pot, her apron tied loosely around her waist. The form-fitting top and short skirt were gone, replaced with a simple dress that still clung to her figure, as if even her casual wear was made to tempt him.
He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pressed his lips gently to her forehead.
"You didn't say anything," he whispered, voice low.
"About what?" Ai asked softly, still stirring.
"You peeked," Shin said, smiling against her skin.
Her hand faltered just a second.
Then resumed.
"I just… wanted to make sure you were okay."
He didn't reply right away. He only held her tighter, forehead resting against the back of her head.
"I was," he said finally. "Because you let me be."
Ai turned slowly, eyes soft and filled with an emotion too deep to name.
They didn't speak.
She cupped his face and leaned in, brushing her lips against his for just a second—a whisper of love.
Then she returned to stirring the pot, and he stepped beside her, grabbing a cutting board and a knife.
"I'll prep the veggies," Shin said casually.
"You're actually helping?" Ai teased.
"For the new housemates? Gotta impress them."
She laughed gently. "You already did."
He raised an eyebrow. "Even Asahi?"
"He's a tough one," Ai mused. "But he adores you."
He smirked, slicing carrots with careful precision. "And Aiko?"
Ai paused, glancing at him sidelong.
"She's… complicated."
"Yeah," Shin said with a soft chuckle. "But I love her too."
Ai didn't flinch.
Instead, she smiled faintly.
"I know."
They stood side by side, chopping, stirring, cooking in comfortable silence. The scent of miso and stir-fried vegetables filled the air. Laughter from the hallway hinted that Yuki had finally emerged, probably grumbling about being abandoned in bed.
The house felt warmer.
More alive.
More whole.
Ai leaned her head on Shin's shoulder, just for a second, before returning to the stove.
They didn't need words.
They didn't need declarations.
She had seen him love someone else and had still chosen to stay. And Shin, for all his flaws, had noticed. He'd felt her love in the quiet ways she gave it—in the meals she cooked, in the way she never asked questions she already knew the answers to, in the way she smiled through the ache.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Ai blinked up at him. "For what?"
"For loving me," he said.
Her breath caught.
Then she smiled. "Always."
Behind them, Yuki grumbled as he shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing sleep from his eyes, hair a wild mess.
Their house was growing.
Their hearts were, too.
And amid the noise, the teasing, the chaotic web of love and longing—there was peace.
Even if just for a moment.
And Shin, looking between Ai and the hall and the quiet clatter of life around him, knew—
He would protect it all.
With everything he had.
---
END OF CHAPTER : 215 : A HEART FULL OF QUIET LOVE!
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