The moment Asahi and Yui entered his room, a soft hush fell over the space. The air itself seemed to settle, heavy with the faint echo of closing footsteps and the distant creak of the wooden hallway.
Asahi stayed standing for a few seconds, hands awkwardly jammed into his pockets. Yui sat on the edge of the bed, her hands folded on her lap, her hair falling over one shoulder in a soft wave of brown silk. The lamplight painted her face in a golden hue—calm, gentle, and impossibly beautiful.
Neither of them spoke at first. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, just… tender. Fragile. The kind of silence that carried too many emotions to fit into words.
Yui was the one who broke it.
"You know…" she began softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "they really care about you."
Asahi blinked, looking up. "Hm?"
"Your siblings. Onii-san, Onee-san, Amu-Chan, Rika-Onee-san, Yuki-Nii-san… all of them." Her eyes drifted to the door they'd gone through. "You can tell by how they talk about you. How they look at you."
Asahi smiled faintly. "Yeah. We've been through a lot together."
Yui's lips curved, a tender, knowing smile. "You're lucky… but also—so are they."
He tilted his head. "How do you figure?"
"Because you're kind," she said simply. "You care about everyone. You always notice when someone's tired, or when they're pretending they're fine."
Her eyes softened, and a faint blush crept over her cheeks. "You're… really easy to love, Asahi-Kun."
The words hit him like a quiet wave—gentle, but deep.
His throat tightened. "Yui-Chan…"
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly shy, but her gaze stayed locked on his. "I mean it. You always try to make everyone feel safe, even when you're the one hurting. You smile even when it's hard. You forgive even when it's unfair."
A small, almost nervous laugh escaped her. "Sometimes I think you don't even realize how much you matter to the people around you."
Asahi walked closer, each step slow, deliberate, the wooden floor creaking beneath his feet. "I don't know about all that," he murmured. "I just… don't want anyone I care about to feel alone."
When he stopped in front of her, she had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze. The light caught his eyes—deep brown, steady, filled with something quiet and fierce.
"That's exactly what I mean," she said softly.
He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You always say things that make it hard for me to look cool, you know that?"
Yui laughed, that soft, musical sound that always seemed to melt away the walls inside him. "Maybe I don't want you to look cool," she teased gently. "Maybe I just want you to be you."
Asahi stared at her for a long moment. The warmth of her words seeped into him, deeper than he expected. It wasn't the kind of warmth that burned—it was the kind that settled under the skin, that lingered.
"Yui-Chan…" His voice dropped, softer now. "You really mean that?"
She nodded, her smile faltering just slightly as her voice grew more fragile. "I do. You don't have to be perfect, Asahi-Kun. Not for anyone. Not even for me."
He watched the way her lashes trembled, the way her hands clenched slightly in her lap as though she was fighting back her own nervousness.
Something in him shifted.
He reached out, slowly, carefully, and took her hand in his.
Her breath caught.
His hand was warm—steady—and when his fingers threaded through hers, she felt her heartbeat stumble. The small touch grounded them both; it was a promise, a confession, and a comfort all in one.
Yui looked down at their joined hands, her thumb brushing over his knuckles. "You're trembling," she murmured.
He smiled sheepishly. "Guess I am."
"I didn't think you'd ever get nervous."
"I get nervous all the time," he admitted quietly. "Especially around you."
Her lips parted, the faintest smile curling them. "Around me?"
"Yeah." He met her gaze, the flickering lamplight reflecting in his eyes. "Because you're the only one who makes my heart feel like it's about to jump out of my chest."
Her laugh came out soft, breathy. "That's not fair, saying things like that."
"Then tell me to stop."
She looked up at him, eyes shimmering with a thousand unsaid things. "I don't want you to."
The silence that followed wasn't empty—it was charged.
Yui's pulse raced, and she was sure he could hear it. The closeness between them shrank until his knee brushed hers. The air thickened, warm, heavy with the scent of candle wax and faint cologne.
Her breath came shallow as Asahi lifted his other hand, hesitated for a second, then gently brushed his fingertips along her jawline.
Her eyes fluttered shut at the touch.
He traced the soft curve of her cheek with his thumb, his touch reverent, as though he were afraid she might fade if he pressed too hard.
"Yui-Chan…" he whispered her name like a prayer.
She opened her eyes slowly, meeting his gaze. "Yes?"
"I don't think I've ever told you how beautiful you are when you smile."
Her cheeks flushed crimson, her lips trembling slightly as she tried to hide her face. "You really know how to make a girl's heart race, don't you?"
He chuckled quietly. "Only yours, I hope."
Her laughter dissolved into something quieter, softer. "You already do."
The warmth in the room wrapped around them like a blanket. The world outside—the faint breeze through the open window, the muted sounds of the street—seemed to blur away, leaving only the steady rhythm of their hearts.
Asahi leaned closer, his voice barely audible. "Can I…?"
Yui knew what he was asking before he finished. She nodded, her voice trembling. "Yes."
He tilted his head slightly, the faint brush of his breath grazing her lips before their mouths met.
The kiss was gentle—uncertain at first, then growing in confidence. Yui's hand rose, fingertips brushing the side of his neck, feeling the steady beat beneath his skin.
His heart raced, and so did hers.
It wasn't the fiery rush of passion; it was something slower, deeper, the kind of kiss that said I see you. I feel you. I care.
When they finally pulled back, her forehead rested lightly against his. Both of them were breathing softly, as though afraid any louder sound might break the moment.
She smiled through the quiet. "That… was really nice."
He laughed under his breath. "Yeah… more than nice."
Her fingers lingered in his, reluctant to let go. "You always make things feel… calm. Even when my heart's racing."
"Then I'll stay until you're calm again," he said softly.
She leaned forward, resting her head lightly against his shoulder. His arms moved almost instinctively, wrapping around her, holding her close.
Neither of them spoke. They didn't need to. The steady rhythm of their breathing filled the silence, a wordless exchange of everything they couldn't quite say aloud.
After a long while, Yui murmured against his chest, "Do you ever think about the future?"
He glanced down at her. "Sometimes."
"What do you see?"
He thought for a moment before answering, his tone thoughtful. "I see… the people I care about. Still together. Still smiling."
Her lips curved faintly. "And me?"
He chuckled softly. "You're in all of them, Yui-Chan."
Her heart skipped, warmth flooding through her. "Even the boring ones?"
"Especially the boring ones."
She laughed, the sound muffled against his shirt. "You're such a sap."
He grinned. "You like it."
"I do."
Yui looked up again, studying his face—the sharp line of his jaw, the faint scar near his temple, the gentle curve of his lips still flushed from their kiss.
Her hand rose, brushing his cheek. "Asahi-Kun… promise me something."
"Anything."
"Don't lose that kindness of yours. No matter what happens. Okay?"
He nodded slowly. "I promise."
She smiled, her eyes glimmering with quiet affection. "Good. Because it's the part of you I fell in love with."
He froze for a heartbeat, then exhaled softly, the corner of his mouth lifting into a tender smile. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that."
"Then say it back," she teased lightly.
He leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, Yui."
Her eyes softened, shining even brighter than before. "Say it again."
He smiled. "I love you."
Her breath hitched, and she pulled him into another kiss—softer this time, almost trembling. When they broke apart, she laughed quietly, cheeks pink, eyes bright.
"Guess I needed to hear that twice," she said.
He brushed his thumb across her lower lip, smiling. "I'll say it as many times as you need."
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END OF CHAPTER : 131 : QUIET CONFESSION